Laos – Laos is scheduled to launch a US$6 billion (RM25.4 billion) railway constructed by the Chinese on Friday, despite worries over the country’s debt and expectations that it would help to restore the country’s faltering economy. The construction of the 414-kilometer (260-mile) route, which is part of China’s trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, took five years. The potential economic …

Taiwan – Following a heated visit to the island by a delegation of American congressmen, the Chinese army conducted a navy and air force combat readiness patrol in the Taiwan Strait, a spokeswoman said. Tensions between Beijing and Washington have risen significantly over the destiny of democratic self-ruled Taiwan, which China has pledged to reclaim one day, by force if …

China – Hong Kong and Chinese authorities said a meeting on Thursday moved them closer to partially reopening the border between them, as the two governments dig their heels in as among the last in the world pursuing a zero-Covid-19 strategy. The global financial hub has followed Beijing’s lead to implement some of the strictest travel restrictions in the world, …

Philippines – Three Chinese Coast Guard ships halted and deployed water cannons on two Manila supply boats on their route to a Philippine-occupied island in the South China Sea, which the Philippines denounced “in the strongest terms,” according to its top diplomat. No one was injured in the November 16 incident at the Second Thomas Shoal, according to Teodoro Locsin , …

Hong Kong – Nathan Law, an exiled Hong Kong activist, released his first English-language book, Freedom, on Thursday, warning of the worldwide danger posed by Chinese authoritarianism. Law, 29, was a key activist in the pro-democracy Umbrella Movement demonstrations in the former British colony in 2014. At the age of 23, he was elected as the youngest member of Hong …

China – China retaliated over US President Joe Biden’s criticism of Beijing for failing to demonstrate leadership after President Xi Jinping missed the crucial COP26 United Nations summit in Glasgow. Xi, who heads the world’s top emitter of the greenhouse gases responsible for climate change, has not left China since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak and has not attended …

Taiwan – In an interview with CNN, the president of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen expressed confidence that the US would protect the island if China launched a military assault. “I have trust” that US soldiers would assist Taiwan protect itself, Tsai told the television network, adding that Washington’s commitment includes sending Americans to train Taiwan’s military, a program confirmed to the …

Indonesia – After an almost two-decade waiting, Indonesia finally won the renowned Thomas Cup by defeating China 3-0 in the finals at the Ceres Arena. Despite having won 13 championships and being the most successful team in tournament history, Indonesia last won the trophy in 2002 in Guangzhou, China, when they defeated Malaysia 3-2. World number five Anthony Sinisuka Ginting …

China – President Xi Jinping of China recently declared that “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan “would be and can be realized,” days after Chinese aircraft made unprecedented incursions into the democratically ruled island’s air defense zone. Taiwan, which has never officially proclaimed independence, is constantly threatened by China, which regards the island as its own and has promised to take it, …

Malaysia – Lim Guan Eng, the DAP secretary-general, was the hero who defended Tabung Haji for the greater benefit of Malaysia, according to Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu. The former defense minister, popularly known as Mat Sabu, said that it was Lim who persuaded the Pakatan Harapan (PH) Cabinet in 2019 to “rescue” the Muslim pilgrims’ fund, which had …