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☆ Inside the White House’s monthslong push for Ukraine aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Arlette Saenz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Sullivan followed up four days later with a call to Johnson to highlight the measures in place to track aid in Ukraine. They spoke often with Johnson’s staff, including meetings at the White House and on Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, Ricchetti and Goff spoke with Schumer and Jeffries and their staff almost daily to strategize on how to push Ukraine aid forward. Biden and Johnson spoke by phone the next day as the speaker briefed him on his plan to move the aid package forward. “We discussed the contents of the next US military aid package,” Zelensky said.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Joe Biden, Johnson –, speakership, Biden, Johnson, Vladimir Putin, Jake Sullivan, Shalanda Young, Sullivan, Taiwan –, Hamas, Putin, ” Biden, Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, “, ”, Steve Ricchetti, Richetti, Shuwanza Goff, Ricchetti, Goff, Jeff Zients, Schumer, Jeffries, Young, McConnell, Michael McCaul, Intelligence Michael Turner, Bill Burns, Ukraine Bridget Brink, Chip Roy, Texas, Ralph Norman of, Biden’s, Anita Dunn, Jon, Lloyd Austin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Donald Trump’s, Burns, ” Zelensky Organizations: Washington CNN, Ukraine, White House, GOP, Management, Senate, Biden, Russia, House Democratic, White, Capitol, House Foreign, Intelligence, CIA, Republican, The Defense Department, House Republicans, National Intelligence, Democratic, CNN Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Russia, Israel, Taiwan, Ricchetti, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Washington ,, Johnson’s

☆ A major headwind for TikTok could be the ultimate tailwind for Meta's Facebook and Instagram
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

META mountain 2022-11-03 Meta's stock performance since Nov. 3, 2022, which marked its lowest close during its dramatic sell-off that year. In a recent Wedbush consumer survey, 60% of TikTok users who responded said either Facebook or Instagram were their top alternatives if TikTok were to be banned. That was followed by 19% of TikTok users who said they would go to YouTube. Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank said Meta's stock could see more upside in light of a potential TikTok ban. After initially being a drag on revenue, Meta has said Reels is now a positive contributor across its apps.

Persons: Jim, Joe Biden, ByteDance, Shou Zi Chew, TikTok, –, FactSet, monetization, Philipp Schindler, We'll, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Avishek Das Organizations: Facebook, Chinese Communist Party, CNBC, Street, Meta, YouTube, Google, Wedbush Securities, Deutsche Bank, Getty Locations: U.S, Washington, Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, China

I think providing aid to Ukraine right now is critically important,” the speaker added. House TVThe speaker’s embrace of Ukraine aid represents a remarkable evolution for Johnson, who voted against funding for the country as a rank-and-file member. Johnson drags his feetJohnson did not come to his decision on how to handle foreign aid quickly. “Slow,” New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said when asked how Johnson handled Ukraine aid. In recent weeks, allies counseled Johnson to keep the former president in the loop on his potential foreign aid plans.

Persons: Manu Raju ”, Johnson, Mike Johnson, Hakeem Jeffries, Jeffries, Taiwan –, Michael McCaul, “, ” Johnson, Derrick Van Orden, Matt Gaetz, ”, Johnson –, Kevin McCarthy, –, Joe Biden, Donald Trump’s, Mike Pompeo, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Bill Burns, Marjorie Taylor Greene, ” Jeffries, Biden, Mitch McConnell, Gregory Meeks, Patrick McHenry of, Trump, Johnson’s, ” Trump, Eli Crane, McCarthy, Bob Good, Johnson “, Greene, Al Green, Van Orden, Gaetz, I’m, ” Van Orden, Chip Roy’s, Bob Good’s, Kent Nishimura, Paul Gosar, Johnson’s speakership, We’re, we’ve, Tom Cole of, ” Cole, “ There’s, Warren Davidson, CNN’s Haley Talbot, Morgan Rimmer Organizations: GOP, CNN, Democratic, Louisiana Republican, Foreign, ”, Florida Republican, Senate, Republican, Ukraine, CIA, Naval Academy, Israel, Internal Revenue Service, New York Rep, House Foreign Affairs, Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, Lago, Arizona, Democratic Rep, Navy, Navy Seals, Wisconsin Republican, Capitol, Democrats, Republicans, GOP Rep, ” Veteran GOP Locations: Iran, Israel, Ukraine, Washington, Louisiana, Taiwan, Florida, American, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Patrick McHenry of North, Iranian, Virginia, Texas, Wisconsin, House, Arizona, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, Ohio

☆ China concerns bring new unity to once-turbulent US-Japan-Philippines relationship ahead of major White House summit
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Both the Philippines and Japan are US defense treaty allies, and the US military retains permanent bases in Japan and has base rights in the Philippines. That threat is manifested in three key areas – Taiwan, the South China Sea and the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, analysts say. Here's why 03:27 - Source: CNNJapan and Philippines both have separate territorial disputes with China, in the former’s case the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea and in the latter’s areas of the South China Sea. Meanwhile, China claims the shoal, which is in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, as its sovereign territory, as it does much of the South China Sea, in defiance of an international arbitration ruling. “Alliance building is the most practical way to deal with China’s moves” in the South China Sea, he said.

Persons: ”, James D.J, Brown, Joe Biden, Fumio Kishida, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Xi Jinping, Biden, Micah Jeiel Perez, Marcos, Kishida, ” Marcos, Shinzo Abe, Ricardo Jose, ” Jose, Thomas, CNN Marcos, Shoal, China –, Masaharu Homma, –, Perez, Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos Jr’s, Duterte, Thomas Shoal, Veejay Villafranca, Robert Ward, BRP Antonio Luna, you’ve, Donald, Trump, ” Brown, “, Ward Organizations: South Korea CNN, White, Temple University, Japanese, Taiwan –, Communist Party, Taiwan Relations, University of, Nikkei Asia, University of the, “, CNN, East China, Philippine, China Coast Guard, US, US State Department, Gen, “ Alliance, Clark Air Base, Naval, Bloomberg, Getty, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Cooperative, Philippine Navy, BRP, Royal Australian Navy, Self, Defense Forces, JS Akebono, US Navy, USS, Multilateral Maritime Cooperative, Armed Forces, AP Analysts Locations: Seoul, South Korea, United States, Japan, Philippines, China, Tokyo, Philippine, Taiwan, Washington, South, Senkaku, East China, University of the Philippines, CNN Japan, East, South China, Palawan, China – Washington, Beijing, Spain, Spanish, Imperial Japan, New Orleans, Bataan, Subic, Manila, US, Australia, India, Vietnam, Warramunga, IISS

☆ The dangerous parallels between Putin’s ambitions in Ukraine and Xi’s claims on Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Will Ripley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

What is happening is to a certain extent, an element of a civil war,” Putin claimed. The island remained a Japanese colony for half a century until the end of World War II, when it came under the control of China’s ruling Nationalist government. Today Xi is expanding China’s military at a pace the world hasn’t seen in a century – since before World War Two. Long-time China analyst Steve Tsang, author of “If China Attacks Taiwan,” once told me that Xi’s military build-up is, by comparison, larger than Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan combined. Many here in Taiwan fear it’s only a matter of time before Xi, like Putin, puts his words into action.

Persons: Taiwan CNN —, Kolas Yotaka, Tucker, Vladimir Putin, “ Putin, Xi, ”, Putin, Xi Jinping, ” Yotaka, –, Jens Stoltenberg, “, ” Stoltenberg, it’s, ” China’s, Russia –, Carlson, ” Putin, Critics, Chiang Kai, shek, ” Xi, He’s, Tsai Ing, Steve Tsang Organizations: Taiwan CNN, Taiwan Presidential, Taiwan –, NATO, Munich Security, Communist Party, Russia, Observers, Nationalist, Communists, Taiwan’s National Chengchi, Democratic Progressive Party, Taipei, Xi, Navy, Global China, Atlantic Council, Taiwan Relations Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Ukraine, Beijing, China, Russia, Soviet, Ukrainian, Soviet Union, Japan, Republic of China, Taiwan Strait, United States, Hong Kong, Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, Washington

☆ McConnell defends push for Ukraine aid amid attacks from Trump wing of GOP: ‘Every argument against this is wrong’
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Manu Raju | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“I feel strongly this is in our best interest, America’s best interest and the world’s best interests to do this. Meantime, the House GOP has aligned itself closely with Trump and taken steps that have made some Republican senators uneasy – including impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over the problems at the border. But McConnell didn’t think the flap would have much of an impact on Senate races. “I think that every one of these races will hash that out one way or another,” McConnell said. “The age issue is obviously front and center for both candidates,” McConnell said when asked about the matter.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, McConnell, –, “ It’s, ” McConnell, Trump, Mike Johnson, McConnell harkened, – we’ve, Johnson, “, ” Johnson, I’ve, we’ve, Alejandro Mayorkas, hadn’t, Oklahoma GOP Sen, James Lankford, ”, Tom Suozzi, Biden, Robert Hur’s, ” CNN’s Clare Foran, Morgan Rimmer Organizations: GOP, CNN, Trump, Republican, “, Kentucky Republican, Homeland, Oklahoma GOP, Wall Street, Washington Post, Republicans, Democrats, New, Democrat Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, Oklahoma, New York

☆ McConnell’s GOP critics grow louder as party descends into feud over Ukraine and immigration
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Manu Raju | Lauren Fox | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Mitch McConnell had long prided himself on maintaining GOP unity during his 17-year tenure as Senate GOP leader. Now they’ve spilled into public view as the Kentucky Republican heads into what could be his final year as leader. “We did what Donald Trump wanted.”With McConnell’s backing, the Senate is now taking a different approach. “Sen Cruz talks every day with his colleagues, and his conversations with fellow senators are confidential,” the Cruz spokesperson said. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama and close Trump ally, said that “everybody” has concerns about McConnell’s handling of the talks.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, That’s, Donald Trump, McConnell, “, Mitch, ”, Sen, Kevin Cramer, “ Mitch, he’s, Cramer, Larry Hogan, ” McConnell, Trump, Alex Brandon, …, I’ve, Josh Hawley, Republican Sen, Rand Paul, what’s, McConnell’s, GOP Sen, James Lankford of, –, Trump –, “ Donald Trump, Mitt Romney, John Cornyn of, John Thune of, John Barrasso of, ” Sen, Ron Johnson of, “ He’s, Florida Sen, Rick Scott, ” “, Ted Cruz, “ McConnell, Chip Somodevilla, Cruz, nodded, “ Cruz, “ Sen Cruz, Mike Rounds, Rounds, ” McConnell’s, Tucker Carlson, ” Romney, Tommy Tuberville, Tuberville, ” CNN’s Morgan Rimmer Organizations: GOP, Kentucky Republican, North Dakota Republican, Republican, Democratic, Senate, 436th Aerial Port Squadron, Dover Air Force Base, Missouri Republican, Republicans, Lankford, Committee, Texas Republican, CNN, Trump, Capitol Locations: Ukraine, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware, Missouri, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Utah, Israel, Taiwan, Sens, John Cornyn of Texas, John Thune of South Dakota, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Florida, Texas, Washington ,, South Dakota, Alabama

☆ Opinion: The repercussions from Taiwan’s election will continue for years
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Opinion Lanhee J. Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —For the US, Saturday’s Taiwan election results signal the continuation of heightened tension with China over the issue of Taiwan’s sovereignty. This will be the case regardless of who wins the US presidential election in November. In fact, support for Taiwan is one of the few policy issues on which there is agreement between Republicans and Democrats. Overall, Taiwan’s voters chose continuity over change by delivering a victory to Lai and the incumbent DPP. Taiwan's President-Elect, Lai Ching-te (left), celebrates with his running mate, Hsiao Bi-khim, during a rally outside the headquarters of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taipei on January 13, after winning the presidential election.

Persons: J, Chen, David, Diane Steffy, Romney, Ryan, Lai Ching, Lanhee J, Chen Lanhee J . Chen, Lai, Hsiao Bi, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, Hsiao, Yasuyoshi Chiba, China’s, Xi Jinping, Elect Lai, —, ” Xi, Xi, ”, ” Lai Organizations: CNN, Public Policy Studies, Hoover Institution, California State, Republican, Democratic, Democratic Progressive Party, Republicans, Democrats, Taiwan’s, Taiwan's, Getty, Communist Party, Nationalist, Taiwan People’s Party, Beijing’sTaiwan, Chinese Communist Party Locations: Taiwan, China, Taipei and Washington, Taipei, People’s Republic of China, PRC, AFP, Nauru, Beijing, Taiwan Strait

☆ Mike Johnson tests his new power with risky gambit on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —New House Speaker Mike Johnson is already tying Washington in new partisan knots. Johnson surprises by picking Israel funding as his first test of credibilityJohnson’s hard ball play on Israel funding came as a surprise given that some of the urgency for ending the speakership impasse last week was to swiftly clear a funding package following the Hamas attacks. The Biden administration on Tuesday formally threatened to veto the House GOP’s standalone Israel aid bill. The inclusion of the offsets could indicate that Johnson needs to placate his most hardline members even to pass a measure as popular as Israel funding. Some other Senate conservatives are also at odds with their leader, backing the decoupling of Israel and Ukraine aid.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Kevin McCarthy, Joe Biden’s, Mitch McConnell, McCarthy, McConnell, Johnson, ” Beth Sanner, “, Biden, ” Sanner, Johnson’s, ’, Jared Moskowitz, ”, “ I’m, Marjorie Taylor Greene of, Rashida, Greene, George Santos, McConnell –, Donald Trump, –, Vladimir Putin, don’t, Rand Paul, he’s, ” Paul, CNN’s Manu Raju, Chuck Schumer, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Putin, ‘ I’m Organizations: CNN, New, Washington, Republican, Republicans, stoke, Internal Revenue, GOP, Louisiana Republican, Democratic, Senate, National Intelligence, Central ”, White, Israel, National Republican, Extreme, Democrats, Jewish Democrat, “, GOP Rep, Democratic Rep, Democrat, New York Rep, titans, Taiwan, New York Democrat, US, NATO Locations: Israel, Louisiana, Ukraine, China, Russia, Washington, Gaza, Florida, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Palestinian American, Michigan, Kyiv, Kentucky, United States, Moscow, Iran, Tehran, Baltic

China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing was “strongly dissatisfied” with Baerbock’s comments and “firmly opposes” them. “The remarks made by Germany are extremely absurd, seriously infringe on China’s political dignity, and are an open political provocation,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing on Monday. The Chinese Foreign Ministry often leaves out content it deems sensitive from the transcripts of its regular briefings. In June, US President Joe Biden also referred to Xi as a “dictator,” sparking a fierce backlash from Beijing. As a result of this and China’s political decisions, we need to change our approach to China,” the paper said.

Persons: Xi, ”, Berlin’s, Annalena Baerbock, “, Putin, Germany’s, Patricia Flor, Mao Ning, Xi –, Joe Biden, Jiang Zemin, Mike Wallace, Jiang, Deng Xiaoping, Mao Zedong’s, Angela Merkel, Baerbock Organizations: CNN, Fox News, China’s, Ministry, Chinese Foreign Ministry, CBS, South China, Germany’s Greens Locations: China, Germany, United States, Ukraine, Beijing, Berlin, Moscow, Taiwan, South, “ China, Australian

☆ Taiwan’s defense ministry urges Beijing to stop ‘military harassment’ after 103 Chinese warplanes fly near island
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Eric Cheung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Taipei, Taiwan CNN —Taiwan’s defense ministry has urged Beijing to stop its “persistent military harassment,” after it detected more than 100 Chinese warplanes close to the island in a 24-hour span between Sunday and Monday. The number of warplanes recorded posed “severe challenges to the Taiwan Strait and regional safety,” the ministry said in a statement. According to a flight map provided by the ministry, 40 of the 103 Chinese warplanes crossed the median line on the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s self-declared air defense identification zone (ADIZ). Those 40 incursions were made by 10 Su-30 fighter jets, 12 J-10 fighter jets, four J-11 fighter jets, 10 J-16 fighter jets, two Y-20 aerial refueling aircraft, and two KJ-500 airborne early warning and control planes. The highest record of Chinese warplanes that entered Taiwan’s ADIZ within 24 hours was reported in October 2021, when 56 planes made the incursion in one day.

Persons: Taiwan CNN —, Su, Taiwan – Organizations: Taiwan CNN, Party, Taiwan, Communist Party, Taiwan’s ADIZ Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Beijing, Taiwan Strait

Together, experts say, these efforts aim to enhance China’s military reach, which currently includes only one operational overseas naval base in Djibouti on the Horn of Africa. “It’s a question of when – not if – China will secure its next overseas military outpost,” he said. This photo taken on August 1, 2017, shows Chinese People's Liberation Army personnel attending the opening ceremony of China's new military base in Djibouti. The Hambantota commercial port in Sri Lanka has long been considered a prime candidate for a Chinese naval base. However, China’s path to developing permanent overseas bases, if indeed that is its aim, is not straightforward.

Persons: FDD, Craig Singleton, “, –, ”, Tea Banh, FDD’s Singleton, Tang Chhin Sothy, Singleton, Xi Jinping, Stringer, ” AidData, Stephen J, Townsend, ” Townsend, Bata, Ali Bongo Ondimba, Ken Ishii, ’, ” Singleton, China’s, Aaron Favila, Isaac Kardon, Kardon, ” Kardon, BlackSky Singleton, Rob Wittman, Fu Tian, Seth Moulton, ” Moulton, Martin Meiners Organizations: South Korea CNN, People’s Liberation Army Navy, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Ream, Base, CNN, China’s Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ream Naval Base, ” Cambodian Defense, Cambodian, Getty, Fleet, Communist Party, US, Liberation Army personnel, William & Mary University, Sri Lankan Navy, US Africa Command, Gabonese, of, Xinhua, Naval Research Academy, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, East China Seas, China, Control, Organization, Force, Strategic, International Studies, Defense Department, Chinese Communist Party, ”, Virginia Republican, The Defense Department, Qingdao Port, People's Liberation Army Navy, China News Service, America, Pentagon, US Defense Department Locations: Seoul, South Korea, China, Beijing, Washington, Cambodia, Argentina, Cuba, Djibouti, of Africa, Africa, West Asia, Gulf, Thailand, United States, Preah Sihanouk, AFP, Horn of Africa, “, South, Taiwan, Virginia, —, Sri Lanka, Bata , Equatorial Guinea, Gwadar, Pakistan, Kribi, Cameroon, Ream, Vanuatu, Nacala, Mozambique, Nouakchott, Mauritania, Colombo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, West Africa, South China, East Asia, East, Asia, Washington In Washington, Nanchang, Qingdao, Shandong province, Massachusetts

Shi said the exercises would test the armed forces’ “ability to fight in real combat conditions.”“The patrols and exercises serve as a stern warning to the collusion of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists with foreign elements and their provocations,” Shi added. China’s ruling Communist Party claims the self-governing, democratic island of Taiwan – despite never having controlled it. The move also comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and China. US President Joe Biden has been hosting the leaders of Japan and South Korea at a trilateral summit undergirded by the three countries’ mutual concern over China. On Tuesday, US-sanctioned defense minister Li Shangfu warned against “playing with fire” when it comes to Taiwan in a veiled jab at the United States when he addressed a security conference in Russia.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Shi Yi, Shi, ’, China’s, Taiwan –, William Lai, Lai, Joe Biden, Li Shangfu, “ Organizations: CNN, Eastern Theater Command, Xinhua, Communist Party, Paraguay – Locations: Taiwan, Beijing, Paraguay, South America, ”, United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia

After months of acrimony, administration officials have recently begun visiting Beijing in a bid to reestablish regular communication. “The most intense, the most focus that I’ve ever seen President Biden is in advance of these engagements with President Xi,” the official said. And the extent to which their personal relationship will impact US-China relations overall has yet to be determined. “This summit is formalizing and institutionalizing a major strategic shift of the region,” explained a third senior administration official. “The Biden administration has always been clear that talking is best, they will keep showing up, and communication is necessary.

Persons: David, Joe Biden, –, Xi Jinping Biden, ” Biden, “, ”, Xi, Biden, CNN’s Arlette Saenz, “ You’re, Hikariko Ono, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, “ Xi, Narendra Modi, ’ Biden, “ I’ve, “ That’s, we’re, “ Biden, Obama, Danny Russel, Camp David, Fumio Kishida, Yoon Suk, Antony Blinken, Janet Yellen, John Kerry Organizations: CNN, Korean, Democratic, Foreign Ministry, White House, Biden, State Department, Camp, Japanese, South, ” Locations: China, Utah, Beijing, Bali, US, Tokyo, Seoul, mending, Asia, Sunnylands, Palm, Taiwan, India, San Francisco, Japan, South Korea

☆ China will cut carbon emissions at its own pace, Xi says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —China will follow its own path to cut carbon emissions, leader Xi Jinping vowed Tuesday, as US climate envoy John Kerry called for faster action to confront the climate crisis in a high-profile visit to Beijing. Xi told a national conference on environmental protection that China’s commitment to its duel carbon goals – reaching a carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060 – is “unwavering,” according to state news agency Xinhua. In the meeting with Li, Kerry stressed the “need for China to decarbonize the power sector, cut methane emissions, and reduce deforestation,” a spokesperson for the US State Department said in a statement. China and other fast developing nations have long argued that the world’s richest countries, especially those in the West, were able to become wealthy while churning out huge carbon emissions for decades. The US has said climate cooperation with China should be a standalone issue, separate from their disputes.

Persons: Xi Jinping, John Kerry, Xi, –, ”, Kerry, Li Qiang, Wang Yi, Li, Nancy Pelosi’s, Wang, Han Zheng Organizations: CNN, Xinhua, China’s, US State Department, Taiwan –, Reuters Locations: China, Beijing, Washington, United States, Taiwan

☆ China eyes Blinken's visit this week with deep distrust toward the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“The coverage of Blinken’s visit in China is not nearly as extensive or enthusiastic as it has been in the West,” said Yun Sun, director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, a think tank in Washington. (Chinese experts say it was because the US failed to lift sanctions on Li, imposed in 2018 over China’s purchase of Russian weapons.) China cut off talks with US military commanders following former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan last August. Zhao said China has adopted “a brinkmanship policy” to highlight the risk of military confrontation to the US. Wang, the expert at Peking University, said Blinken’s long-delayed visit is the “last chance” to repair ties with China before the US election next year.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Washington, Blinken, Qin Gang, State Department –, ”, Yun Sun, “, “ We’re, ” Daniel Kritenbrink, Trump, Wang Yong, Biden, Joe Biden, ” Wang, Tong Zhao, Lloyd Austin, Li Shangfu, Li, Nancy Pelosi’s, Zhao, ” Zhao, ‘, Blinken’s, Janet Yellen, John Kerry, Sun, ” lockdowns, Xi Jinping’s, Xi, Wang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, China’s, State Department, Biden, China Program, Stimson, State, Peking University, Foreign Ministry, Carnegie Endowment, International, Defense Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Washington, East Asia, Taiwan, South China

☆ U.S. accuses Chinese fighter jet of 'unnecessarily aggressive maneuver' in South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The United States has accused a Chinese fighter jet of engaging in an "unnecessarily aggressive maneuver" while intercepting a U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace over the South China Sea. It is the latest in a series of flashpoints in the highly contested territory that China claims as its own. The U.S. aircraft was conducting "safe and routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace, in accordance with international law," according to the statement. The South China Sea has been a major flashpoint in the Asia-Pacific in at least the last decade as China grew more assertive with its burgeoning economic clout bolstering its global influence. As part of its projection of power, China claims maritime jurisdiction over the strategic waterway that is rich with resources such as oil and gas.

Persons: Nancy Pelosi Organizations: U.S . Air Force, U.S, Pacific Command, United, China's Defense Ministry Locations: U.S, United States, South China, China, South, Asia, Pacific, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam

☆ Russia and China hit back at a G7 that saw them as a threat
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Moscow and Beijing lashed out against the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima, where leaders of major democracies pledged new measures targeting Russia and spoke in one voice on their growing concerns over China. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday slammed the G7 for indulging in their “own greatness” with an agenda that aimed to “deter” Russia and China. G7 member countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Concern about such incidents was reflected in the G7 statement on ensuring economic security and countering economic coercion, which did not explicitly mention China. “The bottom line is that the G7 has shown it will increasingly focus on China and will try to maintain a coordinated policy approach.

CNN —A Taiwan-based book publisher has been placed under investigation in China on suspicion of “endangering state security,” Beijing said Tuesday amid mounting concern over his disappearance. Li’s detention comes at a tense moment in cross-strait relations, and several Taiwan citizens have been detained in China on state security grounds in recent years. CNN has reached out to Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Office to inquire about Li’s citizenship status. One of them, Lam Wing-kee, has said he was kidnapped by Chinese “special forces” after crossing the border into mainland China from Hong Kong. Hong Kong used to be a hub for publishing politically sensitive books that would be banned in mainland China.

☆ Opinion: The world just tilted in India’s favor
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

She is a weekly opinion contributor to CNN, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post and a columnist for World Politics Review. CNN —Imagine a world in which the world’s most populous country is a democracy. The United Nations Population Fund announced Wednesday that, according to its calculations, India’s 1.4 billion have already surpassed mainland China’s population, and will exceed all of China’s – including Hong Kong’s population – by the middle of this year. In addition to shrinking, China’s population is growing older. Today, after decades of breakneck economic growth, China’s population is much wealthier than India’s.

☆ Will This Be the ‘Indian Century’? Four Key Questions
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Alex Travelli | Weiyi Cai | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

Annual population growth 3% Growing population Projected Projected 2% India’s population is projected to grow until the 2060s. 1% 0 Declining population -1% 1960 2000 2040 2080 3% Projected 2% China’s population declined for the first time in 2022. Fertility rate 8 children per woman Projected Projected 6 India 4 India’s fertility rate ensures a roughly stable population. Age 100+ Male Female Male Female 95–99 90–91 85–89 80–81 75–79 70–71 Nearly 80% of India’s population is younger than 50. 20–21 15–19 10–11 5–9 0–4 Age 100+ Male Female 95–99 90–91 85–89 80–81 Nearly 80% of India’s population is younger than 50.

☆ Sun Cable project: Billionaires' feud over Australia-Singapore cable escalates
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The proposed Sun Cable project would see a subsea cable stretch from Darwin to Singapore. A statement from Cannon-Brookes’ private investment arm, Grok Ventures, suggested all investors except Forrest’s investment arm Squadron Energy remain committed to the cable. Tim Buckley, director of Climate Energy Finance, says the export of green hydrogen (hydrogen generated from renewable energy) is at least a decade away. “The market for green hydrogen exports has sort of deflated quite dramatically when people realize there’ll be a decade or two before you can actually ship green hydrogen anywhere overseas,” he said. For example, Xlinks plans to run a cable almost as long and powerful from Morocco to the United Kingdom.

☆ Five countries, other than China, most dependent on the South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Sean M. Holt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Territorially, there are seven claimants to the South China Sea: China, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Analysts name the top five countries, other than China, that are most dependent on the South China Sea. Aerial view of fishing boats setting sail to South China Sea for fishing on August 16, 2022 in Yangjiang, Guangdong Province of China. "Although they claim more than half of the South China Sea, China has pushed claimant states such as Vietnam out of traditional fishing waters and more into the South China Sea, causing excessive overfishing." South KoreaSouth Korea is "intentionally quiet about the South China Sea" as it wants to "maintain favor with China," Graham said, citing Seoul's primary focus on the North Korean issue.

That loyal inner circle has not only strengthened Xi’s hold on power – but also tightened his grip over China’s future. In the eyes of Xi, China is closer than ever to achieving its dream of “national rejuvenation” and reclaiming its rightful place in the world. What he decides to do – and how he goes about doing it – will have a profound impact on the world. Under Xi, Beijing has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan, sending warplanes and conducting military drills near the island. Xi continues to back a costly zero-Covid policy that keeps borders heavily restricted and regularly sends its cities into lockdown – dragging down China’s economic growth.

☆ What is China's Communist Party Congress and will it cement Xi Jinping's rule?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

What is the Party Congress? The Congress itself, typically held in October or November, convenes nearly 2,300 carefully selected Communist Party members, called delegates, from around the country. Delegates attend the opening of the Chinese Communist Party's 19th National Congress in October 2017. While votes are held at the Party Congress, this is widely viewed as a formality – not a true election process. Video Ad Feedback 02:46 - Source: CNN Watch CNN's report of last party congress of the Chinese Communist Party in 2017Why is this Congress different from those in the past?

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