DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ China wants to turn the yuan into a global currency out of fear of sanctions, not domination
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Beijing's goal now is to minimize any impact from potential sweeping sanctions from the West in "extreme geopolitical scenarios," such as a military conflict over Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, wrote Liu. "Expanding the use of the renminbi in trade is less challenging than increasing its status as an international reserve currency," Liu wrote. AdvertisementHowever, capital controls are not necessarily a dealbreaker for the broader adoption of the yuan in trade, wrote Liu. It also shows it's not so easy to displace the mighty US dollar as the world's top reserve and trading currency of choice. A recent global survey of 1,660 enterprises showed that there is just not enough interest in using the yuan to trade.

Persons: —, Zoe Liu, Liu, Russia —, Xi, it's Organizations: Service, China Studies, Council, Foreign Relations, Business, Monetary, Financial, China's Bank of Communications, Renmin University Locations: China, Taiwan, London, Russia, Beijing, East Asia, Southeast, Central Asia

☆ Opinion | America’s Military Is Not Prepared for War — or Peace
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Roger Wicker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

“To be prepared for war,” George Washington said, “is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.” President Ronald Reagan agreed with his forebear’s words, and peace through strength became a theme of his administration. It is far past time to rebuild America’s military. President Vladimir Putin of Russia has thrown Europe into war and mobilized his society for long-term conflict. Iran and its proxy groups have escalated their shadow war against Israel and increased attacks on U.S. ships and soldiers. Iran has provided Russia with battlefield drones, and China is sending technical and logistical help to aid Mr. Putin’s war.

Persons: ” George Washington, “, Ronald Reagan, America’s, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin Organizations: U.S . Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S . Navy Locations: American, China, Russia, Europe, Iran, Israel, Korea

☆ Chinese travelers are opting for lower-cost domestic destinations over foreign tourist spots
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesBEIJING — Chinese travelers are increasingly opting for cheaper domestic destinations over foreign tourist spots. The top reason for preferring their home country was "abundant domestic travel options," the survey found, followed by "too costly" international travel. Local tourism has been a bright spot in China's recovery from Covid-19 controls that ended in late 2022. watch nowDuring a public holiday this year from May 1 to May 5, domestic tourism trips and revenue surged versus pre-pandemic levels in 2019, official data showed. Local authorities said performing arts subsidies from the local governments helped generate 48.3 million yuan in ticket sales to 230,000 people, stimulating about 460 million yuan in economic activity.

Persons: Oliver Wyman, Trip.com, Ashley Dudarenok, Ashley Dudarenok ChoZan Organizations: Nurphoto, Getty, International, CNBC, China Locations: China's Guizhou province, BEIJING, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Covid, Yangzhou, Luoyang, Qinhuangdao, Guilin, Zibo, U.S, Xi'an, Guangxi, Nanjing

☆ This is the word of the summer on Wall Street
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

New York CNN —Bifurcation is the word of the summer. Or it’s the word of the summer among investors, at least. It’s a word that the market gets hung up on and then all you do is hear that word. But I think that’s nearing an end, and so I would expect a slowdown in consumer spending. I’m not so sure that’s going to happen this time because their balance sheets and cash flows aren’t as strong.

Persons: Bell, Scott Wren, I’ve, We’ve, You’ve, you’ve, they’ve, That’s, hasn’t, you’re, I’m, Elon Musk’s, Elon Musk, Anna Cooban, Andreesen Horowitz, Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, xAI, Musk, Grok, Laura He, Xi Jinping’s Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Nvidia, Fed, Elon, Investors, Sequoia Capital, xAI, Worth, China Construction Bank, China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, National Enterprise Locations: New York, United States, Wells Fargo, Silicon, Saudi, OpenAI, China, ICBC, Beijing

☆ US lawmakers vow to bolster Taiwan’s defense with bipartisan visit days after China’s ‘punishment’ military drills
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —US lawmakers vowed to bolster Taiwan’s deterrence against China on Monday during a bipartisan congressional visit to the self-governing democracy just days after Beijing surrounded the island with massive military exercises. US Representative Michael McCaul, Republican-Texas, has vowed to bolster Taiwan's deterrence against China. China’s military drills, he said, were “to express their displeasure with President Lai, a president democratically elected by the people of Taiwan.”But he added they had another objective. The delegation also met with Lai, Taiwan’s new leader, on Monday morning. China responded with a show of military force and later imposed sanctions on McCaul.

Persons: Lai Ching, Michael McCaul, ”, McCaul, Lai, ” McCaul, China’s, Xi Jinping, Xi, “, Mao Ning, Michael Brochstein, Lin Chia, ” “ It’s, ” Lin, Taiwan’s, “ Taiwan’s, ” Lai, Ronald Reagan’s, Tsai Ing, Nancy Pelosi’s Organizations: CNN, China, House Foreign Affairs Committee, Taiwan, US, Party, Republican, Ministry, Taiwan’s Locations: Beijing, China, Taiwan, Taipei, Ukraine, Taiwan Strait, Texas, United States, America, People’s Republic of China

☆ China chip industry gets $47.5 billion in new funding
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Worth $47.5 billion, the fund is being created as the US imposes sweeping restrictions on the export of American chips and chip technology in a bid to throttle Beijing’s ambitions. The latest investment vehicle is the third phase of the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund. The first phase of the fund was set up in 2014 with 138.7 billion yuan ($19.2 billion). In 2022, the country’s anti-graft watchdog launched a crackdown on the semiconductor industry, investigating some of China’s top figures in state-owned chip companies. Last year, China’s Huawei shocked industry experts by introducing a new smartphone powered by a 7-nanometer processor made by China’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC).

Persons: Xi Jinping’s, Lu Jun, ”, Xi’s, Biden, China’s, Mark Rutte, Xi Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Worth, China Construction Bank, China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, National Enterprise, Ministry of Industry, Information Technology, IC, US, China’s Huawei, China’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, Huawei, Dutch Locations: Hong Kong, China, ICBC, Beijing, Netherlands, Japan, United States, ASML

☆ Bipartisan congressional delegation visits Taiwan following days of Chinese military drills around island
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-26 | by ( Avery Lotz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul and a bipartisan delegation of lawmakers arrived in Taiwan on Sunday following the election of the island’s new president and after days of Chinese military drills. The US will continue to stand by our steadfast partner and work to maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. US officials condemned the drills, with the State Department urging the Chinese to “act with restraint.”Two years ago, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island, marking the first time a US House speaker had traveled to Taiwan in 25 years. Her visit was met with days of large-scale military drills and warnings of a “severe impact” on US-China relations from the Chinese government. In April 2023, then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy similarly defied threats from China, presenting a united front with then-President Tsai Ing-wen in a California meeting.

Persons: Michael McCaul, Lai Ching, China’s, Putin, Xi, ” McCaul, Xi Jinping, ”, Nancy Pelosi, Kevin McCarthy, Tsai Ing, “, Antony Blinken Organizations: CNN — House Foreign, Communist Party, US, Taiwan, House Foreign Affairs Committee, ” CNN, State Department Locations: Taiwan, Beijing, Ukraine, Israel, Iran, “ Taiwan, Taiwan Strait, America, Asia, China, California

☆ Zhongnanhai: The scenic garden that became China’s secretive seat of power
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-25 | by ( Jonathan Chatwin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

As the seat of power, Zhongnanhai is often thought of as China’s equivalent to the White House, or the Kremlin. Architectural changesThere have been serious revisions to the architecture of Zhongnanhai since the end of imperial rule in 1912. Having re-established Zhongnanhai as a center of political power in the new China, Mao set about rebuilding the compound according to his tastes. “It was here,” noted Aldrich, “with the background trappings of a scholar, that he met Nixon and Kissinger in 1972.”Most subsequent leaders have preferred to keep a house outside the Zhongnanhai compound. However, the compound hasn’t always been so forbidden for the masses following the collapse of China’s imperial dynasty.

Persons: Jonathan Chatwin, “, Deng Xiaoping, Leung Chun, Xi Jinping, Simon Song, Xi Jinping’s, Ming, Geremie Barmé, Qianlong, Feng Li, ” Linda Jaivin, ”, Dowager Cixi, Zhongnanhai, Cixi, Dowager, M, Aldrich, Mao Zedong, ” Aldrich, China’s, Yuan Shikai, Yuan Shikai ‘, William Lewisohn, Xinhuamen, William Cooper, —, Qianlong Emperor, Yuan, Invincible Mao, — Mao, Kangxi, Mao, Zhou Enlai, Chen Yi, Zhang Wentian, Nikita Khrushchev, Khrushchev, Nixon, Kissinger, Hu Jintao, Jiang Zemin, Newscom Aldrich, Mao’s, Li Zhisui, Xi, Chicago's Walter, Hu Yaobang, Gong, “ Heck Organizations: CNN, Bell, Communist Party, CCP, White, Hong, China Morning, University of Bristol Library, Great Communist Party of China, ”, Shuangqing Villa, Alamy, State Council, China’s Politburo, Huairen, Chicago's Walter Payton College Preparatory, New York Times, Zhongnanhai, Bloomberg Locations: Modern China, Prospect, Tiananmen, Hong Kong, Zhongnanhai, City, China, Beijing, “, People’s Republic, New China, Arlington, Peking, Xinjiang, Russian, Beihai, Beijing’s, Huairen, Qinzheng Hall

☆ Xi Jinping’s Recipe for Total Control: An Army of Eyes and Ears
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-25 | by ( Vivian Wang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The wall in the police station was covered in sheets of paper, one for every building in the sprawling Beijing apartment complex. Each sheet was further broken down by unit, with names, phone numbers and other information on the residents. Perhaps the most important detail, though, was how each unit was color-coded. Then he leaned forward to mark a third-floor apartment in yellow. The residents in that unit changed often, and therefore were “high risk,” his note said.

Persons: “ I’ve Locations: Beijing

☆ China Has a Plan for Its Housing Crisis. Here’s Why It’s Not Enough.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Alexandra Stevenson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

China has a housing problem. It has nearly four million apartments that no one wants to buy, a combined expanse of unwanted living space roughly the area of Philadelphia. The plan, announced last week, is the boldest move yet by Beijing to stop the tailspin of a housing crisis that threatens one of the world’s biggest economies. China has a bigger problem lurking behind all those empty apartments: even more homes that developers already sold but have not finished building. By one conservative estimate, that figure is around 10 million apartments.

Persons: Xi Jinping Locations: China, Philadelphia, Beijing

☆ China wants its nepo-baby and get-rich-quick influencers gone
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China's biggest social media platforms launched a synchronized crackdown on parading wealth last week, removing thousands of posts and punishing dozens of influencers for promoting "bad values." Showing luxury services or goods to exaggerate how one can earn "millions in a month," achieve financial independence or start a lucrative business from scratch. Xu claimed that the barred influencers grew their fame by "showing off their wealth" and, in turn, became rich by selling products on livestreams. AdvertisementMore recently, common prosperity has evolved into a crackdown on "excessive wealth," with the central government stepping up regulations on private industry giants and wealthy families. Beijing seems to have toned down its rhetoric of common prosperity as its economy struggled in the post-COVID era.

Persons: —, Xu Qiuying, Xu, Xi Jinping, laud Organizations: Service, Business, Twitter, Weibo, Beijing, Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, China's Locations: China, Weibo, Xiaohongshu, Beijing

☆ China's war drills around Taiwan enter Day 2. Here's what it means for cross-strait relations
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Members of Taiwan's military conduct routine exercises at Liaoluo Port in Kinmen on May 24, 2024. (Photo by I-HWA CHENG/AFP via Getty Images) I-hwa Cheng | Afp | Getty ImagesChina's latest military exercises around Taiwan risk escalating cross-strait tensions — but war remains unlikely, political observers say. Beijing warned that the two-day drills, which continued on Friday, were aimed at punishing the island's new President Lai Ching-te for his "hostility and provocations." The drills are "legitimate, timely and entirely necessary," as acts of "Taiwan independence" in any form "cannot be tolerated," it added. "This pretext for conducting military exercises not only does not contribute to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, but also highlights its hegemonic nature," the ministry said.

Persons: HWA CHENG, Cheng, Lai Ching, Lai, Xi Jinping, China's, Lai —, Wang Yi, Nancy Pelosi's, Xi, Joe Biden, Gabriel Wildau Organizations: HWA, Getty, Afp, Xinhua, Atlantic, China's Ministry of National Defense, Liberation Army, PLA, Eastern, Command, U.S ., Fujian, Guard, U.S, APEC, Teneo Intelligence, Republicans Locations: Liaoluo, Kinmen, China, Taiwan, AFP, Beijing, Eurasia, Republic of China, People's Republic of China, United States, U.S

CNN —China’s military drills around Taiwan are designed to test its ability to “seize power” over the island, the People’s Liberation Army said Friday as its forces kicked off a second day of large-scale exercises encircling its democratic neighbor. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry has condemned China’s military exercises as “irrational provocations” and dispatched its own sea, air and ground forces in response. A total of 19 Chinese warships and seven coast guard vessels were detected near the Taiwan Strait, according to the ministry. China Coast Guard drill near Taiwan. China Coast Guard/Weibo‘Blockading Taiwan’China’s military drills are often as much about playing to a domestic audience as signaling intentions internationally, and state media has ramped up coverage of the drills.

Persons: CNN —, Lai Ching, Lai, Xi Jinping, ”, China’s, Tsai Ing, ” “, Wu Qian, Liu, Tsai, wasn’t, “, I’m, Zhang Chi, Zhang, Carl Schuster, Craig Singleton, ” Singleton, Singleton, Lionel Fatton, ” Fatton Organizations: CNN, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Command, Party, Taiwan, Guard, CCTV, Taiwan’s Defense, Kyodo, Democratic Progressive Party, China’s, Ministry, Chinese Communist Party, China Coast Guard, Taiwan . China Coast Guard, Weibo, US, Coast Guard, Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center, Foundation, Defense of Democracies, Webster University Locations: Taiwan, Beijing, China, Kinmen, Taiwan Strait, China's, Taiwan ., ”, Kaohsiung, Wuqiu, Geneva

☆ Opinion: Trump’s video referencing Nazi Germany isn’t exactly a surprise
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Ruth Ben-Ghiat | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

She is the author of the book “Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present,” and she publishes Lucid, a Substack newsletter about threats to democracy. It has sparked another round of debate about whether Trump sympathizes with Nazism and its leader Adolf Hitler. Trump is the only recognizable figure in the video, as befits a dictator who must always be at the center of the national imaginary. It’s certainly central to the slogan “Make America Great Again,” which closes out this film as the message about creating an “unified Reich” returns. MAGA floats against a background that could be newsprint, or stones of a monumental building like those the fascists and Nazis favored.

Persons: Ruth Ben, Ghiat, Strongmen, Mussolini, CNN —, Donald Trump’s, Adolf Hitler, ”, Hitler, Trump, Benito Mussolini, Vladimir Putin, Xi, Jim Sciutto, Powers, John Kelly, “ Hitler, “, Fascism, —, It’s, MAGA, that’s Organizations: New York University, CNN, America, Trump, Ghiat CNN, Nazi, Italiana, Fox News, Blacks, White Locations: Germany, Italian, Italy, America

☆ The world's top chipmakers can flip a 'kill switch' should China invade Taiwan, Bloomberg reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewTwo of the world's most important chip companies can flip a "kill switch" remotely on their most advanced chipmaking machines should China invade Taiwan, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Netherlands's ASML — Europe's top tech company by market value — supplies advanced machines to chip-making companies. The US has also pressured the Netherlands to block some ASML exports to China to limit the country's ability to manufacture advanced chips. The Dutch company has also said it will stop servicing some equipment previously exported to China. Rising concerns over Taiwan Strait developmentsThere are concerns about China's intensifying drills around Taiwan after Taiwan inaugurated its new President, William Lai — whom Beijing has branded as a separatist — on Monday.

Persons: —, Taiwan's, ASML, William Lai —, Li Xi, Jensen Huang, TSMC Organizations: Service, Bloomberg, Business, East, Dutch, China's People's Liberation Army, Nvidia Locations: China, Taiwan, Washington, Beijing, Netherlands, Arizona, Japan, Germany, ASML

☆ China has launched new drills encircling Taiwan. Why now?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Tensions are once again ratcheting up in the Taiwan Strait, with China launching military drills encircling Taiwan just days after the democracy swore in a new leader long loathed by Beijing. The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said it launched joint military drills involving the army, navy, air force and rocket force in areas around Taiwan early Thursday morning. The drills are being conducted in the Taiwan Strait – a narrow body of water separating the self-ruling island with mainland China – as well as north, south and east of Taiwan. The Chinese guided missile frigate Nantong, one of the vessels in the series of military drills around Taiwan. The defeated Nationalist Party fled to Taiwan, moving the seat of their Republic of China (ROC) government from the mainland to Taipei.

Persons: ”, Lai Ching, China’s, Xi Jinping, Li Xi, Lai, Wu Mei, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Tsai Ing, Tsai –, Mike Gallagher Organizations: CNN, Communist Party, Eastern Theater Command, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, People's Liberation Army, Weibo, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, Democratic Progressive Party, DPP, Chinese Communist Party, CCP, Nationalist Party, US, Communist, Beijing, Tuesday Locations: Taiwan, China, Beijing, Kinmen, Taipei, People’s Republic of China, Republic of China, Xi, Washington

☆ The world's top chipmakers can push a 'kill switch' should China invade Taiwan, Bloomberg reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewTwo of the world's most important chip companies can push a "kill switch" remotely on their most advanced chipmaking machines should China invade Taiwan, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Netherlands's ASML — Europe's top tech company by market value — supplies advanced machines to chip-making companies. The US has also pressured the Netherlands to block some ASML exports to China to limit the country's ability to manufacture advanced chips. Rising concerns over Taiwan Strait developmentsThere are concerns about China's intensifying drills around Taiwan after Taiwan inaugurated its new President, William Lai — whom Beijing has branded as a separatist — on Monday. But Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told Bloomberg TV on Tuesday that that the world's tech sector is likely to continue depending on Taiwanese manufacturing for "some time."

Persons: —, Taiwan's, ASML, William Lai —, Li Xi, Jensen Huang Organizations: Service, Bloomberg, Business, East, Dutch, China's People's Liberation Army, Nvidia Locations: China, Taiwan, Washington, Beijing, Netherlands, Arizona, Japan, Germany

☆ Biden looks to counter China’s influence as he rolls out red carpet for Kenya
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Kevin Liptak | Kayla Tausche | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Among the goals of his three-day state visit in October: securing another $1 billion in loans from China to help complete infrastructure projects. On Wednesday, when he arrived at Joint Base Andrews to begin another state visit – this time to Washington – he again found a red carpet and troops. Senior administration officials acknowledge a central factor in scheduling a state visit with Kenya was the desire to counter China’s influence and financial leverage on the African continent, which has outpaced the United States in direct investment. One of the goals of Thursday’s state visit is to demonstrate the ability of democracies – like Kenya’s – to deliver for their people. “I plan on going in February,” Biden told reporters.

Persons: Washington CNN —, William Ruto, Joint Base Andrews, Washington –, Jill Biden, Joe Biden, –, Kenya –, ”, “, Biden, Ruto, ” Ruto, he’s, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, Jake Sullivan, ” Biden, Xi Jinping, Donald Trump –, ” Sullivan, Ariel Henry Organizations: Washington CNN, Kenyan, Joint Base, East, Kenya, NATO, Africa –, White, Initiative, Loans, Washington, World Bank, Group, European Union, Democratic, White House, Angolan, Advisers, CNN, Haitian Locations: Beijing, China, Africa, Kenya, United States, China’s, Nairobi, Mombasa, Boston, US, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Washington, East, Ukraine, ”, Russia, –, combatting al, Shabab, Somalia, Yemen, Haiti

☆ China starts ‘punishment’ military drills around Taiwan days after island swears in new leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —China has launched two days of military drills surrounding Taiwan in what it called “punishment” for “separatist acts,” days after the self-ruling island swore in a new democratically elected leader. China’s ruling Communist Party says the self-ruling democracy is part of its territory, despite never having controlled it, and has vowed to take the island, by force if necessary. The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said it launched joint military drills involving the army, navy, air force and rocket force in areas around Taiwan at 7.45 a.m. on Thursday. The drills are being conducted in the Taiwan Strait – a narrow body of water separating the self-ruling island with mainland China – as well as north, south and east of Taiwan. It expressed regret to “such irrational provocations and actions that undermine regional peace and stability.”

Persons: Lai Ching, China’s, Li Xi, ” Lai, Lai Organizations: CNN, Communist Party, Eastern Theater Command, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry Locations: China, Taiwan, Kinmen, Beijing

☆ Iran President Raisi: Days of funeral ceremonies begin as investigators probe helicopter crash
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Funeral ceremonies are set to begin on Tuesday for the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi following his death in a helicopter crash, as authorities probe what caused the aircraft to smash into the side of a remote mountainside during foggy weather on Sunday morning. A helicopter carrying Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi takes off on May 19, 2024, before the crash took place. There is no indication what might have caused the crash – and why so many senior Iranian government officials were traveling in a single, decades-old helicopter. A high-ranking delegation will go to the crash site in Eastern Azerbaijan, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency. Inside Iran, where many of the country’s restive youth population have grown tired of rule by conservative clerics, Raisi had a much more polarizing legacy.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Ayatollah Khamenei, Mohsen Mansouri, Ali Hamed Haghdoust, Mansouri, Reza, Khamenei, “, ”, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, Uraloglu, Iran’s, ’, Ayatollah Khamenei —, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong, Kim, Xi, Raisi’s, Azin, ” Xi, Putin, Russia, ” Raisi, Raisi Organizations: CNN, Wana News Agency, Reuters, Mehr, Iranian, Turkish Transportation, Infrastructure, TRT, Moj News Agency, AP, Kremlin, US Locations: Tabriz, Iran, Qom, Tehran, Mashhad, Turkey, Turkish, Eastern Azerbaijan, Israel, Korean, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, China, North Korea, Russia, Iranian

Lai, 64, a former doctor, was inaugurated alongside new Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, who recently served as Taiwan’s top envoy to the United States. Both leaders and their party are openly loathed by Beijing for championing Taiwan’s sovereignty. Lai takes up the mantle from DPP predecessor Tsai Ing-wen, who bolstered the island’s international standing and recognition during her eight years in office. He is also expected to project goodwill to China with a message of pursuing peace and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait. That deliberately nuanced stance mimics his outgoing predecessor Tsai, Taiwan’s first female president, who was unable to stand again because of term limits.

Persons: Taipei CNN — Lai Ching, te, Lai, Hsiao Bi, China’s, Tsai Ing, Tsai –, –, Xi Jinping, Tsai, Taiwan’s, rebuking Organizations: Taipei CNN, Democratic Progressive Party, Communist Party, CNN, Kuomintang, KMT, Taiwan People’s Party, DPP, ” Locations: Taipei, China, United States, Beijing, Taiwan

Taiwan’s incoming president, Lai Ching-te, is poised to take office on Monday, facing hard choices about how to secure the island democracy’s future in turbulent times — with wars flaring abroad, rifts in the United States over American global security priorities, and political divisions in Taiwan over how to preserve the brittle peace with China. Mr. Lai has promised to steer Taiwan on a safe course through these hazards, a theme that he is likely to highlight in his inaugural speech on a public plaza in Taipei. He has said that he will keep strengthening ties with Washington and other Western partners while resisting Beijing’s threats and enhancing Taiwan’s defenses. Yet he may also extend a tentative olive branch to Beijing, welcoming renewed talks if China’s leader, Xi Jinping, sets aside his key precondition: that Taiwan accept that it is a part of China. “We’ll see an emphasis on continuity in national security, cross-strait issues and foreign policy,” said Lii Wen, the international director for Mr. Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party and an incoming spokesman for the new leader.

Persons: Lai Ching, Lai, Xi Jinping, “, ”, Lii Wen, Lai’s Organizations: Washington, Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party Locations: United States, Taiwan, China, Taipei, Beijing

☆ Tsai Ing-wen: the leader who put Taiwan on the map and stood up to China
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Wayne Chang | Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

While supporters applaud Tsai for standing up to China, defending Taiwan’s sovereignty, freedom and democracy, critics blame her for straining ties with Beijing, stoking cross-strait tensions. Beijing, which deems the tacit agreement a precondition for dialogue, has cut official contact with Taipei since Tsai took office. Taiwan President Tsai inspects reservists at a training session at a military base in Taoyuan on May 11, 2023. But under Tsai, Taiwan has sought to enhance its asymmetric defense capabilities, developing and procuring cheaper and more mobile weapon systems that could be instrumental in halting a potential Chinese invasion. Taiwanese military experts have increasingly advocated for such an approach, noting that Taiwan can never match China in military might and assets.

Persons: Taipei CNN — Tsai Ing, introvert, ” Tsai, Xi Jinping, Xi, Tsai, stoking, Taiwan’s, Lai Ching, ”, Alex Chan Tsz Yuk, Wellington Koo, “, Vanessa Hope, Ma Ying, Taiwan's, Jose Lopes Amaral, Wen, Amanda Hsiao, Nancy Pelosi, Chien Chih, Nancy Pelosi’s, Huang, Jameson Wu, ” Sung, ” Hsiao, “ Tsai, Sawayasu Tsuji, Sung, ” Tsai’s, –, Lai Organizations: Taipei CNN, Democratic Progressive Party, DPP, Kuomintang, KMT, World Health Organization, WHO, Atlantic, Trump, Biden, International Crisis, US, Getty, World Health Assembly, National Chengchi University, Getty Images, Taiwan’s Military Academy, ” Tsai’s DPP Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, China, United States, Beijing, Tsai, Asia, Wellington, Ukraine, Gaza, Japan, Czech Republic, Republic of China, Taoyuan, AFP, Washington, Hong Kong

CNN —Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he wants to work with countries like China with “influence on Russia” as his country faces a renewed Moscow offensive, urging Beijing to attend peace talks next month. Ahead of expected peace talks in Switzerland next month, Xi has called for negotiations that take both sides’ positions into account. Engaging global players like China is crucial because “they have influence on Russia, and the more such countries we have on our side… the more Russia will have to move and [more countries] to reckon with,” Zelensky said. Zelensky said he would like to see China at the international talks in Switzerland next month, aimed at paving the way for a peace process in Ukraine. Russia has not been represented at any of the four rounds of closed-door international peace talks that have taken place so far, and will not be at this one.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia ”, Zelensky, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin’s, Russia’s, Xi, ” Zelensky, Viola Amherd, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Bobylov, Switzerland Wang Shihting, Emmanuel Macron, Emmanuel Organizations: CNN, Beijing, AFP, Reuters, of, Getty, French Locations: China, Russia, Moscow, Beijing, Switzerland, Zelensky, Ukraine, Tiananmen, Saudi Arabia, Europe, Paris

☆ Xi’s Warm Embrace of Putin in China Is a Defiance of the West
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( David Pierson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Days after returning from a trip to Europe where he was lectured about the need to rein in Russia, China’s leader, Xi Jinping, used a summit with President Vladimir V. Putin to convey an uncomfortable reality to the West: His support for Mr. Putin remains steadfast. Mr. Xi’s talks with Mr. Putin this week were a show of solidarity between two autocrats battling Western pressure. The two leaders put out a lengthy statement that denounced what they saw as American interference and bullying and laid out their alignment on China’s claim to self-ruled Taiwan and Russia’s “legitimate security interests” in Ukraine. They pledged to expand economic and military ties, highlighted by Mr. Putin’s visit to a cutting-edge Chinese institute for defense research. Mr. Xi even initiated a cheek-to-cheek hug as he bade Mr. Putin farewell on Thursday after an evening stroll in the Chinese Communist Party leadership compound in Beijing.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Vladimir V, Putin, Xi’s, Mr, Russia’s, Putin’s, Xi Organizations: West, Chinese Communist Party Locations: Europe, Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine, Beijing

Search resuls for: "XI"

25 mentions found