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☆ China says countries should see its national map in 'objective' way
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

An employee walks near a sticker in the shape of China's map, at Hongliulin Coal Mine during a Huawei-organised media tour, in Shenmu of Yulin city, Shaanxi province, China April 25, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Aug 31 (Reuters) - China hopes relevant parties can see its 2023 edition of a standard national map in an "objective and rational" way, the foreign ministry said on Thursday. Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a press briefing when asked to comment on reports of some countries, including the Philippines, India and Malaysia, protesting the new map. Reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Christian SchmollingerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Wang Wenbin, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Huawei, REUTERS, Rights, Beijing, Thomson Locations: Shenmu, Yulin city, Shaanxi, China, Rights BEIJING, Philippines, India, Malaysia

☆ Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia reject China's latest South China Sea map
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

It was not immediately clear whether the latest map denotes any new claim to territory. Its Malaysian counterpart in a statement said the new map holds no binding authority over Malaysia, which "also views the South China Sea as a complex and sensitive matter". The map was different to a narrower version submitted by China to the United Nations in 2009 of the South China Sea that included its so-called "nine-dash line". Asked about the latest map, Taiwan foreign ministry spokesperson Jeff Liu said Taiwan was "absolutely not a part of the People's Republic of China". "China's position on the South China Sea issue has always been clear.

Persons: legitimise, Jeff Liu, Wang Wenbin, Karen Lema, Ben Blanchard, Liz Lee, Martin Petty Organizations: Philippine Coast Guard, Malaysian, United Nations, South China, China Central Television, Thomson Locations: Thitu, Philippines, Spratly Islands, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, South China, Beijing, Hainan, Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, Philippine, South, People's Republic of China, India, Manila, Taipei

☆ China’s new national map has angered its neighbors
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The Philippines has become the latest of China’s neighbors to object to its new national map, joining Malaysia and India in releasing strongly worded statements accusing Beijing of claiming their territory. The map is the “latest attempt to legitimize China’s purported sovereignty and jurisdiction over Philippine features and maritime zones (and) has no basis under international law,” the Philippines Foreign Affairs department said in a statement. India was the first to complain on Tuesday when it lodged a “strong protest” about the inclusion of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and the disputed Aksai-Chin plateau in Chinese territory. “In this climate, while both sides may publicly express their interest in easing tensions, I do not see this happening. This map issue is very serious … the prime minister should speak about it,” he added.

Persons: “, Arindam Bagchi, China’s, Wang Wenbin, ”, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, Xi, Modi, Akhil Ramesh, Aksai Chin, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi Organizations: CNN, Beijing, South China, Philippines Foreign Affairs, Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Ministry, Indian, Pacific Forum, Modi, Huawei Locations: Philippines, Malaysia, India, China, Beijing, South, Manila, Arunachal Pradesh, Chin, Asia, South Africa, New Delhi, Honolulu, ”, Galwan, Tawang, LAC, Ladakh, United States, Japan, US, Australia, Jammu, Kashmir, Pakistan

☆ Reaction to Gabon army officers announcing coup
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Below are reactions to what appeared to be the eighth military coup in West and Central Africa since 2020. FRENCH GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON OLIVIER VERAN"We condemn the military coup and recall our commitment to free and transparent elections." EU HIGH REPRESENTATIVE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY JOSEP BORRELL"If this is confirmed, it is another military coup which increases instability in the whole region. RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON MARIA ZAKHAROVA"Moscow has received with concern reports of a sharp deterioration in the internal situation in the friendly African country. U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES"The Secretary-General is following the evolving situation in Gabon very closely.

Persons: Gerauds Wilfried Obangome, Ali Bongo, Moussa Faki Mahamat, BOLA TINUBU'S, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GENERAL PATRICIA SCOTLAND, OLIVIER VERAN, WANG WENBIN, Bongo, JOSEP BORRELL, MARIA ZAKHAROVA, JOHN KIRBY, It's, GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES, Nellie Peyton, Sofia Christensen, Alexander Winning, Sharon Singleton, Andy Sullivan Organizations: REUTERS, Central African, AU, H.E, WEST, BLOC ECOWAS, GENERAL, Commonwealth Secretariat, MINISTRY, EU HIGH, Thomson Locations: Libreville, Gabon, West, Central Africa, Gabonese Republic, Republic, NIGERIA, African Union, CHINA, China, Central African Republic, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Moscow

☆ US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo urges American businesses to keep investing in China (Analysis)
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Hong Kong CNN —US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo urged American businesses to keep investing in China on Wednesday, even after saying some US firms had called the world’s second biggest economy “uninvestable.”Speaking at an American Chamber of Commerce event in Shanghai, the secretary encouraged companies to continue expanding in the country. “The message is to continue to do what you’re doing,” Raimondo told executives. Eric Zheng, president of AmCham Shanghai, told CNN after Raimondo’s appearance that he had not been hearing the term “uninvestable” from businesses on the ground. “In order to be globally competitive, they have to be in this market despite all the challenges.”Warm wordsRaimondo is the first US commerce secretary to visit China in five years. Andy Wong/APThe issue highlights the tightrope the commerce secretary is walking.

Persons: Gina Raimondo, ” Raimondo, Raimondo, Aly Song, ”, Wang Wenbin, Li Qiang, Antony Blinken, Janet Yellen, John Kerry, Eric Zheng, Andy Wong, Wang Wentao, Lifeng, Yellen, Foreign busineses, Chen Jining, Nazak Nikakhtar, Trump, Zheng, “, —, Jadyn Sham, Alex Stambaugh Organizations: Hong Kong CNN — US, American, of, Reuters, Shanghai, Biden, CNN, Covid, US Commerce Department, US Department of Commerce, Foreign, Department, Department of Commerce Locations: Hong Kong, China, Shanghai, Beijing, United States, decouple, “

☆ Meta pins pro-China influence campaign on Chinese law enforcement
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Katie Paul | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Facebook parent company Meta said on Tuesday it had uncovered links between people associated with Chinese law enforcement and a long-running but largely ineffectual operation to positively influence people on social media about China. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Meta Platforms' business group is seen in Brussels, Belgium December 6, 2022. China’s foreign ministry said it was not aware of the findings, but added that individuals and institutions have often launched campaigns against China on social media platforms. Truly identify what lies and rumours are, what is the truth, and effectively eliminate false information related to China,” foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said when asked about the matter at a news briefing on Wednesday. The “Spamouflage” network first started out posting on large platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, now called X.

Persons: Meta, Yves Herman, ”, Wang Wenbin, Ben Nimmo, Nimmo Organizations: YORK, Facebook, REUTERS, Meta, YouTube, Twitter, Global, Intelligence Locations: China, Brussels, Belgium, United States, Beijing, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan

☆ Japan released treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear disaster into the ocean. Experts say it's safe, but one would avoid the fish.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Rupendra Brahambhatt | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Japan said it plans to release 1 million metric tons of treated radioactive water into the Pacific. Nuclear experts said the discharge is safe but one said he'd avoid eating fish near Fukushima. The water is from its Fukushima nuclear power plant that, in 2011, underwent a meltdown and is considered one of the biggest nuclear tragedies in history. AdvertisementAdvertisementAfter the 2011 disaster, the radioactive water leaked into the plant's basements where it was collected and later stored in tanks. Why treated radioactive water is 'quite safe'This isn't the first time humans have released water from nuclear plants into a larger body of water.

Persons: Rafael Mariano Grossi, Kathryn Higley, Aldo Bonasera, Higley, Wang Wenbin, Wenbin, there's, JUNG YEON, Bonasera Organizations: Service, Electric Power Co, REUTERS, Kyodo, TEPCO, Tokyo Electric Power, Oregon State University, Texas, Power, Getty, World Health Organization, Greenpeace Locations: Japan, Fukushima, China, Hong Kong, Russia, South Korea, Fish, Seoul, California, Coast

CNN —Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Tuesday unexpectedly skipped a business forum of the BRICS economic group in South Africa, sending his commerce minister instead to deliver a fiery speech in his name that decried US hegemony. Xi, who arrived in Johannesburg on Monday for the annual BRICS summit of major emerging economies, was scheduled to deliver a speech at its business forum on Tuesday afternoon alongside leaders from India, Brazil and South Africa. Xi was the only BRICS leader who did not attend the business forum. At a regular news briefing Wednesday, Wang Wenbin, another spokesperson for the ministry, sidestepped a question about Xi’s absence at the BRICS business forum. “The (Chinese Communist Party) feels no obligation to provide explanations about why its foreign minister was replaced or its top leader was a no show at the BRICS Business Forum.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Xi, –, Wang Wentao, Vladimir Putin, ”, Bonnie Glaser, Marshall Fund’s, Brian Hart, Cyril Ramaphosa, ” Hart, Wang, Hua Chunying, Wang Wenbin, sidestepped, Xi’s, “ I’ve, Glaser, Qin, Wang Yi, Hart Organizations: CNN, Chinese Commerce, China Power, Center for Strategic, International Studies, South, Ramaphosa, Xinhua, Chinese Foreign Ministry, Communist Party, German Marshall Fund, CSIS Locations: South Africa, Johannesburg, India, Brazil, Beijing, United States, Ukraine, China, ”

☆ Japan set to release Fukushima water amid criticism, seafood import bans
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Sakura Murakami | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] An aerial view shows the storage tanks for treated water at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma town, Fukushima prefecture, Japan August 22, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Japan has maintained that the water release is safe. "Being told something is scientifically safe and feeling reassured are two different things... Proof that the water release is scientifically safe may not remove reputational damage," he said. The water will initially be released in smaller portions and with extra checks, with the first discharge totalling 7,800 cubic metres over about 17 days, Fukushima power plant operator Tepco (9501.T) said on Tuesday.

Persons: Wang Wenbin, Japan's, Yoon Suk, John Lee, Masanobu Sakamoto, Sakura Murakami, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Kyodo, REUTERS, Rights Companies Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Hong, National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative, World Health, Tepco, Thomson Locations: Okuma, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Tokyo, Fukushima

CNN —Japan on Thursday will begin releasing treated radioactive wastewater from its Fukushima nuclear plant, part of a controversial plan that has sparked fierce objections from some regional countries as well as many consumers. During a press conference Thursday morning, TEPCO said it expects to discharge only around 200 or 210 cubic meters of treated wastewater. It will send a boat later Thursday into the harbor to collect samples to monitor and ensure the discharged treated wastewater meets international safety standards. Japan’s devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused water within the Fukushima nuclear plant to be contaminated with highly radioactive material. Hong Kong on Wednesday said it will ban food products imported from some parts of Japan following the release of the treated water.

Persons: Wang Wenbin, “, Wang Organizations: CNN, Tokyo Electric Power Company, TEPCO, United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA Locations: Japan, Asia, Taiwan, China, Fukushima, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Chiba, Tochigi

☆ China is furious with Japan's plan to release treated Fukushima water into the ocean
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 destroyed the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which is situated on Japan's east coast, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) northeast of the capital Tokyo. Japan's government has repeatedly said the discharge of the treated water is safe and the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog has endorsed the move. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (C) speaks during a meeting with representatives of the Inter-Ministerial Council for Contaminated Water, Treated Water and Decommissioning Issues and the Inter-Ministerial Council Concerning the Continuous Implementation of the Basic Policy on Handling of ALPS Treated Water, at Prime Minister's Office, on August 22, 2023, in Tokyo, Japan. Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee, meanwhile, "strongly opposes" the discharge of wastewater from the Fukushima power plant. Hundreds of activists in South Korea had gathered in the capital of Seoul earlier this month to rally against Japan's plan to dispose of the treated water into the ocean.

Persons: Philip Fong, Fumio Kishida, Rodrigo Reyes Marin, Wang Wenbin, Wang, John Lee, Chung Sung Organizations: Afp, Getty, Japan, International Atomic Energy Agency, Inter, Ministerial Council, Minister's, Zuma, Anadolu Agency, Foreign Ministry, Japan's Embassy, CNBC, Hong, Japanese Locations: Shinchi, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, Japan's, Tokyo, Japanese, China, London, Hong Kong, Seoul, South Korea, Korea, Fukushima

☆ Japan to release Fukushima water into ocean starting Aug 24
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Sakura Murakami | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

An aerial view shows the storage tanks for treated water at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma town, Fukushima prefecture, Japan August 22, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Japan has said that the water release is safe. Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in July that Japan had shown selfishness and arrogance, and had not fully consulted the international community about the water release. China bans seafood imports from 10 prefectures in Japan, including Fukushima and the capital, Tokyo. Japan says the water will be filtered to remove most radioactive elements except for tritium, an isotope of hydrogen that is difficult to separate from water.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Wang Wenbin, Sitiveni Rabuka, Sakura Murakami, Tim Kelly, Kirsty Needham, Chang, Ran Kim, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, Rights Companies Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Tokyo Electric Power Company, Nuclear, Authority, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Seafood, Pacific, Thomson Locations: Okuma, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, China, Beijing, Fukushima, Tokyo, South, Seoul, United States, France, Pacific, Sydney

☆ Japan to release Fukushima water into ocean starting this week
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Fisherman Haruo Ono stands on one of his fishing boats at Tsurushihama Fishing Port, Shinchi-machi of Fukushima Prefecture, some 60 kms north of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant on August 21, 2023, ahead of a government's plan to begin releasing treated water from the plant into the Pacific Ocean. Philip Fong | Afp | Getty ImagesJapan said on Tuesday it will start releasing more than 1 million metric tonnes of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant on Aug. 24, putting into motion a plan that has drawn strong criticism from China. Japan has said that the water release is safe. Still, some neighboring countries have expressed skepticism over the safety of the plan, with Beijing emerging as the biggest critic. Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in July that Japan had shown selfishness and arrogance, and had not fully consulted the international community about the water release.

Persons: Ono, Philip Fong, Fumio Kishida, Wang Wenbin Organizations: Afp, Getty, Japan, Tokyo Electric Power Company, Nuclear, Authority, International Atomic Energy Agency Locations: Shinchi, Fukushima Prefecture, China, Japan, Beijing

☆ China's growing aggression will be in focus as U.S. closes ranks with Japan and South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

President Joe Biden will unveil the measures with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at Camp David on Friday, said Kurt Campbell, the White House coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs. Most countries in the region have "deep, profound economic and political interests," and a "steady and stable relationship" with China, Campbell added. watch nowChina has "warned Tokyo and Seoul against pursuing greater trilateral security cooperation with Washington, but its diplomatic pressure is backfiring," they added. "What President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida have done has defied expectations. In March, Yoon's government announced a landmark agreement over compensation payments for South Korean victims of Japanese wartime forced labor.

Persons: Joe Biden, Fumio Kishida, Yoon Suk, Brendan SMIALOWSKI, BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, Brendan Smialowski, David, Kurt Campbell, Camp David, Biden, Campbell, Victor Cha, Cha, Wang Wenbin, Beijing Campbell, Rahm Emanuel, Kishida, Yoon, we've, Yoon's Organizations: Japan's, South, Getty, Afp, Biden, Japanese, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Washington, White, CSIS Locations: Hiroshima, AFP, Japan, South Korea, Camp, Washington, Asia, Korea, Ukraine, Beijing, U.S, China, United States, America, America … China, warily, Eurasia, Tokyo, Seoul, South

Economists say China needs measures to boost consumption and business confidence, such as tax cuts or government-funded consumption vouchers, but add that unlike previous slowdowns, there is no quick fix. Wang's comments came after weak economic activity data on Tuesday fuelled concern that China is heading for a deeper, longer slowdown. The private sector accounts for 60% of gross domestic product and 80% of urban employment, officials say. But there is a growing disconnect between officials calling for investment and a sweeping national security crackdown that is denting business confidence, diplomats in China say. One example was a recent anti-espionage law, accompanied by raids on some foreign consultancy firms, that sent waves of anxiety through the foreign business community.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Tingshu Wang, Joe Biden, Biden, Xi, Christopher Beddor, Wang Wenbin, Wang's, Lee Smith, Baker Donelson, Xu Chenggang, Xu, Laurie Chen, Yew Lun Tian, Martin Quin Pollard, John Geddie, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, GAP, State, U.S . Department of Commerce, Stanford University's Center, Chinese Communist Party, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, U.S, loggerheads, Taiwan

By accepting an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report last month that greenlit Japan's Fukushima water release, Yoon could encourage fresh dissent that China will try to amplify, analysts say. On Monday, Park Gu-yeon, vice minister of government policy coordination at the prime minister's office, said both sides have made "substantial progress" on the water release issue. A senior South Korean official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of diplomatic sensitivity, said the government did not see it as a source of friction. "China absolutely will try to exploit Fukushima to drive a wedge between South Korea and Japan," said David Boling, a director at consulting firm Eurasia Group. In July, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Japan had shown selfishness and arrogance, and had not fully consulted the international community about the water release.

Persons: Rafael Mariano Grossi, Kobayakawa, Joe Biden, Yoon Suk Yeol, Fumio Kishida, Biden, David, Yoon, Japan Rahm Emanuel, Moon Jae, Christopher Johnstone, Antony Blinken, they've, David Boling, Joshua Kurlantzick, Wang Wenbin, Hirokazu Matsuno, Tim Kelly, Sakura Murakami, Hyonhee Shin, Josh Smith, David Brunnstrom, Trevor Hunnicutt, Ekaterina Golubkova, Lun Tian, Yoshifumi, Gerry Doyle Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, Tokyo Electric Power Co, Japanese, Reuters, U.S, IAEA, Biden's National Security Council, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Japan, South Korean, South, Gallup, Eurasia Group, Council, Foreign Relations, Global Times, Thomson Locations: Futaba, Japan, TOKYO, SEOUL, South Korea, Tokyo, China, Washington, East Asia, Taiwan, Beijing, Russia, North Korea, United States, Australia, Britain, Seoul, Seoul . U.S, Fukushima, Korean

☆ Those desperate to break the deadlock in Ukraine are hoping China will turn on Russia. They shouldn't hold their breath.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

One expert said it was "naïve American diplomacy" to think something fundamental between China and Russia had changed. But the idea that China would turn on Russia anytime soon may be little more than wishful thinking. "It is clever Chinese diplomacy to keep meeting and talking, and it is naïve American diplomacy to think that this means something fundamental has changed," English said. He added threats from the West are also unlikely to turn China against Russia, as Xi knows that Europe is more dependent on trade with China than the other way around. "The West needs to stop looking at Chinese behavior through Western eyes, and start understanding it from a Chinese perspective."

Persons: Xi, Putin, Robert English, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Antony Blinken, Simon Miles, Miles, Wang Wenbin Organizations: Saudi, Service, Privacy, China, NATO, University of Southern, Duke University's Sanford School of Public, Soviet Union, Foreign, Associated Press Locations: China, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, University of Southern California, Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Moscow, West, Saudi Arabia, American, Europe, Soviet, Saudi

☆ China to send special envoy to Saudi Arabia for Ukraine talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Chinese Special Envoy for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui leaves the headquarters of the Russian foreign ministry following talks in Moscow, Russia, May 26, 2023. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File PhotoBEIJING, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Chinese Special Envoy for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui will visit Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for international talks on the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis, China's foreign ministry said on Friday. "China is willing to work with the international community to continue to play a constructive role in promoting a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine," Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson at the Chinese ministry, said in a statement. China was invited to a previous round of talks in Copenhagen in late June but did not attend. Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Eurasian Affairs Li Hui, Maxim, Wang Wenbin, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Toby Chopra Organizations: Eurasian Affairs, REUTERS, Beijing, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, BEIJING, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, China, Copenhagen

☆ China's foreign minister has been removed from his post one month after disappearing from the public eye. Experts say we may never know why.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Eurasia Group's Jeremy Chan told Insider that "so much remains unknown about Qin's case." As of press time, references to Qin had been removed from the foreign ministry's website. China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider. Because of the opacity of the Chinese government, few people will ever know what led to Qin's abrupt departure, experts say. Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore, told Insider that the lack of clarity "is part of the opacity and uncertainty" in China.

Persons: Qin Gang, Jeremy Chan, Qin, Wang Yi, Wang, Chong Ja Ian, Chong, Dylan Loh, Loh, Wang Wenbin, Wang's, Fu Xiaotian, Fu Organizations: Eurasia, Service, Qin, Eurasia Group, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Twitter Locations: Wall, Silicon, China's, China, Beijing, Russia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Chinese, South China

Helsinki, Finland CNN —More than 500 days after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, the war loomed over President Joe Biden’s weeklong, three-stop trip to Europe. Drama over Ukraine’s membershipUkraine was the top agenda item for NATO leaders in Vilnius, and the discussion of a pathway for the war-torn country to join the alliance prompted division among leaders. After meeting with Zelensky for more than an hour, Biden told reporters that he was able to reassure his Ukrainian counterpart. The former president raised the prospect of withdrawing from the alliance multiple times in 2018, The New York Times reported. I don’t think NATO’s ever been stronger,” Biden said during his meeting with Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö

Persons: Finland CNN —, Joe Biden’s weeklong, reasserting, Biden, Jens Stoltenberg, Ulf Kristersson, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Monday, Erdoğan, ”, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Donald Trump’s, Trump’s, –, ” Biden, Trump, Rishi Sunak, King Charles III, Putin, “, Stoltenberg, Wang Wenbin, Biden “, “ I’ve, Sauli Niinistö Organizations: Finland CNN, Russia, NATO, Zelensky, Vilnius University, Nordic, Senate, The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Ministry, Microsoft, House, Lithuania, State, Government Locations: Helsinki, Finland, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Washington, Turkey, Sweden, Ankara, Vilnius, London, Finnish, China, Beijing, Asia, Indonesia, Hiroshima

☆ China blasts US for forcing it to accept South China Sea ruling
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Filipino activists gather outside the Chinese consular office to commemorate the anniversary of the Philippines' victory against China in the UN arbitral ruling on the South China Sea, in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines, July 12, 2023. The ruling, handed down by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague seven years ago, concluded that Beijing's claim to almost the entire South China Sea was groundless. China, whose actions in the South China Sea have been the subject of hundreds of diplomatic protests filed by the Philippines, also maintained that it does not accept any claim or action based on the ruling. "We firmly reject attempts to deliberately diminish or undermine the Award's definitive legal effects in international law," Philippines Foreign Ministry undersecretary Theresa Lazaro told a forum on the South China Sea. About $3 trillion worth of sea-borne goods pass through the South China Sea every year.

Persons: Eloisa Lopez, Wang Wenbing, Matthew Miller, Theresa Lazaro, Karen Lema, Bernard Orr, Raissa Kasolowsky, Mark Porter Organizations: China, UN, REUTERS, Foreign Ministry, U.S . State Department, Wednesday, Beijing, Philippines Foreign, Thomson Locations: Philippines, China, Makati City, Metro Manila, Eloisa Lopez BEIJING, United States, South China, Washington, Beijing, The Hague, U.S, United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Manila

July 11 (Reuters) - China's foreign minister Qin Gang will not attend a diplomatic gathering in Indonesia this week for health reasons, a spokesman for his ministry said on Tuesday. Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China are scheduled to meet on Thursday, before Friday's East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum. "State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang cannot attend this ASEAN ministerial meeting because of health reasons," spokesman Wang Wenbin said. Qin, 57, took over from Wang as foreign minister in December and was last seen in public on June 25 in Beijing after meeting officials from Sri Lanka, Russia and Vietnam. Wang Yi, who is the foreign policy chief for the Chinese Communist Party, ranks above Qin, who as the foreign minister is the government's foreign policy chief.

Persons: Qin Gang, Wang Yi, Wang Wenbin, Wang, Qin, Josep Borrell, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Yew Lun Tian, Karen Lema, Stanley Widianto, Martin Petty, John Geddie, Robert Birsel Organizations: Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, Friday's East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional, Politico, European Union, EU, U.S, Chinese Communist Party, Thomson Locations: Indonesia, China, Jakarta, Wang, Beijing, Sri Lanka, Russia, Vietnam, Washington, Manila

☆ China and Taiwan loom large behind Ukraine at NATO summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —The presence of four Asia-Pacific leaders at the NATO summit this week suggests that Ukraine is not the only major security issue on the agenda of the European-North American defense alliance. For its part, China says Taiwan is an internal matter and it sees no role for countries in the region, let alone NATO members, to be interfering. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida waves before departing on a government plane on July 11, 2023, for the NATO summit. US President Joe Biden meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Oval Office of the White House on June 13, 2023. “NATO is a regional alliance of Europe and North America, but the challenges we face are global,” he wrote, noting the summit invitations for the Pacific leaders.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, ”, “, Wang Wenbin, Fumio Kishida, Yoon Suk Yeol, Anthony Albanese, Chris Hipkins, Fumio, Stoltenberg, Joe Biden, Kim Sun, Yoon, Alex Wong, Emmanuel Macron, Boris Pistorius Organizations: South Korea CNN, NATO, Foreign Affairs, Communist Party, Communist, Foreign, CNN, Japanese, Australian, New Zealand, Pacific ., Kyodo, US Institute of Peace, Pacific, White, South Korean, White House, NHK, Pacific . British, German Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Asia, Pacific, Ukraine, Beijing, China, Taiwan, Japan, Europe, South, Vilnius, Lithuania, “, lockstep, Paris, North American, France, Tokyo, North America, Guam, Canadian, American, Berlin

☆ IAEA chief says 'absolutely logical' Japan's Fukushima water release draws interest
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Jack Kim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, July 9 (Reuters) - It is "absolutely logical" that Japan's plan to release treated radioactive water from its Fukushima nuclear plant is attracting great interest in the region, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said on Sunday. Grossi met with South Korea's opposition Democratic Party members on Sunday who expressed strong public concerns over Japan's plan and criticized the IAEA's findings. "We deeply regret that the IAEA concluded Japan's plan to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant meets international standards," Wi Seong-gon, the committee chairman, told Grossi. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Wednesday criticised the move towards discharging the water and threatened action if the plan should move ahead. North Korea also criticised IAEA's backing of Japan's plan, calling it "unjust" and a demonstration of double standards, citing the U.N. nuclear watchdog's work to curb Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

Persons: Rafael Grossi, Grossi, Wang Wenbin, Jack Kim, Kim Coghill, Sonali Paul Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Democratic Party, Sunday, Security, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Korea

☆ China's chipmaking export curbs 'just a start', Beijing adviser warns before Yellen visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Shares in some Chinese metals companies rallied for a second session as investors bet that higher prices for gallium and germanium, which Beijing's export restrictions target, could boost revenues. China is the world's biggest producer of rare earths, a group of metals used in EVs and military equipment. Asked about the metals export curbs, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday the government's actions were reasonable and lawful. WARNING SHOTSome larger chip manufacturers view China's export controls on gallium as more of a warning shot about what economic pain the country could inflict. China's germanium ingot was priced at 9,150 yuan per kg on Tuesday, also flat on the day and on the week, Refinitiv data showed.

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