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CNN —Days of heavy rain have caused severe flooding in China’s leading grain-producing region in the northeast, killing 14 people and raising concerns about food security as floodwater inundated farmlands. As the storm moved further north, another 14 deaths were reported Sunday in the city of Shulan in Jilin province. Firefighters operate a drainage machine near a village in the city of Mudanjiang in northeastern China's Heilongjiang province on August 5. A cornfield is submerged by floodwater in a village in Hebi city, Henan province on August 5. A flooded farm in Xinxiang city, Henan province on August 5.

Persons: Doksuri, Zhang Tao, floodwater, Typhoon Khanun, Xi Jinping Organizations: CNN, Xinhua, Firefighters, China’s Ministry of Water Resources, Communist Party, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Affairs, National Bureau of Statistics, China Meteorological Administration, Qiushi, Communist Locations: China, Beijing, Hebei, Shulan, Jilin province, Heilongjiang, Mudanjiang, China's Heilongjiang, Jilin, Harbin, Shangzhi, Wuchang, Liaoning, Hebi city, Henan province, Henan, Xinxiang city

☆ Fitch US credit downgrade: Former Treasury secretaries react
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The US economy is resilient, but policymakers need to take the long view on the country’s fiscal challenges, three former Treasury secretaries told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria on Sunday. “But it’s in some ways a very important wake-up call.”The downgrade came after a last-minute bipartisan deal in June that suspended the US debt ceiling until early 2025. I strongly disagree with Fitch’s decision, and I believe it is entirely unwarranted,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is preparing new rules that could restrict investment in certain sectors in China, according to reports. When asked about US-imposed tariffs on China, Paulson said “we are working to close markets at the same time that China is doing business with more and more of the world.”“China is a major, major competitor,” he added.

Persons: CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, ” “, ”, Henry Paulson, George W, Bush, Janet Yellen, Paulson, “, ” Timothy Geithner, Geithner, ’, ” Robert Rubin, Bill Clinton, Zakaria, Biden, –, Jennifer Hansler, Gan, Juliana Liu Organizations: CNN, Fitch, AAA, Treasury Department, Capitol, Poor’s Locations: United States, China

☆ Philippines says China blocked, water-cannoned boat in S. China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

China's coast guard countered that it had implemented necessary controls in accordance with the law to deter Philippine ships, which it accused of trespassing and carrying illegal building materials. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, an assertion rejected internationally, while Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and the Philippines have various claims to certain areas. China Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu responded that China has "indisputable" sovereignty over the Spratly Islands and their adjacent waters, including the Second Thomas Shoal. The Philippine Coast Guard said the Chinese actions violated laws including two international conventions and a ruling from a global tribunal. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague concluded in 2016 that Beijing's expansive claim to the South China Sea was groundless.

Persons: Carlos Dominguez, Gao Hucheng, Damir Sagolj, China's, Thomas, Gan Yu, Gan, Jay Tarriela, Enrico Dela Cruz, Ryan Woo, William Mallard Organizations: Philippine, China's, REUTERS, Armed Forces, China Coast Guard, Central Military Commission, Philippine Coast Guard, U.S . State Department, Washington, Coast Guard, Philippines Mutual Defense, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Philippine, MANILA, Philippines, South China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan, Manila, Ayungin, Spratly, The Hague, South, United States

☆ Check out a ghost town of deserted Chinese mega-villas built for multimillionaires that's now overrun by farmers and left to rot
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Chinese farmers have moved into a cluster of abandoned villas in China to grow crops and rear cattle. Jade Gao/AFP via Getty ImagesThe half-built villas are now overrun by local farmers, who plow the land and plant crops on the overgrown lawns of abandoned villas. Local farmers now plow the land of the abandoned development. Jade Gao/AFP via Getty ImagesThe insides of the buildings look post-apocalyptic too, like shots straight out of "The Last of Us." Shenyang's ghost villas are just one of many "rotten" real estate projects across China's urban landscapeThe interior of a deserted housing sales building.

Persons: Jade Gao, —, riche, Guo, who's, Li Gan, Gan Organizations: Twitter, Service, AFP, Greenland Group, Getty, Getty Images, Texas, M University, Survey, Research Center, China Household Finance, Chengdu's Southwestern University of Finance, Economics Locations: China, AFP, Weibo, Wall, Silicon, Shenyang, China's, Liaoning province, Greenland, Evergrande, Li

☆ Xi meets Kissinger the same week US climate envoy Kerry was in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Henry Kissinger, the 100-year-old former US Secretary of State who is in Beijing this week for a surprise visit, met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday – a day after US climate envoy John Kerry wrapped up his trip to restart climate talks with China. Xi met Kissinger at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, a diplomatic complex in western Beijing where China’s leaders often receive foreign dignitaries, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The meeting comes after Kissinger met with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and Defense Minister Li Shangfu, who has been under US sanction since 2018 over China’s purchase of Russian weapons. Kissinger’s meeting with Xi is indicative of how highly he is regarded by China’s leadership. His previously unannounced visit overlapped with Kerry’s high-profile visit to Beijing, which saw US and China resume climate talks that had been frozen for nearly a year.

Persons: CNN — Henry Kissinger, Xi Jinping, John Kerry, Xi, Kissinger, Wang Yi, Li Shangfu, Kerry, Joe Biden’s, ”, Nixon Organizations: CNN, CCTV, Wang Yi and Defense, China’s, State, Beijing “, Communist Locations: Beijing, China, Diaoyutai State, Communist China

CNN —Ancient Buddhist murals and statues in caves along China’s Silk Road are under “direct threat” from extreme rainfall brought by climate change, researchers have found. Zhangye Cultural Heritage Administration/GreenpeaceThe report comes as China is conducting its fourth nationwide cultural heritage survey to log the state of the country’s historical artifacts. “The sites we looked at include some of the most well-funded, best-staffed cultural heritage sites in China. Li said Chinese officials and academics are increasingly aware of the threats of the climate crisis on the country’s cultural heritage sites. Unlike Dunhuang, many historical sites lack long-term monitoring data to research the impacts of climate change, Li said.

Persons: ”, Li Zhao, Li, we’re, they’re, ” Li, Tianlongshan grottoes Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, Heritage, Greenpeace, Greenpeace East Asia’s, Spikes, Heritage Administration, Dunhuang Academy Locations: Gansu, Greenpeace East, Greenpeace East Asia’s Beijing, Jinta, China, Shanxi, Jinci, Dunhuang

☆ 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

☆ Xi Jinping's foreign minister vanished from public view. His prolonged absence is driving intense speculation
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang has not been seen in public for three weeks, an unusually long absence during a busy period of diplomatic activity in Beijing, sparking intense speculation in a country known for its political opaqueness. Qin, 57, a career diplomat and trusted aide of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, was promoted to foreign minister in December, after a brief stint as ambassador to the United States. As foreign minister, Qin has delivered searing rebukes of Washington after relations plunged to a new low in the aftermath of a suspected Chinese spy balloon that was shot down over the US. The Chinese Foreign Ministry often leaves out content it deems sensitive from the transcripts of its regular briefings. Senior Chinese officials have disappeared from public view in the past, only to be revealed months later by the ruling Communist Party’s disciplinary watchdog that they’ve been detained for investigations.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Qin Gang, Qin, Xi Jinping, Antony Blinken, Andrey Rudenko, Wagner, “, ”, Deng Yuwen, Janet Yellen, John Kerry . Qin, Josep Borrell, Wang Yi, Deng, they’ve, Xi Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong Kong CNN — China’s, Russian, Communist Party, Foreign Ministry, European Union, EU, ” Reuters, Reuters, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, Chinese Foreign Ministry, Senior, Xi Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, United States, Washington, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Russia, China, Indonesia

☆ Israel's Netanyahu suffers dehydration after holiday in heatwave
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Dan Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Rami AmichaySummary 73-year-old PM felt dizziness after holiday at seaBenjamin Netanyahu is Israel's longest-serving leaderSunday's cabinet meeting postponed'I feel really well,' he says from hospitalJERUSALEM, July 15 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu entered hospital on Saturday with apparent dehydration after a coastal break during a heatwave, delaying the weekly cabinet meeting even though he declared himself well. Netanyahu's office said the 73-year-old was admitted to Sheba Hospital, close to his private residence, after experiencing dizziness, and would stay there overnight. In a video from hospital, a smiling Netanyahu said he had taken holiday on Friday at the Sea of Galilee in temperatures hitting 38 Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit). "I wish the prime minister a full recovery and good health," tweeted Yair Lapid, the centrist leader of the opposition. In early October, Netanyahu was taken ill during the Jewish fast of Yom Kippur and was also briefly hospitalised.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Rami Amichay, Sunday's, Netanyahu, disperses, Ariel Sharon, Ehud Olmert, Yariv Levin, Yair Lapid, Paul Grant, Dan Williams, Andrew Cawthorne, Frances Kerry Organizations: Sheba Medical, REUTERS, Sheba Hospital, White House National Security Council, Thomson Locations: Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel, JERUSALEM, Galilee, United States, Sheba, Washington, Yom Kippur

☆ Israel's Netanyahu in hospital with probable dehydration
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Dan Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Rami AmichaySummary 73-year-old PM suffered dizziness during breakIsraeli media say no indications he may be incapacitatedBenjamin Netanyahu is Israel's longest-serving leaderJERUSALEM, July 15 (Reuters) - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was admitted to hospital on Saturday with dizziness from apparent dehydration but was in good condition, his office said, and there were no indications of a potential handover of power. On Saturday, he was taken to Sheba Hospital in the town of Tel Hashomer, close to his private residence in coastal Caesarea. When then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was felled by a stroke in 2006, he was succeeded by his deputy, Ehud Olmert. "I wish the prime minister a full recovery and good health," tweeted Yair Lapid, the centrist leader of the opposition. In early October, Netanyahu took ill during the Jewish fast of Yom Kippur and was also briefly hospitalised.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Rami Amichay, JERUSALEM, Netanyahu, Ariel Sharon, Ehud Olmert, Yariv Levin, Yair Lapid, Dan Williams, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Sheba Medical, REUTERS, Israel's, Sheba Hospital, Likud, Thomson Locations: Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel, Galilee, Caesarea, Sheba, Yom Kippur

☆ John Kerry steps into searing China heat as world’s two biggest polluters try to fix fractured ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

China Energy Investment Corporation, the world’s largest generator of coal-fired power, said its production of electricity reached a historic high on Monday. Kerry, 79, has traveled to China twice since being appointed as US President Joe Biden’s special climate envoy. Li, the Greenpeace analyst, said he would be closely watching who will meet with Kerry in Beijing. That would require the country to phase out coal power, which accounts for about 60% of its total electricity generation. “The expansion of coal is a grave challenge for China’s climate policy,” Li said.

Persons: John Kerry, ”, Li Shuo, Nancy Pelosi’s, ” Li, Andy Wong, Kerry, Biden, Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, Janet Yellen, China’s Premier Li Qiang, Blinken, Wang Yi, Alex Wang, Joe Biden’s, Xie Zhenhua, Arnd Wiegmann, Li, Xie Jianhua, Ding Xuexiang, Xi, Obama, Xie, ” Kerry, “ I’m, Stringer, Wang, “ It’s, “, ” Wang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Greenpeace, Washington, US, Taiwan —, China Energy Investment Corporation, China’s Premier, University of California, US State Department, China’s Ministry of Ecology, Economic, Blinken, Kerry, CNN, COP28, UCLA, Global Energy Monitor Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, United States, China, Greenpeace China, Taiwan, Jakarta, “, Los Angeles, Kerry, Shanghai, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, Davos, Switzerland, Washington, Paris, China Glasgow, Dubai, Lianyungang, China's, Jiangsu, AFP

☆ John Kerry to step into searing China heat as world’s two biggest polluters try to fix fractured ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Persons: John Kerry, ”, Li Shuo, Nancy Pelosi’s, ” Li, Andy Wong, Kerry, Biden, Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, Janet Yellen, China’s Premier Li Qiang, Blinken, Wang Yi, Alex Wang, Joe Biden’s, Xie Zhenhua, Arnd Wiegmann, Li, Xie Jianhua, Ding Xuexiang, Xi, Obama, Xie, ” Kerry, “ I’m, Stringer, Wang, “ It’s, “, ” Wang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Beijing Sunday, Greenpeace, Washington, US, Taiwan —, China Energy Investment Corporation, China’s Premier, University of California, US State Department, China’s Ministry of Ecology, Economic, Blinken, Kerry, CNN, COP28, UCLA, Global Energy Monitor Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, United States, China, Greenpeace China, Taiwan, Jakarta, “, Los Angeles, Kerry, Shanghai, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, Davos, Switzerland, Washington, Paris, China Glasgow, Dubai, Lianyungang, China's, Jiangsu, AFP

Jerusalem CNN —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in hospital for medical evaluation but is in a “good condition,” his office said. Netanyahu was admitted Saturday to the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, a suburb of Tel Aviv, according to his office. Israel currently does not have an acting or deputy prime minister, meaning that if Benjamin Netanyahu is incapacitated, the cabinet would have to meet to elect an acting prime minister. Eighteen months later, he was once again sworn in as prime minister in a dramatic return, cobbling together a coalition. He was admitted to hospital where he stayed overnight before being released.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Israel’s, Naftali Bennett Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, Israeli, Sheba Medical, Likud Party Locations: Jerusalem, Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv, Israel, Yom Kippur

☆ China gallium curbs raise chip questions for future EV models
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Nick Carey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Gallium is found in trace amounts in zinc ores and in bauxite, and gallium metal is produced when processing bauxite to make aluminium. Transphorm uses ultra thin layers of gallium nitride that are a micron, or one thousandth of a millimetre thick, on its semiconductors. "If you are already banking on gallium nitride and designing it into your platform, then you're in trouble," he said. A source at a Japanese automotive supplier told Reuters the company was weighing up whether to use gallium nitride or silicon carbide for future power semiconductors. "People have to look for other options, but gallium nitride is hard to replace, said the CMI's Neill.

Persons: Umesh Mishra, Mishra, Transphorm, Alastair Neill, Transphorm's Mishra, Neill, Nick Carey, Daniel Leussink, Christina Amann, Zoey Zhang, Matt Scuffham, David Evans Organizations: Alliance, micron, Critical Minerals Institute, Reuters, Infineon, Canada's GaN Systems, Thomson Locations: China, Goleta , California, Tokyo, Berlin, Shanghai

Beijing/Hong Kong CNN —The world is big enough for both the United States and China to thrive, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday as she wrapped up a visit to Beijing aimed at stablizing the relationship between the world’s two largest economies. But I expect that this trip will help build a resilient and productive channel of communication,” Yellen told a news conference in Beijing. “China believes that generalizing national security is not conducive to normal economic and trade exchanges,” it said. Yellen said she discussed with Chinese officials areas of cooperation on global challenges, including working together to mobilize multilateral financing for climate action. US climate envoy John Kerry is expected to visit China next, according to US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, though he did not provide a timetable for the trip.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Yellen, Li Qiang, Pan Gongsheng, ” Yellen, —, Thomas Peter, ”, “, Biden, That’s, John Kerry, China Nicholas Burns Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Communist Party, Washington, Sunday, Reuters, US, China’s, Xinhua, China, Bain & Company, Group, Street, Politico, Ukraine Locations: Beijing, Hong Kong, United States, China, “, Japan, Netherlands, decouple, Shanghai, American, ”

☆ China's capital grapples with scorching summer heat
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Beijing’s temperature soared past 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) again Thursday, as the Chinese capital grapples with what is shaping up to be one the most severe heat waves on record. China has been gripped by scorching heat waves for weeks, which authorities said had arrived earlier and been more widespread and extreme than in previous years. People shield themselves from the sun amid extreme heat on July 5, 2023 in Beijing. The persistent heat waves have put huge stress on the country’s power grids as demand for air-conditioning soared, with some local governments urging companies and residents to curb the usage of electricity. As the climate crisis intensifies, scientists say dangerous, record heat waves are set to become more frequent and more severe.

Persons: Tianyong Jia, heatstroke, Niño, El Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, heatstroke, China News Service, Beijing Daily, World Meteorological Organization, El Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, China, Northern China, Hebei, Henan, Hunan, 17.18C

☆ Factbox-Companies respond to China's curbs on gallium and germanium exports
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Florence Lo/IllustrationFollowing are responses from some companies to the announcement of curbs from Aug. 1 on Chinese gallium and germanium exports. * Dowa Holdings, the world’s top producer of high-purity gallium used in products such as wafers and LEDs, said it was investigating the situation. * A spokesperson for Fujitsu said the company “is currently not active in the semiconductor business, so we are not directly impacted by the export regulations. * Microchip Technology said its initial assessment is that there will not be a material impact. * Stellantis Chief Executive Carlos Tavares said the restrictions on gallium and germanium exports should not push Western companies to “decouple” from China.

Persons: Florence Lo, chipmaker, Carlos Tavares, ” Tavares Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS, Semiconductor, Association of Japan, Dowa Holdings, Fujitsu, Nichia, Sumitomo Chemical, Nasdaq, Semiconductors, Technology, Intel, Infineon, European Union, Navitas Semiconductor Corp Locations: China, United States, U.S

☆ ‘Anti-American’ Chinese pundit faces backlash for attending Independence Day party at US Embassy in Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A Chinese nationalist pundit known for his inflammatory criticism of the United States has attracted ridicule online after he was shown attending a party celebrating Independence Day at the US embassy in Beijing – and apparently having a great time while there. American ambassador Nicolas Burns invited me to dinner,” exclaimed the headline of an article Sima posted Wednesday. In the article, he praised the “spectacular” food offered at the event, to which “national day celebrations at the Russian embassy cannot compare,” he said. (Though the Russian embassy’s ice cream is tastier, he concluded after eating four scoops of American ice cream). Sima also observed the “festive atmosphere” of the US celebration, in contrast to the discussions on “serious topics” by guests at the Russian embassy.

Persons: Sima Nan, ”, Sima, “, Nicolas Burns, Burns, Mr, Burns ’, It’s, “ Sima Nan Organizations: CNN, Independence, Beijing –, Washington, NATO, Sima’s, US, Russian Locations: United States, Beijing, China, Ukraine, Taiwan, ” China, Russian, Weibo, American, California

Hong Kong CNN —Police in China have detained a college graduate suspected of stealing university data to create a website rating the attractiveness of his fellow students. The 25-year-old, identified by police by his surname Ma, is a graduate of the prestigious Renmin University in Beijing, according to a police statement on Monday. Multiple online posts over the weekend accused him of stealing the personal information of students from the university’s database while he was studying there. The posts alleged that Ma used the data to create a website that rates the physical appearance of both undergraduate and graduate students. On Sunday, Renmin University said in a statement it had contacted the police and was cooperating with them to look into the incident.

Persons: Ma, Renmin, China’s, Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg Organizations: Hong Kong CNN — Police, Renmin University, China’s Twitter, Facebook, Harvard, Police, China, Weekly Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, Weibo, Harvard, Beijing’s Haidian

Putin used his moment to speak at the one-day summit to give his answer to that question. That event stretched over two in-person days in Samarkand, Uzbekistan and featured a number of sideline meetings between attending leaders. India announced last month that its leaders’ summit would be held virtually, without specifying why. At last year’s SCO summit, Modi told Putin in “today’s era is not an era of war.”And India has its own friction with neighboring China. In May, Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari became the most senior-level official to visit India in seven years, when he joined a SCO foreign ministers meeting.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, Putin, Wagner, ”, ” Putin, China’s Xi, Belarus ’ Alexander Lukashenko, Iran’s Ebrahim Raisi, ” Modi, Modi, Joe Biden, Xi, ” Xi, Biden, “, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Yevgeny Prigozhin Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, SCO, Indian, India, China’s Foreign Ministry, India’s Ministry, External, CNN, Pakistani, Belarus Locations: Hong Kong, Moscow, Russian, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, spreadheaded, China, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Eurasia, Tuesday’s, Iran, Beijing, Samarkand, New Delhi, Pacific, ”

☆ China's top diplomat urges Japan and South Korea to align with Beijing and 'revitalize Asia'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —China’s top diplomat has urged Japan and South Korea to foster a sense of “strategic autonomy” from the West and cooperate with Beijing to “revitalize Asia,” amid rising tensions between China and the two neighboring American allies. The comments by Wang Yi on Monday come as Japan and South Korea forge closer relations with the United States – and mend ties with each other – driven by common concerns about Beijing’s growing influence and assertiveness in the region. In recent years, the Biden administration has stepped up efforts to unite allies and like-minded partners to counter China’s rising influence in the Pacific, including with South Korea and Japan, two of its most important allies in Asia. “If this trend is allowed to develop, it will not only seriously interfere with the smooth progress of trilateral cooperation, but also aggravate tension and confrontation in the region,” Wang added. South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi addressed the event via video link, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Wang Yi, Wang, ” Wang, “, Xi Jinping, Biden, They’ve, Park Jin, Yoshimasa Hayashi Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, United, CNN, International, Trilateral Cooperation, Chinese Foreign Ministry, South, Japan, Korean Foreign, Japanese Locations: Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Beijing, Asia, China, United States, Qingdao, European, East Asia, Tokyo, Seoul, North Korea, Taiwan Strait

Hong Kong CNN —Hong Kong police on Monday placed bounties on eight prominent democracy activists in self-imposed exile overseas, offering HK$1 million ($127,603) rewards each for information leading to their arrests. After leaving Hong Kong in recent years, many of the activists have continued to speak out against what they say is Beijing’s crackdown on their home city’s freedoms and autonomy. The sweeping law was imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong in 2020, after huge pro-democracy protests roiled the semi-autonomous city in the previous year. The Hong Kong government has repeatedly denied the national security law is suppressing freedoms. “I feel no joy over this, but feel sad for Hong Kong that people now see things this way, because it is an indication of how low Hong Kong has gone in the eyes of many,” he told CNN from Australia.

Persons: Nathan Law, Dennis Kwok, Ted Hui, Hong, Steve Li, “, ”, Kevin Yam Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong, HK, CNN Locations: Hong Kong, United States, Canada, Britain, Australia, Beijing

☆ China beats its own record for hot days over six months
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —China has registered the highest number of hot days over six months since records began, according to authorities, as the country confronts another record-breaking summer of blistering heat. The national average was calculated from the number of high temperature days recorded by weather stations across the country. Northern China, a heavily populated region with hundreds of millions of residents, has been particularly hard hit, with more heat waves expected in coming weeks. So far this year, Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province, has seen 17 high temperature days, followed by Beijing’s 14 days. As the climate crisis intensifies, scientists say dangerous, record heat waves are set to become more frequent and more severe.

Persons: Beijing’s, Sheng Jiapeng, Zhou Bing, El Nino, ” Zhou Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, National Climate Center, Museum, China News Service, Climate Center, China Meteorological Administration, Times, El Nino, El, Xinhua Locations: Hong Kong, China, Northern China, Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, Beijing, Sichuan

☆ Singapore names Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong as chairman of the central bank
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Monetary Authority of Singapore, the city-state's financial regulator and central bank, has named Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong as chairman of its board of directors effective July 8. Wong, who is the country's finance minister, will replace Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who held the role for 12 years since May 2011, the release said. Wong, who was deputy chairman of MAS since June 2021, will serve as chairman until May 31, 2026, according to the press release. He previously served as a member of the MAS Board from June 2011 to August 2016. Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong will be appointed deputy chairman of the MAS Board for the same period, from July 8 to May 31, 2026.

Persons: Lawrence Wong, Wong, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Shanmugaratnam, Industry Gan Kim Yong Organizations: Monetary Authority of, MAS, Singapore's, Trade, Industry, MAS Board, CNBC Locations: Monetary Authority of Singapore, Singapore

☆ Video of man driving over woman repeatedly reignites China's domestic violence debate
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The wife had reportedly suffered years of domestic violence and was planning on a divorce, her family told state media outlet The Paper. “Given its prevalence, domestic violence is an issue everyone knows about, even if they have not encountered it themselves.”Volunteers in Ma Anshan city, Anhui province sign their names on a banner against domestic violence on December 14, 2011. TopPhoto/AP‘Family affair’In China, domestic violence has traditionally been regarded as a private family matter. The law defines domestic violence for the first time, covering both physical and psychological violence – though it fails to address sexual abuse such as marital rape. “Domestic violence allegations, even when they’re supported by evidence, make no difference – like judges just don’t care at all,” he said.

Persons: –, ”, Feng Yuan, Feng, …, Ethan Michelson, Michelson, they’re, it’s, “, Xi Jinping Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Twitter, “, ” Volunteers, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Indiana University , Bloomington Locations: Hong Kong, China, Shandong, Dongying, Guangdong, Chengdu, –, Weibo, Beijing, Ma Anshan, Anhui, Michelson

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