Category: International Relations

Xi Urges Ex-President Duterte to Maintain His ‘Important’ Role in Philippine-China Ties

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has urged former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to continue promoting relations between their countries amid the Philippines’ growing ties with the United States. Mr. Duterte, whose six-year presidential term ended in June 2022, made a surprise visit to Beijing on July 17 for talks with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader….


Rumors, Speculation Rife as Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang Vanishes From Public View

Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang has disappeared from public view for more than three weeks, sparking intense speculation and media attention. Mr. Qin’s last public appearance was on June 25 in Beijing, when he met with the foreign ministers of Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Russia. Since then, Mr. Qin, 57, has been absent from a…


Higher Wages Attract Young Chinese to Africa

China’s economic downturn has prompted many young Chinese to go to Africa to make a living. After overcoming fears of poverty and cultural differences, many found they could prosper. “Many stuff Americans buy in stores are made by Chinese companies, but they’re not made in China but in Africa,” said Sun Yuan, author of the 2017…


Solomon Islands PM Accuses Australia of Cutting Funding, Says Beijing Will Step-In

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has accused Australia and New Zealand of cutting off aid funding and now says Beijing will step in. Mr. Sogavare made the claims upon his return to Honiara after a week-long visit to China, where he met with communist leadership. The prime minister, who has actively sought to deepen…


US Calls for Freedom of ASEAN Countries to Choose Their Alliances

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized Friday the importance of ensuring the freedom of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to choose and forge alliances without facing coercion. Speaking to reporters following the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Indonesia, Blinken said the United States and the 10-member bloc have embarked on “a new…


Yellen Visits India Again to Promote Closer Ties and Tackle Global Economic Problems

GANDHINAGAR, India—On the heels of a trip to Beijing, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is back in India for the third time in nine months, this time to meet finance ministers from the Group of 20 nations about global economic challenges like the increased threat of debt defaults facing low-income countries. Ms. Yellen told reporters…


IN-DEPTH: Argentina Starts Allowing Bank Accounts in Chinese Yuan, But Locals Prefer Dollars

The ongoing shortage of U.S. dollars in Argentina has reached a new milestone, and officials are taking drastic steps to refill depleted foreign currency coffers. On June 29, Argentina’s Central Bank announced it would allow residents and businesses to hold accounts in China’s RMB yuan. The historic decision marks a departure from using solely the…


Taiwanese Groups Protest Against Service Trade Agreement With Communist China

The Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement has recently become a hot topic during Taiwan’s national election. Candidates from different parties have been urged to express their stance on it to the public. Professional groups have protested against the controversial agreement with China, which has been waiting for ratification by Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan for nearly a decade….


Senate Foreign Relations Committee Approves Transfer of Nuclear Submarines to Australia

The U.S. Foreign Relations Senate Committee has triggered the start of the process of attaining U.S. Congressional approval for the United States to temporarily give Australia two nuclear-powered submarines, alongside other measures to deepen further defense sharing with members of the pro-liberty AUKUS defence alliance. In a bipartisan move on July 13, the committee authorized…


‘Worrying Signs’: Treasurer Says Australia Keeping Close Eye on Chinese Economy

Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers warned that global economic uncertainty is expected to slow the Australian economy “considerably,” noting that the Chinese economy was displaying “some worrying signs.” “I’m not going to pretend otherwise. There have been some developments out of China that we are monitoring incredibly closely,” Mr. Chalmers told the national broadcaster ABC’s Insiders…