Management of Panama Canal ports by Hong Kong firm poses risks, US House panel hears
“Hutchison Ports corp ties to #Beijing could lead to delays in American civilian and military shipping in case of a #China conflict with #Taiwan, says US lawmaker.”
"In mission to #Beijing, the newly invested Prince of #Moscow presents tribute to the Emperor of #China, in order to be recognized as the leader of Muscovy "
"President Joe #Biden will dispatch former #US officials to #Taiwan as its new president takes office, a show of support for the island calibrated to avoid enraging #Beijing
They are saying the quiet part OUT LOUD! 📢
Speaking Tuesday in the upper house of Russian parliament, Foreign Minister #SergeyLavrov said #Moscow and #Beijing are “objectively interested in maintaining our lead in efforts to establish a more fair and democratic world order.”
“ #China is not buying Africa, it is building #Africa ” is the view from Beijing. How is this landing with local audiences? There have been hints of a cooling down of Sino-African friendship. For this episode, #TheGlobalJigsaw travels to the Kenyan capital Nairobi to get a sense of #Chinese influence on the ground, and understand why #Beijing has chosen it as a hub for its media operation in Africa. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0hx9h3z
On the last leg of his European tour in #Hungary, Chinese President #Xi Jinping on Wednesday (8 May) is expected to tighten ties with #Budapest, its closest ally in the #EU.
#China’s ambassador to Hungary, Gong #Tao, said that “#Beijing expects from the Hungarian EU Presidency that the Hungarian side will pursue a rational and pragmatic policy towards China and will encourage other EU countries to do the same.”
Who is #Xi Jinping’s travel agent? If you are making your first trip to #Europe in nearly five years, an itinerary that reads #France, #Serbia, #Hungary seems a little eccentric.
But the three stops chosen by #China’s leader make perfect sense viewed from #Beijing. For strategic and economic reasons, China badly wants to disrupt the unity of both #Nato and the #EU.
#Beijing supports a peace conference on the #Ukraine war that would see equal participation of all parties, Chinese Ambassador to #Russia Zhang #Hanhui said in an interview with Russia's RIA state news agency in remarks published on Tuesday.
"#China supports a timely convening of an international peace conference, approved by the Russian and Ukrainian sides, with equal participation of all parties and fair discussion of all options for peace,"
China’s food security push catches a ‘grain-stealing mouse’ among 5 accused of US$3.45 million #corn theft
“Police in northern #China have detained five people for allegedly colluding to steal about 10,000 tonnes of corn amid #Beijing’s increasing focus on food security.”
High on the agenda during Antony Blinken's diplomatic tour of #China will be #Beijing's so called "dual-use" exports to #Russia, which may be helping #Moscow reinforce its military. Tom Canetti reports.
"We are witnessing a historic process -- Russians are leaving for the first time in two centuries," independent Azerbaijani analyst Elhan Shahinoglu told AFP.
“Fuelling #Russia’s defence industrial base not only threatens Ukrainian security, it threatens #EuropeanSecurity. #Beijing cannot achieve better relations with Europe while supporting the greatest threat to European security since the end of the cold war.” Blinken said. #Ukraine
"Deliberately grounded on a tiny reef in the #SouthChinaSea, part of an island chain claimed by the two Asian countries, the #BRPSierraMadre is now the unlikely base for a detachment of Filipino marines who stand guard over the atoll, scanning the turquoise waters for Chinese ships." #AyunginShoal#SecondThomasShoal#Philippines
#Beijing, based on the report, budgeted over $296 billion for its military in 2023, a 6% increase from its spending the year prior. The figure represents 12% of the world’s military expenditures and over 50% of the #Asia and #Oceania region.The figures are estimates of #SIPRI, as #China’s publicly declared military budget is much lower. #TootSEA#Philippines
#China, over the past month, has been insisting that the #Philippines reneged on an agreement to manage tensions in Ayungin Shoal, a feature within the PH exclusive economic zone.
Carlos was appointed to the post in January 2022 by former president #RodrigoDuterte, just five months before his presidential term ended. #WESCOM#WestPHSea