Chinas xi visits tibet for first time as president

TAIPEI -- China fired multiple missiles around Taiwan on Thursday as it launched unprecedented military drills a day after a visit by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island that Beijing regards as its sovereign territory. Soon after the scheduled start at 0400 GMT, China's state broadcaster CCTV said the drills had begun and would end at 0400 GMT on Sunday. It said the exercises, the largest ever by China in the Taiwan Strait, would include live firing on the waters and in the airspace surrounding Taiwan. China's Eastern Theatre Command said it had completed multiple firings of conventional missiles on waters off the eastern coast of Taiwan as part of the planned exercises. The last time China fired missiles into waters around Taiwan was in 1996. Map showing the six locations where China will conduct military drills. Taiwan's defence ministry said several Dongfeng missiles had been fired in waters to the northeast and southwest of the island. Two … [Read more...] about China fires missiles in largest ever drills in waters off Taiwan

China's largest-ever military exercises encircling Taiwan kicked off Thursday, in a show of force straddling vital international shipping lanes after a visit to the island by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi left Taiwan Wednesday after a trip that defied a series of stark threats from Beijing, which views the self-ruled island as its territory. It sparked a furious reaction from Beijing, which vowed "punishment" and announced military drills in the seas around Taiwan -- some of the world's busiest waterways. "Six major areas around the island have been selected for this actual combat exercise and during this period, relevant ships and aircraft should not enter the relevant waters and airspaces," state broadcaster CCTV reported. Taiwan's defense ministry said it was closely watching the drills. Beijing's nationalist state-run tabloid Global Times said, citing military analysts, that the exercises were "unprecedented" and that missiles would fly over Taiwan for the … [Read more...] about China begins major Taiwan military drills after Pelosi visit

Pelosi's dramatic trip to Taipei, defying stark threats by China, overshadowed a meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers in Phnom Penh, which had been expected to focus on the bloody crisis engulfing Myanmar. ASEAN spokesman Kung Phoak, Cambodia's deputy foreign minister, said ministers at the closed-door talks - meeting face to face for the first time since the pandemic - had expressed concern over "growing tension in the Taiwan Strait." "We hope that all sides will try their best to deescalate the tension there, avoid actions that may contribute to the escalation of tension and engage in dialogue," Kung Phoak told reporters. Malaysia and Thailand echoed the calls for calm, with Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah urging all sides to tread "very carefully." Thai foreign ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said the kingdom called for "utmost restraint" and warned against "any actions that would aggravate tensions." Attention will now … [Read more...] about ASEAN ministers urge restraint after Pelosi Taiwan visit

China’s Eastern Theatre Command said it would conduct joint drills focusing on anti-submarine and sea assault operations - confirming the fears of some security analysts and diplomats that Beijing would continue to maintain pressure on Taiwan's defences. Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan last week infuriated China, which regards the self-ruled island as its own and responded with test launches of ballistic missiles over Taipei for the first time, as well as ditching some lines of dialogue with Washington. The duration and precise location of the latest drills is not yet known, but Taiwan has already eased flight restrictions near the six earlier Chinese exercise areas surrounding the island. Beyond the firing of 11 short-range ballistic missiles during the four earlier days of exercises, Chinese warships, fighter jets and drones manoeuvred extensively around the island. Shortly before those drills ended on Sunday, about 10 warships each from China and Taiwan manoeuvred at close quarters … [Read more...] about China announces more military drills around Taiwan

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said 118 flights operated by Vietnamese carriers will be affected by the Chinese live-fire drills, with 36 operated by Vietnam Airlines and the rest by Vietjet Air. With flights from Vietnam to South Korea and Japan, a Vietnam Airlines spokesperson said aircraft would have to fly into China's inland area to avoid Taiwanese airspace, adding 10-15 minutes to flying time. With flights to the U.S. the carrier was forced to change its route by flying over the Philippines, with the detour adding 35 minutes. Flights between Vietnam and Taiwan remain operational. A representative of Vietjet Air said the carrier has changed its routes for a series of flights connecting with Japan and South Korea. In addition to adjusting flight routes, some flights may be delayed, with detours increasing fuel costs. China on Thursday launched unprecedented live-fire military drills in six areas around Taiwan, a day after a visit by U.S. House of … [Read more...] about Over 100 Vietnamese flights to Northeast Asia, US affected amid China military drills

The "Falcon Strike" exercise has taken place four times since 2015 and will run for 11 days from Aug 14 at a base in northeastern Udon Thani that was home to U.S. forces during the Vietnam War. The drills, the dates for which were decided in June, take place in a month when China is holding major exercises in the sea and airspace around Taiwan, in a show of military power following U.S. house speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the self-ruled island, which Beijing regards as its own. Thailand is the oldest U.S. ally in Asia but ties were complicated by a 2014 military coup. Thailand has sought to strengthen its relations with China and has made several defense procurements. The Thai air force, one of the most equipped in the region, has historically used U.S. hardware and is seeking to procure F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin Corp to replace some of its aging F-16 models. According to an air force source, who asked not to be named because he was unauthorized to speak to … [Read more...] about Thailand, China to resume air force exercises after pandemic pause

United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres confirmed he would visit Vietnam this year during a meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc in New York on Wednesday (U.S. time). At the meeting, held on the sidelines of the Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Ngoc reiterated President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s invitation to the UN secretary-general to visit Vietnam. Guterres replied that he would make every effort to arrange a visit to the Southeast Asian country at an appropriate time this year. The visit, when realized, will be a meaningful event given that 2022 marks 45 years since Vietnam’s accession to the UN. Secretary General Guterres praised Vietnam’s active and responsible contributions to the UN’s common work and also expressed his special feelings for the nation. The UN head mentioned Vietnam’s strong commitments in responding to climate change and promised to continue … [Read more...] about UN leader Antonio Guterres to visit Vietnam this year

Large pumps sucked water from a flooded coal mine in Mexico on Saturday as authorities weighed whether to send divers to try to save 10 miners who have been trapped underground for more than three days. The miners became trapped at a mine in the northern border state of Coahuila on Wednesday afternoon when their excavation work caused a tunnel wall to collapse, triggering flooding in three wells. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Saturday would be "decisive" in determining whether divers could safely enter the mine. But by afternoon, Coahuila Governor Miguel Riquelme said water levels were still too high. "Time is against us," he told families at the site, Mexican media reported. Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador visits a coal mine that collapsed leaving miners trapped in Sabinas, Coahuila state, Mexico August 7, 2022. Photo: Mexico Presidency/Handout via Reuters Relatives keeping vigil outside said they were pinning their hopes on the … [Read more...] about ‘Time against us’ in bid to rescue 10 Mexican miners after 3 days underground

The President expressed his hope that Hun Manet’s visit will significantly contribute to the success of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2022 marking the 55th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (June 24, 1967). Phuc congratulated Cambodian people on great, comprehensive achievements they have recorded over the past time, and noted his belief that Cambodia will gain more attainments in both home and external affairs in the time ahead, and successfully fulfill its ASEAN Chairmanship 2022 and organize its general elections in 2023. Highlighting the traditional friendship between the two neighboring countries, the President said he hopes that the Lt. Gen., in both his current and future positions, will make more contributions to preserving and developing the good neighborliness, traditional friendship and comprehensive, sustainable, long-term cooperation. For his part, Hun Manet also congratulated Vietnamese people on their achievements, especially in COVID-19 … [Read more...] about President receives Cambodian high-ranking military officer

Five Chinese missiles appear to have fallen in the country's exclusive economic zone, Tokyo has said, with four of those believed to have flown over Taiwan's main island. "China's actions this time around have a serious impact on the peace and stability of our region and the international community," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters after meeting U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for breakfast. "I told her that we have called for the immediate cancellation of the military drills." Pelosi is in Tokyo for the final leg of an Asian tour that included a stop in Taiwan, infuriating Beijing, which has launched its largest-ever military drills around the self-ruled island in response. The 82-year-old politician defied stern threats from China to become the highest-profile U.S. official to visit Taiwan in years, saying her trip made it "unequivocally clear" the United States would not abandon a democratic ally. China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to … [Read more...] about Chinese missiles ‘serious problem that impacts our national security’: Japan PM