Gunmen kill nine Chinese in attack in Central African Republic
Gunmen attacked a gold mine in the Central African Republic, killing nine Chinese nationals and injuring two others.
The Chinese embassy in the Central African Republic has urged its citizens to avoid travelling outside the capital, Bangui.
The exact details of the incident are unclear, as state officials and local media have provided differing accounts.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has condemned the killings and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
US Government demands TikTok be sold or face possible ban
The Biden administration has reportedly demanded that TikTok be sold off from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a potential ban in the US. Officials from the Committee on Foreign Investment have warned the company that the government plans to implement a ban if the ownership structure is not changed, due to concerns over national security risks and potential access to US user data.
This marks a significant escalation in scrutiny of the app, following similar concerns raised by both US officials and legislators.
Your Wednesday Briefing
Closer ties between Russia and China.
China's Jinping visits Russia as the nations deepen their "no-limits friendship"
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has arrived in Russia for a three-day visit, aiming to strengthen ties with Russia amid clashes with the West.
The two nations have referred to their relationship as a "no limits friendship" as they seek to deepen economic and diplomatic relations.
Putin, who was recently indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Ukraine, has sought to showcase China's support as evidence that Russia still has strong allies.
Western leaders have criticised China for providing Moscow with "diplomatic cover".
Taiwan chip pioneer warns US plans will boost costs
The founder of the processor chip industry's biggest manufacturer is warning that U.S. government efforts to move production from Asia to the United States will as much as double their cost
US tells China not to overread likely Taiwan president visit
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is putting out the word in advance that an expected unofficial stopover in the United States by Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen would fall in line with recent precedent and should not be used as a pretext by Bei
All the 14 countries that currently have diplomatic ties with Taiwan
Self-governed island nation will only be left with 13 formal diplomatic allies once Honduras snaps ties
China ignored top experts' warnings, leading to Covid-19 surge
The Associated Press and The Independent report that China, amid skyrocketing Covid-19 cases in December, ignored repeated warnings from top medical experts to plan for an exit from lockdowns before it was too late.
As a result, the sudden opening up led to a massive surge in fatalities and infections which overwhelmed the country's medical system.
Hospitals turned away patients, crematoriums burned bodies non-stop, and bereaved relatives were forced to store their loved ones' remains in warehouses due to the lack of the storage space.
US President Signs Bill to Declassify COVID-19 Origin Information
US President Joe Biden signed a bill requiring the release of intelligence materials indicating any potential links between the COVID-19 pandemic and a laboratory in Wuhan, China, where it is believed to have originated.
Sources report that the bill, called the Covid-19 Origin Act of 2023, was passed unanimously in both the Senate and the House.
The Director of National Intelligence is to present a report on the information within 90 days of the enactment of the bill.
The US administration, however, paused on determining the origin of COVID-19 until an investigation by the World Health Organization (WHO) was complete, which left a politically motivated debate in Washington.
Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Russia to discuss Ukraine war's resolution
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit Russia to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin to discuss the resolution of the long-standing Ukraine war.
China's 12-point plan for resolving the conflict has received criticism from NATO and the United States for not condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby expressed concern ahead of Xi's visit, saying a China-brokered peace deal would benefit Russia at Ukraine's expense.
Chinese billionaire and opposition figure Guo Wengui charged with $1bn fraud
Chinese billionaire and political activist Guo Wengui, also known as Ho Wan Kwok and Miles Guo, has been arrested and charged with defrauding investors out of more than $1 billion.
He is accused of leading a conspiracy involving multiple investment schemes, for which he diverted funds for personal enrichment, leading to the purchase of a $37 million yacht, a New Jersey mansion, and a Bugatti sports car among others.
The sources differ slightly in their characterisation of the allegations and emphasise different details.
China's Xi Jinping set to test peace-broker credentials on visit to Russia
Chinese President Xi Jinping is arriving in Moscow for a three-day state visit to Russia, aimed towards fostering peace amid the war in Ukraine.
Even though China's state media reports have downplayed the chances of any significant breakthroughs emerging from Xi's talks with Putin and his call with the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, China remains willing to act as a peace broker for Ukraine.
Taiwan's defence minister vows to bring back soldier found in China
Taiwan's defence minister, Chiu Kuo-cheng, has vowed to bring back a soldier who had gone missing from an offshore island and was found in mainland China.
The minister did not elaborate on the alternative channels that they are pursuing but expressed hope of bringing the solider home.
Meanwhile, the minister also confirmed that despite the country facing several difficulties, the domestic submarine programme is going according to plan.
China, Iran, and Russia hold joint naval drills in the Gulf of Oman
China's Defense Ministry announced that naval forces from China, Iran, and Russia are participating in the "Security Bond-2023" joint exercises in the Gulf of Oman.
Other countries are also taking part but have not been identified.
The Chinese Ministry highlighted that the drills would help deepen practical cooperation between the participating countries' navies and inject positive energy into the regional peace and stability.
Notably, the drills are being held amid heightened tensions between China and the US, given multiple disagreements between the two superpowers.
TikTok CEO to assure US lawmakers over user data concerns
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will testify before the US House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee to address concerns over the video-sharing app's data privacy and potential links to the Chinese government.
The hearing comes amid growing pressure from US lawmakers to ban TikTok, which has more than 150 million American users.
Chew will state that TikTok has never shared or received a request to share US user data with the Chinese government and claimed that its parent company ByteDance is not owned or controlled by any government or state entity.
Putin Accuses UK of Spreading Misinformation over Ammunition Supplies to Ukraine
The UK's Ministry of Defence has been forced to deny inaccuracies in how it described the ammunition being sent to Ukraine after Putin accused the country of supplying "weapons with a nuclear component.
" The UK will supply 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine and include depleted uranium within armour-piercing rounds.
The material has been used by the British army for decades and is in no way comparable to nuclear weapons.
Putin said that Russia would have to respond accordingly.
The Ministry of Defence has said that Putin is spreading misinformation deliberately.
Japan and China Accuse Each Other of Infringing on Maritime Territory
Japan and China continue to dispute over the ownership of the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea, with Taiwan also asserting its claim to the islands.
Japan deployed missile squads to Ishigaki Island, near the Senkaku islands, in response to China's increasing military activities in the waters around the islands.
China claims that the Diaoyu islands belong to it and accuses Japan of violating Chinese sovereignty.
The Japanese coast guard, meanwhile, accuses the Chinese coast guard of violating Japanese territorial waters around the disputed East China Sea islets.
Concerns over TikTok's data security risks
TikTok, the popular Chinese-owned video-sharing app, is once again facing accusations of sharing user data with the Chinese government and pushing propaganda.
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the US has reportedly threatened to ban the app unless its Chinese owner divests their stake out of concerns over national security.
The FBI and Federal Communications Commission have previously warned that TikTok's Chinese parents could share user data with China.
However, China's Foreign Ministry dismissed the US report as disinformation and accused the US of spreading rumors.
Russia-Ukraine war live: Biden backs Putin arrest warrant, saying Russian leader ‘clearly committed war crimes’
US president says international criminal court’s warrant ‘makes a very strong point’ while Moscow rejects move as ‘meaningless’
Putin Absent From Xi's Arrival in Russia
The leaders of Russia and China held talks in Moscow, with Chinese president Xi Jinping visiting for a high-profile visit.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was absent from greeting Xi upon his arrival, with standard protocol dictating that lower-level officials should greet visiting dignitaries at the airport.
This was not seen as a snub by observers, who note that the two nations have a standardised method for welcoming visits.
Putin and Xi reportedly discussed the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, with Putin welcoming China's interest in settling the conflict.
China's leader Xi in Moscow for meeting with Putin
Xi will present China as peacemaker intent on brokering an end to Ukraine war
Ex-US Marine facing extradition from Australia over alleged China training scheme
Former US Marine Corps pilot Daniel Duggan is facing extradition from Australia to the United States on charges of violating US law by training Chinese military pilots to land on aircraft carriers.
He is accused of receiving almost AUD 88,000 ($61,000) and international travel for the training.
Duggan claims the allegations are false and vehemently denies being a spy.
His legal team is investigating whether he was lured to Australia by the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) before his arrest.
The case has attracted scrutiny due to concerns over Australian sovereignty and the potential involvement of ASIO.
Chinese President to visit Russia
China's President Xi Jinping is set to visit Russia for three days next week upon the invitation of President Vladimir Putin.
The visit will focus on strategic cooperation between the two countries, with discussions surrounding the development of comprehensive partnerships and the signing of important bilateral documents.
This visit marks Xi's first visit to Moscow since Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
China's leader Xi in Moscow for meeting with Putin
MOSCOW (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on Monday on a three-day visit that offers a strong political boost for Russian President Vladimir Putin as fighting in Ukraine grinds on. China and Russia have described Xi’s trip as part of e
German education minister visits Taiwan, denies connection to China strategy amid Beijing's protest
Germany's education minister, Bettina Stark-Watzinger, visited Taiwan to promote cooperation with "like-minded partners.
" The trip sparked protests from Beijing, which views Taiwan as its own territory, and accused Stark-Watzinger of "vile conduct.
" Although the visit is politically sensitive, it is not connected to Germany's China strategy.
The visit follows a delegation of high-ranking lawmakers from the Free Democrats' visit to Taiwan in January, which also drew Beijing's protest.