South East Asia

Terrorists Target Chinese Nationals Working on a CPEC Project

Initially, Pakistan’s foreign ministry wrote it off as an accident, but China has described it a terror attack. On July 14, nine Chinese nationals and three Pakistanis were killed and 28 others injured when a bus carrying them to a construction site plunged into a ravine in the Upper Kohistan …

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4,000 Afghans who helped military going abroad to complete visas to U.S.

The State Department is making preparations to fly thousands of Afghans and their families to as-yet undecided countries in order to complete the visa process that will allow them to immigrate to the U.S., State department officials told reporters on Wednesday, as part of Operation Allies Refuge. Tens of thousands …

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Taliban appear to have ‘strategic momentum’ says Gen. Milley

The Taliban appear to have “strategic momentum” in the fight for control of Afghanistan as they put increasing pressure on key cities, setting the stage for a decisive period in coming weeks as American forces complete their withdrawal, the top U.S. military officer said Wednesday. “This is going to be …

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The Personality Cult Of Xi Jinping – Part II: Xi’s Biggest Shortcoming Is His Lack Of Personal Prestige

The following is the second of a series of analyses by Chinese dissident and expert Chris King, who is a Senior Research Fellow for the MEMRI Chinese Media Studies Project, on the personality cult of Chinese President Xi Jinping. King was an active participant in the student protests in China …

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US Focuses on Myanmar, South China Sea at Special ASEAN Meeting

The meeting highlighted where U.S. and Southeast Asian interests align, and where they part ways. Myanmar, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the South China Sea disputes have topped the agenda in discussions held yesterday between the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his 10 Southeast Asian counterparts. The Special ASEAN-U.S. …

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The overreaction to China’s new nuclear silos

China hawks have seized on a report about new Chinese missile silos to spread alarmist claims about the Chinese nuclear arsenal and agitate for a new arms race. The revelation that China has been quickly building approximately 119 new hardened silos in the desert of Gansu province is important new …

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China Preparing to Expropriate Foreign-Held Tech Shares

VIEs, as they are known, evade Chinese law, which prohibits foreign ownership of Chinese tech companies. Through a series of intricate contractual arrangements, however, these structures effectively give foreigners the economic benefits of ownership. People believe that if Beijing were to publicly declare a VIE illegal—in other words, expropriate foreign …

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Turkey’s Gambit in Afghanistan

Turkey has undertaken to protect Kabul’s airport. It is a risky job, but also one which promises some substantial strategic rewards. The Taliban do not shy away from assertive statements, nor do they hesitate to commit war crimes. So, this week’s statement by the group castigating Turkey’s offer to remain …

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Afghanistan and the UK: Confounded Hopes, Tragedy and What Can Still Be Done

Prolonging the UK military presence in Afghanistan would not have helped so long as the fundamental problem of the absence of a strategy remained unaddressed. But the manner of leaving and what follows still matter a great deal to the UK. It feels a lot like 1989. Once again, the …

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