Asia-Pacific News Thread

[Webfoot Hero]

Abe has now been pronounced dead. Sad times for Japan.

 

[samsnee]

It’s crazy. Japan has the strictest gun laws in the world so this guy made his own gun. I wonder if this means Japan and other countries will now think twice about having their leaders mingle with the public.

 

[BeserkerHilf]

Morton's Law: Insulate the politicians from facing the consequences their constituents face as a result of their choices eventually leads to that wall coming down by force.

 

[Webfoot Hero]

It’s crazy. Japan has the strictest gun laws in the world so this guy made his own gun. I wonder if this means Japan and other countries will now think twice about having their leaders mingle with the public.

If you look at photos of the gun, it looks like two pipes attached to a wood board by some electrical tape or other banding material with a very simple trigger mechanism. It's crude but still caused a lot of damage and heartache.

 

[OtherwiseKnownAs]

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Reuters - 'We are going to die': Sri Lanka warns of food shortages

BBC News - Sri Lanka warns petrol stocks about to run dry

Axios - Protesters storm Sri Lanka's presidential palace, demand president resign

Politico - Russia’s role in rising global food insecurity takes center stage at G-20 foreign ministers' meeting
NY Times - Global Food Crisis Tests Western Resolve to Retain Russia Sanctions

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

NY Times - U.S. Officials Grow More Concerned About Potential Action by China on Taiwan
The Biden administration is watching for any moves by China to close off the Taiwan Strait, and they would prefer that Nancy Pelosi cancel her planned trip.

 

[:eek:]

Myanmar executions of 4 activists spur global outrage - ABC News (go.com)

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Reuters - Chinese nationalist commentator deletes Pelosi tweet after Twitter blocks account

If Pelosi were to visit Taiwan, Hu, a nationalist firebrand with a wide Twitter following, wrote, "Our fighter jets should deploy all obstructive tactics. If those are still ineffective, I think it is okay too to shoot down Pelosi's plane."

 

[Mike5575]

Why Pelosi Did It, in Her Own Words | National Review

Wow! Good on her!

 

[:eek:]

Chinese military drills have invaded Taiwan's territory, says defence ministry | World News | Sky News

 

[:eek:]

A China-Taiwan conflict could lead to a catastrophic semiconductor shortage in the world (interestingengineering.com)

China fires missiles near waters off Taiwan as live-fire drills intensify - CNN

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Chinese Disinformation Group Targeted Pelosi’s Taiwan Visit

 

[Iceman]

Chinese military drills have invaded Taiwan's territory, says defence ministry | World News | Sky News

Hopefully this doesn’t go too far. Going to be hard to manage any level of conflict with China (even a sanctions battle) while also trying to deal with Russia. Also don’t want to push them even closer together.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

NY Times - Newt Gingrich went to Taiwan as House speaker in 1997.

SCMP - US [Republican] lawmakers including John Cornyn make surprise trip to Taiwan (2021)

CNN - US [Democratic] congressional delegation makes surprise visit to Taiwan (May 2022)







The Washington Post - Opinion Nancy Pelosi: Why I’m leading a congressional delegation to Taiwan

Thirty years ago, I traveled in a bipartisan congressional delegation to China, where, in Tiananmen Square, we unfurled a black-and-white banner that read, “To those who died for democracy in China.” Uniformed police pursued us as we left the square. Since then, Beijing’s abysmal human rights record and disregard for the rule of law continue, as President Xi Jinping tightens his grip on power.

The CCP’s brutal crackdown against Hong Kong’s political freedoms and human rights — even arresting Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen — cast the promises of “one-country, two-systems” into the dustbin. In Tibet, the CCP has long led a campaign to erase the Tibetan people’s language, culture, religion and identity. In Xinjiang, Beijing is perpetrating genocide against Muslim Uyghurs and other minorities. And throughout the mainland, the CCP continues to target and arrest activists, religious-freedom leaders and others who dare to defy the regime

We cannot stand by as the CCP proceeds to threaten Taiwan — and democracy itself.

Indeed, we take this trip at a time when the world faces a choice between autocracy and democracy. As Russia wages its premeditated, illegal war against Ukraine, killing thousands of innocents — even children — it is essential that America and our allies make clear that we never give in to autocrats.

And China is bankrolling Russia's excursions.

Winnie's having a meltdown meant for their domestic consumption.



Times of India - China-Taiwan news LIVE updates: China sanctions Pelosi after Taiwan visit, halts high-level military dialogue with US



Associated Press - Pelosi: China cannot isolate Taiwan by preventing visits

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Axios - China's economy grows at slowest pace since 2020 as lockdowns bite

Wall Street Journal - China’s Manufacturing Sector Unexpectedly Contracts Amid Weak Demand, Covid Lockdowns

Bloomberg News - China’s Covid Zero Could Last for Years Because It Works for Xi

Hindustan Times - President Xi faces growing dissent in China over enforced Covid lockdowns

Reuters - Breakingviews - China property crisis enters dangerous next phase

The Guardian - China banks told to bail out property developers as mortgage boycotts threaten economy

Bloomberg News - China Banks May Face $350 Billion in Losses From Property Crisis

 

[:eek:]

China sends warships and jets close to Taiwan and sparks alert in Japan as tensions rise - CNN

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Making the same imperialist claims Putin makes to seize eastern Europe by force.

Xi Jinping's Government Publishes White Paper On Taiwan Issue: If China Can't Be Unified, 'All Will Suffer'

 

[Iceman]

Unfortunately it feels almost inevitable that China will go for Taiwan one day, probably when the rest of the world has too much on its hands to help.

 

[Iceman]

Hong Kong suffers biggest ever population drop as exodus accelerates - CNN

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Associated Press - US to hold trade talks with Taiwan in new show of support

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Nearly 9 out of every 10 S. Koreans hold ‘favorable view’ toward US

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Bloomberg News - Japan Arrests Kadokawa Executives in Olympic Bribery Probe
Japanese prosecutors made more arrests and served fresh charges against a former Tokyo Olympics organizing panel member on Tuesday, widening their investigations into alleged bribery in the games sponsorship process.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

BBC News - Why misogyny is at the heart of South Korea's presidential elections (March 2022)

South Korea records world's lowest fertility rate -- again | CNN

South Korea has broken its own record for the world’s lowest fertility rate, according to official figures released Wednesday, as the country struggles to reverse its years-long trend of declining births.

The country’s fertility rate, which indicates the average number of children a woman will have in her lifetime, sunk to 0.81 in 2021 – 0.03% lower than the previous year, according to government-run Statistics Korea.

To put that into perspective, the 2021 fertility rate was 1.6 in the United States and 1.3 in Japan, which also saw its lowest rate on record last year. In some African countries, where fertility rates are the highest in the world, the figure is 5 or 6.

To maintain a stable population, countries need a fertility rate of 2.1 – anything above that indicates population growth.

 

[Iceman]

North Korea fires suspected ballistic missile into sea