Premier Li Qiang’s visit was the culmination of hard work by the government to recalibrate the relationship with China. But it also exposed differences that cannot be papered over with diplomatic niceties.
Villages once known by religious,historical or cultural terms of the Muslim minority group now carry names like “Red flag” or “Unity”.
As China ramps up hostilities in the Taiwan Strait,citizens in the island democracy are joining self-defence groups,fearing one day soon they will become civilian resistance to a communist invasion.
Former High Court chief justice Robert French has defended the role of Australians serving on Hong Kong’s top court.
For three days,the Shangri-La hotel in Singapore was thronging with political leaders,defence ministers and top military brass from around the world.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to leaders at the Asia defence summit where China said it would be prepared to use force to prevent Taiwanese independence.
The defence minister used a meeting with his Chinese counterpart to raise Australia’s concerns about “unsafe” encounters between the PLA and the Australian navy.
The defence minister’s remarks are likely to hit a sour note for Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun at a high-powered defence summit.
It’s the former British colony’s biggest national security case under a law imposed by Beijing that has all but wiped out public dissent.
If China were to attack Taiwan,this string of islands is at the front line. Kinmen is less than 10 kilometres from the Chinese mainland and remnants of past battles are everywhere.
China has started its most expansive military drills in a year around Taiwan,just days after Lai Ching-te took over as the island’s new president.