During her visit to the People's Republic of China, seen as a sign of the pro-Beijing orientation of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang leader surprisingly paid homage to Sun Yat-sen at his mausoleum, praising his role in the development of the island's “national identity”, in an attempt to reconcile Taiwanese attitudes to Beijing’s outstretched hand.
Talks between Washington and Tehran will take place in Islamabad on Friday after threats of escalation. China has applied pressure, consolidating its influence in the region. Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir has played a crucial role. Uncertainties remain regarding the actual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the Israeli-Lebanon front. Pakistani Christians tell AsiaNews that they are praying for lasting “peace and prosperity”.
An analysis from an observer familiar with the Church's journey in mainland China notes that Pope Leo’s remarks about China clearly show him as the shepherd with the “smell of the flock" hoped for by Pope Francis. For this reason, the faithful today hope to see a change that will give hope for the future, even to those who wish to live their faith in China.
The ‘Yesterday’ observatory monitored 50 such incidents in a single month. These are fragmented initiatives, most often linked to unpaid wages. They are also fuelled by the obstacles placed in the way of the petition system, with local officials paying teams of men to discourage the submission of complaints to the relevant office in Beijing, which would cast them in a bad light. A reality that the Party prefers to hide and ignore.
New Beijing-mediated talks took place today in Xinjiang to halt fighting along the Pakistan-Afghan border. Meanwhile, Islamabad is positioning itself as a mediator in the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran, after presenting a tentative ceasefire initiative, with Chinese backing.
In a message released today, the Buddhist leader endorses the pope's appeal on Palm Sunday for nonviolence and disarmament, emphasising the values common to all religions – “love, compassion, tolerance” as the basis for conflict resolution, from the Middle East to Ukraine.
