China has opened the 22-kilometre-long Tianshan Shengli Tunnel to traffic, completing a key piece of infrastructure on the motorway linking the city of Urumqi to Yuli. The project drastically reduces travel times between northern and southern Xinjiang and strengthens connections to Central Asia as part of the Belt and Road Initiative. The project is part of the development strategy for border regions, but it crosses a territory marked by strong political tensions over human rights violations against the Uyghurs.

This is a time to see the lights everywhere in the city and hear questions from young Chinese about the "exotic festival" from the West. Local Catholics show a surprising ability to combine mass culture and evangelisation. “I like to think it is a ‘hidden prophecy’ of the True Light for which everyone yearns, and a glimmer of freedom for those who live the greyness of everyday life,” a source living in China told AsiaNews.

Pakistan has reportedly reached a deal worth over US$ 4 billion to supply weapons to the Libyan National Army, despite the UN arms embargo imposed in 2011. This follows a meeting last week in Benghazi between General Munir and the leader of the Libyan faction. The Pakistani defence chief cited the effectiveness shown by the JF-17s in the clashes with India last May.

Just days before Christmas, a major security operation is underway in a town in the so-called Jerusalem of the East, Zhejiang Province. A Protestant community refused to display the flag of the People's Republic of China, after years of fighting against the removal of crosses. China Aid reports that at least 20 people have been arrested, a disturbing sign for all underground churches.

China’s special envoy Deng Xijun visits Phnom Penh to revive ceasefire efforts. Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy attacks Hun Sen and the Cambodian government for fanning the flames of conflict to mask a "personal conflict" with Thaksin Shinawatra. More than 30 Thai and Cambodian NGOs issue an appeal for a truce, stressing that mostly ordinary people are affected by war.

In just 40 years since joining UNESCO, the People's Republic already ranks first in terms of the number of “intangible cultural heritage” sites, with 60 recognised sites. Hundreds of new museums open every year across the country, and in 2024 alone, 179,000 new operators were hired. Chinese “confidence in culture” is a cornerstone of Xi Jinping's soft power. And with the United States' withdrawal from UNESCO, its influence on global cultural policies is set to grow even further.