East Asia

Government forces have launched heavy raids on rebel positions in Sana’a, Saada, and Taiz. Yesterday, Riyadh accused the Houthis of attacking Madinah, which they deny. The Wall Street Journal reports Beijing is helping the Houthis with dual-use (civilian and military) goods. Yemen’s healthcare system is at the point of collapse.

A survey promoted by the Fondazione Intercultura found that 45 per cent of teenagers are interested in a period of study in China. It also gathered the impressions of those who have already done so, suggesting a positive view of relationships and culture, and excellent professional benefits. Yet, there is also a greater awareness of the country as it really is, beyond the myth of its technological prowess.

The school, which has been seeking a permanent home for twenty years, is facing protests from residents of Gangseo. Arrivals from the North are at their lowest level in recent years, but due to tensions following the mine explosions and the transfer of two North Korean soldiers from Ukraine, Seoul is struggling to reopen dialogue with Pyongyang.

The leader of the Early Rain Covenant Church is reportedly suffering from liver cancer. His family, who have long been denied prison visits, have received no official news. Despite summits between Trump and Xi, China is intensifying its crackdown on believers and prominent figures within Protestant communities.

The forum held in Seoul offered the five countries in the region not only access to high-tech products, but also opportunities to overcome the limitations of their economies. For its part, South Korea is looking not only at reserves of critical minerals but also at the Trans-Caspian corridor. The volume of investment has already risen to 20 billion dollars.

The row between South Korea and Ukraine over the transfer of two North Korean soldiers captured in January 2025 is intensifying. For Seoul confidentiality was breached, which Kyiv strongly denies. In the background, Seoul is trying to resume dialogue with Pyongyang.

Grappling with collapsing real estate revenues, local governments are delaying payments to businesses, which is reverberating along the supply chain to small suppliers. Beijing is trying to contain the problem but, without new resources, there is a risk of simply shifting losses from one entity to another.

For this year's World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Pope Leo XIV focused on the situation of migrant children. A South Korean Catholic weekly heeded the call, focusing on the issue of children unregistered at birth because they are foreign, consequently deprived of essential rights like healthcare and education.

Putting aside the rhetoric and panda diplomacy, the only outcome of the visit is the extension of the tariff truce until 10 January. Between now and then, the APEC summit will be held in Shenzhen and the G20 in Miami. Regarding Taiwan, China is asking the United States to oppose independence. Japan is unhappy about references to the wartime anti-Japanese unity.

While Xi Jinping visits Washington (where the issue of human rights remains taboo), Chinese authorities informed the family of Shi Tingfu that he had died in prison from a “heart attack”.  The long-time activist had been detained in 2024 for reporting on protests by a group of farmers. For the CHRD, the denial of medical care constitutes a form of torture in China today.

With the Bothekoshi Valley impassable, the only open trade route with China now runs through the Korala Pass at an altitude of 4,650 metres. Beijing is pushing for major infrastructure projects there as well. Until now, Kathmandu has preserved the environment and identity of the plateau, a region some identify with the mythical Shangri-La.

In 2026 – for the first time – the United States did not admit a single asylum seeker from countries at risk of persecution. From Iran to Myanmar to China, violence against Christians continues: according to Open Doors, 4,849 have been killed, whilst more than 224,000 have been forced to flee their homes.