The opposition Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party slashed and froze by 7 per cent the 2025 budget proposed by President Lai Ching-te’s administration. The president who was elected last year does not have a majority in parliament. Military spending and subsidies to the country’s state-owned power company were the main targets. For Prime Minister Cho Jung-tai, the cuts are only meant to obstruct the government.
From Mindong, Hong Kong and Taiwan to Milan’s Chinese community, various voices speak at a meeting sponsored by AsiaNews on the feast day of Saint Francis Xavier, grateful to the communities that have kept and passed on the faith amid many difficulties and new encounters, with questions about meaning in a changing world.
Xi Jinping's announcement at the Lima summit. The Asia Pacific Economic Forum is one of the few international bodies where both Beijing and Taipei are present. Xi Jinping aims to establish himself as the pivot of Pacific trade against the threat of protectionism with Trump's return.
China’s large-scale Joint Sword drill, launched yesterday in response to President Lai's remarks in his 10 October speech about Taiwan not being subordinate, was quickly ended. Pro-unification posts on Weibo were also quickly removed. Meanwhile, Chunghwa Telecom has announced that its communication satellites will cover the entire island 24 hours a day by the end of the month, making it less reliant on submarine cables.
The bishop emeritus of Hong Kong participates as papal legate in the Fifth National Eucharistic Congress, which has as its theme of “Fraternity heals everything”.
Today's news: 3477 displaced, including 1485 children, in attacks by Israeli security forces in the West Bank since 7 October; Risk of new pandemic from Chinese mammal farms, new viruses ready to jump species; The head of the Election Commission in Bangladesh resigns;Kuala Lumpur continues explorations in disputed area of.the China Sea.
