Author: OMN AI

Taiwan President Lai Ching Te has called for peace through strength as tensions with China remain high. He made the remarks on August 23 during a visit to Kinmen. Kinmen is a small group of islands close to the Chinese coast. It was once a key front line in the conflict between Taiwan and China. Lai visited the islands to mark the 68th anniversary of the 1958 Taiwan Strait crisis. The event remembers the battles between Chinese and Taiwanese forces during that period. Lai paid tribute to the veterans who fought in the conflict. He said Taiwan must remember its…

Alibaba plans to raise about $10.2 billion through a new share sale in Hong Kong. The move shows how fast the Chinese tech giant is growing its focus on artificial intelligence. The company said on August 23 that it plans to sell 710 million ordinary shares. The shares will be priced at HK$112.70 each. This is about 3.6% below the latest market price. The deal could become the largest new share sale by a Hong Kong listed firm. It would also rank among the biggest such deals in the world this year. Alibaba plans to use all the money for…

Two prominent Hong Kong activists have been found guilty in a major national security case linked to the city’s former Tiananmen Square vigil. Lee Cheuk-yan, 69, and Chow Hang-tung, 41, were convicted of inciting subversion on Friday, August 21. Both were former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. The group organised annual candlelight vigils in Hong Kong to remember the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown in Beijing. The events were held for decades and became a major part of Hong Kong’s public life. The annual vigil was stopped in 2020. The…

Hong Kong is closely watching Tropical Storm Narra as the storm moves near the coast of southern China. The Hong Kong Observatory said on Saturday, August 22, that Narra was near the Gulf of Tonkin. The storm is expected to stay in the area for the rest of Saturday. It may then turn east or northeast early next week. The storm is not yet close enough for Hong Kong to face its full effects. But its path is being watched because a change in direction could bring stronger winds and rain to the city. The weather office said it would…

China has launched its largest automobile recall on record, ordering nine major automakers to address safety concerns related to retractable door handles used in millions of vehicles. The action affects approximately 4.3 million vehicles and comes after growing concerns that drivers, passengers, and emergency responders may face difficulties opening vehicle doors during emergencies. Regulators said the measures are intended to improve safety and ensure occupants can exit vehicles more easily following accidents. The recall includes several leading manufacturers operating in China. Tesla accounts for the largest share of affected vehicles, with nearly three million cars included in the program. Other…

US officials signal a tougher stance on China as efforts to change Beijing’s economic model lose support. The United States is moving further away from long-standing efforts to persuade China to change its economic model, signaling a major shift in trade policy and economic strategy. Senior U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said recent decades of engagement with Beijing have failed to produce the changes American policymakers hoped to achieve. His comments reflect a growing belief among some officials that the United States should focus on protecting its own economy rather than trying to influence China’s domestic economic structure. For many…

China has promised to provide more fiscal support as its economy loses speed. The move comes as officials seek to protect growth and increase spending at home. Vice Finance Minister Liao Min said on Friday that China would bring in more fiscal measures when needed. He said policy would remain stable and that the government would plan its use of public money over a longer period. The message shows that Beijing is ready to act if economic growth weakens further. Officials are also trying to make better use of money already set aside in the budget. The new approach is…

A Hong Kong court has found two former leaders of a group that held annual Tiananmen vigils guilty of inciting subversion. The ruling came on Friday, August 21, in a case that has drawn close attention in Hong Kong and abroad. Lee Cheuk-yan, 69, and Chow Hang-tung, 41, were convicted under Hong Kong’s national security law. Both were leaders of the now disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. The group held large candlelight vigils each year to remember those killed in the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. The court said the group’s political work went beyond…

China has called on the United States to remove new tariffs on drones and related parts. Beijing says the measures unfairly target Chinese products and could hurt companies in the sector. The demand was made on Thursday, August 20, during a regular press briefing by China’s commerce ministry. A ministry spokesman said the US tariffs were discriminatory. He said they could harm Chinese companies and disrupt the global drone supply chain. China said it strongly opposes the measures. The dispute adds another point of tension between the world’s two largest economies. The new US tariffs are based on Section 232…

Hui Ka Yan, the founder of China Evergrande Group, has been sentenced to life in prison after a Chinese court found him guilty of several financial crimes. The Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court gave the ruling on Thursday, August 20. The court also ordered the former property tycoon to give up all of his personal assets. He was also stripped of his political rights for life. The case marks a major moment in the long fall of Evergrande. The company was once one of China’s biggest property firms. It later became a symbol of the country’s deep housing crisis. Hui faced…