It's been a campaign for the history books, upended by the COVID-19 pandemic and taking place in a nation on edge after a summer of civil unrest.
For China, at least, United States (US) President Donald Trump is the gift that keeps on giving.
The inevitable rise of China as a global power that is increasingly challenging the supremacy and hegemony of the United States (US) both in the Asia Pacific and the world has been one of the dominant issues that has received a great deal of media coverage. Both locally and internationally, it continuously predominates attention in foreign policy circles and among local and international academics and experts of international relations and global politics. And in as far this
The number of people infected by the coronavirus continued to surge in Europe over the past week, keeping the continent at the epicentre of the pandemic.Here is the roundup from AFP's specialised database:Sharp Increase In EuropeThe pandemic continued to rampage over the past week across the world with a record average of 476,000 new daily cases, 20 percent more than during the previous seven-day period, according to an AFP tally on Friday at 1100 GMT.Again, it is in Europe that the acce
The tank traps on the beaches of Kinmen Island are a stark reminder that Taiwan lives under the constant threat of a Chinese invasion – and fears of a conflict breaking out are now at their highest in decades.Democratic Taiwan has learned to live with the warnings of Beijing's authoritarian leaders that they are ready and willing to seize a place it views as part of its territory.But that background static has reached hard-to-ignore levels recently with China's jets now crossing int
China is the "gravest threat" to the future of religious freedom, United States (US) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday, in his latest verbal assault on Beijing during a whirlwind Asian tour.Pompeo has made attacks against China the focus of his trip this week which kicked off in India and included visits to Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Indonesia and, later Friday, Vietnam.In Indonesia - which has the world's biggest Muslim population - Pompeo took aim at China's tre
United States (US) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called China's Communist government a "predator" Wednesday as he sought to tempt Sri Lanka away from Beijing's influence and later bolstered the US diplomatic presence in the neighbouring Maldives to counter the Asian superpower.Sri Lanka and the Maldives, both strategically located on key Indian Ocean trade routes, have borrowed heavily from Beijing in recent years, worrying Washington and other countries concerned by Chin
United States (US) senators sought Tuesday to declare that China is committing genocide against Uighurs and other Turkic-speaking Muslims, a step that could ramp up pressure on behalf of the estimated one million-plus people in camps.The resolution was introduced by senators across the political spectrum, although it is unlikely to move immediately as the Senate is out of session until after next week's election.The text states that China's campaign "against Uighurs, ethnic Kaz
Just as China led the world in economic recovery in the aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2008, it is playing a similar role today. Its post-COVID rebound is gathering momentum amid a developed world that remains on shaky ground. Unfortunately, this is a bitter pill for many to swallow – especially in the United States (US), where demonisation of China has reached epic proportions.The two crises are, of course, different.
United States (US) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo opened talks in India on Monday, kicking off a four-country Asia tour that he has said will focus on the "threats" posed by China.Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper, who is joining him for the two-day visit, will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday amid heightened tensions since a border clash between India and China in June.Pompeo opened his trip with talks and a dinner with External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaish
The United States (US) said Friday it will deploy Coast Guard patrol ships in the western Pacific to counter "destabilising and malign" activities by China in disputed fishing grounds of the South China Sea. The US is accusing China of "illegal" and "unregulated" fishing, as well as "harassment" of fishing boats from regional countries. White House National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien said in a statement that the US Coast Guar
Newly appointed Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga certainly understands the political importance of continuity, especially in Southeast Asia. Suga recently made a first stop in Hanoi, Vietnam and continued on to his second visit in the region to Jakarta, Indonesia. Both these Southeast Asian countries are seen as key to Japan's “free and open Indo-Pacific,” strategy. There are other reasons for Suga to visit these two countries as well.
