Category: Asia & Pacific

Lorry Used in Essex Migrants Tragedy up for Auction

A truck cab used in the 2019 Essex lorry tragedy where 39 Vietnamese migrants lost their lives is up for auction. The red Scania R Series—driven by convicted killer and people smuggler Maurice “Mo” Robinson—is being sold off by a Northern Ireland registered company which confirmed the proceeds will go to the victims’ families. Wilsons…


Rumors, Speculation Rife as Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang Vanishes From Public View

Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang has disappeared from public view for more than three weeks, sparking intense speculation and media attention. Mr. Qin’s last public appearance was on June 25 in Beijing, when he met with the foreign ministers of Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Russia. Since then, Mr. Qin, 57, has been absent from a…


South Korea Joins US-Led Coalition Against Synthetic Drugs Amid Rising Concerns Over Drug Trafficking from China

As South Korea grapples with increasing synthetic drug smuggling cases from China, it has chosen to ally itself with the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats. The move is widely seen as a strategy to pressure Beijing to combat the rising tide of synthetic drug trafficking. South Korean police recently unveiled a major drug…


Solomon Islands PM Accuses Australia of Cutting Funding, Says Beijing Will Step-In

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has accused Australia and New Zealand of cutting off aid funding and now says Beijing will step in. Mr. Sogavare made the claims upon his return to Honiara after a week-long visit to China, where he met with communist leadership. The prime minister, who has actively sought to deepen…


Schumer Seeks New Bipartisan Sanctions Against China over Fentanyl

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is seeking bipartisan support to impose new sanctions against China over its role in bringing fentanyl to the United States. Fentanyl is a deadly synthetic opioid that is 50–100 times more powerful than morphine. While its potency has made it a popular and cheap additive in other street drugs,…


New Zealand Says Trade Deals With UK, EU Offer ‘More Favorable Terms’ Than China

New Zealand’s leader said that while his country has “sizable economic interests” in China, it also sees “high-value markets” through free trade agreements (FTAs) with the United Kingdom, European Union, and an Asia-Pacific trade group. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins made the remarks at the China Business Summit in Auckland on July 17, in which he…


South Korea’s Death Toll From Destructive Rainstorm Grows to 40 as Workers Search for Survivors

SEOUL, South Korea—Heavy downpours lashed South Korea for a ninth day on Monday as rescue workers struggled to search for survivors in landslides, buckled homes, and swamped vehicles in the most destructive storm to hit the country this year. At least 40 people have died, 34 others are injured and more than 10,000 people have…


Australia Ceases Reporting Cases of Myocarditis Post-COVID Vaccination

Australia’s therapeutic goods administration (TGA) has announced that reports on myocarditis and pericarditis cases following mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna are not necessary anymore and will no longer be provided. Australia’s national drug authority says this is because the rates have stabilised. However, the TGA will “continue to monitor and review these adverse…


US Calls for Freedom of ASEAN Countries to Choose Their Alliances

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized Friday the importance of ensuring the freedom of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to choose and forge alliances without facing coercion. Speaking to reporters following the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Indonesia, Blinken said the United States and the 10-member bloc have embarked on “a new…


9 Bodies Pulled From a Flooded Road Tunnel in South Korea as Rains Cause Flash Floods and Landslides

SEOUL, South Korea—South Korean rescuers on Sunday pulled nine bodies from a flooded tunnel where around 15 vehicles were trapped in muddy water, as days of heavy rain triggered flash floods and landslides and destroyed homes across the country, officials said. A total of 37 people have died and thousands have been evacuated since July…