Category Archives: Asia Pacific

Mooncake madness: China cracks down on extravagant versions of festival staple

Posted on by

Modest packaging, capped pricing and auditing of sellers form part of Xi Jinping’s war on societal excess and ‘rampant money worship’

Chinese authorities have launched a crackdown on “sky high” mooncake prices ahead of this weekend’s autumn festival, amid government efforts to curb corruption and societal excesses.

Mooncakes, a small customary dessert baked with varying designs and fillings, are traditionally given to family and friends to celebrate one of the most important holidays in the lunar calendar. Known as mid-Autumn festival in China and Taiwan, it is called Tsukimi in Japan, Chuseok in South Korea, and Tet Trung Thu in Vietnam.

Continue reading...

Chengdu, Chinese city of 21m, has Covid lockdown extended indefinitely

Posted on by

No date given for end of extended lockdown in city that is a crucial supplier of Apple products

Chengdu, the capital of the south-western Chinese province of Sichuan, has extended the coronavirus lockdown of most of its districts indefinitely as it hopes to stem further transmissions in the city of 21.2 million.

The mega city, which has most recently battled with heatwaves, power cuts and an earthquake, was locked down on 1 September after detecting a number of cases, becoming the largest Chinese metropolis to be slapped with the curbs since Shanghai earlier this year.

Continue reading...

Hong Kong journalist union chair arrested weeks before Oxford fellowship

Posted on by

Ronson Chan was preparing for stint in UK before being arrested for allegedly obstructing a police officer

The head of Hong Kong’s journalist union has been arrested, weeks before he was due to leave for an overseas fellowship at Oxford University.

Ronson Chan, the chair of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), was arrested for allegedly obstructing a police officer and disorderly conduct in a public place.

Continue reading...

Hong Kong therapists convicted of sedition over children’s books

Posted on by

Books depicted sheep fleeing from invading wolves, which judge found aimed to incite hatred against China

A court in Hong Kong has convicted five speech therapists of producing “seditious publications” in the form of a series of illustrated children’s books that depicted sheep trying to defend their village from wolves.

The convictions are the latest using a colonial-era sedition offence that authorities have deployed alongside a new national security law to stamp out dissent.

Continue reading...

China reports ‘most severe’ heatwave and third driest summer on record

Posted on by

Average temperature in August was 1.2C higher than norm, which caused widespread drought

China recorded its highest temperatures and one of its lowest levels of rainfall in 61 years during a two-month summer heatwave that caused forest fires, damaged crops and hit power supplies, the national meteorological agency said.

The average national temperature in August, 22.4C, was 1.2C higher than the seasonal norm, while average rainfall fell 23% to 82mm, the third lowest since records began in 1961, according to Xiao Chan, the vice-director of China’s national meteorological administration.

Continue reading...

US bans ‘advanced tech’ firms from building facilities in China for a decade

Posted on by

Move comes as Biden administration outlines plans to boost domestic production of semiconductors

US technology firms that receive government funding will be banned from building “advanced technology facilities” in China for a decade, the Biden administration has announced, as it outlined plans to increase domestic production of semiconductors.

The requirements come under the US government’s near-$53bn (£46bn) plan to scale up manufacturing of semiconductor chips – the “brain” in every electronic device from cars to household appliances – which are predominantly produced in Asia.

Continue reading...

Australia hails ‘new chapter’ in Timor-Leste relationship as leaders sign defence pact

Posted on by

Albanese government looks forward to military cooperation as Jose Ramos-Horta calls for help to develop Greater Sunrise gas fields

Australia has signed a new defence agreement with Timor-Leste, one of its closest neighbours in the Indo-Pacific, allowing increased military cooperation, particularly in the waters between the two nations.

The deal was announced as the Timor-Leste president, Jose Ramos-Horta, prepared to address the National Press Club on Wednesday, where he called on Australia to do more to help Timor-Leste’s economy develop.

Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning

Continue reading...

Snapchat removes Māori face tattoo filters after outcry in New Zealand

Posted on by

The filters, which also appear on Instagram, had prompted questions over the treatment of sacred cultural artefacts on tech platforms

The social media company that owns Snapchat has removed filters that applied images of sacred Māori tattoos to users’ faces, after the discovery of the culturally offensive filters on social media apps provoked an outcry in New Zealand.

An investigation by Radio New Zealand revealed filters featuring tā moko tattoos have proliferated on social media apps such as Instagram and Snapchat.

Continue reading...

Solomon Islands refuses Australia’s offer to help fund election as ‘foreign interference’

Posted on by

Manasseh Sogavare calls Australia’s offer ‘an assault on our parliamentary democracy’ after saying his country had to delay elections because of cost

The prime minister of Solomon Islands has responded furiously to an offer from the Australian government to assist with funding for the national election, calling it “foreign interference”.

Manasseh Sogavare’s government added that the timing of the offer from Australia was “inappropriate” coming “at a time when a bill to defer the elections … is now before the National Parliament of Solomon Islands for deliberations”.

Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning

Continue reading...

US Marshals Services face questions after ‘Fat Leonard’ flees house arrest

Posted on by

Leonard Francis, contractor in US navy’s biggest scandal, was able not only to escape but also rented vans to load up his possessions

The US Marshals Service and other law enforcement agencies are facing questions over their competence after the central figure in the biggest scandal in US naval history was able not only to escape house arrest but also rented vans to load up his possessions.

When marshals arrived at Leonard Francis’s home in San Diego on Sunday, they found he had cut off his GPS ankle bracelet and fled, two weeks before his sentencing hearing. The whereabouts of the Malaysian contractor’s three sons, who had been living with him, was unclear.

Continue reading...

Cost of living and climate are higher global priorities than Ukraine, poll finds

Posted on by

But there remains strong support in many countries for Russian military withdrawal from Ukraine, survey finds

The cost of living is ranked by most voters globally as a more important issue than liberating Ukraine from Russian occupation, but there is still strong support for a Russian military withdrawal, according to a survey showing global preoccupations.

Majorities in 16 of the 22 largest countries believe Russia should leave the territory it has occupied in Ukraine, the survey shows. The polling in 22 countries of more than 21,000 citizens also underlines the extent to which the global south is less engaged with the war in Ukraine than Europeans.

Continue reading...

Japan’s state funeral for Shinzo Abe to cost more than £10m

Posted on by

Public opposition to ceremony grows over cost to taxpayer and ex-PM’s ties to Unification church

Japan will spend about 1.65bn yen (£10.1m) on the increasingly controversial state funeral for the former prime minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot dead during a campaign speech in July, amid growing public opposition to the plan.

The government has come under pressure to cancel the ceremony, with opinion polls showing that a majority of voters oppose it due to the cost to the taxpayer and revelations about ruling party politicians’ ties to the Unification church.

Continue reading...

Rescue mission under way for two Australians stranded on damaged yacht in Tasman Sea

Posted on by

The men, in their 70s, were travelling from New Zealand when severe weather caused the vessel to take on water near Lord Howe Island

Marine safety authorities have launched a rescue mission for two Australian men who have been stranded on a yacht in the Tasman Sea for almost 36 hours after severe weather caused the vessel to take on a large amount of water.

The pair, aged in their 70s, were travelling from New Zealand to Australia when they were hit by severe weather including 10m seas and high winds, near Lord Howe Island.

Continue reading...

Russia buying millions of rockets and shells from North Korea, US intelligence says

Posted on by

Official says deal shows Russia continues to face supply shortages as invasion of Ukraine grinds on

Russia is buying millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea to support its invasion of Ukraine, according to a newly declassified US intelligence finding.

A US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said on Monday that the fact Russia’s defence ministry had turned to Pyongyang demonstrated that “the Russian military continues to suffer from severe supply shortages in Ukraine, due in part to export controls and sanctions”.

Continue reading...

Kiribati left without high-level court after president suspends three appeal judges

Posted on by

The decision worsens the constitutional crisis plaguing the Pacific country, which also suspended a high court judge last month

Kiribati has been left without a high-level court after the government ordered the suspension of the three sitting judges of the court of appeal, worsening the constitutional crisis that has been plaguing the Pacific nation for months.

The move came after the suspension and attempted illegal deportation of high court judge, Australian-born David Lambourne last month.

Continue reading...

New Zealand starts spring with surprise snow after warmest ever winter

Posted on by

Antarctic blast closed highways and brought snow to Christchurch, Dunedin and even Wellington

New Zealand has begun spring with snow at sea level, with flurries falling in Christchurch, Dunedin and even Wellington.

The surprise dump comes after the country’s warmest and wettest winter on record, with snowfall closing state highways on both North and South Islands on Tuesday.

Continue reading...

Coup leader versus coup leader: strongman election shows the cracks in Fijian democracy

Posted on by

Whatever the outcome of this year’s election, the next prime minister will likely be someone who first came to power through the barrel of a gun

The last time the Australian Labor party came to power (in 2007), Australia was imposing sanctions against Fiji as a result of the country’s fourth coup in 2006. Relations worsened before they improved and, partly at Australia’s prompting, Fiji was suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum in 2009.

Fast forward to 2022. Fiji’s 2006 coup leader is now its prime minister, Fiji is chairing the Pacific Islands Forum, and it was the first Pacific country that Australia’s new foreign minister, Penny Wong, visited.

Continue reading...

China puts 65m people into semi-lockdown ahead of party summit

Posted on by

Offices, schools and shops to close before congress at which Xi expected to get third presidential term

China has intensified its efforts to rein in outbreaks of Covid-19 ahead of a major political meeting by placing about 65 million people under semi-lockdown, according to local media reports.

The Chinese Communist party will begin its 20th congress on 16 October, with party chief Xi Jinping widely expected to be reinstated as president for a third term.

Continue reading...

China earthquake kills dozens as tremors shake locked-down Chengdu

Posted on by

Deadly quake in Sichuan leaves at least 46 dead, and was also felt in provincial capital where millions are confined to their homes

At least 46 people have been killed in a strong earthquake that struck south-western China and was felt by millions of people confined to their homes under a strict Covid lockdown in Chengdu.

The 6.6-magnitude quake hit about 26 miles (43km) south-east of the city of Kangding at a depth of about six miles, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Continue reading...

Cost of living crisis: what governments around the world are doing to help

Posted on by

From cancelling student loan debt to raising minimum wage, different strategies aim to reduce effects of soaring prices

The Covid pandemic, soaring food and fuel prices, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have dealt a triple blow to people around the world. Here is a look at what governments are doing to try to help citizens and companies weather the cost of living crisis.

Continue reading...