Asian Markets Decline Amid Economic Slowdown Fears, Experts Say Limited Impact On India

New Delhi: Asian stock markets on Monday plummeted early as selling pressure mounted after lower-than-expected US payroll growth and the Fed meeting date coming.

The Japanese and Hong Kong markets faced high selling pressure, with major indices declining by more than 1.50 per cent. Japan's Nikkei 225 index declined by 1.84 per cent or 632 points, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down by 1.73 per cent or 301 points at the time of filing this report.

According to experts, concerns of a slowdown in China and Germany have added fuel to the selling in stocks, which were already volatile due to Fed rate cut expectations.

"Eight days of volatility are assured for the markets as the Fed rate cut of September 18 comes within striking distance. The seasonality of poor September performance of markets is playing out as per expectations. On top of that, the slowdown in China and Germany is adding to global growth worries. The news of a top German car manufacturer mulling closing down car factories in Germany was symbolic of all that is troubling Germany," said Ajay Bagga, Banking and Market expert.

Taiwan's markets also bled, with the country's major index, Taiwan Weighted, declining by more than 2 per cent. South Korea's KOSPI index plummeted by 1.15 per cent.

Overall, a selling sentiment was witnessed among investors in the Asian markets.

However, experts also noted that the impact of the other Asian markets will be less on Indian stocks because of the high buying by domestic investors, but some volatility can be expected.

Bagga added, "For Indian markets, the impact is coming via FII selling. The good news is that despite the net FII outflows of over ₹5.5 lakh crore from Jan 2022 to August 2024, the  ₹11 lakh crore plus of robust domestic inflows have meant every dip has been bought into in the Indian markets. We expect a couple of weeks of this volatility, but don't expect sharp cuts in the Indian markets given the domestic liquidity sitting on the sidelines."

Indian stock indices took a sharp hit on Friday, the last trading day of the current week, with all sectoral indices closing deep in the red. The sell-off was broad-based, with the banking and energy sectors taking the biggest hit.

Nifty 50 dropped 292.95 points, or 1.17 per cent, to 24,852.15, while the BSE Sensex fell 1,017.23 points, or 1.24 per cent, to 81,183.93.

"The recent weakness in U.S. markets has stalled the momentum in Indian markets, causing participants to become cautious ahead of the upcoming jobs data," said Ajit Mishra, SVP, Research, Religare Broking.

Weakness in global markets and selling by foreign portfolio investors seemed to have hurt domestic market sentiment.

This report is auto-generated from a syndicated feed

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Hong Kong Social Organization Expresses Solidarity With Victims of Tiananmen Square Massacre

China's PLA army tanks stationed before the Tiananmen Square massacre

Hong Kong: The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation (CFHKF) a pro-democracy social organization from Hong Kong expressed solidarity for victims of the Tiananmen Square Tragedy of 1989, a statement by the CFHKF stated.

According to the statement, on June 4, 1989, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) brutally attacked a student-led demonstration calling for political and economic reforms in the country.

Since then, China desperately tried to erase the massacre from history. While the CCP has successfully eliminated any mention of the massacre from public record. However, it couldn't destroy people's memories, and the memories of those killed and the reportage done from Tiananmen Square on that day.

Until recently, Hong Kong was a place of relative freedom where public memorials could be held.

In 2019, hundreds of thousands of people participated in a Tiananmen Square vigil at Hong Kong's Victoria Park. Since then, the Hong Kong government has banned vigils commemorating June 4th, and sentenced many, including British citizen Jimmy Lai, to jail, for attempting to participate, the report claimed.

The CCP has crackdown on Hong Kong is ongoing, and more than 1,800 political prisoners are in jail.

Previously, a Hong Kong court convicted 14 pro-democracy activists in the city's largest national security trial.

Additionally, there are 47 pro-democracy figures arrested in February 2021 for participating in primary elections, the CFHKF statement mentioned.

(With Agency Inputs)

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Hong Kong Police Arrest Street Artist Hours Before Anniversary of Tiananmen Square Massacre

Hong Kong: The Chinese law enforcement agencies on Monday detained a street artist from Causeway Bay in Hong Kong merely hours before the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, Voice of America (VOA) reported on Tuesday.

The street artist Sanmu Chen was arrested from the area that is close to Victoria Park, where the annual commemoration of the Tiananmen Square incident in 1989 took place.

However, after the introduction of new security laws imposed by Beijing in 2020, the events and the crowds have disappeared.

According to the VOA, Chen was arrested for the second time. Last year the artist was arrested at the same time for reportedly chanting slogans "Hong Kongers, do not be afraid. Don't forget tomorrow is June 4."

This time the artist has been arrested for miming the action of drinking in front of a police van. Additionally, he also appeared to write or draw in the air.

The same report claimed, that for over a week now, the Chinese police have put a clampdown on individuals accused of making "seditious" social media posts. One of the arrested individuals is Chow Hang-tung an activist a pro-democracy activist and an organizer of the annual Victoria Park event. As of now, Chow has served a 30-month sentence since 2021.

According to the historical record claimed in the VOA report, The Tiananmen Square crackdown occurred when government troops fired on student-led pro-democracy protestors on June 4. Hundreds, possibly thousands, died. And now the annual event observed for showing solidarity for the 1989 incident is no longer observed, the event's organisers have disbanded and three of its leaders have been charged.

According to the VOA report, critics have stated that the end of the vigil has shown that the freedoms in Hong Kong have deteriorated since the British returned the former colony to Chinese rule in 1997. Beijing and Hong Kong have stated that the new law restored stability following anti-government protests in 2019.

Stephen Chow, Hong Kong's Roman Catholic cardinal in an article published last week stated "Perhaps it is through forgiveness that all parties can escape the finger-pointing and the painful mindset of 'I will never forgive,'" referencing to the same event of commemoration of the event.

Several others have communicated the same using coded and hidden references Several police officers spent an hour at an independent bookstore and recorded customer names after staff had put a coded reference to June 4, "5.35" on the window the same VOA report claimed.

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India Issues Advisory For Nationals Visiting Hong Kong Urging For Pre-Arrival Registration

Hong Kong: The Consulate General of India in Hong Kong has issued an advisory for Indian nationals planning to visit the special administrative region for a period of less than 14 days.

The Indian mission, in a statement, said that the nationals need to apply for online Pre-Arrival Registration (PAR).

"Indian nationals planning to visit the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) for a stay not exceeding 14 days are required to apply for online Pre-Arrival Registration (PAR)," the Indian mission stated.

A successful PAR is valid for a period of six months and multiple visits.

"The details in the PAR must exactly match those in the passport," the statement read.

The passengers also need to carry a printout of the successful PAR on a white A4 size paper.

Additionally, the Indian passengers must have the following: Passport validity of at least six months, confirmed return or onward tickets, confirmed hotel booking, proof of bona fide purpose of visit, and proof of sufficient financial provisions.

The Consulate General of India, also pointed out that holding Pre-Arrival Registration (PAR) is not a guarantee of the registrant's successful entry in Hong Kong and the above-mentioned requirements need to be followed

"Please note that holding a valid PAR is not a guarantee of the registrant's successful entry to the HKSAR. Instances have come to our notice when not following the above requirements have resulted in Hong Kong Immigration refusing permission to land. This entails such persons returning back to port of embarkation from India by the same airline as well as certain hardships at the airport waiting for repatriation," the statement said.

"The Consulate General of India, therefore, urges Indian nationals visiting Hong Kong to follow Government of HKSAR's regulations in this regard, to minimize the possibility of any inconvenience to themselves," it added.

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EU Proposes Curbs On Indian, Chinese Firms For Aiding Russia: Report

EU sanctions need the backing of all member states to be adopted and could change before then

The list includes firms in Hong Kong, Serbia, India and Turkey, some of which are also being targeted for the first time, as per report.

The European Union has proposed new trade restrictions on about two dozen firms, including three based in China, accused of supporting Russia's war efforts in Ukraine.

If adopted, it would be the first time the EU has imposed restrictions on companies in mainland China since Russia invaded Ukraine. The list includes firms in Hong Kong, Serbia, India and Turkey, some of which are also being targeted for the first time, according to a draft of the proposal seen by Bloomberg. The companies are not named for legal reasons.

The restrictions would ban European firms from trading with the listed firms as part of the bloc's efforts to crack down on Russia's ability to get its hands on sanctioned goods through companies in third countries. The EU had previously proposed listing several Chinese firms, but those proposals were dropped following resistance from some member states and after Beijing provided assurances.

The issue is of critical importance to the EU, which counts Beijing as one of its most important trade partners, and in particular for Germany, for whom China is the biggest market for carmakers including Volkswagen AG.

EU sanctions need the backing of all member states to be adopted and could change before then.

A spokesperson from the commission declined to comment on the proposal. A message left with China's embassy in Brussels wasn't immediately returned.

The mostly technology and electronics companies are accused of "contributing to Russia's military and technological enhancement or to the development of Russia's defence and security sector," according to the document.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen traveled to Beijing in April and warned Chinese President Xi Jinping against getting involved in the war.

"We also count on China not to provide any military equipment, directly or indirectly, to Russia," von der Leyen said in Beijing. "Because we all know, arming the aggressor would be against international law. And it would significantly harm our relationship."

The proposals include three Chinese firms and one each from India, Sri Lanka, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Turkey and Hong Kong. Their inclusion in the proposed list "does not entail any attribution of responsibility for their actions to the jurisdiction in which they are operating," the document says. The EU has so far listed more than 620 companies, with the near entirety from Russia.

The companies are mostly importing banned technologies and electronics and reexporting the goods to Russia.

As part of a package of sanctions to mark two years since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the EU has also proposed sanctions on more than 110 people and entities.

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UK Lambasts China For Persecution of Uyghurs, Tibetans; Calls It To Repeal National Security Law In Hong Kong

Uyghur Muslim detainees listening to communist propaganda speeches in a camp in Xinjiang

Geneva: The United Kingdom on Tuesday severely criticised China for the persecution, arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and Tibetans and asked Beijing to "guarantee an impartial judiciary" and implement measures to allow genuine freedom of religion without fear of surveillance and torture.

Simon Manley, the UK's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has delivered a set of four strong recommendations to China targeting various aspects of human rights violations, urging China to address key concerns.

Manley called to "cease the persecution, arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and Tibetans."

He also urged China to "allow genuine freedom of religion or belief and cultural expression, without fear of surveillance, torture, forced labour or sexual violence and implement OHCHR recommendations on Xinjiang."

The UK strongly called for the repeal of China's national security law in Hong Kong, aligning with UN suggestions. Manley specifically called for the cessation of prosecutions, including that of media tycoon Jimmy Lai.

"Repeal the law on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong as recommended by the UN and cease prosecutions including of Jimmy Lai," he said, giving recommendations to China.

The UK representative also called for a "guarantee of an impartial judiciary," demanding an end to "harassment of lawyers, the use of the death penalty, and residential surveillance in designated locations."

UK's Manley urged China to lift "restrictions on civil society and independent media," while also calling for an immediate halt to forced repatriations and the cessation of targeting human rights defenders.

"Cease the restrictions of civil society and independent media and forced repatriations and stop targetting human rights defenders," he also said.

A recent report from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has shed light on a troubling pattern in China, where nearly half of the journalists imprisoned in 2023 were identified as Uyghurs.

As many as 44 journalists are in jail and about half of them are Uyghurs. This shows Beijing's poor press freedom record and its human rights abuses against the majority-Muslim ethnic group, report added.

The data, offering a global overview of journalists incarcerated for their work as of December 1, paints a concerning picture of press freedom in China, especially concerning its treatment of the majority-Muslim ethnic group.

Notably, China's human rights record is facing international scrutiny during the fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, taking place from January 22 to February 2.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a peer-review process under the auspices of the UN Human Rights Council, where UN Member States assess each other's human rights records, their fulfilment of human rights obligations and commitments, and provide recommendations to the State under review.

This is China's fourth appearance before this mechanism. The last one was in November 2018. At the time, countries called out the existence of mass detention camps for Uyghurs a few months after they were revealed by a UN committee.

During China's 3rd UPR in November 2018, China received 346 recommendations from 150 countries, and accepted 284 of them, with many questionably noted as 'accepted and already implemented.'

Despite a seemingly high acceptance rate, China broadly rejected recommendations on the rights of Uyghurs and Tibetans, cooperation with the UN and unrestricted UN access to all regions of the country, enforced disappearances and arbitrary detention, the death penalty and the ratification of international treaties.

Since 2018, mounting human rights abuses have been largely documented by a range of UN human rights bodies.

In the absence of a UN Human Rights Council debate on the human rights situation in China, the UPR is a rare moment of global scrutiny of the country's human rights crisis.

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Hong Kong Student Leader Flees To UK, Seeks Asylum

Hong Kong: The former leader of the Hong Kong pro-independence group, Tony Chung, who was jailed under the territory's national security law, has fled to the United Kingdom and has sought asylum, saying that his life there was "filled with fear," Al Jazeera reported.

Chung was 20 when he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in 2021 after pleading guilty to "secession."

He said in a social media post that he had flown to the UK from Japan and arrived in London on the evening of December 27, where he "formally applied for political asylum" on entry.

Chung persuaded the prison service to allow him to travel overseas for Christmas and submitted flight tickets to Okinawa, accommodation and other information to secure the necessary permissions.

"Even though I had anticipated this day in the past, I still felt heavy after making up my mind," wrote Chung, who, as a teenager, headed the now-defunct Studentlocalism group.

"Since I joined the political struggle at the age of 14, I have always believed that Hong Kong is the only home of our Hong Kong nation, and we should never be the ones to leave."

Notably, Beijing imposed the national security law on Hong Kong in mid-2020 after huge and violent pro-democracy protests that rocked the territory the previous year, claiming the legislation was necessary to restore stability, Al Jazeera reported.

The law punishes activities deemed subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces, and extremism with up to life in prison and has led to hundreds of arrests. Others, including elected politicians, activists, and journalists, have gone into exile.

Chung said he had been released from prison in June 2023 but was required to report regularly to the authorities.

"In the past six months, with no income from any work, the national security police officers kept on coercing and inducing me to join them," Chung wrote on Facebook, saying the situation had affected his physical and mental health.

Elaborating on the situation, Frances Hui, the policy and advocacy coordinator for the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that during those meetings, Chung was "coerced to provide details of every interpersonal interaction that he made--who he met [names and contact info], where they met [and] what they discussed. They also obtained access to his bank statements, financial aid applications, etc..."

The officers also offered him money to "snitch on others" and mentioned arranging a trip to China, she added, while Chung said he was prevented from seeking help from a lawyer or anyone else because of a confidentiality clause surrounding his interactions with the national security police, Al Jazeera reported.

Meanwhile, this development comes weeks after Agnes Chow, another prominent pro-democracy activist, announced she was in Canada and had no plans to return to the territory.

She too had been jailed previously for "unauthorised assembly" and also remained under tight monitoring after her release, according to Al Jazeera.

Chung cited similar reasons to Chow for his decision to go into exile, saying he was convinced that his civic freedoms would never be restored, despite completing his sentence.

"Every time I was interviewed by national security personnel, I was filled with fear," he wrote. "I was afraid that they would accuse me of endangering national security and ask me to prove my innocence."

A number of prominent activists and politicians have secured asylum in London since the crackdown, while the UK has given all Hong Kong people with British National Overseas (BNO) status the right to settle and a path to citizenship.

According to Al Jazeera, Hong Kong police have issued "bounties" for more than a dozen Hong Kong activists living overseas, with Chief Superintendent of the Police, National Security Department, Steve Li alleging: "They all betrayed their own country and betrayed Hong Kong".

Hong Kong was a British colony for more than a century until 1997, and the UK government says the security law breaches treaty commitments Beijing made ahead of the resumption of sovereignty.

Chung has said that he planned to continue his studies and reiterated his commitment to democracy.

"As long as the Hong Kong people never give up, the seeds of freedom and democracy will one day sprout again," he stated.

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China Has 'Not Occupied' A Single Inch of Foreign Land, Claims Xi Jinping

San Francisco: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday (local time) claimed that his country has "not provoked a conflict or war, or occupied a single inch of foreign land".

Xi's remarks came at a dinner on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, hours after his highly anticipated talks with US President Joe Biden, where both leaders pledged to reduce tensions as they met for the first time in a year.

Xi's comments at the event organised by the US-China Business Council and National Committee on US-China Relations were being closely watched, given worries about China's tighter business oversight and bilateral tensions.

Xi further claimed, "Throughout the 70 years and more since the founding of the People's Republic, China has not provoked a conflict or war, or occupied a single inch of foreign land."

During the meeting, Biden raised concerns over China's human rights abuses, including in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong.

"President Biden underscored the universality of human rights and the responsibility of all nations to respect their international human rights commitments. He raised concerns regarding PRC human rights abuses, including in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong," according to the White House readout.

Notably, in 2020, the Indian and Chinese troops clashed at Galwan, the same year the pandemic started.

Since May 2020, when the Chinese troops tried to aggressively change the status quo on LAC in eastern Ladakh, both sides have been deployed in forward positions near Patrolling Point 15, which emerged as a friction point in the wake of the Galwan clash.

Over 50,000 Indian soldiers have been stationed since 2020 at forward posts along the LAC, with advanced weapons to prevent any attempts to change the status quo unilaterally on the LAC.

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'China's Dictators' Condemned By UK Parliamentarians, Human Rights Advocates

London: To coincide with the 74th founding anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, a coalition of UK rights groups and community organisations staged a peaceful protest in central London on Sunday to highlight "gross violations of human rights and atrocities committed by the Chinese State," informed Global Alliance for Tibet and Persecuted Minorities.

“Nothing to celebrate” was the central theme of the protest, organised by China’s persecuted communities, including Hongkongers, Southern Mongolians, Tibetans and Uyghurs, according to Global Alliance for Tibet and Persecuted Minorities, a UK-based rights group.

Under Mao Tsetung’s dictatorship, the Communist Party of China (CCP) came to power and established the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949, after the then-ruling Kuomintang Government (The Nationalist – Republic of China – now Taiwan) was overthrown. Mao then ordered his PLA troops to invade East Turkestan and Tibet. Both these countries are still under the illegal occupation of the People’s Republic of China.

At 3 pm on Sunday, crowds of protesters gathered at St Martins-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, where leading activists addressed the rally.

Tenzin Kunga, Chairman of the Tibetan Community in Britain, who is also the Advocacy Officer at Free Tibet, spoke on the purpose of organising the annual protest. Rahima Mahmut of the Stop Uyghur Genocide and Finn Lau of Hong Kong Liberty addressed the rally.

Speakers highlighted how 74 years of Communist Party of China (CCP) rule have affected their nations and communities, from military invasions and occupations of their countries in 1950 to modern-day human rights violations and crimes against humanity, including mass detentions, torture, religious repression, cultural eradication and violence from police and security forces.

A Statement issued by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Tibet was read at the rally.

An excerpt of the statement says, “Even after more than seven decades of international campaign and advocacy for freedom, Tibet continues to remain under a brutal Chinese occupation. Since 2009, over 155 Tibetans have made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives in self-immolation protests, a reflection of the pain Tibetans feel at the occupation of their country and the systematic eradication of their identity. “

“We need the UK government to hold China accountable for its actions in Tibet, as well as for its repressive policies against Uyghurs and Hongkongers. China’s Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council early next year is a prime opportunity to do this”, the statement from the parliamentary group for Tibet concluded.

Protesters then marched to the Chinese Embassy, where a bigger rally was held. Whilst marching through Leicester Square, China Town, Regent Street and Oxford Circus, the protesters chanted loud slogans such as “Free Tibet”, “Free East Turkestan”, “Free Hong Kong”, “Free Southern Mongolia” and “Stop Uyghur Genocide”, “Down Down - CCP” and “China lies - People die”.

Outside the Chinese Embassy, Maira Aisa, Chair of the UK Uyghur Community and Engherjirgalang U, Founder and Chair of the Voice of Southern Mongolia (VOSM) spoke, who called for freedom and justice in their respective countries. National anthems from the respective community groups were sung.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, former Leader of the Conservative Party, who is a Co-Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) has sent his support, according to Global Alliance for Tibet and Persecuted Minorities.

“It is of great regret that I am unable to join you in person today to show my support for the Uyghur, Tibetan, Hong Kong, and Southern Mongolia communities in light of the 74th founding anniversary of the People’s Republic of China,” he said.

He added, “China poses a threat not just militarily but also to the human rights and freedoms upon which our democracy is based. This threat can only be dealt with by strength and by being clear to China that their behaviour is unacceptable and will have consequences.”

Meanwhile, on September 26, UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French, at the UN Human Rights Council said, “China continues to disregard human rights. Constraining civil society, denying freedom of expression, and of religion or belief. Systematic violations persist in Xinjiang and Tibet, where the UN reports a million Tibetan children have been separated from their families to assimilate them into Han culture. In Hong Kong politicised prosecutions against Jimmy Lai, the ‘NSL 47’, and journalists exemplify authorities’ targeted campaign to repress criticism. We urge China to uphold its human rights obligations, and the rights of its own people enshrined in its own Constitution.”

This year’s protest was organised by Global Alliance for Tibet and Persecuted Minorities, Free Tibet, Hong Kong Aid Hongkongers in Britain, Hong Kong Liberty, Stop Uyghur Genocide, Tibetan Community in Britain, UK Uyghur Community Voice of Southern Mongolia and World Uyghur Congress.

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Finally Someone Has Got China's Map As It Really Is: Ex-Army Chief

The apparent dig was in response to China releasing a map on August 28, what it called the "2023 edition of the standard map of China" showing Aksai Chin and whole of Arunachal Pradesh within its territory, according to reports quoting local Chinese media.

Finally someone has got China’s map as it really is: Ex-Army ChiefIANS

Amid the furore over China releasing a new map, former Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Naravane (retd) on Wednesday shared a map of China and took a dig saying "finally someone has got the map of China as it really is."

In a post on X, Narvane said, "Finally someone has got the map of China as it really is."

He also attached a multi-coloured map demarcating several regions as 'occupied' areas including Tibet.

The apparent dig was in response to China releasing a map on August 28, what it called the "2023 edition of the standard map of China" showing Aksai Chin and whole of Arunachal Pradesh within its territory, according to reports quoting local Chinese media.

The map was released by China's ministry of natural resources, they said.

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Antony Blinken Raises Concerns Over Beijing's Human Rights Violations In Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong

Beijing: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his visit to Beijing, raised concerns about People's Republic of China (PRC's) human rights violations in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, as well as individual cases of concern, the US state department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement on Monday.

Blinken also stressed that the US will continue to work with its allies and partners to advance its vision for a world that is free, open, and upholds the 'rules-based international order'.

The top US diplomat during his two-day visit to Beijing, met President Xi Jinping, Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Office Wang Yi, and State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang from June 18-19.

US State Department spokesperson said in a press conference, "The two sides had candid, substantive, and constructive discussions on key priorities in the bilateral relationship and on a range of global and regional issues. The Secretary emphasized the importance of maintaining open channels of communication across the full range of issues to reduce the risk of miscalculation.".

"He (Blinken) made clear that while we will compete vigorously, the United States will responsibly manage that competition so that the relationship does not veer into conflict. The Secretary stressed that the United States would continue to use diplomacy to raise areas of concern as well as areas of potential cooperation where our interests align," Miller added.

The state department spokesperson underscored the importance of working together to disrupt the global flow of synthetic drugs and their precursor chemicals into the United States, which fuels the fentanyl crisis.

"The Secretary addressed the PRC's unfair and nonmarket economic practices and recent actions against US firms. He discussed US de-risking policies and the historic domestic investments the Administration has made. The Secretary raised concerns about PRC human rights violations in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, as well as individual cases of concern. He emphasized that the United States will always stand up for our values," he said.

Miller further added, "The Secretary underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and reiterated there has been no change to the US, one China policy, based on the Taiwan Relations Act, the three Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances".

The US State Department spokesperson stated that the two sides agreed to continue discussions on developing principles to guide the bilateral relationship, as discussed by US President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bali.

"They also welcomed ongoing efforts to address specific issues in the bilateral relationship, and encouraged further progress, including through the joint Working Groups. Noting the importance of ties between the people of the United States and the PRC, both sides welcomed strengthening people-to-people exchanges between students, scholars, and business. This includes a commitment to working to increase the number of direct flights between the two countries," he said.

Miller further pointed out that Secretary Blinken emphasized that it remains a priority for the United States to resolve the cases of American citizens who are wrongfully detained or subject to exit bans in China.

Further stating about the meeting, the spokesperson said that the two sides discussed a range of global and regional security issues, including Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the DPRK's provocative actions, and US concerns with PRC intelligence activities in Cuba.

"The Secretary made clear that the United States will work with its allies and partners to advance our vision for a world that is free, open, and upholds the rules-based international order," Miller said.

He added, "The two sides underscored that the United States and China should work together to address shared transnational challenges, such as climate change, global macroeconomic stability, food security, public health, and counter-narcotics. The Secretary encouraged further interaction between our governments on these and other areas, which is what the world expects of us. Both sides agreed on follow-on senior engagements in Washington and Beijing to continue open lines of communication".

Blinken also invited State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin to Washington to continue the discussions, and they agreed to schedule a reciprocal visit at a mutually suitable time.

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First Protest Held In Hong Kong In Two Years Under Strict Rules

Hong Kong: Hong Kong held the first authorized protest on Sunday against the government since lifting of major COVID-19 restrictions over the proposal for reclamation in the district for construction or relocation of obnoxious facilities, according to The Standard, A Hong Kong-based free newspaper.

According to the Hong Kong-based newspaper, a group of Tseung Kwan O residents protested after the announcement by the Metro Town Owners Committee to oppose the government's plan to use Area 132 in Tseung Kwan O for reclamation to accommodate several public facilities, including a refuse treatment plant and a cement plant.

In the protest, less than a hundred of people came to participate under the strict observation of about 30 police officers.

In the protest, demonstrators were required to wear numbered lanyards and were barred from wearing masks.

Cyrus Chan, one of the march organizers, said demonstrators had communicated with police on their promotional materials and slogans. He said officers had told him that participants should not wear all-black outfits, The Standard reported.

The demonstration started with a gathering in a park next to Tiu Keng Leng Sports Centre at 11 am. Participants chanted slogans against the reclamation project as they marched in the rain with banners and finished before 1 pm at Tseung Kwan O South Landing.

Responding to the protest, the Development Bureau said the project was intended to "support the daily needs of the community". It said it would "respect the right to freedom of expression" and would study the possibility of reducing the scale of the land reclamation.

It is one of the first demonstrations to be approved since the enactment of the national security law in 2020. Prior to this on March 5 a protest was held by the Hong Kong Women Workers' Association was cancelled at the last minute despite obtaining a letter of no objection from the police force, as a police spokesman said some unspecified "violent groups" might join in, reported The Standard.

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China Rejects UK Report On Its Human Rights Abuses

London: Beijing has rejected the recently released report by the British Foreign Office which details the deteriorating human rights situation in China.

"China has always been committed to promoting and protecting the human rights and basic freedoms of its people, and has made great progress in the human rights cause, which is a fact acknowledged by anyone free of prejudice," the Chinese Embassy in Britain said, in response to the report.

The Chinese embassy said that affairs related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Tibet are all China's internal affairs.

In a report titled, "Human Rights and Democracy,", the British foreign office said the human rights situation in China continued to deteriorate in 2021, and "widespread, systematic human rights violations and abuses in Xinjiang grew.

"Extensive restrictions continued to be imposed on media freedom, freedom of religion or belief and rule of law. Restrictions on LGBT+ and gender rights also persisted, as did those impeding civil society from operating freely," the report said.

In Hong Kong, the British foreign office said civil liberties have been curtailed, particularly freedom of speech.

The British government said China's authorities continued to pursue policies that violated human rights, including the extra-judicial detention of Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in political reeducation camps.

"Further credible and compelling evidence emerged of invasive surveillance of minorities, forced labour, and forced birth control," the report added. The British foreign office reported that in 2021, China's authorities continued the implementation of advanced technologies in ways which violated human rights.

"Mass surveillance and 'predictive policing' algorithms were used to enable repression in Xinjiang. Media reporting indicated the use of similar technologies elsewhere in China, such as software to track 'suspicious people', facial recognition software targeting specific ethnicities, and social media analysis to monitor Chinese citizens living overseas," the human rights report said.

In response to COVID-19, the Chinese authorities have increased surveillance, monitoring, and tracking of China's population.

"There have been reports that 'health code' apps have been manipulated to restrict the movement of human rights defenders," the UK report added.

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West Plays Catch Up With China On Critical Minerals Race

Hong Kong: Western countries are trying to catch up with China in the race to acquire critical minerals after the former acquired the first movers' advantage.

Critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are essential components in many of today's rapidly growing energy technologies, including wind turbines, electricity networks and electric vehicles, according to International Energy Agency (IEA).

Last month, China was left fuming after the Justin Trudeau government ordered three firms to exit critical minerals deals with its companies, citing national security concerns.

"China urges the Canadian side to stop suppressing Chinese companies. We call for a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies doing business in Canada," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's said during a press conference.

Zhao said the current global minerals industry and supply chains are a result of both the law of the market and the choices of businesses.

"The Canadian side has overstretched the concept of national security and placed arbitrary curbs on normal trade and investment cooperation between China and Canadian companies," he said.

This decision comes as China continues to dominate the rare earth elements around the world, while the west is pushing towards self-reliance in the procurement of scarce metals and minerals.

China is anticipated to produce 74 per cent of the world's batteries in 2022, with production in Europe and the US trailing behind at 16 per cent and 7 per cent, respectively, according to The Hong Kong Post.

However, China does not produce a lot of minerals. Instead, it has invested heavily in overseas mines in places like Canada to acquire the raw materials it needs.

The sudden action reflects a negative attitude toward Chinese mining investment, according to a report published in The Hong Kong Post.

This wasn't the case earlier. Western countries, for years, have neglected the effects that crucial raw resources have on national security, the report adds.

Previously in 2013, Chinese company Tianqi Lithium acquired the Australian Greenbushes mine, containing the highest quality lithium resources, after outbidding its American rivals.

This acquisition was made possible by funding from the government-owned China Development Bank.

According to The Hong Kong Post, such carelessness has allowed China to control the supply of the minerals required for EV batteries, which are essential for the transition to clean energy and the battle against climate change.

The report contends that the West must stop the transfer raw resources to China for processing because it lacks the ability to refine them.

"Dependence on Chinese resources is not only financially unattractive but also jeopardises the West's strategic independence given the geopolitical competition between China and the West," according to The Hong Kong Post.

Driven by these very concerns, Western countries led by the US, are reconsidering their industrial policies.

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Return of Xi Jinping Frightens Colonised Countries

Beijing: As Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping won the historic third term through the 20th National Congress, his return as China's President has heightened fears among vulnerable countries like Tibet, East Turkistan (Xinjiang), Southern Mongolia, Manchuria and Hong Kong that have been occupied and colonized by China over recent decades of history over new Chinese colonies.

Xi is seen as the second reincarnation of Chairman Mao Zedong who successfully headed the Communist revolution and ruled over the CCP and China decisively, ruthlessly and unchallenged for 27 years (1949-1976), as Xi is also planning for modernization of the military but also policies of the country, according to Singapore Post.

Moreover, Xi Jinping has also created terror among a large number of countries ranging from China's South China Sea and East China Sea neighbours like Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei after taking over for the third term as Xi Jinping's historic third term as China's President will likely see more hardline policies out of Beijing on the economy, foreign relations and human rights.

The fears of these countries are further multiplied by the stark erosion of the influence of the United States of America and the near takeover of international institutions, especially those of the United Nations China, The Singapore Post reported.

Violation of basic rights of humans in Tibet and their exploitation in their own country has been on a surge for years by the Chinese government with the recent one being discrimination against the Tibetans in employment and housing, making the locals feel 'second-class' in their own land. Tibetans are not even offered basic unskilled work in any sector and in some instances are offered a wage significantly lower than their Han counterparts, according to a report of the International Campaign for Tibet.

Moreover, repressive policies continue to remain a part of Chinese rule in Tibet as Tibetans are denied freedom of religion and over 6000 monasteries have been destroyed from the year 1951 and 1960.

Moreover, Xinjiang, a Chinese region is notorious for its human rights violations. China has been rebuked globally for cracking down on Uyghur Muslims by sending them to mass detention camps, interfering in their religious activities, and sending members of the community to undergo some form of forcible re-education or indoctrination.

Since 2017, Chinese authorities have ramped up a clampdown on Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in the XUAR through arbitrary arrests and lengthy detentions. An estimated 1.8 million members of these groups have been held in internment camps, where some experienced severe human rights abuses, torture, rape, and forced labour.

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