Global Pulse

标签： Asia

亚洲

  • China-India relations have improved, must be maintained, foreign minister says

    China-India relations have improved, must be maintained, foreign minister says

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has emphasized the critical importance of maintaining positive momentum in China-India relations, highlighting recent diplomatic progress between the two Asian powers. Speaking at a press conference during the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress in Beijing on Sunday, Minister Wang articulated a vision of strengthened cooperation through correct strategic perception and neighborly friendship.

    The top diplomat noted that bilateral relations experienced a significant reset during the Kazan meeting, with subsequent improvements achieved at the Tianjin meeting. Wang stressed that mutual trust and collaboration between Beijing and New Delhi directly benefit both nations’ development trajectories, while division and confrontation would negatively impact Asia’s broader rejuvenation.

    Minister Wang positioned enhanced China-India cooperation as crucial for substantiating BRICS collaboration and providing renewed hope for Global South nations. His comments reflect China’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilize relations with its southern neighbor amid complex geopolitical dynamics. The emphasis on development-focused partnership suggests both economic and strategic considerations in managing one of Asia’s most consequential bilateral relationships.

    The address comes as both nations navigate border tensions while seeking expanded economic cooperation. Wang’s framing of the relationship emphasizes shared interests in regional stability and development, positioning constructive China-India relations as beneficial for broader Asian prosperity and South-South cooperation initiatives.

  • South Korea edges Australia for top spot in Group A at Women’s Asian Cup. Philippines ousts Iran

    South Korea edges Australia for top spot in Group A at Women’s Asian Cup. Philippines ousts Iran

    In a spectacular display of women’s football, South Korea narrowly clinched the top position in Group A of the Women’s Asian Cup following an electrifying 3-3 draw against tournament hosts Australia. The Sunday showdown at Sydney’s Stadium Australia attracted a record-breaking crowd of 60,279 spectators—the largest attendance in the tournament’s history—creating an electric atmosphere for the dramatic contest.

    The match unfolded as a tale of two halves with relentless back-and-forth action. South Korea initiated the scoring in the 13th minute through Mun Eun-ju, who capitalized on a swift counter-attack orchestrated by Jeon Yu-gyeong. Australia responded with determination as Alanna Kennedy netted the equalizer in the 32nd minute, followed by Chelsea superstar Sam Kerr giving the Matildas a 2-1 advantage just before halftime.

    South Korea’s strategic substitutions proved decisive in the second half. Kim Shin-ji emerged as the game-changer, converting a penalty in the 53rd minute before delivering a precise cross to Kang Chae-rim, who scored just four minutes later to establish a 3-2 lead for the Korean side. The dramatic conclusion arrived deep into stoppage time when Kennedy secured her second goal of the night, leveling the score at 3-3 but ultimately leaving Australia second in the group on goal difference.

    In simultaneous Group A action, the Philippines maintained their quarterfinal hopes with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Iran in challenging wet conditions at Gold Coast Stadium. The match saw 38-year-old Iranian goalkeeper Raha Yazdani deliver an exceptional performance with multiple crucial saves, but ultimately succumbed to goals from Sara Eggesvik (29th minute) and Chandler McDaniel (82nd minute).

    The result eliminates Iran from the tournament with three consecutive losses, with the team facing an uncertain return to their conflict-ridden homeland. Meanwhile, the Philippines must await outcomes from other groups to determine their quarterfinal fate as one of the two best third-place teams.

    The tournament continues with defending champion China set to face three-time winner North Korea to decide Group B supremacy, while two-time champion Japan leads Group C following their dominant 11-0 victory over India.

  • National lawmakers: birth-friendly policies must extend beyond childbirth

    National lawmakers: birth-friendly policies must extend beyond childbirth

    In a significant policy shift, three female National People’s Congress deputies are championing expansive reforms to transform China’s approach to demographic challenges. The lawmakers argue that establishing a truly birth-friendly society requires moving beyond narrow fertility incentives to address systemic gaps in women’s healthcare, workplace protections, and long-term social support systems.

    The legislative proposals represent a fundamental evolution in China’s gender policy framework—transitioning from basic rights protection to safeguarding women’s “full life cycle” needs. This comprehensive approach encompasses everything from reproductive healthcare and prenatal services to postpartum career development and long-term professional advancement opportunities.

    Amid mounting demographic pressures including an aging population and declining birth rates, these recommendations deliver a crucial message: meaningful support must extend far beyond the childbirth moment. The deputies emphasize that without addressing structural barriers—including workplace discrimination, inadequate healthcare access, and limited social safety nets—mere birth incentives will prove insufficient in reversing demographic trends.

    The proposed measures highlight the interconnected nature of reproductive policies and women’s broader socioeconomic participation. By advocating for policies that support women throughout their professional and personal lives, the lawmakers aim to create sustainable conditions where family planning decisions aren’t constrained by systemic limitations.

  • Iran soccer team exits Women’s Asian Cup and faces the prospect of a return home

    Iran soccer team exits Women’s Asian Cup and faces the prospect of a return home

    GOLD COAST, Australia — Iran’s women’s national football team concluded their Asian Cup campaign with a 2-0 defeat against the Philippines on Sunday, eliminating them from the tournament amidst growing concerns about their safety upon returning to a nation engulfed in military conflict. The team’s participation in the continental championship has been overshadowed by geopolitical tensions following recent military strikes on Iran by U.S. and Israeli forces.

    The squad’s ambiguous political stance has drawn significant attention throughout the competition. Players remained silent during the national anthem before their opening match against South Korea, a gesture interpreted by observers either as silent protest or mourning. However, in subsequent matches against Australia and the Philippines, the team performed both the anthem and customary salutes.

    The Australian Iranian Council has initiated urgent diplomatic efforts, addressing a formal letter to Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke requesting protection for team members during their stay. Accompanying this appeal, an online petition has garnered substantial public support, accumulating over 50,000 signatures before Sunday’s decisive match. The petition urges Australian authorities to provide independent legal counsel, interpreter services, and ensure no player is compelled to return while credible safety concerns persist.

    Team members have largely maintained silence regarding the domestic situation, though forward Sara Didar emotionally expressed concerns for family and compatriots during a mid-week press conference. The petition emphasizes that ‘silence is not a neutral position when athletes face potential persecution, imprisonment, or coercion upon return,’ particularly noting intensified repression during current wartime conditions.

    Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong acknowledged the team’s predicament without confirming specific governmental contacts, stating Australia stands in solidarity with Iranian women against systemic oppression. The symbolic jersey exchange between Australian and Iranian players was highlighted as a particularly meaningful gesture of support.

    Local Iranian-Australian activist Tina Kordrostami emphasized the necessity for government-assisted safe spaces where players can freely express their needs and concerns without external pressure.

    The team’s competitive exit eliminates the potential protective extension that advancement to quarterfinals would have provided, leaving immediate return arrangements uncertain amid ongoing diplomatic and humanitarian considerations.

  • Grassroots voices key to crafting law

    Grassroots voices key to crafting law

    In a significant demonstration of China’s evolving democratic mechanisms, Shanghai National People’s Congress deputy Sheng Hong has emerged as a pivotal advocate for enhanced public participation in legislative processes. Serving as Party secretary of a residential compound in Hongqiao subdistrict, Sheng represents one of China’s pioneering grassroots legislative contact points established by the NPC Standing Committee’s Legislative Affairs Commission in 2015.

    These contact points, which have expanded to 60 nationwide as of December 2025, function as critical conduits between ordinary citizens and China’s highest legislative body. The Hongqiao subdistrict facility alone has reviewed 117 draft bills spanning environmental protection, urban governance, livelihood security, and ethnic unity, submitting approximately 5,800 suggestions with over 430 receiving official adoption.

    The legislative process involves comprehensive consultation meetings that bring together grassroots government units, social stakeholders, and subject matter experts. A recent gathering focused on draft legislation regarding childcare services featured representatives from local government departments, childcare institutions, kindergartens, legal professionals, and policy experts.

    Sheng, with 14 years of community service experience, emphasizes her role as a governmental liaison who systematically collects and channels public opinion to national legislative bodies. “From understanding legislation to participating in it and then promoting it, residents have formed a broad network of public opinion,” she noted, highlighting how participatory processes strengthen democratic engagement and public satisfaction.

    During the current political sessions, Sheng has proposed institutional enhancements for collecting and responding to public opinions, advocating for more effective feedback mechanisms that transform public suggestions into governance measures. She has additionally recommended strengthened internet protection for minors, including clear content grading systems, restricted social features for children under 8, and usage limitations for users under 16.

    Her previous recommendation regarding optimized outdoor seating arrangements for small restaurants and cafes, aimed at stimulating consumption, has already yielded tangible results with Shanghai implementing corresponding regulatory frameworks.

    This grassroots legislative model exemplifies what Sheng characterizes as “whole-process people’s democracy,” extending beyond statutory language to actively cultivate democratic capabilities and awareness among citizens.

  • Lawmaker lays stress on plant protection

    Lawmaker lays stress on plant protection

    At the ongoing 14th National People’s Congress, Deputy Song Bao’an has presented a comprehensive proposal advocating for enhanced plant protection measures and new legislative frameworks. The lawmaker, who also serves as President of Guizhou University, emphasized that robust plant protection systems are fundamental to preventing widespread crop pest outbreaks and safeguarding both staple food crops and commercial agricultural products.

    Speaking from a decade of frontline research experience, Song highlighted China’s paradoxical position as an agricultural powerhouse that still grapples with systemic challenges including pesticide overuse and recurrent crop diseases. “Despite numerous efforts in this field, China lacks a high-level legal framework specifically addressing plant protection,” Song noted, referencing the nation’s 2025 food output of 714.88 million metric tons according to National Bureau of Statistics data.

    The proposal calls for establishing clearly defined regulatory bodies and specialized enforcement teams to ensure nationwide plant health monitoring. Song’s research team has pioneered innovative green pest control methods, particularly for tea cultivation—a crucial crop covering approximately 466,667 hectares in Guizhou province. Their breakthrough approach involves deploying natural predator insects to combat tea pests, creating a sustainable biological control system.

    These integrated pest management techniques have demonstrated remarkable success domestically, with implementation expanding across Guizhou, Hainan, and Hunan provinces. The methods have also gained international recognition through the China-Sri Lanka Joint Laboratory for Green Tea Pest Control Technology, established in 2024. Since January 2025, Professors Jin Linhong and Hao Gefei have led repeated technical missions to Sri Lanka, where small family tea farms struggle with extensive management and severe pest problems.

    After one year of trials combining biological control with improved farming practices, demonstration tea gardens reported a 50% reduction in disease incidence and improved soil conditions. Yield increases ranged from 23% to an extraordinary 110%, with the project expanding from initial pilot areas to approximately 333 hectares. The program has also facilitated knowledge exchange, with over 50 Sri Lankan students studying at Guizhou University and implementing these techniques upon returning home.

    Song directly links advanced plant protection to broader national priorities: “Crops from the field end up on people’s plates. Strengthening oversight and legislation concerns not just tea or cash crops but personal health and national food security.” The proposal positions green agriculture—incorporating organic fertilizers, biopesticides, and water-saving irrigation—as essential for addressing soil depletion, water pollution, and climate change challenges through drought-resistant varieties and climate-smart farming practices.

    “China’s agriculture has reached a turning point,” Song concluded. “Matching laws are essential to ensure practitioners can implement technologies correctly and scientifically, making agriculture greener and food safer.”

  • Agricultural innovation goes global

    Agricultural innovation goes global

    A pioneering agricultural development model pioneered by China is poised for international scaling as national legislator Zhang Fusuo proposes its formal integration into the country’s foreign assistance programs. The Science and Technology Backyard initiative, which dispatches graduate students and researchers to provide hands-on technical assistance to farmers, has demonstrated remarkable success domestically with 5,700 installations established across China since 2009.

    The innovative program, which connects academic institutions directly with agricultural communities, has already expanded tentatively to ten countries including Malawi and Kenya through 14 international backyards established since 2019. These pilot projects have contributed significantly to food security in numerous villages across the Global South.

    Professor Zhang, an NPC deputy and academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, emphasizes that the program’s next developmental phase requires systematic incorporation into China’s national foreign aid framework. This institutionalization would address critical challenges including reliance on research funding and the absence of stable financial channels for international operations.

    The current model faces limitations in private sector and non-governmental organization participation, hindering a comprehensive approach that integrates education, technology and industry. Zhang proposes creating standardized operational procedures and dedicated funding streams while offering financial incentives for domestic agricultural companies to partner with overseas backyards.

    The Global Science and Technology Backyard Center in Hainan Province serves as a strategic hub, attracting both Chinese and international agricultural enterprises to establish operations. Researchers in Sanya are transforming high-quality agricultural practices into replicable business models suitable for international expansion, particularly in tropical regions resembling Hainan’s climate.

    Complementing technological transfer, the initiative emphasizes human capital development through expanded scholarship programs for Global South students and a innovative ‘1+1+1’ model combining study in China, practical experience in home countries, and further training in China. A dual-mentor system pairing Chinese and local experts ensures effective adaptation of technology to local languages, cultures, and policies.

    This approach represents an evolution from traditional aid models, shifting from direct implementation toward guidance and capacity building that empowers local communities to sustain agricultural development independently.

  • Xinjiang’s foreign trade grows steadily

    Xinjiang’s foreign trade grows steadily

    Despite facing international sanctions, China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has demonstrated remarkable economic resilience with sustained foreign trade growth, according to representatives at the 14th National People’s Congress in Beijing.

    Wang Kuiran, NPC deputy and secretary-general of Xinjiang’s People’s Government, addressed what he characterized as politically motivated sanctions during the ongoing legislative sessions. “The nature of these sanctions represents economic bullying grounded in false narratives about forced labor,” Wang stated. “They constitute deliberate attempts to contain China’s development through Xinjiang.”

    The region’s trade metrics reveal a compelling growth story. From a baseline of 156.91 billion yuan ($22.72 billion) in 2020, Xinjiang’s foreign trade volume progressively surpassed the 200, 300, 400, and 500 billion yuan thresholds between 2022 and 2025. The 2025 figures reached 520.37 billion yuan, marking a 19.9% year-on-year increase that led national growth rates.

    Zheng Jun, NPC deputy and finance department official, attributed this success to strategic geographical advantages and infrastructure development. “Xinjiang serves as a golden transport corridor connecting Asia and Europe, positioning us as China’s western gateway for international trade,” Zheng explained. The region currently maintains trade relationships with 228 countries and territories.

    Structural transformation has been equally crucial. Xinjiang’s export profile has evolved from energy and raw materials toward high-value manufactured goods. Mechanical and electrical product exports surged to 186.5 billion yuan in 2025 (40.7% growth), while electric vehicle and solar cell exports exploded by 99.9% and 187.4% respectively.

    The region has developed comprehensive logistics networks integrating rail, road, and air transportation, facilitating efficient market connections globally. Policy initiatives promoting goods, services, and digital trade complement these infrastructure advantages.

    Looking ahead, Zheng outlined ambitions for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030): “Xinjiang will accelerate institutional opening-up and trade-investment integration, pursuing high-quality foreign trade development through scale expansion, diversified market participation, and optimized structure.”

    Wang concluded with defiant optimism: “We stand firm as a mountain against challenges—unshaken by wind and rain, determined until we achieve our goals, sailing through waves to reach our destination.”

  • Green expertise helps clean up war-tarred soil

    Green expertise helps clean up war-tarred soil

    In the vast expanse of Kuwait’s Burgan oilfield—the world’s second-largest—patches of green vegetation now emerge following seasonal rains, representing far more than natural regeneration. These fragile sprouts symbolize a remarkable environmental recovery from one of history’s most devastating ecological disasters: the 1991 Gulf War oil catastrophe.

    When retreating Iraqi forces ignited nearly 700 oil wells three decades ago, they created apocalyptic conditions that persisted for months. Daylight vanished beneath smoke clouds, nights glowed with burning wells, and approximately one-third of Kuwait’s territory became contaminated. The resulting ‘oil lakes’—massive pools of crude—poisoned groundwater and transformed fertile desert into toxic wasteland.

    The turning point arrived in 2019 when Kuwait launched a global initiative to address this enduring environmental crisis. Among the international respondents was Hangzhou Zaopin ST Co Ltd, a Chinese environmental technology startup specializing in microbial remediation. Despite lacking prior international experience, the company possessed decade-refined proprietary technology developed through partnerships with China’s leading universities.

    Zaopin’s breakthrough involved identifying and bioengineering specific bacterial strains from Kuwait’s oil sludge into highly efficient petroleum-degrading microorganisms. At operational sites within Burgan field, specialized vehicles now churn contaminated soil while sprinklers distribute these tailored microbial solutions. This process reduces oil content from 5% to below 1% within three months—meeting Kuwait’s stringent environmental standards.

    For heavily contaminated areas, Zaopin deployed secondary soil washing technology utilizing heat, chemical agents, and mechanical separation. This method not only cleanses the soil but recovers reusable crude oil, transforming environmental liability into economic opportunity.

    The project’s quantifiable success includes treatment of over 5 million tons of contaminated soil and recovery of 150,000 barrels of crude oil. Additional Chinese firms like Jereh Group have joined the effort, introducing pyrolysis systems that process the most contaminated sludge at 300-600°C while recovering high-quality crude.

    Kuwaiti officials initially expressed skepticism about these unconventional methods. Mohammad Khalaf, senior engineer at Kuwait Oil Company, admitted: ‘I didn’t believe the Chinese soil washing method would work. But they overcame every technical challenge. Now I trust them 110 percent.’

    The collaboration’s significance extends beyond technical achievement—it represents ecological restoration previously considered impossible. As Zaopin founder Dai Baiping reflects: ‘We’re not just fixing soil. We’re helping bring back a desert ecosystem that was written off as lost.’

  • Investigation finds US-sanctioned Kinahan cartel leaders ‘living openly’ in Dubai

    Investigation finds US-sanctioned Kinahan cartel leaders ‘living openly’ in Dubai

    An investigative collaboration between The Sunday Times and open-source outlet Bellingcat has revealed that Irish crime syndicate leaders Christy Kinahan and his son Daniel continue to reside openly in Dubai despite international arrest warrants and multimillion-dollar bounties on their heads. The investigation, utilizing advanced digital forensics and AI-powered facial recognition, captured photographic and video evidence of the duo attending a mixed martial arts event at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena before an audience of 6,000 spectators.

    The Kinahan Organised Crime Group, valued at approximately $1.1 billion, represents one of Europe’s most formidable transnational criminal networks. According to Irish law enforcement authorities, the cartel dominates narcotics trafficking from mainland Europe to the United Kingdom, establishing itself as a primary supplier of illicit substances to British markets.

    Notably, Christy Kinahan was observed occupying premium VIP seating without apparent concern for his conspicuous status as a globally wanted fugitive. The report documented both men appearing remarkably relaxed and making minimal efforts to conceal their identities during the public gathering.

    United States authorities had previously designated the Kinahan organization as a significant criminal threat, announcing sanctions against family members and offering rewards up to $5 million for information leading to the network’s dismantlement. Multiple nations accuse the cartel of orchestrating large-scale drug trafficking operations, weapons smuggling, and sophisticated money laundering schemes.

    Recent developments have exposed the cartel’s expanding global reach. A September incident involving a light aircraft carrying 200kg of ‘SpaceX-branded’ cocaine that crashed in Brazil revealed connections to the group’s African and European operations. Furthermore, U.S. court records obtained by The Sunday Times indicate the Drug Enforcement Administration successfully infiltrated a narcotics operation linked to the family, providing concrete evidence of their direct involvement in North American drug markets, including methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking.