News that caught our eye / The week ending February 28, 2025
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NOTE: The news reports below are not in chronological order. There is often a time lag in their reaching the US and in gaining our attention. These reports reflect the opinions of a variety of news sources.
Curated by James Getka.
Putin, China’s Xi to discuss US-Russia talks held in Saudi Arabia: Kremlin / February 22, 2025
The US delegation that met with their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia last week marked a shift in US policy regarding the war in Ukraine. It also upset US allies in Europe and suggested a possible attempt to pull Russia away from its strong relationship with China, although Chinese officials confirmed that the relationship between Russia and China is solid (SCMP).
China's Xi affirms 'no limits' partnership with Putin in call on Ukraine war anniversary / February 24, 2025
In reaction to President Trump’s negotiations with Russian President Putin to end the war in Ukraine and possibly to pull Russia away from its relationship with China, Chinese President Xi and President Putin held a phone call on Monday, the 3rd anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine, to reaffirm their solidarity (NBC News).
Trump Team Seeking to Toughen Biden’s Chip Controls Over China / February 25, 2025
In a rare area of political agreement, the Trump administration plans to continue the tech sanctions the Biden administration instituted against China, but it is likely President Trump will increase them and urge other countries to also restrict sales of semiconductor products to China from their own companies (Yahoo Finance).
China to Inject at Least $55 Billion of Fresh Capital into Several Big Banks / February 26, 2025
As part of a plan initiated last September, the government of China plans to inject $55 billion into some of its largest banks in an effort to strengthen the banking sector and revive the nation’s economy. The funds will come from a special sovereign bond issue (Yahoo Finance).
Here’s what makes HKU5-CoV-2 different from COVID-19 / February 23, 2025
While a newly discovered bat virus is able to bind to human receptors in lab tests, some virologists say we should not panic about its potential to create a new global pandemic. The virus does not bind strongly to those receptors, and humankind’s new immunity to the COVID-19 virus may help to ward off the new virus (The Economic Times).
Chinese warships near Australia and New Zealand prompt alarm / February 24, 2025
China’s navy held live-fire military drills in international waters between Australia and New Zealand last Friday and Saturday, prompting passenger air flights to quickly divert from their flight path over the area for safety reasons. While the ships did not violate any maritime laws, their presence was alarming after Australia’s relationship with China had improved slightly (ABC News—Australia).
China holds live-fire exercises in Gulf of Tonkin after Vietnam maps new territory/ February 24, 2025
China held live-fire military drills in the South China Sea in the Gulf of Tonkin, just after Vietnam had recently published border lines to mark out its territorial waters. China claims most of the South China Sea as its own territory, but a number of countries also have competing claims along their coastlines (Sky News).
China holds 'shooting' drills off Taiwan's coast, as Beijing vows 'reunification' push / February 26, 2025
China’s military held exercises in the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday this week, prompting Taiwan to issue a complaint over the proximity of the drills and the fact that they were held “without warning.” The drills were held just forty nautical miles from Taiwan’s southwestern coast (NBC News).
Taiwan coast guard detains Chinese-crewed vessel suspected of cutting undersea cable / February 25, 2025
After the Taiwan Coast Guard detected that an undersea cable between Taiwan and the island called Penghu had been cut on Tuesday, the Coast Guard detained a ship that was within 1000 meters from the cable. The ship’s crew were all Chinese nationals. This is the fifth time this year that such cables have been cut near Taiwan (Fox News).
'Puppy mountain' along Chinese river draws in tourists / February 25, 2025
A social media post made on February 14th has brought a mountain along the Yangtze River, the world’s third longest, into notoriety, as the post garnered 120,000 likes in ten days. From a certain perspective, the mountain looks like a dog’s face with its snout in the water. People have been flocking to the mountain, often with their dogs, to enjoy the view (Sky News).
Moment of a massive avalanche engulfing tourists in China / February 24, 2025
An avalanche of snow barreled down a mountain in China, eventually reaching a crowd of tourists watching the rush of snow that eventually hit them with a blizzard-like torrent of snow as they sought cover in a shelter. No casualties were reported (Al Jazeera).
Chinese company reverses notice setting deadline for single workers to get married / February 25, 2025
The Shuntian Chemical Group, based in eastern China’s Shandong province, announced last month that any of its employees who were single or divorced were to “resolve their marital issues” by September, or face termination of employment. The order was intended to encourage marriage and having children to help reverse China’s declining population. After social media complaints and a visit by government officials, the decree was rescinded (NBC News).
Thailand deports 48 Uighurs to China despite human rights concerns / February 27, 2025
Thailand confirmed that almost fifty Uighurs migrants had been returned to China on Thursday. The migrants fled China back in 2014 and had been detained in Thailand for most of that time. UN human rights officials decried the transfer and worried for the safety and well-being of the Muslim citizens (Al Jazeera).