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This was the second bid to arrest the impeached president, following a failed attempt on Jan. 3.

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/52630161

csmonitor.com/World/2025/0114/…

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China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is now over a decade old. Since BRI’s inception in 2013, Beijing has pumped in $1 trillion in pledged investments. That includes $634 billion in construction contracts and $419 billion in non-financial investments, according to a 2023 report by the Green Finance & Development Center. The money, peppered across projects in as many as 140 countries, is ostensibly intended to build infrastructure that can boost a country’s trade with China.

The Dragon has worked hard to portray the initiative as one of modern history’s most ambitious connectivity projects. But portrayal and on-ground reality are different.

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On the surface, BRI is a beacon of development for developing countries. Under this umbrella, Chinese loans finance large-scale infrastructure projects like ports, railways, highways, and energy facilities.

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Under the surface, these loans are built on opaque agreements, high interest rates, and a lack of rigorous project feasibility assessments. The underlying strategy, critics argue, is clear: Extend credit to debt-distressed nations, knowing that repayment difficulties will compel concessions that favour Beijing’s strategic interests.

From control over critical infrastructure to enhanced geopolitical leverage, China’s gains often come at the expense of the borrower’s sovereignty.

This is the debt-trap diplomacy. And the pattern is everywhere—from Asia to Africa.

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The debt-trap diplomacy thesis arose directly from Sri Lanka’s experience with the Hambantota Port. Sri Lanka’s former President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, had dreamed of transforming a small fishing town into a major shipping hub. Rajapaksa secured loans worth over $1 billion from China’s Exim Bank between 2007 and 2012 to fulfil the dream. Then came trouble.

In 2017, unable to repay Chinese loans, Colombo was forced to lease the port to a Chinese company for 99 years.

The false promise of development led to a strategic asset in the country being leased to the regional bully for a century. This arrangement raised concerns about the erosion of economic sovereignty and the geopolitical implications of such dependency in the Indian Ocean region.

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Pakistan, too, saw a similar result after choosing to rely on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship BRI initiative.

With investments exceeding $60 billion, CPEC aimed to revolutionise Pakistan’s infrastructure and energy landscape. The power plants built using this funding generate enough electricity for Pakistan to use, and then some [...] However, under CPEC, Pakistan agreed to repay Chinese state companies not only the costs of building power plants but also guaranteed dollar-based returns of up to 34%, regardless of whether the electricity was consumed [...] The problem is not just of the energy infrastructure. The strategic Gwadar Port—once touted as a cornerstone of Pakistan’s economic revival—remains underutilised. It only serves as a symbol of Chinese influence, not a beacon of national development.

The trap works.

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Across Africa too, the BRI has worked well (for China).

In Kenya, the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project—funded by Chinese loans—was envisioned as a catalyst for regional integration. Instead, it has become a cautionary tale. With limited freight demand and operational inefficiencies, the SGR has failed to justify its $4.7 billion price tag, leaving Nairobi grappling with a mounting debt burden.

Countries like Zambia and Djibouti now face debt levels that limit their fiscal flexibility and undermine domestic priorities.

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The BRI is much more than a bundle of economic harm, though. It’s about access and power for China. From ports in Sri Lanka to railways in Kenya, Beijing’s control over critical infrastructure extends beyond economic transactions.

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These assets can serve dual purposes, vastly advantageous for China’s aggressive military and strategic positioning, the likes of which have already been seen in the South China Sea (SCS) and the Indian Ocean. The cost of BRI participation is measured not only in dollars, but also in compromised autonomy.

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cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/18018433

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Unofficial sources have been stated to suggest that at least 100 people have died in one township as a result of the devastating earthquake that hit Tibet’s Mt Everest county of Dingri in Shigatse City on Jan 7 morning, casting doubts on China’s official claim of a total of 126 known casualties thus far. The doubt is reinforced by China’s total ban on access to the affected region for everyone, including the independent media, except for government dispatched rescue groups.

Suggesting that at least 100 deaths had occurred in the county’s Dramtso township alone, which has ten villages – including Senga (Zingkar, the Township headquarter), Gurong (Guring), and Chajiang – the Tibetan service of rfa.org Jan 10 said, based on Tibetan sources, that it was among the worst affected. China’s official media had mentioned the epicentre Tsogo (with seven villages) and Chulho too among the worst affected townships in Dingri county.

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While determining the exact death toll is currently very challenging, “everybody is sceptical of the official death toll, but we have no way to know the actual figures,” [...] a resident of Tibet’s capital Lhasa [is] saying.

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The available pictures of the disaster, which show rescue personnel actively helping victims, are mostly, if not all, those taken and released by China’s official media. This is because China is reported to prohibit individuals from taking pictures or videos, with police being deployed to monitor aid workers to ensure compliance. Independent media continues to remain banned from Tibet.

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Tibetans from across the region attempting to rush assistance were being blocked at various newly set up checkpoints, with authorities requiring permits for entry. They are said to be required to hand over to Chinese authorities all aid materials for distribution, leaving volunteers unable to directly provide support to those in need. As a result, mountains of relief and aid materials donated for the earthquake victims are stated to be piled up at the government’s local disaster relief management centre in Dingri county.

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cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/18017479

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A Philippine security official said Tuesday that China is “pushing us to the wall” with growing aggression in the disputed South China Sea and warned that “all options are on the table” for Manila’s response, including new international lawsuits.

A large Chinese coast guard ship patrolled hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal in recent days and then sailed toward the northwestern coast of the Philippines on Tuesday, coming as close as 77 nautical miles (143 kilometers), Philippine officials said in a news conference.

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“You’re pushing us to the wall,” Malaya said of China. “We do not and will not dignify these scare tactics by backing down. We do not waver or cower in the face of intimidation. On the contrary, it strengthens our resolve because we know we are in the right.”

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Two Philippine coast guard ships, backed by a small surveillance aircraft, repeatedly ordered the 165-meter (541-foot) Chinese coast guard ship to withdraw from the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, a 200-nautical mile (370-kilometer) stretch of water, Philippine coast guard Commodore Jay Tarriela said.

“What we’re doing there is, hour-by-hour and day-to-day, (we’re) challenging the illegal presence of the Chinese coast guard for the international community to know that we’re not going to allow China to normalize the illegal deployment,” Tarriela said.

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The Philippines has aggressively defended its territorial interests in the South China Sea, a key global trading route. That has brought Philippine forces into frequent confrontations with China’s coast guard, navy and suspected militia boats and sparked fears that a bigger armed conflict could draw in the United States, the Philippines’ longtime treaty ally and China’s regional rival.

The lopsided conflict has forced the Philippines to seek security arrangements with other Asian and Western countries, including Japan, with which it signed a key agreement last July which would allow their forces to hold joint combat training. The pact, which must be ratified by lawmakers of both countries before it takes effect, was the first such agreement to be forged by Japan in Asia.

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cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/52594610

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/52593821

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Russian energy giant Gazprom might soon lay off some 1,600 managers in an effort to cut payroll expenses, St. Petersburg media reported Monday, citing a letter from a board member to the company’s CEO Alexei Miller.

The proposal comes as Gazprom faces a sharp wartime downturn, with its gas trade to Europe — once its primary market — collapsing in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In 2023, Gazprom posted its first annual net loss since 1999.

Yelena Ilyukhina, deputy chairwoman of Gazprom’s management board, highlighted in a Dec. 23 letter to Miller that the company’s management staff at its St. Petersburg headquarters had grown to more than 4,100 people over the past two decades.

According to the letter, published by the local news outlet 47news.ru, payroll expenses at Gazprom’s headquarters total over 50 billion rubles ($486 million). Ilyukhina proposed reducing the number of managers to 2,500 and called for “optimization” proposals to be submitted to Miller by Feb. 15.

Gazprom’s deputy chairman, Sergei Kupriyanov, confirmed the letter’s authenticity to Forbes Russia but declined to provide additional comments.

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Crew on board an oil tanker accused of sabotaging undersea power and communications cables in the Baltic Sea were poised to cut other cables and pipelines when Finnish authorities boarded the vessel last month, the head of the Finnish investigation said.

Baltic Sea nations are on high alert after a string of power cable, telecom link and gas pipeline outages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Leaders of the NATO member states around the Baltic Sea are set to meet in Helsinki on Tuesday to discuss the alliance's response to the threat.

On Dec. 26, Finnish authorities seized oil tanker Eagle S carrying Russian oil. They said they suspected the vessel had damaged the Finnish-Estonian Estlink 2 power line and four telecoms cables by dragging its anchor across the seabed for more than 100 km (60 miles).

The head of the investigation, Risto Lohi of the National Bureau of Investigation, told Reuters the vessel was threatening to cut a second power cable, Estlink1, and the BalticConnector gas pipe between Finland and Estonia at the time it was seized.

"There would have been an almost immediate danger that other cables or pipes related to our critical underwater infrastructure could have been damaged," he said.

Lohi said a ninth crew member from the ship had been added to a list of those being treated as suspects and barred from travelling. Finland announced earlier this month that eight of the 24 crew members were being barred from travel. The captain of the ship is Georgian and the crew are citizens of India and Georgia.

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Sweden's Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin said on Sunday said that authorities had determined the Chinese ship had also threatened to cut a power cable connecting the Baltic states and the Nordic countries. "We can today report that it has been determined that there are traces of an anchor, probably from Yi Peng 3, also in connection with NordBalt-cable, that is, the connection between Sweden and Lithuania. This obviously illustrates the seriousness of the situation we find ourselves in," he told reporters.

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German police have launched an investigation into suspected cases of Russian espionage after drones were spotted over several military installations in Bavaria, according to a statement on Monday.

Against the backdrop of Russia's war on Ukraine, it could not be ruled out that German military installations and defence companies were being spied on by drones, Bavaria's State Office of Criminal Investigation said.

The latest incident occurred late on Sunday when a drone was spotted over a military base near Manching, police said, referring to a vast facility where the German forces test new manned and unmanned aircraft.

Drones were seen over the base near Manching on three days in December, the statement said. Another unauthorized overflight happened that same month over a military installation in Neuburg an der Donau.

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Investigators pointed to a series of unauthorized drone overflights at sites including military facilities, LNG and oil terminals, seaports and logistics companies as examples of suspected sabotage by Russian state actors in recent months.

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cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/52555892

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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/24742929

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Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security stated in a recent interview that the EU is ready to take over support for Ukraine if the US cannot continue its assistance. She emphasised that no US leader wants Russia to become a dominant global power.

In her discussion with Le Monde and AFP, Kallas addressed Elon Musk’s controversial posts on his platform, X, and highlighted the need to separate his personal opinions from the company’s actions, warning that non-compliance with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) could have consequences.

When asked about Donald Trump’s comments on Greenland potentially joining the U.S., Kallas acknowledged the Arctic’s strategic importance while reaffirming respect for Denmark’s sovereignty. She agreed with Trump’s call for EU countries to increase defence spending and underscored that aiding Ukraine is vital for both European and global security.

Kallas warned that if Russia wins the war, it may embolden other nations with imperial ambitions, particularly China, reinforcing the need for US opposition to Russia.

cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/18000747

Chinese spy prosecutions in Taiwan tripled in four years: Taipei found evidence the CCP was seeking snipers in Taiwan to target members of the military and foreign organizations in the event of an invasion

The number of Chinese spies prosecuted in Taiwan has grown threefold over a four-year period, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said in a report released yesterday.

In 2021 and 2022, 16 and 10 spies were prosecuted respectively, but that number grew to 64 last year, it said, adding that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was working with gangs in Taiwan to develop a network of armed spies.

Spies in Taiwan have on behalf of the CCP used a variety of channels and methods to infiltrate all sectors of the country, and recruited Taiwanese to cooperate in developing organizations and obtaining sensitive information from Taiwan’s government, the report said.

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The CCP infiltrates Taiwan through engagement with local gangs, illegal private money lenders, shell companies, religious groups and nonprofit organizations, the report said.

The CCP seeks operatives in Taiwan by building network connections, using financial incentives, coercing people with debt, and infiltrating military, government and civil society organizations, it said, adding that China also tries to interfere with elections in Taiwan.

The NSB said it has found evidence that gangs recruited by the CCP were asked to raise Chinese flags and engage in armed insurrection in the event of an attempted invasion by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.

The insurrection plans called for trained snipers in Taiwan to attack members of the military and foreign organizations, the report said.

It also called for military personnel to fly helicopters to China to surrender during an invasion and to hand over Taiwan’s defense plans to the CCP ahead of such an invasion, it said.

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Prosecutions and conviction rates of spies have increased, and last year, investigators cracked a spy ring involving 23 people and sentenced one spy to 20 years of imprisonment, the report said.

The detection of espionage has been helped in the past few years by clues provided by military officers and soldiers, and the public, which showed that public awareness of security issues has greatly increased, it added.

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"If there are 31 days in a month, I will work 31 days," one [Shein] worker said.

Most said they only have one day off a month.

The BBC spent several days here: we visited 10 factories, spoke to four owners and more than 20 workers. We also spent time at labour markets and textile suppliers.

We found that the beating heart of this empire is a workforce sitting behind sewing machines for around 75 hours a week in contravention of Chinese labour laws.

These hours are not unusual in Guangzhou, an industrial hub for rural workers in search of a higher income; or in China, which has long been the world's unrivalled factory.

But they add to a growing list of questions about Shein, once a little-known Chinese-founded company that has become a global behemoth in just over five years.

Still privately-owned, it was valued at about £54bn ($66bn) in a fundraising round in 2023. It is now eyeing a potential listing on the London Stock Exchange.

Its meteoric rise, however, has been dogged with controversy about its treatment of workers and allegations of forced labour.

Last year it admitted to finding children working in its factories in China.

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"We usually work, 10, 11 or 12 hours a day," says a 49-year-old woman from Jiangxi unwilling to give her name. "On Sundays we work around three hours less."

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"We earn so little. The cost of living is now so high," she says, adding that she hopes to make enough to send back to her two children who are living with their grandparents.

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Standard working hours appear to be from 08:00 to well past 22:00, the BBC found.

This is consistent with a report from the Swiss advocacy group Public Eye, which was based on interviews with 13 textile workers at factories producing clothes for Shein.

They found that a number of staff were working excessive overtime. It noted the basic wage without overtime was 2,400 yuan (£265; $327) - below the 6,512 yuan the Asia Floor Wage Alliance says is needed for a "living wage". But the workers we spoke to managed to earn anywhere between 4,000 and 10,000 yuan a month.

"These hours are not unusual, but it's clear that it's illegal and it violates basic human rights," said David Hachfield from the group. "It's an extreme form of exploitation and this needs to be visible."

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The machines dictate the rhythm of the day.

They pause for lunch and dinner when the workers, metal plates and chopsticks in hand, file into the canteen to buy food. If there is no more space to sit, they stand in the street.

"I've been working in these factories for more than 40 years," said one woman who spent just 20 minutes eating her meal. This was just another day for her.

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One of the biggest challenges Shein faces is accusations that it sources cotton from China's Xinjiang region.

Once touted as among the world's best fabric, Xinjiang's cotton has fallen out of favour after allegations that it is produced using forced labour by people from the Muslim Uyghur minority - a charge that Beijing has consistently denied.

The only way to get around this criticism is to be more transparent, Prof Sheng [Lu, scholar for Fashion and Apparel Studies at the University of Delaware in the U.S.] says.

"Unless you fully release your factory list, unless you make your supply chain more transparent to the public, then I think it's going to be very challenging for Shein."

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"Shein has its pros and cons," one factory owner told us. "The good thing is the order is eventually big, but profit is low and it's fixed."

Shein, given its size and influence, is a hard bargainer. So factory owners have to cut costs elsewhere, often resulting in lower staff wages.

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cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/52482469

It was late at night, and Darim's animation studio had just finished designing a new look for a character in one of South Korea's most popular video games, MapleStory.

Darim was proud of her work. So, sitting alone on the floor of her small studio apartment, she posted the trailer on social media. Almost immediately, she was flooded with thousands of abusive messages, including death and rape threats.

Young male gamers had taken issue with a single frame in the trailer, in which the female character could be seen holding her thumb and forefinger close together.

They thought it resembled a hand gesture used by a radical online feminist community almost a decade ago to poke fun at the size of Korean men's penises.

The value of China's imports and exports with Russia reached 1.74 trillion yuan ($237 billion) in 2024, a record high, Chinese customs data showed.

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China-Russia yuan-denominated trade value grew 2.9% in 2024 from 2023, according to the data by China's General Administration of Customs. The growth was significantly slower than the 32.7% gain in 2023.

Bilateral trade was disrupted by payment hurdles last year after the United States intensified sanctions on banks dealing with Russia, Reuters previously reported.

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In dollar terms, China-Russia two-way trade value reached $244.8 billion, compared with $240.1 billion in 2023, Chinese customs data showed.

In an exchange of New Year greetings with Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Dec. 31 that China and Russia have always moved forward "hand in hand" on the right path.

[However, a video was circulating on Chinese social media, promoting China conquering parts of Siberia up.]

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/52494126

https://archive.is/8OPPo

Mexico sent a team of firefighters to California on Saturday to help teams battling the raging wildfires that have devastated parts of Los Angeles.

"The humanitarian aid group is leaving for Los Angeles, California," Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote [on social media], posting photos of firefighters holding the flags of Mexico and California and standing on the runway in front of two planes.

"We are a country of generosity and solidarity," she added.

Six simultaneous blazes that have ripped across Los Angeles County neighborhoods since Tuesday have killed at least 11 people and damaged or destroyed 10,000 structures. The toll is expected to mount when firefighters are able to conduct house-to-house searches.

California Governor Gavin Newsom thanked Mexico in a message on Friday after the deployment was announced.

"California is deeply grateful for President Sheinbaum's support as we work to suppress the Los Angeles wildfires," he wrote.

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In the heart of bustling Bangkok, a grim drama is unfolding—a story that has gripped not just Thailand but has echoed around the world due to its dire human rights implications. A group of 43 Uyghur men is trapped in a limbo that has lasted for over a decade. These men, hailing from China’s Xinjiang region, have long been stranded in a place few would willingly choose to stay: the Suan Phlu immigration detention center. Their story is a complex tapestry woven with threads of desperation, international politics, and human rights concerns, and it urgently demands our attention.

For more than ten years, these individuals have been stuck in Thailand after fleeing what activists describe as severe repression in China. Their goal? To reach Turkey, which historically has been a sanctuary for Uyghur refugees. Sadly, fate and bureaucratic entanglements have kept them detained in Thailand in conditions that are harsh to say the least. According to the detainees’ pleas, documented in a letter to the Thai government and obtained by the Associated Press, they now face the terrifying prospect of deportation back to China. Such a move, they warn, could spell out a grim destiny involving imprisonment, persecution, and even death.

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cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/52471394