"In a recent maritime incident that has escalated tensions between Taiwan and China, two Chinese fishermen perished after their speedboat capsized during a chase with the Taiwanese coast guard near the Kinmen archipelago.
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Xiaomi, the leading player in India's smartphone market, has voiced concerns over the intensified scrutiny of Chinese companies, which is causing apprehensions among smartphone component suppliers about establishing their operations in the world's largest internet market.
"BASF, the German chemical conglomerate, announced its decision to divest from two joint ventures in Xinjiang, China, amidst rising concerns over alleged human rights abuses linked to its local partner, Xinjiang Markor Chemical Industry Co.
"Microsoft and OpenAI have disclosed how nation-state-backed hacking groups from Russia, North Korea, Iran, and China are harnessing the power of advanced AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to fortify their cyber-attack strategies.
Hong Kong's deadliest residential fire in decades burned through a second day on Thursday, leaving at least 44 people dead, nearly 300 unaccounted for and three construction executives in police custody as authorities investigate whether unsafe renovation materials fueled the catastrophe. The blaze tore through the Wang Fuk Court complex in Tai Po, a dense northern district near the mainland border, engulfing seven of eight towers sheathed in bamboo scaffolding and green construction mesh.
Taiwan moved to dramatically expand its military readiness on Wednesday, announcing a $40 billion supplemental defense package as President Lai Ching-te warned that "there is no room for compromise on national security" amid mounting pressure from China and increased expectations from the United States. The eight-year spending plan would boost Taiwan's capabilities in missiles, drones and air-defense systems at a moment when Beijing's military activity near the island continues to intensify.
Hong Kong's deadliest urban fire in nearly three decades has killed at least 36 people and left 279 others missing, prompting a city-wide emergency mobilization as flames raced across high-rise residential towers wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and renovation mesh. The blaze, which erupted Wednesday afternoon in the Tai Po district, engulfed multiple blocks of the Wang Fuk Court housing estate, one of the territory's largest residential complexes.
A catastrophic fire ripped through a cluster of high-rise residential towers in Hong Kong's Tai Po district on Wednesday, killing at least 14 people and injuring more than a dozen others as firefighters struggled to contain a blaze that intensified after nightfall. Authorities raised the incident to a No. 5 alarm-the city's highest severity rating-after flames spread across bamboo scaffolding and green construction netting encasing much of the Wang Fuk Court housing complex, home to nearly 2,000 apartments.
Tensions between China and Japan escalated sharply this week after Beijing condemned Tokyo's plan to deploy missile units to a remote island near Taiwan, warning that Japan's actions were designed to "create regional tension and provoke military confrontation." The criticism marks the latest development in what officials on both sides describe as the worst diplomatic rupture in years, deepening an already volatile strategic environment in East Asia.
U.S.-China relations returned to the forefront of global diplomacy after President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone call Monday that touched on Taiwan, trade policy and the Ukraine conflict, according to U.S. and Chinese officials. The call came amid heightened tensions in East Asia and renewed debate over Beijing's view that Taiwan's political future is inseparable from the post-World War II order.
The Dutch government has stepped back from its emergency intervention at chipmaker Nexperia, easing a months-long confrontation with China that disrupted global automotive supply chains and raised questions about Europe's handling of foreign ownership in strategic industries. Dutch Economic Affairs Minister Vincent Karremans said he suspended an order that effectively transferred control of the company to the state, citing "constructive" discussions with Chinese officials and consultations with partners across Europe and beyond.
China's latest warning that there is "no market" for Japanese seafood has deepened an already volatile diplomatic standoff between Beijing and Tokyo, adding economic pressure to a dispute triggered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent comments about Taiwan. The tensions, now among the most serious between the two Asian powers in years, have sent ripples through regional markets, disrupted travel and trade, and sharpened geopolitical anxieties across East Asia.
Nasdaq travel stocks fell sharply this week as rising geopolitical tensions between China and Japan rattled global tourism markets and triggered a broader pullback across travel-related shares. The selloff began after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned that a military attack by Beijing on Taiwan would constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan-comments that prompted China to issue a travel ban and denounce Tokyo for "seriously damaging bilateral ties and challenging post-war international order."
Germany's Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil arrives in Beijing this week under mounting pressure to address a rapidly widening trade imbalance with China, a deficit that reached €87 billion this year-Germany's largest on record. The visit marks the first by a cabinet minister from the new coalition government and comes amid intensifying concern across Berlin that the country's core industries no longer operate on equal footing with their most important trading partner.