Reuters Asia Top

By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will travel to Beijing from July 6-9 for meetings with senior Chinese officials on a broad range of issues, including U.S. concerns about a new Chinese counterespionage law, a senior Treasury official said on Sunday. Yellen’s long-anticipated trip is part of a push by …

Treasury’s Yellen to visit China this week to expand communications Read More »

By Martin Petty (Reuters) – Thailand is set to convene on Monday its first session of parliament following the May 14 general election, but it remains far from certain who will become prime minister and form a new government. WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS SESSION? King Maha Vajiralongkorn will open the new 500-member House of Representatives …

Explainer-Challenges ahead as Thailand’s reformist party eyes PM post Read More »

BEIJING (Reuters) -Torrential rain triggered flash floods in northern China killing one person and sweeping away two, state media reported on Monday, the latest victims of weeks of extreme weather that has brought misery to many and shows no sign of ending. The heavy rain, heat and recent hail have been damaging infrastructure, crops and …

China’s deadly weather from heat to hailstorms take a toll Read More »

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Heavy monsoon rain is expected to hit Pakistan on Monday and last for several days, the weather office said, raising the risk of flooding in areas still recovering from a devastating deluge last year. Large swathes of the South Asian country were submerged last year due to extremely heavy monsoon rains and …

Pakistan expects heavy monsoon rain raising risk of floods Read More »

SEOUL (Reuters) -Having appointed a new unification minister days earlier, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Sunday that the ministry had focused too much on providing aid for North Korea in the past and needed to change. The new minister Kim Yung-ho is a conservative scholar and outspoken critic human rights abuses in …

South Korea’s Yoon tells unification ministry to be less soft on North Read More »

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s Consulate General in Marseille complained to France after a bus carrying a Chinese tour group in the southern city had its windows smashed leading to minor injuries, China’s Consular Affairs Office said in a statement on Sunday. The Consulate General’s formal complaint called for France to ensure the safety of Chinese …

China complains to France after Chinese tourists hurt in riots Read More »

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan celebrated linguistic diversity at the Golden Melody Awards late Saturday with big wins for singers who primarily sing in Mandarin, at one of the most prestigious entertainment events in the Chinese-speaking world. The awards celebrate not only Mandopop but also artists singing in Taiwanese – also known as Hokkien – Hakka …

Taiwan celebrates linguistic diversity at annual music awards Read More »

(Reuters) – Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns said on Saturday that decoupling from China would be foolish given the deep economic interdependence so the United States should try to diversify its supply chains. “China is the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order and increasingly the economic, diplomatic, military and …

CIA’s Burns: U.S. needs to de-risk and diversify away from China Read More »

By Hyunsu Yim SEOUL (Reuters) – Tens of thousands attended South Korea’s largest annual LGBT festival on Saturday, vowing to continue fighting for gay rights after the Seoul city government denied them a prime spot and gave it to an anti-LGBT Christian group. The Seoul Queer Culture Festival, staged outside city hall in the nation’s …

South Korea LGBT festival proceeds, bumped from prime spot by Christian group Read More »