Reuters Asia Top

By John Irish PARIS (Reuters) – France’s defence and foreign ministers travel to the Indo-Pacific next week as part of a diplomatic offensive to strengthen political and military ties, and rebuild its relationship with key partner Australia. France, with overseas territories in the Pacific and Indian Ocean and 7,000 troops stationed there, considers itself an …

French ministers head to Indo-Pacific, Australia in diplomatic push Read More »

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A bipartisan group of 11 U.S. House lawmakers on Thursday asked the Biden administration to investigate and potentially sanction Chinese drone maker Autel Robotics, citing national security concerns. The letter, signed by House China select committee chair Mike Gallagher, a Republican, and the panel’s top Democrat, Raja Krishnamoorthi, asked the …

US lawmakers seek probe of Chinese drone maker Autel Robotics Read More »

ALMATY (Reuters) -Thirteen people died in a fire at a hostel in Kazakhstan’s biggest city, Almaty, on Thursday, the city’s emergencies department said in a statement. Nine victims were Kazakhs, two people were from Russia and two from Uzbekistan, the Almaty police department said. The fire broke out early in the morning in a three-storey …

Hostel fire kills 13 people in Kazakhstan -authorities Read More »

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s President Xi Jinping and senior Chinese officials have sent messages of condolence to U.S. President Joe Biden and others after the passing of veteran U.S. diplomat Henry Kissinger, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Thursday. Kissinger, who visited China more than 100 times and last met with Xi during a surprise …

China’s Xi sends condolences to Biden over Kissinger’s death Read More »

By Ben Blanchard and Andrew Silver TAIPEI/SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Taiwan’s health ministry on Thursday urged the elderly, very young and those with poor immunity to avoid travel to China due to the recent increase in respiratory illnesses there, a move some experts said was ineffective to manage public health risks. The World Health Organization (WHO) last …

Taiwan urges elderly, young to avoid China visits due to respiratory illnesses Read More »

By Mariya Gordeyeva SARYZHAL, Kazakhstan (Reuters) – As Russia warns of the rising risk of nuclear war, and relations with the United States sink into a deep freeze, communities close to the vast Soviet-era nuclear testing site in northern Kazakhstan have a message for leaders: “Let us be a lesson.” Hundreds of tests were carried …

‘Let us be a lesson’, say Kazakhs wary of return to nuclear testing Read More »

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan again reported Chinese warplanes and warships around the island on Thursday, including aircraft crossing the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait, as Beijing keeps up its military activities ahead of Taiwan’s January election. Democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained for the past four years …

Taiwan reports more Chinese military activity as election nears Read More »