Taiwan says its diplomatic ties with Holy See remain firm

Want China Times, CNA 2015-09-12

Ma Ying-jeou shakes hands with Pope Francis in Vatican City, March 19, 2013.
(File photo/China Times)

Diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the Holy See are still solid, a Taiwanese foreign affairs official said Friday, denying a media report that the Holy See might sever ties with Taipei in favor of Beijing by the end of the year.

"The report is untrue," said Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Eleanor Wang. "Our bilateral diplomatic relations are solid and the two countries maintain close exchanges."

Wang was responding to an exclusive report Thursday on the Chinese-language news website Bowen Press, which said that the Holy See might establish diplomatic relations with Beijing by the end of the year or after Taiwan's presidential election in January.

Asked about the news report, the Holy See's representative to Taiwan, Monsignor Paul Russell, told CNA in an email that "the Apostolic Nunciature (Holy See Embassy) in Taiwan is going about its work normally."

"The Holy See and Republic of China are planning a joint cultural collaboration which will take place at the beginning of next year," said Russell, charge d'affaires of the Holy See's apostolic nunciature in Taiwan. He did not elaborate.

Since last year, there have been rumors that relations between the Holy See and Taiwan might be adversely affected by Pope Francis' efforts to improve ties with China.

However, the Republic of China (Taiwan) has said that its diplomatic relations with the Holy See remain solid, and Russell has described the ties as "excellent."

In 1942, the ROC established relations with the Holy See, which is now its only diplomatic ally in Europe.

India demands Saudi ambassador to cooperate over New Delhi rape case

The Saudi ambassador has been urged to cooperate with India over allegations that one of his diplomats sexually assaulted and imprisoned two Nepali maids. Protests have broken out in India's capital over the claims.

Deutsche Welle, 10 Sep 2015

The two women, aged 30 and 50, told police that recruiting agents lured them from their homes in Nepal under the promise of higher wages. They were hired and supplied to the Saudi diplomat in April. Police rescued the women on Monday after a third maid saw their condition and informed a local NGO.

"They raped us, kept us locked up, did not give us anything to eat...When we tried to run away, we were beaten up," one of the women told to the NDTV network. She added that they had been held at the apartment near New Delhi for around four months.

The accused diplomat in the suspected rape case has since claimed diplomatic immunity and the Saudi embassy is urging India to drop the case.

According to Indian media outlets, the Saudi embassy has denied the accusations, saying it "strongly stresses that these allegations are false and have not been proven." Saudi Arabia also claims that Indian police broke international conventions by entering a diplomatic property.

India's foreign ministry "conveyed [a] request to Ambassador Saud Mohammed Alsati on Thursday, however, asking for his cooperation "in the case of two Nepali citizens," ministry spokeman Vikas Swarup said on Twitter.

Indian police also said on Wednesday that they were pushing ahead with the investigation.

MEA Chief of Protocol called in Saudi Amb today, conveyed request of Haryana Police for coopn of Embassy in the case of 2 Nepali citizens

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) 10 september 2015

The charges have created diplomatic tensions between the two countries ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's planned state visit to Saudi Arabia later this year. Modi will seek to secure an investment from the rich, oil state and to expand in the energy sector.

Crowds were also seeing protests outside the Saudi Arabian embassy in New Delhi on Thursday in response to allegations.

ksb, rs/kms (AP, AFP, Reuters)

Huge rallies boost opposition hopes in Singapore polls

Yahoo – AFP, Martin Abbugao, 9 Sep 2015

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, from the ruling People's Action Party, 

greets the crowd during a lunch time rally in Raffles Place on September 8, 2015

ahead of Singapore's September 11 election (AFP Photo/Roslan Rahman)

Singapore (AFP) - Singaporeans vote in snap elections Friday that the opposition hopes will dramatically boost its presence in parliament and challenge half a century of ruling party domination, after huge crowds attended its campaign rallies.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called for polls 16 months ahead of schedule to secure a fresh mandate for the People's Action Party (PAP), which has been in power for 56 years and is widely expected to win another majority.

The PAP held 80 seats in the last parliament, with the Workers' Party (WP) occupying the remaining seven -- a record for an opposition that has survived a campaign of intimidation that saw some of its figures jailed as dissidents or bankrupted by libel suits.

A resident walks past the ruling People's 

Action Party campaign banner at Aljunied

 in Singapore on September 5, 2015 (AFP

Photo/Roslan Rahman)

It will be Singapore's first election without independence leader Lee Kuan Yew -- the father of the current premier -- who is credited with Singapore's rapid rise to prosperity when he was in power for three decades.

His death in March generated an outpouring of grief and nostalgia that the PAP hopes will translate into votes on Friday.

But since the nine-day campaign began on September 1, opposition rallies have dwarfed PAP gatherings in both size and intensity.

Immigration, the high cost of living and the need for more assistance to poor and elderly Singaporeans are the main issues being raised by the newly confident opposition.

The repressive tactics that the PAP long used to keep them at bay are gone, under pressure from the scrutiny of social media which sidesteps the government-friendly press, and observers are debating if this vote will finally see the emergence of a two-party system.

All seats are being contested for the first time in half a century but the WP is fielding only 28 candidates for the 89 seats up for grabs, with smaller parties splitting the rest.

Opposition 'gaining traction'

"We need at least about 20 elected members of parliament in order for you to have enough resources, minimal resources, to be able to check the government," WP chief Low Thia Khiang said during a campaign sortie.

An estimated 30,000 people attended a rally staged by the WP in eastern Singapore on Sunday night.

"It is not only curiosity. One could interpret the large turnouts -- by some accounts larger than 2011 -- as pointing to WP's message gaining traction," said political analyst Eugene Tan, an associate law professor at the Singapore Management University.

"Voters are reciprocating by turning up in full force," he told AFP.

A longtime ban on the publication of pre-election voter surveys makes it difficult to predict the outcome.

In the 2011 election, a public backlash against PAP immigration policies pulled down its share of the popular vote to 60 percent, its lowest ever. It retained its thumping majority only through a "winner take all" system of electoral blocks.

Supporters listen to the candidate from opposition Singapore Democratic Party

 speak during a rally on September 3, 2015 ahead of Singapore's September 11

elections (AFP Photo/Roslan Rahman)

"It is my expectation that WP will pick up support and has a well-crafted campaign focusing on gradual gains and appealing to concerns of ordinary citizens," said Bridget Welsh from the Center for East Asia Democratic Studies at National Taiwan University.

Immigration a key issue

Another opposition group, the Singapore Democratic Party, drew some 5,000 people to a rare rally in the heart of the banking district, held at lunchtime on Monday.

SDP chief Chee Soon Juan, one of those who endured jail time as well as bankruptcy in a long battle against the PAP, was welcomed like a celebrity and signed autographs.

A PAP rally at the same spot on Tuesday led by the prime minister drew a similar sized crowd but most of its other rallies had smaller turnouts.

Immigration remains a hot-button issue in Singapore, which has 2.46 million eligible voters.

Foreign workers and immigrants brought in to mitigate Singapore's low birth rate have boosted the population from 4.17 million in 2004 to 5.47 million last year.

Citizens complain that newcomers are competing with them for jobs and housing while straining services like mass transport and health care.

Opposition parties say they are not against foreigners -- Singapore is an immigrant nation -- but are calling for a more calibrated intake.

They also accuse the PAP of failing to address the needs of marginalised people left behind in Singapore's transformation into one of the world's wealthiest societies, with a gross domestic product per capita of Sg$71,318 (US$56,284) in 2014.

South and North Korea agree to family reunion in October

Want China Times, Xinhua and Staff Reporter 2015-09-08

Lee Jong-tae, seen talking to CNS reporters in Seoul in March 2013, was
separated from his family by the Korean War as a child. (File photo/CNS)

South and North Korea agreed Tuesday to hold a reunion of families separated since the 1950-53 Korean War late next month in the DPRK's Mount Kumgang resort, Seoul's unification ministry has said.

The first family reunion in about a year and a half is to be held at the gathering center in the scenic resort located in the southeastern part of North Korea, from Oct. 20-26, the ministry said in a statement.

About 100 people each from the two sides will be reunited with relatives during the upcoming event, the first since February 2014 when the last such reunion was held in Mount Kumgang on a similar scale.

The agreement came after more than 23 hours of marathon talks. The working-level Red Cross contact ended at 10:10am Tuesday local time after kicking off at 10:50am Monday.

Wealthy Gulf nations face questions over Syria refugees

Yahoo – AFP, 7 Sep 2015

A soldier patrols along Saudi Arabia's northern border in February 2015 (AFP

Photo/Fayez Nureldine)

Amman (AFP) - As hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees languish in camps or risk their lives to reach Europe, questions are being asked about why wealthy Gulf states have accepted so few.

By the end of August, more than four million Syrians had fled their country but very few if any refugees have been officially accepted by the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have donated billions to help refugees, but are facing increasing scrutiny for their apparent unwillingness to accept migrants.

Refugees fleeing the war in Syria arrive

 at the Kokkinotrimithia refugee camp, 

West of Nicosia in Cyprus, on 

September 6, 2015 (AFP Photo/

Iakovos Hatzistavrou)

Why, ask many, as one of the greatest migration crises of modern times unfolds, are fellow Arab countries, with similar cultural and religious values and a relative proximity compared to Europe, doing little to help resettle people?

And, crucially, that criticism is being voiced not just in the West, but within the region itself.

In recent days, social media users in the Gulf have employed various hashtags including "#Welcoming_Syria's_refugees_is_a_Gulf_duty" to voice their disgust with the perceived inaction of GCC states.

"The Gulf countries have to be ashamed when they see Europe's doors open to Syrian refugees, while they close before us," Abu Mohammed, a 30-year-old Syrian refugee now living in Jordan, told AFP.

An influx of Syrian refugees has swamped Europe this summer, with Germany alone expecting 800,000 new asylum applications this year and efforts under way to organise the relocations of tens of thousands more.

But in the oil-rich Gulf, GCC states have been absent from talk of helping with the refugee crisis.

Deeply involved in Syria

"Tragically, the cash-rich Gulf countries have not yet issued a statement on the crisis –- much less come up with a strategy to help the migrants, who are overwhelmingly Muslim," Qatar's Gulf Times newspaper wrote in a recent editorial.

Sultan Al Qassemi, a prominent Emirati blogger, wrote that the time had come for Gulf countries to take the "moral, ethical and responsible step" of changing their policy towards accepting refugees.

Even the distraught father of Aylan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian boy whose body washed ashore in Turkey, said at the funeral of his wife and two children: "I want Arab governments not European countries to see what happened to my children and, because of them, help people."

Still, analysts say the outpouring of criticism is unlikely to bring about any quick changes in GCC countries, none of which has signed the UN Convention on Refugees setting standards for the treatment and rights of those fleeing to a new country.

"I don't see anybody doing a David Cameron, who U-turned in 36 hours," Michael Stephens, a Middle East research fellow at RUSI, told AFP, referring to reports the British premier is set to admit 15,000 refugees from Syria.

"The vast majority of Gulf citizens believe what their governments have done in Syria is the right thing."

The Gulf nations have hardly stood on the sidelines during Syria's conflict, providing significant financial assistance to refugees in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.

At the same time they have been among the most ardent opponents of President Bashar al-Assad, backing the mainly Sunni rebels who have risen up against his regime, which is supported by their Shiite regional rival Iran.

GCC states have also provided funds and weapons for rebel groups fighting Assad -- leading to some accusations that they are backing shadowy extremists.

But when it comes to allowing in refugees, domestic concerns seem preeminent, even though many of the refugees are Sunni Muslims like the majority of people in the Gulf.

West's 'short-sighted' policies

Smaller Gulf countries like the UAE and Qatar, where millions of foreign workers already vastly outnumber local citizens, fear being overwhelmed by refugees.

Security concerns are also paramount for countries like Saudi Arabia that have been targeted in attacks by the jihadist Islamic State group operating in Syria and Iraq.

And an influx of large numbers of refugees could upset stability in countries with little grassroots political activity.

"The countries of the Gulf are involved in the politics of Syria and they would probably worry who would come into their countries and what they would be involved in once they are," said Sultan Barakat, a senior fellow at the Brookings Doha Center.

He said one move that could help those fleeing and appease critics alike would be to offer entry to family members of Syrians already in the Gulf.

Hundreds of thousands of Syrians live among the millions of foreigners lured by work opportunities to the Gulf states -- prompting some to argue that they are already helping those fleeing the conflict.

As one anonymous Syrian wrote recently on Facebook: "Saudi has no refugees but it hosts a million Syrians on visitor visas, in addition to the Syrian residents, (and) they get their health care and schools, and in some cases their rents from charities."

For some in the Gulf, the criticism should be directed instead at Western governments, saying it is their failure to fully back and arm those fighting Assad that is behind the refugee crisis.

"European and American officials facing their short-sighted policies must welcome more Syrian refugees," a former Qatari diplomat, Nasser Al-Khalifa, wrote on Twitter.

Related Articles:

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Pope calls for every European parish to take in refugee family

US general: Escalating air war on IS not the answer

Palestinians in Gaza City put flowers on a sand sculpture of Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi, a symbol of the migrant crisis pic.twitter.com/a8XBTW4eLW

— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) 8 september 2015

"Revelations of Darkness" - Oct 1, 2014 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) - (Text version)

“ .. Do Not Despair

There's too much information to give you in one channelling, in one sitting, so I refer to past messages for you to better understand and reference the information in order to get the bigger picture. So I wish to remind you of something I also told you in a recent channelling called Do Not Despair. You're winning! It's because you're winning that the dark consciousness on this planet is feeling it, and the humanity that represents darkness is pulling out everything it has to survive.

It Has Always Been There

Let's look at it, because it's all over the news. Are you shocked at the sudden existence of the organization that will remain unnamed [for this channelling]? Where did it come from? How could it be so organized? How could it be so well funded? This organization could have its own country soon! They might as well name it, “The Old Energy Dark Country”, for that's what it will represent.

The barbaric past of humanity comes forward to show its face. It has always been there, hiding under the rocks and between the cracks of civilized humanity. It couldn't show itself until now, but now it has to. It's ugly and it's not for the faint at heart, is it, dear ones? Seeing evil personified in Human action is abhorrent. It is so ugly and so dark that you cannot look upon it with a gentle heart. God is not a part of it and this is obvious.

You're winning! Light is winning! The uprising of dark consciousness would not have shown itself with this strength, or this quickly, if this were not so. This is exactly what I told you to look for, and it is proof that those representing this dark consciousness are in trouble. Dear ones, dark consciousness has always had a tried-and-true system. It lurks in the shadows and influences all the power places of the planet - government, commerce, finance. Suddenly, it can't hide there as well anymore and it's out in the open.

Where is the funding coming from? It is coming from a storehouse that has always been there, dear ones. It uses income that has been generated from low consciousness acts, collected for a very long time. Funding didn't just appear. It has been stored, waiting to be used in order to spread fear and darkness to save what they believe is their way.

Who Will Win?

Dear ones, they haven't got a chance! But it looks like they do, doesn't it? Everything that they are doing is calculated to scare you into submission. Are they winning? Now, that's a question I want you to take from here and examine every day.

Fear is black. If you're in fear, there is no light. You can be the grandest Lightworker, or even be the channeller, but if you're in fear, it doesn't matter how many years you've done light work, or how much light you've accumulated personally. It all goes away with fear, and then they've won the battle for your mind. Do you understand this?

The Strength of the Old Soul - YOU

Old souls, Lightworkers reading this, the experiences you have had over lifetimes and lifetimes are incredible! The old soul knows fear. I don't want to be too graphic, but I want you to understand! What was it like when you put your head in the guillotine because you talked about God in a way that was inappropriate? What was it like to be bound hand and foot when they lit the match at your feet? Old soul, that's fear! You carry those experiences in your Akash.

I want to tell you they haven't got a chance to scare you! You absolutely know what fear is, and they haven't got a chance as long as you cling to that part of you that is the strength of God. You've been through it all. That means you've got the weapons of truth, wisdom and light. Don't forget it. Don't forget who you are!

Do you see how fast they assembled? It seemed like only yesterday that there was no organization at all. Where did they come from? Have you noticed a certain hesitancy to fight them? Why is it that the citizens of the lands that they are invading are hesitant to fight them? Instead, these leaders are calling on others to help. Why is it that the others are also hesitant? I want to show you that there are some anomalies of logic that are not making sense, because this is a battle you have never seen before on this planet. We've expected it, but you haven't. It's about consciousness, not land or resources.

How to Win?

We gave you the secret before of how to defeat them without taking even one life: Simply take away their funding. They cannot exist without their funding. The funding has to be organized, stored, and distributed. It has to be generated in such a way that it must also go through institutions. Did you hear that? All you have to do is stop the system. Winning won't be done with bombing. It's going to be done with intelligence, clever thinking and financial forensics. It's time to get smart on some of these things and not to be afraid to look at this puzzle differently than you have before. Do not apply the energy they are using in order to fight them, because you won't win. Figure it out. It's the last bastion of organized darkness and evil thinking on this planet coming together to try to survive the assault of your light. Don't be afraid to look at the funding trail, no matter where it takes you.

Fear is Their Weapon

I want you to know something as you look at your news. It may appear that you are unable to stop them. In many places, they will gain strength as they create fear. The fear is easily created in those who are not old souls and who don't know fear like you do and who don't have the armor of your spiritual experiences. This puts you in the front line, dear one. Did you realize that? But you don't have to go fight them on their terms. All you have to do is broadcast light. High consciousness will beat fear any day.. .”

Conservative Bangladesh launches first lesbian comic strip

Yahoo – AFP, September 6, 2015

A Bangladeshi artist performs during the inauguration ceremony in Dhaka of the

 country's first lesbian comic character "Dhee" as part of a campaign to raise 

awareness on September 5, 2015 (AFP Photo/Munir Uz Zaman)

Bangladesh's first comic strip featuring a young lesbian discovering her sexuality has been launched in the capital to raise awareness of the plight of gays in the conservative Muslim-majority nation.

Boys of Bangladesh, the country's largest gay rights group, organised the launch on Saturday night of "Dhee", the Bengali word for intellect or wisdom.

"By creating Dhee, we want to shape perception of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people, because we should be free to choose whom to love," Mehnaz Khan, one of the four content developers of the comic, told AFP.

"It's about carrying the message to all."

Gays and lesbians suffer discrimination and worse in Bangladesh where homosexuality is a crime punishable by a maximum life term, although prosecutions are rare.

The comic, to be handed out at gay rights seminars and other events, tells the story of Dhee, a girl who is attracted to other girls and falls in love.

Bangladeshi artists perform during the inauguration ceremony in Dhaka of the 

country's first lesbian comic character "Dhee" on September 5, 2015, part of a 

campaign to raise awareness of the plight of gays in the conservative

Muslim-majority nation (AFP Photo/Munir Uz Zaman)

Facing intense pressure to conform, Dhee mulls her enormous challenges and asks readers whether she should consider suicide, marry a man to please her family, flee the country, or stay and follow her heart.

Several hundred people attended the launch at the British Council in Dhaka, although entry was carefully scrutinised in case of protests by conservative hardliners.

"We hope to take such events outdoors next time as we don't want to live our lives indoors and in secret," prominent social activist Khushi Kabir said.

Many gays and lesbians are forced to hide their sexual identity and live double lives for fear of reprisals in the deeply conservative country where 90 percent of the population is Muslim.

But in recent years, Bangladesh's young gay men have become increasingly assertive of their rights and have held low-key pride marches at the last two Bengali new year festivals.

Last year, the first magazine for homosexuals was launched with little opposition.

Iran photographer to share prize money with Syria refugees

Yahoo – AFP, 5 Sep 2015

Iranian photographer Newsha Tavakolian poses for a picture in a park in Tehran,
June 26, 2011 (AFP Photo)

Tehran (AFP) - Iranian photographer Newsha Tavakolian has said she will donate part of a 100,000-euro ($112,000) Dutch award to charity, including Syrian and Iraqi refugees.

"It is hard for me to enjoy this prize as much as I would like to, seeing the region where I work and live in flames and tens of thousands seeking refuge in faraway lands," Tavakolian said on her Facebook page.

The 34-year-old self-taught photographer considered as one of the first professional female photojournalists in Iran, said she would be donating 15,000 to an organisation helping Syrian and Iraqi refugees.

"I have worked in both their countries and want to give back to all the kindness Iraqi's and Syrians always welcomed me with, despite the dire circumstances they live in," she said.

The Amsterdam-based Prince Claus Fund dedicated to culture and development said on its website Thursday that it had awarded its Principal 2015 prize to Tavakolian.

"Newsha Tavakolian is a self-taught photographer who combines photojournalism and art to offer new insights into the lived experience of people in Iran and the wider Middle East region," it said.

"One of the first professional female photojournalists in Iran, her work ranges from bold reportage of political events to sensitive portraits and evocative series on subjects such as the insecurity of middle-class youth, female Kurdish fighters or the impact of sanctions on individual lives.

"The aesthetic and intellectual qualities of Tavakolian's stills, videos, installations and photobooks question stereotypes and inspire young photographers across the Middle East," said the Prince Claus Fund.

During a recent trip in the Middle East, Tavakolian took pictures to illustrate the struggles of Kurdish women fighting the jihadist Islamic State group in northern Iraq.

Tavakolian said 13,000 euros of her prize money would be given to Sheed Award, an independent documentary photography award in Iran.

Another 10,000 euros will go to Mahak Foundation, an Iranian charity supporting children with cancer, and 7,000 euros to local organisations supporting and protecting animals.

Tavakolian's pictures have been published by Time magazine, the National Geographic and Magnum Photos.

In 2014, Tavakolian returned a 50,000-euro prize from the Carmignac Gestion photojournalism award citing a dispute with the French foundation over her right to artistic freedom.

She later changed her mind following negotiations with the jury.

The Prince Claus awards are given to individuals, groups and organisations based mainly in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Soul-searching: heart-rending photo of drowned toddler shows cost of Europe's migrant crisis http://t.co/z4jFW5aF3v pic.twitter.com/vkle4cbLU8

— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) 3 september 2015

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"Return of the Masters" - Apr 11-12, 2015 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll)

Lien Chan, Hu Jintao hold surprise talk after parade

Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2015-09-04

Lien Chan, third left, and his wife Lien Fang Yu, second left, at
Tian'anmen Square on Sept. 3. (Photo/CNS)

The former chair of Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang (KMT), Lien Chan, met China's former president Hu Jintao on Sept. 3 at the Tiananmen Gate and their meeting won the approval of incumbent Chinese leader Xi Jinping, reports our Chinese-language sister paper Want Daily.

The meeting was reportedly arranged by the Communist Party of China unbeknowst to Lien until the parade ended. Their meeting fell on the 10th anniversary of the historical meeting between the two statesmen in 2005. Lien, who is then KMT chairman, proposed warmer ties across the strait to Hu, then general-secretary. Their meeting was hailed as a groundbreaking event in cross-strait history.

Lien and Hu exchanged pleasantries during the Sept. 3 meeting and both expressed their hope for continued exchanges across the strait in the future. Lien and his wife also asked Hu to send their regards to Hu's wife Liu Yongqing, who was absent from the parade.

Lien and his wife sat at the table reserved for the guests of second-highest rank during the luncheon Xi held after the parade. Chinese officials sitting at the table included Wang Huning, one of Xi's top aides and the director of the CPC Policy Research Office, as well as Zhang Cunxian, secretary of the Xinjiang Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China.

The former KMT chair's attendance at the parade was nonetheless controversial in Taiwan. Current KMT chair Eric Chu, KMT vice chair Hau Lung-bin and the party's presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu were all absent from the event. Chu asked all key party members             not to attend the parade. Taiwan's president, Ma Ying-jeou finds it "very saddening and regrettable" that some people from Taiwan attended Beijing's World War II memorial parade on Thursday and believes the move "has deviated from the country's position and has failed to meet the people's expectations," said Presidential Office spokesperson Charles Chen, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency.

Chen said that although the Communist Party of China contributed to the Republic of China's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (Second Sino-Japanese War) more than 70 years ago, it is an undeniable historical fact that China's war efforts were led by the Nationalist government headed by the Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek and the KMT at the time, according to the CNA.

Hung's press release also said that Lien should assert the ROC government's role in the war. China and Taiwan may celebrate the end of the war in their own ways but historical facts should not be distorted, she said.

PLA to cut troop numbers by 300,000, says Xi

Want China Times, Xinhua 2015-09-03

Xi Jinping oversees the parade to mark of the 70th anniversary of victory
in World War II, Sept. 3. (Photo/Xinhua)

China will cut the number of its troops by 300,000, President Xi Jinping announced Thursday.

It will be the country's fourth cut in troop numbers since the start of the reform and opening-up era under Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s.

Xi made the announcement while delivering a speech at the parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, which featured some 12,000 PLA troops with honor guards from 17 other countries. China's most powerful weaponry, including anti-ship missiles, ICBMs and military aircraft were also on display.

In 1985, the government decided to cut 1 million troops in an effort to focus on accelerating economic development and strengthening the quality of the PLA's soldiery.

In 1987, the troop numbers of the People's Liberation Army was reduced for the first time from its original 4.2 million. By 1990, the number of troops was again lowered to 3.2 million.

In 1997, the PLA decided to reduce its troop numbers further by 500,000 within three years, reducing the total to 2.5 million.

Between 2003 and 2005, a third cut of 200,000 downsized the number of troops to 2.3 million, cutting the armed forces to their smallest size in the PRC's history.

China's military power compared to the US, Russia, India, South Korea and Japan pic.twitter.com/XnpNw35Rfs

— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) 3 september 2015

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Switzerland opens criminal probe into Malaysian state fund

Swiss state prosecutors have begun criminal proceedings against executives from Malaysia's embattled 1MDB development fund, on top of freezing its assets. The organization has however denied having its resources frozen.

Deutsche Welle, 3 Sep 2015

Despite denials from Malaysian authorities, Switzerland confirmed on Thursday that it had frozen tens of millions of dollars in assets from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the country's troubled state investment fund. According to the Swiss state prosecutor, a criminal probe was also opened against two executives working for 1MDB.

"The Office of The Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has frozen assets amounting several tens of millions of US-dollars on Swiss bank accounts," spokeswoman Anna Wegelin told French news agency AFP. She added that the criminal proceedings now underway involved money laundering and "suspected misconduct in public office."

The move follows months of allegations that huge sums of money had disappeared during deals with 1 MDB and increasing anger at Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who launched the fund in 2009.

The fund, however, said it knew nothing about the Swiss claims, despite insistence from Bern that they had been in contact with Kuala Lumpur: "As far as 1MDB is aware, none of the company's bank accounts have been frozen."

The 1MDB statement continued, however, that it is in the process of developing a better understanding of the ongoing investigations in Switzerland so the company can cooperate to its fullest extent."

Prime Minister Razak has unequivocally denied any wrongdoing, even as tens of thousands of protestors have taken to the streets of Kuala Lumpur and other Malaysian cities in the past week, including former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, calling on their leader to come clean about 1MDB's activities.

The fund has been in the international spotlight since a July "Wall Street Journal" report implied that 2.6 billion ringgit (613 million dollars) discovered in Razak's bank accounts had come from the heavily indebted organization.

es/kms (AFP, dpa)

Related Article:

Swiss freeze millions in Malaysian PM corruption scandal

South Korean president visits Beijing, praises China for 'strategic cooperation'

China's help played a key role in defusing an escalation between North and South Korea last week, South Korean President Park Geun Hye says. The comments came during a visit to the Chinese capital.

Deutsche Welle, 2 Sep 2015

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with South Korean President Park Geun hye

South Korean President Park Geun Hye met with Chinese President Xi Jinping Wednesday in Beijing, with the agenda to include the "denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," according to her spokesperson.

The meeting comes amid diplomatic efforts to resume the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program, involving the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan.

Park told Xi she appreciated China's help in defusing tension with North Korea that had pushed the neighbors to the brink of conflict.

The deal "showcases how important it is to have strategic cooperations between South Korea and China for...regional peace," she said.

North and South Korea averted a full-on military confrontation last week and reached an agreement to improve ties following a rare exchange of artillery fire over their heavily fortified border.

Meanwhile, Park's Chinese counterpart called for the resumption of multilateral talks, which have stalled since 2008.

"China has all along upheld the aim of a denuclearized Korean peninsula, the maintaining of the peninsula's peace and stability and resolving issues via dialogue and consultations," Xi said, according to China's Foreign Ministry. China "opposes any actions which may cause tensions" and all sides should "work hard to resume talks," he added.

South Korean soldiers stand guard
at a checkpoint

During her visit, Park will also attend a military parade with Xi in Tiananmen Square to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II on Thursday, her presidential office said.

Observers noted that Park's visit to China, historically the North's only diplomatic ally, contrasted with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's decision to send a representative to Thursday's parade rather than to attend it himself. Kim Jong Un has not yet met Xi since he took power in 2011. It is not yet clear whether the North Korean envoy will meet with President Park while in Beijing this week.

China, the world's largest exporter, is now South Korea's biggest trading partner. South Korea is one of the few developed countries that runs a surplus with China.

dr/kms (dpa, Reuters)

Swiss freeze millions in Malaysian PM corruption scandal

Swiss authorities have frozen millions of dollars linked to a troubled Malaysian state investment fund. The seizure is believed to be connected to huge cash withdrawals to Prime Minister Najib Razak's personal accounts.

Deutsche Welle, 2 Sep 2015

The office of the Swiss Attorney General announced the seizure on Wednesday, amid a probe into several people linked to the heavily-indebted 1Malaysia Development Fund (1MDB), including Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Swiss authorities said the accounts, which contained millions of dollars, were frozen amid suspicions about corruption and money laundering.

Malaysian leader Najib has been under growing pressure to resign since "The Wall Street Journal" revealed in early July that Malaysian investigators had found nearly $700 million (620 million euros) in mysterious deposits in his personal bank accounts.

The money had been withdrawn from 1MDB's bank accounts. The fund was set up by Najib in 2009 to boost Malaysia's economic prospects.

It was unclear whether the accounts frozen in Switzerland were directly linked to funds received by the Malaysian leader.

Najib denies any wrongdoing, describing criticism of his leadership as a "political conspiracy." Officials maintain the cash came from "political donations" from Middle Eastern countries.

Former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamed has joined the call for Najib to step down.

Tens of thousands of people joined an
 anti-government protest in Kuala
Lumpur over the weekend

The 90-year-old, who himself ruled Malaysia for 22 years, spoke at huge rallies last weekend, accusing Najib of bribing politicians in the ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO), to secure their support.

Huge protests over the weekend, led by Berish, a coalition of Malaysian NGOs and activist groups, were declared illegal by police and several organizers have been brought in for questioning.

On Wednesday, the German-based Transparency International said Malaysia's fight against corruption wouldn't be credible until the truth about Najib's sudden personal windfall was revealed.

mm/msh (AFP, AP)

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