China

China rights violations against Uyghurs: International mission needed urgently - Amnesty NZ

Amnesty International is accusing Chinese authorities of creating a "dystopian hellscape on a staggering scale" over the repression of Uyghur Muslims in north-western province of Xinjiang.

The human rights group says it amounts to crimes against humanity.

Amnesty International has just released a 160-page report, 'Like We Were Enemies in a War': China's Mass Internment, Torture, and Persecution of Muslims in Xinjiang.

Budapest protest against China's Fudan University campus

Opponents of the project say it will undercut the country's own higher education and increase the influence of China's Communist authorities.

The right-wing government of PM Viktor Orban has close ties with Beijing.

Earlier this month, Hungary blocked an EU statement criticising China's treatment of Hong Kong.

On Saturday, demonstrators opposing the plan to build China's Fudan University campus in Budapest marched through the city's streets to the parliament building.

Chinese forensics team completes backlog of autopsies in Samoa

A backlog of 13 autopsies were carried out in strict compliance with local requirements for COVID-19 prevention and control, the Chinese Embassy stated in a release.

At the additional request of the Samoan government, the pathologists conducted three more autopsies of current cases.

The cause of death of the 16 bodies were finally determined by comprehensive post-mortem examinations and the Chinese forensic pathologist team has handed over its expert opinions and evidence to the Office of Attorney General and Samoa Police Commission for further judicial procedures.

China allows three children in major policy shift

China scrapped its decades-old one-child policy in 2016, replacing it with a two-child limit which has failed to lead to a sustained upsurge in births.

The cost of raising children in cities has deterred many Chinese couples.

The latest move was approved by President Xi Jinping at a meeting of top Communist Party officials.

Severe weather kills cross-country runners

On Saturday high winds and freezing rain hit participants in the 100km race in the Yellow River Stone Forest, a tourist site in Gansu province, state-run media reported.

The race was halted when some of the 172 runners went missing, Xinhua news agency said.

The bodies were found by search-and-rescue teams on Sunday.

Temperatures plummeted in the mountainous area overnight, making the search more difficult, according to Xinhua.

Yellow River Stone Forest is a rugged, 50 sq km area featuring spectacular stone pillars.

     

Shaking China skyscraper sends shoppers fleeing

Local authorities do not yet know what caused the 300m SEG Plaza building to wobble on Tuesday afternoon.

No earthquakes were recorded at the time. An investigation is under way.

The 20-year-old building houses an electronics market and offices.

It stands in the heart of Shenzhen, a sprawling city of more than 12 million people known for its shopping and booming tech industry.

Footage shared on social media showed hundreds of people running away from the skyscraper shortly after it was evacuated.

Australia upgrading bases, expands war games with US

At the same time, he has also defended comments made by Australia's new Defence Minister Peter Dutton that the possibility of conflict with China over Taiwan should not be "discounted".

Morrison was in Darwin to confirm a $747 million upgrade to defence facilities in the Northern Territory, part of $8 billion set to be spent on military infrastructure in northern Australia over the next decade.

The bases are often used for joint Australian-US military training exercises, including an annual rotation of thousands of US Marines.

Samoa secures six Chinese pathologists to clear backlog

Newsline Samoa reports the Director General of Health, Leausa Take Naseri, said the examinations are important to determine the cause of death.

He said it has not been easy securing the services of forensic pathologists since the COVID global lockdown.

He notes that in New Zealand there are only eight forensic pathologists.

Some of the group are workers on projects already planned which includes the Police Academy, Matautu Wharf renovation and other huge projects at the hospital.

 

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Australia provokes China anger over scrapped deals

The federal government used new powers to rip up two deals made between the state of Victoria and China.

Canberra said it was backing away from the agreements to protect Australia's national interest.

The Chinese embassy in Australia branded the move "provocative".

It said the action by Canberra was "bound to bring further damage to bilateral relations, and will only end up hurting itself."

"It further shows that the Australian government has no sincerity in improving China-Australia relations," a spokesperson said in a statement.

Chartered flight to bring Forensic Pathologist and contract workers to Samoa

This was confirmed by the Chairman of the National Emergency Operation’s Centre, Agafili Tomaimano Shem Leo in a press conference Tuesday.

Savali Newspaper reports the chartered flight will provide transport for workers to complete projects which are in limbo due to the Covid-19 international borders lockdown.

“Most of the workers from China will be contracted to the upgrading project for the Matautu wharf; some will be contracted to the building of the Police academy and also to the upgrading of the Moto’otua hospital buildings,” the N.E.O.C. Chairman elaborated.