Air force nominee wants total drones approach to counter mainland China
Taiwan Strait , the US Senate Armed Forces Committee has heard.
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Air force secretary nominee Troy Meink told his confirmation hearing on Thursday that China posed the 'largest plausible military threat to the United States of America, as well as our allies and partners in the
Indo-Pacific region '.
'China has utilised the last two or more decades to 'go to school' on the United States as we were focused on countering violent extremism. They have used that time to modernise and attempt to catch up in terms of both capability and capacity,' he said.
'Furthermore, their aggressive behaviour in places like the
South China Sea conspicuously demonstrates a willingness to use military 'hard' power to achieve their national security objectives.'
Meink told the committee that he was 'most concerned' with the developmental timelines of Chinese military programmes. If the US could not shorten its own timelines in acquisition, China would be likely to continue closing the gap, he said.
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Turning to the Taiwan Strait, Meink said that unmanned systems played a critical role in deterring conflict in the 'highly contested and sensitive' region. Beijing's potential use of force against Taiwan presented a 'significant concern for regional and global stability'.
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HKFP
8 hours ago
- HKFP
Australia grants asylum to ‘wanted' Hong Kong democrat Ted Hui
Former pro-democracy Hong Kong lawmaker Ted Hui who is wanted by the Chinese city has been granted asylum in Australia, he said in a social media post, calling on Canberra to do more for those who remain jailed. The former British colony — handed back to China in 1997 — has seen dissent quashed since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law following huge and at times violent democracy protests that erupted in 2019. Hui, a high-profile participant at the time who has since resettled in Adelaide, said the Australian government had granted him a protection visa this week, with asylum also extending to his wife, children and parents. 'I express my sincere gratitude to the Government of Australia — both present and former — for recognising our need for asylum and granting us this protection,' he said in a Facebook post on Saturday. A vocal critic of Hong Kong and Beijing authorities, Hui is among several overseas activists targeted in 2023 by police bounties of HK$1 million each. The bounties, which have previously drawn strong criticism from Western countries, are seen as largely symbolic given that they affect people living abroad in nations unlikely to extradite political activists to Hong Kong or China. In this Facebook post, Hui urged the Australian government not to forget other Hong Kong activists who remained jailed, including tycoon Jimmy Lai, who has been behind bars since 2020. 'Australia must do more to rescue them and to speak up for their humanity,' Hui said. 'Its stance matters internationally, and its protection of Hongkongers sets a precedent for other democracies.' He added that he and his family will 'give back to Australia in every way we can — through our work, our civic engagement, and our commitment to the values of democracy and freedom'. While Hong Kong's government did not comment directly on Hui's case, a spokesperson said Saturday those who absconded should not think they could evade 'criminal liability'. 'Any country that harbours Hong Kong criminals in any form shows contempt for the rule of law, grossly disrespects Hong Kong's legal systems and barbarically interferes in the affairs of Hong Kong,' the spokesperson said. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has previously objected Hong Kong's arrest warrants and bounties. 'Freedom of expression and assembly are essential to our democracy,' she said last month on social media. 'We have consistently expressed our strong objections to China and Hong Kong on the broad and extraterritorial application of Hong Kong's national security legislation, and we will continue to do so.'
HKFP
12 hours ago
- HKFP
Timeline: Hong Kong civil society's mysteriously axed venue bookings
Independent civil society groups, NGOs, opposition parties and activists say that the space for operating in Hong Kong has shrunk since the onset of the city's two security laws. But aside from dwindling political room, finding literal, physical spaces for their events and fundraisers has also become complicated. In recent years, bookings by these groups have been cancelled at the last minute. Some venues cited anodyne reasons like urgent maintenance work, while others provided no explanation for the cancellations or alluded to official pressure. Among them was the Democratic Party – the city's largest opposition party, which is now facing disbandment following a Beijing-decreed overhaul of Hong Kong's electoral system in 2021. In 2023, Chief Executive John Lee was twice asked about the party's inability to secure a venue for its annual fundraising dinner. While Lee did not respond directly, he said that 'private organisations arranging private activities is the matter of the private organisation. I have no comments regarding private activities.' As the city steps up its effort to tackle ' soft resistance,' HKFP looks back at the recent history of mysterious venue booking cancellations. November 2018: Chinese dissident writer Ma Jian In 2018, local venues declined to host Chinese dissident writer Ma Jian, who was set to appear at two literary events that November, one of which focused on his new satirical novel, China Dream. Organised by the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, the talk was originally set to take place at Central's Tai Kwun art space, which cancelled the booking two days before it was due to take place. The then-director of Tai Kwun, Timothy Calnin, said that the space should not 'become a platform to promote the political interests of any individual.' The replacement venue, the Annex, located in Central's Nan Fung Place, issued a statement hours before Ma landed in Hong Kong, stating that it would not host the writer. Since 2020: Tiananmen vigil For decades, Victoria Park was the site for a mass commemoration of those who died in the Tiananmen crackdown. The 1989 crackdown ended months of student-led demonstrations in China, with hundreds – perhaps thousands – killed when the army cleared protesters in Beijing. Authorities have denied permission for Hong Kong's candlelit vigil since 2020, initially citing the Covid-19 pandemic, whilst the organising group – the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China – disbanded in 2021 in light of the national security law. In 2020, thousands gathered in Victoria Park to attend the annual candlelight vigil despite a police ban citing coronavirus-related public health concerns. In 2021, the park was sealed off several hours before the usual starting time of the vigil due to similar reasons. In 2022, the government announced it would temporarily shut down parts of Victoria Park, a day before the 33rd anniversary of the crackdown. Citing online calls that 'incited' unauthorised assemblies on the day, the authorities said the closure was to ensure public order and prevent the spread of Covid-19. In 2023, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department temporarily closed off part of the park, citing a phased maintenance project scheduled until the end of June. The LCSD added that the two football pitches and half of the two-hectare central lawn would be out of bounds until the end of June that year, owing to a phased maintenance project that began in March. Since 2023, Victoria Park has become the venue for the Hometown Market, a patriotic food carnival organised by a pro-Beijing group in Hong Kong with booths offering various Chinese regional foods among other activities. The carnival was held from June 1 to 5 in 2025. September 2021: Cantopop singer Denise Ho Cantopop star and pro-democracy activist Denise Ho had to cancel her September 12 live concert after the venue terminated her reservation agreement less than two weeks before the event was to take place. The Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) informed the singer's company of the cancellation in a letter on August 31, citing 'circumstances where public order or public safety would be endangered during the course of performance of hiring.' The live concert was originally set to be held at the HKAC's largest concert venue, Shouson Theatre in Wan Chai. Ho, an ardent supporter of the city's pro-democracy cause, accused the venue of providing no evidence or explanation for the cancellation, despite several inquiries. She also refuted the allegation that her concert could have endangered public order. The concert was held online on September 12, with Ho performing via livestream from a last-minute location without any air-conditioning. The livestreamed gig went ahead after the HKAC reneged on its promise to refund the singer the reservation fee of HK$127,800. May 2023: Cantopop singer Anthony Wong The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) declined to lease its venue to pro-democracy Cantopop singer Anthony Wong for his concert, originally scheduled to be held in August 2023. The singer said he was initially notified in January that his application to book a venue at the HKCEC was successful. In a letter shared by Wong on Facebook, the HKCEC provided no reason for the cancellation. 'We are sorry to inform you that we are not in a position to proceed with the execution of the licence agreement and the provision of venue for the Event,' the letter read. The singer, who was a vocal supporter of the 2014 pro-democracy Umbrella Movement and the 2019 protests and unrest, said that he and his team were 'calm' when they received the cancellation notice. 'However, I think that the HKCEC management owes Hong Kong citizens an open explanation as to why the right of a citizen – who loves Hong Kong – to perform for other Hongkongers has been taken away,' the singer's Facebook post read. September 2023: The Democratic Party Hong Kong's largest democratic party called off a fundraising dinner after two restaurants that were meant to host the event pulled out at the last minute, with one citing broken windows after the typhoon. The fundraising dinner was initially arranged at a restaurant in the Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, but the hotel said on August 31 that it had to cancel the party's booking. The Democratic Party chairperson, Lo Kin-hei, said the hotel did not give a reason. The dinner was then moved to a restaurant called Federal Cruise Banquet Centre, located in Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. But the restaurant informed the party on September 3 that it had to undergo maintenance works due to broken windows after Super Typhoon Saola hit Hong Kong one day earlier. The two cancellations for the annual dinner came after state-backed newspaper Wen Wei Po published an editorial accusing the Democratic Party's fundraising dinner of 'likely being a platform for the party to continue covertly promoting… illegal protest-related information.' The newspaper said that on the surface, the party was fundraising to continue operations and the upcoming District Council elections – but that in reality, the money could be related to raising legal fees for activists charged in the 47 democrats case. Before 2019, the Democratic Party's events were regularly attended by top officials and members of the pro-establishment. Then-chief secretary Matthew Cheung and financial chief Paul Chan were among those present at the fundraising dinner in 2019, while in 2018, then-chief executive Carrie Lam donated HK$30,000 at the event. The WeMedia Summit 2023, originally scheduled to be held at the Jao Tsung-I Academy on December 9 and 10, was forced to move online after the organiser was unable to secure a venue for the two-day event. The conference, organised by an NGO called Culture & Media Education Foundation, was to feature sharing sessions by freelance journalists and representatives from independent media outlets in Hong Kong. On November 17, however, the academy informed the foundation verbally that they had decided to cancel the booking. Following enquiries from the foundation, the academy said in a December 5 email that the contract termination came after 'careful consideration.' But it did not give any detailed explanation for the decision. The academy said in the email that 'our academy has determined that the event is not suitable to be held in our premises. The NGO later found a meeting room managed by the Centre for Community Cultural Development (CCCD) in the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre (JCCAC), as well as a restaurant in the arts centre under the Hong Kong Baptist University's (HKBU) management. But around four days before the summit, the CCCD and the restaurant informed the NGO that they were unable to provide the venues, citing pressure from the JCCAC. Chan said the venue providers told them that the media conference did not match the type of cultural activities hosted in the centre. The organiser eventually moved the summit online, as they did not have enough time to find another venue. May 2024: Cantopop singer Denise Ho Activist-singer Denise Ho announced that she would move her May 10 performance online – on her birthday – after she was unable to secure a live venue. The singer, who was arrested in December 2021 in connection with the Stand News sedition case, said it was very difficult for her to do a 'normal show' in an 'abnormal place.' Ho was convicted and fined in November 2022 for failing to register the 612 Humanitarian Fund – a legal fund for pro-democracy demonstrators which she was a trustee of – as a society under the Societies Ordinance. December 2024: Cantopop singer Pong Nan Hong Kong Cantopop singer Pong Nan vowed to 'keep performing,' after his concert scheduled for January 2025 was axed due to a venue cancellation by the city's art hub. 'You can stop a show, but you cannot stop me. I will keep creating, keep singing and keep performing as usual,' the singer – known for his support of the 2019 anti-extradition bill movement – wrote on Instagram. Nan's concert was originally set to take place at The Box, the city's largest black box theatre at the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD). Sunchase Productions said that they received a written notice from the WKCD on November 27, informing them that the booking for Nan's concert was cancelled. Neither Nan nor the production agency mentioned whether the art hub had provided an explanation for the cancellation. The WKCD told HKFP that it had no comment on the hiring arrangements for any individual events. Days before the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) was to hold their scheduled tournament matches, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced a nearly two-month closure of the football pitch in Happy Valley. The LSCD said on Tuesday that a football pitch at Happy Valley Recreation Ground would be temporarily closed from February 7 to March 31 for 'repair works.' The press union had planned to hold the HKJA Cup matches at the Happy Valley pitch on February 8 and 15, according to InMedia. The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) was forced to hold its annual fundraising online after two hotels cancelled its bookings. The HKJA initially scheduled to hold its annual fundraising dinner on February 15 at the Regal Hongkong Hotel in Causeway Bay. But two days before the event, the hotel axed the venue booking, citing 'water leakage causing unstable power supply.' However, when an HKFP reporter visited the hotel on Friday, February 14, a Valentine's Day matchmaking event was taking place at the function room the HKJA had booked. Three staff members had no knowledge of a power failure. The HKJA rescheduled the fundraising dinner to be held at another hotel, Eaton HK, on February 24. However, Eaton HK also cancelled the press union's venue booking days before the event, with no reason given. Following the cancellations, the HKJA held an online auction for 11 donated items on February 28 and also opened an online store. June 2025: Greenpeace Greenpeace in Hong Kong said it had to hold its eco-tourism seminar online after a university cancelled the venue booking for the event, citing 'urgent maintenance.' Greenpeace was originally set to host a series of talks on the city's eco-tourism policies in a Cheng Yu Tung Building lecture hall at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) on June 22, according to the NGO's social media announcement on Saturday. However, one day before the event, Greenpeace received notice from CUHK that the venue needed urgent repairs and decided to move its talk online, the green group said. June 2025: School debate contest A secondary-school debate competition featuring prominent democrats as judges was scrapped after a Tsuen Wan shopping mall and a local university cancelled bookings for the event. The competition was originally set to be held at the Citywalk shopping centre in Tsuen Wan, owned by developer Sino Group, on June 28. The organiser of Zi3Sin6 Debate said it was notified on June 25 that the booking had been pulled due to 'urgent repairs.' The group then booked to hold the competition at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, but the university withdrew the venue on June 26 'after inquiring into more details about the competition,' the organiser also said. The judges were to be former chairperson of the Democratic Party Emily Lau, and founding members of the now-defunct Civic Party Audrey Eu and Alan Leong. July 2025: Taiwanese singer Anpu Taiwanese singer Anpu cancelled her concert in Hong Kong scheduled to be held on August 23 at AsiaWorld Arena, with the organiser citing an 'irresistible force.' 'Due to the irresistible force of the organiser's situation, there is no way for the concert to go ahead as planned,' concert organiser CCY Entertainment said in a statement on July 29. It did not elaborate on what the 'irresistible force' was. However, the Taiwanese singer, whose full name is Chiao Anpu, publicly supported Taiwan's Sunflower Movement in 2014 and Hong Kong's pro-democracy Umbrella Movement in the same year. Anpu nevertheless came under fire from fans in 2024 after her management company posted her handwritten message celebrating China's National Day on October 1 on Weibo. July 2025: Pink Dot HK The city's largest LGBTQ+ event, Pink Dot, was cancelled after the organiser failed to secure its usual venue at the West Kowloon Cultural District. In a statement on July 31, the organiser said that it 'began to engage [with the] West Kowloon Cultural District' early in 2025 to rent Art Park – an outdoor venue – on October 12. 'However, while we were busy with planning and preparations, we were notified… that the venue could not be rented to us, without any explanation provided,' the statement read. The October event would have been the 11th year that Pink Dot had been held in Hong Kong.
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
China's top diplomat Wang Yi to visit India for first time in 3 years for border talks
Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit India for the first time in three years to discuss the latest round of border talks, the Chinese foreign ministry has confirmed. During the trip from August 18 to 20, top diplomat Wang will serve as the 'special representative of the China-India boundary question' in the 24th round of border talks 'at the invitation of the Indian side', according to a Saturday statement from the ministry. This series of negotiations aims to address long-standing border disputes , which have seen a temporary de-escalation following years of tension. Wang is expected to meet top Indian officials including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The two last met in Beijing in December to review disengagement in eastern Ladakh along the disputed border, known as the Line of Actual Control, where an estimated 50,000–60,000 troops remain deployed on each side. 'We stand ready to work with India to act on the important common understandings reached between leaders of our two countries, maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges, cement political mutual trust, enhance practical cooperation, properly handle differences, and promote the sustained, sound and steady development of China-India ties ,' Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Thursday in response to speculation about a trip by Wang. 'China and India are both major developing countries and important members of the Global South,' he said. 'A cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant as partners helping each other succeed is the right choice for both sides.'
