Powdered gold in wigs, underwear: in Japan, smugglers get sophisticated amid soaring prices
By Kyodo
Gold smuggling cases have surged in Japan on the back of the rising price of the precious metal and the recovery of overseas tourists following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Customs authorities are ramping up measures to tighten border controls as smuggling methods become more sophisticated, such as hiding powdered gold in clothing, they said.
Last September, two Chinese nationals arriving from Hong Kong were found hiding a total of some 2.6 kilograms of powdered gold in wigs at Tokyo’s Haneda airport.
Schemes for gold smuggling to Japan have been widely touted on social media in mainland China and Hong Kong, with assurances that large profits can be made if individuals evade the import tax on the metal levied by customs, which is set at the same rate as the consumption tax.
The number of gold smuggling cases investigated by customs authorities nationwide started increasing in 2014, when the consumption tax rate was raised to 8 per cent from 5 per cent, hitting 1,347 in 2017. The consumption tax was raised to 10 per cent in 2019.
The figure decreased in 2018 and remained low due to stricter penalties and border controls as well as entry restrictions imposed to curb the coronavirus pandemic.
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By Kyodo
Gold smuggling cases have surged in Japan on the back of the rising price of the precious metal and the recovery of overseas tourists following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Customs authorities are ramping up measures to tighten border controls as smuggling methods become more sophisticated, such as hiding powdered gold in clothing, they said.
Last September, two Chinese nationals arriving from Hong Kong were found hiding a total of some 2.6 kilograms of powdered gold in wigs at Tokyo’s Haneda airport.
Schemes for gold smuggling to Japan have been widely touted on social media in mainland China and Hong Kong, with assurances that large profits can be made if individuals evade the import tax on the metal levied by customs, which is set at the same rate as the consumption tax.
The number of gold smuggling cases investigated by customs authorities nationwide started increasing in 2014, when the consumption tax rate was raised to 8 per cent from 5 per cent, hitting 1,347 in 2017. The consumption tax was raised to 10 per cent in 2019.
The figure decreased in 2018 and remained low due to stricter penalties and border controls as well as entry restrictions imposed to curb the coronavirus pandemic.
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Trump says Putin ‘wants to see people stop dying’ in Ukraine war
By Reuters
US President Donald Trump has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine, The New York Post reported late on Saturday.
In an interview aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump said that he had “better not say,” when asked how many times the two leaders have spoken.
“He (Putin) wants to see people stop dying,” Trump told the Post.
Neither the Kremlin nor the White House immediately responded to request for comment outside business hours.
In late January, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Putin is ready to hold a phone call with Trump and Moscow is waiting for word from Washington that it is ready too.
On Friday, Trump said he would probably meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky next week to discuss the end of the war.
The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, will mark its third anniversary on February 24. Thousands of people, the vast majority of them Ukrainian, have been killed during the conflict.
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By Reuters
US President Donald Trump has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine, The New York Post reported late on Saturday.
In an interview aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump said that he had “better not say,” when asked how many times the two leaders have spoken.
“He (Putin) wants to see people stop dying,” Trump told the Post.
Neither the Kremlin nor the White House immediately responded to request for comment outside business hours.
In late January, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Putin is ready to hold a phone call with Trump and Moscow is waiting for word from Washington that it is ready too.
On Friday, Trump said he would probably meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky next week to discuss the end of the war.
The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, will mark its third anniversary on February 24. Thousands of people, the vast majority of them Ukrainian, have been killed during the conflict.
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Why China’s super-rich are spending billions to set up universities
中国首富钟睒睒上个月宣布计划投资400亿元人民币（约合55亿美元）建立一所名为钱塘大学的私立大学，这一举动引起广泛关注。他表示，新大学将专注于推动科学研究、应用新技术和培养战略领域的顶尖人才。
这一倡议是中国创业者资助大学潮流中的最新一例，反映出国家商业精英在北京加大对高科技行业“自给自足”推动下，财富流向的变化。就在钟的宣布几天前，教育部批准了由福耀集团董事长曹德旺捐资100亿美元创办的福耀科技大学（FYUST）开始招收学生。此外，东部港口城市宁波的东部科技学院（EIT）也将在今年迎来首批本科生，标志着中国私立高等教育的快速发展。
根据胡润研究院的2024年中国慈善榜，70%的中国顶级捐赠者去年将教育作为首要关注点，较2023年的58%有所上升。这表明，越来越多的富裕中国人意识到教育的重要性，并愿意通过捐赠投资未来。
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中国首富钟睒睒上个月宣布计划投资400亿元人民币（约合55亿美元）建立一所名为钱塘大学的私立大学，这一举动引起广泛关注。他表示，新大学将专注于推动科学研究、应用新技术和培养战略领域的顶尖人才。
这一倡议是中国创业者资助大学潮流中的最新一例，反映出国家商业精英在北京加大对高科技行业“自给自足”推动下，财富流向的变化。就在钟的宣布几天前，教育部批准了由福耀集团董事长曹德旺捐资100亿美元创办的福耀科技大学（FYUST）开始招收学生。此外，东部港口城市宁波的东部科技学院（EIT）也将在今年迎来首批本科生，标志着中国私立高等教育的快速发展。
根据胡润研究院的2024年中国慈善榜，70%的中国顶级捐赠者去年将教育作为首要关注点，较2023年的58%有所上升。这表明，越来越多的富裕中国人意识到教育的重要性，并愿意通过捐赠投资未来。
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Britain’s immigration reality TV show slammed as ‘voyeuristic and nauseating’
英国最新的真人秀节目因重现难民的危险旅程而遭到广泛批评。该节目名为《回到你来的地方》，由Channel 4制作，跟随六位对移民持不同看法的参与者，分为两个团队，分别前往叙利亚的拉卡和索马里的摩加迪沙，体验难民所经历的一些最危险的旅程。
节目在形式上结合了纪录片与真人秀元素，尽管参与者在受保护的装甲车内旅行，但其内容仍被认为是“无情的窥探”和“令人作呕”。观众、慈善机构和一些媒体对节目的激进观点和格式表示失望，国际特赦组织英国分会称其为“极其令人失望”和“耸人听闻”。
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英国最新的真人秀节目因重现难民的危险旅程而遭到广泛批评。该节目名为《回到你来的地方》，由Channel 4制作，跟随六位对移民持不同看法的参与者，分为两个团队，分别前往叙利亚的拉卡和索马里的摩加迪沙，体验难民所经历的一些最危险的旅程。
节目在形式上结合了纪录片与真人秀元素，尽管参与者在受保护的装甲车内旅行，但其内容仍被认为是“无情的窥探”和“令人作呕”。观众、慈善机构和一些媒体对节目的激进观点和格式表示失望，国际特赦组织英国分会称其为“极其令人失望”和“耸人听闻”。
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New Zealand makes ‘golden visa’ simpler, drops language test to woo rich immigrants
By Bloomberg
New Zealand has simplified its so-called “golden visa” programme and removed an English-language requirement to attract wealthy immigrants and help spark an economic recovery.
From April 1, the Active Investor Plus visa will be narrowed to just two categories, while the scope of acceptable investments will be expanded, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said on Sunday in Auckland. As well as dropping the language test, other potential barriers to investment such as the amount of time investors must stay in the country will also be adjusted, she said.
“Capital is highly mobile and in an increasing complex world, people are looking for a safe and stable country to do business,” Stanford said. “We are now making our investor visa simpler and more flexible to incentivise investors to choose New Zealand as a destination.”
After a sharp recession in 2024, the New Zealand government wants to capitalise on falling interest rates to lift economic performance but has acknowledged it needs lacks the necessary capital. It is reworking foreign investment regulations, created a single agency to act as a one-stop shop for overseas fund managers, and has eased rules to allow visitors to work remotely, hoping that might encourage highly skilled people to relocate permanently.
“We should be rolling out the welcome mat and encouraging investor migrants to choose New Zealand as a destination for their capital,” Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis said on Sunday. “Foreign investment has the potential to provide jobs for Kiwis, lift incomes by delivering new businesses and investing in existing ones.”
The Active Investor Plus visa was successful at luring rich individuals to New Zealand and raked in an average NZ$1 billion (US$570 million) a year, but has languished after rule changes in late 2022.
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By Bloomberg
New Zealand has simplified its so-called “golden visa” programme and removed an English-language requirement to attract wealthy immigrants and help spark an economic recovery.
From April 1, the Active Investor Plus visa will be narrowed to just two categories, while the scope of acceptable investments will be expanded, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said on Sunday in Auckland. As well as dropping the language test, other potential barriers to investment such as the amount of time investors must stay in the country will also be adjusted, she said.
“Capital is highly mobile and in an increasing complex world, people are looking for a safe and stable country to do business,” Stanford said. “We are now making our investor visa simpler and more flexible to incentivise investors to choose New Zealand as a destination.”
After a sharp recession in 2024, the New Zealand government wants to capitalise on falling interest rates to lift economic performance but has acknowledged it needs lacks the necessary capital. It is reworking foreign investment regulations, created a single agency to act as a one-stop shop for overseas fund managers, and has eased rules to allow visitors to work remotely, hoping that might encourage highly skilled people to relocate permanently.
“We should be rolling out the welcome mat and encouraging investor migrants to choose New Zealand as a destination for their capital,” Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis said on Sunday. “Foreign investment has the potential to provide jobs for Kiwis, lift incomes by delivering new businesses and investing in existing ones.”
The Active Investor Plus visa was successful at luring rich individuals to New Zealand and raked in an average NZ$1 billion (US$570 million) a year, but has languished after rule changes in late 2022.
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Hong Kong considers cash grants for schools to hire more native English teachers
By William Yiu
Hong Kong schools may be allowed to hire more native-speaking English teachers (NETs) under a review of a recruitment scheme introduced more than two decades ago, the Post has learned.
But the proposed changes may result in lower pay and fewer benefits for these teachers, with the Education Bureau giving schools the flexibility to choose between taking cash grants for recruiting NETs or hiring them under the existing allocation system.
Three principals the Post spoke to explained the bureau had been consulting the sector through various focus groups about introducing a cash grant option for schools to hire NETs.
“The bureau official said to us it would be implemented as soon as the next school year if all details could be finalised,” a principal said on condition of anonymity.
Confirming the plan, Polly Chan Suk-yee, vice-chairwoman of the Hong Kong Aided Primary School Heads Association and a primary school principal, said it remained unclear how big the cash grant would be or what the requirements for the teachers’ qualifications would be.
“More schools would definitely prefer using the cash grant to hire 1.5 or even 2 NETs, unless they had already hired an excellent NET under the existing scheme,” Chan said, referring to some teachers who only took up half of the role.
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By William Yiu
Hong Kong schools may be allowed to hire more native-speaking English teachers (NETs) under a review of a recruitment scheme introduced more than two decades ago, the Post has learned.
But the proposed changes may result in lower pay and fewer benefits for these teachers, with the Education Bureau giving schools the flexibility to choose between taking cash grants for recruiting NETs or hiring them under the existing allocation system.
Three principals the Post spoke to explained the bureau had been consulting the sector through various focus groups about introducing a cash grant option for schools to hire NETs.
“The bureau official said to us it would be implemented as soon as the next school year if all details could be finalised,” a principal said on condition of anonymity.
Confirming the plan, Polly Chan Suk-yee, vice-chairwoman of the Hong Kong Aided Primary School Heads Association and a primary school principal, said it remained unclear how big the cash grant would be or what the requirements for the teachers’ qualifications would be.
“More schools would definitely prefer using the cash grant to hire 1.5 or even 2 NETs, unless they had already hired an excellent NET under the existing scheme,” Chan said, referring to some teachers who only took up half of the role.
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China faces uphill battle to boost demand despite consumer price recovery in January
By Sylvia Ma
China’s consumer prices picked up in January given the seasonal spending boost from Lunar New Year holiday, but analysts warned that the country still needed to battle deflationary pressure and revitalise domestic demand in 2025 as policy shifts from US President Donald Trump have made the external environment more inscrutable.
The consumer price index (CPI), a major indicator of inflation, rose by 0.5 per cent year on year last month, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Sunday, following a 0.1 per cent increase in December. The figure is in line with the average estimate in a poll of economists by financial data provider Wind.
The index was up 0.7 per cent from December, the highest month-on-month rise in more than three years.
Meanwhile, the producer price index (PPI), which tracks prices at the factory gate, fell by 2.3 per cent in January, marking the 28th consecutive monthly decline. The Wind poll had predicted a year-on-year fall of 2.07 per cent last month.
Near-zero growth in China’s CPI, observed since April 2023, has fuelled anxieties about deflation and weak demand.
The price of consumer goods rose by 0.1 per cent year on year last month, while the price of services increased by 1.1 per cent.
Food prices increased by 0.4 per cent year on year in January, while non-food prices climbed by 0.5 per cent.
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By Sylvia Ma
China’s consumer prices picked up in January given the seasonal spending boost from Lunar New Year holiday, but analysts warned that the country still needed to battle deflationary pressure and revitalise domestic demand in 2025 as policy shifts from US President Donald Trump have made the external environment more inscrutable.
The consumer price index (CPI), a major indicator of inflation, rose by 0.5 per cent year on year last month, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Sunday, following a 0.1 per cent increase in December. The figure is in line with the average estimate in a poll of economists by financial data provider Wind.
The index was up 0.7 per cent from December, the highest month-on-month rise in more than three years.
Meanwhile, the producer price index (PPI), which tracks prices at the factory gate, fell by 2.3 per cent in January, marking the 28th consecutive monthly decline. The Wind poll had predicted a year-on-year fall of 2.07 per cent last month.
Near-zero growth in China’s CPI, observed since April 2023, has fuelled anxieties about deflation and weak demand.
The price of consumer goods rose by 0.1 per cent year on year last month, while the price of services increased by 1.1 per cent.
Food prices increased by 0.4 per cent year on year in January, while non-food prices climbed by 0.5 per cent.
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Temperatures in Hong Kong fall to 10 degrees, cold weather warning issued
香港多个地区的气温在周日早晨降至约10摄氏度，气象局因此发布了寒冷天气警告。这项警告是在早上6点发布的，原因是强烈的冬季季风为广东沿海地区带来了非常干燥的天气。气象局表示：“今天早晨本地气温偏低，许多地方的气温降至约10度，高地的气温更低。”
在香港最高峰太和山（海拔957米）上，记录到全市最低气温为3.6度，而海拔552米的山顶也降至4.4度。此外，新界部分地区的最低气温也低于10度，包括大龙的6.6度和打鼓岭的7.9度。这种寒冷天气的出现，提醒市民注意保暖，并可能对日常生活产生一定影响。
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香港多个地区的气温在周日早晨降至约10摄氏度，气象局因此发布了寒冷天气警告。这项警告是在早上6点发布的，原因是强烈的冬季季风为广东沿海地区带来了非常干燥的天气。气象局表示：“今天早晨本地气温偏低，许多地方的气温降至约10度，高地的气温更低。”
在香港最高峰太和山（海拔957米）上，记录到全市最低气温为3.6度，而海拔552米的山顶也降至4.4度。此外，新界部分地区的最低气温也低于10度，包括大龙的6.6度和打鼓岭的7.9度。这种寒冷天气的出现，提醒市民注意保暖，并可能对日常生活产生一定影响。
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5 Thai workers held captive for more than a year in Gaza return home
By Associated Press
Five Thai workers released after being held hostage for more than a year in Gaza arrived in Bangkok on Sunday.
Sarusak Rumnao, 32, Watchara Sriaoun, 33, Sathian Suwannakham, 35, Pongsak Thaenna, 36, and Bannawat Saethao, 27, were freed on January 30 as part of an exchange arrangement.
They were the second batch of Thai hostages released since the war broke out. During an earlier ceasefire in November 2023, 23 Thai nationals were released in a deal negotiated between Thailand and Hamas, with help from Qatar and Iran.
All five men were assessed at a hospital outside Tel Aviv before their return. Four of them were joined by one relative each earlier this week. The trip was sponsored by the Israeli government, according to the Thai embassy in Tel Aviv.
Hamas militants kidnapped 31 Thai nationals during the October 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel, making them the largest group of foreigners held captive. Many of the Thai agricultural workers lived in compounds on the outskirts of southern Israeli kibbutzim and towns, and Hamas militants overran those places first.
A total of 46 Thais have been killed during the conflict, including two Thai citizens who were killed during the attack and their bodies taken into Gaza, according to Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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By Associated Press
Five Thai workers released after being held hostage for more than a year in Gaza arrived in Bangkok on Sunday.
Sarusak Rumnao, 32, Watchara Sriaoun, 33, Sathian Suwannakham, 35, Pongsak Thaenna, 36, and Bannawat Saethao, 27, were freed on January 30 as part of an exchange arrangement.
They were the second batch of Thai hostages released since the war broke out. During an earlier ceasefire in November 2023, 23 Thai nationals were released in a deal negotiated between Thailand and Hamas, with help from Qatar and Iran.
All five men were assessed at a hospital outside Tel Aviv before their return. Four of them were joined by one relative each earlier this week. The trip was sponsored by the Israeli government, according to the Thai embassy in Tel Aviv.
Hamas militants kidnapped 31 Thai nationals during the October 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel, making them the largest group of foreigners held captive. Many of the Thai agricultural workers lived in compounds on the outskirts of southern Israeli kibbutzim and towns, and Hamas militants overran those places first.
A total of 46 Thais have been killed during the conflict, including two Thai citizens who were killed during the attack and their bodies taken into Gaza, according to Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Hongkonger recounts how he lost HK$1.3 million in scam despite being vigilant
香港居民Alan Chew在四个月内被骗走130万港元（约合145,100美元），尽管他认为自己采取了预防措施。他遭到了诈骗者通过WhatsApp的操控与威胁，最终失去了所有的积蓄。55岁的Chew表示：“我从没想过我会陷入这样的境地，现在我身无分文。”
根据最新官方统计，2024年前11个月，香港居民因欺诈损失高达85.2亿港元，警方处理的案件数量也显著增加，从2023年的39,824起上升至40,470起，2022年仅为27,923起。今年1月，特首李家超呼吁市民保持警惕，强调诈骗行为已成为全球性的问题，诈骗者使用的手段愈发隐秘和狡诈。
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香港居民Alan Chew在四个月内被骗走130万港元（约合145,100美元），尽管他认为自己采取了预防措施。他遭到了诈骗者通过WhatsApp的操控与威胁，最终失去了所有的积蓄。55岁的Chew表示：“我从没想过我会陷入这样的境地，现在我身无分文。”
根据最新官方统计，2024年前11个月，香港居民因欺诈损失高达85.2亿港元，警方处理的案件数量也显著增加，从2023年的39,824起上升至40,470起，2022年仅为27,923起。今年1月，特首李家超呼吁市民保持警惕，强调诈骗行为已成为全球性的问题，诈骗者使用的手段愈发隐秘和狡诈。
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Why Trump 2.0 ignoring Thailand would be a mistake
美国总统唐纳德·特朗普的回归可能会对美泰关系造成重大影响，但这种担忧可能被夸大。特朗普在东南亚的政策将主要受其对中国的关注驱动，这可能使得泰国在经济和贸易领域面临压力。尽管特朗普与其前任乔·拜登在对外政策上存在显著差异，但泰国仍需保持其灵活的外交策略，以应对未来可能出现的挑战。
拜登的政策强调多边关系和全球合作，通过如2022年印太经济框架等倡议加强与东盟国家的联系。相比之下，特朗普可能更加注重于交易现实主义，强调国家安全和经济优势，而非构建广泛的国际联盟。在特朗普的首任期内，贸易问题已经成为其与泰国关系的核心，可能会对泰国的关税政策和市场准入施加压力，尤其是在泰国面临美国对其高关税和知识产权问题的批评时。
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美国总统唐纳德·特朗普的回归可能会对美泰关系造成重大影响，但这种担忧可能被夸大。特朗普在东南亚的政策将主要受其对中国的关注驱动，这可能使得泰国在经济和贸易领域面临压力。尽管特朗普与其前任乔·拜登在对外政策上存在显著差异，但泰国仍需保持其灵活的外交策略，以应对未来可能出现的挑战。
拜登的政策强调多边关系和全球合作，通过如2022年印太经济框架等倡议加强与东盟国家的联系。相比之下，特朗普可能更加注重于交易现实主义，强调国家安全和经济优势，而非构建广泛的国际联盟。在特朗普的首任期内，贸易问题已经成为其与泰国关系的核心，可能会对泰国的关税政策和市场准入施加压力，尤其是在泰国面临美国对其高关税和知识产权问题的批评时。
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Trump’s foreign aid freeze sounds security alarm in Taiwan amid cross-strait tension
By Lawrence Chung
The US foreign aid freeze ordered by the Trump administration has raised alarm in Taiwan, with analysts warning that the move could broadly weaken the island’s defence and security at a time of growing military pressure from Beijing.
Beyond military implications, the freeze could force Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government to recalibrate its approach to both Washington and Beijing, as reduced US support may create an opening for Beijing to expand its influence, according to analysts.
On January 24, the US State Department issued a “stop work” order freezing nearly all foreign assistance for 90 days to review its alignment with US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy. It exempts only emergency food aid and foreign military financing for Israel and Egypt, without mentioning key US security partners such as Ukraine or Taiwan.
Although Taiwan has not received direct US foreign aid since Washington switched its diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979, military support has grown in recent years. Under former president Joe Biden, the US approved a landmark US$345 million military aid package in 2023, followed by a further US$571 million package last year, providing Taiwan with free weapons, training and services.
Congress also authorised up to US$10 billion in no-interest loans for Taiwan until 2027.
US military aid to Taiwan remains smaller than that of other allies but Trump’s freeze has heightened concern in Taipei, particularly after his administration moved to halt the operation of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
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By Lawrence Chung
The US foreign aid freeze ordered by the Trump administration has raised alarm in Taiwan, with analysts warning that the move could broadly weaken the island’s defence and security at a time of growing military pressure from Beijing.
Beyond military implications, the freeze could force Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government to recalibrate its approach to both Washington and Beijing, as reduced US support may create an opening for Beijing to expand its influence, according to analysts.
On January 24, the US State Department issued a “stop work” order freezing nearly all foreign assistance for 90 days to review its alignment with US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy. It exempts only emergency food aid and foreign military financing for Israel and Egypt, without mentioning key US security partners such as Ukraine or Taiwan.
Although Taiwan has not received direct US foreign aid since Washington switched its diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979, military support has grown in recent years. Under former president Joe Biden, the US approved a landmark US$345 million military aid package in 2023, followed by a further US$571 million package last year, providing Taiwan with free weapons, training and services.
Congress also authorised up to US$10 billion in no-interest loans for Taiwan until 2027.
US military aid to Taiwan remains smaller than that of other allies but Trump’s freeze has heightened concern in Taipei, particularly after his administration moved to halt the operation of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
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Richard Gere calls Trump a ‘thug’, says US in a ‘very dark place’
By Agence France-Presse
American actor Richard Gere called President Donald Trump a “bully” and a “thug” on Saturday during an awards ceremony in Spain, and said the United States was in a “very dark place”.
The 75-year-old, who received an International Goya Award at Spain’s top film honours, warned that authoritarianism is on the rise “everywhere”.
“We’re in a very dark place in America, where we have a bully, a thug, who’s the president of the United States. But it’s not just in the US, it’s everywhere,” he said. “Authoritarianism takes us all over.”
The Pretty Woman and American Gigolo actor was also highly critical of Trump during a press conference in Granada on Friday.
During Saturday’s gala, Spanish actor Antonio Banderas presented Gere with the honorary award for “his extraordinary contribution to the art of filmmaking” and his social commitment to various causes, including the plight of refugees and the homeless.
During his speech, Gere warned of the “dark marriage” of power and money “like we’ve never seen before”.
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By Agence France-Presse
American actor Richard Gere called President Donald Trump a “bully” and a “thug” on Saturday during an awards ceremony in Spain, and said the United States was in a “very dark place”.
The 75-year-old, who received an International Goya Award at Spain’s top film honours, warned that authoritarianism is on the rise “everywhere”.
“We’re in a very dark place in America, where we have a bully, a thug, who’s the president of the United States. But it’s not just in the US, it’s everywhere,” he said. “Authoritarianism takes us all over.”
The Pretty Woman and American Gigolo actor was also highly critical of Trump during a press conference in Granada on Friday.
During Saturday’s gala, Spanish actor Antonio Banderas presented Gere with the honorary award for “his extraordinary contribution to the art of filmmaking” and his social commitment to various causes, including the plight of refugees and the homeless.
During his speech, Gere warned of the “dark marriage” of power and money “like we’ve never seen before”.
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How Trump’s hobbling of USAID cedes Southeast Asia to Chinese influence
特朗普政府决定冻结国际援助和削减联邦机构的举措对全球产生了深远影响，尤其是东南亚地区。这一政策导致美国国际开发署（USAID）项目的关闭，威胁到大湄公河地区的人道主义援助、发展计划和灾难救援工作。
自1961年约翰·F·肯尼迪总统创立以来，USAID一直是美国全球参与的重要支柱，致力于促进可持续发展、减少贫困和推动稳定。然而，在特朗普上任的第一周内，所有外国援助被突然冻结，这一决定令国际援助界和外国政府深感震惊。此举的长期影响可能会对东南亚的区域发展、治理和安全产生严重后果。
在特朗普第二任期内，外援问题再次受到关注，这与其“美国优先”政策以及对多边主义的忽视密切相关。预算削减对大湄公河地区产生了严重影响，数百万人面临粮食不安全、健康危机以及越战遗留的未爆炸弹药威胁。研究机构的专家指出，这种援助冻结对东南亚的贫困国家，如柬埔寨、老挝和缅甸，尤其造成了巨大的挑战。
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特朗普政府决定冻结国际援助和削减联邦机构的举措对全球产生了深远影响，尤其是东南亚地区。这一政策导致美国国际开发署（USAID）项目的关闭，威胁到大湄公河地区的人道主义援助、发展计划和灾难救援工作。
自1961年约翰·F·肯尼迪总统创立以来，USAID一直是美国全球参与的重要支柱，致力于促进可持续发展、减少贫困和推动稳定。然而，在特朗普上任的第一周内，所有外国援助被突然冻结，这一决定令国际援助界和外国政府深感震惊。此举的长期影响可能会对东南亚的区域发展、治理和安全产生严重后果。
在特朗普第二任期内，外援问题再次受到关注，这与其“美国优先”政策以及对多边主义的忽视密切相关。预算削减对大湄公河地区产生了严重影响，数百万人面临粮食不安全、健康危机以及越战遗留的未爆炸弹药威胁。研究机构的专家指出，这种援助冻结对东南亚的贫困国家，如柬埔寨、老挝和缅甸，尤其造成了巨大的挑战。
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Chinese auto-part maker APT Electronics rethinks global expansion amid Trump tariffs
APT Electronics, a Guangzhou-based supplier of automotive lighting and LED components, is taking a cautious stance on overseas expansion due to concerns about new tariffs under US President Donald Trump’s administration. Chairman David Xiao Guowei noted that while the recent 10 percent tariffs on Chinese imports won't have an immediate impact, ongoing policy changes could pose challenges, prompting a more prudent approach.
The company is also watching potential tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, where some clients have factories exporting to the US. Trump's threat of a 25 percent duty on these goods was postponed after discussions with the countries' leaders. APT has been considering establishing production lines in North America, Southeast Asia, and Europe since 2023, with decisions hinging on timing and costs. Despite current trade tensions, Xiao remains cautiously optimistic about US-China relations, citing open dialogue between the two nations and expressing confidence in the company's ability to navigate these challenges, similar to its resilience during the trade war in 2019.
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APT Electronics, a Guangzhou-based supplier of automotive lighting and LED components, is taking a cautious stance on overseas expansion due to concerns about new tariffs under US President Donald Trump’s administration. Chairman David Xiao Guowei noted that while the recent 10 percent tariffs on Chinese imports won't have an immediate impact, ongoing policy changes could pose challenges, prompting a more prudent approach.
The company is also watching potential tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, where some clients have factories exporting to the US. Trump's threat of a 25 percent duty on these goods was postponed after discussions with the countries' leaders. APT has been considering establishing production lines in North America, Southeast Asia, and Europe since 2023, with decisions hinging on timing and costs. Despite current trade tensions, Xiao remains cautiously optimistic about US-China relations, citing open dialogue between the two nations and expressing confidence in the company's ability to navigate these challenges, similar to its resilience during the trade war in 2019.
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