All Asia Pacific
Frozen bank accounts and unfinished homes: China鈥檚 鈥榙esperate situation鈥�Social contracts between governments and people must evolve, and China could be reaching such a juncture as its economic boom wanes.
First LookJapanese minister asks government to stop underestimating womenJapan鈥檚 Gender Equality Minister Noda Seiko calls out聽 Japanese government for superficial gender equality, 鈥渋t鈥檚 just talk,鈥� she says. Ms. Noda points out that the Japanese government is currently 90% male, and says women aren鈥檛 being sufficiently represented.
In the Philippines, free press won鈥檛 go down without a fightIt鈥檚 one thing to enshrine a freedom in the constitution 鈥� it鈥檚 another to ensure that freedom in practice.聽
First LookSri Lanka installs PM as president as protesters voice discontentSri Lankan politicians managed to overcome their differences and find consensus on a new president for the troubled nation. One problem: Their pick is the unpopular current prime minister, frustrating many Sri Lankans who are desperate for new leadership.
Will Abe Shinzo鈥檚 death give his agenda new life?Abe Shinzo was driven by ideology as well as pragmatism, determined to move Japan out of the shadow of World War II and onto the world stage.
First LookHow Shinzo Abe's assassination shapes Japan's election resultsThe preliminary vote counts showed Japan's governing Liberal Democratic Party on track to secure a coalition for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who could rule until 2025.
鈥楢 huge loss to Japan鈥�: Abe assassination shakes famously safe countryJapan is grappling not only with the loss of a larger-than-life statesman, but also with a shocking moment of violence that could have ripple effects for Japanese politics and society.
First LookU.S.-Taiwan partnership? China has had enough.China demands that the U.S. and Taiwan cease plotting and stop with military 鈥渃ollusion.鈥� Gen. Li Zuocheng, from Mainland China鈥檚 People鈥檚 Liberation Army, said in a virtual meeting that national sovereignty needed to be protected, and that the U.S. was meddling in Asian affairs.
First LookAbe Shinzo: A legacy Japan 'should be proud of'Abe Shinzo, who was assassinated Friday, angered many across Asia during his years as prime minister with his revisionist views and a push to revamp the Japanese military. Yet he also revitalized Japan鈥檚 economy and served as a rare beacon of political stability in the region.
China鈥檚 anniversary deal for Hong Kong: Conform and prosperXi Jinping鈥檚 recent visit to Hong Kong reveals how聽China is increasingly sacrificing diversity for ideological conformity.
First LookShanghai data leak: China tested by possible largest hack in history鈥淐hinaDan,鈥� a Chinese hacker, claims to possess the phone numbers, names, and ages of 1 billion Chinese citizens. Although the scale of the leak seems huge, experts say many online advertising companies already get the same type of data when browsing online.
First LookAnother era, another Marcos: Philippines greets new PresidentIn his inaugural speech as the 17th president of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. defended the stained legacy his father left behind, opting to instead highlight his economic successes. However, for the victims of the ousted dictator's regime, it鈥檚 not that simple.聽聽
Catholic nation? The Filipino Church rethinks its role in politics.A new Marcos government has Catholic leaders rethinking decades of inaction, and taking on more responsibility in the political sphere.
First LookTalent drain: Could Hong Kong shift from a financial to tech giant?Hong Kong鈥檚 status as a global business center is waning and some say a transformation is due. Last year, 90,000 people left Hong Kong and during the second wave of COVID this year, more than 100,000 people left. City leaders are puzzling through what comes next.聽
UN China trip: A foot in the door or human rights letdown?The commissioner聽of human rights got tripped up in the divide between China鈥檚 authoritarian take on human rights and that of the liberal West.聽
鈥楻un philosophy鈥�: Why 鈥榸ero COVID鈥� has young Chinese eyeing emigrationYoung Chinese have fled Shanghai in droves 鈥� and now, some are considering leaving the country altogether.
First LookDefying limits: Oldest person to sail solo across the PacificKenichi Horie of Japan became the oldest person (at 83) to complete a solo, nonstop voyage across the Pacific Ocean. But he's looking for his next challenge because he says "I'm still in the middle of my youth.鈥澛�
First LookAustralia swears in its most diverse Cabinet yetNew Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has led Australia's Labor Party back into power. Of the 30 ministers appointed to the new government, nearly half are women. Women also hold a record 10 spots out of 23 in core Cabinet roles.
First LookWeary and relieved: Shanghai reopens after a rigid lockdownShanghai residents celebrated Wednesday as restrictions eased for most of the city鈥檚 25 million people. The rigid lockdown, part of China鈥檚 COVID-zero policy,聽angered residents and hindered the national economy.
End of strategic ambiguity? Ukraine war shifts thinking on Taiwan.In both China and the U.S., the Ukraine conflict is shifting strategic thinking on Taiwan. All sides face high stakes.
