International Relations
Asia Today: South Korean prosecutors question church leader
South Korean prosecutors have questioned the leader of a church sect over accusations it hampered the government’s anti-virus response after thousands of COVID-19 infections were detected among its members
Pompeo downplays possibility of summit with North Korea
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has downplayed the possibility of another summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before U.S. elections
Japan says coronavirus adds to security threat by China
Japan's government says China is pushing harder to make territorial claims in the regional seas and even using the coronavirus pandemic to expand its influence and take strategic superiority
China's trade rises as economy recovers from virus slump
China's imports of U.S. goods rose 10.6% in June over a year earlier and its global trade also grew in a fresh sign the world’s second-largest economy is gradually recovering from the pandemic
Asia shares drop on jitters over virus, China-US friction
Asian shares are falling as skepticism sets in about the recent upward momentum in global markets
US rejects nearly all Chinese claims in South China Sea
The Trump administration is escalating its actions against China by stepping squarely into one of the most sensitive regional issues dividing them and outright rejecting nearly all of Beijing’s significant maritime claims in the South China Sea
China bans Cruz, Rubio, Smith, Brownback over criticism
China says it will ban entry to U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, Representative Chris Smith and Ambassador for Religious Freedom Sam Brownback over their criticism of the ruling Communist Party's policies toward minority groups and people of faith
Philippines: China should comply with sea feud ruling
The Philippines has renewed its call for compliance with a 4-year-old arbitration ruling that invalidated China’s vast claims in the disputed South China Sea on historical grounds “without any possibility of compromise.”
China vows retaliation against US sanctions over Xinjiang
China says it will retaliate against U.S. officials and institutions following Washington's imposition of sanctions on three ruling Communist Party leaders over human rights abuses in the northwestern region of Xinjiang
S Korea asks senior US envoy to try to revive N Korea talks
South Korea has asked a visiting senior U.S. envoy to make efforts to revive stalled nuclear diplomacy with North Korea