Taiwan

Belize on Monday reaffirmed its diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the second country to do so in a week as Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen travels across Central America in an effort to shore up a dwindling number of allies.

A group of 17 students (pictured here in Meteora) from the US, India, Japan, Venezuela, Taiwan, Mexico and Kuwait earlier this month visited Greece on a 10-day educational tour that included visits to archaeological sites, museums and modern monuments as well as meetings with government officials and business leaders.

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has arrived in New York for a visit that has sparked threats of retaliatory measures from China, AFP reported.

He also pointed to the common origin of the two peoples.
"We are all Chinese," Ma said Tuesday in Nanjing, where he spoke in front of the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum. "The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are Chinese and both are descendants of the Yan and Yellow Emperors", he added.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen left for the United States on Wednesday, a stop on her way to firm up ties with Guatemala and Belize after China snapped up another of the self-ruled island's few diplomatic allies last week.

Australia is briefing neighboring Asian countries on its plan to build nuclear submarines ahead of an announcement about it in the United States, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, as local media reported the program could generate 20,000 jobs.

Day 379 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

The US Office of the Director of National Intelligence released its 2023 annual threat assessment on Wednesday (local time), which warned of threats against the US posed by China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.

"The United States and China are sliding toward inevitable conflict if Washington does not change its approach toward Beijing. Moreover, the US has no right to criticize the possibility that the Asian giant is helping Russia in its war in Ukraine, while itself is providing weapons to Taiwan."

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday promised "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan and decisive steps against Taiwanese independence, and Taipei responded that Beijing must respect the Taiwanese people's commitment to democracy and freedom, Reuters reported.