CHRISTOPHER BODEEN

China’s population falls for a third straight year, posing challenges for its government and economy

China’s population has fallen for the third straight year, pointing to further demographic challenges for the world’s second most populous nation that is now facing both an aging population and an emerging shortage of working age people able to support their elders.

Taiwan’s spy agency says China is working with gangs, shell companies to gain intelligence on Taiwan

Taiwan’s intelligence bureau says China’s main spy agency is working with criminal gangs, shell companies and other dubious partners to gain intelligence on Taiwan’s defenses, resulting in a major rise in those arrested for alleged espionage on the island.

Tents arrive for survivors of a quake that killed 126 in freezing, high-altitude Tibet

Rescuers in the freezing, high-altitude Tibet region in western China searched a second day for any remaining victims of a deadly earthquake that struck near a holy city for Tibetan Buddhists, before shifting their focus to resettling the survivors.

Taiwan says China is redoubling efforts to undermine democracy with disinformation

Taiwan’s government says China is redoubling efforts to undermine confidence in the self-governing island’s democracy with the spread of disinformation, especially online.

Numerous children injured by a vehicle outside an elementary school in central China

Chinese state media say numerous children were injured by a vehicle outside an elementary school in central China’s Hunan province.

Taiwan rejects South African demand to move its representative office from capital

Taiwan has rejected South Africa’s demand that it move its representative office in the country from the capital, Pretoria, to the commercial center of Johannesburg.

Taiwan celebrates its National Day holiday against a background of Chinese threats

Taiwan celebrated its National Day holiday against the background of threats from China, which claims the self-governing island republic as its own territory.

China test-fires an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean

China has test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean. The Defense Ministry said the ICBM launched Wednesday morning carried a dummy warhead and fell into the targeted area.

Japan and China reach deal over Fukushima water release and move closer to resolving seafood ban

Japan and China said Friday they have reached a deal toward resolving their disputes over the discharge of treated radioactive wastewater from the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea and Beijing’s ban on Japanese seafood.

Fruit and seafood are the latest front in escalating Taiwan-China tensions

Taiwan says China’s ban on imports of its fruit, vegetables, seafood and other goods violate trade rules, in the latest ratcheting up of tensions between the self-governing island republic and its massive neighbor, which has vowed to annex Taiwan by force.

Former Taiwan presidential candidate suspected in corruption case is sent back to jail

A former Taiwanese presidential candidate who was once mayor of the capital Taipei has been returned to custody amid a sprawling corruption scandal.

US envoy to Taiwan declares ties ‘rock solid’ amid military threats from China

The top U.S. envoy to Taiwan has declared support for the island as “rock-solid, principled, and bipartisan.” Raymond F.

Taiwan investigators to rule on further detention of former presidential candidate amid graft probe

Taiwan investigators are to rule on whether to further detain a former presidential candidate amid graft allegations. Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party was held overnight and was again questioned at a hearing extending into Monday morning.

Chinese and Philippine vessels collide at a disputed atoll and governments trade accusations

China and the Philippines have accused each other of causing a collision between their two vessels in the latest flareup of tensions over disputed waters and maritime features in the South China Sea.

A typhoon kills 3 as it nears Taiwan. It killed 13 in the Philippines, where people plead for rescue

A typhoon killed has three people in Taiwan as it approaches the island where air travelers have rushed to board remaining overseas flights.

Taiwan’s air force cancels drills as typhoon approaches. Naval and land exercises to continue

An approaching typhoon has prompted the cancellation of air force drills off Taiwan’s east coast. But naval and land exercises are set to continue in other parts of the self-governing island democracy, which China threatens to invade.

Taiwan says it was warned by China to not interfere in the detention of Taiwanese boat crew

Taiwan says China warned its coast guard against interfering in the detention of a Taiwanese fishing boat in what is seen as Beijing’s latest attempt to assert its territorial claims in the Taiwan Strait.

China sends dozens of warplanes and ships near Taiwan to show its anger over island’s new leaders

China has sent dozens of warplanes and navy vessels off Taiwan’s coast on the second day of a large exercise launched to show its anger over the island’s inauguration of new leaders who refuse to accept Beijing’s insistence that Taiwan is part of China.

Taiwan scrambles jets and puts missile, naval and land units on alert over China’s military drills

Taiwan says it has scrambled jets and put missile, naval and land units on alert over drills China has announced around the self-governing island democracy.

Taiwan’s new President Lai in his inauguration speech urges China to stop its military intimidation

Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te, has said in his inauguration speech that he seeks peace with China and urged it to stop its military threats against the self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own territory.

Taiwan’s foreign minister says China and Russia are supporting each other’s ‘expansionism’

Russia and China helped each other expand their territorial reach, and democracies must push back against authoritarian states that threaten their rights and sovereignty, Taiwan’s outgoing foreign minister, Joseph Wu, said in an interview with The Associated Press.

China criticizes US for ship’s passage through Taiwan Strait weeks before new leader takes office

China’s military is accusing the U.S. of playing up for maximum political effect its warship’s passage through the Taiwan Strait.

China publicizes for the first time what it claims is a 2016 agreement with Philippines

China has publicized for the first time what it claims is an unwritten 2016 agreement with the Philippines over access to South China Sea islands.

China sends a probe to get samples from the less-explored far side of the moon

China has launched a lunar probe to land on the far side of the moon and return with samples that could provide insights into differences between the less-explored region and the better-known near side.

As China’s Xi Jinping visits Europe, Ukraine, trade and investment are likely to top the agenda

Ukraine, trade and investment are expected to dominate Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s first trip to Europe in five years, which starts in France on Monday.

$8 billion US military aid package to Taiwan will ‘boost confidence’ in region: president-elect

Taiwan’s President-elect Lai Ching-te says an $8 billion defense package approved by the U.S. House over the weekend will “strengthen the deterrence against authoritarianism in the West Pacific ally chain,” in a reference to key rival China.

Chinese general takes a harsh line on Taiwan and other disputes at an international naval gathering

One of China’s top military leaders has taken a harsh line on regional territorial disputes. He told an international naval gathering that China would strike back with force if its interests came under threat.

US navy flies aircraft through the Taiwan Strait a day after US-China defense chiefs hold rare talks

The U.S. 7th Fleet says a Navy P-8A Poseidon has flown through the Taiwan Strait. The flight on Wednesday came a day after U.S. and Chinese defense chiefs held their first talks since November 2022.

Rescue teams in Taiwan searching for family feared trapped in rockslide following earthquake

Rescue teams are searching for a family of five feared trapped in a rockslide following Taiwan’s biggest earthquake in 25 years. The quake Wednesday left at least 12 dead.

Fierce earthquake rattles Taiwan, killing 9 and injuring more than 1,000

The most powerful earthquake to rock Taiwan in a quarter-century killed nine people, stranded dozens of workers at quarries, and sent some residents scrambling out the windows of damaged buildings.