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Li Chen-hsiu faced questions about her nationality, identity and loyalty to Taiwan just a day after taking her oath as a member of Taiwan's Legislature. Li, who was born in China and became a Taiwanese citizen through marriage, is known as a “mainland spouse.” She is among around 369,000 Chinese-born people in Taiwan whose status has come under greater scrutiny as tensions with China continue to rise. For two months, Li was the only China-born lawmaker in Taiwan who had moved to the island through marriage before she was forced to leave the legislature. “It’s only because of Taiwan, which has this free and democratic system, and the Taiwan People’s Party, which was willing to give a political newcomer a chance, that I could have this opportunity,” she told The Associated Press in July. But growing fears of a possible Chinese military attack have made life more difficult for mainland spouses. The group includes people from different generations and backgrounds, ranging from women who married former Chinese soldiers to younger and more educated people who married Taiwanese citizens after cross-strait travel restrictions eased. Decades of tensionChina and Taiwan split after a civil war in 1949, when the Nationalist government fled to the island. The two sides cut off most contact for decades until Taiwan allowed residents to visit relatives in China in 1987. Tensions have risen again since 2016, when independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen took office and Beijing ended official communication with Taipei. China now regularly sends military aircraft and naval vessels near Taiwan and has increased efforts to isolate the island diplomatically. Beijing has also kept Taiwan out of international organisations and used disinformation campaigns against it. The growing threat has intensified debate over who can be trusted in Taiwan. A New Taipei court on Tuesday sentenced Hsu Chun-ying, head of an organisation that supports mainland spouses, to seven years in prison for allegedly working for Beijing to spy on Taiwan and interfere in its politics. Older generation came to Taiwan after marriageMi Zhengrong, 72, is among the older generation of mainland spouses. She met her first husband through relatives in China's Hubei province. He was a former soldier who had fled to Taiwan during the civil war. After cross-strait visits were allowed, some veterans returned to China and married women there before bringing them to Taiwan. Mi married her husband and lived with him in China before they moved to Taiwan in 2002 because he missed the island. He died after 12 years of marriage. Mi later married a neighbour in Taiwan and cared for him for nearly a decade after he became paralysed. She is now seeking his military pension, but he died 13 days before their marriage reached the 10-year requirement. Although the military initially granted her the pension, it later withdrew it after finding that the couple had been married for less than 10 years. Mi now survives on about 10,000 New Taiwan dollars ($330) a month, with around one-third going toward rent. Despite her difficulties, she said she wants to remain in Taiwan. “How many of us want to go back?” she said. “No one wants to go back.” Taiwan had previously introduced measures to help mainland spouses integrate, including reducing the waiting period for citizenship and allowing them to work. But authorities have recently begun tightening those policies. Last spring, Taiwan deported three Chinese-born women who had used social media to advocate reunification with China by force. The Mainland Affairs Council said they posed repeated threats to Taiwan's national security and social stability. Immigration authorities have also asked around 12,000 mainland spouses who already hold Taiwanese citizenship to prove they had cancelled their household registrations in China. Those who fail to provide the documents could lose their Taiwanese citizenship. Li's case sparks debateLi entered the legislature in February with the Taiwan People's Party but quickly faced strong opposition. Taiwan's interior minister said she could not serve because she had not provided documents showing she had given up her Chinese citizenship. The Mainland Affairs Council also said she failed to provide proof on time that she had held only one nationality for the previous 10 years. Li argued that she had been a Taiwanese citizen since 1999 and had cancelled her Chinese household registration that year, which she said fulfilled the requirements. The dispute remained unresolved until April, when her party expelled her. The government subsequently tightened requirements for Chinese-born lawmakers. A spokesperson for the Mainland Affairs Council said the decision was based on legal requirements, not politics. Some legal experts, however, accused the government of applying the rules selectively. Bruce Liao, a law professor and immigration law expert at National Chengchi University, said some laws were being interpreted in a distorted way. Others defended the government's approach as necessary for national security. Yen-Tu Su, a researcher at Academia Sinica, said the government has a strong interest in protecting the country and should have some authority to determine whether a foreign-born resident poses a threat to public safety. Different rules for Chinese-born spousesEven before the latest controversy, Chinese-born spouses faced different rules from spouses from other countries. Mainland spouses can apply for Taiwanese citizenship after six years, compared with four years for foreign spouses. They must also hold Taiwanese citizenship for 10 years before applying for government jobs, while foreign spouses can apply for most lower-level government positions soon after becoming citizens. The different treatment is largely linked to concerns over loyalty and China's security threats. Shangguanluan, a Chinese writer and activist who moved to Taiwan with her Taiwanese husband in 2021, said she often faces questions about whether she is working for China's Communist Party or could be a spy. She acknowledged that Beijing actively seeks information but said mainland spouses are unlikely to be its most valuable targets. “If they want some core secrets,” she said, they are more likely to target people with direct access to sensitive information, such as defence officials, technology experts, academics or senior business figures. “There’s no room for ‘mainland spouses’” among the most valuable targets for such information, she said.

Tropical Storm Dolphin brought heavy rain to parts of eastern China on Monday, triggering flooding in some areas after the storm made landfall as a typhoon a day earlier. Authorities warned of possible severe flooding and landslides in vulnerable areas. Dolphin had maximum sustained winds of 65 kph (40 mph) on Monday morning and was weakening, Taiwan's Central Weather Administration said. China's Meteorological Administration said the storm was moving northwest at 15 to 20 kph (9 to 12 mph) and was expected to weaken further before disappearing. Dolphin made landfall Sunday evening in Taizhou in Zhejiang province with winds of up to 151 kph (93 mph). Before reaching China, it brought heavy rain to northern Taiwan over the weekend. China's state broadcaster CCTV reported that authorities in Yueqing, a city in Zhejiang, searched flooded homes for people who might be trapped and cleared fallen branches from roads. Ahead of the storm, more than 300,000 people were moved to safer areas as a precaution. Shanghai's two airports also canceled more than 1,300 flights. Death toll rises in the PhilippinesAlthough Dolphin did not make landfall in the Philippines, it strengthened seasonal monsoon rains that caused flooding and landslides across northern Luzon. A landslide buried three houses in the northern mountain city of Baguio on Sunday night, killing five people, while at least five others remained missing, officials said. Rescue teams continued searching for the missing on Monday despite intermittent rain. Three people were rescued alive and taken to hospital, according to Baguio authorities. The latest deaths raised the toll from nearly a week of heavy rain, flooding and a tropical storm in northern Luzon to 15, the government's Office of Civil Defense said. More than 1 million people have been affected by the heavy monsoon rains and flooding, including around 98,000 who were forced to leave their homes. About 58,000 displaced people were staying at around 642 government-run emergency shelters, said Laurence Mina of the Office of Civil Defense. Another storm heads toward JapanMeanwhile, Tropical Storm Chan-hom was moving toward Japan's Pacific coast. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 83 kph (51 mph) on Monday morning and was expected to strengthen slightly before making landfall between Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

China on Wednesday announced a series of countermeasures against the United States, including tighter controls on drone exports to the US and sanctions on six American entities, in response to recent trade and technology restrictions imposed by Washington. The measures come as tensions persist between the world's two largest economies ahead of an expected visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States in September, despite recent efforts by both sides to stabilize relations. In a statement, China's Commerce Ministry said the latest actions were prompted by several recent US decisions, including the Federal Communications Commission's restrictions on imports of Chinese drones and Washington's addition of 43 Chinese companies to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act entity list. Beijing said the US measures undermine the consensus reached by the two countries' leaders and harm China's legitimate interests, adding that it was left with "no choice" but to respond. China said exports of drones, key drone components and related technologies listed as dual-use items with both civilian and military applications will now be subject to case-by-case government review before being approved for shipment to the United States. The Commerce Ministry also barred six US entities, including Applied DNA Sciences Inc. and the rights group Human Rights in China, from conducting trade or other business activities with Chinese organizations. Separately, China prohibited Compliance Testing LLC from operating in the Chinese market, accusing the company of cooperating with the US Federal Communications Commission in ways that harmed China's sovereignty and national security. Chinese authorities also announced a national security review of imported printing software and office equipment, although they did not identify any specific companies involved. Meanwhile, China's State Administration for Market Regulation said US-based firms will no longer be allowed to conduct follow-up factory inspections for China Compulsory Certification (CCC), a key product safety certification for electronic goods. The change means US manufacturers seeking CCC approval will need to rely on auditors or certification bodies based outside the United States. The latest measures follow a series of US actions targeting Chinese technology products. In December, the FCC restricted imports of new Chinese drones before later easing the ban for certain models. Last week, Washington also announced restrictions on imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots and power inverters, citing national security concerns.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on Monday said challenges such as maintaining "political unity and social stability" under complex circumstances, breaking through the bottleneck of a single-industry structure, and creating a more favorable external environment are important issues that need to be addressed in Bangladesh’s governance journey. Speaking at a joint training programme, he said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s people-centered, pragmatic, and efficient governing style has brought a fresh look to national governance. The Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) hosted the joint training programme titled "2026 Comparative Governance Forum" at the BIISS Auditorium. Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir spoke as the chief guest while Vice-President of Fudan University Prof Chen Zhimin attended the opening ceremony of the joint training programme as special guest.

The US Senate has advanced a bipartisan bill that would impose tougher sanctions on Russia and allow President Donald Trump to levy tariffs of up to 100 percent on goods from major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including China and India. The measure, which also includes new penalties against Iran, passed a key Senate vote 86-12, comfortably crossing the 60-vote threshold needed to move forward. Nearly all Republicans and a majority of Democrats backed the bill. The Senate action came hours after lawmakers paid tribute to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who had spent more than a year building bipartisan support for the legislation. It also followed a meeting between senators and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was in Washington to honor Graham, a strong critic of Russian aggression. What the bill says The legislation would impose sanctions on Russian officials, oligarchs, financial institutions and vessels in the so-called “shadow fleet” that Moscow uses to bypass restrictions on its oil exports. It would also give Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on goods from the world's five biggest buyers of Russian oil or natural gas, including China and India. However, the bill includes exemptions for countries that get less than 15 percent of their natural gas from Russia and are taking steps to reduce their dependence on Russian energy. At Trump's request, the revised legislation also extends sanctions targeting Iran's energy and weapons sectors. The bill is named after Graham, who played a key role in securing support for the measure and reached an agreement with the White House on a revised version shortly before his death earlier this month. Supporters say the legislation would cut Russia's energy revenues and limit President Vladimir Putin's ability to finance the war in Ukraine, which has entered its fifth year. “There is no greater way to honor Senator Graham's legacy than to move forward with this bipartisan agreement,” six Republican and Democratic senators said in a joint statement. While there is broad support in Congress for imposing tougher penalties on Russia, some Democrats have expressed concerns that the tariff provisions could give Trump too much power. They also warned that the tariffs could increase import costs for US consumers and potentially hurt European allies. The legislation must still clear the House of Representatives before it can be sent to Trump for his signature. The House has already left Washington for its summer recess and is unlikely to take up the bill before September. Source: NDTV

China launched new satellites into space on Thursday to test communication technologies, according to the China National Space Administration. The satellites were launched at 9:00 a.m. Beijing time from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China’s Shanxi Province aboard a modified Long March-6 rocket. The satellites successfully entered their planned orbits after the launch. They will be used mainly for satellite communications, television and broadcasting services, and data transmission. They will also support tests and verification of related technologies. Thursday’s launch marked the 660th mission of the Long March rocket series.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on Wednesday said China has consistently extended support whenever Bangladesh has faced disasters or humanitarian crises. The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Bangladesh donated USD 100,000 to the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) to support its ongoing emergency response for communities affected by the recent floods and landslides across the country. The humanitarian contribution was officially handed over by the Ambassador at a ceremony held at the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society National Headquarters in Dhaka. The donation was received on behalf of BDRCS by its Chairman, Barrister Md Abdus Salam. Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Yao said the recent heavy rains in Bangladesh have triggered severe flooding, claiming many lives, leaving millions of people stranded, and causing extensive damage to farmland and infrastructure. “The Chinese people deeply sympathize with the people of Bangladesh during this difficult time,” he said. On behalf of the Red Cross Society of China, the envoy said they are handing over USD 100,000 in emergency cash assistance to the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society.  “This contribution reflects the sincere concern and solidarity of the Chinese Government and people with the people of Bangladesh." The Ambassador said China has been supporting Bangladesh's disaster preparedness capacity through annual training programmes and the provision of flood response equipment. Last year, China donated emergency response equipment to the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, which is now being effectively utilized in the ongoing flood response. The Ambassador also reaffirmed China's commitment to continuing humanitarian assistance and providing training for BDRCS volunteers whenever needed. Speaking on the occasion, BDRCS Chairman Barrister Abdus Salam expressed his sincere gratitude to the government and people of the People's Republic of China and the Red Cross Society of China for their continued humanitarian support. "We sincerely thank the Government and people of China for standing beside the people of Bangladesh during this difficult time. Our dedicated volunteers are already working in some of the hardest-hit and most remote areas,” he said. With this generous support, he mentioned that they will be able to further expand their emergency response, including the distribution of emergency food assistance, safe drinking water, temporary shelter, hygiene kits, and medical services. The Chairman said it is in times of crisis like these that true friendship is demonstrated. “On behalf of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, we once again express our heartfelt gratitude to the Government and people of China. We assure you that every dollar of this generous contribution will be utilized efficiently, transparently, and where it is needed most." Highlighting the long-standing friendship between Bangladesh and China, he said, "The late President Ziaur Rahman initiated the bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and China, which was further strengthened by former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. Following the recent visit of the Prime Minister to China, we are confident that bilateral cooperation in humanitarian, economic, and development sectors will continue to grow stronger." During the programme, BDRCS presented an overview of its emergency response activities carried out up to 21 July. The presentation highlighted that BDT 3.39 million had been released for emergency operations. In addition, BDRCS has distributed more than 2,500 food packages, evacuated and rescued over 22,000 people, provided medical assistance to more than 2,000 people, distributed over 37,000 litres of safe drinking water, mobilized 12 Red Crescent Units, and deployed more than 3,500 volunteers to support the emergency response. The programme was attended by Professor Dr. Md. Rafiqul Kabir, Vice Chairman of BDRCS; Dr. Abu Md. Mofakhkharul Islam Rana, Treasurer; Dr. Kabir Md. Ashraf Alam, ndc, Secretary General of BDRCS; senior officials of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC); officials from the Embassy of the People's Republic of China; representatives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement; and other guests.

At least eight people were killed and 34 others remain missing after a landslide struck the outskirts of southwest China's Chongqing municipality on Friday, burying homes and forcing more than 1,100 residents to evacuate, local authorities said. The landslide occurred around 9:08 am in Pengshui County, when a huge mass of rocks and soil swept down a hillside, burying more than 10 residential buildings, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Rescue teams pulled 10 people from the debris, including two who were seriously injured, Pengshui County Mayor Ren Xujiang said. Chinese President Xi Jinping instructed authorities to investigate the cause of the disaster and continue rescue efforts, state media reported. Officials said the landslide involved about 18,000 cubic metres of rocks and debris. Wang Chuanjun, head of Planning and Natural Resources in Pengshui County, said the largest single rock measured around 3,000 cubic metres. He warned that the area remains at risk of further landslides, especially during heavy rain or prolonged hot and dry weather. Experts who inspected the site found unstable rock formations at the top and along the sides of the steep cliff. As a precaution, authorities cut water, electricity and gas supplies within a one-kilometre radius of the affected area. More than 800 rescue workers have been deployed to search for survivors and clear the debris, according to a local government statement.

Taiwan and eastern China remained on high alert as Typhoon Bavi moved closer on Saturday after bringing strong winds and heavy rain to Japan's southern islands. The typhoon, with maximum sustained winds of 144 kilometres per hour (89 mph), is expected to pass north of Taiwan before heading toward China's eastern coast. Taiwan's Central Weather Administration said the storm is forecast to move toward Zhejiang province and make landfall in the early hours of Sunday, according to China's National Meteorological Center. In Japan's Okinawa prefecture, authorities warned residents about high waves, powerful winds and storm surges. More than 200 flights were cancelled across the region, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported. Islands including Ishigaki were hit by heavy rain and strong winds. In Taiwan, the Central Emergency Operation Center said at least 36 people had been injured by Saturday morning. Many were hurt while riding motorcycles on wet and slippery roads during the storm. Authorities also evacuated 14,210 people from different parts of the island, including Hualien County and the central city of Taichung. Schools and government offices remained closed in most areas on Saturday. In southeastern China, coastal cities stepped up preparations as the storm approached. In Ningde city of Fujian province, more than 3,700 residents had been moved from high-risk coastal areas by Friday evening, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency. Provincial authorities have also placed more than 17,000 emergency rescue workers on standby. China's National Meteorological Center issued an orange alert for the typhoon, the second-highest level in its four-tier warning system. Many schools and ferry services were suspended, hundreds of flights were cancelled and some high-speed train services were halted. The weather agency also issued its first red alert of the year for heavy rain, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Chinese authorities are investigating a devastating fire at a shoe factory in the southeastern province of Fujian that killed 28 people, once again highlighting ongoing concerns over workplace safety in the country. State-run Xinhua News Agency reported Friday that search operations had ended and investigators were working to determine the cause of Thursday's fire, which destroyed the Fujian Huiteng shoe factory in Jinjiang, one of China's largest footwear manufacturing centres. According to product listings on online sales and import platforms, Fujian Huiteng manufactures shoes for both Chinese and international brands. Footage aired by local media showed several people trapped on the roof of the five-storey factory as thick black smoke billowed from the building. Firefighters struggled to control the blaze, with water from fire hoses initially failing to reach flames on the upper floors. Xinhua said the factory owner and managers have been arrested, while the company's bank accounts have been frozen. Authorities said 237 factory workers and two visitors were inside the building when the fire broke out. Of the 213 people rescued, two later died in hospital. The remaining 26 people who had been reported missing were later confirmed dead, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The tragedy is the latest in a series of deadly industrial accidents in China despite repeated government efforts to improve workplace safety. In May, an explosion at a fireworks factory in Changsha, Hunan province, killed at least 37 people. Last year, a fire at a refrigeration facility under construction in Xinyu, Jiangxi province, claimed 39 lives. Chinese authorities have repeatedly instructed businesses to identify and remove workplace hazards. Official figures show that 18,261 people died in nearly 20,000 workplace accidents across China in 2025, a decline from the previous year. Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered a swift investigation into the fire and called for those responsible to be held fully accountable. Jinjiang, known as China's "shoe capital," is home to thousands of footwear factories and produces about one-fifth of the world's athletic shoes—more than one billion pairs each year—according to state media and industry reports. The city's rise from small workshops to a major export manufacturing hub, often described by Xi as the "Jinjiang Experience," is widely seen as a model of China's industrial development. CCTV reported that the fire started on the ground floor of the concrete building, where a workshop and warehouse were located. A local fire official said large quantities of shoe sole materials stored in stairwells blocked firefighters' access and hampered rescue efforts. The materials were highly flammable, contributing to the rapid spread of the fire. The fire department deployed 183 firefighters and 35 vehicles to tackle the blaze, which was brought under control after about four hours. Xinhua later reported that more than 500 people took part in the rescue and search operation.