United News of Bangladesh

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reassured allies in the Indo-Pacific on Saturday that they will not be left alone to face increasing military and economic pressure from China, while insisting that they also contribute more to their own defense. He said Washington will bolster its defenses overseas to counter what the Pentagon sees as rapidly developing threats by Beijing, particularly in its aggressive stance toward Taiwan. China has conducted numerous exercises to test what a blockade would look like of the self-governing island, which Beijing claims as its own and the U.S. has pledged to defend. China's army “is rehearsing for the real deal,” Hegseth said in a keynote speech at a security conference in Singapore. “We are not going to sugarcoat it — the threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent.” The head of China's delegation accused Hegseth of making “groundless accusations.” “Some of the claims are completely fabricated, some distort facts and some are cases of a thief crying ‘stop thief,” said Rear Adm. Hu Gangfeng, vice president of China’s National Defense University. He did not offer specific objections. “These actions are nothing more than attempts to provoke trouble, incite division and stir up confrontation to destabilize the Asia-Pacific region,” he said. Hegseth says China is training to invade Taiwan China has a stated goal of ensuring its military is capable of taking Taiwan by force if necessary by 2027, a deadline that is seen by experts as more of an aspirational goal than a hard war deadline. China also has built sophisticated, artificial islands in the South China Sea to support new military outposts and developed highly advanced hypersonic and space capabilities, which are driving the United States to create its own space-based “Golden Dome” missile defenses. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a global security conference hosted by the International Institute for Security Studies, Hegseth said China is no longer just building up its military forces to take Taiwan, it's “actively training for it, every day.” Hegseth also called out China for its ambitions in Latin America, particularly its efforts to increase its influence over the Panama Canal. BYD's Jinan Base reinforces leadership in China’s new energy vehicle sector He urged Indo-Pacific countries to increase defense spending to levels similar to the 5% of their gross domestic product European nations are now pressed to contribute. “We must all do our part,” Hegseth said. Following the speech, the European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas pushed back at Hegseth's comment that European countries should focus their defense efforts in their own region and leave the Indo-Pacific more to the U.S. She said that with North Korean troops fighting for Russia and China supporting Moscow, European and Asian security were “very much interlinked." Questions about US commitment to Indo-Pacific Hegseth also repeated a pledge made by previous administrations to bolster the U.S. military in the Indo-Pacific to provide a more robust deterrent. While both the Obama and Biden administrations had also committed to pivoting to the Pacific and established new military agreements throughout the region, a full shift has never been realized. Instead, U.S. military resources from the Indo-Pacific have been regularly pulled to support military needs in the Middle East and Europe, especially since the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. In the first few months of President Donald Trump’s second term, that’s also been the case. In the last few months, the Trump administration has taken a Patriot missile defense battalion out of the Indo-Pacific in order to send it to the Middle East, a massive logistical operation that required 73 military cargo aircraft flights, and sent Coast Guard ships back to the U.S. to help defend the U.S.-Mexico border. Hegseth was asked why the U.S. pulled those resources if the Indo-Pacific is the priority theater. He did not directly answer but said the shift of resources was necessary to defend against Houthi missile attacks launched from Yemen, and to bolster protections against illegal immigration into the U.S. At the same time, he stressed the need for American allies and partners to step up their own defense spending and preparations, saying the U.S. was not interested in going it alone. “Ultimately a strong, resolute and capable network of allies and partners is our key strategic advantage,” he said. “China envies what we have together, and it sees what we can collectively bring to bear on defense, but it's up to all of us to ensure that we live up to that potential by investing.” The Indo-Pacific nations caught in between have tried to balance relations with both the U.S. and China over the years. Beijing is the primary trading partner for many, but is also feared as a regional bully, in part due to its increasingly aggressive claims on natural resources such as critical fisheries. Hegseth cautioned that playing both sides, seeking U.S. military support and Chinese economic support, carries risk. “Economic dependence on China only deepens their malign influence and complicates our defense decision space during times of tension,” Hegseth said. Asked how he would reconcile that statement with Trump’s threat of steep tariffs on most in the region, Hegseth he was “in the business of tanks, not trade.” But Illinois Democrat Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who is part of a congressional delegation attending Shangri-La, objected to pressuring regional allies. “The United States is not asking people to choose between us and the PRC,” Duckworth said, in reference to the People's Republic of China. Australia’s Defense Minister Richard Marles welcomed Hegseth’s assurance that the Indo-Pacific was an American strategic priority and agreed that Australia and other nations needed to do their part. “Reality is that there is no effective balance of power in this region absent the United States, but we cannot leave it to the United States alone,” he said. Asian shares mostly decline as uncertainty grows about what's next with Trump's tariffs Still, Marles suggested the Trump administration’s aggressive trade policies were counterproductive. “The shock and disruption from the high tariffs has been costly and destabilizing.” China sends lower-level delegation China usually sends its own defense minister to the conference, but Dong Jun did not attend this year in a snub to the U.S. over Trump's erratic tariffs war. His absence was something the U.S. delegation said it intended to capitalize on. “We are here this morning. And somebody else isn’t,” Hegseth said. Asked by a member of the Chinese delegation how committed the U.S. would remain if Asian alliances like ASEAN had differences with Washington, Hegseth said the U.S. would not be constrained by "the confines of how previous administrations looked at this region." "We’re opening our arms to countries across the spectrum — traditional allies, non-traditional allies,” he said. He said U.S. support would not require local governments to align with the West on cultural or climate issues.

As May draws to a close, the rhythmic thud of drums and the roar of cheering crowds are once again echoing across rivers and lakes throughout China. Amid splashing water and synchronized chants, dragon boats surge ahead in fierce competition as Chinese people celebrate Duanwu Festival on Saturday this year. For millennia, dragon boat racing has remained at the heart of Duanwu Festival, China's first traditional festival inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This explains why it is better known globally as the Dragon Boat Festival. With origins tied to the death of Qu Yuan, a loyal statesman and patriotic poet from more than 2,000 years ago, this ancient tradition has become a modern phenomenon, boosting the popularity of both public fitness and cultural tourism. In Zhejiang Province on China's eastern coast, this evolution was on full display earlier this week during the region's inaugural farmers' dragon boat invitational, as 12 amateur village teams from across the province gathered in the Yinzhou District of Ningbo City. Yu Youfen, from the neighboring city of Zhoushan, stood on the sidelines, still catching his breath after the 500-meter race. For the past fortnight, his team members had been training after their day jobs. "Some of us work in factories, others in fish farming," the team leader said. "Passion for dragon boat racing gives us a reason to come together, to fight for our community's pride." Among the cheering crowd stood a local resident surnamed Chen. His five-year-old son was perched on his shoulders, shouting with the crowd as another boat sped past. "This is already his fifth time watching dragon boat races," Chen said. "He just told me he wants to join the race one day." Boat racing in Yinzhou dates back more than 2,200 years, as evidenced by the discovery of an ancient bronze axe adorned with an image of men in feathered hats racing boats. At the event, a new provincial training base for village-level dragon boat teams was inaugurated in Yinzhou, in a step toward expanding access and reinforcing grassroots participation in this age-old tradition. The scene in Zhejiang echoes a nationwide surge in mass sports enthusiasm -- a result of China's ongoing efforts to enhance public fitness, seen as a cornerstone of the country's long-term ambition to become a leading sporting nation and build a healthy China. While the most iconic races remain concentrated in the water-rich southern regions, dragon boat activities are gaining traction across the country. According to preliminary estimates, dragon boat races will be held in 25 provinces nationwide during the three-day Duanwu holiday from Saturday to Monday. In south China's Guangdong, long regarded as a stronghold of dragon boat tradition, local races began as early as May 1. Over 100 races are scheduled around the holiday period in the provincial capital of Guangzhou alone. Among the races will be the high-profile 2025 Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament. Set to be held on Sunday, the event, with a history of 40 years, will see the participation of 116 teams and over 4,000 competitors. Seven teams from Russia, the United States, Canada, Malaysia and Kazakhstan are expected to join the action. Meanwhile, in Beijing, the festival is being marked by a sports carnival of over 30 events extending beyond traditional boat racing to include paddleboarding, kayaking and other activities aimed at engaging the public in festive fitness. "The growing popularity of dragon boat racing is expected to attract more people to water sports, helping promote aquatic recreation across China," said Zhai Junshuai, general manager of a water sports club in the northern port city of Tianjin. Zhai also emphasized the potential of this dragon boat racing craze nationwide to invigorate the local economy, which is aligned with China's broader efforts to stimulate domestic consumption. National action plans released in March and April highlighted the integration of sports, culture and tourism as a strategic pillar, calling for more high-quality sports programs and distinctive events. Data from major travel platforms has showcased clear economic ripple effects. Tongcheng Travel reported a 270 percent week-on-week spike in searches for "dragon boat" as of May 19. Data from Trip.com Group shows significant year-on-year growth in bookings for cities with dragon boat traditions. In Foshan, Guangdong, total travel orders rose 167 percent; in Miluo, Hunan Province, considered by many the birthplace of dragon boat culture, bookings jumped 85 percent. To capitalize on the enthusiasm, Guangzhou plans to host over 650 cultural and tourism events related to dragon boating during the holiday, enriching the city's offerings for visitors. More Chinese people are prioritizing health and leisure amid rising living standards, said Li Peigong, president of Shanghai Lixin University of Accounting and Finance. "A combination of sports and travel has become a go-to solution that caters to a wide range of needs." Meanwhile, observers underscore the need to further unleash the nation's sports consumption potential. "It is necessary to broaden access to fitness and sports programs nationwide. And teaching people how to play sports will be the first step to boost sports consumption," said Wang Yuxiong, head of the sports economics research center at Central University of Finance and Economics. 

The death toll from the collapse of a stone quarry in Indonesia’s West Java province has risen to at least 17, with eight people still missing, officials said Saturday. The victims were trapped in the rubble when the Gunung Kuda quarry in Cirebon district collapsed on Friday. A dozen survivors were found by rescuers. By Saturday afternoon, rescuers had retrieved 16 bodies, while one of the survivors died in the hospital, said local police chief Sumarni. She said rescuers are searching for eight people still believed to be trapped. Officials say at least 2 people are dead and 8 are missing after stone quarry collapse in Indonesia “The search operation has been hampered by bad weather, unstable soil and rugged terrain,” said Sumarni who goes by a single name like many Indonesians. She said the cause of the collapse is still under investigation, and police have been questioning six people, including the owner of the quarry. Local television reports showed emergency personnel, along with police, soldiers and volunteers, digging desperately in the quarry in a steep limestone cliff, supported by five excavators, early Saturday. West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi said in a video statement on Instagram that he visited the quarry before he was elected in February and considered it dangerous. “It did not meet the safety standard elements for its workers,” Mulyadi said, adding that at that time, “I didn’t have any capacity to stop it.” On Friday, Mulyadi said that he had ordered the quarry shut, as well as four other similar sites in West Java. Illegal or informal resource extraction operations are common in Indonesia, providing a tenuous livelihood to those who labor in conditions with a high risk of injury or death. Landslides, flooding and tunnel collapses are just some of the hazards associated with them. Much of the processing of sand, rocks or gold ore also involves the use of highly toxic mercury and cyanide by workers using little or no protection. Earthquake off Sumatra damages over 100 homes in Indonesia Last year, a landslide triggered by torrential rains struck an unauthorized gold mining operation on Indonesia’s Sumatra island, killing at least 15 people.

Huimin, a county of northwestern Shandong province of China, has the largest production base for new types of rope nets in China, holding over 80% of the country's market share.The area is home to 3,822 companies and more than 7,000 processing households, providing jobs for over 100,000 people. The county produces a wide range of nets, with eight main categories including safety nets for construction, agricultural nets, sports nets, fishing nets, aerospace nets, military nets, work protection nets, and everyday use nets. There are more than 320 types of these products.

A natural stones quarry in Indonesia’s West Java province collapsed on several people who were working inside on Friday, killing at least two people and leaving several workers missing, officials said. At least 10 people were trapped in the rubble when the mine in Cirebon district collapsed, West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi estimated in a video statement, and rescuers have retrieved at least two bodies. Earthquake off Sumatra damages over 100 homes in Indonesia The exact number of casualties was still unclear as local television reported rescuers were able to pull at least a dozen injured people from the debris and recover bodies during a grueling search effort. Police, emergency personnel, soldiers and volunteers were trying to locate any remaining worker. Their efforts were hampered by unstable soil that risked further slides, the television report said.  

China will resume Japanese seafood imports it banned in 2023 over worries about Japan's discharge slightly radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea, a Japanese official said Friday. China said their talks this week made “substantial progress” but did not confirm an agreement with Japan on the issue that has been a significant political and diplomatic point of tension. Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the agreement was reached after Japanese and Chinese officials met in Beijing and the imports will resume once paperwork is complete. ”Seafood is an important export item for Japan and a resumption of its export to China is a major milestone," Koizumi said. Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya also welcomed the move, saying, “It will be a big first step that would help Japan and China to tackle a number of remaining issues between the two countries," such as disputes over territory, trade and wartime history. But officials said China's ban on farm and fisheries products from 10 Japanese prefectures including Fukushima is still in place and that they will keep pushing toward their lifting. China's General Administration of Customs, in a statement issued Friday, said the two sides on Wednesday held "a new round of technical exchanges on the safety issues of Japanese aquatic products ... and achieved substantial progress” but did not mention an agreement. Japan to use radioactive soil from Fukushima on flowerbeds at prime minister's office How the disagreement over seafood imports began China blocked imports of Japanese seafood because it said the release of the treated and diluted but still slightly radioactive wastewater would endanger the fishing industry and coastal communities in eastern China. Japanese officials have said the wastewater will be safer than international standards and its environmental impact will be negligible. They say the wastewater must be released to make room for the nuclear plant’s decommissioning and to prevent accidental leaks. Tokyo and Beijing since March held three rounds of talks on the issue before reaching the agreement on Wednesday on the “technical requirements” necessary for Japanese seafood exports to China to restart, Japan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It did not say how long it may take before the actual resumption. Mainland China used to be the biggest overseas market for Japanese seafood, accounting for more than one-fifth of its seafood exports, followed by Hong Kong. The ban became a major blow to the fisheries industry, though the impact on overall trade was limited because seafood exports are a fraction of Japan’s total exports. Japan’s government set up an emergency relief fund for Japanese exporters, especially scallop growers, and has sought alternative overseas markets. Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, which operates the Fukushima Daiichi plant, has said it would compensate Japanese business owners appropriately for damages from export bans. China forms new global mediation group with dozens of countries Why the wastewater is being treated and released into the sea The nuclear plant had meltdowns in three reactors after being heavily damaged in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan. Water used to cool the reactor cores has been accumulating ever since, and officials say the massive stockpile is hampering the cleanup of the site. The wastewater was treated and heavily diluted with seawater to reduce the radioactivity as much as possible before Japan began releasing it into the sea in August 2023. Last September, then-Prime Minster Fumio Kishida said the two sides reached “a certain level of mutual understanding” that China would start working toward easing the import ban and join the International Atomic Energy Agency's expanded monitoring of wastewater discharges. People inside and outside Japan protested the initial wastewater release. Japanese fishing groups said they feared it would further damage the reputation of their seafood. Groups in China and South Korea also raised concerns.

Dozens of countries joined China on Friday in establishing an international mediation-based dispute resolution group. Representatives of more than 30 other countries, from Pakistan and Indonesia to Belarus and Cuba, signed the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation in Hong Kong to become founding members of the global organization, following Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Binzhou celebrates international Friendship Cities Day with focus on trade and development The support of developing countries signaled Beijing's rising influence in the global south amid heightened geopolitical tensions, partly exacerbated by U.S. President Donald Trump's trade tariffs. At a ceremony, Wang said China has long advocated for handling differences with a spirit of mutual understanding and consensus-building through dialogue, while aiming to provide “Chinese wisdom” for resolving conflicts between nations. “The establishment of the International Organization for Mediation helps to move beyond the zero-sum mindset of ‘you lose and I win,’” he said. The body, headquartered in Hong Kong, aims to help promote the amicable resolution of international disputes and build more harmonious global relations, he said. Beijing has touted the organization as the world's first intergovernmental legal organization for resolving disputes through mediation, saying it will be an important mechanism in safeguarding the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. It also positioned Hong Kong as an international legal and dispute resolution services center in Asia. Wang said the city's rule of law is highly developed, with the advantages of both common law and mainland Chinese law systems, asserting that it possesses uniquely favorable conditions for international mediation. Hong Kong leader John Lee said the organization could begin its work as early as the end of this year. The ceremony was attended by representatives from some 50 other countries and about 20 organizations, including the United Nations. Yueming Yan, a law professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said the new organization is a complementary mechanism to existing institutions such as the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague. “While the ICJ and PCA focus on adjudication and arbitration, IOMed introduces a structured, institutionalized form of alternative dispute resolution — namely, mediation — on a global scale,” she said. Although many details about the new body are yet to be clarified, it could open the door for greater synergy between formal litigation or arbitration and more flexible methods like mediation, she said. Shahla Ali, a law professor at the University of Hong Kong, said the International Organization for Mediation would have the capacity to mediate disputes between states, between a state and a national of another state, or in international commercial disputes. Japan to use radioactive soil from Fukushima on flowerbeds at prime minister's office “Conventions can provide opportunities to experiment with new approaches," she said, noting rising interest in mediation globally as a means to resolve investor-state disputes.

The opening ceremony of Binzhou International Friendship Cities Day took place on Thursday, emphasising strengthened economic and trade collaboration to promote mutual growth and development among partner cities. The event highlights Binzhou’s commitment to fostering international relations and boosting regional prosperity. Liu Guangzheng, Deputy Secretary-General of the Binzhou Municipal People's Government, hosted the event, while Song Yongxiang, Secretary of the CPC Binzhou Municipal Committee, Asefa Endeshaw Desta, Minister at the Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and Li Hong, Deputy Director-General of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, also delivered speeches.

Japan said Tuesday it plans to use some slightly radioactive soil stored near the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant on flower beds outside Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s office to show it is safe to reuse. The soil was removed from across the Fukushima prefecture as part of decontamination work following the 2011 nuclear disaster and has since been in interim storage. Some of it has since reached levels safe enough for reuse, officials say, reports AP. Using the soil at Ishiba's office in Tokyo is aimed at reassuring the public it is safe. The government said that it plans to reuse the soil for flower beds and other purposes within the grounds of government agencies. The plan is based on guidelines set by the Environment Ministry in March and endorsed by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Fukushima disaster resulted in large amounts of radioactive materials spewing out from the plant, polluting surrounding areas. Japan is stuck with large volumes of the dirt, chopped trees and other debris collected during intensive decontamination work. It has 14 million cubic meters of dirt and other materials — enough to fill 11 baseball stadiums — stored at a sprawling outdoor facility straddling the towns of Futaba and Okuma, near the Fukushima plant. Famed Sherpa guide climbs Mount Everest for the record 31st time The government is aiming to find disposal sites for the soil by 2045, with officials suggesting low risk material could be used to build roads and in other public works projects across the country. The Environment Ministry said that the soil will be used as foundation material and safely covered with top soil thick enough to keep radiation at negligible levels. But there is much public unease. The government has already been forced to discontinue a plan to experiment using some of the soil in flower beds at several public parks in and around Tokyo following protests. The IAEA is providing assistance with the Fukushima decommissioning process, which requires removing more than 880 tons of melted fuel debris. In 2023 Japan began discharging treated radioactive wastewater from the plant into the sea to reduce the risk of accidental leaks and to make space to build facilities needed for melted fuel removal.

A regional association of Southeast Asian nations is set to hold a three-way summit Tuesday with China and six Gulf countries in what officials called an effort to bolster economic resilience as they grapple with global volatility and U.S. tariffs. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, opening a summit in Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur between the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Gulf Cooperation Council, said a stronger ASEAN-GCC relationship would be key to enhancing interregional collaboration, building resilience and securing sustainable prosperity. ASEAN, China, and GCC cooperation will boost global stability and growth: Experts Chinese Premier Li Qiang will join the two blocs in their first such meeting later Tuesday, as Beijing seeks to present itself as a reliable ally to the region. “I believe the ASEAN-GCC partnership has never been more important than it is today, as we navigate an increasingly complex global landscape marked by economic uncertainty and geopolitical challenges,” Anwar said. Malaysia is the current chair of ASEAN, which also includes Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah said the two blocs, which held their first summit in Riyadh in 2023, would build on their momentum to deepen cooperation and “improve our ability to face crisis.” He said the GCC is ASEAN's seventh largest trade partner, with total trade reaching $130.7 billion in 2023. The GCC comprises the oil-producing nations of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Anwar said last week the GCC already has strong links with the U.S. and “wants to be close to China too.” ASEAN has maintained a policy of neutrality, engaging both Beijing and the United States, but U.S. President Donald Trump's threats sweeping tariffs came as a blow. Six of the bloc's members were among the worst hit, with tariffs between 32% and 49%. Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs in April for most of the world, and this month struck a similar deal with key rival China, easing trade war tensions. Anwar is seeking an ASEAN summit with Trump on the tariffs. Premier Li Qiang to visit Indonesia, attend ASEAN-GCC Summit to boost regional cooperation Collins Chong Yew Keat, a foreign affairs, strategy and security analyst with Universiti Malaya, said ASEAN is seen as tilting towards China and has failed to take strong action against Beijing's aggression in the disputed South China Sea. ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei have overlapping claims with China, which asserts sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea. While relying on U.S. defense support, ASEAN is increasing reliance and partnership with China and other U.S. rivals, Chong said. “If this continues under the current Trump administration, it will create further room for Washington to distance itself from the region, which will spell disaster and create an even deeper Chinese presence,” he said.