China’s Taiwan affairs office says reunification is natural trend
“Reunification” of Taiwan with the mainland is the natural trend of history and efforts to seek independence for the island are a dead-end, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said on Wednesday.
Tiananmen vigil organiser calls for candles to be lit across Hong Kong
Unable to hold a mass vigil due to coronavirus controls, the people of Hong Kong should light candles across the city to commemorate pro-democracy protesters killed in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in 1989, an organiser said on Wednesday.
Taiwan president rejects Chinese rule, calls for talks to coexist
Taiwan cannot accept becoming part of China under its “one country, two systems” offer of autonomy, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday, in a strong rejection of China’s sovereignty claim, but called for talks so that both sides could coexist.
Japan’s coronavirus crisis sparks calls for revamping the school year
Advocates of changing Japan’s century-old tradition of starting the school year in April, when cherry blossoms bloom, are seizing on school closures caused by the coronavirus as a chance for reforms they say will internationalise education.
El Salvador’s president extends lockdown, crimping law allowing restart of economy
El Salvador’s government on Tuesday extended a strict lockdown until June 6, after President Nayib Bukele threatened to veto a law passed by Congress aimed at accelerating the reopening of the country’s economy prior to that date.
Germany’s confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 797 to over 176,000: RKI
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 797 to 176,007, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Wednesday.
Australia opens up domestic life further as China dispute lingers
Australian officials announced a raft of plans on Wednesday to speed up the resumption of public life to boost the ailing economy amid a diplomatic spat with major trading partner China.
Masked against coronavirus, South Korean students return to school
South Korean high schools opened on Wednesday for the first time this year, with mask-wearing seniors returning to class in the vanguard of a phased plan to reopen all schools under strict protocols to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Taiwan president says wants talks with China, but not ‘one country, two systems’
Taiwan wants dialogue with China but cannot accept its proposal for “one country, two systems”, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday, calling for both sides to find a way to coexist.
Venezuela announces border curfews as coronavirus cases jump
Venezuela imposed new curfews in a handful of towns along its borders with Colombia and Brazil in response to a jump in coronavirus cases which officials attributed mainly to returning migrants, Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez said on Tuesday.
