Asia

EU urges China to repeal ban on BBC World News channel: AP

Editorial Bureau February 13, 2021

BRUSSELS (BELGIUM) – The European Union exhorted China to repeal its ban on the BBC World News television, the Associated Press said in a report on Saturday. China barred Britain’s BBC World News from its television networks on Friday and Hong Kong’s public broadcaster said it

Asia

China did not provide raw data on early coronavirus cases: WHO team member

Editorial Bureau February 13, 2021

SHANGHAI (CHINA) – One of the investigators in the WHO team probing the origins of the pandemic in China said that Beijing refused to provide raw data on early coronavirus cases. This has complicated efforts to understand the outbreak of the virus. The team had requested raw patient data on the 174 cases of COVID-19 […]

Asia

Mainland China confirms 11 new COVID-19 cases

Ren Leen February 7, 2021

BEIJING (CHINA) – Mainland China reported 11 new COVID-19 cases on Feb. 6, which was down from 12 cases a day earlier and the lowest daily increase since December 16, according to the national health authority on Sunday. The National Health Commission said in a statement that only one of the new cases has spread […]

Asia

China targets BBC as dispute with Britain becomes intense

Editorial Bureau February 5, 2021

BEIJING (CHINA) – The BBC received flak from Chinese official and social media on Friday in an escalating diplomatic dispute, a day after Britain’s media regulator cancelled the TV licence of Chinese state media outlet CGTN. On Thursday, Britain’s Ofcom revoked the license of CGTN, the English-language sister channel of state broadcaster CCTV, after

Asia

China files complaint against BBC over COVID-19 coverage

Editorial Bureau February 4, 2021

BEIJING (CHINA) – China’s foreign ministry on Thursday said it had lodged “stern representations” to the British Broadcasting Corp over what it said was “fake news” coverage of COVID-19, and urged the broadcaster to publicly apologise. In a statement, a ministry spokesperson said that the BBC had recently “linked the pandemic to

Asia

WHO team investigating COVID-19 visits Wuhan lab, meets ‘Bat Woman’

Editorial Bureau February 3, 2021

WUHAN (CHINA) – A team of investigators working on behalf of the World Health Organization wrapped up a visit on Wednesday to a major virus research laboratory in China’s central city of Wuhan, in its search for clues to the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. The experts spent about 3-1/2 hours at the heavily-guarded Wuhan […]

Asia

China to conduct testing of Lunar New Year travellers for COVID-19

Editorial Bureau January 21, 2021

BEIJING (CHINA) – China plans to implement strict COVID testing requirements during the Lunar New Year holiday season, when tens of millions of people are likely to travel. Shanghai reported its first locally transmitted cases in two months on Thursday. Authorities are asking people to stay home during the February holiday season in their effort. […]

Asia

China witnesses worst COVID outbreak since March 2020

Editorial Bureau January 19, 2021

SHANGHAI/BEIJING (CHINA) – China is grappling from the worst outbreak of COVID-19 since March 2020. One province from the country posted a record daily rise in cases, and an independent panel, which reviewed the global pandemic said that China could have taken stern action to curb the initial outbreak. State-backed tabloid the Global Times on […]

Asia

US and China confront each other at WHO regarding scientific mission in Wuhan

Editorial Bureau January 18, 2021

GENEVA (SWITZERLAND) – The United States urged China on Monday to allow an expert team from the World Health Organization (WHO) to interview “care givers, former patients and lab workers” in the central city of Wuhan, and check its availability to medical data and samples. The United States, which has blamed that China was hiding […]

Asia

Will sanction US officials for ‘nasty’ behaviour over Taiwan: China

Editorial Bureau January 18, 2021

BEIJING (CHINA) – The Chinese foreign minister said on Monday that it has decided to slap sanctions on US officials who have engaged in “nasty” behaviour over Taiwan, which is claimed by Beijing as its sovereign territory. Hua Chunying, spokeswoman of the foreign ministry, made this comment while replying to a question about US Secretary […]