Chronologies
Regional Overview
Chronology from Sep 2020 to Dec 2020
: In response to signing of the Taiwan Assurance Act of 2020 and Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said China was “resolutely opposed” to both acts.
: Chinese delegation led by Vice Minister of the International Department of the CCP Guo Yezhou meets Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister Kharga Prasad Oli, and other NCP leaders.
: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually meets with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. They call for a peaceful, “open and rules-based” Indo Pacific, agree to increase military-to-military exchanges, and to intensify defense industry collaboration.
: South Korea scrambles fighter jets in response to intrusion in its air defense zone by Russian and Chinese military aircraft.
: Tibet Policy and Support Act of 2020 is passed by Congress as an amendment to the $1.4 trillion government spending bill.
: US Department of Commerce publishes list of Chinese and Russian firms with alleged military ties that restrict them from buying a wide range of US goods and technology. Elsewhere, Pompeo announces additional restrictions for issuing visas to Chinese officials believed to be complicit in human rights abuses.
: China’s People’s Liberation Army accuses Washington of “jeopardizing stability” in the region by sending the guided missile destroyer USS Mustin through Taiwan Strait.
: Washington adds Chinese companies Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation and DJI, the drone maker, to the US export blacklist.
: Wang urges Biden to have the “right perception” of China and cooperate with Beijing to “restart dialogue, return bilateral relations to the right track, and rebuild mutual trust.”
: Document outlining objectives for the US Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard for 2021 warns the US will be “more assertive” against Beijing and US naval forces are expected to be more visible in the Pacific.
: USS Mustin transits Taiwan Strait, conducting Freedom-of-Navigation operation.
: China’s Chang’e-5 lunar probe carrying rocks and soil from the moon returns safely to earth.
: Quad Senior Officials Consultations take place via video conference.
: US imposes sanctions on members of the Chinese Communist Party engaged in “malign activities,” including actions related to mass surveillance, military modernization, human rights abuses, and coercion in the South China Sea.
: Canberra refers China to the WTO over Beijing’s imposition of punitive tariffs on Australian barley imports, in the newest escalation in a bitter diplomatic and trade dispute.
: Canberra reaches out to Beijing to clarify whether it has formally banned Australian coal, warning that such an action would contravene WTO rules and be harmful to both countries.
: Wei and Japanese counterpart Kishi Nobuo discuss tensions in the disputed East China Sea over a phone call.
: South Korea’s National Assembly passes a revision to the Development of Inter-Korean Relations Act to ban sending leaflets into North Korea.
: Xi announces that political security will be a top priority in the next five years, and the Communist Party must proactively maintain the safety of the Chinese political system.
: President-elect Biden states that his nominee for trade chief, Katherine Tai, will target abusive trade practices by China, a sign that the Trump administration’s trade war with Beijing will continue.
: Bloomberg News employee Haze Fan is detained in Beijing on suspicion of “participating in activities endangering national security.”
: Taiwan commissions first vessel in a new fleet of coast guard ships, an advanced catamaran armed with missile capacity, as the island faces a growing threat from Beijing.
: In telephone call, Xi tells French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that he hopes Europe approaches China with a positive attitude; they agree to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and pursue joint space exploration.
: Beijing revokes visa-free visits to Hong Kong and Macau for holders of US diplomatic passports in retaliation for US restrictions on the movement of 14 members of China’s National People’s Congress.
: Indian FM S Jaishankar announces that Australia and India are in discussions for a bilateral free trade agreement.
: Indian FM S. Jaishankar describes China-India relationship as at its worst in decades, and says relations can’t improve unless the ongoing border dispute is settled peacefully.
: Treasury Department announces new sanctions on six entities and four vessels related to North Korea.
: Suga launches Japan’s third fiscal stimulus of the year, ¥30.6 trillion ($294 billion) package, aimed to boost Japan’s coronavirus recovery.
: Hua Chunying, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, warns the US that Beijing will retaliate with “the necessary countermeasures” if Washington imposes sanctions on Hong Kong officials responsible for the disqualification of opposition legislators.
: Wang calls for Beijing and Washington to resume dialogue to reset ties after months of increasing hostility during an address to the board of the US-China Business Council (USCBC).
: Treasury Department imposes financial sanctions and a travel ban on 14 members of China’s National People’s Congress over their role in Beijing’s disqualification of pro-democracy legislators in Hong Kong.
: Indian officials accuse China of assisting rebel groups in Myanmar that have stepped up their attacks on the India-Myanmar border.
: Beijing reorganizes ministerial and provincial rankings, promoting a new generation of Chinese officials from various backgrounds to fill an array of positions, including top roles at the commerce and agriculture ministries.
: Japan, France, and the United States hold joint military drills on one of Japan’s uninhabited outlying islands in the East China Sea for the first time in May next year.
: North Korea announces that its Supreme People’s Assembly will hold its next session in January, after Biden takes office.
: State Department scraps five China-funded exchange programs, with Pompeo dismissing them as “propaganda tools” disguised as cultural exchanges.
: State Department terminates five cultural exchange programs with China after calling them “soft power propaganda tools.”
: US customs authorities begin to detain shipments of products connected to Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps’ cotton over their use of forced labor.
: State Department announces new visa restrictions on Chinese government officials belonging to, or affiliated with, the United Front Work Department, a CCP organ operating with a broad mandate to strengthen adherence to the party within and outside China.
: Chinese social media app WeChat censors a post by Morrison containing a conciliatory message to Australia’s Chinese community.
: Department of Homeland Security announces a ban on cotton products made in whole or in part by the Xinjiang Production and Constructions Corps, alleging that its products are made using slave labor.
: China’s Chang’e 5 spacecraft moon lander and ascender vehicle land on the moon to drill for lunar samples.
: Deputy Assistant Secretary for North Korea Alex Wong accuses China of a “flagrant violation” of its obligation to enforce international sanctions on North Korea, offering rewards of up to $5 million for information regarding sanctions evasions.
: Australian Defense Minister Linda Reynolds announces that Australia will jointly develop hypersonic cruise missiles with the US to counter Chinese and Russian efforts to develop similar weapons.
: Canberra accuses Beijing of sharing a “deeply offensive” fake image on Twitter of an Australian soldier murdering an Afghan child amid escalating diplomatic tensions.
: Chinese Defense Minister Wei pledges military support for Nepal during talks in Kathmandu amid Chinese defense disputes with India in the contested Himalayas region.
: China announces sanctions against National Democratic Institute (NDI) and National Endowment for Democracy (NED) personnel in a tit-for-tat measure against US sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials.
: China powers up its first domestically developed nuclear reactor, the Hualong One, which is expected to go into commercial use by the end of the year.
: Taiwan commences construction of first indigenous submarine its fleet, when complete, will consist of eight vessels.
: In TV interview, Hong Kong’s chief executive says she has no bank account after the US imposed sanctions on her, along with 14 other senior security officials, in response to Hong Kong’s national security law.
: Beijing announces anti-dumping duties on Australian wine imports in the latest wave of sanctions that have already targeted barley, beef, seafood, and coal.
: Taiwan Finance Minister Su Jain-rong promotes informal alliance with the US to finance infrastructure and energy projects in Asia and Latin America with capital from the private sector.
: Wang meets senior government officials in South Korea, stressing the importance of bilateral relations amid growing concern that Seoul is being squeezed between China and the United States.
: Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam vows to deepen ties with Beijing at an annual policy address, pledging to rescue the city from “chaos.”
: Xi congratulates Biden on his election as president of the United States 12 days after China’s initial congratulations.
: India’s Electronics and Information Technology ministry announces a ban on an additional 43 Chinese apps, including AliExpress, bringing the total of blacklisted apps to over 200.
: China launches Chang’e 5 space mission, an unmanned expedition aiming to probe, drill, and retrieve minerals from an unexplored volcanic mound on the moon.
: Taiwan commences construction of first domestically developed submarine, armed with a US combat system.
: In letter read at the opening ceremony of the 7th World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, Xi says China ready to work with other countries to build a shared cyberspace community and “create an even better future for mankind.”
: Wang tells French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian that Beijing supports Europe’s push for “strategic autonomy” amid calls for the EU to work with the new Biden administration to counter China.
: Controversial 43 billion renminbi (about $6.6 billion) port project to be built off the coast of Melaka, Malaysia, slated to be the largest in the region, is scrapped by the state government.
: Xi tells an online APEC summit that China will consider joining the CPTPP.
: US and Taiwan sign a memorandum of understanding during inaugural US-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue, laying a foundation for stronger economic ties.
: USS Barry transits Taiwan Strait in a Freedom of Navigation Operation.
: Suga states Tokyo’s intention to expand the CPTPP to include China and Britain.
: China criticizes a statement by the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance urging Beijing to reverse the disqualification of pro-democracy lawmakers from Hong Kong’s Legislative Council.
: Morrison responds to Beijing’s list of 14 grievances, accusing Canberra of “poisoning bilateral relations,” by stating he would not compromise Australia’s national security and sovereignty.
: US sends two long-range bombers into China’s air defense identification zone.
: Governments of the US Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK release a joint statement expressing “serious concern regarding China’s imposition of new rules to disqualify elected legislators in Hong Kong.”
: At least 10,000 Thai democracy activists surround police headquarters in Bangkok during one of the largest demonstrations since protests began almost five months ago.
: Australia and Japan agree “in principle” to a Reciprocal Access Agreement, which provides the legal framework for Australian forces in Japan, and vice versa.
: China’s foreign ministry expresses unease at the joint defense pact signed by Japan and Australia, noting that their military cooperation should not threaten third-part interests.
: China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian states that China bears “no responsibility” for the collapse of bilateral trade with Canberra as a result of a rising number of restrictions on Australian exports to China.
: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison arrives in Tokyo to meet counterpart Suga.
: Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s biggest free trade pact, is signed by 15 Asia-Pacific nations.
: Research paper in the Chinese Journal of Aeronautics reveals US software is being used in Chinese military research, despite US ban and efforts to restrict Beijing’s access to these tools.
: Defense chiefs of Japan and the US confirm that the Senkaku Islands fall under the scope of a security treaty between Tokyo and Washington.
: Taiwan representative to the US Bi-Khim Hsiao speaks with Biden foreign policy advisor Tony Blinken by phone to congratulate Biden on his election victory.
: China’s MFA spokesman congratulates Biden on his election as president after staying silent for 10 days following the election on Nov. 3.
: Christopher Langman, Australian deputy foreign affairs and trade secretary, expresses confidence that “technical” issues disrupting trade between Beijing and Canberra will be resolved as soon as possible.
: China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong describes the ousting of four pro-democracy lawmakers from Hong Kong’s legislature as the “right medicine” and tells foreign governments that the issue is none of their business.
: Trump administration extends deadline for ByteDance to restructure ownership of its video app TikTok in the US, giving the Chinese company time to resolve national security concerns raised by Washington.
: Trump signs an executive order prohibiting Americans from investing in Chinese firms the administration says are owned or controlled by the Chinese military.
: Biden declares that Article 5 of US-Japan security treaty applies to Japan’s administration of the disputed Senkaku Islands.
: North Korea labels the IAEA a “marionette dancing to the tune of the tune of hostile forces.”
: Pompeo announces that Undersecretary of State Keith Krach will lead economic talks with Taiwan this month.
: Center for Strategic and International Studies publishes pictures allegedly showing the destruction of a US-built facility at Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base.
: Hong Kong pro-democracy legislators resign en masse amid reports of Beijing planning to disqualify four opposition lawmakers accused of potential unlawful filibustering in the legislature.
: US imposes sanctions on four additional PRC and Hong Kong officials over the Hong Kong national security law.
: Japan welcomes the visit of ROK intelligence chief Park Jie-won as an opportunity to thaw frosty relations between Tokyo and Seoul.
: China’s PLA releases a video on Weibo showing armed personnel carriers driving through the streets of Hong Kong before conducting a live-fire exercise.
: BHP Group signs a memorandum of understanding focused on decarbonizing steelmaking with Baowu, China’s biggest steelmaker.
: Indian Chief of Defense Staff Bipin Rawat warns that tense border standoff with Chinese forces in the western Himalayas could spark a larger conflict.
: German defense chief Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer labels China a “systemic challenge” and calls for greater military cooperation with “like-minded” countries in the Indo-Pacific.
: China drafts a coast guard law authorizing maritime law enforcers to demolish foreign constructions on Chinese-claimed reefs and use weapons against foreign ships.
: Duong Di Sanh, deputy chairman of the Museum of Chinese Australian History, becomes the first person charged under a new foreign interference law by Australian Federal Police.
: US removes the designation of the Uyghur-founded group the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) as a terrorist organization.
: China suspends the $37 billion listing of Ant Group, which was set to become the world’s largest IPO, two days before trading was due to start.
: State Department approves a $600 million sale of four Weapons-Ready MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft to Taiwan.
: Indonesian President Joko Widodo endorses controversial omnibus law, which has sparked protests from those who say it erodes labor rights and weakens environmental protections.
: Indian, Japanese, Australia, and the US begin joint naval exercises in the Indian Ocean as part of the Malabar exercise.
: US approves sale of four sophisticated drones to Taiwan, in the final component of a weapons package to Taipei worth almost $4.8 billion.
: Former Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming says China should “carefully consider” whether Beijing should join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CRTPP).
: Pompeo condemns Hong Kong authorities for “clear abuse of law enforcement” in arresting eight opposition ministers.
: Telecoms giant Huawei works on plans for a dedicated chip plant in Shanghai, which would enable it to secure essential supplies for its telecom infrastructure business despite US sanctions.
: Pompeo concludes a visit to Asia in Vietnam, a tour marked by repeated calls for assistance to the US in confronting security threats posed by China.
: Australia criticizes China’s anti-dumping duties on its barley exports in a statement at the WTO.
: Chinese and US defense officials comprising the Crisis Communications Working Group meet to discuss crisis prevention amid rumors that the Trump administration plans to attack Chinese-claimed islands in the South China Sea.
: US authorities charge eight people with conducting an illegal operation intended to target, intimidate, and kidnap individuals perceived by Beijing to be dissident threats.
: Pompeo issues a statement condemning the arrest and detention of three student activists in Hong Kong under the National Security Law.
: Pompeo adds a two-day visit to Hanoi to his Asian tour designed to promote US foreign policy. Earlier destinations included India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Indonesia.
: Pompeo calls China’s communist government a “predator” during a meeting with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo.
: US Department of Defense hosts a crisis communications working group with the PLA to discuss concepts of crisis communications, crisis prevention, and crisis management.
: South Korean President Moon Jae-in pledges to make his country carbon-neutral by 2050 during a budget speech.
: In a trip to New Delhi with Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Pompeo vows to work closely with India to counter an increasingly aggressive China.
: Spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry announces Beijing’s intention to impose sanctions on US firms Boeing Defense, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon Technologies, as well as “anyone who played a bad role” in Washington’s $1.8 billion Taiwan arms deal.
: Three prodemocracy activists are arrested by the Hong Kong Police Force after briefly entering the US consulate in the city in an apparent bid to seek asylum.
: State Department approves sale of 100 Harpoon Coastal Defense Systems (HCDS) to Taiwan in a package worth $2.37 billion.
: Media reports claim the United States and India are preparing to sign an agreement to share satellite intelligence, as the two sides seek to increase security cooperation.
: US lodges an appeal against the WTO ruling that some of its tariffs on China are unlawful.
: Beijing cautiously welcomes Vladimir Putin’s suggestion that a military alliance between China and Russia is possible.
: Suga pledges Japan will become carbon neutral by 2050 in his first policy speech to a new session of the Diet.
: Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden says he could meet Kim Jong Un if North Korea reduces the country’s nuclear capabilities.
: Justice Department official John Demers accuses China of helping North Korea launder money from massive cyber thefts carried out to raise capital in the face of international sanctions.
: In a speech marking the anniversary of the Korean War, Xi warns that China is not afraid of war and will not allow its sovereignty, security, and development interests to be undermined.
: Protesters in Bangkok reject PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s olive branch and submit a letter calling on him to resign within three days.
: China issues a draft version of its national defense law, detailing enhanced security in cyberspace and improved communication between the government and military.
: Beijing’s describes US labelling of six Chinese media outlets as “substantially or effectively controlled” by Beijing as “political oppression” and threatened to retaliate.
: Thai royalists and anti-government protesters confront each other over demands for reform to the monarch and departure of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
: Indian authorities hand back a Chinese soldier who was apprehended in the Demchock area of Ladakh after crossing a contested border in the Himalayan region.
: Australia agrees to take part in large-scale Malabar naval exercise with other members of the Quad in the Bay of Bengal.
: Indonesian DM Prabowo and US Defense Secretary Mark Esper agree to boost defense and security cooperation.
: Chinese Ambassador to Japan Kong Xuanyou urges Tokyo to use its unique position as US ally and major Chinese neighbor to help stabilize Washington–Beijing relations.
: Suga and Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc meet in Hanoi and agree to cooperate on regional issues, including the disputed South China.
: Wang tells ASEAN that the “Quad” aims to “stir up confrontation among different groups … to maintain the dominance and hegemonic system of the US.”
: Philippines announces that oil and gas exploration will resume in the South China Sea, signaling an end to a six-year moratorium on resource exploration in the disputed waters.
: Chinese government warns Washington that it may detain Americans in China in response to the prosecution of Chinese military-affiliated scholars.
: Cotton Australia and the Australian Cotton Shippers Association confirm reports of a verbal directive for Chinese mills to stop using Australian cotton. This adds cotton to a growing list of targeted Australian exports, including coal, barley, wine, and beef.
: China’s ambassador to Canada blasts Ottawa for granting refugee status to Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters, calling it “interference” encouraging “violent criminals.”
: UN condemns North Korea’s unlawful killing of ROK official in waters.
: Thailand’s government declares a state of emergency in Bangkok following anti-government protests by around 10,00 people in Bangkok.
: China calls on Taiwanese spies to switch sides after claiming to have uncovered hundreds of cases of spying by Taipei on the Chinese mainland.
: US State Department Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs releases its list of Hong Kong, Macau, and PRC officials it says have contributed to undermining of autonomy in Hong Kong.
: As part of China’s regional charm offensive, Wang visits Thailand, casting Beijing as Bangkok’s “big friend.”
: China’s PLA holds a large-scale island invasion drill during Taiwan’s “Double Ten” holiday.
: China signs a free-trade deal with Cambodia and pledges $140 million for national “top priority projects.”
: Japan’s Coast Guard claims that two Chinese vessels entered what Japan considers its territorial waters near disputed islands in the East China Sea.
: India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla and the country’s army chief make a joint visit to Naypyidaw, fueling talk that Myanmar is stepping up efforts to balance Chinese influence.
: China joins 156 countries in WHO-led Covax initiative for fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
: US government appeals court ruling that suspended government ban of video-sharing app TikTok.
: Police in Indonesia arrest hundreds of protesters across the country as thousands rally against the omnibus labor law.
: Japanese fishing industry representatives urge the government not to allow the release of tons of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea.
: US lifts the 20-year ban on Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, a move analysts claim is aimed at balancing China’s power in Southeast Asia.
: Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu and his Australian counterpart Marise Payne meet to discuss the Australian-Japanese strategic partnership and cooperation.
: Pew poll shows a rise in unfavorable views of China in 14 countries, including Australia, South Korea, and Japan.
: Taiwan’s deputy defense minister, Chang Guan-chung, appeals to the United States to help boost the island’s defenses at the annual US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference.
: Foreign ministers from the Quad—the US, Japan, India, and Australia—gather in Tokyo to discuss the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” initiative. Oct. 7, 2020: Pompeo criticizes Chinese military maneuvers in the Pacific, reiterating US assurances to help Taiwan defend itself.
: Chinese People’s Liberation Army propagandists are ordered to steer clear of US election coverage and avoid remarks that might cause more disturbance to US-China relations.
: Indonesia passes the so-called omnibus law, overhauling several dozen tax and labor market laws as Jakarta looks to boost foreign investment and mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19.
: Interpol issues a “red notice” for Vorayuth Yoovidhya, Thai heir to Red Bull co-founder Chaleo Yoovidhya’s fortune estimated at $20.2 billion, for his role in an alleged hit-and-run.
: President of Singapore Halimah Yacob and Xi exchange congratulatory messages to mark the 30th anniversary of bilateral relations.
: Cambodia reportedly destroys a US-built facility at one of its largest naval facilities amid concerns of a secret Phnom Penh-Beijing deal to host PLA soldiers at Ream Naval Base.
: Trump announces that he and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for COVID-19.
: Lawmakers in the US House of Representatives approve legislation requiring publicly listed companies in the US to disclose commercial links to China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Uygur Region.
: H.R.6270 – Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act of 2020 passes in the US House of Representatives.
: Bangladesh officials accuse the Myanmar government of conducting a “disinformation campaign” to hamper Rohingya repatriation in a speech before the UN General Assembly.
: Vietnamese President Nguyen Phu Trong suggests to his Chinese counterpart Xi that the two countries “work together” to address concerns, particularly maritime issues.
: China describes India’s designation of the fast-militarizing Ladakh region as a union territory “illegal” and objects to Indian infrastructure construction in the area.
: Thailand’s new army chief Gen. Narongpan Jittkaewtae, pledges support to the Thai monarchy.
: US government imposes sanctions on China’s largest chipmaker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, dealing additional damage to the country’s semiconductor industry.
: US Federal Judge Carl Nichols blocks the Trump administration’s order to Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their US app stores.
: Malaysian Ambassador to China Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin says that Malaysia will not follow the US in imposing sanctions on 24 Chinese companies that the US accuses of advancing Chinese militarization in the South China Sea.
: Australian Strategic Policy Institute releases a research report documenting over 380 suspected detention facilities in Xinjiang, China.
: US State Department publishes a fact sheet on China’s environmental abuses.
: Suga has his first call with Chinese President Xi, agreeing to pursue high-level contacts in the pursuit of regional and international stability.
: Pompeo warns state and local US politicians of the dangers posed by Chinese diplomats seeking to manipulate them as part of Beijing’s propaganda and espionage campaign.
: South Korean President Moon Jae-In calls for declaring an end to the Korean War at 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
: Baimadajie Angwang, a New York City police officer, is charged as an intelligence asset for the Chinese government.
: Ren Zhiqiang, Chinese property tycoon and outspoken critic of Xi Jinping, is sentenced to 18 years for alleged corruption.
: California Judge Laurel Beeler temporarily blocks the Department of Commerce ban of Chinese social media app WeChat.
: Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen accuses Beijing of inflaming tensions in East Asia following Chinese warplanes’ crossing of the sensitive median line between the cross-strait rivals.
: New Delhi police arrest veteran Indian journalist Rajeev Sharma on suspicion of spying for China.
: Japan’s former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo visits Yasukuni Shrine a few days after his resignation.
: US Undersecretary for Economic Affairs Keith Krach concludes visit to Taiwan after attending a memorial service for late former President Lee Teng-hui.
: China’s Commerce Ministry announces details about its “unreliable entities list” in response to US WeChat and TikTok bans.
: US-based venture capital firm Lightspeed Venture Partners announces establishment of regional headquarters in Singapore, signifying expansion into Southeast Asia.
: Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh briefs Rajya Sabha regarding the standoff between the Indian Army and PLA at the Eastern Ladakh border.
: US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell describes China’s recent actions as that of a “lawless bully” in prepared testimony for a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.
: Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, calls Chinese military drills of Taiwan’s southwest coast a “necessary action” to protect Chinese sovereignty.
: World Trade Organization (WTO) panel says the US broke global regulations in imposing tariffs on Chinese goods in 2018.
: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets Mongolian Foreign Minister Nyamtseren Enkhtaivan and pledges to advance cooperation.
: US blacklists Chinese real-estate development company Union Development Group over its Cambodia development project amid “credible reports” the project could be used to host Chinese military assets.
: International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi tells board members that North Korea appears to have continued operating nuclear facilities.
: Suga Yoshihide wins the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election, effectively becoming prime minister of Japan.
: China bans imports of horses and other equines from Malaysia following an outbreak of African Horse Sickness.
: US lawmakers question Disney CEO Bob Chapek on connections with security and propaganda authorities of China’s Xinjiang region during production of the film Mulan.
: Online meeting of the 27th ASEAN Regional Forum takes place.
: Wei meets Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and pledges to donate $20 million in noncombat equipment to the Philippines.
: China’s foreign ministry accuses Australian consular officials of “wanton obstruction” and disruption of law enforcement activities of Chinese authorities by sheltering journalists Bill Birthles and Mike Smith in the embassy in Beijing and in the Shanghai consulate.
: US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun meets foreign ministers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam to discuss ways to deepen cooperation.
: China State Construction Engineering Company publishes its first sustainable development report for Sri Lanka.
: China announces new restrictions on US diplomats working in mainland China and Hong Kong in response to similar measures imposed on Chinese diplomats.
: Pompeo attends a virtual US-ASEAN ministerial meeting and urges counterparts to stand up to Chinese maritime bullying.
: Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He participates in the China-EU high-level dialogue in the digital area and stresses digital cooperation with the EU.
: Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah meets Wei in Bandar Seri Begawan.
: Video meetings of foreign ministers on East Asia Cooperation take place.
: Philippine Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez meets Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian via video conference to discuss cooperation between Manila and Beijing, including timely completion of projects under the “Build, Build, Build” program.
: Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi cautions the United States and China not to entangle Jakarta in their regional struggle for influence.
: Department of State revokes more than 1,000 visas of PRC nationals following a May 29 proclamation by President Trump in response to China’s curbs on democracy in Hong Kong.
: Chinese Defense Minister Wei meets Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta and they agree to resolve South China Sea issues through dialogue.
: Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe meets Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in Kuala Lumpur and discuss bilateral cooperation.
: KMT national convention reiterates party’s cross-Strait narrative: “1992 Consensus based on the ROC Constitution,” and says it opposes Taiwan independence and China’s “one country, two systems.”
: Department of State publishes the website entitled “The Chinese Communist Party’s Human Rights Abuses in Xinjiang,” detailing aspects of alleged violations of human rights in Xinjiang.
: Chinese and Lao firms sign a shareholders pact to establish the Electricite du Laos Transmission Company Limited in Vientiane.
: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces that the State Department will require senior PRC diplomats in the US to receive approval to visit university campuses and meet local government officials.