Cinmpring kici

Kamis, 28 Januari 2021

WHO team to start Wuhan COVID-19 probe under global glare - CNA

WUHAN: A team of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) left quarantine in Wuhan on Thursday (Jan 28) to begin a heavily scrutinised probe into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, after Washington urged a "robust and clear" investigation.

The group started a two-week quarantine on arrival on Jan 14 in the central Chinese city where the first known cluster of coronavirus cases emerged in late 2019.

Wearing masks, they peered at the ranks of waiting media from the window of a bus which whisked them from the quarantine to another hotel on Thursday - although it was not immediately clear when and where their investigation will start.

"So proud to graduate from our 14 days ... no-one went stir crazy & we've been v productive," tweeted team member Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, a global NGO focused on infectious disease prevention.

READ: White House demands 'robust' international probe into COVID-19 origins

Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) team — Members of the World Health Organization team investigating the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic leave The Jade Hotel on a bus after completing their quarantine in Wuhan, China’s central Hubei province on Jan 28, 2021. (Photo: AFP/Hector Retamal)

The virus is believed to have come from bats and to have initially spread from a wet market in Wuhan where wild animals were sold as food.

The WHO insists the visit will be tightly tethered to the science of how the virus - which has killed more than 2 million people - jumped from animals to humans.

But in a sign of the political baggage attached to their mission, US President Joe Biden's new administration weighed in before the experts had even finished quarantine.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, new White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said it was "imperative we get to the bottom" of how the virus appeared and spread worldwide.

Psaki voiced concern over "misinformation" from "some sources in China" and urged a "robust and clear" probe.

Beijing snapped back on Thursday, warning the United States to "respect facts and science, respect the hard work" of the WHO experts.

They must be allowed to work "free from political interference", Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters.

READ: Relative of COVID-19 victim asks to meet WHO experts in Wuhan

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted Thursday that he held a "frank discussion" with Chinese health minister Ma Xiaowei, and requested that the expert team "get the support, access & data needed, and the chance to engage fully with their Chinese counterparts".

WHO team in Wuhan departs quarantine for COVID-19 origins study — Workers wearing protective gear are seen in the compounds of The Jade Boutique Hotel, where members of the World Health Organization team investigating the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic were quarantined in Wuhan, Jan 28, 2021. (Photo: AFP/Hector Retamal)

But in a mission dogged by delays and obfuscation from their Chinese hosts, it was not clear what the expert team will be allowed to see in Wuhan - or what useful evidence remains a year after the outbreak in a country which has vigorously controlled the narrative of how the pandemic began.

The early days of the outbreak remain among the most sensitive topics in China today, with the Communist leadership seeking to stamp out any discussion that shows its governance in a poor light.

Beijing has also sought to seed doubt into the origin story, floating the unsubstantiated theory that the virus emerged elsewhere.

Another theory, amplified by former US president Donald Trump, is that it leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan where researchers were studying coronaviruses.

Relatives of Wuhan's coronavirus dead have called for a meeting with the team from the UN health agency, saying they have been facing new levels of official obstruction since the WHO team arrived.

According to official Chinese figures the virus killed nearly 3,900 in Wuhan, accounting for the vast majority of the 4,636 dead China has reported.

China is taking no risks in bringing a resurgence of the virus to heel, conducting anal swabs, localised lockdowns and cancelling flights as it makes travel before the Lunar New Year difficult.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vbmV3cy9hc2lhL2NvdmlkLTE5LXdoby10ZWFtLXd1aGFuLWRlcGFydHMtcXVhcmFudGluZS1vcmlnaW5zLXN0dWR5LWNoaW5hLTE0MDYwNzc00gEA?oc=5

2021-01-28 09:24:51Z
52781332974276

China toughens language, warns Taiwan that independence 'means war' - CNA

BEIJING: China toughened its language towards Taiwan on Thursday (Jan 28), warning after recent stepped up military activities near the island that "independence means war" and that their armed forces were taking action to respond to provocation and foreign interference.

Taiwan, claimed by China as its own territory, reported multiple Chinese fighter jets and bombers entering Taiwan's southwestern air defence identification zone over the weekend, prompting concern in Washington.

China believes that Taiwan's democratically-elected government is moving the island towards a declaration of formal independence, though President Tsai Ing-wen has repeatedly said they are already an independent country called the Republic of China, its formal name.

Asked at a monthly news briefing about the air forces' recent activities, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said Taiwan was an inseparable part of China.

READ: US stands with Southeast Asian countries against China pressure: Blinken

"The military activities carried out by the Chinese People's Liberation Army in the Taiwan Strait are necessary actions to address the current security situation in the Taiwan Strait and to safeguard national sovereignty and security," he said.

"They are a solemn response to external interference and provocations by 'Taiwan independence' forces," he added.

The Chinese incursions coincided with a US carrier battle group entering the disputed South China Sea to promote "freedom of the seas".

Wu said a "handful" of people in Taiwan were seeking the island's independence.

"We warn those 'Taiwan independence' elements: Those who play with fire will burn themselves, and 'Taiwan independence' means war," he added.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vbmV3cy9hc2lhL2NoaW5hLXdhcm5zLXRhaXdhbi1pbmRlcGVuZGVuY2UtbWVhbnMtd2FyLW1pbGl0YXJ5LWFjdGl2aXRpZXMtMTQwNjA5NDjSAQA?oc=5

2021-01-28 08:42:37Z
52781334300676

China toughens language, warns Taiwan that independence 'means war' - CNA

Asked at a monthly news briefing about the air forces' recent activities, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said Taiwan was an inseparable part of China.

READ: US stands with Southeast Asian countries against China pressure: Blinken

"They are a solemn response to external interference and provocations by 'Taiwan independence' forces," he added.

The Chinese incursions coincided with a US carrier battle group entering the disputed South China Sea to promote "freedom of the seas".

Wu said a "handful" of people in Taiwan were seeking the island's independence.

"We warn those 'Taiwan independence' elements: Those who play with fire will burn themselves, and 'Taiwan independence' means war," he added.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Rabu, 27 Januari 2021

In multiple messages, Biden warns China over expansionism - CNA

WASHINGTON: One week into the job, US President Joe Biden has sent a clear warning to Beijing against any expansionist intentions in East and Southeast Asia.

In multiple calls and statements, he and his top security officials have underscored support for allies Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, signalling Washington's rejection of China's disputed territorial claims in those areas.

On Wednesday (Jan 27), Biden told Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga that his administration is committed to defending Japan, including the Senkaku Islands, which are claimed both by Japan and China, which calls them the Diaoyu Islands.

READ: Biden's pick for UN post calls China 'a strategic adversary'

That stance was echoed by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who told Japanese counterpart Nobuo Kishi on Saturday that the contested islands were covered by the US-Japan Security Treaty.

Austin affirmed that the United States "remains opposed to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea", according to a Pentagon statement on the call.

In his first overseas contacts after taking office, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (pictured January 22, 2021) included not only Japan but also counterparts in Australia, South Korea and India AFP/Brendan SMIALOWSKI

Meanwhile, three days into the Biden administration, State Department spokesman Ned Price warned China about menacing Taiwan after it repeatedly sent more than a dozen military fighters and bombers through the island's air defense zone.

"We will stand with friends and allies to advance our shared prosperity security and values in the Indo-Pacific region - and that includes deepening our ties with Democratic Taiwan," Price said in a statement.

"Our commitment to Taiwan is rock-solid."

READ: US will work with China on climate despite other differences - Kerry

Those comments and others sought to emphasise that the new Biden administration will not deviate from the firm security stance towards China that it inherited from ex-president Donald Trump.

"A FREE AND OPEN INDO-PACIFIC"

Washington has long sided with allies such as South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia in rejecting disputed Chinese territorial claims in the East China Sea and South China Sea.

But the Trump administration raised the tone of that rejection when then-secretary of state Mike Pompeo declared last July that most of Beijing's maritime claims in the South China Sea were "completely unlawful".

In his first overseas contacts after taking office, Austin included not only Japan but also counterparts in Australia, South Korea and India.

READ: White House demands 'robust' international probe into COVID-19 origins

Over the past three years, Washington has expanded defense cooperation with India, which sees China posing a military threat both on its northern border and in the seas to the south.

In a call with Indian defense minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday, Austin observed that the two countries' defense partnership "is built upon shared values and a common interest in ensuring the Indo-Pacific region remains free and open", said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.

A similar China-directed refrain echoed through Austin's call with Australian defense minister Linda Reynolds on Tuesday.

Austin "emphasised the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, founded on existing international law and norms in a region free of malign behavior", Kirby said.

To underscore the unchanged US stance in Asia, on Jan 24, the fourth day of the new Biden administration, the US aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt embarked on a so-called "freedom of navigation" mission in the South China Sea, sailing in or close to waters that China claims to underscore Washington's rejection of those claims.

In addition, even as his initial focus for the US Defense Department is battling the coronavirus, Austin is expected to make Asia his first destination on an international trip.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vbmV3cy93b3JsZC91cy1wcmVzaWRlbnQtam9lLWJpZGVuLXdhcm5zLWNoaW5hLWV4cGFuc2lvbmlzbS1hc2lhbi1hbGxpZXMtMTQwNTg5MjLSAQA?oc=5

2021-01-28 01:58:10Z
52781334300676

Boost for Britain, blow to Hong Kong? How the BN(O) ticket may affect fortunes - South China Morning Post

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Boost for Britain, blow to Hong Kong? How the BN(O) ticket may affect fortunes South China Morning Post
New pro-Beijing political party signals China's future plans for Hong Kong The Straits Times
Hong Kong's first Covid-19 lockdown exposes deep-rooted inequality TODAYonline
This lion cub was born from artificial insemination Yahoo Singapore News
China arrivals to offset exodus to UK, Hong Kong aide says The Straits Times
View Full coverage on Google News

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMidmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNjbXAuY29tL25ld3MvaG9uZy1rb25nL3NvY2lldHkvYXJ0aWNsZS8zMTE5NTA4L25hdGlvbmFsLXNlY3VyaXR5LWxhdy1ib29zdC1icml0YWluLWJsb3ctaG9uZy1rb25nLWhvdy1ibm_SAXZodHRwczovL2FtcC5zY21wLmNvbS9uZXdzL2hvbmcta29uZy9zb2NpZXR5L2FydGljbGUvMzExOTUwOC9uYXRpb25hbC1zZWN1cml0eS1sYXctYm9vc3QtYnJpdGFpbi1ibG93LWhvbmcta29uZy1ob3ctYm5v?oc=5

2021-01-28 00:00:21Z
52781335603443

China deploys anal swabs to test for Covid-19 - The Straits Times

BEIJING (AFP) - China has begun using anal swabs to test those it considers at high risk of contracting Covid-19, state TV reported, with social media users and travellers squirming over the invasive procedure which doctors say can be more effective in detecting the virus.

Officials took anal swabs from residents of neighbourhoods with confirmed Covid-19 cases in Beijing last week, broadcaster CCTV said, while those in designated quarantine facilities have also undergone the test.

Small, localised outbreaks in recent weeks have seen multiple cities in northern China sealed off from the rest of the country and prompted mass testing campaigns - which up until now have mostly been conducted using throat and nose swabs.

But the anal swabs method "can increase the detection rate of infected people" as traces of the virus linger longer in the anus than in the respiratory tract, Li Tongzeng, a senior doctor from Beijing's You'an Hospital, told CCTV.

Users of China's popular Twitter-like Weibo social media platform reacted to the method with a mix of mirth and horror.

"So lucky I returned to China earlier," one user wrote.

"Low harm, but extreme humiliation," another said, using a laughing emoticon.

Others who had undergone the procedure chimed in with dark humour.

"I've done two anal swabs, every time I did one I had to do a throat swab afterwards - I was so scared the nurse would forget to use a new swab," one Weibo user joked.

CCTV said on Sunday (Jan 24) anal swabs would not be used as widely as other methods, as the technique was "not convenient."

As cases rise around the world, China has imposed stricter requirements on international arrivals in an effort to keep domestic transmission close to zero.

The country has also tightened restrictions domestically, with Beijing announcing that people from medium- or high-risk areas will be barred from the city from Thursday to reduce the risk of virus transmission over the Lunar New Year period.

Meanwhile, arrivals into the country must have multiple negative test results and quarantine for at least 14 days in a designated hotel on arrival, with many cities and regions imposing additional home observation requirements.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiWWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0cmFpdHN0aW1lcy5jb20vYXNpYS9lYXN0LWFzaWEvY2hpbmEtZGVwbG95cy1hbmFsLXN3YWJzLXRvLXRlc3QtZm9yLWNvdmlkLTE50gEA?oc=5

2021-01-27 12:25:32Z
CAIiEEypVlWU0DJHXZVJFGyadH4qGQgEKhAIACoHCAow_7X3CjCh49YCMMa2pwU

China deploys anal swabs to test for Covid-19 - The Straits Times

But the anal swabs method can increase the detection rate of infected people, as traces of the virus linger longer in the anus than in the respiratory tract, Dr Li Tongzeng, a senior doctor from Beijing's You'an Hospital, told CCTV.

Users of China's popular Twitter-like Weibo social media platform reacted to the method with a mix of mirth and horror.

"So lucky I returned to China earlier," one user wrote.

"Low harm, but extreme humiliation," another said, using a laughing emoticon.

Others who had undergone the procedure chimed in with dark humour.

"I've done two anal swabs, every time I did one I had to do a throat swab afterwards - I was so scared the nurse would forget to use a new swab," one Weibo user joked.

CCTV said on Sunday (Jan 24) that anal swabs would not be used as widely as other methods, as the technique was "not convenient".

As cases rise around the world, China has imposed stricter requirements on international arrivals in an effort to keep domestic transmission close to zero.

Kamis, 28 Januari 2021

Rabu, 27 Januari 2021

Related Stories: