China’s Covid Zero Exit Tied to 1.9 Million Deaths in Just Two Months
China’s unexpected
decision to end its strict Covid Zero policy in December 2022 led to nearly 1.9
million excess deaths in just two months, according to one of the first
independent studies to estimate the virus’s devastation as it rampaged across
the vast country.
The shocking figure — even more so considering fewer than 7 million deaths
worldwide have been formally attributed to Covid — applies only to adults over
the age of 30 who died between December 2022 and January 2023, according to the
paper published in the journal JAMA Network Open. The Chinese government had
previously disclosed about 60,000 Covid-related deaths in health facilities
from early December to the middle of January.
India, Japan hold Deputy NSA strategic dialogue, discuss
defence, economic security
India and Japan held the second Deputy
NSA Strategic Dialogue to discuss cooperation in defence, economic security,
and emerging technology. The meeting, co-chaired by India's Deputy NSA Vikram
Misri and Japan's Deputy Secretary General Keiichi Ichikawa, focused on
regional and global developments.
Chinese coast guard blocks Philippine vessels near disputed
shoal but two supply boats breach cordon
Two Philippine boats successfully
breached a Chinese coast guard blockade in the disputed South China Sea to
deliver supplies to Filipino forces guarding a contested shoal. The Philippine
coast guard vessels were blocked by Chinese coast guard ships for about five
hours in the tense standoff.
Taiwan's president renews her pledge to stronger self defence
during visit to war memorial
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen renewed
her pledge to strengthen Taiwan's self-defence on Wednesday as she visited a
war memorial from the last time Taiwan and China battled. Tsai, visiting the
outlying islands of Kinmen where the conflict was fought 65 years ago,
commemorated those who died in the conflict.
Sri Lanka 'processing' China's request for research ship
docking that may raise security concerns in India
Sri Lanka is considering a request from
China to allow a research ship to dock in the country, a year after a Chinese
spy vessel's visit raised security concerns in India. The Chinese research
vessel, 'SHI YAN 6', is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka in October for marine
research activities. The country's foreign ministry is currently reviewing the
application. Sri Lanka sees both India and China as important partners in its
external debt restructuring, as it owes $3 billion to China among its total
bilateral debt of $7.1 billion.
Australia
to buy US Tomahawk missiles to boost long range strike capability
The US State Department in March approved the sale of the
Tomahawks, which have a range of 1,500 kms (932 miles) but did not indicate at
the time that a contract had been signed or talks had concluded. The
ship-launched version of the missiles, manufactured by RTX Corp, will be
deployed on the Royal Australian Navy's Hobart-class destroyers, he said.
Australia says it needs to upgrade its defence forces as China is undertaking
the biggest military build-up since the end of World War Two.
The Philippines is standing up to Beijing at a
time of increased external and internal pressures.
Pressure building on US to intervene on
contested South China Sea feature as China ups ante and Philippines holds its
ground.
After years of cozying up
to Beijing under former President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines under leader
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is taking a stand. The most recent example can be found in
Manila’s reaction to China’s insistence that it moves a rusty old tank landing
ship in the South China Sea. The Armed Forces of the Philippines says one of
its supply boats was blocked and water-cannoned by a Chinese vessel on Aug. 5,
as it tried to deliver supplies to troops stationed on the ship. 1 But Beijing
says Manila is violating its sovereignty.
Philippine, Australian troops held exercises
near South China Sea
Australian and Filipino
troops held exercises on near South China Sea waters. About 1,200 Australian
soldiers and 560 Filipino marines stormed a beach in the drill, arriving in
amphibious assault vehicles, by parachute and on US Osprey aircraft. The
exercise came after Chinese coast guard vessels fired water cannon and blocked
a Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.
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