Thailand’s young voters spearhead ‘earth-shaking’ calls for change in military dominated kingdom (May 11, 2023, CNN)
As Thailand heads to the polls on Sunday a “lost generation” of young voters fired up by a yearning for change are keeping alive previously taboo topics, including the military’s stranglehold on the levers of power – and even royal reform.
Philippines paving the way toward a new Quad (February 28, 2023, Asia Times)
Barely a year into office, the new Filipino president has defied his critics and surprised traditional allies by discarding his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte’s pro-Beijing and pro-Moscow strategic orientation.
A glimmer of hope for North Korea in 2023 (February 13, 2023, Asia Times)
Without sanctions relief or major humanitarian assistance, the best hope for improved livelihoods in North Korea rests with a resumption of border trade with China, accompanied by a return to market-favorable measures at home. The end of China’s “zero-Covid” measures offers some hope amid the dark clouds that continue to hang over the Korean Peninsula.
What is China's strategy for Central Asia? (May 16, 2023, DW)
China will host leaders from five Central Asian countries to boost economic and trade ties with the region. With Russia hit by sanctions, Central Asia is becoming more prominent in international affairs and trade.
Political Counting (March 31, 2023, ChinaSource Blog)
An interesting feature of Chinese social and political discourse is propensity to label institutions or political campaigns using numbers. The One this. The Two That. They are catchy and thus relatively easy to remember. Here are some of my favorites.
How to Read Xi’s Muscular Message on China’s Global Role (March 17, 2023, Council on Foreign Relations)
Xi Jinping used the annual legislative session to lock in his tenure as president and reinforce China’s assertive foreign policy and the reemergence of its economy. area. In 2007, authorities initially accused Alim of using his business to “infiltrate” Christian ideology into Kashgar.
Explainer: what is China’s ‘two sessions’ gathering, and why does it matter? (March 1, 2023, The Guardian)
The event is called the “two sessions” because both the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) hold their annual meetings separately, but at the same time. The CPPCC is an advisory body, and the 3,000-member NPC is the CCP’s legislative body, but is largely a “rubber stamping” parliament.
China declares 'decisive victory' over COVID-19 (February 16, 2023, Reuters)
China's top leaders declared a "decisive victory" over COVID-19, claiming the world's lowest fatality rate, although experts have questioned Beijing's data as the coronovirus tore across the country after largely being kept at bay for three years. China abruptly ended its zero-COVID policy in early December, with 80% of its 1.4 billion population becoming infected, a prominent government scientist said last month.
Where Is China’s Politics Headed in 2023? (February 9, 2023, The Diplomat)
But now that COVID-19 and Party Congress issues are largely resolved, will 2023 be a less turbulent year for politics in China? One certainty is that policymakers can now focus their attention on non-COVID-19-related issues.
Straying off Course: A Spy Balloon Q&A with John Delury (February 3, 2023, China File)
On the evening of Friday February 3, about one day after news broke that a large balloon from China was surveilling the skies over Montana, ChinaFile’s Susan Jakes spoke with historian John Delury, whose recently published book, Agents of Subversion: The Fate of John T. Downey and the CIA’s Covert War in China, centers around a U.S. spy plane downed in China during the Korean War. Delury spoke from his home in Seoul and Jakes was in Washington, D.C.
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Joann Pittman
Joann Pittman is Vice President of Partnership and China Engagement and editor of ZGBriefs. Prior to joining ChinaSource, Joann spent 28 years working in China, as an English teacher, language student, program director, and cross-cultural trainer for organizations and businesses engaged in China. She has also taught Chinese at the University …View Full Bio
Blessing Asia
In October-2022 more than 500 Christian leaders from across Asia gathered in Thailand for the Asia 2022 Congress, sponsored by the Lausanne Movement and various partnering organizations. I had the opportunity to participate in the Congress virtually and was mightily blessed. From Bible exposition to K-pop worship, and through seminars and workshops, the participants were encouraged by the stories of what God is doing in countries all over Asia. Clearly, God is on the move.
A beautiful vision was portrayed in a video of the popular worship song The Blessing, featuring singers from all over Asia. Here it is:
Many of the sessions have already been posted on their website and to their YouTube channel.
One that I found particularly helpful considering all that is going on in China was a presentation titled Church and State Relationship in Asia Today. You can see the video here.
I encourage you to spend some time on their website; there are fantastic resources for understanding God’s work in Asia today.
Original link: https://www.chinasource.org/resource-library/blog-entries/blessing-asia/
Image credit: Andrea Brucker, via Unsplash
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