China to target Taiwan, Hong Kong youth to boost loyaltyMarch 3, 2017 - 17:43 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - China wants to boost the loyalty of young people from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau by organising "study trips" and exchanges for them to visit the mainland, a top Chinese official said on Friday, March 3, according to Reuters. Yu Zhengsheng, the ruling Communist Party's fourth ranked leader, announced the plan to boost the loyalty to China among young people in all three places at the opening session of a largely ceremonial advisory body to parliament in Beijing. He said the government would this year organise trips for young people "to visit the mainland on study trips and experience it for themselves", adding that the trips would "strengthen the love of both region and country among the people of Hong Kong and Macau." The government would also increase exchanges with young people in Taiwan in order to "build up public support for the peaceful development of cross-straits relations", he said. China is deeply suspicious of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, whose ruling Democratic Progressive Party espouses the island's formal independence, a red line for Beijing, which has cut off a formal dialogue mechanism with the island. Tsai says she wants peace with China. In 2014, hundreds of students occupied Taiwan's parliament for weeks in protests nicknamed the Sunflower Movement, demanding more transparency and fearful of China's growing economic and political influence on the democratic island. Yu did not say how many young people would be brought to China or give any other details about the plan, or how it may differ from existing schemes. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. EU still discussing funding Armenia through European Peace Facility Discussions continue in the EU on providing Armenia with funds from the European Peace Facility, Vassilis Maragos says. |