But a joint statement issued after the meeting of the three leaders did not mention their commitment to the “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” as agreed at the previous summit in December 2019 in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu.

At a joint press announcement with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Chinese Premier Li Qiang following the gathering in Seoul, Kishida said that stability on the Korean Peninsula is in the “common interest” of the three Asian countries.

The statement only said, “We reiterated positions on regional peace and stability, denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the abductions issue, respectively. We agree to continue to make positive efforts for the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue.”

North Korea said Monday it “strongly denounces and rejects” the joint declaration as “a blatant challenge” to the nation’s sovereignty and “wanton interference in its internal affairs,” according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

The North Korean Foreign Ministry criticized South Korea in a statement carried by KCNA, saying Seoul has brought a “grave security crisis” to the Korean Peninsula “by frantically strengthening military alliance for aggression with hegemonic forces outside the region,” referring to the United States.

The trilateral summit took place with the regional security environment becoming more severe amid nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, which has been bolstering its economic and military ties with China.

The Japanese government said earlier Monday that North Korea has notified Tokyo of its plan to launch a satellite-carrying rocket before June 4. The launch might involve the use of ballistic missile technology, a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

At the outset of the trilateral summit, Kishida urged North Korea to cancel its planned satellite launch, with Yoon, the chair of the meeting, saying it would endanger regional and global peace and stability.

Li, who took office in March 2023, did not touch on the issue, saying only that the role of China, Japan and South Korea is “to promote development, boost cooperation in East Asia and safeguard peace and prosperity in the region and the world.”

The statement also said, “We reaffirmed our commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and to an international order based on the rule of law and international law,” apparently targeting Russia.

The phrase might have been added to the statement as requested by Japan and South Korea despite opposition from China, effectively ruled solely by the Communist Party, as Tokyo and Seoul share common values such as freedom, democracy, and human rights, pundits said.

China has been trying to deepen relations with North Korea and Russia, while Japan and South Korea have been strengthening security cooperation, criticizing Beijing’s increasing military assertiveness and Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

On Monday, the leaders of Japan, South Korea and China agreed to work together in a wide range of fields, including people-to-people exchanges and economic cooperation, at their first trilateral summit in more than four years.

On the economic front, the three leaders pledged to speed up negotiations toward the signing of a three-way free trade agreement, which stalled in early 2020 against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the joint statement showed.

Kishida, Yoon and Li also reaffirmed that they will join hands to enhance supply chains that are vulnerable to geopolitical tensions, natural disasters and epidemics, causing disruptions in production and business operations.

Nevertheless, the outlook for trade and economic talks is gloomy as it is uncertain how much China will satisfy Japan’s demands to rectify Beijing’s alleged unfair business practices, such as strict information regulations and opaque benefits to state-owned companies.

In principle, the Asian countries hold trilateral summits annually on a rotating basis, but they have occasionally been suspended as Japan’s ties with its two neighbors have soured over historical and territorial disputes.

Recently, Tokyo and Beijing have been at odds over trade after China imposed a blanket ban on Japanese seafood imports in the wake of the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that began in August 2023.

At their bilateral meeting on Sunday, Kishida asked Li for an immediate lifting of the import ban. But Li expressed Beijing’s anxiety about the discharge, referring to the water as “nuclear-contaminated,” according to Chinese state-run media.

Last week, meanwhile, China carried out two-day military drills around Taiwan, arguing that they are a “strong punishment” for those seeking the island’s independence and a “stern warning” to “external forces” against interference and provocation.

The military exercises followed last Monday’s inauguration of Taiwan’s new President Lai Ching-te, whom China condemns as a separatist. He is the leader of the ruling, independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party.

Kishida said Sunday that he conveyed Japan’s “serious concern” about China’s expanding military activities, emphasizing that Tokyo believes stability in the Taiwan Strait is “crucial” not only for the region but also for the international community.

China’s Foreign Ministry, however, said Li told Kishida that Taiwan is at the “core” of Beijing’s interests and a “red line” that must not be crossed.

The joint statement released after the trilateral summit on Monday did not refer to Taiwan.

The post Japan, South Korea, China to pursue North Korea denuclearization: Kishida appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

With a meeting coming up this week between the foreign ministers of the two nations, spurring ongoing discussions for the high-stakes trilateral summit, Seoul has apparently opted for a cautious approach toward the North Korean defector issue to avoid triggering further tensions.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul will embark on a two-day visit to Beijing, Monday, the first visit in more than six years by a top South Korean diplomat to the Chinese capital.

The Yoon Suk Yeol government has consistently urged Beijing to refrain from repatriating North Korean escapees against their will, but this has been significantly toned down — even though China recently sent back dozens of North Korean defectors.

The Korean Unification Solidarity, an organization for North Korean refugees, claimed last week that around 200 North Korean refugees who were apprehended in northeast China’s Jilin province were forcibly sent back to their reclusive home country on April 26. According to the international organization Human Rights Watch, the Chinese government forcibly returned about 60 North Korean refugees in a similar period.

However, the South Korean government has refrained from issuing an official condemnation of China’s recent actions, a departure from its previous practices.

The Ministry of Unification reiterated its position that North Korean defectors should not be returned against their will under any circumstances, without officially confirming the speculation.

This marks a shift from the ministry’s response last October when the Chinese government repatriated at least 500 North Korean defectors following the Hangzhou Asian Games. At that time, the unification ministry officially acknowledged the repatriation just two days after human rights organizations raised the speculation, and said, “We have strongly raised this issue with the Chinese government and regret the situation.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to confirm whether South Korea has lodged a protest to China through diplomatic channels regarding the latest repatriation that occurred in April, stating that “related discussions with China have been ongoing at various levels.”

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul speaks during a closing ceremony for a meeting of South Korean overseas diplomatic mission chiefs at the ministry headquarters in Seoul, April 26. Yonhap

Lee Sang-man, a Chinese affairs expert at the Kyungnam University Institute for Far Eastern Studies, suggested that it is unlikely South Korea has lodged a strong protest with China, nor will Minister Cho bring up the issue during his upcoming meeting with Wang.

Lee viewed that the seemingly restrained response is aimed at avoiding any disruption to the preparations for the upcoming trilateral summit, which is likely to be held in Seoul from May 26 to 27.

Amid enhancing trilateral cooperation between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, China has shown reluctance to participate in the event, the rotating chair of which is currently held by Korea. The last such summit took place in 2019.

“The primary objective of Cho’s visit is to lay the groundwork for the summit. Bringing up the issue of North Korean escapees, where reaching common ground between the two sides is elusive, would not be a good idea. It’s important for Seoul to keep efforts to find common priorities with China for the summit,” Lee said.

Lee also viewed that South Korea’s repeated demands for China to halt the repatriation have not yielded desired results, as Beijing sometimes uses the North Korean refugee issue as diplomatic leverage against Seoul.

“The trilateral meeting, if held, would be meaningful in spurring the long-stalled three-way cooperation. However, consensus on security matters would be challenging to achieve. Less sensitive topics such as people-to-people exchanges, environmental issues and cyberspace could offer areas of agreement,” he noted.

The post Seoul remains low-key on China’s forced repatriation of NK defectors in hopes for fence-mending, 3-way summit appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

In a recent written interview with Kyodo News, Pistorius revealed that the upcoming joint exercise, set to take place in Japan, will be the first of its kind between the two countries’ ground forces. The development comes as Germany has bolstered ties with Indo-Pacific partners and emphasized its mission to “maintain the rules-based international order.”

Pistorius pointed out that no signs indicate that China will abandon its territorial claims in the South China Sea, as Beijing continues to deploy coast guards, maritime militia as well as sea and air forces in the waters concerned to enforce its claims.

Beijing also claims the Japan-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

“We are observing these developments with concern,” the defense minister said, emphasizing China’s significant responsibility for global peace and stability. He also noted that China is a partner for Germany, underscoring the importance of leveraging these ties.

Pistorius stated that officials from Germany’s army have recently visited Japan to coordinate their participation in the GSDF drills. This collaboration follows the conclusion of their defense pact earlier this year, aimed at facilitating exchanges of supplies and logistical support.

The acquisition and cross-servicing agreement, or ACSA, simplifies the process of sharing food, fuel and ammunition between Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the German military.

The two countries’ maritime and air forces have already conducted joint exercises, and Germany is committed to deploying a frigate, a supply ship and aircraft in the Indo-Pacific region this year.

The German frigate is expected to make a port call in Japan in August, with the European country’s fighter jets planned to join a drill with Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force in July.

Germany, which had reduced its military spending after the end of the Cold War, is rebuilding its military following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022.

Pistorius said that Russia’s launch of the war against Ukraine in violation of international law was an eye-opener for his country and a “turning point.”

“Our military experts tell us that Russia would theoretically be able to attack NATO territory in five to eight years. Regardless of whether Moscow would take this risk or not, we must be prepared for anything,” he said while emphasizing that the country’s goal is deterrence.

The post Japan, Germany may hold 1st joint land force exercise next year appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

In a joint statement released after their meeting in Hawaii, the three also said their forces aim to conduct an “inaugural regional air and missile defense live-fire exercise in 2027” at a regular multinational military exercise.

The three-way talks between Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles came ahead of their quadrilateral meeting involving Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro.

In the statement, Kihara, Austin and Marles said they will “further discuss cooperative opportunities” in cutting-edge technology, also including areas of “collaborative combat aircraft” and “composite aerospace materials.”

They said cooperation on new technologies will be pursued under their new trilateral Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Projects Arrangement.

The three also agreed to carry out trilateral F-35 fighter jet joint training in each of their countries over the next two years through 2026.

As for Russia’s war in Ukraine, the defense chiefs strongly condemned the “increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia,” including Pyongyang’s export and Moscow’s procurement of North Korean ballistic missiles in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

The three also condemned Russia’s use of the missiles against Ukraine.

The post Japan, U.S., Australia sign defense technology cooperation pact appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

It would be the first full-scale exercise involving the four countries, the sources said. The exercise will include anti-submarine warfare training, communication drills and sailing of ships in formation.

Sunday’s planned drill would occur against the backdrop of China’s assertiveness in the resource-rich South China Sea. The latest incident happened on March 23 when the Chinese Coast Guard fired water cannon at a Philippine vessel on a mission to Manila-controlled Second Thomas Shoal.

The vessel was heavily damaged in the incident while Filipino servicemen aboard were injured.

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, even though the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, in a 2016 ruling, invalidated its sweeping claims.

The post Japan, U.S., Australia, Philippines to hold drill in South China Sea appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

The Iranian team headed by Ali Pirouzkhah, have previously defeated Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Kazakhstan in the tournament.

The 11th Asian Age Group Championships include four aquatic disciplines, namely swimming, diving, water polo, and artistic swimming.

The competition is being held from Feb. 26 to March 9 at the New Clark City Aquatics Center in Capas, Tarlac, the Philippines.

More than 1,000 athletes from 25 countries compete at the tournament.

The post Iran to face Japan at 2024 Asian Age Group Championship final appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

At a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi declined to elaborate on Kim Yo Jong’s statement, which was carried by North Korea’s state-run media on Thursday, citing the possible negative impact on negotiations regarding the past abductions of Japanese nationals by Pyongyang.

In the statement, Kim said a visit could happen if Tokyo does not make the issue of the abductions an obstacle between the two countries, describing it as “settled.” Hayashi said Japan will continue trying to resolve the matter with North Korea.

Hayashi, who doubles as minister in charge of the abduction issue, said her assertion regarding the abductions was “totally unacceptable,” adding that Japan will also continue to make efforts to solve other problems involving North Korea, such as its nuclear and missile development programs.

Takuya Yokota, the head of a group representing the families of Japanese abductees, also said Kim’s stance that the abduction issue is settled “cannot be accepted at all.”

But he said in a statement he would “welcome” the sister’s reference to Kishida’s possible visit to Pyongyang if it comes as a part of backdoor negotiations between Japan and North Korean governments.

“I hope the Japanese government will continue negotiations in a resolute manner, without lowering the level of its demand urging North Korea to return home all abductees at one time,” said Yokota, a younger brother of Megumi, who was abducted at age 13 in 1977.

In May 2023, Kishida made a sudden commitment to establish high-level negotiations between Japan and North Korea to pave the way for an early summit with Kim Jong Un, although he has not provided details on what kind of official talks he envisions.

North Korea, meanwhile, has used antagonistic rhetoric toward Japan, demanding that Tokyo pay post-World War II compensation. Japan colonized Korea from 1910 through the end of the war in 1945.

But Kim Jong Un sent a message of sympathy to Kishida in early January over a deadly earthquake that hit central Japan on New Year’s Day, according to North Korean state media. It is rare for a Japanese prime minister to receive a message from a North Korean leader.

In 2002, Junichiro Koizumi became the first Japanese prime minister to make a trip to Pyongyang, leading to the return of five abductees. He revisited North Korea in 2004.

Japan and North Korea have no diplomatic relations, but Koizumi signed the historic Pyongyang Declaration with the late leader Kim Jong Il, father of Kim Jong Un, on Sept. 17, 2002.

The post Japan paying attention to remarks by North Korea leader’s sister: gov’t appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

Anyone who grew up in the 1980s saw the first arrival of the Hyundai Excel. That was South Korea’s entry into the U.S. automobile market. In the ’90s, it was Kia’s turn. Now the two automakers are as ubiquitous on American roads as a Toyota Corolla or a Ford F-150.

China wants in on the action, and it will get there sooner than you think. China will be the new South Korea of autos in 10 years. In fact, don’t be shocked if a Chinese company buys out an American automaker at some point in the near future. But in the overall auto market, the sector Western governments keep talking about as the future is the electric vehicle (EV). This sector is China’s entry point into the U.S. China has already made inroads here for batteries, and its EVs beat American ones in Europe and all of Latin America.

The U.S. Auto Industry Is Drawn to China

As it is, some automakers already known in the U.S. are majority Chinese-owned. For example, MG is owned by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), and Geely Motors owns 78.7% of Volvo as of Nov. 17, 2023.

The “Big Two” here in the U.S., Ford and General Motors—all that’s left of the auto industry after the 2008 Great Recession and subsequent consolidation—have been dying to make cars in China and ship them to West Coast ports. Ford said it will be making its new Lincoln Nautilus SUV in China and selling it here. They chose China over Mexico, which has a free trade deal with the U.S. That decision alone should attest to the huge cost advantage of manufacturing cars in China, let alone the economic and political benefits to Ford’s China business if the Chinese government likes them. China surpassed the U.S. as the world’s leading auto market in 2009.

GM has hinted many times, at least since 2015, that they want to make Buick SUVs in China. China is, in fact, Buick’s largest market. Meanwhile, GM has a joint venture with SAIC. In 2022, SAIC-GM exported their 1 millionth vehicle. This is an important relationship for GM; arguably more important than any relationship it has in Mexico.

That’s American legacy companies making cars in China. Now it’s China’s turn to make its own brands and sell them around the world.

EVs Are China’s Way Into the Global Auto Market

Nowhere is China as strongly positioned to do so as with EVs. EVs are China’s Trojan horse into the auto market in this hemisphere. Not only is China the world’s No. 1 producer of EVs; Chinese car battery makers lead the top five thanks to Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., better known as CATL. Another Chinese company, BYD, is number three. This company was a big Warren Buffet investment years ago and probably still is. LG of South Korea is sandwiched between the two.

Some might say, “Yeah, but so what? No one is buying EVs.” That might have been true in 2023 in the U.S., but it’s not the case worldwide.

Sales of electric vehicles in 14 countries, including the U.S. and much of Western Europe, totaled 1.243 million units in November 2023, according to Marklines, an auto industry data publisher. This is a 22.5% year-over-year increase and a 11.6% month-over-month increase. The share of EVs sold for the single month of November was 22.7% of all new cars, up 1.8 percentage points from the previous month. It was the highest number of EVs ever sold in a single month, beating December 2022’s 1.171 million units.

If you believe that Western governments are subsidizing EVs and legislating against gas-powered cars (like Gavin Newsom says he wants to do in California), then all of a sudden China’s unheard-of auto market can become a dominant player overnight.

It is worth noting that China’s car companies already produce the top-selling EVs globally in terms of units sold, but this is a skewed figure because China is the world’s biggest auto market, and the government there is pushing EVs on local consumers with an intensity similar to that of a drug dealer.

Despite that, Tesla is No. 1 in terms of units sold worldwide, with the Model Y and Model 3 being the top two bestsellers. But after Tesla, it’s all China makes and models except for the new Volkswagen ID.4, based on 2023 data from CleanTechnica. There is not a single Japanese or South Korean EV in the top 20.

China’s Leading EVs in Latin America

Notably, American car companies seem to have given up on the EV market in Latin America. Ford left Brazil during the COVID years, with no plans to manufacture there again. Germany’s Mercedes-Benz unit closed in Brazil in 2020. By contrast, China has already established a beachhead in several Latin American countries. Geely, BYD and Great Wall Motors, also Chinese, have replaced American companies and invested in assembly lines throughout Latin America.

Brazil: Brazil is Latin America’s largest auto market. EVs are a tiny portion of that market, maybe selling a little over 20,000 units in 2023. For traditional cars, the Chinese are nowhere to be seen yet. But for EVs in Brazil, there is not a single American car company in the pack. Most of the cars are hybrids, plug-ins with an engine, as that type of model is more affordable for Brazilian buyers. Geely’s XC60 Volvo EV is the No. 1 plug-in (PHEV) sold in Brazil. After that, it’s the Tiggo 8 by Chery and the Song Plus by BYD. Of the top 5 PHEV vehicles sold in Brazil, Chinese makes and models come in first, second and third, according to the Brazilian Association of Electric Motor Vehicles. It’s a puny market, but within the battery-powered sector, those plug-ins without a gas engine, Geely and BYD are the top two. Overall, China has 40% of the Brazilian battery-powered market and is building name brand recognition and trust.

Mexico: In Mexico, two of the top five EVs sold are Chinese cars. This includes the expensive Volvo EVs owned by Geely and the lower-end JAC Motors iEV models, which are priced as low as $12,000. You’d have to find a used Nissan Leaf if you wanted to get near that price in the U.S.

JAC’s Mexican director said the EV manufacturer is focused on the local market. “We decided to develop a factory in Mexico for Mexico,” Isidoro Massri, the general manager for JAC Mexico, told Automotive Logistics magazine in December. “We are not focused on exporting, everything that is produced here is produced by Mexico for Mexico.” That’s now, but wait a few years.

Argentina: The Argentina car market is horrible because the economy is a mess, with triple-digit inflation. There is a local EV maker there, but overall the country is a puny market for battery-powered cars and plug-in hybrids. BYD announced in 2017 that it would set up shop there to make EVs. The BYD e5 sedan is sold in Argentina, but its sales are nothing to brag about. Neither are Tesla’s, however.

Where China rules is in buses and trucks. BYD was the first to launch electric buses in Argentina. Foton, a Beijing-based truck manufacturer, is now selling battery-powered trucks in Argentina, fueled by CATL batteries. They chose Argentina to launch this model in the Americas back in March 2023.

Detroit Is Out, Beijing Is In

The U.S. invented the automobile for Main Street. Now the new car companies in the U.S., from Lucid Motors to Rivian, are making cars for millionaires with price points starting at $87,000. This means China has a perfect opening to introduce more affordable EVs to American consumers.

American automakers, including Tesla, that are getting into EVs because of legislation and tax incentives depend on China (or South Korea and Japan) to make their batteries—which are the engine of the EV. With the possible exception of Tesla, American car companies are already being surpassed globally by European, Japanese and South Korean gas-powered cars. Ford, for example, has given up on making four-door sedans thanks to competition from foreign rivals. Other than the Mustang, Ford only makes trucks and SUVs now. And for some American companies, it’s China’s domestic market that keeps them afloat.

In the U.S. today, you’re still about as likely to spot a Chinese-made EV as you are to spot a Fisker Ocean EV (that is, not very likely). But Chinese electric buses are everywhere. BYD USA makes battery-powered buses and is the market leader, signing this segment’s biggest sales order to date with the Los Angeles city government in 2019. Meanwhile, its U.S. competitor, Proterra, filed for bankruptcy in late August.

The EV segment is where China thinks it can stake its claim to be a global producer of future-famous makes and models. Governments in the West are promoting this new car market because of their professed fears of climate change, and we have seen how well China positions itself to reap the benefits of those fears. China rules the solar industry’s entire supply chain, and my guess is that it will surpass Europe with the world’s leading wind turbine brands in five years—barring tariffs, sanctions or domestic subsidies to prop up domestic companies.

Tariffs and quotas keep China’s massive auto market from flooding the zone here. But with new investments and partnerships in Mexico, like JAC Motors, Great Wall Motors, Geely, BYD, SAIC’s MG and Chery, it is only a matter of time before Mexican-made EVs belonging to Chinese car companies will be sold in the U.S.

The U.S. Is Falling Behind in BRICS Countries

The U.S. auto industry is not what it used to be. Within the big five emerging countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, otherwise known as the BRICS—the U.S. auto industry hasn’t had a dominant share in decades. In Brazil, the traditional gas-powered Chevrolet Onix and Onix Plus are in the top 10, along with the Jeep Compass and the Chevy Equinox. Ford’s not a top 10 there anymore.

In Russia, the Chevrolet Niva SUV was number two in sales as of Sept. 2023, but that is the end of American cars in Russia—U.S. companies outright lost their market share because American sanctions against Russia caused these companies to leave the country. Within the top 10, 70% of Russian cars are Chinese brands now.

Even in India, SAIC’s MG Comet EV is the best-selling foreign brand, although the top EVs in India are domestic names from Tata Motors and Mahindra, according to DriveSpark, an India automotive market news publisher. Not a single Western car is in the top 10 in India—neither a gas-powered engine nor the beloved EV.

In 2022, Ford was a top 10 seller in South Africa. China’s Chery is also in the top 10, selling below Ford’s numbers. GM products are not top sellers.

In China, American brands led by Buick and Tesla have given the U.S. automaker a 7.8% market share there. China wants us to return the favor. The real test for China’s market share in the U.S. will be with EVs.

America Is Worried, and With Good Reason

In 2017, Chinese company Geely announced its foray into the PHEV market with the Polestar, then later the fully electric Polestar 2. Production began in 2020 but slowed due to COVID. The car received excellent reviews and looks like a Tesla. Its MSRP is around $59,000, which is a lot more than the Tesla 3, which starts at around $39,000. If it wanted to, China could chop $10,000 off the price just to get into the market and become a direct competitor in the EV luxury sedan space, which for now is Tesla’s turf.

Polestar sold 1,128 units in the U.S. in November 2023 despite tariffs of around 28%. That was a 22.3% jump in sales from November 2022. Even though those numbers are not the sign of a long-term trend for Polestar, Washington is worried about the U.S. auto market’s EV future.

In December, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) announced a bill to block Inflation Reduction Act money and tax credits from going to Chinese EV battery makers. Pressure from Capitol Hill likely forced Ford to put its CATL partnership on pause in September 2023.

Also in December, people in Michigan started complaining about another EV battery maker, this time Gotion Hi-Tech of China, that was building a factory to serve U.S. automakers. That project is in serious jeopardy.

That same month, the Financial Times came out with a story about how Chinese battery makers such as CATL are overproducing batteries—making more batteries than there are cars. The publication was back at it again in January with a story looking at China’s EV supply chain leadership. Their compatriots at The Economist did the same with an article depicting Chinese cars approaching Earth like a meteor shower. They called the onslaught “terrifying.” Well, Western companies did it to themselves. They could have made a battery company at least. No one did, preferring to have the Japanese and South Koreans do it for them. So China joined in and said they’ll make the batteries, process all the minerals that go inside them, and make a bunch of battery-powered cars to sell around the world to rival the Westerners. They’re succeeding.

Everyone in China wants in on the act—private companies, provincially owned companies and the big state-owned ones. They’ll flood the market, lower prices and take market share from the South Koreans and the Japanese and maybe even Tesla, making it next to impossible, if not foolhardy, for an American company to dare enter the EV battery space in particular.

At the very least, if you’re driving an EV like a Ford Lightning or a Tesla, it will soon be powered by a Chinese battery. And in the not-so-distant future, if EVs really do take off in the U.S., Chinese brands will find their way in. If not here, then all over the Americas. Even if the market is small, China will own it.

The post You Don’t Own a Chinese Car Yet, But You Will appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 triggered waves of around 1 meter along parts of the west coast with a larger wave expected, public broadcaster NHK reported.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued tsunami warnings for the coastal prefectures of Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama, marking the first major warnings since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan.

A major tsunami warning means there is a possibility of waves more than 3 meters tall.

Russia also issued tsunami warnings in its Far Eastern cities of Vladivostok and Nakhodka.

Some houses have been destroyed and army units have been dispatched to help with rescue operations, top government spokesperson Hayashi Yoshimasa told reporters, adding that authorities were still assessing the extent of the damage.

More strong quakes in the area, where seismic activity has been simmering for more than three years, could occur over coming days, JMA official Toshihiro Shimoyama said.

In comments to the press shortly after the quake struck, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also warned residents to prepare for more disasters.

“Residents need to stay on alert for further possible quakes and I urge people in areas where tsunamis are expected to evacuate as soon as possible,” Kishida said.

“Run!” a bright yellow warning flashed across television screens advising residents in specific areas of the coast to immediately evacuate their homes.

Images carried by local media showed a building collapsing in a plume of dust in the coastal city of Suzu and a huge crack in a road in Wajima where panicked-looking parents clutched their children. The quake also jolted buildings in the capital Tokyo, some 500 km from Wajima on the opposite coast.

More than 36,000 households had lost power in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, utilities provider Hokuriku Electric Power said.

High-speed rail services to Ishikawa have been suspended while telecom operators Softbank and KDDI reported phone and internet service disruptions in Ishikawa and Niigata, according to their websites.

Japanese airline ANA turned back planes headed to airports in Toyama and Ishikawa, while Japan Airlines canceled most of its services to Niigata and Ishikawa regions and authorities said one of Ishikawa’s airports was closed.

Nuclear plants

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said no irregularities have been confirmed at nuclear power plants along the West Coast, including five active reactors at Kansai Electric Power’s Ohi and Takahama plants in Fukui Prefecture.

Hokuriku’s Shika plant in Ishikawa, the closest nuclear power station to the quake’s epicenter, had already halted its two reactors before the quake for regular inspections and saw no impact from the quake, the agency said.

The 2011 earthquake and tsunami killed nearly 20,000 people and devastated towns and nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima.

Another quake, known as the Great Hanshin Earthquake, hit western Japan in 1995, killing more than 6,000 people, mainly in the city of Kobe.

Monday’s quake struck during the Jan. 1 public holiday when millions of Japanese traditionally visit temples to mark the new year.

In Kanazawa, a popular tourist destination in Ishikawa, images showed the remnants of a collapsed torii gate strewn at the entrance of a shrine as anxious worshippers looked on.

Kanazawa resident Ayako Daikai said she had evacuated to a nearby elementary school with her husband and two children soon after the earthquake hit. Classrooms, stairwells, hallways and the gymnasium were all packed with evacuees, she said.

“I also experienced the Great Hanshin Earthquake, so I thought it would be safest to evacuate,” she told Reuters when contacted by telephone. (Reuters)

The post Earthquake slams Japan; residents flee some coastal areas appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

Dr. Ebad thanked Japan for its support in setting up infectious disease treatment centers and expressed his hope to receive more assistance from Japan in the future.

Kuromiya praised the joint efforts and cooperation in the health field and announced that Japan will soon deliver equipped ambulances and health aid to Afghanistan.

The post Japan to Provide Health Aid and Ambulances to Afghanistan appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.