Photo exhibition launched in Geneva to introduce a real Xinjiang region (GT)
2022-09-28

Zurich Film Festival shines spotlight on Chinese movies (Xinhua)
2022-09-28

New Swiss ambassador hoping for further development of relations with China (GT)
2022-09-27

Swiss narrowly back hiking retirement age for women

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Philippines to Deport 40,000 Chinese in Shutting Down 175 Online Casinos (Caixin)
2022-09-30
The Philippines will close 175 illegal offshore online gambling operations and deport about 40,000 Chinese workers starting next month, a justice department official said Monday. The crackdown on an industry that once provided a lucrative source of tax revenue was triggered by reports of murders, kidnappings and other crimes committed by Chinese nationals against other Chinese, justice ministry spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano said. As of Sept. 7, there have been 27 kidnappings this year, 20 of which were crimes linked to or involving workers in the online gambling industry, according to police reports. In September, the Philippines closed three offshore online gambling operators and freed 274 Chinese workers who were forced to work for them. One of enterprises, called Lucky South 99, was run by a Chinese citizen and didn’t have a license, according to local media report. China’s Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xi in a Sept. 21 phone call with Philippine Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla urged the Philippines to crack down on crimes related to online gambling and resolve a persistent social problem at the root. The ambassador pledged to work with the Philippine government to handle relevant issues, including deportation of Chinese workers. As China stepped up its ongoing eight-year anti-corruption campaign, many Asian casino operators turned to offline casinos and online gambling to lure Chinese gamblers. With a booming tourism industry and proximity to an international airport, Manila Bay in the Philippines became a popular location for offshore casinos. Offshore casinos mushroomed in the country after 2016 when authorities issued licenses to online casinos, locally known as Philippine offshore gaming operators, or POGO. The licenses allow gaming operators to offer online gambling services to noncitizens outside the Philippines via the internet, with bets and payments made outside the country. POGOs were required to pay a regulatory fee of 2% of gross gaming revenues. Under this arrangement, the country could protect its own citizens from gambling and potential money laundering while increasing tax revenue. The offshore gaming industry brought in 7.2 billion pesos ($122 million) in tax revenue in 2020, according to the Philippine Department of Finance. To ease Covid-related economic pressures, the Philippines imposed an additional 5% finance tax in 2021, prompting many offshore gaming operators to move to Cambodia and other places. As of Sept. 20, there were 34 licensed online gambling operators, down from 56 in 2019, according to the gaming regulatory authority. Tax revenue from the offshore gaming industry fell to 3.9 billion pesos in 2021 and 1.55 billion pesos in the first quarter of 2022. Several Philippine lawmakers joined calls to stop the POGO operations in light of rising crime. Philippine online gambling companies mostly target Chinese customers and hire Chinese-speaking workers from mainland China, Taiwan, Malaysia and elsewhere, legally or illegally. The workers are often subjected to forced labor, abuse, kidnapping, extortion and even murder. At the peak, Philippine offshore gambling operators employed more than 300,000 Chinese.

China facing increased competition from US in Pacific as Washington hosts first island summit (SCMP)
2022-09-29

50 years on, China and Japan aspire to overcome rifts, bring relations forward (GT)
2022-09-29

‘No retreat’ for China’s hardline diplomats after 20th party congress (SCMP)
2022-09-29

The case of the reappearing Chinese gold miner gripping Ghana (SCMP)
2022-09-28

Vision, wisdom of the CPC sheds light on Laos’ development; bilateral friendship is at its prime: Lao ambassador (GT)
2022-09-28

China repeats call to respect national sovereignty after referendums in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine (SCMP)
2022-09-28

Chinese, Argentine presidents hope for closer bilateral ties (Xinhua)
2022-09-28

Wang Yi’s meetings with European leaders at 77th UNGA highlight importance attached to China-EU relations: Chinese Foreign Ministry (GT)
2022-09-27

China’s debt leniency claim for developing nation ‘restructurings’ undercut by transparency issues (SCMP)
2022-09-27

Wang Yi, Blinken meet amid tensions (China Daily)
2022-09-26

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China’s common prosperity drive for shared wealth to get fresh push as ‘strategic goal’ during party congress (SCMP)
2022-09-30

Chinese premier urges policy implementation to boost economic recovery (Xinhua)
2022-09-29

Why the National Day ‘golden week’ holiday is causing frustration in China (SCMP)
2022-09-29

Official gets death for corruption involving 3b yuan (China Daily)
2022-09-29

Former top graft-buster at Chinese spy agency to face court on bribery charges (SCMP)
2022-09-28

China’s Xi Jinping back in the public spotlight – in person and in policy (SCMP)
2022-09-28

US agency mounted ‘thousands of cyberattacks’ on Chinese university: report (SCMP)
2022-09-27

90 of 122 areas in C China's Hunan hit by extreme drought that is likely to develop in the coming week (GT)
2022-09-27

‘709’ crackdown: Chinese human rights lawyer Zhou Shifeng released after 7 years in prison for subversion (SCMP)
2022-09-26

China’s self-developed oral anti-COVID-19 drug GST-HG171 approved for clinical trials (GT)
2022-09-26

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Exhibition showcasing China's new era achievements opens in Beijing (Xinhua)
2022-09-27

Beijing's key pollution reading down 20 pct in Jan-Aug (Xinhua)
2022-09-26

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Former chief procurator of Shanghai expelled from CPC, office (Xinhua)
2022-09-29

China’s wealthiest city explores why only 1 out of 8 mothers from Shanghai have a second child (SCMP)
2022-09-27

Shanghai commercial landlords pinched by high vacancies, rent-cut demands as zero-Covid policies take toll on tenants (SCMP)
2022-09-27

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Shenzhen aims to become global esports hub by promising cash rewards, subsidies to gamers (SCMP)
2022-09-28

Snap Covid-19 lockdown sparks rare protest in Chinese tech hub Shenzhen (HKFP)
2022-09-28

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Former vice chairman of China's Tibet regional gov't indicted for bribery (Xinhua)
2022-09-29

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Security is premise of Xinjiang progress (China Daily)
2022-09-27

More countries oppose US, West’s politicization of human rights in China’s Xinjiang region at UN (GT)
2022-09-27

China's 4th-largest telecom operator launches nationwide commercial 5G network services (GT)
2022-09-27

US, Britain back call for UN human rights debate on China’s Xinjiang (SCMP)
2022-09-26

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Self-exiled Hong Kong democrat Ted Hui sentenced to 3.5 years in jail in absentia (HKFP)
2022-09-29

Hong Kong legal sector must seize on unique strengths of ‘one country, two systems’ to seek more business in mainland China: justice minister (SCMP)
2022-09-29

Hong Kong schools welcome prospect of return of overseas study tours as hotel quarantine rule axed (SCMP)
2022-09-28

Cardinal Joseph Zen, 5 others have case to answer over protest fund, Hong Kong magistrate rules (SCMP)
2022-09-27

Coronavirus: scenes of joy at airport as Hong Kong welcomes first arrivals under ‘0+3’ no-quarantine scheme (SCMP)
2022-09-26

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Macao's merchandise trade drops 9.8 pct in Jan.-Aug. (Xinhua)
2022-09-29

Macao hosts forum to build green infrastructure platform (Xinhua)
2022-09-28

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Paraguay says ‘excellent’ Taiwan ties do not depend on new investment (SCMP)
2022-09-29

Taiwan opts for ‘step-by-step’ reopening to mainland China, Hong Kong (SCMP)
2022-09-29

Taiwan’s secessionist DPP channels profits to US politicians via covert means like buying over their family, NGOs (GT)
2022-09-28

Pompeo in Taiwan calls for end to US ‘blind engagement’ with Beijing (SCMP)
2022-09-27

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China factory activity expands for first time in 3 months, beats expectations in September (SCMP)
2022-09-30

China’s economists are divided – some say ‘red economy’ isolationism is going too far (SCMP)
2022-09-30

China’s ‘erratic policy shifts’ have some companies wondering how much more they can take (SCMP)
2022-09-30

China's private economy expands rapidly over past decade (Xinhua)
2022-09-29

China urged to set ‘clear road map’ for zero-Covid exit to enable economic recovery as premier looks to fourth quarter (SCMP)
2022-09-29

Chinese officials stress ‘basic stability’ in yuan’s exchange rate, warn against betting (GT)
2022-09-28

China’s GDP growth to lag behind rest of developing East Asia as zero-Covid, property crisis bite, World Bank says (SCMP)
2022-09-27

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S.Korea says DPRK fires 2 ballistic missiles into eastern waters (Xinhua)
2022-09-29

China-N.Korea freight train resumes after five-month hiatus due to COVID (GT)
2022-09-26

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Prime Minister L.Oyun-Erdene attends State Funeral for late Shinzo Abe (Montsame)
2022-09-28

Foreign Ministries of Mongolia and China hold consular consultation meeting (Montsame)
2022-09-28

Mongolia’s Permanent Representative addresses the high-level plenary meeting (Montsame)
2022-09-27

Central bank raises policy rate (Montsame)
2022-09-26

5,000 Russian citizens arrived in Mongolia since September 15 (GoGo Mongolia)
2022-09-26

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Embassy of Switzerland