2023 ends with much of the world at war, and a quarter of the global population affectedGaza and Ukraine dominate news in the western world, yet more than 50 other conflicts continue around the globeMon Dec 25 2023 - 06:00
Freezing Beijing weather cannot stop a man who is looking for love Beijing Letter: A friend of mine had a wife who fined him up to €102 if he came home lateFri Dec 22 2023 - 05:00
China warns Philippines as tensions rise over disputed watersBeijing says relationship between countries is at a crossroadsThu Dec 21 2023 - 11:37
China earthquake: More than 126 killed, rescuers respond amid freezing temperaturesMagnitude-6.2 earthquake strkies Gansu and neighbouring Qinghai provinces in northwest of countryTue Dec 19 2023 - 17:16
Trial of publisher and activist Jimmy Lai begins in Hong KongTycoon also faces charges under national security law that could mean he spends rest of his life in prisonMon Dec 18 2023 - 18:55
My starring role in a video with English subtitles that made no sense at allThe social media platform has about 600 million daily active users, and lots of people want a piece of the action, as Dennis Staunton found out when a man from Inner Mongolia came callingFri Dec 15 2023 - 05:00
Turnout of 27.5% for Hong Kong district elections lowest in any vote since Britain returned city to China in 1997 Hong Kong saw only 20% of seats directly elected and only ‘patriots’ loyal to Beijing allowed to standMon Dec 11 2023 - 17:33
With opposition candidates blocked, voters shun Hong Kong’s local electionsChinese government made huge effort to encourage participationMon Dec 11 2023 - 16:28
Hong Kong’s local elections will be a one-horse raceNo candidates from pro-democracy parties won enough nominations to get on to the ballot in any constituencyFri Dec 08 2023 - 05:00
Von der Leyen and Michel sing same song to a different tune at EU-China summitFollowing Beijing meeting with Xi Jinping, European Council and European Commission presidents deliver familiar message seemingly heedless of changed contextThu Dec 07 2023 - 19:23
China-EU summit: no breakthrough in trade imbalances or over the war in UkraineEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says the EU’s €400 billion annual trade deficit with China is unsustainableThu Dec 07 2023 - 19:00
European Commission and Council presidents to meet Xi Jinping in first in-person EU-China summit in four yearsBoth sides have played down expectations ahead of meeting in BeijingWed Dec 06 2023 - 17:56
‘Nobody knew what they were doing was illegal.’ Trial of Hong Kong 47 concludes in legal disharmonyPro-democracy activists face possible life sentences if convicted under National Security Law imposed by Beijing in 2020Mon Dec 04 2023 - 20:26
No one in Europe cared about my illness, but my Chinese friends wanted all the detailsThere was no masking a doctor’s disdain for what he saw as the West’s attitude to life and deathFri Dec 01 2023 - 05:00
Henry Kissinger reshaped relationship between China and US, says Xi JinpingFormer US secretary of state, who died aged 100, was a ‘world-renowned strategist, old friend and good friend of Chinese people’, says Chinese leaderThu Nov 30 2023 - 19:08
Beijing proposes UN peace conference to end Gaza warA paper released says the fundamental settlement of the question of Palestine lies in the implementation of the two-state solution and the restoration of the legitimate national rights of PalestineThu Nov 30 2023 - 19:02
Taiwan faces a three-way presidential contest in the new yearMr Gou withdrew his own candidacy for the presidency, weeks after China opened a tax investigation into FoxconnFri Nov 24 2023 - 17:11
Crisis of confidence leaves economy caught in post-Covid mazeCash-rich consumers are afraid to go out and spend in case bad times are around the cornerFri Nov 24 2023 - 05:00
Taiwan’s vice-president launches his presidential campaignLai Ching-te is framing the contest as a choice about the island’s relationship with BeijingTue Nov 21 2023 - 16:12
‘China firmly stands with justice and fairness in this conflict,’ minister Wang says to visiting delegationThe UN Security Council passed its first resolution on the conflict in Gaza, calling for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas and for extended humanitarian pauses to protect civiliansMon Nov 20 2023 - 17:15
November rain brings a cold shock and heavy metal nostalgiaI told him I spent an afternoon with Leonard Cohen many years ago. I might as well have said I used to go drinking with RimbaudFri Nov 17 2023 - 06:00
Xi meeting with Biden helps restore severed channels of communicationTwo leaders agree to resume formal contacts between Pentagon and People’s Liberation ArmyThu Nov 16 2023 - 07:41
Tánaiste speaks fondly of Cork to Chinese audience while outlining Ireland’s stance on Ukraine and Gaza Shanghai Letter: Micheál Martin emphasises complexity of global supply chains and impossibility of decoupling economies of China, Europe and the USFri Nov 10 2023 - 05:00
European adviser’s opinion on Apple case will not impact State’s corporate tax regime, says VaradkarMicheál Martin suggests Court of Justice could reject Advocate General’s advice on setting aside 2020 ruling on €13bn of back taxesThu Nov 09 2023 - 16:20
RTÉ proposes compromise in dispute with PAC over Tubridy documentKevin Bakhurst offers to send ‘extensive and detailed summary’ of note on meeting to committeeThu Nov 09 2023 - 12:34
Politicians threatening to sue media ‘not good in a democracy’, Tánaiste saysSinn Féin TD Chris Andrews taking defamation case against The Irish Times and political journalistThu Nov 09 2023 - 12:32
‘How’s the craic?’: Micheál Martin visits China’s only comprehensive institute for Irish studies in BeijingStudents at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) waved Chinese and Irish flags and called out ‘Fáilte, a Thánaiste’Wed Nov 08 2023 - 15:49
Ireland ‘not slower’ than most countries in getting Irish citizens out of GazaMicheál Martin, speaking in Shanghai, said fewer than 30 per cent of foreign nationals who were in Gaza have succeeded in getting outWed Nov 08 2023 - 13:38
Suspension of Irish beef exports to China after BSE case disappointing, says Tánaiste Micheál Martin says in Shanghai he is confident ban will be lifted within a few monthsWed Nov 08 2023 - 08:56
Micheál Martin says Europe’s de-risking strategy not aimed at ChinaPolicy is response to economic shocks, Tánaiste points outTue Nov 07 2023 - 16:41
Women of Honour accusation that sex assaults were equated to ‘slips’ a ‘distortion’, says MartinSupport group took issue with Tánaiste’s comments in correspondence about terms of reference for inquiry into abuse in Defence ForcesTue Nov 07 2023 - 11:31
Ireland is focused on securing the release of Irish citizen Emily Hand (8) from Gaza, Tánaiste saysRegional governments contacted to push for release of Irish citizen Emily Hand and other hostages abducted by HamasTue Nov 07 2023 - 10:46
Ireland in contact with ‘key interlocutors’ to seek Emily Hand’s release‘We’re not aware of any other Irish citizen being held hostage by any group in Gaza,’ says TánaisteTue Nov 07 2023 - 07:42
Micheál Martin to discuss Beijing’s UN role on visit to ChinaTánaiste says meetings with Chinese vice president and foreign minister will cover global issues including Ukraine and the Middle EastMon Nov 06 2023 - 06:33
Varadkar ‘not convinced’ benefits of Ireland’s final Covid-19 lockdown outweighed costsEffects such as mental health issues and missed school and health screenings now being seen, Taoiseach saysMon Nov 06 2023 - 00:01
Ukrainian refugees to pay for accommodation, have social welfare benefits changed, says Varadkar Planned measures are needed to slow refugee numbers so State can ‘catch up’ on accommodation provision, according to TaoiseachSun Nov 05 2023 - 08:48
Ireland could miss out on new flights and destinations if Dublin Airport passenger cap is not lifted, Varadkar warns DAA chief says process likely to take two years and airlines may take extra capacity elsewhere in interimSat Nov 04 2023 - 15:35
RTÉ spends nearly €75,000 appealing findings against broadcaster in bogus self-employment casesDecision expected from Dáil committee on whether RTÉ should be compelled to supply key document in Tubridy pay sagaSat Nov 04 2023 - 05:15
Ireland and Korea’s historical parallels echo throughout landmark Irish visitPrimary purpose of three-day trade mission to Seoul was winning more business for Irish companiesSat Nov 04 2023 - 04:15
Hopes for dramatic increase in trade and investment between Ireland and South Korea following trade missionTaoiseach Leo Varadkar met Yoon Suk-yeol on the last day of his visit to Seoul on Friday as part of a trade missionFri Nov 03 2023 - 16:04
Israel war resembles something ‘approaching revenge’, Taoiseach says Gaza City encircled by Israel as US to urge Binyamin Netanyahu for ‘localised’ humanitarian pausesFri Nov 03 2023 - 15:36
Sinn Féin foreign policy would ‘weaken Ireland’s influence in the world’, says VaradkarParty’s foreign affairs spokesman Matt Carthy defends its positions, pointing to ‘long-standing international relationships’ in US, EU and further afieldFri Nov 03 2023 - 15:21
Keeping up with the South Koreans: plastic surgery, photo shoots and personality tests all the rageSeoul letter: Trends take hold quickly in Korea and often spread across Asia before moving outwards into the US and Europe, writes Denis StauntonFri Nov 03 2023 - 05:00
Taoiseach to raise LGBT rights with South Korean presidentConstitutional court ruling in Seoul upheld ban on same-sex activity within the armed forcesFri Nov 03 2023 - 00:01
Offaly firm signs South Korea data centre dealLumcloon Energy agrees terms with conglomerate SK Ecoplant to build fuel cell powered data centre in IrelandThu Nov 02 2023 - 15:16
Taoiseach visits demilitarised zone dividing the Korean PeninsulaMr Varadkar stepped briefly into what is technically the territory of North KoreaThu Nov 02 2023 - 06:33
How WB Yeats resonated with Korea and established a bond spanning the worldLike Ireland, South Korea has moved from being a relatively poor country to one of the richest within generationsThu Nov 02 2023 - 06:00
South Korea to complete key stage of Irish beef imports deal, says MinisterMinister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue was speaking in Seoul after a meeting with with So Byung Hoon, the chairman of the parliament’s agriculture committeeWed Nov 01 2023 - 21:53
Injured Gazans enter Egypt as Rafah crossing opens, amid ‘urgent’ efforts to include Irish people in future evacuationsIrish diplomats seek to have trapped Irish included in future evacuations as 81 injured people and up to 500 foreign passport holders to enter EgyptWed Nov 01 2023 - 14:03
Leo Varadkar leads new kind of Irish trade mission to South KoreaTaoiseach will be joined by three other Government ministers this week in effort to boost exports and attract investmentWed Nov 01 2023 - 00:01