Day: September 18, 2021

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Vietnam reports 11,521 new COVID-19 cases, 667,650 in total

Vietnam reported 11,521 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, including 11,506 locally transmitted and 15 imported, according to the country’s Ministry of Health.

 

The new infections brought the country’s total tally to 667,650, with 16,637 deaths, the ministry said.

 

Most of the community cases were detected in southern localities, including 5,972 in the epicenter Ho Chi Minh City, 4,013 in the nearby Binh Duong province and 345 in Dong Nai province.

 

As many as 433,465 COVID-19 patients have so far recovered, up 9,914 from Thursday, while over 33 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered nationwide, according to the ministry.

 

As of Friday, Vietnam has registered a total of 663,232 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases since the start of the current wave in late April, the ministry said.

 

Source: China – ASEAN Business Council

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Myanmar reports 2,187 new COVID-19 cases, 75 more deaths

Myanmar on Friday reported 2,187 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 as well as 75 more deaths from the coronavirus epidemic in the past 24 hours.

 

The health ministry said the new cases brought the total number of COVID-19 infections in the Asian country to 442,928, including 16,944 deaths.

 

An additional 2,191 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals on Friday, bringing the total number of recoveries from the pandemic in Myanmar to 393,459.

 

COVID-19 infection was first detected in Myanmar on March 23 last year.

 

Source: China – ASEAN Business Council

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Indonesia to reopen Bali for int’l visitors in October

The Indonesian government will reopen its resort island of Bali for international visitors in October, as the number of COVID-19 cases has been declining in the country, Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan said on Friday.

 

The Southeast Asian country has just emerged from the peak of the second wave of COVID-19 transmissions triggered by the Delta variant from July to August and managed to reduce its positivity rate to less than 5 percent, Pandjaitan said.

 

The COVID-19 Task Force recorded the highest daily increase of cases at 56,757 in July 15, but the day-to-day rise dropped sharply to 3,835 on Sept. 17.

 

“If the number of cases continues to drop like this, we are confident to reopen Bali,” Panjaitan told a virtual press conference.

 

Indonesia will prioritize foreign tourists from countries with controlled COVID-19 cases. Authorities continue to monitor the progress of the pandemic handling every week to ensure that the conditions remain under control so that Bali is safe to reopen.

 

Source: China – ASEAN Business Council

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Hong Kong’s First ‘Patriots-Only’ Election Kicks Off 

HONG KONG — About 4,900 Hong Kong residents from mostly pro-establishment circles are to vote on Sunday for candidates vetted as loyal to Beijing, who will in turn pick the city’s next China-backed leader.

Pro-democracy candidates are almost absent from Hong Kong’s first election since Beijing overhauled the city’s electoral system to ensure that “only patriots” rule China’s freest city.

Police have ramped up security across the city, with local media reporting 6,000 officers are expected to be deployed to ensure a smooth vote.

Changes to the political system are the latest in a string of moves — including a national security law that punishes anything Beijing deems as subversion, secession, terrorism or collusion with foreign forces — that have placed the international financial hub on an authoritarian path.

Most prominent democratic activists and politicians are now in jail or have fled abroad.

China’s rubber-stamp parliament in May changed Hong Kong’s electoral system, reducing democratic representation in institutions and introducing the vetting mechanism for election candidates and winners. This all but removed any influence the opposition was able to exert.

The changes also dramatically reduced the influence of the city’s powerful tycoons, although groups close to their business interests retain a presence in the 1,500-strong committee that selects Hong Kong’s chief executive.

China promised universal suffrage as an ultimate goal for Hong Kong in its mini constitution, the Basic Law, which also states the city has wide-ranging autonomy from Beijing.

Democracy campaigners and Western countries say the political overhaul moves the city in the opposite direction, leaving the democratic opposition with the most limited space it has had since Britain handed its former colony back to China in 1997.

Tycoons out, sons remain

Committee membership for 117 community-level district councilors, dominated by democrats, was scrapped, while more than 500 seats designated for Chinese business, political and grassroots groups were added.

Representation from professional subsectors that traditionally had a bigger pro-democracy presence, including legal, education, social welfare, medical and health services, was diluted by the addition of ex-officio members, reducing the number of elected seats.

Twenty-three of the 36 subsectors that are open for contest, totaling about 600 seats, will not see any competition.

About 70% of the nominees did not feature in the last two polls for the committee, which will expand by 300 members to 1,500, Reuters calculations based on the election committee website showed.

Many prominent tycoons, including Hong Kong’s richest man, Li Ka-shing, will not be on the election committee for the first time, as Beijing seeks to rebalance power from big conglomerates to small businesses.

Three property moguls withdrew from the race, although their sons will retain their seats.

The election committee will select 40 seats in the revamped Legislative Council in December and choose a chief executive in March.

Source: Voice of America

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Indonesia Says Its Most Wanted Militant Killed in Jungle Shootout 

PALU, INDONESIA — Indonesia’s most wanted militant with ties to the Islamic State group was killed Saturday in a shootout with security forces, the Indonesian military said, in a sweeping counterterrorism campaign against extremists in the remote mountain jungles.

Ali Kalora was one of two militants killed in the raid, said Central Sulawesi’s regional military chief, Brigadier General Farid Makruf. He identified the other suspected extremist as Jaka Ramadan.

The two men were fatally shot late Saturday by a joint team of military and police officers in Central Sulawesi province’s mountainous Parigi Moutong district, Makruf said. It borders Poso district, considered an extremist hotbed in the province.

“Ali Kalora was the most wanted terrorist and leader of MIT,” Makruf said, referring to the Indonesian acronym of the East Indonesia Mujahedeen, a militant group that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2014.

He said that security forces were searching for four remaining suspected members of the group.

Saturday’s shootout occurred two months after security forces killed two suspected members of the group during a pre-dawn raid in the same mountainous district.

The East Indonesia Mujahedeen has claimed responsibility for several killings of police officers and minority Christians.

Security operations in the area have intensified in recent months to try to capture members of the network, targeting Kalora.

Kalora had eluded capture for more than a decade. He took over from Abu Wardah Santoso, who was killed by security forces in July 2016. Dozens of other leaders and members of the group have been killed or captured since then.

In May, the militants killed four Christians in a village in Poso district, including one who was beheaded. Authorities said the attack was in revenge for the killing in March of two militants, including Santoso’s son.

Makruf said that rugged terrain and darkness have hampered efforts to evacuate the two bodies from the scene of the shootout in the forested village of Astina. He said the bodies of Kalora and his follower would be taken by helicopter on Sunday morning for further investigation and identification.

Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, has kept up a crackdown on militants since bombings on the tourist island of Bali in 2002 killed 202 people, mostly foreigners.

Militant attacks on foreigners in Indonesia have been largely replaced in recent years by smaller, less deadly strikes targeting the government, mainly police and anti-terrorism forces, and people militants consider to be infidels, inspired by Islamic State group tactics abroad.

 

 

Source: Voice of America

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Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy Members Revisit Honolulu to Continue the Promotion of Love, Peace and Hope

Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Proclamation of September 16, 2001 as Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy and Dr. Hong Tao Tze Day in Honolulu

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze Honored for His Peace Efforts in Honolulu in 2001

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the leader of Tai Ji Men, is presented with a proclamation by the representative of Mayor Jeremy Harris of Honolulu in 2001, declaring September 16, 2001 as Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy and Dr. Hong Tao Tze Day in Honolulu.

HONOLULU, Sept. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — To honor the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, various commemorative events took place around the United States. Twenty-three Tai Ji Men members visited Honolulu, Hawaii on September 3-5 to reflect on the historic day and the importance of peace. They also celebrated September 15 as International Love and Peace Day, as well as the 20th anniversary of the Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy and Dr. Hong Tao Tze Day in Honolulu. The group visited different locations to promote the idea of conscience, love, and peace, including Honolulu City Hall, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Honolulu, Honolulu’s Chinatown, Diamond Head, Dole Plantation, the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Waikiki Beach, and Pearl Harbor.

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the leader of Tai Ji Men, Mrs. Hong, and Tai Ji Men members were invited to the 54th Annual DPI/NGO Conference in September 2001, and they witnessed the 9/11 terrorist attacks. During those difficult times, Tai Ji Men hosted ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love in New York and Honolulu to soothe people’s hearts and pray for the United States and the world, and visionary leaders from all walks of life were invited to ring the Bell and make peace wishes.

At that time, New York was in chaos, and the world was under the threat of more terrorist attacks. The iconic World War II port of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii was projected to be the next target, and many people sought to evacuate the country. Tai Ji Men had been invited to participate in the Aloha Parade before the 9/11 attacks. Dr. Hong, Mrs. Hong, and the Tai Ji Men members, as martial artists, were adamant that they would fly to Hawaii as promised, despite all odds. Due to numerous flight cancellations, the group waited at the airport every day until they were eventually able to go to Hawaii on the 15th and 16th on separate flights. Despite the cancellation of the Parade, the delegation still held “A Night of Ancient Culture,” a cultural feast and an ancient bell ringing ceremony to pray for Hawaii, the U.S. and the world, in Hawaii Theatre Center on September 16.

430 Tai Ji Men members were supposed to participate in the parade, but only 36 were able to make it to Hawaii to perform at the theater. Their sincere, peaceful, and righteous performances brought nearly 1,000 people to tears. Jennifer Hung, a Tai Ji Men member who returned to Hawaii 20 years later, recalled, “When everyone closed their eyes, they silently and sincerely prayed that there would be no more terrorist attacks, that the living would be comforted, and that the souls of the departed would rest in peace. At the end of the event, many people were very touched and praised us for being fearless and selfless.”

During the bell ringing ceremony on September 16, 2001, Dr. Hong explained the significance of the ceremony: “The peaceful sound of the Bell brings the blessing of peace and stability. All living creatures in the world are our brothers and sisters. It is with a heavy heart that we pay tribute to the victims of September 11. Global solidarity and cooperation are an urgent imperative, and with sincere care from the heart, we can resolve the sorrow of the world and reignite the hope of life.” Dr. Hong expressed his prayers for the 9/11 attacks: “May the souls of the deceased rest in peace, and I lead my disciples to pray with the world with a sincere heart and the mighty righteous energy from the auspicious formation. Let us resolve hatred and conflict with love.” Representatives from many faiths and walks of life were invited to join in praying for Hawaii, the United States, and the world.

The then Mayor of Honolulu Jeremy Harris expressed his appreciation to Tai Ji Men’s contributions to world peace and praised Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze for being “an outstanding leader who imparts the philosophy of yin and yang, and advocates the concept of physical, spiritual and mental health.” Mayor Harris also commended the Cultural Goodwill Group organized by Dr. Hong for strengthening relationships among countries and cultures through cultural exchange. He proclaimed September 16, 2001 as Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy and Dr. Hong Tao Tze Day in the City and County of Honolulu.

Tai Ji Men’s leader and members consoled people’s hearts with cultural performances full of love and peace in the aftermath of the terrorist atrocities. Twenty years later, Tai Ji Men members returned to Hawaii, and now the world is facing the impact of the pandemic, natural disasters and war. With the conviction that conscience is the wellspring of love, they promoted the International Day of Conscience in Honolulu and emphasized that conscience leads to good governance, and with conscience-driven politics, people will be blessed. They sang peaceful songs in various tourist attractions, hoping that global citizens will work together to overcome the pandemic with conscience.

“When we sing, we think of true love and peace for everyone,” said Tai Ji Men member Nunu Tun, adding, “We hope that everyone can return to the origin, which is a peaceful world. We are bringing the energy of love and peace to every corner of Honolulu again by singing songs like ‘Love and Peace Song,’ ‘Love of the World,’ and ‘Love.’”

“Twenty years ago, my parents were members of a cultural goodwill group that was to visit Honolulu for cultural exchange, but they couldn’t make it because of the 9/11 attacks,” recalled Alan Shih. “It’s a huge pity. I am delighted to be in Honolulu today, and I bring the best wishes of my parents and all of my Tai Ji Men brothers and sisters to this city. I pray that the world will be filled with love and peace, that everyone will act with conscience, and that every family will be happy.”

Another Tai Ji Men member Ying-fen Chang said, “We also went to Hawaii with the goal of drawing international attention to the significance of protecting religious freedom and human rights. The sacred land of Tai Ji Men was illegally auctioned and forcibly confiscated by the Taiwanese government on August 21, 2020, severely violating Tai Ji Men members’ freedom of belief and right to select their own path of self-cultivation. This has become a shocking case of human rights violations in the world.”

The ECOSOC-accredited NGO CAP-LC (Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience) submitted a written statement about the Tai Ji Men case and other unjust cases to the United Nations’ Human Rights Council, indicating that in various countries, taxation has been used as a weapon to discriminate against religious and spiritual minorities.

On September 3, members of Tai Ji Men and the Action Alliance to Redress 1219 protested in front of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Honolulu, delivering a petition letter to Tseng Yong-Kwang, the Office’s director-general, asking him to send their message to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. They were received by Director Joffrey Han of the Office, on his behalf. Tai Ji Men members urged President Tsai to lead her administration to truly rectify the Tai Ji Men case, revoke the unlawful 1992 tax bill, and return the illegally confiscated land to Tai Ji Men as soon as possible. Director Han stated that he would inform the director-general of their message.

On September 4 and 5, members of Tai Ji Men and the Action Alliance to Redress 1219 continued to hold signs at various Honolulu attractions to protest the nearly quarter-century-long persecution of Tai Ji Men by a few Taiwanese rogue bureaucrats, and many Honolulu residents expressed their support for the protest and wished for a speedy resolution of the Tai Ji Men case. Tai Ji Men members sincerely hope that everyone’s conscience will be awakened, that no more cases of injustice will occur, and that the world will be filled with love and peace!

Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy: Tai Ji Men is an ancient menpai (similar to school) of qigong, martial arts, and self-cultivation. It has carried forward the wisdom of Daoist philosophy, one of the highest philosophies of humankind. It is an international nonprofit cultural organization. Its contemporary zhang-men-ren (grandmaster), Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze established the Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy in 1966, and since then it has grown to 15 academies worldwide.

Dr. Hong teaches his dizi (similar to disciples) methods to achieve physical, mental, and spiritual balance, and tens of thousands of families have benefited from his teaching. At Tai Ji Men, martial arts and wisdom have been passed down from the shifu (master) to his dizi. Through this time-honored tradition, the shifu and dizi promote the Tai Ji Men culture and martial arts around the world while embodying what is true, good, and beautiful as well as spreading the ideas of conscience, love, and peace. Over the past half-century, the shifu and dizi have self-funded trips to over 300 cities in 101 nations to conduct more than 3,000 cultural performances and exchanges and have been recognized as “International Ambassadors of Peace and Goodwill.”

Media Contact:
Lily Chen
Representative
info@taijimenla.org
626-202-5268
www.taijimen.org/TJM2016G_ENG

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/31e48365-ac67-48ae-a982-ff9b6e02465d