Page 10 - Aruba Today

A10

WORLD NEWSMonday 28 December 2015

China’s legislature OKs controversial anti-terrorism law

BEIJING (AP) — Chi- business interests and fur- eign governments, includ- service providers are re- ments for the tech firms are
na’s rubber-stamp national ther infringe upon human ing Washington, have ex- quired to share encryption necessary because terror-
legislature on Sunday ap- rights. pressed concerns about keys and back-door ac- ists are increasingly turning
proved the country’s first The National People’s Con- the law’s likely impact on cess with the police and to cyberspace.
anti-terrorism law, amid gress said its standing com- tech businesses and free- state security agents seek- They said lawmakers bal-
concerns that its require- mittee adopted the law dom of speech. ing to prevent terrorist ac- anced the needs to fight
ments that tech compa- with a unanimous vote. The They say it is troublesome tivities or investigating terror terrorism and to protect
nies share information with law goes into effect Jan. 1. that telecommunications acts. Chinese officials said business interests and pub-
the government could hurt Rights advocates and for- companies and Internet Sunday that the require- lic rights.q

Pakistani army chief visits Kabul to discuss peace talks

Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani listens a reporter’s question in Islamabad, Pakistan. Ghani and Chief Executive charge Pakistan denies.
Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed on Sunday to meet with U.S. and Chinese officials in the first Abdullah Abdullah. Then, two weeks ago, a
weeks of the new year to discuss “peace-related issues,” a move that could re-invigorate a The visit focused on the regional conference in Is-
stalled peace process with the Taliban, the Afghan president’s office said. possible revival of peace lamabad called for the
talks between the Afghan resumption of the Afghan-
(AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) government and the Tal- Taliban peace negotia-
iban, which stalled this tions. Ghani attended the
LYNNE O’DONNELL ficials in the first weeks of said. summer. The Taliban have meeting, as well as U.S.
MUNIR AHMED the new year to discuss The development came been waging a vicisou in- and Chinese representa-
Associated Press “peace-related issues,” a as Pakistan’s powerful surgency since the 2001 tives. Washington and Bei-
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — move that could re-invig- army chief Gen. Raheel U.S.-led invasion overthrew jing have a keen interest
Afghanistan and Pakistan orate a stalled peace pro- Sharif met with senior offi- their regime. in moving the peace dia-
agreed on Sunday to meet cess with the Taliban, the cials in the Afghan capital, According to Pakistan’s logue forward.
with U.S. and Chinese of- Afghan president’s office including President Ashraf military spokesman Lt. The Taliban-Kabul talks
Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa, have been on hold since
the army chief had trav- July, when Afghanistan
elled to Kabul with “sincer- announced the death
ity and optimism” about of Taliban leader Mullah
the peace process and Mohammad Omar and
also planned to discuss the Taliban called off its
better border manage- participation. A subse-
ment between the two quent power struggle and
neighbors. clashes between rival Tal-
Bilateral ties had suffered iban factions have raised
in recent months, and questions as to who will
Ghani has lately blamed represent the insurgents
Pakistan for much of the if the talks with Kabul are
violence in Afghanistan, revived. But analysts have
saying Islamabad supports cautioned that despite
and harbors the Taliban the rapprochement, any
in Pakistani cities close to substantive talks are still
the Afghan border — a months off.q

Taiwan presidential front-runner: Can’t ‘be bound’ to China

JOHNSON LAI how China would respond by the ruling National- Against the backdrop of a eral trade pacts with the
Associated Press to her probable victory in ist Party, or KMT, since the sputtering economy and mainland during his two
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The next month’s elections. 2008 elections. rising anti-mainland senti- terms and held a historic
front-runner in Taiwan’s Tsai Ing-wen, the opposi- “We cannot simply be ment, the Jan. 16 elec- summit in November with
presidential race said tion leader who has firmly bound to China,” Tsai said. tions have been framed Chinese President Xi Jin-
Sunday that she would held onto a sizeable lead “That’s what worries us by both the KMT and the ping. It was the first such
seek stable relations with in polls, used her platform most about the past eight opposition Democratic meeting since the Chinese
mainland China, but did during the first debate years — the sense that Progressive Party as a ref- Communist Party defeated
not rule out revisiting the to warn against the po- that’s the only choice we erendum on President Ma the KMT in China’s civil war
island’s official stance litical rapprochement and have. That’s not good for Ying-jeou’s China policy. and established the Peo-
on independence, leav- deepening economic ties our economy or our secu- Ma backed — with varying ple’s Republic ofChina in
ing open questions about with the mainland brought rity.” degrees of success — sev- 1949.q