Territorial Dispute
China has opened a 6,000 square metre shopping centre on Woody Island in the disputed Paracel Islands, the latest civilian facility on this South China Sea outpost following a hardware store and hotpot restaurant. Woody Island, the largest of around 30 islands in the Paracels chain, serves as the administrative hub of Sansha city, established in Hainan province in 2012 to assert Beijing's territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Iniulat ng AI
Korea and Japan are preparing for a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in mid-January in Japan's Nara Prefecture. According to a Japanese media report, the talks are set for around January 13-14, with Todaiji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, considered as a possible venue. This arrangement reflects commitments to sustain positive momentum in bilateral ties through shuttle diplomacy.