Bollywood star Aamir Khan under fire over China, Turkey links
Muslim Bollywood star Aamir Khan has long been a hate figure for India’s Hindu far-right, but now they have a new line of attack – his massive popularity in China. Khan, 55, is a brand ambassador for Chinese smartphone maker Vivo, and is also major draw on the mainland with films such as “Dangal” (2016). He even has 1.16 million followers on China’s Twitter-like platform Weibo. But this week the hardline Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Hindu group put the actor on the cover of its magazine, calling him “The Dragon’s favourite Khan”, a reference to China. Also criticising Khan’s ties with Turkey — which has slammed India over Kashmir — the article said he was “forging friendships with those that are considered enemies of India”. “Aamir seems to be the favourite of the Chinese Communist Party sy...
China takes over closed US consulate in Chengdu
The American flag was lowered at the US consulate in China’s Chengdu city on Monday and Chinese authorities entered the building, as Beijing carried out a Cold War-style retaliatory closure of the mission. Earlier in the morning state broadcaster, CCTV showed footage of the flag being lowered, after diplomatic tensions soared between the two powers with both alleging the other had endangered national security. Beijing later confirmed the consulate had closed at 10am (0200 GMT). “Afterwards, Chinese authorities entered through the front entrance and took it over,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. Relations have deteriorated in recent weeks in an intensifying standoff, with the Chengdu mission Friday ordered to shut in retaliation for the forced closure of Beijing’s consulate in Hou...
