International FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2016

Cyber warriors spar over -Taiwan relations BEIJING: Rappers in China and Taiwan are million views for the music video of its look to tackle the country’s many social just a specific group of netizens that can among the combatants squaring off in song, “The Power of Red”, which uses patri- problems, from children’s education to access Facebook and browse Taiwan’s cyberspace after a landslide election win otic images laced with profanity to pour medical services for remote areas, before web,” Yang said. “But naturally we hope for the island’s independence-leaning par- scorn on Tsai, her party and its independ- worrying about Taiwan, said Dwagie. “I the former is the case.” ty fanned Beijing’s fears that it could renew ence notions. The song targets Taiwanese want to know what the people who write Tsai, hit by similar attacks in the past, a push for sovereignty. Taiwan’s and foreigners unfamiliar with the com- these songs, and the netizens, are really put a message on Facebook last November Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won plexities of Taiwan-China politics, aiming thinking, deep down,” he said. “Is there real- welcoming mainland users to witness the presidential and parliamentary polls in to dispel “misunderstandings,” said Wang ly nothing more important than whether “complete democracy, freedom and plu- January, reviving China’s concern that the Zixin, the group’s leader. “They just think this island belongs to you, or if Taiwan is ralism” that prevail in Taiwan. China’s self-ruled island might be emboldened to us Chinese, or the mainland, are always independent or not?” China deems demo- Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to a seek formal independence. bullying them,” he added. “Through the cratic Taiwan a breakaway province to be request for comment, but a Foreign DPP leader and president-elect Tsai Ing- song lyrics we want to say China is a peace- taken back by force, if necessary. Ministry spokesman pointed to a lack of wen says she wants to maintain the status loving country, but we aren’t chickens.” evidence that the government directed quo and peace with China, but that has not The music video can be viewed on foreign Flood of posts Facebook attacks. “If we put all of our deterred Chinese internet users from airing websites such as Youtube, which is inac- Thousands of posts flooded Tsai’s energy into commenting on completely critical views on social media such as cessible in China, as is Facebook, but has Facebook page after the election win, baseless or gossipy comments, there really Facebook, provoking sharp responses in yet to make a splash in Taiwan. demanding that the island be brought is no time,” Lu Kang told a daily briefing in Taiwan. “There’s only one China, HK, Taipei, In Taipei, prominent rapper Dwagie, who under China’s control. China’s internet Beijing, reiterating the stance that Taiwan they are my fellas,” run the opening strains backs the DPP, often raps in Taiwanese users were just “exercising their freedom of forms part of China. Chiang Kai-shek’s of a song by Tianfu Shibian, a rap group Hokkien to spotlight the island’s individuali- speech,” said DPP spokesman Yang Chia- Nationalists fled to Taiwan in 1949, after based in China’s southwestern city of ty, rather than using Mandarin, the official liang. “We don’t know if all more than one being defeated by Chinese Communists in Chengdu. On its Twitter-like Weibo language of both sides. Chinese performers billion Chinese people can access the a civil war. The island has been self-ruled microblog, the group claims more than 7 of songs such as “The Force of Red” should Internet and log on to Facebook, or if it is since. — Reuters

Conquering ’s Defiant N Korea fires ‘Killer Mountain’ against all odds missiles amid tension ISLAMABAD: stood atop Pakistan’s “Killer Mountain” last week and observed the curve of the Earth- a view which had never been seen by anyone in winter UN imposes tough sanctions until the climber and his team conquered . The expedition had taken three months and came more SEOUL: North Korea fired six short-range than six decades after the mountain was first summited, projectiles into the sea yesterday in a show but 10 minutes was all Moro could allow himself to enjoy of defiance just hours after the United his achievement. “Now you have to come back... But you Nations adopted the toughest sanctions to are so completely exhausted,” the Italian mountaineer date on Pyongyang over its fourth nuclear explained in an exclusive interview with AFP, saying he test and rocket launch. Limited displays of was afraid of losing concentration on the long, dangerous military firepower have become a routine descent. From the peak, 8,125 meters (26,660 feet) above response by North Korea to international sea level, the mountains of northern Pakistan and India pressure over anything from its nuclear stretched out before him-including three more of the 14 weapons program to its human rights eight-thousanders. record. South Korea’s defense ministry said These are the only mountains on the planet with the six projectiles-either rockets or guided “death zones”-above 8,000 metres, where it is believed missiles-fell into the sea around 100-150 that the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere is too low to kilometers off the North’s eastern coast. sustain human life. The pyramid of , the world’s second- China’s foreign ministry responded by urg- highest mountain and now the only eight-thousander ing all parties to refrain from any actions unsummited in winter, was in the distance. “I saw the that might see tensions escalate still further. horizon-the line of the horizon-I saw that the line was The launches came after the UN curved,” Moro said. “When you see these things... you Security Council unanimously passed a res- understand how small and at the same time how big you olution late Wednesday imposing new could be.” Nanga Parbat, with one of the highest death sanctions after seven weeks of arduous SEOUL: A man watches a TV news program showing a file footage of the missile rates in the world, earned its grisly nickname after more negotiations between the United States launch conducted by North Korea, at Seoul Railway Station yesterday. — AP than 30 climbers died trying to conquer it before the first and China, Pyongyang’s sole major ally. All successful summit in 1953. eyes are now on China and Russia to see if ate response” to the January 6 nuclear test the international community seeking Climbing it in winter’s treacherous conditions would they fully enact the sweeping measures. and February 7 rocket launch. peace on the Korean peninsula,” Park said. remain a feat unattained until Moro and his team-Alex North Korea offered no immediate state- “The international community, speak- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged Txikon of Spain and Pakistani climber Ali Sadpara-made ment on the sanctions, which break new ing with one voice, has sent Pyongyang a Pyongyang to refrain from any fresh provo- their historic summit on February 26. One member of their ground, requiring all countries to inspect simple message: North Korea must aban- cations, while Tokyo’s ambassador to the team, Tamara Lunger from Italy, was forced to abandon cargo destined for and coming from the don these dangerous programs and UN, Motohide Yoshikawa, stressed that her attempt just 170 meters from the peak. She could see North, in all airports and sea ports. They choose a better path for its people,” “the heart of the matter now is implemen- Sadpara waving at her from the summit, she said, but she also ban or restrict exports of coal, iron and Obama said. Banking restrictions will be tation” of the sanctions by China, North knew she had pushed her body to its limit. “My muscles iron ore and other minerals from North tightened and governments will be Korea’s largest trading partner, and other felt very bad... I was vomiting the whole day and every- Korea, and prohibit the supply of aviation required to ban flights of any plane sus- countries. thing I ate or drank came out again.” Hesitating, she asked fuel including rocket fuel. pected of carrying contraband destined for herself if she was sad-but the choice was clear. “I said North Korea. “These are among the tough- Making sanctions bite okay, if you go to the top now you will not go home... and Potential loopholes est measures we have agreed against any Power also called for a “robust and I turned around and went down.” But analysts have pointed to several country in the world, certainly the tough- unyielding” follow-up to ensure the sanc- Altitude of a jumbo jet possible loopholes, including interpreta- est ever against the DPRK,” said British tions bite and singled out Russia and Nanga Parbat’s fearsome Rupal face, rising more than tions of what constitutes a proper cargo Ambassador Matthew Rycroft, referring to China as key players. Chinese Ambassador 4,000 meters from base to top, presents one of the most “inspection” and a provision that excludes North Korea by its official acronym. Liu Jieyi said the resolution should “be a difficult-and tantalizing-challenges in climbing. Moro said mineral exports if their revenues are not A total of 16 individuals and 12 entities new starting point and a stepping stone” the team, which climbed without oxygen, had little time deemed to be destined for military use. were added to a UN sanctions blacklist, for renewed talks on dismantling North to acclimatize themselves, spending just one night at North Korea earns about $1 billion per year including North Korea’s NADA space Korea’s nuclear program. Russia echoed 6,200 meters before making the push toward the summit. in coal exports-a third of all export rev- agency and its spy agency. South Korean that view, with Ambassador Vitaly Churkin “When you want to go the altitude of jumbo flight without enues-and about $200 million annually President Park Geun-Hye said she hoped saying the resolution is designed to “shut oxygen you need to acclimatized,” he said, admitting that from iron ore sales, US Ambassador the “unprecedentedly tough” sanctions down as much as possible the financing” a “big question mark” hung over their expedition as they Samantha Power told the Security Council. would push Pyongyang into finally aban- of North Korea’s weapons program to began the final climb. —AFP US President Barack Obama welcomed the doning its nuclear weapons program. The push Pyongyang back to the negotiating measures as “a firm, united, and appropri- resolution sends “a strong message from table. —AFP