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Asia in Review

No. 17, April/2020, 4

Brought to you by CPG

Dear Readers,

The AiR team is presenting you this week’s Asia in Review. 

We wish you an informative read and hope you stay healthy and remain undaunted as governments around the globe begin to discuss and introduce relaxations of lockdown rules and measures. 

With best wishes,

Henning Glaser

Director, German-Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG)

Webpage: www.cpg-online.de, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CPGTU

Main Sections

• Law and Politics in Asia

• Law and Politics in East Asia

• Law and Politics in South Asia

• Law and Politics in South East Asia

• International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia

Law and Politics in Asia

Military Expenditure 2019 in Asia 

(dql) According to the latest report of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) global military expenditure accounted in 2019 for estimated 1917 billion USD, an increase by 3.6% compared to 2018.

Among the top five countries, the USA takes to top spot with military spending at 732 billion USD, followed by China (est. 261 billion USD), India (71.1 billion USD), Russia (65.1 billion USD) and Saudi-Arabia (est. 61.9 billion USD).

Further Asian countries among the top 40 which make up 92% of the total global expenditure include Japan (47.6 billion USD) and South Korea (43.9 billion USD) ranking at 9th and 10th position, Iran (12.6 billion USD, 18th), Singapore (11.2 billion USD, 21th), Taiwan (10.4 billion, 22nd), Pakistan (10.3 billion USD, 24th), Kuwait (7.7 billion USD, 26th), Indonesia (7.7 billion USD, 27th), Iraq (7.6 billion USD, 28th), Thailand (7.3 billion USD, 29th) and Oman (6.7 billion USD, 31st). [SIPRI]

Law and Politics in East Asia 

China: First overseas national to be prosecuted for Hong Kong interference

(dql) Earlier AiR reported on recent signs of a hardening stance of Beijing towards democratic forces in Hong Kong. [AiR No. 16, April/2020, 3] In a related move reflecting an attempt to intimidate foreign meddling, China last week announced to prosecute the first foreign national in the context of the Hong Kong protests. A Belizean citizen and business man, arrested in November, will be charged with interfering in Hong Kong affairs and activities posing a danger to China’s national security, including funding US-based anti-China groups.  [Reuters]

China: Arrests over publication of censored Covid-19 articles

(dql) Three Chinese activists are kept in police custody at an unknown location for their alleged support in publishing censored Covid-19 articles online. The arrested are contributors to a crowd-sourced project named Terminus2049 that since 2018 has been collecting articles that had been removed from mainstream media outlets and social media. [South China Morning Post 1]

In another move, also fueling concerns over censorship in the context of Covid-19 in China, Hubei University has announced that it has put one of its professors under investigation after she had expressed support for an award-winning novelist whose recently published diary documents life under lockdown in Wuhan and criticizes the city government’s response to the virus outbreak. [South China Morning Post 2] [AiR No. 16, April/2020, 3, for the nationalist backlash the diary caused]

Meanwhile, Wuhan, the city in which the disease was first detected and an almost three months long strict lockdown was imposed in January, has been declared free of Covid-19 after last patients were discharged from hospital past Sunday. Wuhan, China’s hardest hit city, had reported a total of 50.333 confirmed cases and 3.869 deaths, with a recovery rate at 92%. Nationwide, 82.836 cases and 4.633 deaths have been recorded. [First Post] [Worldometers]

South Korea: Main opposition party with new interim leader

(dql) South Korea’s main opposition United Future Party is facing an internal dispute as it is trying to find a new leader after its crushing defeat in the legislative election two weeks ago. [AiR No. 16, April/2020, 3]

Following his nomination last week, veteran politician Kim Chong-in was elected this Tuesday by party delegates with 177 against 84 votes as new interim chairman. [Yonhap] The high number of votes against him reflects the contested compromise which the party was willing to conclude with Kim to make him lead the party. Kim, after receiving the party’s invitation to head the party, had demanded that he would be given unlimited time to serve and authority that essentially is not subject to the party’s constitution and rules. However, an interim party leadership normally will end once a national convention to elect a new leadership is held, at the latest by August 31. The compromise, however, now suggests that party rules will be revised to allow the postponement of the national convention “until the party is thought to be normalized.” [Korea Herald]

Taiwan: Constitutional Court favors Japan’s lay judge model over Western jury system

(dql) Since 2017 legislative efforts have been underway to introduce citizens’ participation in the judiciary. 

Last week Taiwan’s Constitutional Court has presented in a document submitted to the parliament for further hearing its stance and reasons against the introduction of a jury system while expressing its preference for adopting Japan’s lay judge model under which lay judges and court judges jointly decide both the verdict and the sentencing. [Taipei Times]

Mongolia: Asian Development Bank approves loan for renewable energy

(ef) As Mongolia is set to install its first large-scale advanced battery energy storage system, the country received a 100 million USD loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to complete that project. Being among the most heavily coal-dependent developing member countries of the Asian Development Bank, Mongolia seeks to increase the share of renewable energy in total installed capacity from about 12% in 2018 to 30% by 2030. [AKI Press]

Mongolia: Parliament ratifies social protection deal with the Czech Republic

(ef) In a move to eradicate flaws in pension calculation for Mongolian citizen residing in the Czech Republic, the Mongolian parliament has ratified an intergovernmental agreement between Mongolia and the central European country. Under the agreement Mongolian expats to receive their pension in the Czech Republic or have their years of service abroad included in the calculation of their benefits in Mongolia. [AKI Press]

Law and Politics in South Asia 

India: How the corona crisis could affect Indian politics

(ls) As the corona crisis remains the dominating news in South Asia, commentators continue to speculate about the impact it could have on Indian politics. It appears that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s signature projects will receive much less coverage in the months to come. These are, in particular, the constitutional and administrative changes in Jammu and Kashmir, the construction of the Ram Mandir temple in Ayodhya and the various laws that threaten to strip Indian Muslims of their citizenship. In turn, the new key issues – response to the pandemic, the health infrastructure at large, and the state of the Indian economy – can be opportunities for the opposition to sharpen their profile. According to some observers, the opposition’s critique in the crisis has been largely constructive. [The Print]

In addition, attention has been called to the multilayered political communication from all levels during the crisis and a change in tone which could both be factors to decrease the central government's grip on political narratives. This appears plausible as the outbreak of the pandemic has witnessed the rise of the regional leaders in the respective states as primary communicators. At the same time, the crisis demanded a message underlining a conciliatory and united response between Center and the states. [Observer Research Foundation]

An analysis of India’s emergency measures from the perspective of constitutional law can be found at [Verfassungsblog].

Meanwhile, attacks on Muslims, including farmers driven out of villages and others beaten by angry mobs, have been reported across the country. In turn, many are afraid to self-report which could unnecessarily aggravate the virus spread. In what appears to stand in stark contrast to pre-Covid government messages for Indian Muslims, Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “India is heaven for minorities and Muslims; their social, religious and economic rights are secured in India more than any other country.” [Straits Times]

India: Mapping of rural lands could disadvantage lower castes

(ls) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week unveiled a new Ownership Scheme (“Swamitva Yojana”) to map rural residential land for the first time in many Indian states, using drones and other technologies. The initiative follows practical needs: As India’s population has expanded, more and more land has been used for farming and building roads and airports. As a consequence, disputes over land ownership have increased, with about two-thirds of civil court cases related to land and property. However, it is currently still unclear whether, under the new scheme, customary titles that do not have a written record, such as those held by indigenous people, will be recognized. In addition, the digitization of records could exclude lower-caste communities due to a lack of access to technology. [Reuters]

Nepal: Prime Minister Oli’s struggle for power as corona crisis looms large

(ls) Last week, Nepal’s Cabinet endorsed a surprise ordinance allowing political parties to split if 40% of their parliamentary party voted for it. Another ordinance that was also approved related to the Constitutional Council, easing the appointment of office bearers in the constitutional bodies. Observers considered these as moves by Prime Minister K.P. Oli to counter his rivals in the governing Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and to distract from the economic fallout of the corona crisis. [Kathmandu Post 1]

However, after coalition partners and some Cabinet members opposed against the move, Oli had to backtrack and revoke both ordinances. The case illustrates Oli’s dwindling power. He is increasingly isolated within his own party. At the same time, the government has been accused of several corruption scandals which undermined public trust months before the corona virus started to spread. [Nepali Times]

Prior to the revocation, Dr. Bipin Adhikari, constitutional law expert and founding Dean of Kathmandu University School of Law, called the ordinance that would have amended the provisions related to the Constitutional Council unconstitutional. Nepal’s Constitutional Council is a key agency that appoints officials at various constitutional bodies, including the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, the country’s top anti-corruption agency. [Kathmandu Post 2]

In another interview, Adhikari also commented on Nepal’s legal framework to deal with the corona crisis. [Lokantar] The country’s emergency powers invoked in the crisis have also been analyzed at [Verfassungsblog].

Economic insecurity caused by the impact on Nepal’s tourism sector and returning migrant workers pose the risk of pushing many Nepali households further into poverty. For the time being, foreign tourists will no longer be coming. Instead, Nepal stands to potentially see millions of now-unemployed nationals returning home from abroad. [The Diplomat]

Bangladesh “running out of our generosity” on Rohingya boat refugees

(ls) After Bangladesh rescued hundreds of Rohingya refugees from a boat that had been turned away by Southeast Asian neighbors and on which about 60 people had died [Asia in Review, No. 16, April/2020, 3], the country’s foreign minister Abdul Momen said that the government will not allow the entry of another 500 Rohingya people on board two fishing trawlers in the Bay of Bengal. With reference to Bangladesh’s major efforts in hosting Rohingya refugees, he said that “Bangladesh has already taken more than a million of Rohingya. We are running out of our generosity now.” The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, wrote to Momen appealing to him “in the strongest terms to open your ports and allow the boats to land.” [Al Jazeera] [The Guardian]

Sri Lanka: Human Rights Commission insists on proportionality in police arrests over social media posts

(ls) The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has requested the police to comply with law when arresting people for making statements in social media. In particular, the HRCSL pointed out “that any action taken to limit freedom of expression and other such rights in a democracy, even during a period of emergency, must be within the framework of the law. In this instance the applicable law is the Constitution and also Sri Lanka’s international human rights obligations. Those laws require that limitations on rights should comply with the tests of legality, proportionality (limitation must be proportionate to the threat) and non-discrimination.” [Colombo Page]

Pakistan: Practicing religion during Ramadan and Covid-19

(ls) As the Pakistani government and religious leaders agreed on 18 April to keep mosques open during Ramadan, it now appears that it is difficult to enforce social distancing rules, according to which worshippers have to keep at least 1.8m apart and those aged over 50 have to pray at home. The Pakistan Medical Association has been critical of the government’s decision. The case illustrates the delicate balance between the right to exercise one’s religion and significant public health interests. Pakistan has extended its lockdown until 9 May but is allowing the resumption of industrial and commercial activities. [Straits Times]

Law and Politics in Southeast Asia 

Thailand: Military temporarily suspends hardware procurement deals 

(jk) After much criticism that in a time where much of the budget is needed to fight the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Thai military has suspended a number of its procurement plans, including the purchase of US made armoured vehicles and other Chinese and South Korean hardware. The suspension also includes a delay of two out of three Chinese-built submarines. Construction of the first submarine (in Wuhan) has already begun and is expected to be delivered in 2023. Overall, a spokesperson said, the Ministry of Defence "slashed US$ 555 million from the budget". [Benarnews]

Early last week, a plan to buy the vehicles with weapons and technical services from the US was published but immediately met with criticism on social media. The army decided to defer the scheme to next fiscal year and give the money to the government to help it fight Covid-19. [Khaosod English]

Myanmar: Armed conflict continues to escalate in Rakhine state

(jk) Armed clashes between the Arakan Army and Myanmar military in Rakhine state continued to take place over the past week. The conflict, briefly described with some useful background here last week [Asia in Review, No. 16, April/2020, 3], cost the lives of at least four civilians and injured two more during clashes this week. [Dhaka Tribune] State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi has issued a statement praising "the Tatmadaw or military for protecting residents’ lives and property", drawing some criticism from people who disagree with the Tatmadaw's heavy handed approach. [The Irrawaddy 1][The Irrawaddy 2] 

Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia extend lockdown measures 

(jk) Due to ongoing concern about the spread of the Covid 19, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in Thailand decided in a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister to extend the Emergency Decree for another month after it expires at the end of this week. [Bangkok Post]

Malaysia and Singapore have also extended their lockdowns, until May 12 and June 1 respectively, while Vietnam eased restrictions slightly (see below). 

Vietnam: Lockdown measures eased as COVID-19 numbers level off 

(jn) Vietnam’s government has announced last Wednesday that it would start lifting some of the restrictive measures it had taken in the fight against the spread of SARS-CoV-2. As of last Thursday, citizens were again permitted to use public transport on land and air even though they are still obliged to wear masks and do without larger public gatherings in a country where the borders continue to be mostly sealed. On Wednesday the Health Ministry said that Vietnam had carried out more than 180.000 tests and detected just about 270 cases, most of whom it said have recovered, and that none of them died. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Vietnam, until now there are no grounds to doubt the accuracy of the reported numbers.

A lone success story of coronavirus containment in the region, experts attribute this development to aggressive measures being adopted early on and a tightly run one-party state that has resorted to the vast resources and grassroots network of the extensive Communist Party apparatus to enforce and communicate social distancing measures and trace chains of infection [Straits Times] [Bangkok Post] [LA Times]. 

The country has also improved its disaster management after dealing with similar crises like SARS and H1N1, but also the severe 2016 marine life disaster [The Diplomat]. What is more, Vietnam has been especially mistrustful in dealing with official reports from China and did not leave anything to chance given its fraught relationship with this neighbor and its very own understanding of the inner workings of a similar political system. Thus, the country was one of the first to ban flights from mainland China just as COVID-19 cases had reached the double digits and quarantined whole villages. 

Having experienced such early relief in its own struggles with the pandemic, Vietnam has been able to donate masks and other personal protective equipment on a large scale to other countries around the globe. 

This kind of “coronavirus diplomacy” in combination with the loss reputation for China as the pandemic’s country of origin are poised to bear fruits for Vietnam’s quest to enhance its soft power, position itself as the next workshop for the global economy and seek allies in its tensions with China. The country is already exploring ways to navigate the international economic slump which is certain to leave its marks in the heavily export-oriented economy [Bloomberg][Asia Times].

Cambodia: Emergency law approved by Constitutional Council

(jn) On Monday the Constitutional Council of Cambodia unanimously passed the bill of the state of emergency law that is officially intended to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2. After it had already received unanimous approval in the National Assembly and in the Senate, it is only pending royal assent by King Norodom Sihamoni to come into effect. [Khmer Times]

The bill grants the executive sweeping powers for an initial period of three months, including restrictions and bans on the distribution of information as well as providing for monitoring and surveillance “by all means.” Such emergency powers for Prime Minister Hun Sen have come under intense scrutiny and criticism as they give broad discretion which kind of emergency measures are deemed appropriate and necessary [Asia in Review, No. 15, April/2020, 2]. 

In a statement, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia warned that “the broadly worded language on the protection of national security and public order, ostensibly aimed at addressing COVID-19, can potentially be used to infringe on the right to privacy and unnecessarily restrict freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly.” Human Rights Watch’s Asia director said that the law would grant Hun Sen “almost unlimited powers for an unlimited period of time.”

The passage of the bill comes less than a week after two opposition figures of the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) were arrested and each charged with incitement to commit a felony and inciting the public against the king, respectively. [Radio Free Asia 1] [Radio Free Asia 2]

Indonesia: Move of capital on hold due to Covid 19

(jk) The Indonesian government has said it would put its plan to move the nation's capital from the island of Java to Borneo on hold while the country is fighting the outbreak of Covid 19. The plan, not yet approved by parliament, will likely take a long time to be implemented anyway, but the government had earmarked some budget for land acquisition in East Kalimantan for the new city. Instead, the funds will now go towards the budget fighting Covid 19. [The Straits Times]

Singapore: First prison sentence for breaching stay home notice

(jk) A Singaporean has been sentenced to six weeks in jail over breaching his Covid-19 related stay home notice which demanded him to stay home for 14 days after returning from abroad. He was the first individual since the Corona crisis begun to be sentenced to jail for exposing others to the risk of infection under the Infectious Disease Act in Singapore. Currently, five more cases are pending. [South China Morning Post] One case involves a Singaporean charged with violating his quarantine order half an hour before his isolation period ended. [Channel News Asia]

Another man has been charged with spreading false information on Covid-19 measures on his Facebook account. He claimed to have "intel" that Singapore would "proceed with more measures", including the closure of supermarkets soon, suggesting people should go and stock up on food. The police said "[m]embers of the public should refer to official sources for information and avoid spreading unsubstantiated information or false rumours, as these may cause fear and public alarm". The charge carries a penalty of for up to three years in prison and a fine not exceeding S$10,000. [The Online Citizen]

International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia

What is going on with the US air force’s forward deterrent in the Pacific?

(hg/dql) On 17 April, the US Air Force announced to no longer base strategic bombers outside of the continental United States, marking an end to its 16-year Continuous Bomber Presence (CBP) at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. Since its inception in 2004, the CBP on Guam has been considered a key piece of force projection and deterrence to potential adversaries and reassurance to allies in Asia and the Western Pacific. Around 2,500 miles from Beijing, Guam provided a unique location to provide the US heavy bomber fleet considerable scope and breadth for its operations. [CNN] [Asia Times] [Military Com]

Controversially discussed in military circles, the withdrawal of the B-52s, B-1s and B-2 stealth bombers raise the question about the motives for the move. An obvious argument to ponder is the possibility that the scope of the Chinese military build-up has reached a point where the strategically highly important bomber fleet should not be exposed. After all, one of the Chinese intermediate-range ballistic missiles, the DF-26 missile, is also referred to as the “Guam Killer.”

Some observers see the move, however, as more than just an adaption to a changing strategic environment. For them, by ending the CBP, the US signals that it is decreasing its Pacific presence vis-à-vis a more and more assertive China in the Indo-Pacific. [CNN] [Asia Times]

Such conclusions are far away from being compelling though. To adapt to the changing capabilities of an adversary – be it by switching to the unpredictability of random deployments or other means – is neither a weakness per se nor a signal of a changing grand strategy or lack of determination.

This seems to resonate also with the prevailing view from China where the move is not consistently understood as a sign of strategic withdrawal at all. The Chinese issue of the pro-CPC Global Times underlines rather the challenges for China’s early warning systems [Global Times, in Chinese], while some jarring voices of overseas Chinese even talk about a possible preparation for a military assault on China. [Sound of Hope, Aboluowang in Chinese]

While the end of the CBP is most probably no more and no less than an adaption to new strategic realities, not only a more assertive China is part of these realities but also a more capable Chinese military with which the US is reckoning with. 

As much as US Secretary of State Esper just acknowledged that "Our adversaries are not standing down," [Military Com] as much do some US military experts even warn of a “bomber crisis”. This, they see exposed by the sheer numbers. While the U.S. Air Force possessed around 400 bombers at the end of the Cold War, it has just 157 today, – among which further 17 are cut in the fiscal 2021 budget submission. [Defense News]

China-USA relations: Re-opening of US consulate in Greenland, operations of Chinese telecom companies in the USA and WHO funding

(dql) In an apparent move to counter China and Russia in the Arctic region, Washington last week announced to re-open a consulate in Greenland and give 12 million USD in development aid to the Arctic island. [The Washington Post]

Greenland has become a geopolitical battleground as climate change is opening new sea lanes and creating commercial and military activity considered impossible until recently. In addition, with the ice retreating, opportunities to tap natural resources could arise, too. In a surprisingly frank way, US Ambassador to Denmark Carla Sands confirmed these stakes saying in an opinion column in a Danish media outlet that the aim on Washington’s consulate/development aid package was to combat Moscow’s "aggressive behaviour and increased militarisation in the Arctic" as well as Beijing’s "predatory economic interests" in the region. [Stuff]

In another move further deepening tensions in Sino-US relations, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has sent show cause orders of three state-controlled Chinese telecommunications companies with units in the USA to demand them that they provide explanations why the agency should not launch the process of revoking authorizations enabling their U.S. operations. The FCC cited concerns over the security of US American networks as reason for the move. [Reuters]

China angered over Australia’s push for WHO investigation into disease outbreak

(dql) China-Australia relations have reach a new low after Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison requested allies to support his call for a reform of the World Health Organization (WHO). Among others, Morrison suggested removing the right of individual members to veto proposed health strategies, creating an independent review organization tasked with examining the performance of the WHO in a global health calamity, and giving the WHO the power to send investigators into a country to determine the factors behind a disease outbreak. [The Guardian]

The proposal comes at the WHO is facing accusations that it has been China-centric in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. In response, China lashed out at Australia condemning the politicization of the pandemic and accusing Canberra of “politically motivated suspicion and accusation.” [New Daily]

For a critical on Australia’s move see John McCarthy at [East Asia Forum] who calls it a policy mistake as “there is an unspoken assumption abroad that it [Australia] did so to please Washington.”

Meanwhile, China announced that the it will give the World Health Organization an additional 30 million USD following its donation 20 million USD in cash to WHO in March 11 to help combat the global coronavirus outbreak. Beijing’s pledge comes after President Donald Trump earlier this month announced to put WHO funding from the USA on hold, citing that his administration is investigating the actions taken by the agency early on in the pandemic. [CNN]

Inter-Korean relations: Moon vows to improve inter-Korean cooperation

(ef) On the occasion of the second anniversary of the inter-Korean summit and the adoption of the Panmunjom Declaration, South Korean President Moon vowed to find ways to improve cooperation with North Korea suggesting a joint response to Covid-19 as a possible area of cooperation within what he called “the most realistic and realizable path to inter-Korean relations” given international constraints, in particular the ongoing impasse between Pyongyang and Washington over de-nuclearization and UN sanctions against North Korea.

In a related move to underscore its pledge to push for inter-Korean cooperation, the government held a ceremony to celebrate a railway project which connects the rail networks of North and South Korea. The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year. However, no representatives of North Korea took part in the event. Neither, did North Korean state media mention the anniversary of the inter-Korean summit. [Korea Times] [Korea Herald 1]

Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Office has urged North Korea to improve prison conditions in light of the pandemic as prisoners were “locked up in cramped conditions” that make them vulnerable for rapidly spreading infections. Pyongyang, however, insist that there were no infections in North Korea. [Korea Herald 2]

For a critical assessment of Moon’s focus on a bilateral inter-Korean peace building approach see Lauren Richardson at [East Asia Forum] who criticizes the South Korean president for neglecting to incorporate Japan in his strategic thinking given that “[a]s long as Pyongyang remains in an antagonistic relationship with Tokyo, it is difficult to envision the Kim regime laying down its defences.”

South Korea-USA relations: Joint military exercises

(ef) From Monday to Friday of last week, the US and South Korea held squadron-level exercises as part of an annual exercise that aims at improving the execution of joint operations. South Korea’s F-15K and KF-16 and the US-American F-16 fighter jets were used. The exercises came after prior air exercises scheduled for November were postponed in order to improve diplomatic relations with North Korea. [Korea Herald]

South Korea: Military obtains first indigenously developed anti-aircraft guided missile system

(dql) South Korea's first indigenously developed anti-aircraft guided missile system has all been delivered to the military. The mid-range surface-to-air guided missile is capable of striking a hostile aircraft at an altitude of up to 40 kilometers. [Yonhap]

Taiwan-USA relations: Rare inter-ministerial phone talk

(dql) In a rare move, signaling further deepening relations between Taiwan and the USA, the US health minister and his Taiwanese counterpart held a teleconference at which both sides expressed mutual gratitude for support in the context of the pandemic. While Taiwan thanked the United States for its support in pushing for the island’s participation in the World Health Organization despite China’s objections, Washington in turn thanked Taipei for sharing its Covid-19 best practices. [Reuters]

Meanwhile, the guided-missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG-52) transited the Taiwan Strait last Friday for the second time this month. The transits come at a time when China is increasing its drills in the region in both numbers and substance. [USNI News] [Aljazeera]

In response, China scrambled air and sea patrols to track, monitor, verify, identify and expel the warship while denouncing the transits as “provocative acts” that “seriously violated China’s sovereignty and security interests, deliberately increased regional security risks and could easily trigger an unexpected incident.” [South China Morning Post]

After last week’s restrictions, India now promises to fast-track Chinese investment proposals

(ls) After India introduced stricter governmental vetting procedures for foreign investments from neighboring countries, among which the most important source of investment is China [see Asia in Review, No. 16, April/2020, 3], the government now tries to ease possible negative impacts on pending investment proposals by fast-tracking them. According to government sources, New Delhi will thus try to approve any investment proposal in a non-sensitive sector within 15 days when the stake being bought is not significant. While the fast-track mechanism would be open to all India’s neighbors with a land border, China would be the main beneficiary. It has major existing and planned investments in India. The development exemplifies the dependence of parts of the Indian economy on Chinese investment, particularly during the Covid-19 crisis. [Reuters]

India opens another access point to disputed border with China

(ls) India has opened a new bridge in Arunachal Pradesh in the northeast to enable faster movement of troops and artillery. The bridge is located in the region, parts of which are claimed by China and which witnessed a months-long military stand-off in 2017 over the Doklam plateau, claimed by China and Bhutan, India’s ally. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is upgrading its infrastructure along the border, having already completed 74 strategic roads. [South China Morning Post]

The U.S.-Afghan peace deal questions India’s role in the region

(ls) Nearly 20 years after a U.S.-led coalition overthrew the Afghan Taliban regime in 2001, the U.S.-Afghan peace deal signed at the end of February this year could become a mounting diplomatic challenge for India. This may be so as the Taliban, with whom India has never been on good terms, appear to be making a comeback. For years now, India has backed Afghanistan’s democratic system and developed strong relationships with successive Afghan governments, investing heavily in the country’s development and infrastructure. Much of India's Afghan outreach such as developmental aid or people to people contact, however, relied on the security cover provided by the US and its allies. Now, the country will need to find its place in the post-peace geopolitics of the region. At the same time, observers consider that the Taliban's relationship with Pakistan and militant groups in the region will have an important impact on the future of India in Afghanistan. Pakistan played an important role in the U.S.-Taliban negotiations even though it has in the past been accused of supporting militants. [Al Jazeera]

US cuts Thailand's Free-Trade benefits over labour rights abuses

(jk) Six months after the office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) said it would suspend some trade preferences over the failure to curb labour abuses in the fishing industry, the cuts have now come into effect. [Bangkok Post]

The cuts are minor, however, affecting "less than 4% of the value of U.S. goods imported from Thailand last year". [Voice of Asia] The International Labor Organization (ILO) affirmed last month that working conditions in Thailand were improving, but not by much and significant human rights abuses remain common [AP News]. 

INTERPOL crackdown on terrorist routes in Southeast Asia

(jk) An INTERPOL-led operation from mid-February to mid-March involving law enforcement from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines led to the arrest of over 180 individuals, allegedly involved in human trafficking and terrorism. The operation took place along known common routes used by terrorist and organized crime groups in the border area of the involved countries, for example the Sulu and Celebes Seas, which have repeatedly been the focus of terrorist for kidnappings and human trafficking. Law enforcement was able to rescue a number of human trafficking victims and seized illegal firearms and explosives. [INTERPOL]

Cybersecurity firm: Vietnamese hackers have targeted Chinese government 

(jn) According to the cybersecurity firm FireEye a Vietnamese state-backed hacker group launched intrusion campaigns against authorities in Hubei province and the Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management in order to collect intelligence on the COVID-19 crisis. 

The attacks were carried out at least between January and April of this year by sending spear phishing messages and malicious attachments to personal and professional email accounts. The success of the operation is not clear as the Vietnamese government denies standing behind any such campaign and Chinese officials did not respond to press inquiries. [FireEye]

According to a senior cybersecurity expert with FireEye, the activities are an example of countries treating the virus as an intelligence priority, especially those bordering China, thus “throwing everything they’ve got at it” [South China Morning Post]. Another expert from the University of New South Wales attributes the readiness to carry out cyber-attacks against China to Vietnam’s own experience with cyber intrusions from Chinese actors in connection with the explosive territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Consequently, the country has stepped up its cyber capabilities (also for domestic use to quell the opposition) and made China its “largest intelligence collection target” [Bloomberg].

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