Grasp the pattern, read the trend
No. 19, May/2021, 2
Brought to you by CPG
Dear Readers,
The AiR team is presenting you this week’s brief on the latest events and developments in constitutional politics and governance, geopolitics and international relations in Asia.
Wishing you an informative read, I extend special greetings to readers in Paraguay which celebrates Independence Day in this week.
With best regards,
Henning Glaser
Editor in Chief
Webpage: www.cpg-online.de, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CPGTU
Main Sections
Law and Politics in East Asia
Law and Politics in South Asia
Law and Politics in Southeast Asia
International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia
Announcements
Law and Politics in East Asia
China to prevail and become invincible, Xi says
(dql) With China's development facing “unprecedentedly rising domestic and international risks,” Chinese President Xi Jinping is convinced that the country will persevere through the current times of “turmoil,” as “times and circumstances” are on the country’s side. According to Xi, to be able to weather the storm of “profound and unprecedented changes” requires two conditions. First, a strong and performing Chinese Communist Party, which continues to be “modest, prudent and hardworking,” “mobilize[s] all positive factors that can be mobilized, unite[s] all forces that can be united, do[es] its best to do its own thing, and persevere[s] in achieving our stated goals.” The second factor is the country’s self-reliance, as Xi made clear: “As long as we can stand on our own and be self-reliant, and maintain a vibrant flow of goods and services domestically, then we will be invincible no matter how the storm changes internationally. We will survive and continue to develop, and nobody can beat us or choke us to death.” [Qiushi, in Chinese]
Xi made these remarks in a lengthy speech at the beginning of the year at the Central Party School, the party’s elite training center. The speech has been now published in the party’s major theoretical periodical Qiushi.
The publication of Xi’s speech comes ahead of the celebrations for the Communist Party centenary in July, and is also widely seen as embedded in recently accelerated efforts of the party to promote the narrative on China’s rise and the West’s decline, with particular reference to the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. [South China Morning Post 1] [New York Times] [The Economist]
In a related development, the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the country’s internet regulator, confirmed that it has overseen the deletion of over 2 million posts containing “harmful information with historical nihilism.” “Historical nihilism” in the terminology of the Chinese government refers to discussions or research questioning its official version of history. [South China Morning Post 2]
Earlier last month, the CAC launched a hotline allowing people to report those spreading unapproved sentiment about history. [Reuters]
China: Joshua Wong sentenced to three years in jail
(dql) Prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong was among four activists who were sentenced last week to jail for taking part in in an unauthorized candlelit vigil last to commemorate the crackdown on the 1989 Tiananmen protest. Wong was handed down a 10-month jail term, adding to already 13 and a half months for organizing and inciting another unauthorized assembly in 2019. [Hong Kong Free Press]
Meanwhile, Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), Hong Kong’s prominent opposition group known for organizing mass protests, announced to refuse to cooperate with government authorities in an investigation into its legality and financial activities. The decision risks the ban of the organization. [South China Morning Post]
China: Shenzhen set to massively invest in R&D
(dql) Shenzhen, China’s technology and innovation hub hosting more than 14.000 hi-tech firms – among them Tencent and Huawei – will invest over 100 billion USD in hi-tech research and development over the next five years, with focus on the areas of artificial intelligence, 6G, quantum technology, driverless vehicles, and intelligent networks. [South China Morning Post]
Japan: Demand for delay of Olympics heats up
(dql) The pressure on Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to cancel the Olympic Games over public health concerns amid rising Covid-19 infection numbers in Japan is mounting after an online petition calling for such a cancellation received more 200,000 signatures just two days after its launch.
With less than three months until the opening of the Olympics, Tokyo is currently under a state of emergency, which is expected to be extended beyond its current May 11 end date. Furthermore, Japan's vaccine rollout only started for those aged 65 and older in April, making it impossible for much of the general public to be vaccinated by July 23, the start of the Olympics. [Mainichi]
Japan to set to pass law on national referendum on constitutional amendment
(dql) A bill to amend the national referendum law on revision of the Constitution is likely to pass parliament by the end of the current session through mid-June, after the pro-revision ruling party agreed to accept the opposition’s demand to tweak it.
The debate over the bill had been stalled for around three years as the main opposition party has been insisting on restrictions on campaign advertising and finance. But the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has opposed the bill, which includes steps to improve access to polling places by installing them at railway stations and commercial facilities, citing the need to restrict TV, radio and online commercials on the issue. The CDPJ has argued without the restrictions, voting would be influenced by campaigners’ funds and could not ensure fairness.
In force since 1947, Japan’s so-called pacifist Constitution, has never been amended. Any proposed revision needs to be approved by a two-thirds majority in both Diet chambers before the proposal can be put to a national referendum. The bill, which was approved Thursday at the House of Representatives' Commission on the Constitution, is expected to be endorsed by the lower house plenary session next Tuesday and sent to the House of Councillors, according to lawmakers. [Mainichi]
South Korea: Ex senior prosecutor handed down three-year jail term
(dql/nm) In the high-profile Lime Asset management scandal, involving former and incumbent government officials and politicians, former senior prosecutor Yun Gap-geun was sentenced to three years in prison for bribery.
The court found him guilty of accepting about 220 million won (196,250 USD) in kickbacks from the former Lime Asset vice president Lee Jong-pil in 2019, in return for using his influence as then lawyer and an opposition party official to persuade the chief executive of Woori Bank, one of South Korea’s four largest banks, to resume sale of Lime funds that had been suspended amid allegations of Lime’s financial irregularities.
Lime Asset, formerly South Korea’s largest hedge fund manager, had been investigated over its cover-up of massive losses incurred by the company's fraudulent fund product and subsequent suspension of fund redemption worth an estimated 1.6 trillion won. In January Lee was sentenced to 15 years in prison for deceiving investors by concealing the massive those losses. [Korea Times] [Korea Herald 1]
In a different case, an independent panel this week recommended the indictment of Seoul prosecution chief Lee Sung-yoon on charges of abuse of power. The panel had been created to review the validity of the ongoing probe, after the Supreme Prosecutors Office accepted Lee’s request for outside legality review in April. Lee is currently being investigated over allegations that he unduly used his power to block an inquiry into the allegedly illegal exit ban imposed on a former senior official. Lee has denied the allegations. The panel’s recommendations are not binding. [Korea Herald 2]
South Korea: Ruling Democratic Party kicks off presidential race, seeking to attract young voters
(nm) Amid dire poll results and defeats in the recent Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has kicked off its national election campaign with two-term lawmaker Park Yong-jin announcing his bid for presidency on Sunday. In a press conference, the 50-year-old referred to younger voters who have recently turned away from the DPK and President Moon Jae-in, calling for a “generational change in politics.” Park is the first candidate to announce his bid for presidency, with others expected to make their candidacy official in the coming weeks. In addition to Park, the ruling party’s so-called Big Three, Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung, former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yon, and former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun are also considering declaring their candidacy.
In a press conference held at Cheong Wa Dae to celebrate the fourth anniversary of his inauguration, Moon also addressed the voters’ “severe punishment” in recent elections, leading him to agree to modify some of his real estate policies. Failure to curb skyrocketing housing prices, a row of corruption scandals involving government officials, as well as a massive public housing scandal involving the state housing developer Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) have been blamed for the DKP’s weak results in the April mayoral elections. Especially young voters and young men in particular have been
shown to have turned away from the ruling party, as indicated by polls. In order to mitigate political costs, some DPK lawmakers have recently argued in favour of amendments to the mandatory military service system, including cash benefits, or ending it altogether.
[Korea Times 1] [Korea Times 2] [Nikkei Asia] [Korea Herald]
Taiwan: KMT referendum proposals take second stage
(dql) Taiwan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) confirmed that two referendum proposals initiated by the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) have passed the second stage in the three-stage procedure after reviewed the signatures submitted by the KMT in March. The CEC will convene a meeting this 14 to determine whether the two proposals will be put to the vote on August 28.
One of the proposals aims to reverse the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government's decision to ease restrictions on pork imports, allowing products with residue of the livestock drug ractopamine. The other seeks the electorate’s approval to have future referendums held in conjunction with major local elections.
In Taiwan, a referendum proposal has to clear two hurdles before being put to the vote. The first requires the signatures of 0.01% of eligible voters in the most recent presidential election, while in the second a proposal must gather the signatures of 1.5% of eligible voters in the most recent presidential election. [Focus Taiwan]
Taiwan: Government urged to improve human rights in fishing industry
(dql) Taiwan’s Control Yuan, the top government watchdog body, released a list of demands over the government’s failure to address the issue of forced labor on the country’s distant water fishing (DWF) fleets. Citing grievances such as “confiscation of documents, long days with little rest, physical and verbal abuse, and lack of payment,” the agency called on involved government entities to assign more personnel to conduct inspections, to step up human rights education among those working in the fisheries industry to ensure a clearer understanding of what constitutes forced labor.
Taiwan’s has the world’s second largest fishing fleet (behind China). In October last year the US Department of Labor added fish caught by Taiwan-flagged vessels to its 2020 “List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor.” [Taipei Times] [Department of Labor, US] [Seafoodsource]
Law and Politics in South Asia
Bhutan: Home minister resigns after being convicted of insurance fraught
(lm) Prime Minister Lotay Tshering has accepted the resignation of the country’s home minister, who had tendered his resignation last month after being convicted by the country’s High Court over insurance fraught. The former minister also suspended his membership of parliament’s lower house but is yet to resign from his party. [EastMojo]
Earlier in March, the High Court upheld an earlier judgement from October of last year that had convicted the home minister to two months in prison. A review petition with the Supreme Court is still pending.
India: Supreme Court constitutes 12-member panel for transparent oxygen allocation
(lm) The Supreme Court (SC) formed a 12-member National Task Force on May 8 to formulate and monitor an “effective and transparent” allocation of liquid medical oxygen to states and union territories. The court order comes after the SC earlier this month had rebuked the central government over its perceived failure to gain control of the coronavirus pandemic [see AiR No. 18, May/2021, 1]. [Jurist] [Supreme Court of India]
Before establishing the Task Force, the SC expressed dissatisfaction over the central government’s failure to establish a transparent and effective mechanism to allocate medical oxygen. The apex court thus observed that the Task Force – which has an initial lifespan of six months – is expected to provide valuable inputs to enable the government to “go beyond finding ad-hoc solutions to the present problems” and prepare for the future. [The Hindu]
Maldives: Former President Nasheed seriously injured in assassination attempt
(lm) Former President and current Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed was rushed to hospital on May 6 after he was injured in a suspected bomb explosion as he was getting into his car in the capital Malé. Initial reports suggested an explosive device had been fastened to a motorbike that was parked nearby. [The Guardian]
There has been no claim of responsibility, but officials from Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have alleged that religious extremists and political interests could be involved. So far, three individuals including a key suspect have been arrested in connection with the attack. [The Straits Times]
Nasheed became the country’s first democratically elected president in 2008 but was ousted in a coup four years later. After a conviction on terrorism charges, he was unable to contest the 2018 presidential elections. He returned to the country from self-imposed exile after incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won the 2018 elections [see AiR (1/10/2018)]. Nasheed became parliament speaker, the Maldives’ second most powerful position, after his MDP’s landslide victory in April 2019 elections.
Nepal: Prime Minister Oli expected to resign after losing confidence vote
(lm) Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli lost a confidence vote in parliament on May 10, ending his attempt to demonstrate he has enough support to remain in office at a time when the country is battling a major second wave of coronavirus infections. President Bidhya Devi Bhandari asked the prime minister to lead a caretaker government while parties in parliament are expected to form a new government before May 13. [Reuters] [WION]
To pass the floor test successfully, Prime Minister Oli had to garner the support of at least 136 lawmakers in the 275-member House of Representatives, as four members are currently under suspension. The government was reduced to a minority government earlier last week after the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) (CPN(M)) – a key faction led by Oli’s archrival Pushpa Kama Dahal - withdrew its support on May 5. [NDTV]
But of 232 lawmakers present, only 93 backed Prime Minister Oli, while 124 voted against him; 15 lawmakers abstained from voting. But what is more, at least 28 members from Oli’s ruling Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML) – all close to his intraparty rival Madhav Kumar Nepal - abstained and are likely to lose their seats in parliament’s lower house for defying the party whip. [The Himalayan Times]
But while both the CPN(M) and the Nepali Congress (NC) – Nepal’s biggest opposition party – have signaled their intention to form a new coalition government, they still require the support of the opposition People’s Socialist Party, Nepal, (PSP-N), whose 32 lawmakers hold the key for any future government. Importantly, there are two schools of thought in the PSP-N, with each faction controlling enough lawmakers to veto the formation of a new government [see AiR No. 13, March/2021, 5].
Law and Politics in Southeast Asia
Cambodia: Authorities lift blanket lockdown despite rising infections
(lm) Authorities on May 6 lifted a blanket lockdown in parts of the capital, Phnom Penh, but said areas with high infection rates would remain under lockdown as the country battles against a record surge in infections. [The Straits Times]
Cambodia has recorded one of the world’s smallest COVID-19 caseloads but has seen COVID-19 cases surge since February, when an outbreak was first detected among its Chinese expatriate community. While health experts have warned about lifting curbs too quickly, the strict lockdown had triggered complains from residents about food shortages.
Meanwhile, the Information Ministry on May 4 ordered journalists to immediately stop reporting from areas classified as COVID-19 "red zones", warning they would face prosecution. [Channel News Asia]
Cambodia: Five environmentalists convicted over plan to march to PM’s home
(lm) A Cambodian court on May 5 sentenced five environmental activists for up to 20 months in prison for seeking to protest government plans to fill and privatize a major lake in the capital, Phnom Penh. [Reuters]
Three of the activists had been held in pre-trial detention since their arrest in September 2020, soon after they had publicly announced a plan to march to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s house to express concerns regarding plans to privatize and develop Phnom Penh’s largest remaining lake. The other two activists were sentenced in absentia. [Amnesty International]
Indonesia: Papuan independence leader arrested
(dql) Indonesian authorities have arrested Papuan independence leader Victor Yeimo, accused of masterminding the anti-racism protests in Papua in August and September 2019 against racist attacks on Papuan students in Java which spread to a several cities in the region, marking the most serious civil unrest in years in Indonesia. Yeimo is also accused of treason, inciting violence and social unrest, insulting the national flag and anthem, and carrying weapons without a permit.
His arrest comes amid rising tensions in Indonesia’s easternmost provinces, where calls for independence have been raised for decades, with separatists questioning the legitimacy of a 1969 vote overseen by the United Nations that brought the region under Indonesian control. [Aljazeera]
In April, President Joko Widodo ordered a crackdown on separatists, while Indonesian government declared armed criminal groups in Papua terrorists after the killing of the region’s intelligence figure [see AiR No. 18, May/2021, 1].
In a latest development, 400 more Indonesian soldiers from its 315/Garuda Battalion have been deployed in Papua. 315/Garuda Battalion soldiers are nicknamed ‘Satan troops’ after taking part in bloody conflicts in East Timor. [Reuters]
In response, Papuan separatists assured to be ready for a stand-off with Indonesian forces, warning that the deployment had shut the door to a peaceful dialogue. [The Australian]
Indonesia: Court strikes down government decree on hijab ban at schools
(dql) Indonesia’s Supreme Court has invalidated a recent governmental decree which bans schools from forcing students and teachers to wear clothing that identifies people with a certain religion, in particular the hijab. In its decision the Court called the decree “not legal,” as it contradicts “existing laws on the jurisdiction of local governments, child protection and the national education system.” [UCA News]
The government issued decree in February in response to criticism of a state vocational senior high school in West Sumatra which ordered female students to wear a hijab at the school, irrespective of their religion. [AiR No. 6, February/2021, 2]
Malaysia: New lockdown declared
(dql) Citing a danger of national crisis in the wake of a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Malaysian government on Monday declared a new nationwide lockdown, starting from Wednesday and lasting until June 7.
Lockdown measures include – among others – a ban on all inter-state and inter-district travel, as well as social gatherings. Education-related institutions will be closed while economic sectors will be allowed to continue.
Malaysia has seen a surge in Covid-19 infections in recent weeks, with 3,807 new cases reported on Monday. The country has now recorded a total of almost 445.000 cases and 1,700 deaths. [Reuters] [Malay Mail]
Malaysia: Abu Sayyaf members captured
(dql) Malaysia’s Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) has arrested eight Philippine members of the Jihadist militant Abu Sayyaf group in a special operation in Sabah state. The group fled to Malaysia following military assaults on their jungle bases in the province of Sulu in southern Philippine in March. Among the arrested are two commanders involved in past clashes with the Philippine military and believed to have played a key role in the kidnappings of European nationals in the Philippine province of Tawi Tawi in 2012.
Philippine authorities confirmed the identity of the captured, adding that it was like that the group was planning to make Sabah the staging point for kidnapping activities. [Arab News] [South China Morning Post]
Malaysia: Military veterans to form new political party?
(dql) Veterans of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) announced that they are establishing a new political party, named Parti Kemakmuran Negara (National Prosperity Party), to run in the country’s next general election, confirming that the application had been submitted to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) about two months ago. MAF Veterans Association president Datuk Sharuddin Omar cited the government’s failure to deal with veterans’ issues, such as salary and pensions. [Channel News Asia]
In a latest development, the Defence Ministry’s MAF Veterans Affairs Department (JHEV) cautioned that MAF’s planned forming of political party would violate the Veterans Act 2012 (Act 740) which obliges “any veterans association registered under the JHEV shall carry out its association activities without discrimination on gender, race, religion, origin, language, political affiliation or other differing views held by its members.” [Malay Mail]
Malaysia: Civil suits filed to recover billions of dollars missing from 1MDB
(dql) In the ongoing 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, Malaysia’s Finance Ministry confirmed on Monday that 1MDB and its former unit, SRC International (SRC), have filed 22 civil suits, aimed at recovering over 23 billion USD in assets from entities and people allegedly involved in defrauding them.
While 1MDB has filed six suits against 25 people and nine entities, SCR filed against 15 people and eight entities for offences including breach of contract, fraud, conspiracy, negligence, and other wrongdoing. Among the individuals sued is former Prime Minister Najib Razak who in 2009 co-founded 1MDB as a state fund aimed at promoting the country’s economic development, with billions of dollars in bonds raised between 2009 and 2013. Najib was found guilty last year of corruption and money laundering related to the transfer of millions of dollars linked to SRC into his personal bank account at AmBank between 2014 and 2015. [Channel News Asia]
Myanmar: Junta designates shadow government as a ‘terrorist’ group
(lm/lf) Myanmar’s junta has designated a group of lawmakers running shadow government a terrorist group, blaming it for killings, bombings and arson, state-controlled media announced on May 8. [Deutsche Welle]
The “National Unity Government” was established last month by the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), an array of groups opposed to the junta which had agreed to abolish the military-drafted 2008 constitution, replacing it with a federal democratic system [see AiR No. 11, March/2021, 3]. Previously, the junta had declared the CRPH and NUG as “unlawful associations” and said interacting with them would be akin to high treason. However, their new designation as a “terrorist organisation” means anyone speaking to them – including journalists – can be subjected to charges under counterterrorism laws. [South China Morning Post 1]
The announcement came a few days after the NUG on May 5 announced the creation of a so-called “People’s Defence Force” (PDF) to protect its supporters from military attacks and violence instigated by the junta. The NUG said the new force was intended as a precursor to a "Federal Union Army", referring to a long-touted idea of bringing anti-coup dissidents together with Myanmar's ethnic rebel fighters into an army. [The Straits Times]
The announcement allows comes after five people, including an ousted lawmaker and three police officers who had joined the civil disobedience movement, were killed by a parcel bomb on May 4. State media the following day said the people had been building a bomb, and wire, batteries and a damaged phone were found at the scene. [South China Morning Post 2]
Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi to appear in court for first time on May 24, according to lawyer
(lm/lf) A judge on May 10 ordered Myanmar’s deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to appear in person in court for the first time on May 24, her lawyer said, after weeks of delays in her case. Multiple court hearings in the capital Naypyidaw have seen Aung San Suu Kyi - who attended via video conferencing from under house arrest - express frustration at the pace of the proceedings. [South China Morning Post] [Voice of America]
Since the coup, the de facto leader has been charged with six alleged crimes, including flouting COVID-19 restrictions during last year’s election campaign and possessing unlicensed walkie-talkies [see AiR No. 16, April/2021, 3]. Most seriously, she is charged with violating the country’s colonial-era Official Secrets Act – a case that is pending in a court in the city of Yangon. A conviction could carry a sentence of up to 14 years.
The current regime also accuses her of corruption, alleging that she received bribes of gold bars and cash, but has not brought an official charge [see AiR No. 12, March/2021, 4].
Myanmar: Junta bans satellite television, charges Japanese journalist under fake news law
(lm/lf) Myanmar’s state-run broadcaster Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) announced a ban on satellite television receivers on May 4, alleging that outside broadcasts encouraged people to commit treason and threatened national security. [Reuters]
With mobile data service, the most common way of connecting to the internet, largely cut off, Myanmar has increasingly appeared headed back to the state of isolation that preceded a decade of democratic reforms. Since early April, authorities have also confiscated satellite dishes used to access outside new broadcasts. [Committee to Protect Journalists]
Separately, authorities on May 3 charged a detained Japanese journalist under a criminal provision that penalizes the dissemination of information that could agitate or cause security forces or state officials to mutiny. The journalist had been arrested in mid-April; if convicted, he could face up to three years in prison. [The Straits Times]
At this stage, at least 40 journalists are currently imprisoned in Myanmar, according to preliminary investigations by independent watchdogs, the majority detained during newsroom raids or while covering anti-coup street protests.
Philippines: Anti-insurgency agency rejects calls for defunding, reorganizing
(lepdl) The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) faces calls to be defunded, with parts of the budget to be re-allocated to Covid-19 programs. However, the NTF-ELCAC has argued that its budget prevents the re-emergence of ‘communist’ insurgency in over 800 ‘cleared’ towns through development projects. The Senate has questioned the unusually quick release of anti-insurgency agency’s budget during the past weeks. [Inquirer]
Moreover, the NTF-ELCAC faces calls to dismiss spokesperson Lt. General Antonio Parlade Jr for his involvement in red-tagging activities and his alleged violation of the 1987 Constitution for being an active member of the armed forces in a civilian position in the government. However, the NTF-ELCAC decided not only to retain Parlade, but also to acquire eight more spokespersons. [Manila Bulletin 1] [Manila Bulletin 2]
The Supreme Court (SC) is hearing the oral arguments of the government to keep the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) enacted in 2020 and widely seen by its critics as seen to endangering human rights in the country. Most recently, the SC has challenged the loopholes of the most controversial provisions of the law.
In turn, the NTF-ELCAC claimed that, once these oral arguments end, it will file cases against organizations allegedly supporting ‘communist’ insurgency, aiming – among others – to achieve the disqualification of nine groups from next year’s general election.
Meanwhile, human rights advocates have formally urged the Canadian government to stop providing anti-terrorism aid to the Philippines, citing an “epidemic of human rights violations.” [Rappler 1] [Rappler 2] [GMA]
Philippines: Government recapture market from Islamic State-linked armed organization
(lepdl) Armed men from the Islamic State (IS)-linked Bansamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) reportedly raided a public market in Datu Paglas, a municipality in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. But government forces gained control of the market soon after. They are also implementing tight security in several areas of Mindanao to prevent a war like that of the Marawi City siege in 2017, which lasted five months, killed, injured, displaced thousands. [CNN] [Manila Bulletin]
The BIFF attack happened as millions of Filipino Muslims prepared for their Ramadan fasting. Thus, the BIFF attack has been criticized for ‘disrespecting’ Islamic faith. President Rodrigo Duterte has recently declared May 13 an official holiday for Eid’l Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan month. [Benar News]
Moreover, the BIFF attack occurred as the budget for anti-insurgency agencies has been challenged.
Singapore: Media spin-off into non-profit entity sparks questions over future of journalism
(lm) Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), one of Asia’s biggest media groups, will transfer its media business into a not-for-profit entity as the unit struggles with falling advertising revenue and losses, the company announced on May 6. [The Straits Times]
SPH said its new ownership structure would allow the eventual not-for-profit media arm, which would include publications such as The Straits Times and Chinese newspaper Lianhe Zaobao, to secure funding from a range of public and private sources. Such funding could include additional financial support from the government, which already has indicated its support for the restructure. [Bloomberg] [Thomson Reuters Foundation News]
SPH also said that while such a model may be unfamiliar in the country, many news organizations overseas are operating under these funding structures, such as The Guardian in the United Kingdom, which is owned by Scott Trust Limited. The company is responsible for appointing the editor of The Guardian (and those of the group's other main newspapers) but, apart from enjoining them to continue the paper's editorial policy, it has a policy of not interfering in their decisions.
In Singapore, however, mainstream local media, including SPH publications, has long been seen by critics as pro-government. Thus, after the announcement, observers raised concerns that the move – the biggest restructuring of the industry in decades – will alter the country’s anemic state of press freedom. [Nikkei Asia] [South China Morning Post]
Thailand: Bail granted to some protest leaders
(pr) Several protesters have been released from pre-trial detention within recent days, including prominent protest leader Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, while another six leaders remain in jail. [Bangkok Post 1] [Prachatai English 1]
Panusaya is one of a trio of prominent activists charged under Thailand's strict royal defamation laws over a rally in downtown Bangkok in September. She was arrested earlier this March and has been on hunger strike with another jailed protest leader, Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak, who was hospitalized earlier this month. Bail conditions require her and other released activists to stay in Thailand, attend court sessions when summoned and refrain from offending the monarchy - a crime in Thailand that carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison for each violation. [France 24] [Reuters]
Activists Jatupat Boonpattaraksa and Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, who were granted bail on 23 April, were also released, while Siraphop Phumphuengphut, another student activist, has been denied bail and detained pending trial. [Prachatai English 2]
A scheduled bail hearing for Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak and the third prominent protest leader, Chaiamorn “Ammy” Kaewwiboonpan, was postponed after authorities informed the court that both defendants had not completed a 14-day quarantine period. Earlier on May 4, authorities confirmed that another activist accused of royal insult, human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa, had been infected with the coronavirus in custody. [Bangkok Post 2] [Bangkok Post 3]
Meanwhile, two university students last week received police summons on charges under the lèse-majesté law for an art installation piece they exhibited during protests in March of last year. [Prachatai English 3]
Thailand: Office of the Judiciary calls for legal action against protestors
(pr) The Office of the Judiciary has called for legal action against members of a pro-democracy group who had protested in front of the Criminal Court in Bangkok to demand the release of leading activists detained royal defamation charges [see article above].
Held on May 2, the protest followed the denial of a bail hearing for protest leader Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak. Protesters sprayed paint on the signage outside the court and threw objects into the premises before ending the protest. [Bangkok Post 1] [Thairath, in Thai]
On 10 May, then, the Appeals Court granted conditional bail on appeal to Hathairat Kaewseekram, one of two arrested leaders in the protest. The other protest figure, Roseekeen Niyomdecha, was not granted bail because the lower court denial order was not appealed. [Bangkok Post 2]
Thailand: Constitutional Court allows minister to keep post despite alleged drug conviction
(pr) The Constitutional Court (CC) ruled on 5 May that Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thamanat Prompow was qualified to retain his cabinet post, dismissing a bid to disqualify him over a past conviction for drug trafficking in Australia. [Bangkok Post 1] [BBC News] [CNN]
According to evidence provided by the Australian courts, Thamanat Prompow served four years in a Sidney jail after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import more than three kilograms of heroin into Australia in 1993. Lawmakers of the opposition Move Forward Party (MFP) in May of last year had petitioned the House of Representatives Speaker Chuan Leekpai to seek a ruling from the CC over Thamanat’s qualification as a political office-holder [see AiR No. 25, June/2020, 4].
In its decision, the CC said Thammanat did not violate the constitution because he had not been convicted by a Thai court. The apex court also said it had requested from parliament and the foreign ministry evidence of the conviction, including Australian court rulings made in 1994 and 1995, which were not forthcoming. [Constitutional Court Press Release, in Thai]
Shortly after the CC’s ruling, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry prepared to file a defamation and possibly a computer crime lawsuit against the MFP for its online criticism of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha following the court’s decision. [Bangkok Post 2]
Thailand: Cabinet postpones full enforcement of Personal Data Protection Act to June 2022
(pr) The Cabinet on 8 May approved a draft royal decree postponing the enforcement of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) for another year, making the PDPA fully enforceable from 1 June 2022 onwards. The postponement was initiated by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), which cited the ongoing third wave of the coronavirus pandemic and unfinished subsidiary processes under the Act. [Bangkok Post 1]
Under the PDPA data controllers and processors are required to need consent from data owners to use their personal data, that is, data which identifies a person such as names, health and criminal records, addresses, IDs, and phone numbers. Although the PDPA came into effect in May 2019, some of its operative chapters were originally due to take effect one year later to provide sufficient time for entities and government authorities to comply with the new law's provision. However, the Cabinet issued a royal decree in May of last year to postpone the enforcement of the PDPA's operative chapters to May of this year [see AiR No. 21, May/2020, 4]. [Bangkok Post 2]
Thailand: Cabinet postpones decision on regional trade agreement
(pr) The Cabinet has given itself time until June 24 to consider a potential membership of the country in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the second extension after a three-months deadline announced earlier in February expired. [Thai Enquirer] [Thansettakij, in Thai] [The Nation Thailand]
The CPTPP is a successor trade bloc of 11 members to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that former US President Donald Trump abandoned in 2017. It covers a wide range of issues including intellectual property, labor standards, trade in services, agriculture, and healthcare. The agreement is now in force in most member states: Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam. Brunei, Chile, Malaysia and Peru are set to join after they complete their ratification processes.
Thailand has been considering joining the CTPPP since 2019. In June of last year, the government agreed to set up a panel to study the benefits of a CPTPP membership, but decided not to apply for membership at the annual meeting of CPTPP members in the face of pressure from opposing politicians and civil society groups concerned about the agreement’s impact on the agricultural sector [see AiR No. 22, June/2020, 1].
A further extension after the June deadline is unlikely, for Thailand would have to file an application during the next Commissioning Meeting of the 11 CPTPP signatories in August.
Vietnam: Mother, son convicted for land right activism
(lm) A court on May 5 sentenced a mother and her son to eight years imprisonment followed by three years’ probation after being convicted for posting online articles and livestream videos criticizing the government for its handling of a deadly land-rights clash last year. [Radio Free Asia 1]
Police raided a village in the Dong Tam commune outside Hanoi in January of last year, intervening in a long-running dispute over a military construction site. The village leader and three police officers were killed during the clash; dozens of villagers arrested. The woman and her two sons played prominent roles in informing the public about the incident through their social media platforms. [Amnesty International]
Meanwhile, Vietnamese authorities have suspended one of the country’s social media platforms, fining the business over $4,000 and revoking its license for eight months in a move further tightening government control over the sharing of information online. [Radio Free Asia 2]
International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia
G7 pull no punches on China at latest meeting
(dql) The Group of Seven (G7) has expressed a hardened stance towards China on multiple fronts at their first face-to-face meeting in two years in London last week. In their joint statement after the meeting, the foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, along with the High Representative of the European Union, called on China to “respect human rights and fundamental freedoms,” in accordance with the country’s obligations under international and national law, adding continued deep concerns over human rights violations and abuses in Xinjiang and in Tibet.
Furthermore, the group criticized the erosion of democratic elements in Hong Kong’s recently adopted electoral reform as well as over “practices that undermine [...] free and fair economic systems, including on trade, investment and development finance.”
With regards to Taiwan, the group expressed its support for “Taiwan’s meaningful participation in World Health Organisation forums and the World Health Assembly,” as well as its “serious concerns about reports of militarisation, coercion, and intimidation,” in the South China Sea, stressing “the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and encourage the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.” [EEAS]
It was the first time that the EU and its leading member states aligned with the US over the highly sensitive issue of Taiwan, and comes amid warnings of high-ranking US military officials of a takeover of the island by China by force by 2027 or sooner. [Politico] [The Guardian]
Grant Newsham in [Center for Security Policy], raises the question whether China – in an assault on Taiwan – could follow Russian President Vladimir Putin’s example of the seizure of “large swaths of Ukraine with a hybrid technique utilizing both local insurgents and military forces,” in 2014.
Taiwan, meanwhile, has not been invited to participate in the World Health Assembly (WHA) later this month May 24 to June 1. It is the fifth straight year in which the country has been excluded from the forum. [Focus Taiwan]
The decision over an invitation lies with 194 member states of the World Health Organization.
China, US trade mutual allegations of undermining multilateralism
(dql) At the latest virtually held meeting of the UN Security Council, China and US accused each other of undermining multilateralism, without naming the rival. While Chinese Foreign Minister warned that “[s]plitting the world along the ideological line conflicts with a spirit of multilateralism, and is a regression in history,” US Secretary of Anthony Blinken emphasized the need to uphold international rules, arguing: “When U.N. member states – particularly permanent members of the Security Council – flout these rules and block attempts to hold accountable those who violate international law, it sends the message that others can break those rules with impunity.” [South China Morning Post] [Reuters]
In another remark, Blinken has called on the World Health Organization (WHO) to allow Taiwan to participate as an observer in the annual meeting of the World Health Assemble (WHA), the WHO’s decision-making body, later this month, citing Taiwan’s “valuable contributions and lessons learned from its approach” to global health and global health security challenges. He added the warning that “excluding the interests of 24 million people at the WHA serves only to imperil, not advance, our shared global health objectives.” [The Hill]
In a latest development, China’s Foreign Ministry has blamed the Biden administration’s announcement to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan by September 11 for bomb attacks at a girl’s school in Afghanistan which killed at least 60 people, accusing the US of “worsening the security situation and threatening peace and stability as well as people’s lives and safety.”
China-Australia relations: Beijing suspends economic dialogue with Canberra
(dql) Further worsening already strained Sino-Australian relations, China’s National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s macroeconomic management agency, has announced to “indefinitely” suspend all economic dialogue between the two countries. The agency cited Canberra’s launch of a series of measures to disrupt the normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Australia out of Cold War mindset and ideological discrimination.” [Reuters]
New Zealand’s parliament motion on human rights abuses in Xinjiang
(dql) New Zealand’s parliament unanimously passed a motion which recognizes severe human rights abuses against Uyghur people in China’s Xinjiang region. The passage came after the word “genocide” was removed from the revised version of motion which was submitted by a minor opposition party. [Reuters]
China-EU relations: European lawmakers to put investment agreement ‘on ice’
(dql) In a setback for the China-EU investment agreement, members of European Parliament (MEPs) plan to introduce a motion this month to freeze the deal by banning debate on it, until Beijing removes sanctions it has imposed against EU entities and individuals, in response to EU sanctions against China over human rights abuses in Xinjiang. [Deutsche Welle]
The deal, concluded in December between Brussel and Beijing and aimed at ensuring a stable framework of conditions for trade and investment in each other’s markets, must be ratified by the European Parliament to enter into force.
Meanwhile, the EU commission has proposed new rules to provides EU competition authorities to more power to vet foreign companies seeking to snap up EU businesses or assets or biding for public contracts should they be recipients of state subsidies. While the proposed rules don’t mention any country, they are seen as targeting China. [Naharnet] [South China Morning Post]
For insights into China’s struggle to revive its weakening influence in eastern Europe, see Nickolay Kapitonenko in [International Politics and Society].
Japan-UK relations: Foreign Ministers share concerns over China
(dql) In a meeting on the sidelines of last week’s gathering of the Group of Seven, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his British counterpart Dominic Raab affirmed security cooperation to promotie a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” and shared “grave concerns” about China’s unilateral attempts to change the status quo in regional waters and the human rights situation in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. Both Ministers also agreed on deepening cooperation in battling climate change.
Motegi, furthermore, welcomed Britain’s scheduled dispatch of the aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth and its strike group to Japan and the Indo-Pacific later in the year. [Japan Times]
South Korea and Britain agree on vaccine cooperation, South Korea and Israel to sign FTA
(nm) In talks held one day after the G7 summit in London, the foreign ministers of South Korea and Great Britain agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in order to jointly tackle climate change and the fair distribution of Covid-19 vaccines. They further vowed to lend each other support in hosting their respective forums on climate change this year and to faithfully implement a post-Brexit continuity free trade agreement signed in 2019. [Korea Herald]
This week, Israel will also sign a free trade agreement with Seoul, the first such agreement with an Asian market, according to Israel’s foreign minister. Similar agreements between Israel and China, Vietnam, and India are currently being negotiated. [Reuters]
For a pessimistic analysis of British engagement in the Indo-Pacific amid China’s rise, please see this recent opinion piece in the [SCMP].
South Korea-Japan relations: Foreign ministers agree on ”future-oriented” bilateral relations
(nm) More than twenty years after Japan and South Korea had promised to build a “future-oriented relationship” based on cooperation and historical reconciliation in the Japan-Republic of Korea Joint Declaration [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan], the two nations have yet again agreed to establish “future-oriented” bilateral ties. In their first in-person meeting and on the sidelines of the G7 summit in London, Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong of South Korea and his counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi agreed to closely cooperate for the peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia and the world as well as in consideration of their efforts to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Relations between the two nations have recently been frosty and plummeted after Japan had announced its plans to release Fukushima wastewater into the ocean, with the South Korean government claiming the decision had been made without full consultation with neighbouring countries. The issue only added to historic tensions over wartime sexual slavery, a recent South Korean Supreme Court ruling ordering Japanese companies to compensate victims of wartime forced labour, in addition to Japanese export controls on key materials vital for South Korea’s semiconductor and display industry.
The latest talks, however, also provide a glimmer of hope with both sides stressing the earnest wish for communication. The United States is also currently seeking to bring the two sides together in order to trilaterally cooperate on North Korean denuclearization efforts and counter China. In a prior meeting, also on the sidelines of the G7 summit, the three respective foreign ministers had similarly reaffirmed their commitment to concerted trilateral cooperation to dismantle Pyongyang’s weapons programme and to push for the adherence to UN Security Council resolutions. [Nikkei Asia] [Korea Times]
G7 ministers support North Korean denuclearization
(nm) The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries last week called on North Korea to return to denuclearization talks and to engage in inter-Korean dialogue, supporting a strategy set out in the US Biden administration’s recent North Korea policy review.
In a joint statement issued at the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ meeting in London, the diplomats called “on the DPRK to refrain from provocative actions and to engage in a diplomatic process with the explicit goal of denuclearization,” further committing “to the goal of complete, verifiable and irreversible abandonment of all of the DPRK’s unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.” The G7 further criticized the North’s humanitarian situation and the lack of information about the conditions in the isolated country.
The statement comes after the Biden administration recently announced having completed its long-awaited North Korea policy review. Although details of it have not yet been disclosed, the White House stated it would be a “calibrated, practical approach that is open to and will explore diplomacy.” Like the G7, South Korean President Moon Jae-in also reacted positively to the US policy, saying it would enable Pyongyang to begin a dialogue, adding it is “on the same page as our government.” He also declared he would use the upcoming May 21 summit with Biden to “explore various ways that can entice the North to come forward for talks.” [Korea Herald] [Korea Times]
After Pyongyang and Washington had at first seemed to make some unexpected progress in their relations under the Trump administration, both sides have been in a diplomatic stalemate since the failed Hanoi summit in 2019. Tensions have flared up again since the inauguration of the Biden administration as Pyongyang tested short-range missiles in March and repeatedly issued verbal threats against Seoul and Washington, while rejecting dialogue offers.
This week, Washington and Seoul will hold biannual defense talks to discuss regional security, including policy coordination on North Korea, as well as the transition of wartime operational control (OPCON). [Yonhap]
Inter-Korean relations: North Korean defector questioned over violating leaflet ban
(nm) After North Korean defector and activist Park Sang-hak had claimed to have sent about 500,000 leaflets into the North by balloon, in violation of a new South Korean anti-leaflet law, he was questioned by the Seoul police this week, after his office had been raided the previous week. His claim had led to further tensions between the North and the South as Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, called the alleged launches an “intolerable provocation,” warning of retaliation.
Park is the head of the defectors’ group Fighters for a Free North Korea which supposedly has engaged in leaflet actions more than 60 times since the beginning of records in 2010. Late in April, he had claimed to have sent a total of ten balloons with approximately 500,00 leaflets, 500 booklets, and 5000 1USD notes toward the North in order to, according to him, deliver the truth about South Korean society, politics, and liberal democracy to the North Korean people.
Sending propaganda leaflets across the border is banned under the revised Development of Inter-Korean Relations Act. Park is the first person to be investigated since the legislation, which has been criticized by human rights groups as limiting freedom of speech, took effect in March. He vowed his group would keep sending leaflets into the North, even if he should be imprisoned. [The Guardian] [Korea Herald] [Korea Times]
United Kingdom, India mark ‘new era’ in ties, agree to strengthen cooperation
(lm) The United Kingdom and India have announced $1.39 billion of private-sector investment and committed to seek a free trade deal as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a virtual meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on May 4. The meeting replaced a trade visit Johnson had to cancel last month due to surging COVID-19 cases in India [see AiR No. 16, April/2021, 3]. [Al Jazeera] [Reuters]
London sees closer ties with New Delhi as a key pillar of its post-Brexit tilt to the Indo-Pacific region, which has been formulated in the recently published “Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy” [see AiR No. 12, March/2021, 4].
The British government set out $739.2 million of Indian investment into the UK, including $332.8 million by the Serum Institute of India (SII) - the world’s largest vaccine maker - for its vaccines and sales business, and $618.5 million of export deals for British businesses. The two countries also announced agreements on climate change, technology and pharmaceuticals. [Reuters 2]
India also elevated the status of its relationship with the UK to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” – the first European country to be granted that status, as both countries launched an “Enhanced Trade Partnership” that will lift export barriers on various goods. As part of the newly launched partnership, both sides also committed to begin full trade talks later this year with the ambition to double bilateral trade by 2030. [PGurus]
Both sides also signed an accord on migration and mobility. The pact will provide enhanced employment opportunities for 3,000 young Indian professionals annually, in exchange for India agreeing to take back any of its citizens found to be living illegally in the UK. Migration has long been a source of friction between the two countries, with a similar proposal unravelling in 2018 following disagreements over the extradition process. At the time, London claimed there were as many as 100,000 Indians living illegally in Britain, but Delhi pegged the figure at half of that. [Reuters] [South China Morning Post] [UK Government]
India attends G-7 foreign ministers meet in London as Russia, China top agenda
(lm) Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G-7) industrialized nations met in London last week, with climate change, Russia and China among the challenges topping the agenda. It was the first face-to-face G-7 meeting in two years, following a coronavirus-extended pause. [Voice of America]
The United Kingdom, which holds the G7 rotating presidency, has been hosting representatives from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. Representatives of the European Union were in attendance, as were delegates from Australia, India, South Korea, South Africa and the chairman of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
London’s intention to increase its presence in the Pacific was illustrated in December of last year, when the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson invited Australia, India and South Korea to attend the summit as guests – a move that had caused raised eyebrows among some of the other attendees [see AiR No. 51, December/2020, 4].
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia sign agreements to improve ties
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed several agreements on May 8, the second day of a three-day visit to the Kingdom of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, after months of strained relations between the two countries over the disputed region of Kashmir. [Al Jazeera]
Prime Minister Khan and his Saudi counterpart, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, held wide-ranging talks on bilateral, regional and international issues in the western of Jeddah, with Khan outlining his vision of a “peaceful neighborhood”. Further, officials from both countries signed two agreements addressing the treatment of criminals, and crime; two other two memorandums of understandings were signed on combating drug trafficking, as well as financing energy, infrastructure, transportation, water and communications projects. [The Straits Times]
Ahead of Prime Minister Khan’s official visit to the Kingdom, Pakistan’s Cabinet on May 4 approved the establishment of the Saudi-Pakistani Supreme Coordination Council, a body created for streamlining bilateral cooperation between the two countries. [Arab News]
Khan’s visit was preceded by a two-day visit by Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javad Bajwa to Saudi Arabia. The Pakistani general on May 7 held talks with the Saudi crown prince and his Saudi counterpart, General Fayiadh Bin Hamed Al Rowaily. [Dawn]
For a comprehensive analysis of potential reasons for why Pakistan’s senior military and civilian leadership has begun quietly reaching out to Saudi Arabia, please consider the Umair Jamal’s comment for [The Diplomat].
EU and India to boost trade, Indo-Pacific partnership
(lm) The European Union and India have agreed to resume long-stalled talks on a free trade deal, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on May 8. Brussel and New Delhi will also launch negotiations on reciprocal investments and on the protection of so-called geographical indications. [South China Morning Post]
Earlier on May 8, the first EU-Indian Leaders’ Meeting brought together all 27 heads of the EU member states and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Considering that previous EU-India summits have involved only the Indian prime minister and the heads of the European Commission and the European Council, the recent summit signals the bloc’s renewed interest in the Indo-Pacific region. [Reuters]
Last month, the EU Council asked the European Commission and high representatives to draw up the bloc’s Indo-Pacific strategy by September this year. In doing so, the Council unveiled the strategy’s main thrust, which included exploring closer economic ties with India and pledging to foster a rules-based order with “free and open maritime supply routes in full compliance with international law”, without naming China.
Earlier last week, the EU also said that efforts to ratify the proposed EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) with China had been suspended after Beijing imposed sanctions on several high-profile members of the European Parliament, three members of national parliaments, two EU committees, and several China-focused European academics.
For a comprehensive examination of the decision, please consider Chris Devonshire-Ellis’ comment for [China Briefing].
Seven Pakistani soldiers killed in attacks by militants
(lm) Four Pakistani soldiers were killed and another six wounded in an ambush in the country’s restive Balochistan province on May 5. A group of militants in Afghanistan fired across the border at the unit which was overseeing fencing installations along the border.
In 2017, Pakistan begun constructing a fence along the Afghan border to secure the area and to curb smuggling and illegal border crossing. Islamabad says about 85 percent of the construction work has been completed, despite Kabul’s protests that the barrier – which runs along the boundary known as the Durand line - would divide families and friends of Afghanistan’s largest ethnic group, the Pashtun. [The Straits Times]
Separately, three other soldiers were killed in a shootout with militants in the former tribal region North Waziristan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The district served as a headquarters of Pakistan’s leading Taliban group, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), until the military secured it in 2015 with a series of operations. Recent attacks have indicated a possible resurgence of militant violence in the area [see AiR No. 8, February/2021, 4]. [Associated Press News]
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Rajapaksa elected chair of ADB’s Board of Governors
(lm) Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected as the new Chair of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank during the ADB’s Annual Meeting held virtually on May 5. Rajapaksa, who is also currently serving as Sri Lanka’s Minister of Finance, will be occupying the position of chairman for one year. [ColomboPage]
China-Indonesia relations: Joint naval exercise
(dql) Part of the PLA Navy’s annual training program, China and Indonesia held a joint naval exercise in waters off Jakarta, involving guided-missile frigates from both countries and including communication drills, search and rescue operations and formation maneuvers. [CGTN]
The exercise comes on the heels of Beijing’s announcement that it was sending three rescue ships to assist Jakarta in recovering the Indonesian submarine which sank in late April. It comes also amid tensions over fishing rights near the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea. Indonesia regards the waters off the Natunas as part its exclusive economic zone, while Beijing claims it has historical rights to fish there. [South China Morning Post]
Indonesia condemns Israeli police raid of Al-Aqsa Mosque
(dql) Indonesian President Joko Widodo condemned violence of the Israeli police against Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem as well as the expulsion of Palestinian civilians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem. He called on the UN Security Council “to take measures on the repeated violations carried out by Israel,” adding that Indonesia will be steadfast in its support for the people of Palestine. [Antara News]
Israeli police on Monday stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam located in occupied East Jerusalem, and attacked the Palestinians who were on guard to prevent raids by Jewish extremists. [Anadolu Agency]
More than 200 NGOs urge UN Security Council to declare arms embargo on Myanmar
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) faces a call from more than 200 nongovernmental organizations to declare a global arms embargo on Myanmar. Citing the continuing violent crackdown by the military on protesters, the groups called on the United Kingdom, the UNSC’s designated drafter of Myanmar’s text, to “immediately open negotiations at the Security Council on a draft resolution authorising an arms embargo”. [Al Jazeera] [Human Rights Watch] [South China Morning Post]
The appeal echoes a February 24 declaration by more than 100 non-governmental organizations, which urged the Council to act swiftly to halt the flow of weapons to the military government. The Security Council has issued several statements since the coup, calling on the military to restore democracy and halt the excessive use of force against protesters.
The appeal for an arms embargo came as a shadow government of deposed Myanmar politicians said on March 5 it has set up a “people’s defence force” to protect civilians in the face of the police and military deploying deadly arms against anti-coup protesters. [see article in this edition]
Meanwhile, Myanmar’s ambassador to the United States told the US Congress on May 4 that Washington should slap sanctions on the state-owned Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank (MFTB) and Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE). MOGE operates offshore gas fields in joint ventures with international firms, including US-based Chevron and France's Total, while MFTB provides foreign exchange-related banking to Myanmar’s government and state enterprises. [The Straits Times]
Announcements
Upcoming Online Events
12 May 2021 @ 10:00-11:15 am (GMT+8), ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institiute, Singapore
Plundering Security: The Evolution of Khaki Capital in Thailand Today
Security forces tend to enjoy a monopoly over violence within any given state. In some states, such as Thailand, they are also leading political and economic actors. Thus, military finance or “khaki capital” is of paramount importance. This webinar scrutinizes the evolution of khaki capital over time in Thailand, and argues that the degree of the Thai military’s control over its own financing in turn affects the ability of civilians to achieve control over the country’s armed forces.
More about the webinar at [ISEAS].
12 May 2021 @ 12:00-1:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Institute for Policy Studies, USA
Biden and Economic Imperialism
This online panel of American and global South activists will analyze Biden’s role in upholding US imperialism beyond the military, focusing on his economic policies–including around trade, investment, finance, climate, and food systems–which underpin US empire in profound ways.
For more information, see [IPS].
12 May 2021 @ 2:00-3:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Harvard Kennedy School, USA
Middle East Security Establishments and Social Reform
This event will discuss how the security sector in some Arab countries has exercised substantial influence over media, education, and religious institutions, often to the detriment of their societies and American interests.
If you are interested in joining the event, register here: [Harvard].
12 May 2021 @ 2:00-3:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Harvard Kennedy School, USA
Avoiding Nuclear Fatalism: A Research Agenda
This webinar will present a new research agenda on how to prevent high-damage - especially nuclear - war, witth William d'Ambruoso, Stanton Nuclear Security Postdoctoral Fellow with MTA and the International Security Program at the Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs.
Find more details about the event at [Harvard].
12 May 2021 @ 12:00-12:30 p.m. (GMT-5), The Heritage Foundation, USA
Court-Packing: A Bad Idea That’s Even Worse This Time
Pushed by grassroots activists, President Joe Biden has created a Supreme Court commission that will examine “reform” ideas such as Court-packing. In the meantime, members of Congress have introduced legislation to increase the Court from nine to thirteen. This is the first attempt to change the basic structure of the Court since President Franklin Roosevelt failed to do it in 1937. The purpose of court-packing and the damage it would do to the judiciary, remain the same. Unlike the 1930s, however, achieving this result through legislation today would require changing the Senate’s legislative process for the first time in more than 200 years.
For more information, see [Heritage]
13 May 2021 @ 12:00-1:00 p.m. (GMT-5), The Heritage Foundation, USA
Winning Freedom: The American Revolution
This online event will explain how exceptional the American Revolution was in world history and why it could easily have collapsed into tyranny, like the French Revolution.
For more information, see [Heritage]
14 May 2021 @ 3:00-4:30 p.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institiute, Singapore
Roundtable Discussion on “ASEAN’s Mission in Myanmar: What Next?”
This online panel will offer different country perspectives to discuss how ASEAN can move forward on the Five-Point Consensus as ASEAN’s response to the political and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar.
If you want to participate in this event, register at [ISEAS].
14 May 2021 @ 10:00-11:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Foreign Policy Research Institute, USA
Cooperation, Competition, and Compartmentalization: Russian-Turkish Relations and Their Implications for the West
This webinar will elaborate on the relationship between Russia and Turkey which has become one of the most important bilateral relationships in Eurasia today. Moscow and Ankara have worked to emphasize areas of cooperation and “compartmentalize” areas of difference. Policymakers in Western capitals will need to develop an understanding of the drivers of the Russian-Turkish relationship and their effects on Western interests
Find more about the event at [FRI].
17 May 2021 @ 3:30-4:30 p.m. (GMT-5), The Heritage Foundation, USA
It’s Time to Repeal the Iraq War Authorizations
Join this online event to learn about the Authorizations for the Use of Military Force in Iraq passed by Congress in both 1991 and 2002. Both AUMFs remain in force. However, the object and purpose of those war powers has long been accomplished. Repealing these war authorizations is key matter of congressional “hygiene” and gets the Congress back in the business of exercising its responsibilities under Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 of the Constitution.
For more information, see [Heritage].
17 May 2021 @ 9:30-11:00 a.m. (GMT-4), Stimson Center, USA
Recent Trends in Global Arms Transfers and Military Spending
The webinar will feature SIPRI’s latest global trends reports and examine the impact of events that occurred in the last year – including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, renewed pressure to halt arms sales to irresponsible actors, and the election of the Biden administration in the United States – on arms transfer dynamics and military expenditures. Experts will discuss how political and economic conditions affect recent trend lines and explore potential implications for the future.
Please register here: [Stimson], if you are interested in joining the event.
17 May 2021 @ 12:00- 2:00 p.m. (GMT-4), The Dialogue, USA
Evaluating the Socioemotional Competencies of Students During the Pandemic and School Reopening
In this online event, panelists will share experiences, instruments, and a variety of alternatives for conducting diagnostic assessments at scale in order to assess the socioemotional state of students in the region and understand what recuperation efforts are necessary to support students in a variety of contexts.
For more information, see [The Dialogue]
17 May 2021 @ 10:00 a.m. (GMT+1), Instituto Affari Internazionali, Italy
In Search of EU Strategic Autonomy: What Role for EU Enlargement Policy?
The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has put to test EU’s cohesion and effectiveness not only with regards to its internal governance, but also in relation to its strategic partnerships with neighbouring countries, starting from the enlargement countries in the Western Balkans
Please register here: [IAI]
18 May 2021 @ 10:00 a.m. (GMT+2), Egmont Institute, Belgium
EU Migration and Asylum Policy: A Fresh Start?
In this policy dialogue, politicians and academic will discuss the New Pact on Migration which was presented by the European Commission in September 2020 and its promise of a fresh start, asking: How much progress has been achieved to the headline goal of solving the deadlock between member states? Is the EU fit to engage in shared migration governance with third countries? And are EU institutions and member states ready to embrace a more positive narrative on migration?
Please visit [Egmont Institute] for more information and registration.
18 May 2021 @ 1:30 p.m. (GMT-4), Centre for International Governance Innovation, Canada
Enhancing Cybersecurity Readiness in an Era of Digital Disruption
As malign cyber operations by states as well as by non-state actors are increasing and are targeting critical infrastructure, this discussion and subsequent Q&A period will focus on the need of deterring malicious cyber operations and technologically enabled risks for Canada’s national security.
For more information and registration, please visit [CIGI].
18 May 2021 @ 10:00 a.m. (GMT+1), Instituto Affari Internazionali, Italy
Peacebuilding and Climate Change
The online forum will examine how shared environmental problems due to climate change can become a catalyst for conflict but also potential cooperation, which in turn can help reduce tensions, facilitate trust-building and eventually promote sustainable peace.
Please register here:[IAI]
18 May 2021 @ 11:00 a.m. (GMT-4), Stimson Center, USA
Contests of Initiative: Countering China’s Gray Zone Strategy in the East and South China Seas
This event will discuss the newly released report by Dr. Raymond Kuo, Contests of Initiative: Confronting China’s Gray Zone Strategy in the East and South China Seas, on how the U.S. and its Asian security partners can preserve regional peace, uphold freedom of the seas, and deter conflict.
For more information, see [Stimson].
18 May, 2021 @ 4:00-6:00 p.m. (GMT+2), The German Marshall Fund of the United States, Belgium
OED120: Solidarity in Crisis – Will the Pandemic Revive the EU’s Welfare Plans?
Join this webinar to explore opportunities and new ideas related to Europe’s social pillar, which has been declared a priority of Portugal’s Council Presidency.
More event details are available at [GMF].
19 May 2021 @ 4:30 p.m. (GMT+2), Italian Institute for International Political Studies, Italy
After Covid-19: a Most Wanted Recovery
As the Covid-19 pandemic has forced the European Union to introduce extraordinary coping mechanisms to tackle the economic crisis, this webinar evaluates how to find an appropriate exit strategy from these mechanisms: How to find the right point in time? What are the key ingredients of a careful exit strategy? How to embrace the European priorities of green and digital transition while undergoing this exit process?
For more information, please see [ISPI].
18 May 2021 @ 9:30 a.m. (GMT+8), Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Singapore
ASEAN & ASIA FOCUS 2021: Partnerships in Economic Recovery and Sustainable Infrastructure
This webinar will take a look at a myriad of challenges faced by ASEAN and the Asian region, evaluating in particular: How can Asian countries work together to support the Covid-19 recovery? How can ASEAN and its neighbours collaborate on infrastructure development financing? And how can Asia adapt to long term challenges regarding sustainability and an aging population?
For more information, please visit [SIIA].
19 May 2021 @ 9:30 a.m. (GMT+2), German Institute for Global and Area Studies, Germany
Franco-German Observatory of the Indo-Pacific
As interest in the so-denominated Indo-Pacific region has strongly increased, the Franco-German Observatory invites key actors from the region to present their vision of it, how they conceive it geo-strategically, and well as how they perceive the role of China, the US, and Europe within it.
Please visit [GIGA], if you wish to learn more and for mandatory registration.
19 May 2021 @ 5:15 p.m. (GMT+8), National University of Singapore, Singapore
Is China undermining its own global ambitions?
As China’s global power expansion creates new risks and challenges to its very own power, author Luke Patey will launch his new book ‘How China Loses,’ exploring how the rest of the world is adjusting its engagement with Beijing and ultimately plays a relevant role in shaping the reach of China’s global influence.
For more information, visit [LKYSPP].
19 May 2021 @ 6:00 p.m. (GMT+2), Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy, Germany
No systemic change without legal change: feminist engagement with international law
Considering that law governs our social relations as well as current transnational challenges including the Covid-19 pandemic, the climate emergency, and a global pushback against human rights, this event tries to understand what international law could and should look like in the future from a feminist perspective.
If you are interested in this event, please visit [CFFP] for more information and registration.
20 May 2021 @ 3:00 p.m. (GMT+2), European Center for International Political Economy, Belgium
Are Online Civil Liberties Threatened?
As social media and other online platforms are under growing pressure to moderate content while simultaneously being accused of censoring political opinions, this webinar will discuss online freedom of speech and regulation.
Please see [ECIPE] for more information.
Recent book releases
Michael Lewis, The Premonition: A Pandemic Story, W. W. Norton & Company, 319 pages, May 4, 2021, reviewed in [The Guardian].
Edward Rutherfurd, China: The Novel, Doubleday, 784 pages, May 11, 2021, reviewed in [on: Yorkshire Magazine].
Luke Patey, How China Loses: The Pushback against Chinese Global Ambitions, Oxford University Press, 400 pages, January 4, 2021, with a review in [Council of Foreign Relations].
Calls
The Nelson Mandela University, South Africa, invites paper submissions for its conference “The State We’re In - Democracy’s Fractures, Fixes and Futures”. Closing date for submission is 15 June 2021. For more details, see [Canrad].
The Alabama State University Montgomery invites book-length manuscripts for publication in the book series African Governance, Development, and Leadership of Rowman & Littlefield. Deadline of submission is 30 December 2021. For more information, see [Rowman & Littlefield].
Jobs & positions
National Chengchi University, Taiwan, is offering a position of Researcher in the of Public Land Law. Closing date for application is 26 May 2021. For more information, see [Research gate].
The International Labour Organization is hiring a National Project Coordinator, to be based in Baghdad. Deadline for applications is 20 May 2021. More details are accessible via [UN Jobs].
BBC is recruiting a Executive News Editor to based in London. Application can be submitted until 18 May 2021. More about the vacancy at [BBC].
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