Grasp the pattern, read the trend
No. 27, July/2021, 1
Brought to you by CPG
Dear Readers,
Welcome to 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 Algeria, Argentina, the Bahamas, Cape Verde, Comoros, Malawi, Solomon Islands, South Sudan and Venezuela which celebrate Independence Day in this week as well as to readers in Palau which celebrates its National Day.
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
Chinese President Xi’s party centenary address: celebrating the role of party, warning foreign powers of new Great Wall of steel, and calling for advancing security in Hong Kong
(dx) In his address, delivered on July 1 on the occasion of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of Communist Party of China (CPC), Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the outstanding role and achievements of the party for the country. Xi highlighted that “[ov]er the past 100 years, the Party has united and led the Chinese people […] in writing the most magnificent epic in the Chinese nation’s millennia-long history.” He added that under the leadership of the CPC absolute poverty has been eradicated and China has become a “moderately prosperous society,” realizing the first of the two centenary goals set by the party. The second goal – making China a ‘strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious, and modern socialist country’ – is supposed to be realized in 2049, the centenary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, towards which party and people “are now marching in confident strides.” In pursuit of this goal Xi called for upholding and enhancing the party’s leadership, advancing party building and tightening party organization as well as accelerating the modernization of the country’s military.
Towards foreign countries Xi offered a strong warning. While emphasizing on the one side that China “will continue to champion cooperation over confrontation,” he made clear on the other: “As a nation, we have a strong sense of pride and confidence. We have never bullied, oppressed, or subjugated the people of any other country, and we never will. At the same time, we will never allow any foreign force to bully, oppress, or subjugate us. Anyone who would attempt to do so will find themselves crushed by a Great Wall of steel forged by the blood and flesh of over 1.4 billion Chinese people.” [State Council, China, in Chinese] [Nikkei Asia]
With regards to Hong Kong, where July 1 marks the handover of the former British colony to China, Xi called protecting national security the top priority, urging the city to focus next on its legal and enforcement aspects under Beijing’s “comprehensive jurisdiction”. The president’s message for Hong Kong was widely seen as a reminder to the city’s leadership that the task of restoring order to prevent a recurrence of the 2019 anti-government protests was far from over. [South China Morning Post 1]
In a related development earlier last month, the State Council, China's central government, appointed Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu as Hong Kong’s Chief Secretary for Administration, the second highest ranking public official in Hong Kong. Lee’s appointment marks the first time a former police officer from the security branch of the government takes up a top role in the administration. [The Standard] [South China Morning Post 2]
For insights into Beijing’s preparation of the takeover of Hong Kong since 2014, when a policy paper for the first time used the term “comprehensive jurisdiction” with regards to the city, see Chris Buckley, Vivian Wang and Austin Ramzy in [New York Times].
China: Millions of court rulings removed from official database
(dx) China’s online database of Chinese court rulings, China Judgments Online, has just shrunk by over 9%, with 11 million court cases inaccessible. China Judgments Online, launched by the Supreme People’s Court in 2014, stated in a notice on its website that the situation was due to the files “being migrated” for “technical reasons.”
The removal of the court rulings has been first discovered by a Chinese activist who has been archiving speech crime cases. It has raised concerns among Chinese lawyers, stressing that making the judgments available online is important for safeguarding justice and calling the removal a setback for the Chinese judiciary. [China Judgments Online, in Chinese] [China Digital Times] [Los Angeles Times]
Japan: Ruling coalition fails to win majority in Tokyo assembly election
(dql) In Sunday’s election for the Tokyo metropolitan assembly, Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner Komeito failed to secure an outright majority, with the former winning 33 out 127, and the latter 23.
The election was closely watched as it was seen as a bellwether for a Lower House election that needs to be held by October as the four-year terms of its 465 members will end on October 21. [Aljazeera]
Japan: House of Representatives seat allocation reviews
The government’s electoral reform panel will soon begin reviewing the allocation of House of Representatives seats in some of the country’s 47 prefectures based on the latest census, with an aim to amend vote weight disparities. Currently, a vote weight disparity between the most populated No. 22 constituency in Tokyo and the least populated No. 2 constituency in the western prefecture of Tottori is 2.09 times.
The envisaged review will give five new seats to Tokyo, two to neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture, and one each to Chiba, Saitama and Aichi, while 10 prefectures – Miyagi, Fukushima, Niigata, Shiga, Wakayama, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Ehime and Nagasaki – will each lose one seat.
According to the newly released preliminary results from the 2020 census, 9 prefectures recorded population gains while population dropped in 38 prefectures, which were mainly rural areas. Additionally, Japan's total population decreased 0.7% over the 2015 census. [Asahi Shimbun] [Japan Times]
Mongolia: Parliament signs amnesty law
(nm) The Mongolian Parliament adopted the country’s seventh Amnesty Law whereby around 3.6 percent of the nation’s prisoners will be released with further prison sentences being reduced or replaced with restrictions to movement. The amnesty enters into force this week and excludes 38 types of crimes and offences, including but not limited to terrorism financing, tax avoidance, drug-related crimes, environmental crimes, sexual assaults, and corruption cases. [AKIpress]
South Korea: Labor union mass protests in violation of quarantine measures trigger legal action
(nm) South Korea’s government announced to take legal action against massive protests rallying for improved labor conditions in violation of quarantine measures against the Covid-19 pandemic. On Saturday, about 8000 participants protesting in central Seoul demanded better labour conditions, the elimination of irregular job positions, and an increase of the minimum wage. As the Seoul Metropolitan Government currently only allows demonstrations of up to 10 people, it had denied permission for the gathering, notifying the unions holding the rally to step back from their plans. The local police agency now stated it had launched a special investigation team of 52 officers who would look into the case, while President Moon Jae-in similarly called the decision to take stern legal measures inevitable.
The protests come amid rising numbers of Covid-19 cases in the capital. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the major umbrella union organizing the event, responded it did share concerns over the spread of the virus, but urged the government to guarantee freedom of expression as it also allowed people to gather at outdoor sporting events and concerts. The KCTU announced it would go into a general strike in November. [Korea Times] [Korea Herald] [Reuters]
South Korea: High-profile ruling party candidates announce presidential bids
(nm) With the next presidential election set for March 2022, candidates of South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party (DP) have officially announced their bids to run, setting of the race among the ruling bloc’s “Big Three”. Last Thursday, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung who is one of the DP’s nine presidential contenders, announced his candidacy with a strong emphasis on transforming the country’s economy and on tackling social inequality. Lee is seen as one of the three most prominent DP candidates and is currently leading public opinion polls for the DP camp. Lee has been known for his straightforwardness, but could face challenges from forces within his own party. In 2017, he had lost to incumbent President Moon Jae-in in the DP’s primary. [Korea Times 1]
This Monday, former DP leader Lee Nak-yon also officially announced his intention to run, presenting a five-point policy blueprint for South Korea which focusses on a new approach to social welfare, a middle-class economy, an amendment to the constitution to strengthen the socioeconomic approach, a diplomacy based on soft power, and the strengthening of South Korean culture. The announcement came after the DP had held its second national interviews on Sunday to select the candidates for the presidential elections. In the blind interviews conducted by 200 interviewers, Lee Nak-yon came in first place, followed by Representative Lee Kwang-jae, and Lee Jae-myung. The DP will announce their six final candidates on July 11. [Korea Herald 1]
In spite of the announcements, the ruling DP recently failed to generate public attention, while the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is gaining popularity. Some observers contribute this trend to the public’s desire for a change in leadership after a series of policy failures, including failure to combat soaring apartment prices, aggravated by a major real estate speculation scandal involving local politicians and the state-run housing company.
As the Moon government had been in disagreement with some of its own appointees, some of them are now considering running for the opposition PPP. One of those appointees is former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl who had resigned from his post in early March and has since led opinion polls. Lately, however, he has been struggling due to allegations of ethical missteps and corruption against family members in addition to allegations of abuse of power against himself. Yoon is running under the promise to restore justice and the rule of law in opposition to Moon’s plans for prosecution reform and seeks to normalize relations with Japan. He has yet to announce if he will run for the PPP. [Korea Times 2] [Nikkei Asia]
For an interview with Lee Jae-myung, please see [Korea Herald 2]
South Korea: Former industry minister indicted over abuse of power
(nm) Former minister of trade, industry and energy Paik Un-gyu and a former presidential secretary for industrial policy were indicted on charges of abuse of power and interference with business after a high-profile criminal investigation into the early shutdown of the nuclear reactor Wolsong-1 has wrapped up.
After the decades-old reactor had been shut down by the state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP) in 2019, three years ahead of schedule, due to an economic viability survey, the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) found last year that the numbers of the assessment were unreasonably undervalued. The decision to close the reactor was part of President Moon Jae-in’s green energy efforts which seek to gradually increase the share of renewable energy while closing atomic power plants. According to state prosecutors, the decision to close down the reactor ahead of schedule had caused about 131 million USD in damages to the company. Paik is denying the allegations. [Korea Herald]
North Korea: leader Kim Jong-un dismisses senior officials after serious incident
(nds) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sacked several senior officials after a “serious incident” related to the Covid-19 pandemic. At a politburo meeting, North Korean authorities said the officials caused a massive crisis for the security of the nation and its people due to their negligence of duty and irresponsibility.
The move, widely seen as aimed at strengthening party discipline, comes as Kim has been steadily stepping up efforts to bring North Korea out of its crisis by implementing new laws, financial plans and organizational reshuffle. [Yonhap News Agency]
North Korea passed law to combat drug-related acts harming state stability
(nds) On 1 June, the Standing Committee of North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly, the country’s legislature, passed the Drug Prevention Crime Act to “prevent violations of laws detrimental to the stability of the state and social system and the lives and health of the people.”
The new law appears to replace or to amend the 2003 Drug Control Act and comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has repeatedly urged in speeches and writings adherence to the party’s ideology and strict social rules. [KCNA] [NK News]
Taiwan: National referendums postponed to December
(nds) The Central Elections Commission (CEC) has decided to postpone the organization of the four referendums initially scheduled for 28 August. They will finally take place on 18 December. The counting of votes will occur on the same day, and the official announcement of the results will be published before 24 December.
The four referendums approved are related to the commissioning of the fourth nuclear power plant, the import of pork containing ractopamine residue, the construction of a receiving terminal for natural gas energy production on an algal reef, and the holding of popular referendums and general elections at the same time. [Focus Taiwan] [Taiwan News]
Law and Politics in South Asia
India: Delimitation Commission arrives in Jammu and Kashmir, meets local leaders
(lm) A delegation of the Delimitation Commission on July 6 embarked on a four-day visit in the Jammu and Kashmir union territory, just days after Prime Minister Modi promised local leaders that elections would be held after the region’s parliamentary constituencies were reconfigured. [Hindustan Times]
The talks on June 24 were the first between the Indian prime minister and Kashmiri leaders since the federal government in August of last year unilaterally abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, breaking the state of Kashmir into two union territories – one comprising the Hindu-dominated Jammu region and the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley, known as Jammu and Kashmir, and the Buddhist enclave of Ladakh. [AiR No. 26, June/2021, 5]
The Commission is tasked with redrawing parliamentary and assembly constituencies of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, and Jammu and Kashmir. During its visit, the delegation will meet with election officials and political party leaders and seek data on voter lists.
Importantly, the two main regional political parties - the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) - will also attend the meetings after they had boycotted regional polls held in 2018. In May of last year, the NC had even pulled out of the Delimitation Commission and accused Prime Minister Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of seeking to divide the union territory on religious lines by manufacturing a Hindu dominance in the Kashmir valley.
Observers say the NC and PDP’s change of heart comes in recognition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tightening grip over the union territory. Rather than face possible election exclusions after districts are redrawn, the two parties’ willingness to engage signals a tacit acceptance that self-rule is unlikely to be restored soon, considering that the BJP opposes reversing the revocation of regional autonomy. [Foreign Brief]
India: Opposition demands parliamentary probe of Rafale deal
(ad/lm) Political opponents of Prime Minister Narendra Modi stepped up their demands for a probe into India’s purchase of Rafale omni-role fighter jets after France reportedly launched a judicial investigation into allegations of corruption in the deal. [Bloomberg]
The opposition Indian National Congress party on July 4 called for an investigation into the allegations, including changes in the terms of the contract for the 2016 purchase of 36 fighters from French defense manufacturer Dassault Aviation.
The renewed demands follow a report that a French judge has been tasked with investigating the 2016 multi-billion-dollar sale based on a complaint filed by French non-governmental organization Sherpa, which said in a statement that it suspects “corruption, favoritism and various financial offenses” may have occurred. [France24]
France’s financial prosecutor, the Parquet National Financier (PNF) had initially refused to investigate the $9.4 billion deal, prompting an investigative website to accuse it and the PNF of “burying” suspicions surrounding the September 2016 deal.
Dassault Aviation had initially won a contract in 2012 to supply 126 jets to India and had been negotiating with Indian aerospace company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). By March 2015, those talks had almost reached a conclusion.
But in April of that year, after Prime Minister Modi paid an official visit to France, the talks suddenly broke down to general surprise. Reliance Group, a conglomerate headed by billionaire Anil Ambani, who is close to Modi, replaced HAL and finalized a new contract for 36 jets.
India: Rights activist detained under anti-terror law dies while waiting for bail
(ad/lm) A 84-year-old rights activist and Jesuit priest detained for nine months without trial under Indian anti-terrorism laws died on July 5, ahead of a bail hearing. He was accused of being a Maoist and carrying out feft-wing extremist activities. [The Courier] [The Straits Times]
The long-time activist, who campaigned for marginalized tribal communities, was arrested in October of last year after being charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly inciting violence between different Indian castes in 2018.
The anti-terror law was amended in 2019 to allow the government to designate an individual as a terrorist. Police can detain people for up to six months without producing any evidence and the accused can subsequently be imprisoned for up to seven years.
Just two days before his death, the activist had petitioned the Bombay High Court challenging Section 43D(5) of the UAPA that makes grant of bail virtually impossible since it leaves little room of judicial reasoning. Specifically, the test for denying bail under the UAPA is that the court must be satisfied that a “prima facie” case exists against the accused. [The Indian Express]
Three student activists charged under the UAPA in connection with last year’s violent clashes between supporters and opponents of India’s contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act were granted bail under regular law. India’s Supreme Court, however, intervened shortly thereafter, saying the order could not be treated as “precedent by any court” to grant bail to others also arrested under the anti-terrorism law. Claiming the lower court’s order granting bail to the students had raised questions of “pan-India” importance, the apex court said it would examine the matter this month. [AiR No. 25, June/2021, 4]
India: Opposition demands Labor Minister to be sacked for failing migrant workers
(ad) The opposition Indian National Congress demanded the sacking of Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar after India’s Supreme Court last week criticized the federal government for its lax in creating a database for migrant workers, and in providing them basic food, shelter and livelihood.
The Party called the judgement “a wake-up call” to the current establishments’ failure and also demanded that Prime Minister Modi must apologize to the migrant workers as well. [The Indian Express]
Maldives: Former President Nasheed confirms intention to run in presidential election
(lm) Former Maldives President and incumbent Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has confirmed his intention to run in the primary of his ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) for the 2023 presidential election. [avas]
Nasheed, who currently resides in Germany for treatment after a failed assassination attempt outside his home earlier in May [see AiR No. 19, May/2021, 2], also suggested conducting a national referendum next year to decide if the country would prefer a parliamentary system in lieu of the current presidential system. Significantly, he claimed that the Progressive Party of Maldives of his major political opponent - former President Abdullah Yameen - would also support the change.
The country last conducted such a referendum in 2007, when it chose the presidential system of governance. Nasheed, the first democratically elected president of the archipelago, was forced to resign in 2012 under the pressure from the country’s defense forces. He returned to the country from self-imposed exile after incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won the 2018 elections [see AiR (1/10/2018)].
Nepal: Supreme Court closes hearings in case on dissolution of parliaments’ lower house
(lm) Nepal’s Supreme Court on July 5 concluded the hearing of a slew of writ petitions challenging the dissolution of Parliament’s lower house and is likely to announce the verdict in the case next week. [The Himalayan Times]
As many as 146 lawmakers - including 23 from Prime Minister Oli’s ruling party - filed a petition with the apex court three days after Nepal’s President Bidya Devi Bhandari on May 22 dissolved the House and scheduled snap elections for November. The petitioners demand that Parliament’s lower chamber be restored and opposition leader Sher Bahadur Deuba be appointed Prime Minister. [AiR No. 22, June/2021, 1]
Experts believe the verdict will set some precedents which will be crucial not only in defining the constitution but also in upholding and defending it. [The Kathmandu Post]
An insightful perspective is being provided by Sambridh Ghimire, who argues that the current crisis between executive and judiciary in Nepal is unprecedented. [The Diplomat]
Nepal: Prime Minister Oli softens stance to avoid party split
(lm) As Nepal’s Supreme Court is concluding its hearings in the case pertaining to the dissolution of Parliament’s lower house, caretaker Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is leaving no avenue unexplored to ensure he remains in office in the event of a verdict resulting in the revival of the House.
On June 30, the committee organizing the next convention of Oli’s Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML) voted to revive the party’s Central Committee, which existed prior to the now-defunct merger of the CPN-UML and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) (CPN(M)) in 2018.
The move followed on a ruling by Nepal’s Supreme Court in June, which had annulled all decisions taken by the convention committee, observing that committee meant for another purpose cannot appropriate the right and responsibilities of the Central Committee.
In a bit to pour oil on troubled waters, the committee also decided to scrap its earlier decision to oust eleven of the party’s lawmakers close to CPN-UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal [see AiR No. 22, June/2021, 1], and to bear the expense for medical treatment of former Prime Minister Jhalnath Khanal. Both Nepal and Khanal are leading a group of more than 20 CPN-UML lawmakers that has sided with the parliamentary opposition. [The Himalayan Times] [The Kathmandu Post]
But the Madhav-Nepal faction decided to boycott a meeting of the re-established Central Committee on July 2, calling Wednesday’s decision a ‘sham’. [khabarhub]
Law and Politics in Southeast Asia
Malaysia: Parliament to reconvene in July
(dql) Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s Office announced that Parliament will reconvene and sit for five days beginning on July 26, after it has been suspended in January when Malaysia was placed under emergency rules to curb the Covid-19 pandemic. The sessions will be held to present a national recovery plan and to amend necessary laws to hold hybrid Parliament meetings
The announcement comes as the Prime Minister for months has been pressured by the public, political parties and the Palace to reconvene parliament amid mounting criticism over his government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. [Malay Mail]
Last month, the issue of exactly when Parliament should meet for the first time since December has been the subject of heated debate since the King and eight other state rulers called for the legislature’s reopening as soon as possible. [Straits Times] [Channel News Asia]
Myanmar: Criminal hearings resume for deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi
(mt/lm) Myanmar’s deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared "fresh and in good health" at a courtroom in the capital Naypyidaw on July 5 for a new round of hearings on charges brought against her by the military junta that overthrew her government earlier in February. [France24]
During the first hearing, Suu Kyi's lawyers cross-examined witnesses for the prosecution who allege she flouted coronavirus restrictions during last November’s elections that her National League for Democracy won in a landslide.
In the second hearing, which involved the case against Suu Kyi for violating the Communications Law, attorneys on both sides sparred over testimony offered by one of the three witnesses who were called to appear.
The third and final hearing of the day involved the case against Suu Kyi under the country’s Export-Import Law. Six unregistered and illegally imported walkie-talkie radios were allegedly found in a search of her home in the capital of Naypyitaw, according to police document.
Government prosecutors have been presenting evidence in the cases since June 14. They will have until June 28 to finish their presentation in the court, after which Suu Kyi’s defense team will have until July 26 to present its case [see AiR No. 24, June/2021, 3]. But with 23 witnesses still to go, lawyers have told reporters they expect the current trial to last longer. [Il Sole 24 Ore, in Italian] [Mizzima]
Before the hearings involving Suu Kyi, a hearing was held on charges brought against ousted President U Win Myint for violating the Natural Disaster Management Law for allegedly breaking COVID-19 pandemic restrictions during the 2020 election campaign. [Voice of America]
Myanmar: Junta releases more than 2,000 detainees, ramps up detention of activists’ family members
(mt/lm) Myanmar authorities released more than 2,000 prisoners on June 30, including peaceful protesters and local journalists jailed who have been held in detention for months. This is the second time the junta releases prisoners, after it had granted amnesty to more than 23,000 prisoners, with some rights groups at the time fearing the move was to free up space for opponents of the military as well as to cause chaos in communities [see AiR No. 16, April/2021, 3]. [South China Morning Post]
Among those freed was Kay Zon Nway, a multimedia reporter for the independent news outlet Myanmar Now. She was arrested in February while covering a protest and spent 124 days in detention. She has been charged with incitement, which can lead to two years in jail.
While there was no reason given for the timing of the releases, there is a good case to believe that the military junta seeks to soften its international image. Western countries have demanded political prisoners be freed and condemned the military takeover. Moreover, a high-level delegation of the Association of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) sought a commitment coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to initiate dialogue, end the violence and release detainees [see AiR No. 23, June/2021, 2].
US journalist Denny Fenster, who has been detained in the same prison since May, however, was not released, after he appeared in court for a second time on July 1[see AiR No. 25, June/2021, 4]. The judge remanded Fenster for another two weeks, and his next hearing is scheduled for July 15. [The Hill]
Moreover, the Thailand-based advocacy group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners warned the release of prisoners was an attempt by the military junta to divert attention from the ongoing security crackdown. “This is not the case,” the group said. “In fact, the junta is making space for even more detainees, and even more torture victims. The people who remain in prison will be tortured more severely than those released.” [CNN]
A total of 5,224 people remains in detention, according to AAPP, which has been tracking arrests and detentions. This includes peaceful opponents of the junta, from elected politicians to medics, protesters, social media celebrities and journalists. Significantly, the participation of tens of thousands of government medical personnel in the Civil Disobedience Movement has created gaps in healthcare that striking doctors and colleagues working at private hospitals are struggling to fill. [Frontier Myanmar] [The Diplomat]
Moreover, the arbitrary detention of children of anti-regime activists seems to be a new pattern in the military junta’s dissent repression tactic. [Myanmar Now] [The Irrawaddy]
What is more, the military issued another threat against journalists the same day, warning reporters not to use the term “military junta” to refer to the regime. It also instructed media not to “quote and exaggerate the false news”, warning that “action will be taken against them under the existing laws”. [The Straits Times]
Myanmar: Military junta ‘tightens grip’ on multibillion dollar jade trade, report says
(mt/lm) Myanmar's military has such strong control over the country's jade trade that it would be "nearly impossible" to buy the gemstone without enriching the junta and its allies, a new report released on June 29 claims, naming the son of junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing as among those who directly profit from the enterprise. [Global Witness]
The new investigation "Jade and Conflict: Myanmar's Vicious Circle" from Global Witness, a nonprofit dedicated to investigating corruption and environmental abuse, found the military, known locally as the Tatmadaw, tightened its grip on the lucrative sector in the years leading up to its February 1 takeover.
The investigation, which builds on a landmark 2015 report, alleges the family of coup-leader and commander of the armed forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, profited from bribes as corruption of the jade industry worsened in recent years.
Myanmar accounts for about 70 percent of the world’s jade, with the highest demand coming from neighboring China. Even before the military coup, the shared border was already witnessing 70 to 90 percent of jade mined in Myanmar’s Kachin State crossing through without any accountability to the country’s formal trading system and authority.
The coup has destabilized the industry further, according to the report, triggering renewed fighting in jade mining areas. Global Witness also says that junta used the lure of jade mining rights (along with other resources, such as timber) to pacify armed groups and reward ethnic-minority militias willing to end their fight against the Tatmadaw.
Nonetheless, in the complex web of corruption and lack of accountability – other than environmentally damaging practices and alarming working conditions denounced by Global Witness – the international community has an important role to play. The organization’s report urges the United States and the international community to ban the import of jade and gemstones from Myanmar, in addition to introducing sanctions on the country’s gas industry, the largest direct source of foreign currency for the military junta at over $1 billion annually.
Myanmar: Clashes between resistance forces, military troops continue across the country
(mt/lm) Myanmar security forces have killed at least 41 individuals in a township in the country’s Sagaing Region since raids began in the area on July 2, causing several thousand residents to flee their homes. [Myanmar Now] [The Irrawaddy]
Youths from a local People’s Defence Force (PDF), an armed group formed to resist crackdowns by the military, took up positions to confront about 150 soldiers who had entered the village early on July 2. Residents told reporters that the security forces then opened fire on a village near the jungle hoping to flush out members of the local PDF. [South China Morning Post]
The state-run Global New Light of Myanmar, in turn, offered a different account of the confrontation, saying “armed terrorists” had ambushed security forces patrolling the area, killing one of them and wounding six. It said the attackers retreated after retaliation by the security forces, adding that “four mortars and six percussion lock firearms” were confiscated during the clash. [Al Jazeera]
Myanmar: Protesters burn army uniform during demonstrations marking fifth month since coup
(mt/lm) To mark the fifth month since the military takeover, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Myanmar’s biggest city Yangon on July 1, setting ablaze an army uniform and chanting calls for democracy. The protest was one of the biggest in Yangon in recent weeks, although demonstrations against the army take place daily in many parts of the South-east Asian country. [Al Jazeera] [The Straits Times]
Philippines: Human Rights Watch demands dropping of new militia plans
(dql) Human Rights Watch has called on the Philippine government to drop its plan to organize new militias, citing the potential of worsening the country’s “disastrous human rights situation,” and “its long history of arming civilians in militias or other organized groups that have been responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture, and other rights violations committed with impunity.”
The call refers to an announcement of Philippine National Police chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, last month saying that the “Global Coalition of Lingkod Bayan Advocacy Support Groups and Force Multipliers,” has been established, consisting of eleven “international and local organizations,” and supposed to assist the government in fighting crime and illegal drugs as well as the country’s long-running communist insurgency. [Human Rights Watch]
Thailand: Activist group submits constitutional amendment bill to Parliament
(pr) Civil society group Re-solution has submitted a charter amendment bill aiming at dismantling the "Prayut regime" to Parliament President Chuan Leekpai, alongside with more than 150,000 signatures backing the proposal. [Bangkok Post 1]
The group is led by many political figures such as Parit Wacharasindhu, a former member of the Democrat Party; Yingcheep Atchanond, manager of the Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw); and Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, both leading members of the Progressive Movement.
The bill proposes to eliminate the Senate’s power in choosing a prime minister (Section 159) and to change the method of appointing judges to the Constitutional Court and members of other watchdog agencies. It also seeks to revoke the 20-year National Strategy Plan and to delete all provisions legalizing all the announcements and orders of the now-defunct executive body of the military junta, the National Council for Peace and Order.
In November of last year, a similar amendment bill was rejected by a joint sitting of Parliament after being considered too radical. The iLaw-sponsored draft introduced sweeping changes to the 2017 Constitution, including a possible change to Chapters 1 and 2, which outline the indivisibility of the country, the form of governance, and royal prerogatives. This time around, the supporters of the latest draft proposal hope to introduce gradual pragmatic changes instead of an immediate total charter rewrite. [Bangkok Post 2]
However, the bill is expected to be opposed by members of Parliament’s upper chamber, who rejected 12 constitutional amendment bills that also sought to reduce their power earlier this month [see AiR No. 26, June/2021, 5]. As per Section 256 of the 2017 Constitution, constitutional amendment bills must secure a majority in both Houses, as well as getting the support of at least of one-third, or 84, of the 250 Senators.
The only draft approved by a joint sitting of Parliament on June 24 proposes to adjust the proportions of lawmakers from currently 350 constituency MPs and 150 party-list MPs to 400 and 100, respectively. It also seeks to revert from the current single ballot for constituency and party-list MPs to two separate ballots.
Thailand: Police to take legal action against 70 people for participating in protests on weekend
(pr) Police in Thailand have announced they will initiate legal proceedings against at least 70 individuals who have been identified as participating in anti-government protests held between July 2 and 4 at various locations across the capital, Bangkok. [Bangkok Post 1]
Held on July 2, the first rally was organized by the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration and the pro-democracy Ratsadon group. The protest was allegedly led by student leader Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak, who was granted conditional bail in May on a number of conditions, including not dishonor the monarchy or cause unrest [see AiR No. 19, May/2021, 2].
The following day, three groups of anti-government protesters took to the streets to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha. [Bangkok Post 2]
A first protest was held near the Government House by the Prachachon Khon Thai group. The group is led by well-known royalist Nititorn Lamlua, a former co-leader of the now-defunct People's Democratic Reform Committee which played a leading role in the 2013–14 Thai political crisis, organizing large-scale protests within Bangkok. The group seeks to have an outsider or non-MP nominated as a new prime minister as per Section 272 of the Constitution.
The second protest, also held in the area, was organized by the Thai Mai Thon group led by Jatuporn Prompan, a core leader of the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) that opposed the 2006 Thai coup d'état. The group also seeks to unseat Prime Minister Prayut, but leaves it to a joint sitting of Parliament to choose his replacement.
The third and final protest of the day saw UDD activist Sombat Boonngam-anong leading a “car mob” that involved 200 vehicles.
According to police, all these rallies and associated activities were in violation of the Emergency Decree issued to curb the spread of COVID-19 infections. Other laws potentially violated include the Hygiene and Cleanliness Act, and the Land Transport Act. [Bangkok Post 3] [Thai PBS World]
Thailand: Constitutional Court denies ruling on disqualification of PM
(pr) Thailand’s Constitutional Court has dismissed a petition filed by 72 lawmakers that sought Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha to be disqualified over intervening in acquiring concessions for the implementation of a train project through the issuance of an executive order.
The executive order was issued in April 2019 by Prime Minister Prayut as the head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) which ruled the country from 2014 to2019.
To support its dismissal, the Court reasoned that by the time the petition was filed, the status of the prime minister had ceased a new Cabinet was formed after the March 2019 election. Therefore, the petitioners had no right to file for disqualification. [Thai Constitutional Court Press Release, in Thai]
Thailand: Parliamentary session on hazardous substances law suspended, lawmakers to be probed
(pr) Speaker of the Thai House of Representatives Chuan Leekpai had to suspend a sitting of Parliament’s lower chamber on government-sponsored amendments to the hazardous substances law after several lawmakers decided not to insert their ID cards to declare their presence in Parliament resulting in a lack of quorum.
At least 242 lawmakers of the 483-member House are required to constitute a quorum, but only 206 were presentduring voting time. Mostly absent were coalition lawmakers: Only 9 out of 120 lawmakers from the ruling Palang Pracharath Party, and 8 out of 61 from Bhumjaithai Party were present. Meanwhile, 62 lawmakers from Pheu Thai Party of the opposition were not present. [Thairath, in Thai]
Their no-show decision stemmed from conflicting opinions within the committee examining the bill over the importation of hazardous substances to be used in farms. Changes to the law would affect the interests of big companies. Even ministers in the coalition, Agriculture Minister Chalermchai Srion, of the Democrat Party, and Deputy Agricultural Minister Mananya Thaiset of the Bhumjaithai Party had conflicting opinions over the issue. [Thai PBS World]
Some observers view that the coalition did not want this bill to be rejected as its contents relate to fiscal spending such as remuneration and expenses of experts on hazardous substances. If bills of importance or financial bills fail to gain approval, it is customary for Parliament to be dissolved. Therefore, they avoided the vote by causing a lack of quorum. [Matichon, in Thai]
In addition, the lawmakers’ decision not to declare their presence in Parliament may constitute an ethical violation. Activist Srisuwan Janya of the Association for the Protection of the Thai Constitution will file a petition to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to investigate the 277 lawmakers’ conduct which resulted in suspension of the parliamentary session. If the NACC finds grounds for an ethical violation, it may forward the case to the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders. [Bangkok Post]
Thailand: Royalists ‘dox’ hundreds of pro-democracy activists using Google Maps
(pr) Google has taken down two Google Maps documents that had listed the names and addresses of hundreds of Thai activists who were accused by royalists of opposing the monarchy. [South China Morning Post]
A royalist group led by activist Songklod “Pukem” Chuenchoopol had created the maps and planned to initiate legal proceedings on accusations of royal defamation, which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The royalist activist said the content in them had come from public research. But human rights groups and critics of the establishment said the maps could put the people included in the documents at risk of violence.
Thailand: Former commerce minister faces graft probe over rice deal
(pr) Thailand’s anti-graft body, the National Anti-Corruption Commission, has announced it would form a sub-panel to investigate former Commerce Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong over allegations he failed to act alleged irregularity in the selection of a local supplier for rice exported to Indonesia in 2011. [Bangkok Post]
Kittiratt served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra between 2011 and 2014. Additionally, he led the Ministry of Commerce until January 2012 and then served as Finance Minister until May 2014.
International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia
China blasts US for role in Afghanistan and other issues
(dql) Speaking at the World Peace Forum, an international relations conference hosted by Tsinghua University and the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, a government-run policy group, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hit out against the US for its role in Afghanistan. Identifying the US as “the origin of problems in Afghanistan,” Wang called on Washington to bear responsibility “for making sure the transition in the country will be stable. The U.S. cannot evade responsibility, and cannot cause instability or war by withdrawing troops.” He added that while China as a “friendly neighbor” stands ready to support a peaceful transition in Afghanistan, the US should “stop pretending to be a ‘defender’ of the Afghan people.” [Newsweek]
Wang’s remarks come as China is preparing to fill the vacuum left by US and NATO troops, with authorities in Kabul reportedly considering an extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan. [Daily Beast]
The US role in Afghanistan was only one of several issues Wang touched upon in his speech to question US positions and policies – including the global pandemic, counterterrorism, North Korea, the Iran and Taiwan – and to demonstrate China’s growing self-confidence in its own strength. Referring to the centenary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party Wang said that “[t]day's China is no longer the same country of 100 years ago,” adding the warning that “[n]o individual or force should underestimate the determination and capacity of the Chinese people to uphold the country's sovereignty, security, and development interests.” [Straits Times]
Beijing responsible for current tensions in China-EU relations, European diplomats say
(dql) European diplomats have expressed a hardened stance towards China at the World Peace Forum (see above), holding Beijing responsible for the current tensions in relations between China and the European Union (EU). Nicolas Chapuis, the EU’s top envoy to Beijing, criticized Beijing for an increasingly aggressive attitude – including claims of a superiority of the Chinese political system over Western liberal democracies – that has harmed mutual understanding and mutual trust. Caroline Wilson, the UK’s ambassador to China, insisted that human rights were not a
“geopolitical game,” but “foundational matters”, while Italian ambassador to China Luca Ferrari warned that “[t]he risk, if China does not open, is that Europe starts closing up, ” [South China Morning Post]
The remarks come after in May EU lawmakers suspended debate on the ratification of a landmark investment deal with China – the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment. The suspension came in response to Beijing’s sanctions against members of the bloc with which Beijing retaliated sanctions imposed by the EU on China over alleged human rights abuses on Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang. [see AiR No. 21, May/2021, 4]
They also come amid findings of the latest Pew Research poll which show that large majorities in the world’s 17 most advanced economies hold unfavorable views of China, with the median standing at 69%, compared to 25% with favorable views. Japan tops the list with 88%, followed by Sweden (80%), Australia (78%), South Korea (77%) and the US (76%). Greece and Singapore are the two countries in which the majority holds favorable views of China, with 52% and 64%, respectively. [Pew Research]
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday held a video call with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss a range of issues, including Eu-China relations, international trade, climate protection and biodiversity, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, global vaccine supply, and international and regional issues.
During the conversation Xi expressed hope that China and Europe would expand cooperation to better respond to global challenges, with Europe playing a more active role in international affairs, achieving strategic independence and offering a fair, transparent and unbiased environment for Chinese firms and enterprises. [Reuters]
China-Russia relations: Xi and Putin again demonstrate unity against US
(dql) In a joint statement following a virtual summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin last week – their second within six weeks – both leaders sent out a swipe against the US. Without naming the US, the statement criticized that “[s]ome countries use ideology to draw lines, brutally interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign countries, impose unilateral sanctions at every turn, shake the legal foundation of the international relations system, including the arms control field.” It added that the “more turbulent the world, the more it is necessary for China and Russia to strengthen strategic cooperation.”
Days after the summit, Putin endorsed Russia’s new national security strategy which in a thinly veiled attack on the US states that “growing geopolitical instability and conflict is a result of a redistribution in global development potential, with countries that are losing their unconditional leadership said to be trying to prevent this from happening by hoping to dictate their own rules, to use unfair means of competition, to apply unilateral sanctions or to openly interfere in the internal affairs of other nations.” It further identifies as goals a further expansion of the country’s strategic cooperation with India, while concurrently developing comprehensive partnerships with China, as well as a reduction in the use of the US dollar in international transactions. [The Print]
China, Ukraine agree to boost infrastructure cooperation
(dql) China and Ukraine have signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in the infrastructure sector. Under the accord, the two countries will encourage domestic enterprises and financial institutions to actively cooperate on road, bridge and rail transit projects, and provide necessary assistance in implementing joint projects. [South China Morning Post]
The agreement was concluded days after the Ukraine withdrew its signature from a statement initiated by Canada at the 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council, backed by over 40 countries and expressing concerns over repressive actions of the Chinese government in Xinjiang, Hong Kong Tibet and demanding free access to Xinjiang for an inquiry into reported human rights violations. [see AiR No. 26, June/2021, 5]
China-Australia relations: Canberra accused of sabotaging Chinese vaccines, Beijing of undermining Australian universities
(dql) Australia has denied accusations of “sabotaging” China’s aid programs with Pacific nations and using “political manipulation” to interfere in Covid-19 vaccine rollouts in the region. Chinese state-owned media articles claimed that Canberra has been “planting” consultants in Papua New Guinea and instructed them to obstruct the authorization of Chinese-supplied vaccines. [ABC]
China, meanwhile, is facing fresh accusations of undermining academic freedom at Australian universities. Human Rights Watch has released research findings revealing that Chinese pro-democracy students in Australia experience harassment and fear punishment for speaking out on sensitive issues. [Human Rights Watch] [BBC]
Japan urges Myanmar to prevent repeat of raids on embassy and aid staff
(lm) Japan has lodged a protest with the Myanmar military junta after a Japanese government source revealed that a housing complex occupied by Japanese diplomatic staff had been forcibly entered by security forces in April earlier this year.
The armed personnel were apparently trying to search the premises of pro-democracy forces that oppose the military, but they withdrew once they learned the occupants were Japanese. [South China Morning Post]
While the staff were not harmed, the security forces’ actions “risked the safety of the Japanese nationals” and violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, a high-ranking Japanese official said on July 5. The treaty stipulates the protection of diplomats from arrest or detention and the inviolability of mission premises. [The Japan Times]
Japan, Philippines hold first ever joint air force drills
(dql) In a historic first, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Philippine Air Force on Monday kicked off four-day joint exercises near Manila. The drills cover training in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, involving an ASDF C-130H strategic transporter. [Nippon]
The drills come on the heels of an agreement between Japan’s Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in May to strengthen diplomatic relations as both Tokyo and Manila are locked in separate territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, respectively.
Meanwhile, a Philippine Air Force plane carrying troops bound for counterinsurgency operations in the southern Philippines crashed on the southern island of Jolo on Sunday. Of the 96 soldiers and crew members aboard, 49 were killed. [Aljazeera]
South Korea-Japan relations: Tensions rising as Moon commemorates industrial self-sufficiency
(nm) Tensions between Japan and South Korea are rising again with South Korea last week adopting a series of measures exposing the historic drift between the two nations. On Tuesday, the National Assembly adopted a resolution condemning Tokyo’s plan to release the cooling water of the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean. In April, the Japanese government had announced its decision to release the wastewater currently stored in tanks into the ocean as storage capacity is apparently going to run out in 2022. Neighbouring nations, including Korea, had protested the decision as their interests were allegedly not sufficiently regarded. The resolution now calls for close consultations with neighbouring countries, including the participation of the South Korean government in the joint investigation led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). [Korea Times 1]
Following the resolution, a parliamentary committee on Wednesday also passed a bipartisan resolution demanding the removal of the contested islets of Dokdo/Takeshima from one official Tokyo Olympics map and denouncing Japan’s included claim to sovereignty over the island.
Demands calling on South Korean President Moon Jae-in not to visit Japan in conjunction with the Olympics have since grown domestically. Some have even demanded a boycott of the games over the issue. The resolution now also urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to take proactive measures. The islets have been a persistent issue in Seoul-Tokyo relations and have become an important symbol since Korea’s liberation from Japanese occupation. [Korea Times 2] [Korea Herald]
On Friday then, President Moon declared South Korea’s industrial self-sufficiency, implying that Japanese export restrictions failed to show the intended effects. Japan has been imposing strict export regulation on industrial materials critical for chip and display industries – the heart of South Korea’s economy – since 2019. While Tokyo attributed the restrictions to Seoul’s failure to control trade of sensitive items, South Koreans widely regard the measures as a direct response to a court ruling ordering Japanese companies to compensate victims of wartime forced labour. [Korea Times 3]
Long-standing tensions between the two nations have been showing more openly again ever since Moon and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga had failed to meet on the sidelines of the June G-7 summit in England. The planned meeting was allegedly called off by the Japanese side when it was informed that South Korea’s navy would participate in military drills around the contested Dokdo/ Takeshima islets. The US Biden administration is seeking to bring the two sides together in an effort to establish a trilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. [Nikkei Asia]
South Korea’s Navy takes part in Pacific Vanguard maritime exercise
(dql) South Korea’s Navy on Monday has joined a weeklong US-led multinational Pacific Vanguard maritime exercise in Australian waters to boost cooperative operation skills at sea with the navies the US, Japan and Australia. The drills include an anti-submarine operation and a simulated battle. Seoul has dispatched the 4,400-ton Wang Geon destroyer, involving 200 crew members. [Korea Herald]
South Korea-Afghanistan relations: South Korean citizens asked to leave the country
(nm) As NATO forces are withdrawing from Afghanistan and in consideration of fears of growing unrest in the country, all South Korean citizens are required to leave Afghanistan until the end July or face criminal sanctions, according to a South Korean foreign ministry official this week. Afghanistan is currently banned for travel along with five other nations with violations punishable by up to one year in prison or a fine. The official further said that there remains a small number of South Korean citizens in Afghanistan due to personal reasons who the government plans to support in their return to Korea. Since US forces withdrew, clashes between the Taliban and Afghan forces have fuelled fears over the further deterioration of the security situation in the country. [Korea Herald] [Times of India]
North Korea reorganize the command structure of the Strategic Force
(nds) At a recent meeting of the Central Military Commission, North Korean authorities decided to rearrange substantially the command structure of the Strategic Force, which operates the nation's ballistic missile arsenal, dividing its subordinate headquarters into the West Sea and East Sea Commands. As a result, they also had to partially modify the offensive and defensive strategy of the force to conform to the new command structure. The East Sea and West Sea commands are both offensive-oriented. Nonetheless, North Korean officials plan to slightly lower the offensive capabilities of the West Sea Command compared to the East Sea Command while improving its defensive capabilities.
At the meeting, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un emphasized the need to strengthen the defensive capabilities of the state's strategic force. Furthermore, he reportedly ordered the Strategic Force's West Sea Command to defend itself and even launch retaliation if the United States attacks China. [Daily NK]
North Korea still on the list of countries involved in human trafficking
(nds) In its recently released annual “Trafficking in Persons” report, the US Department of State placed North Korea on tier 3 along with 16 other countries that Washington believes do not fully meet the minimum standards for combating human trafficking and are not making sufficient efforts to do so.”
The report further specified that the North Korean government belongs to “11 governments with a documented ‘policy or pattern’ of human trafficking, trafficking in government-funded programs, forced labor in government-affiliated medical services or other sectors, sexual slavery in government camps, or the employment or recruitment of child soldiers.” The other ten governments include those of Afghanistan, Burma, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Russia, South Sudan, Syria, and Turkmenistan.
The listing may result in sanctions or the withdrawal of U.S. aid. However, the relationship between the United States and North Korea is already complicated. The latter does not benefit from American assistance today and is even subject to economic sanctions because of its military programs. It is unlikely that new sanctions will be enough to prompt North Korea to change its behavior. [Department of State, USA] [ Yonhap News Agency]
Taiwan-US relations to deepen: Pro-Taiwan bills added to American Global Leadership and Engagement Act amid resumption of trade talks
(nds) A number of pro-Taiwan bills have been incorporated into the US Global Leadership and Engagement (EAGLE) Act, a legislative package that calls on the US government to “revitalize and reassert U.S. leadership, investment, and engagement in the Indo-Pacific region and globally,” in a bid to counter China’s growing global influence. The Act was introduced in the House of Representatives in May and reviewed by the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee last week. The bills – all of them aimed at bolstering Taiwan-US ties – include the Taiwan Diplomatic Review Act, the Taiwan Peace and Stability Act, and the Taiwan International Solidarity Act. [Focus Taiwan]
The legislative move comes as the US and Taiwan resumed trade and investment talks, the first in five years. During the virtual meeting, both sides agreed on holding a series of meetings this year to resolve differences pertaining to trade practices and discuss cooperation in a range of areas, including the chip supply chain and custom manufacture of American vaccines. [South China Morning Post]
Meanwhile, the US Department of State reiterated its support for a “peaceful resolution” of cross-strait issues, consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people on Taiwan,". The statement come in response to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s address delivered of on the occasion of the celebration of the centenary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party in which he insisted that re-unification with Taiwan is the party’s “historic mission and an unshakable commitment,” based on the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus. He, furthermore, pledged the crush any Taiwan independence attempts as well as forces meddling with its unification goal. [Focus Taiwan] [Nikkei Asia]
Taiwan in the top tier of states fighting anti-human trafficking
(nds) On 1 July, the U.S. State Department released the 2021 Human Trafficking Report.
According to the report, Taiwan’s authorities fully comply with the most basic standards for suppressing human trafficking and have continued to be serious about combating human trafficking despite the health crisis, reflected by investigations and the sentencing of more traffickers to significant prison terms, in addition to improving victim identification protocols and labor inspection resources in vulnerable sectors related to maritime activities.
The report, however, also highlighted persistent problems with forced labor in the deep-sea fishing sector and the recruitment of migrant workers, with understaffing and inadequate inspection protocols continuing to hamper efforts to identify, investigate, and prosecute forced labor on fishing vessels in the highly vulnerable “Distant Water Fleet” sector.
The report also identified a lack of special labor legislation guaranteeing the rights of migrant domestic workers in Taiwan. [Focus Taiwan] [Taipei Times] [ JDM journaldemontreal, in French]
Indian Prime Minister Modi chairs high-level security meeting to formulate counter-drone policy
(ad/ra/lm) A high-level meeting chaired Indian Prime Minister Modi decided on June 29 that the federal government would be working towards counter-drone systems, following a drone attack on an Indian airbase in the Jammu and Kashmir union territory last week. [Hindustan Times]
Two Indian soldiers were wounded when two drones dropped explosives on the Indian Air Force base in the southern city of Jammu in Indian-administered Kashmir on June 27. The attack targeted the air traffic control tower, the radar, and a parked helicopter.
The drone attacks followed hot on the heels of a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and 14 pro-India leaders from Kashmir. The talks on June 24 were the first between the Indian prime minister and Kashmiri leaders since the federal government in August of last year unilaterally abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, breaking the state of Kashmir into two union territories. [AiR No. 26, June/2021, 5]
They also came just days after a car bomb exploded outside the Lahore house of Hafiz Saeed, founder of the outlawed Islamist terrorist Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group which is accused by India and the United States of plotting the 2008 Mumbai attacks that left at least 174 people dead and more than 300 wounded [see AiR No. 26, June/2021, 5]. Citing results of an investigation, Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Moeed Yousuf on July 4 accused India’s foreign intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, of orchestrating the attack. [South China Morning Post 1]
While the drones were not captured, Indian experts say there is little doubt they originated in Pakistan. If proven, the incident would mark a major shift in strategy against New Delhi. For anti-India rebel groups based in Pakistan have previously used classic guerrilla tactics such as ambushes, hit-and-run attacks, remote-controlled explosions and car bombings. [Nikkei Asia]
However, no rebel group has taken responsibility for the latest attacks, leading some in India to point the finger at the Pakistani government. Islamabad, in turn, has vehemently denied their involvement in the attack and called India’s accusation a ploy. In addition, Pakistan said that such allegations would not succeed in diverting attention away from India’s “serious crimes” in the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir. [Dawn]
The attack marks a revival of Indo-Pakistan conflict - especially regarding Kashmir. New Delhi has long blamed Pakistani state-sponsored terrorism for violence by militant groups in the region, a charge Islamabad routinely denies. Experts say that if such attacks continued, India would be forced to retaliate, putting in jeopardy the restoration of a 2003 ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control in Kashmir earlier this year in February, which had ended several years of heavy skirmishing [see AiR No. 9, March/2021, 1]. [South China Morning Post 2]
According to experts, for Pakistan, any increase in tensions threatens to exacerbate an already fragile security situation, adding to existing problems on its eastern flank just as it is presented by a security vacuum on its western flank caused by the face-paced withdrawal of US and international troops from neighboring Afghanistan. [see also entry in this edition]
India, in turn, must be careful of opening up conflicts on two fronts, with its forces involved in a stand-off on its Himalayan border with China that has lasted more than a year and recently heated up with reports that New Delhi was changing its approach towards the Line of Actual Control that stretches from Ladakh in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east. [see also entry in this edition]
India designates China as country’s “primary threat”, talks up infrastructure near Chinese border
(lm) Within the past four weeks, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has undertaken two highly-publicized visits to inaugurate 63 new bridges and 12 roads across seven states which border China, signaling a changing approach towards the disputed border. [South China Morning Post]
Singh’s trips coincided with unconfirmed media reports that New Delhi had redirected at least 50,000 additional troops to three distinct areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), in a historic shift toward an offensive military posture against Beijing. The reports emerged after India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, weeks earlier stated that China and not Pakistan was now India’s “primary threat”.
Observers say these developments reflect how New Delhi is changing its approach towards the LAC that stretches from Ladakh in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east.
With at least 11 rounds of senior military commander-level talks to resolve the stand-off not achieving its aim for disengagement at three friction points - Gogra, Hot Springs and the Depsang Plains in eastern Ladakh - India’s strategy is to now publicize its actions and intentions to strengthen its military posture and border infrastructure, notwithstanding objections from Beijing.
Fast-paced withdrawal of foreign troops may undermine Pakistan’s influence over Taliban, report says
(ra/lm) Against the backdrop of a fast-paced withdrawal of US and international troops, Pakistan should redouble its efforts to convince the Taliban to scale back both their attacks and their aspirations to reinstitute their version of Islamic governance, according to the latest report by the International Crisis Group. [International Crisis Group]
The report highlights how cooperation with the Taliban is crucial for Islamabad, since further instability in Afghanistan could embolden the country’s leading Taliban group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), thereby deepening insecurity, especially in the tribal areas along its conflict-prone western border. Experts say it is possible the TTP will use its sustained militant presence along the border to create a buffer zone between Afghanistan and Pakistan to, once again, declare a state of the Pakistani Taliban, which hosts Islamist foreign fighters.
The report also outlines a worst-case scenario, claiming that a failed peace process could spark all-out civil war in Afghanistan and a massive influx of refugees into Pakistani territory. It is therefore worth recalling that Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi last month said his country would shut its border to its eastern neighbor if violence and lawlessness reign in Afghanistan following the military withdrawal of both NATO and the United States [see AiR No. 26, June/2021, 5].
Lastly, stalled negotiations could heighten tensions with Kabul and might harm Pakistan’s relations with the United States – a grave concern for Pakistan’s high command. China, Pakistan’s closest foreign partner, also probably prefers that Islamabad work to produce a more stable outcome than a Taliban victory followed by an attempt at monopolistic rule.
In related news, Prime Minister Imran Khan one June 30 again ruled out the possibility of providing Pakistani bases to the US military for counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan. Khan also denounced as “idiocy” his country’s past policy of becoming a “front-line state” in the US-led war against terrorism in Afghanistan, blaming the policy for the persistent security and economic challenges facing Islamabad. [Voice of America]
India’s second aircraft carrier is getting ready fast
(lm) The Indian Navy is set to start sea trials of its first indigenous aircraft carrier, in a move that experts say will allow New Delhi to achieve some sea control at a time when China is quickly making inroads in the Indian Ocean. [eletimes] [South China Morning Post]
The INS Vikrant, which was first sanctioned by the Indian government in 2003, is now being readied for its maiden contractor sea trials which are expected to begin as early as next month, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh saying last week that the warship would be fully operational in the first half of 2022. Once commissioned, it will be India’s second aircraft carrier. The Navy’s only aircraft carrier now is the INS Vikramaditya, which was acquired from Russia for $2.35 billion in 2004 and entered service in 2013.
Experts said the new carrier would help India project power in a region that has come increasingly under China’s influence. In May, Kenya inaugurated a Chinese-built port on Lamu island, on the country’s Indian Ocean coast, while last week, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said the country might revive a plan with China to build a $10 billion port in Bagamoyo. [Nikkei Asia]
Moreover, construction of China’s third aircraft carrier – known as Type 003 – has made "significant progress", according to the latest images released by a commercial satellite. The vessel - expected to be the largest surface combatant in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy — is scheduled to be launched before the year-end. What is more, Beijing is said to be further seeking to add at least two more carrier vessels. [The Week]
Analysts said the new aircraft carrier would also help New Delhi pursue strategic and foreign policy goals, such as stepping up engagement with the other members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue – a loose strategic coalition comprising of France, the United States, India and Australia - which is increasingly seen as a potential counterweight to growing Chinese influence and alleged assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.
The Indian government has repeatedly stressed that it was “fully committed” to a strong Navy with an expanded operational reach and prowess. But a proposal by the Navy for a third carrier is yet to get the initial “acceptance of necessity” approval from the government. Nor has the Navy’s requirement for 36 new multi-role fighters that will operate from the INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant got the nod.
Pakistan Navy attends Sea Breeze 2021 maritime drill as observer
(lm) Pakistan’s Navy is attending this year’s iteration of the annual Sea Breeze exercise in the Black Sea. The drills, co-hosted by the United States and Ukraine, will continue through July 10 and feature 32 nations – its largest ever participation. [USNI News]
This year’s exercise assumes added significance, coming as it does amid heightened tensions between NATO and Russia.
Those tensions were on display last month when the tracking data for a British destroyer and a Dutch frigate were falsified to make the ships look as if they were operating near Sevastopol, where Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is based. The ships were actually in port in Odessa, Ukraine.
Later, Russian fighter jets buzzed a British warship while it crossed briefly through Black Sea waters that are considered internationally as Ukrainian but are claimed by Russia after its 2014 annexation of Crimea. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it also unleashed warning shots and bombs, but Britain denies any such actions took place.
Six killed in surge of unrest in Indian-administered Kashmir
(lm) Five suspected rebels and a soldier were killed on July 2 in the latest of a series of attacks in the Indian-administered territory of Kashmir that have left 17 dead in two weeks. [The Straits Times]
Police said the five militants were members of the Islamist terrorist Lashkar-e-Taiba group, which is accused by India and the United States of plotting the 2008 Mumbai attacks that left at least 174 people dead and more than 300 wounded.
The surge in violence came after 14 pro-India leaders from Kashmir held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month. [AiR No. 26, June/2021, 5]
Indian Air Force chief visits Bangladesh to strengthen defense ties
(lm) India’s Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria on June 29 concluded a two-day working visit to neighboring Bangladesh, where he held extensive talks with high-ranking military officials, including his Bangladeshi counterpart Shaikh Abdul Hannan and the Chief of Army Staff, General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed. [The Economic Times]
During his visit, Bhadauria also attended passing-out parade and commissioning ceremony at the Bangladesh Air Force Academy in Jashore. [Frontline]
Myanmar diplomats in US and Switzerland refuse to return home after criticizing military junta
(lm) Eleven Myanmar diplomats in the United States and Switzerland are creating what is effectively an underground diplomatic corps as they seek to remain in their host countries in protest against the country’s military junta. [South China Morning Post]
Four Myanmar diplomats in Washington and three in Los Angeles are applying for temporary protected status as their diplomatic status is set to end, while four in Geneva are also asking Swiss authorities to enable them to remain there.
They are among a group of at least 21 staffers at diplomatic posts in seven countries who earlier this year announced they would not cooperate with the military-controlled Foreign Ministry [see AiR No. 10, March/2021, 2]. The other diplomats opposing the junta are in Canada, France, Germany, Israel and Japan.
The group includes Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Kyaw Moe Tun, who speaks for the country’s deposed civilian government and has defied junta orders to resign.
Laos President Sisoulith on official visit to Vietnam
(lm) A high-level delegation led by President of Laos, Thongloun Sisoulith, last week paid an official visit to Vietnam last week, marking Sisoulith first overseas trip since he was elected General Secretary of the ruling Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) earlier in January.
On June 28, the first day of the delegation’s visit, Sisoulith and Nguyen Phu Trong, the General Secretary of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party, witnessed the signing of agreements between their countries on issues ranging from political cooperation and business to and culture, arts and tourism. Among those signed are the agreements on the Vietnam – Laos Cooperation Strategy for 2021 to 2030; and on their bilateral collaboration for 2021 to 2025. [The Laotian Times]
Later that day, the Chairman of Vietnam’s National Assembly, Vuong Dinh Hue, hosted a reception for the visiting delegation. Both sides agreed on the need for the their legislatures to increase high-level visits and meetings, and intensify collaboration and exchange of experience, especially in institution building, law making, and supreme supervision over the operation of State agencies. [VietnamPlus]
Malaysia: Cross-border crimes increased
(dql) Data release by the Royal Malaysia Police have revealed that cross-border crime activities in the states Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang from January to June have increased by more than 220% compared to the same period in 2020. 464 cases with 458 individuals detained and smuggled items worth over RM 33.2 million were recorded for this year, compared to 296 cases with 252 arrests and seizures worth over RM 10.2 million for last year. [Malay Mail]
Malaysian-Australian joint anti-smuggling operation completed
(dql) Malaysia’s Coast Guard and the Australian Border Force last week completed the 15th iteration of Operation Redback. The operation, which began on June 22, aimed to counter people smuggling in in Malaysian territorial waters, involving strategic communication and a patrol in the northern waters of the Malacca Strait. The two agencies also exhanged information and operational skills, and built interoperability during the operation. [The Mandarin]
United States downgrades Thailand and Malaysia in human trafficking report
(pr/dql) Thailand has been downgraded by the United States in a global report on human trafficking, because the Southeast Asian nation’s government has decreased law enforcement and efforts to identify and protect victims, albeit maintaining trafficking prevention efforts. [2021 Trafficking in Persons Report]
In its 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) - which places Thailand on the watchlist for the first time in four years – Washington notes that despite having made some progress in eliminating human trafficking, Thai authorities last year “initiated significantly fewer trafficking investigations, prosecuted fewer suspects and convicted fewer traffickers than in 2019.” The report also highlights persistent allegations that migrant workers have been tricked or coerced into forced labor in many industries in Thailand, yet the government seemingly continues to downplay the extent of the problem. [US Department of State]
The downgrade came as a surprise to the Thai government, which had been lobbying to have its status upgraded from Tier 2 to Tier 1. Tier 1 ranking indicates that a government has made efforts to address human trafficking problems that meets the minimum standards under the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act. [Bangkok Post]
Bangkok therefore stated that it was disappointed, adding that the evaluation would not reflect the significant efforts and progress the country had made in combatting human trafficking. It also reaffirmed its resolve to prevent and suppress human trafficking, adding that Washington’s evaluation would not represent the international standard. [Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
Malaysia, meanwhile, dropped to the bottommost tier 3, with the report concluding that “the government continued to conflate human trafficking and migrant smuggling crimes and did not adequately address or criminally pursue credible allegations from multiple sources alleging labour trafficking, including in the rubber manufacturing industry and palm oil sector, with the government owning 33% of the third largest palm oil company in the world.”
For the past three years Malaysia had been placed on the Tier 2 Watch List. [Free Malaysia Today]
Thailand’s nomination of forest complex as a World Heritage should be deferred, says IUCN
(pr) The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an advisory body to the World Heritage Committee, recommended that Thailand’s nomination of Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex as a world heritage be deferred due to concerns relating to violations of the rights of indigenous communities. The board also recommended that Thailand cooperate with local communities and United Nations agencies to resolve indigenous and human rights issues before proceeding with the nomination. [IUCN]
Communities in the area still face forest encroachment charges, racial discrimination, and denied civil rights due to lack of citizenship. In 2014, community rights defender Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen disappeared in the area and was found dead in 2019. The investigation into his disappearance and death had little signs of progress.
More recently, in March, members of the Bang Kloi Karen indigenous community were evicted and arrested for encroachment after they came back to their ancestral land in the forest complex due to community rights issues and the pandemic. They were forcibly moved out in 1996 and 2011.
Thailand, along with 143 other countries, is a signatory to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), a non-binding document which states the rights of indigenous peoples.
Bangkok previously applied for the forest complex to be recognized as a world heritage three times in 2015, 2016, and 2019, but all nominations were deferred due to the same reasons. [Prachatai English]
Vietnam’s Deputy PM holds phone talk with US National Security Advisor Sullivan
(lm) Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh on July 1 held a phone conversation with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, during which both sides reiterated their shared commitment to their 2013 Comprehensive Partnership. They also discussed ways to deepen cooperation between their countries in areas such as maritime security, the Mekong region, combatting climate change, and ending the COVID-19 pandemic. [VietnamPlus]
Because Vietnam is currently serving as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Sullivan also touched on the dire humanitarian and human rights situation Ethiopia’s Tigray region, where a conflict between rebels and government forces has led to thousands of deaths and displaced 1.7 million people. [The White House]
Indonesia: Indonesia receives vaccines from US as Covid-19 situation worsens
(sa) Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi secured four million Covid-19 vaccines from the US, through the COVAX global vaccine sharing programme, after a call with the US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. [The White House, USA]
The development comes as Indonesia faces according to some “Asia’s worst coronavirus outbreaks”, with hospitals facing severe shortages of oxygen as they are stretched to capacity. ] On Sunday, 63 patients in Sardjito hospital on Java had died after it nearly exhausted its’ oxygen supplies. In Jakarta, the Government revealed that since early May, daily funerals had risen by tenfold. [Reuters 1]
Luhut Pandjaitan, the minister coordinating the Covid-19 response, said that his government expects cases to rise in the next two weeks. [Reuters 2]
Indonesia: Canadian warship docks in Jakarta
(sa) Canadian Warship Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Calgary called into Jakarta’s port between July 1 to July 3on Operation Projection, a Canadian mission to preserve global peace and security while deepening ties with allies abroad. The ship conducted exercises with the Indonesian Naval Ship KRI Bung Tomo before leaving for the Australian coast for other deployments. [Antara]
Indonesia: Indonesia taps into allies to tax overseas citizens
(sa) An amendment to the general provisions and taxation procedure law will soon allow the Directorate General of Taxation authority to seek assistance from partners in collecting taxes from overseas citizens. The Director General of Taxation at the Finance Ministry Suryo Utomo revealed the plan at a working meeting at the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta on June 5, 2021.
Suryo disclosed that Indonesia has received word from 46 partner countries in gaining their assistance on taxing Indonesians living abroad, while further disclosing that the Government has signed avoidance of double taxation agreements with 13 other countries, namely, Algeria, the United States, Armenia, the Netherlands, Belfia, the Philippines, India, Laos, Egypt, Suriname, Jordan, Venezuela, and Vietnam. [Antara]
The amendment comes at a time when Indonesia mulls raising the tax rate on the ultra-wealthy and fears of those Indonesians leaving for abroad and taking their assets with them. [South China Morning Post]
Indonesia: Indonesia signs agreement with Brunei on anti-money laundering
(sa) On July 1, 2021, Governor of the Central Bank of Indonesia Perry Warjiyo with the Managing Director of the Central Bank of Brunei (BDCB) Rokiah Badar signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen the integrity of the financial systems of both countries through cooperation in fighting money laundering and preventing terrorist use of the finance system. [VietnamPlus]
Cambodia-US relations: Washington ends military academy scholarship program
(dql) The US has decided to end its program with Cambodia to send students to top American military academies, citing concerns over China's increasing military presence in Cambodia.
The decision comes amid increasingly strained relations between Phnom Penh and Washington over the enduring political repression under Prime Minister Hun Sen and his embrace of China. [Reuters]
Announcements
Upcoming Online Events
7 July 2021 @ 5:00 p.m. (GMT-5), The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, USA
Confronting China's Rise to Regional Dominance
As China’s military and economic power increase, so does the likelihood that its growing interests and ambitions will conflict with other nations – particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. Experts from the United States, Japan, and South Korea will discuss in this online event how these three allies might develop a trilateral approach to regional defense and de-escalation.
Visit [The Chicago Council] for more information.
7 July 2021 @ 5:00-6:00 p.m. (GMT-4), Center for Strategic & International Studies, USA
Yasmeen Abutaleb and Damian Paletta’s “Nightmare Scenario – Inside the Trump Administration’s Response to the Pandemic That Changed History”
This online book event will introduce “Nightmare Scenario – Inside the Trump Administration’s Response to the Pandemic That Changed History” by Yasmeen Abutaleb and Damian Paletta which sheds light on the inner workings of the administration at critical decision points during the pandemic, in an effort to understand the key lead personalities and their interrelations, what propelled the crisis forward, the impact upon U.S. health agencies, and what lessons we should take into the future.
For more information, see [CSIS].
7 July 2021 @ 12:30-2:00 p.m. (GMT-4), United States Institute of Peace, USA
The Next Chapter in U.S.-Pakistan Relations
This online conversation with Dr. Asad Majeed Khan, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States will explore Pakistan’s responses to recent developments in Afghanistan, the future of U.S.-Pakistan relations and emerging regional security challenges in South Asia.
More details about the event are provided at [USIP].
7 July 2021 @ 8:00 a.m. (GMT-4), International Institute for Strategic Studies, USA
Is China lagging behind the military-technological race?
China is both a major player and the main driver in the global military-technological race. In this webinar experts on Chinese military ambitions will explore where Beijing is advancing and where it is still lagging, and why.
Find more about the event at [IISS].
7 July 2021 @ 12:00 p.m. (GMT-4), Stimson Center, USA
Exploring the United Kingdom’s Approach to Nuclear Security
This virtual presentation will explore the United Kingdom’s approach to nuclear security, focusing on its evolving regulatory system, efforts to strengthen security culture within industry and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Visit [Stimson] to learn more about the event.
7 July 2021 @ 6:00 p.m. (GMT+2), Istituto Affari Internazionali, Italy
Presentation of the Spanish External Action Strategy 2021-2024
In this virtual talk, the Secretary of State for Global Spain at the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will present the strategy recently adopted by the Spanish Government for the international projection of Spain. The meeting will provide an opportunity to examine the situation and prospects of relations between Spain and Italy and possible convergences on the most topical issues of the European agenda.
More details are available at [IAI].
8 July 2021 @ 8:30-10:00 a.m. (GMT-4), Wilson Center, USA
Creating Livable Asian Cities: Challenges Ahead for Urbanization in Asia
In its latest report “Creating Livable Asian Cities,” the Asian Development Bank (ADB) identifies five priority areas in meeting the challenges of urbanization: urban planning, transport, energy, financial innovation, and disaster as well as climate resilience. This online panel will discuss the report’s findings and address the challenges ahead in making cities more livable across the Asia and the Pacific Region.
If you want to know more about the event, see [Wilson Center].
8 July 2021 @ 4:00 p.m. (GMT-4), Wilson Center, USA
Justice Deferred: Race & The Supreme Court
This event is the online launch of the book “Justice Deferred: Race and the Supreme Court” which deals with the topic race and the complicity of the US Supreme Court and covers slavery, its aftermath, Reconstruction, Jim Crow and its dismantling, and modern problems, including criminal justice.
Find more about the event at [Wilson Center].
8 July 2021 @ 10:00 a.m. (GMT-4), Brookings, USA
Making progress on gender equality: It’s time for more transparency
While there are strong commitments to achieving gender equality with sustainable development goal (SDG) 5, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated resource constraints and widened gender inequalities. Fundamental to “building back better” is the need for more transparent information about gender equality initiatives. In this panel discussion gender funding experts will explore specific actions that can lead to more transparent information and move us closer toward SDG 5.
For more information, visit [Brookings].
8 July 2021 @ 4:00-5:00 p.m. (GMT-7), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, USA
More than Sports: Using the Olympics to Teach Modern East Asian History
This online lecture will offer insights into how teachers might use Olympic Games to introduce topics from East Asian history by exploring the many meanings of the Olympics for China, Japan, and South Korea, from displaying recovery to promoting democracy.
Visit [FSI] to learn more about the event.
8 July 2021 @ 6:00-7:30 p.m. (GMT-4), Institute for Policy Studies, USA
Manufacturing Hate: How Africa was Demonized in Western Media
This book launch will present “Manufacturing Hate: How Africa Was Demonized In Western Media” to explain the history of demonization of Africa, and by extension descendants of Africa, in Western media – books, newspapers, and magazines – from the 17th century to our contemporary era, and the lingering ramifications of centuries of demonization.
For further information, see [IPS].
8 July 2021 @ 2:30 p.m. (GMT+1), Royal United Services Institute, UK
The FATF Standards and Unintended Consequences: Part 1: Assessing the Past
As the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) considers ways to mitigate the unintended consequences of its financial crime standards, this three-part webinar series will assess the FATF’s work on this issue to-date, identify current challenges and a look ahead to future ways in which its standards might be manipulated.
Find more about the event at [RUSI].
8 July 2021 @ 6:00-7:00 p.m. (GMT+10), Australian Institute of International Affairs, Australia
Our Home in Myanmar - Book Launch
At this online launch of the book Our Home in Myanmar author Jessica Mudditt, a Sydney-based journalist writing for The Economist, BBC, CNN, and many more internationally recognized media outlets, will present Myanmar development since the national in 2015.
Visit [AIIA] for more details of the event.
8 July 2021 @ 2:00 p.m. (GMT+2), Egmont Institute, Belgium
The Future of EU-MENA Trade Relations post-Covid-19
This webinar will focus on the EU’s trade relations with the MENA region in the post-Covid world, presenting key findings of a recent study on the existing networks of EU-MENA bilateral free trade agreements and the impact of the pandemic on the intra- and inter-regional trade. It also considers recent trade-related proposals of the European Commission with regards to the MENA region.
Please see [Egmont Institute] for more information.
8 July 2021 @ 10:00 a.m. (GMT+2), International Crisis Group, Belgium
Rising Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean
This virtual event will explore the Eastern Mediterranean, a region of important political and cultural developments and equally hotspot of international tensions, taking stock of the multiple perspectives on the conflict between Turkey and its neighbours. Three aspects will be most prominently covered: the Turkey-Greece tensions with views from Ankara and Athens, the EU and US roles and interests in the region, and the regional dimensions of energy competition.
For more information, visit [Crisis Group].
9 July 2021 @ 12:00 p.m. (GMT-4), Hudson Institute, United States
Can Hong Kong Remain a Global Financial Center?
Since the entry into force of the National Security Law in June 2020, Hong Kong’s democracy and pro-democracy activists have been under pressure. This pressure has hurt Hong Kong’s reputation as a financial hub with more than 40 percent of members of the American Chamber of Commerce currently considering leaving Hong Kong. Against this backdrop, the event asks: Can Hong Kong continue as a bastion of commercial success?
If you wish to join the discussion, please visit [Hudson Institute] for more information.
9 July 2021 @ 12:00 p.m. (GMT+8), Universiti Malaya Asia-Europe Institute, Malaysia
AEI-ASEM Summer School 2021 |People and Public Empowerment in Asia and Europe
This year’s AEI summer school will explore issues related to public empowerment in Southeast Asia and Europe, including social, economic, cybersecurity, and employee empowerment. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from experts as well as to have peer-to-peer discussions on the topics.
For more information, please visit [AEI].
9 July 2021 @ 9:00 a.m. (GMT-4), Atlantic Council, USA
Rural/urban divide: A call for action
This online panel discussion will address the growing economic divide between rural and urban populations. Economists, international financial institutions, governments, and think tanks will discuss and explore policies that are capable of lifting the fortunes of “forgotten” places in the post-pandemic economic recovery.
For further information, visit [Atlantic Council].
10 July 2021 @ 2:00 p.m. (GMT-4), The Heritage Foundation, USA
Critical Race Theory: The Fault Lines of Social Justice
In this online event, Dr. Voddie Baucham, preacher, professor, and cultural apologist, will share insight into the worldview that underlines the philosophy of social justice and critical race theory.
If you want to know more about the event, see [Heritage].
10 July 2021 @ 2:00 p.m. (GMT-4), The Heritage Foundation, USA
The Other Border Crisis: Drugs—They’re Coming to Your Community
While the historic increase in illegal aliens entering the U.S. under the Biden Administration has been getting significant attention, the staggering increase in drug seizures at the border has gone largely unnoticed. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the seizures of fentanyl from October to April have exceeded such seizures in all of fiscal year 2020. Texas, alone, has seen an 800% increase of fentanyl in April compared to April 2020. How did this happen and what actions can the U.S. government take to bring this crisis under control? Find answers to these questions at this webinar.
For further details, see [Heritage].
12 July 2021 @ 2:30 p.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS, Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore
The Philippines and the Climate Crisis
The pandemic and the climate crisis both demand rapid and far-reaching actions on an unprecedented scale. This online lecture will shed light on the enormity of the climate emergency at the global level and in the Philippines, and expose the urgent need for ambitious and decisive action across all sectors.
More details are accessible via [ISAES].
12 July 2021 @ 4:00 p.m. (GMT+1), Royal United Services Institute, UK
The Future of Energy Security and National Resilience
This online will discuss crucial question as part of the wider energy debate in the UK, including: How we can guarantee the resilience and security of supply? How to avoid increasing strategic dependence and how to encourage our allies to diversify? How to meet our environmental targets while maintaining a strong enough economy to ensure adequate defense and security?
Visit [RUSI] for more details about the program and registration.
12 July 2021 @ 9:00 a.m. (GMT-4), Stimson Center, USA
The Geopolitics of Connectivity in South Asia and Beyond: Expectations vs. Reality
This online panel will discuss four proposed or progressing connectivity initiatives including the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline, Gwadar and Chabahar Ports, and the North-South Corridor. It will explore the geopolitical implications and future of each project, as well as the challenges in building regional connectivity.
Find more about the event at [Stimson].
12 July 2021 @ 8:30 a.m. (GMT-4), Atlantic Council, USA
bp Statistical Review of World Energy
This online conversation will feature the launch of the bp 2021 Statistical Review of World Energy and will present the year’s trends in energy supply and consumption, carbon emissions, and the global energy generation mix.
For more information on program and registration, see [Atlantic Council].
13 July 2021 @ 8:30 a.m. (GMT-4), Atlantic Council, USA
Regional elections and negotiations: What’s next for Venezuela?
This webinar will discuss the Venezuela’s regional elections in November, its potential effects on the political negotiations with President Nicolás Maduro, and the role of the international community.
More details are provided at [Atlantic Council].
13 July 2021 @ 9:30 a.m. (GMT-4), Atlantic Council, USA
A conversation with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
In this online conversation, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, will offer insights into the future of trade in a post-pandemic world.
If you are interested in attending the event, you can register at [Atlantic Council].
13 July 2021 @ 8:00-9:00 p.m. (GMT+10), Australian Institute of International Affairs, Australia
America in the World: A History of US Diplomacy and Foreign Policy
In this launch of the book “America in the World: A History of US Diplomacy and Foreign Policy,” author Robert B. Zoellick will present five traditions that have emerged from America's encounters with the world: the importance of North America; the special roles trading, transnational, and technological relations play in defining ties with others; changing attitudes toward alliances and ways of ordering connections among states; the need for public support, especially through Congress; and the belief that American policy should serve a larger purpose.
Further event details are available at [AIIA].
13 July 2021 @ 2:00-3:00 p.m. (GMT-4), Foreign Policy Research Institute, USA
Freedom of the Border
What impact do borders have on our freedom? In this month’s People, Politics, and Prose, Ronald J. Granieri will be joined by Paul Scheffer to discuss his book, Freedom of the Border. Granieri and Scheffer will discuss if borders are necessary for freedom, and how the absence of borders might interfere with territories and rights.
In you are interested, see [FPRI] for more details.
13 July 2021 @ 3:30-5:00 p.m. (GMT+8), S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore
Pandemic Fallout, Disruptive Technologies, and Divergent Demographics: Policy Challenges Facing Countries in the Indo Pacific
New variants of the coronavirus are producing the worst outbreaks in many countries in the Indo Pacific. Progress with vaccine rollouts has been uneven, further contributing to inequality of outcomes. The pandemic could have lasting effects by reinforcing nationalism, protectionism, and other trends that are already undermining globalization. The most serious challenge posed by a pandemic induced acceleration towards a digital economy is the disruption to labor markets, made worse by divergent demographic trends in the region.
Further information is accessible via [RSIS].
13 July 2021 @ 7:00-9:00 p.m. (GMT-4), Institute for Policy Studies, USA
The Water Defenders: A Celebration & Reflections on International Solidarity in El Salvador
This webinar brings together North American activists and organizations to share lessons from their decade-long solidarity relationship with Salvadoran water defenders in their struggle to protect the country’s imperiled waters from large-scale metal mining.
Visit [IPS] to learn more about the event.
13 July 2021 @ 5:00-6:00 p.m. (GMT+1), Chatham House, UK
Negotiating the New START Treaty
Against the backdrop of the recent extension of the New START Treaty, this (members-only) online talk will provide a rare inside look into the negotiation between the United States and Russia as Rose Gottemoeller, the US chief negotiator of the treaty, will shares how Republicans and Democrats worked together to achieve Senate approval of the treaty for US and global security, focusing on the following questions: How were domestic political difficulties overcome in negotiating the treaty? What can we learn about negotiations in nuclear arms control from the New START experience? What role does gender play in nuclear negotiations? What are the chances of successful follow-up negotiations and what are the risks to the world without US-Russia nuclear agreements?
Visit [Chatham House] for more details of the event and on becoming member.
13 July 2021 @ 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (GMT-4), Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, USA
The Future of the Dollar and American Foreign Policy
Fifty years ago this summer, the Nixon administration decided to decouple the dollar from its gold backing, a monumental decision that took a sledgehammer to the Bretton Woods Agreement of 1944, sent shock waves throughout the global economy, upset foreign relations with America’s closest allies, and led to macroeconomic changes like floating exchange rates, accelerated globalization, and an era of burden sharing among key countries. Today the U.S. dollar faces another set of challenges – from escalating tensions with China, evolving digital currencies, new forms of protectionism, and America’s own political and institutional crises. Is Washington facing another historical turning point for both its currency and its foreign policy? Find answers to these question at this online launch of the book Three Days at Camp David: How a Secret Meeting in 1971 Transformed the Global Economy.
For further information, see [Carnegie Endowment].
13 July 2021 @ 3:00 p.m. (GMT-4), Center for a New American Security, United States
US Technology Strategy and the Global Competition for Talent
Against the backdrop of the geopolitical competition with technology at its core, this webinar will focus on the relationship between technology policy and the United States’ ability to recruit and retain high-skilled talent.
For more information, please visit [CNAS].
13 July 2021 @ 4:30 p.m. (GMT+2), European Centre for International Political Economy, Belgium
America’s 5G Gambit
As the US Innovation and Competitiveness Act is seeking to enhance the United States’ role in critical technologies, this webinar invites two experts on US and Chinese economy and technology to discuss the US chances of creating policy competition, implications for US allies, and the US handling of Chinese state enterprise involvement in the global economy.
Please visit [ECIPE] for more information.
13 July 2021 @ 2:00 p.m. (GMT+2), Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, Switzerland
UN High Level Political Forum side event: Civil Society’s role in promoting peaceful, just and inclusive societies
As a side event to the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the DCAF and the Costa Rican Permanent Mission to the UN are inviting experts from different parts of the world to discuss the role that civil society organizations can play in implementing SDG 16 – peace, justice and strong institutions – and in holding their governments accountable.
For more information, please see [DCAF].
14 July 2021 @ 9:00 a.m. (GMT+1), Institute for Public Policy Research, Great Britain
IPPR Environmental Justice Commission Final Report Launch
This event will launch the final report of the Environmental Justice Commission established in 2019 to develop a plan on how the UK could tackle the climate crisis in a socially sustainable way. To this end, it invites politicians, policymakers, businesses, and civil society groups to discuss the final report.
Please visit [IPPR] for more information.
14 July 2021 @ 10:00 a.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS, Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore
Fighting Covid-19: China’s Soft Power Opportunities in Mainland Southeast Asia
The Covid-19 pandemic has provided China with a window of opportunity to exert regional leadership and influence. This webinar will inform about China’s public health diplomacy by examining China’s Covid-19 assistance and vaccine diplomacy in mainland Southeast Asia. It argues that the prospect of China’s soft power in the region will continue to rise while concerns over China’s strategic intentions remain.
If you want to know more about the event, see [ISEAS].
14 July 2021 @ 9:00 a.m. (GMT-4), Atlantic Council, USA
A digital tax compromise for the post-Covid-19 economy
Digital services taxes have become one of the most hotly contested issues between states, multinational corporations, and international organizations. The OECD hopes to reach an initial agreement by mid-2021. Without agreement, many European states will move forward with autonomous tax regimes, which will lead to transatlantic tensions and create potential economic asymmetries as both the US and Europe recover from the Covid-19 recession. This webinar will focus on a discussion about the chances of such an international agreement.
Further information is provided at [Atlantic Council].
14 July 2021 @ 9:00 a.m. (GMT-4), International Institute for Strategic Studies, USA
DPRK strategic capabilities and security on the Korean Peninsula: looking ahead
This online report launch will provide insights into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities and explore potential steps for tension reduction, confidence-building and denuclearisation.
Visit [IISS] to learn more about the event.
14 July 2021 @ 4:00 p.m. (GMT+1), Royal United Services Institute, UK
Western Jihadism: A Thirty Year History
In this webinar, Professor Klausen (Brandeis University) will take a comparative and historical approach to explain the development of Al-Qaeda’s growth in the West and offer a comprehensive analysis of the origins of Western jihadism and its role in the global movement.
For further information, see [RUSI].
14 July 2021 @ 6:00-7:00 p.m. (GMT+10), Australian Institute of International Affairs, Australia
Could Australia again play a part in shaping the international order?
Against the backdrop of a shift in power from the North Atlantic to Asia and the Pacific and the post-War American-led order being under serious threat, this online presentation will explore the challenge which Australia faces while arguing that the revising of the rules of inter-state behavior is a task for which Australia has qualifications.
Visit [AIIA] for more information.
14 July 2021 @ 10:00-11:30 a.m. (GMT-4), Wilson Center, USA
Uruguay’s Technology Sector and the Future of Fintech in Latin America
Against the backdrop of the explosion of fintech (financial technology) in Latin America, this webinar will address the case of Uruguay by raising the following questions: What is the future of fintech in Latin America? How will expanding access to financial services help the region recover from the pandemic? How can governments replicate Uruguay’s success attracting talent and investment to its technology sector?
If you want to know more about the event, visit [Wilson Center].
14 July 2021 @ 3:00-4:30 p.m. (GMT-4), Wilson Center, USA
Cybersecurity on the Final Frontier: Protecting Our Critical Space Assets from Cyber Threats
This webinar will provide insights into understanding and navigating the increasingly contested cyber threat landscape in space, including threat vectors unique to a space cyber attack, and high-level drivers necessary for hardening our critical space systems.
More event details are accessible via [Wilson Center].
14-16 July 2021 @ 4:00 p.m. (GMT+2), Barcelona Centre for International Affairs, Spain
1st Summer Course on the European Union “The Challenges of the European Union: An Expert and Institutional Perspective”
CIBOD and the representations of the European institutions in Barcelona are launching their first summer course on the European Union, in which students and anyone interested can learn about current debates and challenges of the European Union, as well as about the analytical tools used to analyse and understand the union in the short, medium, and long term. The first day will explore the Covid-19 and the launch of the Next Generation EU, the second day will focus on the Conference on the Future of Europe, and the third will consider the European Green Deal.
If you are interested in this event, please see [CIBOD] for more information and registration.
Recent book releases
Eyck Freymann, One Belt One Road: Chinese Power Meets the World, Harvard University Asia Center, 330 pages, November 17, 2020, reviewed in [Asia Review of Books].
Benjamin Bratton, The Revenge of the Real: Politics for a Post-Pandemic World, Verso, 176 pages, June 29, 2021, briefly reviewed in [Publishers Weekly].
David Shambaugh, China's Leaders: From Mao to Now, Polity, 355 pages, June 25, 2021, reviewed in [The Guardian].
Calls
The Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute are seeking original, unpublished applied economics research papers on education system development in Southeast Asia and the pursuit of quality basic education for ensuring student mastery of foundational literacy and numeracy. Selected papers will be presented at a related conference and considered for publication in an edited book or journal special issue. Closing date for submissions is July 15, 2021. For further information, see [ISEAS].
The London School of Economics (LSE) invites to submit papers for its conference “Gramsci in the Middle East and North Africa” to be held on May 9-10, 2022. Deadline for submissions is September 13, 2021. If you are interested, find more details at [LSE].
The Franciscan Study Center and The Thomas Institute at Tilburg University are seeking paper proposals for the conference “Agents of Change - Moral Conversion and Social Transformation,” scheduled for June 29 to July 1, 2022. Closing date for submissions is November 15, 2021. Visit [Tilburg University] for more information.
Jobs & positions
The International Labour Organization is hiring a National Project Coordinator (Social Protection) to be based in Ramallah, Beirut. Application deadline is July 20, 2021. For more information, see [ILO].
The Asia Pacific Regional Office of Open Society Foundations is recruiting a Program Officer for its East Asia Program. Closing date for applications is July 29, 2021. Learn more about the position at [OSF].
The International Organization for Migration is seeking a National Project Officer for its Philippines Country Office in Cotabato City. Applications can be submitted until July16, 2021. Visit [UN Jobs] for further details.
The Central and West Asia Department of the Asian Development Bank is hiring an Economist for its Public Management, Financial Sector, & Trade Division, CWRD. Application deadline is July 14, 2021. For further information, see [ADB].
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is offering the position of a Director, Health and Care Department. Closing date for applications is July 19, 2021. If you are interested, find more information at [IFRC].
Médecins Sans Frontières is recruiting a Head of Policy and Advocacy - MSF Access Campaign. Application deadline is July 18, 2021. For further information, visit [MSF].
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