Grasp the pattern, read the trend

No. 30, July/2021, 4

Brought to you by CPG

Dear Readers,

Please enjoy this week's update on the latest events and developments in constitutional politics and governance, geopolitics and international relations in Asia.

Special greetings are extended to readers in Benin, the Faroe Islands, Liberia, the Maldives, the Netherlands, Peru, Switzerland and Vanuatu which celebrate National Day and Independence Day respectively in this week. 

With best regards,

Henning Glaser

Editor in Chief

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

Main Sections

• Law and Politics in East Asia

• Law and Politics in South Asia

• Law and Politics in Southeast Asia

• International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia

• Announcements

Law and Politics in East Asia 

China: Xi Jinping’s reaffirms control over Tibet 

(dx/dql) President Xi Jinping visited Tibet to reaffirm Beijing’s control over the remote and mainly Buddhist region. In his speech to the mark the 70th anniversary of the founding Lhasa as the administrative and religious capital of the Tibet autonomous region, Xi stressed that as “China has embarked on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, the development of Tibet also stands at a new historical starting point,” calling on the region to follow the Chinese Communist Party’s guidelines on this path. On various occasions during his visits, he also made clear the need for Tibetan Buddhism to “adapt to the socialist society,” as well as to strengthening national unity and patriotic education to counter separatism. [South China Morning Post]

It was the first visit of a Chinese President in more than three decades to Tibet, where the Chinese government is accused of suppressing cultural and religious freedom. Xi was accompanied by the vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission and a senior general in the People’s Liberation Army. [BBC] [Radio Free Asia]

China: Government to strengthen support for Xinjiang

(dx) Senior officials attended a meeting on “paired assistance” – a decades-old practice under which China’s coastal provinces and municipalities are “paired up” with cities and counties in Xinjiang to send investment and personnel directly to those areas – and signaled that Beijing is committed to pouring more resources into Xinjiang. Beijing also called for stronger “intellectual aid” to Xinjiang through attracting more talents and deeper cultural exchanges to strengthen the recognition of Chinese culture among different ethnic groups in Xinjiang at the meeting.  

Tensions over Xinjiang continue to grow between China and its critics over claims of human rights abuses and over US and Western sanctions targeting companies and industries in the region. [South China Morning Post]

China: Hong Kong’s district councils not functional anymore

(dx) The recent resignation of more than 200 of Hong Kong’s 452 elected district councillors over a new oath-taking requirement under the national security law, has hollowed out district councils, leaving many without chairperson, or with too few members to continue running effectively. Chief Executive Carrie Lam conceded that the municipal-level bodies were no longer “fully functional” but she also confirmed that Hong Kong will hold no by-elections to fill the vacated seats. 

Stepping in to fill the void are three relatively low-profile committees made up mainly of community leaders appointed by the government – the area committees, the district crime-fighting committees and district fire safety committees. These groups are now seeking the power and funding to shadow or replace the depleted district councils. 

Area committees were formed in 16 districts in 1972 primarily to promote public participation in the Keep Hong Kong Clean and Fight Violent Crime campaigns. There are now 71 committees in the 18 districts, tasked with encouraging public participation in district affairs and helping to organise community activities and government campaigns. [South China Morning Post 1] [South China Morning Post 2] [AiR No.28, July / 2021,2]

China: Rules of electoral rule book changed ahead of Election Committee polls in Hong Kong

(dx) Hong Kong’s Electoral Affairs Commission has made more than 60 rules changes to its elections rule book – including shortened opening hours of polling stations, a new queuing system, special arrangements for feverish voters – ahead of the polls for the 1,500-member Election Committee on September 19, the first Hong Kong polls since Beijing endorsed drastic reforms of the city’s electoral system in March. Among the major changes is the reduction of the number of directly elected seats in Legislative Council (LegCo), the city’s parliament, from 35 out of 70 to 20 out of 90, prompting criticism that the reform aims at curbing the power of the opposition. [see AiR No. 13, March/2021, 5] [Deutsche Welle]

The Election Committee was previously tasked only with selecting Hong Kong’s leader, but under the revised electoral system it has gained more power as it is now also responsible for sending 40 representatives to the LegCo and nominating all LegCo candidates. Even though the number of members of the Election Committee will increase by 300 from 1,200, the electorate for the contest has been slashed from more than 200,000 previously to just less than 8,000, with some individual votes – mostly in sectors deemed sympathetic to the opposition movement – having been turned over to organizations. [South China Morning Post] [Hong Kong Free Press]

China: Bail denied for ex-Apple Daily executives in Hong Kong

(dx) Four former senior Apple Daily editorial employees detained under the national security law for allegedly colluding with foreign forces have been denied bail, despite offering to cut off any contact with the press and overseas politicians. As reported last month, the pro-democracy Hong Kong tabloid newspaper Apple Daily was defunct following police raids, the arrest of executives and asset freezing. These senior employees are accused of colluding with foreign forces and held accountable for reports calling for foreign sanctions against Hong Kong and mainland China. [see Air No. 25, June/2021, 4]

The joint charge faced by the four accuses them of conspiring with media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printing Limited, AD Internet Limited and two other former employees in calling for the imposition of “sanctions or blockade or engage in other hostile activities” against the city or mainland China. The offences allegedly occurred between July 1, 2020 – the day after the National Security Law was imposed – and April 3, 2021. [South China Morning Post]

Japan: Agreement signed with UNHCR to improve refugee recognition process

(dx) The Immigration Services Agency of Japan signed an agreement with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to improve the country’s transparency of refugee recognition procedures. The deal comes in response to Japan’s low refugee recognition rate and amid criticism over the alleged improper treatment of a Sri Lankan woman who died while being held at an immigration facility months ago. Her death is widely seen among critics as evidence of Japan’s “opaque and capricious bureaucracy with nearly unchecked power over foreigners caught inside it.” 

In a bid for a better refugee recognition process, the Japan immigration agency is currently working on clarifying the grounds for granting refugee status to asylum seekers, as it listens to opinions from the UNHCR and strengthens its cooperation with the UN agency. 

According to Japan’s immigration agency, 3.936 applications for refugee status were processed in 2020, of which 47, or roughly 1 percent, were approved. [Mainichi Shimbun] [AiR No.20, May/2021, 3]

Japan: Suga Cabinet adrift as approval ratings hit all-time low

(dx) The approval rating for the Cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga fell to 30% in a July nationwide poll, down 4 percentage points from the June’s poll and the lowest figure since the Suga administration was launched in September 2020. 

The Japanese government called on liquor wholesalers and financial institutions to pressure restaurants not complying with orders to halt serving alcohol, but withdrew the request following a backlash. It appears that the public has viewed the government's actions as problematic. This, along with frustration over the government's coronavirus countermeasures, seem to be linked with the drop in the Suga Cabinet's approval rating. 

Faced with strong public disapproval against the Suga administration and potential backlash against the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in the lower house election this fall, LDP officials have debated about the party presidential election, with some suggesting having the election earlier, and others proposing holding the LDP leadership contest after the lower house general election to ensure Prime Minister Suga’s re-election as party president. But there is currently no replacement candidate for Suga who can earn a consensus among party members. [Mainichi Shimbun 1] [Mainichi Shimbun 2] [Mainichi Shimbun, in Japanese] [AiR No.29, July, 2021, 3]

South Korea: Conviction of President Moon’s ally confirmed

(dql) The South Korean Supreme Court, the country’s top court, upheld the opinion rigging conviction of South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyoung-soo, ruled by an appeals court last November. The decision will strip Kim of his governorship and potentially deal a political blow to President Moon Jae-in, as Kim a close aide to the President. 

The Supreme Court maintained the verdict by the appeals court in November that Kim colluded with a team of online bloggers to illegally generate favorable opinions about the president ahead of the 2017 presidential election. [Korea Herald]

South Korea: Speculation over high-profile presidential pardons

(dql) Rumors are currently spreading that South Korean President Moon Jae-in will possibly pardon former President Park Geun-hye and Samsung Group heir Lee Jae-yong as calls are growing for an amnesty for the two figures jailed over corruption-related charges.

The speculations come ahead of the Liberation Day on August 15, an anniversary which is often used by South Korean presidents to make use of their pardoning power as part of efforts for promoting national unity and ahead of the presidential election in March.

Park has been serving prison term of combined 22 years since March 2017 following her impeachment in the same year over far-reaching corruption charges and an influence-peddling scandal. Lee was sentenced to five years in prison in August 2017 after being found guilty of bribing Park and her longtime friend to secure government support for a smooth father-to-son transfer of managerial power at Samsung. [Korea Herald]

Law and Politics in South Asia 

India: Opposition disrupts Parliament, seeks probe into Pegasus spyware row

(lm) India’s Parliament erupted in protests on July 20 as opposition lawmakers demanded an investigation into reports that Prime Minister Modi’s government used military-grade spyware to monitor political opponents, journalists and activists. [The Straits Times]

An investigation published on July 18 by The Washington Post and 16 other media organizations said the spying tool Pegasus – made and licensed by Israeli surveillance firm NSO – had been used to secretly infiltrate phones belonging to a range of targets, including journalists, activists and political opponents in 50 countries. [AiR No. 29, July/2021, 3]

In India, the list of potential surveillance targets included Rahul Gandhi, India’s main opposition leader; Ashok Lavasa, India’s Chief Election Commissioner who is considered an obstacle to Prime Minister Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party; and at least 40 journalists, among others.

The government has declined to reply to questions whether India or any of its state agencies had purchased Pegasus spyware for surveillance.

Newly appointed Minister of Communications and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwani Vaishnaw dismissed the allegations on July 19, calling them “highly sensational”, “over the top”, and “an attempt to malign the Indian democracy”. His predecessor, Ravi Shankar Prasad, said there was “not a shred of evidence linking Indian government or the BJP” to the allegations, calling them an international plot to defame India. [South China Morning Post]

The findings have bolstered concerns of a democratic backsliding and erosion of civil liberties under Prime Minister Modi. Earlier in April, in its influential annual rankings of countries across the world, the United States-based democracy watchdog Freedom House downgraded India from a free democracy to a “partially free democracy.” Similarly, the Swedish-based V-Dem Institute demoted the country to an “electoral autocracy.” Both organizations cited the regime’s crackdowns on freedom of speech – and in particular, expressions of dissent – as a key factor driving India’s slide down these indexes.

India: Farmers gather near Parliament to protest over contentious farm laws

(lm) Indian farmers, protesting against the three new agriculture laws they say will leave them at the mercy of private businesses, started a sit-in on July 22 near Parliament, renewing a push for repeal of the reforms. Police in the capital escorted 200 farmers from protest spots on the outskirts to Jantar Mantar, a large Mughal-era observatory in a central area that doubles as a protest site. [The Straits Times]

In the longest-running growers' protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, tens of thousands of farmers have camped out on major highways leading to New Delhi since December of last year [see AiR No. 48, December/2020, 1]. Parliament ends its monsoon session early in August, and the farmers have been allowed to gather until August 9.

Thousands more have held similar protests in the northern state of Punjab, one of India’s two breadbasket states, where demonstrations began on a small scale in June last year when the government first rolled out its new agricultural policies.

Last week’s protest follows a clash with police by thousands of demonstrating farmers late in January after they deviated from agreed routes and headed for government buildings in Old Delhi where the annual Republic Day parade of troops and military hardware was taking place. One protester died and more than 80 police officers were injured. [AiR No. 5, February/2021, 1]

In Parliament, key opposition leaders, such as Rahul Gandhi and Harsimrat Kaur Badal, called on the government to tackle the farmers' concerns and roll back the three agricultural laws.

Maldives: Authorities conclude probe of assassination attempt on former president, name ringleader

(lm) Authorities in the Maldives have concluded the probe into the failed assassination attempt on the country’s Speaker of Parliament and former President Mohamed Nasheed, revealing the identities of ten individuals, including the alleged mastermind. [The Week]

Nasheed was seriously injured when improvised explosive device (IED) detonated outside his home in the capital, Male, in May [see AiR No. 19, May/2021, 2]. Since then, Maldivian security agencies had been tight-lipped about the investigations, only indicating that jihadists elements remained the primary suspect for the attempt on Nasheed’s life, although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

During a press conference on July 24, then, authorities said the suspects supported jihadists ideology, adding that the investigation could not establish direct links between the local cell and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group.

Nepal: Partner in ruling coalition, People’s Socialist Party, Nepal, splits

(lm) The People’s Socialist Party, Nepal, (PSP-N), has formally split after the country’s Election Commission (EC) granted legitimate right over the party to one of the party’s two warring factions following months of intra-party tussle.

The PSP-N was formed in April of last year through the merger of the two key Madhesh-based parties in Nepal, the Samajbadi Party, Nepal (SPN) and the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) [see AiR No. 28, July/2020, 2]. The party soon divided into two factions: one lead by former RJPN leaders Mahanta Thakur and Rajendra Mahato; another headed by former SPN key figures Baburam Bhattarai and Upendra Yadav. 

The EC on July 26 announced it would recognize the Yadav-Bhattarai faction, saying that 34 members of the PSP-N’s 51-member Executive Committee had supported the faction during the verification process. [The Himalayan Times]

Before, dispute between the two factions had reached a climax when the Bhattarai-Yadav faction lent its support to a petition filed with the Supreme Court that called for the formation of a government under the leadership of then opposition leader Sher Bahadur Deuba. Both factions earlier this month decided to part ways, as they were awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision on the dissolution of the House [see AiR No. 28, July/2021, 2].

Nepal: Prime Minister Deuba struggles to expand Cabinet

(lm) Nepal’s Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who has begun consultations to expand his five-member Cabinet, is struggling to meet the expectation of all parties and factions that supported him during the confidence vote in Parliament earlier this month. At present, only the Home Ministry, Law Ministry, Finance Ministry and Energy Ministry have ministers. [The Kathmandu Post]

The prime minister survived a crucial floor test in the House of Representatives on July 18 after the Supreme Court had ousted his predecessor KP Sharma Oli, putting an end to more than two years of political turmoil in the country. Deuba is set to remain in office for a year and a half, until periodic elections are held. [AiR No. 29, July/2021, 3]

Deuba needed a simple majority of 136 out of 271 lawmakers to pass the trust vote successfully. He received 165 votes out of the 249 members present in Parliament that day.

Besides from his own Nepali Congress, Deuba received votes from MPs of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre); the entire People’s Socialist Party, Nepal, including the pro-Oli Mahant-Thakur faction; as well as from the only parliamentarian representing the Rastriya Janamorcha Party in the House. 22 lawmakers from Oli’s Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) also casted their votes in favor of Deuba.

The prime minister apparently wants representation of all parties that stood by him. However, the Constitution only allows 25 Cabinet ministers.

Pakistan: Prime Minister Khan’s PTI secures majority in Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s election

(lm) Prime Minister Khan’s ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party appeared to be winning in a tight race to elect the Legislative Assembly in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, leading with 25 seats out of a total of 45, according to unofficial estimates. [The Straits Times]

Previously, general elections in the territory had predominantly been a contest between the local leaders of the contesting parties, with a low-profile support from their parent parties or like-minded governments in Pakistan. However, of late these elections have become a do-or-die battle directly between the central leadership of the mainstream parties, relegating their local leadership as well as a few state-based parties to the background.

More than 700 candidates from Pakistan's three major political parties – the PTI and opposition parties Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) – alongside two local groups were running. The PPP appears to be leading with 10 seats while the PML-N has six. 

Supporters of the prime minister’s PTI party and opposition PPP clashed in one constituency, leading to the death of two poll workers. Four soldiers in a rapid response team involved in securing the poll also died when their vehicle plunged into a ravine in the mountainous area, the army said. Three more were injured. [Kashmir Observer]

Pakistan: Country erupts in anger over murder of former ambassador’s daughter

(ra/lm) A recent spate of women killings in Pakistan has triggered nationwide outrage and a debate on the state’s failure to protect women, the culture of impunity, and the reasons behind society’s tendency to curtail women’s independence and inflict pain on them.

The daughter of Pakistan’s former ambassador to South Korea and Kazakhstan was first shot and then slaughtered by a mail acquaintance in the capital Islamabad on July 20. Also last week, a man burned his wife to death in Pakistan’s southern Sindh Province, while another man shot dead his wife, his aunt and two underage daughters in the city of on the same day. Another woman who was raped and stabbed on July 24 in Rawalpindi succumbed to her injuries the following day. [Deutsche Welle] [The Independent]

Cases of femicide have been widely reported in Pakistan in recent years and several protests have been held demanding stricter laws against violence and sexual harassment. Pakistan remains one of the most unsafe countries for women in the world. In the 2019 Women, Peace and Security Index, Pakistan ranked 164 out of 167 countries. 

In related developments, Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi has signed a bill proposing amendments to the “Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Bill 2021”. The law seeks to protect women’s right of ownership and possession in the property and ensure that their rights are not violated by means of harassment, coercion, force or fraud. [Times of India]

Article 23 of the Constitution acknowledges the property rights of all citizens regardless of gender. But women – who make up half of the country’s population – still face considerable barriers to having full property ownership rights.

Sri Lanka: Cabinet clears proposal to bring Muslims under common law for marriage and divorce

(lm) The Sri Lankan government last week approved an amendment to the country’s Civil Procedure Code, permitting Muslim marriage and divorces under the common law. Heretofore, various women's organizations and Muslim law scholars had long been demanding the need to repeal the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA), a piece of legislation dating back to 1951. [News Track English]

The MMDA includes specific provisions considered inherently discriminatory against women of the community. For it bars them to register their marriage without the approval of their parents. In place of the bride, the marriage contract is signed by a male guardian of the bride. [EconomyNext]

Law and Politics in Southeast Asia 

Cambodia: Further charges against environmental activists

(nd) Three Mother Nature environmental activists already serving a prison sentence for incitement convictions were charged with anti-government conspiracy, facing a potential prison sentence of 10 years. They were questioned by the court without a lawyer present. 

The previous verdicts are related to protests against forest and water projects and condemned by human rights groups. The newly added charges for the same action allege plotting against and insulting the country’s king. Executive director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) commented it will be difficult for the activists to access legal aid and that the charges are intended to scare off other environmental activists. Critics say the government has failed to fight illegal logging in Prey Long, a nature reserve forest in the North of the country. [Radio Free Asia]

Cambodia: Former opposition council member arrested without warrant

(nd) A Cambodian court detained former opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) council member Kem Tola, returning from Thailand, without a warrant. She had been tried in absentia last April, charged for incitement after gathering with activists and posting comments on Facebook in support of CNRP acting president Sam Rainsy to return to Cambodia from self-imposed exile in Paris. She fled to Thailand in 2019 and returned, after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen offered amnesty to CNRP activists living abroad upon return, to pursue a business. 

Critics said the latest arrest is part of Hun Sen’s fear of alleged plans by Sam Rainsy to form a new shadow government, and topple his administration. In what preluded a major crackdown on opposition and civil society, the Supreme Court dissolved CNRP in late 2017, enabling Hun Sen to win all seats in the 2018 general election. [Radio Free Asia]

Indonesia: Arrest of fugitive separatist leader

(nd) After his escape from prison, the Indonesian police arrested a Papuan separatist leader serving a life sentence for killing three police officers in 2016. 

For decades, Papua has a low-level separatist insurgency simmering, following Indonesian annexing in 1963. In 1969, an UN-backed vote formally incorporated it to Indonesia, although critics do not accept it for only 1,000 people participated. The area is resource-rich but underdeveloped and, therefore, among Indonesia’s poorest regions. Rebel attacks continue, most famously in April with the killing of an army general, prompting President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to step up efforts against the insurgents, inter alia designating the separatist rebels a terrorist group. This move was criticized by rights activists due to feared human rights abuse and the obstruction of a peaceful dialogue. [Benar News] 

Malaysia: Five-day special parliamentary session opened

(nd) Following the first parliamentary sitting after eight months, the government announced not to renew the emergency state, which will expire August 1. The parliament has been suspended since January, arguing it was needed to curb the spread of Covid-19, which critics said was move of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to cling to power. Opposition lawmakers accused Muhyiddin of royal insult for blocking a debate during the special session, after the king, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, urged his government to debate Covid-19 policies. Also, they insisted the emergency ordinances can only be annulled through a vote in parliament. Muhyiddin did not address the criticism but focused on upcoming policies to battle the ongoing health and economic crisis. Following the withdrawal of support by the United Malays National Organization, it remains open if he disposes of the majority necessary. [South China Morning Post] [Reuters]

Myanmar: Senior NLD figure Win Htein indicted on sedition charge

(mt) A key figure of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party was indicted on a sedition charge by a special court inside a Naypyitaw detention last week. He faces up to twenty years in prison for sedition under Section 124a of the Penal Code. [Eleven Myanmar]

Win Htein, who is widely viewed as the right-hand man of ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, was arrested in the city of Yangon three days after the February 1 military takeover, following media interviews in which he accused military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing of acting on personal ambition in his seizure of power.

He has been held in the detention center for the past five months and has been denied bail despite suffering from serious health issues as well as visits from his lawyers until a court hearing in mid-May.

During the hearing on July 23, Htein declared himself innocent in court and justified his answer to the judge by explaining that he acted upon his role and responsibility towards the ruling party and the political situation at that time. [Myanmar Now]

The judge has asked a full list of witnesses that will be called to testify from both the persecution and the defense. The next court hearing is scheduled for July 31.

Myanmar: NLD leader dies of COVID-19 in detention, as junta releases more prisoners

(mt/lm) A close confidante of ousted civil leader Aung San Suu Kyi died on July 20 after becoming infected with COVID-19 during prison detention.

Nyan Win, a senior member of the Central Executive Committee of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) had been held in Yangon’s Insein Prison after being arrested when the military seized power on February 1. He was transferred to a hospital on July 11 where he died less than ten days later. Win is one of the first political prisoners to die of COVID-19, as the country struggles with a spike in infections and fatalities from a devastating third wave of coronavirus. [Al Jazeera] [The Irrawaddy]

As the country’s overcrowded prisons are especially susceptible to the spread of the virus, the military junta on July 20 announced that prisoners who had been charged under 11 criminal offences before February 1 would soon be released. All criminal cases against those facing gambling, drug-related, or prostitution charges would be dropped, according to the announcement. The move has been widely criticized by pro-democracy activists since those scheduled for release do not include political prisoners who are also at risk of getting infected with Covid-19. [Eleven Myanmar]

This is the third time the junta releases prisoners after it had freed more than 2,000 detainees from prisons earlier this month, including peaceful protesters and local journalists jailed who had been held in detention for months on incitement charges for taking part in protests [see AiR No. 27, July/2021, 1]. That move came after more than 23,000 prisoners were granted amnesty in April, 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].

Myanmar: Chinese vaccine arrives to mitigate devastating third wave of COVID-19 cases

(mt) A first batch of 736,000 doses of the Chinese-made Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Myanmar on July 22 to help fight a growing outbreak in the border area. [Channel NewsAsia]

As cases surge in the coup-wracked country, Myanmar has bought four million doses from China, and Beijing has pledged to donate a further two million.

Beijing has also supplied more than 10,000 COVID-19 vaccines to the Kachin Independence Army, an ethnic armed organization operating in Myanmar’s far north near China’s southern border. The type of vaccines is unknown, but the donation testifies Beijing’s commitment, as a spike in infections in the Southeast Asian country has already spilled over into parts of southern China. [Frontier Myanmar]

Earlier this month, state media reported junta leader Min Aung Hlaing had agreed to buy two million vaccines from Russia – another major ally – without specifying which shot. However, widespread anti-junta sentiment is keeping civilians away from military-run hospitals, grounding the country’s inoculation drive to near halt [AiR No. 29, July/2021, 3].

Meanwhile, the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) – whose armed wing sporadically fights against the military – is now vaccinating people in northern Shan State with doses also imported from China. The vaccination program was initiated after the military left the state out of support in fighting the virus outbreak. [The Irrawaddy]

Myanmar: Protests break out at prison in country’s biggest city Yangon

(mt) Inmates inside Insein Prison in Myanmar’s commercial capital of Yangon held a protest on July 23, singing popular songs opposing the military junta and chanting political slogans. The show of defiance took place in an annex jail that houses detained anti-regime protesters and striking civil servants, imprisoned for their involvement in the Civilian Disobedience Movement. [Myanmar Now] [The Straits Times]

After the incident, military vehicles entered the compound and soldiers were stationed outside, according to witnesses. [The Irrawaddy]

Inside the colonial-era prison sentiment is escalating quickly due to prisoners’ poor conditions, which are heavily exacerbated amid spiraling cases of COVID-19.

In light of the incident, Thailand-based activist group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has called upon the diplomatic community to act to safeguard striking and protesting prisoners concerned over torture and shadow practices of additional charges placed on political prisoners in order to keep them detained for as long as possible. [Mizzima]

Philippines: Duterte’s State of the Nation Address

(nd) In his sixth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte continued to support what critics refer to as his soft stance towards China, which is still supplying 60% of the country’s vaccinations. Although he reinforced that he wants to cooperate with all countries, he did not clarify the still open issue of the Visiting Forces Agreement with the US, which will likely be subject of debate during US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s visit to the Philippines.

He did not admit failures in his brutal war on drugs but called it far from over. Before his speech, hundreds of activists protested against his handling of the pandemic and his rights abuses. Instead of addressing the dire situation due to Covid-19, he repeated threats he made against his “enemies” earlier. In 2016, Duterte promised to fight corruption, crime and illegal drugs, and announced a unilateral ceasefire with communist rebels, waging a decades-long armed insurgency. Not only did he not accomplish these promises but he is likely to face a trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the war on drugs, following the announcement of the ICC prosecutor’s office in June to request an investigation.

Despite all this, Duterte remains unusually popular for a president in his last term, and due to his majority support in Congress, he is expected to urge lawmakers to pass bills to complete his tax agenda, and to open the economy to foreign investors. [South China Morning Post] [Nikkei Asia 1] [Nikkei Asia 2] [Manila Times]

Philippines: Radio commentator gunned down

(nd) Radio commentator Reynante Cortes was shot dead after leaving dyRB radio station in the morning. Cortes was an outspoken critic on local issues, which could be the motive according to the police. 

The Philippines regularly ranks among the world’s deadliest countries for journalists and media workers. Since President Rodrigo Duterte came to power in 2016, Cortes was the 22nd media worker to be killed. [Benar News]

Philippines: Supreme Court to rule on Duterte’s ICC decision

(nd) The Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled that the president can unilaterally withdraw from international agreements if they are found to be contrary to the 1987 Constitution or laws, backing president Rodrigo Duterte to withdraw from the Rome Statute. Still, the court ruled, the Philippines are obligated to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC), which includes the possibility of “government actors” to be prosecuted for actions committed before the withdrawal, dismissing Duterte’s claim of a lack of ICC’s jurisdiction. 

The Rome Statute established the ICC, the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. The request for a formal inquiry by former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda is currently pending before the Pre-Trial Chamber, which is composed of three ICC judges. [Manila Standard]

Thailand: Legal abortions face religious resistance 

(pr) In January, the Parliament amended the criminal code to allow early-stage abortions until the 12th week which complies with medical regulations when performed by a qualified medical practitioner. [see, AiR No. 4, January/2021, 4 ] Still, according to an abortion rights advocate, religious beliefs make doctors and pregnant women hesitant to perform or receive abortion procedures. Approximately 95 percent of the population are Buddhists. Many believe in karma. Some believe if they perform abortions, unfortunate events will happen to them in this life or the next, which affects doctors and pregnant women in their decision for an abortion. [The World] 

Thailand: Celebrities investigated for government criticism

(pr) Police are investigating 25 Thai celebrities and influencers for their online comments critical of the government and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha for mismanagement of the pandemic and slow vaccine procurement. Criticism of the government by celebrities online or “Celeb-callouts” has become a trend last week. It intensified after Prime Minister Prayut instructed his lawyer to file legal action against rapper “Milli” over her online posts targeting the government and the Prime Minister.  [Thai PBS World] 

Former member of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), Sonthiya Sawatdee, filed a request to the police to investigate online comments, claiming such criticisms are "baseless disinformation", and are illegal under the Computer Crime Act, the Emergency Decree, and Communicable Diseases Act. [Bangkok Post 1] The investigations have been viewed as an attempt to silence critics and to restrict the right to freedom of expression. PPRP has distanced itself from Sonthiya’s actions, saying he is no longer related to the party. [Bangkok Post 2]

Thailand: Man faces charges including lèse-majesté for burning King’s portrait

(pr) A man was arrested and charged for allegedly setting fire to the base of a portrait of the King during the anti-government protests on 18 July. The man was charged with arson, violation of lèse-majesté law, and violation of the prohibition of gatherings under the Emergency Decree. He was later granted bail. [Prachatai English] 

16 other protesters have been arrested for violating the Emergency Decree, four of them under 18 years old. [Thai PBS World] The protestors on 18 July demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha for the mismanagement of the pandemic, military and palace budget reductions, and the procurement of mRNA vaccines. [see, AiR No. 29, July/2021, 3] 

Police said they have filed charges in 16 cases against 154 protesters involved in protests between 2-18 July, in violation of the Emergency Decree which prohibits gatherings and the Communicable Disease Control Act to prevent the spread of COVID-19. They also aim to request the court to review bailment of protest leaders who were granted conditional bail because of their involvement in the protest in the past few weeks. [Thai PBS World 2] [see, AiR No. 26, June/2021, 5] 

Thailand: Not-for-profit organizations control bill raises concerns for NGOs and CSOs

(pr) Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) expressed their concern over the Draft Act on Operations of Not-for-profit Organizations as it grants extensive surveillance and control of the finances of a wide range of associations. Among others, the bill requires all NGOs to register with the Interior Ministry, declare the source of their annual operational fund and how they spend it, and turn in annual audits and tax returns. The bill would also allow Thai authorities to enter an NGO’s offices at any time and gather its electronic communications without a court order. The bill states that groups could spend any foreign funding only on work “permitted by the Ministry” without elaborating, making the bill “open to interpretation and subject to arbitrary application by the authorities”. [see, AiR No. 20, May/2021, 3] Currently, the bill is being examined by the Council of State for a final draft version. Then it will be forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration, undergo a public hearing before being submitted to the Parliament. Another version of the bill is undergoing the same process. [Prachatai English]

Thailand: Protestors at German Embassy last October indicted on lèse-majesté charges

(pr) Prosecutors indicted 13 anti-government protestors with lèse majesté and sedition charges for their rally at the German Embassy in Bangkok last October. 12 of the accused reported to the prosecutors and were granted bail. The other protestor was scheduled to report later. [Thai PBS World] Last October, protestors submitted a petition to embassy officials for the German government to investigate whether King Vajiralongkorn exercised his powers on German territory. [See, AiR No. 43, October/2020, 4, No. 44, November/2020, 1 ]

Thailand: Supreme Court to have second female President

(pr) The Office of the Judiciary announced Piyakul Boonperm has been appointed the 47th President of the Supreme Court. Piyakul is the current President of the Court of Appeal and will succeed Methinee Chalothorn reaching the retirement age of 65 at the end of the fiscal year in September. She will be the second female president after Methinee. [Bangkok Post]

International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia

China-US relations: Barbs traded at latest senior-level meetings

(dql) During the latest Sino-US senior-level talks between US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and her Chinese counterpart Xie Feng and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Tianjin on Monday, both sides traded barbs. Sherman fired a salvo at China accusing it – among others – of undermining international norms, committing a genocide in Xinjiang and refusing cooperation with an international investigation into the origins of Covid-19 and criticizing Beijing for its actions in the South China Sea and the East China Sea.

Wang, for his part, accused the Biden administration of continuing “its predecessor's extreme and erroneous China policy,” urging Washington to abstain from questioning or attempting to subvert the Chinese governance model and demanding that the US lift sanctions imposed over Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and respect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Xie, meanwhile, in his separate meeting with Sherman handed two lists over to her containing “US Wrongdoings that Must Stop,” and “Key Individual Cases that China Has Concerns,” covering inter alia  lifting of US sanctions against Chinese officials and their families and revoking Washington’s judicial request to Canada to extradite Huawei’s chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, in the first list, and the  rejection of Chinese students’ visa, as well as the unfair treatment of Chinese citizens and harassment of the Chinese consulates and Embassy in the US.

Despite the aggressive stance, both sides expressed also conciliatory tones, with Sherman making clear that while “stiff competition” between the two countries is welcomed by the US, conflict is not sought, and Wang saying China has “a clear view on where China-U.S. relations are headed, that is, to find a way for two major countries with different systems, cultures and stages of development to coexist peacefully on this planet through dialogue.” [CNN] [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China] [South China Morning Post] [Deccan Chronicle]

Sherman’s meetings with Wang and Xie were the second face-to-face exchange between senior US and Chinese officials since Joe Biden took office. In March the countries’ top diplomats Antony Blinken and Yang Jiechi publicly quarreled in front of the cameras in Alaska insisting on their own demands and red lines [see AiR No. 12, March/2021, 4].

The meetings came on the heels of Sherman’s talks with her Japanese and South Korean counterparts in Tokyo last week during which the allies on reaffirmed their joint position on the importance of the respect for international law, including maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, and their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea and in the Taiwan Strait. They also agreed on close coordination of their countries’ policy towards North Korea. [AP]

They also came after China imposed sanctions on US individuals and organizations, including former US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China and the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission among others. Under former US President Trump, Ross expanded the list of Chinese with which US firms were only allowed to do business on if they obtained a prior license, including Chinese telecom giants Huawei and ZTE. The sanctions were a retaliatory response to a recent latest US sanctions on Chinese officials over Hong Kong. [Aljazeera] [see also AiR No. 29, July/2021, 3] 

China-US relations: Congressional task force warns of US defense’s overreliance on Chinese rare earth elements

(dql) A US Congressional bipartisan task force has drawn attention to the US reliance on Chinese rare earth minerals in the country’s industrial defense sector. In a recently released report, the task force calls on the defense ministry to “deploy the full range of American innovation to secure the supply chains involving rare earth elements,” which are critical to – among others – producing semiconductors and precision-guided bombs. [Politico]

China, US exchange mutual accusations of cyber espionage activities

(dql) China hit back against claims of China supporting a global hacker campaign made by the US and its allies [see AiR No. 29, July/2021, 3]. Citing unnamed sources, state-run media outlet Global Times accused the US of hacks into the networks of Chinese universities and sensitive government and party facilities during August and October last year. [South China Morning Post]

In turn, a report of the US Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI concluded that China-backed cyber actors were behind attacks targeting more than 20 US oil and natural gas pipeline companies a decade ago for two years, beginning in 2011. [The Hill]

For discussion on the chances of allies joining US sanctions as response to Chinese cyberattacks see Erica Borghard in [Carnegie Endowment] who cautions that the US might not have “sufficient political capital to convince European states to sign onto Chinese sanctions.”

Sino-US battle over narrative on Covid-19 origin: Next round

(dql) In the ongoing Sino-US battle over (the narrative of) the origins of the coronavirus, Global Times, the Chinese Communist Party’s newspaper has cited 15 million signatures for petition to call for an inquiry into the role Fort Detrick, home the US biological weapons program, might have played in spreading the coronavirus, arguing that “the virus has been circulating in the US before the outbreak in Wuhan last year,” and reinforcing the hyper-thesis that an Army reservist brought the virus from Fort Detrick to the Military World Games in Wuhan in October 2019. [Global Times]

The call is seen among observers as a counter to the narrative propounded outside China – most vocally by the US under the Trump administration – that the pandemic may have been caused by a virus escape or accident at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, one of the world’s leading research labs into bat coronaviruses, the same family of pathogens that caused Covid-19. [South China Morning Post]

The call comes shortly after Beijing rejected a World Health Organization (WHO) proposal to audit Chinese labs as part of further investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. [France 24]

Citing the WHO-China mission in January that failed to conclude that the virus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the Chinese Health Ministry decried the plan as showing “disrespect for common sense and arrogance towards science.” But that mission has drawn criticism following complains of some members of the WHO investigation team about the level of access that was given to them by Chinese authorities. [Deutsche Welle]

Already strained China-UK relations to worsen over aircraft carrier presence in the South China Sea

(dql) Reflecting the UK’s determination to establish a strong and persistent military presence in the Indo-Pacific, the United Kingdom aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth entered the South China Sea and arrived in Singapore on Tuesday, in defiance of warnings from Beijing to stay out of the region. The HMS Queen Elizabeth is leading a Royal Navy’s carrier strike group visiting over 40 countries as part of a 28-week global deployment which began in May. The strike group involves – among other foreign warships – also the US destroyer USS The Sullivans, the Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen and the U.S. Marine Corps Fighter Attack Squadron. [Newsweek] [Defense News]

On Monday eight ships of the carrier strike group conducted for the first time a passage exercise with the Republic of Singapore Navy. [Straits Times]

Earlier last week, the Queen Elizabeth and the carrier strike group conducted complex maritime exercises with the Indian Navy in the Bay of Bengal, followed by a joint military exercise with the Royal Thai Navy over the weekend. A series of multinational exercises in the Philippine Sea is next on the agenda as well as the participation in the Exercise Bersama Gold, together with Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. [Hindustan Times] [Bangkok Post] [Navy Recognition]

Also last week, London announced a permanent deployment of two warships in Asian waters after the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier and escort ships after sailing to Japan in September. [Aljazeera]

Meanwhile, British Ministers are looking into ways to block China’s involvement in future UK nuclear power projects, possibly affecting the Sizewell C project, a project to construct a nuclear power station in Suffolk, in which state-owned China General Nuclear is set to play a key role. [The Guardian]

China threatens to use nuclear bombs against Japan if it intervenes in Taiwan conflict

(dql) A video aired last week – reportedly with approval of the Chinese Communist Party – warned that China would use nuclear bombs against Japan if the country would intervene in a future Taiwan conflict. Showing images of World War II, the comment in the video said: “When we liberate Taiwan, if Japan dares to intervene by force – even if it only deploys one soldier, one plane or one ship – we will not only return fire but also wage full-scale war against Japan itself,” and: “We will use nuclear bombs first. We will use nuclear bombs continuously. We will do this until Japan declares unconditional surrender for the second time.” [Zee News]

The threat comes as tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over Taiwan have reached new heights in recent weeks. Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso earlier this month warned: “If a major problem took place in Taiwan, it would not be too much to say that it could relate to a survival-threatening situation [for Japan]," adding that in the case of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, Japan and the United States would have to defend Taiwan together. [AiR No. 28, July/2021, 2]

It comes also as the US, Japan and South Korea during a meeting between US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori and South Korea’s Choi Jong-kun on Wednesday reaffirmed their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea and in the Taiwan Strait, with Sherman saying: “When countries take actions that run counter to the United States’ interests or that threaten our partners and allies, we will not let those challenges go unanswered.” [Japan Times] [AP]

For a discussion on what kind of US and Japanese military response to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be needed to succeed, see Scott W. Harold and Satoru Mori in [The Diplomat] who suggests that “[s]ince there is no guarantee that the United States and Japan will be able to detect, disrupt, deny, and defeat China’s intended crippling first strike against U.S. and Japanese bases, maximizing a retaliatory strike capacity could prove crucial for maintaining deterrence.”

China: Foreign Minister Wang Yi decries color revolutions

(dql) Wrapping up his four-day and three-country tour in the Middle East and North Africa [see AiR No. 29, July/2021, 3], Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi confirmed that all three countries agreed with China “strengthen strategic communication and coordination to promote bilateral relations,” and to deepen cooperation in various areas including  infrastructure, industrial parks, energy, transportation, information and communications, aviation and aerospace, and personnel training. In a thinly veiled criticism against the US and its western allies, Wang warned that the “practice of trampling on the sovereignty of other countries in the name of democratic transformation is unpopular, and staging color revolutions and forcing regime change is even more harmful.” He added the demand that US and the West immediately lifts sanctions against Syria. [CGTN] [South China Morning Post]

Wang’s remark signal that China is positioning itself in the Middle East as a key player involved in economic, political and security issues of the region.

Inter-Korean relations: Seoul and Pyongyang restore the direct telephone line

(nds) Following an agreement between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in on July 27, South Korea and North Korea re-established direct dialogue lines by restoring the communication channel that Pyongyang cut off in June 2020in response to what it saw as Seoul’s failure to stop activists from sending anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets into the communist nation. [Yonhap News Agency]

The reopening of the telephone line fuel hopes that inter-Korean relations which have been strained since the failure in February 2019 of the second summit between Kim Jong-un and then-US President Donald Trump will improve. [The New York Times]

North Korea: Trial of only North Korean in US custody delayed 

(nds) The trial of the North Korean detainee in US custody has been postponed to 13 September because prosecutors want to pursue "substantial" new evidence. 

Malaysian authorities had arrested the North Korean detainee in 2019 for allegedly laundering money for the North Korean government, and he was extradited to the United States in March 2021.

At his arraignment in early May, the North Korean defendant pleaded not guilty. At the time of the extradition, North Korea had severed ties with Malaysia and warned the United States that it would “pay a high price.” [NK News]

US Senate Armed Services Committee passes defense bill, calling for deepening US-Taiwan defense cooperation

(nds) On 22 July, the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee voted to advance the 777.9 billion USD National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, which includes provisions to strengthen defense cooperation between the United States and Taiwan. First, the Secretary of Defense will be required to assess Taiwan’s defensive capabilities and a plan to help improve those capabilities.  Second, the US would have the opportunity to increase cooperation with its Taiwanese ally to deter and respond to Chinese use of force. Furthermore, the bill calls on the US government to pursue a policy to “maintain the ability of the United States Armed Forces to deny a fait accompli against Taiwan in order to deter the People's Republic of China from using military force to unilaterally change the status quo with Taiwan.” [Focus Taiwan]

Taiwan to test-fire Patriot III missiles at US Army’s White Sands test range

(nds) Taiwanese military officials said the Army would soon conduct test firings of Patriot III missiles at the U.S. Army's White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. A live-fire verification test of Taiwan's Patriot missiles is conducted every two years, and it can only be done in the United States for security reasons. 

According to Liberty time, Taiwan has spent US$6.38 billion to purchase six Patriot III missile systems and upgrade three existing Patriot II systems to the current variant. Taiwan is the only country, along with Japan, that can test missiles in the US  [Taiwan News 1]

Recently, Taiwan has been increasing the number of military exercises. For example, it has decided to organize a live-fire practice from the end of August to the beginning of September, Ithe annual Condor exercise during which Apache, SuperCobra, and Kiowa helicopters from the Army’s 601st and 602nd Air Cavalry Brigades, along with a training unit, are scheduled to launch a Hellfire and Stinger missiles barrage certify the brigades' combat capabilities.[Taiwan News 2]

China's growing threat is pushing Taiwan to improve its military response capabilities. On 25 July, a Chinese anti-submarine warfare plane entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone, marking the 12th intrusion this month, according Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense.  [Taiwan News 3]

Taiwan: First indigenous submarine to be launched earlier than expected

(nds) The launch of Taiwan’s first indigenous submarine and delivery of heavyweight torpedoes by the United States is expected to occur in September 2023 instead of 2024. According to Liberty Times, while the submarine was expected to enter full service in 2025, its first trip is now likely to take place in September 2023.

The government has set a budget of $1.75 billion for the first vessel. Taiwan’s Army seeks acquire between eight and twelve additional submarines. In addition, it will seek to advance the delivery of 46 US torpedoes from 2028 to 2026. [Taiwan News]

Taiwan: Halifax International Security Forum's meeting will be held in Taipei

(nds) On 22 July, the Wahsington, DC-based Halifax International Security Forum (HFX) – a forum and network vfor international government and military officials, academic experts, authors and entrepreneurs addressing global security issues – revealed that its first major meeting in Asia would be  organized in Taipei and in cooperation with the Taiwan Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR). The gathering, described as the “Davos of international security, will be held in Taipei from January 21-23, 2022, just weeks before the Beijing Winter Olympics [Taiwan News]

This is the second time, HFX is angering China in short time. In May, HFX awarded Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen the John McCain 2020 Award. [see AiR No. 18, May/2021, 1] 

China and the US reach out to Mongolia

(dql) Over the weekend, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman met leading Mongolian officials including Speaker of the Mongolian Parliament Gombojav Zandanshatar, Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg, and Deputy Foreign Minister Munkhjin Batsumber. During the meetings Sherman stressed the importance of the US-Mongolian Strategic Partnership. Discussions, meanwhile, touched upon strengthening Mongolia’s democratic institutions, enhancing the country’s sovereignty, and diversifying its economy. The visit to Ulaanbaatar was part of her East Asia tour which included stops in Japan, South Korea and China. [Mirage]

Only two days later, Battsetseg arrived in China to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday.  During their meeting both ministers agreed to deepen cooperation and bilateral relations between both countries in various fields. [CGTN]

On Monday, meanwhile, Chinese Defense Wei Fenghe and his Mongolian counterpart Gursed Saikhanbayar vowed to intensify pragmatic cooperation between their countries’ militaries. [China Org]

China, Pakistan foreign ministers hold third round of Strategic Dialogue

(lm) Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi held the third round of the China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue in the Chinese city of Chengdu on July 24. [South China Morning Post]

On his two-day working visit to China, Qureshi was being accompanied by Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and other senior officials, including the Pakistan’s military intelligence agency, General Faiz Hameed. [Dawn]

The meeting between the two top diplomats came just days after a potential terrorist attack killed 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals, in northwestern Pakistan. No organization claimed responsibility and a Chinese team was sent to Pakistan to investigate. Islamabad initially blamed mechanical failure and a gas leak, but after pressure from Beijing pointed to terrorism as the cause [see AiR No. 29, July/2021, 3].

The suspected suicide attack had accentuated Beijing’s concerns about the security of Chinese installations, projects and personnel in Pakistan. Various Chinese officials in their statements after the incident underscored the importance Beijing ascribes to the security of its citizens in Pakistan and urged authorities in Islamabad to bring to justice the perpetrators of the attack and prevent recurrence of such incidents.

Stability in Afghanistan was also high on the agenda. Both neighbors to Afghanistan, China and Pakistan were “most directly affected by situations” in the war-torn country, where the US troop withdrawal had created nothing but “a new security black hole”, Wang said, adding that preventing another round of domestic conflict in Afghanistan would be the top priority. He also said Beijing and Islamabad would “join hands with Afghanistan and push the major Afghan forces to draw a clear line under terrorism”.

Discussion on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor also featured in the discussion. The 10th meeting of the CPEC’s principal decision-making body, the Joint Cooperation Committee, was originally scheduled for July 16, but was postponed in the aftermath of the bus explosion.

US Secretary of State Blinken to visit India this week

(lm) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to visit India for a two-day visit next week during which he will meet with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Blinken will also travel to Kuwait, where the two sides will discuss regional issues including Iran and the ongoing conflict in Yemen. [Bloomberg] [South China Morning Post]

Blinken and Jaishankar have already met thrice over the last year: first on the sidelines of the Group of Seven’ foreign minister meet in May, during Jaishanka’s working visit to Washington in June, and on the sidelines of the G20 joint Foreign and Development Ministerial Meeting later the same month.

The trip to New Delhi will be the second high profile visit of a member from US President Joe Biden's administration, following on a visit to India by US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin in March [see AiR No. 12, March/2021, 4]. Blinken’s visit also follows a visit by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman to China and coincides with a three-leg journey to Southeast Asia by Austin. [see article in this edition].

The two sides are expected to discuss plans for an in-person summit of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, as recently confirmed by the White House coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, Kurt Campbell. Campbell also said Washington was quietly exploring” trade initiatives in Asia, adding that the Indo-Pacific would be “the center of [the Biden administration’s] regional focus”.

Earlier this month, Jaishankar had met with Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, the current Homeland Security Advisor for US President Biden, on the side-lines of the “Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity” conference in Uzbekistan. The Indian top diplomat also met with Washington’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad.

Afghanistan’s future is also likely to figure prominently in the talks, as India – unlike many in the West – is not buying into the narrative of Kabul’s impending fall and the Taliban’s immediate and inevitable return to power. Insisting how the Taliban gain power in Afghanistan is important, New Delhi has made it clear it will not accept the Taliban’s violent overthrow of the Kabul government and has engaged in a flurry of regional diplomacy in favour of a peaceful transition. [Foreign Policy]

No evidence that Afghan ambassador’s daughter was kidnapped, says Pakistan’s interior minister

(ra/lm) An investigation into the alleged kidnapping of the Afghan ambassador's daughter has found no evidence of an abduction, Pakistan's Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said on July 20, as relations between the two countries fray further. [The Diplomat] [The Straits Times]

Afghanistan withdrew its senior diplomats from Islamabad on July 18 after the ambassador’s daughter, Silsila Alikhil, was allegedly abducted, held for several hours and brutally assaulted earlier this month. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry appeared to confirm the incident in a statement at the time, saying that the woman had been “assaulted while riding a rented vehicle” and that it was trying to apprehend suspects. [AiR No. 29, July/2021, 3]

But in an about-turn on two days later, Ahmed expressed skepticism toward the Afghan government’s account of what happened, arguing that the incident served to tarnish his country’s reputation. The Pakistani official also accused Afghanistan and India for distorting facts about the disappearance: In Alikhel’s statement regarding her disappearance, she alleged that the taxi she was in had stopped to pick up another man, resulting in her being assaulted and dumped on the roadside unconscious. [Times of India]

The timing of the incident could not have been worse, coming as it does at a time when relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan – long fraught with suspicion and deep mistrust – deteriorated further after the Taliban overran the Afghan border town of Spin Boldak earlier this month. [AiR No. 29, July/2021, 3]

United States renew call on Myanmar junta to free journalist amid COVID-19 fears

(mt) The United States has renewed calls on Myanmar’s military junta to release American journalist Danny Fenster as the country’s overcrowded prisons are especially susceptible to the spread of COVID-19. [The Straits Times]

Fenster, a managing director for news publication Frontier Myanmar has been held in detention since May, when he tried to board a flight out of the country [see AiR No. 22, June/2021, 1]. He faces charges under Section 505(a) of Myanmar’s Penal Code which purports to address “incitement” and carries up to three years’ imprisonment and/or a fine.

The US was granted consular access to Fenster during a July 15 procedural hearing. The US journalist is due to appear before court again on July 28.

His family voiced concern over his health earlier this month, saying Fenster had been displaying COVID-19 symptoms but has not been tested for the virus. [AiR No. 29, July/2021, 3]

By then, US officials who are closely monitoring the situation hope that new and more precise details around his case will be disclosed also to proceed with the most effective diplomatic strategy for his release as it had already happen with the case of Japanese ex-detained journalist Yuki Kitazumi [see AiR No. 20, May/2021, 3].

Russia on track to deliver fighter jets to Myanmar

(mt/lm) Russia is going ahead with plans to supply Myanmar’s military with Su-30 fighter jets and Yak-130 training aircraft, a top defense cooperation official was quoted as saying last week. [Deutsche Welle, in Russian], [Reuters][The Moscow Times]

While other countries had suspended trade deals and delivery of weapons after Myanmar’s military ousted its civilian government earlier in February, Russia has continued to strengthen military trade ties with the military junta.

Moscow had agreed to sell six Su-30 aircraft to Myanmar in 2018, when the army was in the middle of a military offensive against the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army that has been declared as ethnic cleansing and genocide by various UN agencies.

Last month, Russia hosted Myanmar’s coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing for discussions about defense relations, during which Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told the junta leader that he was personally committed to increase military ties between the two countries [see AiR No. 25, June/2021, 4].

That visit followed on a trip to Moscow by a Myanmar delegation led by the country’s air force chief, General Maung Maung Kyaw, which included a visit to Russia’s top helicopter exhibition, and discussions with Russian officials for planned procurement of military hardware [see AiR No. 21, May/2021, 4].

The Russia connection is giving Myanmar’s generals options, lending the junta recognition, and counterbalancing its reliance on China for weapons and other support while the United States and other Western nations try to isolate the military-led government. Meanwhile, Moscow is seizing an opportunity to advance its strategic interests in Southeast Asia and prop up a friendly regime, while thwarting Western democratic designs.

As such, Russia’s position stands in contrast with China, Myanmar’s neighbor, biggest investor, and main weapons supplier, which has kept its distance and expressed concern about stability since the February coup.

Myanmar junta replaces envoy to United Kingdom who broke ranks

(mt) Myanmar has appointed an interim chargé d’affaires to lead the country’s mission in the United Kingdom after the ambassador was ousted from the embassy for breaking ties with the military junta that took over the country on February 1.

The former ambassador, Kyaw Zwar Minn, was locked out of the London embassy by the military attaché in April after publicly condemning the coup and calling for a return of the ousted Aung San Suu Kyi-led government. Kyaw Zwar Minn remains in the United Kingdom and has urged the British government to refuse to recognise any envoys appointed by the junta and to send them back to Myanmar. [AiR No. 15, April/2021, 2]

A British-based rights group said the appointee for the London job was Htun Aung Kyaw, who served as a fighter pilot during a long army career, but the matter could not be confirmed. As per the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the appointment of the new temporary head of Myanmar’s embassy did not require London’s consent. [The Straits Times]

In related developments, Myanmar’s military junta is again seeking to replace the country’s ambassador to the United Nations, Kyaw Moe Tun, who opposed their February 1 takeover of the government. Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin says in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that he has appointed Aung Thurein, who left the military this year after 26 years in service, as Myanmar’s UN ambassador. [The Associated Press]

The junta’s s previous attempt to oust Tun failed and there has been no reported action on the foreign minister’s letter, which is dated May 12. The 193-member United Nations General Assembly is in charge of accrediting permanent representatives. A request for accreditation must first go to its nine-member Credentials Committee, which this year comprises Cameroon, China, Iceland, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, Tanzania, United States and Uruguay. [AiR No. 10, March/2021, 2] [The Diplomat]

Russia, Pakistan sign gas pipeline agreement

(ra/lm) The governments of Russia and Pakistan earlier this month signed a preliminary agreement for the construction of a pipeline, which could allow regasified Liquified Natural Gas to reach the northern part of Pakistan.

On July 15, a Russian delegation signed a pact in Islamabad stipulating the terms for the PakStream Gas Pipeline (PSGP) project, which will link the city of Lahore – the capital of Pakistan’s Punjab province – with Port Qasim, where the country's two operational LNG import terminals are. Construction of the PSGP, previously known as the North-South pipeline, is now expected to be completed by 2023, following multiple delays.

Although the two countries signed an intergovernmental agreement on the pipeline project in 2015, it was not implemented due to United States’ and European sanctions against Russian state-owned conglomerate Rostec, as well as a dispute over pipeline transport fees. Since then, Moscow has routinely changed the structure of its stake – most recently this March – to avoid sanctions [see AiR No. 14, April/2021, 1].

The pipeline deal is valued at around $2.5 billion and is one of the biggest collaborations between both countries since the 1980s, when relations between the two states weakened after Pakistan aided the United States in funding the Afghan mujahedeen against the Soviet-backed government. Analysts see the moves as a bid to acquire a new energy market to offset declining business from the West and to increase regional heft as the U.S. deepens ties with India and leaves Afghanistan. [Nikkei Asia]

India, Pakistan, Vietnam join Russian Naval Parade

(lm) Vessels and crews from India, Pakistan and Vietnam were among more than 50 vessels and 4,000 troops that participated in Russia’s Navy Day parade last week. The annual review of maritime forces took place on July 25 in the port city of St. Petersburg, the hometown of President Vladimir Putin. [RadioFreeEurope] [Vietnam Express]

While overseeing the naval parade, President Putin said his country would carry out an “unpreventable strike” if it was in the country’s interests. He also lauded his country’s hypersonic missiles as “still unrivaled in the world.” The comments came after a successful test of a hypersonic Zircon cruise missile last week and as tensions in the Black Sea remain high following an altercation between a British warship and the Russian military in the waters around Crimea in June. [Reuters]

India successfully tests anti-tank and new surface-to-air missile system

(lm) India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) last week tested two missile system. On July 23, the DRDO successfully test-fired for the third time a new variant of the Akash surface-to-air missile from a defense facility off the coast of Odisha. The same day, the DRDO also conducted a trial of the Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile, a third-generation fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile derived from the domestically manufactured Nag anti-tank missile. [The Indian Express]

Moody places Sri Lanka’s sovereign rating under review

(lm) Ratings agency Moody's Investors Service (Moody’s) on July 19 announced it had placed cash-strapped Sri under review for a downgrade, citing the risk of default due to falling foreign exchange reserves. [The New Indian Express]

Leading up to 2021, several rating agencies had downgraded Sri Lanka’s sovereign credit ratings, indicating concerns about Colombo’s ability to fulfill foreign debt repayments. At the end of June, then, Colombo’s foreign reserves plummeted to $3.6 billion, which Moody’s said was insufficient to cover the country’s annual foreign debt servicing of $4 billion to $5 billion over the next four to five years. [Moody's]

Sri Lanka’s Finance Ministry the same day called Moody's announcement “ill-timed” and “ill-judged”, and said the ratings agency's action "could create uncertainty among investors who have kept faith in Sri Lankan international sovereign bonds and other investments".[Reuters]

US boosting efforts to repair its ties with ASEAN

(nd) The upcoming visit of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to ASEAN this month is in line with efforts of Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Biden administration to enhance estranged relations with ASEAN nations. While Blinken emphasized cooperation with respect to security in the Indo-Pacific, rejecting once again “unlawful” Chinese claims in the South China Sea, he urged the bloc for a coordinated response to the coup in Myanmar. The mission of Austin highlights the US’s commitment to counter Chinese activity in the disputed waters, visiting frontline states Vietnam and the Philippines, and the regional hub of Singapore, where he is expected to elaborate on US military strategy in the South China Sea. Contrary to Trump, who participated in 2017 but sent lower-level representatives for the following years, Biden will participate in the ASEAN summit later this year. As a mixture of Trump’s neglect of the region and the necessity for aid amid the global pandemic, regional states became more dependent on China. [Channel News Asia]

Yet, an annual survey by the ISEAS Yusof-Ishak Institute found that 61.5% of respondents preferred closer ties to the US than to China. Therefore, the US has been vocal on resolving the situation in Myanmar, has stepped up efforts for its own version of vaccine diplomacy by donating vaccinations, and reassured its commitment to a “free and open Mekong region”, accusing China of destabilizing downstream countries and harming the environment. Reactions by regional leaders after the US-ASEAN summit earlier this month were very positive, calling it a sign of “refreshed commitment” to the region. President of long-time ally Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has long been criticized for his China-friendly stance, which he has modified subsequently with respect to upcoming elections, most notably with reference to the 2016 Arbitration Tribunal award rejecting Chinese maritime claims as well as with frequent actions by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) chasing away Chinese ships operating within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. This raises the hope of the full restoration of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), a large-scale, rotational American military presence in the Philippines, before he leaves office. [Asia Times]

Singapore, China to compete with respect to bunker fuels 

(nd) With China boosting its capacities, dominant marine fuel supplier Singapore will face significant competition. Ports and refining facilities were rapidly expanded, attracting more ships, which resulted in a five-fold increase in sales over the last five years. The main area for Chinese bunker fuels is Zhoushan, an archipelago south of Shanghai, feature the country’s biggest facilities, made more competitive by governmental tax incentives. Singapore supplies about a fifth of the global total in bunker fuel, totaling to 50 million tons in 2020. According to an estimate, Chinese sales rose to 16.0 million tons. Bunking facilities in China are quickly expanded and pumping volumes increased, for which global rules demand the use of cleaner fuels. The government has issued more than 10 bunkering licenses in Zhoushan. While China’s pricing is very competitive, Singapore has a geographical advantage and is more reliable with its efficient and timely delivery of fuel, according to experts. [South China Morning Post]

Australia to negotiate agriculture work visa for ASEAN nations

(nd) After years of resistance, pressure from the Australian National Party and the farm lobby succeeded to create a new agriculture visa for workers from ASEAN nations. Depending on the vaccination progress, applications might start from November 2021 respectively early 2022. The opposition against it was based on negative experiences in the US, Europe and Gulf states. While Australia wanted to avoid to become a low-skill worker society, a seasonal worker visa was already introduced in 2010, and as of 2021, overseas students were allowed to work full time in the tourism and hospitality industry. Main problems of low-skill guest worker visas are high risks of exploitation and abuse, high occupational health and safety risks as well as racism. Additionally, foreign workers can present competition to unemployed local in the same sector. Disadvantages for the workers will likely exist with the new visa given the power of the Australian farm lobby. While employers might pay for English testing and the visa itself, travel costs will remain with the workers, and there are frequent reports of workers being forced to pay inflated accommodation rates. These issues are accelerated by the very common creation of labor-hire companies, which calls for effective regulation. Employers with a record for exploiting workers or hiring undocumented workers should be excluded. Additionally, it is argued, minimum wages should apply as well as all relevant information provided to the workers upon arrival. Especially, a complaint mechanism shall be put in place, consisting of industry, union and government body representatives. Union membership of the worker is desirable, also an independent review of the new visa a year after its imposition. [East Asia Forum]

Indonesia, Netherlands to become third-largest foreign investor 

(nd) As of the second quarter of 2021, the Netherlands has become the third-largest source of foreign investment for Indonesia, with investments worth $1.1 billion. This amounts to 13.8 percent of roughly $8 billion of Indonesia's overall foreign direct investment in this quarter, surpassing Japan. Singapore remains the largest investor, followed by Hong Kong, with Japan and China ranking just behind the Netherlands. [Jakarta Globe]

Vietnam: Defense Minister to hold talks with British counterpart

(ct) Vietnam’s Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang held talks with UK Secretary of State for Defense Robert Ben Lobban Wallace in Hanoi. This is the first official visit to Vietnam by the British Defense Minister to Vietnam following the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the UK-Vietnam Strategic Partnership (2010-2020). The main topics were freedom of navigation and upholding the rule of law in the South China Sea as well as the mitigation of the Covid-19 pandemic, with which the British supported Vietnam in experience and vaccination doses. [Vietnamnews] 

Vietnam: Prime Minister to talk to Duterte

(ct) Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte agreed to coordinate closely in fostering the Viet Nam-Philippines relations across fields on the occasion of the 45th founding anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two ASEAN member states. Specifically, the focus lay on their strategic partnership with respect to the South China Sea and their response to the global pandemic. Both sides agreed to expand bilateral cooperation to new areas such as digital transformation, digital economy, e-commerce, and green economy.

Also, they agreed to enhance cooperation and mutual support at multilateral mechanisms like the UN and ASEAN, coordinate closely in implementing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). [Vietnamnews] Economic cooperation between the two countries has increased, with the bilateral trade turnover more than doubled in the last ten years. The Philippines is the fifth-largest trading partner and Vietnam's largest rice importer [Vietnamtimes] [DFA]

Announcements

Upcoming Online Events 

28 July 2021 @ 1:00 p.m. (GMT-4), Atlantic Council, USA

Covering atrocities in Xinjiang: A discussion with award-winning journalists

This online panel discussion will examine the experiences of two award-winning journalists in covering the atrocities in Xinjiang against the Uyghur population.

For further information, see [Atlantic Council].

28 July 2021 @ 2:00 p.m. (GMT-4), Atlantic Council, USA

Enhancing deterrence in the Taiwan Strait

Cross-strait tensions have escalated to a new level in 2021. This virtual public event will discuss how serious is the threat of cross-strait Chinese military action in the near and long term, and what steps can the United States and Taiwan take to enhance deterrence in the Taiwan Strait.

Visit [Atlantic Council] to learn more about the event.

28 July 2021 @ 9:00 a.m. (GMT-4), Center For Global Development, USA

Branch to Root: A New ‘Decision Tree’ Tool to Improve Financial Inclusion

In most emerging and developing economies, more than 50 per cent of the population remain digitally financially excluded. Ambitious national strategies have tried to advance financial inclusion, however, results are mixed. In this discussion, the CGDEV and researchers from Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Pakistan examine the constraints to financial inclusion in these countries. 

More event details are provided at [CGDEV].

28 July 2021 @ 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. (GMT-4), United States Institute of Peace, USA 

The Convention on Refugees at 70: A Conversation with Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield

The discussion will take stock of the global community’s efforts to protect the rights of refugees and asylum seekers under international refugee and humanitarian law and consider how the United States and its network of allies and partners can better protect those rights in a moment of profound global crisis and uncertainty. 

For more information, please see [USIP].

28 July 2021 @ 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. (GMT-4), Hudson Institute, USA

Iran’s Record of Smuggling, Kidnapping & Extortion

This online event is about Iran’s continued effort to illicitly procure parts for its nuclear weapons and missile programs since 2015 in violation of the JCPOA, and its use of kidnapping as a means of securing concessions from the West, from cash to the release of convicted Iranian agents in jail for breaking US laws.

Find out more at [HUDSON].

28 July 2021 @  09:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (GMT+8), Philippine Institute for Development Studies, Philippines

Less Noise, More Facts: Improving Information Dissemination for a Better Normal 

This webinar is the first part of the sixth biennial meeting of the Socioeconomic Research Portal for the Philippines (SERP-P) Network, featuring presentations tackling disinformation and strategies to combat it.

If you want to attend the event, find out how to register at [PIDS].

29 July 2021 @ 8:30 p.m. (GMT-4), Atlantic Council, USA

Report launch: Indian perspectives on reimagining the US-India trade relationship

The United States and India have become increasingly interconnected with expanding political, social, and economic ties. This online conversation aims to explore what the two countries can do to support, nourish, and grow their bilateral trade relationship while setting the stage for successful future negotiations.

Further event details are available at [Atlantic Council].

29 July 2021 @ 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. (GMT-4), Wilson Center, USA

Jordan's Digital Future: A Conversation with Jordanian Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship

In this online platform, Jordan’s Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship will describe the country’sjourney to becoming a regional tech leader, and strategy to using digital transformation as a means of recovering from the coronavirus pandemic.

For more information, please visit [Wilson Center].

29 July 2021 @ 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. (GMT-4), Wilson Center, USA

Innovative Technologies and Citizen Science to Combat Plastic Waste in the Mekong and Beyond

At this webinar, panellists working in the UNEP’s CounterMEASURE project will talk about how their work in the Mekong River Basin deploying citizen science and frontier technologies like GIS, machine learning and drones, can help identify sources and pathways of plastic pollution in river systems in Asia.

Find more about event details at [Wilson Center].

29 July 2021 @ 5:30-7:00 p.m. (GMT+10), Australian Institute of International Affairs - Victoria, Australia

Learning from Covid: Findings of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response

In this webinar, Helen Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand and the co-chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response will reflect on the findings of the panel's report and discuss the lessons the world could learn from the pandemic.

More event details are provided at [AIIA].

29 July 2021 @ 6:00-8:00 p.m. (GMT+10), Australian Institute of International Affairs - Victoria, Australia

Book Launch: Environmental Anarchy? Security in the 21 st Century by Mark Beeson

This presentation draws on Mark Beeson’s new book to provide an explanation of the failures and dangers of conventional strategic wisdom and outlines the case for a new approach that takes issues like environmental and human security much more seriously.

For more information on the book discussion, please visit [AIIAWA]. 

29 July 2021 @ 9:00-10:30 a.m. (GMT-4), Center for Strategic & International Studies, USA

The Climate Threat: Opportunities and Challenges in Pakistan's Agriculture

Pakistan’s agricultural sector and potential will be significantly disrupted by climate change. This conversation is about several questions that surround Pakistan’s climate risk and agricultural sector.

If you want to know more about the event, go to [CSIS].

29 July 2021 @ 7:00-8:00 a.m. (GMT-4), Centre for International Governance Innovation, Canada 

Global Platform Governance Network Transparency Working Group

​​This session will focus on the limits of democratic oversight and the importance of both domestic and international cooperation between regulators and oversight bodies on transparency measures.

To learn more about the GPGN, please click [CIGI]

29 July 2021 @ 11:00-11:45 a.m. (GMT-4), The Heritage Foundation, USA

Pushing Boundaries: China's Aggressive New Tactics in South Asia

This online event will discuss aggressive new tactics and China’s sudden appetite for risk along its southwestern border and their implications for US policy in the Indo-Pacific.

More event details are provided at [Heritage].

30 July 2021 @ 10:00-11:00 a.m. (GMT-4), Center for Strategic & International Studies, USA

Reflections on the 2021 IAS Conference on HIV Science

This webinar will moderate a conversation between a panel of HIV experts on the most recent scientific findings regarding HIV and their implications within the context of COVID-19

For more information, please see [CSIS].

30 July 2021 @ 1:00-2:00 p.m. (GMT-4), Center for Strategic & International Studies, USA

Build Back Better World: Meeting the Global Infrastructure Challenge

At this event, former U.S. Trade Representative Amb. Charlene Barshefsky, Bechtel Corporation CEO Brendan Bechtel, CalPERS CEO Marcie Frost, and former National Security Advisor Stephen J. Hadley will discuss the G7 global infrastructure initiative and the essential elements of a successful US global infrastructure strategy.

More information about the event is provided at [CSIS].

30 July 2021 @ 3:30-5:00 p.m. (GMT+8), NUS East Asian Institute, Singapore

Building the Party Abroad: The Chinese Communist Party’s Overseas Organising Power

The seminar will show that China’s emerging superpower is informed both by China’s unique pattern of globalisation and the CCP’s own understanding of the nature, aims and modalities of its rule, which can only partially be compared to those of earlier superpowers.

If you want to know more about the event, go to [EAI].

30 July 2021 @ 8:00-10:00 a.m. (GMT-4), Center for Strategic & International Studies, USA

Eleventh Annual South China Sea Conference: Session One

This monthly webinar series will provide opportunities for detailed discussion and analysis of key developments in the South China Sea over the past year and potential paths forward. Panellists will address the strategic balance in the region and US policy under the Biden administration. 

More information is accessible via [CSIS].

1 August 2021 @ 10:00-11:30 a.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore

The Role of Political Parties in Thailand, and their Place in Thai Democracy

This webinar will offer one of the leading figures in Thai politics during the last three decades and an opportunity to share thoughts on the role and importance of political parties in Thailand’s democracy.

For more information on the webinar, click [ISEAS].

2 August 2021 3:00-4:00 p.m. (GMT-4), Center for Strategic & International Studies, USA 

A Conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci on the Antiviral Program for Pandemics

This online event will discuss the genesis, goals and structure of this landmark investment, the place which key partnerships occupy in the vision, and how the initiative relates to other international efforts to accelerate the research, development and deployment of new therapies.

More event details are provided at [CSIS].

3 August 2021 @ 3:00-4:30 p.m. (GMT+5.5), Council on Energy, Environment and Water, India

The Role of Natural Gas in India's Energy Transition, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, India

This session will discuss the role of natural gas in India's energy transition story, the ‘one nation, one gas grid’ vision, and the uncertainties related to this future. 

Find more about event details at [CEEW].

3 August 2021 @ 1:00-1:45 p.m. (GMT-4), Center for Strategic & International Studies, USA

Building Resilience: Country Experiences Delivering Primary Care during Covid-19

This virtual meeting will discuss how primary health care services can support vaccine distribution and health security in the context of the Covid-19 crisis.

If you are interested in joining, please see [CSIS].

3 August 2021 @ 10:00-11:30 a.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore

Whither Barisan Nasional in Today’s Malaysia?

This webinar will explore Barisan Nasional’s recent decisions, current thinking in the coalition, as well as plans for the future from the perspective of two original members, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC).

Find more about event details at [ISEAS].

3 August 2021 @ 6:00-7:00 p.m. (GMT+10), Australian Institute of International Affairs - Victoria, Australia

Iran’s Foreign Policy under New Leadership

This webinar will discuss the future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and its implications for regional dynamics in the Persian Gulf. The speaker will be providing an overview of the future of the Iranian nuclear deal and Iran’s regional agenda.

If you are interested in this event, please see [AIIAVIC] for more information and registration.

4 August 2021 @ 3:00-4:30 p.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore

Introduction to Southeast Asian Relief Sculpture & Dress and Textile Representation in Southeast Asia

The lecture will discuss various methods of tracing origins and the circulation of ideas, determining the chronology of undated sites and objects, and even inferring certain unspoken social practices and attitudes, in order to reveal aspects of the past that have been lost to time.

If you want to join the event, you can register at [ISEAS].

4 August 2021 @ 6:00-7:00 p.m. (GMT+10), Australian Institute of International Affairs - Victoria, Australia

Media in the Asia Pacific Region

This online event will discuss the risks of the same sorts of divisions affecting media in Australia and the region, the essential role that media plays in our soft power, security and influence and the diminished or absent voice of Australia in the region. The speaker will also talk about the urgent need to amplify our soft power in Asia and the Pacific, where the void has rapidly been taken over by china broadcasters. 

Find out more at [AIIACT].

4 August 2021 @ 9:00-10:15 a.m. (GMT-4), Wilson Center, USA

Waste Management in the Shadows in China

This webinar will shine a light on informal workers who have managed waste in China for decades and explore how and why they are crucial to help China successfully deal with growing waste problems.

If you are interested in joining, please see [Wilson Center].

Recent book releases 

Severine Autesserre, The Frontlines of Peace: An Insider’s Guide to Changing the World, Oxford University Press, 240 pages,  March 1, 2021, briefly reviewed in [Foreign Affairs].

Nicola Twilley, Geoff Manaugh, Until Proven Safe: The History and Future of Quarantine, MCD, 416 pages, July 20, 2021, reviewed in [New York Times]. 

Eric Dean Wilson, After Cooling: On Freon, Global Warming, and the Terrible Cost of Comfort, Simon & Schuster, 480 pages, July 6, 2021, with a review in [New York Journal of Books].

Akash Kapur, Better to Have Gone: Love, Death, and the Quest for Utopia in Auroville, Scribner, 368 pages, July 20, 2021, reviewed in [Star Tribune].

Calls 

The organizers of the conference “War Makes Monsters: Crime and Criminality in Times of Conflict,” to be held on June 2-3, 2022, at the University College Dublin invite to submit paper proposals. Closing date for submission is October 1, 2021. For more information, see [War Makes Monsters 2022].

The Association for Asian Studies is seeking paper proposals for its 2022 Annual Conference to be held March 24-27, 2022 at the Hawaii Convention Center and Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel & Resort in Honolulu, Hawaii. Deadline for submissions is August 10, 2021. Find more about the call at [Asian Studies].

The Tomorrow People Organization invites to submit paper proposals for its 8th Peace and Conflict Resolution Conference (PCRC) to be held virtually on November 5-7, 2021. Abstracts can be submitted until September 15, 2021. If you are interested, you can access further details via [PCRC 2021].

Jobs & positions

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is hiring a Security Analyst (Compliance) to provide security expertise and support of the IMF’s Compliance Program for Information Security. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. If you are interested, you can find further details at [IMF].

The International Labour Organization is offering the position of a Programme Assistant at its office in Beirut, with main responsibility in assisting with the planning and preparatory work of the Office’s work programme and/or project initiatives. Deadline for applications is August 16, 2021. Visit [ILO] for more information.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is recruiting a Senior Migration Governance Specialist(Financial Economic Empowerment) to be based in Geneva, Switzerland. Main responsibility is establishing IOM priorities and set parameters for the Organization’s strategic engagement on migration governance in its linkage with the financial and economic empowerment processes. cations can be submitted until July 29, 2021. Closing date for application is August 8. Find out more at [IOM].

The Asian Development Bank is seeking a Senior Financing Partnerships Officer to be responsible for providing technical support and expertise in project-specific co-financing administration. Deadline for applications is August 9, 2021. For more information, see [ADB].

The World Bank is hiring a Senior Operations Officer to lead the “Corporate Services” sub-team of the bank’s Secretariat Operations team which oversees and improves the efficient management of many of the organization’s internal administrative and planning processes. Closing date for applications is August 20, 2021. More information is provided at [World Bank Group].

The European Commission is recruiting a Project Manager for the EU Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Transport and Energy Programme. Closing date for applications is September 3, 2021. Visit [TENEA] for more information.

Interpol is offering the position of a Cybercrime Operations Officer to be based in Singapore.  Application deadline is September 19, 2021. More details are available at [Interpol].

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