Grasp the pattern, read the trend
No. 12, March/2022, 4
Brought to you by CPG
Dear Readers,
Welcome to this week’s Asia in Review issue.
I wish you an informative read and extend special greetings to everyone who celebrates Bangladesh’s, Greece’s and Namibia’s Independence Day as well as Pakistan Day in this week.
With best regards,
Henning Glaser
Editor in Chief
Webpage: www.cpg-online.de, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CPGTU
Main Sections
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in East Asia
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in South Asia
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in Southeast Asia
International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia
Announcements
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in East Asia
China: Advancing carbon neutrality efforts
(dql) State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (Sasac), China’s state assets watchdog, has revealed that is has established two new bureaus that are tasked with strengthening the role of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in innovation and social responsibility, especially relating to carbon emissions.
Responsibilities of the new bureaus include pushing technology upgrades and new industries, as well as the development and application of core technology at SOEs. In addition, the bureaus are expected to boost the role of SOEs in energy conservation, environmental protection and youth-focused philanthropy, along with increasing investments in the Xinjiang and Tibet regions. [South China Morning Post]
China: Girlfriend of prominent human rights activists indicted
(dql) Li Qiaochu, girlfriend of prominent Chinese legal activist Xu Zhiyong, has been formally charged with “inciting subversion of state power” after releasing various of Xu’s articles online in September 2019 with the intention of “overthrowing the socialist system”. Li was arrested in February 2021.
Xu, one on the most vocal regime critics and co-founder of the New Citizens’ Movement – a collection of lawyers and activists demanding civil rights protections and rule of law in China – has been in detention since February 2020 and is facing trial for “subversion of state power”. [South China Morning Post] [See also No. 7, February/2020, 3]
In a joint letter submitted to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Charles Michel, a group of human rights organizations demanded the release of Li and other “arbitrarily detained human rights defenders and activists” in China. [Human Rights Watch]
China: J-20 fighter jets upgraded
(dql) China has reportedly upgraded its most advanced stealth fighter jet, the J-20, with a new WS-15 afterburning turbofan engine that allows it to significantly increase its performance.
Developed in China, it is said to boost the jet’s maneuverability and combat capability, taking it a step closer to rivalling the American F-22 Raptor.
According to Chinese analysts, further advanced technologies are likely under development in China, including engines with higher thrust-weight ratio, engines capable of vector thrust control and variable cycle engines. [South China Morning Post 1] [Global Times]
See for an account of Chinese J-20 and US J-35 in the recent past see [South China Morning Post 2].
Japan: State of quasi-emergency to end
(cm) The COVID-19 quasi-emergency measures were lifted nationwide on March 21 for the first time since January, as the number of infections has been decreasing significantly. The 18 areas where restrictions were imposed include the Tokyo metropolitan area, Osaka and Kyoto, some of the biggest prefectures in Japan.
The government announced the beginning of a transition period, as cases are on a downtrend and the state will prepare for the implementation of a fourth round of shots, and the strain on medical facilities is expected to ease while face masks remain mandatory. [Kyodo News]
Japan: Companies raise wages and inflation flares up
(cm) Following Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s call for companies whose earnings have returned to pre-pandemic earnings to raise wages, many big firms in Japan met union demands and offered pay rises of more than 2 percent. Kishida’s campaign, presented shortly after his election in October as a “new form of capitalism”, aims to narrow the gap between rich and poor and prompted companies to boost pays by at least 3 percent in the annual spring wage talks with labor unions. [Financial Times]
Nonetheless, Japanese firms remain cautious over increases in oil prices and expected fallouts from the Ukraine crisis. The latest Reuters Corporate survey showed that nearly 70 percent of the interviewed companies anticipate a large impact on earnings due to the surge in prices of merchandise and disruptions in the supply chain. [Reuters]
On March 15 the government released a list of over 300 items and technologies to be banned from exports to Russia and Belarus, as a form of prevention against the development of the countries’ military capabilities. In 2021 Japanese exports to Russia accounted for about 1 percent of the country’s total income from worldwide exports, deriving mainly from vehicles and auto parts. [Kyodo News]
Japan: LDP begins discussions on nuclear sharing
(cm) The ruling Liberal Democratic Party is set to engage in internal discussions on the highly debated topic of nuclear deterrence in Japan, especially tackling the controversial issue of nuclear arms-sharing with the United States.
The suggestion was brought forward by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, citing the nuclear sharing arrangement among North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries, which allows a nuclear state to share nuclear weapons with allies who do not possess such arms. If extended to Japan, such principle would enable the country to host U.S. nuclear weapons in the event of a war.
The party’s panel on national security will consult experts on U.S. and European nuclear deterrence arrangements, but Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has dismissed the possibility that the government will initiate further discussions, reiterating his conviction in extended deterrence ensured by the U.S.-Japan alliance. [Kyodo News]
Japan: SDF launches cyber defense unit
(cm) On March 17 Japan’s Self-Defense Forces inaugurated a new expanded cyber defense unit, designed to improve response capabilities facing attacks in cyberspace. The reorganization of the country’s defense unit comes as cyberattacks, which represent a major threat to national security, have become increasingly more sophisticated.
The new task force will be composed of several cyber departments previously operating in the Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense forces with a staff of around 540, and will centralize countermeasures while managing communication and practical training. [NHK]
Japan: Budget to host U.S. forces approved by Lower House
(cm) On March 15 the House of Representatives approved the agreement between United States and Japan that will determine the budget for hosting U.S. forces in Japan for the next five years; the deal will be finalized once approved by the House of Councillors, before its expiration at the end of this month.
The host nation support for the next five years, agreed upon by Japan and the U.S. last December, will be raised to JPY 1.05 trillion (USD 8.9 billion) and will include the costs of an advanced system to be used for joint drills and for new facilities. On the other hand, the budget for electricity, fuel and water in U.S. bases will be gradually reduced as a result of criticism from the Japanese public. [Kyodo News] [The Diplomat]
On March 10 Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Air Force conducted a joint drill over the Sea of Japan, an air-to-air combat training which tested the two countries’ combined response capabilities, while on March 15 combat operations and a practiced landing were performed by Japan’s Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade and the U.S. Marines, as intensified Russian and Chinese naval activity near Japanese waters raises concerns for the stability of the region. [Japan Today] [AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]
Japan: Families of abductees in North Korea ask the government for their return
(cm) On March 16 relatives of Japanese nationals who were abducted by North Korea almost 40 years ago urged the Japanese government to ensure the victims’ return while their families are still alive. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed his commitment to the issue and met with the families, who asked the government to present a schedule and tactics for the return to be finalized as early as possible.
The abduction of 17 Japanese nationals by North Korean agents occurred in the period of six years from 1977 to 1983, although there may have been many more victims. Five of the 17 were repatriated in 2002 after then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s visit to Pyongyang, while North Korea claims that eight of the remaining have died and that the other four were never kidnapped. [NHK] [Kyodo News 1]
The abduction has been a major deterrent to the normalization of diplomatic ties between the two countries, along with North Korea’s missile and nuclear activity. On March 16 the last of a series of ballistic missile launches since January took place near Pyongyang, and, although it seems to have been unsuccessful, Tokyo lodged a diplomatic protest through its embassy in Beijing, as the repeated tests represent a threat to the peace and stability of the region. [Kyodo News 2]
North Korea: New “March 7 Command” to develop military reconnaissance satellites plan
(mpk) North Korea has reportedly set up a working-level organization to carry out the country’s reconnaissance satellite development plan. Named “March 7 Command”, the organization’s main tasks included launch vehicles, consolidating data on engines and payloads, modernizing satellite operations.
While Pyongyang insists that the new organization is restricted to research on space and space exploration, observers believe that satellite development is nothing more than a way to develop new ballistic missiles. [Daily NK]
South Korea: Transition team of president elect begins work
(dql) With less than two months before president-elect Yoon Suk Yeol assumes office, his 184-member transition team effectively began its official duty, with members of the seven divisions, as well as Won Hee-ryong, the head of the planning committee, attending the inaugural meeting on March 21.
Tasked with preparing Yoon’s takeover of the administration in May, divisions of the team will be briefed by related government ministries as early as March 23. [KBS]
South Korea: President-elect faces criticism over presidential office relocation plans
(dql) President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s decision to relocate the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae, also known as Blue House, to what is currently the defense ministry building has cause strong backlash from the public with more that 58 percent of South Koreans expressing their opposition to the relocation in a recent poll. [Korea Herald]
Furthermore, nearly 280,000 citizens have signed an online petition on Cheong Wa Dae's website to oppose Yoon relocation plan citing risks to national security and unnecessary spending. [Yonhap]
Taiwan: 424,000 deleted public broadcaster news clips raise security concerns
(dql) Two Control Yuan members are to investigate the deletion of about 424,000 news clips at Public Television Service (PTS), in an incident that exposed cybersecurity issues at government agencies. PTS on Tuesday said that a contractor on Feb. 8 mistakenly deleted news clips produced between 2017 and January from its digital archive. Although more than 320,000 clips were recovered by Friday last week, nearly 80,000 were lost, the network said. [Taipei Times]
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in South Asia
Bangladesh: BSC seeks USD 22.4 million for ship struck by missile in Ukrainian port
(kd) The state-owned Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) is seeking USD 22.4 million from insurers after its cargo ship Banglar Samriddhi was struck by a missile on the night of March 2-3 killing a crew member. The ship was confined to the port of Olivia since February 24 when Ukraine closed its ports due to the Russian invasion. Russia denies targeting civilians or merchant ships.
The ship’s bridge was damaged by the missile hit however the status of the engines is still unclear. The ship has been abandoned by BSC and the remaining 28 crew members have been repatriated to Bangladesh. Further investigation is awaiting more stable conditions. The Russian Embassy in Dhaka told the circumstances of the missile hit are “being established.”
"On paper, this should be a straightforward claim. But given the situation inside Ukraine, this could take time to process, especially if more [documentation] is needed," an insurance industry source said. Ten percent of the liability is carried by Dhaka-based Sadharan Bima Corporation while the remaining 90 percent is borne by Tyson’s, a Lloyd’s of London broker.
The cost to insure ships operating in the Black Sea region has risen sharply since the beginning of Russian hostilities in the Ukraine. Ships typically carry insurance for third-party liability claims such as injury or environmental damage, but presently ships must also carry war risk cover inflating prices by more than 100 percent. Meanwhile, London’s marine insurance market has broadened the waters considered high risk in the region as danger to merchant shipping increase.
BSC’s claim on the Banglar Samriddhi is the first submitted from the Ukraine-Russia conflict, although four other ships have been struck by missiles in the region with one sunk. [Prothom Alo]
Bangladesh: Government to ban 19th century Evidence Act in rape cases
(kd) Rape victims will be protected from humiliating cross examination in criminal cases under the proposed elimination of a colonial era Evidence Act that was routinely used to discredit the testimony of survivors. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Justice Minister Anisul Huq have vowed to remove character evidence from such proceedings.
Currently, those accused of rape may press the victim with questions design to impugn their character. The threat of this line of questioning discourages many rape victims from pressing charges against their attackers or appearing in court. If a survivor does agree to undergo interrogation, the character attack is often sufficient to create doubt and acquit the accused.
Rights groups working on this issue note that the number of rapes has increased significantly in recent years because of legal loopholes for attackers and a culture of impunity that disregards violence against women. [Aljazeera]
Bangladesh: Opposition leader promises to try Awami League for destroying the state
(kd) Speaking to Federal Union of Journalists at the National Press Club, the opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated that the ruling Awami League would be tried for destroying the state.
The secretary general claimed that the method the Awami League has used is to destroy the independence of the press, alleging that the laws and policies that apply to the media serve to control it. The media has fallen into the hands of businessmen who, he asserts, benefit from their relationships with the current ruling party.
He noted, "The journalist community and the media are not independent. Democracy and independence are closely linked. It is unfortunate for our nation that this area has been affected repeatedly. Unfortunately, the party which has mostly attacked it is Awami League." [Prothom Alo]
Bangladesh: Law ministry greenlights extension of former Prime Minister Khaleda’s jail sentence suspension
(lm) Bangladesh’s law ministry has approved a request by former Prime Minister and the leader of the main opposition party, Khaleda Zia, to extend the suspension of her jail sentence, handed down in two corruption cases, by another six months.
Zia, an archrival of current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s, had served 25 months out of 17 years of prison sentences on two other graft cases when a court in March 2020 granted her conditional release from jail [see AiR No. 13, March/2020, 5]. She was admitted to a hospital last November, with her doctors saying they fear for her life if she is not allowed to fly abroad for expert treatment. The former prime minister was discharged from hospital in February [see AiR No. 6, February/2022, 2].
The conditions of the suspension of the jail sentence would remain unchanged, Law Minister Anisul Huq told journalists on March 16.
Bangladesh: Government to complete ILO ratification to eliminate child labor
(lm) Bangladesh has ratified a convention by the International Labour Organization (ILO) that requires requires ratifying states to pursue a national policy designed to ensure the effective abolition of child labor and to raise progressively the minimum age for admission to employment or work.
The ILO Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment C138 was adopted in 1973. It is one of eight ILO fundamental conventions; all of them have been ratified by Bangladesh.
Bangladesh: Court grants bail to sister of exiled journalist
(lm) The sister of a United States-based dissident Bangladeshi journalist has been granted bail by a Bangladesh court after 160 days in detention and, according to her lawyer, may be released sometime next week. [Voice of America]
Nusrat Shahreen Raka, the sister of exiled journalist Kanak Sarwar, was detained in October of last year by the Rapid Action Battalion, an elite anti-crime and anti-terrorism unit of the Bangladesh Police, and charged under the country’s contentious Digital Security Act for spreading anti-state propaganda and under the Narcotics Control Act for possessing crystal meth, which the police claimed to have found in her home [see AiR No. 41, October/2021, 2]. In the months following her detention, Raka was denied bail multiple times, both in lower and higher courts.
Rakar’s brother Sarwar –a harsh critic of the Awami League government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina –was arrested in 2015, along with the owner of the TV station he worked for. The station had broadcasted a speech delivered in the United Kingdom by the son of Khaleda Zia, an archival of Hasina’s and the leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Sarwar was held for nine months before making bail. He then fled the country and has since then been living in the United States.
In light of this, most observers and rights organizations have argued Rakar had been incarcerated only in retaliation for her brother’s reporting.
Bangladesh: Mob attacks ISKCON temple in Dhaka, injuring three
(kd) On March 17, a mob of roughly 200 Muslims attacked a temple associated with the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) organization. The temple sustained property damaged and three temple attendees were injured of which two were hospitalized at Dhaka Medical College. The reason given for the incident involves a long-standing dispute over the land the temple stands on.
A Mr. Haji Shafiullah had won an earlier judgment on the land issue but attempted to compel recognition of his title by force. One of Shafiullah's associates, Ishraf Sufi, had threatened to have them killed, claimed Rasmani Keshavdas, an ISCKON medical officer. By his account, “"That day these two [Shafiullah and Sufi], along with 500-600 people, vandalised the temple's wall...They behaved the same even before the police." The group has requested Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention in the matter.
There have been other violent incidents against ISCKON and other Hindu groups in Bangladesh. In October 2021, violence erupted at an ISCKON temple in Noakhali, and attacks on past Durga Puja celebrations popular among Bangladesh’s Hindu community. [India Today 1] [India Today 2]
Human Rights Watch urges Bangladesh to quit ignoring UN human rights concerns
Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a report on March 17 called on the government of Bangladesh to provide substantial responses to serious allegations of torture, enforced disappearance, and extrajudicial killings by domestic security forces. HRW made particular reference to the UN’s March 14 statement to “immediately cease reprisals against human rights defenders and relatives of forcibly disappeared persons for their activism and co-operation with international human rights bodies and UN mechanisms.”
HRW also noted the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ March 3 reminder for Bangladesh to meet its obligations under the 2019 review of the Convention against Torture that has gone unaddressed for more than two years. At that time, the UN Committee against Torture commented, regarding Bangladesh, that “in general, one got the impression that the police, as well as other law enforcement agencies, were able to operate with impunity and zero accountability.”
Observers are concerned that individuals attached to Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion, already sanctioned by the United States under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, may have been allowed to participate in UN peacekeeping missions. The Bangladesh government has made a habit of disregarding UN calls for improvement. “The Bangladesh government is seeking greater influence at the UN while simultaneously ignoring the UN’s inquiries into human rights violations by Bangladesh security forces,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Bangladesh contributes more troops to UN peacekeeping than any country in the world, but the UN’s reliance on Bangladeshi troops should not mean relaxed human rights vetting procedures.” [Prothom Alo] [Human Rights Watch]
Four members of banned Bangladeshi terror organization arrested in Bhopal
(kd) The Madhya Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested four suspected members Jamaat-e-Mujahideen (JMB) on March 14. The sting was undertaken without the knowledge of local law enforcement.
According to a statement issued by the ATS, the four detainees are residents of Bangladesh. “[They] were involved in jihadi activities for which they were preparing a remote-base (sleeper cell) through which, they wanted to do serious anti-national incidents in the future.”
Large quantities of jihadi literature, laptops, electronic equipment, and incriminating documents were recovered linking, it the four to Jamaat-e-Mujahideen-Bangladesh.
JMB, a banned Bangladeshi terror group, was involved in the 2018 Bodh Gaya bombing. [Hindustani Times] [The Statesman]
India: National opposition Congress party fires five state chiefs after poll drubbing
(lm) India’s main national opposition National Congress (INC) party on March 15 fired the local chiefs of five states after humiliating losses in recent elections that saw the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning four out of five states, including the country’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. [The Straits Times]
In northern Punjab, the INC lost power to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) earlier this month, a victory that analysts say throws into question the Congress’s status as the BJP’s main opponent at the national level. The AAP, which emerged in 2012 out of an anti-corruption movement and runs the New Delhi local government, had never gained control elsewhere [see AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]. In light of this, India’s oldest political party is now in power in only three of India’s 31 major states and union territories.
Against this backdrop, the INC’s top leadership met on March 13 to analyze the losses. During the meeting, party President Sonia Gandhi and her two children - Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, who both hold senior leadership positions - offered to resign. The INC president also asked the state party heads of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur to resign “in order to facilitate reorganization” of their local chapters. [The Indian Express]
However, senior Congress members said they would continue to back the Nehru-Gandhi family, which has controlled the party for decades since the time of India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
On March 16 then, a group of 23 INC leaders, known by its acronym G-23, called on the party leadership to initiate dialogue with other “likeminded forces” ahead of the next national election in 2014 that Prime Minister Narendra’s BJP is expected to win. [India Today]
In 2020, when the group had written to party chief Sonia Gandhi to demand sweeping changes in the party structure, their request was ignored and at least one of them lost their positions for speaking out. Last year, the 23 party dissidents once again expressed concern over what they called was the continuing drift in the INC, reminding the Gandhi family that nothing had changed on the ground [see AiR No. 41, October/2021, 2].
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura
India: AAP leader Bhagwant Mann takes oath as chief minister of Punjab
(lm) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhagwant Mann was sworn in as 17th chief minister of India’s northern state of Punjab on March 16, less than a week after the party had defeated the main national opposition National Congress (INC) party in elections to the state’s assembly. [The Hindu]
The AAP, which emerged in 2012 out of an anti-corruption movement and already runs the New Delhi local government, had never gained control elsewhere [see AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]. In light of this, the party’s victory throws into question the INC’s status as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s main opponent at the national level. For the INC is now in power in only three of India’s 31 major states and union territories.
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura
India: Facebook alleged to give Prime Minister Modi’s ruling BJP cheaper election ads rates than rivals
(lm) Facebook’s algorithm has offered cheaper advertisement deals to India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over rivaling political parties, according to an investigation by Reporters’ Collective, an India-based non-profit, and ad.watch, a research project studying political advertisements on social media.
The study, published by Al Jazeera analyzed more than 535,000 political advertisements than ran between February 2019 and November 2020 on Facebook through the platform’s transparency tool. It found that in nine of the 10 elections taking place within said period, including the national parliamentary elections of 2019 that BJP won, the party was charged 29 percent less on average than its rivals for the advertisement targeting same number of viewers. The other polls include the state elections of Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Delhi, Bihar, and Maharashtra. [Al Jazeera]
The favorable pricing allows the BJP, Facebook’s largest political client in India, to reach more voters for less money, giving it a leg up in the election campaigns, the report concludes.
Crucially, the rules laid down by India’s Election Commission include a cap on the campaign expenditures of political parties to allow a level playing field. Facebook, however, has enabled the BJP in reaching more people at lower rates. [Quartz India]
In the 22-month period for which data is available, the BJP and its affiliates spent in total more than USD 1.36 million to place advertisements on Facebook through their official pages. In contrast, India’s main national opposition National Congress (INC) party and its affiliates spent USD 841,000.
Speaking against this backdrop, the president of the INC, Sonia Gandhi, on March 16 called for an end to “systematic interference” of social media giants like Facebook, which she said were increasingly used to shape political narratives. [Hindustan Times] [The Independent]
Facebook faced scrutiny in 2020 after the The Wall Street Journal reported in August that the head of the social network’s policy, Ankhi Das, had intervened in internal communication to stop a permanent ban on a regional lawmaker BJP lawmaker to protect the company’s business interests [see AiR No. 37, September/2020, 3]. The South Asian nation is Facebook’s and its messaging service WhatsApp’s biggest market in terms of number of users.
India: Hindu hardliners seek wider ban on hijab in class after crucial court verdict
(lm/tj) Hardline Hindu groups in India are demanding restrictions on wearing hijab in classrooms in more states after a court in southern Karnataka state upheld a government order that had banned the traditional Muslim headscarves, ruling that wearing them is not an integral part of religious practice in Islam.
The verdict followed a months-long, divisive row that had started earlier in January when a government-run school barred six Muslim female students, who all wore the mandatory college uniform, from wearing the hijab in class. Ensuing protests soon snowballed, forcing the state to shut schools and colleges for several days. The demonstrations also prompted rival protests from right-wing Hindu students who tried to prevent hijab-wearing students from entering educational institutions in the state. [AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3]
While there is no central law or rule on school uniforms across India, the Karnataka High Court’s decision has raised fears over a precedent being set to prompt more states to issue similar restrictive dress codes for students. [AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3] [Deutsche Welle]
In fact, the Karnataka court ruling has been welcomed by top state ministers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who say students should avoid wearing religious clothing in class. Moreover, leaders of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a right-wing Hindu organization, said they have asked for a hijab ban in Prime Minister Modi’s home state of Gujarat and would soon write to the country's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. The BJP is in power in both states. [The Straits Times]
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura
India: Court puts plans for Amaravati back on the table in Andhra Pradesh
(lm) The high court in India’s southern Andhra Pradesh state earlier this month ordered that the state’s capital city should be built as originally planned in Amaravati, rejecting the government’ s plan for a “decentralized” capital with the executive, judicial, and legislative centers in separate locations. [The Straits Times]
The court was hearing 60 petitions largely from Amaravati farmers who had given their land to the government under a land pooling scheme, under which instead of monetary compensation, they would be offered a developed plot in the new capital as payment for their land. [The Hindu]
In 2014, Andhra Pradesh lost its capital city, Hyderabad, to the newly created state of Telangana. In light of this, a whole new city – Amaravati – was planned on the banks of the river Krishna, on 684 hectares of village and farmland. It was the pet project of the state’s former chief minister at the time, Chandrababu Naidu, who had promised to model the city after Singapore. But in 2019 Naidu lost the state election to his rival who stopped most construction work in Amaravati, citing lack of funds and corruption in the ongoing projects.
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura
Pakistan: Parliament’s lower house to take up no-confidence motion on March 25
(ha/lm/tj) Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who came to power in 2018, is facing the toughest challenge of his political career as the country’s parliament will convene on March 25 to take up a no-confidence motion filed by an alliance of opposition parties earlier this month. [Al Jazeera] [Deutsche Welle]
More than 100 lawmakers of Pakistan’s united opposition successfully filed the motion against Prime Minister Khan earlier this month, accusing the premier of mismanaging the economy and poor governance as inflation has soared [see AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]. Under the constitution, the speaker of parliament’s lower house is required to convene the session within 14 days of receiving the motion, a deadline which would fall on March 21.
But the date was pushed back several days because of the Islamic Foreign Ministers’ Conference in the capital Islamabad scheduled for March 22.
The opposition alliance needs a simple majority of 172 lawmakers in the country’s 342-strong lower house of parliament, the National Assembly. At present, opposition parties control 162 members. However, they claim that they do have the support of 28 parliamentarians belonging to Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and its allies. The PTI has 155 lawmakers in the National Assembly, and thus, relies on the support from coalition parties to stay in power.
However, cracks have started emerging in the ruling coalition amid corruption allegations against the government. In light of this, at least three parties of the six-member coalition government are considering supporting the opposition’s no-confidence motion, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi said in an interview on March 15. In an effort to woo smaller parliamentary parties, opposition parties earlier this month agreed to offer Elahi, whose Pakistan Muslim League (Q) party is a key government partner, the chief minister post in Punjab province [see AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]. [The Straits Times 1]
Crucially, the country's powerful military, which is considered by many as largely responsible for Khan’s election win in 2018, says it is completely “neutral” in the current political crisis, possibly indicating a widening gap between the prime minister and the military establishment.
Against this backdrop, Pakistan’s government asked the Supreme Court on March 21 to advise if it could seek lifelong disqualification of dissidents from the ruling PTI. This came after Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the party had formally asked dissident members to clarify their positions within seven days or face consequences. [The Straits Times 2]
Furthermore, as he fights for his political life, Khan is pushing a narrative that depicts the vote of no confidence as part of a conspiracy by foreign powers in the west to topple his government, which is no longer willing to support the actions of the west and NATO as they did during the “war on terror”. Previously, the prime minister had lashed out at Islamabad-based diplomats of 22 countries, who had jointly called on Pakistan to support a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine [see AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2]. [The Guardian]
Moreover, Khan has called on the public to show support for his premiership by holding a “million-man” rally in Islamabad on March 27.
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura
Pakistan: Brother’s acquittal in Qandeel Baloch murder challenged
(lm) The government of Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province has filed an appeal in with the country’s Supreme Court against the acquittal of Waseem Baloch, the brother of murdered social media star Qandeel Baloch. [Al Jazeera] [Gulf News]
Waseem was sentenced to life in prison in 2019 after confessing to killing Qandeel for posting what he called “shameful” pictures on Facebook. The case became Pakistan’s most high profile “honor killing” of recent years — where women are punished, or killed, by male relatives for purportedly bringing taunting and embarrassment to a family's reputation. But a Pakistani appeals court in February acquitted Waseem after he had filed a claim that his confession had been coerced by police [see AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3].
The appeal was filed on March 18, but the Supreme Court has yet to fix a date for the hearing.
Sri Lanka: Anti-government protesters try to storm president’s office over economic crisis
(lm) A huge crowd tried to storm the office of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa when members of the political opposition led a march of anti-government protesters through the capital Colombo on March 15, as anger grows over South Asia’s worst economic crisis. [ABC News] [NBC News] [South China Morning Post]
The demonstration was spearheaded by members of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (United People’s Power) alliance, a catch-all organization led by opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. Addressing the protesters, Premadasa accused the Rajapaksa administration of mismanaging the economy and creating a foreign exchange crisis that has led to shortages of food, medicine and other essential goods. [Al Jazeera 1]
In recent days, Sri Lankan political commentators have speculated about the possibility of President Rajapaksa forming a new national unity government to allow him to better tackle the crisis. However, one key political figure who is not a member of the current government, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, on March 15 rejected such rumors and said the country needs a new national consensus, not a new government. He also admitted the opposition is “fragmented.” [The Hindu]
Sri Lanka has experienced economic stress for months, driven in great part by the COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating toll on the country’s tourism industry. Foreign exchange reserves have fallen 70 percent in the last two years to about USD 2.3 billion, leaving the Indian Ocean island nation struggling to pay for essential imports, including food and fuel. Moreover, Colombo is due to repay more than USD 6 billion in debt this year, including a sovereign bond of USD 1 billion maturing in July.
Against this backdrop, President Rajapaksa’s government said earlier it will begin talks next month with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for assistance [see AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]. The Washington-based lender on March 18 confirmed it was considering President Rajapaksa’s surprise request to discuss a bailout.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa on March 17 flew to India to sign a USD 1-billion credit line previously agreed with New Delhi to bring in key imports of medicine, food and fuel [see AiR No. 49, December/2021, 1]. That loan was on top of another USD 500 million Indian credit line to help its island neighbor import refined petrol and diesel from Indian suppliers [see AiR No. 6, February/2022, 2]. [Al Jazeera 2]
Sri Lanka: Government deploys troops to oversee fuel distribution
(lm) The government of crisis-hit Sri Lanka has ordered the military to post soldiers at hundreds of petrol stations across the country to help distribute fuel after at least three people died while waiting in long queues. Sri Lanka has been hit by severe fuel shortages for several months as a result of an acute economic crisis in the country. Record levels of inflation amid food shortages and rising prices have forced several families to go hungry. [The Straits Times]
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in Southeast Asia
Brunei: Energy Ministry plans to boost crude production following new upstream discovery
(bs) The Sultanate of Brunei is planning to enhance oil and gas production following the new upstream discovery of 42 million barrels of oil in 2021. The country’s Energy Minister announced the intention to carry out further oil and gas exploration throughout 2022 by drilling offshore wells.
While the objective is to boost the oil and gas export, aiming to sell 300,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, industry analysts remain skeptical. In fact, according to national sources, Brunei’s crude production saw a drastic decrease since 2020 due to the covid pandemic. The country reported the lowest record at 97,100 barrels per day in the third quarter of 2021. [Energy Voice]
Cambodia: Government agreed on election safety measures
(bs) On March 18, the potential opposition Candlelight Party, a reincarnation of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), met with the Ministry of Interior Secretary of State to discuss safety measures in the protection of the integrity of the upcoming elections. The Ministry agreed to implement effective actions to prevent intimidation of the party’s members and to begin investigations in the arrest of two Candlelight Party’s activists.
During the meeting, the party also proposed the establishment of a joint committee to handle disputes arising from the elections. While the proposal was dismissed, the ministry ensured the party that it will encourage the National Election Commission to implement more effective measures to tackle election-related issues.
Cambodian communal elections are scheduled for June 5. According to experts, the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) is likely to be the frontrunner across the country. However, the Candlelight Party and two other major parties, namely FUNCINPEC and Khmer National United Party, seem to be increasingly popular on a national level. The communal poll’s result will be a test for the 2023 national polls. [AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3] [Radio Free Asia]
Cambodia: Rights group urge condemnation of mass political trials in Cambodia
(bs) Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to condemn Cambodian mass political trials against opposition members and other grave human rights violations in the country during the upcoming session scheduled for March 29. HRW particularly referred to the ruling of a Cambodian court that convicted 20 members of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) claiming that the trial was unfair, based on “no credible evidence,” and aimed at holding back political opponents. The CNRP was dissolved in 2017 after its leader Kem Sokha was arrested for his alleged involvement in a plot to overthrow Prime Minister Hun Sen, and sentenced to five to ten years in jail for “incitement,” “inciting military personnel to disobedience,” and “conspiracy.” Seven people were convicted in absentia while the prosecutor asked the court to release an arrest warrant for their repatriation.
Since the Supreme Court dissolved the party, several opposition politicians and activists fled the country fearing arbitrary arrest on political grounds. In 2019, the authorities arrested over 125 CNRP former members and supporters sentencing around 78 of them. [Human Rights Watch]
Cambodia: Inhumane prison conditions under scrutiny of UN Human Rights Committee
(bs) Overcrowded Cambodian prisons might violate the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, said a report by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee. The committee reported that inmates have insufficient sleeping space, access to clean water, or fresh air. They are also provided with inadequate sanitation and limited access to health care.
Cambodian authorities have claimed to have been working on the issue by reducing accumulated court cases, suspending sentences, reducing the number of people held in pre-trial detention, and investigating cases of torture in prison after receiving reports of officials torturing inmates in pre-trial detention.
Cambodia’s prisons have for long been operating at 343 percent of their capacity, hosting 38,977 inmates in a space that is supposed to hold up to 8,804 people. According to the Ministry of Interior’s General Department of Prisons, the number of inmates has been reduced to about 37,000 from 2019.
The UN Human Rights Committee is expected to issue observations and recommendations on the issue by March 25. [Radio Free Asia]
Cambodia: Authorities arrest 200 protesters, released 8 union leaders involved in casino strikes
(bs) Cambodian authorities arrested another 200 casino workers striking to ask for the reinstatement of 365 former employees who were unfairly laid off in 2021 and for better labor conditions at the Hong Kong-based NagaWorld casino. According to one worker, the police physically abused the strikers and took their cell phones. [Radio Free Asia 1]
Two days earlier, on March 14, eight out of eleven NagaWorld Casino union leaders, who were detained since late 2021, were released on bail. Protesters urged the authorities, however, to drop all the charges against all 11 leaders and release the three people who were still kept in detention. [Radio Free Asia 2]
The strikes have been harshly repressed by the Cambodian authorities which claims that they are sponsored by foreign donors who seek to overthrow the government [AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]. Rights groups have condemned the enforcement of “special” restrictive measures for the casino workers including allegedly illegal arrests and detentions of over 200 for violating COVID restrictions. [AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2]
The government reiterated the “Temporary Management Warrant” issued by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on December 16, 2021, states that NagaWorld strikes were illegal. Moreover, it also invited the involved parties to a meeting to continue negotiations. [Khmer Times]
Indonesia: Two people killed in protest against separation of Papua in autonomous provinces
(bs) On March 16, the Indonesian police shot and killed two people during a protest against the government’s plan to divide the Indonesian region of Papua into six new autonomous provinces. During the demonstration, several protesters and one police officer were injured in clashes.
Criticism began in December 2021 when an official government statement announced the intention to deliberate on a bill in 2022 to establish new administrative provinces in Papua as a means to enhance the local economy and social welfare. This Special Autonomy Law has been passed and is now being reviewed by the Constitutional Court to determine its legality.
Some groups, while agreeing with the plan to split the region into smaller units to ensure indigenous Papuans better access to social services are opposing the creation of autonomous provinces within the region. Others principally refuse the bill.
Amnesty International Indonesia urged the Indonesian government to include Papuan people in the negotiations on the potential amendments in the provincial structure of the region. The group also appealed to the government asking it to conduct thorough investigations on the alleged human rights abuses against the indigenous Papuan community. [The Jakarta Post]
Since the region was incorporated into Indonesia in 1969, indigenous Papuans have been involved in conflicts with the authorities due to the differences in culture and ethnicity with the Indonesian people. The Indonesian police have attempted to repress the protests through extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, restrictions on movement, and freedom of expression. [ABC News] [Benar News]
In early March, the United Nations (UN) released a statement condemning the “shocking abuses” against indigenous people in Papua, urging the deployment of humanitarian aid to the region. These abuses were probed after the UN received several petitions in 2021 to investigate extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearance, torture, and the forced displacement of over 5,000 Papuans. The Indonesian permanent mission to the UN had immediately objected to the statement claiming that it was based on outdated information. According to the report, the escalation of violence in Papua since 2018 has caused the internal displacement of some 60,000 people. [AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2]
Indonesia: Local community support alleged slavery and torture of caged works as drug rehabilitation practices
(bs) Local people in North Sumatra expressed their support for the controversial practices used by Terbit Rencana Perangin Angin, a district head in the region, in an alleged rehabilitation center for drug abusers.
In January, Terbit, following his arrest for allegedly accepting USD 5.4 million in bribes for infrastructure projects, was found guilty of modern slavery, torture, and illegal incarceration for accommodating around 3,000 palm oil plantation workers in iron-barred prison cells in his backyard since 2012. The workers were allegedly locked, beaten, rarely fed, and their salaries were left unpaid. He denied the police’s speculations on him using caged people as plantation workers, instead claiming that the cages were meant to help drug abusers as a part of rehabilitation programs. His claims were supported by the local community, who rejected the accusations that the practices would amount to torture or slavery. Conversely, they praised the project, saying that several people recovered from their drug addictions after their period spent under Terbit’s guidance. Nonetheless, the police investigation found human remains in the property and evidence of sexual assault on some of the detainees.
According to a manager of Addiction Recovery Community Association (Perkumpulan PEKA), a local organization that provides drug addiction treatments in community-based centers in North Sumatra, local villagers often rely on the cheapest and simplest rehabilitation options available as drug addiction issues are increasingly widespread throughout the country. In the same light, an associate professor of Public Health at Monash University Indonesia said that “In a legal and social environment such as Indonesia where drugs are viewed as an ultimate social evil, and those who use drugs are highly stigmatized and dehumanized, it is inevitable that inhuman and degrading treatment will occur.” [South China Morning Post]
Indonesia: Senior politicians support constitutional extension of presidential term
(bs) Several senior members of the parliament have expressed their support to the controversial proposal of amending the Constitution to extend the presidential term of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) from the possible maximum presidential terms to three instead of two. President Jokowi is currently terminating his second five-year term. Article 7 of Indonesia's Constitution rules that “the President and Vice President shall hold office for a term of five years and may subsequently be reelected to the same office for one further term only.”
Indonesian laws on constitutional amendments govern that any constitutional change would require a majority vote in a joint session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (Indonesia´s National Assembly). However, Jokowi’s own Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), which controls 80 percent of the House of Representatives, and has not yet provided a clear stance on the party’s position regarding the move.
According to some experts, such a constitutional amendment could be a threat to the country´s democracy. They specifically referred to the case of President Suharto, who maintained an authoritarian regime for three decades, from 1967 to 1998, before being forced out of office. [AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3] [Reuters]
Indonesia: Government raises maximum taxation on palm oil export
(bs) Indonesia has raised the maximum taxation on palm oil export by a new regulation. The progressive export taxation was increased to USD 375 per ton of crude palm oil in an attempt to reach the international market competition, where prices are over USD 1,500 per ton.
The move comes after Indonesia announced the plan to remove palm oil export volume restrictions in early 2022. However, failing to achieve the expected goals in the cooking oil market price, the parliament is ready to restrict exports volume again. Since January, when the price surged 40 percent, the country is facing a major shortage of cooking oil which is made from refined crude palm oil.
Indonesian suppliers, in an attempt to survive the shortage, are increasingly diverting their output to the production of biodiesel, a combination between palm oil and diesel fuel used as an alternative fuel for road vehicles. The project began in 2008 with the country aiming to reduce the import of crude oil and refined petroleum and promote their domestic consumption. The government had also allocated an annual USD-3.6-billion fund to encourage palm oil producers to supply biodiesel companies. [Reuters] [Wion News]
Laos: Revelations about drug kingpin’s luxury life
(bs) Two weeks after a Lao Court sentenced Sisouk Daoheuang to death for drug trafficking, money laundering, and illegal firearm trading, authorities revealed some of his financial activities.
According to them, Sisouk utilized the money to buy lands and trade luxury vehicles. He had also established a bridge construction business in 1997 with the money he earned from his transnational drug trafficking trade.
The drug kingpin was arrested in northern Thailand in March 2017 after fleeing the Bangkok authorities that two months earlier arrested his accomplice, Xaysana Keopimpha, and sentenced him to life imprisonment after he agreed to cooperate with the authorities.
According to the Vientiane People’s Prosecutor, Sisouk sold drugs to a Malaysian citizen who transferred THB 144,000 (USD 4,326) to Sisouk as payment for 320 kilograms of amphetamines between 2015 and 2016.
Sisouk is believed to be linked to another drug kingpin, Khonpasong Soukkaseum, who was sentenced to death along with his wife in 2020 by the Vientiane People’s Court for drug trafficking and money laundering.
Although Laos remains one of the countries that still retains the death penalty for major drug offenses, the last recorded execution was in 1989. However, sources speculate that Laos might also have executed a 29-year-old man convicted for drug trafficking in 2017. [AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2] [Radio Free Asia, in Lao] [Vientiane Times $]
Malaysia: Opposition party accepts defeat in Johor elections, talks begin for general elections
(gl) In the wake of the Johor state election results that saw the Barisan Nasional (BN) – the party coalition ruling also on the federal level - emerge victoriously, the presidential committee of the opposition party, Pakatan Harapan (PH), has accepted defeat and vowed to “overcome its weaknesses.” The PH Presidential Council will also discuss the party’s readiness to participate in the upcoming 15th General Election, which is expected to see the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the leading party in the BN, in a forerunner position. [New Straits Times]
The Deputy UMNO Youth Chief stated that BN should openly declare its intention to administer the country on its own should they win the election, as this would prevent rumors of corruption. Meanwhile, the UMNO information chief commented on the importance of putting aside differences within the party in order to win the general election (GE15). [Free Malaysia Today]
According to UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, talks will begin within the party that ruled the country with a brief interruption since its independence, to discuss the upcoming general elections. [Malay Mail]
Malaysia: Court dismisses former Prime Minister’s application for new evidence in graft case
(gl) The Federal Court has dismissed former prime minister Najib Razak’s bid to overturn his conviction in the SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption case. Najib attempted to bring to the court new evidence. [New Straits Times]
A panel of five judges unanimously rejected the application on the grounds that Najib had failed to show what new evidence he wanted to adduce and that his arguments were the same as his last appeal in 2021, which was also dismissed. [The Star]
Najib was accused of misappropriating a total of USD 7.6 million (RM32 million) in December 2014, and an additional USD 2.4 million (RM10 million) in February 2015, which were a part of two loans from the Retirement Fund Inc (KWAP) to SRC. This occurred during his time as prime minister, finance minister and SRC International adviser emeritus.
He was found guilty on seven charges and sentenced to 12 years in jail and a fine of USD 49.8 million (RM210 million). [Free Malaysia Today]
Malaysia: Trust account funds to repay debts on corruption scandal
(gl) The One Malaysia Development Berhad’s (1MDB) Assets Recovery Trust Account has reportedly still a balance of USD 3.7 billion (RM15.76 billion) to repay most of the interest and principals on 1MDB’s debt in 2022. USD 363 million (RM1.53 billion) were allocated to make up for the shortfall of the funds, says Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz. [Malay Mail]
However, the government still owes over USD 4 billion (RM17 billion) for the purpose of settling the principal and interest on 1MDB’s debt for the period of 2022 to 2039. [The Malaysian Reserve]
It is estimated that at least US$4.5 billion were stolen from 1MDB between 2009 and 2014. The scandal implicated high-level officials, including Malaysia’s then-Prime Minister Najib Razak, banks, and financial institutions, such as Goldman Sachs in the United States. [AiR No. 19, May/2021, 2]
Currently, former Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz's husband, Datuk Tawfiq Ayman, is also linked to 1MDB and police is preparing to travel to Singapore to gather evidence for a probe. He is being investigated under Section 4 (1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 due to the receipt of funds linked to 1MDB in his bank account in Singapore. [New Straits Times]
Tim Leissner, former Goldman Sachs who is a star witness in Roger Ng’s ongoing 1MDB case in New York, had also testified in February 2022 that Tawfiq received bribes, which Tawfiq denied. [The Star]
Malaysia: Labour Department launches nationwide operation on forced labour, human trafficking
(gl) A nationwide operation has been launched by the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) to remedy the issue of forced labor and human trafficking. [The Star]
The operation, dubbed ‘Ops Banteras’, is underway in Peninsular Malaysia and the Federal Territory of Labuan and has involved two raids. Head of the operation in Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory, JTKSM deputy director-general (Operations) Mohd Asri Abd Wahab, said the raids involved a construction site and retail outlet. Both premises had employed 134 workers, 124 of which were foreign, with 10 locals. [Malay Mail]
The businesses were found to be in breach of several major offenses under the Employment Act 1955 for failing to report the employment of foreign workers. They had failed to submit an application for the appropriate certificates, committed offenses under Section 24D of the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Amendments 2019 (Act 446) and employed workers who did not have valid travel documents.
A total of 1,285 investigating papers under Act 446 have also been opened in the last year, 135 of them receiving approval to prosecute. The fines come to a total of USD 239,022 (RM1,007,000). [The Edge Markets]
Myanmar: Shadow government announces funding of its armed wing by donations
(cmsk) On March 17, National Unity Government Defense Minister Yee Mon announced that the activities and the establishment of the People’s Democratic Force (PDF), the party’s armed wing, were funded through public donations totaling USD 30 million. However, foreign governments had not yet given any financial aid for the PDF, according to the NUG minister. [BNI]
The NUG is the Myanmar government in exile that was formed by democratically elected lawmakers whose government was ousted by the 2021 coup.
Seven percent of funds were allocated to NUG allies fighting the junta. The minister said a victory over the junta could be possible if the PDF and its affiliates worked strategically. The minister also acknowledged facing difficulties in finding funding and suppliers, and in the distribution of weapons. [The Irrawaddy]
Myanmar: Court ousted democratic leaders on corruption charges
(cmsk/ny) Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s military ousted leader, appeared in court to face corruption charges for allegedly taking USD 600,000 worth of gold from a party colleague, a charge she has denied. Her former National League for Democracy (NLD) colleague and current Chief Minister of Yangon Region Phyo Min Thein testified against Kyi during the trial. He is the only NLD leader still in the country who has not been imprisoned. [The Irrawaddy 1]
After her government was ousted by the Myanmar military junta in February 2021, Kyi was arrested for a series of eleven alleged crimes including corruption. Thus far, the court’s verdicts have sentenced her to six years in prison. If convicted of the entire slew of charges in the eyes of the Myanmar court, the leader could face life imprisonment. [AiR No. 3, January 2022, 3] [Myanmar Now]
Ousted NLD Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture, Aung Ko, was likewise sentenced to 12 years in prison in relation to corruption charges. Before joining the NLD in 2016, the former Brigadier General held a ministerial position in the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) government, a proxy party of the military.
While the minister is known for his controversial anti-Muslim remarks, he also was instrumental in launching prosecution of Buddhist hate-preaching monk Wirathu and in disbanding the military-linked Buddhist nationalist and anti-Muslim group Ma Ba Tha, which, however, renamed itself the Buddha Dhamma Parahita Foundation. [Myanmar Now] [Irrawaddy 2]
Myanmar: New UN Human Rights Commissioner´s report on human rights abuses
(cmsk) On March 15, The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a report on the overall human rights situation in Myanmar since February 1, 2021. On the basis of its findings, the report found that human rights violations and atrocities in Myanmar may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
According it, over 440,000 people have been displaced since February 2021 and as many as 14.4 million are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Junta forces are claimed to targeting civilians, including by using explosive weapons in populated areas as the junta is said to have become increasingly reliant on air power deployed against its opponents.
The report calls on the junta to cease armed action on the basis of the five-point consensus, a regional peace agreement to end violence and atrocities in Myanmar, drafted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in April 2021. Acknowledging that actions by the international community had been limited in scope, the report also stated that the five-point consensus had not yet achieved any “tangible results.” Other OHCHR recommendations to the international community included placing sanctions on Myanmar in an effort to cut off the military's arms supply and to sever ties with businesses associated with the military government. [UN News]
Myanmar: Armed conflict continues
(cmsk/ny) Meanwhile, the armed conflict in Myanmar continues to ravage the country. Among the recent incidents is a case in which forces of the military junta razed a city slum in Rakhine state leaving hundreds of people homeless. The junta stated that the move was part of its campaign to strengthen the “rule of law.” However, according to an observer the attack was launched either to root out members of resistance forces or to clear up the area for lucrative land deals for military officers. [Radio Free Asia]
In the Yinmabin Township of southwestern Sagaing Region, members of the “Hero Tiger Force”, an anti-junta guerrilla group, narrowly escaped military attacks. The rebel group claims to have been laying defensive mines around its bases when a junta column of 150 soldiers attacked its forces from a still vulnerable direction. Southern Sagaing saw heavy attacks by the military in February, causing 17,000 civilians to flee from a single township alone. [Myanmar Now] [AiR, No. 7, February/2022, 3]
Meanwhile, in Mawlaik Township of northwestern Sagaing, the People’s Democratic Force (PDF), the armed wing of the National Unity Government in exile, claims to have killed one junta military captain, two junta soldiers and three members of the junta aligned Pyu Saw Htee militia. The PDF also claims to have seized the PSH’s training camp. [Mizzima]
During the same week, on March 14, violence broke out in Kyainseikgyi Township of Kayin State between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), an ethnic armed organization, and the military. Four members of the KNLA are said to have been injured and three junta soldiers killed. Ten other junta members, including a captain, were also allegedly captured by the KLNA. Four civilians died amidst the clashes, according to the KLNA’s political unit. [The Irrawaddy 1]
In the Shan State, a two-day battle erupted between a PDF Battalion and the junta military following the destruction of a communications tower by the PDF. According to a PDF fighter, 50 junta soldiers were killed in the exchange. [BNI]
Also, along the border of Kayah and Shan State, artillery and airstrikes by the military junta have driven PDF forces into retreat. The PDF leader of Demoso Township said his forces had run out of ammunition, allowing the latest junta attacks to penetrate further south into Kayah State. With fighting continuing across the state, an increasing number of supply routes have been blocked or are left vulnerable to attack. According to a local human rights group, many civilians are now without access to food. Military operations in the region are thought to have intensified after a visit to visit Kayah by General She Win and Home Affairs Minister, Lieutenant General Soe Htut, in February. [Irrawaddy 2] [The Irrawaddy 3]
Myanmar: International firms finalize exit from Myanmar
(cmsk)The Norwegian company Telenor, one of Myanmar’s biggest telecommunications companies, has received the green light to sell its operations in the country after a lengthy process.
In September 2021, the company announced it would sell its Myanmar operations to avoid the sanctions imposed on Myanmar by the European Union. Telenor’s initial proposal to sell its Myanmar stakes to the Lebanese M1 Group was rejected by the military administration in line with the junta’s demands that the sale is made to a local company.
Telenor will now hand over its operations to the local Shwe Byain Phyu Group with M1 Group only as a minority owner. Known for its reputed ties to the military, Shwe Byain Phyu Group will hold 80% of the company. Civil rights groups are concerned about the possibility of 18 million users’ data being handed over to the junta. [Reuters]
In early February, Telenor was condemned by international rights groups for providing the junta with sensitive data of its customers. Although, the military government found the legal basis for its requests in Article 77 of the 2013 Telecommunications Law, according to which the ministry can suspend services, intercept communications, and temporarily control services in “emergency situations.”
The sale announcement was immediately followed by an appeal from the network of Norwegian civil society groups urging for an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity by Telenor for providing the military junta facilitating the junta’s perpetrations against pro-democracy activists and opponents by providing sensitive data. The sale could violate Chapter 16 of the Norwegian Penal Code on genocide and crimes against humanity. [AiR No. 9, March/2022, 1]
Another international company that announced its exit from Myanmar is the French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies. The company sold its equity to PTT Exploration and Production Public (PTTEP), a subsidiary of a Thai national energy company, and Chevron, TotalEnergies’ American partner. TotalEnergies’ withdrawal from its oil and gas field in Yadana and surrender of its gas transportation pipeline will take effect in July 2022. TotalEnergies has withdrawn without seeking financial compensation for its assets. While Chevron had also previously announced plans for withdrawal, the American company notes that the increased shares will give Chevron more control over arrangements with future buyers. The takeover by Chevron and PTTEP could also prevent Myanmar’s National Oil and Gas company from expanding its operations in the Yadana gas field. According to Human Rights Watch, natural gas projects are Myanmar’s single largest source of foreign currency revenue, generating more than USD 1 billion annually. [Bangkok Post] [Bloomberg Quint]
The Philippines: First presidential debate
(dvr) The first Commission of Elections (Comelec) presidential debate was held on March 19. Major topics of the debate focused on the current increase in fuel prices and cost of living pushing many Filipinos back into poverty. The agricultural policy also took center stage.
Sens. Ping Lacson and Manny Pacquiao and Vice President Leni Robredo stated that they plan on recovering the economy through investing in Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMe). Candidate Manny Pacquiao promised that within his first year in office, he would implement a free housing project for Filipinos. Former presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella, labor leader Leody de Guzman, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso stated that they all plan on boosting agriculture to help the Philippines' economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. de Guzman noted that increases in agriculture will create jobs and improve food security. [Philstar 1] [Manila Bulletin 1]
Current presidential front-runner Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was conspicuously absent from the debate, giving other candidates opportunities to attack his controversial campaign and income tax plan. Comelec is deciding whether put sanctions on candidates who skip future debates after Marcos Jr. did not attend. [Manila Bulletin 2]
The stand-out candidate appeared to be vice-president Leni Robredo who answered questions on the pandemic, infrastructure programs, and the education crisis. Robredo stated that “true leaders show up and man up” and claimed that the “best man for the job is a woman.” She also used the opportunity to address the increased fake news targeting her. [Manila Bulletin 3] [Rappler]
The Philippines: Despite controversy, Marcos Jr. leads in polls
(dvr) The most recent opinion polls, taken March 13, reveal Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remaining ahead in the presidential race with a 60 percent majority and his running partner Sara Duterte, daughter of the current president Rodrigo Duterte, leading the vice-presidential contest. The closest rival to Marcos Jr. is the current vice president Leni Robredo with 15 percent. Marcos Jr. is still awaiting endorsement from President Duterte. [CNN Philippines 1] [Reuters] [Manila Times]
The election on May 9 may have a historically high turnout with 67 million Filipinos already registered to vote. Marcos Jr.’s detractors fear that if he wins the elections with a greater than 50 percent of vote, it will allow him to form a majority government granting him executive power to reverse many of the policies and institutions that were put in place after his father was exiled.
Marco Jr.‘s presidential campaign has been surrounded by controversy with multiple unsuccessful petitions to disqualify him amid allegations of unpaid taxes. Most recently, a number of news and social media sites have accused Marcos Jr. of alleged vote-buying at rallies through the distribution of white envelopes containing money. Commission of Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Garcia made a statement that additional evidence would be needed for the claim to be taken into legal consideration. [CNN Philippines 2] [AiR No. 9, March/2022, 1][Rappler 1]
The Philippines: Presidential candidates targeted by fake news
(dvr) A recent study from FactsFirstPH has found that there is significant polarization between the supporters of presidential candidates vice president Leni Robredo and Ferdinand Marcos Jr., leading to the facilitation of fake news. [Rappler 1]
Guest lecturer Yvonne Chua at the University of the Philippines cited her collaborative study with Associate Professor Maria Diosa Labiste, finding that misinformation has mainly targeted the two front runners Robredo and Marcos Jr. Robredo whereas Marcos Jr, received mainly positive branding. Common misinformation surrounding the two candidates are poll cheating, competence, disaster response, character, campaign, red-tagging, and endorsement.
Vera Files Fact Check study from January 1 to December 10, 2021, found that Robredo was the most targeted personality with misinformation mainly through the use of false quotes to make her look nonsensical. [Rappler 2]
Robredo spoke out against social media platforms during the presidential debate on March 19, stating that they should be made accountable for the misinformation they are spreading. Last week Robredo had to make a public announcement after there was a false quote circulating online insinuating that she was a supporter of the exiled Communist Party of the Philippines leader a hero and if elected she would bring him home. [AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3] [Manila Bulletin][Reuters]
At the first Commission of Elections Presidential debate on March 19, a survey was cited stating that 69 percent of Filipino adults believe fake news is a problem while 51 percent of them find it difficult to identify. All candidates agreed that there needs to be action taken to fight fake news. [Rappler 3]
The Philippines: Cordillera and Bangsamoro autonomous region
(dvr) On March 16, during the forum for the Bangsamoro Agenda 2022, representatives of the current presidential candidates announced their plans for the Bangsamoro and Cordillera region with five wanting to improve the region and implement the Cordillera Organic Law for the creation of Cordillera Autonomous Region. [Rappler 1] [Philstar 1]
Mandates were included in the 1987 Constitution calling for Muslim Mindanao and the Cordilleras to become autonomous regions. In 2018, Bangsamoro (Muslim Mindanao) was granted greater fiscal and political autonomy through the signing of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, however, Cordilleras is still awaiting its Organic Law as two previous versions were rejected in 1990 and 1998.
The Moro people of Bangsamoro have been subjected to decades-long struggles for self-determination facing injustices and massacres during the martial law period under dictator Ferdinand Marcos, such as the controversial Jabidah Massacre of at least 28 young recruits. Seen as a historical injustice among Moro advocates, the event has been declared by Marcos Jr. supporters as a hoax. [Rappler 2]
A representative of presidential candidate and vice president Leni Robredo stated that if she is elected, there are plans to create a cabinet to help support development in the Bangsamoro region. Senator Koko Pimentel representing presidential candidate senator Manny Pacquiao stated that he would be very involved in the region since he is from Mindanao and supports autonomy over feudalism and the right to self-determination. Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson representative stated that the president should be involved in the general supervision and that he has plans for a consultation involving stakeholders. [Inquirer 1]
At the forum, the situation of Non-Moro indigenous peoples (IP) was discussed. Feeling that through its suspension of local law, the Bangsamoro Act had taken rights away that was given to them under national laws such as the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (Ipra). Their major concern is that the Bangsamoro government has stopped them from titling their ancestorial lands and has subjected them to rampant land grabbing violating agreements set out in the Bangsamoro Organic Law. [Inquirer 2]
The Bangsamoro government is yet to endorse a presidential candidate but has made clear that they cannot support somebody who will bring back “horrors of the past.” While representatives of Bangsamoro did not make clear who was implied in this statement, it is assumed the reference is Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos. [Inquirer 4] [Inquirer3]
The Philippines: Law signed to institute equal education for disabilities
(dvr) On March 11, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act (RA) No. 11650, the “Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act,” ordering new regulations for all public and private schools to introduce inclusive education for all children for early and basic education curriculum.
Save the Children Philippines Chief Executive Officer Alberto Muyot has stated that disabled children have long been impacted by inequality of education. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, five in ten Filipino families with disabled children have limited access to learning and are at even greater risk of falling behind. [Manila Bulletin1] [Manila Bulletin2] [Rappler] [PNA]
The Philippines: Support for Filipinos amid rising cost of living
(dvr) In response to rising prices, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has requested that President Rodrigo Duterte order the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPB) to approve a wage increase. TUCP president Raymond Democrito Mendoza stated that five million Filipinos are living at minimum wage, explaining that this is not enough to support a family given the current situation of rising prices and can quickly create social tensions. [Philstar 1]
The Department of Finance's (DOF's) has decided to apply USD 630 million for cash assistance to help the bottom 50 percent of earners, giving them only an additional PHP 200 (USD 3.80) per month. Senator Grace Poe criticized this policy, calling it a “pittance” that is insufficient relief finding support in Senator and vice-presidential candidate Francis Pangilinan. Presidential candidate Leni Robredo also stated that it is too little amount. [Philstar 2]
To tackle increasing fuel prices to reduce the flow-on effect to the consumers, utility drivers will receive another round of fuel subsidies for April. Duterte is looking for additional options to ease the pressure of rising fuel prices by suggesting a four-day work week—with increased daily work hours to make up for the lost day—to reduce the costs of commuting. [Manila Bulletin 1][Manila Bulletin 2][Philstar 3][Rappler]
The Philippines: Mass surrender of ‘rebel terrorists’
(dvr) 75 alleged communist rebels and Muslim terrorists surrendered to various units of the 6th Infantry Division (6ID) on March 18. 39 were identified members of ISIS-inspired terror groups, 33 were fighters of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), 12 were from the BIFF-Karialan faction, and six were from Dawlah Islamiya (DI). The fighters surrendered 37 high-powered firearms and a number of rocket-propelled grenades, grenade launchers, mortar, warhead rockets, and anti-personnel mines. [Philstar 1][Manila Bulletin]
The surrender comes after President Duterte made a statement on March 17, calling for New People Army members to capitulate and end the communist rebellion, adding that 53 years of conflict is “too much.” [PNA] [Philstar 2]
Rebel commanders and high-ranking officers claimed that they are happy to surrender and receive livelihood assistance.
Lt. Gen. Alfredo Rosario Jr., chief of the Western Mindanao Command stated that this is a “laudable accomplishment” and called on further rebels in the south to surrender and receive the benefits of various government programs which would give them the chance to live safely with their families. [Manila Times]
Thailand: Early elections could doom Thai Prime Minister
(gl) The growing divisions in Prime Minister (PM) General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s coalition could lead to an early election, which would produce unfavorable results for Prayuth, analysts say.
The criticisms the prime minister faces include his mismanagement of Covid-19, a depressed pandemic economy and tensions over large pro-democracy protests that have occurred during 2021 and early 2022. [Bangkok Post]
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said the elections could be held as early as November 2022 after Thailand hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit. This is months earlier ahead of the PM's term ending in March 2023
The opposition party has called for a no-confidence debate when parliament resumes in May in hopes General Prayut will step down. [Daily Times]
Thailand: New leader elected for Thai Economic Party
(gl) General Wit Devahastin na Ayudhya has been elected as the leader of the Thai Economic Party (TEP), with Thammanat Prompao as its secretary-general.
Both had held senior positions in the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) but resigned before joining TEP. 18 of the members of TEP are former members of PPRP. [Thai PBS]
Wit announced at the general assembly where he was elected that the party’s aim was to secure at least 100 House seats in the next general election scheduled for 2023.
They have not yet announced their prime ministerial candidate. [Bangkok Post]
Thailand: Arrest warrant issued for politicians over Rohingya trafficking case
(gl) Member of Parliament Rangsiman Rome of Thailand’s opposition Move Forward Party has been served an arrest warrant after failing twice to report to police in the past month in response to official summonses. He is accused of defamation over allegations he made during the general debate in parliament on February 18, in relation to the trafficking of Rohingya migrants in 2015, when more than 30 bodies of trafficked Rohingya were discovered on the southern Thai border. [Thai PBS]
The allegation was in relation to Pol Maj Gen Paween Pongsirin, formerly the country’s lead investigator into human trafficking, who investigated a Rohingya trafficking network in Thailand’s South. The investigation led to the prosecution of several government officials and military officers. Civic organizations have also called for an investigation on the case into Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Mr. Rangsiman claimed during the debate that Pol Maj Gen Paween had been put under pressure from the police and military once the investigation began. He insists that the present warrant is “illegitimate” and that attempts were made to hasten the investigation to have him detained without bail, which would disqualify him from his MP position. [Bangkok Post]
The Rohingya Muslim ethnic minority has not been officially recognized in Myanmar and is seeking refuge in neighboring states. Military attacks against the Rohingya escalated in 2017 and Myanmar was brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on genocide allegations for persecuting the Rohingya community. [AiR No. 9 March/2022]
Thailand: Activist acquitted of royal defamation
(gl) A political activist has been acquitted of lèse-majesté by the lower court due to a lack of evidence and witnesses. Harit Nahaton was accused of the charges in his chat messages that were posted on Facebook Messenger between January and April 2016. The messages were with Nattharika Warathanyawit, another defendant who has since fled the country.
Several security officials, who brought the claim to the courts, claimed to have been granted access to the pair’s Facebook accounts. The defendants have denied giving them their passwords. A university lecturer testifying in Harit’s defense said that the content obtained by the plaintiffs could easily have been doctored. [The Haiger] [Bangkok Post] [The Asian Affairs]
Thailand: Court prohibits Thai student from studying in Germany due to prior activism at German embassy
(kc) On March 15, the Bangkok South Criminal Court barred Ravisara Eksgool from pursuing her graduate study in Germany after her fourth appeal.
Ravisara was one of the protesters who read a German-language statement in the anti-government protest at the German embassy on 26 October 2020 [No. 44, November/2020, 1]. She was subsequently indicted under Article 116 for sedition and Article 112, the lèse-majesté law, for insulting the monarchy. She has been banned from leaving the country. [Thai PBS World]
Rawisara received a scholarship from the German government via the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to study for a master’s degree at the University of Applied Science Osnabrück starting April 2022. The court required her to submit an advance letter of approval to travel for her trial in March 2023. [Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, in Thai]
Thailand: Defense forces to be ready for a security plan to host regional economic cooperation summit
(gl) General Chalermpol Srisawat, chief of Thailand’s defense forces, has ordered for a security plan to be prepared by the police and armed forces, ahead of Thailand’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in November. He highlighted five sectors that could present security challenges: pro-democracy political movements, social and environmental activists, protesters against the military regime in Myanmar, separatists from southern Thailand, and lone wolves with criminal records. [Bangkok Post]
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed concerns over the impact of the current Russia-Ukraine crisis on Thailand’s hosting of the summit, stating that it will depend on how the situation unfolds as to whether the summit goes ahead. [Pattaya Mail]
Defense Ministry spokesman General Kongcheep Tantravanich has also ordered the Army to ensure counterterrorism security, the Public Health Ministry, Navy and Air Force has been tasked with medical transportation, and the police with security and traffic plans. [Nation Thailand]
Thailand will focus its efforts on the earlier Apec meetings in 2022.
Timor-Leste: Nobel Peace Prize laureate wins first round of presidential election
(bs) José Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, won the first round of Timor-Leste’s presidential election with over 20 percent of votes more than his primary opponent and current president Francisco ‘Lú-Olo’ Guterres.
Timor-Leste is voting for its fifth presidential election since the country’s independence from Indonesia in 2002. 16 people are running as presidential candidates, among which there are four women and the current president.
Because José Ramos-Horta won with 46 percent of the vote, right under the threshold needed to avoid a runoff between the two top contenders, the second round of voting is scheduled for April 19. [Aljazeera] [La Prensa Latina]
Vietnam: Company-hired thugs attack hydropower plant protesters
(kc) Thugs with steel pipes attacked protesters from Yao ethnic minority communities in northern Vietnam while they protested a hydropower plant project which would allegedly affect the local fish stocks.
A video revealed dozens of hooligans backed by May Ho Energy Company Ltd. approach and assailed residents with steel tubes who were demonstrating peacefully. The incident quickly escalated when the protesters fought back. The local official laid the blame for the clash on protesters, claiming they assaulted construction workers and injured eight of them, but the protesters denied fault.
A Human Rights Watch (HRW) report in February 2022 suggested that the Vietnamese authorities had used many unlawful tactics to threaten civil activists, including mobilizing thugs. [No. 8, February/2022, 4] [Radio Free Asia]
Vietnam: Coffee farmers protest loss of land rights
(kc) Roughly one hundred coffee growers in Vietnam’s central highlands held a rally on March 17 to protest a court verdict that abrogated their land rights after their decision to stop sending some of their crops to a forestry company that refused to invest in production.
The farmers opted to stop delivering a portion of their product to the landlord company as a rental fee, claiming the company had taken no part in the clearing or fertilizing of the land.
The farmers are from the country's majority Kinh ethnic group, and some claimed that the landowner had never provided them with production inputs or technical assistance. Landlord companies and locals have had longstanding legal disputes overland rights, and acts of violence have also been reported. [Radio Free Asia]
International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia
China counters continuous pressure to condemn war in Ukraine
(jw) Defying growing pressure from the West, China continues to refuse to condemn Russia for the war in Ukraine and to make the US and NATO responsible for the war and harming Russian security interests. In a statement last week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stressed that there is “direct link” between the US government's decision on eastward expansion of the NATO and current crisis in Ukraine, while demanding that the “initiators of the Ukraine crisis […] carefully reflect on their role in it, earnestly assume their due responsibilities, and take practical steps to ease the situation and solve the problem, rather than blame others.” [Xinhua]
In line with this stance, China reiterated its backing for Russian claims accusing the US of support the Ukraine in developing biological weapons in the country and urged the US to abide by the Biological Weapons Convention and clarify the matter. [Global Times 1] [See also AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]
The ministry also rejected NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s call on China to condemn the “brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russia.” Stoltenberg made the state during a press conference ahead of last week’s extraordinary meeting of the NATO defense ministers in which he also warned that the NATO is “closely monitoring any signs of support from China to Russia.” [NATO] [ECNS]
Furthermore, China also tries to keep the Ukraine war off the agenda of the upcoming G20 summit in Indonesia, with Chinese President Xi Jinping arguing in a phone call with his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo that the forum should purely deal with issues related to post-pandemic economic recovery. [SCMP] [Washington Post]
Russia and China dismissed claims that Russia reached out to China with a request for material assistance as disinformation. However, Western concerns that China could undermine sanctions by providing financial or military aid were the central topic of the two-hour phone call between President Biden and President Xi on March 18. Biden reiterated the threat of heavy US sanctions on Chinese entities who undermine western sanctions on Russia but agreed with Xi that China and the US need to work together to promote peace and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Xi urged all parties involved to engage in talks and find a diplomatic solution. [CNBC] [CNN] [Global Times 2] [Politico] [Reuters]
Shortly after the phone call between Xi and Biden, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded that China’s support of “the civilized countries coalition” and its condemnation of “Russian barbarism.” [Aljazeera]
Interestingly, China’s political position towards Russia is also a subject of domestic criticism. In an essay published in the US-China Perception Monitor (USCPM) Shanghai University by academic Hu Wei argues that China needs to cut ties with Russia to not be on the losing side. Otherwise, China might soon be internationally isolated, he claims. The essay got more than a million views in and outside China and spread on Chinese social media before being censored. [The Guardian] [USCPM]
China refrains from providing Russia with large-scale economic support
(jw) While maintaining closed ranks with Russia over the war in Ukraine (see above), China on the economic front shows reluctance to provide support for the Russian economy as trade with Russia only contributes two percent to China’s total trade volume. The People’s Bank of China that controls the trading range of currencies against the Yuan allowed the ruble to fall further thus rendering Chinese exports more expensive for Russian consumers and companies. China’s refusal to provide aircraft parts and its decline to comment on Russian aspirations to convert its Yuan reserves into Euro or Dollar point in the same direction. As western sanctions halted the influx of western currencies and prohibited dealings with the Central Bank of Russia, it is unclear whether Russia has enough dollars and euros to meet its foreign debt obligations. [CNBC] [CNN]
Chinese foreign minister to visit India later this month, reports claim
(lm) Signaling a possible thaw in ties, China’s Foreign Minister and State Councilor Wang Yi is said to be visiting India later this month, the first such visit by a Chinese official since the ongoing border crisis in the mountainous region of Ladakh began in May 2020. Sources confirmed that a proposal for Wang’s visit to New Delhi has been received by India and is under consideration, The Hindu reported on March 16. [The Hindu]
The proposed visit to India is understood to be part of Wang’s travels to South Asia. Last week, Nepali media reported that the Chinese foreign minister would visit Kathmandu on March 26 for a two-day visit to sign an implementation document for projects under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. [see entry in this edition]
If Prime Minister Modi’s government accepts the proposal for the visit, it would mark a shift in its stand that there can be no “business as usual” between the two countries until there is complete disengagement and de-escalation of the massive troop build-up along the India-China border, known as the Line of Actual Control. New Delhi and Beijing concluded their 15th round of talks in the ongoing border crisis earlier this month. But the latest round of talks, like the previous two rounds, ended without any agreement to pull back troops from friction points along the disputed Himalayan border [see AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]. [The Indian Express]
Crucially, Wang’s visit to India would come at a time when both India and China have taken similar positions on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the United Nations. These include votes at the United Nations (UN) Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council and at the International Atomic Energy Agency [see AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]. China is also the incumbent chair of the five-nation grouping of emerging economies, known by its acronym BRICS. [The Diplomat]
Japanese prime minister visits India for ‘candid’ talks on Ukraine, pledges USD 42 billion in investment
(cm/lm) Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held talks with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on March 19, pledging to invest USD 42 billion in India over the next five years. India signed agreements with units of Japan's Suzuki Motor for an investment of around USD 1.4 billion to produce electric vehicles and batteries in Modi's home state Gujarat, but it was not clear if this was part of the larger deal. [Reuters]
Japan has been supporting urban infrastructure development in India, where it proposed to export Japanese high-speed trains, and shares an agreement with the country to exchange supplies and transport duties between the Self-Defense Forces and the Indian Armed Forces. Furthermore, last September Japan pledged a USD 100 million investment in COVID-19 vaccines and treatment drugs with India. [ABC News] [The Japan Times]
The two leaders, whose countries are both members of the four-nation grouping called the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue along with Australia and the United States, also discussed Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, for which Tokyo and New Delhi have taken differing approaches: While Japan has imposed sanctions on dozens of Russians individuals and organizations, India has so far abstained from every vote related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These include votes at the United Nations (UN) Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council and at the International Atomic Energy Agency [see AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3].
New Delhi’s reluctance to censure Moscow was also palpable earlier this month when Prime Minister Kishida, US President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison failed to convince India's Modi to take a tougher line [see AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2]. In light of this, visiting Kishida told Modi that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had shaken the “foundation of international order” and required a clear response. But a joint statement after the talks fell short of condemning Moscow’s actions. [Deutsche Welle] [France24]
The two Prime Ministers also reaffirmed the common goal of a free and open Indo-Pacific, sharing concerns about China’s moves in the region. Tensions between India and China have grown since a confrontation on the disputed border in the Himalayas that killed more than 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers, mirroring the China-Japan territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands, Japan-administered but claimed by Beijing, who has been sending multiple ships and aircrafts to the area.
Nonetheless, India is considering hosting a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi soon, as public sentiment between the two countries has become warmer, having taken similar stances on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As regards Japan, its relationship with Beijing has grown stiffer as Japan has been closely monitoring the mainland’s moves in Taiwan with the US as an ally. [South China Morning Post]
US expands travel bans against Chinese officials
(dql) The US State Department has expanded existing US travel bans against Chinese officials accused of being involved in repressing freedom of speech and religion in China and abroad. The department, however, did not disclose which officials would be targeted under the expanded ban or the number of affected officials.
The move is in line with visa restrictions originally imposed under Donald Trump administrations over China’s treatment of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, as well as in response to crackdowns on pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong and advocates for freedoms in Tibet. [Aljazeera]
Another Chinese telecom firm ejected from US market
(jw) After ongoing disputes over espionage and data-theft by Chinese telecommunication companies operating in the US, the US Federal Communications Commission moved to eject Pacific Networks Corp. and its subsidiary ComNet (USA) LLC from the US market. Pacific Networks thus joined other Chinese telecom companies such as China Unicom Hong Kong Ltd., China Telecom (Americas) Corp., and China Mobile Ltd. who were ejected from or refused to enter the US market.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce accused the US of using unsubstantial security concerns as a pretext to harm Chinese companies. [Global Times] [SCMP]
Chinese agents accused of spying on Chinese dissidents that are politically active in US
(jw) Multiple Chinese agents face charges as prosecutors accuse them of spying and harassing Chinese dissidents living in the US. One case focuses on a congressional candidate assumed to be Xiong Yan who left China after being detained for 19 months following the Tiananmen protests. The Chinese agent identified as Lin Qiming allegedly asked a private investigator to follow the candidate and if necessary manufacture a story that could undermine his candidacy. Prosecutors claimed that he proposed violence against the candidate. [Business Insider] [The Guardian]
Amid deteriorating relations between Australia and China, WTO appoints panel to rule on trade dispute
(jw) After China imposed export tariffs on Australian wine, leading to a heavy decrease of Australian exports to China, the World Trade Organization (WTO) appointed a panel to adjudicate the ongoing dispute. On March 16, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison reiterated his objections to Chinese tariffs while also criticizing China’s relationship with Russia. He echoed concerns over China providing Russia with military support and indicated that Australia would join other western nations in imposing sanctions should China support Russia economically or militarily. [ABC News] [SCMP]
Lithuania calls on EU to cancel or postpone upcoming summit with China
(jw) Lithuania appealed to the European Union (EU) to cancel or postpone a top-level meeting with China currently scheduled for April 1 until China takes a clearer stance on the Ukraine war.
The appeal comes as EU member state Lithuania has been facing diplomatic and economic pressure since it allowed Taiwan last year to open a representative in Vilnius which carries the word “Taiwanese” in its name instead of the usual “Taipei”. According to latest official Chinese data China’s purchase of goods from Lithuania dropped by nearly 90% in the first two months of the year, compared with the same period last year. [Bloomberg]
In a shared letter regarding the same meeting, NGOs urged the EU to not neglect human rights in talks with China. Their list of demands contains a call to suspend the bilateral human rights dialogues that they deem ineffective. [Reuters] [Human Rights Watch]
China pushes for continuation of talks on nuclear deal with Iran
(jw) The discussions on an Iranian nuclear deal came to a standstill following the Russian demand to lift the sanctions on trade between Russia and Iran that were imposed after the Russian attack on Ukraine.
During a phone call between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the former criticized US sanctions on Teheran and expressed his support for a quick continuation of discussions. [SCMP]
According to recent tanker tracking data, purchases of Iranian oil by China stood at record high levels in recent months, with imports exceeding 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) for January, which is more than the 623,000 bpd peak back in 2017 before sanctions on Iranian oil exports had been imposed in 2018 by the Trump administration. [Reuters]
Talks between China and Sri Lanka on increasing credit support
(jw) According to Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong, China is considering two loans for Sri Lanka that would add up to USD 2.5 billion. As the economic situation in Sri Lanka deteriorates, the nation struggles to meet its debt obligations. USD 4 billion have to be repaid throughout 2022. [Reuters]
China has fully militarized islands in South China Sea, US admiral says
(jw) US Indo-Pacific commander Admiral John C. Aquilino claims that China turned at least three artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea into fully equipped military bases capable of attacking ships and aircraft. Contrary to previous assurances by Chinese President Xi Jinping, China worked towards “the largest military buildup since World War II” over the last 20 years, according to Aquilino. [AP]
First overseas advocacy group operating in Hong Kong targeted under national security law
(jw) Hong Kong’s government set a precedent on March 10 when accusing UK-based NGO Hong Kong Watch of endangering national security and demanding an immediate shutdown of their website. Hong Kong Watch CEO Benedict Rogers protested against the Hong Kong authorities, stating that he refuses to be silenced. [The Guardian]
Japan to impose more sanctions on Russia
(cm/dql) On March 18 Japan added sanctions to reprimand Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including a freeze of the assets of 15 Russian individuals, such as the military intelligence service chief Igor Kostyukov and deputy defense ministers, and nine organizations, bringing the total of Russian individuals and groups targeted by Japan’s sanctions to 95.
Tokyo has previously frozen assets of seven Russian banks as well as those of Russia President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, for aiding Russia’s attack in Ukraine. [Kyodo News]
In response to Japan’s stance on the war in Ukraine, Russia’s Foreign Ministry declared on March 21 that it was withdrawing from negotiations with Japan to pave the way for a peace treaty between the two countries to formally end World War II. It also announced that it was ending visa-free visits of Japanese citizens to the Kurile Islands/Northern Territories, islands which are claimed by both Tokyo and Moscow and which are controlled by the latter. [Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]
Japan to open borders to Ukrainian refugees without guarantors
(cm) The Japanese government said on March 15 that it is preparing to accept Ukrainian refugees even if they do not have relatives or acquaintances in Japan, with the intention of issuing visas according to a case-by-case analysis and of allowing employment if the stay is prolonged.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated earlier this month that priority would be given to relatives and acquaintances of about 1,900 Ukrainians who have residence status in Japan, who were required to act as guarantors. The government has now stressed the need to allow evacuees to enter the country on humanitarian grounds.
Refugees will be accepted upon receiving a 90-days residence permit and will have the chance to change their visa to a “designated activities” status lasting one year, which will legally authorize them to work. The government is also considering arranging a framework to assist the evacuees in the search of accommodations and necessities, as well as jobs and education, matching them with businesses and local municipalities who offered aid. [Japan Today] [NHK]
Japan is a country with very restrictive policies for accepting refugees: related laws were enacted in 1982 but since then, of 85,479 applicants, only 841 people have been able to seek refuge in the country. However, since March 2, 73 Ukrainians have been accepted in the country and according to Ukraine’s ambassador to Tokyo Sergiy Korsunsky a few hundred Ukrainians are expected to be welcomed. [The Washington Post]
Japan spots Russian ships in Japan strait
(cm) The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force spotted four Russian amphibious ships as they passed through the Tsugaru Strait in northeastern Japan on March 16. The strait connects Japan’s main island of Honshu and the northeastern island of Hokkaido. The tank landing ships were headed west, possibly towards Europe and at least one of them held military trucks, according to the Defense Ministry. [The Hill] [Kyodo News]
Japanese monitoring of Russian activity was recently required as Ukraine has asked Japan for its satellite data to map out the movements of Russian troops. Satellites in Japan are both privately and state owned and are operated with synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which is able to capture images day and night and despite visual obstructions.
The government has yet to make a decision on providing satellite imagery for military purposes and will carefully consider the situation in Ukraine, as further involvement in the crisis may exacerbate tensions between Japan and Russia. [Nikkei Asia]
Japan and UAE discuss boost in oil supplies during talks over Ukraine crisis
(cm) Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed his countries worries about spikes in oil prices in a meeting with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, in Abu Dhabi on March 20. Hayashi called for the United Arab Emirates to continue contributing to the stabilization of the global oil market, being a major oil producer and exporter to Japan accounting for about 30 percent of total imports.
The two also announced a close cooperation on nuclear disarmament between Japan and the UAE in order to prevent any threat or use of such weapons. [NHK] [Kyodo News]
Japan and Turkey agree on cooperation amid Ukraine war
(cm) At a joint press conference on March 19 in the Turkish southern Antalya province, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavusoğlu stated that the two countries will closely cooperate toward protecting the international order and nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.
The two ministers affirmed the need for a reform in the United Nations to limit Russia’s veto power as a permanent member of the Security Council, which results in the ineffectiveness of the decision body in addressing the current war in Ukraine as resolutions condemning the invasion are blocked.
Japan, along with Germany, India and Brazil, has been a proponent of adding new permanent members to the Security Council, while Britain is willing to discuss Russia’s removal as a permanent member. Possible solutions include preventing permanent members from vetoing resolutions on conflicts in which they are involved or that relate to human rights violations. [Nikkei Asia]
Unlike Japan, Turkey has opposed sanctions against Russia and has only reprimanded the attack as unacceptable, but the country served as a diplomatic medium between Moscow and Kyiv, who met through their foreign ministers in Antalya through the intermediation of Çavusoğlu, though with no progress. [Kyodo News]
Japan and Cambodia meet to discuss Ukraine and Myanmar crisis
(cm) As a part of his three-day tour to India and then Cambodia to discuss cooperation amid Ukraine crisis, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh on March 20, and the two leaders later issued a joint statement condemning the aggression in Ukraine as a grave breach of the United Nations Charter, although there was no direct mention of Russia by name.
The countries called for an immediate end of the hostilities in Myanmar, as well, and demanded the release of ousted democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, among other detainees, for the restoration of a democratic political system. Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn visited the country on March 21 as the ASEAN special envoy, further reaffirming of Cambodia’s efforts in an active engagement in the situation in Myanmar. In January Hun Sen was the first foreign leader to travel to the country since the coup last year, meeting for talks with junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw. [Kyodo News]
Cambodia is the holder of this year’s presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Kishida reaffirmed Japan’s willingness to strengthen collaboration within the organization, which expressed concern over the conflict in Ukraine but refrained from denouncing Russia’s moves, as many members share arms supply deals and economic ties with the country. Member countries Vietnam and Laos also abstained in the United Nations General Assembly vote on a resolution asking Moscow to cease action in Ukraine earlier this month. [Nikkei Asia]
Finally, Kishida pledged USD 428 million in aid and 1.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Cambodia, through the COVAZ global vaccine-sharing project. [Nikkei Asia]
The US Treasury Department warned on money laundering in North Korea
(mpk) The US Treasury Department called attention to North Korea’s continued involvement in money laundering and warned US financial institutions against doing business with the country. It cited a recent decision of the Financial Task Force (FATF) to designate North Korea (and Iran) as “high-risk jurisdictions” on March 4, as if fails to “address the significant deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime and the serious threats they pose to the integrity of the international financial system” [FATF: High-risk Jurisdictions subject March 2022] [Yonhap News Agency]
North Korea fired multiple-rocket launcher after the unsuccessful ballistic missile test
(mpk) According to a statement of South Korea’s military, North Korea conducted on March 20 a missile launch, apparently using a multiple rocket launch system. The statement, however, did not specify the range, direction, or weapon type launched.
The launch came shortly after on March 16 Pyongyang launched its tenth round of ballistic missile tests in this year. According to an assessment of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) the launch, however, appears to have failed as the missile exploded at an altitude below 20 kilometers. [Yonhap News Agency 1] [Voice of America]
In a separate development, South Korean Defense Minister, Suh Wook met with General Paul LaCamare, the chief of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC), at the US Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek south of the capital to highlight the “grave security situation” and called on the troops to maintain a “solid combined defense posture to defend the country.” [Yonhap News Agency 2]
United States Forces Korea increases military exercises against North Korea’s missile tests
(mpk) The United States Forces Korea (USFK) 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade have revealed in a press release that it has boosted its air defense exercise in response North Korea’s increased missile tests in the recent months. Officials of USFK added that the unit, equipped with Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile interceptors, moves to remote location, occupies its wartime defensive position, deploys the patriot missile system, and performs missile defense operations under simulated combat scenarios. [Yonhap News Agency 1]
This move comes after in the recent annual worldwide threat assessment report the Director of the Office of US National Intelligence, warned that North Korea’s recent missile tests are an indication of Pyongyang resuming tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles in this year capable of reaching to the US [see also AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3].
South Korea and the US also consider the resumption of combined drills which involve US nuclear-capable bombers. Named “Blue Lightning”, training would involve B-52H or B-1B bombers, currently stationed in the U.S. Air Force’s Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, would be deployed to South Korea to carry out security operations, with troops from South Korea or Japan mobilized to escort the long-range strategic bombers.
Such joint drills were planned by the US for May 2018, but following Seoul’s reluctance to cooperate over concerns of sparking tensions ahead of the first-ever summit between the U.S. and the North in Singapore in June that year, Washington conducted them unilaterally. [Yonhap News Agency 2]
Meanwhile, in a show of force towards North Korea, the US military conducted on March 15 a carrier-based air demonstration in the Yellow Sea, involving 4th and 5th generation aircraft, including F-35C stealth fighter, from the USS Abraham Lincoln, along with regionally-based U.S. Air Force aircraft. [Yonhap News Agency 3]
South Korean Prime Minister’s visits to Turkey and Qatar
(mpk) On March 21, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum completed a five-day trip to Turkey and Qatar.
The first visit to Turkey of the South Korean Prime Minister in nine years, Kim met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss ways to strengthen diplomatic ties and deepen economic cooperation between the two countries. [Yonhap News Agency 1]
On March 19, he continued his trip in Qatar to discuss with his Qatari counterpart, Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdul Aziz Al Thani ways to expand energy cooperation between the two countries. The talks come as Seoul is concerned over disruption in energy supply chains in the wake of the war in Ukraine. 25 percent South Korea’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports come from Qatar.
In addition to energy cooperation, the two Prime Ministers also discussed health care, education and agriculture, in line with Doha’s push for diversification of its industries beyond the energy sector. [Yonhap News Agency 2]
South Korea asks for negotiation on the import quota of steel products to the US
(mpk) The US and South Korea will continue discussions over the US import quota on South Korean steel products. South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo called to remove or change the import quota placed by the Donald Trump administration. The Former US President implemented import tariffs on European and Japanese steel products, but South Korea preferred an import quota on its steel exports to the US instead of limitation, and it determined importation quota of steel products as 70 percent which is the average of shipments between 2015 and 2017.
With the Joe Biden administration, the import tariffs on European and Japanese products were removed in January 2021. Thus, Yeo requested a negotiation to revise the rules on South Korean steel imports.
However, on Wednesday, March 16, during her visit to a semiconductor manufacturer of South Korea’s SK Group and SK Siltron CSS, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai claimed that South Korea is already in a better place than others since they have gotten a reconciliation on the steel and aluminum import tariff actions. Furthermore, she mentioned that South Korea is the most allowed one of the U.S’ trade partners in terms of the quota system applied on importation of steel products. [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea provides humanitarian aid to Ukraine
(mpk) Seoul announced on March 15, non-lethal military supplies such as bulletproof helmets and medical items will be provided to Ukraine. After Kyiv’s repeated calls, Seoul decided to supply tents, meals-ready-to-eat (MREs), bedspreads, and first-aid kits were worth more than USD800,000.
However, the South Korean Defense Ministry did not accept weapons support for Ukraine. [The Korea Times]
South Korea: Talks on security cooperation with France, United Arab Emirates
(mpk) Cho Yong-kun, director-general of North Korea policy at South Korea’s Defense Ministry met with his French counterpart Bertrand Le Meur to discuss opportunities to deepen bilateral space security cooperation.
The meeting in Paris was a follow-up to their defense ministerial talks last month. Besides space security, both sides also agreed to enhance collaboration in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and other areas.
Meanwhile, South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook met with United Arab Emirates (UAE) Defense Minister Mohammad Ahmed Al Bowardi in Seoul on March 18 for talks about arms industry cooperation and other issues. The meeting followed the conclusion of preliminary deal under which the UAE purchases South Korea's mid-range surface-to-air missile system (M-SAM) two months ago. [Yonhap News Agency 1] [Yonhap News Agency 2]
Taiwan delegation to visit Slovakia, Lithuania, Czech Rep. in March
(dql) Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on March 17 that a cross-ministerial delegation, led by head of the Ministry’s Department of European Affairs will visit Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Lithuania later this month. Representatives of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Education will also travel to the three European Union (EU) member states.
The upcoming trip is aimed at further enhancing bilateral cooperation on talent cultivation and business opportunities between Taiwan and the three EU countries. [Focus Taiwan]
Taiwan increases support for Ukraine
(dql) A total of NTD 740 million (USD 26.08 million) has been raised in Taiwan in the 18 days since a Taiwan government designated account and crowd source funding platform were established to raise money to help Ukrainian refugees forced to flee their country by the Russian invasion. [Focus 1]
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s government is considering allowing Ukrainian students and scholars to enter Taiwan for temporary stays, as part of the government's ongoing efforts to assist the eastern European country which is undergoing a Russian invasion. The visa in question is a special visa which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) had announced on March 11 that Ukrainian nationals could apply for to travel to Taiwan if they had relatives in the country who were either Taiwan nationals or held local residency. [Focus Taiwan 2]
Cross-Strait relations: Taiwan conducts military exercise at strategically important location
(dq) Taiwan’s Defense Ministry confirmed that it held live-fire drills on March 16 near the remote city island islet of Dongyin that is strategically located at a chokepoint near mainland China as it sits on an important passage for any southbound Chinese forces from the eastern province of Zhejiang if they attack Taiwan. [Reuters]
Beijing, meanwhile, reportedly sailed its aircraft carrier Shandong through the Taiwan Strait on March 18, shortly ahead of the phone talk between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden. [South China Morning Post]
High-level US delegation visits India as Washington singles out New Delhi for ‘shaky’ stand on Ukraine war
(lm) A high-level United States delegation arrived in India on March 22, in what observers believe to be an effort by Washington to calm the nerves of policymakers in New Delhi and provide an assurance that India will not face sanctions over its business and military ties to Russia. The delegation comprised the Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, and Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu, among other senior officials. [Moneycontrol] [The Tribune]
Crucially, the visit by the US top officials came after US President Joe Biden on March 21 said that India was an exception among Washington’s allies with its “shaky” response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Addressing a meeting of US business leaders in the capital Washington, Biden lauded the US-led alliance, including NATO, the European Union and key Asian partners, for its united front against President Vladimir Putin. This includes unprecedented sanctions aimed at crippling Russia’s currency, international trade and access to hi-tech goods. [Reuters] [South China Morning Post]
However, unlike fellow members of the multilateral grouping called the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) – Australia, Japan and the US – India continues to purchase Russian oil and has so far abstained from every vote related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the United Nations. These include votes at the United Nations (UN) Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council and at the International Atomic Energy Agency [see AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3].
The remarks by US President Biden assume added significance, coming as they did just days after Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in separate meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also called on New Delhi to take a tougher line on the war to send a message to China about the risk of aggression in Asia. But throughout these meetings Prime Minister Modi has insisted the Quad is focused on the Indo-Pacific and not a forum for cooperation on the war in Ukraine. [see entries in this edition]
Incidentally, Lu told members of a US Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee earlier this month that India’s defense deals with Russia – most notably New Delhi’s acquisition of the S-400 surface-to-air missile system – remain plausible ground for sanctions and that US President Biden was still weighing his options. However, Lu also stressed that India remained an extremely important security partner of Washington’s.
Australian Prime Minister Morrison presses India’s Modi on war in Ukraine
(lm) Australia will cement ties with India in a series of trade and security deals worth almost USD 190 million in a renewed effort to tighten the four-nation Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) group and bring pressure to bear on Russia to end its war against Ukraine. [Bloomberg]
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison struck the agreements with Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on March 21 in an online meeting, the second such virtual summit held between the two countries in recent years; the two leaders met remotely in June 2020 to upgrade the India-Australia relationship with a raft of agreements focused on strengthening defense ties and cooperation on Indo-Pacific maritime issues [see AiR No. 23, June/2020, 2].
The recently signed agreements include a USD 25.2 million program on space cooperation, USD 28.1 million for a Centre for Australia-India Relations, USD 20.8 million for cultural partnerships and USD 4.3 million to support work on liquified natural gas supply between Australia, India and Bangladesh. The two countries also agreed on a USD 17.9 million skills package, as well as stronger cooperation on “maritime issues” as well as the deployment of an Indian maritime patrol aircraft to Australia. [The Sydney Morning Herald]
The cooperation on critical minerals, which are vital to the production of high technology, includes a USD 5.8 million initiative aimed at encouraging Indian investment in Australian mining projects. A separate USD 1.5 million will be put toward a program to encourage Indian mining companies to look at Australian projects.
The announcements around the talks also included a taskforce to see if both countries could recognise the same education qualifications and an agreement with Australia’s Special Broadcasting Service on joint broadcasting with an Indian partner. The National Gallery of Australia also formalised the return of artefacts to India. [The Straits Times]
There were news reports the summit would be used to announce the first stages of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), a free-trade agreement between the two countries for which negotiations first began in 2011. Australian Trade Minister Daniel Tehan visited New Delhi in February for talks with his Indian counterpart on the proposed trade deal [see AiR No. 9, March/2022, 1]. However, Canberra’s High Commissioner to India said on March 20 CECA was more likely to occur later this month. [Al Jazeera]
This week’s virtual summit took place under the shadow of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Australian prime minister referenced the situation straight away in his opening remarks, calling it a “very distressing backdrop " to the virtual meeting. Morrison also described Russia's actions as an “unlawful invasion”. Indian Prime Minister Modi, by contrast, did not mention Ukraine. Instead, he emphasized India’s commitment to a “free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific” – the central theme of the Quad.
Morrison was the second Quad partner in the last few days to push India – the only Quad member that has not condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – to take a tougher stand. Just days before, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, while visiting New Delhi, called for more cooperation between democracies, while noting Moscow’s actions had “shaken the global order.” [see entry in this edition].
However, India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla later said Morris had expressed understanding of New Delhi's position on the ongoing Ukraine crisis, while also agreeing with his Indian counterpart that the Quad grouping is focused on stability in the Indo-Pacific. [ABC News] [Nikkei Asia]
Bangladesh and United States hold 8th Partnership Dialogue
The Bangladeshi foreign secretary and US Under Secretary for Political Affairs are meeting for an eighth round of “Partnership Dialogue” talks, but the first since the US placed sanctions on Bangladesh for human rights violations concerning the Rapid Action Battalion, an elite anti-crime and anti-terrorism unit of the Bangladesh Police.
The meeting will discuss a wide range of relationships including security cooperation, trade, labor rights, investment opportunities, human rights, governance, global threats including climate change, and regional issues including a free and open Indo-Pacific region. For the Bangladeshi delegation, the issue of the sanctions is of highest concern, believing the US action to have been unjust and motivated by political ends. The US state their intent is to improve their already “robust relationship.”
The US Undersecretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland will conclude her trip by meeting with business and civil society leaders and a visit with Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen before continuing her trip to Sri Lanka. [Prothom Alo] [Foreign Policy]
Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia hold first political consultation talks
(lm) Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia on March 16 held their first ever political consultation talks during Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s visit to Dhaka. The prince met Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and led the Saudi delegation in talks with Bangladeshi officials, including his counterpart AK Abdul Momen.
During the talks, Faisal said Saudi Arabia was committed to deepen its economic footprint in Bangladesh, which already amounts to with several billion dollars’ worth of direct investment. Momen, in turn, pledged Dhaka’s support for Saudi entities interested in investing in the country, which was preparing more than 100 special economic zones for potential investors. According to the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, most of the planned Saudi investment projects were in the public sector and related to oil refineries, gas transmission, fertilizer production, aviation, port management, construction, and hospitality. [Arab News]
Prince Faisal further assured the Bangladeshi officials that his country would take initiatives to steady the global oil market and smooth oil supply to Dhaka, after a Houthi attack on a Saudi energy terminal, warnings of structural shortfall in production from OPEC and a potential European Union oil embargo on Russia have seen oil prices jump across Asia. Bangladesh for its part requested to join Saudi Arabia’s green initiatives announced last year to reduce carbon emissions and combat pollution and land degradation by planting billions of trees. [The Financial Express] [The Daily Star]
Scholar proposes solution for South China Sea territorial claims
(bs) The territorial disputes on the South China Sea can be solved by bringing the case before a neutral tribunal which will likely rule in favor of the current unofficial territorial sovereignty claims, a British scholar said in an academic commentary.
According to the scholar, Bill Hayton, Southeast Asia has already been through a similar case when in 2008 the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations ruled in favor of Singapore in its territorial claims on Pedra Branca and on the Malay sovereignty over Middle Rocks, two sets of uninhabited rocks in the Singapore Strait. The court’s decision was based on the international legal principle of à titre de souverain, which means that the state that can better demonstrate its authority over the feature by carrying out “acts of physical administration” in the areas have the legit claim on the territory’s sovereignty.
On the same basis, it is likely that a neutral tribunal will maintain the current set-up in the South China Sea, basing its ruling on the historical evidence of administrative acts on the disputed territories, which are now only de facto occupied by each of the six main claimants, including China, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Vietnam.
However, two major exceptions could be expected: the western half of the Paracel Islands which was controlled by Vietnam until 1974 when China took over the area, and Southwest Cay in the Spratly Islands which was occupied by the Philippines until 1975 when Vietnamese forces occupied the territory.
According to Hayton, this solution would be in line with the internationally recognized principle of uti possidetis, ita possideatis – what you have is what you keep. A principle that is also implicitly recognized in Article 5 of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DoC) adopted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and signed by China, where the signatories committed to “self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability including, among others, refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays, and other features and to handle their differences in a constructive manner.”
Furthermore, the scholar suggested that part of the solution will also facilitate the disaggregation of claims, in which claims on entire island groups are excluded in favor of claims to individual features in the area to facilitate the negotiations. However, in light of previous failed attempts to finalize negotiations on certain territories using international law, the participation of non-governmental organizations in a “track Two Tribunal” will be the key factor for a potential solution to the issue.
According to historical sources, none of the current claimants made any physical act of sovereignty on the disputed islands before the nineteenth century. The earliest act of occupation dates back to 1816, and it was led by Vietnam, at the time called Dai Viet. [ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute]
European Parliament condemns violations in Myanmar, Mexico, Azerbaijan
(bs) On March 10, the European Parliament (EP) adopted three resolutions condemning widespread human rights violations.
In one resolution, the parliament reiterated its condemnation of the atrocities carried out against the people of Myanmar by the military junta since it overthrew the democratically elected government in a violent coup on February 1, 2021. The members of the European Parliament also urged the military government to respect the results of the 2020 elections that concluded with the victory of the democratic party led by Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former State Counsellor of Myanmar. Moreover, the resolution calls for the immediate release of political prisoners and welcomes increased sanctions against Myanmar.
Another EP resolution condemned the alarming escalation of violence and threats against journalists and human rights advocates in Mexico. It also condemned the high number of attacks on media freedom and against media workers. The resolution urged the government to protect journalists and human rights defenders.
The third resolution asserts that Azerbaijan is continuing to act in violation of international law and against the Order of the International Court of Justice that imposed on the country to prevent and punish any acts of vandalism and desecration against the Armenian people. The EP condemned Azerbaijan for persecuting and denying the Armenian cultural heritage. [European Parliament]
Mekong River Commission called for urgent ‘water diplomacy’ in the Indochina Region
(bs) A new report urged Asian countries to adopt “urgent water diplomacy” to protect the Mekong River, Southeast Asia’s largest river. The 2016-2020 Strategic Plan Achievement Report was released by the Mekong River Commission (MRC) which is an inter-governmental organization that works on joint management of the waters and sustainable development of the Mekong River by encouraging policy coordination between the governments of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.
While praising past accomplishments, the report aimed at gathering data on what are the key indicators of positive and negative impacts of severe flooding and drought in the Lower Mekong River Basin.
The objective was to draft new mechanisms to efficiently coordinate with the MRC countries to better manage the Mekong River water resources and its sustainable development for the new Strategic Plan 2021–2025 and Basin Development Strategy 2021–2030. With that purpose, the MRC revised its Indicator Framework in River Basin Management for five key factors, namely environmental, social, economic, climate change, and cooperation. [MRC Mekong]
Myanmar’s military government receives arms from China
(cmsk) Myanmar’s military is reported to have received a shipment of arms and ammunition, including CH-3 drones from China. Myanmar’s junta was found to have been using a certain variety of CH-3 drones to observe protest movements in the aftermath of the 2021 coup. [The Irrawaddy] [Janes]
This latest development unfolds as China is also believed to be providing covert military assistance to Myanmar via Pakistan. In September 2021, Pakistani and Myanmar officials met and have discussed the purchase of J-F17 fighter jets. The jets are co-manufactured by Pakistan and China. In 2015, Myanmar became the first country to import JF-17 jets. [ANI] [The Irrawaddy 2] [Economic Times]
Laos, Thailand: Thai citizens rescued from Chinese-run Special Economic Zone
(bs) The last group of Thai citizens was rescued from the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the northern Lao province of Bokeo. The Lao government holds 20 percent interest in the Golden Triangle SEZ while the remaining 80 percent is controlled by the Dok Ngiew Kham Group, a consortium of Chinese companies.
18 Thai people have returned to Thailand after calling the Thai and Lao authorities for help. The victims were lured into working for 12 to 16 hours a day as chat girls or barmaids in Chinese-run casinos. If they did not meet the high sale expectations they were sold to different Chinese employers or sold into prostitution to pay the debts to the hiring company for providing them with the covid test, accommodation, and food.
On February 21, the Thai governor of the northern Chiang Rai Province appealed to the Lao authorities to help rescue the Thai citizens trapped in the Golden Triangle. A day later, the first group of five people escaped the SEZ, and over the following week, the authorities rescued more than 10 other Thai citizens.
Women working in the Golden Triangle SEZ are often the main victims of exploitation, violence, and trafficking, according to the Lao Women’s Union, a national women’s rights organization. The Chinese employers allegedly confiscate ID cards and passports of their employees preventing them from leaving the SEZ.
The Golden Triangle SEZ is a key location for international trade as it borders with Myanmar and Thailand. The area is well known for drug trade and production, human trafficking, and forced prostitution. The main Chinese investor and his major business in the SEZ, the Kings Romans Casino, were sanctioned in 2018 by the United States Treasury Department as a “transnational criminal organization.” [AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3] [New Straits Times] [Radio Free Asia 1] [Radio Free Asia 2]
Myanmar military junta announces use of alternative currencies
(cmsk) The military junta administration announced it agreed to accept the Thai baht in its border trade dealings with its neighbor country and that it is seeking a similar arrangement with India. Earlier this year, the Chinese renminbi was used to allow direct currency settlements, according to the military administration. The value of the Myanmar kyat has plunged because of instability brought by the coup, sanctions against the military leadership and the Covid-19 pandemic. Using the currencies of neighboring countries is seen as a move to reduce by 70 percent Myanmar’s dependency on the US dollar. Myanmar’s immediate neighbors account for roughly 70 percent of the country’s total trade volume. [The Diplomat]
ASEAN response to Myanmar deadlock one year after coup
(cmsk) The first visit of the Association of Southeast Asian States (ASEAN) envoy to Myanmar since the 2021 coup has been scheduled for March 21-22. The delegation will be led by Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn in his capacity as ASEAN envoy. The delegation will include Cambodia’s industry minister, ASEAN’s disaster center director, and other senior officials. ASEAN has stated that in line with its five-point consensus, the envoy’s visit will be executed with the objective of creating favorable conditions to end violence and enable humanitarian assistance in Myanmar. [The Phnom Penh Post]
Meanwhile, non-ASEAN states of the region, such as Japan and India, have called for an immediate cessation of violence, the release of detainees, and a path to democracy in Myanmar. A joint statement of the two countries welcomed Cambodia’s engagement in helping break the deadlock. The statement also expressed support for an ASEAN-led solution based on the five-point consensus. [Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs]
Skepticism about ASEAN’s ability to stabilize the situation in Myanmar continues, however, due to the regional association’s founding principles of consensus and non-interference in member states’ internal affairs. To some, ASEAN under Cambodia’s chairmanship appears to be normalizing the coup and accepting the current state of affairs. According to critics, ASEAN’s decision to disallow Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar’s commander in chief and prime engineer of the 2021 coup, from participating in the ASEAN summit has been diminished by the Cambodian prime minister and current Chair of ASEAN, Hun Sen, actively engaging with top junta leaders. With ASEAN member states’ own commitment to democracy questioned, further doubts have been cast on the regional body’s ability to have a meaningful impact on resolving the crisis in Myanmar. [Irrawaddy] [Council on Foreign Relations]
The Philippines accuse China of ‘illegal intrusion’ in Sulu Sea
(dvr) On March 13, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) stated that it has summoned the Chinese ambassador for the “illegal intrusion” into the Filipino Sulu Sea by an “electronic reconnaissance ship” of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). The ship reached the Palawan’s Cuyo Group and Apo Island in Mindoro between January 29 and February 1.
The incident comes one year after 220 PLAN boats sailed to Whitsun Reef which the Philippines claims as a part of their Exclusive Economic Zone. China makes historical claims to the majority of the South China Sea lying within their 9-dash line contrary to the United Nations Conventions of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The 9-dash line passes near the Filipino island of Palawan. Palawan is a part of the Philippines by merit of UNCLOS definition of an “archipelagic state,” and the sovereignty of an archipelagic state extends to the waters enclosed by the archipelagic baseline. In the case of the Philippines, this includes the Sulu Sea. [RFA] [SCMP] [South China Morning Post]
The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded to the DFA by stating that they did not break international law, insisting that the ship’s navigation was “an exercise of the right of innocent passage pursuant to UNCLOS.‘’
The DFA responded stating that they regularly recognize a ship’s right of innocent passage per UNCLOS. However, the Chinese reconnaissance ship did not ask for permission to enter the waters and did not follow a track that could be ‘‘considered continuous and expeditious, lingering in the sea for three days.’’ Nor did it leave when warned by the Filipino navy, according to reports. The DFA has not released a statement on why it waited six weeks to react to the situation. [Benar News 1] [Benar News 2] [Reuters]
The Philippines, Morocco look to improve bilateral relations
(dvr) Following a 30-year hiatus, the Philippine Embassy in the Kingdom of Morocco reopened its doors on March 18. The Foreign Affairs Secretary of the Philippines said the goals for opening the embassy are to improve bilateral relations with Morocco and gain access to economic opportunities in each other’s regions. [PNA 1]
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. made his first official visit meeting with his counterpart Moroccan Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita. The meeting ended with agreements on air services, cooperation between academic foreign institutes of their ministries, and political consultations. An agreement was also signed between the Philippine News Agency and the Maghreb Arabe Presse which will allow free access to each other’s content such as media, photos, and audio clips, as well as agreeing to have exchange visits and experts in journalistic, technical, and executive fields. [PNA 2] [PNA 3] [Manila Bulletin]
The Philippines, Canada sign labor agreement
(dvr) After three years of negotiations, Philippine Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has traveled to Canada to sign a bilateral labor agreement with the provinces of Ontario and Yukon. Bello III announced that the Memorandum of Understanding is designed to strengthen bilateral labor relations while improving cooperation on the protection, recruitment, and deployment of Filipinos in Yukon. The agreement is set to fill critical vacancies that are not being filled by Canadians or permanent residents. It will also ban employers, their agents, and immigration consultants from charging fees for recruitment and selection. Currently, there are 5000 Filipinos working and living in Yukon region of Canada. [Philstar] [PNA]
Thai state-owned company takes over gas project in Myanmar after withdrawal of French company
(kc) PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP), a Thai state-owned enterprise and Chevron subsidiary, will take over the operation of the Yadana gas field in the Gulf of Martaban, Myanmar. [Energy News Center, in Thai]
Yadana gas field has been a key gas source and an important source of revenue for the Myanmar Army for the past 30 years, with current production at 770 million cubic feet per day. [Prachatai, in Thai]
PTTEP said it had taken careful consideration before joining the Yadana project following the official withdrawal of French energy company TotalEnergies Group from the project on January 22, 2022, citing the deteriorating situation of human rights and the rule of law violations in Myanmar after the 2021 military coup. [AiR No. 5, February/2022, 1]
Indonesia, France discussed trade of defense equipment
(bs) On March 16, Indonesian Defense Minister met with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss future steps the countries will take for the acquisition of military equipment by Indonesia. They also discussed the details of the USD 8.1 billion deal sealed by Indonesia on February 10 to purchase 42 Rafale fighter jets from France. On the same occasion, Indonesia signed an exploratory agreement for the purchase of two French submarines. [The Jakarta Post]
China, Cambodia signed civil service agreement on bilateral cooperation
(bs) Cambodian and Chinese civil service departments signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on March 17 during an online meeting between a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister. The MoU aims at deepening cooperation in civil service administration.
The Chinese representative reiterated China’s commitment to work closely with Cambodia to strengthen cooperation in civil service administration and to enhance the comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership between China and Cambodia. [China.org]
Cambodia met with ASEAN countries in meeting with chiefs of defense forces
(bs) Military delegates from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries arrived in Cambodia on March 14 to participate in the 19th ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces’ Meeting (ACDFM-19) which was held from March 16 to March 18 and was focused on “Solidarity for Peace and Harmony”. [Khmer Times]
On March 16, Cambodia and Myanmar military representatives agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in the training and development of the countries’ special forces. The party announced the plan during a visit by Myanmar’s Chief of Army Staff General Maung Maung Aye to Cambodia on the occasion of the ACDFM-19. [Khmer Times]
A few days prior to the ACDFM-19, the Royal Thai Navy chief met with his Cambodian counterpart to discuss strengthening bilateral military cooperation. Both Thai and Cambodian representatives agreed to join their forces to tackle the issues along the Thai-Cambodia border [Bangkok Post]
Controversial operations between Cambodia and China in Cambodian naval base are not a threat, Japanese Navy says
(bs) Japanese navy representatives publicly ensured the international community that the operations Cambodia is carrying out at the Ream Naval Base are not a threat to any country. During the three-day visit to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Japan’s Peacekeeping Mission to Cambodia, the Japanese delegation conducted a drill at the Naval Base along with other 50 navy officials from the Cambodian delegation. The Japanese navy delegation also visited the Ream Naval Base, a naval facility on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand where the Royal Cambodian Navy is alleged to have agreed to grant exclusive access to the base to China. The claims were always denied by the Cambodian government. [The Phnom Penh Post]
In early February, Cambodia announced that the Chinese dredging operations at Ream Naval Base were to enable docking of larger vessels. Since the project is among those military development projects funded by the United States (US), the US authorities had previously voiced their concerns over the project. A 2019 Wall Street Journal report mentioned an alleged secret treaty between Cambodia and China that granted the Chinese navy use of the Ream Naval Base for 30 years. Cambodia has denied all the claims. [AiR No. 5, February/2022, 1]
Cambodia, Saudi Arabia to enhance economic cooperation
(bs) Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen suggested improving economic cooperation with Saudi Arabia during a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud on March 18.
In two meetings, one with Hun Sen and one with the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Prince Faisal also reiterated his intention to strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation with Cambodia in various sectors, including tourism, technology, energy, education, culture, and agriculture. The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs supported the proposal and suggested the development of new investment laws with Saudi Arabia. [The Phnom Penh Post]
China, Indonesia Presidents hold discussions
(lb) Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and China’s President Xi Jinping held a phone conversation on March 16 where they praised the established pattern of bilateral cooperation of political, economic, cultural and maritime affairs and noted the solidarity which has been held in light of the pandemic and global changes, despite being major developing countries and emerging economies.
President Xi Jinping said China is ready to maintain communication with Indonesia to push for greater stability and positive energy into global and regional development and to push for new developments of bilateral cooperation. President Widodo congratulated China on the conclusion of the annual “two sessions” and the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics and commented on the rapidly growing bilateral trade and investment cooperation of the two countries.
President Joko Widodo also said Indonesia is ready to work with China in completing the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway and that the country is looking forward to carrying out tripartite cooperation with China to help build the new capital city of Indonesia. [News]
Indonesia, Malaysia: Labor agreement on Indonesian maids to be signed
(lb) Indonesia and Malaysia’s memorandum of understanding (MoU) is set to be signed in late March, Malaysia’s Human Resources Minister said. The MoU will change the implementation of recruitment and placement of Indonesian domestic workers in Malaysia, with the hopes it protects and supports them. Following the signing the MoU, Indonesia is set to provide 10,000 domestic workers to Malaysia.
The MoU was initially set to the signed in early February but was postponed after several issues, including Indonesia’s demand for a One Channel System (OCS) which has a government-to-government channel on the employment of Indonesian domestic workers in Malaysia. [The Star]
The countries have been meeting to negotiate a deal to improve the work conditions for migrant workers since the Migrant Worker Protection Law was passed in 2017. Following this legislation, Indonesia has pushed for having a formal agreement with those countries accepting Indonesian workers that fulfill workers’ rights. [AiR 9, March 2022, 1]
G20 October meeting and Russia’s invasion in Ukraine
(lb) Ukraine’s Ambassador to Indonesia said it would be crucial that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the global economic effects and implications of the conflict will be part of the discussions amongst the G20 nations at the summit in Indonesia in October.
His statement comes as China has stated that the G20 would not be an appropriate forum for such discussions while Indonesia, too, repeatedly declared that the Russian war in Ukraine would not suit the agenda of an economic and development forum. [South China Morning Post]
Indonesia, Switzerland sign trade and Investment agreement
(lb) The Swiss-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (SwissCham Indonesia) and the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) signed a 3-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on March 15. The MoU will boost trade and investment between Indonesia and Switzerland through liaising on issues of investment policies, foreign direct investment, innovation, and knowledge transfer. [The Jakarta Post]
World’s largest trade deal comes into effect in Malaysia
(lb) The world’s largest trade deal, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) came into effect in Malaysia on March 18.
Malaysia’s trade ministry released a statement noting the country is expected to be the largest beneficiary amongst the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members and is expected to see a USD 200 million increase in export gains. The statement said the RCEP will benefit Malaysia in the eventual elimination of approximately 90 percent of tariffs among members and further liberalization of trade. The statement also said the RCEP will be an essential tool in helping the country recover from the economic disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. [News]
Indonesia urges for support of Palestine independence
(lb) The Indonesian delegation attended the inaugural ceremony of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) 144th Assembly which is being held on 20-24 March 2022. The House of Representatives speaker led the Indonesian delegation and reminded foreign delegations from over 100 countries the world should not neglect Palestine as it has not achieved independence. Indonesia has spoken on Palestine achieving independence at several events and has urged others to show support. [Antara News]
Egypt, Indonesia establish joint committee
(lb) Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set up a joint committee between the two countries. The committee is designed to operate as institutional framework for all of our bilateral cooperation mechanisms between the two countries. Both sides agreed to launch the committee’s inaugural meeting as soon as possible.
The MoU was concluded during Shoukry’s first visit to Indonesia since assuming the post of the foreign minister. [Ahram]
Singapore Foreign Minister visits Bahrain
(lb) Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan visited Bahrain on March 19 for a series of meetings with the kingdom’s leaders. During his visit, Balakrishnan met with Bahraini’s national security advisor and commander of the royal guard, the advisor to the king of Bahrain for diplomatic affairs and the Minister of foreign affairs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement noting the countries share a mutual interest in multilateralism and a rules-based global order. The statement said the Bahraini leaders and the foreign minister held wide-ranging discussions on the developments of Asia and the Middle East. [The Straits Times]
Announcements
Upcoming Online Events
28 March – 8 April 2022, German-Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG) in cooperation with Hanns Seidel Foundation, Thailand
CPG’s Online Academy 2022 on German Public Law and the Constitutional System
This two-week online course on German law and the constitutional system in Germany offers cutting-edge knowledge, comprised of pre-recorded lectures, carefully selected readings, debates, especially designed case-studies and structured discussions, brought to you by leading academics and practitioners.
For more information, see [CPG].
23 March 2022 @ 2:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
Future Foreign Policy: What Russia’s War Means for European Defense
The reawaken of Europe’s awareness of the danger of war from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced defense budget rises only days after the assault. In light of the conflict, this panel discussion will feature experts who will discuss the future direction of European security and military strategy, possible changes inside NATO, U.S.’s positions, and the potential U.S.-NATO collaboration.
Visit [Atlantic Council] to learn more about the event.
23 March 2022 @ 10:00-11:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Wilson Center, USA
The Changing Landscape of Gulf Cooperation Council Security
In light of Yemen’s protracted conflict and recent escalation, delayed nuclear negotiations with Iran, issues in Lebanon, and the potential crisis in Ukraine, the Gulf Arab states’ security situation has several ramifications for the greater Middle East and North Africa region. This online forum will examine the shifting geopolitical landscape and the Biden Administration’s stance towards the Gulf Arab states.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [Wilson Center].
23 March 2022 @ 6:00-7:00 p.m. (GMT+10), Australian Institute of International Affairs, Australia
Climate Change Post Glasgow in terms of Tasmania’s Role in Antarctica
In this webinar, experts will jointly discuss the results and accomplishments of the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference in November 2021. The speakers will also further explore the implications of these reconciliations for the future direction of Tasmania’s economic, research, and energy agendas as the entrance to the Antarctic.
To find more about the event, click on [AIIAATAS].
23 March 2022 @ 6:00-7:00 p.m. (GMT+10), Australian Institute of International Affairs, Australia
Putin Russia into an Australian Perspective
This online session will feature Kyle Wilson, a former DFAT officer and ONA analyst, who will present her recent work "Putin Russia into an Australian Perspective: What Russian History and the Experience of Eight Decades of Dealing with Russia Can Tell Us About the Present." The presentation will reflect on fifty years of studying Russia, highlighting iconic scenes and figures from Australia's eighty-year diplomatic relationship with Russia.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [AIIAACT].
23 March 2022 @ 1:00-2:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Wilson Center, USA
Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Russian Women in the Anti-War Movement
In the aftermath of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, women from Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus have established independent organizations and a substantial anti-war movement to confront war propaganda and misinformation. Although women have urged the United Nations to fill out the details of how to execute Resolution 1325, there is an enormous disparity. This webinar will discuss how women from the three countries may work together to fight for peace. It will also talk about the lack of resources, requests for assistance from the women’s anti-war movement, and out-of-mainstream news.
Further information is accessible via [Wilson Center].
23 March 2022 @ 8:30-9.30 a.m. (GMT-4), Center for Strategic & International Studies, USA
The Prospects for a U.S.-Japan Technology Security Alliance
This webinar will feature a panel of experts who will evaluate the U.S. and Japanese technology policy landscapes in order to build an alliance-wide leading cybersecurity agenda.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [CSIS].
24 March 2022 @ 11:00 a.m. (GMT+0), Economist Intelligence, England
Democracy Index 2021
This webinar will feature a conversation between Joan Hoey, the editor of the Democracy Index, and Agathe Demarais, the global forecasting director. Startling findings from the report on the Democracy Index 2021 will be presented. The speakers will also offer perspectives on the rankings and the state of global democracy.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [EIU].
24 March 2022 @ 3:00-4.00 p.m. (GMT-4), Center for Strategic & International Studies, USA
Press Briefing: Ukraine Update #2
This press briefing will give updates on topics related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including military innovation, intelligence and technology security, humanitarian aid, finance and economic landscapes, as well as the China-Russia relationship.
Further information is accessible via [CSIS].
24 March 2022 @ 2:00-3:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Wilson Center, USA
Reading Canada: Canada in NATO, 1949-2019
This virtual conference will feature a conversation between Dr. Joel Sokolsky and Dr. Joseph T. Jockel, co-authors of "Canada in NATO: 1949–2019," whose work delves into Canada’s contributions to NATO since it became one of the founding members of NATO in 1949 and the allies’ corresponding influence on Canadian military and foreign policy.
Learn more about the event at [Wilson Center].
24 March 2022 @ 6:00-8:00 p.m. (GMT+10), Australian Institute of International Affairs, Australia
Western Australia and Solar/Hydrogen with Professor Peter Newman AO
In this webinar, Professor Peter Newman AO, an author of the next IPCC mitigation report, will demonstrate how solar energy and green hydrogen are expected to revolutionize Western Australia’s economic landscape in a geopolitically substantial way.
For more details, see [AIIAWA].
24 March 2022 @ 9:00-10:15 a.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS, Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore
The (Geo)Politics of the Biden Administration’s Trade Policy
The Biden administration's lack of interest in rejoining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) could have ramifications for US Indo-Pacific policy, as well as the US' role in its geopolitical competition with China in relation to Asian countries. This online forum will examine the relationship between the U. S.’s internal politics and economic policy, the opportunities for the Biden administration's Asia-Pacific trade strategy, and its potential consequences for Southeast Asia.
Further information about the event is provided at [ISEAS].
24-25 March 2022, Brookings Institution, USA
BPEA Spring 2022 Conference
This two-day academic conference hosted by the Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (BPEA) will bring together extensive research and substantive policy analysis to solve today’s most pressing economic concerns.
Visit [BROOKINGS] to find more event details.
25 March 2022 @ 10:00-11:30 a.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS, Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore
The Philippines-US Alliance after Duterte: Strategic Agenda and Directions
The relationship between the Philippines and the U.S. has been on a downturn in the era of President Rodrigo Duterte’s suspicion of Washington and readiness to appease Beijing since 2016. This has prompted the national elections in May 2022 to determine the future of the Philippines-U.S. partnership. This webinar will assess the current situation of the alliance, the presidential candidate platforms for 2022, the legacy of Duterte’s foreign and defense policies, and the alliance’s possibilities in the post-Duterte presence.
Learn more about the event at [ISEAS].
25 March 2022 @ 8:30 a.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
2022 Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge: Welcoming Remarks and Keynote Address
This tenth annual DC Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge will feature a keynote address from the National Cyber Security Director, Mr. Chris Inglis, who will offer his perspectives on objectives in cybersecurity, the cyber ecosystem, and cultivating a cyber-ready labor force.
If you want to know more about the event, visit [Atlantic Council].
25 March 2022 @ 1:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
Beyond hope as a strategy: New Models for Public-Private Collaboration
The safety and stability of infrastructure has become constantly targeted by criminal and state entities. In this webinar, experts from government and industry units will exchange views on the importance of public-private collaboration in the wake of a cyber disaster.
For more information, visit [Atlantic Council].
28-29 March 2022 @ 11:30 p.m. (GMT+4), Atlantic Council, USA
2022 Global Energy Forum
This two-day conference held in the United Arab Emirates is the word’s largest assembly of government, business, and thinking leaders to jointly determine energy plan for 2022.
Further information about the event is provided at [Atlantic Council].
29 March 2022 @12:30-2:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Sandford University, USA
Modern Authoritarianism and Geopolitics: Thoughts on a Policy Framework
This webinar will feature Stephen Kotkin who will propose a more compelling framework for a modern-day global history, challenging the mainstream narrative of twin revolutions in France and Britain, and address ramifications for historical research and education.
Follow [FSl] to learn more about the event.
29 March 2022 @1:00-2:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Sandford University, USA
Imagining the Unimaginable: War, Weapons, and Procurement Politics
This webinar will feature Sanne Verschuren, a Stanton Nuclear Security Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University, who will look at the difference strategies in weapon capacity development between countries within similar conflict areas. The speaker will also investigate the impact of ideology and institutional bargaining towards military technology advancement then apply the theory to evolution of missile systems from the 1980s to the present.
For more details of the event, see [FSI].
28 March 2022 @ 10:00-11:30 a.m. (GMT-5), Brookings Institution, USA
China’s Role in the Smuggling of Synthetic Drugs and Precursors
This webinar will explore the role of China in the smuggling of synthetic narcotics and their precursors into the United States, Mexico, and Asia, as well as how Beijing finds a balance between geopolitical objectives and international law enforcement corporation.
Find more about the webinar at [BROOKINGS].
28 March 2022 @ 11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m. (GMT-4), United States Institute of Peace, USA
Islam, Peace and Women’s Rights in Afghanistan
This panel discussion will compare Taliban attitudes and behaviors to those of other Muslim-dominance states and debate the status of Afghan women and girls, as well as how their rights should be secured from an Islamic viewpoint.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [USIP].
28 March 2022 @ 1:30-3:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Brookings Institution, USA
The Future of Regulation at the Supreme Court
Two significant cases at the Supreme Court this term could have a long-term impact on regulatory policy in the U.S. In each of these instances, the “delegation doctrine” and/or the “major questions doctrine” may be invoked. This online session will feature a panel of leading experts in administrative and constitutional law who will examine the probable outcomes in these cases.
For more details, see [BROOKINGS].
29 March 2022 @ 5:30-6:30 p.m. (GMT+10), Australian Institute of International Affairs, Australia
Meet the Ambassador – Malaysia
As a part of Meet the Ambassador series, this session will feature a conversation between HE Dato’ Roslan Abdul Rahman and Jim Middleton who will explore the shifting power dynamic in the Indo-Pacific area and its implications to Australia-Malaysia bilateral collaboration and discuss how does the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) pave the way for increase partnership between the two countries.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [AIIAVIC].
29 March 2022 @ 10:00-11:30 a.m. (GMT-5), Brookings Institution, USA
China’s Role in Poaching and Wildlife Trafficking in Mexico
This online panel discussion will concentrate on issues of Mexican drug cartels, which are progressively encroaching on both Mexican’s legal and illegal wildlife trades, and will present the conclusions of forthcoming Brooking’s research on China’s participation in wildlife trafficking and hunting in Mexico.
To find more about the event, click on [BROOKINGS].
29 March 2022 @ 10:00-11:30 a.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS, Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore
Moderating the Global Social Media Information Ecosystem (Session 1)
This webinar series will examine the subject of content regulation on social media platforms, as well as the policies that are developed and executed to regulate sensitive and contentious themes while adhering to various moral, ethical, and cultural norms.
Find more about the webinar at [ISEAS].
29 March 2022 @ 8:00-9:15 a.m. (GMT-4), United States Institute of Peace, USA
Activist Adaptation to Emergent Technology
As democracy deteriorates in many parts of the world, effective adaption to oppressive technological deployment is a critical concern. This virtual conference will feature leading thinkers and activists who will talk about their responses to the rise of digital totalitarian techniques and how social movements are adapting to and advocating for a peaceful and democratic world through the use of new technology and mobilizing tactics.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [USIP].
Recent Book Releases
Afra Afsharipour and Martin Gelter (eds.), Comparative Corporate Governance, Edward Elgar Publishing, 544 pages, published on June 22, 2021, reviewed in [LSE].
William Neuman, Things Are Never So Bad That They Can't Get Worse: Inside the Collapse of Venezuela, St. Martin’s Press, 352 pages, published on March 15, 2022, with a review in [The New York Times].
Ada Ferrer, Cuba: An American History, Scribner, 576 pages, published on September 7, 2021. For a review, see [Los Angeles Review of Books].
Renny Thomas, Science and Religion in India: Beyond Disenchantment, Routledge, 214 pages, published on December 31, 2021. A review is available at [Asian Review of Boks].
Calls for Papers
European Scholars of South Asian International Relations (ESSAIR) invites paper proposals for its 3rd Annual Conference to be held on June 23-24, 2022 (online). Deadline for submission is April 14, 2022. For more information, see [ESSAIR].
The Faculty of Liberal Arts & Sciences and Innovative Learning, Humber College, invites paper proposals for the online conference “Climate in Crisis Activism, Apathy, and Responsibility: Social Responses to and Social Causes of the Current Climate Crisis” scheduled for September 23-24, 2022. Closing date for submission is May 22, 2022. Visit [Humber] for further details.
Jobs and Positions
The United Nations (UN) is offering positions of Assistant Secretary-General for Programme and Assistant Secretary-General for Policy, Advocacy and Knowledge. Both are based at UNAIDS in Geneva. Deadline for submission of applications is April 30, 2022. For more information, visit [UN].
The United Nations (UN) is looking for an Assistant Secretary-General for Programme and Assistant Secretary-General for Policy, Advocacy and Knowledge. The position is based at UNAIDS in Geneva. Closing date for applications is April 30, 2022. See [UN] for further details.
Solidarités International is hiring a Deputy Country Director for Programs to be based in Yangon, Myanmar. If you are interested, learn more about the vacancy at [Solidarites].
FHI 360 is recruiting for the position of Chief of Party (COP) for its anticipated Central Europe Program. The position is based in Poland. Visit [FHI] for more information.
Team:
Beatrice Siviero (bs), Charisma M. S. Kundan (cmsk), Chiara Mohammadvalizadeh (cm), Dominique van Rossum (dvr), Duc Quang Ly (dql), Grace Laird (gl), Henning Glaser (hg), Hira Akram (ha), Jidapa Eagark, Julian Wendt (jw), Kevin Downey (kd), Kittikun Chumworathayee (kc), Lois Barker (lb), Lucas Meier (lm), Melis Pektaş Kim (mpk), Poonam Behura (pb), Sally Dobie, Tomwit Jarnson (tj), Ulrike Immler, Venus Phuangkom, Yin Nyein Myat (ny)
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