Grasp the pattern, read the trend
No. 18, May/2022, 1
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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 Latvia’s Day of Restoration of Independence, The Netherlands’ Liberation Day, and Poland’s Constitution 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: Xi urges “all out” efforts in infrastructure to boost economy
(ckx) Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an “all-out” push to build infrastructure to boost domestic demand and promote growth. Speaking at a meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission, a commission of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, on April 25, Xi stressed the need to “plan development and security as a whole,” and “to optimize the layout, structure, function and development mode of infrastructure […] in an all-round way.”
Projects in transportation, energy and water conservancy, alongside new facilities for supercomputing, cloud computing and artificial intelligence were suggested at the meeting.
Xi’s call comes amidst growing concerns about an economic slowdown in China due to the fallouts of the government’s strict zero-Covid policy – including lockdowns in the biggest cities and mass testing – to cope with the worst Covid-19 outbreak in two years. The International Monetary Fund last week reversed its growth forecast from initially 4.8 percent to 4.4 percent this year, citing risks stemming from the strict zero-Covid policy. This is well below Beijing’s 5.5 percent official forecast. [Channel News Asia] [CNN] [The State Council, China, in Chinese]
China: President Xi’s ally appointed head of influential think tank
(dql) Shi Taifeng, a close ally of President Xi Jinping, has been appointed as new head of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), China’s premier state-backed think tank which regularly provides advice on government policies, while its scholars entertain close connections to the Chinese government’s top echelons.
Shi has been Communist Party Secretary of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region since 2019, following his post as Party Secretary of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region between 2017 and 2019. He was vice-president of the Central Party School from 2003 to 2010. Xi was president of the cadre-training academy from 2007 to 2012.
Last year, Shi led an anti-corruption campaign that targeted Inner Mongolia’s coal industry and that led to the sacking of more than 60 senior local officials. [South China Morning Post]
China: Regulatory grip on tech firms to be eased?
(ckx/dql) A meeting between the China’s political leaders and major internet companies is scheduled to be held this week. It is expected to be chaired by President Xi Jinping.
The impending meeting was announced after a Politburo meeting hosted by President Xi Jinping last week during which it was agreed that it was “necessary to promote the healthy development of the platform economy” and “complete its rectification”. It raises hopes the Beijing will ease its regulatory grip on tech companies and allow them to have larger roles in supporting efforts to boost the country’s ailing economy. Shares of major Chinese tech companies soared after news of decisions made at the Politburo meeting were released.
Under the campaign to curb the “irrational expansion of capital” that started at the end of 2020, Chinese tech giants lost trillions of dollars in market value at tech stocks across New York and Hong Kong, while venture funding for Chinese tech start-ups was deterred. [South China Morning Post] [Money Control]
China: News portal on country’s political elite closed
(ckx) Last week, Chinese language news website Duowei News ended its services, removing all content from its website and app. According to a portal notice the closure was due to the company's business adjustment.
Duowei News was founded in 1999 by a Chinese media veteran who immigrated to the US. It was known for political news and commentary on China’s political elite.
While critics say that Duowei lost its critical stance after it was bought by Hong Kong listed company Nan Hai Corporation and its headquarters was moved to Beijing, Duowie drew attention last year for an article calling for public scrutiny of all Communist Party leaders, including Chairman Xi Jinping. [South China Morning Post]
China: Media platforms to be freed from online post containing “historical nihilism”
(dql) Toutiao and Douyin, two Chinese media platforms, have released notices calling on its users to report posts containing what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) considers as “historical nihilism”, i.e., opinions or research that are questioning the party’s official version and narrative of history.
While Toutiao is an algorithm-driven news platform, Douyin is the Chinese version of the internationally operation TikTok – a video-sharing app. Both are owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based multinational internet technology company.
Their move is indicative of stepped-up efforts of the CCP to urge internet operators to clean up their platforms and to ban posts that are viewed as challenge to its official account of the country’s modern history and the achievements of the party therein, months ahead of the party congress in October at which President Xi Jinping is believed to seek to secure an unprecedented third term in office. Zhihu, China’s largest knowledge-sharing platform operator, disclosed that last month it handled nearly 70 complaints over post related to historical nihilism. [South China Morning Post]
Already in May last year, the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the country’s internet regulator, confirmed that it has overseen the deletion of over 2 million posts containing “harmful information with historical nihilism.” [AiR No. 19, May/2021, 2]
Japan: Ruling LDP calls for doubled defense spending and counterattack capability
(cm) On April 27 Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) submitted a national security proposal to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida requesting doubling the national defense budget, an amount that would be equivalent to two percent or more of the gross domestic product (GDP), as well as acquiring a counter-strike capability to allow the Self-Defense Forces to pre-emptively attack enemy missile launch bases and disable enemy weapons.
The LDP called for an increase of the spending in order to significantly reinforce defense capabilities in five years, having the defense spending target of more than 2 percent of GDP for North Atlantic Treaty Organization members as reference point. The target can only be reached by securing close to JPY 11 trillion annually, twice as much as the JPY 5.4 trillion currently allocated in the budget.
The development of counterattack capabilities is still a controversial topic, given the self-defence approach adopted by Japan’s pacifist constitution. Kishida stated that the policy review will be discussed with the LDP’s junior coalition partner Komeito, which as a conservative party has been reluctant in accepting both initiatives.
The proposal will serve as a starting point for the update of the National Security Strategy by the end of the year, replacing the one formulated in 2013. It was motivated by the increasingly severe security environment, amid China’s growing assertiveness and North Korea’s increased missile and nuclear activity. [Kyodo News 1]
Additionally, the China Coast Guard has violated Japanese waters near the Senkaku Islands, and joint flights and sails around Japan have been conducted by Chinese and Russian aircraft and ships. On April 27 the Defense Ministry stated that the People’s Liberation Army Navy Shupang-class survey vessel had entered Japanese water west of Kuchinoerabu Island the previous day.
It was the first intrusion of this kind by a Chinese navy vessel since last November and the Japanese government lodged a protest through diplomatic channels. [Kyodo News 2]
Classifying portions of the national defense guidelines is also currently being considered in order to better deal with regional security threats, as planned strategies could be more specific if confidential. [Kyodo News 3]
Japan: JPY 1.5 trillion reserve funds to be used for emergency package
(cm) On April 28 Japan’s Cabinet approved the use of JPY 1.51 trillion (USD 11.7 billion) from reserve funds for fiscal year 2022 to finance the economic package seeking to cushion the impact of inflation on households and smaller companies. The spending from reserve funds includes JPY 277.4 billion to expand the subsidy program for oil wholesalers, and JPY 204.2 billion in cash handouts of JPY 50,000 per child for low-income families.
The government is set to submit a draft extra budget to the Parliament in late May, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida intends to compile a supplementary budget for the fiscal year that started this month to make up for a JPY 6.2 trillion shortcoming of the stimulus package. [The Mainichi]
Japan: Main opposition party’s response to rising prices
(cm) On April 27 the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), Japan’s main opposition party, vowed an increased effort in fighting rising prices, expanding free education and proposing a security policy able to express the public’s perspective. CDPJ chief Kenta Izumi announced the three pillars of this policy ahead of the House of Councillors election this July.
Among the party’s goals there is a boost of measures to deal with the depreciation of the yen that recently plunged to a 20-year low against the U.S. dollar, preventive measures against a further rise in gasoline and wheat prices, and temporarily halving the consumption tax rate to 5 percent in order to mitigate the impact of surging prices. As regards the security policy, no specific target was set but funds would be secured through an accumulation of the necessary budget.
A raise of the hourly minimum wage to JPY 1,500 (USD 12), in contrast to the current average of JPY 930, and a JPY 10,000 subsidy for people in rental accommodation was also proposed. The party also seeks to make high school and university tuition free, offer free meals at elementary and junior high schools and extend subsidies to households with children until their graduation from high school. [The Mainichi]
Japan: Government panel calls for easing of border restrictions for tourists
(cm) On April 27 members of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy, a government expert panel, asked to gradually reopen the country’s borders in order to boost the economy by allowing entry of tourists.
Japan’s current daily limit on overseas entrants is 10,000, but the panel called for additional immigration procedures to allow inbound tourists. The minister in charge of the government’s COVID-19 response stated that the government’s policy direction matches with the proposed reopening, but the timeline has to be decided cautiously as the pandemic remains unpredictable in its developments. [The Mainichi]
Japan: IAEA report on safety of water discharge at Fukushima nuclear plant
(cm) The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Task Force, which is reviewing Japan’s policy for the release of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, released its first report on April 29.
Their initial findings are that only a limited impact on humans is expected since the quantity of chemical substances in the treated water appears to be much lower than the Japanese regulatory limits. The team still has not concluded whether the discharge is safe, as further assessment will be carried out, but it assured that Japan’s Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) have set out the appropriate steps of the release, scheduled for 2023.
The water is being treated through a liquid processing system that removes all radionuclides except for tritium and the water is set to be released one kilometer off the coast through an underwater tunnel after being diluted with seawater. The review carried out by the task force also includes a radiological environmental impact assessment and the involvement of interested parties.
The planned discharge has met opposition both from neighbouring countries and locals, especially fishermen who fear reputational damage to the region’s seafood. [The Japan Times]
North Korea: Kim Jong-un signals resolve to further improve nuclear power capabilities
(mpk) In this speech held on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army (KPRA) on April 25, North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un pledged that the country will continue to improve its nuclear-armed forces at “the fastest possible speed” to secure the North’s self-defense. He warned that Pyongyang is willing to use nuclear weapons if any outside force attempts to violate the fundamental interests of the country, adding that the country is ready for any types of war.
Kim made these statements as the military parade showcased a wide range of weapons of mass destruction. Among them was a new intercontinental ballistic missile, known as the Hwasong-17 and believed to have a range of more than 15,000 km to reach the entire continental US. [Yonhap News Agency] [38 North]
Similarly, in a meeting with commanding KPRA officers days later Kim reassured his “firm will” to “surely maintain the absolute superiority of the revolutionary armed forces and constantly develop them to pre-emptively and thoroughly contain and frustrate all dangerous attempts and threatening moves [...] from hostile forces.” [KCNA]
In response to Kim’s statements, the US reiterated a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as its unchanged objective and called on North Korea to return to the negotiation table. The US will also continue to closely monitor the enforcement of the current UN Security Council resolutions and to work on them in cooperation with the allies in the region. [The Korea Herald]
North Korea: Conditions for religious freedom among the worst in the world, US commission says
(mpk) According to findings of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) conditions of religious freedom in North Korea remain “among the worst ones around the world.”
The 2021 report of the Commission stressed that “religious freedom remains non-existent in North Korea as authorities actively and systematically target and persecute religious groups and adherents." It called on the US government to add human rights issue to security as a complementary objective in its North Korean policy as well as in bilateral talks with Pyongyang.
South Korea: President Moon Jae-in signs controversial prosecution reform bills into law
(mpk/dql) On May 3, during his last cabinet meeting before his term ends on May 9, South Korean President signed into law to bills on the reform of the prosecution, fulfilling a pledge he made during his presidential campaign back in 2017.
Together, the revisions to the Prosecutors’ Office Act and the Criminal Procedure Act limit the investigative powers of the prosecution which has been long accused of abusing its power and authority to pursue political goals.
Xi’s move comes after the Democratic Party (DP) used its majority seats in parliament to push through the two reform bills on April 30 and May 3 respectively, amid strong protest from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) which boycotted both votes.
In the run-up to the first vote, the PPP’s filibuster to block the bill was stopped by the DP’s majority in parliament. The filibuster came after the PPP withdrew from a compromise bill between South Korea's two major parties toward a compromise bill last month [see AiR No.17, April/2022, 4]. [The Korea Herald] [Yonhap News Agency]
In an immediate response, the prosecution announced to review “all possible legal action [against the laws], including constitutional litigation." [Korea Joong Ang Daily]
Since its defeat in the presidential election in March, the DP has aggressively pushed for the reform bill, seen by observers as an attempt to strip the prosecution of investigative powers before President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol of the PPP will be sworn in on May 10. The push is also perceived by cirtics as linked to expectations that the prosecution will conduct a probe into allegations involving the DP’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung as well as President Moon Jae-in and his close aides. Yoon, who had served as Prosecutor General, had promised during his election campaign that he would grant more authority and power to the prosecution [see AiR No. 16, April/2022, 3].
South Korea: Education minister nominee accused of providing educational scholarships to family members
(mpk) President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s education minister nominee Kim In-chul, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies’s former president, is facing accusations of favoritism towards family members.
A House of Representatives member of the rivaling Democratic Party (DP) revealed that Kim’s two children were granted US-government funded Fulbright scholarships to study at Cornell University from 2014 to 2016 and, Columbia University from 2016-2018 respectively. Kim was president of the Korea Fulbright Alumni Association from 2012 to 2015.
Kim’s wife, meanwhile, is said to have obtained support from the Fulbright program for an exchange professor position at Temple University in Philadelphia from 2004 to 2005 when she was university professor in Seoul.
Kim denied the allegations, arguing that his family members received Fulbright support based on fair selection procedures. [The Korea Times]
South Korea: President Moon-Jae mulls pardoning former President Lee Myung-bak
(mpk) Outgoing President Moon Jae-in, whose term ends on May 9, announced that he is considering granting a pardon to former President Lee Myung-bak (2008-2013) who is currently serving a 17-year jail term, convicted of embezzlement and bribery. Moon said that he would make a decision after careful consideration of the judicial and public opinion on this matter.
The announcement came in response to online petitions opposing such a pardon and is seen by observers as raising the probability that Lee will be pardoned. [The Korea Times]
South Korea: President Moon promises to step up efforts on forest conservation
(dql) In his keynote speech at the opening of the 15th World Forestry Congress, held on May2 in Seoul, President Moon Jae-in vowed to cooperate with the international community in the field of forest conservation, revealing plans to more than double his country’s official development assistance by 2030 and to provide developing nations with funding to assist them in restoring their forests. He also reiterated South Korea’s commitment to growing its own forests as part of the country’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea: Two citizens identified who leaked military information to North Korean agent
(mpk) Two South Koreans have been indicted on charges of leaking military information to North Korea.
According to officials from the police and the prosecution, the head of a cryptocurrency exchange and a military captain were paid cryptocurrency worth 700 million won (US$551,000) and 48 million won respectively by a North Korean agent for providing login data of the South Korean Joint Command and Control System, the country’s confidential military network. [Deutsche Welle] [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea: New radar guidance system deployed to Air Force
(dql) A new homegrown precision approach radar (PAR) system has been deployed to the South Korean Air Force. It replaces those which military airports had been using for over three decades.
The deployment is part of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration’s (DAPA’s) efforts to push for the indigenous development of other military radar systems to boost South Korea’s overall defense capabilities.
In 2012, DAPA and LIG Nex1, a South Korean defense firm, jointly invested USD 15.74 million for the development of the new radar system which completed in 2017. [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea: U.S. Forces Korea reveals underground training
(dql) In an apparent attempt to send a signal of defense readiness to North Korea, U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) has disclosed in a Twitter post that Ready First soldiers recently conducted a training at an underground facility, without however, where and when the training took place.
Ready First soldiers are those who belong to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division. [Yonhap News Agency]
Taiwan: New prosecutor general approved against resistance of opposition
(dql) Taiwan’s parliament on April 26 approved the appointment of veteran prosecutor Hsing Tai-chao as the new prosecutor general.
The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) used its absolute majority of 65 seats in the 113-member legislature to push through the confirmation vote. The main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT, 38 seats) boycotted the voting session citing doubt about Hsing’s suitability for the post due to his closeness to the DPP.
Hsing, in his capacity as head of the Taipei District Prosecutors Office from 2016 to 2020, had overseen a case in 2018 in which former President Ma Ying-jeou of the KMT was charged with illegally selling three media companies owned by the KMT. In 2021, the Taipei District Court acquitted Ma on charges of breach of trust and irregular transactions, a decision that has since been appealed by prosecutors.
Hsing is currently chief prosecutor at the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office. Prior to this post, he had served as the head of district prosecutors office in Taipei, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung, as well as deputy minister of justice. [Focus Taiwan]
Taiwan: Labor Ministry ordered to better protect pregnant migrant workers
(dql) An order issued by the Control Yuan, the supervisory and auditory branch of the government in Tawain, directs the Ministry of Labor (MOL) to enforce laws to provide pregnant migrant workers in Taiwan with better protection.
The order comes on the heels of an investigation of the Control Yuan that revealed mistreatment of pregnant migrant workers by employers and brokers, including, among others, pressuring pregnant workers to terminate their contract and return to their home country before the seventh month of their pregnancy, or fabricate reasons to terminate or refuse to renew the contract of the worker. [Focus Taiwan]
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in South Asia
Bangladesh: Leaders of BNP opposition party meet ailing ex-premier Khaleda Zia
(lm) Members of the standing committee of Bangladesh’s main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), visited ailing party chief Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan residence on May 3. [Dhaka Tribune]
Zia, Bangladesh's first female prime minister and archrival of incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returned from hospital in January; the BNP chairperson has been suffering from several chronic and life-threatening diseases. However, Zia is not allowed to leave Bangladesh after having been convicted and jailed on graft charges in 2018.
Bangladesh: BNP opposition party main barrier to democracy, progress, ruling party official says
(lm) The secretary-general of Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League party, Obaidul Quader, said on April 28 that the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was the main impediment to democracy and progress in national politics. Accused BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman of being an accomplice in the 1975 assassination of Bangladesh’s father of the nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and his family members, Quader called on Bangladeshi citizens to united under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and “to stop the politics of killing and conspiracy from the soil of Bengal forever.” [Dhaka Tribune]
Families of enforced disappearance victims in serious trouble, opposition BNP party leader alleges
(lm) Family members of victims of enforced disappearance in Bangladesh are going through serious problems in absence of their near and dear ones, the secretary-general of the country’s main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, has claimed. [Dhaka Tribune]
Fakhrul also accused the ruling Awami League party of failing to address the culture of impunity, despite credible and consistent evidence from international rights watchdogs that national security forces routinely commit enforced disappearances – a claim the Bangladesh government has consistently denied.
India: Journalists arrested over coverage of leaked school exams released on bail
(rk) Three journalists who were arrested last month in relation to reporting on leaks surrounding a school exam in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh have been granted bail.
Police have so far arrested more than 50 people over the leaks. Two of the three journalists have been booked under Section 66B of the Information Technology Act, pertaining to receiving stolen digital resources, Section 420 of Indian Penal Code, which covers “cheating and dishonesty,” as well as two sections of the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination Act, pertaining to disclosing school exams. Soon after their arrests last month, local journalist organisations began protests in different districts of the state and received support from students, advocates, political parties and businessmen. [The Wire]
Journalists in India have been the state’s target over the last few years. A report released by the Committee to Protect Journalists in December 2021 listed a number of Indian journalists detained on “anti-state” and “retaliatory” charges while four were killed for their work. As per the Reporters Without Borders’ 2021 report, India’s ranking on the Press Freedom Index was 142 out of 180 – steadily declining in the last few years. It labelled India as “one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists trying to do their job properly”. [Newslaundry]
India: Prime minister flags high fuel tax by opposition-ruled states; chief ministers hit back
(rk) In a meeting with state chief ministers on April 27 to review the COVID-19 preparedness, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged the failure of opposition-ruled states to lower Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum and diesel for the rising prices of these commodities.
Fuel prices in India have risen 26 percent since March 23, when the central government started hiking prices after a four-month gap without a rise. The retail price of fuel is made up of three different components: base price, which reflects the cost of international oil, a central excise duty, and state taxes.
Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Modi reminded the chief ministers of opposition-ruled states of the request made last November – immediately after the central government had reduced its share of taxes on fuel – to reduce their share as well. He also urged them to work “in the spirit of cooperative federalism” in this “time of global crisis” pointing towards the Ukraine crisis. [The Indian Express]
However, the call out attracted critical response from the states. While some have raised the issue of dues of states to the central government, others have claimed no tax-raise by them for the last many years. [Mint]
India: Government blocks 16 YouTube channels for ‘disturbing communal harmony’
(rk) India’s information and broadcasting ministry has invoked emergency powers under the Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2021 to block 16 YouTube channels as well as a social media handle for allegedly spreading misinformation related to the country’s national security, foreign relations, and public order.
In February of last year, the government introduced the new IT rules that give it broader control over the content on social media platforms. The rules also hold social media companies to account with more scrutiny, a factor that prompted scores of firms to pushback. The government first exercised the emergency powers under the IT legislation late last year, when it blocked 20 channels.
None of the YouTube channels had furnished information to the ministry required under the Rules, it said in a statement, adding that some of the India-based channels referred to a community as terrorists, hence, flaring up communal tensions and disturbing the law-and-order situation. The banned Pakistan-based channels were allegedly found spreading fake news about the Indian Army, the Himalayan state of Jammu and Kashmir, and India’s foreign relations “in the light of the situation in Ukraine.” [Hindustan Times]
The IT Rules, 2021 are being challenged in various high courts and in the Supreme Court. Some of the petitioners, mostly being Indian news and social media platforms, have alleged that the regulations are detrimental to the fundamental right to freedom of speech guaranteed under the Indian constitution. Some of the high courts have put on hold some provisions of the Rules, while others have granted temporary exemptions to the petitioner websites from the compliance norms. [The Indian Express] [Live Law]
India: Prime Minister Modi meets state chief ministers amid new Covid-19 wave
(lm) India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi met virtually with state chief ministers on April 27 to review preparedness against another wave of COVID-19 infections as daily cases touch a six-week high and trigger concerns. Home minister Amit Shah and health minister Mansukh Mandaviya were also in attendance. [The Straits Times]
The South Asian nation, which has been among the worst-hit nations globally, added nearly 3,000 new cases on April 27 – the highest one-day uptick since March 13 – pushing the total official tally past 43 million, according to government data. Deaths rose marginally, taking the total fatalities to 523,654. [Hindustan Times]
The step up in government oversight underscores the Modi administration’s efforts to avoid another outbreak of the scale seen last summer when an unprepared India was hit by a catastrophic second wave of COVID-19 that overwhelmed hospitals and crematoriums. [AiR No. 18, May/2021, 1]
India: Assam state chief minister pushes to replace faith-based laws with uniform civil code
(lm) India should replace marriage and inheritance laws that are based on religion with a uniform civil code, the chief minister of northeastern Assam state said on May 1. [The Straits Times]
At present, legal matters of marriage, divorce and inheritance are governed by different faith-based rules. A civil code, which aims to unify and implement personal laws, will apply equally to all citizens, regardless of religion, sex, gender, and sexual orientation.
Implementation of such a code across the nation is one of the key promises pursued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, successive governments have steered clear of adopting a uniform civil code for fear of angering voters from India's Hindu majority as well as its Muslim and Christian minorities. Thus, members of the Hindu nationalist BJP and its hard-line affiliates want to roll out the code in some states to gauge the strength of any backlash prior to a national push.
Last month, India’s home minister Amit Shah, while addressing a BJP meeting in Madhya Pradesh state, told his colleagues that it was time to focus on the unform civil code. Shortly thereafter, the Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister said that the BJP government in the state was considering implementing such a code, while in neighbouring Uttarakhand, the BJP state cabinet is already forming a committee of experts on the matter. [India Today]
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he favoured the code as a way to end regressive religion-based rules and empower Muslim women who cannot easily challenge polygamy in the courts. But critics see the code, which has figured in some BJP election manifestos, as part of the party's efforts to deliver on its agenda and boost anti-Muslim sentiment.
India: 11 die in Hindu religious procession after fluke electrocution
(lm) A freak electrocution in India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu killed at least 11 people and wounded more than a dozen when their vehicle hit the overhead transmission lines and burst into flame as they rode in a religious procession. [The Straits Times]
Nepal: Political parties gear up for upcoming local elections
(tkc/lm) As Nepal is gearing up for the local election expected to be held later this month, political parties have started to provide tickets to candidates after more than 100,000 aspirants filed their nominations last week.
The upcoming local polls – the second of such elections since the promulgation of the constitution in 2015 – will be held in a single phase on May 13 to elect 35,221 representatives for six metropolitan cities, 11 sub-metropolitan cities, 276 municipalities and 460 rural municipalities.
As per the Local Level Election Act 2017, it is mandatory for each political party to field one woman and one man as candidate for either chairperson or deputy chairperson at the local government level. However, the same law says that the legal provision is applicable only when a party fields candidates for both the positions.
In light of this, the Election Commission on April 26 only encouraged political parties to observe women’s representation just five days after cross-party women leaders had urged both Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and the chief election commissioner to require political parties to field women candidates in at least one of the two top positions in local government. [The Kathmandu Post 1] [The Kathmandu Post 2]
Meanwhile, political parties have begun preparing their election manifestos. According to a recent survey by a local non-governmental organization, Nepali youths, who make up a large portion of the electorate, care particularly about health care, education entrepreneurship, climate change, women, and waste management. [Nepali Times 1]
Nepal: Government bans “non-essential” imports, shortens work week to avert forex crisis
(tkc/lm) Nepal has banned imports of nearly a dozen other “non-essential” items, including alcohol and tobacco, and shortened its work week to help conserve its dwindling supply of foreign exchange. As per a notice published in the government gazette on April 27, the ban, which follows an earlier import ban on cars and cosmetics, will remain in effect until the end of the financial year in mid-July.
Nepal's trade deficit rose by nearly 34.5 per cent on-year to USD 9.35 billion last month, while Forex reserves have fallen below USD 10 billion. In light of this, the central bank has said reserves are only sufficient to cover just over six months of imports, down from 10 months in mid-2021. Petroleum tops its list of imports, with Nepal spending roughly $8.2 million a day on fuel imports. But the country's state-owned oil company announced in January that it was effectively bankrupt.
In light of this, there is good reason to believe that the import ban is aimed at pre-empting the situation now faced by regional neighbor Sri Lanka, which is enduring its worst economic crisis in decades after running out of foreign exchange to pay for imports. [The Straits Times] [South China Morning Post] [Fortune]
Nepal: Women rights organizations demand action against mayoral candidate accused of sexual harassment
(tkc/lm) Women rights organizations in Nepal have demanded action against a mayoral candidate in the capital, Kathmandu, over his recent comments against a woman who questioned him about his alleged involvement in sexual violence in the past.
Keshav Sthapit of the opposition Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) (CPN-UML) has held the mayoral position twice in the past. But in 2018, at least two female working professionals accused Sthapit of sexual harassment they allegedly endured in 2000 and 2012, respectively. At that time, he denied the allegations describing them as “a rape of men’s rights.” When asked him about the charges at an event last week, Sthapit retorted with a scathing remark. “You are a nice lady, but your mouth is bad. Should I also publish a news article stating that you are engaged in prostitution?” [The Kathmandu Post 1]
In light of these developments, the Election Commission on May 2 sought clarification from Sthapit. It also asked a local rights organization to remove statements that called Sthapit’s remarks objectionable and also demanded that his candidacy be scrapped. [The Kathmandu Post 2]
Pakistan: Government issues new passport to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
(fq) Pakistan’s new government has cleared the name of former prime minister and party chairman Nawaz Sharif from the so-called Exit Control List (ECL) and issued a new passport, enabling the brother of incumbent premier Shahbaz Sharif to return to the country after being in exile for two years. [Arab News] [The Express Tribune]
The former prime minister has been residing in the United Kingdom since 2019, after a court granted him indefinite bail to seek medical treatment [see AiR No. 1, January/2021, 1]. In Pakistan, Sharif was facing several corruption charges and was considered by the courts to have absconded. He was also facing sedition charges for accusing the military of political interference [see AiR No. 41, October/2020, 2, AiR No. 37, September/2020, 3].
Pakistan: Son of newly elected prime minister takes charge of Punjab province
(lm) The son of Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took charge of Punjab province on April 30, the country's richest and politically influential region, after weeks of deadlock, further bolstering the dynasty's grip on power. [The Straits Times]
Hamza Shehbaz Sharif was elected Punjab’s new chief minister by the provincial assembly on April 16. However, the province’s governor – a loyalist to the former prime minister, Imran Khan – refused to swear in the new chief minister, forcing the Lahore High Court to step in. [Geo News]
Following his oath-taking ceremony, Sharif visited the residence of businessman and sugar tycoon Jahangir Tareen. An estranged leader of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, Tareen is leading a group of some 30 PTI lawmakers that made the removal of the previous chief minister a precondition for its support of Prime Minister Imran Khan in the then upcoming no-confidence motion [see AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]. [The Express Tribune]
The younger Sharif's appointment as Punjab province's chief minister comes days after Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the son of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was appointed as one of world's youngest foreign ministers at the age of 33. [see entry in this edition]
Pakistan: PPP chairman, Bhutto scion Bilawal appointed new foreign minister
(ha) The scion of Pakistan’s most influential political dynasty and chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, took oath as Pakistan’s new foreign minister on April 27, in what some observers consider the latest step up a ladder that is likely to take him to the top of the country’s leadership. [The Straits Times]
Thirty-three-year-old Bilawal is the son of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in 2007, and former President Asif Zardari. He is the grandson of former prime minister and PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who also started his political career as foreign minister in the then President Ayub Khan’s cabinet. Having received his education from Oxford, Bilawal is considered a forward-looking and liberal politician. [Dawn]
After taking the oath, Bilawal visited the Chinese embassy in Islamabad and offered his condolences on the deaths of Chinese teachers in suicide attack at Karachi University. As his first major assignment, Bilawal Bhutto accompanied Prime Minister Sharif on his first visit to Saudi Arabia – a key trade partner and regular source of relief for Pakistan's struggling economy – last week. [see entries in this edition]
Pakistan: Former prime minister Khan faces disputed blasphemy charges
(lm/ha) A blasphemy case was registered against former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and 150 members of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party last week, drawing sharp condemnation from the party’s supporters and stoking concerns that the move would deepen political polarization in the country. [Deutsche Welle] [The Express Tribune]
The charges come after Khan’s successor, Shehbaz Sharif, and his delegation were heckled by some Pakistani pilgrims during a recent official visit to Saudi Arabia. The prime minister’s supporters allege that the hecklers were linked to the PTI party and accused Khan of for instigating violence and violating the sanctity of the sacred place. [Gulf News] [Voice of America]
However, Khan and other PTI leaders have denied any involvement in the incident and accused the government of using religion as a political tool against its opponents. On May 3, after the PTI filed a petition against the charges, Islamabad High Court directed authorities not to harass PTI members till the next hearing.
In related developments, the nephew of a former minister was arrested at the Islamabad airport upon his return from Saudi Arabia. [The News]
Pakistan: PTI party of former prime minister Khan to hold major march towards Islamabad
(ha) In a meeting with top leadership of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party, former prime minister Imran Khan announced his intention to bring at least two million people to the capital, Islamabad, to pressure the new government for conducting snap elections. Further details regarding the so-called “million march” would be finalized in the meeting of the PTI core committee on May 9. [Dawn] [The News]
Sri Lanka: President willing to drop brother as prime minister as opposition gears up for no-confidence vote
(chm/lm) Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is reportedly willing to drop his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister to save his own seat, as opposition parties gain momentum in their push to oust the prime minister’s government through a no-confidence vote when parliament resumes on May 4.
The Cabinet on April 25 approved a proposal by Prime Minister Rajapaksa to appoint a sub-committee to prepare a draft bill that would effectively revive the 19th amendment to the constitution and dilute the powers of the executive presidency. Already, two bills by private members have been submitted to the speaker to repeal the so-called 20th amendment that was approved by parliament in October 2020 and to give the president unprecedented power in holding ministries, sacking ministers and controlling various state agencies [see AiR No. 43, October/2020, 4]. [Al Jazeera]
Against this backdrop, the prime minister is expected to put forward a resolution in the legislature to appoint a Parliament select committee to consider the government’s bill and other constitutional proposals submitted by political parties. [The Straits Times]
The timing of the Cabinet’s move assumes added significance, for it came a day after a rift between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his older brother Mahinda over the appointments to the new Cabinet had come out in the open. The previous Cabinet resigned following massive protests over food and fuel shortages. However, President Rajapaksa says he has no intention of stepping down. [Daily Mirror] [The Sunday Times]
Instead, the president on April 29 reportedly agreed to form an all-party government with a new prime minister during a meeting with representatives of 11 political parties that represented the government after the 2020 elections but have quit in protest of the Rajapaksas’ policies. [News First] [South Asia Monitor]
In light of these developments, some observers believe that the two brothers are scheming separately, each hoping to sink the other to save his own seat. Both are working with loyalists to nudge the other out of power in the hope that this will buy peace with the public and the political class. [The Diplomat]
Meanwhile, opposition parties that have been rather clueless over their next steps in response to the crisis are slowly stirring out of their stupor. On April 28, the country’s main opposition party SJB set in motion a constitutional amendment that seeks to replace the presidential system of governance employed by the country since 1978. [ThePrint]
The SJB has also been talking about a no-confidence motion against the government. A simple majority of 113 lawmakers is needed to bring about such a motion. However, the SJB only controls 70 seats and has so far been unable to form a majority and take control of parliament on its own.
Sri Lanka: Thousands strike to pressure president to step down as country teeters on brink of bankruptcy
(chm/lm) Thousands of professionals and other workers joined a nationwide general strike on April 28 to pressure Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his government to resign for leading the island nation into its worst economic crisis since its independence from the United Kingdom in 1948. [South China Morning Post] [The Straits Times]
In the capital Colombo, thousands of trade union members joined protesters already camping in front of the president’s office since March 31 in demanding the government’s removal. Notably, the general strike marked the first Sri Lanka had witnessed since a government crackdown on the trade union movement in 1980. [Al Jazeera]
Sri Lanka is on the verge of bankruptcy and last month suspended repayment on its foreign debts, USD 7 billion of which was due this year [see AiR No. 17, April/2022, 4]. It has foreign reserves of less than USD 1 billion, causing shortages of imported essential goods like fuel and food. A strike by owners of fuel tankers over the weekend then renewed long queues for diesel and petrol as pumps ran dry on May 2, compounding the island nation's economic and energy crisis. [France24]
The island nation is currently in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for an emergency bailout. But such a package could take up to three months, the country’s central bank chief said on April 29. [Radio France Internationale]
In light of this, the country’s trade union leaders have threatened an ongoing strike starting May 6 if the president and the government do not resign.
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in Southeast Asia
Cambodia: Prime Minister says he would remain in office for another ten years
(pw) While he met with athletes who will travel to Vietnam for the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said that he would continue to serve in his position for ten more years, reasoning that it is very likely for him to be alive for 30 additional years.
Hun Sen is currently the world’s longest-ruling prime minister, with 37 years in office since 1985. Recently, he mentioned that he would be the prime ministerial candidate for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party in the upcoming 2023 General Election. Furthermore, he added that his eldest son, Lieutenant General Hun Manet, would be the CPP’s reserve candidate. [Khmer Times] [AiR No.14, April/2022, 1]
Cambodia: Harassment complaint to be filed by opposition party
(pw) The vice-president of Cambodia's opposition Candlelight Party (CP) has stated that a complaint detailing the alleged detention and harassment of party members by the local administration would be sent to the government. Furthermore, a working group is revising a written request for the interior minister to take action on 16 alleged instances of harassment and intimidation, according to the party official, who added that these actions comply with the minister’s statements that the CP should submit such complaints.
In light of the announcement, an executive director of a local election watchdog agreed with the CP’s planned appeal to the Interior Ministry, citing the relative lack of concern amongst the local authorities in addressing the aforementioned allegations.
The interior ministry, meanwhile, stated that such complaints must contain an explanation of the alleged incidents, alongside the names of the involved persons in such occasions with the local police. It also said that minor incidents should be submitted elsewhere. [Khmer Times]
The complaints come against the backdrop of alleged government efforts to suppress the CP, including arbitrary arrests and attacks against CP members. Furthermore, the National Election Committee have delisted several CP candidates in three provinces, preventing them from partaking in the next commune elections. [AiR No. 16, April/2022, 3]
Cambodia: Government dismisses human rights report
(pw) Three Cambodian rights groups have published a report that documents more than 300 cases of human rights restrictions and violations in the previous year. Furthermore, it allegedly reveals the erosion of fundamental freedoms and the repression of the opposition parties by the Cambodian government and third-party actors.
Responding to the release of the report, the Cambodian government stated that the allegations made were baseless and not grounded in the realities of Cambodian society. It further claimed that its decisions concerning the freedoms of assembly and speech are always grounded in the laws, and the government actions perceived as curtailing freedoms were made to maintain order.
Meanwhile, a pro-government rights stated that most Cambodian people enjoyed their democracy and freedom; however, such rights cannot be extended to cover actions that breach the law and result in chaos benefiting someone’s political agenda. Hence, he emphasized the need to abide by the law. Moreover, this rights group claimed that the aforementioned report was made to gratify donors. [Radio Free Asia] [The Phnom Penh Post]
Recently, the Cambodian government has accused several opposition activists, leaders, and members of defamation, forgery, incitement, and treason. Moreover, it has also prevented candidates of the opposition Candlelight Party in three provinces from partaking in the upcoming commune elections. Additionally, there were also arbitrary arrests and attacks against the CP members. Furthermore, the jailed opposition members were subject to harsh prison conditions. [AiR No. 15, April/2022, 2, AiR No. 16, April/2022, 3, AiR No. 17, April/2022, 4]
Cambodia: Fugitive opposition party founder apprehended on forgery charges
(pw) Cambodian authorities have tanken Seam Pluk, the founder of the opposition Cambodia National Heart Party (CNHP), into custody over forgery-related accusations. The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has decided that Pluk would be put in pretrial detention.
One of Pluk’s attorneys has alleged that his arrest was illegal due to the lapse of the arrest warrant issued against him. Additionally, the lawyer claimed that the interior ministry’s investigation of the CNHP’s registration was conducted in an opaque manner. He also said that the ministry only found 200 of the 4,000 thumbprints that might be forged, which would not substantively affect the CNHP’s registration.
A monitor from a local election watchdog stated that the interior ministry’s submission of complaints to the court over the forged thumbprints was new to him. He was also concerned that, by employing the judiciary, the Cambodian government has negatively impacted the right to political participation. Moreover, he said that it would have already been sufficient for the interior ministry not to register the party in such a case.
According to the Cambodian government, Pluk, who was also known to have supported the opposition Candlelight Party, purportedly registered the CNHP with false thumbprints. Therefore, he was charged with “forgery of public documents and using forged documents.” Furthermore, the Interior Ministry has alleged he received funding from Sam Rainsy, the exiled former opposition leader. Last month, an arrest warrant was issued against him; however, he remained in hiding until last week.
Pluk and his lawyers have mentioned that close to 40 CNHP activists and officials have been indicted with identical charges against him. He also said these cases, including his, were politically motivated, an allegation denied by the Interior Ministry. [AiR No. 17, April/2022, 4] [Khmer Times] [Radio Free Asia]
Cambodia: Government inquiry demanded over an environmental activist’s death
(pw) In Cambodia, a local student association has written a letter signed by 28 civil society groups calling on the defense, interior, and justice ministries, alongside the Koh Kong province administration, to investigate the 2012 killing of Chut Wutty, a forestry activist.
Wutty was shot and killed in April 20212 when he was looking into illegal logging incidents in the Koh Kong Province. After the sudden termination of court proceedings in October 2013, the authorities’ inquiry over his death ended. Still, the government has previously mentioned that its inquiry might resume if additional evidence on this matter has been provided.
In light of this, the student association president reasoned that there was hardly any hope that the government would take action. Furthermore, Wutty’s son alleged that the Cambodian authorities are cracking down on events observing his death.
The activist’s son also stated that Prime Minister Hun Sen has failed to live up to his promises in combating illegal logging and called upon the authorities to permit patrols in protected forests by forestry activists to fight against illegal logging.
For Cambodia, Illegal logging has been a significant issue as it greatly contributed to social instability and deforestation. Since 2000, 26 percent of the country’s tree cover, or approximately 5.7 million acres, has disappeared. Yet, at the COP26 Summit in Glasgow, it did not endorse a global pact to stop and nullify forest losses by 2030. [Radio Free Asia]
Cambodia: Rights group’s statement on the state of independent media countered by government
(pw) On April 27, 2022, a rights group made a statement regarding the situation of independent media in Cambodia. It noted that media freedom has recently significantly deteriorated and that independent media is under attack. Moreover, it stated that journalists have been subject to judicial intimidation, persecution, and spying. For example, between September 2020 – August 2021, it was alleged that the courts had employed the proceedings to threaten at least nine journalists and issued harsh penalties for political reasons. Moreover, it added that the Information Ministry had deprived seven press organizations of their licenses.
In response, the Information Ministry regarded such a statement as incorrect, stating that there are legislation and legal standards to protecting media freedom. Additionally, it claimed to believe in the importance of the press and journalists being able to operate freely. Moreover, it stated that the inclusion of news reporters disapproving of the government under the definition of independent journalists by several civil society groups makes such a definition incorrect and incomplete. It alleged that this definition would hasten the decline of the country’s press freedom and cause disharmony among the journalists. [The Phnom Penh Post]
Malaysia: PAS reject “big tent” strategy
(dql) The Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS, “Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party”) has ruled out cooperation in the ‘big tent’ strategy that been proposed by leaders from the opposition camp and that refers to an approach of unifying all opposition parties to defeat the incumbent Barisan Nasional (BN) in the general election next year.
In a strong wording, PAS party president Abdul Hadi Awang said that his party does not “want to join the ‘big tent’ because there are rats, cats and so on.” [Free Malaysia Today]
Bersatu (“Malaysian United Indigenous Party”), meanwhile, appears to be undecided over the “big tent,” with deputy president Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu saying that it is “up to the supreme council [of the party] to decide when the time comes.” [Malay Mail]
PAS and Bersatu are the two largest component parties of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition that forms the governing coalition together with BN.
Malaysia: Chief of financial watchdog resigns
(dql) On April 28, Syed Zaid Albar has submitted his tender for resignation by May 31 from the post as executive chairman of Malaysia’s Securities Commission (SC), the country’s financial markets regulator.
Syed’s resignation was confirmed by the SC and the Finance Ministry on the same day, after only six months into a three-year renewal of his tenure that comes amid a controversy over the dubious lenience towards executives of oil and gas Serba Dinamik.
The SC’s first plan in December of last year was to charge four top executives of Serba Dinamik with false declaration the company’s financial data. However, two weeks ago the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) decided to not to prosecute the four, and instead accept representations made by the firm and its officials. Subsequently, the SC sentenced Serba Dinamik and the four officials to fine of the maximum amount of MYR 3 million (USD 690,000) each for allegedly misrepresenting MYR 6 billion in revenue, marking the biggest corporate fraud case involving a firm listed on the country’s stock exchange.
The decision to drop the charges in preference for a fine, as well as Syed’s resignation, have triggered concerns over political interference as Serba Dinamik is seen among corporate circles as having links to members of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's cabinet. Lim Guan Eng, chairman of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), the main opposition party, demanded a thorough explanation from the prime minister and the prosecution for the “shock resignation”.
Former deputy finance minister Datuk Awang Adek Hussin has been appointed as Syed’s successor. [The Straits Times] [Malay Mail][Free Malaysia Today]
Meanwhile, a day after Syed’s resignation, the SC announced that three additional officials – managing director Foo Lee Mei, general counsel Chee Fei Meng and executive director of digital strategy and innovation Chin Wei Min – have tendered their resignations for June 2. The SC, however, did not disclose the reasons for the resignations. [The Edge Markets]
Malaysia: Najib’s trial judge under investigation by anti-corruption body
(dql) Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has rejected criticism of its investigation into Court of Appeal judge Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, arguing that the 2009 MACC Act provides it with the authority to investigate any public official.
The statement comes as the Malaysian Bar and lawmakers warned that investigation against Nazlan was unconstitutional as it violates the principle of the separation of powers and, furthermore, undermines judicial independence.
Nazlan was the trial judge who in July 2020 convicted and sentenced former Prime Minister Najib Razak on seven charges related to funds worth MYR 42 million belonging to SRC International. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction last December. Najib has appealed against the conviction before the Federal Court.
Last week, Nazlan lodged a police report over a news article claiming that he was under investigation because of unexplained money was found in his bank account. [Free Malaysia Today] [Malay Mail]
Malaysia: New minimum wage order takes effect
(dql) On May 1 Malaysia’s new minimum wage order took effect.
Under the order, entered into the gazette by the Human Resources Ministry on April 27, the minimum monthly wage has been raised from MYR 1,200 to MYR 1,500 (USD 345). The minimum hourly rate is set at MYR 7.21, and the minimum daily rate for a five-day work week at MYR 69.23. However, employers having less than five staff will not have to impliment the MYR 1,500 minimum wage until January 2023. [Channel News Asia]
Malaysia: Employers association suggests hiring refugees, undocumented foreign workers, prisoners
(dql) The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has come up with a proposal to hire refugees, undocumented foreign workers, and prisoners convicted of minor crimes within the country in a bid to cope with the shortage of foreign workers.
The MEF suggested special approval of the government to mitigate the current acute shortage of labor prior to the arrival of new foreign workers. It highlighted the urgency of such a measure, citing a loss of over MYR 30 billion (USD 6.89 billion) in the plantation industry due to shortage of harvest workers. Similar conditions were noted in other sectors, including manufacturing, tourism retail services and construction. The Federation pointed to almost 170,000 refugees in Malaysia holding a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) card, of which over 60 percent are potentially employable. [Malay Mail 1]
In a separate development, refugee rights activists demanded that Rohingya refugees be integrated in the Malaysian labor market, formally allowing them to work. [Malay Mail 2]
The demand is not new but has gained added significance. On April 20, more than 500 hundred Rohingya detainees in northern Malaysia escaped following a pre-dawn riot. Nearly 400 of them were recaptured on the same day, while six were killed by vehicles during attempts to cross a highway [see AiR No. 17, April/2022, 4].
Malaysia: Date of appeal in “Geng Nicky” case set
(dql) Malaysia’s Court of Appeal has set July 7 as the date to hear an appeal by 14 members of “Geng Nicky”, considered an organized crime group. They will seek an acquittal on charges of belonging to this group.
The date selected by the court anticipates a decision regarding an appeal to be issued June 23 in which a Federal Court will rule whether it has the discretion to allow an acquittal if the prosecution offers no witnesses to continue its case.
The 14 defendants were among 16 who were charged last April with membership in an organized crime group. They face a sentence of up to 20 years in prison if convicted. [Free Malaysia Today]
Malaysia: Police establish special monitoring unit
(dql) The Malaysian police has introduced a special unit in prisons that is designed to constantly monitor social media platforms and prevent young Malaysians from engaging with extremist groups that could lead to involvement in radical activities that could pose threats to national security. [Free Malaysia Today]
Malaysia: Illegal immigrants from Myanmar arrested
(dql) More than 140 illegal immigrants from Myanmar were arrested in Kuala Kurau waters on May 1 after their boat got stuck on the Kalumpang sand bank. 87 people were arrested in the boat about six nautical miles off the coast. The rest were were caught after swimming ashore while trying to escape. [Free Malaysia Today 1]
A day later, the marine police arrested another 30 Rohingya refugees who entered Malaysian waters. [Free Malaysia Today 2]
Myanmar: Karenni National Progressive Party announces plan for new regional administrative structure
(cmsk) In southeastern Myanmar, the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) is reportedly seeking to form a new administration team to unite ethnic groups in the Karen/Kayin state and surrounding regions. The KNPP criticized the parallel National Unity Government (NUG) for failing to consult ethnic groups in recent administrative reforms and said the junta had failed in governing the region.
The new administrative structure will be called Karenni State Consultative Council (KSCC) and will include the following groups: Kayah State Democratic Party, Kayan National Party, National League for Democracy, five ethnic armed organizations, and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force. The NUG is not part of the KSCC. [Myanmar Now]
Myanmar: Court sentences Suu Kyi to another five years in jail
(cmsk/ny) In her latest trial, Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced by a court on April 27 to five years in prison on corruption charges. Kyi was found guilty of accepting a USD 600,000 bribe in cash and gold bars from Phyo Min Thein, former Chief Minister of Yangon, who previously testified against Kyi. Sources believe that Thein, who is also a member of Kyi’s ousted National League for Democracy, is acting under duress. The latest sentence, added to previous convictions, takes Kyi’s total prison term to eleven years.
Kyi faces ten other corruption charges, each carrying a maximum 15-year prison term. Kyi also faces charges of electoral fraud and violating the country’s Official Secrets Act. The sum of verdicts in pending cases could amount to life imprisonment.
Civil rights groups and the United Nations have denounced the proceedings, but the military claims Kyi is receiving a fair trial. The European Union and German Foreign Ministry have also called the trial “politically motivated” and asked for the release of all political prisoners. Kyi’s trials have taken place in closed courts and her lawyers are prohibited from publicly commenting on the case. Kyi’s lawyers may, however, appeal to a higher court, according to a source.
The verdict also comes in the lead up to US-ASEAN summit scheduled for next month, where Myanmar is expected to be a key topic of discussion. [BBC News] [The New York Times] [Myanmar Now 1] [The Guardian]
Meanwhile, Ywat Nu Aung, the lawyer who is defending a political leader from Kyi’s ousted party, was arrested along with her assistant. Aung is charged with financing the parallel government’s armed resistance forces, which the junta considers a terror group. [Straits Times] [The Irrawaddy]
Former Yangon Social Affairs Minister Naing Ngan Lin was also sentenced to 15 years in prison on five corruption charges. [Eleven Myanmar] Meanwhile, Thura Aung Ko, former Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister, convicted on corruption charges in March, reportedly had his prison sentence reduced to half due to medical issues. [Myanmar Now 2]
Myanmar: Civil disobedience movement loses members
(cmsk) According to an official of the National Unity Government (NUG), Myanmar’s Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) that was formed soon after the 2021 coup by a group of Mandalay doctors has lost some 150,000 members, approximately 40% of its peak membership. The membership has dwindled significantly because of junta’s harassment of CDM members through threats, arrests, and torture, the official said.
The People’s Embrace, an NUG backed group reportedly makes contact with would-be military defectors online via its Facebook and Telegram platforms. Soldiers are vetted online and once successfully extracted from the junta, defectors are reportedly provided with food, shelter, security and a stipend. [BBC News]
Apart from junta defections, however, theCDM could continue to lose members if it cannot guarantee personal and financial security to its members, according to an analyst.
Meanwhile, NUG’s strategy and funds, as well as public support, are now directed towards armed resistance. At least 10,000 junta forces, including policemen, have defected and joined the armed resistance, according to the NUG. [Radio Free Asia] [Mizzima]
Myanmar: Military to recruit civilians and transfer ordnance factory soldiers to front lines
(cmsk) In a press conference, junta General Zaw Min Tun announced plans to formally recruit civilians into armed militias which will come under a new “public security system”. Citing the 2008 military-drafted constitution, Tun indirectly referred to Section 340 which enables the Defense Services “to administer the participation of the entire people in the Security and Defense of the Union.”
The announcement to formalize recruitment of civilians indicates a weakening of the military, according to an analyst. Over the past year, the military has been informally supporting and forming militias in resistance strongholds of northwestern and central Myanmar. [Myanmar Now]
The junta is also reportedly planning to reinforce front line forces with soldiers who have long worked in ordnance factories. There are approximately 25 ordnance factories nationwide and each is reportedly staffed by 400 to 800 soldiers, who lack recent frontline experience. Factories in Magway have reportedly already started transfers of soldiers. The move follows earlier restructuring efforts by the junta, which enacted a Police Force Law to incorporate police members into the armed forces. Earlier, reports also emerged of junta plans to incorporate fire department workers, health care workers and national Red Cross workers into the armed forces. [Myanmar Now] [See also AiR No. 15, April/2022, 2, AiR No. 14, April/2022, 1]
Myanmar: Top tycoon and former ministers arrested
(cmsk) Seven people, including three former ministers and three businessmen were arrested last week were charged under the anti-corruption law for causing losses of around 15.9 billion kyats (USD 8.57 million) of state funds in a power plant joint venture with the government. Notable among them was Chit Khine, chairman of the Eden Group of Companies, one of Myanmar’s largest conglomerates. It is believed that Khine was arrested because of his close association with Aung San Suu Kyi. Khine reportedly donated USD 1.5 million to the then National League for Democracy (NLD) government for the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines. Khine and six others.
All of the arrested potentially face maximum prison sentences of 15 years each. Khin’s arrest comes after the arrests of two high profile businessmen last month. [The Irrawaddy]
Myanmar: Ongoing clashes and violence
(cmsk/ny) On April 28, clashes between the Karen National Union’s (KNU’s) military branch, Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), and junta forces reportedly led to the death of a KLNA colonel and four KLNA fighters in Karen/Kayin State’s Hpapun District.
The KLNA allegedly attacked and seized a military base while retaliatory air attacks by the military in Mae Nu Htar village caused civilians to flee. According to the KNU, the first two weeks of April in Hpapun District saw 175 clashes between KNLA fighters and the junta. More than 80 junta soldiers were allegedly killed in these battles and 44 were injured. [Myanmar Now 1] [The Irrawaddy 1]
On April 25, resistance fighters from Karen National Defense Organization and People’s Defense Forces reportedly attacked the Pagayi police station in Yangon region’s southern district. Junta forces shelled the village in response and tried to force the resistance fighters to retreat, according to locals. Villagers from Pagayi and nearby areas have reportedly fled to avoid getting caught in potential clashes. [The Irrawaddy 2]
More 10,000 people reportedly fled villages along the Muu River in Sagaing after an onslaught by military forces. About 3,000 homes were reportedly destroyed in at least eleven villages. Two civilians were killed by fires in Nyaung Bin Shae village. Two members of the Zero Guerrilla Force resistance group drowned in the river after clashes and four more resistance forces were killed during a junta raid in Ta Laing Kyun village. [Myanmar Now 2]
Meanwhile, 300 members of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army or Democratic Karen Buddhist Army - Brigade 5 (DKBA-5), a Karen insurgent group and signatory to the 2015 National Ceasefire Agreement, has reportedly joined the Karen National Union’s (KNU’s) armed wing in its fight against the military regime. In January, the pro-junta Karen State Border Guard Force attacked a DKBA-5 outpost. In March, three DKBA-5 commanders were reportedly sacked for joining KNU forces to attack a junta post in Myawaddy Township. [The Irrawaddy 3]
On April 24, pro-regime Thwe Thout militia reportedly killed two supporters of the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) party, including a ward chairman, and severely injured another in Mandalay Region. The militia group allegedly posted images of the victims on its Telegram channel. The pro-junta group is reportedly reacting to anti-junta groups who threatened they would target people associated with the junta. [The Irrawaddy 4]
In less than a week, Thwe Thout has now reportedly killed eight people in Mandalay and Yangon, all of whom were associated with or supporters of the ousted National League for Democracy party. [The Irrawaddy 5]
A woman in Mandalay’s Taung Tha Township was allegedly raped by junta soldiers who have not been held accountable for the crime. The NLD claims there are at least three sexual assault cases including one committed by the pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militia. The local police have reportedly refused to open investigations against accused junta members in the past. [The Irrawaddy 6]
The body of the brother of Member of Parliament Zaw Zaw Aung was also reportedly found in Mandalay’s Maha Aungmye Township after his arrest by the junta on April 25. [Mizzima 1]
PDF fighters in Naypyitaw claim they killed four junta members: a local administrator, a police officer, and two soldiers, injuring one junta colonel in Lewe Township. [Myanmar Now 3]
On April 26, in Sagaing Region’s Khin-U Township, Myanmar regime troops, police, and pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militia torched over 200 houses in Thanbo Village. They also allegedly shot dead a man during the raid. [The Irrawaddy 7]
On April 23, in Sagaing’s Sein Lel Village, 80 military forces reportedly clashed with local resistance groups, leaving five soldiers and three civilians dead. Regime forces also allegedly abducted four people from three different villages as potential human shields. The four civilians are in detention while others have fled the raided villages, including nine villages which were torched. [The Irrawaddy 8]
On the same day, 15 junta soldiers were killed in an ambush on a military convoy by People’s Defense Forces in Sagaing Region’s Tamu Township. [Mizzima 2]
According to the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), the military is relying increasingly on land mines in Southeastern Kayah State, in addition to airstrikes, home raids and destruction of villages. According to the KHRG, land mines have thus far killed one junta soldier and injured 15 civilians, most of whom have been left disabled. The organization claims it has found mines in most villages it has visited. In April, a tractor carrying displaced civilians in Hpruso Township was reportedly destroyed by a land mine. [The Irrawaddy 9]
The Philippines: Marcos lead in surveys doesn’t guarantee win
(db) Ferdinand Marcos Jr maintains a wide lead in the presidential election race, according to a survey released by Pulse Asia on May 2. Leading at 56 percent, Marcos is ahead of rival, incumbent Vice President Leni Robredo who stands at 23 per cent. Other rivals, world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao is at seven per cent while Manila mayor Francisco Domagoso remain at four per cent.
However, this doesn’t mean that Robredo can’t win the May 9 election. The survey was conducted over the period of April 16 to 21, which doesn’t consider the growing support of Robredo who drew in massive crowds in rallies in the last couple of days. Not considered in the surveys are various endorsements for Robredo as well as late turnarounds from politicians and other candidates in the past weeks. [Reuters]
With the election in full swing and candidates campaigning in the last days before the May 9 election, Robredo returns to regions in Central Luzon and Calabarzon, which are vote-rich with over 9 million votes. Calabarzon is a crucial area for Robredo who tied with Marcos in voter preference for the region in Pulse Asia’s March survey. [Rappler]
Marcos sets his sight on two provinces in Central Luzon; Nueva Ecija and Pampanga, which are electorates he won in the 2016 presidential elections but are two areas Robredo and her running mate Francis Pangilinan took by storm on April 29, with a turnout of 50,000 people in Nueva Ecija and 220,000 people in Pampanga. [Rappler]
The Philippines: More areas put under Comelec’s control over potential election-related violence
(db) Six municipalities in Maguindanao and two areas in Lanao del Sur were added to the Commission on Elections’s (Comelec’s) growing list of areas monitored for possible election-related violence. Under Resolution No. 10757, areas are put under the Comelec’s control when the “peace and order situation in the area will affect the conduct of elections.”
Areas under Comelec control have a history of intense rivalries among political parties and political violence among candidates and parties. They are also known for the existence of armed groups and serious armed threats by terrorist groups.
The cities and municipalities under Comelec’s control will see that the poll body has direct supervision over its officials, employees, and law enforcement agencies during the election period. [CNN Philippines] [Rappler] [Resolution 10757]
Meanwhile, the national police said that some 20 private armed groups working for politicians have been disbanded, citing concerns over potential election-related violence ahead of the May 9 general election. The majority of the disbanded groups come from an autonomous Muslim region in the south. [Benar News]
The Philippines: Key witness against jailed Philippine senator retracts allegations
(db) Kerwin Espinosa, a self-confessed drug lord and key state witness against Senator Leila de Lima, has retracted his allegations that implicate the senator in drug-related charges.
In a counter-affidavit submitted to the Department of Justice on April 28, Espinosa said he was “coerced, pressured, intimidated and seriously threatened by the police to invent stories” against the senator, hinting that the Duterte administration fabricated evidence to use against de Lima. He also said that the statements he made during Senate hearings and for his written affidavits are “not true” and that he had no dealings with the senator nor did he “give her any money at any given time.”
In his previous claims, Espinosa alleged that he gave de Lima a total of PHP 8 million (USD 150,000) in drug payoffs through her former driver Ronnie Dayan while she was still serving as Justice Secretary. Espinosa also alleged that Dayan had attempted to solicit money from him in 2015 to use towards the senator’s campaign.
Senator de Lima is one of the leading voices of opposition against President Rodrigo Duterte, and one of the first politicians targeted by authorities after the president’s election in 2016. According to Amnesty International, de Lima is a victim of political persecution who was targeted and singled out by the Duterte administration for her criticisms of the president and his war on drugs that has left an estimated 8,000 suspected drug users and dealers dead.
Vice presidential candidate Walden Bellow, another critic of Duterte, urges the government to free de Lima, while human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, an endorser of de Lima’s re-election, says the development should force the court to drop the charges against her, at the very least. [Amnesty International] [Benar News]
The Philippines: Local politicians shot dead
(dql/dvr) Motorcycle gunmen shot dead a member of a village council in Zamboanga Sibugay province on April 28. The motive has been unknown so far and responsibility for the killing has not been claimed yet by any individual or group, but the police does not rule out that the attack is related to the upcoming elections.
The killing comes shortly after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Zamboanga Sibugay disclosed that authorities were reviewing information surrounding the arrival of a group of “armed goons” in the province two weeks before the elections. [New Straits Times] [Rappler]
Meanwhile, the police of the city San Fernando in Pampanga province have set up Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) to solve the killing of Alvin Mendoza, a village chief running for a seat in the city council for the Philippine Democratic Party–People’s Power (PDP–Laban), President Rodrigo Duterte’s political party, on April 29. [Inquirer]
The Philippines: President Duterte approves bill to compensate 2017 Marawi Siege victims
(db) Republic Act 11696, called the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022, was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on April 13 and disclosed to the public on April 27. [Manila Times 1]
The act will see victims of the five-month long armed conflict in Marawi City compensated for loss of property or property damage caused by armed groups Abu Sayyaf and Maute in 2017 when the groups besieged the city. The Marawi Siege saw 98 per cent of the city's population displaced, and residents of neighboring towns were forced to vacate their homes due to the siege's extreme impact on food and economic resources. [ABS-CBN] [UNHCR Philippines]
The act will allow the victims to receive a tax-free compensation, as well as government help for legal heirs and claimants of over 1,000 victims who passed during the Marawi crisis. Furthermore, under this act, an independent body called Marawi Compensation Board will be formed to oversee the rebuilding of the city and its path to recovery. The president will appoint the board members, which will consist of a chairperson, three lawyers, one licensed physician, one certified public accountant, one educator and one licensed civil engineer. [GMA]
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development's Secretary, Eduardo Del Rosario, says that around 400 housing units will be awarded to internally displaced families in the city next month. [DHSUD]
Singapore: Malaysian drug convict hanged
(dql) On April 27, Singapore executed Malaysian national Nagaenthran Dharmalingam who was convicted of drug trafficking.
The execution was carried after multiple appeals against his execution were filed by his lawyers saying he was intellectually disabled were dismissed.
Nagaenthran has been on death row for more than a decade since he had been found guilty of smuggling 44 grams of heroin into Singapore. [Reuters 1]
In response to international criticism of the execution, involved Singaporean state agencies defended the hanging of the Malaysian. Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau stated that the courts had found that “Nagaenthran knew what he was doing, and that he did not suffer from intellectual disability”. The Attorney General's Chambers, meanwhile, stressed that a fair trial was given to Nagaenthran who had "exhausted his rights of appeal and almost every other recourse under the law over some 11 years". [Reuters 2]
Thailand: Ruling party remains tight-lipped on pick for prime ministerial candidate
(aph/lm) In light of a looming censure debate and unresolved questions pertaining to the tenure of Thailand’s incumbent prime minister, Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha, the ruling Palang Pracharath Party is facing rising pressure to announce an alternative candidate.
When asked on April 26 whether the party would nominate a candidate for prime minister, PPRP leader Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon stated that the party would nominate Gen. Prayut for a second time. [Bangkok Post 1]
Gen. Prayut took power in a 2014 military coup and remained prime minister after a 2019 election, making him the longest-serving Thai leader since the end of the Cold War. The issue of when his tenure as prime minister must end has yet to be settled after a legal team from the House of Representatives determined that he is entitled to serve as premier until 2027.
Speaking against this backdrop, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam told reporters on May 2 that PPRP leader Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon will step into the hot seat should Gen. Prayut be forced to complete his eight-year term in office this August. [Bangkok Post 2]
Earlier. Gen. Vitch Devahasdin Na Ayudhya, leader of the new Thai Economic Party who previously served as the PPRP’s chief strategist, also threw his support behind Prawit, saying there is no other more suitable candidate. Notable, all 20 lawmakers who are now members of Vitch’s party were expelled from the PPRP after a severe conflict was sparked when political heavyweight Thammanat Prompow allegedly tried to oust the incumbent prime mionister. Thammanat is now the secretary-general of the Thai Economic Party. [The Nation]
Adding to the woes of the PPRP is an upcoming censure debate against the prime minister, which is expected to take place when the House of Representatives reconvenes next month. If Gen. Prayut was to fail the floor test, either a caretaker replacement or a snap election would follow. But the premier has weathered several censure motions and is likely to survive a no confidence motion, owing to his coalition’s parliamentary majority. [Bangkok Post 3] [see entry below]
Thailand: Censure plan timeline
(aph) After the revisions to two organic laws needed to hold a new, dual-ballot election are submitted to parliament for second and third readings, the opposition plans to file a no-confidence move against the administration. [Bangkok Post]
According to Pheu Thai leader Dr. Cholnan Srikaew, the scheduled censure discussion is expected to take place in late June or early July. This is because the revisions must pass through parliament before a vote of no confidence can be taken. The revisions are anticipated to be submitted to parliament on May 24 by a parliamentary committee that is reviewing them. According to Dr. Cholnan, a no-confidence vote isn't the only weapon the opposition has against the coalition government, which will lose its legitimacy if the Budget Bill for the fiscal year 2023 is defeated.
Early in June, the House is likely to get the budget bill for consideration. According to Dr. Cholnan, opposition groups will meet on April 26 to finalize the strategy for the censure discussion. The Budget Bill, the no-confidence vote, and the discussion over the prime minister's tenure restriction of eight years, according to the Pheu Thai leader, will determine the government's destiny. He expects 30 government MPs to cross the floor and vote no confidence in the government during the no-confidence session.
While MPs do not want the House to be dissolved before the two organic laws are passed, the prime minister has the authority to dissolve the House and call snap elections. Dr. Cholnan claims that if the House is dissolved too soon, the country would be left without a legal foundation to sustain the dual-ballot system that will be utilized in the next general election.
Thailand: Democrat Party urged to reshuffle executive committee as sex scandal continues to unfold
(aph) In light of a sex scandal involving its former deputy leader, Prinn Panitchpakdi, Thailand’s Democrat Party is facing calls for a reshuffle of its executive committee.
Prinn resigned as deputy leader of Thailand’s oldest political party in the wake of allegations of rape and sexual assault that had emerged since an unnamed 18-year-old filed a complaint with police last month [see AiR No. 16, April/2022, 3]. At the time of writing, more than 20 women have come forward with similar allegations and initiated legal action against the politician, who denies all allegations. [Bangkok Post 1] [The Thaiger]
Against this backdrop, former party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban has suggested that a change within the ranks of the executive committee can help regain voter confidence and lost moral principles the party has worked hard to display. A possible change offered by Suthep is if House Speaker and Democrat top adviser Chuan Leekpai decided to step up, it would boost party morale. Suthep’s remarks came after Kanok Wongtrangan quit as another deputy party leader and Mallika Mahasuk stepped down as party executive in the wake of the allegations against Prinn [see AiR No. 17, April/2022, 4]. [Bangkok Post 2]
Although Suthep is no longer a member of the party, his proposal was picked up by deputy party leader Sathit Pitutecha. On April 27, Sathit stressed the value of Suthep’s suggestion on April 27, stating a recommendation that Chuan’s return to head the Democrats is worth considering to rebuild public trust in the party. But on May 2, House Speaker Chuan Leekpai told reporters that he will not return to lead the party and reiterated his support for Democrat Party leader Jurin Laksanawisit. [Bangkok Post 3]
Meanwhile, party leader Jurin Laksanawisit reaffirmed that he will not be resigning over the scandal. Seven female members, including deputy governor spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek, confirmed their desire to remain on the party's executive board this week, defying prior expectations that they would resign in protest of the party's lacklustre reaction to the sex scandal. [Bangkok Post 4]
Thailand: Workers call for better on International Workers' Day
(kc) On 1 May, Groups of Thai and Burmese workers assembled in front of the Central World shopping mall to attend the demonstration by the workers' union by rallying from Ratchaprasong Intersection to Pathumwan Intersection. [Prachathai 1, in Thai]
The protest was held under the concept that "the warlord-capitalist is the enemy of the working class." There was a mourning stop for the people who died during the 2010 Thai military crackdown at Wat Pathum temple before Myanmar worker leaders addressed the situation in Myanmar, called to expel the Myanmar military, and urged Thailand to appoint their ambassador as a parallel government for the "National Unity Government (NUG) under Aung San Suu Kyi. They also scheduled large rallies in front of the Thai Government House against the NGO bill on 23 May. [Prachathai 2, in Thai]
On the same day at Tha Phae in Chiang Mai Province, The Northern Labor Network also organized a "Sex Work Fashion Week." They call for the repeal of the Prostitution Prevention and Suppression Act and the amendment of the Labor Protection Act 1998 to recognize night workers and prostitutes. [Prachathai 3, in Thai]
Thailand: Former boxing champion joins ruling party to run in next election
(aph) On April 27, the PPRP announced the 22 candidates they will have to represent the party in Northeast Thailand. This list includes famous former boxer and actor Somrak Khamsing to represent the party in the next election in Constituency 10 of Khon Kaen province. The 49-year-old won a gold medal in the 1996 Boxing Championships in the US and participated in multiple international movies. [The Thaiger]
Observers remark that this incorporation is an attempt to regain voters from the Northeast region. The party has not established a particular objective for how many seats it intends to win in the northern area, but it aims to be successful in this region. The north-eastern area of Thailand will have the most seats in the House, and it is likely to witness a tough struggle between the PPRP and the opposition Pheu Thai party, which also aims to win the most seats there. Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, deputy party head of the PPRP, believes their plans would be supported by people in the Northeast and other regions. [Thai PBS World]
Thailand: Journalists arrested for allegedly snapping royal procession
(kc) On 30 April, two Thai journalists for Citizen Reporter and Isaan Record were arrested after they allegedly tried to photograph the royal procession. They were detained at a local police station for almost three hours before being released without prosecution. [The Isaan Record, in Thai]
Thailand: Court returns residential area after lengthy opposition
(kc) On 27 April, the Director of the Treasury Department and administrators of the Court of Appeal Region 5 handed over the area "chipped forest village" or housing for civil servants of the Court of Appeal Region 5 on 58 acres of the royal parcel land, located at the foot of Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai province.
Court of Appeal Region 5 used the forest area to build apartments for their officials intruding into the forest area before this residential project has been national-widely opposed. The land returning was inspected by Doi Suthep Forest Reclaim Network, an NGO network that has been doing activities to reclaim the forest for more than four years. The NGO is also planning to organize a local ceremony for the forest and reforesting the area. [Prachatai, in Thai]
Vietnam: Journalist allowed to meet his wife after appeal fails
(kc) A former high school chemistry teacher, who was sentenced to five years imprisonment after he broadcasted a police crackdown on his social media handle, was allowed to meet with his family last week. The meeting was the first since his arrest, and came three days after a Hanoi appeals court confirmed his sentence in a hearing that neither his lawyers nor his family was given advance notice. [Radio Free Asia] [AiR No. 17, April/2022, 4]
International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia
Discussions over Solomon Islands deal with China continue
(jw) After China’s April 19 announcement that a security pact between the Solomon Islands and China had been signed [see AiR No. 17, April/2022, 4], discussions on the ramifications of the deal continue. Despite efforts of multiple nations such as US, Australia, New Zealand and Japan who fear that the deal could lead to a Chinese military presence on the Solomon Islands and therefore would threaten regional stability, barely any information on the specific content of the agreement has been released.
Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare reiterated that China will not be allowed to build a military base on the Solomon Islands. The deal instead covers policing, he revealed. Concerns that Chinese police forces deployed on the Solomon Islands would act like police forces in Hong Kong and use harsh tactics against civil disobedience were also refuted. [Reuters 1]
Sogavare justified the deal by voicing his disappointment over cooperation with other partners. He criticized the US for insufficient efforts in assisting the Solomon Islands with reconstruction after World War Two and deemed the current security deal of the Solomon Islands with Australia inadequate. [Reuters 2]
Furthermore, the Prime Minister accused Australia of hypocrisy, arguing that he had not been informed of the Australian plans to create the AUKUS alliance with the US and the UK but still refrained from giving a “theatrical and hysterical” response. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison disputed these claims, arguing that he sought Sogavare’s counsel before finalizing the AUKUS treaty. Sogavare also argued that the Solomon Islands had to seek Chinese assistance because Australian forces inadequately supported the country during violent riots and refused to protect Chinese-built infrastructure. This claim has also been refuted by Australian officials. [The Guardian]
The announcement of the deal has severe ramifications on Australian domestic policy and might influence the outcome of the upcoming elections on May 21. Morrison’s Liberal Party of Australia which positions itself as a big critic of China was dealt a major blow with the announcement of the security pact and that members of the opposing Labor Party described this deal of the Solomon Islands as a major foreign policy failure. According to Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews, this was planned by China because China wants the Labor Party to win the election. This accusation fits into the narrative of conservative Australian politicians who often aim to portray the Labor Party’s stance towards China as too soft. [Associated Press]
Chinese state media publishes interview with Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba
(jw) On April 30, Chinese news agency Xinhua published an interview with Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba, giving a platform to a senior Ukrainian official for the first time since the beginning of the Ukraine war. The interview that has not been published in English contained views that were critical of Russia and did not verify the narrative often represented in Chinese state media. For example, Kuleba called the attack on Ukraine an invasion and mentioned the killings of civilians. He also stressed that the war is not in China’s economic interest, as it harms the Belt and Road Initiative and the Chinese economy overall.
In the interview, Kuleba called on China who refuses to condemn Russia for the war, and instead repeatedly portrayed the US and Nato as responsible for provoking Russia, to assume a more active role in securing peace in Ukraine. According to Kuleba, Ukraine is considering an initiative that would urge permanent members of the UN security council, including China, to give Ukraine security guarantees. Even though the Chinese stance on Ukraine had been very different from the attitude of western countries that condemn Russia for its invasion and atrocities committed on Ukrainian grounds, Kuleba still stressed his respect for China stating that the country is a valuable partner in Ukrainian efforts to find peace. [South China Morning Post] [Xinhua, in Chinese]
The interview voicing critique of Russia was published as China appears to heed warnings of western countries and refrains from providing large-scale economic or military support to Russia. Despite heavy discounts on Russian crude oil, China did not move to establish new contracts with Russia and instead halted major investment projects of Chinese state-owned enterprises. Even though Russian talking points are often repeated on Chinese state media, China chose not to oppose multiple resolutions targeting Russia in the UN, but abstained from the vote instead. However, China criticizes sanctions on Russia and continues to cooperate with Russia economically. In the first four months of 2022, trade between the two countries surged and Russian natural gas exports to China jumped by 60 percent, according to Gazprom. [Reuters] [South China Morning Post]
China, US face each other on multiple economic fronts
(jw) China and the US are reportedly coming closer to an auditing deal that would ease the fears of many Chinese companies currently in danger of being delisted on US stock markets. As US regulators demand full disclosure of information relevant for auditing, Chinese authorities are willing to make concessions and reached a preliminary framework that allows for more information to be released. Details of onsite inspections are also discussed in meetings between China and US regulators. Beijing reportedly aims to sign a deal this year. [Reuters 1]
Despite progress in the auditing dispute, the US continues to criticize theft of intellectual property by Chinese entities, stating that “China needs to address weak enforcement channels and a lack of transparency and judicial independence” in an annual report published by the US Trade Representative’s office.
The alleged negligence of China regarding intellectual property protection was a major reason for the trade war escalating under the Trump administration. In the “Phase One economic and trade agreement” that succeeded in deescalating the trade war, China agreed to take further steps in protecting intellectual property. The report released on April 27 acknowledged these developments but asserts that rights holders “continue to raise concerns about the adequacy of these measures and their effective implementation, as well as about longstanding issues like bad faith trademarks, counterfeiting, and online piracy.” The report also criticized nontransparent decisions of the Chinese judiciary that allegedly disadvantaged US companies.
Due to China’s shortcomings, the US keeps the country on its “priority watch list” together with other countries deemed unreliable in their enforcement of intellectual property rights. [Associated Press] [Office of the United States Trade Representative] [Wall Street Journal]
Despite the unresolved problems regarding intellectual property protection, both China and the US continue to consider lowering tariffs that they imposed on each other during the Trump administration. After the US Treasury Secretary stated that lowering tariffs to combat inflation was a move worth considering, China's Commerce Ministry asserted on April 28 that lowering tariffs would be advantageous for US firms and consumers. More cautious comments were made by US Trade Representative Katherine Tai who stated that while "all tools are on the table" to combat inflation, the idea of cutting tariffs needs to be evaluated as part of a broader economic strategy. [Business Standard] [Reuters 2]
Americans’ perception of China increasingly negative
(jw) A survey conducted by the Washington-based Pew Research Center shows that unfavorable views of China are common among US citizens. The share of US citizens with somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable views of China increased by six percent to a new high of 82 percent. US citizens also increasingly perceive China as a country of global influence with two-thirds of them feeling that China’s influence in the world increased, and also two-thirds viewing Chinese power and influence as a major threat to the US.
The 3,581 US citizens that were questioned in late March also shared whether they perceive China as a partner, competitor, or enemy. The share of US citizens viewing China as an enemy decreased from 35 percent to 25 percent in comparison to January, while the share of US citizens perceiving China as a competitor increased from 54 percent to 62 percent. According to analysts, this might be due to US citizens considering Russia as an enemy and thus distinguishing between Russia and China in the wake of the Ukraine war.
However, Americans are critical of ties between China and Russia with 62 percent regarding the issue as a very serious problem for the US. Other issues being considered very serious are Chinese involvement in US politics, and China’s military power, China’s human rights policies, economic competition between the US and China, as well as Chinese relations with Taiwan and Hong Kong. [Associated Press] [Pew Research Center]
Train traffic between China and North Korea halted again, trade fair resumes
(jw) After train traffic between China and North Korea was resumed in January following a two-year pause imposed as part of the strict border lockdown policy of North Korea, freight train services were again suspended. This is due to an upshot in COVID-19 cases in the bordering Chinese city Dandong whose residents currently have to cope with lockdown measures. According to the Chinese foreign ministry, China decided to suspend train traffic “after friendly consultations between both sides”.
It is alleged that trade was suspended at the request of Pyongyang, as North Korea prioritizes preventing an outbreak over easing the economic hardship it is struggling to contain. Although the North Korean claim has been widely doubted, the authorities continue to report that North Korea managed to stay mostly unaffected by the global pandemic.
Despite the suspension of freight train services, economic exchange by fair between Dandong and North Korea resumed following a seven-year break. The international trade fair was discontinued after bilateral tensions following China’s endorsement of sanctions on North Korea in 2016. [Associated Press] [Reuters 1] [Yonhap News Agency]
The changes in economic relations between North Korea and China come as China is increasingly concerned about the more assertive stance displayed by Korea in recent times. North Korea conducted multiple weapons tests this year as denuclearization talks stall. There are speculations that North Korea might also be preparing for another nuclear test. According to Liu Xiaoming, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Korean Peninsula Affairs, China calls “on all parties to stay cool-headed and exercise restraint”. In opposition to the US, China opposes more sanctions on North Korea despite of the country’s threatening gestures. [Reuters 2]
China indicates support of Sri Lankan efforts to face debt
(jw) Beijing's ambassador Qi Zhenhong told Sri Lankan Finance Minister Ali Sabry in a May 2 meeting that China supports the Sri Lankan plan to restructure its debt with the help of the IMF.
According to the finance ministry of Sri Lanka, Zhenhong asserted that China is willing to actively support Sri Lanka in talks with the IMF. China is one of the largest lenders to Sri Lanka, that will have to pay back about USD 6.5 billion to China over the coming years. [Reuters]
Iran seeks to deepen military cooperation with China
(jw) During a visit of China’s Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi emphasized his government’s wish to deepen ties with China in order to confront US “unilateralism” and create “stability and order”. Wei similarly stated that his visit to Iran was aimed at “improving the strategic defense cooperation” between the two countries, also stressing the resistance against unilateralism as well as the fight against terrorism.
China and Iran deepened their military ties in recent years with their navies visiting each other’s ports and holding joint naval drills. Economic cooperation is also set to increase after a 25-year strategic cooperation agreement was signed in 2021 [see No. 13, March/2021, 5]. Amid the Ukraine war, China refrains from buying Russian crude oil and is therefore more dependent upon other sources. One of them is Iran, as Iranian exports of crude oil rose by 30 percent in the first three months of 2022 compared to the average exports in 2021. [Associated Press] [Middle East Eye]
China-EU relations: Brussels demands information about detained employee
(dql) The European Union (EU) has demanded that China provides a “proper” explanation for the arrest of a Chinese staff member of its Beijing mission. The man has been in detention since September last year. No information about the charges against him has been given to the EU yet.
The man’s detention is a rare case of an employee of a Western diplomatic mission being arrested in China and comes at a time when relations between China and the EU are already highly strained over human rights issues and the war in Ukraine. [South China Morning Post]
Serbia presents artillery purchased from China
(dql) In a show of force, Serbia has showcased its new surface-to-air missiles which it recently bought from Beijing, alongside military equipment that has been acquired from both Russia and the West.
During a parade at a military airfield near Belgard on April 30, Chinese and French missiles were showcased as well as Airbus helicopters, Chinese-armed drones and Russian MIG-29 jets. [DW]
Indigenous Peruvians protesting against Chinese-owned mine clash with police
(jw) Chinese mining company MMG achieved a victory in its efforts to continue its operations on the Peruvian Las Bambas copper mine after indigenous protesters that set up a camp on the mining site were partly removed by Peruvian police. The removal comes a week after MMG was forced to suspend its copper production due to the efforts of the Fuerabamba community that claims the mining site as ancestral land and the Huancuire community that wants to resist resettlement.
The Las Bambas copper mine has been hit by multiple protests over the years as indigenous communities had to be resettled in order to start the mining about ten years ago. Edison Vargas, president of the Fuerabamba community, first asserted that the Fuerabamba’s resistance against the mine would continue outside of the mining grounds, but later on he stated that people resisting the evictions were still inside or have managed to reenter the mine.
As the legal process to evict the protesters is lengthy, the Peruvian government that relies on the Las Bambas mine accounting for one percent of the Peruvian GDP tries to enter negotiations with the Indigenous.
Chinese mining companies repeatedly face resistance against their operations in both Africa and South America. While the mine in Peru prompted confrontations with indigenous communities, many African governments are not content with the royalties paid out by the mining companies [see AiR No. 17, April/2022, 4]. [Reuters 1] [Reuters 2]
Japan and Germany seek closer collaboration
(cm) The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met in Tokyo on April 28 to reaffirm cooperation between the two countries, both are members of the Group of Seven who will work together to put an end to the Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Scholz’s visit to Tokyo is meant to serve as a symbol of German and European engagement with the region, another reason being that Tokyo will succeed Germany as chair of the Group of Seven next year.
The leaders also discussed economic cooperation, especially in areas such as 5G technologies and economic security, and decreasing dependence on individual countries, which is an apparent reference to China and Russia which both Germany and Japan have highly relied on for supplies of gas, coal and other materials. As reducing reliance on Russian gas supplies will be a long process, since it requires the construction of terminals to receive natural gas imports from other countries such as Norway and the Netherlands, cooperation will focus on hydrogen as an alternative power source. It was also agreed that Scholz’s flight back would carry aid items from Japan to Ukraine.
Regarding East Asian affairs, Kishida and Scholz expressed their concern for the situation in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in China, and Hong Kong, both stated that they oppose any unilateral attempt to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas. [Asia Nikkei] [Reuters]
In order to boost security ties, the leaders agreed to set up an intergovernmental panel, with a plan of holding the first meeting next year. [Kyodo News]
Japan carries out revised plan for Ukraine aid after Indian refusal
(cm) On April 28 Japan announced a revised plan to dispatch an Air Self-Defense Forces aircraft to transport humanitarian aid to Ukraine’s neighbouring countries which have welcomed refugees, after India’s refusal to authorise the entry of the Japanese planes to pick up the supplies stored in its territory, as per request of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The aircraft will now only collect relief items stockpiled by a United Nations agency in the United Arab Emirates to transport them to Poland and Romania. The airlift will last from May through June. [Kyodo News] [see AiR No. 17, April/2022, 4]
On the same day Ukraine and Japan signed an agreement on a USD 100 million loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency for development policy in the field of emergency economic recovery and a USD 2.3 million grant to bolster Ukraine’s health care system and to purchase medical equipment. [Ukrinform]
Increased tensions between Japan and Russia
(cm) On April 26 Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov stated that retaliatory measures will follow an eventual expansion of joint U.S.-Japan naval drills near Russian territory, perceived as a threat to the security of the country. While the military exercises are claimed by the Japanese Defense Ministry to be defensive, and to test advanced weaponry and ability to operate in both European and Asian settings, Morgulov claimed they are “potentially offensive in nature”.
Japan-US exercises come as Tokyo protested Russia’s April 14 announcement of the test-firing of advanced Kalibr cruise missiles in the Sea of Japan. On April 28 Japan also lodged a protest through diplomatic channels over Moscow’s expulsion of eight Japanese diplomats, as Russia’s Foreign Ministry claimed that the Japanese government has been spreading fabrications about Russia’s military operations in Ukraine and has adopted hostile policy measures. On the other hand, Japan argues that Russia is fully responsible for the deterioration of bilateral relations between the two countries. [The Japan Times 1]
Japan has been coordinating with western nations in the international condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and on April 23, three prosecutors sent by the Japanese government have been working with the International Criminal Court in its investigation into alleged war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine. [The Japan Times 2]
Japanese PM’s Southeast Asia-Europe tour to reaffirm cooperation in Indo-Pacific and rejection of Ukraine war
(cm) On April 29 Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida started his Southeast Asia tour with a meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, in which both leaders pledged to strengthen cooperation toward a free and open Indo-Pacific, with a specific reference to coup-hit Myanmar and China’s growing clout, and condemned the war in Ukraine, agreeing to work together on its economic and humanitarian impact.
Indonesia is this year’s host of the November summit of the Group of 20 major economies, which both Russia and China are a part of. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated he will attend, and Jakarta has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Japan is the only Asian member of the Group of Seven, and Kishida’s trip, which also includes Vietnam and Thailand, is meant to ask fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members to align with the tough line taken by Western allies in imposing sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Kishida stated he received a “positive response” from his counterpart regarding lifting import restrictions on Japanese food products, which were imposed after the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima. Jokowi expressed his wish for a partnership in renewable energy and for Japanese firms to invest in the infrastructure development of the new Indonesian capital. Japan is already involved in the development of Jakarta’s subway system and of a USD 4.3 billion railway across Java. [The Star] [Kyodo News]
On May 1 Kishida met his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh in Hanoi, where they agreed to strengthen bilateral ties in order to recover both economies after the hit of he pandemic and called for an end of the hostilities in Ukraine.
Japan, Vietnam’s main provider of development aid and third-largest source of foreign indirect investment, vowed its support for the energy transition toward alternative sources such as biomass, hydrogen and ammonia, to achieve Vietnam’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. [Reuters]
Vietnam has avoided openly denouncing Russia and abstained from voting at the United Nations General Assembly in March to deplore its attack on Ukraine, as the country is a historical ally of Moscow, where most weapons for the Vietnamese military comes from. Nonetheless, in recent years Vietnam has sought closer ties with the United States in countering China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea. [AP News]
Lastly, on May 2 in Bangkok Kishida and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha announced a agreement to enable the transfer of defense equipment and technology from Japan to Thailand, a country with lonstanding ties with the United States military and one of the most equipped armies of the region. The ministers exchanged views over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and agreed to withstand such or any violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Kishida stated that Japan will extend JPY 50 billion (USD 385 million) loan in support of Thailand’s efforts to mitigate the pandemic. The draft of a five-year economic partnership was also discussed, Japan being one of the biggest investors in Thailand and Southeast Asia as a whole. [The Bangkok Post]
Japan seeks cooperation over Ukraine war in Kazakhstan, Mongolia
(cm) Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his Kazakh counterpart Mukhtar Tileuberdi in Nur-Sultan met on April 29 to discuss Kazakhstan’s alignment with the international community against Russia’s attack in Ukraine, as the Central Asian country abstained from voting the United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Russia in March. Kazakhstan has so far maintained friendly relations with both Russia and Ukraine, although it has not directly condemned Moscow, but Tileuberdi affirmed his country’s intention of making diplomatic efforts toward a peaceful resolution.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and earlier in the day Hayashi also met with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. During the meeting, they agreed to expand the two countries’ strategic partnership. Japan is one of the major foreign investors in Kazakhstan, its total investments since 1993 being USD 7.7 billion. [The Astana Times] [Kyodo News 1]
On May 1 Hayashi visited Mongolia to ask his counterpart Batmunkh Battsetseg for the country’s participation in the international response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as global solidarity is needed. Battsetseg explained Mongolia’s reluctance to join Western sanctions against Russia, but agreed that an end must be put to the hostilities in Ukraine. Mongolia, a country highly dependent on China and Russia for energy supplies and trade, abstained from voting the U.N. resolution back in March, as well.
Given Mongolia’s close relationship with North Korea, Hayashi asked for cooperation in solving the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by Pyongyang in the 1970s and 1980s and the country’s missile and nuclear development.
The two leaders also signed a JPY 260 million (USD 2 million) agreement in Japan aid to host Mongolian government officials at graduate schools in Japan. [Kyodo News 2]
Japan objects South Korea’s planned survey of disputed islets
(cm) On April 27 Tokyo lodged a protest through diplomatic channels with South Korea over the plan of surveying islets known as Dodko in South Korea but claimed as inherent territory of Japan. Bilateral relations between the two countries have deteriorated during the current South Korean administration of President Moon Jae-in over issues that include the disputed territories and that of wartime comfort women.
According to observers, the situation is expected to improve under President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol, who will be inaugurated in May. Japan is planning to send Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi to the inauguration ceremony next week. Nonetheless, some ruling party lawmakers in Japan fear that the move might be considered too conciliatory. [The Mainichi] [Kyodo News]
South Korea, US to conduct joint research on space policy against security threats
(mpk) During the 18th session of the Space Cooperation Working Group (SCWG) in Washington on April 20, South Korea and the US reached an agreement to work together on space situational awareness (SSA) for military purposes.
The agreement, under which both sides will “share intelligence about outer space, nurture space experts through training and exercises, and enhance interoperability for combined space operations,” is part of a broader space security deal concluded by US deputy assistant secretary of defense for space and missile defense John D. Hill, and South Korean defense ministry’s director of North Korea policy Cho Yong-geun.
The SCWG is the working-level consultative body on space security cooperation between the two countries. It has been in operation since 2013. [Space News] [The Korea Herald]
South Korea ready to supply liquefied natural gas to Europe
(mpk) Government officials have revealed that South Korea plans to provide Europe with a part of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, in a bid to ease an energy crisis over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Seoul’s move appears to come on the heels of requests made by the US and the European countries in the wake of Moscow’s decision to halt delivery of Russian gas to Poland and Bulgaria.
Meanwhile, in South Korea, the import price of natural gas became USD 1,013.35 per ton, an increase of 20.08 percent until the end of March. According to government data it was USD 438.42 per ton in March of last year. [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea to acquire SM-6 Missiles against North Korea threat
(mpk) Against the backdrop of North Korea’s recent rounds of missile tests this year, including the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile in March, South Korea’s Defense Project Promotion Committee approved a plan for the procurement of Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) interceptors of U.S. defense firm Raytheon Technologies Corp. for more than USD 600 million by 2031.
The purchase is part of the plan to install SM-6 interceptors in the South Korean Navy’s Aegis-equipped KDX-III destroyers whose deployment is expected in the coming years. With a range of 240 to 460 km, SM-6 interceptors are capable of reaching ballistic missiles from North Korea. They will replace the SM-2 which is currently in service and has a range of 170 km.
Mass production of the first type of ground-based Korean Tactical Surface to Surface Missile (KTSMM) was started in 2020. After a revision, the development of the KTSSM-II, which is to be run on a transporter elector and launcher, is expected to be completed by 2034.
Meanwhile, the country also plans to upgrade UH and HH-60 helicopters to expand their operational capacities until 2030. [The Korea Times] [Naval News]
South Korea, Norway hold talks on defense industry cooperation
(dql) On May 2, South Korea and Norway started annual three-day talks on defense industry cooperation in Seoul, marking the ninth session of the joint committee on arms industry cooperation.
Among the issues discussed is Seoul’s bid to export K-2 tanks to the Scandinavian nation. Both sides will also discuss ways to expand bilateral cooperation through their joint development of key weapons systems or technologies, with a memorandum of understanding on joint defense research and development expected to be signed on the sidelines of the talks. [Yonhap News Aganecy]
North Korea: US suspects two Europeans teaching North Koreans how to steal cryptocurrency
(mpk) On April 25, the US Justice Department announced that one Spaniard and one British national have been indicted for teaching North Koreans how to use cryptocurrency to evade US sanctions.
The department stated that the two provided training and advice to members of the North Korean government in an organized manner in cooperation with Virgil Griffifth, an American citizen who provides illegal crypto money and blockchain technology services to North Korea. He was also sentenced to 63 months in prison and USD 100,000 fine on April 12.
The two Europeans will face prison terms, with a maximum of 20 years if they are found guilty. [The Korea Herald]
US support for Taiwan reaffirmed
(dql/jw) Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 26, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed that the US will support Taiwan in developing “asymmetric” defense capabilities aimed at deterring an attack from China, in line with the US government’s determination “to make sure that [Taiwan] has all necessary means to defend itself against any potential aggression, including unilateral action by China to disrupt the status quo that’s been in place now for many decades”.
Under former president Donald Trump, US weapons sales to Taiwan saw a sharp rise. By the end of 2020, the Trump administration had informed Congress of USD 18 billion in potential foreign military sales to Taipei. In August 2019, it approved a plan to sell 66 new F-16 fighter jets valued at USD 8 billion to Taiwan [see AiR No. 34, August/2019, 3].
Since Biden took office in January 2021, three arms sales have been concluded, the latest in early April, when the State Department approved a USD 95 million deal to sustain Taiwan’s air defences. The agreement includes equipment, training, servicing, deployment and operation of the Patriot Air Defence System. [South China Morning Post]
Speaking before House Committee on Foreign Affairs two days later, Blinken dismissed concerns within the Committee and among other US lawmakers over a possible exclusion of Taiwan from the impending Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) under the Biden administration saying that the US will “engage virtually every country” in the region in creating the IPEF. [Focus Taiwan 1]
Furthermore, in a unanimous vote on April 27, the US Congress passed a bill that, if signed by US President Biden, would lead to the US State Department creating a plan for Taiwan to regain an observer status at the World Health Organization. Lawmakers arguing for the bill that already passed the Senate in August asserted that Taiwan deserved an opportunity to contribute to the WHO as it displayed expertise and efficiency during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, China already indicated that it would not support Taiwan’s participation in this year’s assembly. [Al Jazeera] [Reuters]
The bill comes a month before this year's World Health Assembly (WHA), the decision-making body of the WHO, which is scheduled to be held from May 22 to 28.
Taiwan had been granted observer status in the WHA from 2009 to 2016 under then President Ma Ying-jeou who had sought warmer cross-Strait relations. Since the ruling and independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) came to power in May 2016, relations between Taipei and Beijing deteriorated, and Taiwan lost the WHA observer status. [Focus Taiwan 2]
Also, in support of Taiwan, British foreign secretary Liz Truss called on NATO to assume global responsibility, also cooperating with allies in the Indo-Pacific and ensuring “that democracies like Taiwan are able to defend themselves”. Truss also called on China to “play by the rules”. The speech held on April 27 prompted a refusal by the Chinese foreign ministry who asserted that NATO “wages war and engages in indiscriminate bombing of sovereign states, killing and displacing innocent civilians.” [Global Times] [Politico]
Meanwhile, a recent survey conducted by the Taiwanese Institute for National Defense and Security Research revealed that 40 percent of the respondents believe the United States would come to Taiwan's defense if China attacked. This marks a sharp drop of 17 percentage points compared to a previous poll seven months ago. [Taipei Times]
US warship sails through Taiwan Strait
(dql) Marking the second time this year that a US warship transited the Taiwan Strait, the USS Sampson (DDG-102), an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, sailed through the narrow waterway separating Taiwan and China.
The 7th Fleet under the U.S. Pacific Command Washington declared the transit as "commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," and as a "routine operation” conducted under international laws.
In February, the USS Ralph Johnson (DDG-114) transited the Taiwan Strait. [USNI]
Taiwan joins US-initiated “Declaration for the Future of the Internet”
(dql) On April 28, Taiwan joined nearly sixty other countries in signing a declaration led by the US to promote a free and open Internet to counter “rising digital authoritarianism.”
Taiwan’s government was represented by Minister Without Portfolio Audrey Tang at a virtual ceremony hosted by the White House to sign the “Declaration for the Future of the Internet” that “reaffirms and recommits its partners to a single global Internet – one that is truly open and fosters competition, privacy, and respect for human rights,” against the “trend of rising digital authoritarianism where some states act to repress freedom of expression, censor independent news sites, interfere with elections, promote disinformation, and deny their citizens other human rights.”
Besides the US and Taiwan, other signatories include Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cabo Verde, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, The European Commission, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, North Macedonia, Palau, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Uruguay. [Taipei Times] [Department of State, USA]
Mongolia, IAEA sign 2022-2027 Country Programme Framework
(dql) Mongolia and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have signed Mongolia’s Country Programme Framework (CPF) for the period of 2022-2027, which specifies seven areas of priority, namely food and agriculture, human health, water and environment, nuclear science and technology, nuclear and radiation safety and security, energy and industry, as well as mining and processing.
A CPF contains priority development needs and interests that are agreed upon between the IAEA and the member state and that are to be supported through technical cooperation activities. [IAEA]
India seizes USD 725 million from China’s Xiaomi over alleged forex violations
(lm) India has seized more than USD 700 million from one of China’s biggest tech companies after accusing it of moving money out of the country illegally. The move comes after an investigation was launched by India's Enforcement Directorate—the country's main financial investigation agency—in February over concerns of illegal remittances. [Al Jazeera] [South China Morning Post]
In a statement on April 29, the federal agency said it had taken control of the bank accounts of Indian subsidiary of smartphone maker Xiaomi under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act. It also accused the parent company of providing “misleading information to the banks while remitting the money abroad.” [CNN]
India has taken a hard line against Chinese companies operating within the country ever since border tensions escalated two years ago. India blacklisted more than 200 mobile applications—many of which were Chinese—causing Beijing to say it was “seriously concerned” about actions New Delhi has taken against Chinese companies. [AiR No. 48, December/2020, 1]
Wake-up call for Europe to look at Asia: Indian foreign minister on Ukraine conflict
(lm) Against the larger backdrop of growing pressure from the European Union and the United States to join in condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, India’s foreign minister S. Jaishankar said on April 26 New Delhi would set its own course on foreign policy.
Jaishankar’s sharp remarks came in response to questions from some of his European counterparts during a town hall session at the annual Raisina Dialogue, India's flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics. The Indian top diplomat also criticized the West for its own shortcomings in defending the “rules-based order” during crises in Asia, most notably the return of the Afghan Taliban last August. [YouTube]
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen in her inaugural speech called the war in Ukraine a defining moment, saying that whatever is happening there will also have an impact on Asia. Her visit to New Delhi was therefore widely seen as being part of a broader Western effort to encourage India to downgrade ties with Russia in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. [AiR No. 17, April/2022, 4]
Against this backdrop, Jaishankar said during the panel discussion that “things have been happening in Asia for the last 10 years [and] Europe may not have looked at it”, further calling the war in Ukraine a “wake-up call for Europe […] to also look at Asia”. [Nikkei Asia]
In light of India's sharp response to Western criticism at the Raisina Dialogue, observers believe that it might be unrealistic to expect any change. [Deutsche Welle]
International chip consortium ISMC to set up USD 3 billion plant in India's Karnataka state
(lm) International semiconductor consortium ISMC will invest USD 3 billion in India’s southern Karnataka state to set up a chip-making plant, the state government announced on May 1. ISMC is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi-based Next Orbit Ventures and Israel's Tower Semiconductor. The semiconductor fabrication unit—India’s first—is expected to generate more than 1,500 direct jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs, according to the state’s investment promotion division. [Reuters]
The development has given the southern state the lead in cornering investments under the central government’s USD 10-billion incentive plan, which was approved in December of last year and aims to attract semiconductor and display manufacturers [see AiR No. 51, December/2021, 3]. Two other players—the Vedanta-Foxconn joint venture and Singapore-based IGSS—have also bid for incentives to set up semiconductor and display units in India. [The Economic Times]
China condemns killing of three workers in Pakistan suicide attack
(lm) China has strongly condemned an attack that killed three of its citizens in Pakistan’s southern city of Karachi, demanding that Islamabad fight against those involved at a time when the new administration may be looking to improve ties with Beijing.
Three Chinese language teachers and their Pakistani driver were killed in a suspected suicide bombing near Karachi University's Confucius Institute on April 26. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a militant separatist group from Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan, claimed responsibility for the attack, which it said was carried out by a lone female suicide bomber. The BLA, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, warned of more violent attacks on Chinese targets the following day. [Al Jazeera] [YouTube]
China, for its part, expressed “strong condemnation and indignation” over the attack and demanded Pakistan investigate thoroughly, punish those responsible, ensure the safety of Chinese citizens, and prevent such incidents from happening again. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China]
China is a close partner to Pakistan and its biggest source of military and economic support. But in recent years terrorist attacks targeting Chinese nationals involved in development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) have alarmed Beijing. In July of last year, 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals, were killed in an explosion that hit a bus convoy carrying Chinese engineers to a hydropower plant construction site in northern Pakistan [see AiR No. 29, July/2021, 3].
The latest attack poses a challenge for Pakistan’s new prime minister, Shahbaz Sharif, who is widely believed to seek a strengthening of economic and political relations with the Chinese government. Analysts note that it was under Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's prime minister from 2013 to 2017 and the brother of the incumbent, that the CPEC was solidified. [Voice of America]
In light of this, Prime Minister Sharif scrambled to appease China since the incident, making a personal visit to the Chinese embassy in Islamabad on April 26 to meet officials. In a rare move, he also presented them with a handwritten letter, reaffirming his government's commitment “to eliminating all militants and terrorists from Pakistani soil”. [BBC]
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia to discuss extension of USD 3 billion Saudi loan in Pakistan’s Central Bank
(lm/ha) Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will discuss the possibility of extending the terms of a USD 3 billion Saudi deposit in Pakistan’s central bank to help Islamabad’s faltering economy, according to a statement released after a visit by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Saudi Arabia last week. [Bloomberg,$] [France24]
In his first foreign trip since assuming office, Prime Minister Sharif arrived in the Kingdom on April 28 at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He was accompanied by key cabinet members, including Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif. [Arab News]
In the past few years, Saudi Arabia has provided Pakistan with financial support of USD 4.2 billion, with USD 3 billion depositing in Islamabad’s central bank and USD 1.2 billion in deferred oil payments. However, the financial conditions of Pakistan did not improve and last month the country’s foreign reserves plunged below USD 11 billion. [Al Jazeera]
In light of this, Pakistan also welcomed the decision of Saudi Arabia of extending its support to financing its crude oil products and other oil derivatives [see AiR No. 25, June/2021, 4].The visit of Prime Minister Sharif to Riyadh came after recent talks between Islamabad and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about release of funds under its USD 6 billion bailout package that was stalled over uncertainty of reforms and electricity and fuel subsidies given by former Prime Minister Imran Khan to win over public support.
But the new government led by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif rolled back the subsidies on electricity and fuel stating that economy cannot sustain subsidies estimated to USD 2.06 billion as it has stretched government’s finances and turned to Saudi Arabia for assistance. [AiR No. 17,April/2022, 4]
Mekong River Commission approves new funding procedures
(pw) The Joint Committee of the Mekong River Commission (MRC), consisting of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, has passed the latest MRC rules on data protection, financial transactions, and procurement. It is anticipated that such regulations will increase public accountability and transparency in the utilization of its funds. Also, these procedures fall under the institutional changes made to the MRC since 2016.
Moreover, according to the MRC, its water usage monitoring and reporting system in the Mekong is progressing further to fruition. The MRC Secretariat’s CEO noted that having accurate water usage data is highly beneficial for the MRC members as it enables them to enact the appropriate policies and results in responsible water usage. [Khmer Times]
Cambodia calls for a special economic zone on the Cambodia–Vietnam border
(pw) Vietnam has sent out a delegation led by Dinh Tieng Dung, a Politburo member of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam, to make an official working trip to Cambodia. During this trip, Dinh had a courtesy call with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on the establishment of a special economic zone (SEZ) on the Cambodia–Vietnam border. According to Sen, the formation of an SEZ with factories on the border region, a former battlefield, into a marketplace.
Also, Dinh met with Heng Samrin, the President of Cambodia’s National Assembly, who Dinh urged to enhance further the bilateral exchange of the two countries’ experiences in areas such as the drafting of an international bilateral and multilateral cooperation legislation. [Khmer Times]
Cambodia, Italy hold meeting on bilateral relations
(pw) A meeting between the Cambodian Foreign Minister and the Italian Ambassador to Cambodia was held on April 26, 2022, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. At this conference, both sides had a dialogue over the state of their countries’ cooperation and relationship and talked over the crisis in Myanmar, alongside Cambodia’s role in addressing this situation as the Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Additionally, it was confirmed by the Ambassador that Italy would keep providing aid to the ASEAN Regional Center for Mine Action. Moreover, Cambodia was called upon to endorse Italy’s bid to be the World Expo 2030 host.
Cambodia has received more than 1.5 million Covid-19 vaccines from Italy, alongside Italian help in training specialists to protect the historic Khmer temples. [The Phnom Penh Post]
Japanese military chief visits Cambodia
(pw) Japan’s top military commander, General Yamazaki Koji, concluded a two-day official visit to Cambodia last week. During his visit, General Koji held meetings with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, the Cambodian defense minister, and top-ranking Cambodian military officers, including the commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.
According to an analyst, this visit reveals Cambodia’s efforts to rebalance its foreign policy from its reliance on China and polish its international image with Japanese support. He noted that while Cambodia would retain policies supportive of China, a more balanced foreign policy and an improved international reputation would positively affect Cambodia and China as well. Another analyst stated that the visit addresses foreign perceptions of Cambodia’s closeness to China while showing Cambodia is interested in establishing its relations with other nations. [Khmer Times]
Moreover, an academic has mentioned that both Cambodia and Japan have been moving toward creating a comprehensive strategic partnership between both countries to enhance their bilateral cooperation further. Furthermore, he expected that there would be greater cooperation between them.
Cambodian prime minister appeals to Myanmar junta leader for meeting between special envoy, Suu Kyi
(lm/pw) Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has urged Burmese junta leader Senior General (Sen. Gen.) Min Aung Hlaing to allow a special envoy for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) access to the country’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, in his strongest call so far for Myanmar to demonstrate commitment to a regional peace process. [Reuters] [The Diplomat]
Hun Sen, the chairman of ASEAN, in a video call on May 3 told Min Aung Hlaing it was crucial the envoy meets all stakeholders in Myanmar, including Suu Kyi, who in recent months has been convicted of corruption and incitement.
In the past, ASEAN has struggled to bring this conflict to a peaceful end. The Cambodian Foreign Ministry and ASEAN Special Envoy to Myanmar has travelled to Myanmar previously to meet with Min Aung Hlaing, where the General said that his side is sparing no effort to carry out ASEAN’s Five-point Consensus to achieve peace in his country. [AiR No. 14, April/2022, 1] [Khmer Times]
Laos, Vietnam to improve bilateral cooperation
(pw) The Lao Vice President had made an official trip to Vietnam, where she had discussions with Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, alongside the Vietnamese Vice-President, on reinforcing their countries’ ties. It was agreed that both countries would collaborate on enhancing their bilateral cooperation in various areas such as culture, defense, education, and transportation.
Most importantly, reassurances were made by both sides in deepening their countries’ economic cooperation in matters such as business obstacles, infrastructure, and the promotion of inter-border trade. Nguyen mentioned that both countries have to seek new directions and funding sources to implement their plans for cooperation. Furthermore, both countries have decided to construct a number of major infrastructural programs, such as a highway linking both nations’ capitals, the Vung Ang Port in Vietnam, and a railway linking the aforementioned port to Laos, giving it access to a deep-water harbor.
Also, it was decided by both vice-presidents that they would keep resolving the naturalization of free immigrants. Moreover, the Lao Vice-President urged the Vietnamese side to continue future dialogue on cooperation. [Vientiane Times 1]
Moreover, talks of a similar nature were held between the Lao and Vietnamese Foreign Ministers, where they resolved to deepen the two countries’ defense, foreign affairs, investment, political, trade, security, and transportation partnership. For example, cooperation in the clean manufacture of commodities and agriculture would be jointly fostered by both.
Additionally, both agreed that they would take action against problems undermining their countries’ bilateral relations. Moreover, a mutual consensus was developed among both sides on the necessity of combined undertakings to implement the uncompleted collaboration plans. [Vientiane Times 2]
Meanwhile, an information cooperation agreement was made by Laos and Vietnam’s ruling parties, under which there would be greater communication cooperation among them. Furthermore, they will jointly work on creating information products for both countries, translating documents and publications, and promoting collaboration and exchanges between the education and information sectors. Lastly, it was announced that they would retain their combined coordination and collaboration efforts in advising, fostering, and shaping an advantageous environment for their party propaganda and training committees. [Vientiane Times 3]
Laos pushes forward with seventh Mekong River dam project; local NGOs raise concerns
(pw) A formal notification about Laos’ seventh Mekong River dam project, the Phou Ngoy dam, will be submitted to the four-nation Mekong River Commission (MRC) for assessment by the end of 2022, local news media reported last week. The MRC will examine the impact of the dam on its members states – Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam – and various stakeholders.
It is expected that 88 villages above and below the dam will be impacted by the construction. In one of those villages, the locals were concerned about their settlement from the land they relied on for their livelihoods and the inadequate compensation provided by the government. In light of this, a Thai NGO has voiced concerns that local communities affected by the dam would not be included in the MRC’s review.
Additionally, an official of the Lao cultural ministry has stated that this dam might affect the ancient Vat Phou Khmer Hindu temple complex. Hence, there is a need to conduct a Heritage Impact Assessment for this dam as well. [Radio Free Asia]
To boost its economy, Laos has constructed several hydroelectric dams to export around 20,000 megawatts of generated electricity to the neighboring countries by 2030. In achieving this goal, 88 dams have been built, while 246 more are planned.
However, these dams have been criticized by the local communities and NGOs for their adverse effects on the environment and population. For example, the soon-to-be constructed Pak Beng and Pak Lay dams are expected to result in the displacement of 11,500 people. Furthermore, the affected locals were concerned about the meager compensation offered by the government. [AiR No. 16, April/2022, 3]
Corruption probe against French defense group over sale of submarines to Malaysia
(dql) Thales Group, a French multinational company that designs and builds electrical systems and provides services for the aerospace, defense, transportation and security markets, has been formally put under investigation by a French judge.
The investigation is part of a long-running corruption probe in which Thales is accused of complicity in bribery in the sale of two Scorpene-class submarines and one Agosta submarine worth USD 1.2 billion from French state-controlled warship builder DCN International (DCNI) to Malaysia in 2002. The long-running case over alleged kickbacks was opened in 2010 and eventually exposed the involvement of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was the defense minister at the time of the sale. Najib’s associate Abdul Razak Baginda, who acted as an adviser on the deal, is accused of disguising the kickback of over USD 121 million (present-day exchange rate) as “consulting work” by a firm in which he was the largest shareholder. [Reuters] [South China Morning Post]
Malaysia in contact with Myanmar parallel government
(cmsk) Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah revealed that he was in touch with the parallel National Unity Government (NUG), formed after the 2021 military coup in Myanmar. In response to an open letter by the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights which urged the ASEAN to “immediately and publicly meet with the NUG,” Saifuddin confirmed an informal virtual meeting with the NUG Myanmar foreign minister and the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) chairman.
Last October, Abdullah said he was open to talks with NUG if the junta kept ignoring ASEAN efforts to restore peace. NUG’s representative to ASEAN, Bo Hla Tint, reiterated that ASEAN had failed to implement two crucial steps in the five-point consensus: to end all violence and to enable the systematic distribution of humanitarian aid.
Analysts remain pessimistic that the consensus-led ASEAN will succeed, particularly with China backing Cambodia as current ASEAN chair. On the other hand, the Malaysian foreign minister’s remarks may potentially signal the country’s divergence from ASEAN on Myanmar.
In response to Abdullah’s revelation, Myanmar military government dismissed Malaysia’s proposal of an informal engagement of the ASEAN and Myanmar’s shadow government, calling such a proposal “irresponsible and reckless”, and warning Malaysian officials against contacting or supporting a “terrorist group”. [Radio Free Asia] [The Irrawaddy]
China and India show interest in Myanmar junta elections
(cmsk) Two separate meetings were reportedly held by Chinese and Indian ambassadors with Myanmar’s junta-appointed electoral body, the Union Election Commission (UEC). Both ambassadors indicated their interest in the electoral process. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing had previously suggested elections could be held in 2023.
India’s ambassador reportedly enquired about the electoral process and discussed further cooperation with the junta. China’s ambassador reportedly asked questions on UEC’s ongoing plans, including inspections of political parties ahead of the elections.
While China’s engagement with the junta is not new, India’s is unusual and potentially shows its support of the junta, according to an analyst. Meanwhile, data from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute indicates that even though 50 percent of India’s military exports 2017–2021 went to Myanmar, India at 17 percent was behind Russia (36 percent) and China (27 percent) as Myanmar’s top defense suppliers. [The Irrawaddy] [The Print]
Myanmar organizations issue warning to China
(cmsk) In an open letter to China’s President Xi Jinping, 558 civil and political Myanmar organizations have warned that Chinese investments in the country could be under attack by anti-regime groups.
China recently showed its unreserved support to the junta during the visit of Myanmar’s foreign minister to Beijing in April and affirmed it would continue with business operations in the country. [see AiR No. 14, April/2022, 1]
Last month a joint warning was issued by resistance groups in Sagaing region where Chinese mining companies are operating in cooperation with junta companies. Myanmar activists are concerned that Chinese support to the regime could prolong the resistance. [The Irrawaddy]
Thailand-Myanmar relations: New special envoy
(ny/lb/aph) Thailand’s Foregin Affairs Ministry has appointed Pornpimol “Pauline” Kanchanalak, one of the foregin minister’s advisers, as its special envoy for relations with Myanmar. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said on that Pornpimol was given the post in part due to her extensive knowledge of the neighbouring country,
Pornpimol worked for the newspaper Bangkok Post and made a career as a lobbyist in Washington befor becoming a key adviser to the Foreign Ministry. [Bangkok Post] [The Irrawaddy 1]
Meanwhile, Myanmar closed all checkpoints along the country’s border with neighboring Thailand on April 26, three days after a car bomb explosion on the first Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge had added to growing uncertainty at the border. [The Thaiger] [Khaosod, in Thai]
A day earlier, the border at Htee Khee in Tanintharyi Region was closed on April 25. The closure came after a troops of the People’s Defense Force (PDF), armed wing of the parallel National Unity Government (NUG), attacked police station. Government authorities did not tell when the border will be reopened.
The closure of the border at Htee Khee, an important trading point and the closest crossing to Bangkok, means another setback for the trade between the two countries. The clashes between junta troops and the Karen National Liberation Army and PDFs already halted trade via Myawaddy in Karen State. [The Irrawaddy 2]
Myanmar: Foreign firms exit joint natural gas project
(cmsk) Thailand’s majority state-owned oil gas conglomerate PTTEP, the Malaysian government’s Petronas and Japanese Eneos Holdings have each announced their withdrawal from joint operations in the Yetagun off-shore natural gas project.
Petronas’ subsidiary, Carigali, PTTEP has a 41 percent stake in the project while Thai PTEEP and Eneos’ JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration each have a 19.3 percent stake in the project. Petronas provided business strategy reasons for its exit whilst PTTEP said it needed to refocus projects on energy security. TTEP, however, continues to engage with the junta on other oil projects. Eneos cited the “country’s current situation […] social issues, and project economics” as reasons for its exit.
The Yetagun project is reportedly the largest source of foreign currency revenue for Myanmar, generating more than USD 1 billion annually. The remaining shareholders in the project are the Japanese government and Mitsubishi Corporation, which were operating in consortium with Eneos, and the junta-controlled Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise. The latest withdrawals follow post-coup exits by other international firms including French TotalEnergies and Norwegian Telenor. [Bangkok Post] [The Irrawaddy] [Reuters] [Economic Times]
Japan loans the Philippines 30-billion-yen to support post-pandemic economic recovery
(db/lb) Philippine Finance Secretary, Carlos Dominguez III and Japan International Cooperation Agency’s President (JICA) Akihiko Tanaka have concluded the COVID-19 Crisis Response Emergency Support Loan’s phase two (CCRESL 2) agreement, a loan agreement with a fixed concessional lending term of 0.01 percent interest per annum, a maturity period of 15 years and a 4-year grace period. The loan is similar than the first CCRESL loan of 50-billion-yen, which was signed in July 2021.
The CCRESL loans are specially designed by the Japanese government to aid countries affected by the global health crisis aimed at assisting the country’s economic recovery during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Apart from the emergency loan, JICA has also supported the Philippines during the COVID-19 crisis by donating more than three million AstraZeneca vaccine doses and by providing a budget support to finance the first CCRESL and a second phase of a Post Disaster Standby Loan worth $867 million altogether.
The Department of Finance said the loans will need to be repaid over a 40-year-period, requiring a financial consolidation program and better collection of revenues. [Rappler] [Japanese Embassy]
The loan agreement comes a week after Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa met his Philippine counterpart Carlos Dominguez at a session of the Japan-Philippines High Level Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation during which both sides agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” as well as in infrastructure development, COVID-19 response, and socioeconomic assistance for Mindanao. [Philstar]
Turkish defense contractor ASFAT to export OPV to the Philippines
(db) ASFAT (Askeri Fabrika ve Tersane İşletme (“Military Factory and Shipyard Management”), a Turkish state-owned defense contractor, and the Philippine Department of National Defense have signed a Memorandum of Understanding under which six offshore patrol vessels (OPV) are set to be delivered to the Philippines once the contract is signed. The procurement of the vessels comes at a cost of USD 575 million.
This comes a year after the Philippines expressed its intention to modernize its navy, with ASFAT among the options for the provision of technology, naval vessels, and defense equipment to the Philippine navy.
The 2,000-ton vessel will be able to provide naval fire support with its 76-mm main gun, two 30-mm guns, and two 12.7-mm guns. In addition, the vessel will be equipped with new defense technologies making it capable of maritime security operations, border patrols, and intelligence or surveillance missions. The vessel is also capable of air and ground defense, with a helipad for 10-ton helicopters. [Naval News] [Daily Sabah]
Philippines’ President Duterte to skip upcoming US-ASEAN summit
(pw/lm) Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has declined the United States’ invitation to attend next month’s special summit between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the US. In his weekly address aired on April 27, he reasoned that that the positions he might adopt during the conference might contradict the stances of his successor, who will be elected on May 9. [Bloomberg]
It has not yet been announced if anyone will represent Philippines at the summit, though there is reason to believe that Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin might step in. [The Diplomat]
Against the larger backdrop of Washington’s strategic competition with China for regional influence, US President Biden will host leaders from the 10-nation ASEAN on May 12-13. During the summit – the second such special summit since 2016 – both sides are expected to decide the future of their relationship and deepen their strategic partnership. Also, the White House plans to give reassurances to the regional bloc over its promises. [AiR No. 17, April/2022, 4]
Duterte, who would be out of office on June 30, 2022, was known to have a tumultuous relationship with the US because of Washington’s negative reception of his war on drugs. The International Criminal Court is investigating him over the killings during his drug war. Furthermore, his foreign policy was more favorable towards China than the US, the Philippines’ long-standing military ally. [Radio Free Asia]
The decision means that the Philippines will be the second ASEAN country not to be represented at the summit by its head of government, given that Myanmar’s military junta will excluded from the event by mutual agreement of the US and ASEAN.
The Philippines acquire Israel’s SPYDER air defense system
(db) On April 26, the Philippines Air Force (PAF) launched its first simulation training facility for the SPYDER missile defense system it acquired from Israel.
SPYDER, short for “surface-to-air Python and Derby,” is a short and medium range mobile air defense system developed by Israeli defense technology company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd..
The SPYDER Philippines Air Defense Systems (SPAD) Simulator-Training Center is part of the missile defense system acquisition that seeks to enhance the country’s military defense capabilities. It will serve as a training ground for SPYDER’s future operators to develop their skills, knowledge, command, and control of the system. [Philippine News Agency] [Business World]
The Philippines and Malaysian armies renew cooperation
(db) The Philippine Army and the Malaysian Army renewed the terms of reference (TOR) between the two countries to restate their strong military cooperation.
Commanding General of the Philippine Army, Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., and Malaysian Chief of Army, Gen. Tan Sri Dato, signed the agreement at the Philippine Army headquarters in Fort Andres Bonifacio on April 28. The TOR sets the foundation for bilateral activities between the Philippine and Malaysian armies in the future. [Philippine News Agency]
The Philippines seeks to expand cooperation with EU on maritime matters
(lb) During the second Philippine-EU joint committee meeting, held on April 26 in Makati, the Philippines suggested to set up a new subcommittee on maritime matters as part of an expanded cooperation on maritime jurisdiction, security, ocean governance, shipping, and seafaring with the EU. Other issues discussed include enhancing partnership on environment and climate change; disaster management and preparedness; fighting against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; as well as connectivity, science and technology.
In joint statement released a day later both sides also voiced concerns over “unilateral actions which endanger the peace, security, and international rules-based order,” in apparent reference to China. The statement also said both countries have agreed to communicating further on strengthening cooperation on maritime matters. [PNA]
Indonesia and Nigeria set to sign agreement on defence cooperation
(lb) Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria Usra Harahap has revealed in a press conference that Nigeria and Indonesia are set to conclude what he called a “milestone” agreement on bilateral defence cooperation. He added that both sides “have agreed on several activities,” ranging from “exchange visits of high ranking and operational level officials, promotion of education and training cooperation, promotion of defence industries between the parties,” to information and intelligence sharing. [Arise]
Indonesia and China to jointly tackle transnational crime
(lb) Indonesian Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Hamonangan Laoly said in a statement on April 27 that the Indonesian and Chinese government are committed to enhancing cooperation to tackle transnational crime. The minister noted that the collaboration is motivated by the role China is playing in helping ASEAN countries combat transnational crimes.
The Minister made the statement in a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Lu Kang during which the two discussed cooperation in the areas of immigration and intellectual property based on a cooperation agreement that was concluded in 2019 the ministry and the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). [ANTARA News]
Vietnam voices strong protest against China’s fishing ban in the South China Sea
(dql) Vietnam has strongly protested China’s announcement of a unilateral fishing moratorium in the South China Sea, denouncing it “a violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction.”
The ban began on May 1 and will last three-and-half-months. It covers part of the Gulf of Tonkin and the Paracel Islands claimed by both Hanoi and Beijing. [Radio Free Asia]
US hands over fourth center for training personnel and maintaining ships to Vietnam
(dql) The Vietnamese Coast Guard has received from the U.S. a fourth center for training personnel and maintaining ships. The center is equipped with simulators for Vietnamese sailors to improve their ability to sail ships to better serve their patrolling activities
The US also handed over a drone, 24 Metal Shark high-speed patrol boats and two Hamilton-class patrol boats. [VN Express]
Announcements
Upcoming Online Events
9-19 May 2022, German-Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG), Thailand, in cooperation with Hanns Seidel Foundation
Migration and Displacement – Concepts, Realities, Management
This certified online course will explore migration as a multifaceted issue from a range of perspectives, conveying an appreciation for the remarkable, yet underappreciated immensity of change and difficulty connected with the migration problem.
Find more at [CPG].
4 May 2022 @9:00 a.m. (GMT-8), Hoover Institution, Stanford University, USA
European Parliament: The Future of the EU and the Transatlantic Relationship
This webinar will feature a conversation between H.R. McMaster and Klaus Welle about the European Union’s actions toward Russia's invasion of Ukraine as well as the humanitarian and security crisis in the country.
Find more about the webinar at [Hoover Institute].
4 May 2022 @11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
Deinstitutionalization of Central Banking in Turkey
This online forum will compare central banking under presidential and parliamentary systems in Turkey and explore the changing characteristics of public administration and governance.
Further information is accessible via [FSI].
4 May 2022 @ 11:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
Report launch: China’s Discourse Power Operations in the Global South
A report on China’s Discourse Power Operations in the Global South: An Overview of Chinese Activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, will be launched at this webinar.
Visit [Atlantic Council] to learn more about the event.
4 May 2022 @ 12:00-1:15 p.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
Political Parties in MENA: Ten Years Post-Arab Uprisings
This panel discussion will talk about political parties in the Arab world. During the session, experts will analyze the region’s political party landscape and discuss how these parties have grown, deteriorated, or collapsed since the “Arab Spring”.
For more details of the event, see [Atlantic Council].
5 May 2022 @ 2:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
The national security implications of small satellites
In this webinar, a panel of experts in space sector will debate how the U.S. and its alliance can employ private small satellites to strengthen space stability.
Visit [Atlantic Council] to learn more about the event.
5 May 2022 @3:00-4:00 p.m. (GMT-8), Hoover Institution, Stanford University, USA
The US Needs to Step up in the Pacific: Facing up to China’s Military Challenge
The U.S. has delegated policymaking in the region to Australia and New Zealand. However, the South Pacific is critical to the U.S.'s security. If a hostile force establishes its presence in the region, it has the potential to stymie shipping flow. As it is time for the U.S. to take the initiative and significantly contribute to the Pacific area, this webinar will summarize China’s goals and operations in the region and discuss the future direction of policy choices for the U.S.
To find more about the event, click on [Hoover Institute].
5 May 2022 @11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
The Great Experiment
Democracy has never achieved both diversity and equality, addressing members of numerous ethnic or religious groups equally. The endeavor of establishing healthy, diversified democracies is quite prone to failure. In this talk, Yascha Mounk, Professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University, will argue that the likelihood of succeeding are greater than pessimism implies.
For more details of the event, see [FSI].
5 May 2022 @4:30-6:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
Drell Lecture 2022: The President's Nuclear Button
This webinar will feature Congressman Ted W. Lieu, who will talk about the president’s exclusive ability to authorize a nuclear strike and Congress’s power to declare war, arguing that it is time to reform the Cold War-era legislation.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [FSI].
5 May 2022 @ 9:30-11:30 a.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
FPRI–Wilson Center Symposium: Economic Security and Geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific
As the world rebounds from the COVID-19 epidemic, dangers to global growth continue to exist as a result of the ripple effects of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and profound alterations in the international order. Global economic shocks have prompted a reconsideration of economic stability and cooperation between states in the Indo-Pacific and the world’s major powers like China and the U.S. This webinar will discuss on these timely issues.
For more information, visit [Atlantic Council].
5 May 2022 @ 4:00-5:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
Nordic Security Perspectives in the Arctic
Arctic security is becoming increasingly acknowledged as a critical issue. Both Norway and Denmark are concerned with a variety of foreign and internal policy issues. This webinar will focus on how these two Nordic countries can collaborate more closely with partners in the U.S. to accomplish their mutual aims.
Follow [Atlantic Council] to learn more about the event.
5 May 2022 @ 1:00-2:00 p.m. (GMT+1), Chatham House, UK
War on Ukraine: Implications for Europe
Appropriate responses to Russia’s aggression need European officials to have a long-term perspective. This webinar will discuss the consequences of a crisis in Ukraine and the critical nature of preserving Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty for the entire European Union. During the session, experts will also address tactical and strategic policy alternatives as well as strategies for avoiding hasty solutions.
For more details, see [Chatham House].
5-7 May 2022 @ 4:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
The State of the Union: A Europe Fit for the Next Generation?
This three-day conference will examine the European Union’s position in future and urgent challenges both within and outside Europe, including the future of transatlantic relations, Africa’s increasing global role, and the Ukraine crisis.
Find more about the webinar at [Atlantic Council].
6 May 2022 @ 8:15 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Hoover Institution, Stanford University, USA
How Monetary Policy Got Behind The Curve And How To Get Back: A Policy Conference
This online conference will determine how monetary policy fell behind the trend in the aftermath of the pandemic and how to restore it without hurting economic growth. Additional policy problems relating to central bank initiatives will be included in this event.
Visit [Hoover Institute] to learn more about the event.
6 May 2022 @8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
A New Agenda for Indian Competitiveness
This event will highlight the vital and emerging technologies that can contribute to India’s national security and provide huge benefits to the country. To create these technologies, India’s national security establishment will require new policy frameworks and new modes of cooperation with important allies, most notably the U.S. This conference will bring together a diverse group of specialists to discuss and create this essential reform agenda.
Follow [FSI] to learn more about the event.
6 May 2022 @12:00-1:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
Justice Deferred: War Termination and the Confederacy's Lost Cause Myth
This webinar will take a look back at the American Civil War and discuss whether the "lost cause" myth that was allowed to be spread aided in the end of the war or just prolonged the process these 157 years.
Visit [FSI] to find more event details.
9 May 2022 @10:00-11:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
Independent Media in Modi’s India with Dr. Siddharth Varadarajan
This online session will feature a conversation with Dr. Siddharth Varadarajan who was one of the first in his generation to raise the alarm about the deterioration of India’s democracy. As a former editor of the Hindu and the founding editor of the Wire, one of the few truly unbiased media sites, he occupies a prominent position in today's most contentious democratic conflict. During the session, he will discuss how to hold a government accountable in an era when traditional media struggles to do so.
For more details, see [FSI].
9 May 2022 @4:00-5:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
Liberalism and Its Discontents
Liberalism is a political philosophy founded on the fundamental ideals of equality and the rule of law. It is a method for governing diversified communities. In this talk, Francis Fukuyama will contend that both the right and left have stretched liberalism’s foundations to absurd extremes. As a result, civil society has fragmented, posing a rising threat to our democracy.
Visit [FSI] to find more details of the event.
9 May 2022 @ 1:00-2:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
Victory Day Celebrations During Russia’s War of Aggression
Under Putin's presence, Victory Day became a key marker of Russia’s cultural identity. Still, Russia’s aggressiveness towards Ukraine invalidates much of this. This webinar will explore what this year’s Victory Day celebration will look like, the Kremlin’s tactics to disseminate to bolster validation of the Ukraine war, and how the attempt affects Russia's sense of national identity.
If you interested in the answers to these questions, register at [Atlantic Council].
9 May 2022 @ 4:00-5:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
The Man Who Understood Democracy: The Life of Alexis de Tocqueville
This webinar will talk about tracing back the life of Alexis de Tolcqueville and his relationship to democracy.
Learn more about the event at [Atlantic Council].
9 May 2022 @5:00-6:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
The New Landscape of Economic Security and the U.S.-Japan Alliance
Japan's foreign policy appears to prioritize economic security. Recent initiatives have focused on supply chain vulnerabilities, critical infrastructure security flaws, and sensitive technology. This panel discussion will examine possible new policies and the importance of U.S.-Japan cooperation in establishing strong economic foundations.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [FSI].
10 May 2022 @ 9:00-10:30 a.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
Climate Action Down on the Farm: Food and Climate Nexus Opportunities in China and the US
Agriculture is responsible for 31% of global emissions, yet only a few nations’ climate action agendas include a thorough understanding of the food chain. This webinar will provide an overview of the world's food-climate dilemma and will discuss how the two superpowers can use the food system to meet their zero-emission and pollutant-reduction targets.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [Atlantic Council].
10 May 2022 @1:00-2:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
Current Challenges and Tensions in Israel's National Security
This lecture will explore the major difficulties that Israel will confront in the near future and will discuss the major dilemmas inherent in establishing policy in response to each difficulty.
For more information, see [FSI].
10 May 2022 @5:00-6:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
The Glass Ceiling: Women and Political Power in Southeast Asia
This webinar will feature an in-depth discussion with Mariam Coronel Ferrer, a Southeast Asian woman who has gained a strong foothold and influence in the fields of national security and the resolution of violent conflicts between rebelling groups and governments, despite the fact that these fields have historically been dominated by men.
Visit [FSI] to find more details of the event.
Recent Book Releases
Rizwaan Sabir, The Suspect: Counterterrorism, Islam, and the Security State, Pluto Press, 256 pages, published on March 20, 2022. For a review, see [LSE].
Anitra Nelson, Beyond Money: A Postcapitalist Strategy, Pluto Press, 224 pages, published on January 20, 2022, reviewed in [LSE].
Eugene Y Park, Korea: A History, Stanford University Press, 432 pages, published on February 15, 2022, with a review in [Asian Review of Books].
Oded Galor, The Journey of Humanity: The Origins of Wealth and Inequality, Dutton, 304 pages, published on March 22, 2022. A review is available at [The Guardian].
C. Fred Bergsten, The United States vs. China: The Quest for Global Economic Leadership, Polity, 384 pages, published on April 18, 2022, with a review in [Global Policy].
Calls for Papers
The Krannert Art Museum (KAM) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign invites paper proposals its symposium on “Early Modern Global Political Art” to be held on October 20-21, 2022. Closing date for proposal submission is May 31, 2022. For more information, visit [KAM].
The Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB) invites paper proposals for the CIDOB Journal of Afers Internacionals issue no 133. Theme of the issue is “Migration and violence from a gender perspective”. Closing for submission of abstracts is May 20, 2022. Visit [CIDOB] to find more details.
Jobs and Positions
The Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) is looking for a Programme Director. The position is located in the Institute’s Finnish Foreign Policy and Security in Northern Europe research programme. Deadline for applications is May 6, 2022. For more information, visit [FIIA].
The Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics (CEE) at Sciences Po is seeking a Full Professor in the field of sociology, with specialization in sociology of crime, deviance and corruption. Application deadline is May 22, 2022. If you are interested, see [Sciences Po].
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is recruiting Executive Associate. The position is based in Brussels, Belgium. Closing date for applications is May 17, 2022. Further information is available at [UNDP].
Air University’s Air War College's Center for Strategy and Technology (CSAT) is looking for a Professor of International Security. Deadline for submission of application is May 23, 2022. For more details, see [USA Jobs].
Team:
Andrew Pathomphop Heinz (aph), Beatrice Siviero (bs), Charisma M. S. Kundan (cmsk), Chiara Mohammadvalizadeh (cm), Chithra Madhusudhanan (chm), Dana Lane Batac (db), Dominique van Rossum (dvr), Duc Quang Ly (dql), Faryal Qazi (fq), Grace Learmonth-Lo, 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), Peeranat Wongbandit (pw), Poonam Behura (pb), Rakshit Kumar (rk), Sally Dobie, Sebastian Gräff (sg), Tejeswi KC (tkc), Ulrike Immler, Venus Phuangkom, Yin Nyein Myat (ny)
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