Grasp the pattern, read the trend

No. 12, March/2023, 3

Brought to you by CPG

Dear Readers, 

The Asia in Review (AIR) team is pleased to present you this week´s AiR issue with the latest events, developments and trends in domestic politics, international relations and geopolitics in East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

I wish you an informative read and extend special greetings to everyone who celebrates the Independence Day of Bangladesh, Greece, Namibia, and Tunisia this week.

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: Further centralization of control under CCP

(ms) At the end of the Two Sessions, during which Xi Jinping was elected, as expected, to a third term as President of China [see AiR No. 11, March/2023, 2], the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), together with the State Council, published the Party and State Institutional Reform Plan, which concentrates decision-making power even more strongly [full text in Chinese].

The key word of the Two Sessions was “security,” which applies not only to foreign policy but also to domestic policy. According to the reform plan, the Chinese government plans to expand its control over the country’s finance, research and technology development, Big Data together with the Internet, but also over the Special Administrative Regions (SARs), namely Hong Kong and Macao.

Mainland

With the aim “to strengthen [the CCP] Central Committee’s centralized and unified leadership over financial work," the Chinese government plans to establish a Central Committee that would act as a supervisory body directly under the CCP and report directly to the State Council. The committee would therefore unify the Securities Regulatory Commission and the Insurance Regulatory Commission and would be responsible for the general planning and coordination of China's financial policy on the one hand, but on the other hand it would also strengthen the direct control of the CCP on the national banking system.

A similar central commission is also planned for the science and technology sector. Its tasks are said to be "to push forward the construction of a national innovation system and structural scientific and technological reform, to review and advise on major strategies, plans and policies for the country's scientific development, and to coordinate efforts to resolve major strategic, landmark and fundamental issues in the science sector." Thereby it is supposed to also contribute to achieving the goal of self-sufficiency in the technology sector, which has gained in importance due to the heavy sanctions led by the U.S. [Xinhua]

In his closing speech at the Two Sessions Xi personally stressed the importance of a revised and improved social governance and national security system. Plans include expanding the country’s control over the Internet and Big Data. For this purpose, the establishment of the National Data Center (NDC) is being planned. After its introduction, the NDC will take over the task of Internet regulation from the Cyberspace Administration of China. It will also be responsible for controlling Big Data, the data the Chinese government collects through nationwide mass surveillance in the form of a tight network of surveillance cameras, the use of Face-IDS, monitoring of its citizens' Internet activities, etc.  [Al Jazeera] [Global Times 1] [Radio Free Asia]

SARs

Regarding the SARs, the reform plan states the establishment of a new office to better implement the “one China, two systems” approach, called Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. 

Unlike the existing Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, the new office would no longer report to the State Council but would be directly subordinate to the Central Committee.

The responsibilities of the new office would be "the investigation, research, coordination and supervision of upholding the principle of 'one country, two systems', exercising the Central Authorities' overall jurisdiction over the HKSAR, governing Hong Kong and Macao in accordance with the law, safeguarding national security, protecting people's livelihood and well-being, and supporting the integration of Hong Kong and Macao into the national development." The monitoring of enactment of policies in the SARs is a competence that the current office does not have. Therefore, the establishment of the new office is seen by observers as a continuation of a trend that is gradually undermining and dismantling the autonomy of the SARs. 

An example of this development was, among others, the case surrounding the appointment of a British defense counsel in the case of Hong Kong entrepreneur Jimmy Lai. As a result, the authority to appoint lawyers is no longer in the hands of the Hong Kong judiciary, but has been transferred to a body under the National People's Congress [see AiR No. 1, January/2023, 1].

The new office is scheduled to be in place by the end of the year and is expected to begin their work thereafter. [China Daily] [Hong Kong Free Press] [Global Times 2]

China: Introduction of Global Civilization Initiative

(ms) Described by the Chinese state broadcaster Global Times as “another gift from China to [the] world,” President Xi Jinping introduced the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) during the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting. 

The exact content or concrete resulting measures are difficult to predict, as with recent similar global initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI), because the initiatives are more to be interpreted as a vision.

The GCI consists of four aspects: "respect for diversity of civilizations, advocating the common values of humanity, highly valuing the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and jointly advocating robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation." 

With the GCI, China is again working with a narrative that on the one hand criticizes the path of the West and on the other hand tries to promote China and its economic success of the last decades as an alternative. In this way, China underlines its foreign policy strategy, which specifically addresses the global South in order to expand its influence there. With success as for example the last week's change of diplomatic relations from Honduras away from Taiwan to China (see entry below). [Chinese Foreign Ministry] [Global Times] [Moritz Rudolf via Twitter]

China: Intensification of intra-party anti-corruption campaign

(ms) China’s top anti-corruption body, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), has announced an intensification of its intra-party anti-corruption campaign.

Starting with Xi Jinping's inauguration in 2012, the CCDI’s anti-corruption campaign continues as the “Two Sessions” come to an end and his third term as Chinese president is confirmed. Already at the end of February, the CCDI announced an intensification of control and action against the financial sector, thus targeting not only the economic elite but also leading cadres [see AiR No. 9, February/2023, 4]. 

This year's agenda for the CCDI double downed in particular on the crackdown on members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Li Xi, seventh place member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the CCP and secretary of the CCDI since last October, called for a tougher crackdown on party internal offenses especially duplicity and fraud to create a "loyal, clean and responsible" staff and ensure a smooth discipline inspection and supervision system. [South China Morning Post] [Xinhua 1]

Already three investigations against officials or former officials have  been launched since the end of the “Two sessions” on March 16 and March 17. A probe was launched against a former senior legislator in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality and against former deputy party chief of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, respectively, for "violations of party discipline and laws," an often-used euphemism for corruption. The same applies to the now sacked director of the National Religious Affairs Administration who faces similar accusations. [South China Morning Post] [Xinhua 2] [Xinhua 3]

China: Xi doubles down on need for food self-sufficiency

(ms) In a recently published speech by President Xi Jinping, dating back to December of last year, he reiterated the “extreme importance” of food security, particularly in light of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the resulting emerging global food shortages. 

With a population of around 1.4 billion, food security is a recurring theme in Chinese politics and has been and continues to be one of the national policy priorities. In the December speech, Xi said that in the face of “mounting external containment and uncertainty,” the Chinese government would be under pressure to feed its population. Especially in view of the turbulent global situation, Xi emphasized the goal of self-reliance in terms of food security in order to avoid dependence on external food producers in the case of a crisis. According to Xi, the key to this is modernizing the country’s agricultural sector, which is lagging behind other sectors. 

The speech is surprisingly critical compared to previous statements on agriculture and food security. Previously, the Chinese government boasted of its new innovations and plans to optimize agriculture, and as recently as December reported record grain harvests of over 685 million tons in 2022, despite severe droughts in the summer [see AiR No. 34, August/2022, 4]. [South China Morning Post]

However, at least internationally, the credibility of these figures is already being doubted. There are suggestions that there are systematic cases of misreporting of harvest figures at the local level. These suspicions cannot be confirmed due to lack of cooperation by the Chinese government, but they raise doubts about the 19th consecutive record harvest despite severe droughts in both 2014 and 2022. [The Diplomat]

China: Central bank lowers reserve requirement ratio  

(ms) The People's Bank of China (PBC) announced on March 17 that it would reduce the reserve requirement ratio, meaning the amount of cash that banks must hold as reserves, in an effort to support economic recovery and provide the necessary liquidity. 

As of March 27, the ratio would be reduced by 25 basis points for all banks, except for those that already have a 5 percent reserve ratio. With the reduction, financial experts estimate that banks will have about USD 72 billion more available to support the economy. [Reuters] 

Building on this, the newly elected Premier Li Qiang, during the first meeting of the new State Council, promised to support the planned strengthening of the Chinese economy by promoting the private sector and foreign investment.

Li was coy in formulating specific planned measures, saying during the meeting: “We'll deepen economic reform and opening, plan a new round of state-owned enterprise reform, boost development and the private economy, and stabilize foreign direct investment and foreign trade.” [South China Morning Post] [State Council]

The big reshuffle of the Chinese economy’s leaders failed to materialize during the week-long National People's Congress, against expectations, so both Governor of the PBC Yi Gang and Finance Minister Liu Kun remained in office, which was interpreted as a sign of stability to particularly calm the concerns of foreign investors, whose confidence in the Chinese economy has declined through three years of zero-COVID [see AiR No. 11, March/2023, 2].

China: Huge price cuts on car sales

(ms) Potential Chinese car buyers are seeing big price cuts across the country, with reductions of up to 50 percent as many Chinese car brands sell off their inventories.

This was triggered by strong subsidies from the local government in central China's Hubei province, which led to a kind of price war among car manufacturers as well as the provinces themselves.

The burden of price cuts is borne by both local governments and automakers directly and comes in response to the Chinese government's call to incentivize consumers after nearly three years of Zero-COVID shattered the Chinese people's confidence in the market. 

In addition to incentivizing consumers, the price cuts are also a necessary step to clear inventory before new regulations regarding car carbon emissions come into effect in the middle of the year. Until now, automakers were able to receive credits for selling electric or fuel-efficient vehicles to offset penalties for selling more carbon-intensive models, but this possibility will be dropped with the changes. [Global Times] [Radio Free Asia] Reuters]

China: Construction of first offshore CO2 injection well

(ms) State-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) on March 19 began the construction of China’s first offshore CO2 injection well on a drilling platform off the coast of the Pearl River Delta in the south of the country.

These wells are used to inject CO2 into deep rock strata and to store CO2 produced during operations on the rig. The new well is expected to be ready by mid-April and, according to CNOOC, will be able to store up to 300,000 tons of CO2 per year. [Global Times]

China: Hong Kong intensifies crackdown against “job-hopping” of migrant domestic workers

(ms) On March 21, an eight-week public consultation period began regarding stronger regulations against job-hopping of migrant domestic workers. In response, protests were held on March 20 by these workers.

“Job-hopping" is the term used by the Hong Kong government to describe the premature termination of employment contracts by migrant domestic workers with the intention of looking for a new job. To counteract this, migrant domestic workers will not be issued a work permit for a new employer if their previous contract is terminated early, except in “exceptional circumstances.”

Activists who have gathered in front of the Labor Department to protest the new regulations accuse the Hong Kong government of discriminating against migrant domestic workers and restricting their rights. In their opinion, “job-hopping” as described does not exist, but it is the right of migrant domestic workers to look for a new job with better terms and conditions if they are treated badly. 

In addition, “job-hopping” as such is hardly viable for migrant domestic workers in general, the activists added, referring to the “two-week rule” which forces migrant domestic workers to leave the city within two weeks of fulfilling or prematurely terminating an employment contract, which, according to the activists, is too little time to look for a new job. 

The modest scale of the alleged job-hopping problem is also evident from a closer look at the official statistics of the Immigration Department, which show that out of nearly 350,000 domestic workers in Hong Kong, only 1,700 were suspected of job-hopping in 2022. [Hong Kong Free Press 1] [Hong Kong Free Press 2]

China: No "blanket ban" of foreign lawyers in national security cases in Hong Kong

(ms) The transfer of final decision-making authority over the granting of work permits to foreign lawyers in national security cases away from the Hong Kong courts to Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee ka-chiu and a panel under the National People’s Congress (NPC) is not intended to be a blanket ban on foreign lawyers, according to the Hong Kong Justice Department. 

The change in the law was prompted by the national security case against Hong Kong entrepreneur and founder of the now-closed pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, Jimmy Lai, who hired British lawyer Timothy Owens for his defense. This employment was forbidden at first, but after an appeal Lai was allowed in three instances by Hong Kong courts to hire Owen as a lawyer. However Lee personally intervened and transferred the final decision to the NPC, which should decide how to deal with foreign lawyers [see AiR No. 1, January/2023, 1]. 

The government’s new proposal, based on the NPC’s guidance, states that in the future foreign lawyers without sufficient admission in Hong Kong will have to apply to the Department of Justice to obtain permission from the Chief Executive through a “pre-screening” process. The successful issuance of such a permit, however, would only occur if “sufficient grounds” are established that the foreign lawyer's admission would not pose a threat to national security.

With the permit, the lawyer in question must then apply to the city”s High Court, which must then request a separate permit again from the Chief Executive to actually obtain a work permit.

In conclusion, the Ministry of Justice added that it is not a blanket ban, but the admission of foreign lawyers will remain an exception. [Hong Kong Free Press]

China: Former Xinjiang official dies shortly after release from jail

(ms) The former Deputy Head of Publicity Department of Aksu Prefecture Committee, one of the most densely Uyghur-populated prefectures in the Xinjiang region, has died five days after his release from prison.

Ilham Rozi was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2019 without revealing the exact criminal offense. The reason for the arrest, according to information from Uyghur human rights groups, was Rozi's repeated invitations of prominent Uyghur figures to give lectures and speeches in the 2010s.   

Although the cause of death is unknown and the local government is keeping mum about the circumstances, Rozi would not be the first prisoner from Chinese re-education camps and prisons to die shortly after their release. 

In November of last year, a similar case occurred in which a doctor died of kidney failure shortly after his release, even though he as well as Rozi were completely healthy at the beginning of his imprisonment [see AiR No. 45, November/2022, 2]. 

In the past, there have been repeated reports about the conditions in the camps and prisons in the Xinjiang region. In addition to the "Xinjiang Police Files" which claim to present evidence of systematic persecution of minorities settled in the Xinjiang region and evidence of torture in the camps [see AiR No. 21, May/2022, 4], there have also been a number of reports about lack of nutrition and medical treatment. [Radio Free Asia]

China: Navy successfully conducts landing drills

(ms) According to reports from Chinese state broadcaster Global Times, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy successfully held a "multidimensional landing drill." 

The location and date of the military drills were not disclosed. The main actor of the military exercise was a Type 075 amphibious assault ship, which transported and unloaded a number of Type 05 amphibious armored vehicles, whereupon they simulated a beach assault. [Global Times]

The Type 075 is playing an increasingly prominent role in the PLA Navy as recently as early March, with the first successful open sea voyage of such a ship reported [see AiR No. 10, March/2023, 1]. 

As the current military exercise indicates, the Type 075 would play an important role in a possible invasion of Taiwan, as it can carry helicopters on its landing deck on the one hand and ground troops and associated landing craft as well as tanks and artillery on the other.

Japan: Missile units deployed to Southwestern island

(cc) On March 16, Japan deployed armed forces units to its southern Ishigaki Island near the disputed Senkaku Islands and Taiwan.

Located 200 kilometers south of the Senkaku islands and 300 kilometers east of Taiwan, Ishigaki Island has seen repeated incursions by Chinese patrol vessels into its nearby waters.

According to Japan's defense ministry, the newly created garrison will consist of approximately 570 Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) personnel, including officers of the land-to-ship and land-to-air missile companies.

The build-up came in accordance with the government's revised defense policies of 2022 that aimed to bolster Japan's defensive capabilities and infrastructures in the Southwestern region.

While the mayor of Ishigaki Island welcomed the military base, some local residents voiced opposition toward the plan, culminating in an anti-deployment protest on March 16. Sachiko Fujii, one of the protestors, asserted that Ishigaki Island has never seen an officer in a combat uniform before and that the locals will not give up until the base is withdrawn. [Kyodo News]

Japan: Kishida calls for a crackdown on online criminal recruitment 

(cc) On March 17, during a meeting for crime prevention, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida issued a crackdown on combat crime rings that use social media to levy new members and order them to commit illegal activities.

Stating that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure the safety of the population, Kishida called for more robust measures to counter the online posts encouraging people to join 'yami baito' or dark part-time jobs and emphasized the need to conduct cyber patrols that will help undermine the criminal groups' online recruitment efforts.

He also suggested other measures to deal with related crimes, such as increasing the protection of personal information or customer data from criminals and initiating action against companies offering call-forwarding services that are often used by scammers. [Kyodo news]

Japan: Court rules the police to pay for the death of Nepalese man in 2017

(cc) On March 17, the Tokyo District Court ruled that the Tokyo Metropolitan government has to pay approximately USD 7,500 (JPY 1 million) for damages over the death of Arjun Bahadur Singh, a Nepalese man who died in police custody in 2017.

In 2017, Singh was arrested on a charge related to theft and was put in a restraining device that locked his hands to his stomach. Later, the police removed the gadget from Singh before sending him to the prosecutor's office, where he fell unconscious and was later pronounced dead at the hospital on the same day.

Chieko Fukuda, the presiding judge, expressed that Singh's death could have been averted if the police had taken him to the hospital as soon as they noticed signs of physical trauma on Singh's body, such as swollen and reddish-black hands, after the device was removed.

After hearing the ruling, Yoshihito Kawakami, an attorney representing Singh's family, announced that the unlawful use of restraining methods would likely persist since the court dismissed the claim that such procedures were used punitively against arrested individuals. [Kyodo News]

Japan: Tokyo stocks troubled by financial concerns in the U.S. and Europe

The Tokyo Stocks fell on March 16 after the disorder related to Switzerland's Credit Suisse bank sparked fear that the recent financial turbulence in the U.S. could spread to Europe.

At the end of March 16, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average decreased by 218.87 points or 0.8 percent compared to March 15. Meanwhile, the Tokyo Stock Price Index ended at 23.02 points or 1.17 percent lower than the day before.

Overall, most industry categories faced a decline, especially the bank, insurance, and iron and steel industries.

Masahiro Yamaguchi, the head of investment research at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Trust Bank, said that Japanese banks might be affected by the problems in major international banks, though also maintaining that the collapse of Credit Suisse bank leading to the downfall of Japan's financial sector is still a distant possibility. [Kyodo News]

Mongolia: Spring session of Parliament to focus on legal reform against corruption

(sw) The recently opened regular spring session of the Mongolian parliament has decided to focus on a legal reform against corruption.

To combat corruption, the parliament will discuss a bill on protecting whistleblowers who report corruption and misconduct for the public interest. In addition, the parliament will discuss several other laws including the Law on Civil Servants’ Ethics and Discipline, the Law on the Regulation of Public and Private Interests and Prevention of Conflict of Interest in Public Service, and the National Program for Combating Corruption. 

Further, measures are to be discussed that reduce bureaucracy in public services and protect the legitimate interests of individuals and private sectors. [Montsame 1] [Montsame 2] [Montsame 3] [See also  AiR, No.7, February/2023, 2] 

Mongolia: Parliament rejects dangerous social media bill

(sw) On March 17, 89 percent of Mongolian legislators rejected a social media bill of which critics say that it would have restricted freedom of speech and press freedom in the event of an approval.

In an earlier move, the President had vetoed the law in February after the Parliament passed the social media law only within two working days (see AiR No. 5, February/2023, 1).  

Ahead of the vote in the parliament, the non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urged the parliament to reject the bill, arguing that it would have given politicians the capacity to make arbitrary and politically motivated decisions and the power to censor any online content they dislike.  Moreover, to improve the governance of online information, RSF advised the parliament to implement a bill that is based on 250 recommendations by the Forum on Information and Democracy. 

In the 2022 World Press Freedom Index, Mongolia ranked 90th out of 180 countries. [Reporters Without Borders] 

North Korea: Government hold plenary meeting

(ge) North Korean official state media reports that on March 15 an enlarged meeting of the Cabinet Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea(WPK) took place. The meeting was attended by leader Kim Jong-Un.

Discussions centered on the implementation of the rural development program for the development of agricultural production. The WPK also reviewed the achievements reached last year by the program whilst also analyzing its shortcomings. 

Additionally, the meeting emphasized the importance of establishing strict discipline in implementing the national economic plan and conducting economic operations.It also stressed the need for innovative solutions to address urgent issues related to strengthening the country's financial foundation and improving banking operations. [KCNA]

However the statement did not provide any detailed information concerning the measures to be implemented in order to achieve said goals. 

In February the North Korean government began to hold plenary meetings to find solutions to the food crisis that is currently affecting the country (see AiR No. 9, February/2023, 4, No. 10, March/2023, 1).

North Korea: Mobilizing youth to join the military 

(ge) North Korea says over 800.000 youths have joined the military to defend the country against the US and South Korea, referring to them as “enemies” threatening the sovereignty and the development of the country.[NK News 1]

The news was reported by the state media Rodong Sinmun on March 18, two days after North Korea launched a ballistic missile from the Pyongyang airport area as a warning to South Korea and the US, which are conducting joint “Freedom Shield” large-scale military drills. [Rodong Sinmun 1, Korean]

According to the report, young people have vowed to neutralize the US and to unify the two Koreas. The articles also said that South Korea and US’ provocations are crossing the line, prompting the increase of military enlistments around the country. 

The report appears to signal an escalation in domestic anti-US and South Korea propaganda.[NK News2]

On March 20 an article in Rodong Sinmun,  the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, stated that the number of young people who have been enlisted in the People’s army has reached 1.4 million. [Rodong Sinmun 2, in Korean]

South Korea: Police raid defense ministry 

(ge) South Korean police said it raided the defense ministry headquarters on March 15 to investigate allegations that a fortune teller was involved in the relocation of the presidential office.

The cyber crime investigation team will analyze the records of vehicles entering and leaving the building and gather other materials to verify the allegations. 

The Presidential office, which had previously filed a complaint against several people for making similar statements, has denied any allegation. 

After winning the presidential election on March 9 last year, President Yoon Suk-Yeol had relocated the presidential office from the Cheong Wa Dae to the former defense ministry building in Yongsan, central Seoul. [KBS WORLD]

South Korea: New PPP chairman targets country’s largest trade union

(ge) On March 15 the new leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), Kim Gi-Hyeon, accused the country’s largest trade union, the Korean Confederation of the Trade Unions (KCTU) of allegedly collaborating with Pyongyang.

In a social media post, Kim stated that the KCTU is receiving instructions from Pyongyang, without providing evidence to support his accusation. The Seoul police and intelligence raided the headquarters of the KTCU to verify the presence of links with North Korea. [NK News 1] [The Korea Herald]

The KTCU has strongly condemned the president and the PPP for the unfounded allegations, arguing that the Yoon’s administration is using its power to attack political rivals of leftward orientation and of conducting a fight against the union in order to preserve the power of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to conduct counterintelligence investigations on cases related to North Korea. [KTCU, Korean]

In the statement, the KTCU has pledged to file a complaint with the Constitutional Court to request the abolishment of the NIS’s counterintelligence powers and of the National Security Act. 

The KTCU has been at the center of  controversies since January when instructions and a pledge of allegiance, supposedly linking the union to North Korea, were found during another raid in the union's offices resulting in a charge of violation of the National Security Act. 

Traditionally the NIS has been the main investigative body to ensure the enforcement of the National security Act and to conduct investigations on cases concerning North Korea. However, due to the highly politicized power of the NIS, the former Moon Jae-In administration had requested a handover of NIS’ responsibilities to the Korean National Policy Agency. The ruling PPP and the President have for the handover to be revised and to return investigative power on the North Korean spy case to the NIS. [NK News 2]

The country’s unions have been under the government's scrutiny for conducting illegal practices at construction sites, with President Yoon Suk-Yeol committing to remove such practices and ensure labor union’s accounting transparency (see AiR , No. 9, February/2023, 4). 

In addition, relationships between the government and the unions have been strained due the unions’ opposition to Yoon government’s labor reform (see AiR No. No. 11, March/2023, 2). 

On the same day, the Seoul authorities announced that four citizens, belonging to an underground spy cell called the Vanguard of the People’s Independent Unification, have been indicted for receiving payments and orders from North Korea to conduct espionage on anti-North Korea activist, agitation campaigns in South Korea, stir up anti-American and anti-Japanese sentiment. [NK News 3]

On March 21 two major labor groups, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the KCTU, filed a complaint against Labor Minister Lee Jeong-sik over the government's decision to impose fines on labor unions that refuse to disclose their account books. 

The groups accuse Lee of abuse of authority charges and state that imposing fines related to accounting violates the autonomy of labor unions.[The Korea Times]

South Korea: Seoul mayor advocates nuclear weapons development

(ge) Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has advocated for South Korea to build nuclear weapons to defend against North Korea, despite the risk of international repercussions. 

He argued that the country cannot be limited by the goal of denuclearization, given North Korea's capability to strike the South with tactical nuclear weapons. 

Oh, a member of President Yoon Suk Yeol's ruling conservative People Power Party, is one of the highest-profile officials to advocate for a South Korean nuclear weapons programme. Surveys show unprecedented levels of public support in South Korea for developing a nuclear arsenal. 

However, a former senior US official said that the increase in rhetoric from the Yoon government is likely aimed at pressuring the US into giving more authority to South Korea on nuclear planning. [Reuters]

An editor of South Korea Pro stated in a tweet that President Yoon had also suggested that a South Korean nuclear program was a possibility, before quickly taking a step back and saying that the only option was to ally itself with the US. [John Lee, Twitter]

South Korea: Main opposition parties’ leaders agree on cooperation

(ge) On March 15 the leaders of South Korea's ruling and main opposition parties agreed to strengthen cooperation on livelihood issues.

In their first meeting after the ruling party's newly-elected leader took office, Kim Gi-hyeon of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) proposed biweekly meetings or other forms of talks to better discuss and cooperate on pending issues. 

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) leader, Lee Jae-myung, called for an emergency bipartisan meeting on economic affairs. The party leaders did not discuss thorny issues such as the government's compensation plan for victims of Japan's wartime forced labor and corruption allegations surrounding Lee (see AiR No. 10, March/2023, 1, AiR No. 6, February/2023, 1). [Yonhap 1]

Meanwhile, the DP proposed a set of bills aimed at supporting the semiconductor, renewable energy, and future car industries through government support and tax incentives. 

The bills focus on nurturing carbon neutral industries by providing tax incentives for facility investments on strategic industries such as chips, vaccines, renewable energy, and transportation. 

The DP floor leader emphasized the need for cooperation between the parties to pass the bill quickly amid global economic challenges.

 The DP referred to the bills as the Korean equivalent of the US Inflation Reduction Act, which supports clean energy by giving tax credits to buyers of electric vehicles assembled in North America.[Yonhap 2]

South Korea: National strategy to strengthen high-tech industry unveiled

(ge) On March 15 during the 14th Emergency Economic and Public Welfare meeting, the government discussed ways to boost the competitiveness of the high-tech industry and unveiled an investment plan to build the world’s largest chip cluster in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, led by Samsung Electronics.

The USD 230 billion project aims to strengthen South Korea's non-memory chip technology sector, which has only a 2-3 percent global market share, and create an industrial ecosystem to boost high-tech industries. 

The government declared that the high-tech systems chip cluster will comprise five semiconductor manufacturing plans, and is expected to attract up to 150 domestic and foreign companies and to create employment for 1.6 million people. In addition, the plan aims at creating fourteen new national high-tech industrial complexes in rural areas and foster high-tech industries such as space, future cars and hydrogen.

The presidential office newsroom reported that the government is committed to a swift establishment of the National High-Tech Industrial Complex and hopes to pass quickly through the National Assembly a bill to expand the National High-Tech Industry Equipment Investment Tax Credit. [The Korea Herald] [Presidential Office Newsroom, Korean]

South Korea: Top financial authority to improve domestic banks’ capital buffer system

(ge) On March 16 the South Korean top financial authority, the Financial Services Commission, announced that in order to improve the overall capital ratio of domestic banks, it is considering to increase the countercyclical capital buffer (CCyB) and to promote the introduction of a stress buffer system that imposes additional capital accumulation obligations differentially, according to each bank’s risk management and stress level test result. 

The move is aimed at improving the banking system’s ability to handle financial instability and is set to be operative as early as the second half of this year.

Countercyclical Buffer Capital system allows banks to accumulate additional capital (0-2.5 percent) during credit expansion and eases their capital reserve obligations in periods of stress, when losses materialize. 

The CCyB ratio was not increased in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, even though it was being considered due to high levels of lending. [Financial Services Commission, in Korean] [Channel Newsasia]

South Korea: Strengthening defense strategy against threats from the North  

(ge) The South Korean government says it has finalized a plan for the acquisition of twenty additional high-performance stealth fighter aircraft (F-35A) to strengthen its “three axis” defense strategy against nuclear and missile threats from North Korea. 

The term refers to a military system created to track, detect, and destroy an adversary's ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), and to defend its territory by creating a “Kill Chain” to preventatively strike the source of an attack. 

The South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the agency in charge of arms procurement, said in press releases issued on March 14, that the project is expected to strengthen the core power of the “Kill chain”, enabling deterrence of all-round threats and a rapid neutralization of North Korean nuclear and ballistic missiles in the event of an attack. In addition, it aims at minimizing the vacuum caused by the maintenance of existing crafts. 

The project, which has a total cost of USD 2.85 billion. South Korea is set to receive the aircrafts by 2028, however the number of aircrafts to be purchased was not speficied. 

The Committee also approved the “Long Range Fleet Shared Ballistic Missile (SM-6 Class) Project” to acquire SM-6 guided missiles to be mounted on a second batch of KDX-III destroyers equipped with the Aegis weapon system. According to the Committee, the project would enable Aegis ships to have air defense capabilities against North Korean aircraft and cruise guided bombs, including ballistic missiles. 

Through this project, Aegis ships are expected to have air defense capabilities against enemy aircraft and cruise guided bombs, as well as the ability to respond to enemy ballistic bombs. [ Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Korean] [Stars and Stripes] [Defense News]

Taiwan:  DPP vice president ahead of KMT candidate in poll 

(sw) Vice President Lai Ching-te from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leads in polls before New Taipei’s City Mayor Hou Yu-ih from the Kuomintang (KMT). According to the poll,  39.3 percent of voters favored Lai, 27.7 percent preferred Hou, and 18.2 percent supported former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je from the Taiwan People’s Party. 

Lai registered for the DPP’s presidential primary election on March 15. Hou, who is known for being the best presidential candidate for the KMT, still has to announce his presidential bid. 

The former KMT chairman Johnny Chiang expressed concerns about the survey results since they show that Hou has less support among young people and also lost to his DPP rival in his constituency, New Taipei City. 

Moreover, Chiang believes that the participation of Ko and the Foxconn Technology founder Terry Gou, who switched from being a KMT member to an independent politician, splits the pan-blue voters and thus, increases the challenge for the KMT. Therefore, he recommends that the KMT should decide on a candidate as soon as possible, so that the party can dedicate its resources to one candidate. [Taiwan News] 

Taiwan: New DPP committee to combat fake news

(sw) The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) announced on March 16 to set up a party committee to counter disinformation. The decision was made after false reports on social media targeted Vice President William Lai Ching-te and other politicians. 

After Vice President Lai Ching-te announced his presidential candidature on March 15, false information appeared on social media. Therefore, to terminate the spread of fake news, the DPP will collect evidence to take legal action and will clarify information through the provision of graphics, short videos and messages. [Taipei Times] 

Taiwan: Identification as ‘Taiwanese’ declined since 2020, says study

(sw) According to a new study, identification as ‘Taiwanese’ depends on the incumbent party’s performance.  

According to the National Chengchi University (NCCU) Election Study Center the number of people who identify themselves as Taiwanese has declined since 2020 because the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) had lower results.    

In 1992, only 17 percent of Taiwan’s people identified themselves as “Taiwanese”, while identification as both “Chinese and Taiwanese” stood at 46 percent. 25 percent identified themselves only as “Chinese”. The amount of people identifying as “Taiwanese” increased until 2020 to 64 percent, with 30 percent describing themselves as “Chinese and Taiwanese” and only four percent as solely “Chinese”.

This development is due to Taiwan’s democratization process and growth of national pride, Chinese military threats to strengthen Taiwanese national unity, and generational change which causes fewer Taiwanese to have family and historical links to China.

However, between 2014-2018 and 2020-2022 the number of people identifying themselves as “Taiwanese” was declining. That is because Taiwanese identity is influenced by the performance of the DPP and Kuomintang (KMT). When the DPP is leading, there is an increase in the number of people identifying solely as Taiwanese because the party’s position is de facto independence. However, when the KMT performs well, more people identify themselves as both Chinese and Taiwanese, since the party aligns more with the “Republic of China in Taiwan”. Thus, when the parties' performance is reversed, the results are reversed. [Taiwan News]

Taiwan: KMT terminates election strategy panel operations 

(sw) Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), announced on March 18 that it has ended the use of an election strategy panel that was launched only on March 15  to recommend candidates for the presidential and legislative elections in 2024. 

The decision was made because the panel was composed of two controversial members who were part of a corruption scandal. This caused internal protests since this would harm the party during the elections. 

Now the nomination process will take place under the previous mechanism. Thus, party officials at central and local levels can propose candidates and the central nomination committee reviews and makes a final decision. 

The nomination committee will be established on March 22 at the earliest. [Focus Taiwan] 

Taiwan: Government urged to spread awareness of White Terror history 

(sw) The Taiwanese government was urged during an event held by the National Human Rights Museum on March 18, to commemorate the people that were politically persecuted, imprisoned and executed by the Kuomintang government during the White Terror era from 1949-1992. 

A descendant of a political prisoner during the White Terror period, Tiana Lee emphasized that the government needs to preserve the stories of the political prisoners and include them in the school curriculum. 

The Minister of Culture, Shih Che, stressed that his ministry preserves the history of the White Terror era through texts, images, and other forms so that history will not repeat itself. [Focus Taiwan] 

Taiwan: New military drone to be revealed in September

(sw) The second-generation Taiwanese Albatross drone that was developed by the National Chung Shan Institute of Technology (NCSIST) will be revealed in September and will start mass production this year.

The news drone has a range of 250 kilometers and  has a higher payload capacity than its predecessor. Therefore, its main use will be for reconnaissance and target acquisition missions. However, the drone can also carry out offshore strikes. [Taiwan News]

Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in South Asia 

Bangladesh: Voting of Supreme Court Bar Association marred by violence

(lm) A group of lawyers affiliated with Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League party has won all 14 posts in the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) election that was held last week and marred by unprecedented chaos, with scuffles, police assaults and stampedes on the premises of the apex court.

The convener of the Awami League-backed subcommittee in charge of the election, said he believed over 4,000 association members cast ballots in the polls from a total voter of 8,602. But lawyers’ associated with the country’s main opposition BNP party abstained from voting and demanded re-election. [bdnews24.com]

Bangladesh: Country may turn despotic like North Korea if opposition movement fails, BNP leader says

(az/lm) The leader of Bangladesh’s main opposition BNP political party, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, on March 16 said that the country may turn into a tightly “regimented authoritarian” state like North Korea if the party’s 10-point movement fails. Speaking at an event, he also alleged that the ruling Awami League is destroying the main pillars of the state by introducing its own rules, regulations, and constitution.

The BNP is currently holding several protests around the country with their 10-point charter, which it first announced during massive demonstrations in December last year. The demands include the resignation of the Awami League government and the restoration of the election-time, non-partisan caretaker government system, which was overturned in 2011 following a ruling by the Supreme Court.

Fakhrul further mentioned and criticized the government’s new plan to reduce the width of Jamuna more than half. If the plan is implemented, it will create severe ecological problems around the historical river which is one of the main major water bodies in Bangladesh. [The Business Standard] [Dhaka Tribune]

Bangladesh: Security operations against terrorists continue in Bandarban District

(az) Since October 2022, law enforcement in Bangladesh is operating in the country’s Bandarban District to hunt down believed members of the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) – a separatist group that was established in 2008 to create a separate state in the restrive Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in Southern Bangladesh. In light of the security operations, an indefinite travel ban had been imposed by local authorities. 

Recently, military personnel was shot by the KNF militant group. Two other army members were also injured in the incident. [bdnews24]

The objective of the military operations to prevent the CHT from turning into a hotbed of Islamist terror. Reportedly, Dhaka’s security establishment is concerned over the emergence and spread of a new terror organization, Jamaa’tul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya, which has been striking alliances with local outfits.

India: Supreme Court reserves verdict on Maharashtra political crisis

(wr) The constitution bench of India's Supreme Court on March 16 reserved its judgment on petitions filled in relation to the rift within a ruling coalition party in Maharashtra state, which resulted in a change in the government last year.

The petitions were filed by members of divided groups pertaining to the 2016 Nabam Rebia judgment. The 2016 judgment dealt with the powers of the assembly speaker and ruled that the Speaker of a House cannot decide a disqualification petition filed under the anti-defection law while a notice under Article 179(c) of the Constitution for the Speaker's removal is pending.[Press Trust India] [The Economic Times]

Earlier in August 2022, a three-judge bench led by the chief justice referred the petitions to a constitution bench.

India: Supreme Court issues stay on the plea of Chandigarh administration challenging High Court's orders 

(wr) India's Supreme Court has issued a stay on the orders of Punjab and Haryana states' high courts, which the administration of the Chandigarh union territory challenged. This is with reference to last year's case of a dentist kidnapping and an alleged abduction by the Chandigarh Police to prevent him from appearing before the court. Upon which, the high courts on March 3 ordered provincial Punjab Police to register an FIR and set up a Special Investigation Team to probe the alleged abduction of a dentist by Chandigarh police personnel. The Supreme Court, in the hearing of the case on March 17, said, "this case will need to be considered at length. That is why we are issuing a stay now." [Live Law] [Tribune India] [The Print]

India: Supreme Court tests using artificial intelligence to transcribe hearings in real time

(lm) India's Supreme Court has been testing artificial intelligence tools and natural language processing technology to transcribe its hearings in real-time. If the test – a first for the South Asian nation –works, live transcription of oral arguments could become the norm in India, speeding up judicial work and increasing transparency in a country with more than 50 million pending cases across all courts. [The Straits Times] [WION]

India: Ruling BJP demands apology from opposition party leader Gandhi for 'insulting India abroad'

(wr) India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the leader of the opposition Indian National Congress (INC) party, Rahul Gandhi, of disrespecting the country by criticizing the central government abroad. The INC politician told reporters in the United Kingdom that the structures of Indian democracy are under "brutal attack," adding that there was a full-scale assault on the country's institutions. He also expressed regret that democratic parts of the world, including the United States and Europe, had failed to notice that a "large chunk of democracy has come undone" in India. [The Hindu 1]

In speeches at Chatham House and Cambridge University, Gandhi also mentioned that his phone had been under surveillance and that criticisms of the opposition are shut down by the central government's allegedly heavy-handed use of power. He also alleged that discussions on controversial matters like demonetization, problems with the Goods and Services Tax, or even China's aggression at India's borders in the Himalayas are not allowed in Parliament. [The Wire]

In light of this, on March 20, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in an address to Parliament's lower House, slammed Gandhi for "insulting India in London" and demanded that the INC lawmaker should be asked to "apologize before the House" for allegedly seeking foreign intervention in restoring the crumbling structures of Indian democracy. The matter snowballed into a parliamentary impasse over which House proceedings had to be adjourned by two days.

Separately, the BJP president accused Gandhi as "permanent part of the toolkit" working against India and said the INC leader would have to apologize for seeking "interference" from foreign powers in India's internal affairs. [The Indian Express] Against this backdrop, INC senior lawmaker Shashi Tharoor later the same day came out in support of Gandhi's remarks, saying that there is for which the party leader needs to apologize. [The Hindu 2]

India: Assembly in Kerala state adjourned over protests by opposition lawmakers

(wr/lm) The assembly in India's state of Kerala was adjourned on March 20 following protests by opposition lawmakers of the Indian National Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) against the denial of an adjournment motion on women's security. The UDF is of the two major political alliances in Kerala, the other being the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front, which has been ruling the state since 2016. [The Economic Times] [Press Trust India]

India: Maharashtra farmers continue protest march towards Mumbai 

(wr) Farmers in India's western state of Maharashtra have set out on a march to the state's capital city Mumbai, demanding higher prices for onions. The protests have prompted authorities to announce some financial relief for onion growers. But farmers have rejected the proposal - and said they would continue their protest.[CNBC] [The Wire] [NDTV] Experts attribute the sudden fall in onion prices to unseasonable rain last monsoon that has led to a huge surplus this March. But government officials relate the latest crash to a drop in demand as most farmers in India's northern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan states have also started to harvest onions. [BBC]

India: Authorities arrest at least 112 people, shut down mobile internet in manhunt for radical Sikh separatist

(lm) Indian authorities have shut down mobile internet in Punjab state and arrested at least 112 supporters of Amritpal Singh, a radical preacher within the separatist Khalistan movement that seeks to establish a sovereign state for followers of the Sikh religion. The massive search comes after Singh, and his supporters raided a police station last month after one of his aides was arrested for alleged assault and attempted kidnapping. [BBC] [CNN] [South China Morning Post]

The Khalistan movement is outlawed and considered a grave national security threat by the Indian government but maintains a level of support among some Sikhs within the country and overseas. Police in Punjab have justified the internet shutdown as a means to "prevent any incitement to violence and any disturbance of peace and public order."

India: Defence Acquisition Council approves USD 8.5 billion military equipment purchase

(wr) The top body of India's government for capital acquisition approvals for the Indian military on March 16 approved purchases of missiles, helicopters, artillery guns, and electronic warfare systems worth USD 8.5 billion. Notably, all orders will be placed with Indian companies, in keeping with a push by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration to boost domestic defense manufacturing. [The Hindu] [NDTV] [Reuters] 

India: Probe initiates as Army's helicopter crashes, kills two pilot 

(wr) While conducting an operational sortie, an Indian Army helicopter crashed in Arunachal Pradesh state on March 16, killing two pilots. The Army has ordered a court of inquiry into the crash. [The Indian Express] [Hindustan Times] [India Today]

Nepal: Prime Minister Dahal wins confidence vote in Parliament; expected to form new Cabinet

(lm) Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal won a vote of confidence in Parliament’s lower house on March 20 after securing the support of the opposition Nepali Congress party and nine smaller groups, which are now expected to join his new cabinet. [Al Jazeera] [Associated Press]

Dahal became prime minister in December after elections a month earlier had left a hung parliament [see AiR No. 49, December/2022, 1]. His old coalition allies pulled out of the government last month after he supported Ram Chandra Paudel, a nominee of the opposition Nepali Congress party, to become the Himalayan nation’s next president [see AiR No. 11, March/2023, 2]. Prime ministers have to face confidence votes after any ally withdraws support.

Nepal: Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav elected as Vice President

Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav, a prominent member of the Madhesi people, was elected as the vice president of Nepal on March 17. He played an important role in the first Madhes Movement, a political movement launched in 2007 by various political parties that sought equal rights, dignity and identity of Madhesis Tharus, Muslims and Janjati groups in Nepal. [ANI]

Nepal: Defeated presidential candidate appointed deputy parliament leader of opposition communist party

(lm) After suffering a defeat against Ram Chandra Poudel in Nepal’s recent presidential election, the deputy Chairman of the main opposition Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), Subash Nembang, has been appointed as the party’s Deputy Parliamentary Party Leader. [Ratopati]

Pakistan: Police file terrorism charges against ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan

(lm) Police in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad filed charges on March 19 against the country’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan, a day after thousands of his supporters clashed with security forces in the city. 17 senior leaders and scores of workers of Khan’s main opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have also been named for allegedly committing terrorism and offenses such as wounding officers and threatening their lives. [South China Morning Post] 

For hours on March 18, Khan’s supporters clashed with police outside a court where the former prime minister was due to appear to face charges of unlawfully selling state gifts he received while in office - allegations Khan and his supporters reject as politically motivated [see AiR No. 11, March/2023, 2]. The court deferred the indictment on Khan for not disclosing income from the alleged sales; the hearing will now be on March 30. [Bloomberg]

Outside the court building, several thousand riot police officers wielded batons and fired tear gas while Khan’s supporters threw fire bombs and hurled rocks at the officers. The violence injured dozens of people, including police and protesters. International rights watchdog Human Rights Watch in a statement on March 21 said authorities had committed abuses while confronting the supporters of Khan during the protests. [Human Rights Watch]

Against this backdrop, in a televised speech on March 19, Khan condemned a police raid against his residential compound in the eastern city of Lahore while en route to Islamabad for the court hearing. The former prime minister said police had stormed his home and smashed down the gate and walls while his wife was at the property along with a few servants. He vowed to take legal action against the police officers behind the raid, which Khan says was in violation of court orders granting him protective bail. [Voice of America]

Police officials defended the raid, claiming they had seized automatic weapons, iron rods and batons and had arrested dozens of people from the compound involved in previous with security forces - charges Khan and his aides rejected as concocted. [NBC New York]

On March 21, then, Khan appeared before the Lahore High Court to apply for protective bail in the fresh cases against him. Notably, he had previously asked the chief justice to allow him to appear for court proceedings virtually, claiming that court appearance was a potential plot to have him killed. [ABC News]

Pakistan: Parliament summoned for special joint session in midst of crisis over former Prime Minister Khan

(lm) Against the backdrop of prolonged anti-government protests led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan’s parliament is to meet in a special joint session on March 21 to “take important decisions” to enforce the state’s authority, according to recent media reports. [Arab News]

Notably, the APP, reporting on a meeting attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his cabinet, cited the participants as saying Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was not a political party but “rather a gang of militants,” and its “enmity against the state” could not be tolerated.

Pakistan: Millions still lack safe water following floods, UNICEF warns

(lm) The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in a statement on March 21 said that six months after devastating floods struck Pakistan, more than 10 million people living in flood-affected areas of the country still have no access to safe drinking water. [Radio Free Europe]

In January donors pledged more than USD 9 billion over the next three years to help Pakistan recover and rebuild following the devastating floods, which environmentalists and scientists blamed on climate change [see AiR No. 2, January/2023, 2]. But the funds have been slow to come, with UNICEF saying in its statement that its current appeal of USD 173.5 million to provide life-saving support to women and children affected by the floods remains less than 50 percent funded.

Pakistan: Local official among 11 people killed in attack in eastern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

(lm) At least 11 people were killed on March 21 in a gun attack on a convoy of a political leader in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The deceased include the chairman of the province’s Havelian sub-district, his four private security guards, a policeman and others who were returning after attending a funeral. [Radio Free Europe]

Sri Lanka: Tourism minister criticized over remarks about the Maldives

(sn) Sri Lanka’s tourism minister made a public apology on social media for remarks he made about the Maldives during the Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB) Berlin 2023. In his apology, the minister acknowledged the Maldives as a tourism partner, claiming that his statement was taken out of context.

In his speech at the ITB Berlin 2023, the minister made a comparison between the two island states that aimed to persuade the audience to prioritize Sri Lanka. As a result, the minister received a lot of critical remarks regarding his agenda from both – Sri Lanka and Maldivian people.

Sri Lanka and the Maldives Islands are neighboring states, with an approximately similar number of tourists visiting the destinations annually. [Atoll Times] [Twitter of Sri Lankan Tourism Minister]

Sri Lanka: Cabinet announces drafting Anti-Corruption and Protection of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bills

(sn) During the Sri Lankan Cabinet of Ministers meeting on March 13, various decisions were announced in relation to continuing regulatory restructuring. The Cabinet was allowed to publish the new Anti-Corruption Bill proposal in the government gazette and directed it to Parliament for approval. The bill was revised multiple times due to the public concerns associated with the restrictive state measures used under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. [AiR No. 48, November/2022, 5]

In addition, the Committee of Ministers of Child and Women, Justice and Prison Affairs departments created a preliminary draft bill based on the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities signed by the Island State in 2016. The Sri Lankan Cabinet directed the Legal Draftsman to develop a new act based on this proposal. The Cabinet also agreed to transfer the hostage of the Ridiyagama Rehabilitation Center from the Social Affairs Division to the Department of Social Services. There are currently 576 inmates in the center built for 450 people. [Government Official News Portal]

Sri Lanka: Government launches Parliamentary Internship Program

(sn) The Parliament of Sri Lanka, supported by the National Democratic Institute and the United States Agency for International Development, will provide a parliamentary internship program for the selected young professionals to gain comprehension of policy development and public service operations. The participants are 35 interns from 8 institutes located in various Sri Lankan constituencies. The skills and knowledge acquired through the internships should help the participants to understand legislative development and modes of Parliament interaction and foster a new generation of goodwill ambassadors to the Parliament. The program is also designed to address the trust deficit between the protesting youth and the parliament authorities. [Government Official News Portal]

Sri Lanka: Women lack access to secure jobs, report by Institute of Policy Studies finds

(sn) According to national data collected by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) in 2018, 38 percent of female respondents were employed formally, and 59 percent of women had jobs that didn’t include social security measures. In light of this, the authors of the report call on the government to foster job creation in productive sectors to improve the access of women to secure professions.

In recent years, female labor force participation (FLFP) received increased attention as it remained below 35 percent for years. The International Labor Organization argues that as a concept, “decent work” encompasses fair pay, dignity, equality, and safe working conditions. By this definition, only 17 percent of Sri Lankan women involved in the national data have decent work. As per the report by the IPS, the factors contributing to this situation include outdated social norms and legislation, underdeveloped regional infrastructure, and labor market conditions. [Daily Mirror]

The problem of jobs without social security conditions manifested substantially when many female Sri Lankan domestic workers went abroad to seek opportunities to earn money for their families in 2022. Human traffickers working with corrupted immigration departments authorities targeted such victims and sold them for slavery, sometimes sexual work. In response, the government had to crack down on criminal organizations and temporarily ban tourist visas for at-risk audiences and specific locations. [AiR No. 48, November/2022, 5]

Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in Southeast Asia 

Cambodia: Human Rights Watch reports on the unfair detention of the labor union leader

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has published a statement on the unjustified deletion of Labor Right Supported Union (LRSU) leader Chhim Sithar and unfair charges against eight other union members who were involved in strikes against the reduction of state measures by the NagaWorld Group in Cambodia. 

HRW demands that the charges be dropped and the former NagaWorld employees be released. The Phnom Penh Municipal Court held a hearing on March 14 and announced a resumption of the hearing scheduled for March 21, 2023. The Cambodian Ministry of Justice and the Human Right Committee (CHRC) rejected the demands to release the union leader and activists, alleging that HRW's report is biased against the Cambodian government and that the labor activists crossed the line of existing labor dispute resolution mechanisms.[Human Rights Watch], [AiR No. 48, November/2022, 5], [AiR No. 12, March/2022, 4],  [Phnom Penh Post]

Cambodia: Kampong Speu Province Governor announced plans to attract Hong Kong investors 

(sn) Kampong Speu provincial governor announced plans to attract more investors to his constituency. Vei Samnangut also highlights plans to visit Hong Kong with the provincial delegation in later March. He noted doing business in Kampong Speu advantages are associated with proximity to Preah Sihanouk port. Cambodia Chamber of Commerce vice-president expressed his support for the initiative  [Phom Penh Post]

Cambodia: KhmerTimes criticizes the EU for ‘the Everything but Arms initiative’, urging it to abstain from local politics

(sn) A Cambodian media outlet, KhmerTimes, which observers consider to have a solid ruling Cambodian People’s Party Support, published an editorial article on March 20, 2023, that discusses the former intervention of the European Union and United Nations in the Cambodian national crisis. The statement suggests that European counterparts “should learn from the mistake of being Khmer Rouge sympathizers”. Remarkably, the article also alleges that the EU pushed Ukraine into war by giving them hope of joining NATO. Then, it goes to say that the Everything But Arms initiative should be abolished for the priority of Cambodian sovereignty over receiving aid treatments. 

The position is similar to the one that the Prime Minister expressed in response to critique from non-governmental organizations of those who shifted from independent media to state-offered work in the encounter of job losses. The incident happened when the Cambodian governor Hun Sen accused the Voice of Democracy of false allegations about his son and ordered to revoke the license from the media outlet in the following days. [KhmerTimes], [Asia Times], [AiR No. March/2023, 1]

Cambodia: Prime Minister’s son accuses Cambodia Daily of lying over an article on  illegal trade activity

(sn) Cambodian local media outlet, Cambodia Daily, received a critical response following the demands for an explanation for the allegations made about General Hun Manet. The General reported that the article accused him of involvement in illegal timber entrepreneurial activity and expressed that these false claims are ‘beyond the red line.’

Cambodia Daily made an article examining the forces behind the ongoing deforestation in the Siem Pang and Sesan districts of Strung Treng region. Notably, the Monga Bay website made the initial statement written by the former Voice of Democracy (VOD) journalist on March 16, 2023. The Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen banned the VOD for the government defamation charges related to allegations of Hun Manet signing documents instead of his father. [KhmerTimes], [AiR No. 7, February/2023, 2]

Cambodia: Police raises suspicions over former NASA engineer, describing him as “active CIA agent”

(sn) A retired NASA engineer who visited Cambodia to see his fiancé reported that police sources in a Fresh News state-affiliated media outlet claimed that he, Mark Gibbel, is a Central Intelligence Agency spy on a mission. According to the publication, the former engineer cooperated with the banned oppositional Cambodian National Rescue Party supporter and intended to back up ‘political subversion.' Mark Gibbel fled Phnom Penh in response to the accusations. 

A retired NASA engineer has a nonprofit Policy Research Institute organization in California that provides educational materials to young Cambodians. Likewise, a Fresh News article connects Mark Gibbel with Sam Rainsy. Nonetheless, the alleged CIA agent reported having some friends from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party in the US and no oppositional intentions towards its government. [Radio Free Asia], [Fresh News]

Indonesia: Parliament approves emergency decree on jobs and investment

(dql) The Indonesian parliament approved on March 21 an emergency decree on jobs and investment, a move that eliminates legal uncertainty over measures President Joko Widodo has pushed to attract investment in the Southeast Asian nation. The decree replaces the 2020 Jobs Creation law, which was applauded by foreign investors as it streamlined business rules in the bureaucracy-heavy country, but also strongly rejected by labor and environmental groups as being too business-friendly. [Reuters]

Indonesia: Central Jakarta District Court judges to be summoned 

(mc) The Judicial Commission has announced that it will summon three judges of the Central Jakarta District Court over their decision to postpone the 2024 general election. Commission Chairman Mukti Fajar stressed that the summons was not an examination, but a preliminary request for information on the contentious election postponement decision. [Tempo]

Earlier this month, the district court ordered the postponement of the election, approving the demands brought by the Just and Prosperous People’s Party, a minor political party in their lawsuit against the General Elections Commission (KPU) after failing to qualify to participate in the election. One of the demands in their court petition is to postpone the election.

Indonesia: President’s brother-in-law reelected as Constitutional Court chief justice 

(dql) Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's brother-in-law, Anwar Usman, was reelected on March 15 to head the Constitutional Court for the next five years. He defeated his predecessor Arief Hidayat by a five-to-four vote after three rounds of voting. The voting became necessary after the bench failed to reach consensus on who should fill the position of chief justice. [The Jakarta Post]

In February, the Constitutional Court Ethical Committee scheduled Usman to be examined following the allegation of faking the verdict. Moreover, pro-democracy groups have protested since 2018 following his family ties with President Jokowi. [Jakpost]

Indonesia: Interrogation of Communications and Information Minister

(dql) Indonesia’s Communications and Information Minister Johnny G. Plate is under interrogation by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO). He is suspected of corruption in the construction of base transceiver stations (BTS), which was under the authority of his ministry. It is believed that the graft case has cost the state USD 64 million. [The Jakarta Post]

Indonesia: Sports minister resigns following appointment at football federation

(mc) On March 13, Indonesia’s President Jokowi Widodo approved the resignation letter of Minister of Sport Zainuddin Amali, who is set to become the second vice chairman of the Indonesia Football Federation. On the same day, Zainuddin Amali was also chosen to become Commissioner at National Bank Mandiri. [Antara]

To fill the vacancy, the president chose the Coordinating Ministry of Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy to fill in the post.

Indonesia: Teacher fired over criticism against West Java governor

(mc) An honorary vocational teacher from Indonesia’s West Java province was fired from his institution following a comment he posted on Governor Ridwan Kamil's social media account. In his comment, the teacher asked whether the government acted as a governor, political party members, staff, or personnel. Soon after his comment, Kamil replied to the comment and pinned his post, allowing the public to attack his Instagram account. Kamil also reportedly sent a direct message to the teacher’s employer, citing his misbehavior. As a result, Sabil was fired from his school under the justification of violating the ethics of the teacher. [The Jakarta Post]

Malaysia: Youth and Sport Minister calls for religious allegations to stop

(dql) The Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister, Hannah Yeoh, is facing heavy scrutiny and a police investigation over her ministry’s now canceled “Jom Ziarah Gereja '' program. [Malay Mail] 

The program was created under the Article 11 Project, led by Impact Malaysia and aimed to introduce the different religions to people of other faiths in a bid to teach them about the similarities in each of them. [NST] 

Jom Ziarah Gereja translates to “Let’s visit a church” from Malay. 

Yeoh has been accused of using this program to promote Christian evangelism by members of the Perikatan National coalition. She has rejected the accusation, clarifying that no Muslims were involved in the program and that a mosque visit was organized on March 4.

Yeoh has agreed to give her full cooperation to the police department in hopes to end this investigation as soon as possible. [Malaysiakini] 

She remains firm in her stance and says that her police statement is consistent with her defense in Parliament. [The Star]

Islam is the official religion of Malaysia and plays a significant role in the nation's politics. All individuals born Malay are assumed to be Muslim and must live by Sharia Law. 

Malaysia: 50 Members of UMNO party in Perak sacked for sabotaging general election

(pa) Perak’s United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has sacked 50 members of its party for campaigning for opposition parties during last year's general election (GE15). [The Star] 

They were referred to the disciplinary board and subsequently had their membership to the party revoked. [Malay Mail]

Their sabotage was identified in a post election analysis done by the party to figure out why UMNO managed to win only 9 of the 59 State Legislative Assembly seats in Perak. [NST] 

Malaysia: Prime Minister announces focus on improving health and education sectors

(pa) Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced that his government will be focusing its efforts on strengthening the health and education industry. 

This is reflected in the two ministries receiving major allocations from the 2023 national budget, with the Education Ministry getting RM 55.2 billion, and the Health Ministry receiving RM 36.3 billion. [Malay Mail] 

These industries are key infrastructural issues in the nation and will be at the top of Anwars priority to fix. [Bernama]

The day after this announcement, the Health ministry announced that the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) had received a RM 1 milllion boost from the Federal Government to ensure the best services for citizens in the area. [The Star] 

The ministry is considering using this allocation to embrace digitalisation in saving patients’ records. 

Myanmar: Junta amends anti-terrorism law

(ih) Myanmar's military junta has amended anti-trrorism laws to allow the authorities to eavesdrop on suspects, confiscate their assets, and take other measures to crush the opposition, significantly expanding the government’s ability to persecute those seeking an end to military rule. The changes will also allow the junta to label any action by rebels, such as the People's Defense Force, as terrorism.

Six articles provide authorities with sweeping new powers over digital information, including the ability to intercept, monitor, cut off and restrict communications and pinpoint the location of a suspect. [Radio Free Asia]

Myanmar: Deputy Junta chief visits Kayah state amidst heavy fighting

(ih) On March 15, Myanmar's deputy junta chief, Soe Win, visited Kayah State's capital amid fighting between junta troops and Karenni resistance forces. Around 2,000 junta troops have been engaged in combat with resistance forces in the state since late February. The visit may have been aimed at boosting the morale of junta reinforcements in Kayah.

Soe Win urged soldiers to perform their duties, called for solidarity within the army and met with community leaders, including faith leaders. Observers have accused him of abusing religion by meeting faith leaders in Loikaw. [The Irrawaddy]

Myanmar rebel coalition calls on China to mediate in civil war

(ih) An alliance of seven ethnic rebel groups in Myanmar, known as the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), has called on China for help in resolving the post-coup crisis. The FPNCC statement did not specify the help that it was seeking, but Beijing has previously been involved in talks with junta leaders and ethnic rebel groups.

China is a major ally of the junta, which ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's government two years ago, and has refused to condemn the putsch. But at the same time, Beijing also backs several rebel groups along its border with Myanmar. [The Irrawaddy]

Philippines: Senator Padilla to push for political changes in Constitution in 2024

(lm) Filipino Senator Robin Padilla, the current chair of the Senate Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes Committee, has said he will push for amending the political provisions of the country’s constitution in 2024, one year before the 2025 midterm elections. Currently, Padilla is focussing on changing the charter’s economic provisions “to allow foreign businesses to directly invest in a more conducive landscape,” he told reporters on March 21. [Inquirer.net]

Philippines: Families urge government to work with International Criminal Court on ‘drug war’ probe

(lm) Families of the victims of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s “drug war” are urging the new government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to cooperate after the International Criminal Court (ICC) earlier this year said it would resume its previously suspended investigation into the killings. [Al Jazeera]

The ICC suspended its investigation in November 2021 when Duterte’s administration said the Philippines was conducting its own review into the killings but in January, the court said it would resume its work because it was “not satisfied” that Manila was “undertaking relevant investigations” [see AiR No. 5, January/2023, 5]. But days after the ICC announcement, the chief legal counsel of President Marcos Jr. threatened to have the court’s officials arrested if they stepped on Philippine soil.

Philippines: ‘No basis to void exploration deal with China, Vietnam’, two Supreme Court judges note

(lm) Two justices from the Philippine Supreme Court have dissented with a recent majority opinion that the 2005 agreement between China, Vietnam, and the Philippines to jointly explore for oil in the country’s exclusive economic zone was unconstitutional. [PhilStar]

In mid-January, the apex court voted 12-2-1 to declare as unconstitutional the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JSMU) agreement, which was signed by state-owned companies from the three countries, ruling the constitution stipulates that the Philippines government must control and supervise activities and companies involved must be majority Philippine-owned. [AiR No. 3, January/2023, 3]

In their dissenting opinions, Associate Justices Amy Lazaro-Javier and Rodil Zalameda noted that there is no factual basis to void the JSMU.

Singapore: MPs discuss tackling future pandemics, migrant worker housing

(gp) Singapore is setting up a public health center similar to the centers for disease control established in other countries, according to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, as the Republic looks to consolidate its disease control and pandemic management expertise. The center will bring together capabilities that currently exist across various parts of the healthcare system, such as the National Centre for Infectious Diseases and the health ministry. [The Strait Times]

Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh praised the Workers' Party for supporting, rather than undermining, the national effort during the pandemic, while Manpower Minister Tan See Leng pledged to announce a plan to help existing migrant worker dormitories transition to improved living standards later this year. 

Thailand: Election Commision finalizes constituency boundaries; parties disagree with Bangkok remapping

(aj) Thailand’s Election Commission (EC) unveiled the redrawn electoral map on March 17, sparking disagreement among political parties on the remapping of the country’s capital, Bangkok. After much criticism in early February from academics and politicians on the inclusion of non-Thais in drawing the electoral map, the Constitutional Court deliberated on the matter, and on March 3, ordered the EC to exclude non-Thais from the calculation of constituency boundaries [see No. 8, February/2023, 3 and No. 10, March/2023, 1].

There are a total of 500 seats in Parliament’s lower house, 100 for party-list MPs and 400 for constituency MPs. Voters will get two votes in the upcoming general elections set for May 7, one for a party-list MP and the other vote for their preferred constituency MP. Each MP now presents 162,755 Thai citizens compared to the previous allocation of 165,226 people per MP. 

Across its 77 provinces, Thailand has 400 constituencies, with Bangkok having the most at 33 constituencies. The capital is followed by the northeastern provinces of Nakhon Ratchasima (16), Khon Khaen (11), and Ubon Ratchathani (11). [The Nation Thailand]

A number of parties have expressed disagreement with the drawing of constituencies in Bangkok. Chart Pattana Kla Party deputy leader Atavit Suwanpakdee commented that under EC rules, eight entire districts must be grouped together to comprise a constituency, but the EC coalesced several sub-districts. Popular contender Pheu Thai Party also agrees with the sentiment and the ruling Palang Pracharath Party has said these changes will impact how the party selects its candidates in Bangkok. [Thai PBS World]

Thailand: Parliament’s lower house dissolved; Election Commission to announce election date

(aj) On March 20, Thailand’s King Rama X declared his support for a royal decree submitted by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on March 17 to dissolve parliament and call for elections. The Election Commission (EC) is mandated to announce the election date within five days of House dissolution. 

House dissolution by royal decree does not require cabinet approval. Following the monarch’s endorsement, elections must be held within 45-60 days of House dissolution. In the weeks ahead leading up to the general election, the EC must announce locations for polling stations, publish the list of candidates, and inform voters of their eligibility to vote. 

With the House dissolved, the premier now has limited authority as the head of the caretaker cabinet. [Bangkok Post] [Reuters] [Thai PBS World] [The Nation Thailand]

Thailand: Support for opposition Pheu Thai Party picks up speed while ruling party losing ground

(aj) With the May 7 election date looming, half of the incumbent Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) have defected, with most MPs joining the popular opposition Pheu Thai Party. 

The Sam Mithr “Three Friends” faction was formerly a part of the Pheu Thai party until it defected to become a vital component of the PPRP coalition during the 2019 elections until now. High-level members, such as Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin and Industry Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, have recently re-joined Pheu Thai. 

Political analysts believe MPs are now leaving PPRP because the ruling party was, at its core, a coalition of multiple factions that often had conflicting goals and friction amongst themselves. Other former PPRP members have also defected to Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s conservative United Thai Nation Party (UTN) or the Democrat Party. 

Deputy Prime Minister and PPRP leader Prawit Wongsuwon says he is open to coalition-building. Thai academics note Prawit’s openness is likely in response to Pheu Thai’s ambitious goal to secure a super-majority of 310 seats in the 500-seat House of Representatives to rule as a single-party government and the departure of nearly half of PPRP members to other parties. Some insider sources say Prawit has been unsuccessful at galvanizing the support of other high-profile politicians, commenting on Prawit’s recent talks pertaining to post-election plans with Bhumjaitai Party (BJT) leader Anutin Charnvirakul and secretary-general Chada Thaiset. 

Like the PPRP, BJT is open to coalition talks but BJT support is contingent on passing a marijuana control bill, says the party’s leader. 

As parties reshuffle, the Move Forward Party (MFP) asserts that they will not work with PPRP or UTN, but are open to parties that have similar democratic ideals as the MFP, like Pheu Thai. [Bangkok Post] [Bangkok Post 2] [Bangkok Post 3] [Bangkok Post 4] [Bangkok Post 5] [The Nation Thailand] [The Nation Thailand 2] [The Nation Thailand 3]

Thailand: Parties set goals for House seats; main opposition Pheu Thai Party seeks to win a super-majority

(aj) Following the popular opposition Pheu Thai Party’s ambitious declaration to secure a super-majority of 310 seats in the House of Representatives, other parties have announced their goals for House seats and are in the process of rolling out their lists for candidates across Thailand’s 400 constituencies. [see AiR No. 11, March/2023, 2]

The progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) is looking to surpass the 81 number of seats that its predecessor Future Forward Party held in the 2019 election, and like the Pheu Thai Party, have already announced their candidates for constituencies nationwide the week of March 13. The incumbent Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) is aiming to maintain the 12 seats in Bangkok’s 33 constituencies it captured in the previous 2019 elections and plans to announce their candidates for constituencies nationwide on March 30. 

The Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) reportedly expects to win 70 seats in the upcoming election, but have not yet posted their candidacy nominations. In contrast to the other parties, the conservative United Thai Nation Party (UTN) has not stated a specific numerical seat goal, but expects to win a “modest number” of seats in the House. According to UTN secretary-general Akanat Promphan, the party plans to announce their choice of candidates the week of March 20. [Bangkok Post] [Bangkok Post 2] [Bangkok Post 3] [Bangkok Post 4] [The Nation Thailand] [The Nation Thailand 2]

Thailand: Petitions continue to be filed against political parties, push for their disbandment

(aj) Thailand’s Election Commission (EC) has warned against baseless accusations in petitions filed against political parties for allegedly violating EC rules on campaigning, and the subsequent possibility of party disbandment and bans on senior members from politics.

The EC has dismissed most of the 83 complaints against 25 political parties, with most of the petitions targeted towards the main opposition Pheu Thai Party. One recent complaint was filed against Pheu Thai Party advisor Srettha Thavisin, who reportedly told supporters at a rally to accept vote-buying money regardless of the candidates they vote for.

The ruling Palang Pracharath Party faces 15 petitions, with only three under the EC's deliberation. Bhumjaithai Party is currently facing controversy involving Minister of Transportation Saksayam Chidchob, who was suspended by the EC for allegedly hiding his stake in a construction firm. [Bangkok Post] [Bangkok Post 2] [Bangkok Post 3] [Bangkok Post 4] [The Nation Thailand]

Thailand: Main opposition Pheu Thai Party outlines extensive economic recovery plans

(aj) The popular main opposition Pheu Thai Party outlined an extensive platform with the larger goal of stimulating Thailand’s economy. These developments are part of a longer series of campaign promises that parties have made in the weeks leading up to the May 7 polls. Thai economists have warned the public that the country is still recovering from the economic impacts of the pandemic, the public budget is already stretched thin, and to be wary of populist campaign promises. [see AiR No. 9, February/2023, 4, AiR No. 10, March/2023, 1, and AiR No. 11, March/2023, 2]

Pheu Thai plans to eradicate USD 151 million debt that the public, farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), and non-bank banks have racked up during the last eight years under Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. The party plans to tackle the issue through varying combinations of debt moratoriums, debt restructuring, and offering public loans at a lower interest rate.

The party also promised to provide financial aid to families earning USD 590 or less per month, set-up a digital wallet that individuals can exchange for cash at government banks, promote blockchain, and to boost Thailand’s tourism sector through efforts, such as visa-free entry and decentralizing power to localities to make business easier. [Bangkok Post] [Bangkok Post 2] [Bangkok Post 3] [Bangkok Post 4]

Thailand: Poultry company sues three labor rights activists for defamation

(aj) Human Rights Watch has urged the Thai government to drop charges against three human rights activists who criticized the alleged labor rights abuses of Thammakaset Company Ltd., a chicken farm company in the central province of Lopburi.

Activists Angkhana Neelapaijit, Puttanee Kangkun, and Thanaporn Saleephol were charged with 28 counts of alleged criminal defamation on March 14 for expressing solidarity on social media with other activists already facing lawsuits from Thammakaset. Since 2016, the poultry company has brought 37 criminal and civil cases against whistleblowers. 

HRW says the Thai government must protect the freedom of expression and dismantle its criminal defamation provisions that allows private entities to legally suppress criticism of their practices. [Human Rights Watch]

Thailand: Cabinet approves gun amnesty bill, 180 days to register firearms

(aj) The cabinet approved a 180-day amnesty, beginning March 16, for those who have yet to register their firearms and turn in any illegal ammunition without penalty. Information collected from registration will also be made available to law enforcement during criminal investigations. The official call to register firearms was prompted after the deadly October 2022 nursery massacre in Thailand’s northeastern province of Nong Bua Lam Phu, which left 36 people dead, including 24 children.

There is legislation in the pipeline that, once approved, would allow the Thai government to monitor gun ownership and the movement of firearms into the country. However, political analysts are unsure when the legislation will be introduced as House dissolution nears.

As of 2021, Thailand has 7.2 million privately owned guns and 1.2 million of those are unregistered. Nearly 1 out of every 10 people in Thailand own a gun, the highest rate of gun ownership in Southeast Asia. [Bangkok Post]

Thailand: Police must undergo mental health screenings nationwide

(aj) Following a 27-hour police standoff with a senior officer in Bangkok on March 16, police are now required to undergo mental health screenings nationwide.

On March 14, a police inspector began firing shots into the air in a residential area of the capital and in the direction of police that arrived on the scene. The gunman locked himself in his home and the siege ended the next day with the man dying from his injuries. According to a police spokesperson, the inspector reportedly sought mental health treatment at a hospital in Thailand’s northern Chiang Mai province and was under severe stress, which were the main contributors to this incident. [AP News] [Bangkok Post]

Thailand: Air Force proposes 2024 budget to purchase F-35s

(aj) Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) proposes a USD 1.17 billion budget for the 2024 fiscal year to replace its plane used for international humanitarian missions, but also to bid for American F-35A fighter jets. RTAF is currently using an Airbus A340-500 for humanitarian aid and has been in service for nearly two decades. 

The proposed budget for 2024 is a near 11 percent increase from the 2023 budget, which is USD 1.06 billion. The air force is currently in the bidding process for a fleet of F-35As from the United States who are deliberating whether to approve the purchase. RTAF said they expect an answer from the US in July. [AiR No. 11, March/2023, 2] [Bangkok Post] [Bangkok Post 2]

Vietnam: National Assembly Standing Committee hold’s Q&A on judicial issues 

(ih) On March 20, The National Assembly Standing Committee in Vietnam held a live question-and-answer session on judicial issues, discussing the role of courts and prosecutors in combating corruption and negative behavior. The session aimed to propose solutions to improve the sectors' capacity, efficiency, and effectiveness. The committee will issue a resolution based on the results.

During the session, the Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court and Minister of Justice acknowledged challenges in asset recovery in corruption cases, including proving that assets were acquired through corrupt means and tracing the origin of assets. The judicial sector plans to better implement a directive on enhancing Party leadership over asset recovery and follow instructions to prevent asset concealment.

Between 2018 and 2022, 12,244 corruption and economic cases were handled, involving 25,144 individuals, and 17 trillion VND had been recovered from corrupt individuals since October 2022. [Vietnam+ 1] [Vietnam+ 2]

Vietnam: Police arrest Facebook user for sharing anti-state content

(ih) On March 17, police in Vietnam arrested a Facebook user, who they accused of attempting to overthrow the state by sharing content that defamed the leaders of the ruling Communist Party. The arrested allegedly posted and shared 25 articles and videos since 2018 that sought to "distort and defame leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the state". He was also accused of joining and recruiting members for the US-based "Provisional National Government of Vietnam", a group listed by Vietnam as a "terrorist organisation". [Reuters]

International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia

India, AUKUS group likely to discuss the possibility of cooperation in technology

(mk) Member states of the trilateral security agreement known as AUKUS - Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States - are in informal talks with India on the possibility of working together in the tech sector, specifically for emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and cyber technology, according to sources.

Set up in September 2021, AUKUS came into being to help Canberra acquire nuclear-powered submarines, a move widely considered a major step by Washington toward challenging China's territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific [see AiR No. 38, September/2021, 3]. While India has not shown any formal inclinations to their mission, AUKUS is keen to cooperate with New Delhi due to its strong scientific and research capacity. [LiveMint] 

Asian nations attend 22nd Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers' Meeting in London

(lm) Foreign ministers or senior officials of Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore and Sri Lanka attended the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers' Meeting at the Commonwealth Secretariat headquarters in London on March 15. Many of the foreign affairs ministers used the opportunity for a series of bilateral meetings with their counterparts from other countries.

The top diplomats discussed progress made on shared Commonwealth objectives since they last met in Kigali last June, with issues such as tackling climate change, boosting trade and investment between Commonwealth countries, and supporting free and democratic societies, high on the agenda. Furthermore, the foreign ministers reviewed plans for the next meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government, scheduled to take place in Samoa in 2024, and considered a number of country-specific situations.

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries. It is home to 2.5 billion people and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. [The Commonwealth]

Saudi Arabia no longer willing to bailout Pakistan unconditionally, report says; IMF waits for ‘friendly’ nations

(lm) Saudi Arabia has made fresh interest-bearing loans and investment conditional on nPakistan implementing strict monetary and fiscal reforms along with a drastic reduction in its current account deficit, according to a recent report in the Middle East Eye. [Middle East Eye]

The development comes after Riyadh in January said that it was considering increasing its investment plans for Pakistan to USD 10 billion from USD 1 billion and would also study raising its loan deposit with Islamabad’s central bank to 5 USD billion from the then USD 3 billion. This announcement followed a visit by Pakistan’s new army chief, General Asim Munir, to Saudi Arabia, where he met Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. At the time, it was unclear whether the plans involved loan conditions.

But in light of recent developments, it is now believed that the Pakistani military chief could not convince Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to release emergency funding for the country. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the Saudi finance minister made the Kingdom's new policy very clear, according to the report.

Pakistan is in dire need of sustained US dollar inflows to avoid defaulting on nearly USD 80 billion of international loan repayments over the next three and a half years. Islamabad is currently sitting on just USD 3 billion in foreign exchange reserves, and the country needs to repay about USD 3 billion of debt by June, while USD 4 billion is expected to be rolled-over.

Making matters worse, Pakistan’s government told the upper house of Parliament on March 16 that the International Monetary Fund wants “friendly” nations to honor their commitments to fund Islamabad before the Washington-based lender greenlights a USD 6.5 billion bailout program. [Bloomberg]

Sri Lanka agrees to 3 billion IMF loan in boost for economy; trade unions continue strike

(sn/lm) Sri Lanka on March 20 secured a much-anticipated loan of about USD 3 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which could help the South Asian nation access up to USD 7 billion more from other lenders such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. [CNN]

The loan will be provided through the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF), a mechanism set up to provide financial assistance to struggling countries, and the Washington-based lender will immediately disburse an initial USD 333 million to Colombo, with more funds to follow in the coming months. Sri Lanka aims to announce a debt-restructuring strategy in April and step up talks with commercial creditors ahead of an IMF review of a bailout package in six months. [Reuters]

The days before the announcement, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Stabilization published an open letter to the bilateral creditors of the island nation on behalf of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who expressed gratitude to the so-called Paris Club of major creditors and Japan for their support in the EFF attainment and also thanked India and China for their cooperation in the encounter of crisis. He urged Sri Lanka’s creditors to enhance coordination in the context of forthcoming engagement.

He also accented the explicitness of the Sri Lankan government in their plans and intentions. More specifically, Sri Lankan President expressed commitment to abstain from debt service resumption if the creditor disagrees with the parameters outlined in the IMF’s Sri Lankan program. Likewise, he outlined dedication to delivering promises to the bilateral creditors of Sri Lanka for the restructured debts in the manner of equitable burden sharing. [Sri Lankan Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies]

But last week, the government deployed armed troops as protesting trade unions on March 15 crippled hospitals, ports and banks to protest against high income taxes imposed as a precondition for a crucial IMF bailout.

But President Ranil Wickremesinghe's office later reported that many public sector institutions operated as usual, and the Sri Lanka Transport Board Chairman confirmed that 107 depots operated per schedule. State-run buses were also operating, the president's office said, but only a few of them were seen on the roads while attendance in schools, offices and factories had dropped sharply. [Al Jazeera] [ADA derana]

Last week’s strike came despite a ban imposed by President Wickremesinghe last month, and warnings that violators could lose their jobs.

Situation with China on the Himalayan front is fragile, dangerous, Indian foreign minister says

(wr/lm) Indian External Affairs S. Jaishankar said on March 18 that the situation between his country and China in the western Himalayan region of Ladakh remains "fragile and dangerous," with military forces deployed very close to each other in some parts of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). In light of this, the Indian top diplomat emphasized that New Delhi's relations with Beijing cannot go back to normal until the border row is resolved in line with the September 2020 in-principle agreement he reached with his then-Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. [Reuters] [The Straits Times] [YouTube]

India and China witnessed a border confrontation that killed almost 24 soldiers in the western Himalayan region of Ladakh in mid-2020 [see AiR No. 24, June/2020, 3]. Despite dozens of rounds of high-level military talks, the two countries remain in a diplomatic stand-off, with India refusing to resume normal relations with Beijing unless it scales back its military presence in the frontier zones. Against this backdrop, Jaishankar, in September 2020, met with China's then-Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. Upon noting that "the current situation in the border area is not in the interests of both sides," the two top officials pledged to de-escalate tensions along their disputed Himalayan border. [AiR No. 37, September/2020, 3]

But tensions once again intensified last year in December when a brief violence erupted in the eastern sector of Arunachal Pradesh, resulting in major injuries. However, without further escalation, both armed forces disengaged "immediately" after commanders from both sides held a de-escalatory "flag meeting." [AiR No. 50, December/2022, 2]

Bangladesh, India leaders virtually inaugurate India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline

(mk/lm) The prime ministers of India and Bangladesh on March 18 jointly inaugurated a cross-border energy pipeline that will initially supply High-Speed Diesel from India's state of Assam to seven districts in northern Bangladesh.

In her speech, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remarked on the significance of the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline for her people in a world that is increasingly grappling with energy insecurity due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi commented on the strengthening of connectivity and people-to-people ties in his remarks and praised Hasina's leadership for the overall rate of progress in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is one of India's top development partners and its largest regional trade partner. The foundation of the pipeline was laid in September 2018. [The Hindu] [pmindia] 

India, Canada to hold next round of trade talks in early April

(mk/lm) India and Canada will be holding the next round of talks related to an interim free trade pact in early April, as the two countries remain far apart on several crucial areas, making slower-than-expected progress without a timeline to complete a so-called Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA). [The Hindu]

The two countries formally launched negotiations towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in November 2010. So far, ten rounds of negotiations have taken place, the last one in New Delhi in August 2017. These negotiations were followed by five rounds of discussions towards an EPTA, which is expected to cover the low-hanging fruits in the trade relationship between the two countries, leaving out "deal-breakers" in an effort to revive CEPA talks.

India-Russia defense firms eye USD 200 million missile deal with Indonesia

(lm) BrahMos Aerospace, an Indo-Russian multinational aerospace and defense corporation, expects to close a deal this year to sell Indonesia supersonic cruise missiles worth at least USD 200 million, the company's chief executive said on March 15. The deal will reportedly involve both the anti-ship variant of the BrahMos weapons system and a version that can be mounted on warships. [Reuters] [The Diplomat]

If and when the deal is concluded, Indonesia will become the second Southeast Asian nation to purchase the BrahMos missile. In January, the Philippines closed a USD 374 million deal to acquire the weapons system, strengthening its navy's ability to safeguard its sovereign claims in the South China Sea [see AiR No. 1, January/2022, 1].

India summons British diplomat to protest pulling down of flag at the mission in London

(mk) The British Deputy High Commissioner to India, Christina Scott, on March 19 was summoned by the India External Affairs Ministry after footage on social media showed supporters of the separatist Khalistan movement detaching the Indian flag outside New Delhi's mission in the British capital, London.

Supporters of the Khalistan movement demand that an independent nation called Khalistan be carved in India's state of Punjab for followers of the minority Sikh faith. The separatist movement is outlawed and considered a grave national security threat by the Indian government but maintains a level of support among some Sikhs within the country and overseas.

Last week, Indian authorities blocked internet access in Punjab as police search for a Sikh separatist on the run. [see entry in this edition] Against the backdrop of the manhunt, Pro-Khalistan protesters on March 19 smashed windows at India's High Commission in London. Demonstrators also attacked and damaged the Indian consulate in San Francisco and protested outside the Australian Parliament. [ABC News] [The Times of India]

In light of these acts of violence, New Delhi issued a strong statement against the vandalization and expressed its discontent towards Britain's attitude to the security of Indian diplomats. In a meeting with the US Charge D'affaires in New Delhi, India also lodged a protest at the vandalization of the properties of the Consulate General of India in San Francisco. [The Hindu] [MEA] [Hindustan Times]

India, Japan leaders meet in New Delhi to discuss defense, technology, Indo-Pacific strategy

(mk/lm) Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on March 20 arrived in India for a two-day visit centered on bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. But the Japanese leader also used the opportunity to announce action plans for a new, Tokyo-led initiative for greater security and economic cooperation to curb China's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.

Delegation-level talks led by Modi and Kishida focused on collaboration across multiple sectors such as economy and commerce, climate and energy, defense and security, and developing people-to-people ties. A key element of the talks was a discussion around the role of the India-Japan partnership in ensuring stability, peace, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. 

In his remarks at the Joint Press Meeting with Kishida, Modi highlighted the need for India and Japan to cooperate on issues of priority and mutual interest as the leaders of the Group of Twenty (G20) and Group of Seven (G7) summits, respectively.

Against this backdrop, Kishida said Modi accepted his invitation to participate in the G7 summit of major industrial nations, which will be held in Hiroshima in May. He told reporters later that he will also invite seven other heads of non-G7 countries, including South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol — a step toward further improving Japan-South Korea ties and bringing Seoul closer to other key players in the strategic map of the region. The G7 comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States; the European Union is a "non-enumerated member." [pmindia] [MEAindia, Twitter] [Japan Times] [Reuters] [CNBC]

Eric Garcetti confirmed to be the next United States envoy to India after a two-year battle

(mk) Eric Garcetti, a close aide to United States President Joe Biden, was confirmed as Washington's next ambassador to India by the U.S. Senate on March 15, two years after his name was first announced for the role. [BBC] [TIME]

The committee first approved Garcetti's nomination in December 2021, but he never received a floor vote in the last Congress. Both Democratic and Republican senators have raised concerns about sexual assault and harassment allegations against his close adviser Rick Jacobs, which have hovered over Garcetti's confirmation. The Los Angeles mayor has consistently denied knowing about Jacobs' alleged behavior. Earlier this month, when the U.S. Senate's Foreign Relations Committee voted to approve Garcetti's nomination, a former aide again said he is "unfit" to become US ambassador to India [see AiR No. 11, March/2023, 2].

India has welcomed the confirmation, even as videos of Garcetti speaking strongly against New Delhi’s proposed Citizenship Amendment Act as being Anti-Muslim have resurfaced. But India has clarified its stance, saying the comments show Garcetti's lack of regional and local information and context about the Indian scenario. [The Hindu 1] [The Hindu 2]

US report lists 'significant human rights abuses in India; UK aid does little for human rights, watchdog finds

(lm) This year's India edition of the United States' annual "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices," released on March 20, listed "significant human rights issues" and abuses in India, including reported targeting of religious minorities, dissidents, and journalists. The findings come nearly a year after Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was monitoring what he described as a rise in human rights abuses in India by some government, police, and prison officials, in a rare direct rebuke by the US of India's rights record. [The Japan Times]

Meanwhile, a review by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact, the British government's aid watchdog, has found that London's aid program to India is fragmented, lacks a clear rationale, and does little to counter the negative trends in human rights and democracy in the South Asian nation - despite a backsliding in these areas under the premiership of Narendra Modi. 

According to the review, Downing Street spent about USD 2.8 billion on aid to India between 2016 and 2021, including the provision of loans by the government-run British International Investment to mainly smaller companies. [The Guardian]

India, European Union conclude fourth round of talks on a free trade agreement

(mk) India and the European Union (EU) on March 18 concluded the fourth round of talks for a comprehensive free trade agreement. The talks for a free trade agreement between the two sides have resumed after a gap of over eight years due to a lack of consensus on key issues such as customs duties on automobiles and spirits and the movement of professionals.

India and the EU are also set to hold a ministerial meeting for the Trade and Technology Council, which will provide structure and strategic guidance to the partnership between both sides, according to Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. 

The next round of talks is scheduled to be held on June 12-16. [Economic Times] [The Hindu] [Business Standard]

China, Pakistan to attend SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi in April

(lm) The defense ministers of the member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) - China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan - will meet in the Indian capital New Delhi on April 27. The last meeting was held on August 24 last year in Tashkent. [NewsOnAIR]

Bangladesh elected vice chair of Bureau of 49th session of OIC foreign ministers’ meeting

(az/lm) Bangladesh was elected as the vice chair of the 49th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which was held from March 16-17 in Mauritania.

Furthermore, Bangladesh's nominated candidate got elected as a member of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), the principal organ of the OIC invested with responsibilities for supporting member states in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. Besides Bangladesh, Iran and Turkey were also voted into the IPHRC from the so-called Asia Group of countries.

Led by Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, the Dhaka’s delegation used the Session to highlight its continuous integration with the OIC on the path towards peace, prosperity, and development. During his speech, the foreign minister urged the member states to take the Rohingya issue into concern and put pressure on the Myanmar government for a dignified return of the Rohingya refugees back to their homeland in Myanmar. [The Business Standard]

Sri Lanka holds meeting with GGGI, UNESCAP on sustainable climate financing

(sn) Sri Lanka’s foreign affairs ministry in collaboration with the office of the Senior Advisor of the President on Climate Change and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) on March 13 hosted a brainstorming session on sustainable climate financing. The event was organized following a request made by Foreign Minister Ali Sabry during his recent meeting with the President of the Assembly and Chair of the Council of the GGGI, Ban Ki-Moon.

The GGGI and UNESCAP representatives covered such matters as key benefits and risks, mobilizing sustainable instruments, United Nations' innovative funding of technical support, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the authorized stakeholders. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Sri Lanka]

Delegation of Bangladesh’s main opposition party meets with Indian envoy to Dhaka

(az) On March 16, a high-level delegation of Bangladesh’s main opposition BNP political party, attended a dinner at the invitation of the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Verma. During the event, the discussion touched on several points, most notably Bangladesh’s next national election, the BNP’s relation with Islamists, and the party’s deteriorating relations with India.

During the meeting, the BNP leader stated that they are no longer in the situation to have further talks with Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League party, citing mistrust and the BNP’s demand to have a caretaker government conducting the next national election.

After the Indian High Commissioner asked the BNP leaders about their relationship with the militant Islamist groups Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefajat-e-Islam, the politicians said that the Islamist party Jamat was a past ally of BNP, but on the field, BNP is alone now. Instead, the BNP leader alleged that the ruling party is facilitating the Islamist force in the country.

The Indian side also addressed the so-called 10-Truck Arms and Ammunition Haul - believed to be the largest arms smuggling incident in the history of Bangladesh - which dates back to 2004. At that time, Bangladesh authorities interrupted the loading of ten trucks and seized extensive illegal arms and ammunition that were believed to be intended for the United Liberation Front of Asom, a militant group seeking the independence of India’s Assam state. The incident occurred during the administration of the BNP, which led the government from 2001 to late October 2006.

Upon talks about the relationship with China, the opposition party cleared their position that they want a friendly relationship with everyone. [The Business Standard] [The Daily Star]

Bangladesh, France sign agreement for energy efficiency in industrial sector

(az)The Agence Francaise de Developpement and Bangladesh have started cooperation to support the energy efficiency schemes in the South Asian nation. The French Ambassador to Bangladesh, Marie Masdupuy, signed a deal of EUR 560,000.00 for the project. The agreement will help Bangladesh to purchase energy-efficient tools, increase renewable energy power plants, and intensify the aid for female entrepreneurs. [The Financial Express]

Myanmar team arrives at Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh for pilot repatriation project

(az) Mediated by China, a Myanmar delegation arrived in Bangladesh last week to verify Rohingya refugees in camps. Authorities expect that up to 1,140 of them will be cleared to return to their homeland through the pilot repatriation project, though Dhaka officials said it was unclear when they would be going home. [Reuters]

Despite not being a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, Bangladesh has been hosting over one million Rohingya refugees since 2017, and it needs an estimated USD 1.2 billion a year for the aid of refugees. Because of the recent ration cut by the UN World Food Program, the refugees are engaging in various illegal ways of livelihood, creating serious security concerns around the refugee camp areas. [Arab News]

But hitherto, Myanmar's military junta, which took power in a coup two years ago, has shown little inclination to take back any Rohingya.

United States envoy expresses concerns about deteriorating labor rights in Bangladesh

(az) The United States Ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter Haas, has expressed concerns over the deteriorating basic labor rights in Bangladesh, highlighting that too many workers cannot exercise their basic rights to freedom of association and collective burgeoning. In light of this, the envoy stressed the importance of reform in the existing labor laws to ensure Bangladesh’s smooth transition into middle-income status. [The Financial Express]

In 2022, the International Trade Union Confederation in its “Global Rights Index” rated Bangladesh 5 - no guarantee of rights – for the ninth consecutive year, making Dhaka one the ten worst countries in the world for working people in 2022. [Global Rights Index]

Cambodian Parliament rejects EU Parliament’s resolution on the case of the opposition leader Kem Sokha

The Cambodia Parliament has rejected the European Parliament's motion for a resolution on Cambodia and opposition leader Kem Sokha, stating that it disrespects Cambodia's sovereignty and violates its sovereign rights. The European Parliament's resolution condemns Cambodia's government policies in response to public and oppositional expression and urges the ruling Cambodian People's Party to release Kem Sokha, who is detained for 27 years over defamation allegations. The resolution proposes targeted sanctions under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against state officials to influence their economic interests and calls for support for civil society and opposition through trial monitoring and protection for asylum seekers at risk of unlawful detention.[Khmer Times][European Parliament], [Cambodia Daily]

Cambodia welcomes Australia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, new Ambassador and ASEAN Senior Official

(sn) On March 15, 2023, the Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia met the new Australian Ambassador to the Kingdom in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to these meetings, the Deputy Prime minister and the Secretary of State of the Cambodian Foreign Affairs Ministry had a visit from the ASEAN’s Senior Official and Australian State Secretary from the foreign trade department. Parties discussed regional issues of mutual concern and bilateral cooperation. 

On March 10, 2023, the Cambodian Ministry of National Defence Secretary met with the Australian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Cambodian Defense thanked the visiting official for the equipment, training, and scholarship provided by the Australian Army to the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. Australian representative reassured the defense secretary to continue its support of Cambodia in defense and security agendas. [Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation 1], [Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation 2], [Ministry of National Defence – Cambodia]

Cambodian Defense Ministry delegation visits Japan for Climate Change Workshop

(sn) On March 15, 2023, Tokyo hosted the 12th Japan–ASEAN Defense Vice-Ministerial forum and Seminar on Climate

Change and Security. The preceding forum was held in 2019. The member states discussed “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” and “ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific” initiatives. Japan introduced its “National Security Strategy” and became the 1st to launch ASEAN Direct Communications Infrastructure among the Plus Countries.

On March 13, Cambodian National Defence Ministry received an invitation from the Ministry of Defense of Japan to attend the Japan–ASEAN Seminar on Climate Change held on March 14–17, 2023. The state secretary of the Cambodian Defense Ministry took an official trip to Tokyo to attend the scheduled presentation accompanied by a delegation with officials from Military Affairs, Technical Equipment, and other departments. US Indo-Pacific Command took part in the discussion via VTC. Parties discussed climate change as a global threat to peace and stability and the connection between climate change and security forces. [Ministry of National Defence – Cambodia], [Ministry of Defense – Japan]

Cambodia: EU Chemistry Biology Radiation and Nuclear CoE holds workshop with Defense Ministry departments

(sn) The European Chemistry, Biology, Radiation and Nuclear Center of Excellence (EU CBRN CoE) conducted a session in Phnom Penh with the Cambodian state department for the Prevention of CBRN Weapons. National Defence Ministry and non-governmental organizations attending the sessions, undertook workshops on risk reduction strategies in CBRN. Ministry of Health’s Director of the Combat of Infectious Diseases Department, national authority for chemical weapons and the EU CBRN CoE Expert Working Group held sessions on March 13–17, 2023, where they exchanged views and ideas, following various experimental sessions in the national laboratories. The Center of Excellence prepares to fund immediate response instruments in the risk of potential biosafety, public health security and import-export transferred infections threats. [Ministry of National Defence – Cambodia]

Cambodian EuroCham and ARISE+ conduct private-sector training on trade policy

(sn) EuroCham Cambodia and ARISE+ held multiple sessions co-funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and the European Union. The training series encompassed advancing the private sector in trade policy comprehension and implementation. The topics covered the Trade Intelligence and Negotiation Adviser digital platform, Free Trade and Strategic Partnership Agreements, tariffs regulation tools, and the sustainable development of the Cambodian garment industry. [Euro Cham Cambodia]

China-Russia: Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow

(vp) From March 20 to 22, President XI Jinping is paying a visit to Russia. The visit comes right after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin, allegedly responsible for war crimes committed in Ukrainian occupied territory. [International Criminal Court]

The visit is also Xi’s first visit to Moscow after he secured his third term as head of state and the first since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.  Xi himself issued a report on the China-Russia relations and the future expectations, stating that his visit to Moscow “will be a journey of friendship, cooperation and peace” and will “bring more certainty and positive energy to a turbulent world” against the West cold-war mentality, as the Global Times reports. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China 2] [Global Times 1] [Global Times 2]

On March 20, Xi and Putin had an informal meeting where they praised each other’s countries development, reiterated China-Russia cooperation, “high-level interactions” and friendship and exchanged views on the Ukrainian conflict, as China proposed itself as a peace broker advocating for a “political solution” to the war.

Putin declared to be ready to negotiate and discuss China’s peace proposal, but resolutely refuses to accept a withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.

Conversely, Ukraine welcomes the idea of Beijing leveraging peace and declares itself ready to cooperate, but claims a full restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity as a necessary condition.

The US sees the visit as China’s further endorsement and “diplomatic cover” of Russia’s actions, amid skepticism towards Beijing’s potential solutions for peace and its alleged neutrality. Washington is concerned that China’s proposal would be “one-sided and reflect only the Russian perspective”, a tactical move that would not end, but “freeze” the war. [CNN] [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China 1] [Reuters] [The Guardian] [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China 3] [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China 4]

China-US: Beijing reports on the “State of Democracy in the US”

(vp) On March 20, China released a report on “The State of Democracy in the US: 2022”..

The report claims to give a real picture of democracy in the US, to “remove the facade of American democracy for more people worldwide” by revealing its systemic political dysfunctions and “chaotic” state. 

China accuses Washington of exporting American democratic values in order to serve its own interests, oppress other countries and exacerbate divisions.

The report comes as tensions heightened between the two superpowers because of mutual accusations on security and military issues. Washington accused China of considering supplying weapons to Russia and drawing close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Beijing accused the US of unilateralism, “cold-war mentality” and of igniting conflicts through interference in other countries’ affairs in the name of democracy. [China Daily] [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China] [Xinhua Net]

Former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou to visit China, a first since the end of civil war

(vp) Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou of the opposition party, the Kuomintang, will pay a visit to China by the end of the month, marking the first visit by a former or incumbent Taiwanese leader since the end of the civil war in 1949 and the Nationalist Government left for the island.

The visit comes also as current Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is planning a visit to the US to meet the US House speaker Kevin McCarthy. [The Guardian]

China to resume Taiwanese fish imports 

(vp) On March 15, China affirmed the resumption of banned Taiwanese fish imports in order to “promote healthy cross strait trade” and ease economic and political tensions.

The ban was imposed in August 2022 as traces of coronavirus were reportedly found on shipments packaging and amid the visit to Taiwan of the US former White House speaker Nancy Pelosi, which outraged Beijing.

The new resumption of imports follows the recent reopening of ferry routes and direct flight after the Covid-19 pandemic. [South China Morning Post]

China, Pakistan reaffirm friendship, vow to expand bilateral cooperation across the spectrum

(lm) China is ready to work with Pakistan to expand the construction of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and all-round cooperation between the two countries for greater progress, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang said during his meeting with Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed Khan in Beijing on March 19. During his visit to Beijing, Khan also led the Pakistani delegation in the third round of bilateral political consultations; the Chinese side was headed by Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong. [DAWN]

China-Brazil: President Lula da Silva’s visit  

(vp) Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will meet with President Xi Jinping from March 26 to 31 as his first trip to China of his current term which started at the beginning of the year.

During the visit, the two heads of state are expected to discuss trade, investments, and the war in Ukraine. Brazil declared neutrality in the war between Ukraine and Russia but plans to discuss efforts for a peace plan with Beijing.

During the visit, a new president of the BRICS Bank will be appointed. Former Brazilian President Dilma Vana Rousseff has been proposed for the role.

The visit comes just after Lula’s visit to the US President Joe Biden earlier this month, in an attempt to balance relations with both powers, amid Lula’s political closeness to the US, but dependence on Beijing as Brazil’s largest trade and investment partner since 2009. 

In December 2022, China exported USD 4.28B and imported USD 8.22B from Brazil. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China] [Reuters]

China-Ukraine: Foreign ministers hold phone call 

(vp) On March 16, China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang held a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba. The call came just a few days ahead of President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Russia on March 20 to 22.

Both parties affirmed the stable relations between the countries and declared the commitment to promote cooperation in safeguarding each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Moreover, they expressed concerns regarding the war in Ukraine and affirmed the need for promotion of peace talks. Qin stressed the efforts made by Beijing for the outline of a peace proposal while reiterating China's objective and impartial position on the Ukrainian conflict.

Ukraine is willing to further discuss China’s peace proposal issued at the end of February. Kiev favored the idea of a political resolution of the war brokered by China, but hopes to further examine some points, such as the concept of territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may have a phone call with President Xi Jinping in the next few days.[see AiR N. 9, February/2023,4] [Dmytro Kuleba via Twitter] [Independent] [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China 1] [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China 2]

China, Russia and Iran hold joint military drills in the Gulf of Oman

(vp) From March 15 to 19, the naval forces of China, Iran and Russia held the Security Belt-2023 joint maritime exercise in the Gulf of Oman. Beijing reportedly said that the exercise “will help deepen practical cooperation”. The Chinese military will participate by deploying the guided-missile destroyer Nanning.

Even though the countries participating all share unstable ties with the US, Washington declared there is no major concern regarding the joint training exercises, as they are regularly held. 

In fact, the exercise comes as tensions between China, Russia, Iran and the US are considerably high, as Washington condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and US government sources are cited according to which Chinese ammunition have been used in the war in Ukraine, suspected to have been fired by Russian forces. 

Iran has clashed with the US since the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and drew closer to China after the recent Beijing-brokered agreement to restore Tehran’s diplomatic ties with its Middle Eastern rival, Saudi Arabia. [see Air N. 11, March/2023, 2] [ABC News] [Ministry of National Defense, China] [The Straits TImes]

China-Cambodia: Troops to participate in the Golden Dragon 2023 joint military exercise 

(vp) From March 20 to April 8, Chinese troops will participate in the annual Golden Dragon 2023 China-Cambodia joint military exercise in Cambodia.

The exercise involves more than 3,000 troops from both sides and seeks to deepen China-Cambodia relations and consensus over the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two countries in order to jointly build a China-Cambodia community with a shared future, according to the Chinese defense ministry. [Ministry of National Defense, China]

China-Canada: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appoints an investigator to look into alleged foreign interference

(vp) On March 15 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed veteran former official David Johnston to look into the alleged election interference by China. 

Beijing was accused of interfering into Canada’s internal affairs and federal elections and Trudeau, under pressure from opposing parties, said at the beginning of March that he would appoint a special investigator with a wide mandate to look into China’s interference in the 2021 and 2019 elections. 

China rejected all accusations affirming its respect for other countries’ sovereignty [see AiR N. 10, March/2023, 1] [Reuters]

China-Japan: Beijing refutes Tokyo’s territorial claims over disputed East China Sea waters 

(vp) On March 16, China affirmed Japan’s territorial claims over disputed waters in the East China Sea were a “grave violation” of Chinese sovereignty.

The statement comes as Japan’s coast guard claimed that the Chinese coast guard violated the Japan territorial waters around some disputed islands in the East China Sea, the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.

In China’s view, the Chinese coast guard entered the disputed water territory in order to counter what it considers an incursion from Japanese vessels into Chinese territorial waters.

The Senkaku/Diaoyu islands have been claimed both by Japan and China since the ending of the Sino-Japanese war in 1895. The area witnesses continuous tensions and incursions into what is believed to be each other’s contiguous areas and territorial waters.

Tensions increased as Japan stated its concerns over China’s defense budget rising at a very fast rate and called for Beijing to improve the transparency in its defense policies and military affairs.

China replied by saying that Japan’s statement consists of “irresponsible accusations”, explaining that defense spending aims solely at securing China’s national sovereignty. Beijing also reiterated on how Japan has been constantly increasing its defense budget for what it considered “external threat”, gradually resuming militarization. [Ministry of National Defense, China] [Reuters] [VOA News]

China-EU: Brussel’s new green tech plan to confront Beijing

(vp) The European Union revealed a proposal on March 16 for a larger investment into clean technology in order to confront China’s (and the US’) growing industrial competition.

The green tech plan aims at enabling European industries to produce more clean technology. The plan includes the goal of making 40 percent of green tech to be produced in Europe by 2030 and to become a “climate neutral” economy by 2050. The issue of whether to include nuclear power is still debated.

The move will enable the EU to avoid excessively relying on imports from China or to rely exclusively on one country for a specific product, as the EU’s dependence on Moscow for gas which led to rising energy costs as the war in Ukraine broke out.

The plan has been criticized for pursuing a “protectionist goal”, but the European Commission dismissed the accusations. [VOA News]

China condemns AUKUS deal

(vp) China reacted to the AUKUS deal with rage and confusion. The deal was signed on March 13 by the UK, US and Australia, under which Canberra be provided with nuclear-powered submarines (see AiR N. 11, March/2023, 2).

Arguing that the trilateral agreement implies a transfer of nuclear technology to Australia, China called the move a “path of error and danger”, and an example of a “typical cold war mentality, accusing the three countries of “exacerbat[ing] arms race, undermin[ing] the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and hurt[ing] regional peace and stability. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China] [The Guardian 1] [The Guardian 2]

China blocks webcast of North Korea rights meeting at UN

(vp) On March 15, China decided to block the webcasting of a UN Security Council meeting about the human rights situation in North Korea. Diplomats reported that it was usually rare that a broadcast would be blocked by one of the 15 Council members.

North Korea has been sanctioned by the UN over its nuclear programs since 2006 and since then has blamed the sanctions for the humanitarian crisis in the country, rejecting the accusations over concerns on human rights abuses. [Reuters]

China condemns the killing of miners in Central African Republic

(vp) President Xi Jinping condemned the killing of nine Chinese miner workers on March 19 in the Central African Republic, urging for the culprits to be “severely” punished.

Some rebel groups who were blamed for the attack said that the Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group may actually be behind the attack.

The Wagner group is present in the African country to help government forces countering rebel groups. [BBC]

Indonesia-Malaysia: Joint donation to Honduras

(dql) Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto has announced that Indonesia and Malaysia have joined hands in a donation of 100 thousand germinated oil palm seedlings to provide support to hundreds of Honduran farmers hit by the hurricanes in 2020. 

Like the two Southeast Asian countries, Honduras is a palm oil-producing country that will join the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) in May. [Antara News]

Indonesia-Singapore: Investments in new Indonesian capital

(mc) During President Joko' Jokowi' Widodo's recent visit to Singapore on March 16, the leaders of the two countries signed 202 Letters of Intent from the Singaporean private sector to invest in the new capital project. 

Other collaborations signed during the visit included renewable energy, digital fields, trade sectors, and investment in hospital development in Indonesia. 

On the same occasion, Jokowi also reiterated the implementation of the Five-Point-Consensus and engaged every partner to open an inclusive national dialogue. [Tempo]

Japan-Ukraine: Prime Minister Kishida’s visit

(dql) Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida traveled on March 21 to Ukraine to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The unannounced visit comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting Russia (see entry above) and follows Kishida’s meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi. 

Kishida will further visit Poland on March 22. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan]

Japan-Solomon Islands: Security cooperation discussed

(dql) During the first visit by a Japanese foreign minister to the Solomon Islands, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi met with his counterpart Jeremiah Manele on March 19 to discuss bilateral cooperation in maritime security. 

Further issues discussed include global security and China’s presence in the Pacific as well as the release of one million tonnes of treated water from the wrecked Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan] [Reuters]

The meeting came a year after the island state concluded in March 2022 a security pact with China which triggered US and Australian concern over China’s expanding influence in the South Pacific. Under the agreement, Honiara is allowed to request Beijing to send in law enforcement and military personnel to assist in “maintaining social order” or “protecting people's lives and property.” It also allows Chinese ships to conduct replenishment and stopover and to use the "relevant forces of China" to "protect the safety of Chinese personnel and other major projects in Solomon Islands” (see No. 13, March/2022, 5). 

Japan-Germany: Deepening economic and defense cooperation  

(dql) During the first round of Japanese-German government consultations held in Tokyo on March 18, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reached agreement on strengthening economic and defense ties.

Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in supply chains in minerals, semiconductors, batteries and other strategic areas, in a bid to “counter economic coercion, state-led attempts to illegally acquire technology and non-market practices,” in an apparent reference to China.

Reflecting Japan’s importance for Germany, Scholz led a delegation that consisted of six of the 17 Cabinet members, the ministers for economy, finance, foreign, interior, transport and defense ministers. [Prime Minister’s Office, Japan] [AP News] [Japan Today]

In separate talks, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamadathe and his counterpart Boris Pistorius agreed on close coordination in future regional deployments of the German military, pushing for a legal framework to facilitate increased joint defense activities, and cooperation in defense equipment and technology. [Ministry of Defense, Japan]

Meanwhile, both countries’ foreign ministers, Yoshimasa Hayashi and Annalena Baerbock reaffirmed their commitment to continuing sanctions against Russia and to providing “robust support for Ukraine in order to end Russia’s aggression against Ukraine as soon as possible.” [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan]

Japan-Italy/UK: Defense ministers’ meetings on joint fighter jet development 

(dql) Japan, the U.K. and Italy have agreed to seek to have a basic design for their jointly developed next-generation fighter by 2024.

The agreement was reached during two separate meetings on March 18 of Japan’s Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada with his British and Italian counterparts Ben Wallace and Italy Guido Crosetto, respectively.  

Named the Global Combat Air Program and aimed at surpassing the capabilities of state-of-the-art fifth-generation aircraft, the project will be led by a joint venture among Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the U.K.'s BAE Systems and Italy's Leonardo. [Ministry of Defense, Japan 1] [Ministry of Defense, Japan 2] [Nikkei Asia]

Japan-US: Joint military exercise

(dql) Japan’s defense ministry has tweeted that the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has participated from February 26 to March 19 the multilateral exercise IMX/CE23 hosted by the US and carrying out “mine warfare and other exercises.” [Ministry of Defense, Japan, Twitter]

Malaysia: Interpol red notice for Jho Low still issued

(pa) Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail confirmed that there is an ongoing Interpol red notice out for Malaysian businessmen and fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, a key figure in the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal. 

The Malaysian police are still working in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Singaporean police force to locate his whereabouts. 

Jho Low was repeatedly mentioned in the 1MDB trials against former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and has been charged by both Malaysia and the US with stealing USD 4.5 billion from the fund. 

Nasution says that none of the 195 member states has been able to locate Jho Low’s whereabouts since the red notice was put out in 2018. [FMT] [Malay Mail] 

Malaysia- Saudi Arabia: Strengthening trade and investment in the coming year 

(pa) Mesaad Ibrahim Al Sulaim, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Malaysia, has announced that his nation intends to increase the level of trade and investment this year. 

The two nations intend to strengthen bilateral ties across a multitude of fields, specifically trade, investment, education, technology, medical services, clean energy, digital economy and as well as haj and umrah.  

These investments come as Saudi intends to diversify its present oil-based economy. This would allow Malaysian-based companies to be involved in a multitude of Saudi-related opportunities, including the NEOM city project, the Red Sea project, and the Saudi Green Initiative project. Bilateral trade in 2022 amounted to USD 10.26 billion, which was an increase from the USD 4.23 billion generated in 2021. [NST][Bernama] 

Malaysia, United Kingdom explore ways to strengthen bilateral ties 

(pa) Malaysia and the United Kingdom are actively looking for ways to strengthen bilateral ties and strategic cooperation, namely in fields surrounding security, trade and investment, green technology, and the digital economy. 

This was discussed by Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and his counterpart, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Secretary, James Cleverly during the former's working visit to the UK. [NST] 

Issues surrounding the Malaysian export of palm oil were further discussed at the meeting. This resulted in the British government planning to completely eliminate palm oil tariffs from Malaysia, which currently go up to 12 percent. This deal signals the UK’s involvement in the Asia-Pacific trade deal, the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). [The Sun] [The Star]

Malaysia’s Petronas offers to buy 20 percent of India's NTPC LTD

(pa) Malaysian oil and gas company, Petronas, has made a bid amounting to USD 460 million to gain a 20% stake in NTPC, India’s largest energy producer. [CNA] 

This deal is the first time a state-run firm has offered a stake in their renewable energy industry, highlighting the increasing foreign investments that the renewable sector brings. [Rueters]

Petronas’ offer currently stands as 78 percent higher than the second-highest bidder. They offered  27.52 rupees per share, compared to REC Ltd's offer of 15.47 rupees per share. [Business Today] 

Malaysia remains concerned over Australian AUKUS submarines

(pa) Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir reiterated the ministry’s concerned stance on AUKUS submarines acquired by Australia. [Reuters] 

He acknowledged the need for countries to enhance their defensive capabilities, but still remains concerned and cautious surrounding nuclear acquisition. [SMH] 

The ministry has further promoted the importance of transparency and confidence building between the countries involved in the AUKUS deal and countries in the region to safely and respectfully operate nuclear-powered submarines in Indo-Pacific waters. More ASEAN states, namely Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand share Malaysia's concerns. [SCMP]

The AUKUS agreement was signed by leaders from the United States, United Kingdom and Australia for the latter to acquire a number of nuclear submarines by early 2030 to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region. [Al-Jazeera]

Malaysian Stay on Sulu claims upheld by French court

(pa) The Paris Court of Appeal has dismissed the bid by the descendants of the Sulu sultanate that would have seen Malaysia pay USD 15 billion, further saying that the claim was inadmissible. [Bloomberg] 

This comes after the sultanate went for commercial arbitration in Spain, France, Netherlands and Luxembourg, basing their claim on a colonial-era land deal with the British North Borneo Company. [Malaysia Now]

The Sulu claimants filed their challenge to the stay order on July 27, 2022 and the hearing on its merit was held on Jan 16 this year. [The Star]

Malaysia to host Singaporean president for state visit

(pa) Singapore’s President Halimah Yacob will arrive in Malaysia for a 3 day state visit on March 21. [FMT]

This is to be the first state visit to Malaysia by a president of SIngapore since 2013. She is to have an audience with the King, along with a call from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. [Malay Mail] 

The two are to discuss ways to further strengthen the longstanding ties and multifaceted cooperation. 

Singapore is Malaysia’s second largest global trading partner and the largest among Asean countries. Trade between the two countries stood at USD 83.53 billion in 2022 alone.

Myanmar junta leader meets Russian trade delegation for second time in four months

(ih) The leader of Myanmar's military junta, Min Aung Hlaing, met with a Russian trade delegation from Fund RC-Investments to discuss trade, investment, and cooperation on environmental conservation, forestry products, electric vehicles, and a wood pulp factory. The Roscongress Foundation led the delegation, which also met with several regime ministers to discuss cooperation on tourism, mining, energy, agriculture, livestock, and finance. [The Irrawaddy]

Since President Putin and Min Aung Hlaing's first meeting in September 2022, Russian trade delegations and investors have increased their visits to Myanmar. However, there has been no significant progress in areas such as direct payments, flights, or fuel imports. Myanmar's neighbors India and China are also promoting trade with the junta.

North Korea, Germany, US: Berlin and Washington seize USD 46 million crypto linked to North Korean hackers’ activities

(ge) On March 15 the US and German authorities declared that they took down an darknet cryptocurrency mixer, known as “Chip Mixer” seizing more than USD 46 million in cryptocurrency. [Coindesk]

Authorities identified Chip Mixer as being responsible for laundering and obfuscating funds from several criminal clients, among these between 2020 and 2022 Chip Mixer processed over USD 700 million in bitcoins related to heists by North Korea hacking groups such as Axie Infinity’s Ronin Bridge and Harmony’s Horizon Bridge. 

According to the US Justice Department Chip Mixer is responsible for laundering money for ransomware perpetrators, darknet markets, fraudsters and state-sponsored actors. One Chip Mixer operator, a Vietnamese national, was charged with operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, money laundering and identity theft. [US Department of Justice]

South Korea conducts air drills, amid North Korea ICBM missile launch

(ge) On March 16 North Korea launched an ICBM Hwasongpho-17 missile from the Pyongyang International Airport into open waters in the East Sea (Sea of Japan). 

According to North Korean state media which reported the news on March 17, the drill was conducted to give a strong warning to the US and South Korea, which in the words of the North Korean media, are destabilizing security in the peninsula with their “aggressive and provocative large-scale drills”. [KCNA 1]

North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Un was present at the launch and expressed his satisfaction over the drill and the swift development of nuclear strategic weapons, said the state media. [KCNA 2]

The South Korean military and Japanese Defense Ministry confirmed the launch, which is the fourth in less than a month. 

Meanwhile South Korea and the US are conducting the large-scale “Freedom Shield” drills, scheduled to run until March 23. [NK News]

The South Korean military has also conducted 36 hours non-stop aerial drills between March 14 to 15 aimed at improving readiness for war and strategic and tactical operations to ensure sustainability in battle. These exercises took place just after North Korea launched two ground-to-ground ballistic missiles just ahead of the Yoon-Kishida meeting in Tokyo on March 14. [The Korea Herald]

The Chinese foreign ministry has declared of being deeply concerned over the joint ROK-US large-scale military drills and that the parties have been pressuring North Korea without engaging in responses focused on the denuclearization of the country. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China]

Meanwhile, on March 16, the US Deputy Secretary of State during a call with South Korean First Vice Minister, underscored the US ironclad commitment to the defense of South Korea. [The US Department of State]

North Korea: Nuclear counterattack tactical training

(ge) On March 20  North Korean media Rodong Sinmun reported that a tactical nuclear counterattack simulation exercise was conducted to strengthen the country's war deterrence and nuclear counterattack capabilities amid the joint large-scale South Korea–US military drills (see entry above). 

The report also stated that the exercise should act as a warning to South Korea and the US, accusing the latter of purposely escalating tensions in the peninsula by bringing nuclear-capable weapon systems to the South. 

The exercise was presided over by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and was carried out in two phases. 

On the first day, March 18, the reliability of the command, management and control operation system for tactical nuclear weapons was tested and several drills were conducted to examine the correct functioning of the system. The tests confirmed the reliability of the nuclear counterattack system.

On the second day, March 19, North Korea conducted a short-range ballistic missile firing drill, simulating a nuclear attack. The missile was fired from Cholsan County, North Pyongan Province, above a target off the East Sea (Sea of Japan) at a range of 8,000 kilometers. The report specified that the missile did not threaten the safety of neighboring countries. [Rodong Sinmun, Korean]

The launch was detected by South Korean and Japanese military authorities which assessed that the detonation happened in Tongchang-ri county, where North Korea’s main spaceport, the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground, is located. [NK News 1]

Experts determined that North Korea launched the missile from a newly built fixed launch site dug at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground. [Dereck Eveleth, Twitter] [Joseph Dempsey, Twitter]

The missile launching drill was reportedly attended by the leader Kim Jong-Un and his daughter. Kim called for an increase of the country’s nuclear war deterrence capability. 

The Minister of National Defence, senior party officials, commanding officers of the Missile General Bureau (MGB) and members of the Nuclear Weapon Institute also participated in the exercise.[NK News 2]

On March 20, the United Nations Security Council members had a debate over the best approach to counter North Korea’s repeated launchings of ballistic missiles. The Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas informed the Council members that Pyongyang has carried out 14 launches of ballistic missiles in 2023.

The United States proposed a presidential statement that would condemn these actions as a clear threat to international peace and security, reaffirm and fully implement the resolutions the Council has unanimously adopted, and urge Pyongyang to abandon its unlawful programmes and engage in dialogue.

The representative of the Republic of Korea urged the Council to hold the country accountable for threatening international peace and security. [United Nations]

North Korea-UN: Kim Jong-un held accountable for human rights violations

(ge) US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield has said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un should be held responsible for human rights violations in his country. 

Thomas-Greenfield made the comments after an informal session on the issue in the Security Council. During the session, UN Special Rapporteur Elizabeth Salmon urged the international community to address the problem through the International Criminal Court (ICC) or other means.

Thomas-Greenfield voiced hope for more proactive discussions on the issue, particularly if South Korea becomes a non-permanent member of the council. [Yonhap]

Pakistan reaches out to United States Democratic party leader after meeting with former Prime Minister Khan

(lm) Pakistan’s Prime Minister Office (PMO) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), a junior member in the ruling coalition, have reached out Asif Mahmood, a Pakistan-born candidate for the United States Congress, who had recently met with a fellow Democrat Party member critical of Islamabad’s human rights record.

Mahmood was part of a US delegation that visited Pakistan recently. He also met Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan who allegedly sought Washington’s support through him.

Prior to this, Mahmood had met with Congressman Brad Sherman, a senior member of the Congress Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss recent developments in Pakistan. Later the same day, Congressman Sherman shared a video message on Twitter, in which he said there are concerns regarding the rising human rights violation in Pakistan. He also reminded Pakistan's government about its obligation to take action against those who violate human rights, but added that Washington has no interest meddling in Islamabad’s internal affairs.

The video message was shared by a senior member of Pakistan’s opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on March 19. [Twitter]

Against this backdrop, the PMO and PPP separately reached out to the US Congress and Mahmood respectively to convey their concerns caused by Sherman’s statement. Mahmood was reportedly told that Pakistan needs friends like him as it passes through difficult times. [Geo News]

Philippines, United States defense leaders hold phone conversation

(lm) Philippine Officer in Charge of the Department of National Defense Carlito Galvez spoke with the United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on March 20. The two officials discussed ongoing efforts to strengthen the alliance between their two nations, while also condemning China’s “gray-zone activities” in the South China Sea. 

Furthermore, they welcomed the recent groundbreaking ceremony for a USD 24 million runway rehabilitation project at Basa Air Base, one of the approved projects under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. [PhilStar] [U.S. Department of Defense]

Meanwhile, the F-22 Raptor, the US Air Force’s most advanced fighter, carried out exercises with the Philippines Air Force (PAF) last week in the Philippines.. It was the first time that the top-notched fighter jet had visited the Southeast Asian country. [The EurAsian Times]

Singapore: CapitaLand in talks to buy Vietnam property assets from Vinhomes

(gp) CapitaLand Group, majority-owned by Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings, is in talks to buy Vietnamese property assets worth around USD 1.5 billion from Vinhomes, part of Vietnam's largest conglomerate, Vingroup. Talks between the two companies concern some projects owned by Vinhomes, with CapitaLand reportedly considering buying part of Vinhomes' Ocean Park 3 project or another project in the northern city of Haiphong. The talks come amid a cash crunch for Vietnam's property sector, which is grappling with the impact of an anti-graft campaign launched by the government last year. [Reuters]

Singapore to work with Indonesia, ASEAN, UN to push Myanmar peace plan, Prime Minister says

(gp) Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has pledged to work with Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries, as well as partners such as the United Nations, to push for the implementation of a stalled peace plan in Myanmar. Lee made the comments following a meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, during which the leaders expressed regret over the lack of progress on the plan, which has been led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). [Reuters] [The Strait Times]

Myanmar has been wracked by violence and unrest since a coup in February 2021 that overturned a decade of democratic reforms.

South Korea, Japan hold meeting to repair ties

(ge) On March 16 South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo to attend the first working-level meeting between the two countries in twelve years and hold talks to restore ties. 

The meeting comes as the two countries strive to improve cooperation amid heightened security risks in the region, due to North Korea’s frequent missile launches and China’s stronger role in the international stage.

Yoon and Kishida discussed ways to overcome past historical grudges related to the Japanese occupation of Korea between 1910-45 and to repair bilateral relations in order to cooperate on security and economic issues, such as supply chain disruptions. [The Straits Times]

The two countries exchanged views on their export control systems and effectiveness. Japan decided to lift export regulations to South Korea on three crucial materials for the construction of semiconductors (hydrogen fluoride, fluorinated polyimide, EUV photoresist). Following this decision, South Korea agreed to withdraw its complaint filed with the World Trade Organization. [South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy]

Japan had imposed the restrictions in 2019, in a supposedly retaliatory measure following the Korean Supreme Court ruling ordering Japanese companies to compensate South Korean forced labor victims during the Japanese occupation of Korea (see AiR No. 10, March/2023, 1).

The two leaders agreed to build closer diplomatic ties, restoring the “shuttle-diplomacy” and vowing to hold frequent visits. Yoon announced the complete normalization of the GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement),(see AiR No. 11, March/2023, 2) to share information on North Korea’s  missile launches and respond to them. [Yonhap]

The restoration of the GSOMIA information-sharing deal was officially communicated to Japan on March 21. [The Korea Times 1]

In addition, they agreed to restart a bilateral security dialogue, which had been suspended since 2018, and to set up a conference to discuss economy and security matters. The two countries’ biggest business lobbies, the Federation of Korean Unions and Japan’s Kiedanren also agreed to relaunch bilateral relations. [Reuters 1]

The two leaders also established  a  private-sector “Future Partnership Fund”' to promote joint projects in politics, economy, and culture and exchange between young people of the two countries. 

However, Japan remains cautious on a swift resolution of the disputes between the two countries (see AiR No. 10, March/2023, 1). [South China Morning Post]. 

Nevertheless, Kishida invited President Yoon to a G-7 summit to be held in Hiroshima in May, according to a Kyodo News Agency report. [Kyodo News]

Yoon is also facing skepticism and opposition at home, especially in relation to his proposal to compensate plaintiffs who won court cases against Japanese companies who used forced labor during the Japanese occupation of Korea. The plan  is not well-received in South Korea, with 59 percent of respondents opposing it, as per a Gallup Korea survey. This lack of public support could make it difficult for Yoon to obtain concessions from Japan. However, the Japanese public seems to support the plan, with 57 percent in favor of it, according to a Kyodo poll. [Reuters 2] 

On March 16,  the representatives of two wartime forced labor victims announced that they had filed a new lawsuit against Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, thus rejecting the compensation proposal through South Korean companies. [Reuters 3]

The main opposition party, the Democratic Party (DP), has also been urging the government to withdraw the plan (see AiR No. 11, March/2023, 2). 

On March 18 the DP and its leader Lee Jae-Myung, held a rally against President Yoon’s summit with Kishida. Lee criticized President Yoon for becoming a servant of Japan and not upholding victims' right to claim compensation, while a demonstration was held in front of Seoul City Hall. [Yonhap]

On March 20 Lee pledged to implement all necessary measures to hold President Yoon accountable over suspicions that he made unannounced concessions at the summit with Japan. The ruling People Power Party defended the summit results as restoring bilateral ties and accused the DPK of trying to divert attention from its leader's corruption probes.[The Korea Times 2]

On March 19 Foreign Minister Park Jin commented that during the summit between the two heads of State, hot issues concerning wartime sexual slavery of Korean women by Japan and Korea’s sovereignty over the  Dokdo islet dispute were not addressed. [The Korea Times 3]

South Korea-Japan: Boosting economic ties

(ge) On March 17 the Federation of Korean Industries and Commerce (KEPCO) and the Federation of Japanese Business Organizations (Keidanren) held a Japan-Korea Business Roundtable (BRT) in Tokyo, in the framework of the Yoon-Kishida Summit. 

The meeting was attended by the representatives of the main business leaders of both countries and seeked to revitalize the economic cooperation between South Korea and Japan. 

The two sides established the “Korea-Japan Future Partnership Fund'' to build future-oriented relations. Both parties agreed to expand economic exchanges in various fields including expanding mutual investment, countering the weaponization of resources, cooperation in building global supply chains, normalizing people-to-people exchanges, expanding joint entry into third countries, and cooperation in new industries.

The Korean business leaders also requested the government to strengthen the economic and security alliance between South Korea and Japan, expand exchanges between young people from both countries and to boost South Korea-Japan cooperation in international governance. The roundtable also aimed at overcoming the current economic crisis through the strengthening of bilateral economic relations.

The meeting was attended by South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol, marking the first time in fourteen years since a South Korean president participated in a Korea-Japan BRT, with the last one taking place during President Lee Myung-Bak’s visit to Japan in 2009. [Federation of Korean Industries, in Korean] [Presidential Office Newsroom, Korean]

South Korea, US, Japan hold trilateral consultation on North Korea’s nuclear program 

(ge) On March 16 South Korea, Japan and the US held a trilateral telephone consultation round to discuss ways to respond to North Korea’s recent launch of ballistic missiles.

The parties agreed that North Korea’s military activities constitute a clear violation of multiple Security Council resolutions. They emphasized that the launch was a grave provocation that seriously escalated tensions in the region.

The parties agreed to continue to strengthen close communication and cooperation between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan to prompt a decisive and unified response from the international community, including the UN Security Council, to North Korea's provocations. 

They also agreed to further strengthen trilateral security cooperation to enhance their response capabilities to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.[South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Korean]

North Korea launched two ground-to-ground ballistic missiles just ahead of the Yoon-Kishida meeting in Tokyo and as the US-South Korea joint military exercises are ongoing until March 23. 

The missiles were fired from Jangyon County in South Hwanghae Province and hit a targeted area near Chongjin City, with experts assessing that the launch involved short-range ballistic missiles and that North Korea’s intensified military activity is aimed at improving striking capabilities rather than developing new hardware. 

The North Korean military has carried out six launches in the past month. The US maintains that the drills will continue and warned that any use of nuclear weapons by North Korea would result in the neutralization of the regime. [NK News]

South Korea-Netherland: MoUs to cooperate on renewable energy, mobility signed

(ge) On March 14 the Seoul ministry said that South Korea and the Netherlands signed seven memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost cooperation in eco-friendly mobility and renewable energy. 

One of the  MoUs included strategic cooperation between Korean POSCO International and  Dutch Hardt Hyperloop and business cooperation on the introduction and operation of aquifer thermal energy storage systems (ATES) in the Korean market. 

The Dutch Minister visited Korea from March 13-15 as the chief representative of the Dutch Trade Mission. Prior to the MOU signing ceremony, the South Korean ministry of trade held a bilateral meeting with its Dutch counterpart and discussed ways to promote bilateral economic cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, semiconductors and batteries, nuclear power plants, clean energy, hydrogen and offshore wind power. 

They agreed on the importance of bilateral partnership in the economic and security fields and decided to further strengthen bilateral cooperation. The Korean trade ministry also explained Korea's excellent nuclear power business capabilities and clean energy policies, including hydrogen and offshore wind power, and agreed to further strengthen cooperation in these fields. 

Finally, South Korea requested the Dutch government's interest and support for the 2030 Busan World Expo. [South Korea Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, in Korean]

South Korea-Finland: 13th policy consultation round

(ge) On March 16 the South Korean Vice Minister and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Security Policy of Finland held the 11th Korea-Finland Policy Consultation in Seoul, discussing bilateral relations, regional and international affairs, and cooperation in the international arena. 

They exchanged views on regional and international developments, including the Korean Peninsula and Ukraine, and discussed building a stable and resilient global supply chain. 

Finland expressed its support for South Korea’s policy strategy on North Korea, explaining Finland’s accession to NATO and pledging to contribute to the promotion of ROK-NATO cooperation.

South Korea requested Finland's continued interest and support for South Korea's bid for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the 2024-25 term and the 2030 Busan World Expo bid. [South Korea Foreign Ministry, Korean]

South Korea-US: Joint large-scale military drills

(ge) On March 15 the South Korean military said that South Korea and the US are conducting joint river-crossing drills in Yeoncheon as part of their ongoing springtime exercise.

The 12-day drills involve 400 troops, two Apache attack helicopters and 50 pieces of equipment, and focus on ensuring interoperability among the allies' river-crossing assets and establishing operational methods maximizing the capacity of  their combined military equipment. The combined division is formed by the South Korean Army's 3rd Engineer Brigade and an engineer battalion under the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division that was launched in 2015. [Yonhap 1]

Meanwhile, the South Korean military and air force are conducting large-scale military exercises involving 1,500 troops and more than 30 aircraft, in Jangseong and Uiryeong, as part of its ongoing regular exercise with the US. The five-day exercise runs through Friday and includes several wartime procedures  such as airborne infiltrations, cargo drops and air assault operations. Separately, drills against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorist attacks were staged in Gangneung. [Yonhap 2]

Both drills are running simultaneously with the 11-day computer-simulated “Freedom Shield” exercise that began on March 13, which is set to end on March 23. 

South Korea-UAE: Strengthening economic cooperation

(ge) From March 15 to 16 the head of the Trade Negotiations Headquarters of the South Korean Trade Minister visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to promote and boost economic cooperation between the two countries. 

South Korea and the UAE signed six memorandums of understanding (MoU) in the fields of defense, industry and energy, for a total value of USD 2 billion. 

The meeting was centered on ways to enhance cooperation in trade and investment and on implementing follow up measures to economic diplomacy, such as the launching of the Korea-UAE Economic Cooperation Channel and the Shuttle Economic Cooperation Team.

On the first meeting day the parties reviewed the achievements attained through the forty-eight contracts and MoUs signed during the Korean leader's state visit to the UAE in January. 

They addressed the issue of technical barriers to trade that South Korean companies interested in participating in the UAE market are facing and suggested establishing a bilateral Regulatory Dialogue to discuss halal standards. The parties proposed cooperation in the healthcare sector, including medical personnel training, strengthening R&D capabilities in the pharmaceutical, medical appliances and biotechnology industries. 

The parties underscored the importance of establishing strategic cooperation to jointly respond to major international challenges such as the spread of COVID-19 and the global digital transformation, and discussed the promotion of the Bio Economic Agreement (Bio EPA) and Digital Economic Agreement (Digital EPA), to further develop the  bilateral trade cooperation relationship established through the signing of the Trade and Investment Promotion Framework (TIPF), during the economic and diplomatic summit held in January. 

In addition, the South Korean Trade Ministry met with the UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure and discussed ways to strengthen the bilateral energy, infrastructure, and investment cooperation and promote nuclear, hydrogen and renewable energy cooperation. 

Considering the current uncertainty of the international oil and gas market, the parties agreed to jointly respond to energy security and climate change challenges through close cooperation in the fields of oil field development, stockpiling, nuclear power, hydrogen and renewable energy.

The meeting was also attended by major Korean companies such as Samsung Engineering & Construction, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, and Doosan Energy. 

On March 16 South Korea and the UAE held the "Korea-UAE Business Roundtable" and participated in the signing ceremony of contracts and memorandums of understanding. More than fifty Korean–UAE government and business leaders attend the meeting . [South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy 1, in Korean] [South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy 2, in Korean] [The Korea Times]

South Korea-Malaysia: Enhancing cooperation on supply chains, trade

(ge) On March 14 South Korea and Malaysia had talks in Seoul to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral trade and economic cooperation including the supply chain, digital economy and clean energy sectors. 

The South Korean trade minister acknowledged the importance of the economic partnership between South Korea and Malaysia, highlighting that the trade volume between the two reached USD 26.7 billion last year.

South Korea advanced a Corporation and Business Agreement on key raw materials to Malaysia, in order to secure a stable international supply chain between the two countries. The parties also discussed the ways to set up a supply chain for electric vehicle batteries.

Concerning the digital economy, the two sides agreed on improving bilateral digital trade norms and to expand digital-based cooperation. 

The South Korea Trade Minister emphasized that Malaysia is an important partner for Korea in the field of climate change and clean energy. He also ensured the implementation of the first cross-border and storage of carbon dioxide program (Shepherd Program) between the two countries. Moreover, he requested the Malaysian government’s support for the ongoing clean hydrogen cooperation project. 

The parties emphasized the need for closer cooperation in international trade frameworks such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The two sides exchanged views on how to advance negotiations on the Korea-Japan Free Trade Agreement with the aim of opening up the market beyond the level of the Regional Comprehensive Partnership Agreement.

They also discussed the establishment of a council to discuss bilateral trade issues and economic cooperation. 

Finally, South Korea requested Malaysia’s support for its 2030 Busan World Expo bid. [South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, in Korean] 

Sri Lanka receives second shipment of United States-funded fertilizer

(sn) More than a million Sri Lankan paddy farmers will receive an essential stock of fertilizer estimated at 36,000 metric tons. The shipment of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and procured by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for distribution free-of-charge. [Colombo Page]

This second shipment of USAID-supported fertilizer is delivered on a promise USAID Administrator Samantha Power made last September in response to Sri Lanka’s food security challenges. It brings the total of USAID-supported TSP and urea fertilizer to more than 45,000 metric tons over the last year.

Honduras shifts diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China

(sw) On March 14, Honduras President Xiomara Castro announced on Twitter that her country starts the process to establish official ties with China and thus cuts diplomatic relations with Taiwan. The move will reduce Taiwan’s worldwide diplomatic allies to 13 and thus would further isolate the island. [Twitter]

The foreign minister of Honduras, Eduardo Reina, explained that the move was made due to the country’s debt and made clear that it was about “pragmatism, not ideology”.  

The Foreign Ministry of Taiwan warned Honduras to not fall into China’s debt trap and argues that Beijing only develops relations with Honduras to harm Taipei in the international arena. Moreover, the ministry stated that China does not intend to promote cooperation for the good of the Hondurans, whereas Taiwan assisted Honduras consistently with its national development. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan 1] [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan, 2]

Besides Honduras, Taiwan only has diplomatic relations with Guatemala and Paraguay in Latin America where China is expanding its influence.

The opposition party in Paraguay already announced that it will switch diplomatic relations to China if it wins the elections in April. [Focus Taiwan] [The Guardian] [see AiR, No. 7, February/2023, 2]

US Congress delegation visits Taiwan

(sw) Five bipartisan United States (US) congressional legislators visited Taiwan between March 15-16 to discuss with President Tsai Ing-wen and other senior government officials security, economic, and trade cooperation. The visit marks the second time in two months that Taiwan is visited by US congress legislators. [Twitter 1] [See also AiR, No. 8, February/ 2023, 3 ] 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Twitter, that cooperation between the two countries is aimed at fighting China’s attempt to change the status quo. Moreover, the US lawmakers supported Taiwan in recent years by demanding its inclusion in the World Health Organization and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity. [Focus Taiwan] [Taiwan News] [Twitter 2]

China hinders subsea cable that is to connect Japan, Taiwan, Singapore

(sw) China impedes the laying and maintenance of submarine internet cables in the South China Sea by delaying approvals and other means, according to  British daily business newspaper Financial Times. The cable that will connect Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan will be delayed by more than a year.

China  is accused of impeding cable routing by delaying the review process for permits to lay cables, tightening conditions for obtaining several permits, and extending the scope of its control beyond China’s internationally recognized territorial waters.

According to Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, China wants to control the transnational telecommunications infrastructure in the South China Sea and prevent US surveillance systems to be included in the subsea cable installation.   

China requires that companies that want to lay cables in its “exclusive economic zone” apply for permits. However, according to international maritime law companies only need to obtain permissions from a state if the cable is in the territorial waters of a country’s coast. [Taiwan News]

Taiwan-Germany: First visit of German minister in 26 years

(sw) As the first German cabinet member in 26 years, German Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) is visiting Taiwan from March 21-22. On March 21, she signed with Taiwanese representatives the ‘scientific and technological cooperation agreement’ to strengthen cooperation with Taipei in the fields of science, research and education. [Taiwan News 1] 

The German government emphasized that the issue of Taiwan’s sovereignty is not the focus of the trip and that Berlin maintains its “One China” policy. Moreover, Stark-Watzinger will not meet with President Tsai Ing-wen as this would irritate China too much. [Channel News Asia] 

Meanwhile, on March 18, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned China to not use force to change Taiwan’s status quo. His government currently develops a new China strategy to reduce dependence on China, which is a crucial export market for German markets. [Reuters] 

These messages illustrate that Germany tries to balance its trade relations both with China and Taiwan but also wants to commit to shared values against China. Nevertheless, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock from the Green Party is expected to visit China in April or May.  [Al Jazeera] [Taiwan News 2]

All three ministers that visited Taiwan before belonged to the FDP, which is just like Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party, a member of the Liberal International. [Taiwan News 3] 

British, Paraguayan legislators visit Taiwan

(sw) A delegation from the British-Taiwanese All-Parliamentary Group and a group of Paraguayan lawmakers visit Taiwan. 

During their visit from March 19-24, the British legislators are scheduled to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen and other high-ranking officials. They will discuss relations between Taiwan and the United Kingdom (UK), regional developments, and economic resilience. In February, the chairman of the Parliamentary Group, Bob Stewart, asked British politicians to strongly support Taiwan and to strengthen the cooperation between the two countries. [Taiwan News 1] [Twitter 1] 

The Chinese embassy in Britain denounced the visit warning that it would counter any acts that harmed China’s interests. However, the embassy did not specify what these actions would entail. [Taiwan News 2] 

The Paraguayan politicians are staying from March 19-23 and will meet with Legislative Speaker You Si-kun and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. 

The presidential elections in April will determine whether Paraguay will keep diplomatic relations with Taiwan because the opposition party wants to start diplomatic ties with China. [Taiwan News 3] [Twitter 2] 

Taiwan-Austria: Economic Dialogue ends with aim to promote innovation

(sw) The sixth Taiwan-Austria Economic Dialogue ended on March 14 in Taipei with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to encourage innovation and to deepen their partnership

Through the agreement innovators from both countries will be connected, while increasing investment opportunities will be created. Moreover, during the Economic Dialogue customs regulations, Industry 4.0 and cooperation on digital issues were also discussed.

Austria is Taiwan’s seventh-largest trading partner in the European Union whereby cars and semiconductors are the most important sectors. [Taiwan News]

Taiwan-Somaliland discuss resource development

(sw) On March 15, Taiwanese and Somaliland officials discussed joint projects to cooperate in oil, gas, and mineral exploration and exploitation. The Taiwanese officials visited Somaliland from March 13-18 with the aim to increase bilateral cooperation and business opportunities

Representatives from Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and from Somalilands’ Ministry of Energy and Materials (MoEM) agreed to organize training programs and policy forums that deal with resource exploration, exploitation, and infrastructure development. [Taiwan News]

Czech delegation to improve business, cultural ties with Taiwan

(sw) The Czech Chamber of Deputies Speaker, Marketa Pekarova Adamova, expects that her visit to Taiwan in March will strengthen bilateral ties and exchange between the two countries. 

The Czech delegation will visit Taiwan with around 150 participants from March 25-30. This would be the largest visit of its kind between the two states. The members include technology sector leaders, researchers and members of government institutions.  

The aim of the trip are negotiations of business agreement, and exchanges between academic institutions and museums. Moreover, Adamova wants to strengthen cooperation in the semiconductor industry and does not rule out military assistance. [Taipei Times] 

In February, Czech President Petr Pavel announced that he favors a stronger partnership with Taiwan (see No. 6, February/ 2023, 1).

Chinese military around Taiwan

(sw) Since February 15, 114 aircrafts and 24 vessels of the Chinese army have been detected around Taiwan. 44 of the aircrafts crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwest air defense identification zone. Taiwan’s military monitors the situation and responds with aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems. [Ministry of National Defense, Taiwan]

Mandarin center in Belgium to support Taiwan

(sw) On March 17, the first Taiwan-affiliated Mandarin learning center was opened in Belgium with the goal of improving the local understanding of Taiwan. Moreover, it provides the opportunity for diplomats in Brussels to learn about Taiwan and Taiwanese culture. 

Currently, there are 54 Taiwan learning centers in the United States, two each in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, and one each in Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Sweden. Furthermore, the Taiwanese government offers various scholarships so that more international students are attracted to study in Taiwan. [Taipei Times] 

Taiwan, Eswatini to extend trade pact by five years

(sw) Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen agreed with Eswatini’s Prime Minister Cleopas Sipho Dlamini on March 6 in Taipei to extend a bilateral economic cooperation agreement by five years until 2028. 

The agreement obligates Eswatini to continue the support of Taiwan to join international organizations. In return, Taipei strengthens its economic development. 

Eswatini is Taiwan’s the only country in Africa having formal ties with Taiwan. [Taipei Times] 

Thailand, European Union resume negotiations towards trade deal

(aj) Thailand and the European Union (EU) confirmed on March 15 that the two parties will resume negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA). Trade talks between the two began in 2013 but were put on hold a month after the military takeover of Thailand’s elected government in May 2014. As Thailand began making moves toward democracy in recent years, the EU responded by incrementally re-engaging with the Kingdom. The EU stated that the two will begin trade talks later this year and plan to close a deal in two years

The EU is the second largest destination for Thailand’s outbound capital and the union is the third largest investor in Thailand, constituting 10 percent of the country’s foreign direct investment. Central to the EU’s trade agenda for Thailand is the theme of sustainability. Accordingly, the EU is looking to promote its value-based policies by increasing its share in Thai industries that promote climate resilience, such as renewable energy and electric vehicles, and strengthening labor protections in the country.

Thailand is the second largest economy in Southeast Asia and if a trade deal is struck, then the country would be the third ASEAN nation after Singapore and Vietnam to establish an FTA with the EU. Besides lowering barriers for trade in goods and services between the two parties, the EU stated that it is trying to diversify its investment and economic relations with Asia outside of China. Political analysts say Brussels is increasingly wary of China’s growing influence, prompting the EU to build stronger bilateral relations with countries in the Indo-Pacific. [European Commission] [The Diplomat]

Thailand’s cabinet approves draft bill to extradite Russians

(aj) Thailand’s cabinet approved a draft extradition treaty with Russia on March 16 amid reports that Russians are flocking to Thailand to avoid fallout from the war with Ukraine. The Thai government said the draft bill is intended to suppress crime and its stipulations are no different from other extradition deals the Kingdom has organized with other countries. Extradition bills do not require parliamentary approval. [The Nation Thailand]

In fact, since the onset of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year, Russian citizens have moved in droves to Thailand in the tens of thousands to escape conscription or avoid the war’s economic repercussions.

Chinese maritime incursions into Vietnamese EEZ see significant increase, according to research organization

(ih) Large numbers of Chinese maritime militia and fishing boats have reportedly entered Vietnam's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea, according to data collected by a Vietnamese research organization. The number of Chinese vessels present in the economic zone has almost tripled since the end of February. [Radio Free Asia]

A Chinese survey vessel, the Haiyang Dizhi Si Hao, has remained inside the zone for an extended period of time, leading to concerns that the ship is potentially part of an ongoing operation. The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry has repeatedly complained about the activities of Chinese survey vessels in its EEZ, calling them a violation of Vietnam's sovereignty. 

Vietnam, India hold talks on increasing defense cooperation

(ih) The Minister of National Defense of Vietnam, Gen. Phan Van Giang, and Indian Ambassador to Vietnam, Sandeep Arya, discussed ways to strengthen their countries' defense cooperation during a meeting in Hanoi on March 16. [Vietnam+]

Minister Giang congratulated Ambassador Arya on his new post and expressed confidence that he would contribute significantly to promoting bilateral relations in various fields, including defense. The two officials affirmed the importance of their comprehensive strategic partnership and the continuous development of their defense cooperation, which has become a crucial aspect of their countries' relations. Ambassador Arya promised to actively contribute to enhancing the two nations' relations and their defense cooperation. 

Announcements

Upcoming Events

23 March 2023 @ 2:00-3:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, USA

U.S. Foreign Policy Today

This online event features a discussion with former National Security Advisors Tom Donilon and Stephen Hadley about the role of the U.S. in a challenging and changing world.

For more information, see [Carnegie Endowment].

23 March 2023 @ 10:00-11:30 a.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore

Malaysia’s GE-15: Micro and Macro Perspectives

As Anwar Ibrahim has been sworn in as Prime Minister, his cabinet line-up has been announced, the budget has been rolled out, and parliament is now in session, the webinar will provide insights Malaysians voted at the recent general election and what this means for the country.

Learn more about the event at [ISEAS].

23 March 2023 @ 9:30-10:15 a.m. (GMT-5), Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), USA

U.S. Missile Defense & Extended Deterrence

This webcast will discuss U.S. missile defense and extended deterrence.

You will find event details at [CSIS].

23 March 2023 @ 4:00-6:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), USA

Exploring New Horizons: Japan's Defense Priorities

Against the backdrop of the revision of three key security documents last December, this webcast will discuss Japan’s defense priorities and perspectives on the road ahead.

If you are interested, find more information at [CSIS].

24 March 2023 @ 10:00-11:15 a.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore

Capitalism with Vietnamese Characteristics? The Dilemma of Growth and Political Change

Despite remarkable results of Vietnam’s transition from a socialist to a capitalist economy, the level of success often touted has not been achieved. This webinar will explore the reasons behind this.

Event details are provided at [ISEAS].

24 March 2023 @ 10:30-11:30 a.m. (GMT-5), Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), USA

Book Event: “Bucking the Buck: US Financial Sanctions & the International Backlash against the Dollar”

This webcast will discuss “Bucking the Buck: US Financial Sanctions & the International Backlash against the Dollar”, the latest book of Daniel McDowell, associate professor of political science at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

See [CSIS] for more information.

24 March 2023 @ 9:00-10:15 a.m. (GMT-5), Wilson Center, USA

Crisis in Venezuela: Implications for Democracy, Human Rights, and the Environment

This hybrid event will explore the current situation in Venezuela and its implications for US interests throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Learn more about the event at [Wilson Center].

27 March 2023 @ 10:00-11:15 a.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore

Bruneian Youths’ Social Media Engagements: Key Trends and Reflections

This webinar will discuss three emerging social media trends led by the youth of Brunei: their discussions on digital civic engagement and social justice, self-expression and influencing culture, and new religious expressions. 

Visit [ISEAS] for further information.

27 March 2023 @ 4:00-5:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Wilson Center, USA

Victorious in Defeat: The Life and Times of Chiang Kai-Shek, China, 1887-1975

This online event will present results of research work of professor of history Alexander V. Pantsov who claims to present a balanced and unbiased biography of Chiang Kai-shek, the ruler and revolutionary. 

Event details are accessible via [Wilson Center].

27 March 2023 @ 6:30-8:00 p.m. (GMT), London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK

The Rise and Fall of the EAST

This event that will be live streamed will explore the question how Chinese technological development has been impeded by autocracy and ideological homogeneity in the past and analyze how this is to happen again in China. 

For more details about the event, follow [LSE].

28 March 2023 @ 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore

ASEAN-JAPAN Relations in the Evolving World Order

This hybrid seminar will examine ASEAN-Japan relations in the past five decades and discuss Japan’s economic and security influence in the region. It will also raise the question of the perception of Japan as a third party in hedging against the uncertainties of the US-China strategic rivalry, and a reliable donor and partner of ASEAN.

For details, go to [ISEAS].

Recent Book Releases

Philip Snow, China and Russia: Four Centuries of Conflict and Concord, Yale University Press, 624 pages, to be published on April 25, 2023, reviewed in [Asian Review of Books].

Jean-Christophe Defraigne, Jan Wouters, Edoardo Traversa, and Dimitri Zurstrassen (eds.), EU Industrial Policy in the Multipolar Economy, Edward Elgar Publishing, 446 pages, published on October 17, 2022. For a review see [Foreign Affairs].

Chris Miller, Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology, Scribner, 464 pages, published on October 4, 2022. The book is reviewed in [The New York Times].

Joshua Kurlantzick, Beijing’s Global Media Offensive: China’s Uneven Campaign to Influence Asia and the World, Oxford University Press, 560 paages, published on December 1, 2022. Visit [Council on Foreign Affairs] to read a review.

Calls for Papers

The Faculty of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Humber College, Canada, invites paper proposals for its conference “Displacement and Diaspora: Seeking an interdisciplinary, modern understanding of the concepts,” to be held on September 29-30, 2023. Abstract submission deadline is May 14, 2023. For more information, see [Humber College].

The Warsaw University of Technology invites paper proposals for its 7th International Conference on the History and Philosophy of Computing. The conference will be held on October 18-20, 2023, in Warsaw, Poland. The closing date for abstract submission is April 30, 2023. Details are available at [Warsaw University of Technology].

Jobs and positions

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) seeks a Programme Management Officer to be based in Montreal, Canada. Core responsibility is to provide analytical inputs for project review and needs assessment. Applications are accepted until April 30, 2023. More information is provided at [UN].

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) seeks an Intern - Environment Affairs to be based in Geneva, Switzerland. Applications are accepted until March 30, 2023. More information is provided at [UN].

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) seeks a Project Management and Capacity Development Consultant to be based in Nairobi, Kenya. Core responsibility is to coordinate collaboration across three UN-REDD partner agencies, the project partner AFF and African governmental counterparts. Applications are accepted until March 26, 2023. More information is provided at [UN].

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks a Senior Project Officer (Education) to be based in Paris, France. Core responsibility is to provide technical support in the implementation of the programmatic activities and initiatives. Applications are accepted until April 1, 2023. More information is provided at [UNESCO].

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks a Senior administrative assistant to be based in Yaounde, Cameroon. Core responsibility is to provide high-level administrative and support services in a range of specialized areas and to ensure application and compliance with the rules, regulations, policies and practices in place. Applications are accepted until April 17, 2023. More information is provided at [UNESCO].

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks a Programme Officer (Educational Innovation and Skills Development) to be based in Bangkok, Thailand. Core responsibility is to lead the research and studies related on literacy and Non-formal Education (NFE) on International Conferences on Adult Education (CONFINTEA) and others required by UNESCO HeadQuarters and other Regional Offices. Applications are accepted until March 31, 2023. More information is provided at [UNESCO].

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks a Director, Bureau of Human Resources Management to be based in Paris, France. Core responsibility is to direct the delivery of a talent management framework from workforce planning through recruitment, learning and development, and performance management and other human resources management services ensuring integration and synergy for effectiveness and efficiency. Applications are accepted until April 28, 2023. More information is provided at [UNESCO].

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks a Director of Office and UNESCO Representative to East African States to be based in Nairobi, Kenya. Core responsibility is to act as the Director of the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for East Africa in Nairobi and UNESCO Representative in Kenya, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia and Uganda. Applications are accepted until April 28, 2023. More information is provided at [UNESCO].

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) seeks a Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist. Core responsibility is to report to the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Team Leader of the Programme and Results Team (PRT) or the appropriate line manager at the decentralized offices. Applications are accepted until April 8, 2023. More information is provided at [FAO].

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) seeks a Deputy FAO Representative in Yemen to be based in Sanaa, Yemen. Core responsibility is to report to the FAO Representative (FAOR) with the functional guidance from the Senior Field Programme Officer and the Programme Officer (FAOR Network) in the Regional Office for Near East and North Africa (RNE) in Cairo, Egypt. Applications are accepted until April 7, 2023. More information is provided at [FAO].

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) seeks an International Water Consultant. Core responsibility is to support the formulation, drafting, development, submission and implementation of the assigned water related projects through the provision of relevant expertise. Applications are accepted until March 30, 2023. More information is provided at [FAO].

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) seeks a National Communications and Outreach Specialist to be based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Core responsibility is to  interact closely with the national consultants, international consultants, the lead technical officer and relevant FAO Technical Officers. Applications are accepted until March 30, 2023. More information is provided at [FAO].

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) seeks an Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) Country Team Leader.  Core responsibility is to manage the ECTAD country team, and to provide technical and management leadership and guidance. Applications are accepted until April 12, 2023. More information is provided at [FAO].

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) seeks a Strategy Director (Resettlement, Asylum and Integration, RAI) to be based in the USA. Core responsibility is to oversee and drive the successful implementation of the IRC strategy in RAI. Applications are accepted until May 10, 2023. More information is provided at [IRC].

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) seeks an Access to Justice Specialist to be based in Kenya. Core responsibility is to manage the access to justice project, providing oversight of all programmatic, financial and administrative activities and deliverables. Applications are accepted until August 1, 2023. More information is provided at [IRC].

Team:

Amanda Jaroen (aj) , Chanon Atom (ca), Duc Quang Ly (dql), Gaia Esposito (ge); Giovanni Puglisi (gp), Henning Glaser (hg), Ian Hollinger (ih), Loong Dien Min (ldm), Lucas Meier (lm), Manmehak Kaur (mk), Marco Lumentah (ml), Miftahul Choir (mc), Natalie Svinina (ns), Peer Morten Strantzen (ms), Priyankka Araasu (pa), Sheikh Afif Bin Zaman (as), Sophia Wesenberg (sw), Valentina Pellegrino (vp); Venus Phuangkom, Waheed Mansoor (wm), Wardah Rehman (wr)

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