Grasp the pattern, read the trend
No. 8, February/2022, 4
Brought to you by CPG
Dear Readers,
Welcome to this week’s Asia in Review issue.
I wish you an informative read and extend special greetings to everyone celebrating Brunei’s, the Dominican Republic’s, Estonia’s, Guyana’s, Kuwait’s and Saint Lucia’s National Day and Independence Day respective in this week.
With best regards,
Henning Glaser
Editor in Chief
Webpage: www.cpg-online.de, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CPGTU
Main Sections
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in East Asia
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in South Asia
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in Southeast Asia
International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia
Announcements
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in East Asia
China: Case of chained woman in rural county points to trafficked persons bought for marriage
(dql) The case of a woman chained inside a hut draws attention to the practice of buying trafficked women and girls for marriage in China that has been among the ramifications of the country’s decades-long one-child policy and the ensuing gender imbalance with millions of unmarried men seeking brides.
In late January, a footage of a mid-age mother of eight shackled around her neck in the city of Xuzhou in eastern Jiangsu Province went viral. Public outcry over initial flawed and contradictory information about the case provided by the local authorities has led to the arrest of the husband on grounds of wrongful detention and two others on suspicion of false imprisonment and human trafficking respectively as well as to an investigation. [South China Morning Post] [SupChina]
China: New regulations in services sector
(dql) China’s National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s top economic planner, issued on Friday, February 18, guidelines under which internet platforms are instructed to reduce fees to help catering businesses reduce their operating costs for.
The guidelines are part of the government’s efforts to support China’s service sector which has been particularly suffering from the fallouts lockdowns and other measures taken to curb the spread of Covid-19.
They also come as the country’s technology sector, along with other sectors, has been confronted with year-long regulatory crackdown, in the course of which once-common industry practices have been upended and billions of dollars in value have been wiped out from the country’s stock markets. [RFI] [Bloomberg]
For expectations that while the regulatory crackdown in the tech sector (and other sectors) has passed the peak, it will not stop and continue, in line also with political agendas and campaigns, such as President Xi Jinping’s ‘common prosperity’, see [CNBC 1].
Menwhile, China’s Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, the country’s banking and insurance regulator, released on the same day a warning on Friday against criminals using the metaverse as a tool for illegal fund-raising. The warning comes amid growing interest among China’s technology giants, including Tencent, Alibaba and ByteDance, to invest in a market with an estimated value of eight trillion USD. [Reuters] [CNBC 2] [Blockworks]
China: Former investigative journalists to face trail of defamation of soldiers
(dql) Luo Changping, a former investigative journalist, has been charged over comments about a military-themed blockbuster movie, with prosecutors accusing him of defamation of Chinese soldiers from the Korean war, arguing that “publicly insulting and defaming martyrs on the internet is not only a serious infringement of their reputation and honour but also blatant opposition to and trampling on core socialist values and patriotism.”
Luo was arrested in October after posting on his personal Weibo account comments online in which he described Chinese soldiers as “stupid” who in war movie dealing with a clash with soldiers and US-led United Nations forces in the winter of 1950 died due to the freezing temperatures. The post reached 2 million followers at that time, before being blocked. [South China Morning Post] [See also AiR No. 41, October/2021, 2]
China: PLA has final say on matters of weapons
(dql) As part of his push to modernize China’s army, Chinese President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) Xi Jinping has signed a set of new rules under which requirements for weapons and equipment to be used by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) are raised, including testing and assessing weapons systems in “realistic, diverse, and complex” battlefield environments as well as adjusting weapon experiment and assessment procedures.
Furthermore, the new regulations give the PLA final say on these matters, a move that changes the hitherto practice of the PLA only purchasing products of arms firms regardless of whether they needed to or not, “because the military was told to keep the orders to help defence industry workers keep their jobs,” according to observers.
The new regulations reflect another move the strengthen the military’s decision-making power after the National Defence Law, which came into force in January 2021, weakened the role of the State Council, China’s cabinet, and put the CMC in charge of making national defence policy and principles, allowing it, among others, to mobilise military and civilian resources for defending national interests, both within China and abroad. [The Defense Post][South China Morning Post 1] [See also AiR No. 1, January/2021, 1]
Meanwhile, China reportedly successfully tested its QW-12 advanced man-portable air defense system (MANPADS) for intercepting helicopters, jet aircraft, and cruise missiles in a live-fire test.
A handheld shoulder-launched weapon that can also be mounted on light vehicles and ships, the QW-12 is capable of engaging targets from 0.5 to 6 km in distance and at altitudes from 10 m to 4 km. [Janes]
State-run Global Times claims that the capabilities displayed by the QW-12 in the test are “world class” and unmatched by any foreign counterparts. [Global Times]
On the other side, a recent report titled “Assessing Systemic Strengths and Vulnerabilities of China’s Defence Industrial Base” released by RAND, an American non-profit global policy think tank, claims that China’s defense industry faces two major looming vulnerabilities, namely firstly, a reliance on imports of hi-tech, especially integrated circuits, and secondly, a potential shortage in workforce in the next ten years in the face of falling birth rates. Other weaknesses identified in the US Congress commissioned report include a lack of transparency in the massive state-owned conglomerates and – despite some advantages – single-party control over the enterprises. [South China Morning Post 2]
Japan: Lower House approves record high budget
(dql) Japan’s House of Representatives adopted on Tuesday, February 21, a record Yen 107.60 trillion (USD 938 billion) draft budget for fiscal 2022, with major spending allocated to social welfare and defense.
More than Yen 36 trillion yen be spent on social security services to respond to the country’s rapidly aging population. An increase of Yen 440 billion from the previous year, the spending on social welfare accounts for more than a third of total national expenditure.
Defense spending, meanwhile, will total Yen 5.40 trillion, which marks a record high for the eighth year in a row. Japan is bolstering its defense capabilities in new domains such as cyberspace and outer space to counter China’s growing power and missile and nuclear threats from North Korea.
The budget will be now deliberated in the House of Councillors. Japan’s constitution stipulates automatic enactment of a budget 30 days after it is submitted to the Upper House. [Mainichi]
Japan: Court orders compensation for victims of forced sterilization
(dql) The Osaka High Court on Tuesday, February ordered the Japanese state to pay compensation, totaling Yen 27.5 million (USD 239,660) to three people with disabilities over forced sterilization they had undergone under the now-defunct eugenics protection law.
Between 1948 and 1996, the law allowed for the sterilization of people with intellectual disabilities, mental illnesses or hereditary disorders, in a bid to prevent the birth of “inferior” offspring. Some 25,000 people with disabilities were sterilized, with around 16,500 cases in which the operation was done without consent, according to government data.
Japan: Local voting rights for foreigner?
(dql) On February 15, a citizens group submitted a petition with 18,741 signatures to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications that pushes for legislation to grant long-term foreign residents in Japan local voting rights
Justifying its campaign, the group said that while long-term foreign residents follow through on their taxpaying obligations and other duties, they do not enjoy local voting rights that would enable them to improve their lives.
Currently long-term foreign residents include some 1.5 million people having either “special permanent resident” status or “permanent resident” status, which usually is granted to foreigner having been residing in Japan for 10 years or more. [Mainichi]
Japan: Lawmakers push for more protection of women
(dql) On February 16, lawmakers from different political parties presented a framework for a bill for a new law that would support women suffering from domestic violence, financial difficulties and other issues.
The framework foresees that both the national government and local governments as well as public organizations bear responsibility for providing support measures for women the above-mentioned facing difficulties. The multipartisan group plans to submit a bill to the current Diet session following discussion of the bill in the respective parties of the involved legislators.
The current women’s support systems in Japan are based on the 1956 Anti-Prostitution Act, parts of which are expected to be scrapped with the new law. While many have been demanding revisions of the current for a long time, the movement for new legislation gained momentum in the Covid-19 pandemic, during which women in particular are reported to have been negatively affected. [Mainichi]
South Korea: Presidential campaigns formally kicked off
(dql) On Tuesday, February 15, the formal campaigning period for the presidential election on March 9 kicked off, with 14 candidates vying for South Korea’s highest political office. The presidential race is widely expected to become the tightest in two decades and to be decided between two candidates, namely Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), former governor of the country’s most populous province Gyeonggi, and Yoon Suk-yeol of main opposition People Power Party (PPP), former prosecutor-general who gained to political recognition as a fierce and feared leader of investigations into corruption scandals involving aides and confidants of former President Park Geun-hye and current President Moon Jae-in.
Latest polls see Yoon and Lee neck-and-neck, with 43.7 percent for the former against 42.2 percent for the latter. [Reuters] [Yonhap News Agency]
North Korea: More than 1,100 massacred during Korea War, report says
(dql) South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission presented a report of Seoul Theological University according to which North Korea’s military massacred over 1,100 South Korean Christians during the 1950-53 Korean War. [Yonhap News Agency]
Meanwhile, another report of Blockchain data platform Chainalysis Inc. claims that North Korean state-sponsored cryptocurrency theft and money laundering have continued on a “massive scale” aimed at generating illicit funds, with the total amount of stolen cryptocurrency jumping 40 percent just last year. The extracted worth stood at USD 400 million. [Korea Herald]
South Korea: Ruling DP unilaterally passes budget bill in parliamentary committee
(dql) In move prompting fierce condemnation of the main opposition People's Power Party (PPP), Sout Korea’s ruling Democratic Party (DP) used its majority in the National Assembly Special Committee on Budget and Accounts to unilaterally pass a 14 trillion-won (US$11.6 billion) extra budget bill that provides support for small businesses suffering from the fallouts of COVID-19 curbs.
The DP, which controls 30 of the committee’s 50 seats, convened the session on Saturday, February 19, 2 am, and approved the bill in less than five minutes. It will submit the bill to the parliament for vote this week. [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea: Advancing air force capabilities
(dql) South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense announced last week that additional equipment, including ballistic-missile early-warning radars and mid-range surface-to-air missiles, will be deployed to reinforce the missile defense of the Air Force. It also revealed that the current Missile Command unit will be renamed as Missile Strategic Command and expanded and restructured to allow a shift from the unit's current operational requirement of “strike operations” to one that is focused on “strategic and operational target-strike missions”. [Korea Herald] [Janes]
Meanwhile, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration confirmed on Friday, February 18, that the country’s homegrown light-armed helicopter successfully conducted a nine-week low-temperature test flight program a in Yellowknife, Canada where the mercury drops to around -32°C in winter to assess engine and other equipment’s operational capability in extreme cold weather. The new helicopter will be equipped with a 20-mm machine gun, air-to-land guided missiles, and 70-mm rockets. [KBS]
Taiwan: Cabinet approves draft amendment on economic espionage, permanent residency plan for foreign workers
(eb) Taiwan’s Cabinet approved on February 17 draft amendments to the National Security Act aim at protecting Taiwan’s tech industry against industrial espionage and target, according to Premier Su Tseng-chang, China’s efforts to steal tech secrets from island.
Under the amendments, economic espionage is punishable with up to twelve years in jail and a fine of NTD 100 million (USD 3.5 million). Furthermore, jail term and fine for extraterritorial misappropriation of trade secrets in key technologies were raised to ten years and NTD 50 million respectively), while stricter new rules for Chinese businesses based outside of China that wish to enter Taiwanese markets are put in place. [Focus Taiwan]
In a separate development, Taiwan’s Supreme Court upheld a ten-month jail sentence of lower court against Taiwanese legislative aid for creating a spy network for China, attempting to obtain information about anti-China activities of Falun Gong members in Taiwan and presidential election activities of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). [Taipei Times]
On the same day, the Ministry of Labour announced that the Cabinet approved its new program that enables foreign blue-collar workers to apply for permanent residency in Taiwan. Under the program, which will take effect in April, workers from the fishing, manufacturing, construction, and agricultural food farming sectors, as well as caregivers who have been worked in these fields for at least six years, will be classified as “intermediate skills workers” and can apply for permanent residency after working for five years on this level with a monthly salary of more than 33.000 NTD. Similarly, foreigners who graduated from a Taiwan college with an associate degree and have been employed for five years will be also eligible to obtain residency if their monthly salary at the time of application is 50.000 NTD. [Focus Taiwan]
Taiwan: Activists call for inclusion of animal rights in constitution
(eb) Hundreds of protesters from over 70 animal rights, social and student groups marched on Sunday, February 20, to the presidential office building and the parliament to demand the inclusion of a provision to protect animals’ rights in the Taiwanese constitution. Representatives of various parties including the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Kuomintang (KMT), New Power Party (NPP), and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) joint the march in support the demand. [Focus Taiwan]
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in South Asia
Bangladesh: Indictment hearings begin against opposition BNP leader in fake birthday case
(sk) A Dhaka court has set March 3 as date for hearings in two cases brought against Bangladesh’s former prime minister and leader of the main opposition party, Khaleda Zia, who is accused of feigning birthday celebrations on August 15. That day is considered a public holiday in Bangladesh to commemorate the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, known as the “Father of the Nation” on this day in 1975. [Dhaka Tribune]
Supporters of Prime Minister Hasina’s ruling Awami League believe that Zia’s late husband, Bangladesh’s former President Ziaur Rahman, had masterminded the plot for assassinating Sheikh Mujibur, as well as aiding and abetting the group of army officials involved in the killing by appointing them to important government posts during his two- year presidency thereafter.
Zia was admitted to a hospital last November, with her doctors saying they fear for her life if she is not allowed to fly abroad for expert treatment. However, the former prime minister has been barred by a court from leaving the country after being convicted and jailed on graft charges in 2018. Zia was discharged from hospital earlier this month [see AiR No. 6, February/2022, 2].
Against this backdrop, there’s a good case to believe that Zia will be sentenced by the court amounting to already imposed jail time, impeding her ability to campaign and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)’s chances of regaining power in the next general election.
Bangladesh: National Awami Party protests price hike of daily essentials
(sk) Supporters of the opposition Bangladesh National Awami Party have protested the recent price hikes of many essential commodities, alleging that Prime Minister Hasina’s government is unconcerned about the poor’s financial situation and has entirely failed to regulate the food market as traders were arbitrarily raising food prices. [New Age]
According to data gathered by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the country’s inflation rate declined to 5.86 percent this January, down from 6.05 percent last December, marking the first decline in six months. However, food inflation rose to 5.6 percent in January, an increase of 14 basis points from 5.46 percent a month ago, hurting the low-income groups and the poor, who spend a majority of their incomes on food. [The Financial Express]
India: State elections in full swing
(lm) Critical elections are proceeding in five states in India, including in its most populous state and political nerve center, Uttar Pradesh.
February 20 marked the third phase of voting in Uttar Pradesh, with four more rounds before voting ends on March 7. Last week also saw election day in Goa, Uttarakhand and Punjab states, where voting took place in a single phase. Voters in northeastern Manipur state will cast their votes on February 28 and March 5; all results will be announced on March 10.
Uttar Pradesh, where the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to maintain control, sends 80 representatives to India’s 543-member House of Representative — more than twice as many as any other, barring Maharashtra. The BJP’s main contester is the Samajwadi Party, a social democratic political party led by the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav.
A key election storyline in Uttar Pradesh centers around the incumbent chief minister, politician-cleric Yogi Adityanath, who is seeking a new term with a divisive electioneering strategy that pits minority groups against the state’s vast Hindu majority. Many close observers of Indian politics see Adityanath as a potential successor to Prime Minister Modi, who also served as a chief minister before ascending to national office. [AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3]
But the northwestern state of Punjab also poses a key test for the BJP; it is controlled by a non-BJP alliance that has sparred with New Delhi, including after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s motorcade was stranded on a highway overpass in the state last month [see AiR No. 2, January/2022, 2]. One of the country’s breadbasket states, Punjab was also a hotbed of anti-government farmers’ protests last year [see AiR No. 47, November/2021, 4]
In September of last year, hitherto Chief Minister Amarinder Singh resigned from India’s opposition National Congress (INC) party, following months of a bitter power tussle with the chief of the INC’s Punjab unit, Navjot Singh Sidhu. Prior to these months of turmoil, polls were fairly split between the INC and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a regional newcomer currently led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. [AiR No. 41, October/2021, 2]
But in a potential blow to the INC, senior leader Ashwani Kumar resigned from the party on February 15, saying he was no longer comfortable with its goals and leadership. Kumar was considered a party loyalist who served as law minister under former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. [The Times of India]
Against this larger backdrop of messy infightings, many political observers consider the state elections in Punjab a broader test of whether the INC can arrest its steep national decline in recent years following the rise of Prime Minister Modi’s BJP. At present, the party holds less than 10 percent of the seats in the national
India: Court sentences 38 to death over deadly 2008 serial bomb blasts
(lm) An Indian court has sentenced to death 38 Muslim men and ordered life imprisonment for another 11 over a terror attack in the western city of Ahmedabad in 2008 that killed more than 50 people.
Executions are relatively rare in India. The last people to be executed were the four accused in the notorious 2012 Delhi rape case, who were hanged in March 2020 [see AiR No. 12, March/2020, 4]. The most recent execution before this one took place in 2015.
Judge A.R. Patel ordered the punishment after the prosecution pressed for the death sentence describing the incident as a "rarest of rare case" in which innocent lives were lost. A defence lawyer said they would appeal the verdict in a higher court. [The Straits Times]
The convictions, handed down at a special court, were in connection to a terrorist attack in July 2008 in Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat, when as many as 20 bombs were set off across the city, including at several hospitals, in parks and on buses, killing 56 people and injuring more than 200. India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, was the chief minister of Gujarat state at the time. [The Guardian]
The trial into the Ahmedabad blasts was concluded in September last year, more than 13 years after the first arrest was made. It had been dragged out by procedural delays, including a legal battle by four of the accused to retract confessions. [Al Jazeera]
India: Female journalist faces ‘judicial harassment’, UN special rapporteurs say
(lm) UN-appointed independent rights experts have called for an end to “judicial harassment” against investigative journalist Rana Ayyub, days after the country’s Enforcement Directorate launched a money laundering investigation against her. [Al Jazeera]
Special Rapporteurs on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Irene Khan, and situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, in a statement on February 21 also called on Indian authorities to investigate “relentless misogynistic and sectarian attacks” against Ayyub – including death and rape threats – by far-right Hindu nationalist groups. [UN News]
They said these attacks were in response to Ayyub's works on issues affecting India's minority Muslims, her criticism of Prime Minister Modi’s government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and her commentary on the recent hijab ban at schools and colleges in the southern state of Karnataka [see AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3].
Prior to the release of the statement, on February 11, the journalist’s bank account and other assets were frozen, for the second time in six months, in response to seemingly baseless allegations of money laundering and tax fraud related to her crowd-funding campaigns to provide assistance to those affected by the pandemic. [NDTV]
The Indian mission at the UN in Geneva tweeted in response to the rapporteurs’ statement, calling the allegations “baseless & unwarranted", and saying that advancing "a misleading narrative only tarnishes" the intergovernmental organization’s reputation. [The Straits Times]
India: Kashmir students spend over 100 days in pre-trial detention for cheering Pakistan win
(lm) Three students from Indian-administered Kashmir, who were arrested last October on sedition charges for celebrating India's defeat to Pakistan in the cricket World Cup, are still awaiting the beginning of court proceedings.
The three young men were arrested in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh for sending WhatsApp messages “against the country” days after Pakistan thrashed India in the T20 World Cup cricket match. Back then, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath — known for anti-Muslim bigotry — had warned that the three may be charged with sedition, on top of the charges of cyberterrorism under India's Information Technology Act and “promoting enmity among groups”. [AiR No. 44, November/2021, 1]
When they were presented at a local court in Agra for the first time on October 28, the three students faced a hostile crowd outside the court, and lawyers in the city refused to represent them. The families eventually had to hire a lawyer from a neighboring district to represent their kin.
Since then, bail hearings have been postponed at least eight times, their families said, adding that they have appealed to the Uttar Pradesh government to drop the cases against them and “forgive them for their mistake”. [Al Jazeera]
Maldives: Ruling party moves bill against opposition’s ‘India Out’ campaign
(lm) This week, the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) will likely introduce to parliament a bill that seeks to criminalize activities deemed harmful to the country’s foreign relations, in the latest effort to stifle a diplomatic storm caused by former President Abdulla Yameen, who has become the public face of anti-India rallies since his release from house arrest last November.
The bill, which is expected to be tabled early in the current session of parliament, includes punitive language aimed at political movements that threaten foreign relations in the strategically located nation. Violations are punishable with imprisonment or house arrest of 6-12 months, and even a fine of nearly $1,300.
Maldives has come to international attention in recent years as part of growing rivalry between India and China. Yameen, who was seen by many as pro-China and accused of crushing dissent in the archipelago, was ousted in an electoral landslide in 2018. Since then, the incumbent government under President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih proclaimed an “India First” policy, while New Delhi significantly stepped up its aid to Malé in response to concerns about China’s growing influence in its Indian Ocean ‘backyard’ [see AiR No. 8, February/2021, 4].
But in November of last year, Yameen was freed from house arrest after the country’s Supreme Court overturned a money-laundering and embezzlement conviction, allowing him to political activities and even contest the next presidential election in 2023 [see AiR No. 49, December/2021, 1]. The former president has since been showing up at rallies of the “India Out” movement, which has been led by Ahmed Azaan, a Yameen ally and co-founder of a local online news website.
Passage of the bill seems to be a foregone conclusion, given that the MDP of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih controls 64 lawmakers in the 87-member House. Still, opposition parties have expressed their displeasure over the bill, alleging that it sought to obstruct the freedom of expression enshrined in the constitution. They a;sp said even if the law was enacted, the “India Out” campaign would not be stopped and continue throughout the Maldives. [The Economic Times]
Nepal: Government tables MCC compact in parliament as ratification deadline approaches
(lm) Nepal’s government on February 20 tabled a United States-funded infrastructure assistance package for ratification in parliament after a key coalition partner backtracked from its position to quit the ruling alliance if the agreement was tabled in its present form.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a US government aid agency, agreed in 2017 to provide $500 million in grants to fund an electricity transmission line and road improvement project in Nepal. But for the past five years, Communist parties in Nepal have refused to ratify the grant for fear that it would ensnare Kathmandu in Washington’s deepening competition with China, which stems in great part from Beijing’s own infrastructure projects.
Earlier this month, the US sent a warning to lawmakers in Nepal, saying it will initiate a review of relations with Kathmandu if it doesn’t ratify the assistance package by the end of this month. [AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3]
In light of this, the government led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba announced it will table the MCC compact on February 16 in parliament. But the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) of former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal threatened to quit the alliance if the prime minister’s Nepali Congress party decided to move ahead on the package without forming a consensus on the issue. [The Kathmandu Post 1]
On February 20 then, both Maoist parties of the ruling coalition softened their stance and allowed the government to table the MCC deal, after Prime Minister Deuba had signaled that he was willing to seek the support of former prime minister and opposition leader KP Sharma Oli to get the agreement ratified by the House. [The Kathmandu Post 2]
The same day, thousands of people took to the streets in cities across the country, with police using tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters.
Throughout the last week, the discussions among lawmakers were marred by violent protests in the capital Kathmandu, where police fired teargas and water cannon to disperse demonstrators opposed to the MCC program. [Al Jazeera] [The Straits Times]
Pakistan: President approves new ordnance that toughens law on ‘fake news’, defamation online
(lm) Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi on February 20 approved an ordinance that toughens the country’s contentious cybercrime law to curb so-called fake news, a move seen by many as an attempt to crack down on journalists and opponents of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government.
The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act was originally enacted in 2016 by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government, and harshly criticized back then as an assault on dissent and political rivals. The latest changes allow anyone to file a complaint against a social media post. They also made spreading fake news online a non-bailable offense and increased the maximum jail term for violations from three to five years. [Bloomberg]
Political opponents and free speech advocates have denounced the move as an attempt by the Khan administration to stifle freedom of expression. [Voice of America]
Pakistan: Opposition party to commence 10-day march to capital Islamabad
(lm) Pakistan’s second-largest opposition party, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has announced that it would start a 10-day march from the southern city of Karachi on February 27 that will travel to several cities before reaching Islamabad. The marches towards the capital are part of a series of rallies aimed at dislodging Prime Minister Imran Khan from power. [The Print]
Last month, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto had clarified that the party’s so-called Awami March is separate from the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)’s Inflation March, which is being held to protest the high inflation that led to struggles of the lower and middle-income classes. The PDM, an alliance of nine opposition parties established in 2020, has announced its march towards Islamabad for March 23.
The president of the PPP, former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, on February 21 met with PDM chairman Maulana Fazlur Rehman to discuss a strategy to topple the Khan government through a no-confidence motion in parliament’s lower house, an endeavor that was first made public earlier this month. [Dawn]
Pakistan: Former spy chief among 1400 Pakistani citizens named in Credit Suisse data leak
(lm) A former head of Pakistan’s intelligence agency who masterminded the resistance network of the mujahideen against the Soviet Union’s presence in Afghanistan, General Akhtar Abdur Rahman, is one of thousands of figures from around the world who have been exposed in an extraordinary leak of data from Credit Suisse.
Details of accounts linked to 30,000 Credit Suisse clients all over the world are contained in the leak, which unmasks the beneficiaries of more than $100 billion held in one of the world’s biggest private banks. An anonymous whistle-blower leaked the banking data to the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, which shared it with a nonprofit journalism group, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), and 46 other news organizations around the world. [The New York Times, $]
According to an OCCRP report, in the late 1970s combined funding from the United States and Saudi Arabia to support the Afghan mujahideen – running into several hundred million dollars a year – were transferred by the CIA to special accounts in Pakistan under the control of the country’s Inter-Services Intelligence. At that time, the Pakistani intelligence agency was headed by General Akhtar, who was widely considered to be the second most powerful man in the country, behind General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.
In 1985, a Credit Suisse account was opened at in the name of three of General Akhtar’s sons. By 2003, this account was worth at least 3.7 million. A second account, opened in 1986 in General Akbar’s name alone, was worth more than $9.2 million by November 2010. [OCCRP]
Akhtar died in a 1988 plane crash that also claimed dictator Zia-ul-Haq and the US Ambassador to Pakistan Arnold Lewis Raphel.
The leak follows the so-called Panama Papers in 2016, the Paradise Papers in 2017 and the Pandora Papers last year. Among those Pakistani citizens whose holdings had been exposed last year were two members of Prime Minister Khan’s cabinet as well as more than 700 other citizens, including family members of donors to the prime minister’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party and opposition political leaders’ families [see AiR No. 40, October/2021, 1].
Pakistan: Prominent television presenter, team allegedly beaten by Intelligence Bureau
(lm) A prominent Pakistani television presenter and journalist, Iqrar Ul Hassan, and some colleagues of his, were allegedly detained by the country's intelligence officials and subjected to severe physical assaults last week after they tried to produce a video on corruption within the Intelligence Bureau.
The incident came to light after his pictures went viral on social media. Five officials of the Intelligence Bureau involved in the incidents have since been suspended. [Geo News]
Sri Lanka: High court acquits two senior security officials in 2019 Easter Bombings case
(lm) A Sri Lankan court has acquitted two top security officials who were accused negligence of duty for failing to act on repeated intelligence warnings in the lead-up to the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed that killed more than 260 people and injured 500 more.
On February 18, a three-judge panel of Sri Lanka’s High Court dismissed all 855 charges brought against former National Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara and ex-Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando. In their verdict, the judges said said the evidence presented before them showed that Fernando had been in a helpless position in making decisions. They also noted that the former head of the State Intelligence Service, Nilantha Jayawardena, had neglected his responsibilities, which is why Fernando’s arrest was questionable. [The Island Online]
Trials against Jayasundara and Fernando had commenced in November last year, after both had been named in a report by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry that was handed to Parliament in February [see AiR No. 47, November/2021, 4]. In addition to the two former officials, the commission recommended criminal proceedings against former President Maithripala Sirisena, who left office in November 2019, the former Chief of National Intelligence, Sisira Mendia, and other senior police officers [see AiR No. 9, March/2021, 1].
The former defense secretary and police chief were the only government servants tried in the case while no actions have been taken against elected officials.
Sri Lanka: Government weighing approach to IMF, energy minister indicates
(lm) Sri Lanka's Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila on February 18 said the majority of cabinet ministers have advocated to approach the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for assistance, signaling that the government could eventually seek a bailout from the Washington-based lender – a move that might force Colombo to undertake painful reforms. [Economy Next]
Earlier this month, Sri Lanka's foreign reserves dwindled to less than $2.3 billion, down from $7.5 billion when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa came to power in 2019, despite a two-year ban on a wide range of imports. The shortage of dollars has begun to inflict deep economic pain on the import-dependent nation, which typically spends about $1.6 billion every month for imports of fuel, essential food and medicine.
In the latest round of bad tidings, Energy Minister Gammanpila last week also said the country’s state-run petroleum company, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, had run out of cash to purchase crude oil. He also said his ministry had made a written request to the finance ministry to remove the taxes imposed on petrol and diesel. [Ada Derana] [The Straits Times]
To meet the shortfall, Sri Lanka's government in January secured a four-pillar economic relief package from India [see AiR No. 3, January/2022, 3]. It is also in talks with Pakistan and Australia for two credit lines of $200 million each for imports of rice, cement, grains and medicine.
Separately, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa wrote to the IMF, seeking technical support to manage the economic crisis.
But observers say the decision for Colombo to approach the IMF or another external agency for financial support will also depend on political considerations, not least because Basil Rajapaksa is the younger brother of the president and of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Moreover, the country’s central bank is opposed to getting IMF aid, saying its conditions may be more painful for the struggling economy. Finally, the presence of a wide range of creditors — particularly the heavy borrowing from China — could complicate attempts to restructure the debt.
Sri Lanka has previously entered 16 programs with the IMF, but about half of those were not completed.
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in Southeast Asia
Cambodia: Government delays implementation of online surveillance law
(bs) The implementation of a controversial law on internet surveillance, the National Internet Gateway (NIG), will be postponed. [The Diplomat]
The law, which was scheduled to be implemented on February 16, authorizes the police to block and disconnect all network connections that undermine national income, security, social order, morality, culture, traditions, and customs. It will also route all internet traffic through a government-run gateway. [AiR No. 3, January/2022, 3]
The government rejects claims by human rights groups that there was any relation between the decision and widespread criticism of the law. Some advocacy groups believe that besides allegedly violating the rights to free expression and privacy, Cambodia might have acted under the influence of China's authoritarian surveillance regime.
The decree was also condemned by United Nations’ experts who reported that the NIG would violate Articles 17 and 19 (3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Cambodia is a party. Cambodia has already begun its repression against censorship violations. In 2021, over 39 people were arrested for anti-state online content, according to the Cambodian Center for Human Rights. [AiR No. 6, February/2022, 2] [France 24]
Cambodia: Measures against striking casino workers
(bs) Human Rights Watch urged Cambodian authorities to immediately stop abusing public health restrictions to repress the fundamental rights of striking casino workers. A group of independent experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council also voiced their concerns over the implementation of stricter COVID-19 restrictions for the NagaWorld casino workers who have been carrying out peaceful protests since December 18 to improve labor conditions and reinstate 365 employees who were unfairly laid off. [AiR No. 52, December/2021, 4] [Human Rights Watch]
Cambodian authorities, after having arrested more than 35 union leaders and activists since the beginning of the strike, have forced hundreds of workers to stay quarantined even if they tested negative to COVID-19. The experts condemned the enforcement of ‘special’ restrictive measures for the casino workers compared to the rest of the population. They speculate a government’s attempt to “thwart the rights to freedom of association, expression, and assembly.” [OHCHR]
Indonesia: Construction of new capital postponed
(bs) The construction of the soon-to-be Indonesian capital, Nusantara, will be postponed until Nusantara Capital City Authority (IKN) presidential regulations and other key documents are finalized and released respectively. The government expects to move the project forwards between March and April. [Tempo]
The Indonesian parliament passed a bill to relocate the capital from Jakarta to Nusantara, on the Borneo island, in 2019 amid concerns over the move´s alleged negative environmental and economic impact [AiR No. 4, January/2022, 4].
The relocation will increase the population of the new capital by 10 times by 2045, according to the National Development Planning Agency. The relocation plan of the capital to Nusantara has caused further delay in the construction of a Chinese-backed railway project which aimed to link Jakarta to Bandung, in West Java. Controversy over land rights has also been an issue following the announcement of the relocation. [AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3]
Indonesia: Former House deputy speaker sentenced to jail for bribery
(bs) The Corruption Court in Jakarta sentenced a former House deputy - Azis Syamsuddin – to 5 years in prison for bribing lawyers and investigators working on a corruption case against him. The court also banned him from running for public office for four years after the end of his jail sentence.
The senior politician of the Golkar party, which belongs to the governing coalition, was arrested on September 24, 2021, for allegedly being paid over USD 250,000 in bribes between 2020 and 2021. The case continues a series of high-level cases against top politicians of several parties, including especially parties forming the governing coalition. [The Jakarta Post]
Indonesia: Police under scrutiny for death of 21-year-old student
(bs) The Indonesian authorities are to begin a ballistic test on the death of a 21-year-old student killed by a gunshot during a rally against a gold-mining operation.
Civil rights organizations and indigenous groups blamed the police’s violent approach to the protesters as the main cause of the student’s death. [The Jakarta Post] [The Jakarta Post]
During an official meeting to plan a survey in the area to begin a dam project, the police arrested 64 villagers for protesting against the mining plan that would precede the dam construction. The repression was the last of a series of violent acts perpetrated by the police against residents of the Wadas village, in Central Java, Indonesia, for protesting against the gold-mining project and its negative effects on the local environment. [AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3]
Indonesia: Child sexual offender gets life while deliberation of sexual violence Bill is postponed
(bs) On February 15, an Islamic school teacher received a life sentence for raping 13 students and impregnating eight of them in a religious boarding school between 2016 and 2021. The court rejected the prosecution’s appeal to rule out the death penalty or chemical castration of the teacher. Since 2016, harsher punishments have been imposed on child sexual offenders, including a case where an Indonesian court sentenced a man to death for raping a schoolgirl. In 2020, President Joko Widodo approved a law on the chemical castration of child offenders. [CNN]
Meanwhile, the deliberation on a Sexual Violence Bill might be postponed to late March. The House was expected to receive a formal letter from the government to begin the deliberation for the bill in early 2022. However, the House has not received the letter yet and is approaching its three-week recess period which will end on March 14. [The Jakarta Post]
Indonesia: Nickel mine’s waste cause of environmental destruction and fish shortage
(bs) The depletion of fish in the Obi islands waters in North Maluku is allegedly caused by nickel mining and blending industries operating in the area. The industry had previously withdrawn its plan, approved by national and provincial authorities in 2019, to dump 6 million tons of waste a year into the ocean after protests of rights organizations. Indonesia is the world’s top producer of nickel and a renowned host of copper and gold mines. Industries that are already implementing the so-called deep-sea tailings disposal (DSTD) release mine waste into Indonesian waters.
In an attempt to find an alternative dumping location for the nickel mines’ waste, the company proposed to the government to build a tailings dam on Obi island sparking further condemnations from environmental activists, who claim that “the potential discharge of contaminated waste from the facility could pollute the surrounding ecosystem and eventually make its way to the sea”
According to researchers, the area’s ecosystem has been for long negatively affected by heavy metal contamination. A 2019 study indicated a high presence of heavy metals associated with nickel mining on the southern coast of the main Obi island. [Mongabay]
Laos: Ministry deliberations on draft law on dam safety
(bs/lb) The Lao Ministry of Energy and Mines held a meeting to comment on the third draft law on dam safety to gather comments and suggestions from ministries and stakeholders on the new draft law, which takes into consideration the consultations with the Department of Energy and Mines in each province across the country. The law will govern safety procedures for the construction of hydropower dams, its quality standards and risk prevention measures.
Currently, Laos has 88 dams and 10 mines, however, the existing legislation focuses on promoting infrastructure investments rather than safety. In order to fill the legislative gap, in 2020, the government has agreed to draft a law on dam safety as part of the 2021-2025 government's construction plan. The effects of dams on the environment have become increasingly alarming since 2018 when a dam collapsed in the South of Laos killing 71 people and displacing 14,400 villagers.
The Lao government is planning to build another 246 dams sparking concerns among rights groups and environmental activists. It has already begun the displacement operations for the construction of a new dam in the northern province of Luang Prabang and has already displaced 581 families preventing them to rely on farming as they have done for generations.
According to experts, the dams on the Mekong River have had a detrimental impact on periodic droughts and have caused a drastic reduction in fish population, marine biodiversity, and the nutrients of the water, which is now often not usable for farming or living purposes. [AiR No. 4, January/2022, 4] [Lao National Radio, in Lao]
Meanwhile, a coordinator of a Mekong conservation group received a letter dated 13 February 2022 from a Thai provincial governor saying that he had suspended the feasibility study and survey on a hydropower dam project at the Lao border given a lack of information on the framework of dam cooperation between Laos and Thailand. [Bangkok Post]
Malaysia: Parties and candidates for Johor’s 16th state poll in dismay
(avdv/bs) While political parties have been announcing their representatives and strategies for the upcoming Johor state polls scheduled for March 12, political analysts warned that the personal conflicts between former prime ministers Najib Razak and Muhyiddin Yassin will likely cause backlashes for the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Bersatu) as the latter is the party’s president and has close relations with Johor’s former Chief Minister. [Free Malaysia Today]
Moreover, the ongoing bribery case involving former prime minister Najib Razak for allegedly extorting USD 3.5 billion from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) is likely to affect not only the polls but also the escalating attacks between Najib and Muhyiddin as a lawyer advised the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement on which he claims that Najib and current United Malays National Organisation’s president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had called for his help to clear them of corruption charges.
The United States justice department filed a lawsuit in 2016 against Najib for bribery, which was followed by another lawsuit filed by the Malay government and 1MDB in May 2021 against the former prime minister. The company seeks to receive US$8 billion for the damages. [AiR, No. 7, February/2022, 3]
Adding to the problems is Bersatu´s internal dismay after the resignation of several key party members in early February who will allegedly join the Warisan, also called the Heritage Party, and which officially announced its participation in the Johor state polls. [Malay Mail] [The Star]
Myanmar: Election body releases controversial report on alleged irregularities in 2020 general election
(bs) The junta appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) has recently released a report on alleged fraud in the 2020 general election. In February 2021, after the former UEC had categorically rejected claims of the military over alleged voter fraud, the military took power by coup d´état.
The current UEC, led by a retired major general who also served as a judge advocate-general under the previous military regime, questioned the independence of the former election body under the elected government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD), that ruled from the 2015 general election to the 2021 military coup. In its report, the new UEC claims a number of failures of the 2020 elections under the elected government, the Union Parliament, and the NLD-appointed election commission. A critical assessment of this report which counters key statements, arguments and assessments of the current UEC is provided by Khin Tun in [Irrawaddy].
Myanmar: Continuous clashes between military junta and local forces kill civilians and destroy villages
(bs) On February 15, one day after the anti-military junta People’s Defense Force (PDF), the armed wing of the National Unity Government which claims to be the legitimate government of Myanmar, attacked 13 soldiers at a Chinese oil and gas pipeline, the military junta arrested dozens of people in a raid in the Mandalay Region, in central Myanmar, for allegedly belonging or supporting the PDF. [Myanmar Now 1] [Irrawaddy 1]
The pipelines carry gas and oil nearly 500 miles from the Rakhine State, western Myanmar coast, to Yunnan in China. In January, according to the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF), the military junta planted landmines near a pumping station along the pipelines in northern Shan State. Because the pipelines, which enable significant revenues for the government, have been a target for armed groups since longer, the military guarded the pumping stations carefully [Myanmar Now 2].
In another theater, two local defense forces groups allegedly killed 20 junta soldiers and policemen in a raid of a police station in Magway Region, in central Myanmar. The clashes continued over two days, killing reportedly also one local militant and leaving several people injured. [Mizzima]
Meanwhile, in the Chin State, North-West Myanmar, local armed groups are preparing for an escalation of violent attacks by the Myanmar military which has been displacing its troops to the region since the beginning of February. [Myanmar Now 3]
In Shan State, Southern Myanmar, around 28,000 civilians have been forced to free their towns following violent clashes between Myanmar’s military and opposition militias. Over seven regime soldiers were killed and six civilians, including a child, were injured during the fights. Moreover, the junta cut off internet access in the township. Villagers across the country keep fleeing their towns after receiving threats from the junta to kill anyone who supports the PDFs. [Irrawaddy 2]
Moreover, in Pale Township, in the Sagaing Region, 300 resistance fighters allegedly killed over 40 junta soldiers by attacking two bases of Pyu Saw Htee, a pro-junta militia group. [Irrawaddy 3]
In the same region, the Myanmar military forces torched 39 houses in a village in Taze Township in its 13th attack on the same village over the past months. No villagers were present at the time of the attack as they had previously fled the area. However, local resistance groups, during the attack, have killed more than 20 military soldiers with remote-detonated mines left in the village. [Irrawaddy 4]
Myanmar military junta has burned down almost 5,000 civilian homes across the country since it took over power in the February 2021 coup. Sagaing Region was the most heavily stricken, according to the independent research group “Data for Myanmar.” Besides torching houses, the junta has been carrying out attacks on both resistance groups and civilians over the past year. The most commonly utilized methods are air and artillery strikes, armed killings, massacres, burning people alive, and using civilians as human shields.
As of February 16, the Myanmar military has killed 1,557 civilians and detained over 12,000 people since the coup. [Irrawaddy 5]
Myanmar: Student group leader awaiting trial on incitement charges
(bs) Ko Mya Aye,a political activist and leader of the 2005-founded 88 Generation Student Group, who has been detained since the 2021 coup, has denied charges of incitement over his participation in the 2015 Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). The 88 Generation Student Group is a group of activists of whom many have been students involved in the 8888 pro-democracy uprising in 1998 against the then military junta.
Ko Mya Aye is accused of violating Article 505(c) of the Penal Code for an emailing to a Chinese citizen in 2014. According to Article 505(c), “whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumor or report - (c) with intent to incite, or which is likely to incite, any class or community of persons to commit any offense against any other class or community” is punishable with a two-year prison sentence.
The activist pleaded not guilty and claimed that the contact with the Chinese person was aimed at further the peace process of the NCA. Ko Mya Aye was arrested in February 2021, if charged, he could face up to two years in prison and a fine sanction. The final verdict on his case is scheduled for late March. [Burma Library] [Irrawaddy]
Myanmar: Genocide case against Myanmar resumes, military junta admitted as defendant
(bs) The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the main judicial body of the United Nations (UN) in charge of settling legal disputes submitted by states in accordance with international law, has begun a new round of hearings, on February 21-28, on Myanmar’s alleged violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention for perpetrating atrocities against the Rohingya ethnic community in 2017.
The Court will allow leaders of the Myanmar military junta to be potential defendants despite Myanmar’s shadow government’s request to represent the country during the trial in place of the military regime, which is internationally unrecognized after having overthrown the democratic government and taken over the power through a coup in February 2021.
The court’s decision to accept the military regime as a defendant sparked concerns among the international community. This move allegedly means that the court would contradict the UN General Assembly stance, taken in late 2021, of rejection of the junta’s power, by implicitly acknowledging Myanmar’s military junta as the “rightful” representatives of Myanmar. Moreover, critics claim that allowing legally unrecognized officials mean disregarding the UN resolution that condemned the coup in the “strongest terms” and thus undermine the UN Charter. Also, the military government has failed to uphold the “provisional measures of protection” imposed by the UN to ensure safety to Rohingya people. On these basis, according to the National Unity Government, the shadow government, the court is setting a “dangerous precedent that would be detrimental to Myanmar and its people including the Rohingya.”
Rights groups also appealed to the ICJ president with a joint statement to review the decision to accept the junta saying that such action “would risk legitimizing the junta’s unlawful seizure of power.”
In 2019, Gambia brought before the ICJ charges of genocide and crimes against humanity against Myanmar on alleged killing, raping, arson, persecution, and expulsion of Rohingya people from the country. UN investigators also concluded that the military crimes had “genocidal intent”. [Aljazeera] [Irrawaddy]
The Rohingya minority represents the largest group of Muslim people in Myanmar, but due to historical and cultural differences with the majority of Myanmar’s communities, the group has been a victim of abuses and atrocities for centenaries. The use of violence and the exclusion of Rohingya people escalated from 1982 when Myanmar’s government denied them the right to citizenship. The members of the Rohingya ethnic minority are currently stateless and since 2017, when violence broke out in the Rakhine State, over 1 million people have been taking refuge in Bangladesh and Malaysia. [AiR No. 6, February/2022, 2]
Myanmar: European Union imposes restrictive measures on 22 people in fourth round of sanctions for human rights violations
(bs) On February 21, the European Council has adopted restrictive measures for 22 people and 4 institutions in its fourth round of sanctions against Myanmar’s continuous violations of human rights since the military coup in February 2021. The measures include asset freeze, unavailability of funds, and travel bans. Those measures are added to the already-in-place measures that the European Union (EU) has imposed to Myanmar, which are embargo on arms and equipment, export ban and restrictions, and prohibition on military training or military cooperation with the Myanmar junta. Meanwhile, the EU reiterates its commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Myanmar and its call for immediate cessation of violence throughout the country.
To date, the Council has imposed restrictive measured on 65 individuals and 10 entities, including government ministers, members of the national administrative council and the election commission, and state-owned and private companies. [European Council]
Myanmar: Norwegian government not able to prevent transfer of Telenor’s user data to military junta
(bs) The Norwegian government announced that it will be unable to prevent the transfer of sensitive user’s data from the Norwegian-majority-owned Telenor’s subsidiary in Myanmar to the military junta once the local branch is sold.
Norway has been under the radar of human rights groups since its decision to sell its telecommunication company’s subsidiary to the Myanmar junta. Following the selling announcement, a network of Norwegian civil society groups have urged the police to investigate over alleged crimes against humanity by Telenor as the sale would allow the company to provide the military junta with sensitive data of its customers and thus backing the junta’s unrightfully perpetrations against pro-democracy activists and junta opponents. According to the civil society groups, the sale could violate Chapter 16 of the Norwegian Penal Code on genocide and crimes against humanity. [AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3] [Myanmar Now]
Myanmar: More international companies withdraw from Myanmar’s market
(bs) Malaysia’s Petronas, Japan’s Mitsubishi, and Japan’s beverage company Kirin Holdings have announced their withdrawal from Myanmar’s market following the escalation of violence by the military junta since the February 2021 coup.
Petronas, a major oil and gas company based in Malaysia, and Mitsubishi, Japan's largest trading company, are selling their subsidiaries’ stakes in a gas and condensate field in offshore Myanmar after a number of international energy companies have halted their operations in Myanmar or sold their stakes in an attempt to reduce the junta revenues and thus its ability to purchase army or perpetrate further violence against civilians. [Offshore Technology]
With the same objective, Japanese beverage company Kirin Holdings has filed a petition to dissolve its joint venture in Myanmar. Its first petition, filed on January 27 to a Yangon court was immediately dismissed, but the company has reiterated its intention to sell its stakes and withdraw from any operation in Myanmar. [Channel New Asia]
In late January France’s Total Energies group and United-States-based Chevron announced their imminent withdrawal from Myanmar’s major offshore gas company following the call for international sanctions on the country’s oil and gas sector. An Australian fossil fuel giant immediately followed with its halt of activities in Myanmar from early February. Toyota and British American Tobacco, have announced their exit from Myanmar businesses in protest of the escalation of violence by the military regime.
The withdrawals of international companies from Myanmar are aimed at reducing the junta’s already precarious financial income. The movement was also supported by local civilians, who since the coup, refused to pay the bills to the military government. Millions of people also left their jobs in order to speed up the financial crisis of the military government. [AiR No. 5, February/2022, 1] [AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3]
The Philippines: Election commission accused of suppression of freedom of speech
(bs) The Commission on Election (Comelec) has been criticized for allegedly violating the freedom of expression and speech after taking down election campaign materials from private places.
The Commission on Elections denied any violations and reiterated its belief that “neither freedom of expression or freedom of speech are absolute rights. In the proper circumstances, under the proper conditions, they can be regulated without constitutional insult.” [Inquirer 1]. The commission defended its actions by claiming that the removal was necessary due to the “unlawful” size and location of the material. It also plans to cite those involved in the campaign for violation of election rules. [Inquirer 2]
Vice President and presidential candidate Leni Robredo and Senator Francis Pangilinan, her running mate, have announced their intention to file a case against the Comelec for violating constitutional principles. Her spokesperson mentioned a Comelec resolution according to which posters and tarpaulins are allowed to be posted on authorized common areas in public spaces and private property. Moreover, the spokesperson and Robredo’s lawyer called for a class action against Comelec’s alleged abuses before the Supreme Court. The Commission could be accused in a civil case for illegally entering private properties, thus violating the constitutional rights of the property owners. [Inquirer 3]
The Philippines: Presidential candidates share pledges on country’s relations with China
(bs) As the presidential election campaign period kicked off on February 8, candidates have begun sharing their promises for the future of the Philippines.
Presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Philippines’ late dictator’s son who was allowed to run in the election after the election commission dismissed the bid against his candidacy based on a 1995-97 tax evasion conviction, announced his plan to increase military presence in the South China Sea to defend national waters from long-running disputes with China over territorial sovereignty. However, he said to maintain a “correct approach” with China by engaging in agreements and policies with the country. [US News]
During the same week, Leni Robredo, current Vice President and presidential candidate, received endorsement from over 200 former United Nations workers. Robredo’s agenda includes prioritizing health care, justice, human rights, gender equality, and environmental protection. She also reiterated her position in favor of the implementation of international law to solve territorial disputes with China in the West Philippine Sea, and showed her support to the prosecution of the case against Duterte’s human rights violation in the context of his “drug war” before the International Criminal Court. [Rappler]
Meanwhile, to resolve the issue in the West Philippine Sea, presidential candidate and former boxing champion Manny Pacquiao promised to create a “peace panel” formed by experts to lead official talks with China. His objective has long been advocating for peaceful relations with other countries, especially China. In 2021, he asked Beijing to withdraw some 220 Chinese militia vessels from a Philippine maritime territory to reduce tension in the region. With the same objective, Pacquaio said that he will strengthen defense cooperation with the United States. [Philstar]
The Philippines: Supreme Court approved regulation to ease acquisition of citizenship for stateless people and refugees
(bs) On February 15, the Philippines’ Supreme Court approved a new regulation that would facilitate the acquisition of Filipino citizenship for stateless individuals seeking asylum in the country.
The Rule on Facilitated Naturalization of Refugees and Stateless Persons aims at guaranteeing access to rights to stateless or refugees who are within the Philippines’ territory. The regulation also allows to submit the application and publish the petition for naturalization online reducing the procedure costs and speeding up the process.
The Philippines has acceded to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 protocol. Also, in 2011, The Philippines became the first Southeast Asian country to ratify the Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons. [The Thaiger]
The Philippines: European Parliament condemns serious human rights violations
(bs) In a resolution, adopted on February 16, the European Parliament condemned the high number of extrajudicial killings and other serious human rights violations, committed in the “war on drugs” under the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. The European Parliament also denounced the country’s continuous repression of press freedom, freedom of expression, and human rights activism and threatened to end the Philippines’ benefit of trade perks and market access under the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus, which grants the Philippines special incentives and zero tariffs on more than 6,000 products. [Rappler]
In their resolution, the members of the European Parliament urged the authorities to cease “red-tagging” people and organizations that attempt to report allegations of extrajudicial killings and rights violations, thus linking them to communist groups, which results in the widespread use of violence and harassment against them.
According to civil society organizations, the Philippines’ authorities killed between 12,000 and 30,000 people in anti-drug operations, although the government attributed only 6,200 deaths to police action. That happened allegedly because President Duterte had “explicitly encouraged the police to commit extrajudicial executions and promised them immunity,” the resolution said. Moreover, over 146 human rights defenders and more than 22 journalists were killed during Duterte’s administration since 2016.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International urged presidential candidates running for the May election to commit to the immediate release of prisoner of conscience and Philippine Senator Leila de Lima, the first victim of Duterte’s “war on drugs,” who was arbitrarily arrested in 2016 on politically motivated charges. At the time, she was the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, and she led investigations on extrajudicial executions and other serious human rights violations under the “war on drugs.” [Amnesty International]
In response to the EU Parliament resolution, the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs condemned the claims on the country’s human rights situation calling the resolution a “misguided attempt” to interfere in the upcoming national presidential elections. [Manila Buletin]
On the same day, the European Parliament adopted two other resolutions; one calling for the end of the death penalty in Iran, and another condemning the coup against democratic forces in Burkina Faso on January 24. [European Parliament]
The Philippines: National human rights body to investigate rights violation by police over alleged ‘red-tagging’ case
(bs) The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has announced the beginning of investigations into potential human rights violations by Filipino authorities during the arrest of health worker Dr. Natividad Castro on February 18. The police are accused of operating in violation of the Philippine National Police rules of procedure for declining the request to show proper identification documents during the arrest and denying Castro access to counsel.
Dr. Castro served as a community physician for Indigenous People and worked closely with community health centers and programs in rural areas. She was also the secretary-general of rights group Karapatan and brought a case of harassment in a rural community before the United Nations in Geneva.
Although the police claimed to have arrested Castro for alleged kidnapping and illegal detention, labor groups and human rights organizations believe that Castro is another victim of the government’s “red-tagging,” the practice that labels people as members of communist groups making them subjects of harassment or persecution. The government often uses this practice to ‘punish’ human rights advocates or media workers. [Manila Buletin] [Rappler]
The Philippines: Report on social justice calls for European Union cooperation
(bs) Solidar Suisse, a development organization working on improving social justice and democracy around the world, and the Philippines’ Labour Education and Research Network (LEARN) released a report on economic and social rights in the Philippines focusing on the cooperation between the European Union and local civil society organizations.
Among the issues covered in the report, there are freedom of association, decent work, and the right to social protection for all. The European Union (EU) is called to enhance its cooperation with the Philippines in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the EU Action Plan on Democracy and Human Rights in the country. [Relief Web]
Singapore: Double death sentence execution suspended
(avdv) Following the international outcry and repeated appeals from human rights groups, on February 16, Singapore suspended the execution of two people sentenced to death for drug trafficking in 2010.
The decision came after the dismissal of two appeals by the court when the two lawyers filed a third petition against the death sentence. The court is scheduled to review the application on the alleged unconstitutionality of the method of administration of the death penalty in Singapore on February 28.
According to Article 22P (1) of the Constitution, respite can be granted “to any convicted offender […], either indefinitely or for such period as the president may think fit.” [Free Malaysia Today] [The Straits Times]
This comes as a surprise from a country that has no tolerance for drug offenses, and in which the death penalty is considered to be the most effective means of preventing serious crime. The spread on social media of the case caused its widespread uptake in public outside the usual activist clusters. Singapore’s last execution dates back to 2019. [Al Jazeera]
Singapore: Member of the parliament fined for abusing parliamentary privilege
(avdv) On February 15, the parliament agreed to sanction former Worker’s Party (WP) Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan with a USD 35,000 fine for lying in parliament in November 2021. It also voted to refer party leaders Pritam Singh and Faisal Manap to the public prosecutor for their involvement in the case.
The Committee of Privileges investigated Khan’s “abuse of parliamentary privilege” and submitted a report to the parliament in which it advised to fine Khan for lying to the parliament and to prosecute the other two party leaders involved in the case. Under Section 31 of the Parliament Act, it is a criminal offense to "willfully make a false answer to any question material to the subject of inquiry put during examination before Parliament or a committee." [AiR, No. 7, February/2022, 3] [The Straits Times]
On November 1, 2021, Khan admitted to having lied in parliament about accompanying a sexual assault victim to the police station claiming that the police mishandled the case. [AiR No. 49, December/2021, 1] [Channel News Asia]
Thailand: Opposition party calls for amendment of provisions on political parties’ dissolution
(bs) Cholnan Srikaew, leader of the Pheu Thai Party, the main opposition party, called for amendments of provisions on the dissolution of political parties in the Political Parties Act.
The leader mentioned that the Act’s Sections 28 and 29 are open to broad interpretation and their implementation can thus become easily problematic.
Section 28 “prohibits political parties from allowing non-party members from dominating, influencing or directing party affairs directly or indirectly, to limit the freedom of party members,” while Section 29 “forbids non-party members from dominating, influencing or directing party affairs directly or indirectly, to limit party members' freedom.”
Targeting these sections, Pheu Thai’s amendments propose to allow non-party-members to give suggestions, recommendations, or information related to political activities to political parties. This proposal prompted accusations of attempting to allow fugitive prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to exert influence over the party as well as petitions that seek its dissolution over such allegations.
The parliament president announced that the matter will be discussed in a sitting on February 24 and 25. [Bangkok Post]
Thailand: Former party leader resigns from party and parliament
(ay) Mr. Mingkwan Saengsuwan, the former leader and founder of the New Economics Party (NEP), which is member of the ruling collation, resigned from the party and from parliament on February 17, stating that the party’s position was incompatible with his political ideology. However, he would not leave politics and would continue to work toward his goal of eradicating inequality and poverty. [MGR Online]
Mr. Mingkwan announced his decision to leave the party after delivering a parliamentary speech, in which he criticized Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his government for failing to resolve the country’s problems. But he also blamed his own party for “conforming and kowtowing to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha and his administration.” [Thairath 1, in Thai] [Thai Enquirer]
Mingkwan was a member of the opposition Pheu Thai Party before forming his own party to run in the 2019 general elections. [Thairath 2, in Thai] [Bangkok Post]
Thailand: Former deputy prime minister denies all corruption charges in Supreme Court hearing
(kc) On February 17, the Criminal Division for Persons Holding Political Positions in the Supreme Court held the first hearing on the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) case against Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban, former deputy prime minister and prominent street protest leader, who is accused of being involved in illegal activities concerning a USD 173 million project to build over 300 new police stations [see AiR No. 48, November/2021, 5]. Suthep denied all charges at the hearing. He is now expected to make a preliminary testimony and a complete statement to the court within 60 days. Another witness interrogations are scheduled for April 26. [BBC, in Thai]
Thailand: Rights group urged the US to ban imports of fishing nets over forced labor allegations
(bs) A coalition of 31 human rights and civil society groups submitted a petition urging the United States (US) government to ban imports of fishing nets from two major Thai suppliers after a Thomson Reuters Foundation’s report released in December 2021 found that several Thai prisons would force their inmates to produce fishing nets for private companies, including one in the United States. The investigation revealed the alleged use of forced prison labor in Thailand, where inmates are forced to work under threats of physical punishment and abuse.
According to the US Customs and Border Protection, from October 2020 to September 2021, the agency detained over 1,469 shipments worth around USD 486 million over forced labor allegations. [Bangkok Post]
Thailand: Amnesty International vows to continue its work despite calls for expulsion
(kc) On 17 February, Thai royalists submitted a petition with 1.2 million signatures calling for the expulsion of human rights organization Amnesty International (AI) from Thailand. [Manager, in Thai]
Meanwhile, AI has released a statement saying that they will continue to promote and protect human rights in Thailand and are ready to answer any questions from the Thai government regarding their works. [Amnesty]
The movement to expel Amnesty International gained momentum after the human rights organization publicly supported three pro-democracy leaders whose actions the Constitutional Court viewed as attempts to overthrow the monarchy in a ruling in November. Rights groups, including Amnesty, became vocal in their criticism of the Thai approach to political protesters as the ruling could have had the three activists charged with treason, which carries life imprisonment and potentially the death penalty. Amnesty then organized a rally in front of Government House on November 25 to ask the government to reform the lèse-majesté law [see No. 7, February/2022, 3].
Thailand: Repression under monarchy defamation law continues
(kc) From November 2020 to February 2022, at least 171 people have been prosecuted for violating Article 112 of the Thai Constitution, known as lèse-majesté law, in 178 cases.
Article 112 of Thailand's criminal code states that whoever defames, insults, or threatens the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent, or the Regent, shall be punished with imprisonment for three to fifteen years. [Siam Legal International]
On February 8, a Southern Bangkok Criminal Court prosecutor filed a lawsuit against an online merchant for violating Article 112 and the Computer Crime Act after sharing three Facebook posts that criticized the Thai monarchy in early 2021. [TLHR 1, in Thai]
On 12 February, an 18-year-old youth activist “Beam” informed Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) that a man who later identified himself as a police detective stood infront of the door of his condominium in the middle of the night. Beam has been prosecuted for five lawsuits over his demonstrations over the past years, including a lèse-majesté law case. Furthermore, a 22-year-old activist “Bam” also said at least two police officers searched her neighborhood after she participated in a movement against the royal motorcade on February 8. [TLHR 2, in Thai]
Thailand: Petrol company to speed up compensation for oil leaking in the sea
(ay) Almost 8,000 people that were affected by the oil crude leakage have signed up to receive compensation from Star Petroleum Refining Public Co Ltd (SPRC), the undersea pipeline company that leaked crude oil into the sea in Rayong province.
On January 25, an undersea pipeline near Map Ta Phut in Rayong province, owned by Star Petroleum Refining Public Co Ltd (SPRC), leaked more than 47,000 liters of crude oil into the sea. On February 10, another 5,000 liters leaked. [Bangkok Post 1]
The company announced that the company has formed four panels to discuss the impact and compensation of this leakage on the locals. The process of discussing and providing compensation will be accelerated, and it is expected to be completed by the end of February.
The Deputy Governor of Rayong indicated that the working panels are comprised of four categories: tourism and related businesses, fisheries, other professions affected by the incident, and illness caused by the leakage. Also, SPRC has requested the fishing industry’s representatives to submit a list of people affected by the spill, with the total figure estimated to reach close to 10,000 people. [Bangkok Post 2]
Timor-Leste: Presidential candidates’ list released
(bs) Timor-Leste’s Court of Appeal has officially ratified a list of 16 candidates for the upcoming presidential election scheduled for March and April making it the longest candidate list ever.
The election campaign will run from March 2 to 15, and among the candidates, there are current President Francisco “Lú-Olo” Guterres, former president and Nobel Peace Price laureate José Ramos-Horta, and Mariano Sabino, one of the key figures of Renetil, the youth arm of the resistance to the Indonesian occupation.
Sabino called himself an “intergenerational leader” as the youngest among the 16 candidates. He aims at promoting a transition in Timorese’s political and social attitude by strengthening national unity while continuing the reconciliation process with Indonesia. [RTP NOTÍCIAS, in Portuguese] [UCA News]
Vietnam: Rights group condemns Vietnam for arbitrarily imposing house arrest on 170 activists
(kc) On February 17, in a report that documents 170 cases between 2004 and 2021, Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned Vietnam’s arbitrary use of house arrest against activists, media workers, and political dissidents.
According to the report, the Vietnamese authorities have systematically put more than 170 activists under indefinite house arrest and threats, using unlawful tactics including stationing guards outside their homes, setting up physical roadblocks, using superglue and padlocks to jam their doors shut, and rallying thugs to threaten activists. [The Guardian]
The house arrest cases from 2004 to 2021 have been examined in the report after the increasing concerns in their health and freedom of movement restrictions. Most sources are based on independent media reports, social media, independent blogs, the internet, and secret contacts with detainees, their families, and witnesses. HRW also indicated that attending human rights or freedom of religion events would be a crime for the Vietnamese. They also demanded the Vietnam government to immediately terminate the practice of arbitrary house arrest and the imposition of other movement restrictions on political and rights activists. [Human Rights Watch]
International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia
Survey shows Southeast Asia’s mixed feelings towards China’s rising power in the region
(bp) On February 16, Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s published its latest State of Southeast Asia report for 2022. The report is published annually and showcases the opinion of regional and global leaders on key issues taking place in Southeast Asia. The 2022 report surveyed 1,677 policymakers, business leaders, journalists, and experts from 10 countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and highlighted the views of other key stakeholders.
The report further expands on the data obtained from the survey which highlights ASEAN’s attitude towards the growing influence of China in the region. This year’s survey found that 76.7 percent (an increase from 75.9 percent in 2021) of respondents agreed that the most influential economic power in Southeast Asia was China, and about 54.4 percent (an increase from 49.8 percent in 2021) rated China the most influential strategic and political power in Southeast Asia, which was then followed by the US, Japan, and other nations in the regions. Furthermore, 49.6 percent of pundits surveyed also expressed fear that economies in the region could be threatened by China’s military and economic power, threatening the sovereignty and interest of regional economies.
Also, on another statistic in the report, about 25 percent did not consider China as a reliable or responsible partner. The country that voiced the highest degree of distrust in China was Myanmar (88.8 percent – which analysts suggest is due to China’s support for the military coup), it was then followed by the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, and Vietnam. Cambodia. [The Diplomat]
China reaffirms unity with Russia over Ukraine at Munich Security conference
(dql) At last week’s Munich Security Conference, which was dominated by the Ukraine crisis and not attended by Russia for the first time in 30 years, Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated China’s alignment and close ranks with Russia calling on the international community to respect Russia's legitimate security concerns and warning against “certain major countries” that are “reviving the Cold War mentality and stoking confrontation between blocs.” He also pointed to the need for the NATO has to adjust to the end of the Cold War, asking: “If NATO keeps expanding eastward, is it conducive to maintaining peace and stability in Europe?” [CGTN]
Wang’s clear pro-Russian position is in line Sino-Russian joint communique of February 4 after a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in which both countries declared to “oppose further enlargement of NATO,” and urge the alliance “to abandon its ideologized cold war approaches,” while China explicitly expressed backing of Russia’s demands for “long-term legally binding security guarantees in Europe.” [AiR No. 6, February/2022, 2]
It will further complicate already highly strained relations with the US and the European Union and prompted fierce criticism from Brussels, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen calling in her speech at the conference the abovementioned communique was “a blatant attempt to rewrite the rules of our international system,” and accusing Beijing and Moscow of “prefer[ring] the rule of the strongest to the rule of law, intimidation instead of self-determination, coercion instead of cooperation.” [France 24] [European Commission]
For a discussion of China as a “trump card” in Russia’s hand in the Ukraine conflict, see Alexey D Muraviev in [The Conversation] who argues that “the deeper the animosity becomes between Russia, China and the West, the closer Beijing and Moscow are likely to grow.”
US Trade Representative seeks new domestic trade tools to deal with China
(xh) On Wednesday, February 16, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) released a new assessment report about its trade situation with China, calling for new domestic trade tools. The report is released and submitted annually to the Congress since China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001.
In the report, the USTR declared that China is still reluctant in accepting the WTO market-oriented principle and that, on the contrary, its strategies always aimed to expand its state-led, non-market approach to the global economy. Therefore, the report stated that the US is considering new domestic tools to match the “unfair” Chinese policies and secure its own profits. According to the report, areas of concern are agriculture technology, services, transparency, and intellectual property. Nevertheless, no specific details about the new domestic tools have been laid out yet. [USTR 1] [Reuters]
The report comes after the US Census Bureau declared earlier this month that China did not meet the commitments it had made in the so-called Phase One trade deal, by only reaching the 57% of the purchasing goals. [AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3]
A day later, USTR’s office announced that it has added E-commerce sites operated by China’s Tencent and Alibaba in the US on the so-called “Notorious Markets List” which contains 42 online and 35 physical markets that are believed to engage or to facilitate trading of counterfeit products or copyright piracy. The related “2021 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy,” identifies six online and nine bricks-and-mortar Chinese platforms and concludes that “China continues to be the number one source of counterfeit products in the world.” [BBC News] [USTR 2]
China sanctions US arms manufacturers over Taiwan arms sales
(dql/eb) China’s Foreign Ministry announced on Monday, February 21, to impose sanctions on US defence companies Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies, in response to the USD100 million arms deal with Taiwan which the Biden administration approved earlier this month and that aims to upgrade Taiwan’s Patriot missile defence system.
The ministry cited a serious infringement of China’s sovereignty and security interests for the move. Details of the sanctions, however, were not disclosed. [South China Morning Post] [See also AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3]
The sanctions are the latest reflection of Sino-US tensions over Taiwan.
For a discussion of why the US should prioritize the Indo-Pacific and Taiwan over the tensions in Europe over a possible invasion by Russia of Ukraine, see former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Force Development Elbridge Colby and Oriana Skylar Mastro, research fellow at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, in [Wall Street Journal] who argue that the US can no longer afford to divide their forces in two different fronts, given China’s known unprecedented economic and military growth in the last ten years. The authors also point out that Taiwan is clearly at risk of being invaded and if Taiwan falls, US allies in the region such as Japan and the Philippines will be much more exposed.
US trying to convince Equatorial Guinea not to accept Chinese naval base plan?
(xh) On Tuesday, February 15, senior and military US officials met with the President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, reportedly to convince him to reject China’s plan of building a naval base in Bata, the country’s biggest city, located at the Central African country’s Atlantic coast. Official statements on both sides, meanwhile, confirmed talks about bilateral cooperation in the military sector.
The meeting reflects growing efforts of the US to compete with China over influence in Africa.
In December reports circulated that China was courting Equatorial Guinea with the aim to build a naval base in its biggest city, Bata, where China has already rebuilt a commercial port. The US is worried about China building a military base in Equatorial Guinea as that would mean that it would have better access to the Atlantic Ocean. Similar concerns arose when China built a naval base in Djibouti in 2017. [South China Morning Post]
China says it is ‘seriously concerned’ as India cracks down on Chinese companies
(lm) China on February 17 said that it is “seriously concerned” about actions India has taken against Chinese companies, and called on New Delhi to ensure “non-discriminatory” treatment of its firms. The days after New Delhi blocked access to 54 mobile applications, mainly Chinese, over national security concerns, and conducted searches at multiple premises of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co. [CNN] [The Hindu]
This is not the first time India has banned Chinese apps. Following a border clash in a disputed Himalayan border region, India in June 2020 banned more than 200 mostly Chinese apps, including the messenger WeChat and the social media platform TikTok [see AiR No. 26, June/2020, 5]. At the time, many Indians had called for a boycott of Chinese goods and services, particularly from China’s dominant tech industry. [Reuters]
However, China continues to be a key economic partner for India, with bilateral trade in 2021 crossing $125 billion. [South China Morning Post]
Xi calls on Macron to cooperate in advancing China-EU relations
(xh) On Wednesday, February 16, Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron held talks over the phone about strengthening relations between their countries during which six bilateral cooperation agreements in various area including agriculture, green manufacturing, finance, and aviation, as well as on the implementation of demonstration projects in third-party market cooperation.
During the call, Xi urged France to work together with China to “steer China-EU relations towards new development,” reaffirming that his country was ready to work with France to advance the ratification and implementation of the China-EU investment agreement which has been stalled by the European Parliament over accusations of human rights violations in Xinjiang. [Xinhua] [South China Morning Post]
The phone call comes on the heels of the signing of an USD $1.7 billion agreement between the two countries on their fourth round of demonstration projects on third-party market cooperation, covering various areas such as infrastructure, environmental protection and new energy. The involved third-party markets include Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, with methods of cooperation ranging from joint financing and joint investment, to projects in which China will be awarded engineering procurement and construction contracts, while France will be responsible for investing.
While China has signed documents on third-party market cooperation with several other countries, including Italy, Japan and the UK, France is the first country to establish a third-party market cooperation mechanism with China. [Gobal Times] [FF News]
The talk also comes at a time when China-EU relations are strained over disputes on multiple fronts including human rights, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and Lithuania, in which Brussels has become increasingly assertive towards Beijing. Many European governments declared a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics which closed on Sunday. In late January, the European Commission filed a formal complaint against China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over “discriminatory trade practices” against European Union (EU) member state Lithuania in violation of WTO rules, citing Beijing’s “refusal to clear Lithuanian goods through customs, rejection of import applications from Lithuania,” and accusing Beijing of “pressuring EU companies operating out of other EU Member States to remove Lithuanian inputs from their supply chains when exporting to China” [see AiR No. 5, February/2022, 1].
In a latest related development, the EU last week, imposed tariffs between 22.1% and 86.5% on imports of steel fasteners from China, citing state-sponsored dumping for the move. It also launched a legal challenge against China at the WTO claiming that Beijing is making use of new legal mechanisms known as “anti-suit injunctions” to deter international technology firms from suing Chinese counterparts in foreign courts for patent infringements. Lastly, it announced at the EU-African Union summit Euro a 150 billion financing package to fund projects and development on the continent over a period of seven years, as part of the EU Global Gateway plan that is widely seen as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. [Reuters] [RCR Wireless] [France 24]
UK and Australia strengthen cooperation to counter China
(xh) On Thursday, February 17, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Australian counterpart Scott Morison released a joint statement after a video meeting, revealing the UK’s pledge to invest USD 34 million in a bid to strengthen “strengthen regional resilience in areas including cyberspace, state threats and maritime security,” in the Indo-Pacific region. The pledge was made to counter China’s growing influence in the area. [Al Jazeera]
Without naming China, the joint statement, furthermore, stated that UK and Australia recognize the importance need for Southeast Asian countries to exercise their maritime rights in the South China Sea, and rejected “any unilateral actions that could escalate tensions and undermine regional stability and the international rules-based order, including militarisation, coercion, and intimidation.”
At the same time, the statement expressed worries about human right violations in Xinjiang Beijing is accused and about tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
Moreover, both leaders affirmed that there has been “significant progress” in equipping Australia with nuclear-powered submarines as agreed on in the AUKUS pact last September. [Al Jazeera]
Estonian spy agency accuses China of collecting Estonian citizens’ email addresses for propaganda purposes
(xh) Estonia’s Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service (Välisluureamet) has made serious allegations against China’s foreign policy.
In its 2022 annual yearbook, released last week, the spy agency accuses Beijing of collecting the email data of Estonian citizens and residents to propaganda dissemination purposes, referring to a regular fortnightly email sent from the Chinese embassy in Tallin to private individuals, and of “strongarm” tactics in its vaccine diplomacy.
The agency also claimed that China has pursued a more focused and targeted approach in targeting critics as evidenced by sanctions on individuals and institutions, including Members of the European Parliament, the Political and Security Committee of the Council of the European Union or the Subcommittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament, and punitive measures against countries, for instance from Lithuania.
In its response to the report, the Chinese Embassy in Tallinn dismissed the allegations, accusing the report of being “full of subjective assumptions, Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice,” and lacking any “factual basis at all.” [ERR News] [South China Morning Post]
China, Serbia to conclude free trade agreement in 2022?
(dql) Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić declared that Serbia and China will successfully discuss and sign free trade agreement in 2022.
Vučić’s statement refers to his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on February 5, 2022, during which both leaders discussed a number of important issues, including a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries, as claimed by the Serbian President.
China has yet to confirm his forecast as according to the Ministry of Commerce of China’s website China has yet to launch the formal FTA negotiation with Serbia. Similarly, in the Ministry’s list of “FTAs under Consideration”, a China-Serbia FTA is mentioned. [China Briefing]
The statement comes after earlier this month, the Serbian government awarded contract worth Euro 3.2 billion to China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), one of the world’s largest engineering and construction firms, to build wastewater treatment plants in nearly 70 municipalities across the country. [Global Construction Review]
Serbia enjoys a special importance as strategic hub for China in Europe. Serbia is not only the largest recipient of Chinese foreign direct investments among the Balkan states, it is also only country in Europe having close military-to-military, policing, and security sector ties with Beijing. [AIIA]
Cross-strait relations: Chinese anti-submarine helicopter spotted for the first time in Taiwan’s ADIZ
(eb) A Chinese Ka-28 anti-submarine helicopter was spotted entering Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on February 16, marking its first appearance in the ADIZ. The Ka-28 is a model originally devised by the Soviet Union for anti-submarine warfare. Four more Shenyang J-16 fighter jets entered Taiwan’s ADIZ on February 18.
Since the start of 2022, the Ministry of National Defense has reported a total of 177 Chinese military planes entering the ADIZ. [Taiwan News 2] [Taiwan News 2]
In a related statement, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu warned that Beijing could invade Taiwan to distract the domestic public from its internal challenges, such as in case of a stagnant economy or of growing discontent of the minorities. He further remarked that the crackdown on Hong Kong’s democracy showed that the “One Country, Two systems” policy was a lie. [Taiwan News 3]
Japan ready to join sanctions against Russia over Ukraine conflict
(dql) Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared on Tuesday, February 21, that Japan was ready to join the US and other G7 nations in imposing sanctions on Russia should it invade the Ukraine.
Kishida’s statement comes as the Ukraine conflict intensifies after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized on Monday announced to recognize the independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People's Republic” (DPR) and the “Luhansk People’s Republic” (LPR) and afterwards ordered the Defense Ministry to send troops into the territories for what the Kremlin called a peacekeeping measure. [Reuters] [DW]
It also comes after his phone talk on Thursday, February 17, with Putin during he urged the Russian president Putin to find a diplomatic solution that is “acceptable” to all concerned countries, while voicing opposition to the use of force to change the status quo. [Kyodo News]
Japan, Cambodia agree to deepen cooperation
(dql) During a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Hun Manet, commander of the Cambodian army and heir apparent of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday, February 16, the two countries agreed on deepening security cooperation for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
The meeting was part of Hun Manet’s trip to Japan last week the invitation of the Defense Ministry as 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of Japan’s dispatch of Self-Defense Forces personnel to Cambodia, the first time the SDF participated in a U.N. peacekeeping operation. [Mainichi]
In a meeting on Monday, February 14, Japan’s Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi met with Hun Manet to discuss ongoing issues in the South and East China seas and agreed to closely cooperate in dealing with the situation in Myanmar. [AP News]
Japan asks to revive Economic Partnership Committee with Taiwan
(eb) Japan is willing to re-establish an Economic Partnership Committee with Taiwan in response to the lift of the ban on Japanese products coming from five Japanese prefectures, which ceased in 2014 after the food ban imposed by Taiwan’s government.
Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association (JTEA) Chairman Ohashi Mitsuo brought up the topic on February 18, marking the Committee as “extremely important”. In his speech Ohashi also reiterated his support for Taiwan’s application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and expressed his satisfaction for the end of the food ban. [Taiwan News]
In a related speech, President Tsai Ing-wen declared that her administration will give its best efforts to be a constructive partner of the CPTPP. Her government is therefore ready to put in place laws on market accessibilities to comply with the Partnership. [Focus Taiwan]
The very recent end of the Japanese food ban had caused a stir among Taiwan’s parties but it also received immediate support from the Japanese government [see AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3].
South Korea, Iran discuss resumption of oil trade and ways out of frozen assets dispute
(dql) South Korean government and company officials and Iranian bankers and officials from the state-run oil company and the petroleum ministry met on February 16 for two days of working-level consultations to discuss ways to resolve yearslong disputes over Tehran’s assets frozen in South Korea under US sanctions and the possibility of resuming oil trade in preparation for potential US sanctions relief on Iran.
Relations between the two countries remain strained over USD 7 billion in Iranian funds blocked in two Korean banks under US sanctions, which were reimposed after former President Donald Trump in 2018 withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal under which Iran agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow in international inspectors in return for the lifting of economic sanctions.
The world’s fourth-largest oil country, Iran had been a key oil supplier to South Korea, while importing its goods such as industrial equipment, household appliances and vehicle parts. [Reuters] [Eurasia Review]
South Korea, India to deepen ties
(dql) South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong met his his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Paris on Monday, February 21, in France to discuss ways to deepen bilateral relations and cooperation for regional issues to bolster their special strategic partnership signed in 2015. Both Ministers also pledged to advance people-to-people exchanges at various levels.
The meeting came ahead of their participation in the first European ministerial meeting on the Indo-Pacific, hosted by France on Tuesday this week and attended by foreign ministers of EU member states and some 30 countries in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as by representatives of European institutions and representatives of the main regional organizations. [Korea Herald] [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, France]
South Korea: Deployment of newest US attack helicopters completed
(dql) The US Forces Korea (USFK) announced on Friday, February 18, the completion of the deployment of the newest Apache attack helicopters – the AH-64E Version 6 – to South Korea, involving reportedly a total of 24 helicopters.
The announcement comes amid efforts among allies to counter evolving military threats from North Korea which in January conducted seven rounds of missile tests. [Korea Herald]
Taiwan receives support from Swedish parliament
(eb) As Swedish parliamentarians held a debate of foreign policy on February 16, Taiwan received bipartisan praise and support regarding its democracy and the continuous threats coming from China.
While stressing that Sweden formally supports the “One-China Policy”, the foreign minister had positive remarks for Taiwan declaring that Sweden will keep supporting Taiwan’s participation in international affairs.
The Liberal Party’s representatives labelled China as a dangerous dictatorship and encouraged the government to support Taiwan more. The Sweden Democrats condemned the bilateral tensions raised by China and the Center Party’s position of support towards Taiwan has not changed according to spokesperson of that party. Moderate Party MP Hans Rothenberg asked that Sweden should recognize and support Taiwan in the same way it does with Palestine. [Taiwan News]
French Foreign Finister Jean-Yves le Drian, meanwhile, expressed in an interview with Nikkei Asia concerns over peace in the Taiwan strait, stressing that stability there was key to stability in the entire Indo-Pacific region and condemning, without naming China, actions that would change the status quo of Taiwan and any pressure that would lead to a military escalation. [Nikkei Asia]
Le Drian’s statement comes after France sent the nuclear attack submarine Émeraude and a naval support ship through the South China Sea as part of efforts by France to challenge Beijing’s sweeping claims in the disputed waters, with 2019 French Defense Minister Florence Parly stressing that transit has demonstrated the country’s “navy to deploy far away and for a long time, together with our Australian, American and Japanese strategic partners.” [Business Insider]
Pakistan Prime Minister Khan to visit Russia; wants TV debate with Indian counterpart to resolve issues
(lm) Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan will commence a crucial two-day official visit to Russia on February 23, for talks with his counterpart President Vladimir Putin, as both countries hope to launch a multibillion-dollar gas pipeline project. [The Indian Express]
Khan and Putin spoke on the telephone in mid-January – their second conversation in four months – to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. The two leaders also discussed the status of the $2.5 billion PakStream Gas Pipeline project that will secure the delivery of 12.3 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year from import terminals in Karachi and Gwadar to the city of Lahore in Punjab Province. [AiR No. 4, January/2022, 4]
In an exclusive interview with Russia Today ahead of his visit to Moscow, Prime Minister Khan said he would like to have a televised debate with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, to resolve differences between the two South Asian neighbors. When elaborating, the Pakistani leader said his country’s regional trading options were already limited, with its southwestern neighbor Iran under sanctions, and Afghanistan involved in decades of war. [The Straits Times] [YouTube]
Khan's remarks follow similar comments by Pakistan's top commercial official, Razzak Dawood, who told journalists on February 20 that he supported trade ties with India, which would benefit both sides. Dawood also said Islamabad was interested in developing trade with Russia and Central Asian states. [Dawn] [TASS]
Pakistan suspended trade with India in 2019 after New Delhi stripped the Indian-controlled section of Kashmir of its statehood and special constitutional status. Since then, normal diplomatic and trade ties between them have not resumed.
India objects to Singapore prime minister’s remarks about ‘criminal’ lawmakers
(lm) India lodged a diplomatic protest with Singapore over a remark its prime minister made on the number of Indian parliamentarians facing criminal charges, in a rare instance of friction between the two countries that share a key economic partnership. [Bloomberg] [Reuters]
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made the remark in parliament on February 16 ahead of a vote to refer a former opposition member to the public prosecutor on accusations of lying during a testimony. Warning that such lies have contributed to the erosion of democracies elsewhere, Lee mentioned India, suggesting a decline there since its first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, was in charge. He did add, however, that many of the charges were politically motivated. [The Straits Times]
Singapore enjoys a strong economic and bilateral relationship with New Delhi as well as cultural links given a local Indian population. In 2005, the two countries the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.
While it isn’t the norm to summon envoys from key partners, India is sensitive about comments on its domestic politics especially with elections to five state assemblies currently underway. During the current election campaign, ruling party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have repeatedly raised their traditional criticism of Nehru, on topics ranging from the liberation of Goa to relations with China and the Partition of India. [The Wire] [see entry in this edition]
The issue with Singapore comes more than a week after India summoned the South Korean ambassador over what it called an “unacceptable social media post” made by a Pakistani partner of automaker Hyundai over disputed Kashmir. [AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3]
Indian Army chief holds talks with Saudi Arabian commander to deepen defense ties
(lm) The Indian Chief of the Army Staff, General MM Naravane, on February 15 held extensive talks with the chief of the Royal Saudi Land Forces, who was visiting New Delhi, the first-ever visit by a Saudi defense chief to India.
The Indian Ministry of Defense described last week’s visit by Lt. Gen. Fahd bin Abdullah Mohammed Al-Mutair as “historic and landmark,” adding that it marked “deepening bilateral defense cooperation” between the two countries. [The Print]
Defence relations between Saudi Arabia and India have seen a notable upswing since they decided to set up a Strategic Partnership Council during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Riyadh in October 2019 [see AiR No. 45, November/2019, 1]. General Naravane in December 2020 visited the kingdom [see AiR No. 50, December/2020, 3], a trip that was followed by a series of high-level interactions and the first bilateral naval exercise, Al-Mohed Al-Hindi, conducted in August [see AiR No. 33, August/2021, 3].
Some analysts see Modi’s overtures to Saudi Arabia as being part of a diplomatic effort to put pressure on archrival Pakistan by forging bonds with some of Islamabad’s closest allies. [Arab News]
At the same time, India is also working to deepen defense ties with Oman. Earlier this month, the commander of the sultanate’s navy, Rear Admiral Saif Bin Nasser Bin Mohsin Al Rahbi, concluded a four-day official visit to New Delhi for Navy-to-Navy talks [see AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3]. That visit followed on a visit to New Delhi by Oman’s top defense official Mohammed Nasser Al Zaabi [see AiR No. 5, February/2022, 1].
India, United Arab Emirates sign major investment pact
(lm) India and the United Arab Emirates on February 18 signed a wide-ranging trade and investment pact, coinciding with a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (UAE-India CEPA) is the first bilateral trade accord concluded by the UAE, and India’s first bilateral trade agreement in the Middle East and North Africa region. It was signed by India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goel and his UAE counterpart Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri.
The partnership marks a deepening of ties between the UAE and India. In addition to growing bilateral trade in goods to over $100 billion within the next five years – up from about $60 billion currently, the deal is also expected to boost trade in services to over $15 billion. [The Indian Express]
The latest agreement comes amid a rush of diplomatic and economic deal-making in the Emirates. Abu Dhabi signed a similar economic pact with Turkey last week, as the two countries pivoted toward economic cooperation during Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s first visit to the Gulf state since 2013. The UAE is also in the final stages of signing agreements with Israel and Indonesia, and aims to expand bilateral trade ties with the Philippines in the year ahead. [CNBC] [Reuters]
Pakistan questions US move of giving half of $7 billion Afghan funds to 9/11 victims
(lm) Pakistan has criticized the decision by the United States to leave approximately half of assets owned by Afghanistan’s central bank in place until the ongoing litigation brought by the victims of the 9/11 attacks is resolved. [The Express Tribune]
On February 11, President Joe Biden directed US financial institutions to move $7 billion in Afghan central bank funds into a consolidated account held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Washington will transfer $3.5 billion into a third-party trust for assistance to the Afghan people and another $3.5 billion would remain in the US, pending ongoing litigation brought by the victims of the 9/11 attacks. The move was widely met with outrage, coming as it does at a time when many Afghans are facing a severe economic and humanitarian crisis. [Foreign Policy, $]
In related developments, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tom West, at a discussion at a Washington-based think tank on February 15 acknowledged Pakistan’s crucial role in arranging a peace deal with the Afghan Taliban, saying that the US doesn’t “have a choice but to work with Pakistan on the way ahead.” However, West also complained that Islamabad often ignored Washington’s suggestions in the leadup to the fall of Kabul last August: “Had Pakistan taken some of those steps in a more meaningful and consistent way, I think we would be in a different place today. I genuinely do.” [Dawn]
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince likely to visit Pakistan in March
(lm) Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are working to finalize the dates for a much-awaited visit of the Kingdom’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, to Islamabad in March, The Express Tribune reported, citing official sources. [The Express Tribune]
According to the report, Pakistan is keen that the Saudi crown prince attends the annual Pakistan Day Parade on March 23 in Islamabad as a guest of honor. The visit would be bin Salman’s second visit to the Pakistani capital in three years; it would follow on a crucial three-day visit to Saudi Arabia by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan in October last year [see AiR No. 43, October/2021, 4].
Pakistan is also set to host the 47th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic on March 22.
Sri Lanka’s finance minister to visit India to formalize deal on economic assistance package
(lm) Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa is expected to visit India later this month to formalize a four-pillar economic relief package provided by New Delhi for the Indian Ocean island struggling with a foreign reserve crisis that has left it close to default. [South Asia Monitor] [The Hindu]
Rajapaksa, whose elder siblings are Sri Lanka’s president and prime minister, had visited India in December last year. While in New Delhi – Rajapaksa’s first overseas visit since he assumed office in July – he met his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, among others. [AiR No. 49, December/2021, 1]
In January then, India announced a four-pillar economic relief package for Sri Lanka, comprising a $400 million currency swap, debt deferral of $515 million due for settlement to the Asian Clearing Union by two months, along with another Indian credit line of $ 1.5 billion to ease shortages of essentials with imports from India. [AiR No. 3, January/2022, 3]
Days thereafter, Jaishankar met with Rajapaksa virtually to discuss projects and investment plans by New Delhi that would strengthen the economy of the island nation. That meeting came shortly after the two countries had signed an agreement to jointly redevelop a strategic oil tank farm in the island nation’s eastern port district of Trincomalee [see AiR No. 2, January/2022, 2].
India’s economic relief package for Sri Lanka is considered a critical lifeline to the island nation which has almost $7 billion in debt payments due this year but less than $3 billion of foreign reserves. The lack of foreign currency reserves has caused power cuts and shortages of imports, including fuel and milk powder, which have exacerbated double-digit inflation. [see entry in this edition]
Sri Lanka has also turned to China for help. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in January asked visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to consider restructuring debt repayments [see AiR No. 2, January/2022, 2]. Chinese loans account for about 10 percent of Sri Lanka’s $35 billion foreign debt, not including loans to state-owned businesses, which are accounted for separately and thought to be substantial.
India, Maldives discuss closer defense and strategic ties
(lm) An Indian delegation led by Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar last week visited the Maldives to attend the third iteration of a dialogue format on bilateral defense cooperation. While in Malé, the Indian defense official also held discussions with the top leadership of the Maldives National Defence Force and called on Maldives Defence Minister Mariya Didi. [The Indian Express]
During their meeting, Defence Minister Didi expressed her deep appreciation for the Coast Guard Dockyard project — which the two nations signed in February last year [see AiR No. 8, February/2021, 4] — terming it the most comprehensive defense infrastructure development project carried out in the Maldives. Work on the project will be done in two phases and is expected to be completed in three years.
Given that both the Maldives and Indian governments are tight-lipped about the arrangement out of concerns about nationalist sentiments, the project has become controversial, with Maldivian opposition parties accusing the government of keeping the details of the deal confidential. President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih’s, however, argues that sensitive details of the deal will be shared with select senior opposition leaders at the right time.
The visit came at a time when the Solih administration is increasingly under assault from opposition parties for forging closer defense and strategic cooperation with India, which they claim undermine Maldives’ sovereignty. [see entry in this edition]
Pakistani ministry advised to seek approval for $50 million credit facility for defense exports to Sri Lanka
(lm) Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence Production has been advised to seek approval from the country’s Economic Coordination Committee before negotiating a credit facility for defense purchases with Sri Lanka, as the island nation faces its worst economic crisis in years. [Tamil Guardian]
Close partners in trade and defense, the two countries developed strong bilateral ties during the Sri Lankan Civil War, when Islamabad supplied high-tech military equipment to Colombo’s military.
Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the Indian Ocean island in February last year, where he held separate meetings with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and attended an investors’ conference. During Khan’s visit, several agreements were signed including one which committed to the opening of a defense credit line facility of $ 50 million for Sri Lanka. [AiR No. 8, February/2021, 4]
However, Sri Lanka is currently facing a growing economic crisis – its worst in a decade – with a potential sovereign default looming. [see entry in this edition]
India, Bangladesh working on finalizing agreement on water sharing, Indian foreign secretary says
(lm) India and Bangladesh are working on finalizing agreements on the more than 50 rivers the two countries share, Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on February 21 during an event that was also attended by his Bangladeshi counterpart, Shariar Alam. [The Daily Star]
Observers, however, have emphasized that the Indian top diplomat did not mention the long-pending water-sharing agreement between the two countries for the Teesta River, which originates in the Teesta Kangse glacier and flows through the Indian Sikkim and West Bengal states before entering Bangladesh.
After the setting up of a joint rivers commission in 1972, an ad hoc arrangement on sharing of Teesta waters was made in 1983, with India receiving 39 percent of the water and Bangladesh 36 percent of it. Since then, Dhaka has been pressing New Delhi for signing off a more permanent deal on the sharing of the river’s water.
Negotiations were expedited in 2009 and, since 2011, have aimed at ensuring that the river would get the necessary water during the lean season to ensure a minimum level to help the agriculture sector of north Bangladesh. However, as India uses dams upstream to generate electricity and needs water to irrigate farms in West Bengal, the state’s chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, has so far refused to sign off a respective agreement.
United Kingdom, Australia to establish diplomatic mission in the Maldives
(lm) The United Kingdom last week established a high commission in the Maldives, becoming the first European country to officially open a mission in Malé. A week earlier, Australia had also announced its plan to establish a high commission in the Maldives, in a sign of the growing geostrategic importance of the Indian Ocean archipelago. [Avas]
In light of Canberra’s announcement, all members of the four-nation Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) – the United States, Australia, Japan and India – will have permanent missions in the Maldives by the end of 2023.
Bangladesh, United States hold joint air force exercise
(ap/lm) Military personnel from the United States and Bangladesh on February 20 commenced a joint tactical airlift exercise, Cope South 22, that will run through February 25. 200 troops from the Bangladesh Air Force and 80 US airmen will be participating in the drills. [The Business Standard]
Relations between the two countries were affected by US sanctions announced last December on Bangladesh’s elite paramilitary force, and Washington’s decision to exclude Bangladesh from its Democracy Summit last year. [AiR No. 50, December/2021, 2]
But in the engagements that followed, various senior US foreign-policy figures praised the US-Bangladesh partnership, suggesting that the sanctions decision was a one-off move focused on human rights, not a prelude to more confrontation. [AiR No. 6, February/2022, 2]
In the latest of these indications, Bangladesh’s state minister for foreign affairs last week said the coming months would see an increased engagement and high-level meetings with the United States, most notably a visit to Washington by Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen. [New Age]
Large-scale US-led maritime exercise in Middle East, Africa concludes
(lm) Maritime partners from 60 nations and international organizations on February 17 concluded the International Maritime Exercise (IMX) 2022, an 18-day biennial naval training event led by the United States Naval Forces Central Command.
More than 9,000 personnel and nearly 50 ships operating across two regions participated in the IMX drills, which combined with the annual exercise Cutlass Express (CE) led by the US Naval Forces Europe-Africa in East African coastal regions and the West Indian Ocean. [U.S. Central Command]
Asian countries participating in the exercise included Bangladesh, India, Japan, Pakistan, Philippines, Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. This year’s iteration also for the first time saw the participation of Israel, as Tel Aviv increasingly cooperates with Washington’s 5th Fleet, which operates in the waterways around the Middle East. [The Times of Israel]
IMX/CE 2022 was the seventh iteration of IMX since its establishment in 2012.
European Union to support Bangladesh in graduation from Least Developed Country category
(ap) The head of the European Union’s delegation to Bangladesh, Charles Whiteley, has reiterated Brussel’s support for Bangladesh’s sustainable graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category. [Daily Star]
Bangladesh also sought Sweden’s support in its LDC graduation. The Swedish ambassador noted the great potential in Bangladesh's market, and expressed that Sweden was ready to facilitate the environmental goals of the Swedish companies operating in Bangladesh. [The Business Standard]
ASEAN leaders meet in Cambodia to discuss Myanmar crisis
(bp/dql) With Myanmar’s representative excluded, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers meeting was held on Thursday, February 17, in Phnom Penh in hybrid format.
In the press conference after the meeting, the host, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, said that all ministers reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to ensuring the full and effective implementation of the trade agreement Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which came into force on January 1. They also agreed on the importance of deepening ASEAN economic integration and the intra-ASEAN trade, investment and supply chain connectivity to increase the region’s competitiveness, connectedness and resilience in line with the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025. [Manila Bulletin]
With regards to the issue how to approach the Myanmar crisis, meeting concluded without meaningful progress. Sokhonn, who is ASEAN’s current special envoy to Myanmar, declared that Cambodia was still believing that pragmatic engagement would yield results, adding that he was seeking a visit to Myanmar in March which would include a talk with representatives from the shadow National Unity Government (NUG). [The Diplomat]
In response, Myanmar’s government rejected Sokhonn’s request to meet bodies which oppose last year’s coup and which the junta has declared as “terrorist” groups. [South China Morning Post]
US-Thailand military drills draw focus on Bangkok-Beijing relationship
(bp) The Cobra Gold military drills between the United States (US) and Thailand will take place from February 20 to March 5 and is one of Asia-Pacific’s longest-running military drills since its inception in 1982. The drills have reduced in scale due to the COVID pandemic and will involve around 3,460 military personnel – including 1,296 American troops and 1,953 Thai troops.
Analysts highlight the continuing of the drills as a diplomatic tool for Washington to use in Thailand and Southeast Asia, during a time when Thailand depends a lot on China for military purchases. Other countries involved in the drill include Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and South Korea. India, China, and Australia have chosen to join humanitarian projects like building facilities for schooling in Thailand’s rural areas. [Euro News]
Myanmar, however, is not taking part in this year’s military drill for a second consecutive year and Thailand has said that this move is not related to the political and humanitarian conflict in Myanmar. [Euro News] Analysts say that Myanmar’s absence from the drill is due to the US condemning the Myanmar military and urging for a global response against the coup in December 2021. [South China Morning Post]
China focuses on growing local currency among Asian countries for trade and investments
(bp) China announced on February 17, that it will work with other Asian countries to strengthen the economic resilience of the region by using local currencies for investment and trade. The governor of the People’s Bank of China said that the use of local currencies by emerging Asian economies in recent years has helped create a financial safety net for countries in the region and help withstand external shocks, especially in a post-pandemic financial market. The governor also indicated that bilateral currency swaps among China, South Korea, Japan, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, have reached a total of US$380 billion, which indicates potential for the region to develop resilience against external shocks and control capital flow in the region.
In January 2022, the People’s Bank of China and the Bank of Indonesia extended their bilateral currency swap pact, with a goal of deepening financial partnership and promoting investment between the two countries. Economists and analysts see this as a strong strategy for Asian and ASEAN economies using local currency for trade and investment, as this will help offset the loss in the trade as the United States (US) Federal Reserve is in the process of increasing interest rates to reduce inflation. An increase in interest rates by the US Federal Reserve could cause an outflow of capital from the region thus impacting market stability and trade value if the region is dependent on the US dollar as its trading and investment currency.
This year, Indonesia holds the presidency of the G20 major economies, and the Indonesian Finance Minister has reiterated the need for emerging nations to increase Local Currency Settlement (LCS) arrangements and continue to use local currencies for trade and investment and decrease the risk of financial instability caused when larger economies (like the US) tighten monetary policies. Indonesia also announced that as president of G20 it will focus on one of its priorities to ensure that developed economies calibrate and analyze risks with the release of monetary policies so that developing economies are not economically impacted. The LCS arrangements are believed to have placed Indonesia and other emerging markets in a better policy framework, amidst the tightening of monetary policies in recent weeks by the US Federal Reserve. Through the LCS arrangements, Indonesia has cut its US dollar exposure by US$2.53 billion in 2021 and is expecting an increase in arrangements by 10 percent this year as the Bank of Indonesia continues to expand its LCS arrangements with other Asian and Southeast Asian economies. [Channel News Asia]
Asian countries seek to upgrade military in 2022 Singapore Airshow amidst rising debt
(bp) At the 2022 Singapore Airshow which took place between February 15 and 18, countries throughout Asia looked for cost-effective methods to upgrade their military. On the eve of the show, Indonesia finalized a USD-8.1 billion deal with Dassault Aviation – a French Aviation company, making it the company’s largest client followed by purchasing 36 F-15s from the United States worth USD 14 billion.
Last month the Philippines announced that it is looking to purchase 32 S-70i Blackhawk helicopters from a subsidiary owned by US-headquartered Lockheed Martin realizing the company’s partnership with the Philippines armed forces. The Singapore Airshow also had countries expressing a strong interest in Maritime Patrol Aircrafts (MPA) to help keep watch over broad stripes of the ocean that divide many Asian countries.
Unmanned aircraft or drones offer cost-effective ways to maintain a military presence at sea, and Australia announced during the show that it is working with Boeing to engineer drones that can fly alongside fighter aircraft. Lastly, in a move to improve air-defense systems analysts predict that there will be future interest among Asian countries to purchase long-range artillery rockets and ballistic missiles, however, these are not seen as urgent requirements given the current budget of countries in a post-Covid environment. [The Straits Times] [Yahoo News]
India and Philippines reaffirm commitment to partnership
(lb) Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr met on February 15 to discuss the future trajectory of the engagement between their countries. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues and reaffirmed their strong commitment to a multi-faceted partnership.
Both ministers agreed to work towards strengthening their engagement and communication on the issues of counterterrorism, defense, maritime security, covering defense capabilities, and military training and capacity building.
An agreement was made to work on expanding economic cooperation and trade and investment links, including agriculture, infrastructure, health, pharmaceuticals, ICT, technology, tourism, and science. [The Hindu]
Philippines, UK agree to work on climate change
(lb) The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the British Embassy Manila have agreed to identify priority areas that can be worked on in collaboration to build resilience and tackle global emissions with the hopes of reversing the loss of biodiversity. The agreement follows the conclusion of the second Philippines-United Kingdom Climate Change and Environment Dialogue on February 10.
The second Climate Change and Environment Dialogue highlighted the key elements of cooperation between the two countries, including the formulation of the long-term strategy, provision of analytical tools to revisit the Nationally Determined Contribution, and to develop a National Adaptation Plan. The parties also discussed conserving critical species and ecosystems in the Philippines.
Moreover, the meeting focused on four strategic objectives for 2022, including improving the resilience of the economy, ecosystems, and communities in the context of climate change, establishing a development pathway for long-term climate responsive strategies, mobilizing sustainable finance and greening the financial sector, and strengthening collaboration while increasing awareness of communities and institutions involved in tackling climate change. The United Kingdom has also agreed to provide programs and technical assistance, such as research studies, policy support, and market development mechanism, technology partnerships, as well sharing best practices to deliver the objectives set out. [GOV.UK]
Philippines, UAE begin talks to boost economic cooperation
(lb) At a bilateral meeting, on February 15 between the Minister of State of the United Arab Emirates and the Secretary of the Philippines Department of Trade and Industry agreed to start talks to establish a Comprehensive and Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa) with the intention of solidifying trade and investment ties between the countries. The partnership will strengthen trade, enhance investment flows, remove unnecessary barriers to trade and create new business opportunities. [The National News] [Reuters]
The United States to provide more Anti-Terrorism Assistance for the Philippines
(lb) A top American Special Forces general met with the Chief Filipino commander for Mindanao in the southern Philippines to discuss Manila’s fight against extremist groups. The United States (US) assured the Philippines that they are prepared to increase bilateral assistance to combat terrorism. Specific details have not been provided but the militaries are set to sustain strong cooperation and the US has agreed they are committed to assisting the Filipino Armed Forces and met to ‘solidify further alliance for the common good. [Benar News]
United States, Philippines to improve access to justice
(lb) On February 17, the United States (US) Embassy and the Philippines’ Supreme Court Chief met to discuss the implementation of judicial reforms and the US support to the Philippines judicial system. The US donated a USD-83,000-worth of equipment to the Supreme Court to enhance its videoconferencing tools. The equipment will also support the Supreme Court by preventing risks associated with in-person hearings and engagements and will contribute to the Philippines' commitment to expanding the public’s access to justice with technology. [U.S. Embassy in the Philippines]
Indonesia calls for a speedup in regional economic recovery
(lb) Indonesian Foreign Minister spoke at a virtual press conference on 17 February 2022 and said the members of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) should be expedited in order to accelerate regional post-pandemic economic recovery. The Foreign Minister told the conference the implementation of the ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement Framework (ATCAF) has been slow and can be implemented through bilateral and comprehensive arrangements with strict protocols. The ASEAN has been discussing the ATCAF since 2020, it would allow people from the region to travel in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. [Channel News Asia]
The Netherlands apologizes to Indonesia for atrocities by Dutch troops in 1945
(bs) The Netherlands’s Prime Minister has apologized to Indonesia for the use of “systematic and extreme violence” by the Dutch army between 1945-49, who killed about 100,000 Indonesian citizens in an attempt to re-colonize the country after its declaration of independence in 1945. The atrocities were initially condoned by the Dutch government.
A recent study found that the Duch troops’ torture and execution of the Indonesian population, which allegedly occurred sporadically for over 300 years in the Dutch colony, drastically intensified when Indonesia declared independence. The research concluded that The Netherlands was guilty of “mass detentions, torture, burning of villages, executions, and killing of civilians.”
The Netherlands already attempted to help the Indonesian victims in 2011 when Dutch courts ordered the government to compensate the families of the victims of the 1945-49 atrocities perpetrated by the Dutch troops. The government arranged the compensation in 2013. [Aljazeera] [The Guardian]
Timor-Leste, Australia meets on twentieth anniversary of diplomatic relations
(bs) On February 17, the Timorese prime minister met virtually with his Australian counterpart to mark twenty years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
During the meeting, the prime ministers reaffirmed their commitment to enhance bilateral relationships and to provide mutual support to uphold democratic values. The Australian representative also announced the beginning of a five-year funding plan for the health sector in Timor-Leste.
Moreover, the parties discussed cooperation in infrastructure development, trade, tourism, and labor mobility. They also reiterated the importance of gas and oil exploitation in the Timor Sea for the economic prosperity of both Australia and Timor-Leste, while renewing their commitment to cooperate in accordance with the 2019 Maritime Boundaries Treaty. [Prime Minister of Australia]
Malaysian court halts deportation of former Bangladeshi diplomat
(bs/avdv) A Malay court halted the deportation order of a former Bangladeshi army officer and diplomat, Mohamed Khairuzzaman, who was living under refugee status in Malaysia since 2009. He was also released from custody.
As the man was allegedly involved in the 1975 jailhouse killing of four former ministers, the Bangladesh government requested his deportation to revisit the case, which would be against the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) principle of non-refoulment as the former Bangladeshi envoy was granted UNHCR refugee status. [AiR, No. 7, February/2022, 3] [New Straits Times]
Malaysia has no plan to open diplomatic relations with Afghanistan
(bs) Malaysian minister of foreign affairs Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah stated that the country has not recognized the Afghan Taliban government despite the meeting between the two countries’ representatives. The foreign affairs minister reiterated the decision to not open any embassy in the country nor begin any diplomatic relations with Afghanistan yet.
Malaysia will, however, continue offering humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. In fact, a ministry’s spokesperson clarified a discussion on a Twitter statement alleging the opening of a new Malaysian office saying that the office which is opening in the country is not a government’s location, it is a new venue for the Global Peace Mission (GPM). GPM is a trust foundation established against the war declaration by the United States against Afghanistan after the terrorist attack on the twin towers in New York on September 11, 2001.
The Taliban government retook over power in Afghanistan in August 2021 after being expelled in 2001 by the United States. The radical Islamic group has reinstated the repressive regime based on conservative and strict religious ideologies. [Channel News Asia] [Malay Mail]
Thailand, Malaysia to resume Southern Thailand peace talks
(bs) The Thai government is set to resume peace talks in Malaysia with Muslim separatists from southern Thailand on March 7. A representative of the Malaysian government will also be present at the meeting
The parties met last time on January 13 during the third face-to-face meeting since 2019. They agreed to form a joint working group to support peace dialogues for future cooperation. The parties also agreed to reduce violence and cooperate to find effective political solutions. Moreover, the Muslim separatists proposed further improvement in handling the issues of language, economics, culture, and education in the area, especially discussing the imposition of the Thai language and civil law in Malay-culture regions, where the majority of the population speak a Malay dialect and follow Islamic Law. [Bangkok Post] [AiR No. 3, January/2022, 3]
Brunei, Malaysia agree waiver of quarantine travel requirements
(sd) Following Malaysia’s Prime Minister’s (PM) visit to Brunei on 14 and 15 February, the two countries agreed to allow travel for vaccinated persons between Malaysia and Brunei.
The visit was PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s first official trip to Brunei since becoming Prime Minister of Malaysia in 2021. The Vaccinated Travel Lane, among other things, is hoped to strengthen diplomatic ties between the two partners. [Straits Times 1][Straits Times 2][The Sun]
Thai conglomerate expands investments in the petrochemical industry in Vietnam
(kc) On 16 February, the CEO of Siam Cement Group (SCG), Thailand’s largest building material company, met with the Vietnamese Prime Minister in Hanoi to discuss the expansion of the Long Son Petrochemicals 2 (LSP2), a petrochemical complex in Vietnam. [SCG]
SCG has increased its stake in Long Son petrochemicals (LSP) from 71% to 100% in 2018 to increase production capacity to 1.6 million tons/year of olefins, supporting 2.3 million tons/year of domestic demand in Vietnam. [Prachachat, in Thai]
The LSP2 will employ the latest environmentally friendly technologies in line with sustainable development to meet Vietnam's domestic needs and support the economic growth of the ASEAN region. Both projects are scheduled to be fully operational in 2023. [Thansettakij, in Thai]
Thailand is the ninth-largest FDI investor in Vietnam, with 605 projects and authorized capital stock of over USD 12.602 billion. [Thailand-Vietnam Business Council, in Thai]
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23 February 2022 @5:30-7.00 p.m. (GMT-8), World Affairs, USA
Held Hostage: Jason Rezaian’s Extraordinary Journey to Iran and Back
This webinar will feature Jason Rezaian, who will share his experience of spending 18 months in Iran’s infamous Evin prison on false accusations of being a US spy and being used as a bargaining chip. After his, release, he has turned into a significant actor in the promotion of democracy and press freedom.
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23 February 2022 @7:30-9.00 p.m. (GMT-8), World Affairs, USA
Who is in Charge in Iran?
Regarded as the world’s leading terrorist supporter, Iran is often regarded as a great security threat in the Middle East. In this webinar, experts will discuss the US's recent negotiations with Iran and examine whether the country is taking the right approach to obtain an acceptable compromise after withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and adopting a "maximum pressure" policy.
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23 February 2022 @4:30-5:45 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Sandford University, USA
Micro-Institutional Foundations of Capitalism: Sectoral Pathways to Globalization in China, India, and Russia
This webinar will feature Roselyn Hsueh, a professor of political science at Temple University, who will present her recent findings on the Strategic Value Framework. The study explores the relationship between developing countries’ progress and their inclusion into the global economy, questions the distinct disparities between state and market relations, and investigates state elites’ perceptions of sectors’ strategic value.
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23 February 2022 @ 8:00-9.00 a.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
Strengthening the Transatlantic Response to Russian Aggression
Many countries in the West are concerned about the possibility of a new Kremlin onslaught against Ukraine because of the threats posed by Russia’s aggressive statements and forceful moves. This online forum will explore effective strategies to bolster the transatlantic reaction to this crisis.
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23 February 2022 @ 1:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
Fixing America’s Troubled Democracy
This webinar will present a dynamic discussion based on John Raidt’s recent book, Politics, Inc.: America’s Troubled Democracy and How to Fix It. During the session, experts debate the political restoration of problematic democracy in the U.S., delve into the nation’s dysfunctional political landscape, and discuss how to implement such reform.
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23 February 2022 @ 9:00-10:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Wilson Center, USA
An Updated Approach to Capitalism: New Opportunities for Japan-U.S. Cooperation
To confront some of the world's most critical economic concerns, Japan seeks to strengthen ties with the U.S. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's main economic goal has been to bring capitalism back and restore trust in democracy in Japan. This online forum will concentrate on Japan’s economic plan and look into how Japan and the U.S. can arrange joint collaboration.
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23 February 2022 @ 12:00-1:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Wilson Center, USA
Public Opinion in the Divided Donbas: Results of a January 2022 Survey on Both Sides of the Contact Line
Being the scene of an eight-year conflict with over 14,000 casualties, the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine has been divided into two halves. The western half of the region is controlled by the Kyiv government, while the eastern half is run by rebel forces backed by Russia. In this webinar, experts John O’Loughlin, Gwendolyn Sasse, and Gerard Toal will present recent findings from a phone survey of 4025 respondents from both sides of the territorial split.
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23 February 2022 @ 3:00-3:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Wilson Center, USA
Unpacking the U.S. Role in Global Plastic Waste: A Green Tea Chat with the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Margaret Spring
By 2030, the weigh of fish captured each year might be equal to half of the amount of plastic that has leaked into the ocean. Plastic waste has become one of the global concerns as it is once of the significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. This webinar will feature Magaret Spring, the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Chief Conservation and Science Officer, who will delve into the United States' plastic crisis.
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24 February 2022 @ 10:00-11:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Wilson Center, USA
Tunisia’s Digital Future: A Conversation with the Minister of Communication Technologies
Despite the economic crisis, a strong startup ecosystem is driving the progress of Tunisia’s digital growth. Many famous regional tech accelerators and hubs have relocated to Tunis, Tunisia’s capital. Still, there are still obstacles that need to be addresseed, as recent events have emphasized the public’s negative feedback with a high unemployment rate and systemic economic growth constraints. In this online session, Dr. Nizar Ben Neji, Tunisia’s Minister of Communication Technologies, will discuss the digital development in Tunisia over the last decade and its future direction to ensure the growth and restoration of Tunisia’s digital technologies in post-covid time.
More information is available at [Wilson Center].
24 February 2022 @ 2:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
Global Challenges and the Army’s Role: A Conversation with Secretary of the US Army Christine Wormuth
As part of Forward Defense’s Commander Series, this webinar will be joined by the Hon. Christine Wormuth who will exchange his perspectives with Vivian Salama about the U.S. Army’s mission in confronting threats to stability which are rising around the world.
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24 February 2022 @11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Sandford University, USA
Narratives, Actors, and Policies that Shape COVID-19 Vaccine Conversations: Findings from the Virality Project
After a year of collecting and analyzing data, analysts from the Virality Project will release the final study "Memes, Magnets, and Microchips: Narrative Dynamics around COVID-19 Vaccines" and share the project’s findings on COVID-19 vaccine discussion among the online community.
If you interested in the answers to these questions, register at [FSI].
24 February 2022 @11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Sandford University, USA
Taking Stock of Biden’s Democracy Policy
The Biden administration declared their commitment in 2021 to strengthen and modernize US assistance to democracy around the world. As a year has passed, this webinar will investigate what has been achieved in reclaiming the status of the world's leading democracy supporter, address their failures, and assess the future direction of democracy policy in 2022.
Learn more about the event at [FSI]
24 February 2022 @5:00-6:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Sandford University, USA
Two Koreas and China
In South Korea, foreign policy could become an "unspoken agenda" for voters as the anti-China trend among South Koreans is at an all-time high, but relations between the two countries appear to be moderate on their 30th diplomatic anniversary. At the same time, in North Korea, Kim Jong-un’s moves in the face of US-China rivalry are in the public interest. This online session will look at issues that will impact the future of the Seoul-Beijing partnership as well as North Korea-China ties.
Visit [FSI] to learn more about the event.
24 November 2021 @ 6:00-8:00 p.m. (GMT+10), Australian Institute of International Affairs – Western Australia, Australia
Australia’s Foreign Policy and Domestic Politics: A Discussion with Ian Kortlang
This online session will be hosted by the Western Australian branch of the Australian Institute of International Affairs and will feature Ian Kortang, who will share his insights as a political insider on the evolution of the intertwine between Australian internal politics and the country’s foreign affairs strategies.
More information is available at [AIIAWA].
24 February 2022 @ 3:00-4:15 p.m. (GMT-5), Brookings Office of Communications, USA
Framing America’s policy on Xinjiang
This webinar will debate the U.S.’s response to China’s policies in Xinjiang and explore potential techniques and measures that could be implemented to persuade Beijing to change its stance on the region.
More information is available at [BROOKINGS]
25 November 2021 @ 5:00 p.m. (GMT+10), Australian Institute of International Affairs – Western Australia, Australia
How Wars End
This virtual conference will discuss the most critical question for both the military and international relations fields, which is how wars are ended. The event will be divided into six distinct topics, each presented by a number of experts.
Visit [AIIAWA] to learn more about the event.
25 February 2022 @12:00-1:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Sandford University, USA
Research in Progress with Arden Morris
This webinar will feature a Professor of Surgery and Vice-Chair for Research in the Stanford Department of Surgery, Arden Morris, MD, MPH, FACS, who will talk about findings from her research on quality of and equity in cancer care.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [FSI]
25 February 2022 @ 9:00-10:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Wilson Center, USA
A Conversation with Turkish Ambassador Mercan on the Ukraine Crisis
The Ukraine crisis has put Turkey’s aspiration for semi-great power status in jeopardy. From the U.S. perspective, Turkey’s cooperation is one of the key factors that will lead to a resolution. This webinar will feature a conversation with Turkish Ambassador to the U.S., Murat Mercan, about the position of Turkey in the Russian-Ukraine crisis and potential reactions if an escalation occurs.
Find more at [Wilson Center].
25 February 2022 @2:00-3:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Sandford University, USA
Examining the U.S.-China Rivalry Without Racism
This online event will feature a panel of experts who will discuss ways to comprehend the US-China strategic competition without inflaming anti-Asian sentiment.
If you want to know more about the event, visit [FSI]
28 February 2022 @ 2:00-4:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Brookings Office of Communications, USA
USMCA: Building a more competitive, inclusive, and sustainable North American economy
As a part of the Brookings UMCA, this virtual conference will take a look at the progress of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) over the past year since its establishment and will present a report entitled "USMCA Forward: Building a more competitive, inclusive, and sustainable North American economy" and the USMCA Trade Tracker.
Visit [BROOKINGS] to find more event details.
28 February 2022 @1:00-2:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Sandford University, USA
REDI Task Force Black History Month Keynote
In terms of democracy and the rule of law, the U.S. is a prominent crossroads. However, recently, tremendous divides have been exposed by several events, including the removal of reproductive rights and the Capitol insurgency. The Black American community has been at the vanguard of the democracy movement. Now, to ensure a viable future, all groups must take part. This REDI Task Force webinar will focus on the linkages between the past and present of racial injustice and legal issues.
If you want to know more about the event, visit [FSI]
1 March 2022 @1:00-2:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Sandford University, USA
Keeping It Professional: Language and Bureaucracy in the Cold War
This online forum will discuss the relationship between the Cold War’s language and bureaucracy.
Visit [FSI] to learn more about the event.
1 March 2022 @5:00-6:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Sandford University, USA
Energy Innovation in Japan and the Future of Climate Change
Climate change necessitates a variety of responses, one of which is technical innovation. During this online forum, three infamous Japanese experts will present promising new technologies, biofuel and hydrogen energy, that were developed to be new energy sources. Then, the speakers will talk about how Japan and the United States could work together to help these new ideas move forward.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [FSI].
Recent Book Releases
Julián D. López-Murcia, Recentralisation in Colombia, Palgrave Macmillan, 265 pages, published on December 5, 2021, reviewed in [LSE].
Matthieu Aikins, The Naked Don't Fear the Water: An Underground Journey with Afghan Refugees, Harper, 336 pages, published on February 15, 2022, with a review in [The New York Times].
Gal Beckerman, The Quiet Before: On the Unexpected Origins of Radical Ideas, Crown, 352 pages, published on February 15, 2022. For a review, see [The New York Times].
Erich Schwartzel, Red Carpet: Hollywood, China, and the Global Battle for Cultural Supremacy, Penguin Press, 400 pages, published on February 8, 2022. A review is available at [Los Angeles Times].
Jing Tsu, Kingdom of Characters: The Language Revolution That Made China Modern, Riverhead Books, 336 pages, published on January 18, 2022, reviewed in [Asian Review of Books].
Kongdan Oh and Ralph Hassig, North Korea in a Nutshell: A Contemporary Overview, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 280 pages, published on June 11, 2021, with a review in [Japan Times].
Jeffrey J. Hall, Japan’s Nationalist Right in the Internet Age: Online Media and Grassroots Conservative Activism, Routledge, 218 pages, published on April 7, 2021. Visit [Japan Times] for a review.
Calls for Papers
IGI Global, an American publishing house, invites chapter proposals for a book on “Managing Inflation and Supply Chain Disruptions in the Global Economy,” to be released in 2022. Closing date for submission is March 30, 2022. For more information, visit [IGI Global].
The Österreichische Gesellschaft für Soziologie invites paper proposals for its international conference “Cultural Pluralism and Identity in Europe after 1945,” to be held on May 17-19, 202. Deadline for submission is February, 2022. Further details are provided at [OEGS].
Jobs and Positions
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is looking for a Project Coordinator to be based in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Closing date for applications is March 8, 2022. For more details, see [UNDP].
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is hiring a Project Coordinator at its duty station in Les Cayes, Haiti. Deadline for applications is March 3, 2022. Learn more about the job at [IOM].
The World Bank Group is recruiting a Senior Economist to be based in Washington, DC, United States. Applications can be submitted until March 7, 2022. Visit [World Bank Group] for further information.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) is offering the position of Head, Scientific Methods Unit. Closing date for applications is February 25, 2022. More information is available at [CTBTO].
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is looking for a Country Director – Sudan. Workplace is Khartoum with frequent travel. Application deadline is March 6, 2022. See [DRC] for more details.
Team:
Amna Pathan (ap), Anawil Yodprasit (ay), Auriane van der Vaeren (av), Beatrice Siviero (bs), Brandon Pinto (bp), Duc Quang Ly (dql), Enrico Breveglieri (eb), Henning Glaser (hg), Jidapa Eagark, Kittikun Chumworathayee (kc), Lois Barker (lb), Lucas Meier (lm), Sally Dobie (sd), Shreya Kar (sk), Venus Phuangkom, Xhesjana Haxhiu (xh)
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