Grasp the pattern, read the trend
No. 38, September/2022, 3
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Dear Readers,
With apologies for the slight delay in delivery caused by technical problems of our email service provider, the Asia in Review (AIR) team wishes you an informative read of this week’s Asia in Review issue.
Special greetings are extended to everyone celebrating Armenia’s, Belize’s, Bulgaria’s, Guinea-Bissau’s, Mali’, Malta’s and Saint Kitts and Nevis’ Independence Day as well as Nepal’s Constitution Day and Saudi Arabia’s National Day in this week.
With best regards,
Henning Glaser
Editor in Chief
Webpage: www.cpg-online.de, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CPGTU
Main Sections
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in East Asia
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in South Asia
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in Southeast Asia
International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia
Announcements
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in East Asia
China: Internet regulator to increase fines for cybersecurity violations
(ms) The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the country’s internet watchdog, has released planned amendments to the Cybersecurity Law that would raise the fine from the current level of about USD 150,000 to more than USD 7 million, or five percent of the previous year’s revenue.
The penalty will affect companies that are classified as part of the critical information infrastructure, a categorization that was introduced in July with the CAC's implemented regulations on cross-border data transfer, which significantly tightened the control of tech companies’ handling of data [see AiR No. 28, July/2022, 2]. The penalty would apply if they do not undergo the security screening specified therein.
Critical information infrastructure includes all companies working in the telecommunications, national security including defense and the military, or the energy and financial sectors.
Although China has eased the crackdown on the country’s tech sector that began in late 2021, which became evident in July after China lifted the month-long freeze on the gaming sector by allowing the development of new video games, the government continues to rely on strong control, which would be achieved through the new penalty as it does not limit the company's daily business but forces him through the monetary dimension of the penalty to comply with it. [Reuters] [South China Morning Post]
China: Premier Li announces support for MSMEs
(ms) Premier Li Keqiang announced during a State Council executive meeting he chaired on September 13 that the Chinese government will further expand tax and fee deferral for the manufacturing sector.
It was decided that in the future micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSME) will be able to defer corporate income tax, personal income tax, domestic value-added tax, domestic consumption tax, urban maintenance tax, construction site tax, education surcharge and local education surcharge. In addition, retroactive to September 1, it will be possible to extend expired deferrals for an additional four months, providing more than USD 60 billion in tax relief to the economy. Likewise, support for commercial banks will ensure that MSMEs can obtain loans to finance the expansion or modernization of their production at a maximum interest rate of 3.2 percent starting in October.
MSMEs, which only last week were elevated by Xi to the center of the planned nationalized economy [see AiR No. 37, September/2022, 2], are expected to boost the stagnating economy with the now announced support. [Xinhua]
In addition to the MSMEs, the Ministry of Science and Technology once again emphasized the importance of the national hi-tech zones. These zones concentrate high-tech industries in regional clusters and are popular investment destinations. So far, 173 of these zones have been established in China, accounting for 13.4 percent of China's GDP, according to the Ministry. The number is expected to increase to 220 with the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period in 2025. [China Daily]
China: Former head of state railway expelled from CCP
(ms) Sheng Guangzu, former head of China State Railway Group Company, the state-owned enterprise mainly responsible for the development of as well as the transportation of passengers and goods by rail from China's side both at home and abroad, has been expelled from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on various corruption charges. The expulsion comes months after he had been investigated by the two anti-corruption bodies of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Supervisory Commission (NSC).
Sheng is the latest top official snared in President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign, which began when he took office in 2012. [Global Times]
China: Central bank supports liquidity of the national banking system
(ms) The Peoples Bank of China (PBC) injected the equivalent of about USD 60 billion in additional liquidity into the national banking system through medium-term lending facility (MLF) operations and reverse repos on September 15.
The MLF instrument helps commercial and policy banks maintain liquidity by allowing them to borrow securities from the central bank as collateral. In a reverse repo, the central bank buys securities from commercial banks in a bidding process with the agreement to resell them in the future. [Xinhua 1]
On September 19, the PBC supplemented the financial assistance with an additional USD 1.7 billion in reverse repos, consisting of about USD 300,000 with a maturity of seven days at an interest rate of 2 percent and USD 1.3 billion in reverse repos with a maturity of 14 days at an interest rate of 2.15 percent. [Xinhua 2]
China: Yuan weakens past 7 per USD mark
(ms) On September 16, the offshore yuan crossed the 7 yuan per USD mark for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the third time ever since the 2008 global economic crisis.
The yuan has been on a downward trend for some time now. The reasons for the drop in value include the severe pandemic restrictions still in place in China and the heavily indebted real estate sector, which has stalled Chinese economic growth and even led the Politburo, China's political decision-making body, to deviate from the 5.5 percent growth target for this year [see AiR No. 31, August/2022, 1].
The trigger for this historic fall below the 7-yuan level was, however, is the cut in the interest rate by the Peoples Bank of China (PBC) in August, which was intended to stabilize the country’s weakening economy. While there was speculation at the beginning of the month whether the Chinese government would again use the counter-cyclical factor (CCF) [see AiR No. 36, September/2022, 1], a tool to artificially prevent too strong fluctuations of the currency, the measure did not seem to be sufficient to slow down the fall, or rather China accepted it and refrained from using the CCF. [Bloomberg] [Reuters]
China: Provinces double down on economic stabilization efforts amid saving trend within population
(ms) Southern Hainan Province, central Henan Province, and northwestern Gansu Province each announced they would increase their economic output to meet their fourth quarter economic target.
The provinces, some of which are fresh out of lockdown, are vowing to fully exploit their economic performance again and make full use of the Chinese government's monetary support, such as the USD 150 billion in extra budget just released at the end of August [see AiR No. 35, August/2022, 5].
Likewise, concrete measures are also being taken. Henan and Gansu Provinces aim to meet the economic targets by reviving construction projects and promoting large-scale projects in the fields of new power generation, petrochemicals, water conservancy and transportation, while Hainan Province is introducing a 35-point package of supportive measures, including the provision of USD 15 million worth of coupons and another USD 7.5 million to boost local tourism. [Global Times]
Meanwhile, analysts have exposed a trend towards frugality among China’s younger population that poses a challenge to China’s economy that relies on domestic consumption. Indicative of a shift away from spending toward saving, from January to August CNY 10.8 trillion (USD 1.54 trillion) have been added in new bank savings, compared with CNY 6.4 trillion in the same period last year. This comes amid the country’s Covid-19 lockdowns, a record high unemployment rate of nearly 20 percent among young people between 16-20 and a faltering property market. [Reuters] [See also AiR No. 35, August/2022, 5].
China: Rights of single mothers and unmarried couples to be strengthened in Anhui province
(ms) The Health Commission of Anhui province, located west of Shanghai, published a draft amendment to existing regulations that would significantly strengthen the rights of unmarried couples and women with regard to pregnancy.
The draft law specifically addresses the registration of newborns. Until now, as in many other provinces of China, unmarried women or couples were prohibited from registering their child under the "hukou" system, the household registration system. Without such a registration, the children were unable, for example, be enrolled in schools while unmarried women were denied medical treatment, such as prenatal care or even the delivery in a hospital.
These restrictions are now to be lifted, and instead of the marriage certificate that was previously required to obtain a hukou, an identity card will now suffice.
The planned relaxation of the current laws is indicative of efforts of the central government to address the decline in the birth rate in the country that has seen zero growth in 2021. In August, a joint plan to pursue “support policies in finance, tax, housing, employment, education and other fields to create a fertility-friendly society and encourage families to have more children” was announced by 17 government departments. [Radio Free Asia]
China: Corvettes join Coast Guard
(ms) A flotilla of Type 056 corvettes took part in Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) exercises held last week, which is seen by experts as an indication that the corvettes are now officially part of the CCG's fleet, significantly expanding its portfolio.
Although the transfer of the Type 056 Corvettes from the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLA) inventory to the CCG's was preceded by the removal of the traditional ship-mounted anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles, the ships continue to carry 76-mm caliber weapons, which means the CCG's firepower has grown with the acquisition.
To compensate for the departures of the ships and even expand the PLA Navy's military strength, it expects new deliveries of Type 054A Frigates and Type 052D destroyers that significantly exceed the military capacity of the departing Corvettes. [Global Times]
China: Sub-orbital aerospace transportation system receives development approval
(ms) The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) has indicated that the country’s sub-orbital aerospace transportation system has survived the necessary reviews and has now received permission from the Chinese government for development.
Sub-orbital spaceflights are flights that reach space but neither complete one orbital revolution nor reach escape velocity. In addition to private space travel, the system could exorbitantly speed up global trade, as the method would drastically shorten the delivery time of goods.
The permission comes amid increased investment and advanced development of a fully reusable space transportation system, which would be elementary to the sub-orbital aerospace transportation system, as it would significantly reduce the cost of individual flights.
CAS Space, a Chinese commercial space launch enterprise, announced to offer the first commercial flights as early as 2025. [Global Times] [South China Morning Post] [Space News]
China: Scientific tasks of Tianwen-1 Mars mission completed
(ms) China’s Tianwen-1 Mars mission, the country’s first independent interplanetary mission that was launched two years ago, has now completed its scientific mission objectives, according to an announcement of the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
The announcement of Tianwen-1’s success reinforces expectations among experts that China will go for an unprecedented sample return mission in 2028 that would mark the first-ever robotic delivery of Mars samples to Earth.
If successful, the mission would return a sample to Eart in 2031, two years before the joint sample return mission jointly proposed by NASA and the European Space Agency. [Xinhua] [The Planetary Society]
Japan: Kishida administration impacted as political controversy continues
(sra) Further revelations regarding the controversial state funeral for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinto Abe continue to impact public opinion of the current government and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The controversy follows the ongoing investigations of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), its ties to the Unification Church and the economic tensions in Japan, as support for Kishida plummets to 32.3 percent, the lowest since his ascension to power in September 2021. [Reuters] National approval of the Kishida cabinet has officially fallen to 40.2 percent. [Japan Today]
Kishida has been met with political and public scrutiny regarding the budget for the state funeral to be held on September 27. The government has estimated the cost of the funeral at approximately USD 12 million - of which will come out of taxpayer funds [see also AiR No. 37, September/2022, 2]. The Kamakura Municipal Assembly and Hayama Municipal Assembly in Kanagawa Prefecture demanded its cancellation on September 12, claiming the scale of the ceremony imposes the government’s perception of Abe onto already divided citizens and suppresses their freedom of thought. [The Mainichi 1]
The main opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) will not attend the ceremony as it disagrees with the Kishida administration’s failure to adequately explain the costs being funded by taxpayer money during the economic situation of the country. [The Asahi Shimbun]
The public’s controversial outlook on Kishida is further depleted by economic pressures due to high inflation in Japan. On September 15 it was revealed that a stimulus package of USD 209 billion (30 trillion yen) is needed to combat soaring prices and the decline of the yen. The rising cost of living has further pushed public support for Kishida to its decline. [Channel News Asia ]Further debt may also be exacerbated by national security concerns as the government has also revealed plans to address growing tensions brought on by China’s heightened military presence by doubling national defence spending to 2 percent of the GDP. The LDP has eyed increasing corporate or tobacco taxes to account for the repayments of the future debt, impacting the business community. [The Japan Times] This will be addressed between the LDP and its junior coalition partner Komeito in an extraordinary parliament session on October 3, with plans to provide a second budget to support the country until the end of the fiscal year in March 2023. [Japan Today 1] [The Mainichi 2]
There have also been developments with the Unification Church, now known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, which has been exposed for having annual donation targets of USD 210 million (30 billion yen). The connections of LDP members to the church have further impacted public opinion on the Kishida government, as the church remains under scrutiny. Confirmations of the manipulative tactics used by the religious group have revealed that many families have suffered financial loss, debt and even bankruptcy due to the pressure placed on followers to purchase spiritual products, with donations made based on quotas of almost 10 percent of followers’ salaries. This has continued even after regulations were allegedly enforced in 2009 and was the alleged motivation for the assassination of the former prime minister. [The Mainichi 3]
Regardless of the backlash, Kishida has confirmed the state funeral is to go ahead, with plans to strengthen Japanese security patrols for the arrival of over 190 foreign delegations, starting with increased safety measures at Haneda airport in Tokyo. It has been confirmed that approximately 60 police officers will be equipped with metal detectors and two police dogs will inspect the airport for suspicious behavior and objects. [Japan Today 2]
Japan: Komeito leader reelected for 8th term
(sra) The leadership election of Komeito, the junior coalition partner of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), resulted in the reelection of Natsuo Yamaguchi who was uncontested. The victory secured him an eighth term as party leader.
In the election, members of Komeito appeared to trust Yamaguchi who has been the party’s chief for 13 years, to lead the talks with the LPD to revise national security strategies, despite voices calling for a new leader.
While highlighting current challenges to the coalition, including the rise by nine percent in the cost of living in Japan since August last year and the public’s diminishing support for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s administration due to the contested state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Yamaguchi has pledged that his previous experience with past leaders will allow him to ensure the stability of the coalition.
His reelection will be officially approved at a national party convention on September 25. [NHK World-Japan] [The Japan Times 1] [The Japan Times 2]
Japan: Tokyo Olympic bribery scandal grows, Kadokawa chairman arrested
(sra) The bribery scandal of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics continues to develop, as Tsuguhiko Kadakowa, chairman of Kadokawa Corporation, a major Japanese publisher, has been arrested for his alleged connection. Prosecutors suspect that he is responsible for bribing a company involved with former Tokyo Olympic organizing committee executive Haruyuki Takahashi with USD 481,000 for its preferential sponsorship selections of the events of 2021. [Kyodo News]
Former Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) President Takeda Tsunekazu was also questioned about the sponsorship deals with respect to Takahashi’s roles and responsibilities due to the recent allegations of his acceptance of bribes from the major publisher. [NHK World-Japan]
Considering the pair have been acquaintances since university and Takeda played a role in the June 2019 investigation following the alleged bribery in relation to Tokyo’s acquisition to host the Olympics, his current firm of work Park 24 was also searched by prosecutors in early August. [The Japan Times]
The scandal follows the August developments of the investigation which saw Takahashi and former chairman of Aoki Holdings Inc. Hironori Aoki arrested due to their part in a bribery deal of over USD 370,000 in 2017 [see also AiR No. 34, August/2022, 4].
Japan: Inequality in treatment of Afghan, Ukrainian evacuees
(sra) There has been an unequal treatment toward evacuees in Japan, with the failure of the Japanese Foreign Ministry to provide sufficient support for Afghan evacuees who fled the Taliban’s rule causing 40 percent to return to Afghanistan, risking persecution, while financial aid for Ukrainian evacuees has been extended and provided more financial support.
Of the 169 people who sought aid in Japan, as their cooperation with the former government posed an immediate threat to their safety, 98 people were granted refugee status in August [see AiR No. 35, August/2022, 5], an unlikely feat given the strict refugee policy of the Japanese government. Since then, issues regarding the limited amount of support have arisen, in relation to issues with the education system and the strict restrictions on who could be brought to Japan heavily impacting the stay of Afghan evacuees. Reports have also described further pressure to learn Japanese or risk unemployment. The impact of this inability to feel supported has driven 58 people to return back to Afghanistan. [Japan Today] [The Mainichi 1]
Simultaneously, the Japanese Immigration Services Agency confirmed on September 14 that it will further extend financial assistance to evacuees who fled Ukraine due to Russia’s invasion by six months. The program has assisted 224 people of the 1,878 Ukrainian evacuees in Japan, providing aid and access to accommodation. In addition to this, the agency has provided daily payments of USD 17 to people aged 12 years and above, as well as a singular payment of USD 1,115 for other needs. [The Mainichi 2] Japan is also set to discuss multilateral ways of providing support to Ukraine and the recovery of its economy. [NHK World-Japan]
The Japanese government has facilitated its approach to supporting Ukrainians as evacuees rather than refugees, bringing up questions about the treatment of people from Afghanistan and Myanmar seeking aid from military regimes. [Kyodo News] The amendments to the current immigration laws and the long-term detention of foreign nationals within the next extraordinary parliament meeting on October 3 have been postponed by the Liberal Democratic Party indefinitely. [Japan News]
Japan: 2021 recorded 207,000 cases of child abuse, an all-time high
(sra) The government has confirmed 2021 fiscal year has received the highest number of child abuse cases in 31 years, with 207,659. Half the number of cases were brought to child consultation centers by police, while the rest were either reported by concerned neighbors or acquaintances, and a small percentage by family members themselves.
The results provided by the health ministry have shown an increase of 2,615 cases from the 2020 fiscal year. It marks situations of psychological abuse being displayed in front of children in 60 percent of the cases, followed by physical abuse and neglect. The national Child Welfare Law was revised in June and is to implement support for households affected by child abuse. [Kyodo News]
In light of this and the sentencing of a 20-year prison term in August to a former babysitter for sexual abuse of young boys in five prefectures, the welfare ministry confirmed it will make information on abusive babysitters public by next year. The information involves a list of the names of the sitters who have been penalized and the disciplinary actions taken in regard to the reported case of abuse. Previously, the lack of information to be shared among local municipalities for registered workers raised concerns as sitters may not be recognized for their actions in other localities. [Japan Today]
Japan: UN panel urges revision of rights for people with disabilities
(sra) The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has called on Japan to revise the systemic issues affecting the treatment of people with disabilities in the country. The Committee met in Geneva on September 9 and advised the need to revisit laws that allow the prolonged hospitalization of people with learning or psychological disabilities and to provide reforms to the education system.
Discrimination of disabled people within Japanese society is still prevalent despite the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2014, which aimed to mitigate systemic inequalities. Current laws allow the forced hospitalization of people with disabilities instead of providing support and inclusion into the community.
Further discrimination against individuals with disabilities has been displayed in the education sector, with regard to segregated learning, as an increasing number of disabled children are restricted from attending regular schools in Japan. The separation between students based on their disability is limiting and requests for more inclusive learning in the classroom have been received with limited support.
The committee also recommended an improvement in government policies to facilitate the active inclusion and participation of disabled people within local communities, in an effort to shift away from the discriminatory trend of institutionalization. Japan’s plan to implement new strategies is due to be submitted by February 2028. [Kyodo News] [The Asahi Shimbun]
Japan: Government considers boosting defense budget by issuing bonds
(sm) The Japanese government has been thinking of issuing bonds and raising corporate, financial income, and tobacco taxes to finance an expected increase in defense spending. Japan is planning to update its national defense budget by the end of this year, with some legislators aiming for an increase from one to two percent of the country’s GDP. Similar bonds had already been issued during the 2011 Fukushima crisis to finance the disaster management. [The Mainichi_1]
As Japan has a significant national debt, more than twice the size of its GDP, the new defense budget will potentially have to be financed by a raise in corporate taxes, a proposition that is likely to face opposition from Japan’s business world. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner Komeito expect to start discussions on the tax system in November, as some leading business actors have already been contacted and research into a new tax system is underway. There have also been calls within the government for income and inheritance tax raises. [The Japan Times]
Japan: SDF eyes building shelter on Okinawa Island
(sra) As Japan’s Self-Defence Forces (SDF) aim at expansion, they will consider the construction of an evacuation shelter for locals living on a remote Okinawa island, as rising tensions between Taiwan and China are perceived as threatening the security of the south-eastern island of Yonaguni which lies only 110 kilometers from the mainland of Taiwan.
The government seeks to provide protection under the National Security Strategy to be updated by the end of 2022. The budget for fiscal 2023 will include the plan to construct the shelter in order to provide safety on the island in the case of a military attack, instead of evacuating the total number of 65,000 residents which may take up to 10 days using commercial aircraft. [Kyodo News]
Japan: National energy reserves stabilized
(sra) Amid the Japanese government’s concerns over electricity reserves, an extra supply provided by public auctions has eased the pressure for the upcoming winter, as the stability of the national liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply has suffered as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
National reserves are now to remain above the minimum three percent capacity rate for 10 regions and should provide an adequate supply through the colder months. The change is an improvement from the expected ratio announced in June, as recent auctions awarded eastern Japan with 0.78 gigawatts (GW) and western Japan with 1.86 GW. [Reuters]
Despite the reassurance, energy-saving measures are still being advised by the government in order to maintain enough power to support the nation further. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has requested the conservation of energy, a first since 2015, from July through to September. [Japan Today]
Concerns prior to the auctions and the strain on LNG revived plans to shift toward nuclear energy, in an attempt to secure domestic energy grids through a renewable approach such as building infrastructure for solar or wind-powered energy, although the cost will prove to be an issue. [The Mainichi]
The government has also looked to consider the development of nuclear fusion as an independent energy provider. Nuclear fusion is a clean way of producing large amounts of energy without the production of a carbon footprint, or radioactive waste. Testing and further developments are to be made in order to grow the industry and apply the project in the generation of power. A clear plan is expected to be presented in April 2023. [NHK World-Japan]
South Korea: Constitutional Court reviews National Security Act
(my) The Constitutional Court of South Korea has kicked off a case to review the constitutionality of the country’s the National Security Act with an open hearing on September 15.
Individuals and district courts had submitted a total of 11 petitions to challenge the law which enacted in 1948 to combat the diffusion of communism that was regarded as a threat to the nation during the Cold War era and revised in 1991.
The petitioners, including the South Korean National Human Rights Commission, target Articles 2 and 7 of the law, claiming that the law violates the rights of freedoms of expression, thought and conscience and that the law’s vague wording makes it prone to arbitrary interpretation and application by state authorities.
While, Article 2 defines as “anti-state” both domestic and overseas organizations that identify themselves as “government” or pursue a “rebellious” goal, Article 7 makes it illegal to support or promote those “anti-state” organizations or their members, as well as to produce or possess publications that threaten or interfere with the social order.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Justice defended the law arguing that similar national security-type judicial systems are also in place in other countries and that the law has been applied with a rigorous standard through a series of revisions.
In a 1990 ruling, the Constitutional Court had pointed out that while Article 7 is too broad in parts of its wording, it is limitedly constitutional as long as the regulations are interpreted as applicable only when there is an evident risk of harming the fundamental order of liberal democracy. [Korea Herald] [Kyunghyang, in Korean] [Korea Times] [National Human Rights Commission, in Korean]
South Korea: Justice Party proposes bill to protect labor unions against damage suits
(my) The minor Justice Party (JP) has proposed a pro-labor union bill to amend the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act to prohibit companies to file compensation suits against labor unions and unionized workers for losses resulting from strikes. The exception are losses caused by violence or destructive action of the strikers.
In August Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. (DSME) filed a suit for damages of some KRW 47 billion (USD 31 million) against the subcontractor branch of the Korean Federation of Trade Unions (KCTU) which conducted a 51-day strike demanding higher wages for its workers. DSME claims losses worth KRW 800 billion (USD 523 million) [see AiR No. 30, July/2022, 4].
The bill, sponsored by all six JP legislators and 46 lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic, has drawn criticism from the ruling People Power Party and business sector. Both consider the bill’s immunity to unionized workers as excessive warning of bankruptcy risks for small and medium-sized companies if they are not allowed to demand compensation to mitigate the economic impacts of strikes.
The current “Trade union and labor relations adjustment act” has provisions prohibiting the management’s claim for damages in cases of legitimate collective union action, but it has been criticized for being too business-friendly as what is considered as legitimate strike in the law is very narrowly defined. [Yonhap News Agency] [Hankyoreh]
South Korea: Lawmakers and President pledge to improve anti-stalking law
(my) Lawmakers and President Yoon Suk-yeol have vowed to strengthen anti-stalking laws after a victim was stabbed to death by a former colleague who has been charged twice of stalking and threatening the victim since 2019.
In a cross-party move, legislators from the ruling People Power Party and opposition parties have proposed a bill that designates the gender ministry as being in charge of protecting stalking victims and outlines comprehensive measures, including legal, medical and economic support for the victims. [Yonhap News Agency 1]
Yoon, for his part, announced that he has demanded from the Ministry of Justice suggestions to improve relevant laws to better protect stalking-victims. [Yonhap News Agency 2]
South Korea: USD 189 million wasted executing renewable energy policies
(my) According to findings of an investigation by the Office of Government Policy Coordination (OPC), more than KRW 260 billion (USD 189 million) of taxpayers’ money was squandered in nearly 2,300 cases of improper execution of power generation businesses during the previous Moon Jae-in administration 2017-2022.
Of these, 1,406 cases were inappropriate lending cases with some corporations issuing inflated tax invoices to other businesses which allowed them to borrow more than they actually could. False subsidies and preferential bidding were also identified.
As the investigation was conducted only for 12 out of a total of 226 municipalities, the findings reveal only the tip of the iceberg. [Hankyung, in Korean]
Commenting on the investigation, Minister of the OPC Bang Moon-Kyu stated during a press briefing that the municipalities did not have enough time to prepare for the implementation of renewable energy policies, which the previous administration placed a high priority on. [Korea Times 1]
President Yoon Suk-yeol called the misuse of public funds “deplorable” and urged legal actions. The ruling People Power Party on September 19 launched a special committee to investigate the alleged corruption further. [Korea Times 2]
South Korea: Main opposition party raises voice against presidential office’s relocation plan
(my) The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) has established a fact-finding panel to examine claims involving the presidential office. The team is expected to investigate issues including the process of relocating it to Yongsan District and allegations of favoritism in the reconstruction of the presidential residence. The DP also went against the presidential office’s budget plan for constructing a new state guest house due to its significant cost.
Upon his inauguration, President Yoon Suk-yeol pushed for a plan to relocate the presidential office to Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and presidential residence to Hannam-dong in the southern area of Seoul.
The DP alleged that the presidential office gave preferential favor to a company directly designated by the presidential office for remodeling the new presidential residence. The government in June signed a contract worth KRW 680 million (USD 486 thousand) with a small-sized company with only two employees.
The chief of the team asked for the cooperation of the ruling People Power Party and the public, criticizing the presidential office for delaying and refusing to submit related documents that the National Assembly requests. [KBS World] [MBC News, in Korean]
The presidential office also announced a plan to build a new state guest house, Yeong Bin Gwan, with a budget of KRW 87.9 million (USD 63 million) but withdrew it in the face of criticism from opposition parties and the public over excessive spending. The administration initially announced that the relocation of the presidential office would cost KRW 49.6 billion (USD 35.5 million).
DP floor leader Park Hong-geun demanded that Yoon should apologize for “lying” to the public about the cost of the relocation project. [Korea Times] [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea: Ruling party seeks another disciplinary action against former party leader
(my) The ethics committee of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) has announced that it is discussing another disciplinary measure against the party’s former leader Lee Jun-seo, citing his “insulting and repressive expressions” against party members and President Yoon Seok-yeol without objective grounds. Among those expressions is “new military junta” with which he compared Yoon, in an apparent indication that the president played a role in the party’s decision to sack him as party leader.
In a first disciplinary action, Lee’s membership was suspended for six months in July over allegations of being involved in a sexual bribery scandal and cover-up attempts [see AiR No. 28, July/2022, 2].
Fueling speculations over the second disciplinary, news cameras captured text messages exchanged between the party’s interim leader Chung Jin-suk and Yoo Sang-bum, a member of the ethics committee, indicating a potential expulsion of Lee from the party, if he is indicted on charges of sexual favors and cover-up attempts.
Lee appeared before police on September 17 for questioning on the allegations against him. [Korea Herald] [Yonhap News Agency 1] [Yonhap News Agency 2]
South Korea: Ruling party’s floor leader elected
(my) The ruling Power People Party (PPP) elected five-term lawmaker Joo Ho-young as its floor leader on September 19.
Joo was the first floor leader of the PPP when the party changed its name in 2020. He was appointed as the interim leader of its emergency committee in August, but stepped down after an injunction against the emergency committee filed by the party’s former leader Lee Jun-seok was granted by a court.
The former floor leader Kweon Seong-dong announced his resignation on September 8. Kweon was criticized by party members for failing to deal with the confusion in the party when he was leading the party as an acting leader and the floor leader [see AiR No. 37, September/2022, 2].
Joo announced that he would serve his term within the scope of the remaining term of former floor leader Kweon, which is April 2023. [Hankyoreh, in Korean] [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea: Prosecutors raid 20 companies and organizations against bribery allegation of main opposition party leader
(my) Prosecutors on September 16 raided 20 entities over bribery allegations against chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party Lee Jae-myung.
Lee is suspected of attracting donations from construction firm Doosan Engineering & Construction Co and other companies to the city soccer team, Seongnam FC, in exchange for administrative favors in Seongnam in the mid-2010s when he was serving as mayor there.
According to the accusations, Doosan profited when the municipality permitted a change in the usage purpose of land it owned in Seongnam in exchange for a donation of KRW 5.5 billion (USD 4 million) to the soccer team. [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea: President to appoint prosecutor general and chief of antitrust regulator
(my) President Yoon Suk-yeol approved the appointment of Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok and Fair Trade Commission Chairman Han Ki-jung on September 16. The appointment of the two officials came as the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) delayed adopting the candidate’s hearing report, reasoning that Lee is a close aide to Yoon and will possibly become “a prosecutor-general loyal to power,” while Han is a person “who will judge on the side of large companies without expertise.”
Yoon defended the appointments saying that the vacancy of the position had long been kept and that the two figures would have already been evaluated by the public through the hearings. It is the 12th and 13th appointment respectively that was conducted without the adoption of hearings or hearing reports since Yoon took office in May. [Yonhap News Agency 2] [Yonhap News Agency, in Korean]
Taiwan: Developing local semiconductor industry
(gö) Vice Premier Shen Jong-chin has revealed that the government is working with its local semiconductor industry to boost the supply chain by making use of new technologies.
The government plans to highlight four emerging technologies within the semiconductor industry: third-generation semiconductors, silicon photonics, smart manufacturing, and zero emissions in green energy development.
Taiwan’s local semi-conductor industry increased in 2021 by 26.7 percent in comparison to 2020, totaling NTD 4.2 trillion (USD 132 billion). [Focus Taiwan]
Lawmakers want to ease gun laws following death of two policemen
(gö) Following the killing of two policemen in Tainan, Taiwan’s lawmakers across all parties have demanded a re-evaluation of legal constraints on when the police can use guns.
The Act Governing the Use of Police Weapons has received a lot of public attention in the wake of the incident. While trying to arrest an escapee, the police abstained from firing any shots.
The public mostly attributed their killing to the strict regulations on the police’s use of firearms. [Focus Taiwan]
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in South Asia
Bangladesh: Election Commission to spend USD 7.74 million on EVMs for the next election
(az) Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) plans to spend USD 7.74 million to purchase 20,000 electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the next parliamentary election. The budget for the EVMs constitutes the purchase, maintenance, preservation, and training of people to operate the machines.
According to the current plan of the EC, the EVMs will be employed for 150 constituencies at a maximum in the next election. The decision of EC, however, shows a divide among the parties to accept the voting process. While the ruling Awami League party and the EC are in favor of the EVMs, the country’s main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party is against the use over fears that this will eventually facilitate the ruling party to win the election. [bdnews24] [New Age]
Bangladesh: Tannery workers suffer from ill working conditions and wages below the minimum
(az) Extremely low wages, health risks in the workplace, massive environmental pollution, and forced overtime are some significant concerns of manhandling of the labor forces in the leather industry in Bangladesh. A survey shows that 111 of the 120 employees had temporary to no employment contracts, 95 percent had no formal proof of employment, 75 percent were working without proper protective equipment, and 79 percent of them were not trained in industrial chemicals.
Among the most common diseases from work are shortness of breathing, skin diseases, headache, and stomach pain. Besides, even in these harsh conditions, the workers receive income below the minimum, which is supposed to be USD 130.56 a month. The tanneries are also severely polluting the surrounding areas by not providing sufficient and proper sewage facilities.
The violation of labor rights and transparency is not only a one-sided issue. The buyers purchasing goods from Bangladesh are also not concerned and do not care about the worsening labor condition and live inside the tanneries. [Presse Portal]
Bangladesh: Government searches for columnists to fight negative campaigns
(az) Ministry officials in Bangladesh have requested the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs to inform about any good columnist who will work to counter negative campaigns against the country. To handle the issue, the Ministry of Public Administration was asked to create a sub-wing called “Expatriate Diplomacy” under the public diplomacy wing of the ministry.
To point out whom to counter, the government officials stressed especially about the expatriate, immigrants, and diaspora Bangladeshis engaged in negative campaigns against the Bangladeshi government, which includes anti-national comments and speeches on social media and other online sources that spoil the image of the country.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen disclosed that due to the absence of skilled article writers in the ministry, arrangements had been made to write positive articles about Bangladesh through paid outsourcing. [Dhaka Tribune]
India: Court to hear Hindu women's plea to worship at contested mosque
(lm) An Indian court agreed on September 12 to hear a plea by a group of Hindu women to pray inside the disputed Gyanvapi mosque in the northern city of Varanasi, rejecting a Muslim plea to have the petition dismissed. [The Straits Times] [Voice of America]
The Gyanvapi mosque has become the latest potential flashpoint between India's majority Hindu community and its Muslim minority, which makes up some 13 percent of the country's 1.4 billion population. Five Hindu women had moved the court earlier this year, seeking its permission to pray at a shrine inside the mosque, arguing that a Hindu temple predated a mosque at the site, and that an idol of a deity and relics were still there [see AiR No. 21, May/2022, 4].
Challenging the women’s latest suit, a Muslim body argued last week that the 1991 Places of Worship Act upholds the status of all religious structures as they stood on India’s independence from British rule in August 1947, thus protecting the status quo of religious structures. But the Varanasi district judge in the state of Uttar Pradesh aid the Muslim side failed to make the case for the plea's dismissal and set the next hearing of the case for September 22. [Deutsche Welle]
India: Six arrested over rape, murder of teenage sisters in Uttar Pradesh state
(lm) Indian police on September 15 arrested six men accused of gang-raping and murdering two teenage sisters whose bodies were found hanging from a tree outside their village in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, prompting protests. The sisters aged 15 and 17 were from the Dalit community, the lowest rung in the Hindu caste system, who suffer disproportionately high levels of sexual violence in a country with high rates of crime against women. [The Guardian] [The Straits Times]
Last month, the Indian National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported a 19 percent increase in rape cases over the past year compared with 2020, an average of 87 cases a day. The NCRB data also shows there was a 45 percent rise in reported rapes of Dalit women between 2015 and 2020. But the true extent of the sexual violence against women and girls in India is thought to be far greater than the figures show, especially among the Dalit community where there is widespread under-reporting of rape.
In light of this, the death of the two sisters has provoked anger against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath with opposition leaders accusing him of not doing enough to protect women from rape and sexual violence, particularly those from poor and lower-caste backgrounds. [BBC]
India: Law Enforcement Agency raids multiple locations in connection with Delhi's liquor policy case
(vv) India’s law enforcement agency, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), raided 40 locations across the country on September 16 as part of a money-laundering probe into alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped liquor policy in the capital, New Delhi. This was the second round of raids by the ED in this case after the federal agency first conducted searches on September 6 at about 40 locations across the country including that of some Punjab government excise department officers. [Hindustan Times] [The Hindu]
The so-called Delhi Excise Policy, first implemented in November of last year, was scrapped by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal this July following a probe by India’s premier investigating agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into its implementation. The ED’s case of money laundering in the excise policy stems from a CBI First Information Report which names Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and some Delhi government bureaucrats as accused [see AiR No. 34, August/2022, 4].
The latest round of raids comes at a time when Satyendar Jain, an imprisoned leader of Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), is to be questioned by the CBI. Jain was arrested in June on charges of money laundering and huge financial thefts through the 2021-2022 excise policy and is awaiting trial.
Following the raids, Kejriwal held a press conference addressing the matter and maintained that his party had nothing to hide and the lens of suspicion with which the CBI is viewing the excise policy and top leaders of his party echoes the sentiments of the central government, claiming that Prime Minister Modi is using state agencies to target AAP and its lawmakers. Kejriwal continued, accusing Delhi Governor Saxena of financial thefts in his private owned businesses, adding that while much evidence is in the public domain to prosecute Saxena for corruption the CBI and ED continue to target AAP alone. [The Indian Express]
India: Derecognize Aam Aadmi Party as political party, retired bureaucrats write to Election Commission
(vv/lm) A group of retired bureaucrats has written to India’s Election Commission demanding that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) be de-recognised as a political party because of its leader Arvind Kejriwal’s alleged attempt to “induce” public servants in the state of Gujarat to help the party in the state Assembly polls due later this year. [Newsroom Post]
The signatories cited Kejriwal’s September 3 press conference held in Gujarat’s, during which he repeatedly induced the public servants of the state to work in tandem with the AAP to ensure its victory in the election. The bureaucrats said they disapproved of blatant efforts to politicize civil servants in furthering political agendas. [Zee News]
India: Supreme Court asks central government to respond on criminalization of marital rape
(vv) The Supreme Court of India has sought the response from the central government on appeals to criminalize marital rape, following a split verdict by the Delhi High Court on this matter in May – a judgement that was widely seen as a setback for women’s right groups. [India Today] [The Hindu]
The issue focuses on Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code, which says a man cannot be prosecuted for rape within marriage. The petitioners argue that the exemption constitutes an unfair distinction between married and unmarried women and violates the integrity of all women by excluding married women from Section 375. They also maintain that the criminalization of marital rape is a matter of basic human rights and access to physical safety of all women.
The matter has been adjourned for hearing by the Supreme Court until February next year, with several similar petitions also pending in the apex court likely to be listed together.
Pakistan: High court order removal of ‘terrorism’ charges against ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan
(msk/lm) The high court in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad has ordered that “terrorism” charges against former Prime Minister Imran Khan for his remarks against a female judge and senior police officials be dropped, his defense lawyers said on September 19. The head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party had already been granted interim bail till September 20. [ABC News] [Al Jazeera] [Independent Urdu, in Urdu]
Khan was charged with “terrorism” for remarks made at a public rally in Islamabad on August 20 against police officials and a female judge who had ordered the arrest of one of his top aides, Shahbaz Gill, who was taken to a police station on August 9 after a sedition case was filed against him for allegedly inciting troops and officers against the military leadership during an interview [see AiR No. 33, August/2022, 3]. Gill was granted bail September 15. [Dawn]
Still, Khan is still facing several cases, including a contempt of court case for threatening the judicial officer, with charges set to be framed on September 22 [see AiR No. 37, September/2022, 2]. If convicted, the ex-premier could face disqualification from politics for at least five years.
Another case involves foreign funding for his PTI party that an election tribunal found unlawful [see AiR No. 32, August/2022, 2].
Pakistan: Floods put pressure on faltering economy
(fm/lm) Pakistan will “absolutely not” default on debt obligations despite catastrophic floodwaters, the finance minister said on September 18, signaling there would be no major deviation from reforms designed to stabilize the country’s struggling economy. [The Straits Times]
Unprecedented monsoon rains since mid-June, which many experts link to climate change, and subsequent flooding have so far killed more than 1,500 people across Pakistan, submerged millions of acres of land and affected roughly 33 million people. In light of this, the World Health Organization raised alarm on September 17 about outbreaks of waterborne and other diseases in the wake of the floods. [Reuters]
With agriculture making up nearly a quarter of Pakistan's economy, officials now say the unprecedented floods may have cost up to USD 40 billion. But what is more, across the country, an estimated 800,000 cattle - a key source of income for rural families - have been lost in the floods. [BBC] [The News]
Against this backdrop, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has allowed the foreign remittances on account of donation and charity through the home remittance channel, as per a circular of the treasury bank. Now banks are allowed to receive foreign remittances from Business to Customer and Customer to Business transactions through home remittance channels. [SBP circular] [ProPakistani]
At the same time, so far only USD 38.35 million have been collected following a joint flash appeal launched by Pakistan and the United Nations for an initial funding of USD 160 million, with the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, Denmark, Australia, and Singapore being the main donors. The flash appeal is for six months (September 2022 to February 2023), it is targeted at only six million the most affected people from floods and the UN. [Dawn]
Pakistan: Roadside bomb claimed by Pakistan Taliban kills eight, including local chief, in northwest
(lm) The Pakistan Taliban claimed responsibility on September 14 for a bomb attack that killed the head of a village peace committee and seven others in the Swat region of the country’s northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the previous day. The Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) claimed that the leader was involved in killing their members. [Reuters] [The Straits Times]
Besides the attack in Swat, the TTP also claimed responsibility for a clash with Pakistani soldiers on September 13 in the Kurram district on the Afghan border that left three soldiers dead. Another attack that resulted in the kidnapping of at least seven people working for the Norwegian telecom giant Telenor in Swat the same day also bore the hallmarks of a Taliban operation. [Deutsche Welle]
Sri Lanka: Court summons former President Sirisena over 2019 Easter bombings
(kh/lm) A Sri Lankan court has named former President Maithripala Sirisena as a suspect in the 2019 Easter suicide bombings that killed more than 260 people and injured 500 more.
Sirisena’s court summons for October 14 came after a complaint was filed by a Catholic priest and a worshiper. The complaint mentioned that despite advance warnings that an extremist group is preaching and encouraging violence against non-believers, Sirisena’s government did not take the issue seriously. Also, the complaint mentioned that just a few days before the bombings took place, the ex-president left for Singapore without nominating another minister to oversee his duties.
On 21 April, 2019, suicide bombers started a coordinated series of attacks on three Christian churches and four hotels across the island nation, killing more than 260 people and injuring 500 more [see AiR (4/4/2019)]. It quickly emerged that Indian intelligence, following a tip-off, had warned Sri Lanka of a potential terrorist act 17 days earlier. Then-President Sirisena at the time acknowledged that he was abroad “for a personal holiday” when the intelligence memos were sent to the defense ministry and police chiefs. However, he also claimed that he had not been alerted to such warnings [see AiR (1/7/2019)].
In March of last year, an investigation into the bombings called for Sirisena as well as senior police and intelligence officials to be prosecuted. The report, which was handed to Parliament on February 24, said the “balance of probability” was that Sirisena was told by his intelligence chief about the warnings before the attacks. [AiR No. 9, March/2021, 1]
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in Southeast Asia
Cambodia: Prime Minister Hun Sen to remain ruling CPP president even after step-down
(fe) Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen, in power since 1985, has announced that he will remain the president of the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) even after stepping down as prime minister, stressing that he would retain effective decisions over government personnel, including ministers. [Phnom Penh Post]
He also confirmed that he supports the candidacy of his oldest son, Lieutenant General Hun Manet, for the post of prime minister. Manet – currently Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army – was officially endorsed by the CPP to run for prime minister in the future late last year.
For a commentary on this development, please consider David Hutt’s article for [The Diplomat], in which the author argues that the long-planned transition of power from the prime minister to his son may happen sooner rather than later.
Cambodia: Opposition leaders charged with treason in third mass trial
(fe) Cambodia’s government last week convened its third mass trial of activists and former lawmakers of the now-banned Cambodia National Rescue Party, as the country enters a repressive pre-election period. A total of 37 defendants were summoned to the court in the capital, Phnom Penh, for the hearing, though only three were physically present, with the rest either in exile or in hiding. [Al Jazeera]
Earlier this year, over 80 people were convicted and handed sentences of up to 10 years in the first two mass trials earlier this year.
Cambodia: 400 union activists rally to seek justice
(fe) On September 11, more than 400 representatives of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions, Trade Federation, local unions, and groups involved in the labor movement rallied in front of the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training to present two suggestions.
The first proposal dealt with the labor issue involving casino operator NagaWorld Ltd. and a number of its former workers who were unjustly singled out for layoffs because of their union involvement. The second proposal demands ministry intervention to bring resolutions in the cases of 31 other union leaders or activists who were improperly fired due to their labor organizing activities.
The labor ministry stated that all cases had been settled by expert mediators at the departmental level of the ministry and claimed that all strikes by employees and all lockouts by owners have to be suspended during the mediation time. Further, if a collective labor dispute cannot be settled following mediation, the conciliation officer will refer the matter to the Arbitration Council.
Additionally, it stated that in cases of individual disputes, if the mediators have completed their deliberations and a settlement has not been achieved, either party may submit a complaint with the court for extra mediation within two months, and the rights clause party may appeal to the court. For this reason, to continue employment, the employer or labor inspector may appeal to the court. [Phnom Penh Post]
Cambodia: Sentence against activists upheld
(fe) A Cambodian court has confirmed convictions against 13 activists who were handed down a five-year prison sentence for being involved in the failed plot by self-exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy to return to Cambodia in 2019. [Radio Free Asia]
Cambodia: Candlelight Party rejects the offer to join a political alliance with other opposition parties
(fe) Cambodia’s main opposition Candlelight Party (CP) has declined the invitation from three other parties to join a political alliance for the general election next year, claiming that there is insufficient time between now and the subsequent election for its effectiveness. The CP, the Grassroots Democratic Party (GDP), Khmer Will Party (KWP), and the Cambodian Reform (CRP) are the four parties that have lately started talks on collaborating on the concept of uniting.
Son Chhay, vice president of the Candlelight Party (CP), claimed that the party had been concentrating on training local leaders, and there was not enough time left before the 2023 general election to forge any type of significant cooperation. The CP would welcome all other parties to join their party since it was flexible, adding that combining groups to build a new party was highly complex and impossible. [Phnom Penh Post]
Indonesia: The governor of Jakarta states he is ready to run for President
(ai) Jakarta governor, Anies Baswedan, has said in an interview that he is ready to run for the next general election in 2024.
Anies Baswedan held the role of education minister under Joko Widodo's first government. According to the polls, Baswedan has high credibility, so much to place him among the top three favorites, after Prabowo Subianto and Ganjar Pranowo, able to replace Joko Widodo.
The statement by Anies, who is currently not a member of any political party, was observed with affirmation by the vice-president of the National Democratic Party (NasDem), Ahmad Ali. According to Ali, the current governor of Jakarta has all the credentials to run for the presidency. Indeed, the NasDem party could endorse Anies Baswedan as a potential representative for the presidential office. Currently, the party has nominated only two possible candidates, Ganjar Pranowo, the popular Governor of Central Java, and Indonesian Army General Andika Perkasa. Names were announced during the party's national congress in June by party chairman Surya Paloh.
Nasdem has formed a coalition with the Democratic Party (PD) and the Islamist Justice Welfare Party (PKS). However, the party has not yet agreed on whether to be nominated as a candidate for the coalition.[Tempo.com] [JakartaGlobe] [HarianHaluan]
Indonesia: New regulation to reduce coal-fired power plants
(ai) President Joko Widodo, aka Jokowi, has issued a new presidential regulation regarding coal.
This regulation interrupts the rise of new coal-fired power plants. The Indonesian government has instead chosen to pursue and promote a more renewable energy policy. In addition, this regulation requires the Ministry of Energy to draw up a plan to close all coal plants by 2050.
However, critics claim that there are gaps in the proposed plans. In particular, the fact that companies are allowed to build new coal plants in the next few years. Furthermore, projects declared strategic for the nation would not be subjected to this new regulation. As suggested by the government, a solution for these categories not subject to the new regulation would be to develop new technologies that could replace coal plants. Indeed, the government plans to stop all coal-fired factories by 2050. Regarding the national energy sector, President Jokowi asked PLN (the state electricity company) to develop new technologies for more renewable electricity production within a short time.
From an investment point of view, this new regulation adds a new pricing system for each type of renewable energy. This eases the bureaucracy between the company and the developers. Before the new regulation, developers had to negotiate the price with the company. With the established prices, accessing renewable energies will be easier and faster.
Nearly 38% of Indonesia's energy comes from coal, followed by natural gas and petroleum fuels. Data from the Indonesian Statistics Center show how Indonesia in 2020 emitted almost 600 million tons of carbon dioxide, almost 8% less than in 2019. Furthermore, the new regulation gives a free hand to the government to intervene, through private funds or public, to finance renewable energy projects. By 2060, Indonesia wants to be a zero-emission country. [JakartaGlobe] [Asia Financial]
Indonesia: Probably higher inflation rate than economic growth
(ai) According to the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, Indonesia is experiencing a high level of inflation. In particular, inflation is driving up the price in the food sector.
According to the Price Monitoring Survey data, the Indonesian Bank expects inflation of 1.09% in the third week of September. According to the head of the department of the Indonesian Bank, the increase in inflation was caused by the increase in fuel and consequently in public and interurban transport, with a consequent increase in the food sector.
Airlangga said the government would try to bring national inflation back below 5% before the end of the year, stating that there is a high probability that the inflation rate will be higher than the national economic growth rate this year. To try to marginalize the problem, president Joko Widodo declared that the government would have to work on undermining the sources of inflationary pressure in the country. Furthermore, President Joko Widodo affirmed that greater interregional cooperation is essential for reducing the gap between supply and price. According to Widodo, the cost of means of transport and disruption facilities should be lowered. Joko Widodo also said the government should hurry to absorb budget absorption to support the country's economic growth. [Tempo.com 1] [Tempo.com2 ] [Tempo.com 3]
Malaysia: Goodyear provides payout to migrant workers in pay dispute
(pe) One of the world’s largest tire manufacturers, Goodyear, has settled a labor dispute at its Malaysian factory, in a landmark case for migrant labor rights. A number of migrant workers have been paid compensation for alleged unpaid wages and benefits owed.
Goodyear had faced a lawsuit brought in 2019 by 184 current and former workers from Nepal, India and Myanmar. Goodyear had been ordered by the industrial court to pay back wages to some workers and comply with a collective agreement over compensation. Workers also claim that they had paid excessive recruitment fees in order to secure work in the factory, a claim not publicly addressed by Goodyear. [NASDAQ]
Malaysia: Government claims action being taken after alleged hacking
(pe) The government has stated that action is being taken over alleged hacking into the government's payroll system.
The alleged hacking group is self-named as the ‘gray hat’ group, claiming to be exposing fundamental failures in the government’s cybersecurity processes. They claim to have accessed over a million personal data records and payslips.
The Malaysian National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) had been tasked to investigate the incident, supported by the Prime Minister’s office.
The government has not elaborated on the report and the extent of damage. [New Straits Times]
Malaysia: GE15 just a short wait away, says PM
(pe) Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has promised that the next general election (GE15) will be set soon, amidst continued calls for a plan to be announced. [The Star]
The Barisan Nasional chairman addressed Barisan Youth members with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob present, stating that top leaders have already met to discuss suitable dates and times. This reflects the fact that many of Malaysia’s top parties have been expressing their urgency and enthusiasm for the election to be set in recent weeks. [The Star]
In the run up to the forthcoming election, many political splits and alliances have been discussed. In recent news, PAS has stated belief that ruling party Umno's move to go solo in the 15th General Election (GE15) may backfire. The vice-president of PAS has affirmed that they will continue to work as a unified front with Umno and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) collaboration.
Myanmar: Anti-coup protest leader to face death sentence
(tp) Anti-junta protest leader Ko Wai Moe Naing is facing the death penalty after the military regime in August added the charge of high treason under article 122 of the Penal Code against him. A hearing is set for September 22.
He has been detained since April 2021 and was already sentenced to ten years in prison in five incitement cases last month. He is also charged with murder, wrongful confinement, defamation and under the Natural Disaster Management Law. [Irrawaddy]
Myanmar: 15 arrested during anti-regime rally
(tp) Security authorities have arrested 15 people attending an anti-junta protest in Yangon during which they demanded that the United Nations (U.N.) to extend the tenure of the shadow National Unity Government’s (NUG) envoy Kyaw Moe Tun to the world body and to refrain from replacing him with a member of Myanmar’s military regime.
In December last year, the U.N. Credentials Committee decided to indefinitely postpone the decision on the replacement, allowing Kyaw Moe Tun to retain his seat. [RFA]
Meanwhile, Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) has reiterated its demand for official recognition at the 77th United Nations General Assembly that is currently held. [Aljazeera]
Myanmar: Leaked speech of military government leader reveals heavy losses regime forces
(jp) A copy of a speech that Myanmar’s military government leader Min Aung Hlaing gave to military officials in June has been leaked by a support group for defecting Myanmar army soldiers, revealing that the regime’s armed forces are suffering heavy losses caused by clashes with resistance forces across the country. The group claims that it received four-page document from an inside military source.
Min Aung Hlaing argued that the losses were due to for weaknesses including a lack of strategy in the deployment of soldiers and the placement of bases, as well as the inaccurate reporting of on-base locations by the ground leadership and the ill-conceived advances in clearance operations.
Since September of last year, the publicly mandated National Unity Government (NUG) estimates that more than 20,000 junta troops have been killed in combat against regime opponents. According to the government, approximately 1,500 resistance fighters, including members of ethnic armed organizations considered as NUG allies, were killed in military clashes. [ Myanmar-now ]
Myanmar: Prominent BBC host handed down 3 years in prison sentence
(jp) Myanmar's junta court has sentenced former BBC host Htet Htet Khine to three years in jail.
From 2016 to 2020, she Htet Htet Khine BBC Media Action's national television peace program Khan Sar Kyi (Feel It), which examined the effects of war on Myanmar's society. She and freelance journalist Sithu Aung Myint were arrested by junta security forces in Yangon's Bahan neighborhood while discussing reporting work at the Shwe Gone Yeik Mon housing complex.
Meanwhile, her follow reporter Sithu Aung Myint continues to be detained pending trial on charges of “incitement” and “sedition” for allegedly publishing content deemed by authorities to be critical of the military. He faces up to three years in prison for the first charge, and up to twenty for the second.
According to the media watchdog group Detained Journalists Information Myanmar, at least 142 journalists have been arrested, and 95 have been prosecuted under various provisions of the country’s penal code in the 19 months since the coup. [RFA]
Myanmar: Thai TV channel backs Myanmar Junta's propaganda
(jp) Channel 5, a Thai military-run broadcaster, is reportedly helping to distribute Myanmar junta propaganda to attract visitors back to the military-ruled nation.
The Myanmar junta-controlled state media announced the launch of the Yangon and Naypyitaw-filmed travel documentary "The Exclusive" on Thailand’s Channel 5 on September 13, 2022. The Hotel and Tourism Ministry of the junta is planning the production of the trip show. In one episode, attractions in the administrative capital of the junta, Naypyitaw, including a 16-lane expressway, the Defense Services Museum, and the Gems Museum, were highlighted. Thailand’s Best International Travel Agency was featured in the show, and on July 31, the Sai Swe firm met with Junta Hotels and Tourism Minister U Htay Aung. [Irrawaddy]
Myanmar: Facebook handed over items potentially supporting allegations of war crimes and genocide
(jp) The head of Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), a United Nations (U.N.) team of investigators on Myanmar has claimed that Facebook has handed over millions of items that could support allegations of war crimes and genocide against the military regime.
Established in 2018 by the U.N. Human Rights Council, the IIMM aims to build case files for proceedings in national, regional or international courts.
Myanmar faces genocide charges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of the United Nation. [Reuters]
Philippines: Vice President Duterte proposed confidential funds for Office of Vice President and Department of Education
(jd) Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte’s offices are set to receive a total of PHP 650 million (around USD 11.5 million) for the confidential funds of both the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd). According to the proposed budgets, the Office of the Vice President will receive the majority of the confidential funds.
Duterte, during the budget hearing at the House of Representative, defended the inclusion of confidential funds in the proposed budget of the two offices she heads stating that the proposed confidential funds will be used separately and independently of each other.
The vice president affirmed that the success of projects, programs, and activities of an agency depends on good intelligence and surveillance and emphasized how the DepEd is currently dealing with issues like sexual grooming and abuse, recruitment of children in criminal activities, and drug use. She therefore added that basic education is directly linked to the national security of the country.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), on the other hand, questioned the allocation, stating that at a time of a learning crisis, dedicating such amount to dubious activities to ward off the entry of supposed enemies of the state in the education sector is highly unjustified, and highlighted how addressing shortages in the education sector instead would be more functional and useful.
In addition, ACT chairperson expressed how, if DepEd was really concerned about the safety and security in schools,
it could have allocated the amount to DepEd’s child protection program, which, he argued, has currently zero budget.
DepEp Spokesman said that the programs that are to be funded by the proposed confidential funds fall within the mandate of the agency.
In regards to the PHP 500 million proposed confidential fund for the OVP, Duterte’s spokesman stated that it would be used for projects related to national security and peace and order. [Philstar]
Philippines: Request to investigate groups tours behind human trafficking
(jd) At the hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, Senator Grace Poe called on authorities to look into organized foreign tours being allegedly used as cover for trafficking victims lured by syndicates.
According to the claims, tourists who arrive in the country may get kidnapped and then sold to syndicates, who then demand the reimbursement of their expenses before the release of the victims.
The senator urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) and concerned agencies like the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the National Bureau of Investigation to adopt a strategy of tight coordination and stop issuing conflicting statements concerning the issue. She added that the Bureau of Immigration should step up its screening of foreigners entering the country, and that together with the PNP, they should closely coordinate with their foreign counterparts, including the Interpol. It was also stressed how the PNP should designate a spokesperson to issue official statements and data on the issue after its chief defined the situation as mere hype. [CNN Philippines] [Inquirer]
Philippines: Dialogue with UN on Child Rights Protection
(jd) During a two-day dialogue in Geneva before the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) from September 13 to 14, the government of the Philippines reaffirmed its “strong adherence” to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
The Philippines ratified the CRC in August 1990 and has engaged the UNCRC every five years since then.
Council for the Welfare of Children Executive Director Angelo Tapales, while reporting on the Philippines implementation of CRC, affirmed that the country has always given high importance to its human rights commitments, especially to children’s rights, and highlighted how that statement is verifiable from its engagement with stakeholders both at an international and national level.
According to Tapales, the Philippines has established innovative mechanisms to reduce the impact of the pandemic on children by providing hotline numbers and by working on the passage of laws concerning their protection, such as the Anti-online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children law, the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, the Founding Recognition and Protection Act, and laws focused on implementing policies of inclusion for learners with disabilities in support of the Inclusive Education Act as well.
Based on Tapales’ reports, the Philippines is also envisioning the implementation of a Magna Carta of Children before the current 19th Congress ends its term in 2025. The comprehensive children's human rights law would lead to the creation of the Philippine Commission on Children and the Child Ombudsman. [Philippine News Agency]
Committee Experts, on the other hand, while praising the Philippines for being a pioneer when it came to children’s participation, also questioned the high levels of violence to which children were exposed, with particular reference to the war on drugs.
The Committee expressed its satisfaction in relation to the fact that the country seems to be making progress and stated that it hoped that would continue to be the case.
Tapales said that while the Philippines had come a long way for what it concerns children’s rights protection, more could be done, and that the Committee’s observations would be taken to heart and addressed by the government. [UN Geneva]
Singapore: ‘Cancel culture’ law defended by Ministers
(pe) A law, dubbed the ‘cancel culture’ law by the media, has been defended by the Law and Home Affairs Minister in an interview. The proposed law would seek to limit people from attacking others online in the event that they voice views that they disagree with. [Bloomberg]
Supporters of the law claim that it prevents people from curtailing others' free speech through aggressive online attacks, support is particularly high within religious groups, who have voiced their concerns about being attacked for their views on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) issues in particular. Those opposing the law state that it simply serves to further limit freedom of speech and further marginalises groups who face discrimination. [Today Online]
Thailand: Constitutional Court to deliver final verdict regarding eight-year premiership limit on September 30
(td/lm) Thailand’s Constitutional Court will deliver its ruling on the status of suspended Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on September 30, as a few rounds of preliminary findings have been carried out already. According to the court, it has for now sufficient related information and evidence to proceed to the ruling, given the Parliament having forwarded the minutes of the 501st meeting of the Constitutional Drafting Committee for review by the nine-member judge panel. [Reuters] [Thai PBS World]
Prayuth ceased performing his prime ministerial duties on August 24 when the top court suspended him after accepting a petition from the main opposition Pheu Thai party seeking a review of Prayuth’s legally mandated eight-year term limit [see AiR No. 35, August/2022, 5]. The suspension stays until the Constitutional Court determines whether he violated the term limit, which his opponents say began after he seized power in the May 2014 coup [see AiR No. 34, August/2022, 4]. [Thai Enquirer]
Although it may seem sensible if Prayut were to have nearly three more years to serve, the point of contention is Meechai Ruchupan, the former chairman of the 2017 Constitution Drafting Committee, telling the panel that Prayut's debatable tenure started before the Charter came into effect, reportedly, during the 500th meeting in question. Meechai has come under fire since a leak of his statement detailing his viewpoints, along with that of Prayut, which was intended for the Constitutional Court. Despite no authentication, the two letters of rebuttal shared a similar view in that Prayut had not breached the term limit as the 2014 interim charter was a stopgap. [AiR, No. 37, September/2022, 2]
Whatever the Court’s ruling, certain analysts rarely see significant adjustments to the political landscape in that dissenting politicians and critics in general are unlikely to challenge or deal a blow to the conservative nature of Thai politics. Should Prayut be removed from office in time, the now Acting Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan may succeed him.
However, it is tricky as Prawit, the leader of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party, is not a prime ministerial candidate. Moreover, awaiting a likely slap election, many find it risky if he opts for a dissolution of the Parliament as the organic bills on political parties and election for 2023 have yet to be endorsed. Although the interim government could invoke an executive decree to regulate the next poll, or the Election Commission could issue certain regulations, the EC would not be authorized and functional to prepare for the polls to come. [The Diplomat] [Thai PBS World 2]
Thailand: Supreme Court acquits former Deputy Prime Minister Suthep of corruption
(fj) A division of Thailand’s Supreme Court has found former Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and five co-defendants not guilty in connection with a case dating back to 2009 and pertaining to procurement contracts for building projects at 396 police stations across Thailand worth around USD 150 million. [Bangkok Post]
Suthep, then in charge of overseeing the Royal Thai Police as part of his duties as Deputy Prime Minister, had all the building projects combined into a single contract, which was then won by the contractor PCC Development & Construction Company after it had quoted a very low price. PCC later abandoned the unfinished project. Apart from Suthep, the charged included Police General Pateep Tanprasert, acting national police chief at the time, two further police officers who were on the bidding committee, as well as an executive of the contractor PCC and the company itself. [Thai PBS World]
After years of investigating the case, the National Anti-Corruption Commission submitted it to the Supreme Court Criminal Division for Political Office Holders with the allegation of malfeasance and collusion in a government project. In its verdict, which cannot be appealed, the Supreme Court found that the Royal Thai Police Office as well as Suthep had acted within their authority and in compliance with pertinent regulations. As for PCC, the unusually low quotation was considered within the discretion of the company and was found not to have caused the state any damage.
Suthep, who played a major role in the anti-Thaksin protests in late 2013 and early 2014 as the self-appointed Secretary-General of the reactionary People’s Democratic Reform Committee, said after the ruling that this should be viewed as “a reassurance to all good people out there that if you do good things for this country and its people, sacred entities will protect you”. [Thai Enquirer]
Thailand: Opposition parties bring corruption allegations against transport minister
(fj) Several opposition parties have submitted a joint petition against Thailand’s Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob at the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) on September 15. Filed by the Pheu Thai, Move Forward, Prachachart and Seri Ruam Thai parties, the document requests the investigation of land encroachment allegations against Saksayam that draw on documentary evidence primarily derived from a no-confidence debate this July.
The minister, who is a member of the Bhumjaithai Party, is accused of failing to oversee the State Railway of Thailand’s reclamation of land in Buriram Province in Thailand’s Northeast. The land in question is allegedly possessed illegally by his relatives. Furthermore, Saksayam is to be investigated for ostensibly concealing his ownership stake in two companies that are under contract with the Transport Ministry. [Bangkok Post]
Thailand: Bribery charges brought against government officials over release of confiscated fishing boats
(fj) Six immigration police officers and five officials of the marine border and disease control checkpoints have been arrested over charges of taking bribes in return for facilitating the release of five confiscated trawlers. The case also involves charges against two other people, one of whom has been identified as the representative of a shipping firm. [Bangkok Post]
The trawlers had been captured in December 2021 with their 22 crew members arrested for illegally fishing in Thai waters. The boats were subsequently put up for auction with the stipulation that they must not leave Thai waters. Despite this rule, they were later spotted in Malaysian waters and had to be recaptured in a coordinated interception effort by the Thai and Malaysian police. [Bangkok Post]
Thailand: Cannabis bill withdrawn after bigger parties demand changes
(fj) The House of Representatives’ decision to withdraw the Cannabis and Hemp Bill has raised the issue of government cohesion as the country’s next general election is nearing. The bill, which is considered the Bhumjaithai Party’s flagship piece of legislation, was sent back to the drafting committee with 198 over 136 votes following pushback by two parties in the government coalition, the Democrats and Phalang Pracharath Party, as well as Pheu Thai, the biggest opposition party. [Bangkok Post 1] [Bloomberg, $]
This withdrawal comes after the bill’s first successful reading in June and has led Anutin Charnvirakul, Public Health Minister and leader of the Bhumjaithai Party to speculate that political calculations rather than substantial concerns underlie the vote. He suggested that the parties opposing the bill are really concerned that the identification of his party with the benefits of the Cannabis and Hemp Bill are at the root of this pushback. In support of this, Anutin has pointed out that the House Committee that had scrutinized the bill previously, consisted of both government and opposition members as well as medical experts. Substantial points, so his reasoning, could have been raised at that stage of the process, making a withdrawal at this later stage likely to be a strategic move. [Bangkok Post 2]
Leader of the Democrat Party and Deputy Prime Minister Jurin Laksanawisit has promptly reacted to the criticism, stating that his party’s issue with the bill stemmed from taking a long-term view of its consequences, especially the negative impact it might have on young people. A member of parliament for the Pheu Thai party also underlined that his party’s stance on the legislation had stayed consistent since its inception, with worries around the encouragement of the recreational use of cannabis being central. Both parties underscored the fact that sending the bill back for revision does not spell its end and that it could still be brought back in a revised form later. [Bangkok Post 2]
These assurances notwithstanding, the political angle on the withdrawal of the bill cannot be wholly discounted, given Bhumjaithai’s threat to overtake the Democrat Party in Thailand’s South, the latter’s traditional stronghold. [Bangkok Post 3]
Thailand: Bangkok Metropolitan Administration searching for solutions to recurring floods
(fj) The Governor of Bangkok, Chadchart Sittipunt, is proposing the building of a floodway tunnel to help drain areas upstream of Bangkok in a bid to improve the severe floods that have particularly affected the Lat Krabang district in the city’s East. Estimating the cost of the project at around USD 270 million, Chadchart said that finding a solution to the problem would help the local economy in Eastern Bangkok. [Bangkok Post 1]
The suggested project fits in with Chadchart’s declared goal to widen the scope in addressing Bangkok’s recurring floods. He previously declared that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) was looking to deepen cooperation with the Royal Irrigation Department as well as adjacent provinces to find a more integrated solution and divert upstream-water away from the capital. [Bangkok Post 2]
With the floods being Chadchart’s biggest challenge since his record-setting election win in May 2023, other actors have started to weigh in on his handling of the situation. The Secretary-General of the Thai Sang Thai Party, Sita Divari, has urged Chadchart to improve his coordination with other government agencies, claiming that this step alone would solve over half of the city’s flood-related problems. Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the Kla Party, Atavit Suwannapakdee, is seeking an investigation into funding allocations made by the BMA as there appears to have been a reallocation of around USD 270,000 away from drainage and sewage projects in a flood prone district. [The Nation Thailand] [Thai PBS World]
Thailand: Four pro-democracy protesters sentenced to jail terms
(fj) Four pro-democracy activists were handed two-month jail sentences for their protests in front of a Bangkok police station in August 2020. The activists were found guilty of illegal assembly in a public venue, violation of the Communicable Diseases Act, illegal use of loudspeakers and violation of traffic laws. The sentences are suspended for one year. [Thai PBS World]
Among the four sentenced activists is Parit Chiwarak, nicknamed Penguin, who is one of the leaders of the so-called Ratsadon 2563 Group. The group, whose name refers to the historical Khana Ratsadon (People’s Party) that staged the bloodless revolution of 1932 and thereby turned Thailand from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy, was one of the most vocal drivers of the Thai student protests in 2020 and 2021.
Thailand: Costumed protester sentenced to two years in prison for disrespecting the Queen
(fj) A criminal court in Thailand’s capital Bangkok has sentenced a political activist to two-year imprisonment on royal defamation charges brought against her for impersonating the Queen in a mock fashion show in October 2020. [Bangkok Post]
At the event in question the activist wore a pink garment styled after Thai traditional silk dresses and was accompanied by another activist elaborately dressed in traditional yellow clothing, who shaded her with an umbrella. In these details, the performance echoed public appearances of Thailand’s Queen Suthida. The protesters’ show carried an additional political dimension as it was held in opposition to the use of public funds to support the release of a new line of clothing designed by Thailand’s Princess Sirivannavari on the same day. [Associated Press] [The Diplomat]
According to a local news outlet Jatuporn has been granted bail on a security of around USD 8100. It has been reported that she is appealing the verdict and that she is determined to pursue the matter up to the Supreme Court, if necessary. [Coconuts Bangkok] [The Diplomat]
Vietnam: People, businesses at the core of administrative procedural improvements, prime minister says
(fe) People and businesses must be the focal point, primary contributor, goal, and driving force behind improvements to administrative procedures, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said during a nationwide teleconference on governance modernization and administrative procedural improvements.
Additionally, he emphasized the need of upholding administrative discipline, agency leadership accountability, and the development and efficient use of information systems and data to support the management of administrative operations for individuals and businesses. To guarantee viability and effectiveness, ministries, sectors, and municipalities must involve individuals and businesses while examining, eliminating, and streamlining administrative procedures. [Nhan Dan Online]
Vietnam: Socio-Economic Forum 2022 held in capital
(fe/lm) Vietnam’s annual socio-economic forum on the theme “Reinforcing the macro-economic foundation, promoting sustainable recovery and development’ was held in the capital Hanoi on September 18. Over 400 people attended the event in person, including scientists, experts, ambassadors, representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations, lawmakers, and businesspeople from both home and abroad while others participated through videoconference.
The occasion is significant as the legislature gears up for its fourth session to discuss and make decisions on the crucial socio economic issues affecting the nation and the creation of new laws while adding that it provides a chance to gather crucial data to establish strategies for strengthening macroeconomic foundations and monitoring fiscal and monetary as well as socio-economic policies, resulting in sustained recovery and development stated by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. He invited participants to consider the regional, international, and domestic economic, financial, and monetary situations, provide mid- and long-term projections for Vietnam and evaluate the possibilities and risks facing the country's economy in 2022, 2023, and the following time frame.
Additionally, they were tasked with reviewing the socioeconomic recovery and development plan by Resolution No. 43/NQ/QH15 of the NA and Resolution No. 11/NQ-CP of the government. The conference included a plenary session, and two thematic sessions on improving land policy, institutional reform, and important socioeconomic recovery and development strategies. It also advanced corporate support policies to create a driving force for production recovery and sustainable development. [vietnamPlus] [vovworld.vn]
International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia
Shanghai Cooperation Summit: All eyes on China, India, and Russia
(dql/yv/vv/lm) The 22nd annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the world’s largest regional organization covering 40 percent of the world’s population and more than 30 percent of global GDP, was held between 15 and 16 September in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. It was attended by the leaders of the SCO member states China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and the leaders of the SCO observer countries Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia. The leaders of Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan participated in the summit as special guests, among others.
Focus of the summit agenda was the state and prospects for the development of cooperation within the SCO. Besides a high number of other agreements and statements signed after the summit, the SCO members released the Samarkand Declaration that outlines a joint approach for cooperation in the fields of science, technology and innovation aimed at turning the region into to a place of green innovation and technology. [Newswires] [East Asia Forum]
However, the summit attracted attention of the world because of the varying agendas of China, India, and Russia and the bilateral meeting between the two leaders.
In his address to the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping sought to project strength of China and the SCO against the West, calling for deepening economic cooperation and integration between the countries across Eurasia.
He urged SCO countries to “support each other […] to uphold security and development interests,” and to “guard against attempts by external forces to instigate ‘color revolution’,” and to “jointly oppose interference in other countries’ internal affairs under any pretext.” He also urged to “better develop the system for cross-border payment and settlement in local currencies, work for the establishment of an SCO development bank, and thus speed up regional economic integration,” in an apparent reference to efforts to push for de-dollarization in international trade as reflected in the recent contract between China National Petroleum Corporation and Gazprom under which both sides agreed to pay for gas shipments to China in rubles and yuan [see AiR No. 37, September/2022, 2]. Further, Xi reaffirmed China’s support to expand the SCO “in an active yet prudent manner,” to “jointly create a bright future for the Eurasian continent,” by including Iran as a member state, while “launching the procedure for Belarus’ accession, admitting Bahrain, the Maldives, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Myanmar as dialogue partners, and granting the relevant applying countries the legal status due to them.” [Xinhua]
Xi met nearly a dozen regional leaders on the sidelines of summit, that allowed him to advance China’s role in the region and to make progress on major infrastructure projects including the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor and a rail line that links China’s western Xinjiang region with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Observers view Xi’s success at the summit as indicative of a replacement of Moscow by Beijing as leading power in central Asia, reinforced by the fact that many countries in the region are uncomfortable with Russia’s war in Ukraine. [South China Morning Post 1] [Radio Free Europe Radi Liberty]
During his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Xi reaffirmed the solidarity between the two countries and their role “in injecting stability into a world of change and disorder,” and reassured that China will cooperate with Russia “to extend strong mutual support on issues concerning each other’s core interests, and deepen practical cooperation in trade, agriculture, connectivity and other areas.” [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China] [Global Times]
Putin, for his part, similarly presented a united Moscow-Beijing front hailing the Sino-Russian “friendship” and the “Russian-Chinese interstate interaction” as a “model”, with both sides striving for a “just, democratic and multipolar world order based on international rules and the central role of the United Nations, not on certain rules that someone has invented and is attempting to impose on others without even explaining what it is all about.”
He also addressed the issue of the war in Ukraine – something Xi refrained from doing – expressing Russia’s appreciation of “our Chinese friends’ balanced position in connection with the Ukraine crisis,” and reassuring Russia’s understanding for China’s “questions and […] concerns in this regard.” [Kremlin, Russia] [CNN 1] [Al Jazeera]
It has been suggested to view Putin’s statement on China’s “concerns” over the war in Ukraine not as a sign of China weakening its alignment with Russia but rather as a reflection of Beijing’s tightrope between “preserving its entente with Moscow at the strategic level” and the attempt “to do this without having to back Moscow at the tactical level,” to secure global market access, “avoiding Western sanctions, and building relations with countries, like those in Central Asia, that are terrified of Russia.” [Carnegie Endowment for International Peace]
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Putin during their meeting that “today's era is not an era of war”, warning him of the need to “move onto a path of peace” and reminding him of the importance of “democracy, diplomacy and dialogue” – even as the Russian leader threatened “more serious” actions in Ukraine. Modi’s statement disavows Putin’s reassurances that Russia – despite being locked in a confrontation with the West – is not isolated as it is backed by China and India.
In light of this, many Western observers argued that the apparent distancing from India underlined Russia’s widening isolation on the world stage. [CNN 2] [The Wall Street Journal, $] [The New York Times] [Reuters 1]
At the same time, it is important to note that New Delhi, has strong ties with Moscow and so far, has largely steered clear of condemning outright the invasion by Russia. Furthermore, Prime Minister Modi has sought greater energy cooperation with Russia despite Western pressure to cut ties with Moscow following the invasion of Ukraine. [Al Jazeera]
Notably, India will soon start trading with Russia in rupees as top lender State Bank of India has agreed to facilitate the new mechanism. The name of the corresponding Russian bank could be announced within the next two weeks, the Bank’s president said on September 14. [Reuters 2]
Modi did not meet bilaterally Xi, reflecting strained Sino-Indian relations over the border dispute that has been ongoing since 2020. The two leaders didn’t even shake hands after posing for a group photo. [South China Morning Post 2]
Economic minister of ASEAN hold 54th meeting in Cambodia
(fe/lm/sm) The economic ministers of the ten-member ASEAN met in the province of Siem Reap in northwest Cambodia from September 14-18. Under the AEM framework related meetings were held both in person and virtually, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership ministers’ meeting, the East Asia Summit economic ministers’ meeting and the AEM-Dialogue Partners Consultations. [Phnom Penh Post]
On September 18, Japanese Economy, Trade, and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura and the economic ministers of the ASEAN countries agreed to strengthen economic ties, especially concerning supply chain security. Plans to cooperate in building information sharing platforms for supply inventories were made. Nishimura suggested creating a network of 100 joint entrepreneurs and creating an annual amount of 100 joint business projects to deal with social issues.
Trade between ASEAN, China, Japan, and South Korea saw an increase of about 25 percent last year, totaling USD 1.10 trillion. [The Mainichi]
Sri Lanka to present debt restructuring plan this week; president to visit Japan for forum on economic crisis
(kh/lm) The Sri Lankan government will provide its international creditors a detailed account of its economic troubles and plans for a multibillion-dollar bailout by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on September 23. [South China Morning Post]
Simultaneously, Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe has planned to visit Japan from Manila to participate in the South Asia Finance Ministers’ Retreat that is hosted by the Asian Development Bank for the purpose of Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring and finding a way to assist the country in its fight against the economic crisis.
Continually, it is reported that the president will hold a meeting with Japan’s officials to formally ask them to invite Sri Lanka’s main bilateral creditors, China and India, to discuss debt restructuring so that Sri Lanka can receive the IMF bailout package. Also, it is claimed by political analysts that currently, Japan seems to be Sri Lanka’s long-term development partner as India and China are capitalizing on the economic crisis for their own interests. [EconomyNext]
Sri Lanka’s GDP possibly shrank to the lowest in the last two years due to its debt default. From June 2021 to June 2022 the country's GDP decreased by 10 percent. According to some economists, Sri Lanka’s economy will experience this low-growth trajectory for decades as it is estimated that the island nation owes more than USD USD 85 billion to its creditors. [TheStar]
Sri Lanka’s president takes neutral position over India-China rivalry in Indian Ocean
(kh) Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe has stated that Colombo will refrain from participating in any major power antagonism, adding that the country was treated as a “punching bag’ by both Beijing and New Delhi due to the Chinese-run Hambantota Port.
He made this statement while referring to the Chinese vessel’s visit to Hambantota port last month. On the one hand, India contested the ship’s visit and requested Sri Lanka to defer it, while on the other hand, it is reported that China diplomatically pressurized Sri Lanka to allow the ship’s visit, which Colombo allowed within a few days after it was postponed.
Furthermore, the president highlighted that due to Sri Lanka’s current dependence on loan assistance from other states, they are utilized by countries with strong economies as a tool of interference. Also, he mentioned that if the economic crisis is not resolved timely, then even terrorist groups can utilize Sri Lanka’s soil to attack another country. [India Today]
UN group records five more cases of enforced disappearance in Bangladesh
(az/lm)Five new incidents of enforced disappearance in Bangladesh were reported to the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Enforced Disappearances in the last year, taking the total number of cases investigated by the UN body to 81. In light of this, the UN’s Committee of Experts on Disappearances stressed the Bangladeshi government’s responsibility to protect the families of the missing victims, human rights activists, and civil organizations from any insecurities. [The Daily Star] [Prothom Alo]
French foreign minister on a two-day visit to India, talks cooperation on Indo-Pacific body
(vv/lm) The French foreign affairs minister, Catherine Colonna, said Paris is aware of and respects India’s energy and other relations with Russia during a two-day official visit to New Delhi last week. During her visit to the South Asian nation, Colonna met her Indian counterpart, S Jaishanka, as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Delhi’s top security advisor, Ajit Doval. [Radio France Internationale] [Reuters] [The Statesman]
Despite pressures from the West, Delhi didn't condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine directly. However, it did talk about the importance of respecting territorial boundaries and backed talks to resolve the crisis. In recent weeks, New Delhi has seen a flurry of visits from Western diplomats and other officials, as they seek to widen support for a plan of the G7 group of rich countries including France to cap the price of Russian oil [see AiR No. 36, September/2022, 1].
Notably, the top diplomats of both countries participated in a trilateral meeting with their counterpart from the United Arab Emirates on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 18. The three countries have decided to join efforts in extending more energy cooperation amidst a global energy crisis, while also supporting food supplies during shortage and food woes. [Business Standard]
Vietnam urged to release detained activist as it bids to join UN Human Rights Council
(fe/lm) More than 50 laureats of a prominent global environmental prize have written to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, raising concerns over the sentencing of Vietnam’s best-known environmental advocate, Nguy Thi Khanh, earlier in June. The letter comes as the council meets until October 7 for its 51st session during which it will consider Vietnam’s bid for membership.
Khanh was sentenced to two years in jail for alleged tax evasion. Vietnam later rejected calls for her release, as well as that of other climate change activists, some of which have also been sentenced to prison terms on tax-related charges. It is understood that Khanh has filed a request for an appeal with prison authorities and is awaiting a reply, having been routinely denied access to her lawyer. [The Guardian]
In related developments, the UN, in its Global Update report released on September 12, has criticized the Vietnamese government for not living up to its commitment to meeting international human rights standards, and urged Hanoi to release jailed activists. [Radio Free Asia]
Since the beginning of the year, at least 16 human rights and social activists have been detained by Vietnamese authorities. Eight of them are accused of violating democratic rights, while five are suspected of keeping and disseminating materials for anti-government propaganda.
Thailand, EFTA press ahead with talks on potential free trade agreement despite public concerns
(td) Thailand has resumed negotiations with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) to realize a potential free trade agreement (FTA) within two years, starting from June 20, after it was put on hold following military coups in 2006 and 2014. [Bangkok Post]
The trade bloc – made up of four member states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland – provides Thailand with an opportunity to make inroads to European markets, enhance economic resilience, and revamp regulations surrounding trade and investment. Despite a greenlight from the Cabinet to press ahead with the FTA, led by the Thai Commerce Ministry, it has sparked criticisms among local civil society.
The Thai trade delegation and its EFTA counterpart kicked off the first round of talks on June 28-30, followed by another batch of the EFTA parliamentary committee visiting Thailand on September 5-9 to carry on the second round of their talks [see AiR, No. 26, June/2022, 4]. With Thailand hosting the two subsequent talks, the EFTA is set to host the next round of negotiations from October 31-November 4 in Switzerland to forge a partnership.
If successful, given EFTA being Thailand’s 17th trading partner with the trading value worth USD 7.5 billion in 2021, the FTA is expected to help boost two-way trade, create job opportunities, as well as induce the exchange of knowledge and best practices.
Despite those anticipated positive developments, according to the draft pact laid out by the Thai Cabinet, some out of the 16 provisions – which are the topics of discussion – have met with public objections. Central to them include technical trade barriers, trade in services, investments, intellectual property, competitions, government procurements, and institutional dispute settlements. The FTA Watch Thailand has, reportedly, spearheaded the pushback against the agreement in question with the EFTA since its introduction for far-reaching consequences on access to medicine supplies, national public health system, biodiversity, and agricultural planning and policy.
During a meeting with EFTA representatives on September 8, the group highlighted key issues of concern over Thailand’s likely accession to the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV, 1991) as demanded by the EFTA member economies, arguing that it would take a heavy toll on the local Thai farmers as they need to depend on monopoly seed corporations in the long term. In the meantime, should Thailand be also required to waive its rights to regulate medical data exclusivity, patent linkage and compulsory license (CL), it is unlikely to supply a range of medicines at cheaper costs, and stalls the research and development of them. [Bangkok Post 2] [Prachatai 1, in Thai]
With that said, the Thai Universal Health Coverage (UHC) will then be crippled. In addition, several other critics also illustrated ensuing impacts from the expected FTA such as non-tariff barriers, competitiveness of a host of Thai small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in relation to transnational corporations, and the uncertainties over technology transfer as well as investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS). After all, it is yet worth considering prospective improvements advanced by the agreement. Some cases in point are labor rights and protections, better trade integration, and transformation of the Thai economy to a competitive and innovation-driven one. [Prachatai 2,in Thai]
Hanoi seeks opinions of foreign scientists on Vietnam's initiatives for sustainable development
(fe) Vietnam’s President Nguyên Xuân Phuc has held a reception in the capital Hà Nôi for several Nobel laureates and scientists from across the globe presented in Vietnam to attend the "Science, Ethics and Human Development" conference as part of the 13th Meet Vietnam program.
He emphasized the crucial role that science, specifically technology and innovation, play in promoting rapid and sustainable development in Vietnam, noting that these areas serve as the primary determinants of national policy and serve as a major catalyst for modern, sustainable, high-growth industrial development. Vietnamese policy has traditionally prioritized whole human development, encouraging individual innovation, maintaining social security and healthcare, raising living conditions, and ensuring that no one is left behind.
He stated that Vietnam has been working to implement the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs - 2030), that the country's decisions are focused on sustainable development, and that the use of science, technology, and resource allocation would protect the populace and the environment of the nation and added that to reach its goal of becoming a developed country with a high income by 2045, the country needs support and cooperation from the international community, particularly from the scientists present at the conference. [vietnamnews.vn]
Myanmar’s military restricting UN humanitarian aid in Rakhine State
(tp) The United Nations (UN) and international NGOs aid staff have been temporarily banned from accessing besieged cities such as Rathedaung, Mrauk-U, Maungdaw, Myebon, Minbya and Buthidaung since the Rakhine Ministry of Security and Border Affairs sent an internal letter saying that permission to enter six towns in Northern Rakhine State has been indefinitely denied due to security concerns. [Irrawaddy]
Over a hundred refugees, who have been forced to flee their home because of clashes between military forces and the Arakan Army in Rathedaung and nearby areas, are still living in refugee camps in the Rakhine Region and rely heavily on humanitarian support including medical care and food for their survival. [RFA]
Meanwhile, the number of displaced people had risen to nearly 84,000 due fierce fighting across Rakhine State and Paletwa Township in Chin State based on the latest report of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. [OCHA]
UN experts demand support for human rights advocates in Myanmar
(tp) Rising tension between the military forces and activists in Myanmar have led to profound human rights violations against many human rights defenders since the coup. A very large number of human rights defenders in Myanmar face severe threats by the military regime when defending their own political rights, such as arbitrary arrest, torture, enforced disappearance and sexual violence especially for women activists, they have had to relocate with their children.
UN experts have declared that tangible support including financial aid for rights defenders and Myanmar refugees are needed to prevent and respond to human rights violation issues. Moreover, cooperation with the international community is also a key to enhance the capacity to protect Myanmar activists. For instance, the international community should provide visas and resettlement for displaced persons. [OCHA]
Leaders of China, Russia and Mongolia push for trilateral economic corridor
(dql) President Xi Jinping held the sixth meeting of heads of state of China, Russia and Mongolia with his Russian and Mongolian counterparts Vladimir Putin and Ukhnaa Khurelsukh in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The three parties agreed to extend of the Outline of the Development Plan on Establishing the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor by five years. They also launched the feasibility study on the upgrading and development of the central-route railway of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor. Furthermore, the three leaders reached agreement on push the project on the Mongolian section of the China-Russia natural gas pipeline. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China]
For a discussion on Mongolia walking a geopolitical tightrope between China and Russia against the backdrop of Russia’s war in Ukraine, see Mendee Jargalsaikhan, Ariunbold Tsetsenkhuu and Munkhtulga Batmunkh in [East Asia Forum].
Bangladesh requests additional supplies of liquified natural gas from Qatar
(az) During a bilateral meeting in Doha between the delegations from Bangladesh and Qatar, the Bangladeshi side asked for additional liquified natural gas (LNG) supplies from Qatar. Due to its immense dependency of gas to produce energy, Bangladesh requested the increase to meet the increasing demands of industrial needs in the country.
The other discussed issues included cooperation in skilled manpower and human resource development, increased business-to-business contact, visa waiver for diplomats and officials of the two countries, collaboration on food security, education and health, and civil aviation. In response to the issues raised during the discussion, the Qatari side suggested Bangladesh should highlight its interests by sending specific proposals. The bilateral discussion led Qatar to express its keen interest in recruiting nurses, medical professionals, and technicians from Bangladesh. The discussion also resulted in the two ministers from both sides signing an agreement on visa waiver for diplomatic, official, and special passport holders between Bangladesh and Qatar. [bdnews24]
Bangladesh fears new entry of Rohingya refugees due to clashes between Myanmar military and Arakan Army
(az) Families of Rohingya refugees are entering Bangladesh to seek shelter from the recent ongoing clash between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army in the Rakhine and the southern Chin area of Myanmar. These areas being very close to the border of Bangladesh and Myanmar, the Rohingyas residing there are trying to enter their relatives living in Bangladesh as refugees.
The constant clash eventually resulted in airspace violations by the Myanmar Airforce, and there also emerged reports of death and injuries in Bangladesh due to the explosion of mortar shells thrown by the Myanmar Army. [The Daily Star 1] [The Daily Star 2]
Due to the threat from the Myanmar Army and the local Buddhists, three Rohingya families already have entered Bangladesh in the last few weeks from Buthidaun and are residing in the Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar. it is feared that due to the police raids, many new Rohingyas are hiding inside the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh, and many more are awaiting the right time to enter Bangladesh in search of safety.
Cambodia, Thailand ready to rekindle talks over overlapping claims area amid energy security
(td) Against the backdrop of global surging demand for energy resources, Cambodia and Thailand are eager to settle their decades-long maritime dispute over an overlapping claim area (OCA) – located in the upper part of the gulf of Thailand, and estimated to hold up to 500 million barrels of oil and gas deposits under the seafloor. Nevertheless, the OCA has been a point of contention between the two countries whereby they must iron out political and economic differences; it would, as a result, create an environment conducive to the establishment of a joint development area (JDA) based on the lessons learned from the case of successful Thai-Malaysian JDA. [The Phnom Penh Post]
Thailand signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cambodia in 2001 during the administration of then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to solve the bilateral conflict. Ensuing developments are the setup of the Joint Technical Committee (JTC), and two working groups on delimitation and joint development. Although they bore fruit, to some extent, following discussions between the two sides, several conflicting views as to the JDA have remained contentious, notably revenue sharing and the division of areas. Besides, little progress has been made after the succeeding coup-led government scrapped the MoU in 2009 despite calls from Cambodia.
It was not until 2019 that the two parties reached an agreement to resume negotiations on the basis of mutual interests. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has stalled the progress, and the Cambodian side has allegedly yet to receive any responses from the Thai side. That said, it should be noted that Thailand places an emphasis on the matter as the energy ministry has unveiled a long-term energy strategy which underpins closer cooperation with Cambodia. Expectedly, the country could wean itself off energy imports from several other countries afar. Together with the foreign ministry, it will also take the lead in settling the dispute to clear the way for the JDA. [AiR, No. 35, August/2022, 5]
Overall, regardless of official announcements, a couple of local press reported that the Thai side had chaired its respective JTC meeting in late 2021, with Deputy Prime Minister for Security Affairs Prawit Wongsuwan serving as chairman, to pave the way for another round of talks in due course. Likewise, the Thai Cabinet has approved the draft agenda this year for the anticipated meeting with Cambodian counterparts to discuss several areas of cooperation, not limited to the JDA. Furthermore, in response, certain responsible officials from the Mines and Energy Ministry of Cambodia remain firm to forge a new partnership with Thailand to advance energy security. [Bangkok Post] [Investigative of Thailand, in Thai] [Thansettakij, in Thai]
China, Russia to deepen military cooperation
(dql) The Russian Security Council has announced that China and Russia have reached an agreement on September 19 to “further military cooperation” with a focus on joint drills as well as senior level exchanges.
The announcement was made by the Council's secretary, Nikolai Patrushev, who is currently on a visit to China for consultations. [Reuters]
China and Kazakhstan agree to deepen collaboration
(yv) In a joint statement signed Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on September 14 to commemorate 30 years of diplomatic relations, Kazakhstan and China have vowed to assist one another on matters of sovereignty, national security, and territorial integrity.
While Kazakhstan promised support for Beijing's attempts to peacefully reunify Taiwan, China stated it supported Kazakhstan’s decision to forge its own development path.
With major railways that links China to Europe running through Kazakhstan, the largest central Asian economy, has become a major partner in China’s Belt and Road Initiative to increase trade and develop infrastructure.
The joint statement came on the eve of the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation during which held multiple meetings with the leaders of other central Asian countries including Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. [South China Morning Post]
China, Ecuador agree on debt relief restructuring
(dql) Ecuador’s government has announced that it has concluded a debt relief restructuring agreements with the China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China (Eximbank) worth USD 1.4 billion until 2025.
Under the deals, the Chinese banks will extend the maturity of the loans while also lowering interest rates and amortization.
They will provide USD 1.4 billion in debt service relief with repayments to China Development Bank being reduced by over USD 745 million over the next three years while those to China Eximbank will be reduced by some USD 680 million over the same period. [Reuters]
China imposes sanctions on chief executives of US defense firms over arms sales deal with Taiwan
(dql) Beijing has imposed sanctions on the CEOs of American defense companies Raytheon Technologies Corporation and Boeing Defence, in a retaliatory move against the latest US arms sales to Taiwan, the USD 1.1 billion arms deal to support Taiwan’s surveillance radar system. The deal was approved by the US government earlier this month. [South China Morning Post] [See also AiR No. 36, September/2022, 1]
Taiwanese iPhone maker to build USD 19.5 billion chip plant in Indian Prime Minister Modi's home state
(lm) Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn and Indian mining giant Vedanta have announced to invest USD 19.5 billion in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat to build one of the country’s first semiconductor manufacturing complexes — part of a high-stakes, government-backed push to boost domestic chipmaking. [BBC]
Under agreements signed between the companies and Gujarat’s state government, they will set up an integrated semiconductor and display production complex aimed at feeding India’s growing demand for microchips in the mobile phones, cars, computers and other devices it makes. Vedanta and Foxconn will hold 63 percent and 37 percent stakes respectively in the chipmaking venture, and Vedanta will hold 100 percent of the facility’s display glass production unit. [Reuters]
The complex is expected to be operational by 2024, then take another six months to a year to reach full capacity. Notably, the project is expected to create 100,000 jobs in the state, which is headed for elections in December, where Prime Minister Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party is facing stiff competition from opposition parties.
Vedanta is the third company to announce plans to build a chip plant in India. Against the larger backdrop of recent disruptions in global chip supply, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government announced USD 10 billion of incentives last December to temp investors to set up new semiconductor fabrication plants and encourage investment in related sectors such as display glass [see AiR No. 51, December/2021, 3]. A partnership between Israeli ISMC and Singapore-based IGSS Ventures also said it had signed deals to build semiconductor plants in the country over the next five years. [Business Standard] [Financial Times]
Singapore, India sign agreement for fintech firms to market-test products
(vv/lm) Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed new areas of shared interests and diplomatic cooperation during a meeting in India’s capital New Delhi on September 19.
While on a five-day official visit to India, Wong also attended the inaugural meeting of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR), a minister-level forum that seeks to identify new and emerging opportunities for Singapore and India to collaborate on while deepening existing cooperation. [The Straits Times 1]
On September 18, Wong then traveled to the west Indian state of Gujarat, where he met Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and visited Gujarat International Finance Tec-City. The same day, the regulators of both countries signed an agreement that opens a gateway for fintech firms to market-test innovative products in both markets. [The Strait Times 2]
Wong’s visit to New Delhi was preceded by India inviting Singapore to take part in the Group of 20 (G-20) meetings and summit, which will take place in New Delhi from September 9 to 10 next year. India will assume the presidency of the international grouping of 19 advanced and emerging economies and the European Union for one year from December 1 this year to November 30, 2023. [The Straits Times 3]
Indonesia in joint military exercise with the Indo-Pacific command of the United States
(ai) The Indonesian Armed Forces Command (TNI) and the Indo-Pacific Command of the United States (USINDOPACOM) have held a joint military exercise.
The training that saw 110 Indonesian and 110 USINDOPACOM soldiers was born to strengthen and improve the partnership between the two armed forces. The training theme focused on crisis mitigation. Commentators stated that the geopolitical tensions regarding the South China Sea mean that it is always important to strengthen cooperation for national well-being.
TNI and USINDOPACOM have already participated in joint training in the past. An example is the 2022 Super Garuda Shield training, which was attended by 13 countries, including the US, Canada, France, but also Papua New Guinea, South Korea, India, and China. [TempoEnglish]
Indonesia: Joko Widodo will not participate at the United Nations General Assembly
(ai) Joko Widodo, aka Jokowi, will not participate in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The news was confirmed by the director of multilateral cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tri Tharyat. Representing Indonesia during the assembly will be the Indonesian foreign minister, Retno Marsudi.
At the moment, it is not clear why Jokowi abstained from UNGA. Jokowi, among other things, has been absent eight times at the UNGA. According to the most recent information, Retno will talk in person and not online in New York on themes concerning the role of the presidency of Indonesia at the G20, energy security, and the digital transition.
During the 77th General Assembly of the United Nations, issues such as minority rights and the objectives of the Sustainable Development Agenda or SDG will be addressed. Commentators stated that Joko Widodo's absence could be a missed opportunity for Jakarta to communicate Indonesia's potential as a possible political power. It also loses credibility when agreements must be made with other countries that face similar problems, such as natural crises, food crises, and conflicts. Furthermore, the absence of the president could be seen as a neglect of Jokowi to give importance to the assembly.
Others suggest that Jokowi does not want to concentrate on assemblies that could put pressure and create conflicts and pressures that could come from developed countries. [TempoEnglish1][TempoEnglish2]
Indonesia and Norway announce new plans to reduce impact to curb deforestation
(ai) Indonesia and Norway are initiating partnership agreements to reduce the carbon footprint of deforestation in Southeast Asia.
As early as 2019, Greenpeace said massive deforestation to increase oil palm plateaus had destroyed 3 million acres of forest in Indonesia from 2012 to 2018. Between 2015 and 2018, 1 million hectares were burned. The Indonesian Environment Minister, Siti Nurbaya Bakar, and Norway Environment Minister Espen Barth Eide have signed a new memorandum with Jakarta for a new agreement. Indonesia initially intercepted the so-called REDD+ agreement (Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) signed in 2010, with Norway due to the latter's non-payment.
This was an act that Jakarta defended by claiming to have respected the agreements, reducing emissions, in the period from 2016 to 2017, by 11.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. The agreement, signed in 2010, provides a USD 56 million payment from Norway to Indonesia.
The amount should be given to Indonesia if Jakarta can reduce (and prove) the reduction in emissions from deforestation. They agreed on measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) protocols for the year 2016 to 2020. For the 2020 to 2021 data, however, the criteria of the updated MRV will be followed. [Reuters 1] [Greenpeace] [Reuters 2]
Japan, US to tighten defense cooperation through joint research on hypersonic missiles
(sm) During a first meeting on September 14, Japanese and US Defense Ministers Yasukazu Hamada and Lloyd Austin agreed on conducting joint research into hypersonic weapons and methods to counter them. It was their first in-person meeting since Hamada was appointed as defense minister in early August.
Hypersonic missiles are especially difficult to counter due to their high speed, changing trajectory, and low flight altitude. The US-Japan research on the weapon will be focused on building new technology capable of detecting and intercepting the missiles. The two countries also agreed on information sharing and joint analysis of data collected by US MQ-9 reconnaissance drones stationed in the Kagoshima Prefecture Maritime Self-Defense Force air base. [The Mainichi]
The meeting took place amid China’s increasing military presence in the Taiwan Strait following US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan last month. China’s launch of ballistic missiles into Japan’s claimed exclusive economic zone was strongly criticized by Hamada and Austin, who agreed on close cooperation to prevent China’s presence around Taiwan from becoming the new status quo. The Beijing-claimed Tokyo-administered Senkaku/Diaoyu islets near Taiwan fall under the US-Japan security treaty, Austin reaffirmed, adding that the US is ready to employ its full military and nuclear deterrence capabilities in case of a Chinese threat. [Japan Times_1]
Hamada reassured Japan’s will to increase its defense budget and consequently improve its defense capabilities, for instance by acquiring the ability to attack enemy missile launching facilities, a plan that is strongly supported by the US.
Japan’s national security strategy is currently being reviewed and should be updated by the end of the year. Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is aiming for a defense spending increase from current one percent to two percent or more of the Japanese GDP. The government has been considering issuing bonds and increasing taxes to finance the increasing defense budget, considering Japan’s substantial national debt. [Japan Times_2]
Japan pledges five million dollars for Philippines arms control
(sm) Japan has pledged to contribute USD 5 million to a United Nations (UN) disarmament project in the Philippines. The project aims to reduce the quantity of weapons held by former fighters in the South of the Philippines. Japan will work together with the UN, who will lead the technical implementation of the project to rid the area of small arms and improve the security in the Mindanao region.
Since the 1970s, Islamic militants have been fighting for independence from the Catholic Philippines in this area. Japan assisted the mediation between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Philippian government leading to a peace agreement in 2014 and the work towards the autonomy of the region. First elections in Mindanao’s Bangsamoro Autonomous Region are set for 2025. [NHK News]
France sends most recent nuclear shipment to Japan
(sm) On September 17, two ships left northern France for Japan with a cargo of reprocessed nuclear fuel that was due earlier this month but was stalled by broken loading equipment. The shipment should arrive in Japan in November for use in a power plant, French nuclear technology group Orano stated. Similar shipments have been taking place between the two countries, as Japan does not have enough facilities to process its nuclear waste.
The shipment of MOX, a highly radioactive material composed of reprocessed uranium (92 percent) and plutonium (8 percent), between France and Japan has been heavily criticized by environmental organizations such as Greenpeace since September 2021, citing risks of nuclear proliferation. Orano stated that MOX differed from the plutonium used for military purposes. [Japan Today]
Malaysia, China reaffirm ties through film festival
(pe) The first China Film Festival 2022 in Malaysia has been organized, as politicians from both nations hail efforts to boost bilateral relations.
The four-day festival, which will show 20 films from China and two from Malaysia, is part of ongoing efforts to establish diplomatic relations. [The Star]
IR: Fugitive ‘Fat Leonard’ believed to be in Venezuela
(pe) "Fat Leonard", a Malaysian fugitive who has fled the United States, is believed to be in Venezuela.
The fugitive is believed to have cut off his GPS monitoring ankle bracelet before fleeing home arrest, and is currently under bounty for USD 40,000. Reports claim he has been sighted in Venezuela, although sources are unknown.
He is facing a 25-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to being involved in a major corruption scandal, facing charges of conspiracy and bribery to gain access to classified naval information. [The Star]
North Korea criticizes Japan, declares 2002 Pyongyang Declaration nullified
(sm) Relations between Japan and North Korea has hit a new low, as on September 15, Song Il-ho, North Korea’s ambassador in charge of talks to normalize the relationship with Tokyo, declared the 2002 Pyongyang Declaration as “null and void,” criticizing Japan for failing to live up the pledges made in the agreement.
Under Japan-North Korea Declaration of 2002, the two countries agreed to work towards the normalization of diplomatic ties. While Japan hoped to gain information about Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea agents and to repatriate them while curbing North Korea’s nuclear aspirations, Pyongyang hoped to gain economic and humanitarian assistance from Tokyo.
Just ahead of the 20th anniversary of the agreement, Song issued a statement to declare it void, citing Japanese sanctions related to the North Korean nuclear program. He declared bilateral ties to be at their lowest and accused Tokyo of having taken advantage of the declaration to satisfy their own goal of recovering the abductees, stalling North Korea’s nuclear development, and issuing sanctions instead of economic support.
Seoul and Tokyo disagree about the number and state of Japanese citizens that were abducted to North Korea in the 1970s and 80s: of the 13 missing people recognized by North Korea, eight were claimed to be dead, while five were returned to Japan. Meanwhile Tokyo claims 17 missing people, of which some were falsely proclaimed as dead.
Pyongyang’s nullification of the declaration is believed to be a first. Although a similar statement had been made by the North Korean media in 2008, it had subsequently been denied by the North Koreangovernment.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi explained in a separate statement that Tokyo’s intentions of normalizing the relationship remained unchanged, without directly referring to Song’s statement. [Kyodo News]
IAEA expresses concerns over North’s nuclear test
(my) The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that it detected signs that North Korea is preparing for another nuclear test at its nuclear test site in North Hamgyong Province. South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin also expressed concerns about North Korea’s nuclear weapons. [Hankyoreh]
During a telephone talk with the IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, Park said it was crucial to keep conveying a consistent and firm message to the North. He also asked for robust cooperation for the North’s denuclearization as tensions were mounting with Pyongyang’s recent legislation on its nuclear weapon operation strategy. North Korea on September 8 announced its legislation that allows the preemptive use of nuclear weapons during catastrophic crises. It further delivered a message that it would not give up its nuclear program, raising concerns among the international community, including South Korea [see AiR No. 37, September/2022, 2] [KBS World]
Meanwhile, North Korean media criticized the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s policy toward North Korea and refused to denuclearize. Called the “audacious initiative,” the policy promises economic aid if North Korea demonstrates a firm willingness to surrender its nuclear weapons [see AiR No. 33, August/2022, 3]. The Rodong Shinmun newspaper criticized the South, saying that “[i]mperialists consider sanctions as an all-purpose means, but we [North Korea] will strive to follow the way of independence." [Korea Herald]
North Korea asked to disclose whereabouts of two fishermen repatriated by South Korea
(my) South Korean lawmakers urged North Korea to provide information about the fate and whereabouts of two North Korean fishermen who were repatriated in 2019 by the then South Korean government under Moon Jae-in.
South Korea seized a North Korean fishing boat off the waters of the South in November 2019 and arrested two North Koreans. The two fishermen were accused of killing 16 other crew members on the boat. The South Korean government was criticized by the then opposition People Power Party and the international community for refusing to accept their defection and repatriating the two to North Korea.
Four legislators of the ruling People Power Party stated that North Korea had not clarified the fishermen’s status although it had been three years since their repatriation. The lawmakers were able to identify the two North Koreans for the first time and decided to disclose this information, arguing that doing so would prompt Pyongyang to provide information about their status.
Domestically, the lawmakers criticized the former Moon government of the main opposition Democratic Party for violating the principle of non-refoulement as well as the international prohibition of torture, adding that investigations are being conducted to clarify possible wrongdoing on the part of the Moon administration which was in charge at the time. [Korea Herald]
Pakistan-Russia meeting on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit
(tj) Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Samarkand on September 15 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in a significant move that highlights that despite the change of government in Islamabad both sides are keen to deepen their bilateral cooperation. [The Express Tribune]
Notably, Russian state-owned news agency RIA reported President Putin telling Prime Minister Shehbaz that gas supplies to Pakistan were possible, and that part of the necessary infrastructure was already in place. Furthermore, it was agreed to convene the next meeting of the Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) in Islamabad at an early date.
Philippines and France in talks for possible submarine deal
(jd) The Philippines is in talks with the French government for the potential purchase of its first-ever submarine.
The French Ambassador to the Philippines said that the potential deal was raised during her meeting with Philippine President Marcos Jr. and that the French government is ready to support the Philippine Navy by offering its high-performance submarines. The discussion is currently ongoing, but the Philippine Navy has already started to send personnel in France for related training purposes.
Although the Philippines has one of the world’s longest coastlines and ongoing territorial disputes, it is still behind its Southeast Asia neighbors in terms of submarine numbers since countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Singapore already have them.
The French ambassador affirmed that the French government is always ready, and it’s now up to the Philippines to make a decision. [Inquirer] [The Defense Post]
Egypt, Singapore to collaborate on climate change
(pe) Egypt and Singapore have been in discussion regarding the International Climate Action Agenda, amongst other key global concerns.
In a meeting they discussed the ongoing preparations for the conference of the states parties to the United Nations Convention on climate change (COP27). This included examining how they could better cooperate on technology and innovation to further address climate issues. Furthermore, they highlighted the need for partnership in the face of global economic challenges. [Daily News Egypt]
South Korea, US to launch high-level defense communication channel and warn North Korea against nuclear action
(sm) South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong and Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul met US Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, the undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, and Dr. Colin Kahl, undersecretary of defense for policy, at the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG) session on September 16 in Washington. This was the first EDSCG meeting between the US and South Korea since January 2018. [Yonhap News Agency_1]
At the high-level deterrence dialogue, the two countries issued a joint statement in which they strongly condemn North Korea’s recent passing of a law allowing nuclear preemptive strikes for self-defense. The two sides assured a nuclear attack from Pyongyang would prompt an “overwhelming and decisive” response, mobilizing the entirety of the available US military capabilities, including missile and nuclear defense, as well as other conventional weapons. All available economic, military, diplomatic and informational means will be used to showcase the US’s commitment to the defense of its ally and to strengthen the deterrence against North Korea, as the country has been suspected to start its seventh nuclear test soon. [Yonhap News Agency_2]
The two sides also agreed to hold EDSCG meetings annually from now on, with the next one to take place in early 2023.
One goal of the EDSCG meeting for Seoul had been the discussion of a Reciprocal Defense Procurement (RDP) agreement by 2025, which the US has concluded with 28 other countries. The RDP agreement resembles a free trade agreement in the defense sector and would greatly strengthen the economic and industrial defense cooperation between the two countries. [Korea Herald_1] [Yonhap News Agency_3]
Leading up to this meeting, Cho and Shin had jointly visited the US Defense Missile Agency and separately met with US Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu and Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment William LaPlante. Commitments to enhanced defense science and technology cooperation, as well as the setup of a high-level dialogue channel to evaluate threats from defense technology innovations have been made. [Korea Herald_2] [Reuters]
South Korean diplomat raises concerns over Inflation Rate Act with US counterpart
(sm) On September 15, during a meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong highlighted South Korea’s concerns with the US Inflation Rate Act, which gives tax advantages to US built electric vehicles, and asked for the US government’s cooperation to resolve the problem. He qualified the IRA as discriminatory against car companies assembling their cars outside of the US, as it is the case for several South Korean car makers.
In response, Sherman assured the US’s will to communicate over the issue by working through a recently established consultative mechanism.
South Korea and some EU countries have been protesting the IRA as they consider it a policy that does not respect WTO rules.
Second vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon will travel to Washington from September 21 to 23 to discuss concerns over the newly adopted IRA, while President Yoon Suk-Yeol is set to address the issue in his meeting with US President Joe Biden this week. [Korea Herald] [Korea Times] [Yonhap News Agency]
China, South Korea to increase strategic communications for peaceful Korean peninsula
(sm) Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Li Zhanshu, China’s top legislator, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo met during Li’s three-day visit to Seoul last week.
Yoon and Li highlighted the need for close consultation between China and South Korea to minimize any diplomatic tensions over the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), an US missile defense system which Beijing sees as a security threat to its own territory and which has been a source of tensions in the lead up to the meeting [see AiR No. 35, August/2022, 5]. They also talked about South Korea’s initiative to offer economic incentives to Pyongyang to convince North Korea to start denuclearization. [Yonhap News Agency_1]
Furthermore, Kim and Li discussed the enhancement of parliamentary cooperation as Seoul and Beijing celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations. They agreed that strategic communications needed to be increased to tackle the North Korean nuclear threat, with Kim proposing a trilateral meeting of parliamentary leaders between China, South Korea, and Japan. Another topic discussed was the improvement of cooperation to secure supply chains and trade, as Li was supportive of hastening a second round of the China-South Korea free trade agreement, in force since December 2015. [Chosun Libo] [Korea Herald_1] [Yonhap News Agency_2]
South Korea is trying to strike a diplomatic balance between the US, its strategic defense partner and China, its biggest trading partner, by strengthening diplomatic communications with both countries amid the US-China rivalry. There had been previous tensions between Seoul and Beijing over the US-controlled THAAD base, which China sees as a potential threat to its own home-based defense installations.
The meeting is taking place at the same time as Washington and Seoul established their own high-level communications channel for defense technology cooperation and research. US-South Korea discussions over the US Inflation Rate Act, a law that favors US-assembled electric cars and is seen as discriminatory by South Korean car makers, are also underway. US Vice President Kamala Harris is set to visit Seoul and meet with Yoon later this month for talks over the denuclearization of North Korea. [Chosun Libo] [Korea Herald_2] [Reuters]
Poland buys South Korean FA-50 light attack aircrafts
(sm) Poland has signed two contracts for 48 South Korean FA-50 light attack aircrafts manufactured by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). The contracts also include training and logistics to manage the aircrafts. Twelve aircrafts will be delivered by 2023, while the remaining will be sent between 2025 and 2028. The two signed contracts are estimated to be worth USD 3 billion each.
Polish President Andrzej Duda explained this most recent purchase of South Korean aircrafts was made in an effort to become completely independent from using Soviet-built aircrafts, such as the MiG-29 and the Su-22.
As South Korea’s largest customer for weapons, this is not Poland’s first purchase of aircrafts this year. The country also bought 32 F-35A Lightning II jets for 2024, at an estimated worth of USD 4.6 billion, 180 K2 tanks, and 212 howitzers for 2022.
Poland is likely to remain one of KAI’s biggest customers, as it is eyeing a deal for joint development and acquisition of K239 Chunmoo multi-barreled missile launchers. Warsaw’s decision to strengthen its military capabilities is mainly prompted by the ongoing war in Ukraine as it is a neighboring country of both warring parties. [Defense News]
South Korean Jeju Peace Forum promotes international cooperation to tackle global challenges
(sm) The 17th Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity brought together world leaders, experts, and politicians from around the world in South Korea, to address joint ways of managing global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, the Ukraine-Russia war, Sino-American rivalries, and the North Korean nuclear issue.
East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta, former Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri, and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon are among the attendants, while South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as well as Maryland governor Larry Hogan gave speeches.
The first Jeju Peace Forum dates to 2001 and has become an annual multilateral platform for dialogue to support international cooperation and peace. [Korea Herald_1] [Korea Herald_2] [Yonhap News Agency]
US ambassador to Sri Lanka reiterates support and friendship ties with Sri Lanka
(kh)The United States ambassador to Sri Lanka has reiterated that Washington supports the South Asian island nation in every possible way and will maintain friendly ties with Colombo. She emphasized that US support includes financial assistance, advocacy for human rights, more inclusivity, good governance, and transparency. During the economic crisis, the US government committed around USD 240 million to assist Sri Lanka. [NewsFirst]
US to defend Taiwan against Chinese attack, US President says
(dql) US President Joe Biden has again stated that the US would defend Taiwan in the event of an attack by China, in a move that further worsen already strained Sino-US relations over Taiwan.
Biden made the statement that marks his clearest yet in pledging US military intervention during an interview with CBS.
The White House was quick to clarify that the official US policy towards Taiwan remains unchanged, meaning adhering to the One China policy, but maintaining at the same time close relations with Taiwan, including arms sales to provide the island with the means to defend itself. [BBC]
U.S Senate Foreign Policy Committee approves Taiwan Policy Act
(gö) After a bipartisan vote, the U.S. Senate Foreign Policy Committee approved the Taiwan Policy Act (TPA). The TPA includes regulations promising about USD 6.5 billion in financial aid for Taiwan to purchase U.S weapons from 2023 to 2027.
According to U.S democratic senator Bob Menendez who also initiated the bill, the bill is supposed to be a response to China’s aggression that – according to him – has never been this intense in the past 43 years since the adoption of the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979, which defined the officially substantial but non-diplomatic relations between the USA and Taiwan.
Supporters of the TPA “the most comprehensive restructuring of U.S policy towards Taiwan since the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979.”
China’s Bureau of Taiwan Affairs denounced the TPA, claiming that the law violates the fundamental principles of international relations regarding the One China policy and the three joint US-China communiqués. [Focus Taiwan]
Taiwan to buy U.S. agricultural goods worth USD 3.2 billion
(gö) At a ceremony in U.S. capital Washington, a Taiwanese agricultural delegation signed three letters of intent promising to purchase American agricultural goods from U.S. exporters worth USD 3.2 billion.
Both sides are currently working towards a trade agreement to solidify their ambitious 11-area trade initiative that covers, among others, digital trade, climate and labor. [Focus Taiwan]
Taiwan-Lithuanian trade relations gaining momentum amidst upcoming launch of trade office
(gö) Economic relations between Taiwan and Lithuania have been increasing right before the upcoming opening of the Lithuania trade office in Taipei at the end of September.
Lithuanian Vice Minister of the Economy and Innovation Karolis Zemaitis attended the launch of the Taiwan-Lithuania Business Club by Taiwan's Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA) on September 15 with Deputy Director-General William Liu and other Lithuanian politicians and representatives from the country’s laser technology and bioscience industries.
The club aims to identify Lithuania’s innovation potential and to consolidate cooperation in trade, industry and investment with the Baltic state.
Speaking at the Lithuania Lifestyle Festival, an event that promotes products from a dozen of Lithuanian lifestyle companies, Zemaitis highlighted the joint achievements of both nations.
He denied having any concerns over possible sanctions from China and clarified that he had “not been in any contact with any Chinese representatives”. He also expressed hope to maintain a long-lasting economic cooperation with Taiwan. [Focus Taiwan] [Taiwan News]
Director of the European Union Intelligence cancels Taiwan trip following leak to China
(gö) Jose Casimiro Morgado, the European Union’s top intelligence director, is said to have canceled a trip to Taiwan after his top-secret preparations were allegedly leaked to China in advance.
Morgado was due to travel to Taiwan in October to meet with Taiwanese officials in secret, according to two European Union officials familiar with the matter.
The plan was halted after information got leaked to China and pressured the EU to cancel the visit amid ongoing military operations from China around Taiwan. It is unclear who or what leaked the travel plans.
Meanwhile, the European Commission and the European External Action Service was called upon in a resolution of the European Parliament to ensure a reliable supply chain agreement with Taiwan by strengthening its “silicon shield” to prevent any risks related to the island’s security. The non-binding pro Taiwan resolution highlighted Taiwan’s importance in the global supply chain of key high-tech sectors and encouraged member states to open up a trade representative office in Taiwan like EU member Lithuania.
The European Parliament is expected to discuss a proposal concerning a name change of its trade office in Taipei. [Politico] [Focus Taiwan]
Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China requests international solidarity with Taiwan
(gö) In a joint communiqué released on September 15, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a cross-party group working towards reforming how democratic nations approach China, has requested international solidarity with and greater support for Taiwan.
IPAC stated in the communiqué that “[o]ur countries’ relations with Taiwan are not the PRC’s to determine. We will resist the PRC’s attempts to subvert the free conduct of our foreign policies.”
The international group of lawmakers also agreed to ensure Taiwan representative offices around the world have the opportunity to improve economic, social, cultural and political ties. [Focus Taiwan]
Belize enters partnership with Taiwan on Coast Guard
(gö) Taiwan and Belize have signed an agreement on cooperation between their Coast Guards covering the fields of search and rescue, fisheries enforcement and combating transnational crime at sea.
According to the Belizean Minister of National Defense and Border Security Florencio Marin Jr. the pact is a means to boost Belize's military diplomacy and cooperation with its allies.
Taiwan and Belize have maintained diplomatic contacts for 33 years. [Focus Taiwan]
Chinese drone WZ-7 first sighted over Taiwan
(gö) Alongside 25 Chinese military planes and five warships, the Chinese UAW WZ-7 “Soaring Dragon” was sighted in Taiwanese airspace for the first time. According to the Taiwanese military the giant drone was spotted in the southwestern part of Taiwan’s airspace.
For the Chinese military’s unmanned combat system, the drone makes up an essential part of their equipment and has been used for full combat training since its first demonstration at an airshow in China in 2021. [Global Times]
Thai House Committee calls for deferment of electricity trading agreement with Lao dams
(td) The foreign affairs committee of Thailand’s lower house of parliament has called for the deferment of an electricity trading agreement with two new Lao hydropower dams built along the Mekong river – Pak Beng and Sanakham – to allay concerns over cross-border environmental and ecological impacts, and changes to the borderline between Thailand and Laos. [Bangkok Post]
In response to a petition from the Network of Thai Mekong People, supported by a call from the House Committee on Economy to scrutinize the pact, it is set to submit a letter to the Office of the Attorney-General, Energy Ministry and Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), and reconsider the matter in due time.
With regards to the environmental and ecological front, the unpredictable cycles of floods and droughts, banks erosion, and fluctuation in water levels, which have struck Thai villagers living by the Lower Mekong River, are attributed to the construction of a large number of hydropower dams in Laos, including Pak Beng, Sanakham and several others. Thus, taking those effects into account, the committee argued at the recent meeting that an environmental impact assessment had not been conducted properly to ensure that a local Thai firm taking charge of the projects can tackle socio-economic fallouts.
In light of anticipated international legal disputes, moreover, the committee tasked with scrutinizing the matter pointed out some issues of concern whereby the changing river current of the Mekong, bordering Thailand and Lao, would deal a blow to the de jure borderline between the two states along the river. To clarify, pursuant to the convention regarding Indochina between Thailand and France in 1926 when Laos was a French colony, the thalweg of the Mekong river shall be considered as the borderline. Some committee members speculated that any changes made to the demarcation by the two dams in question could put Thailand at a grave disadvantage. [Manager Online, in Thai] [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand]
Coupled with aforementioned challenges, in accordance with the House Committee on Economy, the capacity of electricity generation of Thailand has performed well for years to cope with energy security. Although some other agencies responsible for the hydropower dam projects in Laos could argue that it would be advantageous to keep an electricity surplus of 15% to accommodate fluctuations, the present oversupply stands at about 50% which critics view as stemming from ‘take-and-pay’ contracts for the lucrative long-term investment. However, Thailand must pay the availability cost as stipulated in the contract, irrespective of the actual power purchased. [Chiang Mai News, in Thai] [Earth Journalism Network]
As a result, aside from environmental, social, and economic impacts, an electricity surplus turns out to trigger the soaring of electricity bills – going against a conviction that importing clean energy from Laos is far cheaper than securing any domestic energy sources. After all, it is worth noting this is not the first time a group of Thai river activists exercising their civil rights to oppose such Lao hydropower dams as Pak Beng and Sanakham. Not long after a push to defer the new agreement, the Thai Supreme Administrative Court in August ruled in favor of the EGAT’s agreement to purchase electricity from Xayaburi dam despite activists warning of consequences. [AiR, No. 34, August/2022, 4]
Announcements
Upcoming Online Events
19 September 2022 @ 8:30–9:15 p.m (GMT-5), Center for Strategic & International Studies, USA
The Capital Cable #55: UNGA, Biologics & South Korean Investments and Trade
This webinar will discuss the South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) speech along with matters revolving South Korean investments in the United States, bilateral U.S.-ROK trade issues and biologics in South Korea.
For more details, go to [CSIS].
21 September 2022 @ 12:00-1:00 p.m. (GMT+9), Asian Development Bank Institute, Japan
Asian Development Outlook 2022 Update Launch
The Asian Development Outlook 2022 Update examines the region’s recent developments, outlooks, and risks, including the how the pandemic is affecting economies, population growth and trends in certain countries, and how aggressive tightening by central banks is negatively impacting global growth and financial stability, among other topics.
To learn more, visit [ADBI].
22 September 2022 @ 9:00-10:30 a.m. (GMT+8), Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore
Corruption, FDI, Investment Treaties and Arbitration in Thailand and Asia
In this webinar, the speakers delve into a complex discussion of foreign direct investors in the realm of lose jurisdiction, outlining these issues as well as the general problems of corruption and lack of transparency in government, particularly in Asia.
More details available at [ISEAS].
22 September 2022 @ 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m (GMT-5), RAND Corporation, USA
The Indonesian and Pakistani Transition from Coal to Renewable Energy
Indonesia and Pakistan have significant access to sun and wind, which makes these countries especially suited to transition to transition to renewable energy. However, both of these countries have invested greatly in coal-fired energy, which have increased overall national debt and contributed to high rates of global warming. Coal-powered energy poses many dangers, but transitioning to renewable energy will be a step in the right direction for these two countries.
Go to [RAND] for more information.
23 September 2022 @ 8:00–9:00 p.m (GMT-5), Center for Strategic & International Studies, USA
Book Event: China’s Next Act with Scott M. Moore
In this webinar, Scott M. Moore, Director of China Programs and Strategic Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, will talk about his new book China’s Next Act: How Sustainability and Technology are Reshaping China’s Rise and the World’s Future, which highlights how issues such as climate change, public health, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology have shaped China’s rise and its relationship with the United States and the rest of the world.
For more information, go to [CSIS].
23 September 2022 @ 8:00–9:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Peterson Institute for International Economics, USA
Xi Jinping’s Economic Model and the Future of Globalization
With China’s president Xi Jinping’s expected third term approaching, increasing international resistance to his intensification of state control over domestic firms and markets is becoming more prevalent. Topics of external tensions and China’s domestic political climate, Beijing’s regulation of Big Tech, the implications for strategic competition with the US, among other issues will be discussed.
Visit [PIIE] for more details.
23 September 2022 @ 8:00–10:30 p.m. (GMT-5), RAND Corporation, USA
Energy Integration and Chinese Investments in the Power Sector in Latin America
China has made significant investments in power transmissions and distribution companies in Latin America in the recent years. Several promises and pitfalls for Latin America of China dominating the development of a globally integrated power grid will be discussed along with how Chinese investments play a role in advancing Beijing’s vision related to GEI as well as how Latin American countries can take certain precautions to avoid pitfalls associated to this issue.
Go to [RAND] for more information.
24 September 2022 @ 1:00–2:00 a.m (GMT-5), Center for Strategic & International Studies, USA
Toward A Clean and Secure Energy Future in the Indo-Pacific: A Conversation with Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen
Australia has become a critical ally of the United States in the Indo-Pacific region, but its climate and some of its energy policies have been a point of friction with Washington. In this webinar, Minister Chris Bowen MP explains Canberra’s climate policy and discusses opportunities for the US-Australian Partnership for ensuring a clean and secure energy future for the Indo-Pacific region.
For more details, go to [CSIS].
Recent book releases
Robert Falkner, Environmentalism and Global International Society, Cambridge University Press, 320 pages, published on July 15, 2021. For a review, see [LSE].
Lawrence Freedman, Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine, Oxford University Press, 624 pages, to be published on September 29, 2022. The book is reviewed at [The Guardian].
Calls for Papers
Publishing house De Gruyter invites proposals for a topical issue of Open Theology on “Political Theology and the State of Exception: Critical readings on the centenary of 'Political Theology' & 'Roman Catholicism and Political Form' by Carl Schmitt”. The closing date for proposal submission is January 31, 2023. For more information, visit [De Gruyter].
The Refugee Studies Centre (RSC) at the University of Oxford invites paper proposal for the RSC 2023 Conference on “Recognising Refugees,” to be held 20-21 March 2023 at Keble College, University of Oxford. The deadline for proposal submissions is October 31, 2022. Find more about the call at [RSC].
Jobs and positions
The United Nations Development Programme seeks a Multimedia Communication Officer (IPSA10) to be based in South Sudan. Applications are accepted until 1 October 2022. More information is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme seeks a Project Coordinator, Women’s Leadership to be based in the United States. Core responsibility is to coordinate the development of the UN Women Leaders Network. Applications are accepted until 26 September 2022. More information is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme seeks a Senior Adviser on Women’s Leadership to be based in the United States. Core responsibility is to lead the development of the UN Women Leaders Network, with a clear mandate, strategy, and structure to ensure it can be permanently embedded within UN Women. Applications are accepted until 26 September 2022. More information is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme seeks a Consultant -Risk Committee Review to be based in the United States. Core responsibility is to review and incorporate learning from audits and other reviews. Applications are accepted until 30 September 2022. More information is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme seeks a Senior Legal and Data Protection & Privacy consultant to be based in the United States. Core responsibility is to lead the day-to-day implementation of the Personal Data Protection Policy. Applications are accepted until 26 September 2022. More information is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme seeks a Procurement Specialist to be based in South Sudan. Core responsibility is to ensure effective and efficient implementation of procurement and operational strategies. Applications are accepted until 30 September 2022. More information is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme seeks a Programme Specialist, Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) to be based in South Sudan. Core responsibility is to design and formulate programme/project proposals and initiatives. Applications are accepted until 30 September 2022. More information is provided at [UNDP]
The United Nations Development Programme seeks an Intergovernmental Engagement Specialist to be based in the United States. Core responsibility is to support BERA’s leadership role on UNDP internal preparation for the Executive Board’s (EB) sessions. Applications are accepted until 30 September 2022. More information is provided at [UNDP].
Team:
Afif Zaman (az), Aniello Iannone (ai), Duc Quang Ly (dql), Farhan Maqsood (fm), Farul Baqi (fb), Felix Jonas Jantz (fj), Francis Ezeh John (fe), Gizem Öztürk (gö), Henning Glaser (hg), Jaroslav Volkov (jv), Jennifer Marie Domenici (jd), Jessica Pierre (jp), Kashif Ali Hadi (kah), Lucas Meier (lm), Minyoung Yoo (my), Peer Morten Strantzen (ms), Phoebe Ewen (pe), Silke Marian (sm), Sitha Komatineni (sk), Sofia Bertolino (sb), Sol Renteria Adorno (sra), Thanida Piyachot (tp), Theerapon Damrongruk (td), Tomwit Jarnson (tw), Varshinya Varadhachari (vv), Venus Phuangkom
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