Grasp the pattern, read the trend
No. 13, March/2022, 5
Brought to you by CPG
Dear Readers,
The AiR team is pleased to present you this week’s Asia in Review issue.
Wishing you an informative read, I extend special greetings to everyone who celebrates Cyprus’s National Day and the Iranian Islamic Republic 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: Largest city goes into Covid-19 lockdown
(dql) Shanghai, China’s financial hub with a population of 26 million, has introduced a two-phase lockdown this week under which the city will be divided into two parts to be locked down for two different periods of time for testing. In the respective areas under lockdown, public transport, including ride-hailing services, will be halted while all firms and factories will stop manufacturing or work remotely, except those involved in offering public services or supplying food.
The move comes after a record 4,381 asymptomatic cases and 96 symptomatic cases was reported for Monday, turning the country’s largest city into a testing ground for the strict "zero-Covid" strategy with which the Chinese government seeks to control the highly infectious Omicron variant, and over which public discontent and frustration has spread in social media. The hashtag “Why Can’t China Lift Safety Measure Just Like Foreign Countries?” is top trending on social media platform Weibo – China’s equivalent to Twitter – and gathered more than 490 million views on Wednesday last week. [Aljazeera] [Reuters] [What’s on Weibo]
China: Australian journalist to face trial over espionage allegations
(dql) Chinese-born Australian journalist Cheng Lei is set to face trial this week on charges of leaking Chinese state secrets overseas.
Prior to her arrest in 2020, Cheng had built a television career in the country as a television anchor for the English-language channel of state-owned CGTN. She was also a prominent figure within the Australian community in Beijing.
Australia’s foreign ministry expressed its expectation for the trial to meet “basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment […] in accordance with international norms." [AP News] [Channel News Asia]
China: Upgraded J-11 fighter jets tested in navy drill
(dql) China’s navy conducted intensive test with its upgraded J-11B fighter jets over the disputed South China Sea following mass delivery of the advanced model, with over ten fighter jets from the People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theatre Command participated in “round-the-clock” training and battled in four-versus-two and two-versus-two formation.
CCTV’s footage of the drill showed a J-11B returning from the exercise and entering its hangar, with the aircraft featuring a grey radar dome, unlike the black sported by the original versions. [South China Morning Post]
Japan: Economic stimulus amid surging prices
(cm) On March 23 Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that the government will compile an economic stimulus package to buffer the impact of higher fuel and other commodity prices since the start of the war in Ukraine, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. The package will likely expand the subsidy program for domestic oil distributors who implemented measures to prevent fuel prices from rising precipitously and may include support to pensioners, to alleviate the repercussion of the pandemic on households. [Kyodo News 1]
The project might be financed by fund reserves for fiscal 2021, ending this month, and fiscal 2022 state budget and by additional funds through a supplementary budget. On March 22 the Japanese Parliament enacted a JPY 107.6 trillion (USD 900 billion) budget for the fiscal year 2022, starting on April 1, including the largest-ever spending on social security of JPY 32.27 yen to address Japan’s ageing population, and JPY 5.4 trillion for defense, which will be used for the development of new technologies.
The decided budget was agreed upon by both the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the opposition Democratic Party for the People, as Kishida guaranteed to consider the activation of a trigger clause that would temporarily reduce gasoline taxes. [Kyodo News 2]
Meanwhile, on March 25 the parliament further endorsed a government spending of JPY 1.05 trillion (USD 8.6 billion) for hosting U.S. military during the next five years, which will cover expenses for joint drills and advanced arsenals. [Daily Independent]
Japan: Tokyo court rejects lawsuit over compensation for North Korea repatriation project
(cm) On March 23 a Tokyo court rejected a suit filed by five people asking for compensation from North Korea over abuses they claim to have suffered for decades in the country due to the statute of limitations.
The five plaintiffs, ethnic Koreans and Japanese who lived in North Korea between 1960 and 1972 during the 1959-1984 repatriation program which the Japanese government helped with, filed the lawsuit in 2018 seeking JPY 100 million (USD 625,000) each for illegal solicitation and detainment. As the 20-year statute of limitations had passed by the time the case was filed, the Tokyo district court rejected it and stated that the Japanese court lacked jurisdiction over the detainment in North Korea. [Japan Today]
Japan: GSDF launches news electronic warfare unit
(cm) On March 28 Japan’s Ground Self Defense Force marked the launch of a new electronic warfare unit in charge of related corps in the country which are reinforcing electromagnetic capabilities.
The unit is composed of around 180 personnel and has the task of identifying and analyzing adversaries’ communications and radar emissions, and disrupting them if required, through a network electronic warfare system. The electromagnetic spectrum, along with outer space and cyberspace, is seen as a crucial means to maintain military balance among countries and strengthening the country’s defense. [Japan Today]
South Korea: Real estate taxes will be eased for single-home owners
(mpk) The South Korean government has announced plans to temporarily reduce property-related tax burdens on owners of a single home.
According to the plans, owners of one home pay similar amounts of property-holding taxes compared with those of last year by applying last year's state-assessed price values for homes when real estate-related taxes are calculated for this year. Furthermore, the single-home owners aged 60 and older can postpone the payment of comprehensive real estate taxes after they sell their home or hand it down to their children as an inheritance.
The plans come as public discontent has grown over increased home prices and the government policy in response to that the development.
However, it is expected that this year, home prices will continue to rise around 17.22 percent, marking the second straight year of double-digit price growth. Across the country, while the median price of the assessed home price value is USD 158,000, it is around USD 365,000 in Seoul. [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea: Unification Ministry to be reinforced under new president
(mpk) The transition committee of president-elect elect-president Yoon Suk-yeol has reaffirmed that South Korea’s Unification Ministry will not be abolished, but restored in its “proper function,” specifying that the new Yoon administration, that will assume office in May, will shift from the approach of the current administration, under which the presidential office led the inter-Korean issues and the ministry merely served as executing organ, to one that will “reinforce” the ministry.
The statement comes in response to speculation about the ministry’s dissolution following critics within the committee arguing that the ministry has so far failed in achieving progress in inter-Korean relations and cooperation. [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea: Civic groups call on president-elect Yoon to scrap gender ministry dissolution plan
(mpk) On Friday, March 24, over 640 women’s rights activist and civil society groups issued a joint statement demanding the president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol to give up his plan to dissolve the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, citing the importance and mandate of the agency in fighting gender discrimination and promoting gender equality in light of persisting lower employment rates and violence under which women suffer more than men. [Yonhap News Agency]
During his presidential campaign, Yoon vowed to abolish ministry if elected, arguing that there was no structural gender discrimination in the country and accused feminism of being the cause of the country’s low birthrate. [The Nation]
South Korea: Enhancing command and control system for future warfare
(mpk) The South Korean Defense Ministry has revealed that defense contractor Hanhwa has started a project aimed at reinforcing the Master Control and Reporting Center’s (MCRC) which provides airspace control and assists in theater air defense operations, in addition to providing a centralized control capability for air surveillance, identification, and tactical air control.
According to the ministry’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the project is especially expected to “enhance the capabilities to respond to omnidirectional air threats and to conduct joint military operations” and to provide the Air Force with smooth communications and information sharing among different platforms across land, air and sea.
The project, funded with USD 158 million for five years, is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. [The Korea Herald]
South Korean Army conducts field training
(mpk) South Korea’s Army announced that the first of four brigade-level field training of this year was completed at the Army’s Korea Combat Training Center (KCTC) in Inje. 4,500 troops attended to 10-day training involving tanks, armored vehicles, howitzers, and choppers and a multiple integrated laser engagement system as well as under which soldiers can practice in simulated combat scenarios against hostile forces without using live ammunition. [The Korea Times]
Taiwan: Constitutional amendment to lower voting age passed
(dql) In a unanimous vote, Taiwan’s legislature has passed a constitutional amendment to lower the voting age from 20 to 18. It was the first change to the constitutional approved by the legislature since 2005.
To come into effect, the amendment has to be approved by half of all eligible voters in a national referendum. Civil society groups hope that the date of referendum will be held on November 26, when local elections will be held. This is expected to secure higher voter turnouts for the referendum. The Central Election announced that it will soon decide on the referendum’s date. [Focus Taiwan]
Taiwan to host global assembly of World Movement for Democracy
(dql) In a move highly angering China, Damon Wilson, president and chief executive of US non-governmental organization (NGO) National Endowment for Democracy (NED), travelled to Taiwan to officially announced that Taiwan will be the host of this year’s global assembly of the World Movement for Democracy in October.
The World Movement for Democracy, an international network of individuals and organizations committed to promoting democracy, was launched by NED and two Indian NGOs in New Delhi in 1999 on the occasion of a gathering of democracy activists, practitioners, and scholars from more than 80 countries in New Delhi who discussed ways to advance democracy.
Taiwan considers extension of compulsory military service period
(dql) In answer in parliament last week, Taiwan’s Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng revealed that the ministry is discussing to extend compulsory military service beyond the four months currently required for Taiwanese men aged 18. Chu cited “the enemy situation,” and Taiwan’s “defensive operations in terms of military strength” for the discussion, in an apparent reference to China’s growing assertiveness towards and the reinforcement of the perception of threat in the wake of the war in Ukraine.
Taiwan’s military has over 215,000 troops. The majority of them are volunteers as a result of a gradual shift from a conscription system to a professional force dominated by volunteers. [Reuters]
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in South Asia
Bangladesh: Largest private school for Rohingya refugees shut down
(dql) Kayaphuri School, Bangladesh’s largest private school for Rohingya refugees with around 600 pupils, has been closed last week, marking another setback to the education of thousands of children stuck in vast camps in the country.
The closure of the school the latest in a string of shut downs of schools set up by Rohingya by Bangladeshi authorities since December. [France 24]
India: Opposition Congress party demands President’s Rule in West Bengal state following violence
(lm) The opposition leader in the legislature of India’s West Bengal state has written to President Ram Nath Kovind, demanding President’s rule in the state after arsonist set fire to homes in Birbhum district, killing eight people.
West Bengal is ruled by the All-India Trinamool Congress party (AITC), and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is a bitter rival of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Local BJP leaders insist that TMC members carried out the arson attacks on March 22 in retaliation for a crude bomb attack that killed a TMC-linked leader the previous day.
Against this backdrop, the opposition leader in India’s national parliament, National Congress lawmaker Suvendu Adhikari, called for the suspension of state government and imposition of direct Union government rule in West Bengal. Adhikari also claimed without elaborating that the state has seen 26 killings in the last month. [India Today]
TMC officials have been vague about the attacks, saying only that they are investigating and that they were likely driven by “personal enmity.” Police announced on March 23 that they had made at least 20 arrests. The state’s high court, meanwhile, on the same day ordered a probe by India’s premier investigating agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation, and asked the state government to submit a status report within 24 hours. [Hindustan Times] [The Indian Express]
The tragedy underscores the deep regional political rivalries confronting the BJP, even after its triumphant performance in four significant state elections elsewhere earlier this month [see AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]. West Bengal’s incumbent TMC was reelected in a landslide in 2021, and Banerjee has been chief minister since 2011 when her party dislodged a government led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) that had governed the state for 34 years [see AiR No. 18, May/2021, 1].
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura and Mr. Rakshit Kumar.
India: Yogi Adityanath sworn in as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister for second consecutive term
(lm) Yogi Adityanath on March 25 took oath as the chief minister in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, for the second consecutive term at an event that was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Earlier this month, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) defied historical precedent and retained power in Uttar Pradesh, a state that sends 80 representatives to India’s 543-member House of Representative, and where anti-incumbent sentiment is a powerful factor. [AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]
The party won more 255 out of 403 seats, successfully overcoming criticism of its stewardship of the economy, which has stalled amid soaring unemployment and inflation, and of its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The year-long protest by farmers against new agriculture laws and rising food prices were other big concerns for voters
The BJP secured victory in a total of four out of five state elections, strengthening its position in national politics and consolidating support for Prime Minister Modi’s vision of Hindu nationalist politics. Yogi Adityanath, a Hindu monk known for his hardline views, is seen as a potential successor to Prime Minister Modi.
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura.
India: Pushkar Singh Dhami takes oath as Uttarakhand Chief Minister for second consecutive term
(lm) Pushkar Singh Dhami on March 23 took oath as the chief minister of India’s northern Uttarakhand state for the second consecutive term at a ceremony that was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several top Bharatiya Janata Party officials. [The Hindu]
Earlier this month, the BJP won 47 out of 19 seats in elections to Uttarakhand’s legislature, giving it a clear majority. The BJP secured victory in a total of four out of five state elections, strengthening its position in national politics and consolidating support for Prime Minister Modi’s vision of Hindu nationalist politics. [AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]
Chief Minister Dharmi now faces the challenge of giving equal representation to all thirteen districts in his Cabinet – a challenge, given that there can only be 11 cabinet ministers, apart from the chief minister. Furthermore, the state is divided between two administrative regions, Garhwal and Kumaon, that each have developed a strong cultural identity.
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura.
India: States can grant minority status to religious, linguistic communities, government tells Supreme Court
(lm) India’s union government has told the Supreme Court that state governments have the power to confer minority status to any religious or linguistic community, including Hindus, if the respective community is not in a majority within their jurisdiction. [The Indian Express]
The apex court had sought the union government’s response in a plea that sought directions for framing of guidelines identifying minorities at the state level. The plea contended that Hindu communities in six Indian states and three union territories were not able to access schemes meant for minorities, despite their numbers not constituting the majority within the respective jurisdiction. [The Wire]
In India, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jain and Zorastrians (Parsis) have been notified as minority communities under Section 2(c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. The Ministry of Minority Affairs is responsible for implementing various programs and schemes for the welfare and development of the six minorities. [Ministry of Minority Affairs]
At present, in some Indian union territories and states the respective majority communities hold minority rights, such being the case in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and many territories in the country’s northeast.
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura and Mr. Rakshit Kumar.
India: Government yet to double farmers’ income, parliamentary panel claims
(lm) A permanent parliamentary committee has called on India’s agriculture ministry to constitute a special team to investigate the reasons for falling farmers’ income in several states and take “course corrective” measures so that the target of doubling the income of agricultural households is met. [The Indian Express]
Indian Prime Minister Modi in 2016 announced that by the time the country celebrated its 75th Independence Day in 2022, its farmers’ income would have doubled. Last year, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar told parliament that the fiscal budget for 2021-22 was aimed at achieving that target.
That target income of approx. USD 275,00 per month, however, seems far away, according to the report tabled by the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing on March 24 in parliament’s lower house. For the estimated monthly income of farm households in the period between 2018 and 2019 was approx. USD 135,00 per month, not even half of the target income. What is more, in the same period the income of agricultural households in four Indian states has declined. [The Times of India]
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura.
India: Coal ministry to seek softer green rules to boost output
(lm) India’s coal ministry will likely seek looser rules for raising domestic coal output, in a bid to boost local supplies and minimize the impact of a potential squeeze in imports from Russia in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. [Bloomberg]
Global prices for coal, which makes up about 70 percent of India’s total energy mix, have surged as buyers seek alternatives to costly natural gas and shun Russian cargoes. As a result, India's coal imports in January fell to the lowest level since June 2019, sparking a scramble for supplies in the country, with users agreeing to pay more than 300 percent premiums over baseline prices to secure supplies. [Hellenic Shipping News]
With summer on the way, state-owned Coal India Limited, will be keen to avoid a repeat of last year’s supply squeeze that left more than 60 of the country’s 135 coal-fired power plants with low coal supplies and caused blackouts [see AiR No. 41, October/2021, 2]. While power stations’ reserves have rebounded from last year’s lows, Coal India continues to prioritize supplies for electricity generation.
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura and Mr. Rakshit Kumar.
India: Defence Acquisition Council clears procurement worth USD 1 billion, including surveillance satellite
(lm) India’s, premier panel for military procurement, the Defence Acquisition Council, met on March 22 under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to greenlight capital acquisition proposals made by the armed forces worth more than USD 1 billion. The cleared proposals include a indigenously developed a GSAT-7B military communications satellite that is supposed to help the Indian Army enhance its surveillance of the country’s border areas. [Asian News International] [FirstPost]
The GSAT-7B is the latest in the GSAT-7 series, which was first launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation in 2013. At present, GSAT-7 and GSAT-7A are India’s only two dedicated military satellites made for the Navy and Air Force respectively. The Indian Army currently uses 30 percent of the GSAT-7A’s transponder capacity, besides satellites of friendly nations and commercial ones, to keep track of developments at its borders, especially the disputed border in the Himalayan heights with China.
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura
India: Army holds insertion drill in Siliguri Corridor, as Chinese foreign minister visits New Delhi
(lm) Against the larger backdrop of the two-year-old border standoff with China in the Himalayan heights, the Indian Army last week conducted an airborne insertion and rapid response exercise in the strategically sensitive Siliguri corridor, the latest in a series of similar exercises that commenced earlier this month. [The Times of India]
The Siliguri corridor, also known as the “Chicken’s Neck”, is a narrow stretch of land that connects India’s conflict-ridden northeastern states with the rest of the country. In 2017, China’s attempt to build a road across the adjacent Doklam region – a strategically significant territory cushioned between India, China and Bhutan but claimed by both China and Bhutan – resulted in a 73-day military standoff between India and China.
Timing of the latest iteration assumes added significance, for it coincided with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to New Delhi. In meetings with Wang, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar firmly put the ball firmly in China’s court, telling his visiting counterpart that the border had to be completely demilitarized for normal bilateral relations to resume. [see entry in this edition]
India: Research and defense agency trials new surface-to-air missile
(lm) India’s premier research and development agency, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has conducted two successful tests of a new medium-range surface-to-air missile jointly developed by the DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries. The missile is a land-based variant of India’s long-range surface-to-air missile known as Barak 8 which is already used by Air Force and Navy. [Hindustan Times] [The Defense Post]
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura and Mr. Rakshit Kumar.
Maldives: Former President Yameen yet to consider running in presidential election in 2023, Reuters reports
(lm) Abdulla Yameen, a former Maldives president who was jailed on corruption charges in 2019 but last year returned to politics with a campaign against Indian influence in the country, has told Reuters that he was still considering whether to contest presidential polls due next year. [Reuters]
Yameen has become the public face of anti-India rallies since last November, after the country’s Supreme Court overturned a money-laundering and embezzlement conviction, allowing him to conduct political activities and even contest the next presidential election in 2023. Since then, the so-called “India-Out” campaign has drawn large crowds at rallies and galvanized Yameen’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), seen as being closer to China, although prosecutors hope to secure a conviction on two outstanding charges by the summer [see AiR No. 49, December/2021, 1].
At a campaign event earlier this month, Yameen said that if his PPM returned to power in general elections next year, his government would cancel all defense deals signed with India, arguing that New Delhi’s presence could encourage other countries like China and the United States to build up their own presence in the Indian Ocean region. [The Diplomat]
Against this backdrop, the government of incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, which in proclaimed an “India First” policy in 2018, sought to introduce a bill that would criminalize activities deemed harmful to the country’s foreign relations. Passage of the bill seemed a foregone conclusion, given that the Maldivian Democratic Party controlled a comfortable majority of lawmakers. However, the enactment has been stalled due infighting in the MDP intensifying over recent intra-party elections to choose a parliamentary group chief and upcoming elections in May to select a new party chairperson [see AiR No. 9, March/2022, 1].
Meanwhile, Maldives Defence Minister Mariya Didi told Reuters that India's military presence in the island nation was limited to the operation and maintenance of three search-and-rescue and surveillance aircraft used by Maldives' defense forces, as well as a medical team at a military hospital. Some of the deals with India Yameen is seeking to cancel were signed during his own time in power, between 2013 and 2018, she added.
Pakistan: No-confidence motion moved in parliament in bid to remove Prime Minister Khan
(ha/fq/tj) A no-confidence motion that threatens to bring down the government of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was tabled on March 28 in a special session of parliament’s lower house, the National Assembly. Proceedings were postponed until March 31 when the debate over the motion is expected to begin, a vote is to be hold within seven days.
Late last week, the speaker of the House, Asad Qaiser, adjourned the motion of no confidence until after the weekend, provoking opposition accusations he is buying time for the premier to muster support. Qaiser later said that he adjourned the proceedings in order to conform with a longstanding tradition to refrain from carrying out parliamentary business on the first day of a session convened shortly after the death of a lawmaker. [Al Jazeera 1]
In the lead-up to last week’s House session, the Khan expressed his confidence of surviving the no-confidence motion, his toughest challenge since assuming office in 2018. On March 23, he reiterated that he would not resign under pressure of “crooks” without a fight. He also accused the opposition of corruption and plundering the wealth of the nation, adding that he still possessed a “trump card” that he would reveal at the right time. [Dawn 1] [The News International]
Over the weekend then, Khan led and addressed a massive rally in the capital, Islamabad, hoping to show he still has broad public support. In response, the joint opposition also went for its own mammoth anti-government march, starting in the city of Lahore in Punjab province on March 26 and arriving in Islamabad the following day. [Arab News]
Opposition leaders are confident they have the required 172 votes in the 342-seat House to remove the prime minister. In fact, over a dozen lawmakers of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party earlier this month officially backed the opposition’s motion of no confidence, citing the government's failure to manage a high inflation and a weakened economy [see AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2]. Likewise, three junior coalition parties – with 17 seats between them – have hinted at withdrawing their support of government, condemning what they call Khan's unwillingness to build political consensus. [Dawn 2]
Crucially, the prime minister’s relationship with Pakistan’s powerful military is said by some political analysts and opposition members to have cooled down. The military, which has intervened in civilian politics for decades and was seen as largely responsible for Khan’s election win in 2018, said that it is neutral in this situation – what many read that as saying that it has withdrawn its support from the prime minister [see AiR No. 12, March/2022, 4].
At the same time, Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa met with Prime Minister Khan earlier this month, a behind-the-doors meeting that could suggest that the military is looking for ways to avert a major collision that could spur further political and economic instability. [Reuters]
Indeed, regardless of whether Khan’s government survives the motion or not, political observers believe that Pakistan’s democracy will suffer as political instability undermines public confidence in the electoral process. Furthermore, the bid for a vote of no confidence has raised the risk of an economic crisis coming as does amid a pending International Monetary Fund (IMF) review on the next tranche of a $6 billion rescue package. The IMF review was scheduled for last week but has yet to happen. [Atlantic Council] [Brookings] [Voice of America]
No prime minister in Pakistan’s history has ever completed a full five-year term. Only three prime ministers have made it to the four-year mark and only two elected legislators have completed their terms. [Al Jazeera 2]
Pakistan: Punjab chief minister resigns in potential quid-pro-quo as no-confidence threatens prime minister
(fq/lm) The chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province, Sardar Usman Buzdar, resigned on March 28 after a joint opposition submitted a no-confidence motion against him in the provincial legislator earlier on the same day, accusing Buzdar of mismanagement and violating the constitution. Prime Minister Khan decided to nominate the current speaker of the provincial assembly, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as new chief minister.
Buzdar’s resignation and the ensuing decision to nominate Elahi assume added significance, coinciding with opposition parties tabling a no-confidence motion that threatens to bring down Khan’s government in a special session of parliament’s lower house, the National Assembly.
The House has 342 members, and opposition parties require a simple majority (i.e., 172 lawmakers) to remove Khan from office. In light of this, it is noteworthy that Elahi, whose Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) controls five lawmakers in House, assured Prime Minister Khan of its support shortly after its leader accepted the offer to assume the position of chief minister in Punjab. [Geo News]
However, the PML-Q’s move did not go done well with some party members, most notably the federal minister for housing and works, Tariq Bashir Cheema, who resigned from his position and announced that he would vote against Prime Minister Khan in the imminent no-confidence vote. [The Express Tribune]
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura.
Pakistan: Supreme Court begins hearing on interpretation of floor-crossing law
(ha) Pakistan’s Supreme Court has begun the hearing on a presidential reference that seeks the court’s ruling on whether defectors from Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party could lose their seats ahead of a no-confidence vote that threatens to bring down the government.
The Khan administration approached the country’s top court after several lawmakers belonging to Khan’s ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party had withdrawn their support for the prime minister on March 17, stoking more uncertainty over whether the premier can hang on to power, following a warning by a key ally that he could lose his coalition partners. [AiR No. 12, March/2022, 4]
As per Article 63 (A) of Pakistan’s constitution, lawmakers who defect could be disqualified from parliament if they choose to vote against their party, but the Khan administration is trying to see whether that is also applicable before the vote-casting.
During last week’s proceedings, the Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial observed that it would be an insult to parliamentarians if the vote they cast was ignored and discarded. The chief justice also said that there were two questions before the court: first as what would be the length of a disqualification after a lawmaker changes his loyalties and second when the disqualification will commence. [The Express Tribune 1]
Interestingly, a diversion was witnessed in the judges’ observations. Two members of the bench believed that a lawmaker had the right to vote in a no-confidence motion. However, two judges agreed with contentions against floor-crossing voiced by Pakistan’s attorney general, Khalid Jawed Khan, observing that if a person is elected on a particular party’s ticket, then he has to follow and cast his vote as per the mandate of his respective party. [Dawn]
Court proceedings are still underway and might be put off until April 4, as Chief Justice Bandial will be hearing cases at the top court’s Lahore registry until March 31. [The Express Tribune 2]
Pakistan: Armed forces showcase latest equipment during military parade
(ha/tj) On March 23, Pakistan celebrated its National Day with a military parade in the capital, Islamabad, showcasing its latest defense equipment, short, medium, and long-range missiles, tanks, and fighter jets. The National Day is observed primarily to commemorate the adoption of the country’s first constitution during the transition of the Dominion of Pakistan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on that day in 1956.
One notable element of this year’s parade was a pair of Chinese J-10C combat aircraft, six of which were inducted a special ceremony earlier this month [see AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]. The contingents of friendly countries including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Bahrain also participated in the military parade. [DefenseNews] [TheEurAsian Times]
The parade was also witnessed by foreign ministers from the 57-member Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) as well as Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wan Yi, who were attending a OIC conference in Islamabad. [Associated Press]
While addressing the parade, Pakistani President Arif Alvi stated that Pakistan would never compromise on its sovereignty and vowed that external aggression would be dealt strongly. He also labeled the “expansionist designs” of Pakistan’s neighboring country as a matter of concern for security and stability in South Asia and urged the United Nations to stop the alleged human rights violations Indian-administered Kashmir. [Dawn]
This year’s military parade was held about two weeks after an accidental missile fired by India prompted Pakistan to prepare a retaliatory strike that was only hold back because an initial assessment indicated something was amiss. [AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]
Pakistan: At least four soldiers killed in militant attack near Afghanistan border
(ha/fa) At least four soldiers were killed and another five wounded in an attack by militants who attempted to sneak into Pakistan from Afghanistan early on March 24. The Pakistani Taliban, known by their acronym TTP, which renewed an allegiance with the Afghan Taliban when the Islamist seized power in Kabul last August, claimed responsibility for the attack. [ABC News] [Reuters]
Over the past few months, TTP militants have significantly increased attacks on Pakistani security forces, particularly since early December when a ceasefire between the group and the government in Islamabad collapsed [see AiR No. 50, December/2021, 2]. Last month, Pakistan’s military issued a strong statement condemning the use of Afghan soil as a base of operations for terrorists after militants firing from inside Afghanistan killed at least five Pakistani soldiers at a border post in northwestern Kurram district [see AiR No. 6, February/2022, 2].
Against this backdrop, it was reported earlier this month that Pakistan’s military has reached out to the TTP in the latest of a series of attempts to reign in and accommodate the group politically in order to defuse its potential for violence. But the talks between the two adversaries remained once again inconclusive due to seemingly incompatible demands. [AiR No. 9, March/2022, 1]
Separately, militants armed with assault rifles attacked security forces in Bajur, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on March 24. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack that resulted in the deaths of two soldiers, three civilians and four insurgents. [The Washington Post, $]
Sri Lanka: Government amends contentious anti-terrorism law, but critics say move doesn’t go far enough
(sg/lm) Sri Lanka’s parliament on March 22 amended a contentious anti-terror law that gives police sweeping powers to arrest suspects without trial after a European Union (EU) threat to withdraw a lucrative trading status, but opposition lawmakers said the changes would not stop abuses under the legislation.
The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) has been in effect for over 40 years and allows confession through torture, arbitrary detention among others. The PTA has been used to target minorities as well as political opponents. Under the law some prisoners have been held in prison for decades without being formally charged. [OHCHR]
The changes reduce detention without judicial supervision from 18 to 12 months, but still allow confessions coerced from suspects to be used against them in criminal proceedings. In light of this, Sri Lanka’s main opposition parties withheld support for the amendments, saying they did not go far enough in stopping the arbitrary arrest of dissidents. [Colombo Page]
The EU last year warned that the island nation could again lose its Generalised System of Preferences (GSP+) designation, which provides Sri Lankan traders better access to EU markets in return for Colombo implementing 27 international human rights treaties. Amendment of the PTA was considered a commitment made in 2017 for Sri Lanka’s re-admittance to the GSP+ scheme after the country’s trade preferences were withdrawn in 2010 due to shortcomings implementing United Nations (UN) human rights conventions.
Last week’s vote to amend the PTA comes after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa told a delegation from Brussels in October of last year that he had committed to urgent reforms of the law [see AiR No. 41, October/2021, 2]. The bill to amend the PTA was introduced to parliament just weeks before Sri Lanka’s human rights record was discussed at the 49th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council on March 3 in response to a report of the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights [see AiR No. 6, February/2022, 2].
In recent months, Colombo has struggled to contain an economic crisis, driven in-part by the pandemic’s disastrous effect on the tourism industry. Foreign exchange reserves have fallen 70 percent in the last two years to about USD 2.3 billion, with the country unable to fund critical imports. Just last week protestors from the opposition attempted to storm the office of President Rajapaksa [see AiR No. 12 March/2022, 4].
As the Sri Lankan government seeks to speed up economic recovery, the United States and EU seem willing to support the island nation. However, financing from the West will come with conditions. The US Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, while meeting local leaders in Colombo on March 23, underlined that further reform was required. [Al Jazeera]
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in Southeast Asia
Cambodia: Local rights group condemns escalation of violence in casino protest
(bs) A local human rights group has urged the Cambodian government to end the use of violence in the casino protest crackdown.
The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) accuses the government of an escalation in the use of violence, intimidation, and mass detention of strikers while limiting the monitoring of the situation by human rights groups and journalists. A group of strikers also reported sexual assaults and harassment against women workers during the protest and while in detention by the authorities. [Radio Free Asia] [UCA News]
On March 22, the police arrested more than 100 workers in addition to another 200 people who were arrested a week earlier for striking to demand the reinstatement of 365 former employees who were unfairly laid off and for better labor conditions at the Hong Kong-based NagaWorld casino.
Earlier this month, eight out of eleven NagaWorld Casino union leaders, who had been detained since the beginning of the strike, were released on bail [see AiR No. 12, March/2022, 4]. The protest has been harshly repressed by the Cambodian police as it is speculated that the NagaWorld casino is sponsored by foreign donors who seek to overthrow the government.
Cambodia: International rights group calls for restoration of licenses to three news platforms
(bs) Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a non-profit and non-governmental organization on the right to freedom of information, has urged the Cambodian government to restore the licenses to three national news platforms after they were revoked by the ministry of information for alleged violations of journalistic ethics.
RSF suspects that the three news outlets have been removed from their offices for allegedly having published about current investigations on corruption cases involving high political figures. Also, the rights group called the move a “gross violation of the freedom of publication” mentioning an alleged violation of Article 41 of the Cambodian Constitution, which guarantees the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas. [Reporters Without Borders]
Indonesia: Independent women’s rights body petitions Supreme Court
(bs/lm) Indonesia’s Supreme Court has received a petition from an independent state body for the enforcement of women's rights to dismiss a bid to repeal new national regulations on consent in sexual violence cases. [Reuters] [The Jakarta Post]
Although Indonesia has been enforcing harsher punishments on sexual offenders since 2016, parliament has yet to deliberate on the Sexual Violence Bill, which was expected to be tabled in early 2022. In light of this, In Indonesian President Joko Widodo urged the government in January to speed up the approval of new legislation on sexual violence.
The new legislation’s original draft proposal was submitted to the parliament in 2016 by the National Commission for Eradication of Violence against Women and civil society groups.
Indonesia: Parliament to introduce criminal sanctions for “unlawful” content on online platforms
(bs) Indonesia is planning to introduce new legislation on criminal accountability of internet and social media platforms, according to local sources, a move that has sparked concerns among rights activists who fear the legislation could undermine people’s freedom of expression.
The new legislation would require companies to remove “unlawful” content within 24 hours from a removal request from any government agency. If the online product concerns “security, terrorism, public order, child protection, and pornography,” the request will be designated as “urgent” and the content needs to be removed within four hours. Companies might also be fined for violating the new legislation and the staff might face criminal charges. [Reuters]
Indonesia: Separatist militants claim death of two military
(bs) A group of Papuan separatist militants has claimed the killing of two military personnel in a grenade attack on March 26. [Benar News]
The separatists, while stating their responsibility for the shooting at a military post, also called for an urgent intervention of the United Nations (UN) to end the ongoing conflict in West Papua between Indonesian troops and indigenous militias. The separatist commander also mentioned in a statement that the region is facing violence and repression of freedoms.
Local Papuans have been subjects of abuses and harsh repressive acts by the Indonesian government for protesting against the region’s development program. Since West Papua was incorporated into Indonesia in 1969, the indigenous communities have been involved in conflicts with the authorities which have attempted to repress the protests through extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, restrictions on movement, and freedom of expression.
The UN released a statement in early March condemning the “shocking abuses” against indigenous people in Papua in response to several petitions received in 2021 to investigate extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearance, torture, and the forced displacement of over 5,000 Papuans. [AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2]
Malaysia: Security Offences Act repealed after vote in parliament
(gl) The extension of Malaysia’s contentious Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (SOSMA) was voted down in parliament on March 23, meaning it is no longer allowed to hold suspects of alleged national security offenses for 28 days without charge. [Benar News]
Just one vote ended up defeating the bill, with 85 voting for it and 86 against. There was a total of 49 absent for the vote, including the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Bukit Gelugor Member of the Parliament Ramkarpal Singh called for an explanation from Zahid and other backbenchers as to why they were not in attendance, saying it suggested the government do not have the support of UMNO. [Free Malaysia Today] [The Star]
The loss also calls into question whether it violated a Memorandum of Understanding between the government and opposition. Although the opposition has insisted that it does not violate the agreements, some, like UMNO lawmaker Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, say it does call into question the moral ground for the Barisan Nasional to stay in government. [Malay Mail 2] [Malay Mail 2]
Previously, the law had been used to detain people like Maria Chin Abdullah, a lawmaker with the opposition People’s Justice Party (PKR). In 2016, she was held for 11 days under SOSMA when she was an activist fighting for fair elections in Malaysia.
Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi misses court hearings due to COVID-19-related quarantine
(cmsk/lm) Myanmar’s former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has skipped three days of her trial on corruption charges after COVID-19 was detected among her staff and she was placed in quarantine. Kyi is also said to have missed two hearings last week, one on a charge related to breaking the country’s secrets law and another for election fraud. [News Times]
Following the February 2021 coup, Kyi has been under trial by the military regime’s courts on a range of charges, including eleven charges of corruption. Earlier this month, a former National League for Democracy colleague and a current chief minister, Phyo Min Thein, testified against Kyi during the trial [see AiR No. 12, March/2022, 4].
Former president Win Myint – charged alongside Kyi – appeared at the court on March 28 via video conferencing. [Channel NewsAsia]
Myanmar: Telenor sale finalized amidst concerns
(cmsk/ny) Telenor, a subsidiary of Norwegian telecommunications giant Telenor Group will be paid for the sale of its Myanmar shares to a local a local provider, the Oslo-based company announced on March 25.
The local provider, Shwe Byain Phyu (SBP), will control 80 percent of Telenor’s operation, according to local sources. Moreover, it is reported that Khin Thiri Thet Mon, daughter of junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, has acquired a stake in Investcom PTE Ltd, a venture between Lebanese investment company M1 Group and Myanmar SBP, sparking concerns over a potential involvement of the military regime in the sale.[The Irrawaddy]
In February, the sale announcement of Telenor Myanmar subsidiary was followed by an appeal from the network of Norwegian civil society groups urging for an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity by Telenor for providing the military junta facilitating the junta’s perpetrations against pro-democracy activists and opponents by providing sensitive data. The sale could violate Chapter 16 of the Norwegian Penal Code on genocide and crimes against humanity, according to the rights groups. However, the military government found the legal basis for its requests in Article 77 of the 2013 Telecommunications Law, according to which the ministry can suspend services, intercept communications, and temporarily control services in “emergency situations.” [AiR No. 12, March/2022, 4] [Reuters]
Myanmar: Shadow government reports detention of children by military junta
(cmsk) Myanmar’s shadow government, the National Unity Government (NUG), has alleged that more than 280 children under the age of 18 have been detained by the military junta since the coup that ousted the democratically elected administration in February of last year.
The NUG also said that most of the minors have been held for a prolonged period of time in police station detention centers and in prisons raising concerns about the use of sexual violence by the junta against its opponents. The current whereabouts of these children are mostly unknown.
In 2021, the United Nations Children's Fund reported that 1,000 children and young adults were held by the military on an arbitrary basis. [The Guardian]
Myanmar: Military court sentences journalists to prison
(cmsk) A Myanmar military court has sentenced three journalists to two years in prison each for allegedly causing fear and threatening public tranquility.
According to Reporters Without Borders, 108 journalists have been arrested since the 2021 coup, 57 of whom still remain in prison, and three were killed. [RFA]
Critics say the law serves to cover a very broad range of criminal charges against anybody seeking to challenge the military regime’s authority. Since the coup, the military regime has amended parts of the country's penal code, including replacing the previous Section 505(a) with 505A. The amendments are broader in scope and induce harsher punishments. [Human Rights Watch]
In its efforts at quelling dissent and criticism, in 2021 the junta also canceled the operating licenses of several Myanmar news outlets, which include Mizzima News, Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), 7Day News, Myanmar Now, Khit Thit News, and Kachin state-based Myitkyina News Journal. [RFA]
Myanmar: Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing vows no talks with opposition “terrorists”
(cmsk/ny) The leader of Myanmar’s junta, Min Aung Hlaing, on March 27 said the military would not negotiate with opposition forces, vowing to carry on with their violent repression, in a speech to 18,000 security personnel on Myanmar’s annual Armed Forces Day. [Reuters]
The leader called the junta opponents “terrorists,” claiming that the “Tatmadaw will no longer take into account negotiation with the terrorist group and their supporters for killing innocent people” and “will annihilate them into an end.” [Economic Times]
The Myanmar military that took over power in a violent coup on February 1, 2021, accuses resistance forces of killing civilians and security forces. However, according to a report from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 1,600 protesters were killed by the junta since the February 2021 coup and an estimated 837,000 people remain internally displaced. [AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]
Myanmar: Armed conflict continues
(cmsk/ny) In Kayah State, in eastern Myanmar, where deadly clashes have been occurring between the junta and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), a resistance group known as Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) claims that the militia group, Kayan National Guard, is fighting alongside the military junta. Clashes between the two sides reportedly left 25 junta soldiers and six resistance fighters dead. [Irrawaddy 1]
Meanwhile, in the ongoing fighting in Sagaing Region, an attack by 150 junta reinforcements was reported in Yinmabin Township. According to a resistance group, the junta detained 25 people in a monastery, including women and children. The junta allegedly held civilians as hostages to prevent their attacks against the Myanmar military on Armed Forces Day, held annually on March 27. [Irrawaddy 2]
In what appears to be a report on the same attack by junta forces, another resistance group known as the North Yamar Defense Force claims that 30 men were kidnapped by the junta before homes were burnt in the second village in Yinmabin. An entire village comprising 150 households reportedly fled to the Mambara Monastery. While the captured civilian men are believed to be taken to a police station, two women are also missing. [Myanmar Now 1]
In Ye-U Township, also in Sagaing Region, witnesses reported that a column of military junta soldiers attacked civilians, killing one boy and injuring four other people. Ten men were also captured on suspicion of being members of the anti-junta People’s Defense Force. Eight of the men were released but two were taken as captives. One of the released men also claimed that he and others were physically tortured by the junta. [Myanmar Now 2]
Contemporarily, in the southern Chin State, an attack by a column of 200 junta soldiers on a local resistance group, which command post was burned down by the junta. In retaliation, the group ambushed the junta soldiers killing three of them. [Myanmar Now 3]
According to civilians of Kanpetlet Township, southern Chin, junta forces have arbitrarily fired at civilians on March 20. The Kanpetlet Red Cross said villagers were forced to suddenly flee, leaving many people, including children, the elderly, and the differently abled displaced without any emergency supplies. [Mizzima]
In late March, the United Nations reported that since the February 2021 coup, 519,900 people had been displaced because of clashes between the military and anti-junta forces. Escalated fighting in northwestern Myanmar’s Magway and Sagaing regions as well as the southeastern states of Kayah and Kayin have seen some of the worst violence since the coup, resulting in a rising number of internally displaced persons. Local human rights groups have also accused the junta of blocking food supply routes in Chin as well as in Kayah. [Radio Free Asia] [AiR No. 12, March/2022, 4]
Myanmar: Rights group calls for better prison treatment
(bs/cmsk) 18 national human rights groups in Myanmar have urged the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to lead investigations on grave human rights violations carried out inside prisons, especially the alleged use of sexual violence against LGBTIQ people and political prisoners.
According to the rights groups, political prisoners are often placed in solitary confinement, denied medical treatment, physically and mentally abused, and denied any visit from relatives and family.
The 18 rights groups are aiming at gathering more than 200,000 signatures to launch a petition online requesting that the ICRC and other international organizations “put pressure on the regime to allow prison visits.” [The Irrawaddy]
The Philippines: Parliament’s lower house approves bills prohibiting child sex abuse
(dvr) In the Philippines, the lower house of parliament has passed a bill amending the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 with 203 affirmative votes, zero negative or abstentions.
The bill mandates that internet intermediaries and other services are required to block, takedown, or remove websites facilitating child abuse, and seeks to create an inter-agency body to supersede the inter-agency council on anti-child pornography in creating a reporting system following international standards. [Philstar]
The pandemic and lockdowns created a proliferation in exploitation and abuse of children, believed to be due to increased poverty spurred on by the pandemic to turn to easy money-making schemes. [Manila Bulletin]
This follows President Duterte signing an amendment to the age of consent of sexual consent in the Philippines raising it from 12 to 16 years old earlier this month. [AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2]
The Philippines: President Duterte signs new foreign ownership laws
(dvr) On March 22, the Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte signed a bill that amends the 1935 Public Services Act, removing the cap of 40 percent ownership from foreign investors in telecommunication, railway, airlines, shipping, toll roads, and transport network vehicle industries.
This amendment comes after a previous amendment approved on March 2 allowing foreign investors to set up and own small and medium-sized enterprises in an attempt to improve efficiency and reduce corruption through larger competition. [AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2]
The Management Association of the Philippines stated that the revised laws are likely to bring increased competition which will benefit consumers creating jobs, improving the economy, and competing with neighboring nations. [Rappler] [Reuters]
Meanwhile, a House deputy minority leader has voiced concerns that the new law will cause spikes in the prices of goods and services, referencing the oil deregulation law and the Electric Power Industry Reform Act which are under the same economic framework have created price hikes in oil and energy.
Safeguards in the law include allowing the president ability suspended investments on grounds of a national security threat. There are restrictions on foreign state-owned enterprises preventing them from owning stock in public utilities or critical infrastructure. Moreover, information security in the telecommunication sector is to align with International Standard Organization. [Inquirer]
The Philippines: Commission of Elections to create interagency to combat vote-buying
(dvr) The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has announced its plan to create an interagency team called “Kontra Bigay” composed of Comelec, Department of Justice, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, Department of Interior and Local Government, Philippine Information Agency, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, and Armed Forces of the Philippines.
This move comes after a backlash in the Philippines’ poll body over inaction in alleged vote-buying at the presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rally in Santa Rosa town on March 15, where allegedly money was handed out inside white envelopes. [Inquirer] [Rappler]
The Philippines: Feminist groups call out Vice President Robredo on stance on sensitive topics
(dvr) Feminists groups in the Philippines are calling out the incumbent vice president and presidential candidate, Leni Robredo, on her stance on anti-abortion, anti-divorce, and anti-same-sex marriage. Robredo who is second in the polls has stated that she is willing to make compromises on her stance on these issues such as decimalization of abortions, decalcification of nullity instead of divorce, and same-sex unions instead of marriage. [Rappler] [Manila Bulletin]
Abortion remains an illegal practice in the Philippines where there is an estimated 400,000 to 800,000 unsafe abortions every year resulting in 100,000 hospitalizations and at least three death per day. Philippine Safe Abortion Advocacy Network estimates that in 2020 that 1.26 million unsafe abortions were performed. Many women and girls in the Philippines perform secret unsafe abortions due to fears of arrest and prosecution of them and anyone they get involved with.
Robredo’s stance is seen as a compromise compared to running mates Manila Mayor Isko Moreno who stated strong opposition to the issue as well as Manny Pacquiao whose stance remains against same-sex marriage and abortion. [South China Morning Post]
Singapore: Ruling party announces new party branch leaders
(bs) The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) revealed the three new members who will lead the party’s branches in the Sengkang Group Representation Constituency (GRC), a four-member constituency in the north-eastern Singapore.
The three individuals are Elmie Nekmat, Associate Professor in Communications and New Media, Theodora Lai, former chairman of the PAP Policy Forum, and Lawyer Ling Weihong. [The Straits Times]
Thailand: Deputy prime minister leaves door open on potential cooperation with main opposition party
(gl/lm) Amid growing speculation of an early general election, Thailand’s deputy prime minister and the leader of the coalition-core Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), Prawit Wongsuwan, said on March 22 a possible partnership with the main opposition Pheu Thai Party (PTP) would be considered after the general election.
The deputy prime minister’s statement assumes added significance, coming as it did just days after Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, was named as the head of the party’s campaign that seeks to strengthen unity in the Pheu Thai Party – an appointment that analysts say put her just one step away from being nominated as the party’s candidate for the premiership. In October of last year, Paetongtarn was appointed the party’s chief adviser on participation and innovation during the PTI’s general assembly in Khon Kaen province. [see AiR No. 43, October/2021, 4] [Bangkok Post 1] [Thai PBS]
Prawit’s comment also came after he earlier last week indicated that early elections could be held after Thailand hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit this November [see AiR No. 12, March/2022, 4]. While Prawit has no power over when polls are held, it was the first government indication on the date of national elections – months ahead of Prime Minister Prayut’s four-year term ending in March next year.
But analysts believe that early polls could return an unfavorable result for the prime minister, whose base is fragmenting. In January, a faction of 20 lawmakers from the PPRP was kicked out over internal squabbles [see AiR No. 4, January/2022, 4]. Last month, then, seven ministers from a the second-largest coalition party refused to attend a cabinet meeting in a row over an extension of the concession for Bangkok’s Sky Train railway [see AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3].
In light of this, Prime Minister Prayut has sought to buttress his 16-party coalition by hosting a series of informal dinner meetings, as he must drum up enough support to survive a no-confidence debate tabled by the opposition when parliament reconvenes in May. [Nikkei Asia] [The Straits Times, $]
Still, in polling of the Thai public to determine the country’s preferred prime minister earlier this month, Pita Limcharoenrat, leader of the opposition Move Forward Party, led the list with 13.4 percent of the popularity vote. Prayut got 12.7 percent votes, his lowest rating in the four quarterly surveys done by National Institute of Development Administration, known as NIDA. The number of undecided participants stood at 27.6 percent, down from 36.5 percent in December of last year. [Bangkok Post] [BNN Bloomberg]
Moreover, Prayut is also bracing for a legal battle, as opposition parties contend that his premiership will reach its constitutional limit by next August, given that he was first appointed prime minister in August 2014, three months after he led the country’s military coup. However, some legal experts say the constitutional limit is applicable only to the period after the current constitution entered into force in April 2017; hence, Prime Minister Prayut can continue to lead the government until April 2025. [AiR No. 1, January/2022, 1]
Thailand: Parliamentary committee to vote on amendments to election, political party law
(lm) A committee of the Thai parliament charged with vetting amendments to two crucial organic laws is scheduled to vote on March 30 if a political party should be designated the same number for both party-list and constituency candidates. The committee will also vote on criteria that potential co-founders of new political parties must meet.
The amendment bills are part of a comprehensive legislation originally comprising a total of ten bills designed to amend two organic laws, the Political Parties Act and the MP Election Act. A joint sitting of parliament in February passed seven out of the ten bills in the first reading – four of which seek to revive the two-ballot voting system and change the House’s composition, while the three cover changes to the political party law [see AiR No. 6, February/2022, 2]. Parliamentary readings of all 10 bills are due to be completed by August before any amendments are submitted for royal endorsement.
Crucially, a Cabinet-sponsored bill related to election of lawmakers does not stipulate that every political party gets a common number for both party-list and constituency candidates. An opposition Pheu Thai Party (PTP)-sponsored bill on the same matter, by contrast, calls for use of the same number for constituency and party-list candidates. Analysts reckon that the party, which won plenty of constituencies but party-list seats under the single-ballot system, would have a distinct possibility of winning by a landslide under a two-ballot system.
In light of this, in the lead-up to the committee’s meeting, the deputy leader of Thailand’s coalition-core Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) said all coalition parties will vote in favour of separating polling numbers for constituency candidates and their political parties. [Bangkok Post]
Thailand: Incumbent Bangkok governor resigns to run as independent in upcoming polls
(gl/lm) Incumbent Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang has officially resigned so that he can run as an independent candidate in the Bangkok gubernatorial election in May. Aswin had been appointed to the position, rather than democratically elected, in 2016 by the military junta that ruled Thailand between 2014 and 2019. After holding the position for five years, he will endeavor to complete a renewed term. [Thai PBS] [Bangkok Post 1]
Aswin is the latest high-profile figure to join the gubernatorial race set for May 22. Other independent candidates include former Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt, former Deputy Governor Sakoltee Phattiyakul, and former Bangkok Senator Rosana Tositrakul. Those representing political parties are Suchatvee Suwansawat from the Democrat Party, opposition Move Forward Party’s Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn and the Thai Srang Thai Party’s Sita Divari.
Besides the Bangkok gubernatorial election, it has since been confirmed by the Electoral Commission that elections for Pattaya city chiefs and councilors are also to be held on May 22. [Bangkok Post 2]
Thailand: Rights organizations release first-ever annual report on prison conditions
(kc/lm) The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organization in Thailand, the Union for Civil Liberty, have released their first-ever annual report on prison conditions, highlighting the government’s response to COVID-19 and sub-standard conditions in the country’s correctional facilities despite a decreasing prison population and encouraging steps towards policy reform. [FIDH]
The publication of the report comes after Thailand’s Corrections Department promised earlier this month to ban forced prison labor and raise the wages for inmates who opt to work following an expose by the Thomas Reuters Foundation, which was published in December of last year [see AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2]. The report found that prisoners were being forced into making fishing nets for private companies, fulfilling high-value contracts for Thai manufacturers. If the inmates did not meet targets, they were threatened by prison authorities with beatings, loss of shower privileges, or delayed releases.
Another report by the FIDH published last March found that Thai prison conditions remained below international standards amid ongoing overcrowding, with a majority facing drug charges.
Thailand: Two journalists charged with royal defamation
(kc) Two Thai reporters last week were summoned by the police on charges of violating Article 112 of the Thai Penal Code, which pertains to royal defamation. They were both later released under bail conditions that required them to wear an electronic bracelet and abstain from political activities. [Prachatai, in Thai]
The two reporters run a Facebook page and a YouTube channel that broadcasted a campaign against the royal motorcade on in February, in which the leaders had previously been charged under Article 112. [No. 8, February/2022, 4]
Thailand: Protesters file complaint with UNESCO to protest quarry in geopark
(kc) Environmental activists in Thailand’s southern Satun province have filed a complaint with the United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and a Thai parliamentary committee to investigate the provincial industrial office for permitting rock quarry on three mountains in the province. Protesters claim that the quarry would seriously affect the mountains, which UNESCO declared as Thailand's first global geopark in 2018. [Prachatai, in Thai] [The Active, in Thai]
Thailand: NGOs sue government for failing to protect people from air pollution
(kc/lm) A collective of non-governmental organizations have filed a lawsuit against the Thai government for allegedly neglecting its mandate of protecting its citizens against air pollution. The suit, which targets three pubic departments, the National Environmental Board, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Ministry of Industry, calls for the introduction of a clean air act to tackle tiny particle pollution, also known as PM 2.5. [Eco-Business]
Experts say that the standard value of PM 2.5 in Thailand is too high and almost five times higher than the air quality recommended by the World Health Organization. And this is a daunting problem that has affected people’s health for a long time, and the administration has not been serious about solving the problem of air pollution. [Prachatai, in Thai]
Timor-Leste: Presidential candidates have 24 hours to appeal to the vote count
(bs) The result of the first round of Timorese presidential elections is awaiting to be vetted by the Court of Appeals. The candidates can appeal the vote to the commission on elections within 24 hours.
On March 19, the majority of voting Timor-Leste citizens voted in favor of José Ramos-Horta as the next Timorese president. The second-round vote is scheduled for April 19, where only the two primary opponents will run for the final election. José Ramos-Horta will run against current President Francisco ‘Lú-Olo’ Guterres.
Timor-Leste is voting for its fifth presidential election since the country’s independence from Indonesia in 2002. [ABC News]
Vietnam: Activists barred from Ukraine event
(kc) Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that Vietnamese authorities prevented several activist groups from attending an activity at the Ukraine Embassy in support of Ukraine after being militarily invaded by Russia. The Vietnamese government has managed to suspend travel and block the activists’ house exits to preclude them from civic activities that the government views as potentially problematic. [Human Rights Watch]
Vietnam: Independent journalist sentenced to five years in prison
(kc/bs) A court in Hanoi convicted Le Van Dung, an independent Vietnamese journalist, to five years in jail and five years of probation for anti-state propaganda. The court also handed down an 18-month suspended sentence against one of Dung’s relatives for allegedly protecting him from the authorities.
Dung posted 12 videos to his Facebook and YouTube channel between 2017 and 2018 where he talked about corruption, land confiscations, and allegedly criticized the Vietnamese government. The journalist denied all the charges claiming that the accusations have “no legal basis.”
Vietnam ranks 175 out of 180 on the Global Press Freedom Index. The country has been under the radar of the international community for allegedly prosecuting and carrying out arbitrary arrests for anti-state propaganda. [VOA]
Vietnam: Businesswoman arrested after broadcasting criticism of celebrities
(kc) Nguyen Phuong Hang, a business tycoon, was arrested for allegedly “abusing democratic freedoms to harm the state's interests” violating.
Hang, three days before her arrest, revealed a controversial story involving a current high-ranking Ho Chi Minh City official about when he was serving as a local authority back in 2020. On her YouTube channel, Hang gained popularity for criticizing celebrities and politicians. Such activity is punishable under Article 331 of the Vietnamese Penal Code, which, according to international human rights groups, is the government’s tool to silence dissenting political voices. [Radio Free Asia]
International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia
Biden’s new budget proposal for defense eyes China
(dql) US President Joe Biden has released a USD 5.8 trillion budget proposal for fiscal 2023. This proposal includes a request USD 813.3 billion in national security spending of which USD 773 billion are earmarked for the Pentagon, an increase of USD 30 billion compared with what is allocated for this year. USD 40 billion will largely be spent on maintaining nuclear weapons under the Energy Department’s budget.
China is the focus of defense spending as it is “the preeminent pacing challenge while developing capabilities and operational concepts in the Indo-Pacific," according to the Pentagon. [CNN] [Defense One]
Western countries substantiate threats of secondary sanctions should China support Russia
(jw) Amid China’s continuous refusal to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, western leaders convened at back-to-back summits of the NATO, G7, and EU on March 24 to discuss the Ukraine war. One aim of the summits was drawing red lines to deter China from undermining sanctions on Russia. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan claimed that the G7 states are preparing a unified response to punish countries allowing Russia to evade the sanctions. According to Sullivan, the US has sufficient tools to prevent China from providing Russia
with critical goods such as aircraft parts that are currently affected by export restrictions. [Reuters 1]
Western countries reiterated their concerns over China supporting Russia economically or militarily and again appealed to China to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his hope that China “will not participate in any form of escalation”. However, the Chinese Foreign Ministry rejected claims of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that "China has provided Russia with political support by spreading lies and misinformation" and again accused western nations of being responsible for the escalation. The diplomatic exchanges reflect China’s difficult position as the Chinese are politically closer to Russia but economically tied to the west. Thus, China aims to maneuver between the demands of Russia and western countries avoiding cutting political ties with Moscow but also circumventing secondary sanctions from
Ukraine’s allies. Western countries also cannot be too harsh on China, because they do not want to draw China closer to Russia. Moreover, an alienated China could undermine attempts to find a diplomatic solution for the war. [CNBC] [DW] [Global Times] [Reuters 2]
Despite Beijing’s insistence that it cannot be pressured into cutting economic ties with Russia, Chinese companies continue to show reluctance as they are wary of sanctions. As case in point, the state-run Sinopec Group, Asia’s biggest oil refiner, halted talks over a USD 500 million petrochemical investment in a new gas chemical plant situated in Russia and a gas marketing venture [see AiR No. 12, March/2022, 4]. [Reuters 3]
China among countries supporting Russia remaining in G20 ahead of summit
(jw/sg) At the March 24 summits, western leaders also discussed Russia’s participation at this year’s G20 summit in Indonesia. Ahead of the event in November that Putin plans to attend, the US and its western allies are evaluating whether Russia should remain part of the G20. According to a source in the G7, the G20 would “become a less useful organization” should Russia remain a member. US President Biden and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison also expressed their support for expelling Russia from the G20 group. The Group of 20 includes countries such as China, India and South Africa who are likely to veto any resolution to remove Russia from the bloc. Politicians from Indonesia, which currently chairs the group, have already voiced support of Russia’s participation at this year’s forum. Russia was also backed by China and called Russia an “important member” of the group. The Chinese Foreign Ministry made insisted that “no member has the right to remove another country as a member. The G20 should implement real multilateralism, strengthen unity and cooperation”. [France 24] [JakartaGlobe] [NBC] [Reuters]
China, Russia stand alone in UN Security Council vote on humanitarian aid in Ukraine
(jw) Besides Russia, China was the only country in support of a Russian proposal for a UN resolution on delivering humanitarian aid in Ukraine. Because the resolution did not name Russia as the aggressor in Ukraine, all members of the Security Council except for Russia and China abstained from the vote on March 24.
Chinese Permanent Representative to the UN explained his vote by stating that the proposed resolution allows for focusing on the humanitarian issues at hand, appealing to the council members to “transcend political differences”. Later, on the same day, a solution calling for an immediate ceasefire that named Russia as the solely responsible actor for the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine was passed with a strong majority in the general assembly with China as one of the 38 countries abstaining from the vote. [Associated Press] [The Times of Isreal]
No normalization in ties until Himalayan border is demilitarized, India tells visiting Chinese foreign minister
(jw/lm) Against the larger backdrop of the two-year-old border standoff in the Himalayan heights, India on March 25 put the ball firmly in China’s court, with Foreign Minister S Jaishankar telling his visiting Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that the border had to be completely demilitarized for normal bilateral relations to resume. [CNBC] [The Straits Times]
Wang’s trip to New Delhi marked the first to the Indian capital by a high-ranking Chinese official since the border tensions in the northern Himalayan region of Ladakh erupted into violence in mid-2020, leaving 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead [see AiR No. 24, June/2020, 3]. Tens of thousands of soldiers, manning tanks and fighter jets, remain amassed at either side of the border. Senior military officers of both countries concluded their 15th round of talks earlier this month, which – like the previous two rounds – ended without any agreement to pull back troops from some key areas of the conflict [see AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3].
In light of this, the Indian side treated Wang’s visit to New Delhi as a low-key event, apparently unsure of the outcome. Foreign Minister Jaishankar said the visit was not announced in advance at Beijing’s suggestion [see AiR No. 12, March/2022, 4]; Wang, who had landed quietly in New Delhi’s commercial airport on a flight from Afghanistan, did not speak to the media after the meeting.
Crucially, the two sides seem to differ on the preconditions for a thaw in bilateral ties. According to a statement published by China's foreign ministry on March 26, Wang told his Indian counterpart that the ongoing border crisis should neither define nor affect the overall development of China-India ties and called for transitioning from a state of emergency response to normal management as soon as possible. [Reuters]
But when Wang told Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on March 25 that Beijing did not seek a “unipolar Asia” and respected India’s traditional role in the region, the Indian security official pressed the Chinese diplomat for an early and complete disengagement of Chinese troops from the disputed border. [South China Morning Post]
India says China occupies 38,000 square kilometers of its territory in the Aksai Chin Plateau, which India considers part of Ladakh, where the current faceoff is taking place. Since February last year, both India and China have withdrawn troops from a strategic lake, Pangong Tso, but subsequent talks held in October of the same year to discuss disengaging at other places ended in a deadlock, with both sides blaming each other for a lack of progress [see AiR No. 41, October/2021, 2]. The other unresolved points are Hot Springs, Depsang Plains and Demchok, all of which did not feature in the initial disengagement process.
While overshadowed by the border conflict, the talks also featured Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with both India and China agreeing on the need for an immediate ceasefire and a return to dialogue. Both New Delhi and Beijing have friendly ties with Russia and have so far ´refrained from condemning Moscow’s actions [see AiR No. 12, March/2022, 4]. As the host of the annual BRICS summit later this year, China is also believed to be seeking India’s presence at the forum which would put India, China and Russia at the same table.
Wang left for Nepal on March 25, after visiting Afghanistan on the day before for talks with the Taliban rulers in Kabul. [Associated Press]
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visits Pakistan, discusses Kashmir, Ukraine, military cooperation
(jw/fq/tj) China’s Foreign Minister and State Councilor Wang Yi arrived in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on March 21 for a comprehensive three-day working visit that included meetings with the country’s civil and military leadership. The top diplomat also addressed a high-level forum of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation as guest of honor and witnessed the miliary parade held to commemorate Pakistan’s National Day.
Wang’s trip to Islamabad followed on a crucial visit to Beijing by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics and meet with Chinese leaders. During Khan’s visit, the two countries signed a new agreement on industrial cooperation under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. [AiR No. 6, February/2022, 2]
Against this backdrop, upon his arrival, visiting Wang Yi met with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi for talks during which both sides reinforced their all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, calling it “long-tested” and “unbreakable”, according to a Chinese readout. Both sides also agreed to further improve integration under CPEC and enhance security and terrorism cooperation.
Pakistan and China also stressed their coordination of diplomatic efforts and strategy regarding the Ukraine war stating that they hold “common positions”. Both China and Pakistan reiterated their calls for dialogue between western countries and Russia and argued that Ukraine should be a bridge of communication between the East and West. [Global Times]
The two countries also signed cooperation in fields of agriculture, education, science, and technology to expand sectors of cooperation other than CPEC. [Xinhua]
Chinese foreign minister’s Nepal visit puts spotlight on US-Chinese rivalry in South Asia
(lm) Nepal and China on March 26 signed a nine-point agreement to strengthen economic relations between the two Asian neighbors, as Beijing seeks to solidify Sino-Nepal ties a month after Kathmandu ratified a United States aid grant branded by China as “coercive diplomacy”. [La Prensa Latina] [The Kathmandu Post]
Wang’s three-day visit to Nepal – the last stop on a swing through South Asia that also featured Pakistan, Afghanistan and India – marked the first high-level engagement between the two countries since Nepal’s Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba assumed office in July 2021. It also came after Kathmandu last month approved a USD 500-million onetime grant from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), an independent United States agency, defying China’s calls to reject the assistance package [see AiR No. 9, March/2022, 1]. [South China Morning Post]
Beijing had hoped Nepal would follow the lead of Sri Lanka, ruled by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who is viewed as more nationalist and friendlier toward China. Colombo in 2020 rejected a USD 480 million MCC grant, asserting the offer would risk the Indian Ocean island’s national sovereignty and national security. [AIR No. 51, December/2020, 4]
Against this backdrop, observers had expected Wang to use his visit to Kathmandu to kick-start projects under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), signed with Nepal in 2017, four months before the Nepalese government and the US signed the MCC grant in September 2017 to upgrade the Himalayan nation’ s dilapidated road networks and build electric lines. However, although not a single project has taken off due to this date, none of the agreements signed last week pertains to the BRI.
Instead, the two Asian neighbors agreed to conduct a feasibility study to construct a high-voltage power transmission line across the Himalayas to facilitate the exchange of electric power. Nepal faces power shortages during the dry season and the planned grid would alleviate the problem through imports from China. [Reuters]
The two countries further agreed on expediting a feasibility study for a proposed railway linking the city of Kerung in southern Tibet to Kathmandu. The cross-border railway, which was first envisioned in 2019, is estimated to cost over USD 2 billion and will take around nine years to complete. [Deutsche Welle]
On March 25, Wang met Prime Minister Deuba and witnessed the completion ceremony of the Pokhara Regional International Airport constructed with a USD 216 million loan from China’s EXIM bank. The airport is expected to be operational by the end of this year.
Chinese Foreign Minister visits Afghanistan, holds talks with the Taliban
(jw) After visiting Pakistan and before going to India and Nepal (see above), Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a short stop in Afghanistan on March 24. In talks with acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Wang discussed Afghanistan’s future role in the Belt and Road initiative and possible cooperation in the mining sector. In a separate meeting, Wang expressed his hopes that Afghanistan stays committed to prohibiting foreign powers from using its territory to destabilize the region.
Wang’s visit to Afghanistan comes just one day after the Taliban decided to significantly restrict girls’ access to education prompting international protest. In line with foreign governments, China has not officially recognized the Taliban administration. [Associated Press] [Reuters 1] [Reuters 2]
China, Solomon Islands in discussions over security cooperation
(jw) China strengthens its foothold in the pacific by deepening ties with the Solomon Islands. After a policing deal is already signed, the Solomon Islands’ cabinet will consider a broader security agreement. A draft copy of a memorandum of understanding indicates that an agreement would entail Chinese police, armed police, and military being stationed on the Solomon Islands. The deepening of the relationship between the two nations comes after a turning point in 2019 when the Solomon Islands decided to switch diplomatic ties from Taiwan to Beijing.
The developments are especially of concern to Australia and the US. Historically, Australia was responsible for security support in the Solomon Islands whose capitol Honiara was recently shaken by riots [see AiR No. 49, December/2021, 1]. Thus, Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews voiced her concern over China’s growing influence, claiming that the pacific is Australia’s “back yard”. Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd asserted that the cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands is "one of the most significant security developments that we have seen in decades,” adding that “it's one that is adverse to
Australia's national security interests". New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta echoed the concerns, stating that an agreement could endanger regional security. The US will most likely also be affected as it shared plans to open an embassy on the Solomon Islands in February. [Reuters1] [Reuters 2] [The Guardian]
US–China economic relations show signs of relaxation
(jw) After five years of government supervision, a US federal judge ruled that the probation of Chinese technology company ZTE can end. The five-year probation was part of a settlement agreement after ZTE plead guilty to violating US sanctions on Iran. ZTE remains heavily affected by US measures that are partly aimed at protecting national security and partly meant as punishment for attempting to smuggle US technology into Iran and violating deals with US authorities. Under the Trump administration, ZTE was hit by heavy fines and put on an export blacklist, effectively barring the
company from operating in the US market. US lawyers will continue to monitor ZTE for another six years as part of a separate deal made in 2018. ZTE also remains involved in a case of visa fraud that according to some observers could have been a reason to prolong the probation. However, the judge decided against prolonging the probation prompting a surge of ZTE shares in the stock markets of Hong Kong and Shenzhen. However, the judge criticized ZTE for remaining compliance problems hinting at multiple legal issues ZTE is still facing. [Global Times] [Reuters 1] [WSJ]
Furthermore, the US Trade Representative’s Office announced on March 23 that 352 products imported from China will be unaffected by tariffs imposed during the Trump administration. The US now excludes mostly industrial components from the punitive tariffs on China. This marks a softening of the harsh trade policies the US implemented facing China. Originally, more than 2000 products were granted tariff exclusions by the Trump administration to protect domestic industries and retailers. However, the exclusions expired during the Trump administration. The Chinese commerce ministry welcomed the decision of the US to reinstate some of the exemptions and expressed the wish that the US could scrap all tariffs on Chinese goods. [Global Times] [Reuters 2] [Reuters 3]
Moreover, as US regulators pressure Chinese companies listed in the US to share more information, Chinese authorities are ready to make some concessions and asked major Chinese companies such as Alibaba or Baidu to prepare for audit disclosers. This move follows threats of the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) that claimed that up to 273 Chinese companies could be kicked off the American Stock Exchange due to unavailable audit records. Previously, Chinese authorities cited security concerns as the reason behind the refusal to share information. [Reuters 4]
Chinese President and South Korean president-elect discuss North Korea
(jw) After a North Korean test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol held a 25-minute phone call. Yoon expressed his wish that China and South Korea cooperate closely in their attempts to achieve North Korean denuclearization and stability on the Korean peninsula. Xi, for his part, stressed his intentions of establishing close relations and continuous communication with South Korea. Observers noted that the call is special because it is the first time that Xi speaks to an elected South Korean leader before he takes office, indicative of the Chinese president attaching high importance of a close relationship with the incoming government. [Global Times] [Korea Times] [South China Morning Post]
China denies ambitions to interfere in Australian federal election
(jw) China’s new ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian denied allegations of conservative Australian politicians that China would try to meddle in the upcoming Australian federal elections to achieve a victory of the Labor Party. According to Xiao, China has no favorite party in the Australian elections and does not intervene in domestic matters. China hopes for a positive change in Australia–China relations, Xiao claims. Xiao’s friendly rhetoric stands in contrast to the heavy criticism frequently voiced by the Chinese foreign ministry as Australia and China are involved in disputes over trade, defense, cyber-attacks, and the Ukraine war [see AiR No. 12, March/2022, 4]. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison cited Beijing’s diplomatic freeze as the reason behind his refusal to meet the new ambassador, stating that he would not be interested in a meeting “as China continues to refuse to have dialogue with Australian ministers and the prime minister”. [ABC News] [Global Times] [The Guardian]
Australia sets up space command division partly aimed at deterring China
(jw) As a response to the development of modern military weapons, the Australian Air Forces began operations on a Space Command division on March 22. In a statement, Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton pointed at the threat of Russian and Chinese hypersonic weapons stating that the division is meant as “a clear counter to China's and Russia's extraterrestrial military ambitions” [Global Times] [Sky News Australia]
Ukraine’s president addresses Japan’s parliament to discuss pressure on Russia
(cm) On March 23 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy virtually delivered a speech to the Japanese parliament, asking for a trade embargo to be imposed on Russian goods, which he deems necessary to remove companies from the Russian market in order to prevent money to go to the Russian army.
The address by the foreign leader is a novelty in Japan and the last of a series of speeches delivered by Zelenskiy to countries, such as the US and the UK, calling for increased pressure on Russia.
Zelenskiy expressed his gratitude to Japan for serving as an example among Asian nations in condemning and sanctioning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Without giving details, the President also made reference to the state of danger Ukraine’s nuclear power plants are currently in, which have been occupied by Russian troops shortly after the invasion. [Reuters 1]
On March 25, the Japanese Foreign Ministry announced the freeze of the assets of an additional 25 Russian individuals and a ban on exports to 81 Russian organizations, after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated the previous day that Russia will be stripped of the most favored national status, a level of treatment accorded to an international partner country which ensures nondiscriminatory trade.
On the same day, Japan, along with France, halted their investments in Arctic LNG 2, a USD 23 billion (JPY 2.7 trillion) liquefied natural gas development project in the Russian Arctic, in which Japan holds a 10 percent stake. [Reuters 2] [Asia Nikkei]
Additionally, in a parliament session on March 28 Kishida proposed an amendment of Japan’s foreign exchange law in order to prevent Russia from evasion of financial sanctions through cryptocurrency assets. [Reuters 3]
Japanese Prime Minister and US agree on fight against nuclear arms
(cm) Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel pledged cooperation against the threat of nuclear arms during a visit to the Hiroshima atomic bomb memorial on March 26.
The discussion came amid growing fears over the possible use of such weapons by Russia, after Moscow refused to rule out the deployment of its nuclear arsenal, should Russia face an existential threat with the Ukrainian resistance and the economic sanctions imposed by the international community. [CNA]
Japan and US reprimand North Korean missile launch
(cm) While in Brussels for an emergency meeting of Group of Seven countries, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met to discuss the North Korean launch of a long-range ballistic missile, which is believed to be its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in more than four years.
The March 24 launch is North Korea’s eleventh this year and flew to an altitude of 6,000 kilometers before falling in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The act was strongly condemned by the United States, Japan and South Korea as a violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions and a destabilizing move for the region. According to analysts, North Korea’s missile tests might be a way of showing the country’s status and force as a nuclear weapons state. [CNN] [Hill.tv]
Japan protests Russian drill on contested islands
(cm) On March 28 the Japanese government lodged a protest against Russia through diplomatic channels after the Russian military announced that it held the first of a series of drills involving more than 3,000 troops on the disputed islands off Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido, Russian-administered Kuril Islands and Japan-claimed Northern Territories.
The exercises came after Russia withdrew from the longstanding peace treaty talks with Japan last week, as a retaliation for Japan siding with western allies in imposing sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. [Reuters]
Japan offers support to Gambia, Rwanda and Algeria through UNICEF and UNHCR
(cm) Japan provided USD 2.5 million to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in support of Gambia’s commitment to tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. The contribution will complement the Gambian government’s efforts to achieve the target vaccination rate of 70 percent of eligible adults, and will be used to implement Infection and Prevention Control measures which are critical in delivering services, cold chain equipment and supplies. [AllAfrica]
Japan has also announced its support to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for humanitarian assistance for refugees in the Mahama Refugee Camp, Rwanda, and in Algeria.
For Rwanda, the Japanese government offered a contribution of USD 1.18 million, directed at assisting basic health care systems and ensuring better water and sanitation conditions. The project funded by the aid aims at COVID-19 prevention through knowledge diffusion and teaching of prevention habits for children and adolescents, as well as providing protection and psychosocial support to vulnerable individuals in the host community. [African Business]
The contribution to UNHCR’s program in Algeria, amounting to USD 1.4 million, will secure access to healthcare services, hygienic materials, sanitation and COVID-19 protection measures for refugees and asylum-seekers. [ReliefWeb]
North Korea: Kim sharpens rhetoric after twelfth round of missile test
(mpk) On March 24, North Korea launched intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test, the Hwasong-17. It was the twelfth round of missile test in this year and marks the end of North Korea’s self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile testing of April 2018. According to the first assessment of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the missile flew approximately 1100 kilometers at a top altitude of over 6200 kilometers.
Commenting on the test, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is quoted state media as hailing the test-firing as “indispensable sacred cause of building up the country’s nuclear war deterrent,” and concluding that the country would be “fully ready for long-standing confrontation with the U.S. imperialists.” Using Hwasong 17 as momentum, the country would now “perfect the country’s nuclear war deterrent more expeditiously,” to counter “blackmails by the imperialists.” [Yonhap News Agency 1] [The Korea Herald]
In response to Pyongyang’s test, the South Korean military carried out on the same day a live-fire exercise to show its force and demonstrate the country’s combat readiness. The drill involved a Hyunmoo-2 ground-to-ground missile and one Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missile as well as a Haesung-II ship-to-ground missile and two JDAM air-to-surface missiles. s combat readiness. [Yonhap News Agency 2]
World Food Program’s aid will continue for North Korea until the end of 2023
(mpk) The World Food Program (WFP) has announced that it will continue its food aid for North Korea through next year. The worth of the aid is USD 32.56 million and targets more than 800.000 North Koreans.
The aid was suspended due to North Korea’s strict COVID-19 measures since 2020. With the last distribution of aid supplies, the WFP helped nearly 570.000 North Koreans last year. [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea seeks discussion permanent deployment of US strategic military assets
(mpk) On March 22, South Korea’s Defense Ministry submitted a report on the issue of U.S. strategic asset deployment in the country to the transition team of president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol that took office on March 21.
In the report, the ministry stressed that it seeks to engage with the US through the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG) in discussion on the permanent deployment of the strategic military assets in the country in response to increased tensions on the Korean Peninsula. [Yonhap News Agency]
Established in 2016, the EDSCG was established in 2016 by the US and South Korean Foreign and Defense Ministers (2+2) as a high-level consultative mechanism to respond to threats posed by North Korea.
The report comes after the United States Forces Korea (USFK) recently boosted its air defense exercises in response North Korea’s increased missile tests in the recent months and revealed in a press statement that during these exercises the unit, equipped with Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile interceptors, moves to remote location, occupies its wartime defensive position, deploys the patriot missile system, and performs missile defense operations under simulated combat scenarios [see AiR No.12, March/2022,4].
South Korea, Turkey vow to strengthen economic ties
(mpk) On March 22, trade officials from South Korea and Turkey came together via teleconference for the fifth director-level meeting of the Korea-Turkey Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Joint Committee to review the performance of the trade accord that came into force in 2013 and to discuss possibilities to further deepen economic ties.
While the trade volume between the two countries was USD 5.22 billion in 2012, it has raised to USD 8.26 billion last year, an increase by 58 percent. [Yonhap News Agency]
The meeting took place four days after the visit South Korea’s Prime Minister to Turkey on March 18. Both sides discussed ways to further deepen trade and investment on the basis of FTA [see AiR No.12, March/2022,4].
South Korea proposes deepening cooperation on supply chains and climate change to Vietnam
(mpk) In a phone on March 23, South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Quoc Khanh discussed way to deepen economic ties. During the discussion, Yeo suggested to deepen bilateral cooperation on supply chains and climate change issues to elevate economic ties a notch higher.
Bilateral trade between the two countries raised to a record-high USD 80.7 billion last year, up from USD 69.1 billion in the year before.
Yeo also requested Vietnam’s support on its application for the membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). [Yonhap News Agency 1]
South Korea’s application for the CPTPP membership, originally planned for April, is expected to be delayed in the face of strong opposition of farmers and fishermen who are preparing a large-scale demonstration in April to demand that the government scrap its application plans. According to the government, lawmakers in related constituencies are likely to join them and related parliamentary procedures required before the application may be delayed. [Business Korea]
In a related statement, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy conceded that market opening in the frame of the CPTPP will likely lead to production cuts in the agricultural sector of around KRW 85.3 billion to 440 billion year for 15 years to come, while the expected growth in fisheries imports will cause a decrease in local production worth up to KRW 72.4 billion annually. The ministry, however, affirmed that compensation would be provided by the government. [Yonhap News Agency 2]
South Korea, Australia to commence joint carbon capture project this year
(mpk) During a meeting between South Korean Vice Industry Minister Park Ki-young and Australian Ambassador to Korea Catherine Raper, both countries agreed to carry out a project on Carbon Capture Storage (CCS).
Worth USD 4.76 million, the project aims to capture carbon dioxide emissions from industrial facilities and permanently store them underground with the project. Beginning next year, the project will run for three years, with budget negotiations expected to be completed by June. Both sides also talked about ways of deepening ties in the supply chains of key industry items and natural resources. [The Korea Times]
Cross-strait relations: Taiwan accuses China of interfering in Taiwanese artist’s contribution to book fair in Italy
(dql) Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs sharply has accused China of exerting political pressure to interfere in a Children’s Book Fair in Bologna and to force the removal of Taiwan as country of origin of a Taiwanese artist participating in the event.
In a complaint submitted to the Italian government and the hosts of the exhibition, Taiwan’s representative office in Italy demanded the country listing for the Taiwanese artist to be rectified immediately. [Taiwan News]
Taiwan, Lithuania to deepen cooperation to defy Chinese pressure
(dql) Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on March 26 that it has received an application from Lithuania to open a representative office in Taiwan. The confirmation came on the heels of Lithuanian Minister of the Economy and Innovation Ausrine Armonaite’s declaration that the Baltic state was prepared to open the de-facto embassy in Taipei. [Taipei Times]
Meanwhile, during a meeting days earlier with the Taiwan committee of the Lithuanian parliament, Taiwan’s representative office in Vilnius pledged to quickly submit strategic proposals to deepen technology cooperation and expand investments opportunities between both countries, with a focus put on Lithuania’s laser industry and Taiwan’s semiconductor industry. [The Baltic Times]
These latest developments in relations between Taiwan and Lithuania signal joint efforts of both countries to defy and counter Chinese diplomatic and economic pressure the Baltic state has been facing – including degrading diplomatic ties and imposing trade restrictions – ever since it allowed Taiwan to open a representative office in Vilnius last November which bears the word “Taiwanese” in its name instead of the usual “Taipei” [see AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3, AiR No. 47, November/2021, 4]
Marshall Islands affirms support for Taiwan
(dql) Wrapping up a five-day visit to Taiwan of a delegation from the Marshall Islands, led by President David Kabua, Foreign Affairs Minister and Trade Minister Casten Nemra reaffirmed that the country will remain committed to closely cooperate with Taiwan and the United States on economic and security issues, adding that despite being open to doing business with China, “when it comes to diplomatic ties, we know where we are.”
He, furthermore, reassured continued supporting for Taiwan's sovereignty and its inclusion in international for organizations such as the World Health Organization.
The Marshall Islands is among Taiwan’s 14 diplomatic allies. Official diplomatic ties were established in 1998. [Focus Taiwan]
British, Russian foreign ministers to visit India as New Delhi stays on diplomatic sidelines vis-à-vis Ukraine war
(lm) Against the larger backdrop of ongoing attempts by the United States and its allies to isolate Russia over the war in the Ukraine, the British and Russian foreign ministers are set to visit New Delhi later this week, the latest in a flurry of top diplomats visiting India over the last few weeks. [The New Arab]
The United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will visit New Delhi on March 31 to discuss “bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest” with her Indian counterpart S Jaishankar, according to a statement from India's foreign ministry. The meeting will also provide an opportunity to assess the progress on the 2030 roadmap that was agreed upon during a virtual summit held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Boris Johnson in May of last year [see AiR No. 19, May/2021, 2].
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is also due to arrive in the Indian capital on the same day and is scheduled to meet Jaishankar on April 1. While the agenda has not yet been set, there is good reason to believe that the Ukraine war will be a priority.
New Delhi continued to stay on the diplomatic sidelines last week, seemingly trying to preserve its extensive trade and military ties with Moscow. On March 23, India, along with 12 other United Nations (UN) Security Council members, abstained from a Russia-sponsored resolution on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The resolution, which was co-sponsored by Syria, North Korea, and Belarus, didn’t pass as it failed to secure the required nine votes – only Russia and China voted yes. Unlike the other abstaining Security Council members, India did not issue any statement on the vote. [Deutsche Welle] [The Indian Express]
Hours later, India was among the 38 abstentions of countries in a vote in the UN General Assembly on a resolution drafted by Ukraine and 90 co-sponsors that was strong in its condemnatory language against Russia. The resolution was adopted with 140 votes in favor, and five against it – Russia, Syria, North Korea, Eritrea and Belarus. [UN News]
India had previously abstained from every vote related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These include votes at the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council and at the International Atomic Energy Agency. New Delhi also agreed to purchase 3 million barrels of Russian oil at a heavy discount. [AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]
On March 25 then, the two countries took an important step towards setting up a ruble-rupee trading mechanism, as the Reserve Bank of India allowed Moscow to invest the proceeds of its arms sales to India in local-currency corporate bonds. The mechanism lets India pay for one of its most important import items - Russian defense supplies - in local currency, thereby lowering the risk of potential US sanctions. [Asia Times]
Speaking against this backdrop, Mira Rapp-Hooper, the director for the Indo-Pacific on the United States National Security Council, said later the same day that the Biden administration expected New Delhi’s response, but suggested it was “unsatisfactory”. [Al Jazeera]
The remarks came after US President Biden said earlier this month that India was an exception among members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) grouping that joins both nations with Australia and Japan with its “shaky” response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. [AiR No. 12, March/2022, 4]
They also come after a high-level US delegation visited New Delhi and promised Washington stood ready to help New Delhi weaning itself off its dependency on Russian defense hardware and energy. During meetings with Foreign Minister Jaishankar and senior officials, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland acknowledged the historical relationship between India and Russia, but said “times have changed now” and there was ”an evolution of thinking in India”. [BBC]
Days before, in reply to a query whether the Ukraine war had affected India’s diplomatic ties with other nations, Junior Foreign Minister Meenakashi Lekhi told parliament on March 24 that the country has friendly relations with both the United States and Russia that stand on their own merit. [Reuters]
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura.
First appearance by a Chinese foreign minister at summit of world’s largest Islamic body
(fq/sg/tj) The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) last week held the 48th session of its Council of Foreign Ministers with more than 600 delegates, including Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi as a special guest, reflecting a rapid deepening in Sino-Islamic relations.
Speaking on March 22 at the start of the two-day conference, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan urged the attendees from Muslim-majority nations that the OIC and China mediate in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. [South China Morning Post]
Addressing the high-level forum next, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang described both Chinese and Muslim civilizations as holding significant global influence but as treated “unjustly”. Highlighting the strong ties of China with the Muslim world, he added that “both civilizations are moving forward hand in hand the journey toward development and rejuvenation” and should “reject the notion of clash of civilizations.” The Chinese top diplomat also emphasized China’s support for Kashmir and Afghanistan saying that Beijing respects the choice of Afghan people and support’s its endeavors for inclusive political structure. [Geo News]
Crucially, the OIC summit addressed the plight of Rohingya Muslims as well as Muslims in Afghanistan, the Palestinian territories, Indian-administered Kashmir and elsewhere, but mostly ignored China’s treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority, including mass incarceration in so-called re-education camps. Only Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu brought it up. [Middle East Eye] [Voice of America]
In light of this, some observers argued that the Chinese top official’s presence at the summit underscored the importance that the OIC states place on their commercial relations with Beijing. It further lends credence to the argument that Chinese diplomacy has managed to frame the Uyghur issue as one of anti-terrorism rather than human rights, and that this is gaining traction among Islamic leaders. In fact, China’s nationalist tabloid Global Times framed Wang’s visit as proof “that US efforts to hype rumors about Xinjiang have failed to split China and the Islamic world.” [Global Times]
Wang’s attendance at the OIC summit marked the high point of Beijing’s recent diplomatic focus on key Islamic powers. In January, the Chinese diplomat met with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. Both sides agreed to speed up negotiations on a free-trade agreement and strengthen their strategic partnership [see AiR No. 3, January/2022, 3]. In March then, China’s special envoy to the Middle East also visited Saudi Arabia. During that visit, he also met with OIC’s Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha.
Meanwhile, lack of unity was apparent in Afghanistan’s delegation, as the Taliban government refrained from sending a foreign envoy, opting to be represented by a ministry official instead. [Asian News International]
Leaders of regional BIMSTEC grouping to hold virtual summit
(lm) Leaders of the regional organization comprising seven littoral countries of the Bay of Bengal, known by its acronym BIMSTEC, will meet virtually from March 30 for their fifth summit. Many observers expect the grouping to rationalize its sectors of cooperation and adopt a charter for the first time since its inception in 1997. [Hindustan Times]
While Sri Lanka was keen to host an in-person summit, it was later decided to deliver the event as a hybrid experience, primarily because some members state – most notably India – were reluctant to share a platform with Myanmar’s military junta. [The Indian Express]
In light of this, foreign ministers of six BIMSTEC countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand – met in-person on March 29 in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo; Myanmar’s foreign minister participated through video channel. On March 30, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will chair the BIMSTEC summit, with leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Thailand participating virtually.
Bangladesh and Thailand have been among the BIMSTEC member states pushing for the adoption of the charter to give greater focus to the work of a sub-regional grouping established in 1997 comprising Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen recently said the charter will help BIMSTEC become a dynamic and productive regional organization through meaningful cooperation between the members.
For India, the focus on BIMSTEC also marks a strategic pivot away from the eight-nation South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, which has largely become dysfunctional because of differences between India and Pakistan. The grouping, which operates on the basis of consensus since New Delhi in 2016 decided against attending a summit in Islamabad in the wake of a terror attack in the Indian Jammu and Kashmir union territory. [see latest AiR No. 2, January/2022, 2]
India, Sri Lanka sign agreement on hybrid power project in island nation’s north
(lm) India and Sri Lanka signed an agreement to set up hybrid power projects on northern Sri Lankan islands on March 29, in a deal seen as a strategic victory in New Delhi’s competition with China for influence in the Indian Ocean. India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who was visiting the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, to participate in the BIMSTEC summit, witnessed the signing along with his Sri Lankan counterpart G. L. Peiris. [Associated Press]
Last December, China announced it was suspending its own plan to build hybrid wind and solar energy projects on three Sri Lankan islands only 45 kilometers off the coast of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, months after New Delhi was reported to have protested the awarding of the tender to a Chinese firm [see AiR No. 49, December/2021, 1]. Indian officials could not confirm if the plants in the new agreement are to be built on the same islands earmarked for the Chinese project.
Besides the hybrid power projects deal, the two countries also signed agreements on a maritime rescue coordination center and a fisheries project in Sri Lanka, among others. [CNBC TV18]
Prior to the signing ceremony, visiting Jaishankar met with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on March 28. During the meeting the president thanked Jaishankar for India’s “invaluable assistance” to Sri Lanka, which is enduring its worst crisis in decades with shortages of medicine, fuel, fertilizer and milk power. Since January, India has provided assistance worth USD 2.4 billion by way of a currency swap, loan deferment and credit lines for essential imports to help the island nation cope with the debt crisis.
Crucially, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaska in a meeting with Jaishankar later the same day sought an additional credit line of USD 1.5 billion from India to import essentials, Reuters reported on March 28, citing Sri Lanka’s central bank governor. However, when The Hindu sought confirmation of the development, a top Sri Lankan official said to be familiar with the ongoing negotiations denied that Colombo has made such a request. [Reuters] [The Hindu]
The visiting Indian top diplomat also met several other members in the Sri Lankan government and the opposition, including delegations of the Tamil National Alliance, a political alliance that represents the country’s Sri Lankan Tamil minority.
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura.
India consolidates its role in Maldives, hands over coastal radar system
(lm) India on March 27 handed over a coastal radar system to the Maldives, in the latest of a series of efforts demonstrating New Delhi’s intention to build long-term ties with the Indian Ocean archipelago in the face of growing Chinese influence in the region.
The radar system was handed over by Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who was on a two-day visit to the Maldives that also featured a trip to the Addu Atoll in the far south of the archipelago, which is often regarded as the biggest strategic “prize” in the country. India has built a Police Training Academy and a drug rehabilitation center on Addu. Indian interests are also involved in several other large-scale infrastructure projects including building roads and drains and a large land reclamation project. [Hindustan Times] [The Interpreter]
During a meeting with the visiting Indian top diplomat, Maldivian President Ibrahim Solih said his country had gained immense benefits from India’s “Neighborhood First” policy. Solih reiterated that his government would “always uphold its ‘India First’ policy” it has pursued since coming to power in 2018 and is committed to enhancing the close ties with New Delhi.
For years, New Delhi has been working to entrench itself as Maldives’ key security partner, including through providing training to the Maldives defense force, an aircraft and helicopters and, helping to maintain a key naval facility for the Maldivian Coast Guard near the country’s capital, Male [see AiR No. 8, February/2021, 4]. Japan, the United Kingdom, United States, and more recently, Australia, have also been stepping up their activities by established a high commission in the Maldives [see AiR No. 8, February/2022, 4].
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura.
India-United Arab Emirates trade deal likely in force in May
(lm) India and the United Arab Emirates on March 27 released the full text of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a wide-ranging trade and investment pact that was signed between the two countries in February.
The India-UAE CEPA is the first bilateral trade accord concluded by the UAE, and India’s first bilateral trade agreement in the Middle East and North Africa region. It was signed by India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goel and his UAE counterpart Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri on February 18, coinciding with a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. [AiR No. 8, February/2022, 4]
The partnership marks a deepening of ties between the two signatories. In addition to growing bilateral trade in goods to over $100 billion within the next five years – up from about $60 billion currently, the deal is also expected to boost trade in services to over $15 billion.
Under the agreement, India will benefit from preferential market access provided by the UAE on over 97 percent of its tariff lines, while offering the UAE preferential access to Abu Dhabi on 90 percent of its tariff lines, including cooking gas and crude oil. The deal also provides for both countries to set up a technical council on investment, trade promotion and facilitation led by representatives of both governments that would promote and monitor trade and investment flows between the two countries. [The Indian Express] [The Times of India]
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura.
India, Seychelles commence 10-day military exercise
(lm) Military personnel from India and the Seychelles on March 22 launched this year’s iteration of their biennial Lamitye Exercise. The 10-day will run until March 31 and include field training exercises, combat discussions, lectures and demonstrations. The exercise is a biennial training event which has been conducted in Seychelles since 2001. [Seychelles News Agency] [The New Indian Express]
Research was contributed by Ms. Poonam Behura.
French court indicts two Cambodian top officials for involvement in 1997 grenade attack
(bs/lm) A French court has issued arrest warrants for two generals in the Cambodian army to stand trial for their role in a 1997 grenade attack on an opposition rally in Phnom Penh. The court order states that a summons was issued for Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen for his role in the attack, but that the French government blocked its delivery, citing head of state immunity. [Voice of America]
200 people were participating in a protest led by Sam Rainsy, then president of the opposition Khmer Nation Party, when four grenades exploded in the protest area, killing 16 people and wounding more than 150. In November 2000, Rainsy, a French-Cambodian dual citizen, filed the case with the Paris-based court claiming that the attack was an evident attempt to kill him.
Against this backdrop, a French court of appeal has now ruled that Huy Piseth and Hing Bun Heang, will be arraigned on the basis of the unanimous conclusion of a joint investigation by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United Nations, and international rights watchdog Human Rights Watch. The FBI investigated the attack under a US law providing the Bureau jurisdiction whenever an American citizen is injured by terrorism. [Human Rights Watch]
The court is set to hold a trial next year with or without the defendants present, but no date has been set.
Thailand: Executives of army-run TV channel meet Russian, Ukrainian ambassadors
(kc/lm) The chief of a Thai television network owned by the Royal Thai Army, Channel 5, was removed from his role one week after meeting with the Russian ambassador to Thailand. [Thai PBS World 1]
Executives of Channel 5 met with the Ukrainian ambassador to Thailand on March 24, three days after meeting the Russian envoy to Bangkok. Both meetings were held to discuss possible cooperation on information sharing vis-à-vis the reporting on the ongoing Ukraine war, according to Channel 5’s managing director. The top executive said that the station already has similar agreements with China and Iran, and had also approached several other embassies with the same objective. [Matichon, in Thai] [Prachachat, in Thai] [Thai PBS World 2]
The TV network previously faced heavy criticism after two far-right commentators reported fake news claiming that the Ukrainian side was faking casualties caused by Russia in the war. [Prachatai]
Malaysia Prime Minister warns Vietnam fishermen
(lb) Malaysia’s Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob spoke at a press conference during a visit to Vietnam and warned action needs to be taken against aggressive fishermen who are encroaching Malaysian waters. The prime minister said the encroachments are affecting Malaysia’s fishing industry and the livelihoods of fishermen. [Free Malaysia Today]
Indonesia, Philippines agree to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation
(lb) Indonesia and the Philippines have agreed to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation on both bilateral and regional level.
Indonesia’s National Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT) released a statement on March 25 remarking on the country’s intent to continue preventative measures against terrorist groups through counter-radicalization on websites and in books, magazines and posters. According to the BNPT, there has been a reduction in terrorist attacks and operations due to the borders being strengthened as a covid-19 precaution, and Indonesia will continue to intensify counter-terrorism cooperation. The Philippines and Indonesia cooperate and share intelligence information and will continue to do so, along with other countries. [Antara News]
Chinese coast vessel constrains Philippine ship
(lb) On March 27, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that there was an incident of a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel had prevented the movement of a Philippine ship by “close distance maneuvering”. The incident happened in the South China Sea during Philippine maritime patrol operations around the Scarborough Shoal which constrained the maneuvering space of BRP Malabrigo, the second ship of the Parola-class patrol vessels of the PCG. In the eyes of the PCG, this is a violation of the 1972 International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS). The PCG Commandant spoke on the matter and said the PCG has asked the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs to help through “rules-based and peaceful approaches”. [Reuters]
Malaysia to revive trilateral cooperative arrangement
(lb) Malaysia is set to “revive” the Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement (TCA) by meeting with the Philippines and Indonesia whilst attending the Defense Services Asia (DSA) exhibition and National Security Conference Asia (NATSEC) 2022 which started on 28 March 2022 and runs for four days.
The TCA was created to address maritime security threats in the waters of Malaysia, Philippines, and Indonesia. The DSA exhibition and NATSEC Asia 2022 have been run since 1988 but were cancelled in 2021 due to the pandemic. Malaysia’s Senior Defense Minister said the meeting will involve discussions of internal security, kidnap for ransom, terrorism, and the pursuit of those that use the waters, which requires cooperation between the three countries. The minister said the event serves as a signal that Malaysia is “ready and open for business”. [The Malaysian Reserve]
Singapore comments on North Korea ballistic missile test
(lb) Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) released a statement on North Korea firing their largest intercontinental ballistic missile, known as Hwasong-17, on March 24, which according to reports flew higher and further than any previous missile of its kind. The Ministry asked for North Korea to cease all provocations and condemned the test as it has raised tensions on the Korean Peninsula and has violated United Nations Security Council Resolutions. The firing of the missile also breaches North Korea’s moratorium of 2018 on intercontinental ballistic missile tests. [Channel News Asia]
Indonesia to invite Russia to G20 summit despite international calls for country’s expulsion
(bs) Indonesia’s G20 co-sherpa affirmed in a press briefing on March 24 that Russia will be invited to the G20 meeting scheduled for October regardless of international pressure on Indonesia, the current G20 chair, to expel Russian representatives from the group.
In 2014 Russian President Vladimir Putin was permanently expelled from the G8, turning it into today’s G7, for annexing the Crimea peninsula to Russia.
The Russian ambassador to Indonesia reaffirmed that Putin intends to take part in the summit and called the West’s reaction to the Ukraine war “disproportional.” The US which has been imposing harsh sanctions on Russia and accusing it of crimes for targeting civilian infrastructure, including a maternity hospital, and killing hundreds of civilians in a four-week time, has proposed to exclude Russia from the meeting. [Fox News] [The Star]
ASEAN envoy visits Myanmar
(cmsk/bs) Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, in his capacity as ASEAN envoy, concluded a three-day visit to Myanmar on March 23.
During the visit, the parties discussed, among other issues, ways to strengthen cooperation in the effective implementation of the regional peace agreement, the Five-Point Consensus (5PC).
The Cambodian envoy confirmed that he was barred from meeting former democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi on grounds of her ongoing trial. Moreover, the envoy acknowledged that while the parties did not appear to be prepared to start dialogue for a ceasefire, he requested the military regime to show restraint in its offensives, specifically asking that it deploy the police and not the military when dealing with civilians. [Al Jazeera] [Radio Free Asia]
Thai Army chief meets visiting United States Army Pacific commander
(gl/lm) The Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, General Narongphan Jitkaewthae, met with the Commanding General of the United States Army Pacific, General Charles Flynn, in Bangkok on March 23 to discuss security cooperation between the two nations. There was also talk of expanding the bilateral military training. [Bangkok Post]
On his first official visit to Thailand, Gen. Flynn also participated in the closing ceremony for Hanuman Guardian, an annual bilateral exercise between the Royal Thai Army and U.S. Army Pacific, and visited the sites of several significant cooperative activities between the US and Thai militaries. [The US Embassy]
US lawmakers urge Thai government to drop contentious NGO bill
(kc/lm) Two United States lawmakers have urged the Thai government to drop provisions of a proposed bill restricting NGOs, saying it could easily be misused and negatively impact the delivery of humanitarian assistance to neighboring Myanmar.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha’s Cabinet in January approved the Operation of Not-for-Profit Organizations Act which regulates NGOs in Thailand, including prohibiting groups from engaging in all activities that the administration says could be detrimental to national security or social harmony [see No. 8, February/2022, 4]. The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security was ordered to host a public hearing and complete the review of the draft bill by March 25.
Against this backdrop, US Senator Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts and Senator Jeffrey A. Merkley of Oregon in their letters to the Thai and US governments said the draft, if enacted, “will represent one of the most restrictive NGO laws in Asia and will have an irreversible effect on civil society in Thailand.” They urged the Thai government to “revoke harmful provisions” of the draft, according to a statement released on March 22. [Senator Edward J. Markey]
The legislation also “threatens to eliminate what could soon be the last available place for Burmese civil society organizations to operate,” Markey and Merkley said.
Meanwhile, supporters of NGOs rallied in the Thai capital, Bangkok, on March 25 to air their opposition to the draft bill, and to submit petition to Social Development and Human Security Minister Chuti Krairiksh, calling for the bill to be dropped. [BBC, in Thai]
Myanmar receives more sanctions following escalation of violence
(cmsk/bs) Following the United States (US)’ statement accusing Myanmar of committing genocide against the Rohingyas Muslim ethnic minority, the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom have imposed further sanctions on the country’s senior military officials and Myanmar people involved in the arms trade after the country has witnessed an escalation of violence perpetrated by the junta against civilians. [Jurist] [Eleven Myanmar] [The New York Times]
Myanmar is also facing charges of genocide and crimes against humanity before the International Court of Justice. In 2019, The Gambia brought the case before the court accusing Myanmar of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention for abusing, killing, persecuting, and expelling Rohingya people from the country. The Rohingya people have been denied citizenship since 1982 as the country did not recognize them as an official ethnic group. They are currently the largest stateless population in the world.
To date, the US has sanctioned a total of 27 entities and 70 individuals saying that it would continue to impose costs on the junta and its associates until the military regime ceases violence and re-establishes a path to democracy in Myanmar.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, since the February 2021 coup, the junta has killed over 1,600 protesters mostly in peaceful protests. Also, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) estimated that 837,000 people remain internally displaced, over 500,000 of which were displaced after the coup. [Al Jazeera] [AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]
Russia primary Myanmar’s defense partner
(cmsk) New reports of Russia’s continuing engagement with the Myanmar military junta have emerged. On March 27, the rights group Justice for Myanmar revealed that subsidiaries of Russia’s largest defense conglomerate, Rostec, have continued selling arms to Myanmar after the February 2021 coup. [Justice for Myanmar]
Moreover, it was reported that the military junta invited Russia to participate as an honored guest at Myanmar’s Armed Forces Day. The junta aimed at acknowledging Russia’s continuous support in supplying Myanmar with weapons.
According to a United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council report released in February, Russia remains one of the states that have maintained its role as a weapon supplier to Myanmar after the junta began using them against civilians. The three suppliers are now Russia, China, and Serbia.
Although Russia could not send a representation to Myanmar’s annual March 27 Armed Forces parade due to the “country’s affairs”, according to national sources, Russia was among one of eight countries to have sent a representation to last year’s Armed Forces Day, despite the coup. [France 24]
An independent analyst argues that Myanmar’s longstanding ties with Russia are deepening in order for Myanmar to diversify its defense partners whilst simultaneously enabling the junta to distance itself from China. The gradual pivot away from Chinese arms could also be because of China’s lower quality equipment and Russia’s possession of advanced air combat systems which are preferable to Chinese land and sea-based systems, particularly since air combat systems align with the junta’s focus on aerial campaigns against opponents. [Asia Times] [Al Jazeera] [Human Rights Watch]
Cambodia, Japan to strengthen bilateral, regional ties
(bs) Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has paid an official visit to Cambodia to discuss bilateral and regional partnerships. The parties have also issued a joint statement calling for the immediate end to the conflict in Ukraine as the Russian invasion was “a grave breach of the United Nations Charter,” the prime ministers said. In the same light, they also condemned the atrocities in Myanmar and urged the Myanmar military junta to release former democratically-elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and restore a democratic state.
After the meeting, the parties released a joint statement where they commit to implementing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement (FTA) to enhance mutual trade relations. [Khmer Times]
Moreover, the parties issued another joint statement to reaffirm “the importance of sustaining peace, security, safety, freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea, as well as non-militarization and peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.” The prime ministers, while encouraging the development of a “free and open” Indo-Pacific partnership, agreed that no violent attempt to change the status quo will be tolerated. [Radio Free Asia]
Meanwhile, on a bilateral level, Japan has been involved in the support of electricity supply programs in Cambodia in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). During the meeting between the Cambodian and Japanese prime ministers, Japan, the UNDP, and Cambodia signed an agreement to support a project that will provide 1,300 households in rural areas across seven provinces with “direct access to clean, affordable and reliable energy.” [The Laotian Times] [The Phnom Penh Post]
Australian government, ASEAN released report on regional trafficking-in-person data
(bs) In March, the Australian government and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have cooperated in an ASEAN-Australia Counter-Trafficking program (ASEAN-ACT) to release a report on the current situation of trafficking in persons in the ASEAN member states to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the signing of the ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP). The report, which collected data from national reports published in 2020, also provides recommendations for more effective implementation of the ACTIP and encourages all ASEAN partners to strengthen cooperation in trafficking-in-person data collection, analysis, and publication.
ASEAN-ACT aims at creating a comprehensive document that merges all ASEAN Trafficking in Persons Annual Reports to promote regional awareness of the issue. Although currently only three out of ten ASEAN states are publishing a yearly report on trafficking in person, ASEAN-ACT aspires to collect reports from all ten ASEAN country members by 2028. [The Interpreter]
The Philippines ratified two international treaties
(bs) The Philippines became a party to the Arms Trade Treaty and to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessnes, the first aiming to end illegal arm trade and the second at reducing the number of stateless people globally.
Indonesia submitted the national instruments of ratification for each of the treaties announcing that both the agreements will enter inro force on June 22. [Philstar]
Announcements
Upcoming Online Events
31 March 2022 @ 1:00-4:00 p.m. (GMT+6), German-Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG) in cooperation with Hanns Seidel Foundation, Thailand
Asia in Review (AiR) online panel discussion “Thai-Barometer: Where does the Thai Party System go?”
Thailand´s current political party landscape displays significant movements and tensions across the almost the entire political party spectrum. Against this backdrop, this webinar will discuss the latest development and future prospects of the political party system in Thailand.
Visit [CPG] for more event details.
29 March 2022 @ 6:00-7:15 p.m. (GMT+1), Chatham House, UK
Global Britain: One year on
This webinar will focus on how the United Kingdom has positioned itself globally a year after departing from the EU Single Market and will evaluate the UK’s progress against the objectives set out in the government’s Integrated Review of Security, Defense, Development, and Foreign Policy, which was released after the UK's exit.
For more details, see [Chatham House].
30 March 2022 @4:30-6:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
Beyond the Headlines: China’s Conservation Policies after Rapid Economic Development and Global Impact
Although China's news always dominates the headlines, in this online panel discussion, experts will delve beyond the headlines to address study findings that are hardly shed light on in the mainstream. China’s enormous conservation initiatives, drawing on years of collaboration, as well as the effects and consequences of the research on this subject, will be discussed.
Further information is accessible via [FSI].
30 March 2022 @ 12:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
A Conversation with H.E. Vincent Biruta, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Rwanda
This online forum will feature a conversation with Dr. Vincent Biruta, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affair and International Cooperation. The session will center on Rwanda’s connections with the United States, its partnerships with international financial institutions, and the significance of Rwanda in the region.
More information is available at [Atlantic Council].
30 March 2022 @ 1:30-3:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Brookings Office of Communications, USA
Can State-Level Carbon Pricing Help Achieve National Climate Goals?
Carbon pricing is a very effective method for reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change. Although the federal government has not yet established a national carbon pricing, numerous states have. This webinar will discuss the efforts to establish state-level carbon pricing.
For more details of the event, see [BROOKINGS].
31 March 2022 @ 10:00-11:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Brookings Office of Communications, USA
What Universities Owe Democracy
This virtual conference will feature a discussion based on the book "What Universities Owe Democracy," which debates the relationship between colleges and liberal democracy. The discussion will also delve into additional measures that colleges could take to promote social movement and freedom of expression on their campuses.
For more details of the event, see [BROOKINGS].
31 March 2022 @ 2:30-3:30 a.m. (GMT-5), Brookings Office of Communications, USA
The Struggle to Govern the World’s Oceans
Control of the world’s seas has arisen as a serious global issue with economic, environmental, and defense implications. This online session will examine the problems of ocean governance and the ramifications of the law of the seas.
For more details of the event, see [BROOKINGS].
31 March 2022 @ 4:00-5:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Wilson Center, USA
Indo-Pacific Responses to Ukraine
Following the Ukraine crisis, the United States’ allies in the Indo-Pacific region have chosen a range of policy responses. Certain countries have taken a cautious approach in order to retain relations with Russia, while others have criticized Russia’s actions. In this webinar, experts will explore the positions in which each country in the Indo-Pacific region has situated itself in this crisis.
For more details, see [Wilson Center].
31 March 2022 @ 5:15-6:15 p.m. (GMT+9.30), Australian Institute of International Affairs- Victoria, Australia
The Causes, Courses and Consequences of War in Europe
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is not only an unjustified attack on a nation's borders, but also a heinous assault on the global rules of international order. This webinar will feature Dr. David Kilcullen, an expert who will talk about this critical moment in Western liberal democracies.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [AIIAVIC].
31 March 2022 @ 12:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
Launching the Sweden-US Green Transition Initiative: Innovation and Cooperation Driving the Energy Transition
This webinar will announce the launch of the Sweden-US Green Transition Initiative and explore possibilities for the U.S. and Sweden to speed up the transition to renewable energy.
More information is available at [Atlantic Council].
31 March 2022 @9:00-10:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
Voices from Ukraine
This webinar will feature experts on Ukraine, all of whom were former Stanford visiting researchers, will discuss the ongoing situation from their professional and personal viewpoints.
Further information is accessible via [FSI].
31 March 2022 @11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
Laboratories of Democratic Backsliding
The decentralization of federalism in the U.S. governed democratic institutions at the state level. Researchers have developed a measure of subnational democratic effectiveness using 51 electoral democracies. In this webinar, they will present their research findings and argue that all factors play a minor influence, except Republican control of state government.
Further information is accessible via [FSI].
31 March 2022 @ 10:00-11:30 a.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore
Structural Change, Inequality and Poverty Reduction in Thailand: Were Kuznets and Krugman Right?
This virtual conference will use data from Thailand since 1981 to examine the relationship between economic development, structural change, poverty index, and income disparities in the country by putting to the test accepted empirical assertions about Asian economic growth. Simon Kuznets's theory about Asian economic growth will also be backed up by the case of Thailand. On the other hand, Paul Krugman's is not.
Further information is accessible via [ISEAS].
31 March 2022 @1:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
The 2022 French presidential election
Although Emmanuel Macron is the presumptive winner of the reelection on April 24, the outcome is unpredictable as the other three contenders, all of whom are on the right, have a chance to unseat him. French politics is undergoing a significant upheaval and this webinar will observe and assess the possibilities for the 2022 presidential election as well as the future direction of French politics.
Further information is accessible via [FSI].
1 April 2022 @ 10:30 a.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
Protecting the Global Marine Transportation System against Cyber Threats
The marine transportation system’s efficiency is jeopardized as the industry becomes increasingly subject to cyber threats that increase 400 percent in a few months. This online panel discussion will explore ways to enhance marine cybersecurity, strengthen domain security, and correctly target government resources from the U.S. and its allies in an initiative crucial to global economic security.
More information is available at [Atlantic Council].
1 April 2022 @12:00 p.m.-1.00 p.m. (GMT-5), Cato Institute, USA
Reducing Risk from Arms Sales
As the U.S. continues to be the world’s largest arms exporter, this webinar will provide an update on the 2021 Arms Sales Risk Index as well as ongoing efforts to assess and reduce the risks associated with the sale of US weapons.
If you want to know more about the event, visit [CATO Institute].
1 April 2022 @10:00-11:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
Content Moderation in an End-to-End Encrypted World
This online session will discuss end-to-end encryption and emphasize initiatives to bolster encryption’s defense against efforts to threaten its security. Additionally, it will assess the influence of various strategies on the E2EE systems of online service providers.
Further information is accessible via [FSI].
2 April 2022 @4:00-6:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
Russia's War on Ukraine: A "Teach In" with Michael McFaul
This webinar will feature Michael McFaul, the former U.S. ambassador to Russia and the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies’ director, who will discuss and answer questions regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Further information is accessible via [FSI].
4 April 2022 @ 10:00-11:00 a.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore
China’s Expanded Perceptions of the Indo-Pacific: Global and Regional Implications
Generally, the Indo-Pacific discourse has been dominated by the U.S. and its allies. While the fact that Chinese sentiments are shifting and becoming more sophisticated has been underestimated, this webinar will address this gap by explaining how Chinese perceptions of the region are evolving and growing. Additionally, it will examine how China’s evolving perceptions have influenced its institutional efforts toward regional partnership.
Further information is accessible via [ISEAS].
4 April 2022 @ 9:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
Looking North: Conference on security in the Arctic
This event will examine the forces of development in the Arctic and the ways in which the United States, Norway, and its partners may cooperatively approach regional security.
More information is available at [Atlantic Council].
5 April 2022 @1:00-2:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
Foreign Policy in Hard Economic Times
This online session will explore the relationship between economic shocks, foreign policy, and public opinion. The intertwining of domestic and international politics, which has significant consequences for both political science research and policymakers, will also be discussed.
Further information is accessible via [FSI].
5 April 2022 @5:00-6:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Students, Stanford University, USA
Women Left Behind
This webinar will feature Radhika Jain, the Asia Health Policy Postdoctoral Fellow for 2019–2022, at the Shorenstein APARC, who will present her research findings on gender discrepancies within a government health insurance scheme in Rajasthan, India, using data collected on over 4 million hospital visits.
Further information is accessible via [FSI].
5 April 2022 @ 10:00-11:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Brookings Office of Communications, USA
Operationalizing Responsible AI
This webinar will feature a panel of experts who will discuss strategies for operationalizing ethical AI and moving toward more specific guidelines. Additionally, panelists will examine how to develop suitable algorithms and strengthen the workforce’s technical capacity.
For more details of the event, see [BROOKINGS].
Recent Book Releases
Crystal Nicole Eddins, Rituals, Runaways, and the Haitian Revolution: Collective Action in the African Diaspora, Cambridge University Press, 329 pages, published on October 28, 2021, reviewed in [LSE].
Victor Davis Hanson, The Dying Citizen: How Progressive Elites, Tribalism, and Globalization Are Destroying the Idea of America, Basic Books 432 pages, published on October 5, 2021. For a discussion of the book, see [Youtube].
Shivshankar Menon, India and Asian Geopolitics: The Past, Present, Brookings Institution Press, 416 pages, published on April 20, 2021. The book is reviewed in [India Today].
Christophe Jaffrelot, Modi’s India: Hindu Nationalism and the Rise of Ethnic Democracy, Princeton University Press, 656 pages, published on August 3, with a review in [The Hindu].
Ali Fathollah-Nejad, Iran in an Emerging New World Order: From Ahmadinejad to Rouhani, Palgrave Macmillan, 490 pages, published on May 23, 2021. Visit [Youtube] for a book discussion.
John B. Judis, The Politics of Our Time: Populism, Nationalism, Socialism, Columbia Global Reports, 430 pages, published on May 11, 2021, briefly reviewed in [Kirkus].
Guobin Yang, The Wuhan Lockdown, Columbia University Press, 328 pages, February 15, 2022. See [LA Review of Books].
Calls for Papers
The Center for Near Eastern Studies, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies, San Francisco State University, are seeking paper proposals for the conference “The Iranian Diaspora in Global Perspective” to be held on February 16-17, 2023. Closing date for proposal submission is May 15, 2022. For more information visit [UCLA].
The American Political Science Association (APSA) invites paper proposals for its conference “New Landscapes in MENA Politics Research” scheduled for July 28-30. Deadline for submission of abstracts is April 15, 2022. More details are available at [APSA].
Jobs and Positions
FHI 360 is looking for a Chief of Party for an anticipated multiyear USAID Asia: Assistance to Ethnic Tibetans in People’s Republic of China activity. The position will be based in Kunming, China. For further information, see [FHI]
Oxfam is seeking applications for the position of Africa Director. The position in based in Kenya. Closing date for submission of applications is April 28, 2022. If you are interested, visit [reliefweb].
People in Need is recruiting a Deputy Country Director (DCD) for Ethiopia. The position is based in Addis Ababa. Deadline for applications is May 31, 2022. More details are available at [People in Need].
Team:
Beatrice Siviero (bs), Charisma M. S. Kundan (cmsk), Chiara Mohammadvalizadeh (cm), Dominique van Rossum (dvr), Duc Quang Ly (dql), Faryal Qazi (fq), Grace Laird (gl), Henning Glaser (hg), Hira Akram (ha), Jidapa Eagark, Julian Wendt (jw), Kevin Downey (kd), Kittikun Chumworathayee (kc), Lois Barker (lb), Lucas Meier (lm), Melis Pektaş Kim (mpk), Poonam Behura (pb), Rakshit Kumar (rk), Sally Dobie, Sebastian Gräff (sg), Tomwit Jarnson (tj), Ulrike Immler, Venus Phuangkom, Yin Nyein Myat (ny)
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