Daily News on the Southeast Asian Region
2 August 2018
(pm) - 3 August
2018
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Greetings
This issue of Daily News Alert includes one citation attributed to Dr Malcolm Cook, Senior Fellow, and two citations attributed to Ms Hoang Thi Ha, Lead Researcher, ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute.
This is a daily information alert service containing articles and commentaries selected by eight ISEAS Library staff from 95 international and regional news sources every weekday morning. These news sources cover Southeast Asia and special topics relevant to the research interest/ direction/ agenda of ISEAS.
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Cambodia
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Kingdom exports to Japan regain double-digit growth: Cambodia's major export items are garments and shoes, while bags and electrical parts are also picking up speed, according to Hiroshi Suzuki, CEO of the Business Research Institute for Cambodia (BRIC). He said Cambodia's major import items from Japan include machinery, electrical items and motorbikes. Suzuki predicted that the export of garments and shoes to Japan follow a growing trend, while new items such as electrical parts and products manufactured by Japanese companies in Cambodia will also continue to grow.
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Cambodian 2018 General Elections
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Opinion: Taking Cambodia's bogus election to task: It was always a foregone conclusion that Cambodia's incumbent government of Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Cambodian People's Party (CPP) were going to win the July 29 election. Yet some observers anticipated a modicum of feigned legitimacy whereby a handful of smaller parties would gain a few seats in the National Assembly.
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Hun Sen slams 'foolish' boycott plan by CNRP: Political analyst Hang Pitou said it is difficult at this stage to determine whether or not the Clean Fingers campaign had actually failed. [...] He also said he strongly supported Hun Sen's appeal to the people to heal political divisions after the elections.
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Japan remains neutral amid poll criticism from the West: the response from economic-powerhouse Japan, despite its influential stature in geopolitics, has raised eyebrows among political circles and analysts. Political analyst Meas Nee expressed the belief that Japan wants to remain neutral so that if there is a political situation after the elections, that country can intervene to assist. [...] However, Japan's silence could also be a strategic move by Tokyo. Nee said Japan does not want Cambodia to become a dictatorship, and at the same time wants to protect its economic interest in the country.
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Don't accuse the 18 percent of undermining democracy, Hun Sen says: "The people who voted support a democratic process and I appeal to the public not to discriminate against those who turned out to vote and those who did not turn out to vote," he said. "18 percent did not turn out to vote. Please do not accuse the 82 percent of undermining democracy or being foreigner's puppet," Mr Hun Sen said "For the 82 percent, please don't accuse the18 percent of undermining democracy, too."
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Indonesia
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Unleashing the capabilities of women-led SMEs in Indonesia: The International Finance Group of the World Bank estimates that 11 million, or 43 per cent, of the 26 million SMEs in Indonesia are WSMEs. They contributed 10 per cent of Indonesia's GDP in 2014. WSMEs' roles are typically framed in terms of this contribution to the country's economy. But WSMEs also contribute to social development by facilitating the economic empowerment of women. Supporting WSMEs helps Indonesia to realise the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially the targets of 'gender equality', 'decent work and economic growth', and 'reduced inequality'.
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Qatar to Invest USD500m in Indonesia's Tourism Sector: The Qatar Investment Authority, or QIA, on Wednesday (01/08) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indonesian government to lay out a foundation for a USD500m investment in Indonesia's tourism industry. The investment will be focused on developing ongoing tourism projects in Indonesia's 10 priority destinations, also known as "10 New Balis."
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Laos
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ADB promotes smart agribusiness in Laos: The bank announced this week that its board of directors had approved a grant of USD40.5m. "Agriculture remains a significant portion of the economy of the Lao PDR, but the sector's vulnerability to climate change puts the country's development prospects and food security at risk," ADB Principal Climate Change Specialist for Southeast Asia Mr Srinivasan Ancha said, as quoted in a media release on Tuesday.
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Malaysia
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What it means to be a Chinese Malaysian: The more I learn the Chinese language, the more I know about Chinese values and the roots of my culture. I may not necessarily agree with all of them, but it is comforting to know what they are, nonetheless. You know your place in society and decide accordingly when to follow customs, or when to break them. The same, unfortunately, cannot be said about my place as a Malaysian citizen. I don't know what being a good citizen means because we have yet to fully flesh out our national identity, values, and ideals. This task is complicated by the fact that not all of us can speak the same language, our national language.
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Dr M: I failed the first time, but ready to try again: In an exclusive interview with US news agency CNN, the 93-year-old said he sought then to ensure the inequalities were diminished, but only managed to gain mixed results. "Not much of a regret but I felt that this country is a multi-racial country. You cannot change that, and that is something that I tried to do because I don't like disparities between rich and poor, between races, because that will destabilise the country I had little success but generally I failed. I wish I had [done more], but you know, you can't change people's way of life, culture, mindsets and all that overnight. I will try again," he said in the interview. Dr Mahathir also denied being a dictator -- which he was often accused of during his 22-year rule -- and stressed that he was dedicated to propel the nation to greater heights.
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PM says different interpretations of Islam at fault for global conflicts: He said the real teachings of the al-Quran call for moderation in every aspect of life where Muslims should treat each other like brothers and sisters. The true Islam, he added, abhors the practice of war. "It doesn't preach war, it calls upon all Muslim to be brothers. It forbids killing; well, we are doing all those things which are forbidden by Islam. So, it is the interpretation of the religion that has got us into that world state. Somebody comes along, becomes a very popular leader and he interprets in his own way -- that you should fight, you should kill, you should be opposed to people of other religions. Even among yourselves, you don't accept people who have other interpretations. All these things have resulted in instability, even in conflicts and civil wars, and also wars within nations," he told American news agency CNN in an exclusive interview.
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Now, BN makes way for PAS in Seri Setia: The budding liaison between Umno and PAS grew today when the Malay nationalist party's deputy president, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, announced that Barisan Nasional will yield to the Islamists in the still unannounced Seri Setia race. The Seri Setia state seat in Selangor is vacant following the death of the incumbent assemblyman, Shaharuddin Badaruddin, yesterday.
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Opinion: A collective of fears and insecurities: Last weekend, 330 NGOs rallied at the Sultan Sulaiman Club in Kuala Lumpur to express their insecurities and paranoia. The main theme was the tired threnody that had persisted in the national narrative, resistant to reality and constitutional facts, for the past six decades - race and religion were under dire threat, Malay rights were vanishing.
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Opinion: Two cunning 'foxes': Mahathir and Anwar: Let me be clear at the outset. The term "cunning foxes" is not meant in the derogatory manner, but as a salutary description of two of Malaysia's foremost veteran leaders. Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim are the duo who matter most in the country today. They are the supreme leaders, whether you recognise them as such or not and whether you support them or not.
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Opinion: Are political appointees going for good? What is a political appointment, and who is a political appointee? The real meanings are abstruse, fuzzy and ambiguous. My understanding is that a political appointment is one made by a politician, irrespective of the appointee's position in the party. (Former 1MDB chief Arul Kanda Kandasamy comes to mind.) A political appointee is an appointment to a position because of the appointee's status in the party, his previous position or his contributions to the party. That's how Umno leader Isa Samad ended up as chairperson of Felda.
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Apa pilihan pengundi Dun Sungai Kandis?
[What is the choice of the Dun Sungai Kandis voters?]
Kali ini Pas telah memilih untuk tidak bertanding dan memberi laluan kepada Umno. Selanjutnya, mereka juga telah memilih untuk berkerjasama dengan Umno dan menyokong calonnya.
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Kawalan perkahwinan bawah umur [Control of underage marriage]: Ketika ini undang-undang sama ada yang terpakai kepada orang Islam ataupun bukan Islam tidak membenarkan kanak-kanak lelaki di bawah usia 18 tahun dan kanak-kanak perempuan di bawah usia 16 tahun berkahwin.
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Politik bangsa yang mencemaskan [Disconcerting racial politics]: Dalam tempoh 60 tahun sejak negara mencapai kemerdekaan politik Melayu telah berganjak pada realiti yang baru.
Kini setelah PRU14 selesai, dari segi kepartian, Melayu terbelah empat.
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Azman perjelas dua isu pelaburan Khazanah [Azman clarifies Khazanah's two investment issues]: Azman memberitahu, dalam apa jua keadaan, seperti semua penilaian keseluruhan pelaburan perlu melihat dalam perspektif yang mempunyai risiko sama di India bagi sektor pengguna dalam syarikat daripada penjualan cat rumah hinggalah kepada barang kemas, di bawah apa yang dipanggil Projek Bilion untuk menjana lebih RM1 bilion keuntungan direalisasikan dan tidak direalisasikan sehingga kini.
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JCorp mampu tarik pelaburan RM18 bilion [JCorp was able to attract RM18 billion investment]: Presiden dan Ketua Eksekutifnya, Datuk Kamaruzzaman Abu Kassim berkata, bagi zon perindustrian di Pengerang, JCorp sedang giat menjalankan perancangan untuk membangunkan Pengerang Industrial Park (PIP) di tanah berkeluasan 319 hektar.
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Perodua kuasai 40 peratus pasaran [Perodua controls 40 percent of the market]: Menurut Datuk Dr. Aminar Rashid, susulan peningkatan jualan itu Perodua telah menambah jumlah pengeluaran kenderaan kepada 109,000 buah untuk tempoh enam bulan pertama berbanding 99,000 buah bagi tempoh sama 2017.
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Opinion: Old friends: While targeting Chinese investments during the election campaign, Mahathir was actually hitting out specifically at Najib. He halted the mega projects involving Chinese investments after becoming PM largely on economic considerations, not because of a shift in his diplomatic strategy. After taking over as PM, Mahathir has on several occasions voiced his support for Beijing's "One Belt, One Road" initiative despite having shelved a number of projects involving Chinese investments, with the marked exception of Alibaba Group's DFTZ project.
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Dr M on Utusan ban: We're not going to burn newspapers: The Prime Minister was commenting on the Education Ministry's decision to terminate subscriptions to the newspaper from all schools and universities.
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Opinion: Why pussyfoot over UEC recognition? THE pussyfooting over the recognition of the UEC which was one of the election promises of Pakatan Harapan and the misrepresentation of the facts of the issue amounts to an utterly egregious conversation. Why do I say this? The only new factor is the PH election promise.
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MENGURUS PERSEPSI PASCA MH370 [Managing perceptions post-MH370]: Walaupun terdapat beberapa keputusan baharu dalam bentuk kesahihan seperti tindakan berpatah balik berkemungkinan dilakukan ketika pesawat itu berada di bawah kawalan manual dan bukannya dilaksanakan secara mod autopilot, pengesahan seperti ini walaupun tidak terkandung dalam laporan interim masih tidak mampu merungkai peristiwa kehilangan pesawat MH370.
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PKM pejuang kemerdekaan? [PKM are independence fighters?] Namun, benarkah gerakan bersenjata secara terbuka oleh PKM menentang British dan kemudian Angkatan Tentera Diraja Malaysia dianggap gerakan menuntut kemerdekaan negara? Persoalannya apakah yang hendak dimerdekakan? Dari siapakah kemerdekaan hendak diraih? Siapa pula yang akan menjadi kerajaan setelah gerakan menuntut kemerdekaan dicapai?
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SEJARAH POLITIK BAHARU UMNO-PAS [The history of UMNO-PAS new politics]: Nampaknya ada tahap kesedaran yang tinggi dalam kalangan orang ramai bahawa PRK Sungai Kandis ini dapat dibawakan isu-isu semasa. Dengan adanya suara BN dalam DUN nanti, diharap boleh mengimbangi kerajaan negeri. Kalau tiada suara ini (dari pembangkang), dibimbangi ia akan menghilangkan suara rakyat.
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TOL: JANJI HAPUS, KINI MAHU KAJI [Toll: Promised to abolish, now wants to study it]: Hari ini, pihak kerajaan PH pula mengulangi skrip yang sama selepas menyederai kesukaran untuk merealisasikan janji-janji manis itu.
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观点
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公正党党选与希盟的方向
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虽说这只是公正党党选，但它却可能对希盟与未来政局造成影响。毕竟公正党是最大的执政党，是希盟中拥有最多国会议员的成员党，而下任首相人选也会来自公正党。故此，公正党内的领导层变化或派系纷争都可能牵动大局。
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观点
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希盟的马中关系展望
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马哈迪领导下的希盟政府虽然宣布终止隆新高铁计划，但是只表示要重新检讨东海岸铁路计划。显然他有意在竞选宣言、经济效益、合约内容和发展意向取得更好地平衡点。从希盟政府动作里已经显示马来西亚作为一个贸易经济体系，有必要和全世界的国家进行贸易往来。马哈迪在多个场合表态马来西亚没有拒绝中国的投资。无论如何，相信他将会更倾向于
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东亚经济共策会
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集团的方式进行，与东亚各国达成更好的互利成果。
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言论
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公正党党选牵动马国政治演变
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在马国变天后，安华获特赦出狱，能再次参加政治活动，不过数月来，他的言行多少有着重蹈之前的覆辙，有点
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冒进
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，对于执政联盟之前的选举承诺，说两年后由他取代马哈迪出任首相，看来安华有点迫不及待。经验老道的马哈迪当然也不甘示弱，委任在公正党内已与安华对立的阿兹敏为掌握大量政治资源的部长，大有要以后者而非安华为继承人之意。
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National unity or Malay supremacy? Malay supremacists see the general election defeat as a setback for the so-called Malay agenda and are pushing back.
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Myanmar
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General Aung San and the Nation's Development: July 2018 marked 71 years since General Aung San was assassinated. During these years, we had the AFPFL government, the caretaker government, U Nu's Pyi Daung Su government, the revolutionary government, etc. All together, there were eight governments.
Dr. Kyaw Lat is an architect and urban planner who has worked with the Department of Human Settlements and Housing Development, Ministry of Construction and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat). He was also a professor at Yangon and Mandalay Technological universities, professor at Cologne University of Applied Sciences, Germany, and finally before his retirement an advisor to the Yangon City and Development Committee from 2011 until 2016.
Irrawaddy, 3 August 2018
https://www.irrawaddy.com/opinion/guest-column/general-aung-san-nations-development.html
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Citizens must be engaged in democracy: Voting is the essence of democracy, right? Yes and no would both be the correct answer. To get the candidates elected who best represent our views, the answer may be 'yes'. Some simply take it for granted that showing up at the ballot box is the only way to have our say in a democratic society. However, in today's democracies, voting is no longer enough. There are several reasons to prove this.
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Why Asia's fintech innovators should look at Myanmar: Regional financial centres Singapore and Hong Kong are buzzing with new fintech start-ups, accelerators and incubators. Augmented reality banking, social media loyalty schemes and voice-enabled brokerage are bedazzling in their novelty. But are opportunities for real breakthrough innovation to be found elsewhere? Recently, the Global Institute For Tomorrow, a pan-Asian think-tank, was invited by Yoma Strategic Holdings, a leading conglomerate in Myanmar, to help provide answers to some hard questions about how new technologies could be deployed to improve livelihoods for the unbanked.
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Justice for Myanmar's farmers: Three years on since Aung San Suu Kyi took power and the conditions for many farmers remain the same. However, there have been some commendable efforts. The government of Myanmar adopted the National Land Use Policy and formed the National Land Use Council. While the policies formed may not be binding, they could serve as a roadmap for land reform in the country.
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Maingpyin youths flee from fear of RCSS forced recruitment: Despite locals having no desire to take part in RCSS/SSA, they were forced to cast lot for choosing new recruits from their village. "RCSS demanded one recruit from each village and if the village is big, they demanded two. No one wants to be their new recruits on their own and so we had to draw lots. Those unlucky ones are waiting in their villages to be sumoned from RCSS," said a resident from Maingpon village.
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Will Myanmar's latest Rakhine 'fact finding' mission work? Supporters of the initiative argue that it is the only hope for what the government -- in its statement announcing the panel called "part of its national initiative to address reconciliation, peace, stability and development in Rakhine." Ms Saffin added: "I would hope that critics would see that these are calibrated actions that will address human rights within a framework of advancing reconciliation and peace and maintain the transition."
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Philippines
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Columnist: Fish have rights, too: If it were only a matter of laws, we have more than enough of them to ensure the protection of our environment. What makes environmental protection so difficult, however, is that despite the plethora of international, national and even local laws, these are rarely, if ever, heeded or implemented. Government officials themselves are among the first to violate these laws, or else choose to look the other way when the private sector brazenly ignores, if not breaks the law outright.
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Editorial: The tribune: In the Philippine legal tradition, the ancient title of "tribune of the people" has been used to describe the character of the chief government lawyer, the solicitor general. The extraordinary tenure of Conchita Carpio Morales as Ombudsman of the Republic, which came to its mandated end last week, should encourage the next generation of lawyers to reconsider the tradition; perhaps the honorific should be conferred on the Office of the Ombudsman instead.
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The brutal personal costs of the Philippines' human rights abuses: The Duterte government's brutal crackdown on drugs continues unabated. Duterte has publicly galvanized the Philippine National Police force to "slaughter them all," proclaiming that we "can expect 20,000 to 30,000 more" deaths before the war is over.
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The Philippines stays free and open in its position on the Indo-Pacific: Consistent with Duterte's current efforts to improve bilateral relations with China, the Philippines' participation in a coalition of states in support of the FOIP and the regional rules-based order is likely to transpire only if China crosses any of the SCS red lines.
On the other hand, consistent with the Philippines' National Security Strategy, which acknowledges the need to 'increase the size and deterrent capability' of the AFP, it is likely that the Philippines will readily support the FOIP strategy in the context of enhancing its defence ties with the United States. In short, unless developments in the SCS compel Duterte to radically shift his China stance, the Philippines' engagement with the FOIP can be expected to be partial at best.
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Murder in Mindanao: A bombing in the Philippines tells peacemakers to make haste: The attack, on July 31st, highlighted the dangers of dragging out a slow, stumbling peace process that had made a leap forward just days before, when President Rodrigo Duterte enacted the Bangsamoro Organic Law. The law is key to ending half a century of rebellion by Filipino Muslim separatists in Mindanao which has cost tens of thousands of lives. It is surely key, too, to ending the chaos in which jihadists such as IS thrive.
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Duterte's Underappreciated Foreign Policy Gains: Criticism of President Rodrigo Duterte's foreign policy largely focuses on his rhetoric. Some have described his policies as defeatist and an attempt to appease China, especially in relation to the West Philippine Sea (WPS). At the same time, he is seen as confrontational toward the US and Europe for what Duterte considers unwanted interference in Philippine domestic affairs.
As chief architect of the country's foreign policy and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the president's word is taken seriously and is taken by some as an expression of state policy. However, Duterte's unstatesmanlike persona and audacious - often vulgar - language makes it difficult to use his rhetoric as the primary basis for ascertaining his independent foreign policy.
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Singapore
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Singapore retailers share tales of digitisation battles on the ground: As retailers in Singapore embark on the transformation journey, many face the struggle of getting their employees onboard. While these initiatives were straightforward to implement, getting his staff to migrate over to the new systems proved the biggest hurdle, said Ng Whye Keong, director of Pet Lovers Centre.
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Opinion: Artificial Intelligence in Singapore: pervasive, powerful and present: One example is the financial services industry in Singapore, which has been at the forefront of developing and adopting AI technologies across functions in their businesses. AI-based automated chat systems that can interact with customers on personal finance queries in real time are now common in several local banking platforms in Singapore.
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Help elderly deal with pains of ageing: Social isolation, failing health, depression and financial worries may be key distress factors for Singapore's elderly. Most people not just worry about growing old but also fear facing the inevitable decline that comes with ageing alone or without sufficient support from family or the community. As Singapore's population ages rapidly, there is urgency to step up solid studies on ageing to pinpoint factors that cause distress, so that effective remedial action can be taken.
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Thailand
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Let Ko-ee return home: After a long battle, centenarian grandpa Ko-ee Mimee's legal right to become a Thai has won state recognition. The Interior Ministry on Tuesday issued the 107-year-old ethnic Karen man the 13-digit identity card which means he is a Thai national. The card also gives him access to state services he had been denied unfairly for so long.
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Opinion: A case for expanding child support: Thailand is an ageing society. In the coming years, a workforce of fewer and fewer young people will be responsible for securing the country's growth and prosperity. Thailand needs every child in the country to reach their full potential and cannot afford to leave a single child behind.
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50
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NCPO denies trying to bully Thanathorn or pro-democracy activists over FB posts: The content on the Facebook pages had some information that was inconsistent with the truth hence legal action was initiated, the NCPO spokesman said. The content could create misunderstanding among the public, he argued. The case has stirred up considerable criticism. Critics view it as an attempt to harass the pro-democracy party ahead of the election.
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50 shades of yellow: how conservatism overwhelmed liberalism in the anti-Thaksin movement: how was it that the middle-class rank and file of the PAD turned away from progressive causes and accepted a nationalist, royalist and conservative line emphasising "morality" in the fight against corruption? In some ways, it was the default path. First, conservative ideologies are broadly hegemonic in Thailand. Conservative social movements will always be easier to understand and less controversial than progressive social movements. Second, the conservatism of the PAD became at the time broadly synonymous with "anti-Thaksin". So long as the red shirts articulated their legitimacy by appealing to democracy and liberal economic values, those values became off-limits.
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Vietnam
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Child marriage remains common in Son La: According to the provincial Department of Population and Family Planning, Sơn La was among the provinces with highest numbers of early marriage in the country. In 2017, as many as 1,500 child marriages took place, accounting for 18.7 per cent of total marriages of the province.Of that, Vân Hồ District had the highest rate of child marriage, accounting for 27.3 per cent of total child marriages in the province.
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Simplification of business conditions remains limited: The speed of red tape cutbacks for business conditions remains limited in spite of great efforts made by the Government and relevant ministries and sectors, experts said at a conference held by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in Ha Noi on July 31.
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ASEAN/Southeast Asia
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Dammed Mekong: lasting challenges for the region's energy security: It remains to be seen how the post-disaster rehabilitation of the areas affected--such as clean-up, restoration and flood-prevention measures--will be carried out. International cooperation in the region--including from the Greater Mekong Subregion, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and ASEAN resilience and preparedness mechanisms--needs to put a stronger emphasis on safe and sustainable development of energy projects. It's essential that capacity-building for resilience and development, along with sustainability, be part of future Mekong development plans.
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Asean must stay the course on economic integration, innovation: PM Lee: AS THE rules-based multilateral trading system comes under pressure, Asean has to stay the course and press on with economic integration, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Thursday. "It is important that Asean continues to support the multilateral system and work...
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56
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Tax as a flexible green policy tool in ASEAN: According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), if ASEAN were to maintain a high reliance on coal, oil and gas, without targeted policy interventions, the region's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will increase by 60pc by 2050 as energy demand grows. To counteract such concerning trends, two ASEAN countries have adopted taxation as a green policy tool.
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Not enough women in parliament: The outcome of the 2009 [Indonesian] election brought the percentage of women in the National Representative Assembly up to 17.86 percent. The world average at that time was 19 percent. In the 2014 general election, it was expected that women's representation would rise further. However, despite a supportive political environment, higher levels of investment and regulatory improvements, as well as favourable media coverage, the proportion of women elected to the national parliament in 2014 declined to 17.36 percent.
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观点
:
政府须正视新山通关议题
:
从新山关卡的人潮动向，使我们可以看到新马两国发展的走向。两国政府应该花更多心思在通关的便民服务，让这些每日往返两地的工人与学生，能够减少不便和劳苦。希盟政府的改革方针，也必须关注新山通关议题，这些人都是为我们国家默默贡献的一群，希望我国政府能够常怀
"
民之所欲，常在我心
"
的胸怀。
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51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, 2-4 August 2018
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59
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ASEAN agrees on basis for talks: Chinese observers hailed the document as it is a promising foundation for future negotiations and shows that countries in the region are fully capable of managing and controlling disputes despite the complexity of the issues. "It sets a basic framework in which China and the 10 ASEAN countries have agreed on discussion topics and the extent to which the future code of conduct will be binding," Zhu Feng, executive director of China Center for Collaborative Studies of the South China Sea at Nanjing University, told the Global Times on Thursday. The document also signifies that China's long-held desire for stability in the region has gained more support from ASEAN countries, said Zhu, adding that this constructive attitude has brought China and ASEAN ever closer.
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60
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Asean summit agrees on need to expedite Timor-Leste's membership: The ongoing 51st Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Singapore yesterday acknowledged Timor-Leste's application for Asean membership, and the need to expedite the process. In a joint communiqué, the 10-nation bloc said it looks forward to the continued discussion and report by the Asean Coordinating Council Working Group on the matter.
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61
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ASEAN meetings kick off: At the start of the meeting between ASEAN and China, Singapore's foreign minister said progress on the issue can only be achieved if there is mutual trust and confidence. It appears momentum is building on that front. The 2 sides announced they've taken a major step toward establishing a code of conduct, welcoming what they describe as "improving cooperation."
[news contains 3-minute video clip]
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62
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Progress in sea feud, Koreas stir ASEAN though rifts persist: Greg Poling, director of the U.S.-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, which monitors developments in the South China Sea, said highlighting the draft code of conduct in the summit will be "more political theater than substance at this point" given the lack of agreement on areas it will cover and whether the pact should be legally binding after more than 15 years of talks. Without any major concessions, especially from China, Poling said the talks would drag further while China presses actions to reinforce its vast territorial claims "without paying much price because the code of conduct process offers diplomatic cover to claim it is seeking a peaceful and fair settlement."
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63
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ASEAN flags progress with China in disputed waterway talks: A draft communique seen by Reuters shows the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also aims to soon reach a cybersecurity deal with Russia, which the United States has accused of election meddling, following hacks in the region. The communique, which reiterated ASEAN's commitment to an ambitious trade pact backed by China, is set to be issued by ASEAN foreign ministers on Saturday at the close of the meeting of top diplomats in Singapore. "We noted with satisfaction the ASEAN member states and China had agreed on a single draft COC (Code of Conduct) negotiating text," read the draft communique, adding that it was reached in June during high-level talks in China.
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64
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Joint Communique of the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting
[26-page PDF document]
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65
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Transcript of Opening Remarks by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan at Opening Ceremony of the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings
[4-page PDF document]
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66
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Transcript of Speech by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at The Opening Ceremony of The 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings
[3-page PDF document]
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67
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ASEAN foreign ministers commit to deeper integration, hail progress in South China Sea talks: Southeast Asia's foreign ministers on Thursday (Aug 2) reiterated the need to integrate further and stay nimble amid technological disruptions. These were laid out in a wide-ranging joint statement that also included a sign of progress for negotiations on a code of conduct in the disputed waters of the South China Sea. The 26-page joint communique was issued at the end of a series of meetings at the Singapore Expo, where officials from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also met with key partners from the region, such as Japan and China.
[News contains 4-minute video clip]
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68
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A step forward for ASEAN, China to resolve maritime row: China and ASEAN signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in 2002, but it is not sufficient to prevent conflicts in the region. After tensions escalated in 2016, the two sides passed a COC negotiating framework in 2017, working toward a legally binding instrument to manage countries' behavior in the waters.
A single text on COC negotiations means that the 10-nation bloc has bridged their internal differences on the issue and technically pushed forward the COC consultation. More importantly, it suggests that ASEAN countries and China, despite their territorial clashes, have come to a consensus on the necessity of addressing disputes through talks and jointly safeguarding peace and stability in the waters. This is crucial at a moment when the world is changing dramatically. Countries outside the region will not give up roiling the waters over the South China Sea issue for strategic purposes.
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69
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China-backed trade pact could be signed by year-end: Singapore PM: Singapore's prime minister said on Thursday he hoped to complete by the end of the year a massive China-backed regional trade pact that has taken centre stage as Washington embarks on a unilateral, protectionist agenda. The 16-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is poised to become the largest free-trade agreement in the world, covering about half of its population.
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70
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Asean backs latest Rakhine probe: In a joint statement issued after the meeting in Singapore on Thursday, Asean's ministers said they welcomed the establishment of the commission. "We expressed our continued support for Myanmar in its effort to bring peace, stability and the rule of law, to promote harmony and reconciliation among various communities as well as to ensure sustainable and equitable development in Rakhine state," according to the statement. [...] While Asean called on Myanmar to address problems at the root cause of the conflict, the group refrained from mentioning the issue of ethnic cleansing under the clearance operations.
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71
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Asean and China agree on single negotiating text for South China Sea code of conduct: Describing this as "another milestone" in the CoC process, Singapore's Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan announced on Thursday (August 2) that Asean member states and China arrived at the single draft negotiating text during talks in Changsha, China, in June. "(This) will be a living document and the basis of future CoC negotiations. We also agreed on the key modalities for future rounds of CoC negotiations," he said in his opening remarks at the Asean-China ministerial meeting. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking after Dr Balakrishnan, described the development as "good news". "This is another new and significant development in the CoC talks," he said.
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72
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Vietnam, ASEAN set community building goals: Since the establishment of the ASEAN Community, Vietnam and ASEAN members have actively and strictly implemented commitments and initiatives. Vietnam is one of two countries that have implemented the biggest number of priorities set by the master plan for building the ASEAN Economic Community. "Vietnam has proactively developed security mechanisms through building trust and a code of conduct. Vietnam's initiatives and ideas have been adopted and implemented, including an initiative to build trust and a cooperative mechanism. Vietnam and other countries have reviewed commitments on trade, commodities, services, and investment to facilitate trade and develop e-commerce", said Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung.
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73
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S. Korean minister promotes 'New Southern Policy' in Singapore: Government officials say it's not just rhetoric but a real policy priority, presenting three Ps -- people, prosperity and peace -- as a slogan. South Korea has long made efforts to diversify its diplomatic and economic partners, but the liberal-minded Moon has sought notably to reduce Seoul's dependence on traditional trade partners such as the United States and China.
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ASEAN-China
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74
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Asean and China cross major milestone for Code of Conduct: China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the adoption of a single text was "significant progress". China and Asean have full capacity to achieve stability and peace in the South China Sea. Both sides will be able to reach consensus on a set of regional rules, he said. "We believe that without any intervention from outside, the COC will speed up," he said. "China and Asean can build a house together. In the past, there were 11 designs from 11 countries. Now, we have a single design of this house, and we have also put in place the pillars of this house," Wang Yi told a press conference.
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75
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China and Asean: Big gains from a simple maritime exercise: One of the most anticipated events on the regional calendar this month has to be the inaugural Asean-China maritime exercise, which aims to enhance trust, confidence and friendship among the navies of the Asean member states and China.
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76
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社评：中国东盟早已是实际的命运共同体
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南海近年成为全球地缘政治重心之一，很大程度上是被炒起来的。由于中国崛起，以美国为代表的域外力量对这里投入了关注，也增加了政治和军事介入。南海险些被这些外部力量带了节奏，成为它们对中国崛起不满的宣泄舞台。既然这里存在领土和海洋权益争议，各种摩擦就难免出现。但是回头看，中国、南海其他国家和东盟经过努力大体管控住了这些分歧，避免了它们引爆地区局势，也没让它们成为域外力量撬动整个地区的支点。
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Chinese, Singaporean foreign ministers agree to uphold multilateralism, free trade: The Chinese official appraised positively Singapore's part in pushing forward the bilateral ties between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as the China-ASEAN country coordinator for the past three years, and made clear that China always supports the regional cooperative course of the East Asia with the ASEAN at its core. "With growing uncertain and unstable factors in the world, we should make concerted efforts to ensure East Asia's peace and stability as well as maintain its momentum of marching forward," said Wang.
Vivian, for his part, agreed that the two countries should stand out to combat against rising unilateralism and trade protectionism and uphold multilateralism as well as free trade and regional economic integration. He also expressed appreciation for China in supporting Singapore's role as the ASEAN-China country coordinator and delivered positive remarks towards the vigorous development of ASEAN-China ties.
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ASEAN-US
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78
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Trump's overture to emerging Asia drowned out by trade war: When the U.S. Secretary of State flies into Southeast Asia this week with a new investment pitch for the region, the response could be: thanks a million, but please stop threatening a trade war with China that will make us lose billions of dollars. [...] "The Southeast Asian capitals are more worried about any blowback effects for them of U.S.-China trade tension than they are about how much they can benefit from this USD113m initiative," said Malcolm Cook, senior fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. "Pompeo has a hard selling job. There is still no real positive trade story for Asia coming out of the United States."
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Asia Pacific
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79
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Mission: Impossible - Fallout and the Indo-Pacific: Strategic equations are changing, and popular culture is reflecting it.
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80
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The End Of US Accommodation Toward China: While President Donald Trump's initiation of a trade war was primarily intended to address the looming trade deficit with China, the tariffs were also meant as punishment for forced technology transfers, industrial espionage and other intellectual property rights violations. Such unfair trade practices have contributed to losses for U.S. companies and undermined their long-term survival and competitiveness. But beyond threatening America's global economic position, China's increasingly bold global vision, influence and wherewithal undercuts U.S. ascendency. Many scholars in U.S. academic, defense, and policy circles are unsettled by the increased assertiveness shown in China's Belt and Road Initiative, its role among the BRICS nations, institutions like the New Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the internationalization of the petroyuan and the renminbi.
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81
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US to urge pressure against North Korea at Asia talks: Hoang Thi Ha, an analyst at the Asean Studies Centre in Singapore, said the development represented "some initial progress" but noted that drawing up the code "will continue to be a painstaking and painfully slow process".
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Japan's 'Pivot to Asia': If Shinzo Abe's vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific is to succeed, it must be more than an instrument of competition with China, Sebastian Maslow writes.
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East/South China Sea
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83
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China seeks military drills with Asean in disputed sea: The suggestion to exclude outside countries "is obviously targeted at the US, which has been dominating the waters of the Western Pacific and the South China Sea in particular," Hoang Thi Ha, from the Asean Studies Center, ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, told AFP.By proposing joint military exercises, China is trying to send a "subtle message to the world that Asean and China could work together and things are progressing well, hence there is no need for external involvement in the South China Sea issue," Ha said.
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China asks Asia powers to join in war games and U.S. is not invited, report says: Citing a draft of the code of conduct being flushed out between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Agence France-Presse reported Thursday that Beijing was seeking to persuade leaders of the 10-member organization to participate in upcoming military exercises and energy exploration in the waters of Asia, where Chinese and ASEAN territorial claims overlap. Vietnam was reportedly the most resistant to the move, accusing China of militarizing artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea, but other countries apparently put up little opposition to the proposition....In the draft document, China specifically stipulated that outside countries should not be allowed to participate in joint China-ASEAN exercises "unless the parties concerned are notified beforehand and express no objection," AFP reported.
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China permanently stations rescue ship in Spratlys: With this tactic, [Dr. Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea] explained "it allows China to permanently deploy assets in Spratlys without appearing to be directly threatening, avoid protest, and ostensibly as a public good.""At the same time, it provides an excuse for continuous surveillance and monitoring of all maritime activities that might require search and rescue," he said, adding that the deployment would also be used "to demonstrate administration of the area as a regular part of its territory."
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US Foreign Policy
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86
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An emerging Indo-Pacific infrastructure strategy: When set against potentially upwards of USD1 trillion in financing for China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) - to which the new US fund is a thinly veiled response - that certainly seems the case. Yet the outlines of an Indo-Pacific infrastructure strategy that looks potentially more promising can also be seen.
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Southeast Asian governments, wary about Trump's policies, look to Pompeo for clarity: While many in the region share American concerns about Beijing's investments, trade practices and activities in the South China Sea, it remains to be seen if states will publicly endorse the Indo-Pacific strategy, according to Kurlantzick. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, for one, has repeatedly warned about the dangers of Asian nations being forced to pick between the U.S. and China. Governments will be keen to find out exactly what kind of role they will play in Washington's Indo-Pacific vision, which remains vague, said Mazza.
Democracy and rights are currently hot topics in Southeast Asia amid criticisms of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's strongman politics and newly re-elected Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's crackdown on civil liberties. Under previous administrations, the world's largest economy has used its clout to support democratic standards, but it's not clear whether the Trump government will do so.
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