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Daily News on the Southeast Asian Region
22 July 2020
(pm) - 23 July
2020 (am)
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Greetings
This is a daily information alert service containing articles and commentaries from international and regional news sources. The alert is released every Monday to Friday, focussing on Southeast Asia and special topics relevant to ISEAS' research interests. You can click on any of the links below to directly access the subject of your immediate interest. If you think your friends and colleagues would find this alert useful, please invite them to
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Country Studies
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Southeast Asia Countries
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Brunei Darussalam
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Laos
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Singapore
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Timor-Leste (East Timor)
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Region
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 Cambodia
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Cambodia's economy - Rapid development and COVID-19: Set at the intersection between domestic development and global change, will Cambodia in 2040 be a middle-income state with growing prosperity or will it have stagnated at its current, lower-middle-income level, or dropped back to the status of a low-income state?
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Thailand will gift 140km of rail to Cambodia for stronger link: Vasim Sorya, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, told The Post on Wednesday that Thailand promised to provide the new rail after the launch that year... Sorya said that after the northern railway is upgraded, it will be able to carry 20 tonnes and increase the speed to up to 70km/h from the current 30km/h. Connecting Phnom Penh to Poipet in Banteay Meanchey province and on to the Thai border, the northern railway has held boosted bilateral trade.
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Indonesia
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3
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Civil society endowment fund: A call for collaboration: ...civil society organizations in Indonesia are significant contributors in responding to social and economic inequality and the negative impacts of the pandemic. However, because of COVID-19, civil society faces an overwhelming need paired with an existential threat. Many organizations do not have cash reserves and already, furloughs and layoffs are hitting the sector - hard. The world's vital nonprofits are in jeopardy.
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4
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Regional COVID-19 testing disparities pose challenges: Health Ministry data dated July 19 and obtained by The Jakarta Post showed that Jakarta, with 44 labs, had run 377,235 tests, or 35,438 tests per 1 million population. Hardest-hit province East Java, home to roughly 40 million people, has run 107,074 tests, or 2,685 tests per 1 million people.
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NU dan Muhammadiyah: Kontroversi Organisasi Penggerak [NU and Muhammadiyah: controversy over movement organisations]: Sebagaimana yang dilansir pada youtube kemendikbud, menurut mas menteri, tidak sedikit ormas yang memiliki metode bagus dalam peningkatan kopetensi guru dan tenaga kependidikan. Dengan alasan ini, mas menteri memberikan kesempatan kepada ormas untuk berkerjasama dan terlibat dalam penguatan dan peningkatan kualitas guru dan tenaga kependidikan.
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Indonesia questions Asean pact as FDI falls for 2nd straight quarter: Indonesia needs to reconsider the benefits it gets from being part of the Asean Economic Community, the head of the country's investment board said yesterday, after data showed foreign direct investment (FDI) fell for the second straight quarter. South-east Asia's largest economy attracted 97.6 trillion rupiah (S$9.3b) of FDI in April-June, excluding investment in banking and oil and gas. This is a 6.9 per cent drop in rupiah terms from a year ago and a roughly 3 per cent fall in US dollar terms, according to data from Indonesia's investment board, or BKPM. That followed a 9.2 per cent fall in FDI in the first quarter as investors postponed investment decisions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Indonesian investment in northern Australian agriculture: The Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), which came into force on 5 July 2020, represents a shift in these trade relations. The agreement reduces trade and investment barriers and is the first Australian free trade agreement to have an entire chapter on non-tariff measures. Much of the discussion in the lead-up to this agreement was focussed on these export opportunities for Australian agribusiness. But there has been minimal discussion regarding the possibility for Indonesian investment into Australian agriculture. Chapter 14 of IA-CEPA outlines an Investor-State Dispute Settlement mechanism that will give investors access to an independent arbitral tribunal to resolve investment disputes. If Indonesians invest in Australian agriculture and export produce back to Indonesia, they would also be subject to the same tariff and non-tariff measures in place for Australian exporters. The removal of some of these trade barriers increases certainty for potential Indonesian investors.
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India-Indonesia: Expanding Cooperation to Include Defence Industry: India's Great Nicobar Island in the Andaman Sea is barely 163 km from the Sabang district of Indonesia's Aceh province. The geographical proximity of these two large democracies and their strategic locations in the Indian Ocean make them natural partners for maritime security. The leaders of both countries are invested in a shared vision for the Indo-Pacific. While defence cooperation has garnered most bilateral attention, there is still greater scope for exploration in this domain, particularly as it pertains to defence industry. This will in turn aid greater synchronicity on the Indo-Pacific.
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Pancasilanomics dan Ekonomi Islam [Pancasilanomics and the Islamic economy]: Pertama, kita harus tempatkan secara keilmuan, Pancasila itu bukan kata benda, melainkan "kata kerja''. Artinya, nilai-nilai Pancasila sudah ada kontribusinya dari pemerintahan tahun 50-an, 60-an, masa Pak Harto, dan era Reformasi.
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Survei: Prabowo Menteri dengan Kinerja Paling Baik [Survey: Prabowo minister with best performance]: Di peringkat kedua ada nama Menteri Keuangan (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani (11,5 persen), dan Menteri BUMN Erick Thohir di peringkat ketiga (5,8 persen). Disusul Menko Polhukam Mahfud MD (4,6 persen), dan Menteri PUPR Basuki Hadimuljono (4,2 persen).
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Eidtorial - Returning SOEs Back to People: The recent tug-of-war of political interests in the appointments of commissioners of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) can only be ended if the paradigm of managing state companies is fundamentally changed. Without this, the battles for positions in SOEs will remain and the performance of the companies that provide livelihoods for the public will continue to worsen. So far, the way SOEs has been managed has benefited the political elite in power at the time. Using the excuse of preserving the national interest or implementing development programs, state-owned companies have often been forced to ignore business calculations and suffer losses. In the long term, this model hampers the growth of SOEs and reduces their potential for making profits.
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12
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Indonesia needs more than debts against COVID-19: Indonesia has prudently managed its financial resources, which helps Jakarta cope with the crisis. In the 23 years since the Asian Financial Crisis (AFC) in 1997, Indonesia kept its average fiscal deficit at only 1.64 per cent of GDP. 2020 will be the first year the deficit exceeds the legal threshold of 3 per cent. President Joko Widodo expects a 6.34 per cent deficit but fiscal discipline shall return. The new Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) No.1/2020 -- now a law -- mandates bringing the deficit back to under 3 per cent by 2023.
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Malaysia
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Rethinking political consensus in Malaysia: With the ruling coalition's legitimacy built on an unstable house of cards, every bill to be introduced in parliament can turn into a battle of wills between the government and the opposition. Without a clear political consensus, it is unclear how the country will move forward. Even if a snap election is called, the possibility remains that it could result in a hung parliament.
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Bersatu-linked think tank's study suggests one in two Malaysians would back Umno-PAS in snap poll, Pakatan losing urban foothold: Over half the respondents from an Emir Research survey said they would vote for an Umno-PAS pairing in a hypothetical early general election, according to the results released yesterday. In its quarterly report released yesterday, the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia-linked think tank said 52 per cent of respondents backed Umno and PAS while 30 per cent chose Pakatan Harapan (PH) and 18 per cent were undecided.
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All filming requires Finas licence, even personal social media - minister: All filming requires a licence from the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) even for personal social media, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah. Asked how this would affect people who use social media platforms, he said that all content creation is subject to regulations. The rule would affect those using Tik-Tok, Instagram, Youtube and others.
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Dr M moots new party again if Aug 7 court decision not in his favour: Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said if the court decision on Aug 7 regarding his removal from Bersatu is not in his favour, he may consider forming a new political party. "If we are expelled from the party, we have to consider having another party," he was quoted as saying by Channel News Asia (CNA) yesterday. However, Mahathir said he had not decided on whether he will be contesting in the next general election.
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Ariff 'saw a mile away' bid to oust him as speaker: The former Court of Appeal judge told The Malaysian Insight there were clear-cut signs pointing to his removal as Dewan Rakyat speaker even before the July seating. ... He said it is not convention anywhere in the world to remove a sitting speaker before parliament is dissolved and Malaysia has set a precedent.
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慕尤丁和沙菲益亦友亦敌
[Muhyiddin and Shafie are frienemies]:
过去希盟，或更早巫统期间，慕尤丁和沙菲益关系不错。在希盟期间更是盟友，有共同敌人（纳吉
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巫统）和目标（执政）。惟，喜来登政变之后，两人关系生变。慕尤丁认为，两次被沙菲益
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背叛
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，遭对方背后捅刀。
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Keyakinan politik Najib [Najib's political beliefs]: Satu perubahan yang saya sendiri tidak duga sebenarnya. Siapa dapat duga bahawa kerajaan Pakatan Harapan (PH) boleh tumbang dalam masa 22 bulan. Ini satu yang sukar barangkali untuk kita bayangkan, namun ia menjadi kenyataan.
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Muafakat Nasional formula menang PRU [Muafakat Nasional formula to win PRU]: Menurut Pengerusi Lembaga Penasihat (BN), Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, perkara itu telah berjaya dibuktikan apabila permuafakatan antara parti itu berjaya memenangi enam daripada 11 pilihan raya kecil (PRK) selepas Pilihan Raya Umum ke-14.
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Tukar nama Laut China Selatan [Change the name of South China Sea]: Pada 21 April 2020, China bertindak memberikan nama kepada 80 pulau dan ciri geografi lain di Laut China Selatan, termasuklah di wilayah perairan kita. Terdapat tiga gugusan beting utama dalam wilayah kita yang cuba ditukar ke nama Mandarin oleh China iaitu Gugusan Beting Raja Jarum (Beikang Ansha), Gugusan Beting Patinggi Ali (Nankang Ansha), dan Beting Serupai (Zengmu Ansha).
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国盟路在何方
[Where is PN headed]:
敦马领导的
5
人土团党已大江东去，而慕尤丁领导的土团党，在巫伊强势结盟的声浪冲击下，自然也在争夺马来民族领导权处绝对下风。而当慕派陷入此死胡同时，分道扬镳各自为政已显而易见。国盟一届政府与慕尤丁一任首相的可能率是偏高乃甭质疑的。
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Final say on candidates at heart of Malaysia's flag flap: Malaysia's ruling parties are at odds over which flag to fly at polls expected as early as the end of the year, with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition yet to be registered as an official entity. At stake are not just which symbols and logos would be more popular with voters, but also who ultimately signs off on candidates for 222 parliamentary and up to 587 state seats that are up for grabs.
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Sabah government set to fall to Malaysia PM Muhyiddin's coalition: Malaysia's Sabah state is on the verge of changing governments, with assemblymen formerly loyal to chief minister Shafie Apdal expected to defect to the Perikatan Nasional (PN) pact helmed by Prime Minister Muhyiddin. Well-placed sources told The Straits Times that at least 14 assemblymen have agreed to desert Datuk Seri Shafie - a staunch ally of former premier Mahathir Mohamad - and back his predecessor and rival Musa Aman instead. "There may be more (defectors). But for now, we have to wait for an audience with the governor," a top PN official said, referring to the ceremonial head of state.
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Malaysian court orders ex-PM Najib to pay $400 million tax bill: In his ruling, High Court judge Ahmad Bache said former prime ministers are not exempt from paying tax and that Najib must pay his "debt" to the government, according to the Bernama report. Tax authorities filed the suit last June to recover unpaid taxes accumulated by Najib between 2011 and 2017, plus penalties and interest.
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Accommodation is key in new age of coalition politics: Political parties in Malaysia and the voting public would be better off if our institutions, narratives and norms can be adapted to suit Malaysia's new normal of having coalition governments formed by parties of similar strength. Appreciating the prospect of not having a single dominant party in the foreseeable future would help us to consider seriously how we are to achieve stable governments, how we are to deal with the problem of partners fighting over who is to become prime minister, and how we are to help the voting public decide on what sort of coalitions to support.
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After Chini by-election success, Najib says new battlefield for BN is social media to reach broader voter base: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has credited Barisan Nasional's (BN) victory at the Chini by-election earlier this month to two groups: young voters and outside voters. "The new battlefield now for us is social media, followed by securing the support of young and/or outside voters. In my view, BN lost the 14th general election (in 2018) due to a lack of social media strength at the time.bBut nowadays, we can see BN and Muafakat Nasional dominating social media. We see our role is recognised, not merely in terms of likes and views, but from the comments as well.
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Different pacts, same obstacle: ...the reality is that there hasn't been much change in public policy over the last few months, whether right- or left-leaning. It can't be denied that there have been some good moves, such as the revised B40 categorisation and overtures to educationists. Some decisions may be unpopular, like the U-turn on the teaching of mathematics and science in English, but at least, there's now clarity on the direction we're taking with regard to an issue that has hovered over us for a good decade or so. Maybe this is yet another unexpected result of calmer public opinion - apathy, even - belying chaotic political undercurrents.
Emmanuel Joseph
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Does Perikatan aim to tighten media freedom? If the Perikatan Nasional government doesn't agree with the content of the documentary, it can always clarify it and tell the truth. I am sure the network would have given the airtime. The government instead chose to persecute the station and its journalists.
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30
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Malaysia henti bayar wang serahan kepada waris kesultanan Sulu sejak 2013 [Malaysia has stopped paying handover money to the heirs of the Sulu sultanate since 2013]: Selain pembayaran wang serahan kepada waris Kesultanan Sulu itu, Malaysia juga tidak pernah membuat sebarang pembayaran kepada kerajaan Filipina, katanya dalam jawapan bertulis yang dimuat naik dalam laman web Parlimen bagi menjawab soalan Chang Foon Hin (PH-Kota Kinabalu) hari ini.
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Mahathir: Victim, victor or villain? When Mahathir became PM, he could have done more to integrate the races. Instead he allowed his experience of being snubbed by the Chinese to fuel his inner demons. Blaming the Chinese for the lack of Malay progress allows him to evade responsibility for his policy failures.
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Myanmar
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Chinese Investment in Myanmar: Beyond Myitsone Dam: Almost nine years have passed since the Thein Sein administration unilaterally announced the suspension of construction work on the Myitsone dam in September 2011... Naypyidaw credited the suspension decision to the "people's will, and many analysts have thus attributed the unexpected suspension to the victory of popular anti-China sentiments and anti-dam movements, following Myanmar's domestic political transition. If the "people's will" really brought the Myitsone dam project to a halt, might other Chinese overseas projects be at risk of a similar fate?
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33
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Ayeyawady Region to build 5,700 polling stations for over 4.4 million voters: "According to data available till the end of June, there are over 4.4 million voters. The number is a little larger than that of in 2015," said Aung Myint, chairman of the election sub-commission... "In the 2015 election, polling booths for servicemen were in the military areas. But political parties found it difficult to enter and exit. It was also difficult for observers. So it is better to build polling booths for military personnel outside military areas. There will be no many booths for military personnel. It is OK because they will also vote together with civilians.
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Myanmar rolls out plans to boost domestic tourism: Myanmar is taking efforts to avoid a second wave of COVID-19 in the country by extending measures such as a ban on international commercial flights and large social gatherings. But these restrictions have hit tourism hard, and the sector is now struggling to find viable options to survive the collapse in tourist arrivals. International commercial flights to Myanmar have been suspended since March 31, a week after the first COVID-19 cases were reported in the country. The government has extended this ban several times since then, and international flights are officially prohibited until July 31.
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Myanmar Urged to Work With UN Rights Process Rather Than Resist Scrutiny: Yangon-based rights activists on Wednesday also called on Myanmar leaders to investigate rights violation allegations and prosecute those responsible if the government is unwilling to resolve them in the international arena and the UPR reporting process. Nickey Diamond, a human rights activist with Fortify Rights, said he does not see the government taking effective measures to rectify the issue. "Instead, the government is protecting the military for its rights violations," he told RFA.
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Debt relief boosts Myanmar's COVID-19 recovery: On 1 July 2020, the European Union and six of its member governments announced a moratorium on debt repayments due from Myanmar. The agreement allows Myanmar to 'focus efforts on economic recovery from COVID-19' and is worth almost US$100 million - 20 per cent of Myanmar's current debt payments schedule. Widely reported in the Myanmar press, the gesture is boosting a relationship sorely tested over the atrocities in Rakhine State and elsewhere, and the possibility that EU trade privileges - vital to Myanmar's fast-growing garment sector - could be withdrawn.
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Myanmar to Set up Complaint Process for War Violence Against Children: Myanmar, whose military has been at war with ethnic armies fighting for autonomy since the country gained independence from Britain in 1948, has struggled to shed a reputation for use of child soldiers. It signed an action plan with the U.N. in 2012 to prevent the recruitment and use of children as soldiers.
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Philippines
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38
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A Duterte second term comes into view: Emboldened by authoritarian gains seized under health emergency rule, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is now gunning for the ultimate prize: constitutional change that could extend his legally bound single six-year term limit. With the 2022 presidential campaign emerging on the political horizon, the Filipino strongman and his political allies are once again pushing for charter change.
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China Refuses to Quit on the Philippines: China may have missed a golden opportunity to see the VFA end, but Beijing is still determined to exploit gaps between the U.S. and its ally.
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40
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Filipino students use "padungog-dungog" to resist educational inequality: Padungog-dungog is a Cebuano term which means dropping hints, implying, or referring indirectly. It can be done verbally, through actions, or in writing such as social media posts... The problem with online classes is that many students in the Philippines, especially Mindanao, have neither a computer nor access to the internet.
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Thailand
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41
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Cabinet shake-up now in PM's hands: The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) will leave the final decision on who gets what in the cabinet reshuffle to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, key members said on Wednesday. The announcement might being to a temporary lull intense jockeying for ministerial seats within the PPRP. Deputy PPRP leader Somsak Thepsutin said any discussion on party choices for ministers was strictly an internal affair.
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Parliament 'must engage protesters': Political parties on Wednesday urged parliament to engage student activists protesting against the government in a process organised in such a way to allow them to communicate their concerns. Chakkrapan Pornnimit, a Palang Pracharath Party MP for Bangkok, filed an urgent motion proposing the House of Representatives discuss the possibility of allowing the protesters to have their political opinions heard through parliament.
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Thailand could be a loser due to Covid-19, deglobalisation: Tisco analyst: Thailand which depends largely on export markets will suffer from a slower recovery as export markets shrink. Moreover Vietnam, equipped with many free trade agreements, is biting into Thailand's global market share. Tisco forecast that the Thai economy will contract sharply by 6.4 per cent this year.
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Thailand attracts hordes of Chinese patients despite COVID: Thailand is a main destination for Chinese who seek IVF abroad because of the country's more affordable services. The cost here ranges from 400,000 to 800,000 baht. Of the upper total, around 500,000 baht involves charges for the treatment, with the rest spent on wellness and other tourism-related services.
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Vietnam
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What does Vietnam's trade deal with the EU mean for the country and ASEAN? Vietnam's economy is expected to gain enormously from the FTA with the EU. However, the country will face major criticism unless it adopts labor and human rights reforms.
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46
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China's Pressure Costs Vietnam $1 Billion in the South China Sea: Vietnam has agreed to pay around a billion dollars to two international oil companies after cancelling their South China Sea operations following pressure from China. A well-placed oil industry source has told The Diplomat that Vietnam's state-owned energy company PetroVietnam will pay the money to Repsol of Spain and Mubadala of the United Arab Emirates in "termination" and "compensation" arrangements. In a statement, a Repsol spokesman said he "would not be willing to confirm or deny the figures" but an analysis of the company's financial statements suggests that a very large amount of money is involved.
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47
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Vietnam has comparative advantages in digital transformation: A report from We Are Social and Hootsuite showed a high proportion of internet and mobile phone users. Vietnam has 96.9 million people, but has 145.8 million mobile phone subscribers (150 percent of population), 68.17 million internet users and 65 million social network users.
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48
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Vietnam's economy to expand 3.8 pct: think tank: Vietnam's economy could reach 3.8 percent growth this year if there would be no community transmission in the country in the remaining months, a think tank said. The Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research (VEPR) made its forecast based on the scenario that domestic economic activities would gradually resume normality. This growth rate would be the lowest since 1987 when the country first opened its economy to the world after decades of war, according to World Bank data.
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Vietnamese farmers enslaved, poisoned by toxic chemicals: Theu is among many Vietnamese farmers trapped in a circle of chemical usage in the past few years. In 1956, plant care products did not exist in Vietnam. Nearly 44 years later, in the first half of 2020, the country has imported more pesticides than gasoline. Since the beginning of this year until June 15, Vietnam imported $308 million worth of pesticides and materials to produce related products. According to General Department of Vietnam Customs, only $249 million was used to buy gasoline from abroad.
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50
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Vietnam, New Zealand establish strategic partnership: Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern formally agreed to lift the two countries' comprehensive partnership to strategic partnership during their virtual summit on July 22. To guide this strengthening relationship, the statement says New Zealand and Vietnam are committed to deepening bilateral political cooperation through frequent high-level exchanges between political parties, parliamentary and governmental delegations.
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ASEAN/Southeast Asia
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51
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Opinion - ASEAN strives to navigate Covid, corruption: As members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) grapple with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on their economies, they are also having to mitigate a rise in corruption.
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US-China blame game grates on Southeast Asia: While Southeast Asian countries express gratitude to both superpowers for their assistance in combatting COVID-19, public attitudes reveal deeper frustrations than their political leadership is able to express. Southeast Asia has responded to the COVID-19 propaganda war between Beijing and Washington much like it has responded to South China Sea disputes -- with little protest, even less unity and with almost no say over great power competition.
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53
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Shutting the door on North Korea's cyber army in Southeast Asia: With North Korea's cyber army of hackers a vital source of income for the country's repressive regime, US policy adviser Brian Moore argues that Southeast Asia's adoption of nuclear power over the next two decades will leave states vulnerable to attack. North Korea heavily relies on overseas locations to launch cyberattacks, generally in China but throughout South and Southeast Asia as well. Both the US and the UN should be aggressively sanctioning individuals and entities associated with these operations, and the US should grant victims the right to sue and seek damages. Such actions would considerably raise the risk of enabling North Korea's cyber operations.
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54
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Hanging tough together: ASEAN countries' survival strategy amid Sino-US rivalry: Rising Sino-US rivalry and a rapidly changing geopolitical environment means that smaller states in the Asia-Pacific are increasingly compelled to "choose sides" between the two major powers. They are, however, not short of options.
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Asia Pacific
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55
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Opinion - Did COVID-19 Really Give China a Strategic Advantage? Many China analysts have concluded the Chinese leadership saw in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic an opportunity to advance China's strategic agenda because other countries would be distracted by their internal struggles with the virus. ...This narrative is erroneous. The pandemic was much more a liability than a boon for Beijing's efforts to promote China's international reputation and agenda, and the theory that it caused more aggressive Chinese foreign policy moves does not withstand close scrutiny.
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East/South China Sea
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56
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扎牢南海和平稳定之锚
[Securing peace and stability on the South China Sea]:
美国以
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主持正义，支持菲律宾等声索国维护南海仲裁成果利益
"
的面孔出现，实则是破坏相关国家与中国的合作关系。与此同时，也是向相关国家发出一个错误信息，怂恿它们无所畏惧地与中国进行缠斗，谋求
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鹬蚌相争渔人得利
"
。需要指出的是，我们不可低估美国采取的卑鄙手法，包括在与某些跟中国有南海地区领土争议的国家军事力量进行联合演习时采取
"
越界
"
等犯规行动，唆使某些国家与中国发生军事冲突。
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Scarborough Shoal - a redline: The core issue of the South China Sea dispute is China's unlawful claim to maritime areas beyond what the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) allows. Under China's nine-dash line, five Asean coastal states--the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia--will lose large areas of their exclusive economic zones (EEZs) guaranteed to them as their inherent right under Unclos.
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US-China relations: can US Defence Secretary Mark Esper's visit to Beijing stop a cold war getting hot? Despite referring to China's 'bad behaviour', Esper's desire to visit suggests he is keen to see relations improve, observers say. Source close to People's Liberation Army says military doesn't want ties to be driven by China's 'wolf warrior diplomacy'.
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U.S. holds naval exercises with allies in Asia amid China tension: The drills were carried out near India's Andaman and Nicobar islands, off the north end of the Malacca Straits, one of the world's busiest shipping routes for trade and fuel, an Indian source said. India has a military base on the islands... Separately, the U.S. strike group led by the Ronald Reagan was carrying out drills with naval forces from Japan and Australia in the Philippine Sea, U.S. and Australian officials said on Tuesday.
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South China Sea: 'no sense' in pushing Philippines' case at UN General Assembly, Locsin says: Foreign secretary rejects call for Philippines to raise issue of enforcing 2016 arbitral ruling at the General Assembly in September.
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Superpower relations and the region
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Opinion: US-China rivalry: How companies can adjust to geopolitical shift as decoupling accelerates - Companies can count on the rules and dispute resolution mechanisms of free-trade agreements, take advantage of Western funding agencies such as the DFC and seek global forums such as Apec to keep conversations going
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