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Daily News on the Southeast Asian Region
21 July 2020
(pm) - 22 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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Singapore
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Timor-Leste (East Timor)
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Region
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1
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Opinion: Why Cambodia's image continues to falter: Cambodia appears to be suffering from an image crisis, and the situation seems to be getting worse. ...Having opened up since the 1990s, Cambodia has begun to engage with others on more equal terms as a sovereign state as well as a country that adopted liberal multi-party democracy. However, some geopolitical issues in the region such as the South China Sea (SCS) disputes, Cambodia's pursuit of national core interests, and domestic political developments have led to an image crisis.
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Indonesia
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Governor Ganjar leads poll on potential candidates for 2024 race, surpassing Prabowo: The survey, conducted through phone calls from July 13 to 16, revealed that 16.2 percent of 1,200 polled respondents from across the country said they would vote for Ganjar if the election was held now, while 13.5 percent said they would vote for Prabowo. Ganjar's electability rating increased by 7.8 percent in the July survey compared to a similar survey conducted by the pollster in February, while Prabowo's electability rating dropped by 8.5 percent.
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3
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Govt earns top audit grade amid scandals: The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) has given the 2019 central government's financial report an unqualified opinion (WTP), the best audit grade, despite irregularities found in several issues, including the recent financial scandals involving state-owned insurance companies. The rating is based on the audit of 88 financial reports from ministries, government institutions and the state treasury, according to the agency's chairman, Agung Firman Sampurna. Of the 88 financial reports, 85 received a WTP, compared to 81 in 2018.
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4
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Govt should build on solidarity fostered by new normal: Observers, politicians: "We have seen how the pandemic fosters a sense of community within ourselves. New movements have emerged from local communities, but they need to be strengthened," interfaith activist Alissa Wahid, the daughter of former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, said during the seminar. "The government needs to build a large-scale campaign on how to embrace the new habits together under community-based approaches."
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Public trust in Jokowi's COVID-19 response declines, survey finds: In total, 52.6 percent of respondents in the July survey expressed faith in Jokowi's handing of the pandemic while 8.3 percent expressed strong faith. The figures were down from May's survey, in which 53.7 percent of respondents expressed faith and 14 percent expressed strong faith in the President's handling of the crisis.
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6
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Stunting prevention in Indonesia: Strategy, will and collective effort: A look at the service delivery data in Indonesia shows that each separate program (such as supplementation of folic acid and micronutrients during pregnancy or access to safe water and sanitation) has reasonable coverage. The reason stunting has remained high is because millions of 1,000-day households are missing out on the complete package of services required to move the needle.
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7
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The political (re)constructions of Sukarno and Pancasila: The brouhaha over Sukarno's legacy, including that of Pancasila, is a clear indication of our immaturity as a nation - certainly that of our lawmakers.
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8
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'Crisis like no other' will shrink Indonesia's economy, IMF forecasts: Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has projected that the economy will contract by more than 3 percent year-on-year in the second quarter. She expects full-year growth of 1 percent under the baseline scenario but a full-year contraction of 0.4 percent under the worst-case scenario.
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9
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Prabowo's niece to run for deputy mayor in South Tangerang race: Rahayu, a politician of the Gerindra Party that her uncle chairs, has been paired with incumbent South Tangerang administrative secretary Muhamad in their mayoral bid with the endorsement of Gerindra and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). Prabowo announced the candidate pair on Monday evening at his residence, with PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto in attendance.
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Laos
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Li Keqiang vows to enhance cooperation, regional connectivity with Laos: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang vowed to strengthen communication and coordination with Laos to prepare the third Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Leaders' Meeting and continue expanding interconnectivity in the region. Li made the remarks when holding a video conference with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith on Tuesday.
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Malaysia
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11
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Dr M will give Warisan a headache, academic warns: Warisan leaders would have a lot of explaining to do, said Arnold Puyok of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. "They would have to explain the party's focus, direction, and vision because Mahathir is not known as someone who is supportive of autonomy for Sabah," he told FMT... Puyok said he did not believe Warisan would gain any traction outside Sabah. He questioned whether Warisan was now willing to relax its Sabah rights ideology and slogans, saying these played a big part in giving it victory in the 2018 general election.
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12
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Time to woo Japanese firms, economists tell Putrajaya: Several economists have urged Putrajaya to start wooing Japanese companies to Malaysian shores now that Japan has decided to reduce reliance on manufacturing in China. Rajah Rasiah of Universiti Malaya said Malaysia should leverage its position as a traditional offshore production location for Japanese multinationals.
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Serom rep resigns from Johor Amanah posts, won't contest GE15 for them: Amanah's Serom assemblyperson Faizul Amri Adnan has resigned as Johor party committee member and education committee chairperson, and will not contest the 15th general election for the party. When contacted, Faizul said he was still an Amanah member but declined to go into detail on why he resigned. According to his resignation letter sighted by Malaysiakini, Faizul cited a loss of confidence in the state party leadership.
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Najib wants to be PM again, says Dr Mahathir: Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak will make a comeback if he is found not guilty next week on corruption and money-laundering charges related to SRC International, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad. "If he is found not guilty, I think that he will want to be prime minister again," Dr Mahathir told The Malaysian Insight... "Generally speaking, Umno members feel that Umno should lead as they have the support. In fact, they have told Bersatu that although they are in a coalition now, they want to contest against Bersatu in the next elections.
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15
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National Automotive Plan being revamped, Azmin tells Parliament: THE International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) is re-strategising the action plan in implementing the National Automotive Plan (NAP) 2020, which aims to make the nation's automotive sector more competitive and developed. Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali said the move will help expedite the revival of the automotive sector through the option of investments in a few sectors that made up the automotive industry.
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'Dewan Rakyat tidak boleh jadi platform hujahan emosi' ['Dewan Rakyat cannot become a platform of emotional argument']: Dr Muhammad Fathi berkata, tindakan Yang Dipertua Dewan Rakyat, Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun yang mengingatkan kesemua ahli Dewan Rakyat diingatkan agar tidak menggunakan perkataan berbaur hasutan, rasis, biadab dan seksis sepanjang persidangan berlangsung wajar dipuji.
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Unemployment worse than what numbers show: The government has rolled out three stimulus packages, totalling more than RM290 billion, to cushion the economic impact of Covid-19 and the movement-control order. However, their effectiveness is likely to be short-lived. The packages are primarily focused on retaining jobs, encouraging rehiring, and helping local businesses by providing them with cash aid, tax relief and financing assistance. The results have been far from ideal, and are unsustainable in the long run.
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Tun M minta ahli profesional lantikan kerajaan PH dikekalkan [Tun M requested to retain the professionals appointed by PH government]: "Sudah 30 badan yang ditukar kerana untuk memberi pendapatan yang tinggi kepada ahli politik," kata Tun Dr Mahathir ketika membahaskan Titah Diraja pada Mesyuarat Kedua Penggal Ketiga, Parlimen ke-14 di Dewan Rakyat hari ini.
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大马稻米能达到自给自足吗
[Can Malaysia achieve self-sufficiency in rice]
？
大马
1970
年代落实品种改良和水利灌溉、推广双季稻以来，西马稻产总量确有大幅度提升，但其有效推广的范围仍然不大。在全国约有
24
万公顷具有灌溉设施的水田可种植双季稻地区，只有西马吉打的慕达灌溉区（
Muda
）、雪兰莪西北的适耕庄的每公顷产量达
6000
公斤，彭亨州和其他州属包括东马的亩产量就显然低得多。约占稻田三分之一的旱地而又较集中在东马的亩产量就更低了。
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马华上阵议席或不减反增
[Possible increase in MCA MPs]:
由于马华在大选以惨败收场，巫统趁势叫嚣要索取一些马华传统议席的上阵权。虽然过去巫统在伊斯干达公主城、关丹，以及旺沙马朱代替马华出战依旧改变不了落败的厄运，但巫统区会领袖为了博取上阵机会，已挑起马华战绩欠佳课题，准备代替马华在更多选区上阵，芙蓉和丹绒马林巫统区部领袖的公开叫嚣就是个讯号。
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21
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马华陷入与行动党一样的困境
[MCA trapped in same dilemma as DAP]:
巫统、伊党及右翼组织之前反对希盟计划承认统考，现在轮到他们掌权，国盟又怎么可能承认统考。希盟成立独中统考特别委员会，听取各方意见、拟定报告，最终又回到原点，何其悲哀！其实巫伊反对房屋及地方政府部长祖莱达恢复地方选举的建议，就可以看出他们执政后并没有改变保守的思维，这对国盟，特别是慕尤丁要争取非马来人选票是一大障碍。
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Myanmar
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Myanmar Leader Aung San Suu Kyi Will Run Again in November Election: Myanmar's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, will be a candidate in this November's general election, a spokesman for her National League for Democracy (NLD) party said Tuesday. NLD spokesman Zaw Myint Maung announced after a meeting of the party's Central Executive Committee that Suu Kyi and President Win Myint will run in the November 8 polls.
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Myanmar pro-democracy forces form new parties as elections loom: The new parties are small but could grab votes from the NLD in single-seat districts. In most constituencies, the NLD will be challenged by the military-affiliated Union Solidarity and Development Party, the country's largest opposition party, as well as several ethnic parties.
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Philippines
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OPINION: Strongman Duterte's COVID-19 failings usher in new generation of leaders: Duterte had record popularity before the outbreak, but -- despite a lack of recent surveys -- this has undoubtedly fallen, and young and progressive mayors such as Vico Sotto in Pasig and Isko Moreno in Manila are emerging as rivals. Moreno, indeed, will be old enough to compete in the 2022 presidential election. It looks like we are seeing the beginning of the end of the Duterte era of populism in favor of more progressive and dynamic leaders.
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Army to boost farming inside camps: The Army is going to transform some parcels of land inside its sprawling camps into farms to help boost the country's food security in the "new normal" brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, it launched its "Green Camp" program at Fort Bonifacio, its headquarters, teaming up with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Tarlac Heritage Foundation Inc. (THF). According to Army spokesperson Col. Ramon Zagala, the program aims to develop the Army's food self-sufficiency in view of possible shortages due to the pandemic.
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Philippines to ramp up coronavirus testing as Duterte warns of arrests: The government aimed to test 32,000 to 40,000 people a day compared with the current 20,000 to 23,000, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a televised meeting with Duterte. The Philippines has tested nearly 1.1 million people so far, but Duque said the aim was for 10 million people--or nearly a tenth of the population--to be tested by the second quarter of next year.
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Thailand
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Migrant workers in Thailand at risk of abuse amid economic slowdown: Thailand is a regional leader in attracting migrant workers, especially from Myanmar and Cambodia. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), in mid-to-late 2019 there were about 2.8 million documented migrant workers in the country, 48% of them from Myanmar. But according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), these numbers only reflect about half of the total number of migrants in the country, which could be as high as 4 or 5 million if undocumented workers are included. Since the COVID-19 crisis, many workers have found themselves in difficult situations. The land borders between Thailand and its neighbors shut down in late March. With much of the country's economy grinding to a halt in April and May, migrant work was severely impacted.
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PM finalises his reshuffle: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha says he has completed his new cabinet line-up and all that remains is for the qualifications of the new ministers to be checked. Of most interest is the energy portfolio, which is expected to be given to an outsider, according to government sources, despite the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) saying it should make the appointment based on the post being within its quota.
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Prayut orders coalition unity: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday instructed government coalition partners to resolve their differences after a meeting of a special House committee vetting the 2021 budget bill collapsed in disarray on Monday due to the lack of a quorum.
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E-vehicles to power Bt14.4bn transport network in EEC: To serve all three transport systems, the OTP plans to develop a total of 18 routes served by EV buses, EV minibuses and EV trams.The EV systems aim to double public transport use among locals from 7 per cent to 14 per cent.They will also help reduce accidents by 30 per cent and save around Bt.2.5 billion in fuel costs per year (125 million litres), said the OTP. The Bt14.4-billion budget will be used to construct the system and purchase the electric vehicles by 2023.
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Ministers handed caretaker roles after Cabinet resignations: Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam will fill in as deputy PM and also oversee the Energy Ministry after Somkid Jatusripitak's resignation, while Minister of Social Development and Human Security Juti Krairiksh will oversee the Labour Ministry ...
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Vietnam
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32
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China seeks closer ties with Vietnam, Southeast Asian neighbours as tensions rise with US: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls for more economic cooperation in talks with Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh. Beijing has also finalised negotiations for a free-trade pact with Cambodia.
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Vietnam seeks better sea dispute management, trade ties with China: Vietnam and China also agreed to effectively and fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in its entirety, and step up efforts towards an early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC). However, the two sides have acknowledged the positive results attained through the past 10 negotiations on maritime delimitation and development cooperation conducted since the 11th meeting of the steering committee two years ago in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as acknowledging the bilateral cooperation's achievements in less sensitive areas at sea.
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ASEAN/Southeast Asia
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34
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Budget airline boom in S-E Asia deflating amid pandemic: South-east Asian low-cost carriers, a key growth engine for planemakers and leasing companies for a decade before the coronavirus pandemic, are faltering financially as demand plunges, raising questions over whether they can replace and double their fleets. Auditors for Malaysia's AirAsia Group and Vietnam's VietJet Aviation are concerned about cash flows and funding, while Indonesia's Lion Air has put the brakes on a planned flotation.
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35
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EU mobilises over $900 million to help ASEAN battle COVID-19: The package includes regional support to the World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as to enhance collaboration between scientific organisations. In ASEAN countries, programmes target civil society support, budget support for economic recovery, health care facilities and testing capacities, as well as humanitarian assistance.
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Change in Thai energy minister may finally see resumption of talks with Cambodia after 20-year delay: Talks to end the long-running conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, which both nations claiming ownership of offshore petroleum blocks in their overlapping maritime territories is finally expected to resume after a delay of 20 years. Outgoing Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong said this when bidding farewell to Thai energy ministry executives after resigning from the Thai cabinet last Thursday.
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中国与东盟合作内生动力强劲
[Strong motivation for China-ASEAN cooperation]:
根据中国商务部的统计，今年上半年中国对东盟进出口总值逆势增长
5.6%
，占中国外贸总值的
14.7%
，东盟超过欧盟，首次成为中国第一大贸易伙伴。同时，中国对外非金融类直接投资额为
515
亿美元，同比下降
0.7%
，但对东盟投资达
62.3
亿美元，同比大增
53.1%
。取得这些亮丽的成绩单的背后，可能与下面几个因素密不可分。
许利平是中国社会科学院亚太与全球战略研究院研究员、东南亚研究中心主任
Huanqiu
环球网
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Asia Pacific
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US, Japan, India and Australia simulate 'Quad' drill in Indo-Pacific: The real test, according to analysts, will be whether the U.S., Japan and India invite Australia to their annual three-way Malabar exercise. Australia was invited to participate in 2007 as a nonpermanent member. But in 2018, India excluded the Australian forces to avoid the perception of a military group against China.
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China Has Blown Its Historic Opportunity: The COVID-19 pandemic offered China an opportunity to cement this strategy of remaking the world economic order on its terms. It's worth considering the possibilities. For starters, as the world's largest long-term creditor to low-income countries, China could have proactively and unilaterally declared a moratorium on all debt service owed to it. And it could have gone further.
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Opinion: India could lead a middle-power response to China in the Asia-Pacific: The recent border stand-off has prompted India to rethink its policy on China. As the US proves to be an unpredictable ally in the region, India must speak up for other Asia-Pacific nations while eschewing the trade protectionism that has curtailed its influence
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East/South China Sea
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Pompeo on South China Sea: The ball is now in Asean's court: South-east Asian countries should make it clear that in endorsing international law, they are not acting at America's behest but are protecting their legitimate rights and maritime entitlements
Ian Storey and Hoang Thi Ha For The Straits Times
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US has more ways now to challenge China's maritime claims: Pompeo statement opens up Chinese state-owned companies to sanctions.
Robert Beckman For The Straits Times
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How to stop China completing its takeover of the South China Sea: For this reason, the US, along with all major allies and partners, should explicitly link China's own access to the global commons with its behaviour in the South China Sea. Washington's announcement of its rejection of Beijing's maritime claims, underscored by the US Navy dual aircraft carrier strike group exercises in the region, is a good beginning. However, operations in the South China Sea play to China's strengths.
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44
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Japan Sortieing More Jets During Heightened Senkaku Tensions: According to the Japanese government, China is now using planes from a different, closer air base to send jets over Japanese territory in the Ryukyus. The reduced time required for the Chinese planes to reach the Senkakus is pressuring Japan's jets, which now have a longer flight time to reach the same airspace than the Chinese jets they are trying to intercept, forcing them to respond immediately to any flights from the Chinese base in case they turn toward the islands.
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After US Toughens South China Sea Legal Stance, China Deploys More Survey Ships: Some of the deployments began several weeks ago, but several of the ships have entered into the waters of neighboring countries in the days since Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a strongly worded statement July 13... U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Tuesday accused Beijing of engaging in "systematic rule-breaking, coercion and other malign activities." He was speaking at an online forum hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.
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Superpower relations and the region
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46
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India's Pivot to Australia: Defense partnerships are central to any effort to counter China. Inviting Australia to the Malabar exercises would significantly strengthen the military quotient of the Quadrilateral grouping. If Australia is given the go-ahead to join the exercise, it will be first time since 2007 that all four Quad members participate in a joint military drill. ...Quad members had been making very calculated statements when it came to China's actions in the South China Sea, among other issues.
Harsh V. Pant and
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