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ISEAS Library Selects
Daily News on the Southeast Asian Region
18 September 2020 (pm) - 21 September 2020 (am)
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Greetings
This issue of Daily News Alert includes the following commentaries and citations attributed to researchers at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. You can click on their names to go to these articles directly.
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 subscribe.
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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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Region
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3.
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US Aims to Boost Trade with Cambodia, Encourage, Strengthen Human Rights, Ambassador Murphy Says: U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia W. Patrick Murphy spoke with VOA Khmer reporter Bopha Phorn late last month at his residence in Phnom Penh. The 30-minute interview covered trade, U.S. investment in Cambodia, money-laundering, human rights, recent arrests of Cambodian civil society and labor advocates such as Rong Chhun, cyber security, China, education and more.
[50-minute video]
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ADB okays loan to expand power grid: ADB Energy Specialist Daniela Schmidt said the project, by financing and constructing much-needed transmission infrastructure, will boost economic productivity, competitiveness, and diversification, create jobs, and support the country's recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Phnom Penh Post, 20 September 2020
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/adb-okays-loan-expand-power-grid
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PM: West unfair to Cambodia: Hun Sen said pressuring Cambodia to conform to different political beliefs is a violation of the principle of equality and sovereignty between States and the principle of non-interference in internal affairs of other countries as stipulated in the UN Charter and international law.
Phnom Penh Post, 20 September 2020
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/pm-west-unfair-cambodia
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Indonesia
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9.
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Half of contractors close down as projects stall: Around 50 percent of the country's construction companies have permanently shut down their businesses as of July, with small firms taking the biggest hit, amid project delays and cancellations in both the public and private sectors, an association has said. Indonesia Building Contractor Association (Akbarindo) chairperson Agusti Mirawat said Tuesday that small contractors in rural areas were losing business, as local administrations cut their budgets for infrastructure projects and maintenance to fund COVID-19 containment measures.
Jakarta Post, 20 September 2020
https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2020/09/20/half-of-contractors-close-down-as-projects-stall.html
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10.
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RI women earn 23% less than their male peers: Women in Indonesia earn less money on average per month than men as the gender pay gap stood at nearly 23 percent in February, official data show, as female workers face undervalued work and inflexible working conditions. Women earned on average Rp 2.45 million (US$166.39) per month in February, marking an annual increase of 5 percent, according to survey data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS). Men earned higher on average at Rp 3.18 million per month, an increase of 4.3 percent over the same period.
Jakarta Post, 20 September 2020
https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2020/09/20/ri-women-earn-23-less-than-their-male-peers.html
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Fears of repression as police move to repurpose civil security apparatus: The National Police recently moved to regulate the civil security apparatus by issuing National Police Chief Regulation No. 4/2020 on private security (Pam Swakarsa), which critics decry for creating the potential for abuse of power and repression. National Police chief Gen. Idham Azis signed the regulation last month, stipulating that civilian security actors such as private security guards (Satpam) and members of the community watch (Satkamling) can be called upon to help the police maintain security and public order. They are not to be confused with the homonymous paramilitary groups that operated in the last years of the New Order.
Jakarta Post, 19 September 2020
https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/09/19/fears-of-repression-as-police-move-to-repurpose-civil-security-apparatus.html
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Malaysia
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Help us get back our jobs': Rebuilding tourism sector a hot button issue in Sabah state election: Candidates from the incumbent Warisan Plus coalition as well as from the opposition parties have acknowledged that the tourism industry must be saved. Some have outlined plans to help individuals and businesses during this difficult period. Commenting on these efforts, Jamlius said: "Yes this election is important for many of us. We want the next state government to be able to help us get back our jobs and restart the industry as soon as possible."
Channel News Asia, 21 September 2020
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/sabah-state-election-covid-19-tourism-revival-jobs-13123246
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Unveiling: Malaysian activist fights for hijab freedom: Most in Muslim-majority Malaysia follow a moderate form of the religion and wearing a headscarf, known locally as a "tudung" and used to cover the head and neck, is not mandatory. But experts says the nation has become more conservative in recent years and today most Muslim women wear one.
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Anwar fails in bid to strike out royal-pardon suit: On February 26, lawyer Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz filed the challenge to overturn the royal pardon granted to Anwar over his sodomy case in 2018. ... The pardon contravenes Articles 42 (4) and (5) of the federal constitution in view of the fact that pardons granted by the king should be with the advice of the Pardons Board, which had not been formally convened, said Khairul.
Malaysian Insight, 21 September 2020
https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/273800
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No clear winner as Sabah polls hit midway mark: THE two biggest coalitions contesting the Sabah elections have a fair chance of victory as campaigning enters its midway point over the weekend, as each has both strengths and weaknesses that make them evenly matched. At the same time, the presence of alternative parties led by influential personalities have made it hard for both sides - Warisan Plus and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah - to predict whose votes these third parties will split.
Malaysian Insight, 21 September 2020
https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/273760
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Sabah 2020: 'Allies trying to outwit each other': Geostrategy and political expert Azmi Hassan said as the campaign period for the Sabah snap polls entered its eighth day yesterday, the conflict between BN and PN in their attempt to wrest the state from Warisan Plus is still apparent. Acknowledging that the collaboration is a "masterstroke", he nevertheless described it as an ongoing attempt by PN and BN to outwit each other to ultimately determine the overall winner and the next Sabah chief minister.
New Straits Times, 21 September 2020
https://www.nst.com.my/news/politics/2020/09/626053/sabah-2020-allies-trying-outwit-each-other
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Battle for Kadazandusun votes grows intense: Parti Bersatu Sabah's (PBS) Kiulu candidate Datuk Joniston Bangkuai is not holding back his punches against rival Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau, the Upko president. Joniston has reminded the people during a ceramah that it was Madius, who in the 2018 election purportedly told the people "a vote for Warisan was a vote for illegal immigrants".
Star, 21 September 2020
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/09/21/battle-for-kadazandusun-votes-grows-intense
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Peluang orang Sabah henti kekalutan politik [Opportunity for Sabahans to stop political turmoil]: Dengan persaingan sengit menerusi pertandingan pelbagai penjuru, di samping faktor parti, isu tempatan dan personaliti calon, faktor siapa bakal menjadi Ketua Menteri dijangka menjadi pemberat utama pertimbangan pengundi ketika mengundi.
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English barrier for Bumiputera graduates in job hunt, says MEF: Shamsuddin said many graduates feared being criticised for their poor command of the English language. "There's no need to be afraid or shy because when they improve, they will benefit from it, too. Companies can then teach them other skills," he said. Shamsuddin was commenting on a new study on affirmative action policies by economist Lee Hwok-Aun, who found that Bumiputeras were still lagging behind in labour market mobility and educational achievements.
Free Malaysia Today, 20 September 2020
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/09/20/english-barrier-for-bumiputera-graduates-in-job-hunt-says-mef/
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Sabah election: BN and Warisan dependent on their partners for a good result: Political parties participating in the Sabah state election have already identified the seats that they are confident of winning. Except for Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) headed by Datuk Seri Anifah Aman which is contesting all 73 seats, the rest are contesting less than 60 and none expect to win every seat they are fighting for.Leaders from the Peninsula do not find it easy to understand the minds of the Sabahans; there is a strong sense of loyalty to the tribe and clan above everything else, so local candidates fielded by contesting parties can be considered as having won nearly half the battle.
Malay Mail Online, 20 September 2020
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/09/20/sabah-election-bn-and-warisan-dependent-on-their-partners-for-a-good-result/1904957
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Anwar confident he can muster support to be PM: Anwar was commenting on Lim's remarks yesterday that DAP will back Anwar and Shafie as the opposition's prime minister candidate. The DAP secretary-general said Anwar was his first choice but added that the PKR president should give way to the Warisan chief if the latter had more support.
Malaysian Insight, 20 September 2020
https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/273737
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Mat Sabu takes PAS to task for hudud U-turn: At the muktamar in Pengkalan Chepas last week, Kelantan Dewan Ulama chief Hassan Mohamood urged party members to stop entertaining those who asked when hudud law is going to be implemented, likening them to voices from the devil.
Malaysian Insight, 20 September 2020
https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/273665
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Perbicaraan Najib sahkan banyak isu [Najib's trial confirmed many issues]: Pada PRU zaman Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, BN hilang majoriti dua pertiga buat kali pertama di Dewan Rakyat tetapi keputusan PRU 2013 di bawah pimpinan Najib lebih teruk. Naratif popular ketika itu ialah Najib wajib memperbaiki rekod pencapaian Abdullah. Seandainya gagal, beliau wajar mengundur diri tetapi sebaliknya Najib mengukuhkan cengkaman ke atas pemerintahan melalui nepotisme, kronisme dan penyalahgunaan undang-undang.
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Anifah Aman's power of love: ARE Sabahans in love with Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS)?: The Sabah-based political party, with the word "love" (cinta) in its name, is led by former foreign minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman. The former Kimanis MP took over as its president on July 26. PCS is the only party contesting in all 73 seats up for grab in the snap state polls. Universiti Teknologi Mara Sabah senior lecturer Mohd Rahezzal Shah said it showed that the party and its president wanted to be taken seriously. "Anifah is a big name (in Sabah politics) who in the past years has been championing the rights of Sabah. If his party contested in only half of the seats, he is telling voters he is not serious about forming the government, " said the political analyst.
Star, 20 September 2020
https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/columnists/its-just-politics/2020/09/20/the-power-of-love
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Musa - kingmaker lurking in the shadow?: FORMER chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman continues to be an enigma in the 16th Sabah election. Dropped as a candidate by his Sabah Barisan Nasional successor Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, Musa is widely speculated as the "invisible" third force in the run-up to the Sept 26 snap polls. While the main battle is seen by many to be between Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Warisan Plus, political circles believe that Musa is working through Independent candidates and even with Perikatan Nasional's Sabah STAR and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) to be a third player in the game.
Star, 20 September 2020
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/09/20/musa---kingmaker-lurking-in-the-shadow
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Sabah's surging nativism boils down to economic issues: Low incomes, poor infrastructure, migrant influx among factors in play as state polls loom. ...Unlike most of the peninsula, Sabah lacks a comprehensive road network. ...Sabahans also suffer an average of four hours of power outage a year, nearly five times that of their countrymen in the west, and their median monthly household income of RM4,235 (S$1,399) is less than the RM5,873 nationally. These are among the factors that have led to a surge of nativist politics among Sabahans.
Straits Times, 20 September 2020
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/sabahs-surging-nativism-boils-down-to-economic-issues
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Muhyiddin says PN will be more responsive to Islamic groups: Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, in a meeting with leaders of Islamic organisations today assured them that the Perikatan Nasional government will be more sensitive and responsive to their concerns. Muhyiddin said some Islamic NGO leaders have expressed their worries over major challenges faced by Muslims in Malaysia and around the world, especially on new developments in the way of life and thinking, which are seen as a threat to Muslim beliefs and moral values.
Free Malaysia Today, 19 September 2020
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/09/19/muhyiddin-says-pn-will-be-more-responsive-to-islamic-groups/
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Three things that anger the people of Sabah: Fifty-seven years after 1963, the people of Sabah still fight for their rights and for more power to manage their own nation. The terms of the MA63 agreement were neither respected nor upheld. Today, Sabah still struggles to be treated as an equal partner in Malaysia. High on their list of priorities are the MA63 agreement, the oil concession and the Ketuanan Melayu and Islamisation agenda.
Free Malaysia Today, 19 September 2020
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2020/09/19/three-things-that-anger-the-people-of-sabah/
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Ku Li's gripes about inclusive politics: THE seeming paternal advice given recently by Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah to young Malay politicians in DAP aroused public attention, suggesting a generational gap in thinking about politics in contemporary Malaysia.
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Oscar, Finas, dan kemajuan seni filem Malaysia [Oscar, Finas and the development of the film industry in Malaysia]: Kalau Finas fikir pembangunan filem itu hanyalah bagi geran suruh pembikin bikin filem dan tolong dapatkan rumah daripada KPKT buat pekerja filem yang memang semuanya miskin dan tak mampu beli rumah, Finas memang masih jauh dari fungsi untuk memajukan.
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Umno grassroots rejects 'small snake' Bersatu in MN, says Ku Li: MUAFAKAT Nasional (MN) should not accept Bersatu as a member because the Umno splinter party had a role in toppling the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, said veteran politician Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. The Gua Musang MP and Umno advisory chairman said his view of Bersatu was also shared by Umno grassroots members, who were unhappy with their political ally.
Malaysian Insight, 19 September 2020
https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/273437
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PAS' political play: ...observers say PAS' presence in Sabah is not strongly felt. And even the party's allies in Perikatan Nasional or Gabungan Rakyat Sabah feel "public sentiment in the state makes PAS unacceptable in Sabah". And PAS is not pleased with such remarks, prompting its deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man to voice out his disappointment at allies who said his party's agenda is not suitable in Sabah, and for that matter, Sarawak as well.
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慕尤丁反制巫统[Muhyiddin against Umno]: 慕沙表面上退出竞选，但他仍然是幕后玩家，而且有其一套谋略。如果土团崛起成为最大的沙巴执政党，爱沙党将加入，其家族仍然可以在州政府中掌控话语权。在慕沙的协助下，慕尤丁和阿兹敏的信心大振，先后放话一旦国盟执政，哈芝芝将是首席部长，完全不理会巫统的感受，以及是否会引起反效果。
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MACC faces political flak for Chinese web section: The Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission opened a Chinese-language section on its portal today, and immediately ran into political flak from a minor Malay rights party. MACC said the Mandarin section was opened to meet the needs of the Chinese community for information on anti-corruption efforts and matters related to the commission. However, the Malay rights group Parti Bumiputera Pesaka Malaysia challenged the constitutionality of the Mandarin section.
Free Malaysia Today, 18 September 2020
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/09/18/macc-faces-political-flak-for-chinese-web-section/
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Is Syed Saddiq our best option? This "Bangsar bubble" party will likely gain many supporters from urban areas, such as Damansara, and will likely go no further than that. Despite whatever Syed Saddiq may say and how he tries to portray himself as a man of the people, the disconnect between him and the ordinary Malaysian is plain to see.
Malaysian Insight, 18 September 2020
https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/273323
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The Slim by-election: putting the "Mahathir effect" in perspective: Given the common perception that Mahathir retains significant traction among rural Malays, the by-election result may have come as a surprise, with Pejuang expected to reap a higher vote share. However, deeper analysis reveals that the by-election result is less surprising that it may at first seem.
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Myanmar
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Justice and the Rohingya people are the losers in Asia's new cold war: It's a question with several possible answers. Maybe poor, isolated Myanmar, formerly Burma, is not important enough a state to warrant sustained international attention. Perhaps, in the western subconscious, the lives of a largely unseen, unknown, brown-skinned Muslim minority do not matter so much at a time of multiple racial, ethnic and refugee crises. Or perhaps the absence of sustained outrage stems from an age-old problem: the inability to prevent great powers subjugating, manipulating and exploiting more vulnerable peoples and countries for selfish ends.
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Myanmar's Heavyweight Ethnic Armies Boost Training as Peace Talks Languish: The ethnic armies describe the academies as a way to professionalize their ranks and boost their bargaining positions in any future peace talks with the government. But the Myanmar military says the academies run by rebel armies infringe on national sovereignty.
Radio Free Asia, 19 September 2020
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/ethnic-armies-09192020105736.html
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Myanmar won't postpone November polls, election official says: Myanmar will hold the Nov 8 general election as planned by ensuring social distancing measures at polling stations across the country even as Covid-19 cases surge, an election commission official said. "We don't have any plan to postpone the general election for Covid-19 reason," Mr Myint Naing, a member of the Union Election Commission, told reporters in an online briefing on Saturday (Sept 19). The commission has a strategy to prevent the virus from spreading at polling stations, in line with the health ministry's guidelines, he said.
Straits Times, 19 September 2020
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/myanmar-wont-postpone-november-polls-election-official-says
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Philippines
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US-China rivalry in the South China Sea has the Philippines at its core, observers say: Beijing and Washington know the value of Manila's and its mercurial leader Rodrigo Duterte's support, and they are willing to pay handsomely to get it. Despite the Philippines pivoting closer to China in recent years, its ties with long-standing ally America on security issues remain 'resilient', says analyst Richard Heydarian.
South China Morning Post, 21 September 2020
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3102259/us-china-rivalry-south-china-sea-has-philippines-its-core
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Thailand
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Royal reform call not all that it seems in Thailand: Student protesters are making history in Thailand by advocating for royal change but the risk of their political co-optation is rising. ...The bigger question, however, is whether the student movement has unseen high-level royalist support, namely from a faction that was prominent under Bhumibol but has been sidelined under Vajiralongkorn. The faction, says one government insider tracking the situation, has an interest in diluting the king's power and vesting more in the royal court.
Asia Times, 21 September 2020
https://asiatimes.com/2020/09/royal-reform-call-not-all-that-it-seems-in-thailand/
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Protests set to rumble on: Observers expect the anti-government protests to continue but without escalating into violence. Jatuporn Prompan, chairman of UDD, said on Sunday there was still a long way to go for the student-led movement, especially their demand for the constitution to be rewritten.
Bangkok Post, 21 September 2020
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/1988683/protests-set-to-rumble-on
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News Analysis - Extraordinary protest lands Thailand in uncharted territory: By any measure, the Sanam Luang protest was extraordinary. Tens of thousands of protesters occupied a field normally fenced off for royal events and called it the "people's field". Protest leaders directly addressed King Maha Vajiralongkorn on stage. They tried to submit a list of demands for political reform - not to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, but to the monarch via his Privy Council president Surayud Chulanont. They then called for a boycott of Siam Commercial Bank, of which the King is a major shareholder. In the process of trying to make "what was previously unsayable, sayable", the students drew support over the weekend from foot soldiers of the red shirt movement, noted Chulalongkorn University political scientist Khorapin Phuaphansawat. "It showed that red shirts haven't disappeared. They haven't been crushed."
Straits Times, 21 September 2020
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/extraordinary-protest-lands-thailand-in-uncharted-territory
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What's behind Thailand's protests and what comes next? A pro-democracy movement led by student groups has gathered pace across Thailand for the last couple of months, with some activists openly calling for reforms of the kingdom's unassailable monarchy. Tens of thousands have turned out this weekend for a show of force in Bangkok, defying warnings from the premier that the nation could be "engulfed in flames" if they push too far.
Channel News Asia, 20 September 2020
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/thailand-protests-demands-monarchy-reforms-government-13126840
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Protesters spring a surprise by handing over letter to Privy Council for reform of monarchy: Some observers believe the protest leaders had deliberately misled everyone by announcing plans to march to Government House when they actually intended to go to the Privy Council Office.The protesters, however, were blocked by police near the Supreme Court and they ended up submitting their demands to a police officer, who received it on behalf of the Privy Council.
Nation, 20 September 2020
https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30394835
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Thai anti-government protest: Key players behind massive rally at highly symbolic venue in Bangkok - This weekend's protest is led by the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration (UFTD), a group of students from Thammasat University who are making the most strident call yet for reform of Thailand's powerful monarchy. UFTD is allied with, but separate from, the Free Youth and Free People groups, which have over the past few months organised demonstrations to demand that the military-backed Constitution be amended, fresh elections be held, and that the government stop harassing dissidents.
Straits Times, 20 September 2020
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/key-players-behind-rally-at-highly-symbolic-venue
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Thai protesters hold ambitious rally for democratic reforms: Too young to have been caught up in the sometimes violent partisan political battles that roiled Thailand a decade ago, "the students have been doing it mostly by themselves, producing some radical demands and refreshingly different protests," Kevin Hewison, a professor emeritus of the University of North Carolina and a veteran Thai studies scholar, said in an email interview. "This is why they look and act differently and why they are so confounding for the regime," he said. "What the regime and its supporters see is relatively well-off kids turned against them and this confounds them."
Asahi Shimbun (AJW), 19 September 2020
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13743387
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59.
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Thai navy using Malaysia as an excuse to buy submarines, say experts: Lam Choong Wah, a former fellow at the Research for Social Advancement centre, said Malaysia has no major conflict with Thailand regarding a joint development agreement in the Gulf of Thailand and both countries are likely to extend the agreement once it expires. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia lecturer Azmi Hassan says he believes the Thai navy was using Malaysia to justify their submarine purchase as the Covid-19 crisis has hurt the Thai economy and many view defence spending as non-essential.
Free Malaysia Today, 19 September 2020
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/09/19/thai-navy-using-malaysia-as-an-excuse-to-buy-submarines-say-experts/
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60.
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PM pledges to focus on economy as MPs put seal of approval on budget bill: The fiscal 2021 budget bill sailed through the House of Representatives on Friday (September 18) night after three days of debate. The budget for the next fiscal year has been set at around Bt3.285 trillion.
Nation, 19 September 2020
https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30394801
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From Thaksin to Thammasat: How the 2006 coup led us here: On September 19 2006, the government of Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup. While 14 years have passed since that day, a large demonstration set to be held at Thammasat University this weekend marking the date shows the significance of this event is not lost on current protestors.
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Thai King endorses military's annual reshuffle:Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has endorsed a new army chief from his own King's Guard faction in an annual reshuffle of defence personnel, the government said in a statement on Friday (Sept 18). Armed forces reshuffles in Thailand are scrutinised carefully for signs of which military factions are in the ascendancy in a country where there have been 13 successful coups since the end of absolute royal rule in 1932. According to the official Royal Gazette, General Narongpan Jittkaewtae, an assistant army chief, was appointed army chief, succeeding General Apirat Kongsompong, who becomes deputy of the Lord Chamberlain, a prominent role in the royal household.
Straits Times, 18 September 2020
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/thai-king-endorses-militarys-annual-reshuffle
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Timor-Leste (East Timor)
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Timor-Leste's precarious route to development: The political situation took a new turn earlier this year with the collapse of Gusmao's coalition and Alkatiri's Fretilin party joining the government in June. The government is now aligned with the parliamentary majority and has presidential support. This could be the beginning of more stability and less political uncertainty but the situation remains fragile.
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Vietnam
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65.
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Record trade surplus - a good or bad sign?Vietnam obtained a record trade surplus during the past eight months of the year despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but many experts do not interpret it as a good sign of the economy. Many experts say they are worried rather than happy because the record high trade surplus does not reflect the true nature of the national economy.
Voice of Vietnam, 20 September 2020
https://vov.vn/en/economy/record-trade-surplus-a-good-or-bad-sign-780103.vov
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66.
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Economic Security: Vietnam's Cardinal Policy Goal - Having contained the coronavirus pandemic with relative success, Vietnam has received international praise for the effectiveness of its response. However, this does little to guarantee a quick resurgence for Vietnam's economy as the contagion begins to recede. Despite controlling the virus, Vietnam has been hit hard economically by COVID-19. In order to bounce back quickly in the post-pandemic era, it is imperative for Vietnam to focus on shoring up key elements of its economy.
Diplomat, 18 September 2020
https://thediplomat.com/2020/09/economic-security-vietnams-cardinal-policy-goal/
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ASEAN/Southeast Asia
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67.
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New scheme aims to speed up trade flows in Asean: Starting yesterday, companies such as DIP Investments, which produces and exports surgical masks, will benefit from a scheme that aims to facilitate trade in Asean. They will not have to apply to the authorities for a hard-copy certificate that verifies the origin of their goods. Instead, as part of the new Asean-wide Self-Certification (AWSC) regime, certified exporters can self-certify the origin of their goods and enjoy preferential treatment under the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement.
Straits Times, 21 September 2020
https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/new-scheme-aims-to-speed-up-trade-flows-in-asean
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68.
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Joint Statement of the 23rd ASEAN+3 Finance Ministers' and Central Bank Governors' Meeting
[6-page PDF document]
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69.
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Policy, Guns and Money: After Covid-19, the far-right and ASEAN: [...] Research intern Alexandra Pascoe then talks with senior analyst Huong Le Thu about some of the key outcomes from the recent ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting and regional forum, including the talks' focus on Covid-19 and the South China Sea.
[36-minute podcast]
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70.
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In Southeast Asia, COVID-19 Slowly Tightens Its Grip: The coronavirus pandemic is taking a turn for the worse in Southeast Asia. As total COVID-19 cases pass 30 million, and the world closes in on its millionth death from the contagion, a region once viewed as a success story is seeing persistent and accelerating infections in several nations, including the region's two most populous.
Diplomat, 18 September 2020
https://thediplomat.com/2020/09/in-southeast-asia-covid-19-slowly-tightens-its-grip/
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71.
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China slams US attempts to drive wedge between China and other Mekong countries: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at Wednesday's press briefing that the US has repeatedly hyped up the issue of Lancang-Mekong water resources issue in order to drive a wedge between China and regional countries, and that the claims [that the 11 upstream dams built by China have adversely affected food security, the environment and people's lives along the Mekong River] have no scientific basis.
Khmer Times, 18 September 2020
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50764417/china-slams-us-attempts-to-drive-wedge-between-china-and-other-mekong-countries/
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ASEAN-China
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72.
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Will Thailand's bid to bypass Strait of Malacca ever be built - and will China play a part?: The idea of a Kra Canal linking the Indian and Pacific oceans dates back more than 300 years and, now, Bangkok is studying a 'land bridge' to replace it. But amid US-China tensions and Thailand's economic woes, analysts aren't sure it's a sound or necessary plan. Storey from the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute told This Week in Asia that while a land bridge would be significantly cheaper than a canal, "truth be told, neither are economically viable".
South China Morning Post, 21 September 2020
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3102136/will-thailands-bid-bypass-strait-malacca-ever-be-built-and-will
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73.
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Beijing's South China Sea talks with Asean are worse off than it's letting on, experts say: China is confident it will be able to wrap up talks for a code of conduct in the disputed waters, even as the coronavirus has delayed negotiations. But with recent stand-offs and Southeast Asian states ramping up their claims, an amicable resolution looks farther away than before, analysts say.
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Asia Pacific
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74.
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The AIIB must remain an anchor for consensus: The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) recently marked four-and-a-half years of operations at its 2020 Annual Meeting. Hosted virtually by China, the meeting was attended by representatives of its 103 full and prospective members, reappointing its impressive President Jin Liqun for a second five-year term.
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75.
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As US-China ties worsen, India and China must revisit the 'Bandung spirit' to avert a new cold war: While Beijing does not intend to get involved in an ideological battle with Washington, all of Asia risks getting caught up in their strategic competition. China and India took part in the 1955 Bandung Conference. Now they must reignite that spirit and look towards peaceful coexistence among nations.
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76.
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Japan's geopolitical balancing act just got harder: Suga will also have a far tougher time sitting on the fence when it comes to security issues. As a member of the so-called Quad-an Indo-Pacific security grouping also including Australia, India and the US-Japan will face US calls to participate in joint naval exercises more often and on a larger scale in order to challenge China's territorial claims in the South China Sea... [China] could lash out against Japan if the rapprochement initiated by Abe fizzles and Suga's administration starts to collaborate with the US more overtly and energetically in disputes over the South China Sea.
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77.
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US Defense Secretary's Recent Speech: Familiar Themes and Unfamiliar Problems: The Trump administration's strategy for the Indo-Pacific could end up working in unpredictable ways for the U.S.
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79.
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Why Yoshihide Suga will struggle to sustain Japan's balance between China and the US: Japan's new prime minister will find it difficult to avoid taking sides in the intensifying US-China conflict and jeopardising his nation's economy or national defence. The competing interests illustrate the plight of a country squeezed between two duelling geopolitical giants and the scale of Suga's diplomatic challenge.
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East/South China Sea
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80.
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US Coast Guard report criticises China for illegal fishing and aggressive tactics: Thousands of vessels 'coerce and intimidate legitimate fishers in support of the Chinese Communist Party's long-term maritime strategic goals', report says. American admiral emphasises role the US can play in helping other countries monitor Chinese fishing vessels in their waters.
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81.
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Dropping nine-dash line will win China friends: Expert - China could abandon the nine-dash line - which underpins its claim of up to 90 per cent of the disputed waters in the South China Sea - without hurting its long-term interests, said a China military expert. In fact, abandoning the line would boost its soft power and help the country win friends in Asean, said Dr Li Nan, a visiting senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore's East Asian Institute (EAI). "This is the time for China to give up the nine-dash line. It doesn't work in its interest," Dr Li said yesterday at a webinar on the maritime dispute organised by the EAI and the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute.
Straits Times, 19 September 2020
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/dropping-nine-dash-line-will-win-china-friends-expert
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82.
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Map Flap: Vietnam Reasserts South China Sea Claims After Islets Vanish from US Facebook Page: In Sept. 9 Facebook post commemorating the start of the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Minister's Meeting that day, the embassy included two graphics detailing the 25-year bilateral relationship between Washington and Hanoi, the second of which contained a map of Vietnam that included the two disputed island chains... The edited version of the map replaced the original on Sept. 14, this time without the disputed islets.
Radio Free Asia, 18 September 2020
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/vietnam/vn-map-flap-09182020160840.html
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Superpower relations and the region
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83.
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In a US-China war, whose side is Southeast Asia on? Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia ponder the unthinkable: Amid China's military drills near Taiwan and fears that the South China Sea is becoming a proxy for Washington and Beijing's deepening rivalry, Asian analysts are considering the worst-case scenario. Caught between superpowers clashing in their own backyard, Southeast Asian nations might find staying neutral is not an option.
South China Morning Post, 19 September 2020
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3101977/us-china-war-whose-side-southeast-asia-philippines-singapore-and
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