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18
November

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Japanese foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Thursday emphasised to his Chinese counterpart that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are important, while also expressing "deep concern" about the situation in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.

Ties between the two Asian neighbours have been occasionally fraught over a territorial row and memories of World War Two, but Hayashi - who took office this month - said at the time that building stable, constructive ties with China was important.

 

Hayashi, speaking with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi for the first time, expressed his intention to make efforts towards that, Japan's foreign ministry said in a statement.

But he also said he felt "deep concern" about the situation in the former British colony of Hong Kong, where authorities have been cracking down on pro-democracy politicians, and the western Chinese region of Xinjiang, where rights groups say members of a Muslim minority are facing persecution.

 

China brushes off concern about human rights in those places.

Hayashi also "emphasised the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," where tension between the self-ruled island of Taiwan and China has been rising, the ministry added. China says Taiwan is its territory.

 

Hayashi said he hoped Japan and China would be able to hold discussions on these and other matters in future.(Reuters)

18
November

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The United States is confident about developing a framework with Indo-Pacific partners to strengthen business and workforce, U.S. Commerce secretary Gina Raimondo said on Thursday.

Raimondo said in a teleconference call that the framework was not envisioned as typical free trade deal, and must be inclusive, flexible so many countries can participate.(Reuters)

18
November

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 A Chinese envoy has lobbied Southeast Asian nations to let Myanmar's military ruler attend a regional summit being hosted by China's president next week but has met stiff opposition, diplomatic sources said on Thursday.

Myanmar's standing as a member of the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been thrown into the spotlight by a Feb. 1 coup, when its military ousted the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, sparking bloody turmoil.

 

Several ASEAN members, dismayed by the return of crisis and the suppression of democracy in Myanmar, have sought to press its generals by excluding them from ASEAN meetings.

In an unprecedented decision last month, ASEAN leaders blocked Myanmar's military chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, from an ASEAN summit after he failed to honour pledges to allow an ASEAN envoy to meet lawmakers overthrown in the coup.

 

Instead, ASEAN leaders said a non-political figure from Myanmar should be asked to attend. In the end, Myanmar was not represented.

Four diplomatic and political sources in the region said Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore wanted Min Aung Hlaing to be banned from a Nov. 22 China-ASEAN meeting being hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

 

"Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei have agreed to maintain the same position as the ASEAN summit," said a government source in an ASEAN country who declined to be identified, referring to the demand that Myanmar be represented by a non-political figure.

Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah, confirmed its unwavering stand on the non-political figure, referring to the "wisdom" shown by leaders before the October summit.

"Indonesia is consistent in its position on who should represent Myanmar in the forthcoming leader's summit," Faizasyah said.

Indonesia has been among the most outspoken of the ASEAN critics with its foreign minister, Retno Marsudi, stating that Myanmar should not be represented at the political level until it restores democracy.

Malaysia's foreign ministry declined to comment. The foreign ministries of Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment but on Tuesday, its spokesman, Zhao Lijian, said China supported all parties in Myanmar in seeking political settlement through dialogue and would work with the international community on efforts to restore stability and resume democratic transformation.

Myanmar's military government did not respond to a request for comment.

'MAINTAIN THE PRINCIPLE'

A regional diplomat briefed on China's lobbying effort said its Special Envoy of Asian Affairs Sun Guoxiang visited Singapore and Brunei last week but was told that Ming Aung Hlaing could not participate in the virtual summit.

Sun, faced with the ASEAN opposition, then told Min Aung Hlaing at a meeting in Myanmar's capital of Naypyidaw on the weekend that China had to accept the ASEAN stand.

China "would maintain the non-political representative principle applied by ASEAN", the regional diplomat said, citing Sun.

ASEAN has for decades been known for its policy of engagement and non-interference but Myanmar's coup has changed that.

In April, ASEAN brokered a five-point plan at a special leaders' summit, which Min Aung Hlaing attended, that included pledges to end violence and allow an ASEAN envoy to start dialogue with "all parties", including ousted lawmakers.

Myanmar has not followed through, saying it has its own "road map" to new elections.

Myanmar's junta chief could still make an appearance at the summit.

Myanmar is China's co-ordinating country for ASEAN this year, meaning it helps facilitate its interactions with the bloc.

"Typically, the coordinating member will set up everything, such as the virtual links and so on," said one source. Myanmar, the source added, may use this role to "slot in" Min Aung Hlaing, even if other ASEAN countries objected.(Reuters)

18
November

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Philippine activists held a protest on Thursday to mark the anniversary of the burial of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, whose son has emerged as an early frontrunner in the presidential race next year.

"We are here to inform the people that Marcos was no hero. He was a dictator," said human rights lawyer and former lawmaker, Neri Colmenares, who had been tortured and jailed during the 14-year martial rule.

 

Colmenares and at least a hundred other protesters stood at the entrance of a cemetery for national heroes, shouting "Never again, never again to Martial Law", while carrying placards and a huge black banner with the words "Marcos hindi bayani (Marcos is no hero).

The protesters staged a caravan that ended at the cemetery in the capital, Manila, where five years ago Marcos was buried with military honours, almost 30 years after his death in Hawaii.

 

Many in the Philippines were angered by the way Marcos's family had kept the timing of the burial secret.

"We hope our message will reverberate throughout the nation, because another Marcos is wanting to go back to Malacanang (presidential palace)," Colmenares said, referring to the only son and namesake of the late dictator who is running for president in next year's election.

 

During martial law, 70,000 people were imprisoned, 34,000 were tortured, and 3,240 were killed, according to data from Amnesty International. Thousands of victims were paid compensation using millions from Marcos Swiss bank accounts recovered by government.

The Marcos family is among the country's most famous dynasties and despite its fall from grace, it has retained far-reaching and powerful political connections.

Marcos Jr wants to succeed President Rodrigo Duterte, whose single six-year term ends next year. Sara Duterte-Carpio, the president's popular daughter, will be his the running mate.(Reuters)