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February
Malaysia PM vows to facilitate peace talks in restive southern Thailand
Written by Nur Yasmin
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pledged to "do whatever is required" to facilitate a peaceful solution to a long-simmering insurgency in southern Thailand, during an official visit to Bangkok on Thursday.
More than 7,300 people have been killed since 2004 in fighting between Thai forces and shadowy groups seeking independence for the predominantly Muslim and ethnically Malay provinces of Narathiwat, Yala, Pattani and parts of Songkhla, which border Malaysia.
The area was part of the Patani sultanate that Thailand annexed in a 1909 treaty with Britain.
Anwar stressed the insurgency is an internal issue for Thailand but said Malaysia will do whatever it can to help find a peaceful solution to the conflict, starting with appointing Zulkifli Zainal Abidin, 65, a former head of Malaysia's armed forces as facilitator to the process.
"It is our duty as a good neighbour and family to do whatever is required and necessary to facilitate the process," Anwar said.
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said cooperation will help address the problems in the restive provinces, specifically greater economic development and improved connectivity between the two countries.
The Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), the main insurgent group involved in talks with the Thai government did not comment when contacted by Reuters.
Since 2013 Malaysia has helped facilitate peace talks between the separatists groups and Thai government but the process been disrupted disrupted. The latest round of talks resumed last year after a two-year suspension due to the pandemic. (Reuters)
February
Daughter of North Korean leader Kim shares spotlight with nuclear missiles
Written by Nur Yasmin
Sharing drinks, watching missile parades and dining with senior army commanders, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's daughter was centre stage with her father and mother at major military events this week.
Her presence has added to speculation that she could be in line for a leadership position - maybe even the top job itself - in the nuclear-armed country's hereditary dictatorship.
She appeared on Wednesday alongside Kim at a massive military parade, where state media showed her marching with him and her mother, Ri Sol Ju, at the head of military commanders, sharing juice drinks and speaking in each other's ears as they observed the events.
A day earlier, Ri and the daughter were once again with Kim as he wined, dined and flattered military commanders at a lavish banquet commemorating this week's army foundation anniversary.
"For all we know this is just him doting on a favourite child, but the more that she shows up, the more it seems that she's either being fully groomed for leadership or at least floated as a possibility," said Mason Richey, a professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul.
What is more clear is a message that the country's nuclear weapons are for posterity, and she's a part of that, he added.
"So another way of signalling that denuclearisation is totally off the table," Richey said.
The girl has not been named in state media since she was first shown attending a missile launch with Kim last year, but South Korean intelligence officials believe she is the daughter identified as Ju Ae by former American basketball player Dennis Rodman, who spent time with Kim's family in 2013.
Rachel Minyoung Lee, a North Korea expert with the Vienna-based Open Nuclear Network, said it is premature to conclude that Ju Ae is being prepared for leadership, but agreed that her presence at exclusively military events suggests the main purpose is to underscore the importance of continued weapons development for the security of future generations.
"The North Korean leadership probably has to make the case for why the country has to keep investing in national defence in spite of the deteriorating economic conditions," Lee said. "And no propaganda can be more potent than the leader’s young daughter to convey that message." (Reuters)
February
Paraguay president to visit Taiwan ahead of election that could end ties
Written by Nur Yasmin
Paraguay's president, Mario Abdo, will visit Taiwan next week as the island seeks to shore up ties with one of its oldest allies ahead of an election in April that could see the Latin American country ditch Taipei in favour of Beijing.
Paraguay is one of only 14 countries to have formal diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, and Beijing has been stepping up efforts to get those remaining allies to abandon Taipei.
Paraguay would cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan and open relations with China if the opposition wins the election, its presidential candidate Efrain Alegre has said, hoping to boost economically important soy and beef exports.
Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that Abdo, accompanied by his foreign and commerce ministers, would visit Taiwan from Feb. 14-18, meet President Tsai Ing-wen and attend a briefing on meat promotion and investment opportunities.
"Taiwan and Paraguay have had diplomatic relations for more than 65 years and a deep friendship," the ministry added.
Abdo is not standing again for the presidency. Santiago Pena, the ruling Colorado Party candidate, has said Paraguay's relations with Taiwan would remain intact if he wins on April 30.
Paraguay's Taiwan ties have been under pressure in recent years, especially from the country's beef producers and farmers, who see the relationship as an obstacle to gaining access to the world's largest market for their products.
China views Taiwan as one of its provinces, with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taipei hotly disputes.
Latin and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, have traditionally been diplomatic strongholds for Taiwan, but China has chipped away at those countries, with Nicaragua being the most recent country to go over to Beijing, in late 2021.
The issue has taken on broader geopolitical significance amid U.S. concerns about China expanding its influence in the region. (Reuters)
February
New Zealand braces for more bad weather as cyclone set to track south
Written by Nur Yasmin
Residents of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, are being asked to prepare for further bad weather as a system described as potentially “the most serious storm to impact New Zealand this century” is forecast to hit in coming days.
The warnings come less than two weeks after Auckland was hit by historic levels of rain, which killed four people, caused widespread flooding, landslides and a clean-up bill in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Auckland Emergency Management said it was working with MetService, the meteorological agency, to track the storm, dubbed Cyclone Gabrielle. It said residents should check in with neighbours, family and friends who might need help preparing for the storm.
Gabrielle is sitting in the Coral Sea but is forecast to track south toward Aoetearoa, New Zealand, over the next few days and near the North Island on Monday. Forecasters expected to it bring heavy rain to the upper North Island, including Auckland, cause severe gales, large waves and storm surges.
New Zealand weather forecaster WeatherWatch.co.nz said the cyclone, which will most likely become a Category 3 cyclone this weekend, will reach the country between Sunday and Tuesday. Category 3 storms have winds of 119-157 kilometres per hour, with gusts up to 224kph.
“If this current modelling comes true, this will likely be the most serious storm to impact New Zealand this century – especially with Auckland being in the mix for a potential direct hit,” WeatherWatch.co.nz said Wednesday.
It added that the potential weather event would be concerning even if had Auckland not recently experienced serious flooding.
Roughly one cyclone makes affects New Zealand each year. However, MetService said the characteristics and structure of any tropical cyclone will change dramatically by the time it reaches New Zealand, and it will almost certainly be re-classified as an ex-tropical cyclone.
“Re-classification as an ex-tropical cyclone does not necessarily mean the system has weakened,” MetService added. (Reuters)
February
China-Australia Lobster Trade Ban Could Be Set to Lift - ABC
Written by Nur Yasmin
Australia's A$750 million ($521.78 million) lobster trade with China could be on the verge of restarting after more than two years of unofficial bans, state broadcaster ABC reported on Thursday, citing a licence application that was not rejected immediately.
Trade Minister Don Farrell told the ABC that an unnamed exporter had applied for the licence and it was not rejected immediately, days after a virtual meeting with his Chinese counterpart yielded an invitation to visit Beijing for more talks.
It is believed to be the first time this has happened since unofficial bans cut off the trade in late 2020, the ABC added.
"Any step towards resolving the trade impediments would be welcome," Farrell said on Thursday in response to questions from Reuters.
If the ban is lifted, lobsters could follow coal as the second commodity to see Chinese trade sanctions ease as diplomatic relations between the two countries thaw after meetings between the respective leaders, foreign ministers and trade ministers.
Trading teams at Geraldton Fisherman's Co-operative in Western Australia state, which controls three-quarters of the largest rock lobster fishery in the world, have not seen any change to customs or trade rules with China, a spokesperson for the group said.
The South China Morning Post reported in January that Chinese officials were discussing giving customs clearance to Australian lobsters. (Reuters)
February
With eye on China, U.S. Democrats want more resources for Indo-Pacific
Written by Nur Yasmin
Washington must commit more diplomatic and security resources to the Indo-Pacific to push back against China as Beijing seeks to create a regional sphere of influence and become the world's most influential power, U.S. Senate Democrats said on Thursday.
The majority Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee issued the report - seen by Reuters before its release - almost exactly a year after President Joe Biden's administration released its strategy to modernize alliances in the region, strengthen emerging partnerships and invest in relationships.
The committee's chairman, Senator Robert Menendez, is expected to discuss the report at a hearing on Thursday where senior diplomat Wendy Sherman will testify on China policy.
The Senate report says that vision is "commendable," but gives recommendations as to how the U.S. government should sharpen the aims of the strategy and do more to ensure there are enough resources available to back up its efforts.
"Despite four successive administrations identifying Asia as a priority region for U.S. attention and assistance, none have made the necessary tradeoffs to ensure that sources are allocated in a manner commensurate with such prioritization," the report said.
For example, the administration's foreign assistance request for the region for the fiscal year ending in September 2023 was $1.7 billion, or only 7.7% of the overall foreign assistance budget, even though the Indo-Pacific region accounts for more than half of the world's population, the report said.
The United States is trying to reassert itself in the region after a period of uncertainty about its commitment to Asia under then-U.S. President Donald Trump, and concerted efforts by rival China to boost its own influence.
The report said the Biden administration must significantly increase funding for diplomacy and development across the U.S. government and dedicate a larger portion of the Department of State operating budget and foreign assistance to the Indo-Pacific.
Its recommendations include working closely with Congress, including providing a detailed list of its plans for implementing the Indo-Pacific Strategy and advancing economic integration with countries in the region, including prioritizing a meaningful trade program with Taiwan.
A desire for a hard line in dealings with Beijing is one of the few truly bipartisan sentiments in the deeply divided U.S. Congress, with both Republicans and Biden's Democrats calling for increased efforts to counteract China's global influence.
Tensions between the two countries have been especially high of late, most recently as the United States shot down a Chinese spy balloon on Saturday for spying over U.S. territory.
The appearance of the Chinese balloon last week caused political outrage in Washington and prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a trip to Beijing that both countries had hoped would patch their frayed relations. Blinken would have arrived in Beijing on Sunday. (Reuters)
February
Japan, Philippines Pledge Closer Security Ties Amid China Tensions
Written by Nur Yasmin
Japan said it was looking to strengthen joint military exercises with the Philippines as the two U.S. allies on Thursday pledged to forge closer security ties at a time of heightened tensions with China.
The maritime nations also penned a deal to allow their armed forces to work together during disaster relief operations, an agreement seen as a step towards a broader pact that could allow both countries to deploy forces on each other's soil.
"In this year of complex international situations, Japan attaches great importance to cooperation with the Philippines," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in his opening remarks at a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr in Tokyo.
Kishida later said the two had agreed to try and establish a framework that would "strengthen and smooth the process of holding joint exercises".
Japan held joint military exercises with the United States and the Philippines as recently as October.
Taiwan, which lies between Japan and the Philippines, has become a focal point of intensifying Chinese military activity that Tokyo and Washington worry could escalate into war as Beijing tries to capture what it views as a rogue province.
President Marcos, on his first visit to Japan since taking office in July, last week signed an agreement granting the United States greater access to its military bases.
The disaster relief deal with Tokyo is seen as a possible precursor to establishing a visiting forces agreement that would allow Japanese forces to deploy to the Philippines more easily.
Tokyo has such pacts with Australia and Britain, and also hosts the biggest concentration of U.S. forces abroad.
A Japanese military presence in the Philippines could help Manila counter Chinese influence in the South China Sea, much of which Beijing claims, including the territory that Manila considers its own.
"After our meeting, I can confidently say that our strategic partnership is stronger than ever as we navigate together the rough waters buffeting our region," Marcos said, adding he had agreed to cooperate more closely with Japan on areas including defence cooperation and maritime security. (Reuters)
February
Singapore Relaxes COVID Travel Curbs, Mask Rules Further
Written by Nur Yasmin
Singapore will drop a requirement for travellers who are not fully vaccinated to show COVID test results or purchase coronavirus travel insurance from Feb 13, the government's virus taskforce said on Thursday.
Masks will also not be required to be worn on public transport, the health ministry said in a statement, as authorities lowered the disease outbreak response level to "green" from "yellow", indicating COVID-19 is not threatening.
However, masks will still be mandatory in healthcare settings, where there is interaction with patients and in indoor patient-facing areas.
"Within Singapore our COVID situation has remained stable over the recent months, despite increased travel over the year-end holidays and China's shift from zero COVID," Lawrence Wong, deputy prime minister and co-chair of the virus taskforce, told a media briefing.
"Our population has developed a high level of hybrid immunity," he said.
Around 80% of the city-state’s 5.6 million population have achieved minimum COVID-19 vaccination protection, and around half are up to date with their additional booster shots, health ministry data showed.
"We've had to deal with many unexpected curveballs and surprises along the way. But we managed to reach this point together because we all did our part," Wong said.
The public can also remove COVID-19 contact-tracing apps, and the government has deleted identifiable data from its servers and database, health minister Ong Ye Kung said.
Since April last year, Singapore had lifted most of its COVID-19 restrictions with many international events returning to the city-state, attracting tourists and businesses.
The Asian financial hub is expecting the tourism sector to recover to pre-pandemic levels by 2024. (Reuters)
February
U.S., UK and Australia Carry Out China-Focused Air Drills
Written by Nur Yasmin
The United States, Britain and Australia carried out joint air drills on Wednesday over the Nevada desert and beyond as part of an effort to simulate high-end combat operations against Chinese fighter aircraft and air defenses.
Reuters accompanied British forces for several hours during the U.S.-hosted, three-week-long Red Flag exercises aboard Britain's KC-2 Voyager refueling tanker aircraft, which on Wednesday supplied fuel for U.S. and British fighter jets.
U.S. Air Force Colonel Jared J. Hutchinson, commander of the 414th Combat Training Squadron that runs Red Flag, said the annual drills were not tied to any recent events. On Saturday, a U.S. fighter jet shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina, hiking tensions.
"(China is) just the pacing challenge that we train to so that we're ready ... We think that if we're ready for China, we're ready for anybody," Hutchinson said, citing U.S policy.
At the heart of the drills was addressing the vast distances that the United States, Britain and Australia would contend with when operating across the Pacific, and improving inter-operability of the three countries' air forces.
For the crew aboard the Royal Air Force's Voyager, that means serving as a kind of gas station in the skies - providing air-to-air refueling of fighter aircraft carrying out the simulated mission.
Air Commodore John Lyle, commander of the RAF's Air Mobility Force, told Reuters the mission during the Red Flag drills would simulate bringing the air forces into "an area where there has been an invasion by a hostile country."
"So our role will be to support the force to effectively proceed into the area that's been occupied and to undertake targeting of key assets to allow us to degrade the enemy's capabilities," Lyle said, without mentioning China by name, or identifying what simulated area had been invaded.
The Pentagon has voiced growing concern in recent years about pressure by Beijing on self-ruled Taiwan, an island China sees as a breakaway province.
Beyond the tanker aircraft, Britain also flew Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets in the exercises. Australia contributed EA-18G Growler aircraft, according to data provided by Red Flag organizers.
The U.S. government has identified China as the U.S. military's top strategic priority, even as it devotes billions of dollars to support Kyiv in repelling invading Russian forces.
Speaking last week in Washington, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns also cautioned the United States knew "as a matter of intelligence" that Xi had ordered his military to be ready to conduct an invasion of self-governed Taiwan by 2027.
"Now, that does not mean that he's decided to conduct an invasion in 2027, or any other year, but it's a reminder of the seriousness of his focus and his ambition," Burns told an event at Georgetown University in Washington. (Reuters)
February
Taliban administration to send earthquake aid to Turkey, Syria
Written by Nur Yasmin
Afghanistan's Taliban administration will send around $165,000 in aid to Turkey and Syria to help the response to a devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck this week, according to a foreign ministry statement.
Afghanistan is in the grips of a severe economic and humanitarian crisis and is itself the location of one of the United Nation's largest humanitarian aid programs. The Taliban took over in 2021 as foreign forces withdrew, sparking enforcement of sanctions on its banking sector, and no capital has formally recognised its government.
"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ... announces a relief package of 10 million Afghanis ($111,024) and 5 million Afghanis ($55,512) to Türkiye and Syria respectively on the basis of shared humanity and Islamic brotherhood," a Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement said late on Tuesday.
The death toll from the huge tremor in southern Turkey and Syria had jumped to more than 7,800 people on Tuesday as rescuers worked against time in harsh winter conditions to dig survivors out of the rubble of collapsed buildings. Tens of thousands more were injured and many people were left without homes in freezing temperatures.
In Afghanistan, hundreds have also died in recent weeks due to bitter cold and an economic crisis.
Many aid groups have partially suspended operations due to a Taliban administration ruling that most female NGO workers could not work, leaving agencies unable to operate many programmes in the conservative country. Western diplomats have said they will not consider formally recognising the administration unless it changes course on women's rights.
Despite the cut of development funding that once formed the backbone of the Afghan state's budget, the World Bank said in a report that the Taliban administration has increased exports - some of it coal to neighbouring Pakistan - and revenue collection remained strong, including from customs duties and mining royalties. (Reuters)