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September
India, China to withdraw from disputed border area by Monday
Written by Nur Yasmin
Indian and Chinese soldiers will disengage at a disputed area along a remote western Himalayan border by Sept. 12, India's foreign ministry said on Friday, after more than two years of a standoff following a deadly clash.
The disengagement, which comes after several rounds of talks between senior military officials, is part of efforts by New Delhi and Beijing to avoid an escalation in tension between the nuclear-armed Asian giants that went to war over their border in 1962.
The pull-out, also confirmed by China, comes ahead of a meeting in Uzbekistan next week that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to attend.
Indian and Chinese soldiers began withdrawing from the Gogra-Hot Springs area in Ladakh in the western Himalayas on Thursday, a process that would be complete by early next week, India's foreign ministry said.
"The two sides have agreed to cease forward deployments in this area in a phased, coordinated and verified manner, resulting in the return of the troops of both sides to their respective areas," Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said in a statement.
All temporary structures in the area erected by both militaries will also be dismantled as part of the agreement, he said.
Although details of the latest agreement have not been made public, the two militaries are likely to create a buffer between their troops and stop patrolling in the area, a defence expert said.
"This is a positive step," said Rakesh Sharma, a retired Indian lieutenant general who has served in Ladakh. "Face to face scenario has been obviated."
Following a deadly clash in June 2020 that killed at least 20 Indian and four Chinese troops, similar buffer arrangements have been implemented in other areas in Ladakh where soldiers were deployed in close proximity.
But Sharma said troops from both sides remain in close proximity in at least one location near the Demchok area in Ladakh, something that could be taken up in further talks.
A substantial build-up in border infrastructure by China will also keep thousands of Indian solders deployed along the frontier, Sharma added.
"This is a long haul," he said.
India and China share an un-demarcated 3,800 km (2,360 mile) frontier, where their troops previously adhered to long-standing protocols to avoid the use of any firearms along the de facto border known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC). (Reuters)
September
NATO calls on allies to supply winter uniforms for Ukrainian army
Written by Nur Yasmin
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged allies on Friday to supply Kyiv with winter gear such as clothing, tents and generators to enable Ukrainian troops to keep on fighting Russia's invasion in the cold season.
Average winter temperatures are below freezing for much of the country and it is not unusual for temperatures to drop to minus 15 degrees Celsius.
"The winter is coming, it's going to be hard, and therefore we need both to continue to supply weapons and ammunition but also winter clothing, tents, generators and all the specific equipment which is needed for the winter," Stoltenberg told reporters after meeting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Brussels.
"Partly because the size of the Ukrainian army has just increased so much, they need more of this kind of winter equipment, and NATO is particularly focused on how we can provide tens of thousands of, for instance, winter uniforms," Stoltenberg added.
On Friday, swiftly advancing Ukrainian troops were approaching the main railway supplying Russian forces in the east of the country, after the collapse of a section of Russia's front line caused the most dramatic shift in the war's momentum since its early weeks.
It was the first lightning advance of its kind reported by either side for months, in a war mainly characterised by grinding frontline battles since Russia abandoned its ill-fated assault on the capital Kyiv in March.
Stoltenberg called on NATO allies to ramp up defence production, as well to stock up their own inventories so they could deliver more weapons to Kyiv.
"We are now in close contact with the defence industry, with capitals ... to ensure that we are now ramping up production, that we are replenishing the stocks," he said.
"This is also about ensuring that we have the weapons, the ammunitions, the capabilities in place for our own deterrence and defence," he underlined. (Reuters)
September
China's Communist Party to amend its constitution at October congress
Written by Nur Yasmin
China's ruling Communist Party will amend its constitution next month during a leadership reshuffle held over five years, a move that some analysts said could consolidate President Xi Jinping's authority and stature within the party.
State news agency Xinhua said on Friday that the Politburo discussed a draft amendment to the party constitution in a meeting chaired by Xi, without specifying the changes.
Xi is widely expected to break with precedent at the congress that starts on Oct. 16 and secure a third five-year leadership term, cementing his status as China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, founder of the People's Republic.
The party's constitution was last amended in 2017 to enshrine "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics", a move that burnished Xi's standing.
Political watchers say one possibility is an amendment that shortens the ideology to "Xi Jinping Thought", upgrading its stature to that of "Mao Zedong Thought".
Another possible change that would also be seen as an elevation of Xi's power would be to enshrine the "Two Establishes", a recent phrase which means the party establishes Xi as its "core" and his ideas as guiding principles.
Less likely, some pundits have suggested that the constitution could reinstate the paramount position of party chairman, which was abolished in 1982.
The party constitution can only be amended during the once-in-five-years congress. (Reuters)
September
King Charles greets well-wishers outside Buckingham Palace
Written by Nur Yasmin
Britain's King Charles shook hands with dozens of members of the public outside Buckingham Palace on Friday, as emotional well-wishers snapped pictures and greeted the new monarch following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth on Thursday.
Charles and his wife Camilla, Queen Consort, stepped out of the royal car just outside the gates of Buckingham Palace in an unanticipated gesture as they arrived back in London from Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where the queen died.
The couple, dressed in black, were received by huge cheers and applause from a crowd of hundreds gathered outside the palace, television footage showed.
The king proceeded to shake hands with dozens of well-wishers and look at floral tributes to his mother for more than ten minutes. Several members of the public sang "God save the King" and one shouted "Love you Charles!"
One woman kissed Charles' hand, while another leaned over the security barrier to hug him and kiss his cheek. Several told him they were sorry for his loss, and he thanked them.
People gathered outside the palace pointed their phone cameras at Charles as he walked past, flanked by security personnel. One security officer asked people to put their phones down as the king approached and simply enjoy the moment.
Charles and Camilla then walked through the gates of the palace. (Reuters)
September
Australia's central bank opens door to slower rate hikes
Written by Nur Yasmin
Australia's top central banker opened the door on Thursday to slowing the bank's policy tightening after five rate increases in as many months, sparking a rally in bonds as markets scaled back bets on further aggressive moves.
In a speech on the policy outlook, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Philip Lowe said further rate increases would be needed to contain inflation but the RBA Board was not on a pre-set path and was aware rates had already risen sharply.
"We are conscious that there are lags in the operation of monetary policy and that interest rates have increased very quickly," said Lowe.
"And we recognise that, all else equal, the case for a slower pace of increase in interest rates becomes stronger as the level of the cash rate rises."
Earlier this week, t
The RBA lifted interest rates by half a point on Tuesday to a seven-year high of 2.35%, bringing the increase since May to a steep 225 basis points.
Just the hint of a possible slowdown saw futures lengthen the odds on another hike of 50 basis points in October, with rates now seen more likely to reach 3.0% by December, rather than 3.25%.
Three-year bond yields dropped 10 basis points to 3.16% and the Australian dollar lost 0.5% to $0.6732 .
MISTAKES WERE MADE
Lowe emphasised the Board was committed to bring inflation back to its 2%-3% target band, having been surprised by this year's spike in consumer prices to a 21-year peak of 6.1%.
He said it was important the current high inflation not get built into expectations for price- and wage-settings, adding that, so far, measures of expectations were still consistent with a return to the 2%-3% band.
Lowe conceded the RBA had been badly wrongfooted by the surge in inflation in recent months and said it was important for the bank to learn from those mistakes.
Australia's Labor government in July launched an independent review into the RBA's structure and policies, and how it handled emergency stimulus during the pandemic.
The central bank has come in for much criticism on its forecast mistakes, particularly Lowe's prediction in late 2021 that rates would likely not rise until 2024.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers was forced on Thursday to reject calls for Lowe to be fired, saying he was not going to take "pot shots" at the independent central bank.
Asked about the criticism after his speech, Lowe said: "I have no plans to resign. Look at how much better the economy is now." (Reuters)
September
Philippines' Marcos touts $14 bln investment pledges from 'fruitful' overseas trip
Written by Nur Yasmin
Philippines leader Ferdinand Marcos Jr has touted his first overseas trip as a success that secured investment pledges of $14 billion, as the son of the country's late ruler eyes economic gains to get his presidency off to a strong start.
During visits this week to Indonesia and Singapore, Marcos met leaders of government and commerce and declared the Philippines open for business, inviting private capital to upgrade and expand roads, airports and seaports in the archipelago of 110 million people.
Marcos, 64, who travelled with top officials of his economic team, said he received investment pledges in renewable energy, data centres, e-commerce, broadband technology, government housing and agriculture.
"This will support our country's economic recovery efforts and create more jobs for Filipinos here in our country," Marcos said on his return late on Thursday.
"We look forward to doing the detailed work that is necessary to bring all these proposals to fruition."
The elder Marcos was overthrown in a 1986 uprising, ending a tumultuous two-decade rule that his son and namesake insists was a "golden era" of development for the Philippine that he intends to replicate.
Marcos Jr, wants to improve agriculture to reduce reliance on food imports and to expand the economy by as much as 8% during his six-year term and halve the poverty rate, which was 18.1% in 2021. (Reuters)
September
U.S., Indo-Pacific countries launch new-generation trade talks shunning tariff cuts
Written by Nur Yasmin
Economic ministers from the United States and 13 Indo-Pacific countries launch negotiations on Thursday on Washington's first major pan-Asian trade engagement effort in nearly a decade, but this time any deal won't cut tariffs.
The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework talks in Los Angeles will seek to define a sweeping platform for market-driven economies to engage on trade and data flows, environmental and labor standards, supply chains and anti-corruption efforts.
The negotiations will be led by U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. President Joe Biden launched the Indo-Pacific initiative in May during a trip to Tokyo, but some critics questioned its value to participating countries.
NOT TPP 2.0
Washington has lacked an economic pillar to its Indo-Pacific engagement since former president Donald Trump quit the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal (TPP) in 2017, leaving the field open to China to expand its regional influence.
More than two years of TPP negotiations led to an agreement in 2015, but the U.S. Congress failed to ratify it as tariff-cutting free trade deals fell out of favor, blamed for draining jobs and investment to low-wage countries.
Biden's trade chief Tai also has shunned new trade deals, focusing a number of negotiations with the European Union instead on labor, regulation and other non-tariff issues.
The talks will include ministers from Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Together with the United States the participants represent some 40% of global GDP.
But it was unclear whether all of the countries would participate in all four of the negotiation streams: trade, labor and digital standards; clean energy and decarbonization; supply chain resilience; and tax and anti-corruption efforts. To secure broad participation, the countries could choose among those "pillars."
The talks come as the China-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Free trade deal launched in January, cutting tariffs for many of the IPEF participants. The surviving TPP countries also have launched a limited trade pact.
A senior Biden administration official told reporters on Wednesday that the IPEF platform was not meant as an alternative to trading with China.
"This initiative is really about the U.S. having an affirmative economic agenda in the region," the official said. "It's about engaging the economies in the Indo-Pacific in their own right, this isn't not a choice between the United States and China."
Lori Wallach, head of Rethink Trade, a group advocating against corporate influence in trade policy, applauded the decision not to offer tariff cuts, but questioned whether it could deliver benefits for workers.
"Three decades of 'hyperglobalization' implemented by these deals already had made the old trade model politically toxic," Wallach said in a statement. "Then the COVID-revealed supply chain crisis fueled even broader demand for a new approach that reverses the concentration of production of goods and services on which we all rely in too firms in too few countries." (Reuters)
September
India and Japan plan more military drills to strengthen ties
Written by Nur Yasmin
India and Japan will deepen cooperation on defence, with India inviting investment by Japanese companies and plans for joint military exercises involving their air forces, the two sides said on Thursday.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks in Tokyo with his Japanese counterpart, Yasukazu Hamada, ahead of "two-plus-two" talks bringing in their foreign ministers.
"He invited Japanese industries to invest in India's defence corridors," India's defence ministry said in a statement, referring to Singh.
"The two ministers agreed that the early conduct of the inaugural fighter exercise will pave the way for much greater cooperation and interoperability between the air forces of the two countries."
India, like Japan, is bolstering its military to tackle what it sees as increased security threats. Both countries are increasingly wary of China's growing military might and assertiveness.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has promised a "substantial" increase in defence spending. His ruling Liberal Democratic Party wants to double Japan's military budget to 2% of gross domestic product over the next five years amid worry that Russia's invasion of Ukraine could embolden China to act against the self-ruled island of Taiwan.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told a joint news conference following the two-plus-two meeting that both sides denounced the use of force in settling disputes.
"We concurred that unilateral change to the status quo with force should not be tolerated in any region," Hayashi said.
China claims almost all the energy-rich waters of the South China Sea, where it has established military outposts on artificial islands. In the East China Sea, China claims a group of uninhabited Japanese-administered islets.
India, which last week commissioned its first home-built aircraft carrier, is involed in a standoff with Chinese forces on their remote Himalayan border.
"We confirmed that defence and security cooperation between Japan and India was expanding drastically, and agreed to keep on conducting bilateral and multilateral joint drills," Hayashi said.
Japan and India, along with Australia and the United States, are members of the Quad group of countries that hold annual naval exercises across the Indo-Pacific region to demonstrate interoperability.
The last meeting of Quad leaders, in May in Japan, was dominated by discussion about Taiwan after U.S. President Joe Biden angered China by saying he would be willing to use force to defend the democratic island. As they met, Russian and Chinese warplanes conducted a joint patrol in the region.
Kishida and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a separate bilateral meeting agreed at that time to work closely together to promote a "free and open Indo-Pacific". (Reuters)
September
U.S., S.Korea revive talks on 'comprehensive' ways to deter N.Korea
Written by Nur Yasmin
American and South Korean officials will meet next week to discuss "comprehensive measures" to deter North Korea, Seoul said on Thursday, as the two sides revive high-level deterrence talks for the first time since 2018.
The Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG), which includes vice-ministerial defence and diplomatic officials from both allies, will meet in Washington on Friday, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
It will be the first time the group has met since 2018, when Washington and Seoul began high-level efforts to engage with North Korea diplomatically.
Those efforts quickly stalled, and this year North Korea has tested a record number of missiles, including its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) since 2017. It also appears to be preparing to resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May, has vowed to boost his country's military capabilities and strengthen so-called "extended deterrence", which refers to the ability of the U.S. military, particularly its nuclear forces, to deter attacks on U.S. allies.
The EDSCG "plans to discuss in depth comprehensive measures to deter North Korea, including measures to strengthen the effectiveness of extended deterrence in the face of the severe security situation on the Korean peninsula," the ministry said in a statement.
Yoon has asked U.S. President Joe Biden to permanently deploy U.S. “strategic assets” such as submarines, aircraft carriers, and bombers to the Korean peninsula.
The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan will arrive at the South Korean port city of Busan this month to conduct drills with South Korean forces on the peninsula for the first time since 2017, Yonhap news agency reported.
Doubts over the U.S. commitment to defend South Korea arose under former U.S. President Donald Trump, who demanded Seoul pay billions more to support U.S. troops and reportedly discussed their withdrawal.
The American withdrawal from Afghanistan and debate over its support for Ukraine have also sparked discussions on the need for South Korea to boost its own capabilities, including whether it should pursue its own nuclear programme. (Reuters)
September
Pakistan court to indict ex-PM Khan for contempt of court - lawyer
Written by Nur Yasmin
A Pakistani court ruled on Thursday that it will indict former Prime Minister Imran Khan on charges of contempt of court, his lawyer and local broadcasters said, which could lead to his disqualification from politics if convicted.
"Now what?," Khan told reporters as he left the courtroom when asked about his response to the decision. "Now, they (the judges) have to decide," he said.
Khan is accused of threatening a judge who ruled against one of his close aides facing treason charges.
The court has decided to indict him," his lawyer Faisal Chaudhry told reporters. It is a decision by five member judges, he said.
"We will not spare you," Khan had said in a public rally last month, naming a female judge who declined bail to his aide.
The court will indict Khan at a hearing on Sept. 22, Chaudhry said.
The judges had given Khan several chances for him to reconsider an earlier response to the court where he expressed regret over the remarks rather than giving an outright apology.
The judges also warned Khan's lawyers repeatedly on Thursday, saying he was not understanding the sensitivity of the matter, the broadcasters said. (Reuters)