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July
Taiwan presidential front-runner says he can keep peace with China
Written by Nur Yasmin
Leading Taiwan presidential candidate William Lai wrote in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that he could keep the peace with China if elected, reiterating his willingness for talks without preconditions and a pledge to boost defences.
Lai, Taiwan's vice president and the candidate for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has consistently led the majority of opinion polls ahead of the January election. President Tsai Ing-wen cannot run again after two terms in office.
In a commentary piece, Lai said that despite the military and economic challenges from China, including China's almost daily aerial incursions near the island, his top priorities remained pragmatism and consistency.
"I will support the cross-strait status quo - which is in the best interests of both the Republic of China, as Taiwan is formally known, and the international community. I will never rule out the possibility of dialogue without preconditions, based on the principles of reciprocity and dignity," he added.
Lai said he would continue with Tsai's plan to boost Taiwan's defences, such as spending more on the military, adding that these measures reduce the risk of war by raising the stakes and costs for Beijing.
"I will seek greater cooperation with partners and allies, particularly in training, force restructuring, civil defence and information sharing," he wrote.
Lai is expected to visit the United States next month, according to diplomatic sources, as presidential candidates traditionally do, to discuss their policy agenda.
The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier.
Tsai has repeatedly offered talks with China but been rebuffed. Beijing views her as a separatist for refusing to accept the Chinese position that Taiwan and China are part of "one China". She says only Taiwan's people can decide their future.
Lai angered China in 2018 while he was premier, telling parliament he was a "Taiwan independence worker" and that his position was that Taiwan was a sovereign, independent country - a red line for Beijing.
Both Tsai and Lai say that the Republic of China, Taiwan's formal name, is already an independent state, despite only 13 countries formally recognising it.
The defeated republican government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists, who established the People's Republic of China. (reuters)
July
Pakistan PM hopes for bailout approval from IMF board on July 12
Written by Nur Yasmin
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that he hoped the $3 billion short-term bailout for Pakistan would be given final approval by the International Monetary Fund board when it meets on July 12.
After eight months of negotiations, both sides signed a staff-level agreement on Friday, to avert a imminent default on sovereign debt. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has said Pakistan will receive a first installment of $1.1 billion, but the IMF board's approval is needed before funds can be disbursed.
"The agreement will go through, God willing," Sharif said during a ceremony in Islamabad.
Sharif also thanked longtime allies China, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates for their support while his government was in negotiations with the IMF.
The allies had pledged bilateral financing or rolled over debts to help slow the drain on Pakistan's foreign currency reserves, which by the end of last month were down to just a little below $4 billion, barely enough to pay for a month of controlled imports.
Dar said on Friday that the IMF deal would unlock bilateral lending from friendly governments and other multilateral lenders, and Pakistan's reserves could rise up to $15 billion by the end of this month.
Pakistan is due to hold a general election by early October, though Sharif's coalition government only came to power in April last year, after former prime minister Imran Khan lost a confidence vote in parliament.
The government desperately needed the IMF bailout to avoid the deepening balance of payments crisis, while dealing with an economy suffering record high inflation, running at 38% annually in May.
Sharif has had to take unpopular policy decisions demanded by the IMF since February. It has already announced an increase in the petroleum levy, and it will be raising electricity prices too.
The government has also committed to raise more than 385 billion rupee ($1.34 billion) in new taxation, and in recent days the central bank raised the policy interest rate 22%. (Reuters)
July
Australia PM says Hong Kong bounty on overseas activists 'unacceptable'
Written by Nur Yasmin
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday it was "unacceptable" that Hong Kong has put bounties on two Australian residents who are among eight overseas democracy activists wanted under a national security law.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said on Tuesday eight overseas-based Hong Kong activists who were issued with arrest warrants for alleged national security offences would be "pursued for life".
Hong Kong police have offered rewards of HK$1 million ($127,656) for information leading to the arrest of the eight, including Melbourne lawyer and Australian citizen Kevin Yam, and former Hong Kong lawmaker Ted Hui, who has lived in Australia since 2021.
"It's just unacceptable," Albanese said of the Hong Kong announcement in a Nine television interview. "We will continue to cooperate with China where we can, but we will disagree where we must. And we do disagree over human rights issues."
Australia's opposition leader Peter Dutton said it was "completely unacceptable that Australians should be tracked down or hunted down".
The Hong Kong activists are accused of asking foreign powers to impose sanctions on Hong Kong, and are wanted under a national security law that Beijing imposed on the former British colony in 2020.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia is concerned by the broad application of the national security law to arrest or pressure pro-democracy figures and civil society.
Chinese and Hong Kong authorities say the law has restored the stability necessary for preserving the Asian financial centre's economic success. China's foreign ministry said countries should "stop providing a safe haven for fugitives".
In a radio interview on Wednesday, Hui said Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had contacted him to offer protection. Yam confirmed to Reuters he had also been offered protection.
Australia suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in 2020, and a foreign interference law makes it illegal for foreign powers to monitor dissidents or silence community members from exercising freedom of speech.
The other dissidents facing Hong Kong bounties, living in the U.S. and Britain, have had bank accounts frozen, Hui told ABC radio.
"Some of them can be frightened, but they are assured that there is no immediate or imminent threat against them personally. But in terms of travel, in terms of bank account, in terms of financial support they are a bit worried now," he said.
Yam, who migrated to Australia as a 10 year old, said on Twitter: "I am not a fugitive. I left Hong Kong through its international airport openly in 2022. I am an Australian citizen now living in Australia." (Reuters)
July
IAEA head Grossi vouches for safety of water release at wrecked Fukushima plant
Written by Nur Yasmin
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi, after surveying the site of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on Wednesday and meeting with locals, vouched for the safety of Japan's plan to release treated radioactive water from the power plant into the ocean.
In a major milestone for the decommissioning of the power plant, destroyed in a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011, the IAEA said on Tuesday that a two-year review showed Japan's plans for the water release would have a negligible impact on the environment.
Japanese fishing unions have long opposed the plan, saying it would undo work to repair reputational damage after several countries banned some Japanese food products for fear of radiation. Japan regularly tests seafood from the Fukushima area and has found it to be safe.
Grossi said there were no pending issues, after surveying the wrecked power plant and feeding flounder raised in the treated radioactive water as proof of its harmlessness.
He also inaugurated an IAEA office on site that will monitor the release of the water, which is expected to take 30 to 40 years.
Still, the reality for people, the economy, and social perceptions may be different from the science, Grossi said, acknowledging the fears surrounding the water release.
"I don't have a magic solution for the doubts and concerns that may exist, but we do have one thing ... we are going to stay here with you for decades to come ... until the last drop of the water has been safely discharged," he said.
The Japanese government is looking to start releasing water as early as August, the Nikkei reported on Wednesday.
The plan still needs official approval from the national nuclear regulatory body, which is expected on Friday.
CRITICISM ABROAD
Some neighbouring countries have also raised concerns over the threat to the environment, with Beijing emerging as the biggest critic.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Wednesday criticised the move towards discharging the water and threatened action if the plan should move ahead.
"The relevant Chinese government departments will strengthen the monitoring of the ocean environment and inspection of marine products import, so as to ensure the health and food security of the public," he said, but declined to give specific details on what sort of action the government would take.
China bans seafood imports from 10 prefectures in Japan, including Fukushima and the capital Tokyo. Seafood imports from other prefectures are allowed but must pass radioactivity tests and have proof of being produced outside the 10 banned prefectures.
To assuage international concerns, Grossi said he will follow up his visit to Japan with a tour of South Korea and the Pacific Islands to explain the water will have no negative impact on the environment.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday his country would aim to gain acceptance both domestically and internationally with the IAEA's endorsement.
Kishida may meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to explain the water release, when attending the NATO summit meeting in Lithuania next week, the Mainichi newspaper said on Wednesday.
Japan's foreign minister, Yoshimasa Hayashi, is also preparing to meet his Chinese and South Korean counterparts mid-July on the sidelines of a South-East Asia group summit, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Wednesday.
Japan says the water has been filtered to remove most radioactive elements except for tritium, an isotope of hydrogen that is difficult to separate from water. The treated water will be diluted to well below internationally approved levels of tritium before being released into the Pacific. (Reuters)
July
Myanmar's top court hears Suu Kyi's appeals to cut jail term
Written by Nur Yasmin
Myanmar's Supreme Court heard on Wednesday the latest in a series of appeals by former leader Aung San Suu Kyi against a slew of convictions, a source familiar with the case said, as she seeks to reduce her 33 years of jail time.
The 78-year-old Nobel peace laureate has been convicted of offences ranging from incitement and election fraud to corruption since the military arrested her during a February 2021 coup against her elected government.
Representatives of Suu Kyi, who was not herself present, made arguments in court on Wednesday about her conviction for a breach of the official secrets act and electoral fraud, said a source who sought anonymity as the matter is sensitive.
The court is expected to take up to two months to deliver its ruling.
A junta spokesperson could not immediately be reached for confirmation.
The 2021 coup plunged Myanmar into political and social chaos, with the junta drawing global condemnation for its heavy-handed crackdown on opponents such as Suu Kyi.
The military says defendants are given due process by an independent judiciary, countering criticism from rights groups over the jailing of members of the pro-democracy movement in secret trials and the resumption of executions after a gap of decades.
The Supreme Court is expected to hear Suu Kyi's appeals against convictions for misuse of state funds and violations of trade and telecoms laws over the next two weeks. (Reuters)
July
Myanmar Supreme Court to hear Suu Kyi appeal this week - source
Written by Nur Yasmin
The Supreme Court in military-ruled Myanmar will hear an appeal this week by former leader Aung San Suu Kyi against two of her convictions, a source familiar with the case said on Monday, as the Nobel laureate seeks to reduce her 33 years of jail time.
The 78-year-old has been convicted of a litany of offences from incitement and election fraud to multiple counts of corruption since the military arrested her during a February 2021 coup against her elected government.
Suu Kyi's allies and Western governments have condemned her incarceration as a junta play to prevent any comeback by the popular figurehead of Myanmar's decades-long struggle for democracy.
The Supreme Court has announced it will hear appeals on Wednesday against Suu Kyi's conviction for a breach of the official secrets act and for electoral fraud. The source, who declined to be identified because of sensitivities over her cases, said a decision could take two months.
A spokesperson for the junta could not immediately be reached for confirmation.
The military insists defendants are afforded due process by an independent judiciary, countering criticism from human rights groups over the jailing of multiple members of the pro-democracy movement in secret trials, and the resumption of executions after a decades-long hiatus.
Myanmar has been locked in conflict since the military seized power on the grounds of unaddressed irregularities in a November 2020 election that Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party swept in a landslide.
The NLD denied fraud and has since been dissolved along with 39 other parties for failure to register for an election for which the generals have yet to set a date.
Activists have urged the junta not to hold the election, warning it could see an intensification of bloody violence between the military and a pro-democracy resistance movement. (Reuters)
July
Thai king inaugurates parliament as Move Forward looks to lead new government
Written by Nur Yasmin
Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn inaugurated the opening of parliament on Monday, setting the stage for an attempt by the progressive Move Forward Party to form a government after its surprise election win six weeks ago.
Move Forward won big support from youth voters and the capital Bangkok, campaigning overwhelmingly on social media on an anti-establishment platform that could complicate its effort to win enough support to form a coalition government.
It will team up in parliament with the populist heavyweight Pheu Thai Party after the two won the lion's share of seats, trouncing parties allied with a royalist military that has controlled government since a 2014 coup.
The two are part of an eight-party alliance and have played down talk of a rift over the house speaker post, which could determine the passage of flagship legislation and timing of key votes.
Late on Monday, in what is being seen as a compromise between Move Forward and Pheu Thai, the alliance nominated veteran politician Wan Muhamad Noor Matha for house speaker and gave a deputy speaker position each to the two main parties.
Wan Noor, 79, of the Prachachart Party has been closely allied with Pheu Thai in the past, and served in its administration led by billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra between 2002 and 2005.
Parliament is expected to endorse the speaker on Tuesday.
Analysts say a Move Forward-led government is still not a certainty.
The speaker is expected later this month to table a joint session of parliament to decide on a prime minister, which requires the votes of more than half of the 750 members of the bicameral legislature.
The alliance is backing Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat, 42, to become premier and Pita needs 376 votes to secure the post. He currently has 312.
He will need 64 more votes from either rival parties or members of a conservative-learning Senate that was appointed under the military and has previously locked horns with Move Forward over some of its policies.
Pita last week said he had secured enough support in the Senate. He also faces an investigation for breaching election rules, which could further complicate his bid, Kiatkwankul said.
"Worst-case, they become a formidable opposition ... No matter how it turns out, it is not the end of Move Forward and democratic forces," he added. (Reuters)
July
China's top diplomat urges greater co-operation with Japan, South Korea
Written by Nur Yasmin
China, Japan and South Korea need to send a clear signal of regrouping towards co-operation, and resist "the coercion of bullying and domination", China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, said on Monday, in an apparent swipe at the United States.
The remarks come at a time of heightened tension as the United States moves to forge closer ties with allies Japan and South Korea to push back against China's growing regional influence.
Wang was speaking on efforts to revitalise co-operation among the three neighbours at a forum organised by the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat, a body set up by agreement among Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo.
He called for them to "foster a sense of strategic autonomy, maintain regional unity and stability, resist the return of the Cold War mentality, and be free from the coercion of bullying and domination," the Chinese foreign ministry said.
Although Wang stopped short of mentioning the United States, he said "certain major countries outside the region" had attempted to replace unity with division while seeking geographical gains, the ministry said in a statement.
"If this trend is allowed to develop, it will not only seriously interfere with the smooth progress of trilateral co-operation, but also increase tension and confrontation in the region," Wang added.
Wang emphasised the need to solve disputes through dialogue and consultation, and oppose words or deeds that could plunge the region into war.
At the event in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao, Wang also called for accelerating talks on free trade zones and efforts to free up and smoothe trade among the neighbours.
However, Wang reiterated Beijing's opposition to Japan's plan to release into the sea treated water from Tokyo Electric Power Co's (9501.T) Fukushima nuclear plant, saying it would affect the marine ecosystem and people's safety.
South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa addressed the event via video link. (Reuters)
July
Taiwan opposition presidential candidate vows to shorten military service
Written by Nur Yasmin
Taiwan's main opposition presidential candidate has promised to reverse an extension of compulsory military service due to take effect in January, saying he will ease tensions with China making the longer service unnecessary.
The democratically governed island's relationship with Beijing is a central issue in the run-up to a presidential election on Jan. 13 next year, as fears have grown in recent years that China might invade the island it claims as its own.
Responding to the growing security concerns, President Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) announced in December that compulsory military service for all men would be extended to one year from four months from Jan. 1.
Hou Yu-ih, candidate of the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party, said the DPP had triggered the "danger of war" but he would work to ensure peace.
"After I am elected president, I will work hard to ensure stability and peace across the strait. After that, I will resume the four-month service," Hou said in an interview with TVBS broadcast late on Monday.
"Stability across the strait will decide the issue of our military service, and that's why I will work hard to ensure stability," said Hou, who is mayor of New Taipei City.
China claims Taiwan as its own and has stepped up military and diplomatic pressure to get the island to accept Chinese sovereignty. The island's DPP-led government says only the Taiwanese people can decide their future.
The KMT traditionally favours close ties with China while Tsai has infuriated Beijing by rejecting its position that both sides are part of a single China.
Hou is running against the DPP's William Lai, who is now vice president and is leading in the polls.
Hou said he supported the KMT position that both Taiwan and China are part of a single China though each can have its own interpretation of the term.
Tsai took office in 2016 and cannot run again due to term limits. (Reuters)
July
China buzzes Taiwan Strait again, minister decries 'disinformation' about safety
Written by Nur Yasmin
Chinese fighter jets again crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, as a senior Taiwanese official decried "annoying disinformation" about how safe the island is given the mounting tensions with Beijing.
Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory despite the island's strong objections, has over the past three years reported almost daily missions by Chinese military aircraft nearby, and since last August, regular crossings of the median line that used to serve as an unofficial boundary.
Taiwan's defence ministry said on Tuesday morning that eight Chinese fighters had crossed the median line and four Chinese warships also joined a "joint combat readiness patrol".
"We believe that any unilateral and irrational provocations are not helping regional security," ministry spokesman Sun Li-fang told reporters in Pingtung in southern Taiwan on a trip to see pre-planned anti-aircraft drills, where soldiers fired U.S.-made Stinger missiles to shoot down drone targets.
China practised precision strikes and blockading the island in war games around it in April after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.
Despite China's frequent military activities, there has been no sign of public alarm in Taiwan and life has carried on as normal.
Speaking to reporters in Taipei, Taiwan deputy foreign minister Roy Lee said one of the reasons the government wanted foreign lawmakers, officials and academics to visit was to see the situation on the ground.
"A lot of colleagues and friends outside of Taiwan are subject to this annoying disinformation campaign. They have a mismatched conception and understanding about the situation in Taiwan," he said. "We are confident that when they are here they will see Taiwan is very calm; we are not provoking or making any dangerous movements. On the other hand we are demonstrating a very high level of resilience against China's intimidation and threats."
As Lee spoke, Tsai met a delegation led by U.S. Representative Kevin Hern, who leads the Republican Study Committee (RSC), the latest in a string of such visits to Taipei.
"Support for Taiwan as an independent and sovereign nation has been one of the founding principles of the RSC," Hern told Tsai.
Taiwan's government strongly objects to China's sovereignty claims and has vowed to defend itself if China attacks the island. (Reuters)