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November
Pakistan drops chemical castration as punishment for serial rapists
Written by Nur Yasmin
Pakistan has removed a clause from a new criminal law that had allowed chemical castration as a possible punishment for serial rapists, a government official said on Friday.
"We have amended the criminal law, and decided that the chemical castration clause will be taken out," Maleeka Bukhari, parliamentary secretary on law, told a news conference in Islamabad.
She said the decision was taken after the Islamic Ideology Council, a state-run body that interprets laws from an Islamic perspective, found chemical castration un-Islamic.
The government of Prime Minister Imran Khan hurriedly passed nearly three dozens laws in a joint session of the parliament on Wednesday, including the anti-rape criminal law.
Chemical castration, which is carried out by the use of drugs and is reversible, can be a punishment for some sex crimes in countries including Poland, South Korea, the Czech Republic and some U.S. states.
Khan said last year he wanted to introduce the penalty amid a national outcry over increasing offences and the specific case of a mother of two driving along a major highway who was dragged out of her car and raped by two men at gunpoint.
Fewer than 3% of rapists are convicted in courts in Pakistan, according to the non-profit organisation, War Against Rape.(Reuters)
November
Taiwan commissions advanced new F-16s as China threat grows
Written by Nur Yasmin
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen lauded military cooperation with Washington on Thursday as she commissioned the first combat wing of F-16 fighters upgraded with U.S. help to bolster the island's defences during rising tensions between Taipei and Beijing.
Frequent Chinese and U.S. military exercises in the region have raised fears of conflict touched off by a crisis over democratically-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory.
Tsai told a ceremony at an air base in the southern Taiwanese city of Chiayi to unveil the first squadron of its most advanced F-16s, the F-16V, that the project showed the firm commitment of the Taiwan-U.S. partnership.
"I believe that as long as we adhere to the values of democracy and freedom, there will be more like-minded countries standing on the same front with us," she said, speaking on the same stage as the top U.S. diplomat in Taiwan, Sandra Oudkirk.
The United States has no official diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is the island's main international backer and arms supplier, to Beijing's fury.
The T$110 billion ($3.96 billion) F-16 upgrade is led by manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) and Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC), and is the latest example of military cooperation between Washington and Taipei.
Taiwan has been converting 141 F-16A/B jets into the F-16V type, 64 of which have already been upgraded, and has additionally ordered 66 new F-16Vs, which have new avionics, weapons and radar systems to better face down the Chinese air force, including its J-20 stealth fighter.
The F-16Vs can carry Raytheon Technologies Corp's (RTX.N) advanced AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.
To a backdrop of dance music broadcast over the air base, the F-16s showed off their mettle with combat take offs and landings, and flying low in formation above the runway.
Tsai said that as more F-16Vs entered service, Taiwan's defences would be "even stronger".
Taiwan's air force is well trained but dwarfed by China's.
The United States in 2019 approved an $8 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan, a deal that would take the island's F-16 fleet to more than 200 jets, the largest in Asia.
China has announced sanctions on Lockheed Martin for selling arms to Taiwan.(Reuters)
November
Japan looks to accept more foreigners in key policy shift
Written by Nur Yasmin
In a major shift for a country long closed to immigrants, Japan is looking to allow foreigners in certain blue-collar jobs to stay indefinitely starting as early as the 2022 fiscal year, a justice ministry official said on Thursday.
Under a law that took effect in 2019, a category of "specified skilled workers" in 14 sectors such as farming, nursing care and sanitation have been granted visas but stays have been limited to five years and without family members for workers in all but the construction and shipbuilding sectors.
Companies had cited those restrictions among reasons they were hesitant to hire such help, and the government had been looking to ease those restrictions in the other fields.
If the revision takes effect, such workers - many from Vietnam and China - would be allowed to renew their visas indefinitely and bring their families with them.
Top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno stressed, however, that any such change would not mean automatic permanent residency, which would require a separate application process.
Immigration has long been taboo in Japan as many prize ethnic homogeneity, but pressure has mounted to open up its borders due to an acute labour shortage given its dwindling and ageing population.
"As the shrinking population becomes a more serious problem and if Japan wants to be seen as a good option for overseas workers, it needs to communicate that it has the proper structure in place to welcome them," Toshihiro Menju, managing director of think tank Japan Center for International Exchange, told Reuters.
The 2019 law was meant to attract some 345,000 "specified skilled workers" over five years, but the intake has hovered at around 3,000 per month before the COVID-19 pandemic sealed the borders, according to government data.
As of late 2020, Japan housed 1.72 million foreign workers, out of a total population of 125.8 million and just 2.5% of its working population.(Reuters)
November
Philippines tells China to 'back off' after South China Sea standoff
Written by Nur Yasmin
The Philippines on Thursday condemned "in strongest terms" the actions of three Chinese coast guard vessels that it said blocked and used water cannon on resupply boats headed towards a Philippine-occupied atoll in the South China Sea.
Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin said no one was hurt during Tuesday's incident at the Second Thomas Shoal but the Philippines boats, which were transporting food to military personnel based there, had to abort their mission.
"China has no law enforcement rights in and around these areas. They must take heed and back off," Locsin said in a statement, reminding China that a public vessel is covered by a Philippines-United States Mutual Defense Treaty.
Locsin said he had conveyed "in the strongest terms" to China's ambassador in Manila "our outrage, condemnation and protest of the incident."
China's embassy did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
The Second Thomas Shoal, 105 nautical miles (195 km) off Palawan, is within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone and a small contingent of military have occupied it since 1999 having intentionally grounded a navy ship on the reef.
China regards the shoal as its territory as it falls within the "nine-dash line" that it uses on maps denoting its claim to almost the entire South China Sea. A 2016 international arbitration ruling, however, said the Chinese line had no legal basis.
Locsin said China's failure to exercise self-restraint "threatens the special relationship" between the two countries.
The office of President Rodrigo Duterte, who has been a staunch supporter of China, said it was aware of the incident at the shoal.
"We will continue to assert our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction," acting spokesperson Karlo Nograles said.
Before the incident, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said authorities had noticed an unusual presence of Chinese maritime militia near the atoll and Philippine-occupied Thitu island. China has denied operating a militia.
There were 19 vessels near Second Thomas Shoal last week, and 45 near Thitu Island, Esperon told reporters, describing those as "very aggressive".(Reuters)
November
Japan diplomat pulls out of U.S. news conference over islet dispute with S.Korea
Written by Nur Yasmin
Japan's vice foreign minister pulled out of a planned news conference with his South Korean and U.S. counterparts in Washington on Wednesday over a territorial dispute between the two U.S. allies, a Japanese Embassy spokesperson said.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman was left to answer questions on her own in the absence of South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong Kun and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori, with whom she had just met for three hours.
Sherman began by noting that "there are some bilateral differences between Japan and the Republic of Korea that are continuing to be resolved," but said the cancellation of the joint news conference was not related to the earlier trilateral meeting, which she called "constructive (and) substantive."
The three officials discussed freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea and their countries' commitment to advancing democratic values and human rights, and restated their commitment to maintaining an inclusive, free, peaceful, stable and open Indo-Pacific region, Sherman said.
Japanese Embassy spokesperson Masashi Mizobuchi said Tokyo had "lodged a strong protest" on Tuesday over a visit by South Korea's head of police to disputed islets between the countries, known as Takeshima in Japan. The cluster of windswept volcanic rocks is controlled by Seoul, which calls them Dokdo, but are also claimed by Japan.
"Under these circumstances, we have decided that it is inappropriate to hold a joint press conference," Mizobuchi said in an email.
Choi told reporters in Washington that the Japanese side informed them of its decision not to participate in the news conference shortly before the trilateral talks began.
A spokesman for South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said he had nothing to add to Choi's remarks but that Seoul's stance remains unchanged that Dokdo is the country’s territory historically, geographically and under international law.
Ties between the two nations have also frayed over Japan's 1910-1945 occupation of Korea, including over "comfort women," Japan's euphemism for mostly Korean women forced to work in its wartime brothels. The historic dispute has sparked tit-for-tat trade restrictions in recent years.
The trip to the island by National Police Agency Commissioner-General Kim Chang-yong was done in consultation with the foreign ministry given the diplomatic sensitivities, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported, citing unidentified police sources.
But it was not meant to be publicized and only became known when it was inadvertently listed on his public weekly schedule, the report said.
The visit to the island, which is manned by a small detachment of South Korean police, was the first by a national police chief since 2009, Yonhap said.(Reuters)November
Taiwan opens office in Lithuania, brushing aside China opposition
Written by Nur Yasmin
Taiwan opened a de facto embassy in Lithuania on Thursday in a diplomatic breakthrough for the Chinese-claimed island, brushing aside Beijing's strong opposition to the move.
China demanded in August that the Baltic state withdraw its ambassador to Beijing and said it would recall China's envoy in Vilnius after Taiwan announced its office in the city would be called the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania.
Other Taiwan offices in Europe and the United States use the name of the city Taipei, avoiding a reference to the island itself, which China claims as its own territory.
China has stepped up efforts to get other countries to limit their interactions with Taiwan, or cut them off altogether. Only 15 countries have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Beijing has also been angered by Lithuania's decision to open its own representative office in Taiwan, though no firm date has been set for that yet.
Taiwan's foreign ministry said the opening of the office would "charter a new and promising course" for ties between it and Lithuania.
There was huge potential for cooperation in industries including semi-conductors, lasers and fintech, it said.
"Taiwan will cherish and promote this new friendship based on our shared values."
The dispute with Lithuania over Taiwan has also sucked in the United States, which has offered its support to Vilnius to withstand Chinese pressure.
Many other countries maintain de facto embassies in Taipei, including several of Lithuania's fellow European Union member states, Britain, Australia and the United States.(Reuters)
November
'Life back to normal': More COVID-19 curbs eased in Melbourne
Written by Nur Yasmin
Melbourne's pubs and cafes can have unlimited patrons from Thursday night, while stadiums can return to full capacity as authorities lifted nearly all remaining COVID-19 restrictions for the vaccinated residents in Australia's second-largest city.
Victoria, the state that is home to Melbourne, has been gradually easing curbs when dual-dose inoculations reached 70%, 80% and 90%, with the latest relaxations part of a shift in strategy towards living with the coronavirus. The full vaccination level for the eligible population is expected to reach 90% over the weekend.
"Your life will be back to normal, you will be able to enjoy all the things that you have yearned for and missed," State Premier Daniel Andrews said during a media conference.
Under more relaxed rules, people can hit the dance floor and there will be no limits on home gatherings. But masks will remain mandatory in health facilities, public transport and retail stores.
Eased restrictions mean major summer sports events like the Boxing Day cricket test match and the Australian Open tennis will be able to welcome capacity crowds.
Australia had largely stamped out infections for most of this year until an outbreak of the Delta variant in late June spread rapidly across Sydney and Melbourne, its largest cities, and the national capital of Canberra, forcing months-long lockdowns. They have since come out of lockdowns racing through their inoculations.
Even with the Delta wave, Australia has recorded about 194,000 cases and 1,922 deaths, far lower than many comparable countries.
New South Wales, which includes Sydney, logged 262 cases on Thursday and Victoria 1,007 new infections, while the Australian Capital Territory reported 25. Fifteen deaths were registered.
The Northern Territory is battling to contain a fresh outbreak as authorities look to accelerate vaccinations to prevent the spread of the virus in remote communities. Other states and territories are COVID-free.(Reuters)
November
Japan tells China peace, stability in Taiwan Strait are important
Written by Nur Yasmin
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)
November
U.S. confident on developing business framework with Indo-Pacific partners: Commerce chief
Written by Nur Yasmin
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)
November
EXCLUSIVE ASEAN states object as China lobbies for Myanmar junta to join summit: sources
Written by Nur Yasmin
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)