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June
ASEAN must hold Myanmar junta accountable, UN expert says
Written by Nur Yasmin
Southeast Asian neighbours of conflict-riven Myanmar must consider imposing measures to hold its military rulers accountable, a United Nations expert said on Wednesday, adding the bloc is "deadlocked" over how to resolve the ongoing crisis.
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Thomas Andrews, said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must not engage with Myanmar's military leaders as there had been no progress in implementing a five-point peace plan agreed between the bloc and the junta after it seized power in a 2021 coup.
"It is time to consider alternative options to break what has become a deadly stalemate," he said at a press conference in Jakarta. "ASEAN must consider measures to impose accountability on the junta for its grave human rights violations and blatant disregard for implementation of the Five-Point Consensus."
The peace plan calls for an immediate halt in hostilities, safe humanitarian access, and inclusive dialogue to achieve peace in the strife-torn country.
In November, an ASEAN leaders' summit issued a warning to Myanmar's junta and concluded a need for "concrete, practical and measurable indicators with a specific timeline." But frustration has grown over a lack of progress and the junta's stepped-up attacks on opponents.
Andrews' remarks come as Thai media reported the U.S. plans to slap fresh sanctions on state-owned Myanmar banks and on the heels of this week's Thai-hosted gathering of regional diplomats aimed at re-engaging junta leaders, who have been barred from high-level ASEAN meetings.
The Thai meeting was shunned by key ASEAN countries, including chair Indonesia, which has led behind-the-scenes efforts to bring the military and its opponents together for dialogue.
Andrews said the meeting in Thailand "can have the dangerous effect of legitimising the junta and undermining ASEAN unity". (Reuters)
June
US Coast Guard ship transited Taiwan Strait after Blinken's China visit -US Navy
Written by Nur Yasmin
A U.S. Coast Guard ship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday in a transit that China described as "public hype", after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken having wrapped up a high-profile, widely watched visit to Beijing a day earlier.
The national security cutter Stratton made a "routine" Taiwan Strait transit on Tuesday "through waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law", the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet said on Thursday.
The politically sensitive strait, which separates China from the democratically governed island of Taiwan, is a frequent source of tension as Beijing steps up its political and military pressure to try to force Taipei to accept Chinese sovereignty.
"Stratton's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails and operates anywhere international law allows," the 7th Fleet added in its statement.
The mission happened the day after Blinken ended a visit to Beijing, in which the two countries agreed to stabilise their intense rivalry so it does not veer into conflict, but failed to produce any major breakthrough.
Taiwan's defence ministry said the ship sailed in a northerly direction, and its forces monitored the situation which it described as "normal".
The Chinese coast guard described the ship's transit as "public hype".
Chinese vessels tailed the U.S. ship "all the way", a spokesperson at China's coast guard said in a statement, adding that China will "resolutely" safeguard its sovereignty and security and maritime rights and interests.
A security source told Reuters the U.S. ship left the strait in the early hours of Thursday morning.
U.S. military vessels, and on occasion those of its allies, have routinely sailed through the strait in recent years, to the anger of China, which views such missions as provocation.
This month the U.S. Navy released a video of an "unsafe interaction" in the strait, in which a Chinese warship crossed in front of a U.S. destroyer operating with a Canadian warship.
Taiwan's military reports almost daily Chinese incursions in the strait, mostly warplanes that cross the waterway's median line, which once served as an unofficial barrier between the two.
On Wednesday, Taiwan said Chinese warships led by the aircraft carrier Shandong sailed through the strait. (Reuters)
June
Japan raises view on employment in June for first time in 11 months
Written by Nur Yasmin
Japan's employment trends showed "improvement recently", the government said in its latest monthly assessment of the economy, noting a decline in the jobless rate and the positive impact of bigger wage rises awarded by major firms.
It was the first time that the government had upgraded its assessment of the employment situation in 11 months. In May, the government had said the employment situation was "picking up".
The government maintained its overall assessment of the economy for the month, saying it was "recovering moderately" thanks to solid consumer spending and capital expenditure. But it also remained cautious about the potential risks of a global economic slowdown, price increases and financial market volatility.
Japan's jobless rate fell in April from the previous month as a result of the post-pandemic economic recovery and the nation's chronic labour shortages.
In annual labour talks, Japan's major companies pledged the biggest wage hikes in about three decades for this fiscal year.
A Cabinet Office official said that the wage hikes would be reflected in salaries with a time lag but that some firms have already started raising wages.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government sees sustaining wage hikes as key to shoring up households' purchasing power, needed to encourage economic growth. He said on Wednesday his government would mobilise all available policy tools to ensure wage growth.
Both private consumption and capital spending were "picking up", the June report said, maintaining the assessment from May.
The Cabinet Office described corporate profits as "improving moderately overall" in the report after upbeat corporate results in the first quarter.
Business sentiment at big Japanese manufacturers edged up in June, staying in positive territory for a second straight month, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday. (Reuters)
June
Pakistan PM briefs IMF chief, hopes for release of stalled funds
Written by Nur Yasmin
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday briefed International Monetary Fund's managing director Kristalina Georgieva on the economic outlook of the cash-strapped South Asian nation, hoping for the release of critical stalled funds.
The meeting on the sidelines of the Global Financing Summit in Paris came with about a week left before the IMF's Extended Fund Facility (EFF) agreed in 2019 expires on June 30.
Under the $6.5 billion EFF's 9th review, concluded earlier this year, Pakistan has been trying to secure $1.1 billion of funding that has been stalled since November.
"The Prime Minister expressed the hope that the funds allocated under the IMF's EFF would be released as soon as possible," said a statement from his office.
It said Sharif outlined the steps Pakistan had taken for economic growth and stability, adding that his country had already completed all the IMF's conditions to meet the 9th review.
With central bank foreign exchange reserves barely enough to cover one month of controlled imports, Pakistan is facing an acute balance of payment crisis, which analysts say could spiral into a debt default if the IMF money doesn't come through.
The IMF funding is critical to unlock other bilateral and multilateral financing.
Islamabad has expressed its frustration over the delay. It argues it has met all the painful fiscal measures the lender requested.
The IMF, however, still has concerns over Pakistan's external financing gap, foreign exchange market operations and the budget presented earlier this month which it said violated the programme's objective.
Pakistan has defended the budget, but at the same time offered to review it in any further talks with the IMF. (Reuters)
June
Japan to push for women's participation after gender gap report
Written by Nur Yasmin
Japan plans to push for women's participation in society, especially in politics, top government spokesperson Hirokazu Matsuno said on Wednesday, after an annual report showed the country was struggling to narrow the gender gap.
The World Economic Forum report measuring gender parity ranked Japan 125th out of 146 countries this year, down from 116th in last year's report.
"We need to humbly accept our country's current situation," Matsuno, the chief cabinet secretary, told reporters during a briefing.
In economic participation and opportunity, a category that examines labour force participation, wage equality and income, Japan was 123th, the lowest among East Asian and the Pacific countries.
Its gender parity in political empowerment was one of the world's lowest, at 138th, behind China, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
Women account for just two of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's 19 cabinet ministers and roughly a tenth of lower house lawmakers.
Investors, particularly those overseas, are cranking up the pressure on Japanese businesses to diversify their boards, traditionally skewed toward older men.
Norges Bank Investment Management, the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, will oppose the appointment of board chairs for Japanese companies lacking female board members, the Nikkei business daily said in April.
Kishida laid out a gender equality initiative this month, aiming for women to occupy at least 30% of executive positions in top companies by the end of the decade, from 2.2% in July 2022.
Voters and activists have also pushed politicians to take action. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party compiled a plan this month to boost the share of its female lawmakers to 30%. (Reuters)
June
North Korea criticises Blinken's China visit as 'begging trip'
Written by Nur Yasmin
North Korea on Wednesday criticised U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's recent visit to Beijing as a "begging trip" to ease tensions in what it called a policy failure to pressure China.
At one of the most significant U.S.-China exchanges since U.S. President Joe Biden took office, Blinken and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on Monday and agreed to stabilise their intense rivalry so it did not veer into conflict.
Blinken said after the meeting on Monday that he urged China to encourage North Korea to stop launching missiles as Beijing holds a "unique position" to press Pyongyang to engage in dialogue.
In a commentary carried by the North's KCNA news agency, Jong Yong Hak, whom it described as an international affairs analyst, said the rare visit was aimed at begging for the relaxation of tensions as the "attempt to press and restrain China may become a boomerang striking a fatal blow to the U.S. economy."
"In a word, the U.S. state secretary's recent junket can never be judged otherwise than a disgraceful begging trip of the provoker admitting the failure of the policy of putting pressure on China," the commentary said.
The commentary said the United States was responsible for escalating regional tensions with "anti-China complexes," such as the QUAD grouping with Japan, India and Australia and the AUKUS pact with Britain and Australia.
"It is the height of the double-dealing and impudence peculiar to the U.S. to provoke first and then talk about the so-called 'responsible control over divergence of opinion,'" the commentary said.
Daniel Kritenbrink, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs who was also on the Beijing trip, is expected to visit South Korea on Wednesday to brief Seoul officials on the two days of talks in China, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported. (Reuters)
June
US places sanctions on Myanmar's defence ministry, banks
Written by Nur Yasmin
The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Myanmar's defense ministry and two banks used by the ruling military junta to buy arms and other goods from foreign sources.
The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement the military has relied on foreign sources, including Russian entities under sanctions, to purchase and import arms, equipment and raw materials to manufacture weapons to support its "brutal repression".
Washington accused the defense ministry of importing goods and materiel worth at least $1 billion since the 2021 coup in which the military leaders seized power.
State-owned Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank (MFTB) and Myanma Investment and Commercial Bank (MICB), were also hit with sanctions. The Treasury said they allowed revenue-generating state-owned enterprises, including Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), access to international markets.
The banks receive and transmit foreign currencies for Myanmar's government.
"Burma’s military regime has leveraged state-run access to international markets to import weapons and materiel, including from sanctioned Russian entities, to continue its violence and oppression," the Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, said in the statement.
The United States and other Western nations have imposed several rounds of sanctions on Myanmar's military leaders since they seized power in a coup in 2021, overthrowing the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi and killing thousands of opponents in a crackdown.
A spokesman for Myanmar's military junta ahead of the announcement said it was not worried about any new sanctions.
Zaw Min Tun told the state media channel MWD on Tuesday the country has experienced sanctions before and they will not face losses if there are new ones on Myanmar state-owned banks.
He said the United States was "just doing this to cause difficulties in economics and politics".
"These kinds of things will cause unnecessary delays while we walk towards the multi-party democratic system."
The Bangkok Business News, cited Thai sources as saying the sanctions would hit Thailand and other countries in the region financially because of their connections with local banks.
The U.S. Embassy said it had regular conversations with the Thai government on Myanmar including how to mitigate the impact of any sanctions on Thailand or other countries.
Experts say the sanctions on the banks, while short of targeting gas projects that are a big source of revenue for the junta, could have an impact on the junta’s ability to fund its war against ethnic groups and insurgencies.
A February report by campaign group EarthRights International said the two banks were the Myanmar government’s "foreign currency treasuries" and were now under junta control.
It said the junta relied on foreign currency to buy jet fuel, parts for small arms production, and other supplies that could not be bought with the Myanmar kyat, EarthRights said.
"As a result, sanctions against MFTB and MICB could contribute substantially to cutting off the junta’s access to foreign currency, especially if combined with strong enforcement," it said. (Reuters)
June
Dozens of US lawmakers urge Biden to raise rights issues with Modi, letter shows
Written by Nur Yasmin
Dozens of U.S. President Joe Biden's fellow Democrats urged him on Tuesday to raise human rights issues with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Washington this week, according to a letter sent to Biden.
Modi left for Washington on Tuesday for a visit projected as a milestone in ties between the two countries.
The U.S. lawmakers said they were concerned about religious intolerance, press freedoms, internet access and the targeting of civil society groups.
"We do not endorse any particular Indian leader or political party — that is the decision of the people of India — but we do stand in support of the important principles that should be a core part of American foreign policy," said the letter, led by Senator Chris Van Hollen and Representative Pramila Jayapal.
A total of 75 Democratic senators and members of the House of Representatives signed the letter, sent to the White House on Tuesday and first reported by Reuters.
"And we ask that, during your meeting with Prime Minister Modi, you discuss the full range of issues important to a successful, strong, and long-term relationship between our two great countries," the letter said.
Modi has been to the United States five times since becoming prime minister in 2014, but the trip will be his first with the full diplomatic status of a state visit, despite concerns over what is seen as a deteriorating human rights situation under his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
Washington hopes for closer ties with the world's largest democracy, which it sees as a counterweight to China, but rights advocates worry that geopolitics will overshadow human rights issues. Several U.S. rights groups plan protests during Modi's visit.
The State Department's annual report on human rights practices released in March listed "significant human rights issues" and abuses in India.
'FRIENDS CAN AND SHOULD DISCUSS THEIR DIFFERENCES'
Modi will address a joint meeting of the House and Senate on Thursday, one of the highest honors Washington affords to foreign dignitaries.
"A series of independent, credible reports reflect troubling signs in India toward the shrinking of political space, the rise of religious intolerance, the targeting of civil society organizations and journalists, and growing restrictions on press freedoms and internet access," the lawmakers said in the letter.
They said they joined Biden in welcoming Modi to the United States, and want a "close and warm relationship" between the people of the two countries, saying that friendship should be based on shared values and "friends can and should discuss their differences in an honest and forthright way."
"That is why we respectfully request that — in addition to the many areas of shared interests between India and the U.S. — you also raise directly with Prime Minister Modi areas of concern," the letter said.
Speaking to reporters before Modi arrived in Washington, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby declined comment on whether Biden would raise the issue, but that it is "commonplace" for Biden to raise concerns about human rights. (reuters)
June
Ukraine builds layered air defences as Russia ramps up strikes
Written by Nur Yasmin
At a glance on a clear summer's afternoon, the U.S.-made Avenger air defence system is barely visible in the shadow of trees at the end of a dirt track outside Kyiv.
The short-range unit is an important part of a three-layered air defence network that Ukraine is trying to develop with a range of highly sophisticated Western systems to thwart Russian air attacks.
Russia has unleashed regular long-distance missile and drone attacks since October, but it seriously increased strikes in May as Ukraine prepared for a counteroffensive this month.
The strikes, which regularly kill civilians, look at least in part aimed at depleting air defence stocks so that fewer systems can be used to protect troops trying to advance under Russian air superiority, Kyiv officials say.
"The most difficult is an attack by various types of aerial targets," said the Avenger unit's commander who goes by the call sign "Architect", his pre-war profession.
"When they arrive in one night, both (drones) and cruise missiles fly by, that's the most difficult."
He leads a six-man team that took up positions two weeks ago after being trained by U.S. military instructors in Europe. They are yet to shoot down any missiles or drones.
They join an unfolding air battle that has played out over several weeks during which Ukraine has reported an extraordinary rate of downed drones and missiles, including hypersonic ones.
On Friday, Ukraine said it shot down all six cruise missiles and six hypersonic Kinzhal missiles fired at targets in and around the capital.
But strikes still regularly slip past defences. Last Wednesday, three civilians were killed in a missile attack in Odesa. The day before 11 were killed in a strike on President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's hometown.
'RACE AGAINST TIME'
Though it has dropped out of headlines as Kyiv has pressed for F-16 fighter jets from the West, Ukraine is still regularly asking for - and receiving - air defence missiles to replenish stocks, said Yuriy Sak, adviser to Ukraine's defence minister.
"Russia's tactic is using cheap drones in order to exhaust our air defences. It's almost like a race against time. Who's going to run out first? The Russians with their missiles or the ones we get from our allies?" he said.
Washington has supplied at least 12 Avenger systems to Ukraine. The Avenger is a rotating turret with eight missiles mounted on the back of a Humvee, which makes it highly mobile.
"One of our top priorities, when it comes to transforming our armed forces and building up our air defence capability is creating a three-layered air defence system," said Sak.
The Avenger, like hand-held Stinger missiles, are at the short-range end of the three layers. U.S.-made Patriot systems are at the long-range end. Avengers have a range of up to 5 km. Patriots have a 3 km minimum range and a maximum of 80 km.
There is greater mobility at the short end to counter targets and it is also much cheaper than firing expensive salvos of Patriot missiles, Sak said.
The Avenger is effective near the battefield, but there are too few of the systems to go around, he added.
In a bid to build up short-end capabilities, Ukraine is pressing Australia to supply four-wheel-drive Hawkei vehicles that can be mounted with air defences and used in the same way as Avengers, Sak said.
In the month of May alone, the Air Force reported shooting down 149 cruise missiles, 399 drones, seven hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, three ballistic missiles as well as 11 Iskander missiles of two different types.
By contrast in April, the Air Force said it had shot down 73 drones and 21 cruise missiles.
The unit commander near Kyiv said he was constantly aware of his responsibility to do his best to protect the roughly 3.5 million people living in Kyiv, and that they were on duty round the clock ready to respond. (Reuters)
June
Singapore tops list of costliest cities for goods, services aimed at the wealthy
Written by Nur Yasmin
Singapore for the first time became the most expensive city for goods and services for wealthy people, overtaking Hong Kong, London and New York, according to a report on Tuesday.
Cars and essential health insurance in Singapore are 133% and 109% more expensive than the global average, among 12 consumer goods and eight services that reflect the spending patterns of high-net-worth individuals, according to Julius Baer's Global Wealth and Lifestyle report this year.
The politically stable and tax-friendly city-state was one of the first Asian cities to significantly ease pandemic restrictions, and has started to see an influx of wealth.
Demand for accommodation is high, school places are at a premium, and the general cost of living for everyone is high in Singapore, the report added.
Shanghai, in first place last year, fell to second. Possible factors include longer pandemic restrictions than in other cities, the report said. Hong Kong was ranked third.
Johannesburg was at the bottom of the list, which covered 25 cities across the world. (Reuters)