VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Philippines seeks to bolster its ability to address threats while underlining the need to strengthen ties with allies while pursuing an independent foreign policy, under a six-year national security policy published on Tuesday.

The 48-page National Security Policy document, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr recently approved, highlighted "sharpening strategic competition between the United States and China" and "heightened rivalries among the major powers" as contributing to a "more tense geopolitical landscape".

"Major concern is also seen in the Cross-Straits relations that has the potential to be the flashpoint in the region," the government said in the document, published by the National Security Council, referring to the Taiwan Strait.

"The Philippines is concerned about its economic stability, a potential influx of refugees, and the welfare of overseas populations."

Beijing, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own, has been staging military exercises in the waters off the island to press its claim of sovereignty. The United States and allies such as Japan criticise such pressure on Taiwan.

"Any military conflict in the Taiwan Strait would inevitably affect the Philippines given the geographic proximity of Taiwan to the Philippine archipelago and the presence of over 150,000 Filipinos in Taiwan," the government said in the document.

The Philippines' northernmost islands are 190 km (118 miles) away from Taiwan.

The plan also covered government food and energy security priorities and noted that the South China Sea "remains a primary national interest".

"The divergences of claims ... claimants' methods of asserting their positions, continue to pose strategic challenges" that endanger territorial integrity and people's rights, said the Philippines, which is in dispute with China over parts of the sea.

To achieve energy security, the government said it would explore development of offshore reserves, including in the South China Sea, to help reduce dependence on imports.

Ties with China have grown tense under Marcos, as the Philippines pivots back to traditional ally the United States.

The Philippines would strengthen a Mutual Defense Treaty with the U.S., along with other existing mechanisms with regional partners, to "achieve a credible defence capability", it said. (Reuters)

Taiwan's defence ministry said on Tuesday it has not seen large-scale exercises or any other action by the Chinese military near the island after China condemned a brief U.S. visit by Taiwan Vice President William Lai.

China on Sunday denounced Lai's U.S. stopover on his way to Paraguay, saying that he was a separatist and "troublemaker through and through", and that it would take strong steps to protect its sovereignty.

Taiwanese officials have said China is likely to launch military drills this week near the island, using Lai's U.S. stopovers as a pretext to intimidate voters ahead of next year's election and make them "fear war". Lai is leading in the polls.

When asked at a press conference about Chinese military activity in response to Lai's trip, defence ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang, said it was the responsibility of the armed forces to track any Chinese activities near Taiwan.

"The national army upholds the principle of 'not afraid of the enemy and not provoking' when facing all activities by the Chinese Communist Party," Sun said.

However, Taiwan had not seen any "relatively large-scale" drills or actions by China's military, he said.

"But this does not mean we will let down our guard or war preparedness determination."

Asked whether China would launch more war games around Taiwan in response to Lai's U.S. trip, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin reiterated that China would "take resolute measures to safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity". He did not elaborate.

Five Chinese warplanes had entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone in the 24 hours up to Tuesday morning, made up of one Su-30, two J-10s and two J-16Ds, Taiwan's defence ministry said in a daily report on Chinese activity.

The J-16D is an electronic warfare variant of one of China's most modern fighters.

Beijing has launched almost daily military incursions into Taiwan's air defence zone in recent years seeking to pressure Taipei to accept Chinese sovereignty.

Lai is due back in Taipei early on Friday, returning via San Francisco.

China launched its last round of war games around Taiwan in April, a day after President Tsai Ing-wen returned from a trip to California where she met U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Both Taiwan and the United States are aiming for Lai's U.S. stop-overs to be as low-key as possible, saying that such transits are routine. On Sunday, Lai told supporters in New York that Taiwan would not be afraid nor back down in the face of authoritarian threats.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Taiwan Premier Chen Chien-jen appealed for a calm response from China to Lai's U.S. visits, saying such presidential and vice presidential transits have gone on for many years.

"There is no need for China to take this opportunity to provoke for no reason," Chen said. (Reuters)

VOINews, Jakarta - Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno expressed optimism that Indonesia's international tourist arrivals would reach 10 million in 2023, surpassing the targeted figure of 8.5 million.

"We, at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, provide performance guidance to tourism and creative economy players. It (the target) has been revised twice, and now, the newest figure is 8.5 million," Uno noted at the 2023 Indonesia Retail Summit (IRS) event here on Tuesday.

To this end, the minister urged retail entrepreneurs to prepare themselves to be able to provide services and products to tourists.

Uno expects tourists to buy products from Indonesia's modern retailers.

According to the minister, the retail sector has a major contribution to the trips of domestic tourists, with 1.2 to 1.4 billion trips targeted in 2023.

To this end, he encouraged retailers to boost promotion by using social media, among others.

He noted that people's movements are highly influenced by retailers' promotions and events. Thus, household consumption, which is the biggest contributor to economic growth, could continue to be boosted.

"We recorded that there are three thousand events this year that could generate up to US$12 billion in terms of economic support," he stated.

On that occasion, the minister drew attention to the challenge of bad air quality in Jakarta that threatens the potential of Indonesia's shopping tourism. In fact, Jakarta is the second entry point after Bali for international tourists.

He affirmed that the government is committed to reducing air pollution in Jakarta. The step is taken to prevent the risks to health and the number of tourist arrivals and the economy.

"That is why for the short term, we will carry out weather modification. We will also fundamentally change our lifestyle, from previously all using fossil fuel cars, we direct (people) to electric fuel (vehicles)," he remarked.  (antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - India, through the theme of its G20 presidency this year, "One Earth, One Family, One Future," called on all countries to work and move together to make progress as one family of the world.

"We have, of course, in our presidency been trying to see the world, as in our presidency theme -- One Earth, One Family, One Future -- as one global entity that progresses, so it has to be together, and countries should finally be united," India's G20 Chief Coordinator, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, stated in a press briefing in New Delhi on Monday.

According to Shringla, such a theme has been the ethos of Indian people in which "they see other people with big hearts as their own family, to look at all the people in the world as one big family."

He affirmed that such a spirit of togetherness should be brought to the G20 agenda this year to guide the G20 members accordingly to solve any global issues.

"We must work together to solve global challenges collectively, not using singular approach. Most Indians understand it well," he stated.

Shringla underscored the need for G20 countries to see the common goals and work collectively and cooperatively for a better future.

"We will have to make sure the G20 envision some new ideas and make the G20 as the catalyst of global change," he remarked.


Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called all Indian people to practice what the country leader called as a "human-centric development and globalization" view in which all countries work together for the benefit of all.

India assumed the G20 Presidency from Indonesia in December 2022. India’s year-long presidency will culminate with the G20 Heads of State and Government Summit scheduled to take place on September 9-10, 2023, in New Delhi.

During the course of the Presidency, India is expected to host over 200 G20 meetings across the country to deliberate on themes earmarked under the three work streams: the Sherpa Track, the Finance Track, and the Engagement Groups.

The Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19 countries -- Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States -- and the European Union.

The G20 members represent around 85 percent of the global GDP, over 75 percent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation, and it plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues.

During India's presidency, members of the G20 Troika are Indonesia, India, and Brazil. (Antaranews)