Live Streaming
Program Highlight
Company Profile
International News (6891)
June
Customs at forefront in enabling COVID-19 vaccination roll-out: APEC
Written by Nur Yasmin
Customs officials from APEC member economies joined forces to support the region's recovery efforts by developing a set of best practice guidelines to support the roll out of COVID-19 vaccines in the APEC region.
The Best Practice Guidelines for APEC Customs Administrations were endorsed by the APEC Sub‑Committee on Customs Procedures (SCCP), according to a release issued by the APEC Secretariat and received here on Wednesday.
The guidelines were developed following the 2020 APEC Leaders’ Meeting during which APEC Leaders stressed on the significance of ensuring easy access to COVID-19 vaccines deemed vital to safeguarding public health and well-being.
"Customs is one of the critical players in the global supply chain process. As the key gatekeepers protecting our borders, we need to ensure that essential goods, such as vaccines, can flow through easily without any hold-ups," Rebecca Jonassen, chairing the sub-committee, stated.
"Member economies may encounter numerous challenges in the supply chain, including counterfeit and illegal movement of vaccines," according to Jonassen, who is also with the New Zealand Customs Service, the agency that put forth the initiative.
Hence, the sub-committee chair acknowledged that the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and related goods, such as test kits, syringes, and dry ice, across borders while supporting the rules-based trading system is a relevant and real-time challenge.
The guidelines encompass a set of operational and practical measures to ensure the region’s supply chains are equipped to facilitate the flow of COVID-19 vaccines and related goods.
Examples of best practice comprise establishing a 24-hour contact point to help with questions and responses to delays, ensuring that the vaccine supply chain is uninterrupted while in transit, and fast-tracking border clearance for hazardous substances.
"Member economies are coming together with an urgent need to defeat the pandemic," Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat Rebecca Sta Maria stated.
"These guidelines will complement the wider ongoing vaccine supply chain commitment and assist economies to consider all available measures to manage the complex and sensitive nature of the vaccine supply chain," she affirmed.
Wherever possible, the guidelines recommend that customs administrations in the region should simplify procedures, utilize online forms, and digitalize documents to ensure timely movement and clearance of the vaccines.
Another recommendation is to conduct regular border testing, including surface swab testing and testing of border officials involved in the clearance process, to ensure the safe transfer of vaccines and related goods and to protect officials and others involved in their distribution.
"By implementing these measures, APEC economies will benefit from simpler border processes and help COVID-19 vaccines to reach where they are needed more quickly and efficiently," Jonassen stated.
"The guidelines will also build supply chain resilience and connectivity, securing against any future supply chain disruptions," she affirmed. (Antaranews)
June
China, ASEAN agree to avoid provocations in South China Sea
Written by Nur Yasmin
Foreign ministers of Southeast Asia and China agreed during a meeting to exercise restraint in the South China Sea and avoid actions that could escalate tensions, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said on Tuesday.
The ASEAN statement referred to a meeting on Monday in China of the ministers, and comes after separate diplomatic protests in recent weeks made by Malaysia and the Philippines over the conduct of China's military and fishing fleet. (Reuters)
June
U.S. CDC eases travel recommendations on 61 countries, including Japan
Written by Nur Yasmin
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has eased its travel recommendations for 61 countries, including Japan from its highest "Level 4" rating that had discouraged all travel to recommending travel for fully vaccinated individuals, the agency confirmed Tuesday.
The new ratings, which were not previously reported and posted on a CDC website Monday, lower 61 countries to "Level 3," including France, South Africa, Canada, Mexico, Russia, Spain and Italy. A U.S. State Department official said it was in the process of revising its travel advisory to reflect the CDC changes.
The CDC said the change comes after its revised its criteria for travel health notices. The CDC said it has also revised its rating for the United States to "Level 3" from "Level 4."
On May 24, the State Department had urged against travel to Japan, citing a new wave of coronavirus cases before the Tokyo Olympics are set to begin July 23.
The CDC said the new criteria for a Level 4 "avoid all travel" recommendation has changed from 100 cases per 100,000 to 500 cases per 100,000. The CDC added that many countries have lower ratings "because of the criteria changes or because their outbreaks are better controlled." The CDC added it expects more countries to get lower ratings.
Other countries being lowered to "Level 3" include Honduras, Indonesia, Jordan, Libya, Panama, Poland, Denmark and Malaysia.
Many of the countries that now have lower ratings remain on the U.S. government's list of countries subject to severe travel restrictions -- and most have been subject to the restrictions since early 2020.
The United States bars nearly all non-U.S. citizens who have been in China, the United Kingdom, Ireland, India, South Africa, Brazil, Iran and the 26 Schengen nations in Europe without border controls within the previous 14 days. (Reuters)
June
U.N. says 100,000 flee fighting in Myanmar border state
Written by Nur Yasmin
The United Nations said on Tuesday an estimated 100,000 people in Myanmar's Kayah state had been displaced by fighting that included "indiscriminate attacks by security forces" in civilian areas.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since a military coup on Feb. 1, with daily protests in towns and cities and fighting in borderlands between the military and ethnic minority militias, some of which have only existed for a few weeks.
"This crisis could push people across international borders seeking safety, as already seen in other parts of the country," the United Nations in Myanmar said in a statement.
It urged all parties to "urgently take the necessary measures and precautions to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure".
Myanmar's foreign minister defended the junta's plan for restoring democracy, state media reported on Tuesday, after a meeting at which his counterparts from ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member states pressed the junta to honour a consensus agreement to halt violence and start dialogue with its opponents.
The foreign ministers on Monday expressed disappointment at a meeting in China with Myanmar's "very slow" progress in implementing a five-point plan that it agreed to, by consensus, at an ASEAN summit in April.
State media cited the junta's envoy, retired army colonel Wunna Maung Lwin, as telling the meeting the military had made progress on its own five-step road map, unveiled after the coup.
That plan has few similarities with the ASEAN blueprint and centres on investigating alleged fraud in November's election, managing Myanmar's coronavirus epidemic and organising another election, after which the junta has promised to cede power.
CHINA PUSHES ASEAN PLAN
"The minister apprised the meeting that the only way to ensure the democratic system that is disciplined and genuine was through the five-point future programme that was declared in February," the daily Global New Light of Myanmar reported.
The military has defended its takeover by saying that the old election commission ignored its complaints of fraud by Aung San Suu Kyi's ruling party.
Wunna Maung Lwin on Tuesday met separately with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, and told him Myanmar was "committed to maintaining national stability and social tranquillity", according to a statement by China.
He said Myanmar "appreciates China's support for the peace and reconciliation process", it said.
Wang said the ASEAN plan should be implemented, violence avoided, stability restored and the democratic process restarted, the statement added.
Opponents of the junta have been wary of China, one of the few countries that previously had influence over Myanmar's generals. Unlike Western countries, China has not been vocal in criticising the coup.
A 'shadow government' named by the opposition was angered by a Chinese Embassy statement that referred to junta head Min Aung Hlaing as "leader" of Myanmar.
The United Nations, Western countries and China all back ASEAN's effort to mediate in the crisis, which was triggered by the military's decision to end a decade of tentative democracy and international integration that it had itself initiated.
But in taking back control, it has been unable to stop protests flaring up and down Myanmar. A rights group says government forces have killed at least 849 protesters, though the army disputes that figure.
NEED FOR SHELTER AND FOOD
The United Nations on Monday said those who had fled Kayah urgently needed shelter, food, water and healthcare, and urged security forces to let aid workers and supplies through.
Kayah, which borders Thailand, is one of several regions where volunteer People's Defence Forces have attacked the well-equipped military, which has responded with heavy weapons and air strikes, triggering an exodus into nearby forests.
Thailand, which fears a flood of refugees, has expressed its concern about the fighting and urged the junta to take the steps agreed with ASEAN.
Images taken on Monday and obtained by Reuters showed a plume of smoke above the Kayah town of Mobye, which anti-junta militias were forced to flee after the army used heavy weapons, one fighter told Reuters.
Reuters is unable to independently verify the accounts. State television made no mention of conflict in Kayah in its nightly newscast and a junta spokesman did not answer several calls seeking comment.
Fighting has also taken place in the past few weeks in Demoso, Hpruso and the state capital Loikaw, where a resident described a climate of fear, with troops looting shops and questioning local people.
"People are scared to go out," said the 25-year-old woman, who asked not to be identified for security reasons.
"If people go out, soldiers stop them and interrogate them and sometimes shoot at them." (Reuters)
June
Turkey offers to run Kabul airport after NATO's Afghan withdrawal -officials
Written by Nur Yasmin
Turkey has offered to guard and run Kabul's airport after the United States and other NATO forces withdraw from Afghanistan, but U.S. officials say Ankara is imposing conditions which need to be resolved as their leaders prepare to meet next week.
Turkish officials say Ankara made the proposal at a NATO meeting in May when the United States and its partners agreed a plan to withdraw troops by Sept. 11 after 20 years of war trying to defeat Taliban forces. read more
Turkish and U.S. officials have discussed possible requirements for the mission, some of which Washington has agreed to address, one Turkish official said.
"Following the United States' decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, Turkey has made an offer to ensure the security of Kabul airport. In this framework, there are talks underway with NATO and the United States," the Turkish official said.
A Turkish role securing the airport for international flights could help improve ties between Ankara and the West, sorely strained by Turkey's purchase of Russian defence systems and disputes with European countries over drilling rights in east Mediterranean waters.
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Monday that Ankara's offer was contingent on backup from those allies.
"We intend to stay in Afghanistan depending on conditions. What are our conditions? Political, financial and logistical support. If these are met, we can remain at Hamid Karzai International Airport," his ministry quoted Akar as saying.
U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they welcomed the Turkish proposal but that Ankara was asking for too many U.S. "enablers" for the mission.
The officials also cited some U.S. concern about Turkey's reliability, given their other disagreements, but said Washington would find a way to make it work.
NATO leaders will discuss Afghanistan at a summit next Monday, where Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will meet Joe Biden for the first time since the U.S. president took office.
With efforts to resolve the dispute over Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 missile defences, which led Washington to impose sanctions on Turkey's arms industry last year, the airport plan may offer a rare opportunity to build goodwill.
The two countries are also at odds over U.S. support for Syrian Kurdish fighters, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a U.S. court case against a Turkish state bank.
ESCALATING VIOLENCE
The proposal comes as clashes over territory in Afghanistan raged, three months before the planned withdrawal. On Monday, senior government officials said at least 150 Afghan troops were killed or injured in a surge of attacks by Taliban militants in the previous 24 hours.
Securing Kabul airport could help persuade some countries to maintain a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan. Last month Australia shut its embassy there due to security concerns.
Turkey has more than 500 troops stationed in Afghanistan as part of a NATO mission to train Afghan security forces, and the Turkish official said additional troops would be needed for the airport mission.
Talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, which was ousted from power by a U.S. invasion in 2001 and has since waged an insurgency, have been shelved amid the withdrawal. Both sides have accused each other of provocations.
The Afghan government and Taliban were not immediately available for comment. It was not clear whether the Islamist Taliban would accept an expanded Turkish mission. (Reuters)
June
Australia’s Melbourne eyes way out of COVID-19 lockdown as cases ease
Written by Nur Yasmin
Victoria, Australia's second-most-populous state, was plunged into a one-week lockdown on May 27 to contain a virus outbreak, forcing its 7 million residents to remain home except for essential business.
The lockdown was extended in Melbourne until June 10, while some restrictions were relaxed in other regions in the state.
Two new locally acquired cases, both linked to existing clusters, were reported on Tuesday, down from 11 a day earlier.
"While we never want to see new cases, it is reassuring that we are again seeing these cases with clear links to existing outbreaks," Victoria state Acting Premier James Merlino told reporters in Melbourne.
Merlino said contact tracers have linked the source of the highly infectious Delta virus variant to an overseas traveller who entered hotel quarantine in Melbourne on May 8.
But officials said that it was still unclear how the Delta variant was transmitted into the community and that further tests would be needed.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he would like to see the COVID-19 lockdown in Melbourne lifted as early as possible and urged authorities to balance risks when they decide to shut down large parts of the economy.
"Further restrictions around the country should either not occur at all, or for a very, very narrow set of circumstances," Morrison told reporters in Sydney.
Australia has reported zero local cases for most days this year, encouraging authorities to ease restrictions helping the country's A$2 trillion ($1.55 trillion) economy rebound sharply to above pre-pandemic levels.
DELTA VARIANT
Though case numbers remained in single digits on almost all days through the lockdown, the emergence of the highly contagious Delta variant, first detected in India, late last week had stoked concerns of a major spike in infections.
The Delta variant has been classified by the World Health Organization as among the four COVID-19 variants of concern because of evidence that it spreads more easily, and that it most likely caused the latest devastating wave of COVID-19 in India.
Australia has fared better than many other developed countries in containing COVID-19, largely with snap lockdowns, regional border restrictions and tough social distancing rules. It has reported just under 30,200 cases and 910 deaths since the pandemic began.
The latest outbreak has spurred a surge in people getting inoculated across Australia as federal, state and territory governments look to step up the pace of a sluggish nationwide vaccination drive.
New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, on Tuesday said it would build a second mass vaccination hub while South Australia extended its rollout to include people in their 40s. The Northern Territory has made vaccines eligible for anyone older than 16.
About 20% of Australia's adult population has received a first vaccine dose, with about 5.1 million total shots administered so far. (Reuters)
June
Australian PM to call for WTO reform as tensions with China mount
Written by Nur Yasmin
The World Trade Organization must have a binding dispute settlement system to address the growing use of economic coercion, Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison will say on Wednesday, as Canberra moves to win the support of G7 nations in its dispute with China.
Relations with China, already rocky after Australia banned Huawei from its nascent 5G broadband networking in 2018, cooled further after Canberra called this year for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, first reported in central China last year.
China responded by imposing tariffs on Australian commodities, including wine and barley and limited imports of Australian beef, coal and grapes, moves described by the United States as "economic coercion".
Australia has said it will not bow to Chinese pressure and has launched an appeal to the WTO over China's imposition of tariffs totalling more than 80% that has effectively stopped a billion-dollar trade in its tracks.
But with the appeal likely to take years, Morrison will call on G7 countries to endorse reform of the WTO ahead its ministerial conference in November.
"The most practical way to address economic coercion is the restoration of the global trading body's binding dispute settlement system," Morrison is expected to say on Wednesday, according to speech extracts seen by Reuters.
"Where there are no consequences for coercive behaviour, there is little incentive for restraint."
Morrison will say many world leaders have expressed support for Australia's stance, but like-minded countries must now strengthen cooperation.
"Liberal democracies will always be most persuasive based on the power of their example, not their pitch or their preaching." (Reuters)
June
UN says estimated 100,000 displaced by Myanmar violence
Written by Nur Yasmin
The United Nations said on Tuesday an estimated 100,000 people had been displaced in Myanmar's Kayah State by recent violence, including "indiscriminate attacks by security forces" against civilian areas.
"The United Nations in Myanmar is concerned about the rapidly deteriorating security and humanitarian situation," the United Nations in Myanmar said in a statement. (Reuters)
June
Japan finmin says G7 clinches 'historic' deal on minimum global tax
Written by Nur YasminThe Group of Seven (G7) advanced countries has struck a "historic" agreement for a minimum global corporate tax of at least 15%, raising momentum for a wider deal among the G20 major economies, Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said.
He was speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, responding to questions about the G7 tax deal hammered out at the grouping's weekend meeting in London.
Aso said the G7 tax deal was achieved because countries realised they could no longer rely on the race to the bottom on corporate tax cuts to spur growth.
The major factor was that the United States faced falling tax revenue and massive coronavirus spending, both of which called for the need to restore fiscal health, paving the way for a G7 deal, Aso said.
"Now that the course of direction has been shown, the possibility (of a tax deal) will rise at G20. It had a big impact on raising the momentum," Aso said.
The G7 comprises the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Canada.
Aso went on to say that he could not tell how the tax deal might affect corporate behaviour.
"Some of the small countries must have benefitted (from lower tax rates in attracting businesses) so we must take time in working out the details, as we aim to build a consensus through an inclusive framework." (Reuters)
June
New Zealand PM Ardern to take first dose of COVID-19 vaccine next week
Written by Nur YasminNew Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Tuesday that she would get her first COVID-19 shot at the end of next week, as the country prepared to receive another 1 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
"For me, it's been important that I allow those in the most at risk group... to be prioritised," Ardern said in a news conference.
"I'm choosing to be vaccinated at this point in order to play my role in demonstrating that I consider it to be absolutely safe and also really critical to keep others safe," she said.
Pfizer has scheduled delivery of an estimated 1 million doses of vaccine to New Zealand in July, Ardern said.
The Pacific island nation, which has been among the most successful in the world in containing the spread of COVID-19, has so far fully vaccinated about 250,000 of its 5 million population.
About 20,000 doses a day are being administered, and the Pfizer deliveries will enable that pace to increase significantly, Ardern said. At the peak of the programme in August and September, 50,000 doses will be administered each day, she said.
New Zealand has had 2,336 confirmed cases and 26 deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic so far. (Reuters)