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March
Russia launches satellite to monitor climate in Arctic
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mar. 2 - Russia launched its space satellite Arktika-M on Sunday on a mission to monitor the climate and environment in the Arctic amid a push by the Kremlin to expand the country’s activities in the region.
The Arctic has warmed more than twice as fast as the global average over the last three decades and Moscow is seeking to develop the energy-rich region, investing in the Northern Sea Route for shipping across its long northern flank as ice melts.
The satellite successfully reached its intended orbit after being launched from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur cosmodrome by a Soyuz rocket, Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russia’s Roscosmos space agency, said in a post on Twitter.
Russia plans to send up a second satellite in 2023 and, combined, the two will offer round-the-clock, all-weather monitoring of the Arctic Ocean and the surface of the Earth, Roscosmos said.
The Arktika-M will have a highly elliptical orbit that passes high over northern latitudes allowing it to monitor northern regions for lengthy periods before it loops back down under Earth.
At the right orbit, the satellite will be able to monitor and take images every 15-30 minutes of the Arctic, which can’t be continuously observed by satellites that orbit above the Earth’s equator, Roscosmos said.
The satellite will also be able to retransmit distress signals from ships, aircraft or people in remote areas as part of the international Cospas-Sarsat satellite-based search and rescue programme, Roscosmos said.
“As more activity takes place in the Arctic and as it moves into higher latitudes, improving weather and ice forecasting abilities is crucial,” said Mia Bennett, a geographer at the University of Hong Kong.
“There is also an element of data nationalism that is feeding into all this. Countries, especially those that see themselves as space powers, want to be able to rely on their own satellites and data to inform their activities, whether commercial or military in nature,” she said. (Reuters)
March
U.S. to push for 'intense' U.N. Security Council talks on Myanmar
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mar. 2 - U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Monday she hopes to use Washington’s presidency of the United Nations Security Council in March to push for more “intense discussions” on Myanmar.
Myanmar’s elected civilian government was ousted in a military coup on Feb. 1. Myanmar’s U.N. Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun appealed to the United Nations on Friday “to use any means necessary to take action against the Myanmar military” to restore democracy to the Southeast Asian country.
“I hope to use our time as president of the council to push for more intense discussions,” Thomas-Greenfield told reporters, adding that she planned to have a Security Council discussion on Myanmar “sooner rather than later.”
The Security Council voiced concern - in a statement last month - over a state of emergency imposed by the Myanmar military for one year, but stopped short of condemning the coup due to opposition by Russia and China.
Police in Myanmar have dispersed protests against the coup with tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets. On Sunday, police fired on crowds in several places, killing 18 people, the U.N. human rights office said.
Thomas-Greenfield said Washington was ready to use its renewed engagement at the United Nations and internationally “to press the military to reverse its actions and restore a democratically elected government.”
“But the violence we’re seeing happening now does not indicate that they’re ready to make what I would consider an easy decision for them to make,” she said. “So we do have to ramp up the pressure.”
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has pledged to mobilize global pressure “to make sure that this coup fails.”
Myanmar state television announced on Saturday that Kyaw Moe Tun had been fired for betraying the country. He told Reuters: “I decided to fight back as long as I can.”
The United Nations does not officially recognize the junta as Myanmar’s new government as it has received no official notification of any change in government or U.N. representation.
“We have not received any communication concerning changes in the representation of Myanmar here at the U.N. in New York,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Monday. “And nor have our colleagues in protocol received any information from the Permanent Mission in Myanmar on any changes in the government.” (Reuters)
March
China to provide Afghanistan with 400,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mar. 1 - China has pledged to deliver 400,000 doses of Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan, Afghan officials said on Monday, in a boost for an immunisation campaign begun last week.
“China’s ambassador to Kabul said in a meeting with health officials that his country would provide Afghanistan with 400,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine,” Ghulam Dastagir Nazari, the health ministry’s head of the immunisation programme, told Reuters.
The Sinopharm vaccine produced in China has been approved by the World Health Organization, but it is unclear when it will be delivered, Nazari said.
So far just over 12,000 health workers have received the vaccine in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan, he said.
The vaccination of members of the security forces has also begun, according to another official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to media.
Afghan government forces are facing intensified attacks, blamed on Taliban insurgents, since September, when the two sides entered U.S.-brokered peace talks hosted by Qatar. The Taliban has largely denied responsibility for the rash of violence. The militant group has also said it supports the vaccination campaign.
Afghanistan has already received 500,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from India, which enabled the nation to launch its vaccination drive last Tuesday.
Afghan health officials have said that the international COVAX programme, which is aimed at improving access to the COVID-19 vaccine for developing countries, would provide vaccines to cover 20% of the country’s 38 million population.
Afghanistan has registered 55,733 infections and 2,444 deaths. But experts say cases are significantly under-reported due to low testing and limited access to medical facilities in the war-torn country. (Reuters)
March
Foreign journalists in China see 'rapid decline in media freedom': survey
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mar. 1 - China used coronavirus prevention measures, intimidation and visa curbs to limit foreign reporting in 2020, ushering in a “rapid decline in media freedom,” the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China (FCCC) said on Monday.
For the third year in a row, no journalists told the group that working conditions had improved, the FCCC said in an annual report based on 150 responses to a survey of correspondents and interviews with bureau chiefs.
“All arms of state power - including surveillance systems introduced to curb coronavirus - were used to harass and intimidate journalists, their Chinese colleagues, and those whom the foreign press sought to interview,” it said.
Authorities cited public health concerns to deny reporters access to sensitive areas and threatened them with enforced quarantine, it added. Visa restrictions were also used to put pressure on reporting.
At least 13 correspondents were given press credentials valid for 6 months or less, the FCCC said. Foreign reporters based in China typically receive one-year visas and must renew them annually.
Journalists were also used as “pawns” in China’s diplomatic disputes, it added.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday that the report’s claims were “baseless”.
“We always welcome media and journalists from all countries to cover news in China according to the law ... what we oppose is ideological bias against China and fake news in the name of press freedom,” he said, at a daily news briefing.
China expelled more than a dozen foreign journalists at U.S. media organizations in 2020, amid a series of tit-for-tat actions between the countries. Washington also slashed the number of journalists permitted to work in the United States at four major Chinese state-owned media outlets.
In September, Australia helped two of its foreign correspondents leave China after they were questioned by the country’s state security ministry.
Journalists reporting from far western Xinjiang, where China has been accused of large-scale human rights abuses, encountered especially intense harassment, the report said.
Last year Chinese authorities detained Cheng Lei, an Australian citizen working for Chinese state media, and later Haze Fan, a Chinese national working for Bloomberg News, both on suspicion of endangering national security.
Both remain in detention.
Some Reuters journalists are members of the FCCC. (Reuters)
March
ASEAN foreign ministers to meet on Myanmar on Tuesday: Singapore minister
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mar. 1 - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) foreign ministers will hold a special meeting on Tuesday to discuss Myanmar, Singapore’s foreign minister said, calling for the immediate release of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
“A special ASEAN foreign ministers meeting will be convened via video conference tomorrow and where we will listen to the representative of the Myanmar military authorities,” Vivian Balakrishnan said in parliament on Monday.
He also called on the Myanmar military authorities to desist from the use of lethal force, “and to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation to prevent further bloodshed, violence and deaths.”
On Monday, protesters in Myanmar marched in defiance of a crackdown by security forces that killed at least 18 people the previous day.
He also urged all parties in Myanmar to engage in discussions to find long-term political solutions, including a way to return to the path of democratic transition.
“We believe this can only begin if President Win Myint, State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi, and the other political detainees are immediately released,” he told parliament.
A Myanmar court has filed two more charges against Suu Kyi, according to a lawyer acting for her.
Last week, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi met Myanmar’s military-appointed foreign minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, and Thai counterpart, Don Pramudwinai, for talks in Bangkok.
The initial efforts led by Indonesia to resolve the crisis have raised suspicion among Myanmar democracy activists who fear dealing with the junta would confer legitimacy on it and its bid to scrap the November election that Suu Kyi won. (Reuters)
March
Palm oil in focus as Swiss vote on trade pact with Indonesia
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mar. 1 - Swiss voters will decide on a free trade agreement (FTA) with Indonesia on Sunday, with lower tariffs on palm oil imports the main issue in what the polls predict will be a tight referendum.
The Alpine country signed the pact with Indonesia in 2018 together with the other European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.
Under the FTA, both parties will gradually reduce or abolish import duties on industrial products. For palm oil, Switzerland will reduce tariffs by about 20%-40% for up to 12,500 tonnes per year, but only if sustainability standards are met.
Indonesia is the world’s top producer of palm oil, which is used in cosmetics, food products and biofuels. Palm oil has faced scrutiny from green activists and consumers, who hold it responsible for forest loss, fires and worker exploitation.
The Swiss parliament ratified the deal in 2019, but the “Stop Palm Oil” movement - backed by the Greens as well as environmentalist and anti-globalisation NGOs - called a referendum under Switzerland’s system of direct democracy.
In the latest poll by market researcher GFS Bern for broadcaster SRG, 52% of voters said they intended to back the deal.
“I oppose free trade agreements because they eliminate customs duties that are there to prevent unfair competition from low-cost countries,” said Willy Cretegny, an organic wine producer in western Switzerland who initiated the referendum.
“They lead to a throwaway society that wastes resources. Standards to protect the environment or people’s health and safety also disappear along the way,” he said.
The referendum committee said the deal would boost demand for cheap palm oil, destroying tropical forests and hitting Swiss rapeseed and sunflower oil production.
The government recommends the FTA, saying it would give Switzerland’s export-oriented economy better access to growth market Indonesia while promoting more sustainable palm oil production as only certified oil could enjoy tariff reductions.
Switzerland has more than 30 free trade agreements with countries outside the European Union and EFTA. The European Union is also negotiating a trade deal with Indonesia. (Reuters)
March
Mar. 1 - Demand for manufactured goods drove extended growth in factories across Europe and Asia in February, but a slowdown in China underscored the challenges countries face as they seek a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic blow.
Restrictions imposed around the world to try and quell the spread of the coronavirus have shuttered vast swathes of the services industry, meaning it has fallen to manufacturers to support economies.
But vaccine rollouts and a pick-up in demand provided optimism for businesses that have grappled for months with a cash-flow crunch and falling profits.
IHS Markit’s final Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) jumped to a three-year high of 57.9 in February from January’s 54.8, beating the initial 57.7 “flash” estimate for one of the highest readings in the survey’s 20-year history. [EUR/PMIM]
German factory activity also reached a three-year peak last month and in France the pace of growth accelerated. Italy and Spain also saw a pick-up.
However, lockdown measures disrupted supply chains and factories struggled to obtain raw materials, leading to a big increase in delivery times.
“International shipping delays and strong global demand for raw materials have slowed manufacturers worldwide,” said Samuel Tombs at Pantheon Macroeconomics.
Factories in Britain, outside the euro zone and the European Union, reported the slowest output growth since May last month. Disruptions and rising costs linked to Brexit and COVID-19 limited their ability to respond to a modest pick-up in orders. [GB/PMIM]
ASIAN RECOVERY
Manufacturing activity in Japan expanded at the fastest pace in over two years and South Korea’s exports rose for a fourth straight month, suggesting Asia’s export-reliant economies were benefiting from robust global trade.
On the flip side, China’s factory activity grew at the slowest pace in nine months, hit by a domestic flare-up of COVID-19 and soft demand from countries under renewed lock-down measures.
“In all, the softer pace of activity in today’s (Chinese) manufacturing print is likely to be temporary, and we expect the growth momentum to pick back up on the back of a broadening out of the domestic demand recovery and a pick-up in global demand,” said Erin Xin, an economist at HSBC.
“However, household consumption, while recovering, has not yet fully reached pre-pandemic levels of growth due to continued labour market pressure.”
China was the first major economy to lead the recovery from the COVID-19 shock, so any signs of prolonged cooling in Asia’s growth engine will likely be a cause for concern.
With the global rebound still in its early days, analysts said the outlook was brightening as companies increased output to restock inventory on hopes vaccine rollouts normalise economic activity.
“The recovery in durable-goods demand is continuing, which is creating a positive cycle for manufacturers in Asia,” said Shigeto Nagai, head of Japan economics at Oxford Economics.
“As vaccine rollouts ease uncertainties over the outlook, capital expenditure will gradually pick up. That will benefit Japan, which is strong in exports of capital goods,” he said.
China’s Caixin/Markit Manufacturing PMI fell to 50.9 in February, the lowest level since last May but still above the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction.
Activity elsewhere in Asia remained brisk.
The Japan PMI jumped to its highest since December 2018. In South Korea, a regional exports bellwether, shipments jumped 9.5% for a fourth straight month of increase.
India’s factory activity expanded for the seventh consecutive month on strong demand and increased output, though a spike in input costs could weigh on corporate profits ahead.
The Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam also saw manufacturing activity expand in February, a sign the region was recovering from the initial hit of the pandemic. (Reuters)
March
WTO to hold ministerial meeting in Geneva in late 2021: sources
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mar. 1 - World Trade Organization members agreed on Monday to hold the next major ministerial meeting in Geneva, Switzerland in late 2021, delegates told Reuters.
The biennial conference was originally set to be held in Kazakhstan last year but was delayed due to the pandemic.
The WTO’s director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who began work on Monday hopes the meeting will provide a venue for a deal on fisheries subsidies as well as on reforms for the WTO’s top appeals body among other items. (Reuters)
March
Funding support by Hong Kong, China bolster APEC's research, analysis
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mar. 1 - Funding assistance of US$250 thousand by Hong Kong, China, aims to support APEC’s research and analysis capabilities through the APEC Policy Support Unit (PSU).
The funding will be channeled to continually drive high-quality research, analytical capacity, and policy recommendations that aid in the realization of APEC’s goals, according to a written statement issued by the APEC Secretariat and received here on Monday.
The contribution was confirmed in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) inked virtually by Hong Kong, China’s APEC Senior Official Brian Lo, and Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat Rebecca Sta Maria, on the sidelines of the first APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting of 2021 and related fora meetings.
"Our contribution is made in recognition of the exceptional and invaluable insights provided by the APEC Policy Support Unit in a wide range of fields that benefit the APEC forum as a whole," Lo affirmed.
"In difficult times like this, Hong Kong, China, is committed to supporting APEC’s work towards achieving economic recovery and promoting regional economic integration, notwithstanding the challenging circumstances posed by the COVID-19 pandemic," he remarked.
The APEC Policy Support Unit was formed in 2007 by APEC ministers as the research and analysis arm of APEC. It furnishes some 20 policy reports and papers annually in addition to helping members and fora in formulating robust, effectual initiatives, with assessable results.
Its policy research and analysis agenda is arranged into five core areas of trade and investment liberalization and facilitation; structural reform; connectivity, including supply chain connectivity and global supply chains; economic and financial analysis; and sustainable economic development.
"The Policy Support Unit seeks to engage and complement the work of other international organizations, policy think tanks and research institutes," Denis Hew, director of the APEC Policy Support Unit, stated.
"By pursuing opportunities for joint research and analysis, we endeavor to provide APEC members with wider resources and expand the body of APEC-related research and analysis," he affirmed.
"Reliable and high-quality research is paramount to APEC as a forum since it supports officials identify critical problems and pain-points, recommend policy solutions, and participate in the policy process to aid sound decision-making," Sta Maria remarked. (Antaranews)
March
More than 20 million in Britain get first COVID-19 vaccine dose
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mar. 1 - More than 20 million people across the United Kingdom have now received their first COVID-19 vaccine shot, data showed on Sunday as the country made more progress with Europe’s fastest vaccination programme.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the milestone represented “a huge national achievement and he paid testament to the country’s health, workers, volunteers and armed forces.
“I urge everyone to get the jab when called,” Johnson said. “Every jab makes a difference in our battle against COVID.”
Britain has suffered the highest COVID-19 death toll in Europe - it currently stands at 122,849 - and the heaviest economic shock among big rich countries, according to the headline measures of official data.
But the pace of its vaccination roll-out has raised the prospect of a gradual lifting of its current lockdown restrictions between now and the end of June.
On Sunday, finance minister Rishi Sunak promised to help the economy while the country remains under restrictions.
In a budget statement on Wednesday, he is expected to announce more borrowing on top of his almost 300 billion pounds ($418 billion) of COVID-19 spending and tax cuts.
Official data showed a total of 20.09 million people in Britain have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and almost 800,000 have received a second dose.
Last week, Britain said more than one in three adults had received their first vaccination.
Britain also reported on Sunday a further 6,035 cases within the previous 24 hours, and 144 more deaths within 28 days of a positive test.
The latest figures meant cases over the past seven days were down 21.2% compared with the previous seven-day period of Feb. 15-21, and deaths were down 33.5%. (Reuters)