Author Archives: News Digest

It’s that time of year again –  you can’t find a train ticket home, your stomach is full of dumplings and your two uncles are fighting again after only three classes of baijiu. At least it’s that time of year for literally billions around the world – it’s Chinese New Year! On the night of the 18th, fireworks will fill the skies over China and many countries throughout Southeast Asia as the Lunar New Year is celebrated. After this last Year of the Horse, it will now be the Year of the Sheep. As it is the holidays, East by Southeast will be taking a break, but we’ll be back with more stories and insightful analysis starting in March. So from everyone at ExSE, we wish you and your families 新年快乐, 万事如意, 羊年大吉 ! Happy New Year!

EXSE FOCUS

Rebels Kill Dozens of Soldiers in Myanmar in Fighting Near Chinese Border – NYT The clashes, a renewal of a longstanding battle for territory in the area, is the latest setback for the government’s national reconciliation efforts.Reports are saying that over 10k refugees are pouring into Yunnan as a result of the fighting, which is less than the 30k refugees that entered China as a result of the 2009 Kokang Incident. So far, the media reaction to the fighting has been tempered. However the Chinese ambassador to Myanmar has had to deny that deny that Chinese troops are participating in military actions across the border. 

Related: Burma: 47 soldiers killed in clashes with insurgents – The Guardian

Related: Tens of thousands flee war, airstrikes in Kokang region – DVB

Dam will not collapse, EIT vows – The Nation Fears mount over Mae Suai Reservoir cracks.

Myanmar, ADB Sign $80 Million Loan Agreement to Improve Connectivity in Ayeyarwaddy Delta – ADB ADB and the Government of Myanmar today signed an $80 million loan agreement to rehabilitate a major road to support economic development in the agriculturally rich but underdeveloped Ayeyarwaddy Delta. This is great news. Deltas are some of the most agriculturally rich areas in the world and a lack of infrastructure connectivity is often a huge roadblock to reaching agricultural potential. 

ADB lends Vietnam $234 mln for policy reform, Hanoi metro – Thanh Nien Vietnam is losing ground in terms of competitiveness, according to the World Economic Forum.

What is ASEAN Community 2015 All About? – The Guardian ASEAN should convey clearly exactly what its community-building this year is all about. As an ADB official once told me, the ASEAN 2015 is more a milestone than a concrete set of regional policies and activities. 

Related: ASEAN Eyes Closer Military Ties in 2015 – The Guardian

Related: Democratic values and human rights in ASEAN – New Mandala

The Geopolitics of the Vietnam War – The Guardian Columnist James Burnham offered strategic insights into the war in Southeast Asia that remain relevant today.

REGIONAL RELATIONS

China Defends Trade Policies After U.S. Files Case at W.T.O. – NYT The country defended its policies and “expressed regret” at the filing of the case challenging Chinese subsidies on exports.

Related: White House to File Case Against China at W.T.O. Over Subsidies for Exports – NYT

 After More Shootings, Government Berates Thailand – The Cambodia Daily Following reports that three Cambodians were shot dead earlier this month by Thai soldiers after illegally crossing the border to find valuable timber, Cambodia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry sent an irate letter to the Thai Em­bassy on Friday.

Vietnamese, Chinese Party chiefs discuss plans to foster bilateral ties – Thanh Nien The countries are celebrating their 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Following the last year, Sino-Vietnamese ties will need a little more than ‘fostering’.

Related: Vietnam and Diplomatic Balancing – The Guardian

 Being Chinese in Singapore – NYT How one diaspora is questioning the mainland’s idea of Chineseness.

President Xi Jinping to Visit U.S. in September, Chinese Agency Reports – NYT In addition to visiting the White House, Mr. Xi will go to New York for events marking the 70th anniversary of the United Nations’ founding, the state media report said.

Related: Chinese leader’s US visit is ‘more symbolic than substantive’, say experts – The Guardian

Related: US, China to Discuss Repatriation of Chinese Fugitives – The Irrawaddy

 GIZ helping Asean nations develop a better way to meet its labour demands – The Nation An initiative to improve in-company staff-training standards in Asean that was launched by several countries in the region, including Thailand, with the assistance of the German International Cooperation’s (GIZ) is a step closer to being finalised following a Bangkok workshop.

HIV-Positive Migrants Denied Care at Thai Public Hospitals – The Irrawaddy Hospitals across the country are denying insurance and care to migrant laborers despite an insurance scheme launched over a year ago, officials and rights advocates say.

Lao and Thai Border Officials Team Up Against Trafficking of Young Women – Radio Free Asia Lao immigration officials will work with their Thai counterparts to prevent underage girls from entering Thailand in a bid to prevent them from being lured into the sex industry by human traffickers.

SUSTAINABILITY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

China Unveils Major South China Sea Gas Find – The Guardian Large yields may further fuel resource extraction efforts in contentious waters. The more gas reserves identified, the tighter the race for control of them becomes. 

Related: Can Natural Gas Be a Game-Changer for China? – The Guardian

 Egat ordered to limit Mae Moh impact – The Nation The Supreme Administrative Court yesterday ordered the Mae Moh lignite-fired power plant in Lampang province to minimise its harsh impact on the local environment and residents.

Thailand big contributor to plastic trash on ocean floors – The Nation Thailand is one of the top 10 countries that have been mismanaging their plastic waste, which has resulted in plastic debris sinking to the bottom of the sea along its coastlines, a study published in the Science journal said.

No Need to Sacrifice Asia’s Rivers to Power China’s Development – International Rivers Celebrating China’s commitments to phase out coal without asking how it will meet its targets is a dangerous game. Because while most might assume that China will replace its demand for coal with abundant and affordable renewable energy like solar and wind, the truth is that there’s a new energy – massive hydropower – bringing severe risks of its own. Certainly true that big hydropower brings many risks – but solar and wind might not be the best solutions to for a less coal dependent China. Both depend on weather patterns for their power and storing power for peak seasons is an issue as well. 

Related: Sustainable Hydropower Pitch for Burma Difficult to Swallow – International Rivers

 Ban on fires proposed for North – The Nation The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment wants to impose a strict ban on fires in nine provinces in the North during a critical 60-day period designated by local administrators, as part of an action plan that requires approval from the Cabinet.

Irrigation chief still wants to build Mae Wong dam – The Nation The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) chief still hopes to build the controversial Mae Wong Dam in Nakhon Sawan province and says the loss of 12,000 rai (4,744 acres) of forestland for the project will be compensated with 30,000 rai of reforested area.

China’s Polluters Hit with Biggest-Ever Fines – ChinaFile Two days before a new environmental law came into effect, six polluting companies in Jiangsu were ordered by the province’s highest court to pay 160 million yuan ($26 million) in restoration costs for illegally dumping almost 25,000 tons of chemical waste into two rivers in 2012.

China’s western water transfer plan affects Tibet, if not Brahmaputra – The Third Pole With the central and eastern route of China’s mega water transfer scheme now complete, attention is turning to the controversial western stretch over the Tibetan plateau

 Northern province sells rescued wildlife to restaurants, angers environmentalists – Thanh Nien 42 pangolins seized from poachers help Bac Ninh Province earn around $11,300.

 CHINA

Why China Is Banning Islamic Veils – ChinaFile This week, regional authorities outlawed Islamic veils from all public spaces in the regional capital of China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR). The Urumqi ban, which went into effect on Sunday February 1 (coincidentally the third annual (World Hijab Day), empowers Chinese police to punish violators and dole out fines of up to U.S.$800 for those who fail to enforce the prohibition.

Taiwanese Official in Charge of Ties With Mainland China Steps Down – NYT Wang Yu-chi resigned after prosecutors said that his former deputy, whom he had suspected of passing state secrets to China, would not be charged.

Related: Taiwan Charges Dozens of Protesters in Takeover of Government Buildings – NYT

 Politburo, army, casinos: China’s corruption crackdown spreads – The Guardian Xi Jinping’s huge anti-graft campaign has continued with the execution of a mining billionaire. Its effect is now so widespread that some warn daily work is grinding to a halt

Qualcomm given record £631m fine in Chinese anti-monopoly case – The Guardian China has fined the chipmaker Qualcomm 6bn yuan (£631m) in a wave of anti-monopoly penalties that have rattled foreign companies.

Related: China’s Internet Restrictions Are Hampering Business, Foreign Companies Say – NYT

 How China Defines Terrorism – The Diplomat In a new draft law, China has opted for its own definition.

China’s New Environment Minister Has Work Cut Out For Him – ChinaFile The elevation of the president of China’s most prestigious university to the job of government minister was unexpected.

Related: One year on after “war” declared on pollution, Beijing air scarcely improves – The Third Pole

 Good Times Are Over for Local Governments – ChinaFile Two pieces of recent news have piqued the public’s interest. First, local governments reported their latest debt figures to the Ministry of Finance. Second, in an attempt to revive the flagging property market, many local governments are easing requirements for the housing provident fund, which offers mortgages subsidized by the government.

The Plight of China’s Rights Lawyers – ChinaFile As the year came to a close, at least seven prominent Chinese human rights lawyers rang in the New Year from a jail cell. Under President Xi Jinping, 2014 was one of the worst years in recent memory for China’s embattled civil society.

Related: Chinese Lawyers to Chinese Lawmakers: Let Us Defend Our Clients – ChinaFile

 China Seizes Toilet Paper Bearing Image of Hong Kong Leader – The Irrawaddy Authorities in southern China have seized about 8,000 rolls of toilet paper and another 20,000 packages of tissues containing unflattering images of Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing chief executive, according to an official of the small political party that placed the order.

China’s Xiaomi to start small in U.S., with earphones and bands – Thanh Nien Xiaomi, China’s largest smartphone company, will begin selling headphones, smart wristbands and other accessories online in the United States in coming months, taking its first tentative step onto Apple Inc’s home turf without its signature Mi mobile devices.

  SOUTHEAST ASIA

Govt backflips on white-card voting rights – DVB The ID document acknowledges temporary residency and offers voting rights to holders. The President’s Office announced on Thursday that the cards will expire at the end of next month and must be handed over to authorities. Very disappointing. As Myanmar gets closer to the 2015 elections, we see more and more problems related to the country’s minority populations. 

Related: Revoking White Card Holder Voting Rights ‘Counter Reconciliation’: US Official – The Irrawaddy

 Thailand’s Junta Tries to Bury the Opposition in Endless Lawsuits – NYT Hundreds of people have been summoned and forced to sign documents that allow the junta to seize their assets if they become involved with “any political movement.”

Rebels Shun Union Day Pledge ‘Without Concrete Points’: Ethnic Leader – The Irrawaddy The head of an alliance of 16 ethnic armed groups said most of its members had declined to sign a Union Day pledge reaffirming commitments to Burma’s stalled nationwide ceasefire process, as the government-drafted statement failed to address key outstanding issues.

Vietnam to inspect accounts linked to the country in massive HSBC banking scandal – Thanh Nien HSBC Suisse has been accused of abetting tax-dodgers including many criminals across the world.

Related: HSBC scandal: 26 clients linked to Vietnam had accounts in controversial Swiss bank – Thanh Nien

From a Swift Boat to a Sustainable Mekong – US State Dept. Today, the Mekong faces a new and very different danger — one that threatens the livelihoods of tens of millions and symbolizes the risk climate change poses to the entire planet. Unsustainable growth and development along the full reach of the river are endangering its long-term health and the region’s prosperity.

Extraordinary Meeting of the Friends of the Lower Mekong – US State Dept.  On February 2, Counselor Tom Shannon and Senior Advisor to the Secretary Ambassador David Thorne led a U.S. delegation to the Extraordinary Meeting of the Friends of the Lower Mekong in Pakse, Laos. The Friends of the Lower Mekong, a donor coordination group, came together with the countries of the Lower Mekong to discuss the connection between water resources, energy needs and food security.

 ‘Evidence of Illegal Activity’ by Chinese, Canadian Firms at Monywa: Amnesty – The Irrawaddy Amnesty International has called for an investigation into two international firms over their conduct in three adjoining copper mine projects, including the controversial Letpadaung mine, the site of repeated clashes between villagers and police forces in recent months.

Related: Wanbao slams Amnesty report as ‘groundless, sensationalist’ – DVB

 As Technology Entrepreneurs Multiply in Vietnam, So Do Regulations – NYT A growing list of government rules dictates how technology businesses must be run, including what they can do with their content.

Farewell to arms – SEA Globe For more than four decades, sections of the Hmong community have been in conflict with the Lao government, but is the resistance all but over?

 Vietnam’s migrant labourers: Going to debt mountain – The Economist Vietnam’s youthful population of 90m adds up to 1.5m each year to the growing work pool. But economic growth, at 6%, is not fast enough to keep all of them employed.

Villagers ‘seeking justice’ in land dispute – The Nation Local people in Khok Yao and Bor Kaew communities in Chaiyaphum are preparing to petition for help from state authorities again today in the face of growing pressure for them to vacate homes on disputed land in Khon San forest.

Dogs Used to Hunt Down Montagnards – The Cambodia Daily Authorities in Ratanakkiri prov­ince are using dogs in their at­tempts to locate 32 Montagnards hid­­ing in O’Yadaw district forest, an ethnic Jarai villager and a local rights group said Friday.

 YUNNAN

Man dies of bird flu in northwest Yunnan – GoKunming The Yunnan Department of Health on Sunday announced the first instance of fowl-to-human transmission of influenza in China this year. The single case was identified by health workers in a rural area of northwest Yunnan and thought to have occurred because the patient worked with wild birds.

In what is normally a festive time of year, this last week has been one of shock, grief and solemn remembrance for many in Southeast Asia. On December 26th, countries around the region marked the ten year anniversary of the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami with memorials, prayers and promises of renewed efforts to strengthen disaster infrastructure.

 Now, however, the region’s focus is on AirAsia flight QZ8501, which has been missing since yesterday morning. The flight, which was flying from Surabaya, Indonesia to Singapore, lost contact not long after taking off and after 30+ hours of search efforts, the worst is now feared. According to the head of Indonesia’s search and rescue agency, QZ5801 is now likely “on the ocean floor.” There were 162 people on the flight, with 155 Indonesian citizens. Despite rumors of wreckage found, there has been no news of any successful recovery efforts as of publishing time. The thoughts and prayers of all of us at ExSE are with the passengers’ loved ones in the wake of this tragedy.

ExSE FOCUS

Indonesia says missing AirAsia plane could be at ‘bottom of sea’ – Reuters A missing AirAsia jet carrying 162 people could be at the bottom of the sea after it was presumed to have crashed off the Indonesian coast, an official said on Monday, as countries around Asia sent ships and planes to help in the search effort.

Related: AirAsia Plane Missing After Takeoff From Indonesia – NPR

Related: Search resumes for missing AirAsia flight – USA Today

Related: Tony Fernandes, the millionaire entrepreneur behind AirAsia – The Guardian

 Asia remembers devastating 2004 tsunami with tears and prayers – Reuters Memorials were held in the worst-affected countries – India, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Indonesia – where monks, imams and priests held ceremonies to honor those who perished. Hundreds gathered in Indonesia’s Aceh province, many bursting into tears as poems and songs were heard and a montage was screened showing the devastation from a disaster that killed 126,741 people in Aceh alone.

Laos to Break Ground on Don Sahong Dam in Early 2015 – RFA Formal construction on the much-criticized Don Sahong Dam in Laos will begin early next year, according to a Lao energy official, despite a host of concerns raised during an open consultation period with stakeholders. The controversial dam is being built by Malaysia’s Mega First Corporation Berhad (Mega First) on Southeast Asia’s key artery the Mekong River, just two kilometers (1.2 miles) north of Cambodia.

The project has sparked widespread concern among neighboring countries and environmentalists who say that it will block migratory fish routes, negatively affecting nutrition and livelihoods across regional boundaries.

Daovieng Phonekeo, deputy director general of the Lao Department of Electricity, told RFA’s Lao Service that full-scale construction of the 260-megawatt dam would begin shortly after the end of a six-month consultation process which began in July. “On Jan. 21, the consultation process will be completed, and after that we will begin construction during this dry season [which runs from January to May], because during the rainy season we can’t carry out the work,” he said. Opposition to dam still intense from Vietnam, Cambodia, int’l community. Highly-touted MRC consultation process doesn’t amount to much. Not really a consultation on whether to build the dam, more like a discussion on the effects. ExSE’s Brian and Will will be in the Siphandone area in the next few weeks. Look for reports in the new year.

 Related: Downstream Communities File Groundbreaking Complaint Over Don Sahong Dam – International Rivers

Related:  Vietnamese committee opposes Laos’ new dam – Thanh Nien News

Related: Don Sahong dam in Laos: Energy at what cost? – Mekong Commons

Rescuers struggle to reach flood victims in Malaysia as anger mounts – Thanh Nien News Rescue teams struggled Saturday to reach inundated areas of northeast Malaysia as victims accused the government of being slow to provide assistance after the country’s worst flooding in decades. Hopefully flooding will end soon, recovery efforts can get underway.2014 not a good year for Malaysia, here’s to hoping for a better 2015.

Related: Malaysia and Thailand flood crisis – Thanh Nien News

Gmail blocked in China – Reuters Google Inc’s Gmail was blocked in China after months of disruptions to the world’s biggest email service, with an anti-censorship advocate suggesting the Great Firewall was to blame. Large numbers of Gmail web addresses were cut off in China on Friday, said GreatFire.org, a China-based freedom of speech advocacy group. Users said the service was still down on Monday. Rumors on Twitter that you can’t even send emails to Gmail accounts or company accounts that are hosted by Gmail from within China. If true, Chinese government is cutting off a major route to the outside world. What about Chinese companies communicating with foreign firms that have Gmail-hosted accounts? What about children of elite applying to Western universities with Gmail-hosted emails? Might be a good time to buy stock in Astrill, other VPN companies. 

REGIONAL RELATIONS

Woman Killed While Protesting Chinese Copper Mine in Myanmar – NYT Villagers said the 56-year-old was shot by security forces as the police and Chinese employees of the mine erected a fence after land had been seized to expand the project. An unfortunate death and probably not the last. Protests will continue if local communities aren’t included in decisions on large projects like the Latpadaung Mine.

Related: The Latpadaung Mine Story – DVB

Cambodia, Vietnam Vow to Boost Bilateral Ties –The Diplomat Vietnamese president’s state visit sees neighbors advance comprehensive cooperation

Malaysia’s Janakuasa, Vietnam reach deal on 1,200 MW power plant – Thanh Nien News Vietnam has reached a preliminary agreement with Malaysian company Teknik Janakuasa on a build-operate-transfer contract for a 1,200-megawatt coal-fired power plant, the country’s first such facility to use imported coal, Vietnam’s industry and trade ministry said. Despite all the talk of hydropower among SE Asia watchers, coal still rules the market and makes up more than half of the region’s energy profile.

SUSTAINABILITY & RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

U.N. Disaster Chief Warns of More Natural Catastrophes to Come – NYT Margareta Wahlstrom, the top United Nations official on disasters, said the frequency of global hurricanes, flooding and other natural events would continue to rise. On the anniversary of the 2004 tsunami, Thailand and Malaysia are struggling with the worst flooding in 60 years. Many parts of SE Asia aren’t prepared for natural disasters and will suffer the consequences as climate change effects worsen.

2015 Set to Be a Tough Year for Commodities – The Diplomat The region’s miners have had a year to forget. Will 2015 be any better? Much of the region’s economic growth based on resource extraction. Falling commodities prices aren’t a welcome sign in places like Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Water From China’s South-North Transfer Project Flows to Beijing – NYT Within days, Beijing’s faucets are expected to begin spewing water that has traveled hundreds of miles to the capital from Hubei Province via one of the world’s most ambitious, and controversial, engineering projects.

Financing Climate Safety – Project Syndicate When the global financial system works properly, savings are channeled into investments that raise living standards; when it malfunctions, savings finance real-estate bubbles and environmentally harmful projects, including those that worsen climate change. Next year will be a turning point in the effort to create a better system.

What happened to The Third Pole’s environment in 2014? – The Third Pole The series of natural disasters that battered the Himalayan region and South Asia during 2014 threw in stark relief the region’s vulnerability to climate change as well as poor planning and development policies.

Police Chief, RCAF Official Arrested for Logging – The Cambodia Daily A commune police chief and a Royal Cambodian Armed Forces border police commander were arrested in Ratanakkiri province on Friday for involvement in “forestry crime,” according to officials, who would not go into detail about what crime the pair had committed.

CHINA

The Elusive Chinese Dream – NYT The Communist Party should be more confident than ever. So why is it so anxious?

China Urges Companies to ‘Go Global’ – The Diplomat Increasing China’s outbound investment is part of Beijing’s long-term economic and political strategy.

Chinese Hit Back Against a Foreign Intrusion: Christmas – NYT As some Chinese enjoy the trappings of Western-style Christmas, and retailers enjoy some of their highest sales in late December, others are calling for bans on any celebrations. Friends in the US – Has Fox News been reporting on this? Would make a great addition to the annual ‘War on Christmas’ story.

China’s Growth Secret – Project Syndicate Many people are profoundly pessimistic about the Chinese economy’s growth prospects, owing to the emergence of massive debt, overcapacity, and excessive investment. But China’s flexible approach to institutional reform has imbued its economy with the capacity to overcome such challenges.

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Koh Tao murder trial rescheduled – The Nation Court sets hearing dates from July; Myanmar embassy arranges bail guarantee money for the two suspects who allegedly murdered two British tourists earlier this year.

Landmark City Elections Underway in Rangoon – The Irrawaddy Rangoon residents went to the polls on Saturday to elect a portion of their municipal government for the first time in more than 60 years, though initial reports indicated the landmark vote was under attended by an ill-informed electorate. 

Suu Kyi Says Wants West to Spur Reform not Reimpose Sanctions – The Irrawaddy Burma’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday called on the West to encourage her country’s government to enter meaningful reform talks but told it not to reintroduce punitive sanctions even though democratic reforms were foundering.

Vietnam economic growth quickens on exports, beating target – Thanh Nien News Vietnam’s economic growth accelerated in the fourth quarter as banks increased lending and rising foreign investment boosted exports.

Prem thanks Prayut for staging coup – The Nation Privy Council President Gen Prem Tinsulanonda Monday expressed appreciation to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and other military leaders, noting that they had done “a great thing” for the country on May 22. This is just Prem patting himself on the back, seeing as the Privy Council was a major driver of the coup in the first place. The military, Privy Council and His Majesty are what many Thais call ‘conservative forces’ and they’re thick as thieves.

The APEC meeting in Beijing has come and gone and the world is a better place for it.  No one can deny (well Mitch McConnell can) that both China, the US, and the Sino-US relationship are better off than 10 days ago.  While Obama and Xi Jinping (and Putin’s coat on Peng Liyuan’s shoulders) stole the show in Beijing, we need to keep watching for pronouncements and agreements signed between China and Southeast Asian states as well as between the US and Southeast Asia in an effort to strengthen the US rebalance to the Asia-Pacific.

EXSE FOCUS

Obama Offers Assurances of U.S. Shift Toward Asia NYT Visiting Australia, President Obama said the United States could be a force for order as Asia faced threats like a nuclear-armed North Korea and disputes between China and its neighbors.

The Beijing APEC Summit in Review The Diplomat David Shambaugh on China’s ultimate goals in the region and how the APEC summit outlined this ‘Asia-Pacific dream.’

U.S., China announce deal to break climate gridlock Politico President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping jointly pledged Wednesday to slash or limit carbon emissions over the next two decades in a bid by the world’s two biggest greenhouse gas polluters to kick-start global talks to combat climate change.// Biggest headline this week by far.  This is a big step in the right direction, but for China to meet these carbon reduction requirements, more hydropower projects must be built.  Goodbye carbon footprint, and so long to the ecology of China’s rivers.  

Related: The Domestic Politics of the U.S.-China Climate Change Announcement China File

Related:  Obama’s Big China Win at APEC: Not What You Think Asia Unbound

Related: Reaction: US-China climate pledge The Third Pole

 REGIONAL RELATIONS

China Offers $20 Billion in Loans to ASEAN The Diplomat China offers increased economic incentives for its Southeast Asian neighbors to overlook territorial disputes.//Let’s see ‘the old throw money at the problem’ solution.  Hmm, what’s the track record on that one?  One thing to watch as well is the rise of joint investment vehicles between China and Southeast Asia funded by private investment – not state sponsored money.  

Related: Bangkok supports China’s Asian infrastructure investment bank The Nation

The New Silk Road: Hardly an oasis The Economist  Now the Russians are gone and the Kazakhs, flush with oil money, have plans almost as vast as their country. Hitching their future to the wagon of the new regional superpower, Kazakhstan is building a dry port and rail yard at Khorgos, in the desert on its eastern border with China, that will help to realise China’s multibillion-dollar plans for a “New Silk Road”

India’s north-east: Missing link The Economist FOR the past quarter of a century Indian policymakers have talked of a “Look East” policy. This involves boosting trade, investment and incomes in the landlocked north-east by engaging with nearby countries. The state of Manipur, on the border with Myanmar, hopes to be India’s gateway to South-East Asia.

SUSTAINABILITY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

China commits to continue and enhance cooperation with the MRC Mekong River Commission China’s Vice Minister of Water Resources, H.E. Mr. JIAO Yong, yesterday expressed the goodwill of his country to continue and enhance the cooperation between China and the Mekong River Commission (MRC)//This is absolutely necessary.  However, China’s strengthened observer status will not help the MRC find its teeth.

China Reforms National Parks to Improve Environmental Protection ChinaFile China’s central government is reforming the way major tourist attractions are run. It plans to create a unified national parks management system in a bid to halt environmental damage within its protected areas. The new, unified system will cut across the local and departmental interests of existing operators in an attempt to ensure that these parks are run for the public benefit.

Tibetan plateau faces massive “ecosystem shift” China Dialogue Tibetan plateau will experience significant “ecosystem shift” due to climate change and human activities, reducing future water supply to China and South Asia//Kudos to ExSE’s good friend Ed Grumbine for revealing these significant findings.    

Landmark Meeting Calls for Trans-Boundary Salween Collaboration The Irrawaddy  Environmental experts have urged the governments of Burma, China and Thailand to lead the formation of a Transboundary River Management Committee to handle environmental and social issues along the Salween River, East Asia’s second longest waterway.//This would be a step in the right direction.  Perhaps a way to bolster this would be to allow transboundary resource management classes to be taught in China’s universities.  Currently college courses with the word “transboundary” in its title are not permitted in PRC. 

CHINA

Hong Kong protest leaders prevented from travelling to Beijing The Guardian Cathay Pacific airline staff at Hong Kong’s airport told Nathan Law, Eason Chung and Alex Chow of the Hong Kong Federation of Students that the Chinese government had cancelled their travel permits and refused to issue them with boarding passes for their flight to Beijing.

Related: Appeal court denies hearing, clearing way to end Occupy Central protests SCMP

Related: Hard lessons of the Occupy protests SCMP

 China and Japan: Out of the deep freeze The Economist A “four-point agreement” comes as a welcome signal that tensions between Asia’s two biggest powers might, at least for now, begin to ease.The thorn in the side of relations is Japan’s Senkaku islands, which China claims and calls the Diaoyus. Chinese aircraft and coastguard vessels have greatly raised tensions from 2012 onwards, by making incursions around the Senkakus. So it is progress that Japan and China now acknowledge “the emergence of tense situations” there.

US, China to extend visas for short-term business travelers, tourists, and students GoKunming Starting November 12, the United States and the People’s Republic of China will reciprocally increase the validity of short-term business and tourist visas and student and exchange visas issued to each other’s citizens.//Applause. Overseas Chinese and frequently returning businessmen will benefit most from the extended visa durations.

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Obama and Aung San Suu Kyi Meet Again, With Battle Scars NYT President Obama met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in a show of support for Myanmar’s reform process, despite evidence of the nation’s backsliding.//They kiss with their eyes open.

As Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej ails, thoughts turn to what will happen after his death SEA Globe After spending almost five weeks hospitalised for stomach inflammation in September, Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej was readmitted early last month in order to receive an operation to remove his gall bladder.

Related :‘A Kingdom in Crisis’ book banned in Thailand The Nation

UN sec-gen urges Rohingya rights DVB UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke out in support of Rohingya rights to self-identification and dignified treatment on Wednesday, advising “the leaders of Myanmar [Burma] to uphold human rights, take a strong stance against incitement, and ensure humanitarian access to Rohingya [who] are living in vulnerable conditions.”

Missing: nine million people SEA Globe When Myanmar’s controversial census – its first in 30 years – revealed its population is 51 million and not the previously cited 60 million, it engendered widespread amazement: How could a nation fail to notice that nine million people did not, in fact, exist?

Grading Jokowi’s First Month Asia Unbound Slightly less than a month into Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s term in office, a few aspects of how Jokowi will govern are coming into focus. And since he promised major change in the first hundred days of his presidency, it is fair to analyze how he has done to this (short) point in time. Let’s run down how the former Jakarta mayor, who never held national office before, is doing in several key areas.

Laos Plans to Allow Foreigners to Purchase Land in Controversial Move RFA The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is drafting an amendment to a land law allowing foreigners to purchase land for investments of at least U.S. $500,000 in the country, a high-ranking ministry official told RFA’s Lao Service.//When you read ‘foreigners’ in this title, don’t think Western expats, think of the Lao PDR’s best friends, the Chinese and the Vietnamese.

YUNNAN PROVINCE

Growth slowing in Yunnan and Kunming, economy still deemed healthy GoKunming Quarterly provincial financial reports used to be cause for celebration across China — a way to tout the wonders of Socialism with Chinese characteristics. The days of double-digit growth have seemingly passed, but much of the country still lays claim to some economic indicators that would make other nations jealous. Among these places is Yunnan, which this year is on track to post strong, yet simultaneously disappointing, year-on-year (YoY) gross domestic product growth. So far in 2014, the province’s economy is valued at 821 billion yuan, which puts it on track to increase by roughly eight percent over the first three quarters of 2013. //Sadly most of this economic growth is coming from the 100 or so real estate projects that have destroyed the view of the sun setting over the mountains in Kunming.