This week, the world’s attention is still on US-China relations. China’s Foreign Minister responded to Steve Bannon’s prediction of a US-China war in the South China Sea. The future of US-China relations remains unclear. In the meantime, UN released report on Rohingya issues in Myanmar adding more pressure on the country. Also, Laos Xayabouri Dam construction is 73% complete.
EXSE FOCUS
South China Sea: ‘There cannot be’ conflict between US and China, Foreign Minister warns – ABC China’s Foreign Minister has warned that both sides would lose in a conflict between his country and the United States over the South China Sea.
Related: China plays down Steve Bannon’s predictions of war with US – The Guardian
Related: Steve Bannon and Prospects of a US-China War in the South China Sea – The Diplomat
Related: Defense Expert: It’s ‘Too Late’ to Stop China’s Military Dominance of South China Sea – The Trumpet
Donald Trump and China on dangerous collision course, say experts – The Guardian Report says ties between the two nuclear-armed countries could deteriorate into an economic or military confrontation. A highly combustible cocktail of Donald Trump’s volatility and Xi Jinping’s increasingly aggressive and autocratic rule threatens to plunge already precarious US-China relations into a dangerous new era, some of the world’s leading China specialists say in a new report.
Related: Donald Trump is making China great again – The Guardian
Related: US-China war would be a disaster for the world, says Communist party – The Guardian
Related: The Future of China-US Relations in the Trump Era – The Diplomat
Rohingya Face ‘Campaign of Terror’ in Myanmar, U.N. Finds – NYT Hundreds have been killed and gang-raped and 90,000 forced from their homes, according to a report released by the United Nations high commissioner for human rights. /// Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi rarely speaks about ethnic cleansing in Myanmar. Clearly, the world won’t let go the Rohingya issue and is counting on Aung San Suu Kyi. Meanwhile, she is facing threats from those who try to hinder the democratic transition inside of the country, given the assassination of her Muslim legal advisor U Ko Ni. So much attention is given to Rohingya ethnic cleansing, and affects Myanmar’s global and regional relations on both political and economic level. The question is will and when Aung San Suu Kyi take action. It’d be a game changer for Myanmar if Aung San Suu Kyi could eventually do something in her power to address the ethnic cleansing issue.
Related: Harrowing UN Report on Rohingya Should Move the World to Action – The Diplomat
Related: Burmese officials ‘in denial’ over UN report on crimes against Rohingya – Reuters
Related: Govt ‘Deeply Concerned’ by UN Report of Arakan State Human Rights Abuses – The Irrawaddy
Related: Pope Francis Rebukes Myanmar Over Treatment of Rohingya – NYT
Xayabouri Dam Construction 73% Complete –Lao News Agency The Construction Project of Xayaboury Hydropower Power Project is reportedly 73 per cent complete since construction commenced in 2012.The US$3.5 billion Xayaboury Hydroelectric Power Project is expected to be complete by 2019.
REGIONAL RELATIONS
Rekindle the US-Thailand Relationship – The Diplomat America risks losing its oldest friend in the Asia-Pacific to China.
Russia’s Asian Trade Game – The Diplomat With the Trans-Pacific Partnership on pause, the Asian free trade landscape has changed. What does that mean for Russia?
China: New White Paper, Old Asia Conundrum – The Diplomat Beijing is getting better at selling Asia a benign vision, but most of the region is still having trouble buying it.
Analysis: What Role Will China Play in Burma’s Peace Process? – The Irrawaddy Ethnic nationality delegates say China could put pressure on the government and army to deescalate armed conflict in Burma.
Malaysian aid ship sets sail for Burma – Reuters Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Friday sent off a ship carrying tonnes of food and emergency supplies to Burma’s Rohingya Muslims, saying their suffering would not be ignored.
Related: Malaysian PM Sends Off Aid Ship Bound for Burma – The Irrawaddy
Thai developer seeks update on Dawei plan – The Bangkok Post Thai firm ItalianThai Development Plc (ITD) says it is ready to restart construction of the longdelayed Dawei deepsea port and special economic zone over the next few months if the Thai and Burmese governments approve continuation of the megaproject at a joint meeting on 10 February.
Related: Thai companies urged to invest in Burma – The Bangkok Post
Thailand to boost funding for Rangoon-Mae Sot road upgrade – The Bangkok Post The Thai government is stepping up efforts to boost the Rangoon-Mae Sot trade link by approving a 1.8 billion baht ($53 million) budget to help Burma develop part of its road along the transnational route.
Related: Burma Road Project Hooks 1.8 Billion Baht From Thailand – The Irrawaddy
Cambodia bans Taiwan, Tibet flags in kowtow to China – Investvine Cambodia’s long-time Prime Minister Hun Sen has released an order that the raising of the flags of Taiwan and Tibet is forbidden in the country in what is seen by critics as an ingratiation to Beijing and its “One China”
Related: PM reaffirms stance on ‘One China’ policy – Phnom Pehn Post
Cambodia Groups Urge to Reject New Laos Dam at Talks – VOA At the forthcoming regional consultation forum on Laos’ Pak Beng hydropower dam in Luang Prabang, Cambodian environmental groups will urge relevant stakeholders, including the Cambodian government, to reject the 912-megawatt project, alarmed by the potential impacts on fisheries and sediment flow in the Mekong.
SUSTAINABILITY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Mekong dams threaten 60m: academics – The Nation THE Mekong delta in southern Vietnam faces severe impacts from the construction of upstream hydropower dams, experts here said, urging the regulatory body Mekong River Commission (MRC) to implement dispute settlement mechanisms to solve the problems.
Tainted water saga has roots in poor policy – The Bangkok Post For the past 15 years, the villagers of tambon Nam Pu, Ratchaburi’s Muang district, have complained about toxic wastewater from an industrial waste treatment plant that has contaminated their water sources. Little has been done to ease their plight.
The Pak Beng Hydropower –Lao National TV (Video) The construction of the Pak Beng Hydropower Project is expected to begin at the end of this year after reaching agreement among Lower Mekong countries. A group of technical officials from the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Lao National Mekong Committee Secretariat and media organisations recently visited the construction site of the Pak Beng Hydropower Project in Oudomxay province.
‘Irrational’ Coal Plants May Hamper China’s Climate Change Efforts – NYT Plants that convert coal to gas, an expensive and environmentally detrimental process, may thwart China’s aim to be a global leader on limiting climate change.
Hydro workshops, assessment not a green light for development – DVB Myanmar has 26 hydropower dams, eight of which are under construction. An additional 50 are planned. The ongoing Myanmar government-led Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the hydropower sector does not provide advice on which of these 50 projects should proceed.
Life without water in Xihaigu – The Third Pole China is often seen as an example to developing countries because it has drawn hundreds of millions out of poverty, and created massive infrastructure in a fairly short period of time, becoming the second largest economy in the world. At the same time China showcases many challenges that developing countries face as they raise their standards of living. While pollution levels, particularly air pollution, have often been in the news, other aspects are often missed out.
New study shows significant impact of Chinese dams on Mekong – The Third Pole Large dams on the Mekong River in China’s Yunnan Province have considerable impacts on downstream river flows, new research by myself and colleagues at Aalto University in Finland and published recently in the Journal of Hydropower has shown.
Boeung Kak: A Disastrous Decade -Phnom Penh Post Ten years ago this week, Phnom Penh City Hall and the development firm Shukaku Inc announced an agreement to transform the Boeung Kak lake area into a sprawling mixed-use development. In the years following, thousands were evicted and a protest movement grew among the disgruntled residents.
IFC Helps Integrate Sustainability into Myanmar’s Hydro Future –The Financial IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the government of Myanmar’s Ministry of Electricity & Energy and the Ministry of Natural Resources & Environmental Conservation are working with stakeholders to produce a balanced countrywide strategic environmental and social assessment (SEA) that can be used as a planning tool by decision-makers to improve sustainably of the hydropower sector
CHINA
China Assails U.S. Pledge to Defend Disputed Islands Controlled by Japan – NYT Defense Secretary Jim Mattis’s assurances to Tokyo about the islands prompted China to accuse the United States of putting regional stability at risk.
Related: China accuses US of putting stability of Asia Pacific at risk – The Guardian
Related: East China Sea: China Coast Guard Enters Disputed Waters Following Mattis’ Japan Trip – The Diplomat
China’s Intelligent Weaponry Gets Smarter – NYT The United States no longer has a strategic monopoly on a technology that is widely seen as the key factor in the next generation of warfare.
Donald Trump’s Tweets About a Judge Find a Critic in an Unlikely Place: China – NYT He Fan of the Supreme People’s Court published a scathing blog post saying the president had breached the principle of an independent judiciary.
The Domestic Hazards in China’s Diplomacy – The Diplomat China’s foreign policy decision-making process has serious flaws that need to be addressed. /// An interesting article coming out when the US-China relation is at a turning point. It reminds us to think “what will take China to really become a leader of the world?” There has been fear of China’s lack of transparency in the international community. And now, the article points out that even China’s own foreign policy decision-making process is flawed with incomplete information. If China wants to assume power in the international arena, it must address the issues that inherent in its domestic diplomacy.
Pollution Leads to Greater Risk of Dementia Among Older Women, Study Says – NYT The study, led by researchers at the University of Southern California, looked at places with high concentrations of fine particulate matter — the kind common in air pollution across China.
China may still be using executed prisoners’ organs, official admits – The Guardian Huang Jiefu, in charge of overhauling the Chinese transplant network, angers rights activists as Vatican trafficking talks begin
Netizen in China’s Sichuan Jailed Over Tweet About ‘Worst Smog in 2,000 Years’ – RFA Authorities in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan have jailed an online activist who tweeted about the smog that shrouded the provincial capital Chengdu this winter for “spreading rumors.”
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Mekong in crisis: Thailand plans to blast isles in the river to make way for Chinese cargo boats – Scrool.in The Thai government has moved ahead with the plan to boost trade, sparking outrage among environmentalists.
Thailand’s New King Is Making a Power Grab – The Diplomat Seeking more power, Thailand’s King Vajiralongkorn is moving the country away from being a constitutional monarchy.
CIA deputy director linked to torture at Thailand black site – The Guardian Gina Haspel ran an operation in which suspected al-Qaida members were tortured in 2002, US officials have reportedly said. The new deputy director of the CIA allegedly ran a “black site” prison in Thailand where suspects were waterboarded, a form of torture that Donald Trump supports.
Related: New C.I.A. Deputy Director, Gina Haspel, Had Leading Role in Torture – NYT
Certificates of Identity to be Issued to Migrant Workers in Thailand – The Irrawaddy Certificates of identity—a document for Burmese migrants proving they are Burmese citizens—will be provided at six different Thai service centers.
Myanmar’s planned restrictions on foreigners ‘excessive’ – The Bangkok Post Foreign business associations have warned that requirements and penalties in the newly proposed laws governing foreigners in Myanmar would discourage overseas companies from investing here.
Related: Myanmar growth slowing as foreign investment drops – Investvine
Burma and US Negotiate to Revive Air Service Agreement – The Irrawaddy Burma and the US negotiate to revive an air service agreement signed 68 years ago between the two countries.
Longer wait for final word on Myitsone dam project –Myanmar Times The struggle goes on over whether the controversial Myitsone dam and other hydropower projects along the Ayeyarwady River should be built. The commission is responsible for reviewing the hydropower projects to determine whether they are an environmental hazard – and if the proposed dams are beneficial to residents living in those areas, in particular the Myitsone dam in Kachin State.
Kith Meng Backs Plans for Three Hydropower Dams – Cambodia Daily Kith Meng, one of the country’s wealthiest businessmen, is behind three proposed hydropower dams, the Council of Ministers has confirmed, including what would be the largest by far on the main stream of the Mekong River in Cambodia.
In Cambodia’s Prahok Season, Concerns Raised Over Future Droughts and Dams –VOA Every year, travelers and farmers gather at the riverbanks some eight kilometers from Phnom Penh to buy and sell the fish. This year’s prahok fish (traditional fermented fish paste prahok) sold at unusually high prices. The fish sellers talked about last year’s drought, declining water levels and dam construction.
Is Vietnam in for Another Devastating Drought? – The Diplomat Lessons learned from last year’s disaster can shape a climate-resilient approach in the Mekong Delta.
Vietnam’s coastal zones boast rich resources – Vietnamnet The potential resources in Vietnam’s coastal zones are believed to be significant, playing an important role in national development.
Vietnam moves to ensure water resource security amid climate change –VietNamNet Bridge The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) has promulgated an action plan with the aim of promoting cooperation, sharing and monitoring trans-boundary water resources from now to 2020.
Gambling on Chinese Investment in Laos –Asia Sentinel The Kings Romans Casino does not blend in with the forests of rural Southeast Asia, but the establishment is the heart of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GT-SEZ), a controversial gambling hub in northern Laos.
YUNNAN
Signs of life in Chenggong: Luolong Park – GoKunming Chenggong (呈贡), Kunming’s sprawling urban expanse to the south, is slowly shedding its ghost city moniker. For the better part of a decade, the ‘new area’ of Yunnan’s capital has sat like an exceedingly expensive but forgotten bauble — a collection of absurdly wide avenues bereft of traffic, punctuated by row upon row of empty high-rise apartment towers. But there are signs of life, aided by several government efforts to force vitality into the once-moribund undertaking.
REVIEWS
Book Review: Caretaking Democratization – The Irrawaddy T. F. Rhoden reviews Renaud Egreteau’s new book on Burmese politics and the praetorian side of democratization.
Book Review: A Great Place to Have a War: American in Laos and the Rise of the Military CIA – EastbySoutheast – Brian Eyler reviews Josh Kurlantzick’s new book on the the US Secret War in Laos.
This week’s news digest was curated by Sonya Zhao.
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