Regional Roundup for Week of 2.8.14

Protests continued in Bangkok this week following disrupted elections on February 2, however a petition attempting to throw out the results entirely was struck down. From ExSE observation in Bangkok on Wednesday, participation in some protest areas also appeared to be waning.

Regional inflammatory remarks of the week included assertions by a member of Japan’s state broadcasting board disputing the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, as well as statements by  President Benigno Aquino of the Philippines comparing China’s claims on the South China Sea to Hitler’s demands for Czech land in 1938.

Trade statistics released over the Chinese New Year holiday revealed interesting trends, particularly in regard to growth in Yunnan province but also a wide range of trade deficits within China’s provinces. Senator Max Baucus of Montana was also quickly confirmed as the United States’ new ambassador to China this week.

ExSE FOCUS

Yunnan sets foreign trade record in 2013 | GoKunming — Blistering economic growth has become somewhat the norm in Yunnan province over the past decade. Last year proved to be no different. National customs statistics released over the Spring Festival holiday revealed that Yunnan’s foreign trade grew at a robust 22.9 percent, the fastest such rate of any administrative region in China. /See Brian Eyler’s translation of the media release and check back for further analysis./ 

Internal trade: It’s a continent, actually | The Economist — China trades more goods across its international borders than any other country. Its provinces also trade a lot with each other, but this trade is far from balanced. If each of China’s provinces were treated as an independent economy, they would record enormous trade deficits and surpluses with the rest of the country and the world.

Amid Raft of Chinese Financial Numbers, One to Watch Carefully | NYT — China Development Bank, which lends billions for infrastructure projects, has seen its own borrowing costs soar by about 50 percent, adding to the debate over whether the country can defy pessimists and continue to outgrow its neighbors

Petition to Nullify Thai Election Is Rejected in Setback for Opposition | NYT — Days after the election, there are contradictory signals about which side has the upper hand in Thailand’s debilitating power struggle.

China’s Future Energy Security Will Depend on Water | ChinaFile — When we think about water use we think about the water we drink, but we also need water to grow food, generate electricity, make our clothes, and extract minerals. In short, water drives the economy. In China, ninety-seven percent of electricity generated requires water to produce, so no water literally means no power.

Philippine Leader Sounds Alarm on China | NYT — Benigno S. Aquino III, the Philippine president, compared China’s claims to the seas near his country to Hitler’s demands for Czech land in 1938.

China fury at Japanese claim that Nanjing massacre never took place | The Guardian — China’s foreign ministry has criticised remarks by a board member of Japan’s state broadcaster who said a massacre carried out by Japanese troops in China’s then-capital of Nanjing in 1937 did not happen.

Scientists Warn of New Bird Flu Strain in China | NYT — Chinese scientists have raised concerns about a new strain of avian influenza that killed an elderly woman in December and infected another person last month. That warning comes as the number of cases of a previously known strain, H7N9, continues to rise in China.

Senate Confirms Baucus as Ambassador to China | Diplomat — Xinhua warns Baucus that being ambassador will be “no picnic” and advises him to tone down criticism.

Stranded Travelers Start ‘Riot’ at Airport | NYT — Flight delays caused by days of heavy snowfall came at the peak travel season for China, when billions of journeys are made over 40 days around the Lunar New Year holiday.

Catering to the Chinese Shopper’s Grand Tour | NYT — Purveyors of luxury brands are stepping up their efforts to sell to Chinese tourists in Europe, where many prefer to spend their money.

CHINA

Sinosphere Blog: Supporters Call for Investigation Into Death of Chinese Activist’s Father | NYT — The authorities in Shandong Province told family members that Xue Fushun committed suicide by jumping from the fourth story of a procurator’s office building in the city of Qufu.

China accuses US of adding to regional tensions | The Guardian — China has rejected US allegations it is using vague territorial claims to gradually assert control in the disputed South China Sea and in turn accused Washington of exaggerating tensions in the region.

Designer Seed Thought to Be Latest Target by Chinese | NYT — China has long been implicated in economic espionage efforts, but recent cases suggest that the agriculture sector is becoming a greater target.

The future of museums in China | The Guardian — With sky-high running costs, low attendance figures and issues with access, Chinese museums are facing uncertain times.

China’s baby hatch scheme expands for unwanted disabled newborns | The Guardian — Fangfang was just a few days old when she was abandoned on a near-freezing New Year’s Day in north China. She was relatively lucky. Unlike the many who are found dumped in train stations or toilets, her family left her at a safe, warm shelter. Dozens of babies have been secretly dropped off at the so-called baby safety islands, or hatches, set up late last year under a scheme to protect unwanted offspring.

REGION

Why Emerging Markets Should Look Within | NYT — Self-inflicted political wounds, more than global economic tides, appear to be shaking nations like Argentina, Turkey, Ukraine and Thailand.

The Challenges of Running Responsible Supply Chains | NYT — Only an effective partnership of owners, local governments and international organizations can create effective safeguards for workers in developing nations, an economist writes.

China’s Push Into ‘America’s Backyard’ | Diplomat — As Washington seeks to further its influence in the Asia-Pacific, China has been quietly upping its own importance to Central and Latin America. Now China is making a push to further its engagement with countries in the Western Hemisphere, as evidenced by the announcement of a new dialogue mechanism.

U.S.-China: 19th Anglo-American Rivalry Redux? | Diplomat — Despite all the recent WWI analogies, Sino-American relations may more closely resemble an earlier time.

Chinese Naval Exercise In Eastern Indian Ocean Sends Mixed Signals | Diplomat — China has conducted naval drills in the Indian Ocean in the past but has generally focused on restricting these to its western waters, by the Gulf of Aden. These exercises by contrast are potentially far more provocative for India, Australia, and ASEAN states (even though Southeast Asia isn’t bereft of pirates by any means).

CAMBODIA

Cambodian reporter beaten to death | The Guardian —  Cambodian journalist Suon Chan was beaten to death by a group of fishermen after he had reported on illegal fishing methods. The 44-year-old reporter worked for the Khmer-language newspaper, Meakea Kampuchea (Cambodia’s Way), in Kampong Chhnang province. After he revealed that people were using electric rods to kill fish in conservation areas of the Cholkiri district he was confronted at his home by a group of about 10 fishermen last Friday (31 January).

Cambodians get back on the buses | The Guardian — People in Phnom Penh have boarded city buses for the first time in more than a decade, after authorities introduced a public transportation system aimed at relieving traffic jams in the Cambodian capital.

 INDONESIA

India and Indonesia To Conduct Bilateral Naval Exercises | Diplomat — Although defense cooperation between India and Indonesia isn’t quite as profound as some would like it to be, the two showed signs of deepening their naval cooperation earlier this week. Ind-Indo Corpat, a biannual joint coordinated patrol in international waters by both the Indian and Indonesian navies, might graduate to the scale of a joint exercise.

MALAYSIA

Malaysia: Breaking the Cycle of Malapportionment | Diplomat — Malaysia’s Opposition could look at a South Australian example to overcome an unfair electoral distribution.

Twilight zone | SEA Globe Editorial — Southeast Asia has been drawing expatriates looking for a low cost of living and sunnier climes for years now. Thailand and the Philippines are favourites, but it is Malaysia that is being touted as offering the retiree the most. According to International Living’s (IL) Annual Retirement Index, Malaysia is the best country in Asia for one to spend their twilight years.

MYANMAR/BURMA

Pardon, Was That a Chemical Weapons Factory in Myanmar? | Diplomat — If the Myanmar government truly has nothing to hide, it should welcome a UN inquiry.

Engaging Myanmar’s Navy | Diplomat — While the critics watch ties with the country’s army, foreign navies are stepping up their maritime engagement.

Politics in Myanmar: Not so fast | Economist — EVER since Myanmar’s army-dominated government began its political reforms in 2011, the question of whether the country’s most popular politician would be able to stand for president next year has hung over the whole process.

THAILAND

Taking On Thailand’s Crisis With a Bit of Western Bite | NYT — “Shallow News in Depth,” founded by two Thai-Americans, uses acid-laced sarcasm in a style called “Jon Stewart on crack.”

Rosana Tositrakul: ‘There’s cronyism among women in Thai politics’ | The Guardian — It is a tough time to be a woman politician in Thailand. This nation was one of the first in Asia to grant women the right to vote but it is highly patriarchal and politics is still a man’s world, says Bangkok’s senator Rosana Tositrakul, 56, a self-styled “Buddhist feminist” who has had to fight her own battles in parliament too.

Tides, they be a-turning | SEA Globe Editorial — Pattaya is trying hard to gain a less-sleazy reputation, and the number of Indians shelling out to get hitched there may be a sign things are changing.

VIETNAM

McDonald’s Opens in Vietnam, Bringing Big Mac to Fans of Banh Mi | NYT — The fast-food giant is opening its first restaurant in the country, which some see as one of Asia’s last consumer markets with significant untapped potential.