Weekly Round-up for Week of 11.08.2019

EXSE FOCUS

Vietnam needs to act in Mekong Delta as land sinking, seas rising: experts – Vietnam Express With the Mekong Delta found to be lower than earlier thought, and subsidence and rising seas threatening a double whammy, alarm bells are ringing.

Mekong Delta extinction an extreme prediction: Vietnam expert – Vietnam Express A Vietnamese expert says a scientific paper warning the Mekong Delta could be submerged underwater by 2050 uses incorrect data and ‘extremist scenarios.’

Southeast Asia turning away from coal power – China Dialogue Countries in Southeast Asia are building fewer coal-fired plants than expected as lenders distance themselves from the polluting technology. // Although the decrease in coal usage is good news, there is still a lack of investment in infrastructure for renewables, especially in terms of electricity transmission, which could limit their growth and potential to replace nonrenewable sources. 

Mekong River Commission Says Dams Are Causing Sharp Shifts in Water Levels – Radio Free Asia The Mekong River Commission Tuesday acknowledged that climate change played a role in this year’s widely varying water levels on the Mekong, but said that dam construction was the main culprit in sharp water level increases and decreases, emphasizing a need for data-sharing between countries. // As the Luang Prabang dam prior consultation process is underway, the role of MRC is crucial to dissuade the Lao government and financiers. New data on its impacts and information on energy alternatives are needed to prevent the dam’s construction which is planned to begin in 2020. 

People’s Power: Anti-Dam Movements in Southeast Asia – The Diplomat Communities in Thailand and beyond are learning to organize to demand that dam construction consider their rights. // For more than two decades, communities in Southeast Asia have been facing threats from the expansion of hydropower development. 

REGIONAL RELATIONS

RCEP deal goes down to wire – Bangkok Post All eyes are on the fate of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) at the 3rd Summit to be held on Monday amid reports that the agreement may not be signed this year.

Southeast Asia leaders to push for progress on China-backed trade pact – Asian Correspondent Southeast Asian leaders will race to get a sprawling China-backed trade pact over the line at a regional meeting in Thailand this weekend, as Beijing’s bruising trade war with Washington rumbles on. // If signed, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will be the world’s largest trade pact and is seen as a way for Beijing to cement trade ties in Asia as Washington retreats from the region.

The Future of the Five Power Defense Arrangements – The Diplomat The FPDA, a nonbinding defense pact, plays an important role in the Southeast Asian region. This month, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Singapore completed Exercise Bersama, an annual military exercise under the auspices of the Five Power Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a nonbinding defense pact. Decades after its 1971 creation, regional geopolitics have shifted, along with the defense forces of each FPDA member. 

Japan to help channel capital into Southeast Asia Inc – Nikkei Asian Review Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) and other domestic financial institutions will facilitate and fund #investment by Japanese companies in SoutheastAsia. Already, Japan and Thailand have signed an MOU for cooperation. //  Japan’s economic ministry plans to act as a matchmaker that will bring promising Southeast Asian companies together with Japanese capital to fuel growth.

US-China Competition Will Heat up the South China Sea – The Diplomat The competition between major countries will be the biggest threat to stability in the region. // On June 1, 2019, the U.S. Department of Defense officially released its first “Indo-Pacific Strategy” report. The essence of this strategy is to strengthen the United States’ bilateral alliances and multilateral cooperation mechanisms in economics, security, and maritime affairs in order to build a joint network encompassing South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Northeast Asia.

In Myanmar, China’s BRI Projects Are Old Wine in a New Bottle – The Irrawaddy China is rebranding and repackaging dormant or delayed projects in Myanmar under the banner of its Belt and Road Initiative, many of whose projects lack transparency and consultation with affected communities, according to the latest policy brief by a Netherlands-based research and advocacy institute.

SUSTAINABILITY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Global palm oil industry watchdog accused of giving false environmental credibility to products – The Straits Times Consumers are being conned about the sustainability of the palm oil used to make products from cosmetics and foodstuff to biofuels, said a report by an international environmental group on Sunday (Nov 3). But a global palm oil industry watchdog defended itself, saying it was guided by credible research organisations conducting independent research on the impacts of its certification process on the ground.

Giant ‘vacuum’ clearing garbage from Klang River – The Straits Times This exciting initiative is even being deployed in the Pacific Ocean, but where does the trash go? // The severely polluted Klang River – one of the longest in Malaysia – is set to get a new lease of life with help from Rotterdam-based non-profit organisation Ocean Cleanup.

Can Nam Ngum solar replace Mekong hydro in Laos? – PV Magazine The Lancang-Mekong River is being decimated by hundreds of tributary and mainstream hydroelectric projects from the Tibetan Plateau in China to Lower Sesan in Cambodia. On the Mekong, the Laos Government has constructed the majority of these projects and it is planning even more. But why does it only focus on hydroelectric power plants (HPP’s)? What about other renewable energy sources? Can Nam Ngum solar replace Mekong hydro?

Wider Panama Canal opens floodgates for American LNG to Asia – Nikkei Asian Review Shipments expected to increase from 399 LNG carriers per year to meet increased demand for diversified energy sources. // U.S. natural gas companies are gearing up to bolster exports to Asia, taking advantage of new transit slots at the Panama Canal to deliver the fuel cheaply and quickly to the other side of the globe.

CHINA 

Tibet’s Rivers Will Determine Asia’s Future – The Diplomat At the dawn of a new era of building dams on the Yarlung Tsangpo, countless lives and ecosystems are being risked in the name of “development” and geopolitics. // Over the last seven decades, the People’s Republic of China has constructed more than 87,000 dams. Collectively they generate 352.26 GW of power, more than the capacities of Brazil, the United States, and Canada combined. On the other hand, these projects have led to the displacement of over 23 million people.

Huawei ready to roll out 5G in South-east Asia – The Straits Times Chinese phone giant Huawei said yesterday it was ready to roll out 5G infrastructure across South-east Asia, dismissing US warnings that its technology could be used to hoover up data for Beijing..

China kicks off work on 6G tech after launch of 5G services – The Straits Times Looking forward to 6G, the development and deployment of this technology would enable the complex computing necessary for a network of self-driving cars and augmented reality. // China has officially started researching sixth-generation (6G) telecoms technology, state media reported yesterday, a move it described as aiming to promote the latest wireless innovation.

Myanmar State Firm Signs Deal to Buy Electricity From Strategic Chinese Project in Rakhine – The Irrawaddy The Irrawaddy PPA signed between state-owned ElectricPowerGeneration, and KyaukPhyu, a Myanmar-China joint-venture developing a 135 MW combined-cycle plant in Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone. This is a part of the Myanmar-China Economic Corridor (CMEC), part of the Belt and Road Initiative. // A Myanmar state-owned enterprise has inked a power purchase agreement with a Myanmar-China joint venture company that is developing a 135-megawatt (MW) power plant project in Kyaukphyu, in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Govt: Cause of Polluted Water in Myanmar’s Karen State Still Unclear – The Irrawaddy When murky water was flowing into lakes, rumors spread that the contaminated water came from a nearby coal plant. // The Karen State government is still investigating why contaminated water is flowing into lakes that provide drinking water for villages near the state capital of Hpa-an, according to state Minister of Social Affairs U Saw Bo Bo.

Cambodia Retains Attribute Of Being Haven For Black Money – Investzine Despite effort by the government, among them the introduction of foreign exchange controls, Cambodia is finding it hard to shake off its reputation as a “haven” for black money from a variety of origins.

Toll in Philippine quakes climbs to 21 – The Straits Times The death toll in two powerful quakes that struck the southern Philippines in the past week has risen to 21, authorities said on Sunday (Nov 3), as survivors struggled to access food and water.

A Philippine tribe that defeated a dam prepares to fight its reincarnation – Mongabay On Nov. 5, 2009, Kapitan, a leader of the Dumagat-Remontado indigenous group, came down from his mountain village. “Dumagats don’t leave the mountains,” he told Mongabay. “When taga-patag [lowland] people come up, we go further up where we won’t be bothered. But we left the mountains to fight.”

Bank of Thailand cuts interest rate to record low – Bangkok Post The benchmark rate was cut 25 basis points to alleviate stronger baht, lackluster economy, and low inflation. // The Bank of Thailand’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on Wednesday voted to cut the policy interest rate to a record low of 1.25% in a bid to boost Thailand’s economic growth impetus and support a targeted increase in headline inflation.

Thailand’s Digital Economy To Grow To $50 Billion By 2025 – Investzine Despite slowing national economy, the online sector is growing at a healthy rate, though still just 3.7% of combined GDP. // Thailand, the digital economy is expected to grow to a volume $50 billion by 2025 from $16 billion as of 2019, making it the second largest in Southeast Asia behind Indonesia.
Industrial Growth Creates Nagging Air Pollution in Vietnam – Voice of America Five years ago, a car bound for the Ho Chi Minh City airport from downtown might get stuck in a couple of quick jams, costing just an extra minute. Now big swathes of the Vietnamese financial center are congested, and not just during rush hour. That stationary traffic, with engines idling among canyons of high-rises, are contributing to the country’s first major air pollution problem.

This week’s weekly round-up was curated by Jean Joo and Alessandro Lee, Program Interns