News from Asia
- US and Philippine Forces Stage Combat Drills Near Strategic Bashi Channel off Southern Taiwanby Jim Gomez and Aaron Favila (The Diplomat) on May 6, 2024 at 4:42 pm
This year’s Balikatan exercises focus on territorial defense in two of the most sensitive fault lines in the China-U.S. rivalry: the disputed South China Sea and the Bashi Channel.
- As China and Iran Hunt for Dissidents in the US, the FBI Is Racing to Counter the Threatby Eric Tucker, Didi Tang, and Nathan Ellgren (The Diplomat) on May 6, 2024 at 2:37 pm
Most defendants charged in transnational repression plots are based in their home country, making arrests and prosecutions rare.
- South China Sea: Philippines did not agree to ‘new model’ to manage Second Thomas Shoal, officials sayby Raissa Robles (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 2:20 pm
The Chinese embassy in Manila had said China and the Philippines earlier this year agreed on a ‘new model’ for the Second Thomas Shoal.
- Politburo Proposals Spark Optimism in China’s Troubled Property Marketby Lizzi C. Lee (The Diplomat) on May 6, 2024 at 2:05 pm
Despite positive market reactions, true recovery awaits deep fiscal and tax reforms anticipated at the upcoming Third Plenum.
- How India Uses National Interest as a Smokescreen to Muzzle the Mediaby Simran Agarwal (The Diplomat) on May 6, 2024 at 1:54 pm
The Indian government is weaponizing “national interest” measures to close down reporting it deems critical of the Modi government.
- NATO and Indo-Pacific Partnersby Mercy A. Kuo (The Diplomat) on May 6, 2024 at 1:40 pm
Insights from Mirna Galic.
- The Data Quagmire for German Carmakers in Chinaby Rebecca Arcesati (The Diplomat) on May 6, 2024 at 1:13 pm
The renewal of the Sino-German MoU on autonomous vehicles opens up questions around data privacy, security, and Germany’s industrial competitiveness.
- Cotton Campaign Urges Uzbekistan to Investigate Harassment of Activistsby Catherine Putz (The Diplomat) on May 6, 2024 at 1:06 pm
In April, noted Uzbek human rights activist Umida Niyazova and a journalist were harassed by two men as they planned to tour Fergana and speak to farmers.
- New Zealand’s Geopolitical Friendly Fire Has Its Limitsby Geoffrey Miller (The Diplomat) on May 6, 2024 at 1:00 pm
Australia and Canada are on the receiving end of fiery remarks made by New Zealand ministers, but there are limits to the tough talk.
- Singapore Airlines signs historic deal to buy 1,000 tonnes of sustainable jet fuel from Finland’s Nesteby Agence France-Presse (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 11:51 am
Sustainable aviation fuel is made from 100 per cent renewable waste and residue raw materials and cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 per cent over the fuel’s life cycle, Finnish firm Neste said.
- Australia accuses China of ‘unsafe’ behaviour after fighter jet releases flares in a helicopter’s pathby Associated Press (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 10:32 am
The incident occurred on Saturday as an Australian air warfare destroyer was enforcing UN sanctions against North Korea in international waters in the Yellow Sea, the Defense Department said in a statement.
- Families of Nepali mercenaries fighting for Russia in Ukraine war pressure government for their rescue: ‘hope is all we have’by Bibek Bhandari (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 10:30 am
Some were aware of the risks and joined voluntarily, but others said they were tricked into going to the frontline after being promised cooking and cleaning jobs.
- Anwar Ibrahim has a China Problem at Luconia Shoalsby Ganesh Sahathevan (The Diplomat) on May 6, 2024 at 10:17 am
The repeated Chinese incursions in the country’s exclusive economic zone is a problem for Malaysia – and for the region as a whole.
- Malaysian international footballer Faisal Halim suffers second-degree burns in acid attack: officialby Agence France-Presse (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 10:10 am
Police chief quoted as saying a suspect has been arrested, while photo of Faisal with burn marks goes viral.
- Philippines’ Marcos Jnr faces drug use claims again by Duterte camp – is there ‘a plot’ to oust him?by Raissa Robles (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 9:16 am
Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, a close Duterte ally, has initiated a hearing in which a former anti-narcotics agent claimed Marcos Jnr was a drug abuser.
- Southeast Asia’s brutal heatwave: daily life and agriculture endangered by rising temperaturesby Aidan Jones,Hadi Azmi (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 8:48 am
Thailand’s farms are buckling under the high temperatures, while Malaysia braces for ecological impacts like rising dengue cases
- US delegation in Malaysia to discuss sanction-evading Iranian oil shipped by ‘dark fleet’by Joseph Sipalan,Hadi Azmi (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 8:18 am
Malaysia has been accused by the West of helping Tehran evade sanctions through the supply of Iranian oil to China via a “dark fleet” in its waters.
- US, Filipino troops ‘prepare for the worst’ with Balikatan invasion resistance drillsby Agence France-Presse (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 6:32 am
US troops let loose dozens of howitzer shells as Filipino forces followed up with rockets and Javelin missiles, before the imaginary enemy was whittled down with machine-gun fire and artillery rounds.
- Global Impact: Asian nations take up defensive positions as Blinken’s Beijing visit falls short of cooling US-China tensionsby Maria Siow (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 6:00 am
In this week’s issue of the Global Impact newsletter, we look at how Asian nations have been making moves with an eye on the ever evolving relationship between China and the United States.
- As skyrocketing food prices chew through South Koreans’ salaries, is shrinkflation crackdown purely a ‘political stunt’?by Park Chan-kyong (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 5:30 am
To slyly raise prices without alerting customers, manufacturers have been shrinking the size of their products amid South Korea’s skyrocketing food inflation – but regulators have caught wind.
- China-Bangladesh Military Exercises Signal Shifting Geopolitical Landscapeby Saqlain Rizve (The Diplomat) on May 6, 2024 at 5:28 am
China has announced the first-ever joint military exercises with Bangladesh to be held early this month. Should India worry?
- Press Watchdog Paints Grim Picture of Southeast Asian Media Freedomsby Sebastian Strangio (The Diplomat) on May 6, 2024 at 5:26 am
Of the region's 11 nations, just two ranked in the top half of the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index.
- Singapore jails man for sending topless photo of wife to her brotherby TODAY (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 5:03 am
The photographs were accompanied by messages stating that the victim was a ‘pig’s child’, ‘a prostitute’, and that she came from a ‘characterless family’, prosecutors said.
- India’s Spying Upsurge Can Complicate Security Ties With the Westby Mohamed Zeeshan (The Diplomat) on May 6, 2024 at 4:20 am
Espionage is standard fare for almost all global powers, but China and India stand out for their specific interests in their country's mammoth diaspora.
- Japan’s rude awakening: more ill-tempered Japanese lose their cool in a nation normally known for politenessby Julian Ryall (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 4:01 am
The problem has become so bad that some local governments and schools in Japan have drafted rules to deal with the ‘irritated and impatient’.
- Hong Kong baby with ‘irreversible’ brain damage, Teresa Teng’s death and what the butler saw: 5 weekend reads you missedby SCMP (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 3:45 am
From a baby in Hong Kong left with ‘irreversible’ brain damage after abuse to Asia’s multibillion-dollar fertility treatment industry, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.
- Japan’s ‘rubbish’ homes: surge in akiya abandoned houses as more elderly Japanese dieby Julian Ryall (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 1:30 am
More than 9 million ‘akiya’ homes – 13.8 per cent of all Japan’s residential properties – have been left empty after owners die, a new report found.
- Ma Ying-jeou’s Trip to Chinaby KAWASHIMA Shin (The Diplomat) on May 6, 2024 at 1:17 am
What is the significance of the visit by Taiwan’s former president?
- Vietnam Arrests Another Senior Figure in Anti-Corruption Driveby Sebastian Strangio (The Diplomat) on May 6, 2024 at 1:12 am
The anti-graft campaign continues to intensify as the Communist Party begins preparations for its next Congress in early 2026.
- Ageing Asia wants more babies, but excludes LGBTQ couples from starting families at almost every turnby Amy Sood (Asia - South China Morning Post) on May 6, 2024 at 12:00 am
From Singapore to New Zealand, same-sex couples wanting to start a family often find the doorway to parenthood barred by entrenched conservatism, legal hurdles and prejudice.