Indonesia pushes for code of conduct on South China Sea row (The Australian, 27 October 2016)
Indonesia pushes for code of conduct on South China Sea row (The Australian, 27 October 2016) Indonesia will push for a maritime code of conduct for the South China Sea and seek clarification from Manila over its apparent shift in policy toward talks with China on joint maritime exploration in the region, Indonesian Foreign Minister…
Read MoreUN calls for protecting civilians as fighting, though reduced, continues in north-west Myanmar (UN News, 19 October 2016)
UN calls for protecting civilians as fighting, though reduced, continues in north-west Myanmar (UN News, 19 October 2016) According to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), border posts in northwest Myanmar were attacked on 9 October resulting in the displacement of several hundred people. Some 1,200 people are confirmed to have taken…
Read MoreSecurity Council strongly condemns DPRK nuclear test (UN News, 10 September 2016)
Security Council strongly condemns DPRK nuclear test (UN News, 10 September 2016) The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) nuclear test on 9 September and said it is a clear violation of repeated calls on the country to halt such activity. In a press statement after the…
Read MoreJapan, China vie for ASEAN influence (Nikkei Asian Review, 8 September 2016)
Japan, China vie for ASEAN influence (Nikkei Asian Review, 8 September 2016) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tacitly warned Southeast Asian leaders against making too many concessions to China, engaging in a diplomatic tug of war with Beijing ahead of the East Asia Summit. “I expect ASEAN to play a leading role in creating stability and…
Read MoreASEAN could become 4th largest economy in the world (Asia One, 6 September 2016)
ASEAN could become 4th largest economy in the world (Asia One, 6 September 2016) The ASEAN economy is expected to grow at 7 per cent per annum, with GDP reaching US$4.7 trillion (S$1.9 trillion) in 2020 and the possibility of becoming the fourth largest economy in the world by 2030, the Lao Prime Minister Thongloun…
Read MoreSecurity Council strongly condemns DPRK nuclear test (UN News, 10 September 2016)
Security Council strongly condemns DPRK nuclear test (UN News, 10 September 2016) The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) nuclear test on 9 September and said it is a clear violation of repeated calls on the country to halt such activity. In a press statement after the…
Read MoreJapan, China vie for ASEAN influence (Nikkei Asian Review, 8 September 2016)
Japan, China vie for ASEAN influence (Nikkei Asian Review, 8 September 2016) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tacitly warned Southeast Asian leaders against making too many concessions to China, engaging in a diplomatic tug of war with Beijing ahead of the East Asia Summit. “I expect ASEAN to play a leading role in creating stability and…
Read MoreASEAN could become 4th largest economy in the world (Asia One, 6 September 2016)
ASEAN could become 4th largest economy in the world (Asia One, 6 September 2016) The ASEAN economy is expected to grow at 7 per cent per annum, with GDP reaching US$4.7 trillion (S$1.9 trillion) in 2020 and the possibility of becoming the fourth largest economy in the world by 2030, the Lao Prime Minister Thongloun…
Read MoreASEAN must work more closely to tackle new terror trends: PM Lee (Today, 7 September 2016)
ASEAN must work more closely to tackle new terror trends: PM Lee (Today, 7 September 2016) While South-east Asia has been dealing with terrorism for some years, the emergence of three new trends means there is a greater need for the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) to work more closely to tackle the issue,…
Read MoreState of play: The race for the next UN Secretary-General (New Europe, 12 September 2016)
State of play: The race for the next UN Secretary-General (New Europe, 12 September 2016) The next United Nations Secretary-General is to be decided this October, but recent straw poll results show that the decision for the position is still very much up in the air. Currently there are ten nominated candidates, including Srgjian Kerim (Macedonia), Danilo Türk (Slovenia),…
Read MoreWTO appeals court backs South Korea in US trade dispute (Channel News Asia, 7 September 2016)
WTO appeals court backs South Korea in US trade dispute (Channel News Asia, 7 September 2016) South Korea largely won an appeal ruling at the World Trade Organization in a challenge that puts U.S. anti-subsidy duties on Korean-made washing machines in jeopardy. The ruling by the WTO Appellate Body, which is final, strengthened South Korea’s…
Read MoreThe US will have zero credibility in Asia if TPP fails, ex-CIA official warns (CNBC, 12 September 2016)
The US will have zero credibility in Asia if TPP fails, ex-CIA official warns (CNBC, 12 September 2016) The U.S. political impasse on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal is a “brewing disaster” that could be a significant setback for U.S. engagement in Asia. “I think U.S. credibility goes almost to zero in the region if we don’t get that done,” said…
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