Vivian reiterates S’pore’s firm belief in ASEAN integration (Business Times, 30 November 2016)
Vivian reiterates S’pore’s firm belief in ASEAN integration (Business Times, 30 November 2016) Speaking to some 350 guests at the Straits Times Global Outlook Forum event at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia hotel, Dr Balakrishnan urged ASEAN to stay united in the face of global challenges. He stressed that Singapore is a “staunch believer” in the need…
Read MoreCambodian court upholds life sentences for Khmer Rouge leaders (Guardian, 23 November 2016)
Cambodian court upholds life sentences for Khmer Rouge leaders (Guardian, 23 November 2016) Cambodia’s UN-backed court upheld life sentences for two top former Khmer Rouge leaders on Wednesday for crimes against humanity, delivering a blow to their hopes of release as they face a second trial for genocide. “Brother Number Two” Nuon Chea, 90, and ex-head of…
Read MoreASEAN legal website set to launch (Bangkok Post, 23 October 2016)
ASEAN legal website set to launch (Bangkok Post, 23 October 2016) An online legal site offering information about the laws and regulations of the ASEAN member countries will be launched with free access early next year, Office of the Judiciary deputy secretary-general Sarawut Benjakul said. The site, which will be launched in all 10 countries,…
Read MoreThe Philippines, China, the U.S., and ASEAN in 2017 (Asia Foundation, 19 October 2016)
The Philippines, China, the U.S., and ASEAN in 2017 (Asia Foundation, 19 October 2016) The Philippines will serve as ASEAN Chair in 2017, at which time ASEAN will mark its 50th anniversary. Having successfully served as host of APEC in 2015, the country has demonstrated that facilitating massive, significant international events is well within its…
Read MoreWhat the China Trade Warriors Get Wrong (WSJ, 26 October 2016)
What the China Trade Warriors Get Wrong (WSJ, 26 October 2016) After three intense presidential debates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump managed to agree on at least one thing: The Trans-Pacific Partnership is bad for America, in part because many trade deals have supposedly caused trade deficits. Unfortunately, they’re both wrong. The country would be better…
Read MoreVietnam’s reluctance to ratify the TPP is bad news for Washington (Nikkei Asia, 27 October 2016)
Vietnam’s reluctance to ratify the TPP is bad news for Washington (Nikkei Asia, 27 October 2016) Vietnam’s decision to hold off ratifying the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a further blow to the beleaguered trade pact and a setback for American economic ambitions in Asia. The 12-nation TPP is aimed at liberalizing trade and investment in the…
Read MoreAs 3 African Nations Vow to Exit, International Court Faces Its Own Trial (NYT, 26 October 2016)
As 3 African Nations Vow to Exit, International Court Faces Its Own Trial (NYT, 26 October 2016) The International Criminal Court has begun investigating war crimes in Georgia, is looking into British soldiers accused of torture in Iraq and, in one of its most politically delicate missions yet, sent a team to Israel to discuss crimes…
Read MoreIndonesia 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…
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