AsiaWatch - 7 Oct 2020
The Quad wraps up summit in solidarity; Global backlash on China's "Wolf Warrior" diplomacy; 40 nations call on Beijing to respect Uighur rights.
The flags of the Quad members. Photo credit: The Diplomat
Good morning.
The Quad group sought solidarity on maintaining “terroritorial integrity” in the Indo-Pacific, as member nations US, Australia, India, and Japan closed meetings this week. With China’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy remaining very much in force, Beijing continues to see global backlash. Over 40 nations pressured China to respect Uighur rights. In our opinion section, we curated a breadth of views on stability in the Indo-Pacific.
Today in Asia
(8 min read)
China’s Disinformation Campaign in the Philippines
This marks the second time that Facebook has removed disinformation networks emanating from China and heralds a new age of information warfare in the Indo-Pacific, where the United States and allies like the Philippines are uniquely vulnerable to attack.
Indonesia foreign minister says vaccine cooperation with China won’t influence Jakarta's position on South China Sea
While Indonesia is currently cooperating with China to secure COVID-19 vaccines for its citizens, this initiative will not influence its position on the South China Sea, said Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Tuesday (Oct 6).
Cambodia Denies New Speculation About Chinese Base Plans
The statement by the National Committee for Maritime Security on Monday was in response to recent media reports highlighting new concerns over China’s suspected plans for Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base on the Gulf of Thailand.
Views on Xi Jinping’s China hit historical lows: survey
Views of China have grown more negative in recent years across many advanced economies, and unfavorable opinion has soared over the past year, a new Pew Research Center survey of 14 countries shows.
Nearly 40 nations demand China respect Uighur human rights
The US, Japan and many EU nations joined a call on Tuesday (Oct 6) urging China to respect the human rights of minority Uighurs, and also expressing concern about the situation in Hong Kong.
Tsai defiant as Taiwan's anti-China jet flights double
Taiwan will not "yield an inch" in defending itself, President Tsai Ing-wen warned on Tuesday (Oct 6), as new figures revealed the island is scrambling fighter jets at more than double the rate of last year in response to Chinese incursions.
Moon seeks to capitalize on Hangeul's popularity for key diplomatic strategies
President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday his administration will redouble efforts to spread Korean language study abroad and publicize Korean culture with a view to laying a robust basis for Seoul's key diplomatic initiatives to improve ties with such countries as India, Southeast Asian countries and Russia.
US rush to Bangladesh revs up economic race with China
The U.S. has ratcheted up economic diplomacy with Bangladesh, holding its first high-level dialogue virtually and signing an open sky agreement in Dhaka as part of Washington's blueprint to challenge China's presence in the region.
COVID-19 Quick Look
A Sinovac employee holds up several coronavirus vaccine syringes for inspection at a factory in Beijing. Photo credit: AFP
Despite a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, Malaysia’s PM Muhyiddin said that a total lockdown was off the cards for now. Japan opens its borders for short and long term business travel with South Korea. In The Philippines, WHO praised government efforts for proactive measures, but said that more could be done in areas for contact tracing and isolating cases. In Japan, financial institutions are looking to define a new work measures in a post-pandemic future. In India, cases fall but experts say it could very well overtake US numbers.
Opinion
We share what experts and insiders are saying about key issues in Asia.
ASEAN, EU aim for regional identity amid rising populism
Amid rising populism and identity politics around the globe, the formation of a regional identity must strike the right balance between integration and regulations, European and ASEAN experts and officials have recently noted.
India and ASEAN set to return to growth in early 2021: JCER
Manu Bhaskaran of Centennial Asia in Singapore stated that "we envisage a sharper pick-up in 4Q20 as most restrictions are lifted and manufacturing accelerates." Amonthep Chawla of CIMB Thai Bank said that "we expect Thailand's economy to partially recover by the second quarter of 2021" supported by "government spending [as well as] rebounding purchasing power and confidence among middle class households."
Vietnam’s Public Diplomacy and the Peril of Mixed Messages
Vietnam’s communist government has recently been forced to grapple with three major conundrums: the coronavirus pandemic, the country’s endemic levels of corruption and the South China Sea disputes, in order of temporary prominence.
No, China Doesn’t Think Decades Ahead in Its Diplomacy
Over the recent years, China has proven multiple times that keeping a low profile, biding its time, and turning the other cheek isn’t on its agenda anymore. Instead, China promotes a new philosophy: “if you slap me, I will punch you.” In other words, being more aggressive is better, regardless of the consequences. But this contradicts the ubiquitous Chinese mottos of “peaceful rise” or “community of common destiny” and shows that such slogans aren’t strategies, but empty words.
Andrew Small on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’s Return to the Shadows
In the five years since the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was launched, it’s been beset by the winds of local politics and the waves of geopolitics alike. In a new report, titled “Returning to the Shadows: China, Pakistan, and the Fate of CPEC,” Andrew Small catalogues the grand promises and countless pitfalls of CPEC.
Quad meet: Eye on China, India seeks ‘respect for territorial integrity’
In a rare “in-person” meeting during the pandemic , the Foreign Ministers of the Quadrilateral grouping — US, India, Japan and Australia — met in Tokyo amid the five-month border standoff between India and China, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar seeking “respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty” and “peaceful resolution of disputes”. The Quad also agreed to meet annually.
The Cost of Pompeo’s Cancelled Trips to South Korea and Mongolia
U.S. President Donald Trump’s diagnosis with COVID-19, and subsequent hospitalization from Friday through Monday, has thrown the country’s political sphere into chaos, just one month out from a contentious presidential election. Inevitably, the situation at home is having ripple effects on U.S. diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific.
Will the Suga Administration Step Up Japan’s Climate Change Leadership?
The next triennial review of the government’s basic energy policy will begin in the summer of 2021, allowing one year for the Suga administration to break from the Abe administration’s environmental lag and to contribute to the decarbonization of the world.
An exclusive interview with Nikkei at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Tokyo
In an exclusive interview with Nikkei at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Tokyo, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized the Obama administration's "pivot to Asia," saying that "No Asian leader has told me they saw anything happen as a result of that."
Understanding the Plague of Violence and Impunity in Negros
The Philippine National Police (PNP) faces widespread accusations of corruption, a fact often acknowledged by President Duterte , and the potential involvement of security forces in incidents of political violence looms large over many unsolved murders.
What to Expect From North Korea’s Military Parade
Pyongyang is likely to unveil or launch several missile systems to celebrate a major upcoming holiday, but stop short of a nuclear or intercontinental-range ballistic missile (ICBM) test.
Can India Pursue the ‘Strategic Encirclement’ of China?
To deter China’s “salami slicing” tactics, India has to increase the costs of a Himalayan war for Beijing. To that end, it’s time for New Delhi to explore the option of strategic encirclement.
Dead in the Water: India’s Push Into the Seas Is Unlikely to Help Matters on Land
As the India-China crisis along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) enters its sixth month, New Delhi’s strategic community is once again back at the drawing board, trying to figure out a way to restore a semblance of strategic parity with China, if not dislodge the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) from its newly-occupied positions in Ladakh.
Indonesia’s new omnibus law no silver bullet for spurring investments: Experts
World Bank Indonesia country director Satu Kahkonen had also expressed concerns about the new law in July, when it was still being deliberated by parliament, saying that it could adversely affect labour rights and “move Indonesia’s environmental legislation further away from the implementation of best practices.”
Tea Time
The humble tea leaf is one of Asia’s best known exports, best shared in the company of those who love it. With Tea Time, we take a break from politics to share the stories that give a glimpse into the lives of peoples of Asia.
A friend once told me that the best way to experience Vietnam was on a bike. It brought to mind the first trip I took to Ho Chih Minh, where I saw how the streets thronged with motorbikes in an organised chaos (crossing the streets in Saigon is a rite of passage). Hearing his account and viewing travel blogs on the journey made me realise what I missed. Beyond the bustle of the cities, there are views in Northern and South-Western Vietnam that are simply a sight to behold. All in all, you get the sense that Vietnam is in a hurry to modernise, bringing some 90 million of its population into a bright future. With many manufacturers starting operations in Vietnam as an alternative to China, it’s certainly not planning on slowing down soon. Vietnam is an exciting place that I hope to visit again some time soon. With their early success in containing the pandemic, opportunities just might open up sooner than later.