Conflict Archives - Page 5 of 40

The tumultuous origins of Singapore were essential in paving the way for our eventual stability: SM Lee

14Nov

By Joanne SerriehNo Comments

The tumultuous origins of Singapore were essential in paving the way for our eventual stability: SM Lee

Today’s Singapore may give the impression that the country has always been orderly and stable. But this was far from so. Our beginnings were turbulent. Like many other countries, we fought against our colonial masters – in our case, Britain – for the right to determine our own destiny. We eventually succeeded and achieved first self-government, which is internal, and then full independence. Along the way, we had to choose whether to have a left-wing and pro-communist government, or a democratic and non-communist government. It was a big political battle, especially as our population was majority ethnic Chinese, with strong ethnic and family ties to communist China. Fending off the communist threat was one of the reasons why Singapore merged into a new Federation of Malaysia. We s

The government of Mauritius loses the election.

13Nov

By Stuart WhiteNo Comments

The government of Mauritius loses the election.

The opposition Alliance of Change in Mauritius has won 60 of the 64 seats in parliament following Sunday's general election. Its leader, Navin Ramgoolam, 77, has been appointed prime minister. The man he has replaced, Pravind Jugnauth, 62, already acknowledged on Monday that his Lepep alliance was heading for a "huge defeat". It now has two seats in parliament compared to the 42 after the 2019 election. Mauritius is known as one of Africa's most stable democracies, but this election was tainted by a phone-tapping scandal, with leaked recordings of public figures posted online. In response, the government issued a social media ban until after the election, although this led to an outcry and the decision was reversed within 24 hours. Ramgoolam, a former doctor, is beginning h...

Where American Politics Are Right Now and Where We Could Go

13Nov

By Stuart WhiteNo Comments

Where American Politics Are Right Now and Where We Could Go

After a loud and contentious election, it’s clear that America is very divided, perhaps more than ever. At the same time, it appears that the Republican Party could control the executive and legislative branches, which has not occurred since the early years of the administration of George W. Bush. To learn more about politics now, and concerns about the future of the political system in the U.S., Tufts Now spoke with Peter Levine, a professor of political science and Lincoln Filene Professor in Citizenship and Public Affairs at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life. Has political polarization gotten worse since 2020? Polarization means different things to different people. There’s what some call “affective polarization,” in which people see that someone is with an

Taiwan is politically neutral in the US, the ministry claims.

13Nov

By Joanne SerriehNo Comments

Taiwan is politically neutral in the US, the ministry claims.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has always taken a balanced approach in building friendships with US officials across party lines, and it would continue to work toward bolstering Taiwan-US relations under the incoming administration of US president-elect Donald Trump next year, the ministry said yesterday. MOFA North American Affairs Department Director-General Wang Liang-yu (王良玉) made the remark in response to media queries at a routine news conference. In the past few days, US media have reported some confirmed members as well as likely candidates for Trump’s Cabinet, and Wang was asked to comment on his selection for key positions. “MOFA and our overseas representatives’ offices have long taken a balanced approach in our interactions with the US’ two parties, establishi

Updates on the US election: According to reports, Trump turns to China hawks for important foreign policy and security positions.

13Nov

By Stuart WhiteNo Comments

Updates on the US election: According to reports, Trump turns to China hawks for important foreign policy and security positions.

Donald Trump is reportedly tapping up politicians who hold hardline positions on China for key roles within his incoming cabinet. The US president-elect has asked US Representative Michael Waltz, a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, multiple outlets reported, while the New York Times and Reuters said Florida senator Marco Rubio was favourite for secretary of state. Waltz is also on the Republican’s China taskforce and is considered hawkish – advocating for a more aggressive foreign policy – when it comes to China. He called for a US boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to what he termed the “suppression” of information about the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan, and its ongoing mistreatmen

A joint venture between China and Singapore will spend $18 million in BEPZA.

13Nov

By Joanne SerriehNo Comments

A joint venture between China and Singapore will spend $18 million in BEPZA.

Chic Wings (BD) Lingerie Co Limited, a Singapore-China joint venture, will invest $18 million to establish a garment manufacturing plant in the BEPZA Economic Zone (BEPZA EZ). The Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) signed the agreement on November 12, 2024, at the BEPZA Complex in Dhaka.In the presence of BEPZA executive chairman major general Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman, BSP, ndc, psc, member (investment promotion) of BEPZA, Ashraful Kabir and managing director of Chic Wings (BD) Lingerie Co Limited Lijuan Chen signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations. Chic Wings (BD) Lingerie Co Limited will produce 30 million pieces of various garments annually, including briefs, undergarments, slips, boxers, shorts, camisoles, bras, and vests. The comp...

Taiwan: A politician seizes a journalist in the legislature

12Nov

By Joanne SerriehNo Comments

Taiwan: A politician seizes a journalist in the legislature

On November 6, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Chung Chia-pin, aggressively checked the identification of China Times News Network reporter Guo Jiquan, grabbing at his interview pass and questioning his identity as a reporter. International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Association of Taiwan Journalists (ATJ) in condemning the politician’s behaviour and calling on the Legislative Yuan to protect the safety of journalists on duty. During a financial committee meeting of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan on November 6, politician Chung Chia-pin forcibly grabbed the interview pass of journalist Guo Jiquan, questioning its validity. The reporter had been accepted into the legislature after an inspection by law enforcement, a requirement prior to e

The new president of Sri Lanka is seeking support from the legislature.

9Nov

By Joanne SerriehNo Comments

The new president of Sri Lanka is seeking support from the legislature.

On September 21, 2024, Sri Lankans elected Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a 55 year-old former Marxist, as their tenth president, paving the way for a new parliament and extensive reforms in the debt-ridden country. Mr. Dissanayake beat incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is widely credited with successfully negotiating the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout that brought Sri Lanka’s economy out of bankruptcy two years ago. Mr. Wickremesinghe, who had earlier served as prime minister for multiple terms, was chosen as president by the parliament rather than a popular vote in 2022 after massive protests and riots on the heels of an economic crisis that forced out the directly elected president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa. President Dissanayake and the three-member cabinet he has appoi

Reports that SpaceX ordered suppliers to relocate outside have angered Taiwan.

8Nov

By Joanne SerriehNo Comments

Reports that SpaceX ordered suppliers to relocate outside have angered Taiwan.

Taiwan’s government says it is paying close attention to reports that Elon Musk’s SpaceX asked Taiwanese suppliers to move manufacturing to other countries because of “geopolitical” concerns. Reuters reported on Wednesday that SpaceX’s request to suppliers in Taiwan’s multibillion-dollar industry appeared to have prompted some to shift locations to Vietnam, Thailand and other places. In response, Taiwan’s economic affairs minister, JW Kuo, said the industry was strong and “should be able to cope”, but that the government was monitoring the situation. “There is no such information on its official website, but some foreign media are reporting it, and we are paying close attention to it. I think the supply chain in Taiwan is very strong and it should be able to cope with the

China is preparing for new economic, tech, and Taiwan-related disputes with Trump.

8Nov

By Nectar GanNo Comments

China is preparing for new economic, tech, and Taiwan-related disputes with Trump.

The first time China faced Donald Trump in the White House, there was a trade war, a breach of protocol involving Taiwan’s former leader, and a president-to-president bromance that turned sour. As President-elect Trump prepares to start his second term in office, China is bracing for unpredictability in its ties with the United States and renewed tensions over trade, technology and Taiwan. A new tariff war looms Perhaps the biggest consequence for China — if Trump stays true to his campaign promises — is his threat to slap blanket 60% tariffs on all Chinese exports to the U.S. Tariffs like that would be a blow to China’s already unstable economy, which is suffering from high youth unemployment, a lengthy property slump and government debt. A 60% duty o