Opinion – Page 2 – The Singapore Post

16Jan

By Desk TeamNo Comments

Year of Turbulence

Flying through the Covid cloud has been hard enough, and then there's the added drama of dealing with the lengthening shadow of China across the region. Pandemic drags on recovery: In the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, many Asian countries had enviable success, avoiding large-scale outbreaks and mass deaths. But the arrival of the more transmissible Delta variant this year and sluggish vaccine rollouts compounded by low availability sent cases surging. Combined with poor monitoring and easy movement among countries, often unofficially, Southeast Asia became a virus hotspot. The ballooning health crisis collided with churning political discontent in the case of Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia. Economically, the new wave of infections, and attendant restrictions imposed to cu...

Omicron casts ‘clear doubt’ on economic forecast for 2022: BMO expert

14Jan

By Desk TeamNo Comments

Opinion, World

Omicron casts ‘clear doubt’ on economic forecast for 2022: BMO expert

BMO Financial Group’s chief economist told a Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce audience to prepare for a “bit of a roller coaster” in 2022 during a virtual event on Tuesday. But while it might seem like things are a little bit “halting” at the beginning of the year, Douglas Porter predicted a strong economic rebound in the months to come. Porter, who has over 30 years of experience analyzing global economies and financial markets, shared his expert opinion during the chamber’s Economic Outlook 2022 event, which was held via Zoom on Dec. 14. During the event, he said that it’s a “very interesting and complex time” to be delivering an economic outlook in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The dominant story by far has been the supply shortages that we are seeing around the world an

Stand News “pro-democracy” Media Company closed its operations in Hong Kong

31Dec

By News DeskNo Comments

Opinion, World

Stand News “pro-democracy” Media Company closed its operations in Hong Kong

Hong Kong: Another pro-democracy media company closed its operations in Hong Kong. Stand News announced its closure after seven years. It is also removing all its content. This comes hours after a police raid and seven arrests on Wednesday. The authorities have frozen the assets worth HK$61 million, Hong Kong Free Press reported. Earlier in the day, more than 200 national security police officers were deployed to raid the offices of Stand News. As many as seven current or former senior staff members of the Hong Kong online media company were arrested on suspicion of breaching the colonial-era Crimes Ordinance by conspiring to publish seditious publications, the publication added. This development comes a day as Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai and six other former staff me...

Digital sanctions are latest Pakistani tools for persecuting Ahmediya Muslims

10Dec

By News DeskNo Comments

Asia, Conflict, Opinion

Digital sanctions are latest Pakistani tools for persecuting Ahmediya Muslims

Pakistan’s religious intolerance against Ahmediyya Muslims has graduated to another level with state institutions clamping down on the community using digital tools and sanctions. Ahmadis number about 4 million in Pakistan, but the community has been forbidden to call itself Muslim since 1974. Ironically, it is the only country to label them as non-Muslims. Here, Ahmadis are not even allowed to call their houses of prayer “mosques,” while basic religious practices associated with Islam are forbidden for them. The followers are subjected to different forms of discrimination including hate speech. Institutional apathy is matched by societal hatred on ground which is reflected in frequent incidents of killing of the Ahmadis on the ground. Motivated by lopsided interpretation of Islam in f

Taiwan is capable enough to respond to Chinses military actions

3Dec

By News DeskNo Comments

China, Conflict, Opinion

Taiwan is capable enough to respond to Chinses military actions

TAIPEI: Chinese military activity has increased nearby Taiwan to wear out the country’s military. Taiwan defence minister responds to the attacks as Taiwan is capable enough to answer them. Taiwan scrambled fighters again on Sunday after 27 Chinese air force planes again entered its air defence identification zone, or ADIZ. "Their intention is to slowly exhaust, to let you know that we have this power," Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng told reporters on the sidelines of a parliamentary briefing for lawmakers, when asked about the latest incursion. "Our national forces have shown that, while you may have this power, we have countermeasures." Taiwan has complained for a year or more of repeated missions by China's air force near the democratically governed island and in

Japan-US alliance under threat if China invades Taiwan

3Dec

By News DeskNo Comments

China, Opinion, Politics

Japan-US alliance under threat if China invades Taiwan

Beijing, China: The former Japanies Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s recent remark has made China express its opposition to it. Abe stated that The Japan-US alliance will be under threat if China invades Taiwan. Speaking at an event organized by Taiwanese think tank the Institute for National Policy Research, Abe said, "given the proximity between Japan and Taiwan, an armed invasion of Taiwan would inevitably pose a serious threat to Japan." Responding to former Japanese PM, Chinese Foreign Ministery spokesperson Wang Wenbin said, "Abe, in disregard of the basic norms governing international relations and the principles set out in the four political documents between China and Japan, flagrantly made irresponsible remarks on Taiwan and stirred in China's internal affairs." China is str

Taiwan preparing military as China increases pressure

25Nov

By News DeskNo Comments

Asia, China, Conflict, Opinion, Politics

Taiwan preparing military as China increases pressure

Taipei, Taiwan: In a recently released white paper, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said the PLA had developed the ability to blockade Taiwan’s major airports and harbours, while the Pentagon said they would have the capacity to “compel Taiwan’s leadership to the negotiation table” as early as 2027. Since taking office in 2016, President Tsai Ing-wen has focused on improving the armed forces’ capabilities and gone on an extensive weapons buying campaign from the United States as her government’s relationship with Beijing has darkened. In August, the administration of US President Joe Biden approved its first sale of $750m in weapons to Taiwan, after predecessor Donald Trump approved $5.1bn in sales in 2020. The Taiwanese defence ministry is now asking for an extra $9bn over th

Shipping disrupted because of congestion on China-Mongolia port

29Oct

By News DeskNo Comments

Business, China, Opinion

Shipping disrupted because of congestion on China-Mongolia port

New Delhi: The working of the major shipping ports on the border of China and Magnolia are disrupted because of massive congestion. Mongolia mostly depends on its ports situated on the China-Mongolia border, particularly the Tianjin and Dalian ports as well as the Erenhort land port for conducting its national trade. Mongolia, which is bordered and landlocked by both China and Russia, relies exclusively on there Chinese ports for access to economic trade and supply with other countries. The extended and prolonged congestion, especially at the Tianjin port, has created a multitude of issues for Mongolia as currently 4,378 shipping containers are congested at Tianjin which further require expenditure in the form of container rental payments and storage fees, increasing costs for Mongo...

China’s security law: London based rights organisation forced to shut

27Oct

By News DeskNo Comments

Asia, China, Conflict, Opinion, Politics

China’s security law: London based rights organisation forced to shut

Hong Kong: London based rights organisation to shift its two offices from Hong Kong to Asia-Pacific region because of the China’s security law.“Amnesty International will close its two offices in Hong Kong by the end of the year … The local ‘section’ office will cease operations on 31 October while the regional office – which is part of Amnesty’s global International Secretariat – is due to close by the end of 2021. Regional operations will be moved to the organization’s other offices in the Asia-Pacific,” the rights group said in a statement. Anjhula Mya Singh Bais, chair of Amnesty’s International Board, said that this decision has been driven by Hong Kong’s national security law, which has made it effectively impossible for human rights organizations to work freely and without fear

25Oct

By News DeskNo Comments

China, Opinion

Taiwan plane crashed in Chinese land

TAIPEI: A picture of the wreck posted in the Taiwanese military enthusiast Facebook group “New 27 unit military discussion” shows the nose of the plane visibly destroyed, while the rest of its airframe remains intact with seemingly no damage at all. Neither the Henan Provincial Government nor the PLA Air Force have commented on this incident. The J-10 is a multi-role fighter aircraft developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry. It can carry air-to-air missiles such as the PL-8, P-11, or PL-12, and can be outfitted with laser-guided bombs and anti-ship missiles, according to Airforce-Technology.

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