Opinion – Page 4 – The Singapore Post

China neighbours worry Australia sub deal will destabilise region

3Oct

By Desk TeamNo Comments

China, Opinion, Politics, Singapore, World

China neighbours worry Australia sub deal will destabilise region

China neighbours worry Australia sub deal will destabilise region A file photo taken on May 2, 2018 shows French President Emmanuel Macron (second left) and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (centre) standing on the deck of HMAS Waller, a Collins-class submarine operated by the Royal Australian Navy, at Garden Island in Sydney. (AFP) France isn’t the only country upset about a new security pact between the US, UK and Australia: Some Southeast Asian nations are also worried the partnership could provoke China and spur a regional arms race. The so-called AUKUS partnership, which will help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines, prompted China last week to warn of an arms race in a region riven by maritime territorial disputes. Since then, two key members of the Association

Pacquiao files bid for presidency as Philippine race heats

2Oct

By Desk TeamNo Comments

Conflict, Opinion, World

Pacquiao files bid for presidency as Philippine race heats

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Newly retired boxing star Manny Pacquiao filed his certificate of candidacy for the Philippine presidency Friday as registration opened for candidates seeking to lead a Southeast Asian nation that has been hit hard by the pandemic and deep political conflicts. Elections officials placed heavy restrictions to prevent the Oct. 1-8 registration period from drawing huge crowds of political supporters and becoming hotbeds for coronavirus infections. Aside from the presidency and vice presidency, more than 18,000 national, local and congressional posts will be contested in the elections on May 9, 2022. Considered an Asian bastion of democracy, the Philippines has also seen electoral mayhem and violence. In 2009, gunmen deployed by the family of Maguindanao province’s

An assessment on China’s intentions to join the CPTPP

2Oct

By Stuart WhiteNo Comments

Business, China, Conflict, Opinion, Singapore, World

An assessment on China’s intentions to join the CPTPP

China’s decision to join the CPTPP was pre-planned. Since it coincided with the announcement of AUKUS it became strategic as well. China has much to gain both economically, politically, and domestically by joining the CPTPP. China has chosen an appropriate time to join the format as currently the 20 group of obligations under the CPTPP are suspended. This suspension is stopping the format to become a FTA 2.0, which China does not find suitable for itself due to its own track record such as of giving subsidies to State-owned enterprises and intellectual property rights. If China joins at this juncture, it will be able to stall these 20 groups of obligations and mould the format to make it a RCEP kind of a regional FTA. Through this format, China will also try and readjust regional supp

Xi Jinping’s Leadership Challenges for the CCP’s stability

2Oct

By Yusara AskariNo Comments

Business, Opinion, Politics, World

Xi Jinping’s Leadership Challenges for the CCP’s stability

In his opinion Glenn Tiffert, a historian at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University brought forth Xi Jinping’s feared that the CCP might eventually disintegrate like Soviet Communists and “this seems to be a problem that he paid special attention to from the beginning.” Xi Jinping, therefore, wanted to avoid the path of destruction of the Communist Party of Soviet Union and this manifested in his tightening of his grip over the Party. In November 2019, the BBC Chinese website published an article stated that “China under Xi Jinping may embark on the old path of Brezhnev, former General Secretary of the CPSU.” It is believed that after Brezhnev came to power, Khrushchev’s reforms and liberalisation commitments ended, and the state’s centralised control was strengthened. This is s

China clamping down its big tech companies

29Sep

By News DeskNo Comments

Asia, China, Opinion

China clamping down its big tech companies

Beijing, China: Alibaba (BABA) plans to sell its 5 per cent stake in Mango Excellent Media, according to a statement from the media company on Thursday. It owns Mango TV, which is massively popular for its variety shows in China. China's second largest state-owned television network, Hunan Broadcasting System, controls Mango with a stake of 56 per cent. The statement also said that Alibaba is seeking a waiver from an agreement not to sell the shares for a year. The e-commerce giant bought them only nine months ago for 6.2 billion yuan (USD 960 million). Based on Mango Excellent's stock price on Friday, Alibaba has already suffered a notional loss of about 2 billion yuan (USD 320 million) from the investment. The planned sale comes as Alibaba, founded in 1999 by Jack Ma, faces ...

Neither side would use nuclear weapons first” said Mr. Sha

29Sep

By News DeskNo Comments

Asia, China, Conflict, Opinion

Neither side would use nuclear weapons first” said Mr. Sha

Mr Sha former ambassador to the United Nations said the “no-first-use” policy should be scrapped as the US “builds new military alliances and as it increases its military presence in our neighbourhood”. While only using nuclear weapons in retaliation gives China “the moral high ground”, Mr Sha argued it is “not suitable . . . unless China-US negotiations agree that neither side would use [nuclear weapons] first”. He added: “For some time in the future, the US will see China as its main competitor and even its enemy.” Since 1968, Beijing has adopted a policy where it would only use nuclear weapons in retaliation. Western reports suggest China, the fifth country to develop nuclear weaponry, has an arsenal of between 250 to 350 missiles. Hu Xijin, editor of the state-run

27Sep

By News DeskNo Comments

Business, China, Conflict, Opinion

China misrepresenting the data

New Delhi: According to the Doing Business Project, which began in 2002, the regulations that apply to small and medium-sized businesses are evaluated over the course of their entire life cycle. Researchers collected data on the effectiveness of business regulations in 190 different economies, selected cities at subnational and national levels, as part of the doing business project. Several inconsistencies have been discovered with regards to data changes in the doing business 2018 and doing business 2020 reports, which were released in October 2017 and April 2019, respectively. A statement from the World Bank said the data changes were not in line with its business methodology. In addition, it stated that "we have asked the World Bank Group's independent Internal Audit function to con...

Bad faith, beads and trinkets negotiations by DFO obstructs court-affirmed fishery, say First Nations

25Sep

By Desk TeamNo Comments

Business, Opinion, World

Bad faith, beads and trinkets negotiations by DFO obstructs court-affirmed fishery, say First Nations

The lack of good faith negotiations by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in its dealing with five First Nations on the West Coast could result in the criminalization of Nuu-chah-nulth fishers who exercise their court-affirmed right to a commercial fishery, asserts First Nations leadership. “The federal department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) continues to stonewall negotiations and acts as if it is above the law,” reads an Aug. 24 press release from the five nations impacted—Ahousaht, Hesquiaht, Ehattesaht/Chinehkint, Mowachaht/Muchalaht and Tla-o-qui-aht. The nations have said they will fish according to their own fishing plans—pitting Nuu-chah-nulth fishers against DFO officers patrolling Nuu-chah-nulth waters—because DFO hasn’t come to the table to negotiate a plan for the season. “The Can

EU rallies behind angry France in US row but Biden budges on travel

25Sep

By Desk TeamNo Comments

Opinion, World

EU rallies behind angry France in US row but Biden budges on travel

EU rallies behind angry France in US row but Biden budges on travel Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell removes his face mask prior to speaking during a press conference following a meeting at the United Nations of EU foreign ministers that touched on a US-French row. UNITED NATIONS: Tensions rocked the Western alliance Monday as European Union leaders backed France in its anger over a scuppered mega-contract, but US President Joe Biden addressed a key European grievance by easing Covid travel restrictions. The tensions in the transatlantic alliance overshadowed the beginning of the UN General Assembly week, with Biden hoping to turn the page on the turbulent presidency of Donald Trump and rally allies in the face of a rising China. Biden, who will address the summit Tuesday, is also seeking...

Taiwan Asia’s first and world’s fifth in internet freedom

25Sep

By News DeskNo Comments

Asia, Opinion, Politics

Taiwan Asia’s first and world’s fifth in internet freedom

TAIPEI: Taiwan first time entered in the Freedom House’s freedom on net 2021 list and ranked 5th and first in Asia. In Freedom House's Freedom on the Net 2021, Taiwan was among six "new countries" to be included in the listing, along with Costa Rica, Ghana, Iraq, Nicaragua, and Serbia. For its first entry on the list, Taiwan came in at fifth place, thanks to its "vibrant online landscape supported by meaningful and affordable internet access, an independent judiciary that protects free expression, and a lack of website blocks." Taiwan received a score of 80 out of a maximum of 100, placing it first in Asia. Worldwide, it trailed only Iceland (96), Estonia (94), Canada (87), and Costa Rica (87). Freedom House lauded Taiwan's leaders for dealing with Chinese attempts at interferenc

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