Asean Morning News
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu   @stmarisewudolu
Australian warships challenged by Chinese military in South China Sea
Three Australian warships were challenged by the Chinese military as they travelled through the disputed South China Sea earlier this month, the ABC can reveal.
— ABCÂ
Commerce Min signs MoU on Mekong-Lancang Cooperation
The Ministry of Commerce has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Projects of the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Special Fund with the Government of China, and another Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of development projects with Mekong Institute.
— NNTÂ
ASEAN Members Want A Regional Agreement On E-Commerce, Less Developed Members Struggle To Catch Up
A group of Asian countries is working towards a regional agreement on electronic commerce. During the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development e-commerce week, less developed countries of this group explained the difficult catch-up they have to fully enter into e-commerce nationally and internationally, particularly because most of their companies are small.
— Intellectual Property WatchÂ
HCM City hosts ASEAN trade, culture exchange event
A trade and culture exchange programme among ASEAN nations opened at Ho Chi Minh City’s September 23 Park on April 18.
— Nhan Dan OnlineÂ
The dangers of a Grab monopoly
Ever since Uber sold its Southeast Asia-based businesses to rival Grab, social media has been abuzz with complaints against Grab.
— The Asean Post
Asia running out of fish and seafood
Southeast Asia has one of the most diverse marine ecosystems in the world, but overfishing and destructive fishing threaten its sustained existence.
— SeaWest News (blog)
Diagnosing causes of inequality crucial for ASEAN
One startling figure about recent global growth is that 82 percent of all the wealth created last year went to the top 1 percent.
— The Jakarta Post (paywall)
Developments of the ASEAN Power Grid and Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline
An impressive period of sustained economic success has seen energy demand in Southeast Asia increase beyond twofold.
— The Asean Post
Agency promoting freedom of expression
ASEAN’s human rights body is pledging to help governments in Southeast Asia strengthen protection for freedom of expression.
— The Jakarta Post (paywall)
Changing the conversation on labour migration in Southeast Asia
A regional study interrogates some of the commonly held assumptions about which factors lead to better outcomes for migrant workers.
— Open Democracy
Diagnosing causes of inequality crucial for ASEAN
One startling figure about recent global growth is that 82 percent of all the wealth created last year went to the top 1 percent.
— The Jakarta Post
Alibaba expands cross-border e-commerce in Southeast Asia
Alibaba Group Holding will launch a slew of projects in collaboration with Thailand’s government to support cross-border online trade by small enterprises and farmers, as China’s largest e-retailer makes further inroads in Southeast Asia.
— Nikkei Asian Review
Belt and Road set to boost Asean trade: forum
Despite a shaky global recovery and rising trade protectionism, the Asian economy will maintain robust growth, as countries in the region deepen economic cooperation and benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative, renowned economists told the Boao Forum for Asia’s annual conference.
— The Nation
Access to customers and data hold key to success in financial services, says Momentum Works CEO Jianggan Li
With competition in the financial services space heating up in Southeast Asia, companies that control the most data and better understand consumer behaviour will have an advantage over others, according to Jianggan Li, founder and CEO of venture builder and investment consultant Momentum Works.
— Deal Street Asia
Asean security must not be compromised by politics: Hishammuddin
Politics should not influence the security, stability and standing of countries in the Asean region, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
— Borneo Bulletin
Australia–ASEAN summit light on outcomes
The Australia–ASEAN summit in Sydney on 16–18 March 2018 was a rare opportunity for the government of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to showcase its regional diplomatic credentials and to dominate media headlines on its own terms.
— East Asia Forum
SE Asia Stocks-Most up on oil, commodity gains; Philippines slides
Most Southeast Asian markets gained on Thursday as strong commodity and oil prices buoyed sentiment, while a selloff in the Philippines saw the index closing at it
lowest in nearly a year.
— Reuters
Cambodia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men   @MenSreypov
Cambodian journalists charged with espionage denied bail
A court in Cambodia on Thursday declined to grant bail to two journalists who have been charged with espionage for filing news reports to a U.S.-funded radio station.
— Reuters
Cambodia telecom companies urged to pay overdue regulatory fees
The government has issued a new warning to telecommunications companies that have yet to deliver outstanding payments to the Kingdom’s ministries, giving regulators until the end of the month to settle their debts.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Canned drinks maker to expand production
Crown Holdings, a supplier of metal packaging, says its Asia Pacific subsidiary will construct a third beverage can line in its Phnom Penh facility in the fourth quarter of this year.
— Khmer Times
See here for more of today’s Cambodia Morning News
Indonesia Morning News
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu   @stmarisewudolu
PowerChina to build hydropower plants for $17.8 billion
Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with PT Indonesia Kayan Hydropower Energy to jointly build hydropower plants with a total investment of US$17.8 billion on the Kayan River in North Kalimantan.
— The Jakarta Post
By End of March, IDR185,60 Trillion Village Funds Absorbed
The Village Funds consist of a large amount in the State Budget (APBN) 2018. The APBN reaches IDR419.55 trillion, an increase of 4.88 percent by the end of March 2018 or during the first quarter of 2018.
— Netral News
Indonesia to boost biodiesel exports, Malaysia expects to lose market share
Indonesian biodiesel makers are gearing up to boost exports after the European Union removed anti-dumping duties on shipments from some producers in the country, but rival suppliers in Malaysia are bracing for a slowdown in the wake of the move.
— The Edge Markets
See here for more of today’s Indonesia Morning News
Lao PDR Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat   @leakhenakhat
PTT plans massive expansion in Laos to meet growing demand
PTT Plc, the state-owned fuel supplier in Thailand, has plans for massive business expansion in Laos six years after entering the market of 7 million consumers.
— The NationÂ
29 People Killed In Road Accidents During Lao New Year
Department of Traffic Police, Ministry of Public Security, reported on Wednesday 29 people were killed in road accidents nationwide during the three-day celebration of Lao New Year from April 14-16.
— Lao News AgencyÂ
Incentives to promote professional practice
Special incentives to encourage civil servants to seek professional development have been introduced such as pursuing research to assist driving the country’s development.
— Vientiane TimesÂ
See here for more of today’s Lao Morning News
Malaysia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men   @MenSreypov
Public Bank has no bitcoin trading platform
Public Bank Bhd has denied any affiliations with automated bitcoin trading platform purportedly called “PUBLIC COIN”.
— New Straits Times
Malaysian palm oil flat
Malaysian palm oil futures closed flat on Wednesday as short covering in the second half of trade helped the market recover from losses earlier in the day.
— Business Recorder
Petronas is Malaysia’s most attractive employer
Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) has been crowned Most Attractive Employer in Malaysia for 2018, according to Randstad Employer Brand Research.
— New Straits Times
See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News
Myanmar Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat   @leakhenakhat
2000 Kachin Christians Trapped in Jungles of Myanmar
Community leaders from the Christian ethnic Kachin community have called for urgent medical attention for about 2,000 civilians, including pregnant women and the elderly, trapped in the jungle where they fled to escape clashes between Myanmar’s army and Kachin guerrillas in the country’s north.
— CBN NewsÂ
Dhaka denounces return of Rohingya family as ‘a PR stunt’
The recent visit to Bangladesh by a Myanmar government minister has left ill-feeling in the neighboring country, particularly in refugee camps near Cox’s Bazar where over a million Rohingya languish.
— Asia Times
Fears for Rohingya as first rains flood Bangladesh camps
The first rains of the year have flooded parts of the crowded Rohingya camps in Bangladesh, aid workers said Thursday, wreaking havoc and raising fears for nearly one million refugees ahead of the monsoon.
— AFP
See here for more of today’s Myanmar Morning News
Philippines Morning News
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu   @stmarisewudolu
Philippines’ GSIS defers U$$384 million land auction
The Philippines’ state-run Government Services Insurance System (GSIS) has deferred plans to auction off its Port Area property, prime real estate in the Manila Bay area.
— Asia Asset Management
Government to build P5-B bus terminal beside Philippine Arena
The Duterte administration has taken another measure to address the worsening traffic congestion in Metro Manila.
— Philippine Star
ABS-CBN pumps in P592 million to boost cable, Internet business coverage, capacity
MULTIMEDIA conglomerate ABS-CBN Corp. is pumping in half a million pesos in additional investment in its cable and Internet businesses to expand the latter’s network coverage and capacity.
— Business Mirror
See here for more of today’s Philippines Morning News
Singapore Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat  @leakhenakhat
Protectionism ‘dangerous’; Commonwealth countries should promote trade among themselves: PM Lee
Protectionism will damage the multilateral system of trade and investments, and result in strategic rivalry between great powers that can destabilise the world, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) on Thursday (Apr 19).
— Channel NewsAsiaÂ
Tender deadline for KL-Singapore high-speed rail company extended to December
The deadline for tender submissions for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) Assets Company (AssetsCo) has been extended to Dec 28, 2018.
— The Straits TimesÂ
Japan’s ‘discount king’ hooks shoppers in Singapore
Four months after venturing into the Singaporean market, Japanese discount store operator Don Quijote Holdings already has a firm toehold in the city-state, posing a potential threat to local competitors.
— Nikkei Asian Review (metered paywall)
See here for more of today’s Singapore Morning News
Thailand Morning News
Compiled by John Le Fevre   @photo_journ
BOI sees record amount of requests filed in early 2018
The Board of Investment (BOI) has reported a record amount of investment support requests between January and March of this year with some 333 projects proposed worth a combined over 200 billion baht.
— NNT
PM chairs meeting to implement EEC smart city blueprint
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o- cha has chaired the meeting of the committee on Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) development policies, discussing the implementation of its smart city blueprint.
— News Today (video)
Police Commander dissatisfied with police officers Songkran results
The Commander of the Royal Thai Police has voiced dissatisfaction with the work of authorities during the Songkran holiday, especially with the commanding officers in three provinces.
— NNT
See here for more of today’s Thailand Morning News
Vietnam Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men   @MenSreypov
IMF projects Viet Nam’s GDP growth by 6.6%
In a recent report, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected Viet Nam’s economy to grow by 6.6 per cent this year and by 6.5 per cent in 2019.
— Bizhub
Cement exports surge as China’s production drops
Vietnam’s cement industry saw strong growth in cement exports in the first quarter of this year as many Chinese cement factories shut down due to pollution and power shortages.
— VietnamPlus
Property tax law out of National Assembly’s next year agenda
There has been no official proposal for the submission of the draft law on property tax to the National Assembly to date, according to the NA’s General Secretary Nguyen Hanh Phuc.
— The Hanoi Times
See here for more of today’s Vietnam Morning News
Asean Morning News is the most comprehensive selection of reports on what you need to know from around the Asean Economic Community (AEC) published. All articles are hand curated by the team at AEC News Today. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.
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