Asean morning news for February 21

Asean morning news for February 21
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Asean morning newsAsean morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu         @stmarisewudolu

 

China tests its soft power in Southeast Asia amid coronavirus outbreak
China called for solidarity on Thursday in a special meeting to discuss the coronavirus outbreak with Southeast Asian nations as it faces criticism for its handling of the epidemic.
— Reuters

China’s virus control efforts are working, Chinese foreign minister tells Asean
China’s efforts to control the deadly outbreak of a new coronavirus “are working”, Beijing’s top diplomat said on Thursday (Feb 20), attributing an easing in new cases to his country’s “forceful action” against the illness.
— The Straits Times

Mekong River Dams Disrupting Lives of Southeast Asian Fishermen, Farmers
Tiem Ngern-tok pointed at the water level, shook his head and talked about dragon boat races to explain how dams in China and Laos have disrupted the lives of Thai people whose villages abut the Mekong River.
— Benar News

Nearly 900,000 pangolins trafficked in Southeast Asia: watchdog
Nearly 900,000 pangolins are believed to have been trafficked across Southeast Asia in the past two decades, a wildlife watchdog said Thursday, highlighting the challenge in tackling the illicit trade.
— FRANCE 24

China says will help manage Mekong as report warns of dam danger
China on Thursday (Feb 20) said it was helping its downstream neighbours cope with a prolonged drought by releasing more water from its dams on the Mekong River, adding it would consider sharing information on hydrology to provide further assistance in the future.
— CNA

Airlines in Asia-Pacific stand to lose US$27.8b in coronavirus crisis: IATA
PARIS: Airlines operating in the Asia-Pacific region stand to lose a combined US$27.8 billion of revenue this year in the ongoing coronavirus crisis, the International Air Transport Association said on Thursday (Feb 20).
— CNA

ASEAN diplomats praise China’s handling of virus outbreak
Southeast Asia’s top diplomats praised China’s handling of the virus outbreak and pledged Thursday to help fight the disease that emerged in a central Chinese city and spread in the region and around the world.
— AP

Cambodian PM Reiterates His Support for Possible ASEAN-China Summit on COVID-19
Head of the Royal Government of Cambodia has warned of the dangerous situation of COVID-19 outbreak and reaffirmed his full support for any possible ASEAN-China Summit on COVID-19.
— AKP

Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on COVID-19 held
The Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) was hosted this morning in Vientiane, Lao PDR, and co-chaired by Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin., Jr, and China’s State Counselor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
— KPL

Vietnam wants ASEAN to “not have to choose sides”: military official
Vietnam aims to foster ASEAN’s unity in its chairmanship year 2020 to prevent the regional bloc from “having to choose sides,” in the context of growing strategic competition between global powers.
— Vietnamnet

MinDef outlines Australia’s 2020 vision for ASEAN defence engagement
Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds has used the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Hanoi to expand on Australia’s vision for 2020 defence engagement.
— Defence Connect

Mekong-Lancang cooperation contributes to addressing regional challenges
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on February 20 suggested that the Mekong-Lancang cooperation (MLC) should contribute to consolidating coordination between countries in handling regional challenges and bringing about long-term benefits for people.
— Vietnamplus

Southeast Asia Continues to Struggle to Confront the Coronavirus
Although Southeast Asia remains the region where the coronavirus is most likely to spread in significant numbers, most of the region’s states remain significantly underprepared to deal with the virus.
— Council on Foreign Relations (blog)

Chinese FM Tries to Assure Southeast Asians on Coronavirus, Mekong Dams
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Southeast Asian counterparts on Thursday, calling for solidarity in countering the coronavirus epidemic and urging China’s neighbors to reopen borders closed since the outbreak became public.
— RFA

Counter Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia – online course
The Global Campus of Human Rights is expanding its educational offer with an Online Course on Counter Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia.
— Reliefweb

Govt Wants Bahasa Indonesia to Be Southeast Asia’s Lingua Franca
Education, and Cultural Affairs Minister Nadiem Makarim wants to adopt the Indonesian language, or Bahasa Indonesia, as a common language among different native speakers in Southeast Asia, or “lingua franca.”
— Tempo

China, ASEAN to step up cooperation in fighting COVID-19
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi addresses the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Coronavirus Disease in Vientiane, Laos, Feb. 20, 2020.
— Xinhuanet

How Dubai aims to chase more business from $2.9trn ASEAN region
Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry has announced plans to organise its first Global Business Forum ASEAN (GBF ASEAN) later this year as it targets closer ties with an economy worth nearly $3 trillion.
— Arabian Business

Are higher education rankings important?
Higher education rankings provide a shorthand list of institutions that may provide prospective students and parents with some information on what they’re looking for from a university.
— The Asean Post

What Does the New Australia-ASEAN Informal Defense Ministers’ Meeting Mean for the Future of Security Ties?
On February 19, Australia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) held what was the inaugural iteration of a new informal meeting between their defense ministers.
— The Diplomat

Vietnam PM assures ASEAN sugar import tariffs are history
Vietnam is set to keep its commitment to ASEAN to scrap sugar import tariffs despite demands by the industry to delay the move.
— VnExpress International

Centre rejects suggestion to include Chandigarh under ASEAN Open Sky Policy
The Union government has refused to bring the Chandigarh airport under the Open Sky Policy of ASEAN nations.
— The Indian Express

Multi-country cooperation advances migratory species’ conservation— ACB
The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) underscored the importance of regional and multi-country cooperation in optimising resources for biodiversity conservation, particularly in protecting migratory species and their habitats.
— Philippine Information Agency

Better integration for ASEAN’s disabled
A 2019 report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) estimates that 15 percent of the global population is made up of persons with disability, which makes them one of the largest minority groups in the world.
— The Asean Post

Line Thailand looks to Asean to expand content
Line Thailand aims to make Line TV a professional content provider in Asean by 2023 while partnering with out-of-home (OOH) media to support advertisers using Line’s platform to reach online and offline users.
— Bangkok Post

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Cambodia morning newsCambodia morning news

Compiled by Mark Henry Uy

 

TOP NEWS: 1,580 Passengers and Crews of Westerdam Tested “Negative”
Cambodia’s Ministry of Health announced Thursday that 1,580 passengers and crews on Westerdam ship were tested “negative” of Covid-19.
— Fresh News

PM Hun Sen Thanks Thailand, Indonesia, and Japan for Updating Status of Westerdam Passengers (Video inside)
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen thanked Thailand, Indonesia, and Japan for announcing that their citizens, who were passengers of Westerdam cruise ship docking in Cambodia, were tested “negative” of Covid-19.
— Fresh News

Imports down over Covid-19
Shipments of goods between the Kingdom and China are declining amid the Covid-19 outbreak, according to local logistics experts.
— The Phnom Penh Post

See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news

Indonesia morning newsIndonesia morning news

Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy         @justhine.aecnews

 

Central Bank Cuts Benchmark Rate After Three-Month Break
The central bank decided to cut its benchmark rate on Thursday in the wake of a global coronavirus outbreak it believed would trigger a short-term slowdown in the economy in the near future.
— Jakarta Globe

President to take immediate decision on evacuation of 74 ship crews
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will take immediate decision on the evacuation of 74 Indonesian crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise ship that is currently being quarantined off Yokohama, Japan.
— Antara News

Family Resilience Bill Set due to High Divorce Rate: Initiator
The initiator of the draft on family resilience from the PAN faction, Ali Taher, explained that the high divorce rate was among the drivers of the bill proposal.
— Tempo.co

See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news

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Lao PDR morning newsLao PDR morning news

Compiled by Mark Henry Uy

 

Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on COVID-19 held
The Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) was hosted this morning in Vientiane, Lao PDR, and co-chaired by Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin., Jr, and China’s State Counselor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
— KPL

Laos to Build World’s Largest Floating Solar Power Project at Nam Ngum 1
A signing ceremony was held yesterday for the development of a floating solar power plant on the surface of the Nam Ngum 1 dam reservoir.
— Laotian Times

Mekong River Dams Disrupting Lives of Southeast Asian Fishermen, Farmers
Tiem Ngern-tok pointed at the water level, shook his head and talked about dragon boat races to explain how dams in China and Laos have disrupted the lives of Thai people whose villages abut the Mekong River.
— RFA

See here for more of today’s Lao morning news

Malaysia morning newsMalaysia morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men         @MenSreypov

 

Works minister: Govt estimated to save RM2.86b on Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway project
The amount of estimated saving for the Pan Borneo Highway (PBH) Sarawak project based on the overall difference in development cost between the Project Delivery Partner (PDP) model and conventional methods is RM2.865.
— Malay Mail

Malaysia’s hand sanitiser, rubber glove manufacturers in overdrive as demand spikes over COVID-19 fears
With demand for sanitising products surging in Malaysia amid the COVID-19 outbreak, local manufacturers are struggling to fulfill the requests because they, too, are running out of materials.
— CNA

Top Glove sets low yield of 3.95% for RM1.3 billion sukuk issuance
Top Glove Corp Bhd’s sukuk issuance of RM1.3 billion has been priced at 3.95% per annum, the lowest yield ever achieved for a corporate perpetual transaction in the local market.
— The Sun Daily

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

Myanmar morning newsMyanmar morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men         @MenSreypov

 

Military-Initiated Steel Project Costing Myanmar Govt $345,000 in Daily Loan Payments to China
Myanmar taxpayers are bearing the burden of repaying the loan to China Development Bank.
— Irrawaddy

e-Government system crucial for country’s development: State Counsellor
e-Government is a crucial element in linking the government with stakeholders to better drive economic development and poverty alleviation in Myanmar, said State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
— Myanmar times

Myanmar Arrests 49 Rohingya Muslims Attempting to Flee to Malaysia
Myanmar authorities on Wednesday arrested nearly 50 Rohingya Muslims in Yangon region as they attempted to flee the country for Malaysia, a lawmaker said, while a separate group of Rohingya detainees appeared in court in Ayeyarwady region to face charges on traveling without official permission over their earlier attempt to flee.
— Radio Free Asia

See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news

Philippines morning newsPhilippines morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu         @stmarisewudolu

 

3 more Filipinos in Japan cruise ship infected with novel coronavirus – DFA
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed that 3 more Filipinos who were onboard the Japanese cruise ship M/V Diamond Princess were infected with the novel coronavirus.
— Rappler

500 Pinoys onboard Diamond Princess repatriated Sunday
The Department of Health yesterday announced that Filipinos onboard the M/V Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Yokohama, Japan will be repatriated on Sunday.
— Tempo

Foreign investments rise to P390B
Foreign investments approved by the government’s seven investment promotion agencies climbed 112.8 percent in 2019 to P390.11 billion from P183.35 billion in 2018, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
— Manilastandard.net

See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news

Singapore morning newsSingapore morning news

Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy         @justhine.aecnews

 

Singapore’s household income inequality falls to 18-year low
HOUSEHOLD income inequality in Singapore has fallen to its lowest level in almost two decades, according to figures released by the Singapore Department of Statistics (SingStat) on Thursday.
— The Business Times

1 new COVID-19 case in Singapore, 3 more patients discharged
Singapore reported one new confirmed COVID-19 case on Thursday (Feb 20), bringing the number of cases in the country to 85, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a daily update.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

S’pore sends 2nd batch of humanitarian aid to China
Singapore dispatched a second round of humanitarian aid, inc-luding medical supplies, to China on Wednesday.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news

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Thailand morning newsThailand morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre         @photo_journ

 

Thailand to designate COVID-19 as a dangerous infectious disease
Thailand is to formally declare COVID-19 as a dangerous infectious disease because there are signs that the situation may get worse in the next two months.
— Thai PBS News

Thai Constitutional Court to present ruling on potential disbanding of government opposition Future Forward Party tomorrow
The Thai Constitutional Court will on Friday (February 21) decide the fate of the Future Forward Party, which has been accused of violating political party laws in Thailand.
— The Pattaya News

Thai court says anti-abortion laws unconstitutional
Thailand’s Constitutional Court has ruled that existing laws criminalising abortion are unconstitutional and ordered them to be amended, paving the way for clearer regulation for reproductive rights.
— CNA

See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news

Vietnam morning newsVietnam morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men         @MenSreypov

 

Vietnam’s Rights Record Deteriorating Despite Regular Dialogue With West: Experts
Vietnam’s human rights situation continues to deteriorate despite regular dialogues between Hanoi and Western nations, a social analyst and a former political prisoner said Wednesday, as representatives of the European Union and the one-party communist state sat down for talks on the latter’s rights record.
— Radio Free Asia

Vietnam car market ranks fourth in Southeast Asia
Vietnam’s localization rate for passenger cars of under nine seats is 7 – 10%, much lower than the target of 35 – 45% set for the car industry 20 years ago.
— The Hanoitimes

Ministry requests tightened control of wildlife trafficking, consumption
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) has demanded sectors and localities nationwide to enhance the management of illegal wildlife caging, trading and consumption.
— VietnamPlus

See here for more of today’s Vietnam morning news

 

 

 

About Asean morning news.

Asean morning news roundup and its individual country morning news roundups are the most comprehensive hand-curated selection of Asean English language news headlines published. Each weekday we scour hundreds of local and international news sites and websites to find the most recent Asean English language news today.

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