The reports says that authorities have begun implementing surveillance camera projects for at least five key cities…reports Asian Lite News
Myanmar’s junta government is working on deploying Chinese-built bio metric surveillance systems in key cities.
According to Reuters report, the govt is installing the facial recognition capable cameras in more cities in the name of preserving civil peace and maintaining security.
Citing multiple sources, Reuters reported that authorities have began implementing surveillance camera projects for at least five key cities including country’s fourth-largest city since the February coup.
SECURITY CAMERA
The report further states that the plans are not new, and mentioned projects are in addition to five cities where camera systems touted as crime prevention measures were either installed or planned by the previous government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
The report pointed out that local firms, who won the tenders source the cameras and technology from Chinese surveillance giants Zhejiang Dahua Technology, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Hikvision.
The authorities did not responded to the queries related to the projects.
Earlier, Myanmar’s military has sought Beijing’s assistance and probably received also to build an internet firewall to curb the spread of information against the junta. But Tatmadaw is currently unaware that Chinese agencies by helping them have potential access to the junta’s sensitive information, a media report said.
Myanmar’s junta is currently superior in terms of firepower and arms when compared to the rising groups against it in the country following the February coup. But Tatmadaw is still behind in technological and digital advancement, therefore its atrocities against civilians are spread in minutes worldwide through the internet and social media platforms.
But now Tatmadaw has planned to widen its curbs on the digital platforms and therefore it has turned towards China, seeking Beijing’s help to build an internet firewall to prevent such damning text, images and videos from reaching both global and local online audiences.
China’s role is being watched closely in helping Myanmar’s military regime develop its online blocking and snooping capabilities since the February 1 coup, according to Asian security officials who communicated with Asia Times.
The cooperative effort, they say, aims to implement effective control over what can and cannot be accessed online in Myanmar, similar to the “Great Firewall of China” that Beijing has used for years to repressive effect to police the online activities of dissidents and ferret out anonymous and pseudonymous critics, said Asia Times.
However the concerning facts are emerging, which Tatmadaw is unable to figure out, is that Chinese agencies which are helping the junta are simultaneously able to tap into the Tatmadaw’s military computers and potentially access and collect sensitive information in the construction process, experts monitoring the situation say.
China, they say, has plenty of incentive to tap into the Tatmadaw information streams after vacillating hot and cold relations and years of mutual suspicion on a range of sensitive security issues, according to Asia Times. (ANI)
Suu Kyi is likely to attend trial hearings from a special court set up inside the prison, said the sources….reports Asian Lite News
Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s former de facto leader who was ousted during the February 2021 military coup, has been sent to solitary confinement at a prison in capital Nay Pyi Taw, the media reported on Friday.
The 77-year-old Nobel laureate had been held at an undisclosed location in the capital since she was arrested when the military overthrew her elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government on February 1, 2021, reports the BBC.
Also the former State Councillor, Suu Kyi faces a total of 11 charges, such as violating the Official Secrets Act, incitement, corruption and breaching Covid rules. But she has denied them all.
On Thursday, informed sources told the BBC that she had been moved to the separate, specially-built accommodation inside the jail a day earlier, where deposed President Win Myint is also being held in solitary confinement.
Suu Kyi is likely to attend trial hearings from a special court set up inside the prison, said the sources.
They added that the former leader has been assigned three female staffers in the jail and is in good health.
The incumbent Min Aung Hlaing-led military government of Myanmar has confirmed the development, saying that was in accordance with criminal laws in the country, reports the BBC.
If convicted of all the charges, Suu Kyi could spend the rest of her life behind bars.
The 2021 coup was staged after the military alleged massive voting fraud in the November 2020 general elections, which saw the NLD win a majority of seats in both houses of Parliament.
The coup triggered widespread demonstrations and Myanmar’s military has cracked down on pro-democracy protesters, activists and journalists, according to rights groups.
Suu Kyi is one of more than 14,000 people to have been arrested by the junta since February, and at least 2,000 others killed in the demonstrations, according to the monitoring group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
Speaking in his opening speech, Banh said it was the first in-person meeting in over two years following the Covid-19 pandemic…reports Asian Lite News
The 16th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) kicked off here on Wednesday, with discussions focusing on key challenges and security in the region.
Chaired by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Tea Banh, the meeting brought together defence ministers or representatives from all ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member states, Xinhua news agency reported.
Speaking in his opening speech, Banh said it was the first in-person meeting in over two years following the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Our presence today underlines our commitment with high responsibilities to maintain ASEAN’s centrality, unity and cooperation for peace and security in the region,” he said.
He said the meeting is convened at a time when the whole region is facing pressures arising from cross-border crime, terrorism, climate change, disasters and pandemics, among others.
“Our joint commitment (to address these issues) will lead our region towards sustainable peace, security and prosperity,” he added.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The special envoy also noted that challenges in the country have “both deepened and expanded” dramatically…reports Asian Lite News
The political crisis unleashed in Myanmar following the February 1 military coup last year, has “opened new frontlines that had long been at peace,” according to UN special envoy Noeleen Heyzer.
He told the General Assembly on Monday, that since she took up the job six months ago, Myanmar has “continued to descend into profound and widespread conflict”.
The special envoy also noted that challenges in the country have “both deepened and expanded” dramatically, the UN News reported.
Already one of the world’s largest refugee emergencies, she reminded the world that multidimensional crises there have left over one million internally displaced people across the country with “serious regional and international ramifications”.
Nearly one million mainly Muslim Rohingyas live in refugees camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, and hundreds of thousands of others are scattered across the region.
And over the past five years, the number of people living in poverty has doubled to encompass half the population. “Today, 14.4 million people, or one-quarter of the entire population of Myanmar urgently require humanitarian assistance,” said the special envoy.
Meanwhile, school enrolment has dropped by up to 80 per cent in two years, leaving at least 7.8 million children shut out of the classroom.
“A generation that benefitted from the democratic transition is now disillusioned, facing chronic hardship and, tragically, many feel they have no choice left but to take up arms,” she warned.
As military violence and distrust have continued to deepen, armed conflict “has become the norm” for all citizens.
“The military continues its disproportionate use of force, has intensified its attack on civilians and increased operations against resistance forces, using aerial bombings,” said the senior UN official. “Civilian buildings and villages have been destroyed by fire and internally displaced populations have been attacked”.
Furthermore, there are reports of up to 600 armed resistance groups, or “people’s defence forces” engaged in fighting, with some conducting assassinations targeting those seen as “pro-military”.
“I will continue to play a bridging role…in Myanmar, in the region, and the international community to address the protection needs and suffering of the most vulnerable, and to support the will of the people for a future federal democratic union based on peace, stability and shared prosperity,” Heyzer said.
Secretary (East) appreciated the role of ASEAN-led architecture particularly the ARF in advancing peace, security, and cooperation in the region….reports Asian Lite News
ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in a virtual meeting on Thursday discussed terrorism, maritime and cyber security.
Secretary (East), Saurabh Kumar participated in the meeting (ARF SOM) virtually. The meeting was attended by senior officials of the ARF member states and chaired by Cambodia as the Chairperson of ASEAN.
“The meeting reviewed activities and exchanges of the 27 member ARF over the past year and deliberated on its future plans and activities. Senior Officials exchanged views on regional and international developments, and on COVID-19 pandemic, terrorism, maritime and cyber security,” said a statement.
Secretary (East) appreciated the role of ASEAN-led architecture particularly the ARF in advancing peace, security, and cooperation in the region.
Recognizing the evolving traditional and non-traditional threats in the maritime domain, he emphasised the convergence between the ASEAN Outlook for the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI) and Indo-Pacific policies announced by several ARF countries. He also shared our perspectives on the threat posed by terrorism and the challenges of cyber security.
In the current inter-sessional year, Australia, India and Indonesia co-chaired an ARF workshop on “Law of the Sea and Fisheries” on 7-8 December 2021. India, the US, and Indonesia co-chaired the 13th ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting on Maritime Security on 12 May 2022. India seeks to continue to contribute to ARF activities and processes in the next inter-sessional year.
India will host the Special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (SAIFMM) on June 16 and 17 to mark the 30th anniversary of dialogue relations and the 10th anniversary of Strategic Partnership, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Vivian Balakrishnan, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Singapore, India’s Country Coordinator, will co-chair the meeting. Foreign Ministers of other ASEAN Member States and the ASEAN Secretary General will participate in the SAIFMM.
The year 2022 has been designated as ASEAN-India Friendship Year.
ASEAN-India dialogue relations started with the establishment of sectoral partnership in 1992 which graduated to full dialogue partnership in December 1995, Summit level Partnership in 2002, and Strategic partnership in 2012, the MEA pointed out.
“Today, ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership stands on a strong foundation. ASEAN is central to India’s Act East Policy and its vision for the wider Indo-Pacific,” the MEA said.
This multi-faceted partnership encompasses many sectoral dialogue mechanisms and working groups that meet regularly at various levels and include annual Summit, Ministerial and Senior Officials’ meetings. The ongoing India-ASEAN collaboration is guided by the Plan of Action 2021-2025 which was adopted in 2020, the MEA added.
According to the MEA, while ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM), hosted by ASEAN Chair, is an annual event, the SAIFMM would be the first ASEAN-India FMM to be hosted by India in New Delhi. The SAIFMM will be preceded by 24th ASEAN-India Senior Officials Meeting on June 15.
The SAIFMM will be accompanied by the 12th edition of Delhi Dialogue, a premier Tack 1.5 Dialogue in the ASEAN-India calendar, which will be hosted by India on June 16-17. The theme of DD-XII is Building Bridges in the Indo-Pacific. The Ministerial Session of DD-XII will be attended by EAM Jaishankar and the ASEAN Ministers, the MEA said.
A demonstrator stacks bags on a street as a barricade during a demonstration against the military coup and the detention of civilian leaders in Myanmar(ians)
Just as India extended development assistance to Myanmar some years ago for the construction of houses in the Rakhine state, India could look at extending assistance to meet the immediate humanitarian crisis…reports Asian Lite News
India has taken a measured stance on the situation in Myanmar since the military took over power in February 2021. This stance is necessitated by the need to keep in mind the China factor in ties with Myanmar and continue to keep that nation at the centre of its Act East policy.
These considerations remain paramount even today. India needs to step up humanitarian assistance to Myanmar, where over 9 million people remain internally displaced. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) recently hosted a meeting attended by high level representatives from the region, Myanmar, UN specialised agencies and other international organisations to discuss the humanitarian situation. The May 6 meeting held in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh aimed to revive the five-point consensus reached by ASEAN in April 2021, one part of which dealt with the provision of humanitarian aid to the people of Myanmar. The issue is: Can India take a lead in this direction?
According to the UN Refugee Agency, some 9,24,800 people remain displaced across Myanmar as of April 25, including 5,78,200 people who have fled their homes as a result of conflict and insecurity since the military takeover.
A demonstrator stacks bags on a street as a barricade during a demonstration against the military coup and the detention of civilian leaders in Myanmar(ians)
Consequently, humanitarian access to conflict-affected and displaced people remains restricted and significant gaps remain in assistance to these communities despite continued efforts by humanitarian partners and local organisations. In the Chin state alone, for example, nearly one-fifth of the population have fled their homes. Estimate indicates that more than 50,000 people are currently internally displaced across the nine townships of Chin State, while at least 40,000 may have crossed the border to become refugees in Mizoram.
India realises that refugees will continue to come as long as there is instability in Myanmar. The humanitarian agencies and institutional donors must find further ways to directly provide funds and resources to local groups doing this important work. Perhaps the leaf can be taken out of the Afghanistan example, where organisations like the World Food Programme and other UN organisations are distributing aid directly to the people of Myanmar. Recall that India’s vaccine diplomacy was also conducted through the good offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross. However, the need of the hour in this regard is actually bilateral cooperation. Remember that India had provided vaccine doses to the people of Myanmar and earlier, had provided education, healthcare and infrastructure development assistance. This indicates that the present Myanmar government is not averse to seeking India’s assistance when needed.
The best illustration of this is the gift of one million vaccine doses by former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla when he visited Myanmar in end-December 2021. During the visit, he also held substantive discussions with military leader General Min Aung Hlaing. This has to be capitalised on. Just as India extended development assistance to Myanmar some years ago for the construction of houses in the Rakhine state, India could look at extending assistance to meet the immediate humanitarian crisis. Specifics can always be worked out diplomatically. The major benefit of such an understanding will be that India will be seen as having reached out to the people of Myanmar. Challenges however will remain for both countries in practical terms. These are not insurmountable and should be creatively handled. While the direct route of connecting with the people through Naypyidaw is always there, India could also going the Japan route, which has challenged aid and assistance, in cooperation with international organisations and the ASEAN Secretariat, taking into account the local situation and humanitarian needs and urgency.
A Myanmar police officer
India is best placed geographically and has the diplomatic advantage of being able to reach out to the military government. Therefore, one option would be for donor governments and international agencies to immediately offer their help to India, and to the local groups trying to reach local communities in Myanmar. The only catch here will be for India to be willing and able to undertake such an initiative. Past experience shows that India has the capacity to engage with Myanmar to provide aid and assistance. A similar story has unfolded in Sri Lanka where India became the first responder to the island nation’s call for assistance with fuel and medicines. The narrative of support is positive and provides reassurance that India is willing to take the first step to help.
Addressing this issue will require deft diplomatic strategies entailing both direct and indirect connects to the government, NGOs and others in Myanmar. What is immediately needed is raising awareness of the problem and giving solutions, both bilateral and regional. At some stage, consensus will have to be reached on the way forward. There is much to be learnt from the experience of bilateral cooperation. Engagement with the military government as well as others concerned about the well-being of the people of Myanmar is the first step. For this, an invitation could be sent for Myanmar’s Foreign Secretary to visit India at an opportune time to discuss matters. The long-term view is ready, what is needed is action on the ground.
Chines media outlets have also been securing content-sharing agreements with their counterparts in ASEAN nations…reports Asian Lite News
South-East Asia suddenly became the power theatre of the East as the United States steps up to leave the rivalry with China behind in wooing the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
US President Joe Biden convening a meeting of these countries in Washington in May second week amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict has no other apparent purpose.
For China, the ASEAN meeting in Washington gives an edge in its power projection exercise in the sense that it is an acknowledgement by the United States that China is its main rival and confirms the importance of the Asian bloc for the China-US competition.
As both sides woo ASEAN, Biden’s latest attempt is seen as an “effort to woo ASEAN members caught in a delicate balancing act between superpowers”.
The US administration admitted as much when in the run-up to the meeting, the White House issued a press release saying, “It is a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration to serve as a strong, reliable partner in Southeast Asia. Our shared aspirations for the region will continue to underpin our common commitment to advance an Indo-Pacific that is free and open, secure, connected, and resilient.”
Given the purpose of the meeting, Biden is playing to the tune of the bloc of nations. The discussion on international security matters, the economic framework in South-East Asia, the question of American economic concessions and, of course, regional security involving the South China Sea was adequate to satisfy both sides.
ASEAN made no bones of the fact that it realises it is stuck between China and the US and wants concessions on its own terms as part of its strategy to be wooed by the big powers. Joanne Lin, a lead researcher at the ASEAN Studies Center at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore told CNBC, “ASEAN would probably like to see more US support towards its ASEAN-led mechanisms, as opposed to US-led minilateral groupings such as the Quad and Aukus.”
However, China has been wooing ASEAN as well, “and not just with the trade and investment that are likely its most powerful levers of influence in Southeast Asia” because in the past one decade, “Beijing has steadily expanded its media influence in these countries in four key ways, as a means of shaping their views”, according to Asian media reports.
Compared to the high-profile wooing campaigns of President Biden, China’s attempts have been subtle and consistent over a period of time. The communist government has banked upon its extensive propaganda machinery to constantly target ASEAN nations with its specialised content. For instance, Xinhua, China’s official state media agency, has print bureaus in every Southeast Asian country. TV news channels CCTV-4 and the English-language CGTN also have bureaus in this region. China Radio International airs multilingual content in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar.
DefenseOne, an expert on US defence and national security, said, “China also airs its media through partnerships and content-sharing agreements with foreign media organizations in the target countries. Such agreements are attractive to Southeast Asian countries in part because they provide free content for local media to use. China, of course, uses them to inject its preferred narratives, laundered through familiar news sources, into homes across the region.”
Chinese media outlets have also been securing content-sharing agreements with their counterparts in ASEAN nations. “China has also been building relationships with journalists in these countries in other ways. Since 2007, Beijing has organized multiple joint forums with ASEAN to promote media exchanges and cooperation.”
The China Public Diplomacy Association is directly involved in organising tours of China for ASEAN journalists. One of them is a ten-month training program for foreign journalists which includes “lectures on Chinese society and politics, internships at state outlets such as China Daily, and (heavily controlled) field trips to Xinjiang to promote the CCP’s narrative there”. In 2019, as many as 100 ASEAN journalists attend the program and returned with an information overload.
The Chinese government also supports various journalistic associations, “ostensibly to promote understanding and good relations between Chinese and foreign journalists” but essentially developing a network of “friendly” journalists in ASEAN. Other Chinese government and media departments “target and court ethnic Chinese in other countries in an attempt to shape their opinions or recruit them in service of CCP priorities”.
Private Chinese companies also shape Southeast Asia’s media environment. WeChat, for instance, offers text messaging, electronic payments, and news sharing, and is gaining popularity in Southeast Asian countries. So much so, that in 2020, “it was authorised for use by the Indonesian central bank, establishing it as a legal form of payment in Southeast Asia’s largest economy”
In another move, ByteDance, the Chinese company responsible for TikTok, bought the Indonesian news aggregator BaBe in 2018 which since then has begun “to censor news that criticized the Chinese government”.
Some of these efforts of China to use ASEAN media to “tell China’s story well” are getting results. DefenseOne refers to a 2021 survey of “ASEAN elites (academics, policymakers, journalists, and businesspeople) found that most see China as more influential in their region than the United States”. What China does not talk about is the other outcome of the survey that “Beijing’s ‘public opinion warfare’ has failed to overcome high regional distrust of China”. For example, “overwhelming majorities in every country – ranging from around 69 per cent in Laos to nearly 98 per cent in Vietnam – were ‘worried’ about China’s growing political and strategic influence”.
However, that is no reason for the US to celebrate. The survey revealed mixed results for the Americans’ wooing efforts as well. “While confidence in the US jumped from 35 per cent to 55 per cent after the election of President Biden, a majority in six of ten ASEAN states were concerned about US political and strategic influence in their country”.
China thus wants to use information warfare to influence negative perceptions of the US in ASEAN while the Americans are intent on the outreach of a personal kind to overwhelm the bloc with concessions in order to woo them away from China.
The opposition has vowed to try Imran Khan under Article 6 of the Constitutions for high treason. The punishment is death. Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri’s action of dismissing Opposition’s motion of no-confidence in Prime Minister Imran Khan as against Article 5 of the Constitution needs to be examined in the light of Article 6 of the Constitution …. Writes Dr Sakariya Kareem
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan insisted to stay on the pitch till the last ball while there was no ball left. His craze for hitting the non-existent last ball made him look like a comic character who would give tuppence for any rule of the game.
As Prime Minster he tried to scuttle the Constitution of the country when he felt it posed a threat to his Prime ministership. The acts of National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who dismissed the opposition’s no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister on April 3, and of President Arif Alvi, who, on the same day, dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of the Prime Minister ignoring the Constitutional Provision on this subject.
The opposition has vowed to try Imran Khan under Article 6 of the Constitutions for high treason. The punishment is death. Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri’s action of dismissing Opposition’s motion of no-confidence in Prime Minister Imran Khan as against Article 5 of the Constitution needs to be examined in the light of Article 6 of the Constitution.
Article 5 says (1) Loyalty to the State is the basic duty of every citizen. (2) Obedience to the Constitution and the law is the basic obligation of every citizen wherever he may be and of every other person for the time being within Pakistan. It is clear from these quotations that a citizen must be loyal to the State of Pakistan and be obedient to its Constitution and law. But it nowhere lays that the citizens should be loyal to the Prime Minister or a ruler.
While misquoting Article 5, Suri completely ignored Article 95 of the Constitution which provides for the vote of no-confidence against the Prime Minister. It says: resolutions for a no-confidence moved by not less than twenty per cent of the total membership of the National Assembly may be passed against the Prime Minister by the National Assembly. If the resolution is passed the Prime Minister shall cease to hold office.
The Supreme court called Suri’s action as erroneous. The President in his oath “In the name of Allah the most Beneficent the most merciful” swears that I will persevere, protect and defend the Constitutions of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan”. But when the time for his test came, he forgot both his oath and the Constitution and illegally dissolved the National Assembly – perhaps unaware that the Constitution had a provision for the dissolution of the National Assembly.
The President ignored Article 58 and in indecent haste dissolved the National Assembly on the Prime Minister’s advice when the common sense said that in the presence of the Supreme Court, the opposition’s no-confidence could not be considered non-existent after the Deputy Speaker’s flippant dismissal of it for undependable allegations. In other words, the opposition’s notice for a vote of no-confidence was very much there when the President dissolved the National Assembly.
The President and the Deputy Speaker like others, all swear in the name of Allah to defend the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Thus they committed two sins: one, against Allah by making the false oath in his name, and two, against the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and thereby against the state.
When Deputy Speaker Suri dismissed the no-confidence motion on April 3 Nawaz Sharif in London said he must be tried for high treason under Article 6 of the Constitution. This Article says “Any person who abrogates or attempts or conspires to subvert the Constitution by use of force or show of force or by unconstitutional means shall be guilty of treason.
Guilty also are those who aid and abet such actions. This means if there is a case under Article 6 of Constitution besides President Alvi, Deputy Speaker Suri and some others including Imran Khan by aiding their act with a fake letter of foreign support to the no-confidence motion.
For arrogant Imran there was no way out from the no-confidence motion which had the support of half of his party legislators. It is said 197 Members were for the motion. Imran said they had got sackful of currency notes from the opposition.
The meeting was attended by the ambassadors of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam accredited to the UAE…reports Asian Lite News
Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, has met with the ambassadors of the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) accredited to the UAE.
The meeting reviewed the friendship and cooperation relations between the UAE and ASEAN countries and ways to develop them across various fields further. It also touched upon regional and international issues of common interest.
Dr. Gargash highlighted the UAE’s interest in strengthening its relations with ASEAN countries, especially in the economic and investment sectors, as well as promoting cooperation to higher levels and forging overall strategic partnerships.
The ambassadors expressed their appreciation for the UAE and their keenness to enhance cooperation. They expressed their thanks for the support provided by the country for the participation of the ASEAN General Secretariat at Expo 2020 Dubai.
The meeting was attended by the ambassadors of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam accredited to the UAE.
Earlier this month, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, invited Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, to visit the UAE to witness the signing of the UAE-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
#UAE and #ASEAN met and reviewed ways to develop them across various fields further. It also touched upon regional and international issues of common interest.
Widodo commended the privileged relations between the two countries and the developmental drive championed by the UAE over the past fifty years, hailing the rapid and steady growth in their bilateral relations in various fields and sectors. He expressed his hope that this visit would contribute to further strengthening cooperation in various fields.
The Emirati-Indonesian relations have significantly grown over the past years, especially following the visit by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed to the Asian nation in July 2019, which resulted in the signing of memoranda of understanding worth $32 billion.
A number of Emirati companies are currently working on promising projects, including Indonesia’s first floating solar power plant by Masdar, and a project between the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Indonesia’s Pertamina to develop petrochemicals and gas.
Free and Open Indo-Pacific concept is expanding widely from Southeast Asia, India to Africa. It guarantees safety, peace, economic prosperity, and a strong human tie…reports Asian Lite News
Japan and ASEAN are joining hands to enhance economic stability and security related issues.
Dr Rizal Sukma, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Jakarta said, “We, of course, really rely on this security and stability in the Indo Pacific. I think an open Indo-Pacific will benefit not only Indonesia but also benefit other countries as well because this is the most important condition for trade to take place, which is the sea routes, the maritime domains must be secured and also must be stable.”
“ASEAN really expects Japan to play a more active security role and I think ASEAN Outlook on the Pacific will provide a new platform for ASEAN and Japan to work and cooperate on security methods even more. ASEAN and Japan now should really expand their cooperation to include much more activities in the security area as well, not only on economic cooperation. Because we do have common challenges we are facing in the Indo-Pacific,” Sukma said.
Thailand authority analyses the concept of Free Open Indo Pacific.
Dr Pongphisoot Busbarat, Assistant Professor at Chulalongkorn University said, Japan’s contributions to economic development and connectivity in the region and in Thailand in particular so tremendously you know helped these countries emerge as emerging economies and could play important roles in the world economy.
“I believe the concept has a great prospect to be welcomed by Thai policymakers and Thai people within the Thai public. The perceptions of Japan is very positive and I believe in other countries as well. And I think the promotion of FOIP by Japan will even improve and confirm these public perceptions of Japan’s constructive role in the region at large. Thai Japanese relations in particular, is always warm and friendly. So Japan’s constructive role throughout more than Thailand’s economic development will pave a strong and solid background and foundation for our relationship,” Busbarat said.
Free and Open Indo-Pacific concept is expanding widely from Southeast Asia, India to Africa. It guarantees safety, peace, economic prosperity, and a strong human tie. (ANI)
