Hi all,

In today's bulletin: Senior officials from the United States and China could meet soon; Leaders of the Quad could discuss funding options to boost India's capability to manufacture many more vaccines; Malaysia's High Court allows Christians to use the word 'Allah'; Myanmar's military junta reportedly hires a lobbyist to explain its position on the coup to the U.S., Saudi Arabia and other countries; Thai PM sprays sanitiser to dodge uncomfortable questions, and more.

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US-China talking about 'near-term' meeting

The United States is in discussions with China for a 'senior-level' meeting in the 'near-term', a Biden official has confirmed. Details still have to be finalised.

The meeting could take place in Alaska and it could be between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi, sources told the media. It would be the first senior-level contact between the two countries since President Joe Biden took office in January.

Relations between the world's two leading economic superpowers hit a low during former US President Donald Trump's tenure, over trade and technology matters and there's been much concern in diplomatic and business circles over the direction of ties between the two.

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Quad meeting to discuss funding to boost India's vaccine manufacturing capability

The United States and its allies in the region, that make up the Quad countries, are set to discuss funding options to allow India to boost its capability to make coronavirus vaccines that could also be exported to Southeast Asia.

The meeting of the leaders of the Quad group - that includes the U.S., Japan, India and Australia - is set to take place on Friday. Besides discussing the threat of Covid-19, the meeting will also discuss economic cooperation and the climate crisis, a spokesperson of the Biden administration said on Tuesday.

Quad leaders will discuss manufacturing backlogs and impediments affecting the production process, given the global need to step up capability. India has called on members to invest in its manufacturing capacity to be able to counter China's growing influence as it persists with diplomatic efforts to build relations through sharing of coronavirus vaccines.

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Mexico turns to China after Biden rules out Covid-19 vaccines sharing in short term

Malaysia's High Court rules Christians can use word 'Allah' in publications

Malaysia's High Court today granted a Malaysian Christian the right to use 'Allah' in her religious practice, ending a three-decade ban on the use of the word by Christians in their religious publications.

Alongside, the court also allowed three other words to be used in Christian publications for educational purposes: Kaabah (Islam's holiest shrine in Mecca), Baitullah (House of God), and solat (prayer).

The ruling comes nearly 13 years after Ms Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill, a Sarawakian Christian first filed a legal challenge on the matter.

Israeli-Canadian lobbyist to be paid $2.7m to 'explain' coup on behalf of junta

If reports are to be believed, Myanmar's junta has reportedly hired an Israeli-Canadian lobbyist to "assist in explaining the real situation" behind the military coup to the U.S. and other countries. They are to be paid a sum of US$2 million (S$2.7 million) for their efforts to engage America, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Russia as well as the United Nations. Observers, however, remain skeptical about the group's ability to change the narrative.

At the UN Security Council, meanwhile, disagreement prevented members from issuing a statement on Myanmar on the military coup. Objections to a British draft came in from China, Russia, India and Vietnam over a reference to the coup and a threat to consider further measures.

In the country, security forces raided the staff compound of striking railway workers opposed to the military junta, while protests continued elsewhere.

Thai PM sprays sanitiser on reporters to dodge tricky questions

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha surprised the media at a briefing when he picked up the hand sanitiser and started spraying on them to dodge some of the uncomfortable questions raised. The reporters were keen to find out about potential candidates for vacant Cabinet posts, following last week's jailing of three of his ministers for insurrection during protests seven years ago.

IN OTHER NEWS

Reclusive Chinese water tycoon Zhong Shanshan is now Asia's richest person: Chinese billionaire Zhong Shanshan has become Asia's richest man following the stock listings last year of his Nongfu Spring mineral water and separate pharma company Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise, which has tapped into massive demand for Covid-19 test kits. His net worth has surged to US$85 billion (S$114 billion) and made him the seventh-richest person on the planet, Hurun Report, a China-based compiler of "rich lists", said.

Malaysia to lower voting age to 18: Malaysia is set to lower the voting age to 18 and will roll out its automatic voter registration (AVR) system by July this year, a senior Election Commission official said. The move will add several new voters. The EC's estimates in 2019 had projected 7.8 million new voters, a 50 per cent increase over the number of voters then, by 2023, if the AVR system came into place.

That's it for today. Thanks for reading The Straits Times and today's Asian Insider newsletter. We'll be back tomorrow.

Shefali

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