Hi,
In today's bulletin: Malaysia to restrain inflow of long-term pass holders from 3 Asian countries with high Covid-19 infections, the US initiates new economic dialogue with Taiwan, rare protests in Inner Mongolia over shift to Mandarin schooling, Japan, India and Australia discuss strengthening the supply chain network in the Indo-Pacific, Samsung's Lee Jae-yong indicted, and more.
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COVID-19: MSIA TO CURB INFLOW OF PEOPLE FROM INDIA, INDONESIA PHILIPPINES; HONG KONG GRAPPLES WITH RESISTANCE TO TESTING
With several months having passed in the fight against coronavirus, countries continue to face challenges in containing the pandemic, although some bright spots are appearing too.
Malaysia announced today it would bar long-term pass holders from India, Indonesia and the Philippines from entering the country from Sept 7, to reduce the probability of coronavirus infections from imported cases. South Korea, caught in a second wave of infections, is seeing an elevenfold surge in patients with severe conditions.
In Hong Kong, our Correspondent Claire Huang reports on the calls to boycott the voluntary mass testing exercise initiated by the government to try and identify those infected. Sign-up rates for the mass testing remain far below government's expectations.
Meanwhile, on the brighter side, applications opened today for essential travel between Brunei and Singapore although strict procedures will need to be followed. And a new school year began in China with strict Covid-19 measures.
US INITIATES NEW BILATERAL ECONOMIC DIALOGUE WITH TAIWAN
Days after US Health and Human Services Alex Azar visited Taiwan, in the highest-level visit by an American Cabinet official in slightly over four decades, the United States announced late on Monday, it is establishing a new bilateral economic dialogue with Taiwan.
Mr David Stillwell, the State Department's top diplomat for East Asia, told a virtual forum hosted by the Conservative Heritage Foundation that the dialogue would explore the "full spectrum of our economic relationship - semiconductors, healthcare, energy, and beyond, with technology at the core."
The announcement comes amid worsening relations between US and China and an increase in tensions between Taiwan and China.
Read also:
Taiwan moves to revamp military amid Chinese muscle flexing
Taiwan paves way for US trade deal by easing pork, beef imports
MONGOLIANS PROTEST SWITCH TO MANDARIN SCHOOLING
About a week after Inner Mongolia officials announced a change in education policy that will require the teaching of core subjects in Mandarin instead of Mongolian, tens of thousands of people took to protests to register their anger over the move.
The change in policy echoes similar moves in Tibet and Xinjiang.
Many of the protests took place outside schools. Reports said the Inner Mongolia region is the only one left in the world that uses the traditional Mongolian script.
Read also:
China to push Mandarin for minorities, protect dying tongues
JAPAN, AUSTRALIA & INDIA TO LAUNCH SUPPLY CHAIN INITIATIVE
Trade ministers from Japan, India and Australia agreed today to launch an initiative to strengthen supply chains in the Indo-Pacific region. A joint statement issued after the discussions said the initiative would be launched later this year.
The announcement comes amid reports that the three nations are looking to work together to counter China's dominance on trade.
The three ministers - Japan's Hiroshi Kajiyama, India's Piyush Goyal and Australia's Simon Birmingham who attended the video conference today - have also called on other countries in the region with shared views to participate in the initiative.
Read also:
Opportunity for Asean in supply chain shifts due to trade war, virus: Tharman
SAMSUNG LEADER LEE JAE-YONG INDICTED ON STOCK MANIPULATION CHARGE
Samsung Group leader Lee Jae-yong was indicted by prosecutors in South Korea on charges accusing him of manipulating stock prices and breach of trust to cement control of the group. Prosecutors proceeded to indict him despite an independent panel's recommendation in June to refrain from doing so. Lee's lawyers did not have an immediate comment. The indictment will allow Lee to undergo trial on the charges.
IN OTHER NEWS...
PHILIPPINES TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH CHINA FIRMS BLACKLISTED BY US: The Philippines will not halt infrastructure projects involving Chinese firms blacklisted by ally the United States and will make its own decisions, the president's spokesman said today. President Rodrigo Duterte will not follow Washington's move to sanction Chinese firms involved in building and militarising artificial South China Sea islands because infrastructure was a national priority, his spokesman Harry Roque said.
FACEBOOK THREAT TO BLOCK NEWS IN AUSTRALIA: Facebook Inc plans to block people and publishers in Australia from sharing news, a move that pushes back against a proposed law forcing the company to pay media companies for their articles. The threat escalates an antitrust battle between Facebook and the Australian government, which wants the social-media giant and Alphabet Inc's Google to compensate publishers for the value they provide to their platforms. The legislation still needs to be approved by Australia's Parliament.
AXINGTON CHAIRMAN RESIGNS: Ms Evangeline Shen, the non-independent non-executive chairman of Axington Inc, resigned just after midnight on Monday, along with three other directors. The Singapore-listed company is linked to the Bellagraph Nova (BN) Group that recently made a £280 million (S$506 million) bid for Newcastle United Football Club, and has faced much scrutiny since the news became public.
That's it for today. Thanks for reading. We'll be back with you tomorrow.
Shefali
