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Vietnam regrets US’ decision to blacklist gas firm over deal with Iran: foreign ministry (nationthailand.com)

Vietnam regrets US’ decision to blacklist gas firm over deal with Iran: foreign ministry

Dec 19. 2020Việt Nam Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng responded to the media questions during the regular press briefing held in Hà Nội on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo 

By Viet Nam News/ANN

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam regrets the US’ decision to sanction a Vietnamese gas transportation firm for allegedly facilitating the export of petrochemical products from Iran in contravention of sanctions.

The spokesperson for the Việt Nam Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng made the remark on Thursday during a regular press briefing in Hà Nội, where she commented that as a responsible member of the United Nations and of the international community, Việt Nam always fully observes the body’s resolutions.

Việt Nam-Iran relations are “always open, transparent and lawful,” Hằng said, adding that trade relations between the two countries are “strictly civilian” and involve goods that serve the essential needs of the peoples and do not run contrary to the many resolutions of the UN Security Council.

“Việt Nam finds it regrettable that the US has reached such a decision, and we strongly urge the US – with consideration towards the warm bilateral relations between the two countries – to contemplate removal of the sanction against the Việt Nam Gas & Chemicals Transportation Corporation without causing further difficulties to the Vietnamese businesses and companies engaging in ordinary business,” Hằng said.

Earlier on Wednesday, the US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced it would “act against persons who support illicit actors engaged in the movement of Iranian petroleum sales,” blacklisting four entities – including China-based Donghai International Ship Management Limited, China-based Petrochem South East Limited, UAE-based Alpha Tech Trading FZE and UAE-based Petroliance Trading FZE, in addition to the Vietnamese company for alleged “significant transactions” for the transport of Iran’s oil products.

These companies are alleged to have had dealings with Iran’s Triliance Petrochemical, which was hit with sanctions by Washington in early 2020.

Currency manipulation

Also on Thursday, the Vietnamese foreign ministry responded to the US Treasury Department’s Wednesday decision to label Việt Nam as a currency manipulator for the first time after many threats.

Hằng said the State Bank of Việt Nam issued its statement regarding the matter this morning and local and foreign media have already widely carried the news.

“In the last 25 years, especially since the elevation of ties to the Comprehensive Partnership, the relations between Việt Nam and the US have witnessed strong growth across the board, including in the domain of economics, commerce and investment,” Hằng continued.

Việt Nam attaches special importance to trade relations with the US and always seriously implements high-level agreements and other bilateral trade commitments, according to Hằng.

Việt Nam always maintains dialogues and consultations with the US side in a constructive spirit to address issues in trade relations, with a view towards ensuring sustainability and harmonised interests between the two countries, the Vietnamese foreign ministry spokesperson added.

Mekong watch

Responding to a question over Việt Nam’s reaction to the December 15 launched US-backed Mekong Dam Monitor, aimed at tracking the activities of dams – especially China-run ones – in the upper parts of the Mekong River, Hằng said as a country in the Mekong region, Việt Nam welcomes all initiatives that contribute to the common efforts towards co-operation in the management and use of the Mekong water resources in a sustainable, fair and reasonable manner.

“We will look into the initiative and find ways to co-operate in a suitable fashion to help foster the sustainable development of the Mekong River basin,” she added.

Radioactive concerns

Asked for a response over recent reports from the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute showing high levels of radioactivity in the West Philippine Sea, part of the South China Sea and currently contested between China and the Philippines, the Vietnamese foreign ministry spokesperson stated that relevant authorities pay great attention to this matter and are looking into the veracity of the information.

“It should be noted that the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) clearly codified that countries and states have the obligation to protect and preserve the maritime environment, and respect the sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction of other littoral states as identified in accordance with the 1982 UNCLOS,” Hằng said.

The use, exploitation, and transportation of devices, equipment and materials that contain the risks radioactive hazards need to follow international law and regulations, norms and rules on assurance of nuclear safety as put in place by the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) without jeopardising the peace and security in the region, the spokesperson stated. — VNS

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Japan finalizes policy to build 2 Aegis ships, develop long-range missiles (nationthailand.com)

Japan finalizes policy to build 2 Aegis ships, develop long-range missiles

Dec 19. 2020Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, center, attends a Cabinet meeting on Friday at the Prime Minister’s office, Tokyo. (The Yomiuri Shimbun) 

By The Japan News/ANN

Japan will build two Aegis-equipped ships to replace the ground-based interceptor system known as Aegis Ashore and also develop a long-range cruise missile that can strike beyond the range of enemy missiles, the government decided at a cabinet meeting on Friday.

In June, the government abandoned plans to deploy the Aegis Ashore system because of the risk of missile propulsion units landing outside bases, endangering nearby residents.

Three alternative proposals were studied: deploying destroyers including Aegis ships; using private ships; and building floating facilities offshore. A decision was made to install the system on destroyers, which are more resistant to enemy attacks and can be flexibly deployed across wide areas.

The Aegis ships will be equipped with the Aegis Ashore’s SPY7 radar and missile launchers and SM6 multifunctional antiaircraft missiles that can intercept ballistic and cruise missiles, to defend against possible attacks by North Korea and China.

The government will study further whether the new ships will have anti-ship and anti-submarine capabilities, as well as missile defense capabilities, earmarking ¥1.7 billion for research and other expenses in the next fiscal year’s budget.

The long-range cruise missile will be based on the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Type 12 surface-to-ship guided missile, and is expected to take five years to develop. The Type 12 has a range of just over 100 kilometers. The new missile is expected to have a range of about 1,000 kilometers and also have stealth capability. Development costs of ¥33.5 billion will be included in next year’s budget plan.

The Defense Ministry is also moving ahead with plans to introduce long-range missiles such as the U.S.-made JASSM air-to-ground missile with a range of about 900 kilometers to be mounted on F-15 fighters. The government is aiming to further strengthen Japan’s deterrence capability through the introduction of various types of missiles.

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had said in a statement before leaving office in September that the government would finalize by the end of this year a new missile defense policy, that could include possession of capabilities to attack enemy territory. However, the government decided at Friday’s Cabinet meeting to continue studying the policy next year.

The cabinet meeting did not refer directly to the new policy on missile defense out of consideration for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s junior coalition partner Komeito, which has been cautious about Japan’s possessing capabilities to attack enemy bases. Instead, discussions referred to efforts to “continue studying deterrence enhancements.”

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ADB: 2.1b people in Asia-Pacific lack water supply, sanitation (nationthailand.com)

ADB: 2.1b people in Asia-Pacific lack water supply, sanitation

Dec 19. 2020

Residents carry drinking water in plastic containers during a free supply distribution organized by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board Government of Telangana at a slum in Secunderabad, the twin city of Hyderabad, India, on May 20, 2020. (NOAH SEELAM / AFP)

By China Daily/ANN

MANILA – Despite achievements in Asia and the Pacific region over the last few decades, 1.5 billion people living in rural areas and 600 million in urban areas still lack adequate water supply and sanitation, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in a report released on Friday.

Of the 49 ADB regional members, the Manila-based bank said that 27 members face “serious water constraints on economic development,” and 18 are yet “to sufficiently protect their inhabitants against water-related disasters”.

According to the Asian Water Development Outlook (AWDO) 2020 report, the economies in Asia and the Pacific must put water security at the top of their agenda to recover from the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and adapt to climate change.

In the report, the ADB set out the status in the region of water security, which measures the availability of safe and affordable water supply, sanitation for all, improved livelihoods, and healthy ecosystems, with reduced water-related diseases and floods.

It stressed the need to put water at the center of sustainable rural development by promoting water-effective irrigation agriculture, community-based water and sanitation services, and locally resilient disaster risk reduction.

It further stressed the need to achieve urban water security by investing in water, sanitation, and disaster risk reduction infrastructure services not only in cities but also in slums and peripheral areas.

In the report, the ADB called on the region to “provide a healthy environment by drastically reducing pollution, stimulating a circular economy, increasing land protection, and embracing nature-based approaches”.

It stressed the importance of increasing the resilience of water systems to avoid water-related disasters.

To improve the region’s water security, ADB said it has programmed more than US$6 billion in financial and technical assistance between 2020 and 2022 to support safe water supply, sanitation, and wastewater measures.

The ADB said it has also programmed more than US$2 billion for flood risk management in the same period, together with tailored knowledge services that promote innovation and forge partnerships.  

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Hyundai Motor Group unveils AI-based Korean-English translation app (nationthailand.com)

Hyundai Motor Group unveils AI-based Korean-English translation app

Dec 19. 2020H-Translator (Hyundai Motor Group) 

By Jo He-rim
The Korea Herald/ANN

Hyundai Motor Group said Friday it has developed a Korean-English translation app to support smooth communication among its employees in local and overseas offices.

Dubbed the H-Translator, the app is based on artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm and is specialized in the automobile industry, the South Korean automaker said.

Hyundai explained that it has come to develop the translator to support timely communication and strengthen work efficiency, as the company has been actively recruiting foreign employees.

According to Hyundai, the H-Translator is not only capable of translating written text, but also recognize writing from images.

It is also capable of translating conversations on online chat rooms, allowing its employees in different countries to communicate in two different languages instantly, the company said.

Hyundai started to work on the ANN algorithm-based machine translation in 2019.

The company said its technology has proved of its quality, as it placed in the first rank in all of the five contests of patent translation of the Workshop on Asian Translation last year.

“We will not only continue to advance related ANN-based machine translation technologies, and expand the number of languages for translation, but also plan to feature these technologies to wearable devices,” a Hyundai Motor Group official said.

According to Hyundai, the H-Translator is an updated version from the company’s web-based translation system, developed by AIRS Company, applied for their internal network in November.

AIRS Company was established as a division for artificial intelligence technology for the automotive firm in 2018.

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India planning strike against Pakistan, seeks approval of partners: FM Qureshi in Abu Dhabi (nationthailand.com)

India planning strike against Pakistan, seeks approval of partners: FM Qureshi in Abu Dhabi

Dec 19. 2020

By DAWN/ANN

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday said he had credible information that India was planning a surgical strike against Pakistan to divert attention from its internal affairs and that it was trying to seek “tacit approval” for the move from its “partners”.

The foreign minister made this statement at a press conference in Abu Dhabi, where he is ending a two-day visit during which he held meetings with the top brass of the Emirati leadership.

At the presser, Qureshi summed up his engagements with the UAE leadership over the last two days but also touched on the designs of India, which he said were “picked up by intelligence”.

“An important development has cropped up […] I’ve learned through our intelligence forces […] that India is planning a surgical strike against Pakistan,” said Qureshi.

Terming it a “serious development” he further elaborated that India is already “trying to seek tacit approval” from what Qureshi said were “important players who they consider to be their partners”.

The minister said in his opinion this operation was being planned so India could divert attention from “serious internal issues” and as a means to unify divisions in the country.

Qureshi noted that Pakistan had revealed “India sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan” through a dossier that it shared with the international community.

He also mentioned the recent report by the EU DisinfoLab which exposed an Indian disinformation network of “fake websites and fake NGOs that they had launched with a sole objective to malign Pakistan”.

Elaborating on the “serious internal issues” facing India at the moment, Qureshi said the situation in Indian occupied Kashmir “was never good but has deteriorated further”.

The ongoing farmers’ protests in Punjab, Qureshi said, was a “country-wide protest” resulting from “the policies of this regime, the BJP regime”. He said the protest was growing, with various segments of India such as “opposition parties, lawyers, civil society and trade unions” expressing their support for it.

“The mishandling of the coronavirus by Indian authorities is known to everyone. The impact that it is having on their economy is known to all.”

The situation of the minorities in India, the foreign minister said, was also “increasingly uncomfortable”, referring to the protests in Assam and the situation of Dalits, Sikhs and Muslims.

Qureshi said “Pakistan is fully prepared to respond to and defeat India’s designs.”

“We will do it […] as we did respond immediately and effectively in February 2019,” he warned.

The foreign minister said this information, of an imminent strike against Pakistan, had been shared with relevant capitals, who had been apprised of India’s plans and Pakistan’s willingness to respond.

He said any “misadventure” could seriously undermine and set back the Afghan peace process and “India will be held responsible for this.”

“I warn my eastern neighbour, we are aware of their mindset and we are aware of their designs […] and Pakistan will respond.”

Visas issue

Apprising the room on developments during his two-day visit to the UAE, Qureshi said he had “good meetings” with Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai’s ruler, and that they discussed not only bilateral relations but also “opportunities […] for trade and investment”.

He thanked the ruler of Dubai for his support and the support that UAE had provided to Pakistan over the years during difficult times, calling the two countries “destined strategic partners”.

The foreign minister said he would be meeting with the head of UAE intelligence after the media briefing where he would take up the visas issue with him.

Weeks earlier, the UAE included Pakistan among the 12 countries for whose nationals it had suspended issuing visit visas. The move had raised eyebrows as it was not immediately clear why the measure had been applied to Pakistan. The Foreign Office had at the time said it was seeking more clarity from Emirati authorities but that it appeared to be a coronavirus related move.

Days after the suspension of visas, a report published by Reuters said the move was implemented due to “security concerns” without elaborating on what those concerns were.

Qureshi ended the briefing by reaffirming the contributions Pakistan has made in the “progress and development of UAE” and hoped to resolve the few issues that remain.

Army on high alert

Qureshi’s stern remarks against India while on a trip to UAE come on the heels of an already tense atmosphere.

Informed sources told Dawn earlier this month that the Pakistan Army had been put on high alert amidst a possible threat of another attempt by India to conduct a surgical strike inside Pakistani territory.

They said that after facing a humiliating defeat in Ladakh and Doklam, India was preparing to launch another attack on the Line of Control (LoC) and across the Working Boundary at Pulwama, posing a threat to the regional peace and stability.

An official said a “false flag operation” was being planned by India to divert the world’s attention from several of its internal issues, including the ongoing farmers’ protest, its treatment of minorities, atrocities committed by Indian forces in occupied Kashmir and criticism of its policies by international institutions and media.

“India may at any time repeat a Pulwama-like drama to divert attention from the internal problems and was planning an action along the LoC and Working Boundary,” he said.

In 2016, India had claimed to have carried out a surgical strike on the LoC, a claim rubbished by Pakistan. Similarly, on Feb 26 last year, India had tried to launch a similar operation against Pakistan but failed and two of its planes had been shot down by Pakistan Air Force. Indian pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan was arrested and later released.

The decision to put the army on high alert came days after the Indian government approved the creation of a new post of deputy chief of strategy at the army headquarters as per a plan envisaged during the Doklam crisis with China in 2017, besides creating the position of director general information warfare who will also be dealing with media affairs.