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India pledges vaccine support to Bangladesh (nationthailand.com)

India pledges vaccine support to Bangladesh

Dec 18. 2020

By Porimol Palma
The Daily Star/ANN

Timely, effective delivery when ready; connectivity, resolving water sharing, border killing discussed

India promised to promptly and effectively deliver to Bangladesh the Covid-19 vaccines it is producing as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi held a virtual summit yesterday.

The two PMs also expressed their interest in expanding the already-strong bilateral and regional economic cooperation by improving connectivity while resolving existing issues, including water sharing and management and bringing down border killings to zero.

Stating that Bangladesh is a significant pillar of India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy, Modi said pharmaceutical companies on both sides have already arranged plans for supply of vaccines. The prospect of cooperation in production will also be explored, he added.

The Bangladesh government and a local pharmaceutical company have already signed an agreement with Serum Institute of India for Covid-19 vaccines.

“Whenever vaccine is produced, India will give us three crore vaccines,” said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen at a press conference at State Guesthouse Padma after the PM-level summit, which lasted for an hour and 15 minutes.

The vaccines will be purchased at a “friendship price”, he said.

In a separate press conference, Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami said India is working quietly and strategically on best practices, supply chain and management of the vaccine not only with Bangladesh, but also with Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives and Mauritius.

“We will be very willing if the Bangladesh side wants us to help improve facilities and also facilitate co-production here,” he said.

The summit was held at a historical time as the countries are in their 50th year of diplomatic relationships. Bangladesh is also celebrating the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and preparing to celebrate its 50th independence anniversary next year.

Sheikh Hasina said India is a true friend of Bangladesh and expressed her gratitude to the country and the Indian Army for their support during the 1971 Liberation War.

The two premiers inaugurated a postal stamp of Bangabandhu and the Bangabandhu-Bapu digital exhibition. They also inaugurated the Holdibari-Chilahati rail link, which remained unused since the India-Pakistan war in 1965, and inaugurated two community development projects.

They also signed seven MoUs and adapted a 39-point joint statement following the meeting.

Both countries will also organise commemorative activities next year, including a biographical film on Bangabandhu by acclaimed director Shyam Benegal, to be shot in Bangladesh and India early next year.

TEESTA AND OTHER RIVERS

According to the joint statement, Hasina sought early signing of the interim agreement for sharing of the Teesta waters, as agreed upon by both governments in 2011.

In response, Modi reiterated India’s sincere commitment and continued efforts in that regard.

Indian High Commissioner Doraiswami said he could not give any specific timeframe for signing of the deal, but was working on it.

However, he said that a joint technical committee is working on water sharing of six other rivers — Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla and Dudhkumar. The committee would meet before the Joint Rivers Commission at the soonest possible time.

Dhaka requested Delhi to allow excavation work on the remaining portion of the Rahimpur Khal for utilisation of the water of Kushiyara river for irrigation.

Both countries agreed to carry out necessary work to convert the international boundary along the Kuhsiyara river into a fixed boundary.

Bangladesh reiterated its request for 1.3km of “Innocent Passage” along the Padma river near Rajshahi. The Indian side assured that they would consider the request.

Momen said Bangladesh also requested the early demarcation of Muhuri, Ichhamoti, Kalindi, Raimangal and Hariabhanga rivers.

He said both sides agreed to hold an early meeting of the Joint Boundary Conference to prepare a new set of strip maps along the stretch of the rivers. The joint statement, however, omitted the river Muhuri.

BORDER KILLINGS

Bangladesh expressed concern over the loss of civilian lives at the India-Bangladesh border. India shared the concern and directed border forces concerned to enhance coordination measures to work towards bringing such border incidents to zero.

Doraiswami said Modi gave clear instructions to the Border Security Force (BSF) that lethal force is to be used only as the last resort. PM Hasina also acknowledged that Indians are also killed and injured in such incidents.

“We don’t want any black spots in our relationship,” Foreign Minister Momen said, adding that some criminal activities also take place at the borders where some illegal traders from Bangladesh are also to blame.

Both sides agreed to facilitate the completion of border fencing at all pending sectors as soon as possible, beginning with the Tripura-Bangladesh sector.

TRADE, ECONOMY, CONNECTIVITY

Both countries expressed their commitment to strengthening bilateral and regional cooperation on trade and connectivity, emphasising on removing non-tariff barriers so that both countries can take full advantage of the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) flexibility.

Momen said Dhaka requested Delhi to remove anti-dumping/anti-circumvention duties on export of jute products from Bangladesh. Delhi expected a quick resolution.

Bangladesh requested India to convey in advance any amendments to India’s export policy of essential commodities to Bangladesh. The Indian side took note of this request.

Momen said the issue was significant as Bangladesh had to face trouble after India this year restricted onion exports without prior information.

Both prime ministers directed officials to expeditiously conclude the ongoing joint study on the prospects of entering into a bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement as Bangladesh graduates from the LDC list in four years.

The two leaders welcomed the signing of the second addendum to the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT), trial run of trans-shipment of Indian goods from Kolkata to Agartala via Chattogram and the operationalisation of the Sonamura-Daudkandi Protocol route, and sought speedy operationalisation of trans-shipment of Indian goods through Chattogram and Mongla Ports.

Doraiswami said Bangladesh can also use the Indian ports for third-country export.

Bangladesh sought quick operationalisation of BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) Motor Vehicle Agreement through signing of protocols among India, Bangladesh and Nepal to commence movement of goods and passengers, with provisions for Bhutan to join at a later date.

Hasina sought to join the ongoing India Myanmar Thailand trilateral highway project to enhance connectivity between the regions of south and south-east Asia.

The Indian side requested Bangladesh to allow connectivity from West Bengal (Hilli) to Meghalaya (Mahendraganj) via Bangladesh.

Hasina proposed that Bangladeshi trucks avail the Feni Bridge, once completed, for transportation of goods from Chattogram port to north-eastern India.

Modi invited Bangladesh to join the New Development Bank of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). Hasina expressed willingness to join it considering concessionary loans for infrastructure projects.

In response to Bangladesh’s request for India’s assistance in quick Rohingya repatriation, India said they agree that the solution to the crisis lies in sustainable repatriation.

Indian High Commissioner Dowaiswami said India, alongside Japan, is investing for development in Rakhine for creating a conducive environment for repatriation.

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More Singapore workers to be recruited for solar industry (nationthailand.com)

More Singapore workers to be recruited for solar industry

Dec 18. 2020NTUC’s Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng (centre) observes workers as they install a solar panel during the Career Development Plan for the Solar Industry event on Dec 17, 2020. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG 

By Liew Ai Xin
The Straits Times/ANN

SINGAPORE – A solar industry recruitment drive on Thursday (Dec 17) saw more than 200 residents sign up for jobs, with agencies here announcing plans to build skills and experience for Singaporeans to manage solar projects in its entire cycle, from installation to maintenance.

This is to meet the Republic’s growing renewable energy needs as it strives to achieve 2 gigawatt-peak (GWP) by 2030, almost five times the current solar usage.

Between 3,000 and 4,000 jobs will be created in the solar industry in the next two to three years, said Mr Gilbert Tan, chief executive of the labour movement’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) and assistant director-general of the National Trades Union Congress.

To build up the skilled workforce for the industry, e2i and the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS) signed two memoranda of understanding (MOU) with nine solar companies and two training providers.

NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng witnessed the signing.

The agreements are aimed at tackling manpower challenges and to build up the skills, training and job prospects for the solar industry.

The MOUs also see a career plan developed for solar technologists, to ensure well-defined progression in skills, job role, wages and productivity for the industry.

Of 430 available jobs at the recruitment drive held at the Singapore Sustainability Academy in City Square Mall, 405 vacancies were for solar technologists.

A solar technologist, who would have a diploma, Nitec or Higher Nitec qualification, will be involved in installing and maintaining solar photo-voltaic (PV) systems.

With a diploma or a degree with relevant experience, a senior solar technologist will progress to designing PV systems and performing data analysis.

A principal solar technologist will have the responsibility of assessing the feasibility of PV installations, as well as plan, execute and manage projects.

They would have at least eight years of relevant experience, regardless of whether they have a diploma, degree or higher Nitec qualifications.

Mr Frank Phuan, CEO and co-founder of local solar energy firm Sunseap Group, a signatory of the MOU, said the solar industry has been heavily reliant on foreign workers under the construction sector to install solar panels.

However, that means that their job is transient in nature, added Mr Phuan, who is also vice chairman of SEAS.

“They (the workers) will leave somehow, someday. So there’s hardly any career development we can talk about,” he added.

Mr Steven Lau was among those who signed up for a job at the recruitment drive.

The 33-year old, who currently works part-time in a logistics company, has a degree in electrical and electronics engineering from Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

He said the solar industry was what he pictured himself being involved in when he graduated four years ago.

“I hope to secure a role (as a solar technologist) by the end of the year, although time is tight.”

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Tokyo raises alert for medical system to highest level (nationthailand.com)

Tokyo raises alert for medical system to highest level

Dec 18. 2020

By The Japan News/ANN

The Tokyo metropolitan government raised the alert for the city’s medical system to the highest of four possible levels on Thursday due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, marking the first time it has done so since the current evaluation system was introduced in July.

The decision was made at a monitoring meeting with experts held on Thursday afternoon. It came as the city set a new daily record for newly confirmed cases, with Tokyo logging 822 cases Thursday, a significant increase over the previous record of 678 set the day before.

In keeping with the higher alert level, the metropolitan government will increase the number of hospital beds reserved for coronavirus patients to 4,000 from the current 3,000, including an increase of 50 beds for severely ill patients.

The number of hospitalized patients exceeded 2,000 for the first time on Monday. On Tuesday, the number of seriously ill people jumped to 78, the highest level since the state of emergency was lifted in May.

By Dec. 10, the metropolitan government had asked medical institutions to set up more beds. As a result, the number of beds for the severely ill has increased from 150 to 200 and the figure for the mildly and moderately ill has jumped from 2,640 to 3,000.

The number of infected has remained high since then, and the government decided that it was necessary to further strengthen the medical system. The government therefore asked medical institutions in Tokyo to further increase the number of beds, including those for the severely ill.

The alert level regarding the status of infections in Tokyo has remained at the highest level on a four-rank scale since Nov. 19.

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S. Korea, France vow to support multilateralism to overcome pandemic fallout (nationthailand.com)

S. Korea, France vow to support multilateralism to overcome pandemic fallout

Dec 18. 2020South Korea’s exports (Yonhap) 

By The Korea Herald/ANN

South Korea and France on Friday agreed to continue to support multilateralism over protectionism to overcome the economic fallout from the virus pandemic, and to expand cooperation in various areas from vaccines to green cars.

“This year, the two countries have worked deeply together in multilateral frameworks, such as the Group of 20 and the OECD, to promote the travel of products, services and workforces despite the COVID-19 pandemic,” Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee said during her meeting with her French counterpart, Franck Riester, in Seoul.

The two trade chiefs acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked protectionism in global trade, with the escalating tension between the United States and China still being a threat.

“We also hope that the on-going joint project in developing COVID-19 treatments makes progress soon,” Yoo added, expressing hope that the two countries can join hands in supplying vaccines as well.

South Korean and Senegalese branches of the Institut Pasteur have been working together since March to develop cures for COVID-19, under cooperation with France.

The two countries discussed ways to revitalize virus-hit economies through digital and green industries as well.

South Korea also requested that France expand its support on building infrastructure for eco-friendly automobiles, such as charging stations, pointing out the industry has been growing at a fast pace. (Yonhap)

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HK$6.4b in fresh aid for HK businesses hit hard by virus curbs (nationthailand.com)

HK$6.4b in fresh aid for HK businesses hit hard by virus curbs

Dec 18. 2020Acting Chief Executive Matthew Cheung Kin-chung meets the press ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting at the Central Government Offices, Hong Kong, Nov 10, 2020. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY) 

By ​Wang Zhan
China Daily/ANN

HONG KONG – The Hong Kong government will roll out a fresh tranche of financial aid worth HK$6.4 billion (US$826 million) for businesses heavily impacted by the government’s COVID-19 curbs.  

The government’s proposal will be deliberated during a special meeting of the Legislative Council’s Finance Committee next Monday, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said at a press conference on Thursday evening.

HK$5.5 billion will go toward implementing 19 measures to bail out affected sectors, particularly leisure venues forced to close because of the government’s precautionary measures as well as similarly affected restaurants that have been prohibited from providing dine-in service after 6 pm. The rest of HK$900 million will be set aside for emergency use.

Cheung said the latest round of aid is about double that of the previous round, and emphasized a balance should be struck between helping affected industries and maintaining a prudent spending policy.

“We are facing a very difficult, tough fiscal position that we’ve got to be prudent but at the same time we’ve got to be compassionate, responsive and strike the right balance. I think we’ve got the right balance struck here by this package,” Cheung said.

Previously, three rounds of anti-pandemic subsidies totaling more than HK$300 billion had been disbursed by the HK government. The government had earlier cited a deficit pressure on the treasury as a reason to not adopt new relief measures but eventually changed its stance as the pain of the ongoing fourth wave deepened.