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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40009236

SINGAPORE – From next Monday (Nov 29), up to 1,440 Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders in Malaysia will be able to cross the Causeway into Singapore each day using designated bus services, without the need for quarantine.

Similarly, up to 1,440 Malaysian citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders in Singapore will also be able to go back home, as part of the initial phase of a much-anticipated land vaccinated travel lane (VTL) between the two countries.

Tickets for the designated land VTL buses go on sale at 8am on Thursday (Nov 25).

Those travelling via the land VTL must test negative using a professionally administered antigen rapid test (ART) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within two days of departure.

The test must be done at an accredited laboratory or testing centre.

Those travelling to Malaysia will also need to take an additional supervised on-arrival ART after they clear immigration.

The ride from Singapore will cost $15 for adults and $8 for children, while buses from Malaysia will cost RM20 for adults and RM10 for children (S$6.50 and S$3.30 respectively).

For now, those travelling via the land VTL have to be citizens, permanent residents or long-term pass holders of the country that they are entering. This includes work pass holders, student pass holders and long-term visit pass holders.

This arrangement is meant to give priority to workers in either country who have not been able to visit their families since the land border was shut in March last year.

Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Wednesday that depending on the public health situation in both countries, the land VTL will be progressively expanded to include general travellers.

The authorities are also working towards restoring quarantine-free travel between Singapore and Malaysia through the Tuas Second Link.

“Malaysia is Singapore’s closest neighbour and the two countries share deep and warm relations,” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a statement.

“The launch of the VTL (Land) is a big step towards reconnecting our people and economies, and will further enhance our bilateral relationship.”

For a start, there will be 64 daily VTL bus trips between Malaysia and Singapore, 32 in each direction, with a maximum of 45 seated passengers per trip.

Singapore bus company Transtar Travel will operate 16 daily trips from Larkin Sentral Bus Terminal in Johor Baru to Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange from 9.30am to 7.30pm, and another 16 trips in the other direction from 8am to 6pm. The buses will run at intervals of 40 minutes.

Similarly, Malaysia bus company Handal Indah, also known as Causeway Link, will operate 32 daily VTL trips between Larkin Sentral and Queen Street Terminal here.

The first bus from Singapore to Malaysia will leave at 9am and the last bus will leave at 8.15pm. From Malaysia to Singapore, the first bus will be at 7.30am and the last bus will be at 6.45pm.

All land VTL travellers must use the designated bus services.

Those who arrive at the border via other means, such as private transport or by walking across the Causeway, will need to serve a seven-day stay-home notice even if they have been approved to travel via the land VTL.

“We are starting the VTL (Land) in a safe and calibrated manner, so that we can progress smoothly,” said Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong in a statement on Wednesday.

“We seek the understanding of workers who may not be able to purchase a bus ticket to travel home immediately due to limited capacity in the initial phase of the launch. We will continue to work with Malaysia to expand the VTL (Land) arrangement to more travellers in the coming weeks.”

The opening of the Causeway for quarantine-free travel has been in the works for weeks, with the authorities from both countries conducting a dry run on Tuesday to iron out the details.

It will coincide with the start of the air VTL between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport. More than 4,000 travellers from Malaysia have already been approved to enter Singapore via that route.

Before the pandemic, about 415,000 travellers travelled across Woodlands Causeway and Tuas Second Link daily but this had dried up when the border was shut in March last year due to the pandemic.

However, despite the travel restrictions, more than 100,000 Malaysians continue to live and work in Singapore and there have been schemes set up allowing workers to travel between both countries with a stay-home notice, and for emergency visits in case of deaths or critical illness.

By Kok Yufeng

Published : November 25, 2021

By : The Straits Times

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40009235

Prime Minister Hun Sen is set to chair the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM13) hosted by Cambodia on November 25-26 via videoconference from the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh.

Held under the theme “Strengthening Multilateralism for Shared Growth”, the ASEM13 will provide a timely opportunity for leaders from both Asia and Europe to affirm the importance of ASEM cooperation in tackling global and regional issues of mutual interest, including the Covid-19 pandemic and its socio-economic impacts.

“Hosting the ASEM13 reflects Cambodia’s commitment at its highest level to the advancement of multilateralism as much as its active engagement with the international community to tackle current and emerging global challenges,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a press release on November 23.

Representatives from the ASEM13 side conferences will deliver their statements ahead of the summit. They include National Assembly president Heng Samrin for the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting; Minister of Commerce Pan Sorasak for the Asia-Europe Business and Economic Forum; Minister of Women’s Affairs Ing Kantha Phavi for the Asia-Europe Forum on Women, Peace and Security; as well as representatives from the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) Young Leaders Summit and Asia-Europe People Forum.

During the two-day meeting, the ASEM leaders will discuss their role in promoting multilateralism as well as focusing on a number of other topics including revitalising multilateralism for global peace and stability; strengthening the rule-based trading system; inclusive and sustainable growth and developments; connectivity; women, peace, and security; and climate change.

The ASEM leaders will also discuss Covid-19 socio-economic recovery and development, which focuses on addressing issues caused by Covid-19 and advancing shared growth to rebuild for a resilient future, the press release noted.

“During the retreat session, the ASEM leaders will have an opportunity to express and exchange their points of view in a free, frank and constructive manner on global and regional issues,” it said.

The ASEM13 will adopt the ASEM13 chair’s statement, the Phnom Penh statement on the post-Covid-19 socio-economic recovery and the way forward on ASEM connectivity, according to the press release.

Heng Kimkong, a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland and visiting senior research fellow at the Cambodia Development Centre, told The Post on November 24 that Cambodia hosting the ASEM13 will give the Kingdom an image boost and showcase it as a peaceful and secure country capable of hosting high-level meetings.

Cambodia may also have the opportunity to discuss with European countries some important issues affecting the country and the region as a whole as well as issues of importance to Europe and the wider world, he said.

“The meeting is vital to Cambodia’s post-pandemic recovery – particularly for reviving its tourism industry,” Kimkong said. “No doubt, ASEM13 will make headlines. This puts Cambodia in international news reports in a large number of countries potentially, which is great for the nation’s tourism.”

“Hopefully, after the meeting, Cambodia will be able to attract more tourists and foreign direct investment needed to drive its economic growth in the post-pandemic world,” he added.

Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Mekong Centre for Strategic Studies at the Asian Vision Institute, told The Post on November 24 that the ASEM13 this year will be focused on promoting multilateralism, which is fundamental to building an international community with peace, prosperity, sustainable development and promoting cultural and educational exchanges between the peoples of the two regions.

“The meeting process will further [inform] the EU about Cambodia – a small but capable country – that plays a vital role in connecting the two regions and promoting multilateral solutions to the economic, social, cultural and security of the region,” he said.

Published : November 25, 2021

By : The Phnom Penh Post

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40009234

To keep Delhi’s air quality under check, only CNG-run and electric vehicles will be allowed entry into the city from November 27, while all the petrol and diesel transports will remain banned till December 3.

“As pollution level in Delhi is reducing leading to an improved Air Quality Index (AQI) similar to pre-Diwali days, the Delhi government has taken a slew of measures to maintain it. Entry of trucks and other vehicles, except for those involved in essential services, from outside Delhi has been stopped.”

“From November 27, only CNG-run and electric vehicles will be allowed entry into the national capital. All the other vehicles will remain banned till December 3,” Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said in a press briefing after a high-level meeting was conducted to decide on measures needed to keep Delhi’s air clean.

“Schools, colleges, libraries and other educational institutions will also be reopened from November 29 onwards,” he said, adding that government offices will also be reopened from Monday and everyone is advised to use public mode of transport.

“We have also decided to deploy special CNG buses for major colonies like Timarpur and Gulabi Bagh among others from where Delhi government employees commute for the office. We will also start shuttle bus service from Delhi Secretariat to ITO and Indraprastha metro stations for the employees,” Rai told the media.

“Recently, the Delhi government had removed restrictions from construction and demolition activities. All the construction agencies have also been advised to stick to the 14 point-guidelines. We have deployed 585 teams to keep a check at such sites to curb the dust pollution. Those found violating the norms will be penalised and subjected to strict action without any notice whatsoever,” the minister added.

The Delhi government on Monday lifted the ban on construction activities after the marginal improvement in the national capital’s air quality.

On November 21, all schools in the national capital were shut down until further orders of the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas, owing to the rising levels of air pollution in the city.

Since Diwali, the AQI of the national capital continued to hover around the upper end of the ‘very poor’ or ‘severe’ category. The change in wind direction, stubble burning and bursting of firecrackers were cited to be the reason behind worsened air quality.

Air quality visibly improved in Delhi after strong surface winds swept through the city on Sunday with today’s AQI being recorded at 280 by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, then 401 and between 500 is considered ‘severe’.

Published : November 25, 2021

By : The Statesman

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40009233

The Chinese mainland is planning infrastructure to connect Fujian province to Taiwan, a mainland spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson with the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said cross-Straits transportation infrastructure meets the need for deeper integrated development across the Taiwan Straits and serves the fundamental interests of people on both sides.

The construction of a branch line from Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian, to Taipei in Taiwan has been planned out in a guideline on developing a comprehensive transport network that was jointly released by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, Zhu said.

Fujian province has completed preliminary technical plans for bridges connecting the coastal area of Fujian with Taiwan’s Kinmen and Matsu islands, she said.

The Pingtan Haixia Rail-Road Bridge, connecting the mainland with Pingtan, an island county in Fujian province, has already opened to traffic, linking it to the national railway network, she added.

Pingtan, which lies 126 kilometers from Hsinchu in Taiwan, is the largest island in Fujian province, and is also the closest mainland location to the main island of Taiwan.

Zhu said the establishment of a more convenient and unobstructed transportation network spanning the Straits will provide better service for the benefit of compatriots on both sides.

The Ministry of Natural Resources said recently that it will work with relevant departments and Fujian province to study the integration of major transportation and infrastructure development across the Taiwan Straits into relevant national planning.

By Zhang Yi

Published : November 25, 2021

By : China Daily

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40009188

HCM CITY – Some HCM City businesses have been able to shrug off the difficulties caused by COVID-19 and achieve their targets thanks to thorough preparations.

DLG Ansen Electronic Co., Ltd. has been able to fulfil its contracts despite the pandemic, and even got plenty of new orders from satisfied customers.

Đặng Công Bình, director of the company, told Tuổi Trẻ (Youth) newspaper that many overseas customers had been greatly worried about whether the company could fulfil its orders, and so it had to prove to them production had not been interrupted.

“We had to live-stream our staff working normally and being healthy and show that we had abundant materials to sustain production to put our partners at ease.”

After the city began to reopen, the company started paying for more worker shifts to increase its production.

The company also prepared for global supply chain breakages by stocking up on raw materials months beforehand, allowing it to continue production throughout the pandemic.

Unlike many other businesses, it did not have much problem with retaining staff, since it mostly employed local workers who were able to return to work easily.

It has also been more proactive in dealing with COVID cases, setting up its own facility to treat patients.

Workers feel at ease since they are all fully vaccinated and people coming into contact with patients are stationed to work at separate locations and regularly monitored.

The company has its workers tested for COVID every three days, and they all wear masks and face shields at work and are distanced from each other.

Supermarket operator Saigon Co.op began making contingency plans for various scenarios in the third quarter last year, basing them on what some neighbouring countries are doing.

Lê Trường Sơn, deputy director of the company, told Tuổi Trẻ newspaper that the planning allowed it to adapt quickly and sustain its activities to ensure steady supply of food to the city.

“The company encountered many difficulties due to the pandemic. We had to make quick decisions and carry out new selling methods which we had never done before, such as selling to customers in quarantine zones and working with union groups and the military.”

The city also greatly helped Saigon Co.op, he said.

Most businesses in HCM City have been able to reopen and resume production, but face problems such as low demand and high expenses.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Trade Facilitation Agency is organising a series of offline and online consultation programmes until the end of the year to offer businesses in a wide range of industries information and advice on import-export opportunities.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên said these events are aimed at helping businesses overcome challenges and sustain exports. – VNS

Published : November 24, 2021

By : Vietnam News

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40009187

Air Share Inc., a start-up in Obihiro, Hokkaido, has launched an aviation service that connects small, unused aircraft with pilots looking for work and tourists who want to take a scenic flight.

The service, similar to a car-sharing service, is said to be the first of its kind in Japan. Air Share Chief Executive Officer Hiroya Shindo said the service is aimed at “connecting pilots who want to earn a little extra money and travelers who want to be able to travel freely, with small planes that are currently unused.”

As part of the service, customers can select a route that does not exist for current commercial flights at departure time of their choice.

For example, a one-way flight between Tokyo and Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture, costs about ¥40,000 per person. A flight to enjoy a view of the Northern Alps region, a mountain range in central Japan, is offered at an airport in Komaki, Aichi Prefecture, at about the same price.

Around 60% of the about 700 small aircraft registered in Japan are unused. By putting these aircraft to use, it will allow the owners as well as pilots to earn extra income.

Air Share started its service on a trial basis in January 2020 after the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry approved the company’s application. The service is now operating in full force with 32 pilots and 30 small planes and helicopters registered at its bases in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Naha and other cities. 

Published : November 24, 2021

By : The Japan News

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40009186

SINGAPORE – Singapores economic growth will slow to between 3 per cent and 5 per cent next year amid an uneven recovery at home and lingering uncertainty over global growth, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said on Wednesday (Nov 24).

MTI said gross domestic product (GDP) growth this year will come at around 7 per cent, the top end of  an earlier forecast range of 6 per cent to 7 per cent, aided by export-oriented sectors led by manufacturing.

In 2022, however, travel and domestic restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic may continue to cap recovery of aviation- and tourism-related sectors as well as consumer-facing sectors such as food and beverage services and retail trade.

“The food and beverage services sector is not likely to return to pre-Covid levels by end-2022 as some dine-in and event restrictions could remain in place, while the recovery in visitor arrivals is expected to be slow,” said Mr Gabriel Lim, Permanent Secretary for Trade & Industry, at a virtual media briefing. 

The final estimate of growth in the third quarter came in at 7.1 per cent on a year-on-year basis, slower than the 15.2 per cent expansion recorded in the previous quarter, but higher than an earlier projection of 6.5 per cent.

This brought GDP growth in the first three quarters of 2021 to 7.7 per cent, MTI said.

On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally adjusted basis, the economy expanded by 1.3 per cent in the third quarter, compared with the 1.4 per cent contraction in the second quarter.

For 2022, Singapore’s high vaccination rate and steady roll-out of booster shots will continue to facilitate the progressive easing of domestic and border restrictions, which will support the recovery of consumer-facing sectors and alleviate labour shortages in sectors that are reliant on migrant workers.

Air travel and visitor arrivals are also expected to improve with the loosening of travel restrictions and expansion of vaccinated travel lanes.

Still, Mr Lim said that some segments of the retail trade sector, such as department stores and malls, are likely to remain lacklustre, in part due to weak visitor arrivals.

Recovery of the aviation- and tourism-related sectors may also be gradual as global travel demand will take time to recover and travel restrictions could persist in key visitor source markets.

However, the progressive easing of border restrictions on the entry of migrant workers may help the construction and marine and offshore engineering sectors.

“Nonetheless, as it will take time to fully address the labour shortfall, labour shortages are likely to continue to keep the output of the two sectors below pre-pandemic levels in 2022,”the permanant secretary said.

The bulk of economic growth will continue to come from outward-oriented sectors such as manufacturing and wholesale trade given robust external demand.

But given the high base set for outward-oriented sectors this year, their 2022 growth rates may come in lower. That also explains why the pace of overall GDP growth will slow next year. 

“Against this backdrop, the recovery of the various sectors of the economy in 2022 is expected to remain uneven,” Mr Lim said.

Globally, GDP growth in most advanced economies is expected to moderate as compared with 2021 but remain above pre-Covid-19 trend rates, MTI said.  Also, continued geopolitical uncertainty involving the major economies could weigh on trade and the global economic recovery.

In contrast, key South-east Asian economies are projected to see faster growth in 2022 as they progressively resume more economic activities. However, supply bottlenecks and disruptions could continue to weigh on industrial production in some of the economies in the near term.

MTI said there are still downside risks in the global economy as the trajectory of the pandemic remains uncertain.

“If global supply disruptions are more protracted than expected due to further Covid-19 outbreaks, logistical or production constraints, global industrial production may be constrained for longer.”

Also, protracted supply disruptions alongside a stronger pickup in demand, and rising energy and commodity prices, could lead to more persistent inflation.

Higher inflation could result in an earlier or larger increase in interest rates than anticipated, thereby triggering a tightening of global financial conditions.

MTI said that continued geopolitical uncertainty involving the major economies could weigh on trade and the global economic recovery.

“Against this backdrop, the recovery of the various sectors of the economy in 2022 is expected to remain uneven.”

Consumer prices in October jumped to 3.2 per cent year-on-year, the most since March 2013, helped by higher car prices and housing rents. Core inflation, which excludes rents and private road transport costs, climbed to 1.5 per cent – the highest level in nearly three years.

Mr Edward Robinson, Monetary Authority of Singapore deputy managing director, said at the briefing that the central bank remains vigilant to the rapid pace of price increases, its persistence and the extent to which it is broadening.

He said the firmer inflation pressures were taken into account last month when MAS ended its 19-month easing stance and slightly raised the slope of its Singapore dollar nominal effective exchange rate policy band, up from zero per cent.

As a general rule, a strong currency makes imports cheaper.

By Ovais Subhani

Published : November 24, 2021

By : The Straits Times

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40009185

A massive search operation resumed Wednesday to find an Asiatic black bear that remained on the loose for a third day after escaping from a bear farm just south of Seoul, officials said Wednesday.

The escape occurred at the farm in Yongin, 50 kilometers south of Seoul, at 10:30 a.m. Monday, when five Asiatic black bears left their cage.

Three of the bears were soon discovered by officials of the Han River Basin Environmental Office, who captured two of them and killed a third that ran to attack them despite being shot by an anesthetic gun. The fourth bear was spotted at a mountain area about 600 meters from the farm Tuesday afternoon and shot dead by hunters.

A team of 69 hunters and officials from the environmental office, accompanied by search dogs, resumed their search Wednesday morning for the fifth bear, known to be a cub weighing 70 to 80 kilograms at about three to four years of age.

In July, a bear escaped from the same farm and was killed. The farm owner was arrested last month on charges of obstructing the execution of official duties by falsely reporting two bears escaped in July to cover up his illegal slaughter. (Yonhap)

Published : November 24, 2021

By : The Korea Herald

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40009184

BEIJING – Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the armed forces to accelerate the high-quality development of modern logistics.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in his instruction to a meeting on military logistics held in Beijing from Monday to Tuesday.

According to Xi, the years since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012 have seen significant contributions made by the military logistics front to the development of China’s armed forces and the fulfillment of their mission.

Xi expressed his hope for quickening the development of a modern logistics system and a modern assets management system for the armed forces and advancing the high-quality development of modern logistics, in order to lend strong support to the realization of the goals set for the centenary of the People’s Liberation Army that falls in 2027.

Speaking at the meeting, Zhang Youxia, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, urged the implementation of Xi’s important instructions and decisions, as well as the development of strong, modern logistics for China’s armed forces.

The meeting looked into issues concerning the development of a modern logistics system and a modern assets management system for the armed forces.

Published : November 24, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40009145

SINGAPORE – As countries in the region make progress on Covid-19 vaccination, it is timely that Asean and China should work on progressively reopening borders to one another, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday (Nov 22).

This includes developing digital, interoperable and secure solutions to facilitate the mutual recognition of vaccination certificates.

Speaking at the Asean-China Special Summit, PM Lee also welcomed Asean’s move to formally upgrade relations with China to a comprehensive strategic partnership. This means both sides will cooperate at a deeper level across various areas.

“I am confident that it will be a meaningful, substantive and mutually beneficial upgrading,” he said.

He said countries should also look to enhance the Asean-China Free Trade Agreement, as well as the Asean-China Air Transport Agreement to support civil aviation and tourism.

The virtual summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping is being held to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Asean-China dialogue relations.

During the one-day event, leaders took stock of the relationship and discussed ways to further strengthen ties. They also exchanged views on regional and international developments.

PM Lee noted that both sides have continued to strengthen their partnership despite the pandemic, with Asean becoming China’s top trading partner last year. The annual trade between both sides now exceeds US$500 billion (S$681 billion).

And even as protectionism grows, Asean and China are leading the way on trade liberalisation with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade pact, which takes effect on Jan 1.

Signed in November last year, the RCEP is a mega trade deal between the 10 Asean member states, as well as China, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.

Asean and China are also regularly exchanging information to combat the coronavirus, with China contributing to the Covid-19 Asean Response Fund.

And both sides have issued joint statements on cooperation under the Asean Comprehensive Recovery Framework, as well as on Enhancing Green and Sustainable Development Cooperation, which will support the region’s recovery from the pandemic and deepen cooperation on sustainable development.

In his speech, PM Lee emphasised that Asean and China should continue working together for peace and stability in the region, including managing tensions in the South China Sea.

Singapore’s position, as a non-claimant state and small nation dependent on trade, has not changed, he added.

Negotiations on a code of conduct for the South China Sea have been progressing despite difficulties with holding physical meetings, and Singapore will continue to work with all parties towards an “effective and substantive” code that is in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law.

The relationship between China and the United States is also another factor in regional peace and prosperity, PM Lee said.

He welcomed the recent high-level exchanges between both countries, including the virtual meeting between President Xi and his American counterpart Joe Biden last week.

Both leaders’ statements that they are willing to work together to deepen cooperation and prevent conflict are encouraging, PM Lee said.

“Countries in the region want good relations with both US and China, and do not wish to have to choose sides,” he added. “We hope that China and the US will work out a modus vivendi that will enable cooperation in areas of common interest, such as climate change and free trade.”

Asean-led platforms can also help foster constructive dialogue, trust and cooperation between key players in the region, PM Lee noted.

But doing so requires the “steadfast support” of Asean’s partners – including China – to reinforce Asean centrality and the 10-member group’s role in the open and inclusive regional architecture.

PM Lee added that he welcomed the fruitful dialogue with China, and looks forward to discussions to unlock new opportunities for partnership at annual Asean-China meetings.

Myanmar military chief Min Aung Hlaing did not attend the summit on Monday.

Asean leaders have maintained that Myanmar should be represented by a non-political figure even though China has lobbied for the general to attend.

The Straits Times has reached out to Myanmar’s junta for comment.

Last month, Brunei, as this year’s Asean chair, effectively barred the Myanmar junta chief from an Asean leaders’ summit from Oct 26 to 28 by extending an invitation to a “non-political representative” from Myanmar after an emergency foreign ministers’ meeting on Oct 15. 

This was in response to the junta’s stonewalling of attempts to foster domestic dialogue amid Myanmar’s political crisis.

The country is now trapped in escalating violence amid broad resistance to the Feb 1 military coup that overthrew a civil government led by the National League for Democracy. 

Myanmar refused to send a non-political representative to the leaders’ summit in protest against General Min Aung Hlaing’s exclusion. The junta said the exclusion was a breach of Asean’s code of consensus and non-interference.

By Linette Lai

Published : November 23, 2021

By : The Straits Times