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MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Sunday reported another “close distance maneuvering” by a vessel of the China Coast Guard (CCG) during a patrol in the West Philippine Sea early this month.

In a statement the PCG said the incident occurred on March 2, while one of its ships, the BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402), was patrolling the area of Scarborough Shoal, locally known as Panatag Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc.

The Chinese ship “with bow No. 3305… conducted a close distance maneuvering of approximately 21 yards toward BRP Malabrigo,” the PCG said, adding that this constrained the maneuvering space of its vessel, which was a violation of the 1972 International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.

According to PCG Commandant Adm. Artemio Abu, this was the fourth such incident involving CCG ships at Bajo de Masinloc.

“The behavior of the involved CCG vessels increased the risk of collision with four of our capital ships. Hence, we immediately coordinated with the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to address this issue through rules-based and peaceful approaches,” Abu said.

The DFA and the Chinese Embassy in Manila have yet to comment on the latest “close distance maneuvering” incident. It was yet unclear whether the Philippines had lodged a diplomatic protest over the incident.

‘Dangerous situations’

On May 19, 2021, PCG-manned Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel MCS-3005 reported the first incident of close distance maneuvering involving a CCG ship with bow No. 3301.

Barely a month after, the second and third incidents were reported on two consecutive days, June 1 and June 2.

The PCG at that time was conducting capability enhancement exercises, and two CCG ships with bow numbers 3301 and 3103 were reported maneuvering close to the BRP Capones (MRRV-4404) and BRP Sindangan (MRRV-4407) of the PCG.

Abu said: “We are fully aware of dangerous situations at sea, but these will not stop our deployment of assets and personnel [at] Bajo de Masinloc, Philippine Rise, and other parts of the country’s [370-km] exclusive economic zone (EEZ).”

“We will continue to work silently and diligently for we are serving Filipino fishermen at sea. As long as they feel safe seeing us during their fishing operations, we know that we are doing our job well,” he added.

Harassed, driven away

Scarborough Shoal is a triangle-shaped chain of reefs and islands around a 150-kilometer-wide lagoon, which serves as a traditional fishing ground of Filipino fishermen as it is situated within the country’s EEZ.

The fishermen, many of them from the province of Zambales, were previously harassed or driven away by the CCG.

But according to the PCG, as many as 45 Filipino fishing boats have been able to return to that area, even amid the presence of the Chinese ships.

The PCG happened to be conducting “intensified” maritime operations there from Feb. 28 to March 5.

China, which has sweeping claims in nearly all of the West Philippine Sea, seized control of the shoal in 2012, prompting the country to seek arbitration.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated China’s sweeping claims. But China continues to disregard the ruling.

The DFA had recently summoned China’s ambassador over the presence at the Sulu Sea of an electronic reconnaissance ship belonging to the People’s Liberation Army-Navy.

The ship was reported to have lingered in the area from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1.

—WITH A REPORT FROM REUTERS

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Published : March 28, 2022

By : Philippine Daily Inquirer

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The Myanmar military will crack down on the terrorist groups killing civilians and health, education and administrative personnel and threatening the life security of the people wishing to live in peace and the organizations aiding and abetting them until the peace and stability is restored without discussing or negotiating with them, said Chairman of the State Administration Council and Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

He made the comment during a speech at the parade of the 77th Anniversary Armed Forces Day held in Nay Pyi Taw today.

“Our military has to be cracking down on the internal insurgency and terrorism. We will not meet or negotiate with the terrorist groups who are unreasonably killing civilians and health, education and administrative personnel and threatening the life security of the peace-loving people and the organizations aiding and abetting them. We will be crushing them until the peace and stability is restored. I want to say that the governments and militaries in global countries do not usually meet and discuss with any terrorist organization,” the Senior General said. 

He warned the ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) not to support acts of terrorism and the terrorist organizations and to live within the framework of law. He also called for the cultivation of Union spirit and the ultimate aim of establishing a Union based on democracy and federalism.

“I solemnly vow that the military will protect the interests of all the citizens without accepting any act to harm the Our Three Main National Causes. We will pay attention to ending the armed conflict for lasting peace,” Senior General Min Aung Hlaing added.

He said Myanmar had the armed organizations that emerged before and after the country’s independence due to their differences in politics, ethnicity and ideology as well as those that emerged after the transition to multi-party democracy in 2011 and those that emerged after the 2020 elections. The ongoing terrorist acts are the legacy of the EAOs, he pointed out.

“The military will hold talks with both signatories and non-signatories to the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) without preconditions, except for the terrorist groups and their supporters,” the Senior General said.

Asia News Network: The Nation (Thailand), The Korea Herald, The Straits Times (Singapore), China Daily,  Jakarta Post, The Star and Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), The Statesman (India), Philippine Daily Inquirer, Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan News, Gogo Mongolia,  Dawn (Pakistan),  The Island (Sri Lanka), Kuensel (Bhutan), Kathmandu Post (Nepal), Daily Star (Bangladesh), Eleven Media (Myanmar), the Phnom Penh Post and Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), The Borneo Bulletin (Brunei), Vietnam News, and Vientiane Times (Laos).

Published : March 28, 2022

By : Eleven Media

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40013888

HÀ NỘI — As fruit and vegetable exports to China face difficulties, many Vietnamese enterprises have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to invest in systems and processing plants to sell their products in Europe and the US.

Nguyễn Lâm Viên, General Director of Vinamit Joint Stock Company, said: “China is becoming more and more strict in quality control, traceability, packaging. Their ‘Zero COVID’ policy makes it difficult for many fruit and vegetable exporters.”

“For Vinamit, with more than 20 years of experience in doing business in the market, with carefully prepared planting area and standard processing and packaging, the strict disease control affects the fulfilment progress. The European and American markets currently have great demand, creating opportunities for businesses to push into these markets.”

Nguyễn Văn Thu, general director of GC Food Joint Stock Company (GC Food), said: “We are determined to invest methodically from the raw material area to the processing stage to enter new markets.”

Thu added that the company invested in building a fruit and vegetable freezing factory in Đắk Lắk province with a total capital of about VNĐ100 billion as the province is an area for many fruit materials such as avocado, mango, durian, which are suitable for the increasing consumption demand on the local and world markets.

According to Thu’s company, although some traditional markets face difficulties during the recovery process, other markets have great demand for agricultural products. The amount of exported processed products has doubled from 2021.

As an enterprise with many years of exporting goods to the EU, Nguyễn Đình Tùng, general director of Vina T&T Joint Stock Company, said: “Vietnamese vegetables and fruits have many opportunities in the market because Việt Nam is the only country in the Asia-Pacific region to have a free trade agreement with the EU.”

“Once the Vietnam – EU Free Trade Agreement took effect, the tax rate of some Vietnamese vegetables and fruits entering the EU was reduced to 0 per cent, creating a substantial competitive advantage compared to other countries in the region.”

Tùng said the EU has rigorous standards but capturing market share was not too difficult if enterprises could meet them. In the EU, Vina T&T does not face many competitors because the company has full certifications such as Global GAP, HACCP and SMETA and sales negotiations go smoothly.

Since the beginning of the year, the company’s fruit and vegetable exports to the EU have increased sharply, especially grapefruit, coconut and dragon fruit. The company is planning to expand more products into EU supermarkets.

Nguyễn Thanh Bình, chairman of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said that the local fruit and vegetable export market is shifting, adding that for many years China has always been Viet Nam’s largest fruit and vegetable export market, accounting for 65-80 per cent of the total turnover of the industry.

However, in the first two months of the year, exports to China decreased by nearly 19 per cent from the same period last year, only reaching $260 million.

Meanwhile, vegetable and fruit exports to the US increased by almost 70 per cent, reaching $46 million; South Korea increased by nearly 32 per cent, reaching $25 million; and Japan increased by 12 per cent, reaching $23 million. Vegetable and fruit exports to Australia increased by 45.7 per cent, while the Netherlands increased by 51.5 per cent.

Bình said the market shift positively affected the fruit and vegetable industry. The US, EU, Australia, UK, Japan, and Canada were among markets evaluated with great potential.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Lê Minh Hoan said that Việt Nam’s advantage in free trade agreements would help fruit and vegetable exporters quickly access world markets in rapidly recovering demand. 

MARD’s leader said the EU was the largest fruit and vegetable import market globally, but the amount of vegetables and fruits imported from Việt Nam only accounted for a minimal amount, less than 1 per cent.

According to MARD, the US has just officially licensed the import of many Vietnamese fruits, creating favourable conditions for enterprises to expand their exports. — VNS

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Published : March 28, 2022

By : Vietnam News

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40013887

Unless the conflict in Ukraine and the sanctions on Russia end within a short term, Europe might fall into recession, which will put more pressure on the global economy.

In February, before the conflict broke out, the consumer price indexes in European countries were already on the rise. In Germany, the CPI rose 5.1 compared with February 2021, in the United Kingdom it was up 6.2 percent, while in France it rose by 3.6 percent. After the conflict broke out and sanctions were imposed against Russia, their CPIs have soared even higher.

That’s especially bad news for ordinary Europeans because their tax rate is rather high and the ordinary people’s income after tax is barely enough for daily consumption. Worse, many European governments were already subsidizing local people and are no longer able to raise subsidies any more. If the high inflation continues, there might be social crises emerging.

In terms of energy, Europe is highly dependent upon Russia. Many EU members are trying to find alternatives to Russian oil and gas, but the other suppliers are reluctant to increase their production because they fear once the sanctions are canceled in the future they might face a production surplus.

The United States and the European Union are discussing about the former ensuring energy supplies to the latter in the coming two years, but no one dares to increase production by too high a percentage within a short period.

With energy prices rising, transportation costs are rising, too, which in turn is pushing up inflation.

Both Ukraine and Russia are also major grain exporters. The cut in production of the former and the ban on exports of the latter are also pushing up food prices in Europe. According to reports, in many EU countries the prices of bread, flour, oil, milk, water and meat have all risen by 30 percent.

The situation is much better for China because it has ample supplies of grains. However, the possible global recession might deal a blow to Chinese exports, which is why China needs to continue to promote domestic circulation.

Asia News Network: The Nation (Thailand), The Korea Herald, The Straits Times (Singapore), China Daily,  Jakarta Post, The Star and Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), The Statesman (India), Philippine Daily Inquirer, Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan News, Gogo Mongolia,  Dawn (Pakistan),  The Island (Sri Lanka), Kuensel (Bhutan), Kathmandu Post (Nepal), Daily Star (Bangladesh), Eleven Media (Myanmar), the Phnom Penh Post and Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), The Borneo Bulletin (Brunei), Vietnam News, and Vientiane Times (Laos).

Published : March 28, 2022

By : China Daily

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US seeks to tighten UN sanctions regime, while China, Russia push for proposal to ease sanctions

The US has continued clashing with China and Russia on how to stop North Korea from developing missile and nuclear programs and jump-start dialogue, notwithstanding Pyongyang’s launch of the purported largest intercontinental ballistic missile in four years.

The UN Security Council urgently held an open meeting on North Korea for the first time since 2017 on Friday afternoon at the request of the US, Albania, France, Ireland, Norway and the UK.

North Korea on Friday announced that it test-fired what analysts view as the world’s largest road-mobile and liquid propellant Hwasong 17 ICBM with a lofted trajectory from the Sunan airfield in Pyongyang the previous day.

But unlike 2016 and 2017, the Security Council’s 15 members once again failed to concur on taking concerted actions against Pyongyang’s full-scale ICBM, particularly at a time when the country expects to conduct additional launches of ICBMs and resume nuclear tests.

With endorsement from China and Russia, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2397 around three weeks after Pyongyang launched the Hwasong 15 ICBM in November 2017.

But this time, North Korea’s ICBM test-firing has crystallized the reality of the growing conflict among the US, China and Russia, which has been severely compounded by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Although Pyongyang has fired 13 ballistic missiles just this year, the Security Council has failed to agree on and take unified measures especially amid the accelerating US-China feud.

In a nutshell, Washington sees the urgency of ramping up pressure and sanctions on Pyongyang, whereas Beijing and Moscow view that the Security Council should ease economic sanctions as reciprocal measures at this juncture to facilitate yearslong deadlocked nuclear negotiations.

US seeks to strengthen sanctions
At the UNSC’s public meeting, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Friday said the Biden administration will “be introducing a Chapter VII Security Council resolution to update and strengthen the sanctions regime.”

“Now is the time to make these critical updates. So, I call on all my fellow Council members to approach the negotiations on a text constructively toward our shared goal of denuclearization,” she said, pointing out that Resolution 2397 stipulates that Security Council members will “take further action” in the event of an ICBM launch.

Thomas-Greenfield reiterated the significance of the UNSC’s “immediate” action and “unequivocal message” to North Korea as the country has “escalated its provocations with impunity while the Council has remained silent.”

The US ambassador elucidated that the recent track record of Pyongyang’s missile launches especially shows that “silence and sanctions relief does not work.”

“And it is clear that remaining silent — in the hope that the DPRK would similarly show restraint — is a failed strategy. We must pivot to a successful one,” she said.

Thomas-Greenfield publicly leveled blistering criticism at China and Russia for their silence and resistance to take countermeasures to the ICBM launch, which renounces a self-imposed moratorium on ICBM and nuclear tests.

China, Russia push to ease sanctions
In contrast, China and Russia unitedly and openly dismissed the US proposal to tighten economic sanctions on North Korea as an act of increasing tensions on the Korean Peninsula at the UNSC meeting.

Instead, the world’s two most powerful autocracies underscored that their draft resolution to ease sanctions on North Korea is “still on the table.” The proposal was resubmitted to the Security Council in October around two years after their abortive attempt to push for the analogous draft resolution in December 2019.

But Thomas-Greenfield directly refuted their repeated calls for easing sanctions.

“In light of these escalating provocations and a return to testing long-range systems, the purported impetus for the resolution is no longer valid,” she said.

China, Russia view US should act first
Chinese Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun on Friday said that the US should “show its goodwill and take actions” first to “stabilize the situation, build mutual trust” and resuscitate nuclear negotiations.

“Regrettably, we see that with each passing day, the relevant party failed to take tangible actions in response to the DPRK’s legitimate concerns other than speaking about ‘talks without preconditions.’” The DPRK refers to North Korea’s formal name.

Zhang repeatedly underscored that the UNSC and the US should consider how to address and accommodate North Korea’s “legitimate security concerns,” accusing the US of deploying “strategic nuclear weapons in the surrounding areas of the Korean Peninsula, putting the DPRK’s security in serious jeopardy.”

“There is a reason why the situation has come to where it is today,” he said. “The crux of the matter is that the external security threats to the DPRK have persisted for decades, and their justified security concerns have remained unaddressed throughout the process.”

Echoing the view, Anna Evstigneeva, Russian deputy ambassador to the UN, argued that the UNSC has failed to take reciprocal measures with North Korea’s actions for the last four years, including the dismantlement of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site and its commitment to a self-imposed moratorium.

The UNSC, Evstigneeva said, “has only stiffened the restrictions, ignoring the positive signals coming from North Korea,” simultaneously pointing a finger at the US.

“We would like to remind our American colleagues that negotiations are a two-way avenue,” she said. “There is no point waiting for Pyongyang to disarm unconditionally when what it gets in return is threats to spiral up sanctions and unsubstantiated promises as guarantees.”

Amid China and Russia tilting more toward North Korea, the two countries’ high-level diplomats conspicuously discussed North Korea issues in in-person meetings held in Moscow on Saturday.

Liu Xiaoming, special representative of the Chinese government on Korean Peninsula affairs, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had an “in-depth discussion on the Korean Peninsula situation and international issues of mutual concern,” according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Liu also held his first face-to-face talks with the deputy foreign minister and head of the Russian delegation to the Six-Party Talks, Igor Morgulov, and had an “in-depth and productive discussion on the situation in the Korean Peninsula.”

By Ji Da-gyum

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Published : March 28, 2022

By : The Korea Herald

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40013868

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today expressed India’s happiness over being chosen as the home of WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine.

He hoped the centre will contribute towards making a healthier planet and leveraging India’s rich traditional practices for global good.

The Ayush Ministry and the WHO have signed the host country agreement for the centre.

Replying to the tweets of the Ayush Ministry and the WHO in this regard, the PM said; “India is honoured to be home to a state-of-the-art @WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine. This Centre will contribute towards making a healthier planet and leveraging our rich traditional practices for global good.

Traditional medicines and wellness practices from India are very popular globally. This @WHO Centre will go a long way in enhancing wellness in our society,” he said.

Asia News Network: The Nation (Thailand), The Korea Herald, The Straits Times (Singapore), China Daily,  Jakarta Post, The Star and Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), The Statesman (India), Philippine Daily Inquirer, Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan News, Gogo Mongolia,  Dawn (Pakistan),  The Island (Sri Lanka), Kuensel (Bhutan), Kathmandu Post (Nepal), Daily Star (Bangladesh), Eleven Media (Myanmar), the Phnom Penh Post and Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), The Borneo Bulletin (Brunei), Vietnam News, and Vientiane Times (Laos).

Published : March 27, 2022

By : The Statesman

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At last week’s Group of Seven meeting in Belgium, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, leader of the only G7 nation in Asia, made an effort to confirm the cooperation of the international community in dealing with North Korea, which has conducted a series of missile tests recently.

G7 leaders also agreed to strengthen sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

“It was a very meaningful meeting that confirmed the strong determination to never tolerate Russian aggression, and for the G7 to take the lead in defending the international order,” Kishida said to reporters in Brussels on Thursday.

At the G7 meeting, the prime minister expressed his determination not to flinch following Russia’s declaration to suspend peace treaty talks and to continue taking decisive action. Kishida announced additional sanctions, including an export ban on luxury goods to Russia that will soon begin.

He also pledged to extend additional financial assistance totaling $100 million (about ¥12 billion) to Ukraine and neighboring countries, and humanitarian contributions in the medical field and other areas.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, with whom Kishida held separate talks, expressed his gratitude, saying he highly appreciated Japan’s contributions.

According to a Japanese government official, the United States proposed holding G7 talks in conjunction with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit.

When G7 chair Germany approached Japan about attending the emergency meeting, Kishida was “surprised,” according to a close aide, but he decided immediately to take part despite the demanding three-day schedule.

Kishida was determined to get the G7 leaders to also pay attention to Asia, briefing them on the results of his recent visit to India, which has close ties with Russia. In separate talks with U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders, Kishida confirmed cooperation in dealing with North Korea, which launched a ballistic missile just before the G7 meeting.

Kishida also stressed that countries should not support Russia or help them dodge sanctions, with China in mind, a country that might help Moscow.

“We want to lead international efforts against Russian aggression,” Kishida said after the series of meetings.

However, uncertainty remains over the extent to which countries will align over China, which will be essential to the effectiveness of sanctions against Russia.

Asia News Network: The Nation (Thailand), The Korea Herald, The Straits Times (Singapore), China Daily,  Jakarta Post, The Star and Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), The Statesman (India), Philippine Daily Inquirer, Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan News, Gogo Mongolia,  Dawn (Pakistan),  The Island (Sri Lanka), Kuensel (Bhutan), Kathmandu Post (Nepal), Daily Star (Bangladesh), Eleven Media (Myanmar), the Phnom Penh Post and Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), The Borneo Bulletin (Brunei), Vietnam News, and Vientiane Times (Laos).

Published : March 27, 2022

By : The Japan News

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40013866

Nepal and China signed six agreements related to various projects on Saturday.

Foreign Ministers of Nepal and China, Narayan Khadka and Wang Yi, witnessed the signing and exchange of agreements, memorandums of understanding and documents after delegation level talks.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, one of the agreements is on a technical assistance scheme for the China-aided feasibility study of the cross-border railway.

Another is on on economic and technical cooperation. Under the economic and technical cooperation, China will increase its annual assistance to Nepal from Rs13 billion to Rs15 billion and will finance some projects that will be mutually agreed upon between the two sides.

Another agreement is on cooperation on the feasibility study of China-Nepal Power Grid interconnection where China will finance the new alignment of the Ratamate-Rasuwagadhi- Kerung transmission line.

Similarly, both sides have also signed a protocol on the safety and health conditions of haylage export from Nepal to China. Another agreement is about providing 98 percent duty free treatment to imported goods in China.

Likewise, the Chinese side has handed over the certificate of Araniko highway maintenance project phase III to Nepal.

Both sides have also also approved the minutes of the 7th meeting, held in January, on enhancing cooperation in the railway sector which took place in January 2022 in a virtual mode.

Another agreement is about the Covid vaccine assistance to Nepal. China will donate an additional 4 million doses of Sinovac to Nepal.

The last one is protocol on sending a China medical team to work in Nepal.

Wang, who is also the State Councilor, arrived in Kathmandu on Friday after completing his two-day working visit to India where he held talks with India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar.

Asia News Network: The Nation (Thailand), The Korea Herald, The Straits Times (Singapore), China Daily,  Jakarta Post, The Star and Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), The Statesman (India), Philippine Daily Inquirer, Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan News, Gogo Mongolia,  Dawn (Pakistan),  The Island (Sri Lanka), Kuensel (Bhutan), Kathmandu Post (Nepal), Daily Star (Bangladesh), Eleven Media (Myanmar), the Phnom Penh Post and Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), The Borneo Bulletin (Brunei), Vietnam News, and Vientiane Times (Laos).

Published : March 27, 2022

By : The Kathmandu Post

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40013864

The governments of the United States, Canada and Britain have imposed additional sanctions on three high-ranking officers from the Myanmar military, seven individuals including Division 66 and seven entities, according to the statements released by the three countries on March 25.

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated Myanmar business leaders Aung Hlaing Oo, Naing Htut Aung, and Sit Taing Aung, as well as Commander of the Nay Pyi Taw Command Major General Zaw Hein and Commander of the Central Command Major General Ko Ko Oo.

OFAC has also designated the 66th Light Infantry Division, Myanmar Chemical & Machinery Company Limited (MC&M), International Gateways Groups of Company Limited (IGG), Htoo Group of Companies (Htoo Group), and the Asian Green Development Bank (AGDB).

With these designations, the United States government has sanctioned 27 entities and 70 individuals.

“We have taken these actions today in response to the Myanmar military’s escalating violence, to show our strong support for the people of Myanmar, and to promote accountability in connection with the coup and the violence perpetrated by the military. We will continue to impose costs on the military and those who support it until it ceases the violence and restores Myanmar’s path to democracy,” said Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State.

The UK embassy in Yangon’s statement also said working in coordination with the US and Canada, the UK has designated two individuals and three companies who have been instrumental in supplying the military with weapons and equipment.

Travel bans and asset freezes will be applied to arms dealers Dr Aung Moe Myint and Aung Hlaing Oo. Moreover, Dynasty International Company Ltd, Myanmar Chemical and Machinery Company Ltd, and Miya Win International Ltd will be subject to asset freezes.

The UK is also applying sanctions against the recently appointed Head of Air Force General Htun Aung.

The UK has also strongly condemned countries including Russia and Belarus who continue to facilitate the flow of arms to the military, the statement pointed out.

In the Canadian government’s statement, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, said Canada is imposing targeted sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Myanmar) Regulations against individuals and entities responsible for procuring and supplying arms and military equipment to the military in Myanmar, as well as the Commander of the Air Force. The move was made in coordination with the UK and the US, but lists of individuals were not made.

Despite repeated calls to cease violence, to release all of those unjustly detained and to allow immediate unrestricted humanitarian access, the military has continued to commit gross human rights violations and inflict terror against its own people with complete impunity and disregard for their suffering, the Canadian minister said.

Canada strongly condemns the bombardment of populated areas with air strikes and heavy weapons and the detention, torture and mass killing of civilians, all of which has deepened the humanitarian crisis.

Canada reiterates its call and urges all countries to halt all operational support and to cease the direct and indirect supply, sale or transfer of all weapons, munitions, military equipment and material, dual-use equipment, and technical assistance to the Myanmar armed and security forces and their representatives to prevent further atrocities.

Asia News Network: The Nation (Thailand), The Korea Herald, The Straits Times (Singapore), China Daily,  Jakarta Post, The Star and Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), The Statesman (India), Philippine Daily Inquirer, Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan News, Gogo Mongolia,  Dawn (Pakistan),  The Island (Sri Lanka), Kuensel (Bhutan), Kathmandu Post (Nepal), Daily Star (Bangladesh), Eleven Media (Myanmar), the Phnom Penh Post and Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), The Borneo Bulletin (Brunei), Vietnam News, and Vientiane Times (Laos).

Published : March 27, 2022

By : Eleven Media

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40013863

All 132 people – 123 passengers and nine crew members – onboard the China Eastern Airlines jet that crashed on Monday in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region are dead, a senior official of Civil Aviation Administration of China said on Saturday night.

Despite of the intensive search and rescue operations since Monday, there has been no sign of life at the crash site, Hu Zhenjiang, deputy head of Civil Aviation Administration of China, said at a news conference held in Wuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

“We have analyzed surveillance video footages, air traffic control data and the pattern of the debris at the crash site. We can be certain that there are no survivors” he said.

“With a heavy heart and deep sadness, we are here to announce that the 123 passengers and nine crew members onboard China Eastern Flight MU5735 have all lost their life.”

After the announcement, people attending the news conference observed a minute’s silence to mourn for the victims.

Hu said the search and rescue teams will continue to look for the victims, their remains, belongings and debris of the aircraft to show respect to life and be responsible to the victims’ relatives. Also, the findings at the crash site are key for the tragedy’s investigations.

China Eastern Flight MU5735 left Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, at 1:11 pm Monday. It was scheduled to arrive in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, at 3:05 pm. Air traffic controllers lost track of the plane over Wuzhou at 2:21 pm.

Asia News Network: The Nation (Thailand), The Korea Herald, The Straits Times (Singapore), China Daily,  Jakarta Post, The Star and Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), The Statesman (India), Philippine Daily Inquirer, Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan News, Gogo Mongolia,  Dawn (Pakistan),  The Island (Sri Lanka), Kuensel (Bhutan), Kathmandu Post (Nepal), Daily Star (Bangladesh), Eleven Media (Myanmar), the Phnom Penh Post and Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), The Borneo Bulletin (Brunei), Vietnam News, and Vientiane Times (Laos).

Published : March 27, 2022

By : China Daily