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https://www.nationthailand.com/ann/30403041

Japanese government to strengthen support for youth isolated amid pandemic

Feb 25. 2021A young man holding a smartphone stands on a street in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, in July 2015. (Yomiuri Shimbun file photo)

By The Japan News/ANN

The government will address the issue of the growing number of young people isolated amid the prolonged novel coronavirus pandemic. It plans to draw up a revised outline on support for children and youth at the end of March, after which related ministries and agencies will work together to tackle the problem, sources said.

According to a revised outline draft obtained by The Yomiuri Shimbun, the government will place top priority on dealing with the problem of the increasing number of young people who commit suicide.

The draft noted that “many children and young people have become increasingly anxious, and the problem of ‘unwanted loneliness’ has become apparent” under the influence of the pandemic.

Regarding suicides by children and youth, the draft said: “There is concern about the impact of the coronavirus disaster. It is an extremely serious problem.”

Specifically, the draft calls for improving consultation systems using social media, promoting education on how to send out an “SOS” and creating places to stay to prevent isolation.

According to the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry, a record-high 479 students of elementary, junior high and high school died by suicide last year, up by 140 from the previous year.

The main reasons for the suicides were said to be poor academic performance, worries about their future and discord with parents.

The 2020 white paper on suicide prevention issued by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry reported that suicide was the leading cause of death for 15-39 year-olds.

The draft emphasized the need to take measures to support so-called “young carers” who take care of their family members in need of nursing care, and do housework by themselves. Young people who bear such burdens tend to have problems in school life. The importance of preventing cruel words against children and youth on social media was also mentioned in the draft.

The draft also calls for the creation of a “Children and Youth Index” to show results of public opinion surveys and the progress of measures taken by the central government, as well as relevant data such as suicide statistics and the poverty rate.

The index will be updated on an official government website and elsewhere, and will be used for such purpose as policymaking by a newly established office in the Cabinet Secretariat in charge of the isolation issue. It will also be used for research and study by private-sector entities.

The government plans to seek public opinions on the draft in February and is to make an official decision at the government’s children and youth policy promotion headquarters, headed by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, in late March.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/ann/30403040

Minister calls for win-win economic ties with US

Feb 25. 2021Wang Wentao, China’s commerce minister. [Photo/SCIO]

By ZHONG NAN
CHINA DAILY/ANN

China is ready to strengthen economic and trade exchanges with the United States, and carry out cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao said on Wednesday.

“In the next stage, I look forward to our joint efforts with colleagues in the US, in accordance with the recent phone call between the two leaders, to enhance communication and understanding, focus on cooperation, manage differences, and push bilateral economic and trade relations back to the track of cooperation,” Wang said at a news conference.

Wang made the remarks after President Xi Jinping spoke by phone with his US counterpart Joe Biden earlier this month. The two presidents exchanged Chinese Lunar New Year greetings along with views on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues.

As the interests of the two countries are deeply integrated, the minister emphasized that China-US economic and trade ties should be mutually beneficial and cooperation is the only right choice.

Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global trade in 2020, China-US trade grew last year. The bilateral goods trade volume amounted to 4.06 trillion yuan ($627.70 billion) last year, up 8.8 percent year-on-year and accounting for 12.6 percent of China’s total imports and exports of goods in 2020, according to the General Administration of Customs.

China is the largest trading partner of the US, and bilateral trade and investment cooperation between the two sides has made positive contributions to their respective economies, said Wang, adding that this fully demonstrates their business cooperation is a positive driving force in bilateral relations and brings tangible benefits to both countries.

His view was shared by Nathan Stoner, vice-president of Cummins Inc, a US-based engine manufacturer. He said that the company’s research and development facility, involving a total investment of $250 million, will become operational in Wuhan, Hubei province, by the end of this year.

China has continuously introduced new policies to optimize its business environment and the Chinese market has already become a powerful driver of the company’s global performance, Stoner said.

The US company sold more than 670,000 engines in China last year, an increase of 24 percent year-on-year, the company’s highest growth since it entered the Chinese market in 1975.

After China and the European Union completed negotiations on their investment agreement late last year, the two sides are carrying out a review of the text and translation of the agreement in accordance with established procedures, and are striving to sign it as soon as possible, said Wang, the commerce minister.

The high-level, balanced and mutually beneficial agreement will create investment opportunities for companies from both sides and build a better business environment, he said, stressing that the agreement is not only beneficial to China and the EU, but also conducive to the recovery and growth of the global economy.

While China is conducting active research on matters related to joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or the CPTPP, to move forward with reform and opening-up across the board, Wang Shouwen, vice-minister of commerce, said the government has already had informal contacts with certain members of the CPTPP.

The government also plans to engage with all CPTPP members to communicate at the technical level, so that it can have a more accurate understanding regarding the content of the related documents, he said.

The CPTPP, which took effect on Dec 30, 2018, is a trade agreement between eleven countries: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Their aggregate gross domestic product accounts for 13 percent of the global economy.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/ann/30403039

China’s Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine arrives in Singapore, but is not yet approved for use

Feb 25. 2021

By Linette Lai
The Straits Times/ANN

SINGAPORE – Singapore received its first shipment of China’s Sinovac vaccine on Tuesday (Feb 23) but has yet to authorise it for use, said the Health Ministry (MOH) on Wednesday (Feb 24).

It added that the vaccine maker has started submitting initial data to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA). 

“HSA is currently awaiting Sinovac’s submission of all the necessary information in order to carry out a thorough scientific assessment of the manufacturing process, safety and efficacy of the vaccine under the Pandemic Special Access Route,” MOH said.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have received interim authorisation under this route.

As a condition of such authorisation, vaccine manufacturers have to monitor the longer-term efficacy of vaccines to determine the duration of protection against Covid-19.

They are also required to continue following up on the safety of their products for a longer period of time, in order to determine its full safety profile.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines involve injecting snippets of the virus’ genetic material into the body to stimulate an immune response.

In contrast, Sinovac’s product is a more traditional inactivated vaccine, which makes use of killed virus particles. This method has been used in vaccines for diseases such as polio.

MOH also said it received a fresh shipment of the Pfizer vaccine on Wednesday, and will continue to monitor vaccine supplies closely.

In a Facebook post, the Chinese embassy said the delivery of the vaccine cements the agreement made by both countries to cooperate on issues related to the pandemic.

“China and Singapore have helped each other to meet the challenge since the Covid-19 epidemic broke out, setting a fine example for cooperation against the virus among countries,” it wrote.

It added that China will continue to work with Singapore to “enhance cooperation on vaccine and epidemic control, build a global community of health for all, and win the final victory in the fight against the epidemic”.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/ann/30403001

[Myanmar] Over 700 fruit trucks bound for China stranded, face damage at border gates in Muse

Feb 24. 2021Fruit trucks waiting to enter China (Photo-Pyae Sone)

By PYAE SONE
Elevan Media/ANN

Over 700 cargo trucks carrying fruits are getting stranded at Kyinsankyawt and Pangsaing (Kyugok) border gates in Muse Township, northern Shan State, facing loss and damage due to delays in entering and exiting China. 

“There are minor problems at the border gate every day. This is partly because of a lot of fruit trucks. Now, over 600 to 700 trucks are stranded. They have to enter the queue causing delays. So we are facing damage and loss to our products,” said local fruiterer Nam Kham Khin.   

Despite good prices in melons these days, only about 80 cargo trucks can enter and exit China after a replaced driver tested positive for Covid-19. Merchants are facing challenges compounded by the political situation. 

“Melon market is good. But, not many trucks cannot enter China after a driver was infected with the virus. There are about 600 cargo trucks outside. Yet, only about 80 can enter. Their replaced drives prioritize their goods only. Trade is not easy. We also have difficulty with the banking system. This is not a good sign for merchants,” said Sai Khin Maung, vice chair of Muse 105th Mile Fruit Wholesale. 

Such delays are being caused as Chinese drivers focus on operating their trucks. 

“We also experienced the same problem last year. It is unsolvable. Companies are trying to solve the problem. But it is not as effective as the action by traffic police. Kyinsankyawt Road has to struggle as well,” said merchants and drivers.   

Fruit transport charge is around K1.5 million per truckload from Bago or Yangon and K1.4 million from Mandalay or Sagaing. 

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https://www.nationthailand.com/ann/30403000

Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo ask for state of emergency to be lifted this month

Feb 24. 2021

By The Japan News/ANN

The governors of Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures requested the central government on Tuesday to lift the state of emergency in their prefectures at the end of this month.

The emergency, a measure against the novel coronavirus pandemic, was declared in 11 prefectures and was extended in 10 of them through March 7.

Aichi Prefecture, where Nagoya is the largest city, is also hoping that the state of emergency will be lifted at the end of this month.

The central government will make a decision on Friday after hearing from experts.

Osaka Prefecture decided last Friday to make the request, and Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures decided Monday to follow suit.

Also on Monday during a press conference, Aichi Gov. Hideaki Omura expressed his intention to ask the central government to lift the state of emergency. Omura said he called Gifu Gov. Hajime Furuta to confirm the neighboring prefectures will take concerted action.

The central government views the situation in the three Kansai region prefectures and two Chubu region prefectures as improving in regards to providing medical care, such as occupancy rates of hospital beds.

“It would be no problem to lift the state of emergency,” a senior government official said regarding the five prefectures, “as long as the governors are fine with it.”

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will meet with relevant Cabinet ministers, including Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Norihisa Tamura and Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of economic revitalization and tasked with the coronavirus response, as early as Wednesday to discuss the requests from the governors. If they feel the requests have merit, the central government will seek opinions of an expert panel on Friday on whether the state of emergency can be lifted for those areas before making a formal decision at the pandemic task force later the same day.

The central government intends for the state of emergency to continue in Tokyo and the neighboring prefectures of Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama through March 7 as planned, as it has not seen enough of a recovery in the medical care situation.

As for Fukuoka Prefecture, the government is carefully watching developments as the hospital bed occupancy rate stood at 52% as of Sunday, which falls into Stage 4, the worst in the central government’s index of the pandemic.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/ann/30402999

Samsung tops global TV market for 15th straight year in 2020: report

Feb 24. 2021This photo provided by Samsung Electronics Co. on Wednesday, shows models introducing the company’s TV products. (Samsung Electronics Co.)

By The Korea Herald/ANN

Samsung Electronics Co. remained the world’s leading TV vendor for the 15th straight year in 2020 on the back of its QLED and large TVs, a report showed Wednesday.

The South Korean tech giant had a market share of a record 31.9 percent in terms of sales revenue last year, according to data from industry researcher Omdia, extending its lead in the global TV market for the 15th consecutive year.

Samsung became the world’s top TV manufacturer in 2006, powered by the success of its Bordeaux TV series.

Samsung said its strategy to focus on premium QLED and large-size TVs helped the company earn a record market share.

Samsung sold 7.79 million units of QLED TVs last year, up from 5.32 million units in 2019, the Omdia report showed. QLED TVs accounted for 35.5 percent of its total TV sales revenue.

In the premium TV segment, which refers to TVs priced above $2,500 or higher, Samsung led with a market share of 45.4 percent in terms of revenue.

The company also had the dominant position in the 80-inch or larger TV sector with a market share of 50.8 percent. (Yonhap)

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https://www.nationthailand.com/ann/30402998

[Singapore] PM Lee calls for global cooperation to ensure Covid-19 vaccines for all

Feb 24. 2021Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the recording for the Global Citizen Recovery Plan for the World campaign. PHOTO: MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION

By Clement Yong
The Straits Times/ANN

SINGAPORE – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday (Feb 24) called for international cooperation to make sure all countries, including developing ones, have access to proven Covid-19 vaccines.

In a pre-recorded video message to a global conference broadcast live on YouTube, Mr Lee said that Singapore is also discussing vaccine certification with interested countries as a way to resume the possibility of travel.

The director-general of the World Health Organisation, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus; the US special presidential envoy for climate, Mr John Kerry; and the President of the European Commission, Ms Ursula von der Leyen, were among those at the conference.

Actor Hugh Jackman and singer-songwriter Billie Ellish provided star billing to the event, which kicked off the new campaign, A Recovery Plan for the World, by international advocacy group Global Citizen, which will focus on five key areas.

The areas are ending Covid-19 for all, ending the hunger crisis, resuming learning everywhere, protecting the planet, and promoting equity for all.

The campaign comes amid tentative signs that the world is recovering from Covid-19 , and as governments and industry leaders rethink entrenched modes of production and the distribution of resources.

In his 1½-minute speech, Mr Lee said: “In a crisis, it is natural to turn inwards. But a pandemic knows no borders. No country is truly safe until all of us are safe.

“Even as each of us gears up to secure our own (vaccine) supplies, we must cooperate internationally so that all countries, including developing ones, have access to vaccines for their people.”

He added that Singapore supported the G-20 high-level independent panel, set up in January to study how to better finance the world’s preparedness against future pandemics.

“We look forward to practical and implementable recommendations from the panel,” Mr Lee said. “Let us strengthen our collective response to bring about a more inclusive and sustainable recovery for all.”

Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam co-chairs the panel, along with former US treasury secretary Lawrence Summers and Nigeria’s former finance and foreign minister, Ms Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Last year, the European Commission and Global Citizen co-launched another campaign – Global Goal: United For Our Future.

It roped in artistes and 40 governments and organisations to provide 250 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to the world’s poorest countries, and raised US$236 million (S$312 million) to ameliorate the pandemic’s effect on marginalised communities.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/ann/30402997

HK chief exec backs reform of electoral system

Feb 24. 2021Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor meets the press at Central Government Offices in Hong Kong on Dec 15, 2020. [PHOTO BY CALVIN NG/CHINA DAILY]

By KATHY ZHANG
China Daily/ANN

Lam: Central govt’s call ensures accurate implementation of ‘one country, two systems’

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor reaffirmed on Tuesday her support for the central government’s call to improve the city’s electoral system, noting that the call was made to ensure the continued and accurate implementation of “one country, two systems”.

Speaking before the first Executive Council meeting after Spring Festival, Lam said the past incidents, including the 2014 illegal “Occupy” movement and the 2019 social unrest, have all advocated hatred against the local and central governments, which is worrying.

That is why it is necessary for the central government to get involved, in a bid to prevent the situation from worsening to a point where the “one country, two systems” principle can no longer be implemented in Hong Kong, she added.

Her remarks came after Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, placed great emphasis on the “patriots governing Hong Kong “principle when he addressed a symposium on Monday.

Xia called for prompt efforts to improve related systems in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, especially the electoral system, so that “patriots governing Hong Kong” can be thoroughly implemented.

Meanwhile, the city’s business sector also expressed its support for any measures and mechanisms that can effectively implement the principle, including electoral reform.

The Federation of Hong Kong Industries said in a statement that the principle was put forward to maintain the city’s long-term stability and prosperity, which is in line with the sector’s expectations.

It said that the “patriots governing Hong Kong” principle will be good for the city’s business environment, consolidate the city’s status as an international financial, trade and logistics hub, and boost investors’ confidence in the city’s prospects.

The Hong Kong Chinese Importers’ and Exporters’ Association said Xia’s remarks and call were necessary and timely, as the city is at a tipping point after it was battered by prolonged social unrest in 2019 and the economy was hammered by the pandemic.

“We hope related work will be put on the agenda in the near future,” the association said, adding that it also expects, with the related policies and mechanisms in place, that the city will address its problems step by step and move on.

Hong Kong legislator Martin Liao Cheung-kong said that he fully supports an immediate improvement of the city’s electoral system in accordance with the principle of “patriots governing Hong Kong”.

This will be the only way for Hong Kong to get rid of internal disturbances, to guarantee the steady and sustained implementation of “one country, two systems”, and to have more room for patriots governing Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy, he said.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/ann/30402946

S. Korea aims to boost exports of eco-friendly cars

Feb 23. 2021Shown in this undated file photo is a charging facility for electric vehicles. (Yonhap)

By The Korea Herald/ANN

South Korea on Tuesday finalized a five-year plan for the eco-friendly auto industry, which includes expanding exports of such automobiles by threefold by 2025.

The country’s exports of eco-friendly cars, which includes electric and hydrogen fuel cell models, will reach 830,000 units in 2025, significantly rising from 280,000 units tallied in 2020, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

South Korea shipped $37.4 billion worth of automobiles in 2020, down 13.1 percent on-year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Exports of electric cars, on the other hand, shot up 39.9 percent to $4.6 billion.

Exports of eco-friendly cars have grown by more than threefold over the past five years. They will take up a whopping 35 percent of the total automobile exports in 2025, rising sharply from 14.6 percent last year.

In the past five years, the accumulated sales of such models have jumped from 240,000 units to 820,000 units.

Last year, South Korea was the world’s fourth-largest exporter of electric cars and the world’s top producer of hydrogen fuel cell models. (Yonhap)

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https://www.nationthailand.com/ann/30402945

Criminal penalties eyed for malicious online sales in Japan

Feb 23. 2021

By The Japan News/ANN

The government is making the final adjustments to a law revision as it eyes the introduction of criminal punishment for malicious online sales where customers unwittingly sign up for expensive subscription contracts, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

Such sales advertise a purchase that is “free of charge” but in fact sign customers up for expensive subscription contracts.

The Consumer Affairs Agency plans to submit a bill to revise the Specified Commercial Transactions Law at the current Diet session after obtaining approval from the ruling parties. By strengthening the penalties, the government aims to deter fraudulent business practices and prevent damage.

Reports of damage involving online sales have seen a sharp increase in recent years. In such cases, products such as health foods are offered free of charge or at a bargain price on the first purchase. Customers think they are signing up for a one-time purchase when they are in fact signing up for multiple purchases or subscription orders. Unless they go through a cancellation process, they receive the product every month and are charged higher prices for the second and subsequent purchases.

Many of these websites do not clarify that it will be a subscription contract or explain how to cancel it. Some do offer such explanations, but only in fine print in the corner of the webpage.

Such practices have led consumers to sign contracts without realizing what they are actually signing up for, and the agency has called for vigilance against such fraud.

According to sources, the revised law will stipulate that business operators are required to clarify that it is a subscription order on the webpage when a customer is making a purchase. If they intentionally make customers misunderstand by failing to cite the information or displaying it in a false or confusing manner, the responsible individual will be subject to criminal punishment in the form of imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to ¥3 million, or both, the sources said.

Under the current law, such practices are subject to administrative penalties including business suspension, but criminal penalties can only be imposed if the violator ignores the penalties and continues to sell products.

In addition, the revision will also prohibit the practice of obstructing the cancellation process, such as not accepting phone calls despite saying that the customer can cancel any time or giving false information. Criminal penalties are being eyed for these practices as well.

A new system is planned that would allow a consumer who mistakenly signs up for a subscription service – believing that it is not – to request that the service provider cancel the order.

According to the agency, consumer affairs centers nationwide received about 56,300 complaints about subscription services last year, a 14-fold increase from five years ago. More than 90% of the complaints were about online shopping, many of which involved health foods and cosmetics products. It is likely that the spread of smartphones and the coronavirus pandemic have contributed to more people shopping online at home, and malicious business practices that take advantage of the trend are thus increasing, according to the agency.

The agency has imposed administrative penalties, including the suspension of operations, on six businesses since December 2019.