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S. Korea to launch presidential committee on carbon-neutral campaign, Moon says (nationthailand.com)

S. Korea to launch presidential committee on carbon-neutral campaign, Moon says

Nov 28. 2020President Moon Jae-in speaks at a meeting on South Korea’s aim of going carbon neutral by 2050 held at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap) 

By The Korea Herald/ANN

President Moon Jae-in announced a plan Friday to establish a presidential body on South Korea’s stated goal of going carbon neutral by 2050 as part of a “strong pan-governmental system” to push for the vision.

He said the envisioned government-private organization, tentatively named the “2050 Carbon Neutrality Committee,” is meant to implement the policy speedily.

The government will also seek to create a new vice ministerial position to be in charge of energy policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the president added.

He was speaking at an interagency meeting on drawing up carbon-neutral strategies, joined by the heads of relevant ministries and senior ruling Democratic Party officials.

“The grand transition to a carbon-neutral society will be an opportunity to simultaneously pursue economic growth and the improvement of quality of life,” he said in his opening remarks.

He added, “(The government) is going to push for low carbonization in all economic sectors. The structural transformation of the energy system is the starting point.”

Moon revealed a scheme to place a focus on developing three key new industries — renewable energy, hydrogen and energy IT — in order to accelerate the transformation of South Korea, one of the world’s most fossil fuel-reliant economies, into a carbon-neural nation.

In particular, he said his administration will grow future car production businesses as a leading industry, pledging to lay a “firm foundation” for moving toward carbon neutrality before his tenure ends in May 2022.

Moon also said his government will consider introducing a related fiscal system, which includes the creation of a special fund to help cope with climate change, as it’s preparing to submit a long-term low-carbon growth strategy to the United Nations within this year.

He then stressed the need for international cooperation.

South Korea will push actively for joint projects with the European Union to achieve carbon neutrality and solidify policy coordination with the new US administration of Joe Biden, while strengthening trilateral partnerships with China and Japan, according to the president. (Yonhap)

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Dyson to set up new advanced manufacturing hub in S’pore, in $4.9b investment across 3 countries (nationthailand.com)

Dyson to set up new advanced manufacturing hub in S’pore, in $4.9b investment across 3 countries

Nov 27. 2020Dyson’s new global head office at St James Power Station in Singapore is slated to open in 2021. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO 

By Choo Yun Ting
The Straits Times/ANN

SINGAPORE – British technology company Dyson is planning for a new advanced manufacturing hub in Singapore, as part of a £2.75 billion (S$4.93 billion) investment which will include the United Kingdom and the Philippines.

The investments will double Dyson’s portfolio of products and its venture into new fields by 2025, with the hiring of additional engineers in fields such as software, machine learning and robotics, said the company in a statement on Friday (Nov 27).

It is putting resources in research areas such as next-generation motor technology, connectivity and material science.

Dyson said one of its priorities is the commercialisation of its solid state battery technology which is being developed in Singapore, the UK, the United States and Japan, and is said to provide cleaner and more efficient energy storage than current batteries.

The company’s new global head office at St James Power Station in Singapore is slated to open in 2021, and will be accompanied by an expansion of its research and development facilities, as well as research labs in fields such as machine learning and robotics.

Dyson has around 1,200 employees in Singapore, of whom 350 are engineers and scientists. Over 100 engineers were hired here this year.

The new advanced manufacturing hub here will bring together its various facilities and drive technical innovation in the field, Dyson said.

It also intends to establish a new university research programme in Singapore to drive product development and build on its existing global programmes.

Dyson currently has 22 university research programmes, including longstanding projects with British universities like Oxford University, Imperial College London and Cambridge University.

Meanwhile, the company is also deepening its commitment to advanced robotics research and artificial intelligence in the UK to drive innovation of new technologies and products.

The new investments will further new research in fields of study such as products for sustainable healthy indoor environments, Dyson said.

It is also creating a new dedicated software hub in Alabang, the Philippines, which will accelerate the development of new machines.

Dyson currently has an advanced manufacturing facility in Calamba in the Philippines which manufactures 13 million digital motors each year.

Its chief executive officer Roland Krueger said the investments and expansion in the three countries are a vital step in the company’s future development.

“Now is the time to invest in new technologies such as energy storage, robotics and software which will drive performance and sustainability in our products for the benefit of Dyson’s customers,” he added.

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CE: Hong Kong will continue to be an international city (nationthailand.com)

CE: Hong Kong will continue to be an international city

Nov 27. 2020Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor meets with members of the consular corps and the International Business Committee on Nov 26, 2020, briefing them on her 2020 Policy Address. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVT) 

By Wang Zhan
China Daily/ANN

HONG KONG – Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Thursday met with more than 80 members of the consular corps and the International Business Commitee, briefing them on her 2020 Policy Address.

According to a government statement issued on Thursday evening, Lam began by referring to the details in the dedicated chapter on Upholding “One Country, Two Systems” in the Policy Address, and reiterated the importance of having a clear understanding of the constitutional order of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). 

She highlighted that the implementation of the National Security Law had restored stability in Hong Kong and stressed that individuals’ rights and freedoms would continue to be upheld, it added. 

“Hong Kong has all along been and will continue to be an international city. International connectivity is one of our key strengths, through which Hong Kong has developed into the international financial, trade and business centre it is today,” the statement quoted her as saying. 

“This unique strength will also enable the HKSAR to play its role in the nation’s ‘dual circulation’ economic strategy and integrate better into the national development. We are determined to strengthen our international connectivity in order to maintain our competitiveness,” she added.

Lam elaborated on the seven major policy directions supported by the central government and welcomed the overseas business community to take part in the many exciting opportunities, such as those arising from initiatives to enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre, international aviation hub and international innovation and technology hub. 

“Since the announcement in the 2020 Policy Address of the HKSAR’s pledge to strive to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050, we have received through our overseas Economic and Trade Offices very positive feedback from our international counterparts,” Lam said.

“The Environment Bureau will spare no time and efforts in drawing up more proactive strategies and measures to reduce carbon emissions, and we welcome experience sharing from overseas jurisdictions,” she added.

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PM: Malaysia in China’s Covid-19 vaccine priority recipient list (nationthailand.com)

PM: Malaysia in China’s Covid-19 vaccine priority recipient list

Nov 27. 2020

By The Star/ANN

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Malaysia has been listed as one of the countries to be given priority to receive the Covid-19 from China which will be distributed soon, according to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

In his posting on Facebook on Thursday (Nov 26), the Prime Minister said the assurance was conveyed to him by the Republic of China’s outgoing ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian during a farewell visit at the Parliament building yesterday.

Muhyiddin said Malaysia had also expressed appreciation for the commitment made by the Chinese government on the matter.

“His Excellency Bai Tian also expressed his appreciation to the Government of Malaysia for giving continuous support in various aspects to the republic, especially when the Covid-19 pandemic hit Wuhan early this year.

“He considers Malaysia a very close friendly country that is always ready to lend a helping hand when China needs it,” he said.

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin also expressed the government’s appreciation for Bai Tian’s contribution in bringing Malaysia-China bilateral relations to new heights since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries in 1974.

“China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 11 consecutive years, with last year’s trade value recorded at RM315.19bil. China’s investment in Malaysia last year was RM18.25bil, making the country the 10th largest source of foreign direct investment in Malaysia.

“Malaysia always welcomes more companies from China to make Malaysia a preferred destination for investment, especially in the high-tech industry sector,” he said.

Apart from that, Muhyiddin said the Government of the Republic of China also congratulated Malaysia as the host of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit (Apec), which saw the declaration of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration and the launch of Putrajaya Vision 2040.

Muhyiddin said the Kuala Lumpur Declaration and the launch of the Putrajaya Vision 2040 would be a new aspiration for the Apec community to ensure regional economic growth over the next 20 years.

“I wish all the best to His Excellency Bai Tian who will end his tenure tomorrow and return to Beijing after three years in the country,” Muhyiddin added. – Bernama

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Japanese PM requests China not to provoke around Senkakus (nationthailand.com)

Japanese PM requests China not to provoke around Senkakus

Nov 27. 2020Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, right, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pose before a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday. (The Yomiuri Shimbun) 

By The Japan News/ANN

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga met visiting Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday at the Prime Minister’s Office and conveyed his intention to place emphasis on Japan-China relations.

He also called for China to restrain itself regarding provocations by Chinese government vessels around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture and expressed concern about the situation in Hong Kong.

It was Suga’s first face-to-face meeting with a Chinese dignitary since he took office.

At the beginning of the meeting, Suga welcomed an agreement to restart business travel between the two countries and said, “A stable bilateral relationship is important not only for Japan and China, but also for the region and the international community.”

Wang responded, “We would like to cooperate together in various fields.”

In this connection, the Chinese government announced Wednesday that it would resume business travel between the countries from Monday.

In the meeting with Wang, Suga called for China’s early elimination of restrictions on imports of Japanese food products that were imposed following the 2011 nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Fukushima No. 1 plant as well as the resumption of imports of Japanese beef, which have been suspended since 2001 due to an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

The two also agreed to cooperate for the success of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

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Wang Yi says Xi visit requires ‘complete control’ of COVID-19 (nationthailand.com)

Wang Yi says Xi visit requires ‘complete control’ of COVID-19

Nov 27. 2020President Moon Jae-in and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (left) pose for a photograph at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday. (Yonhap) 

By Choi He-suk
The Korea Herald/ANN

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit South Korea “as soon as the conditions are ready,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday, stressing that the two sides must focus on containing the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I believe that (Xi’s) visit will be realized as soon as the conditions are ready,” Wang said after his meeting with South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha.

When asked about the conditions for Xi’s visit, Wang said the pandemic must be brought under “complete control,” pointing at his face mask.

The Chinese foreign minister, however, said Seoul and Beijing can discuss what constitutes “complete control” and that Beijing hopes to arrange the trip at an early date.

Wang’s visit had fanned speculation that Seoul and Beijing were fine-tuning the schedule for Xi’s visit, which the two sides had agreed to arrange in the near future. However, the timing of the visit remains unclear due to the pandemic.

Wang also rejected some academics’ views linking his trip to Seoul with US-China friction, saying “the US is not the only country in the world.”

Saying that all countries are independent and sovereign states, Wang said diplomacy is not a simple matter and stressed the importance of South Korea-China relations.

“What is needed at this stage is pressing forward with the second stage of the China-Korea FTA,” Wang said, adding that South Korea and China must cooperate in a range of areas including the economy, regional security, multilateralism and free trade.

Wang also met with President Moon Jae-in later in the day, where the South Korean leader stressed that Seoul and Beijing have been cooperating closely to deal with the pandemic, as well as on Korean Peninsula issues.

“I express thanks for the constructive role China has played in the Korean Peninsula peace process,” Moon said, adding that his administration will continue to work with China and the international community to achieve denuclearization and permanent peace on the peninsula.

At the foreign ministers’ meeting, Kang and Wang are said to have discussed a range of bilateral issues, including strengthening the strategic partnership between the two nations.

“I hope to exchange views on further consolidating the relationship of strategic partners ahead of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2022 and assess achievements in all areas,” Kang said going into the meeting.

“In addition, I hope for talks that will continue to create conditions for progressing the Korean Peninsula peace process and for stably managing developments surrounding the Korean Peninsula.”

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Hanoi aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (nationthailand.com)

Hanoi aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Nov 26. 2020Workers install rooftop solar power. — Photo vov.vn 

By Viet Nam News/ANN

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội will strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15 per cent by 2030, according to local authorities.

The Hà Nội People’s Committee recently issued a plan for the reduction, with the city aiming to achieve savings of 8-10 per cent of total energy consumption in 2020-30 and about 14 per cent in 2031-45.

The capital city will promote the use of equipment and machinery with high efficiency, energy-saving, energy audit and enhance solutions to reduce power consumption and emissions in industrial zones, factories and urban areas.

It encourages the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from energy activities compared to the normal development scenario at 15 per cent in 2030 to 20 per cent in 2045.

In the plan, the proportion of renewable energy sources in the total primary energy supply will reach about 2 per cent by 2030 and then 5 per cent by 2045.

The city strives that by 2045, the total capacity of solar power is estimated at about 700MW by installing rooftop solar power in low-rise apartment buildings and high-rise buildings of the city.

To implement the targets, the Hà Nội People’s Committee has deployed different measures including developing primary energy sources.

It quickly and sustainably developed the electricity industry to meet the requirements of city industrialisation and modernisation and restructured energy-consuming sectors and regions in parallel with implementing policies on clean, economical and efficient use of energy.

The capital city has also developed sustainable energy infrastructure connecting the region and improved internal resources of the manufacturing and service industries for the energy sector.

Hà Nội will continue to renew mechanisms and policies and develop a synchronous, interconnected, modern and efficient energy market.

It will also implement environmental protection policies for the energy sector associated with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. — VNS

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Shopee owner’s chief Forrest Li named Businessman of the Year (nationthailand.com)

Shopee owner’s chief Forrest Li named Businessman of the Year

Nov 26. 2020Mr Forrest Li was named Businessman of the Year 2019/2020, in recognition of his efforts in building Sea into a New York-listed global Internet company. PHOTO: BT FILE 

By Prisca Ang
The Straits Times/ANN

SINGAPORE – When Mr Forrest Li first arrived in Singapore more than 15 years ago, the then 28-year-old was deep in student loan debt to the tune of $100,000, had next to nothing in the bank and made only enough to rent a room in a flat in Braddell.

Today, Mr Li, 43, is the billionaire founder and group chief executive of tech giant Sea, which owns e-commerce platform Shopee and also operates businesses in gaming and digital finance.

Mr Li was on Tuesday night (Nov 24) named Businessman of the Year 2019/2020, in recognition of his efforts in building Sea into a New York-listed global Internet company with the mission of improving the lives of consumers and small businesses through technology.

He took home the coveted title at the 35th Singapore Business Awards (SBA), held at the Singapore Press Holdings News Centre auditorium and live-streamed on Tuesday. The SBA is jointly organised by Singapore Press Holdings’ publication The Business Times and DHL Express Singapore.

Nearly 50 guests attended the event, which was held in a hybrid format for the first time.

Mr Li said digital transformation can enable even a small country like Singapore to have a profound impact on the world.

However, the acceleration of digital transformation can be unsettling for many people, as the global pandemic creates more urgency for communities to go online, he added.

“As a tech company, Sea bears a big responsibility here. It is now more critical than ever for us to help those who are uncomfortable with technology to learn how to use it, so that nobody is left behind. This has always been a concern for Sea, and something we will focus more on,” he said in a speech at the event.

In April, Shopee introduced the Shopee Seller Support Package, a regional programme that includes a range of initiatives to help small and medium-sized enterprises to overcome economic challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Among other measures, the programme helps SMEs to ease operational costs and attract customers online by temporarily lowering administrative fees and providing marketing support.

Mr Li, a naturalised Singapore citizen who hails from Tianjin in China, also paid tribute to Singapore’s role in Sea’s success. “There is a stereotype out there, that businessmen only come to places like Singapore after they have found success elsewhere. That is not my story… Long before I had any success, (the Singaporean community) made me feel welcome, and let me and my family make our home here,” he said.

He recalled how he connected with Sea’s co-founders, Mr David Chen and Mr Ye Gang, here, and how the Economic Development Board introduced them to Sea’s eventual investor, tech giant Tencent.

“When we were ready to scale, it was again Singapore that enabled us: this time, by providing a deep and skilled talent pool. We built a strong team here, both from local professionals and bright young graduates from the local universities. They enabled us to take full advantage of every opportunity.”

Past recipients of the Businessman of the Year title include PhillipCapital Group executive chairman, Mr Lim Hua Min, and Raffles Medical Group executive chairman, Dr Loo Choon Yong.

Meanwhile, NTUC Enterprise and FairPrice group chief executive Seah Kian Peng, 58, was named outstanding chief executive for his efforts to ensure that daily essentials remain accessible and affordable to Singaporeans amid the Covid-19 crisis.

For example, a FairPrice on Wheels initiative was launched during the circuit breaker to sell groceries in mature estates with a higher proportion of low-income seniors. The mobile grocery trucks carry items such as rice, meat and dairy products, as well as house-brand products that cater to more budget-conscious customers.

Mr Seah told The Straits Times that FairPrice stepped up to respond to the pandemic, in areas such as ensuring adequate supplies and protecting staff and customers.

“Covid has taught many of us that at the end of the day, basic, essential things are what matter. Human beings are quite resilient and can rise to the occasion when they need to adapt. We can overcome challenges when we work as a team,” he said.

Mr Seah added that due to Covid-19, the roles of workers in essential services such as healthcare, transport, food and supermarkets are better understood and appreciated.

The outstanding overseas executive award went to Ms Jessica Tan, 42, group co-chief executive officer of China’s financial services and technology behemoth Ping An Insurance (Group).

The Singaporean was recognised for her achievements in rising to the top leadership of Ping An Group, leading its deep dive into tech and overseeing its development as a technology-powered retail financial services group.

Mainboard-listed solutions provider AEM Holdings bagged the enterprise award. Over the past nine years, it has transformed itself from a niche automation company to a global semiconductor and electronics test solutions provider.

The company has a market capitalisation of about $1 billion and employs some 600 staff globally, of whom about half are in Singapore.

Mr Wong Wei Kong, chairman of the SBA organising committee and editor of The Business Times, said: “Under the bleak and unpredictable climate that the pandemic has brought upon everyone, these four winners demonstrated true tenacity and innovation in their businesses.”

SBA co-organiser DHL Express Singapore’s managing director Christopher Ong said that leadership at its best is often forged in a crisis. “All our winners this year showed exemplary fortitude and ingenuity in steering their businesses through unprecedented waters. Their remarkable stewardship allowed their businesses to continue to thrive even in such a challenging climate.”

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China urges India to restore normal trade relations (nationthailand.com)

China urges India to restore normal trade relations

Nov 26. 2020

By The Statesman/ANN

Upset by India’s latest ban on 43 Chinese mobile applications, China on Wednesday urged the government to restore the trade relations for mutual benefit.

“China and India are the opportunities of development to each other rather than threats. Both sides should bring bilateral economic and trade relations back to the right path for mutual benefit and win-win results on the basis of dialogue and negotiation,” said an official statement issued by the Chinese embassy in New Delhi.

The embassy was responding to a media query related the Indian government’s decision to block the usage of 43 mobile applications with Chinese background including AliExpress, DingTalk, etc.

The Chinese Communist Party regime “firmly opposes the Indian side’s repeated use of national security as an excuse to prohibit some mobile applications with Chinese background,” the statement said.

The embassy further claimed that the Chinese government has “always required overseas Chinese companies to abide by international rules, operate in compliance with laws and regulations and conform to public order and good morals.”

Spokesperson of the embassy Ji Rong said that China hoped India “provides a fair, impartial and non-discriminatory business environment for all market players from various countries including China, and rectify the discriminatory practices violating WTO rules.”

The statement comes at a time when India and China remain locked in a stand-off along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh since June. India has taken several diplomatic measures in retaliation to the Chinese aggression, including banning of Chinese applications over data security issues.

Meanwhile, the eighth round of talks of the India-China senior military commanders were held in Chushulon on November 6 to ensure complete disengagement and full restoration of peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector. Both countries have agreed to continue their dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels.

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Tokyo to ask restaurants to shorten business hours again (nationthailand.com)

Tokyo to ask restaurants to shorten business hours again

Nov 26. 2020Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike attends a task force meeting on the novel coronavirus in the Tokyo metropolitan government building on Wednesday. (The Yomiuri Shimbun) 

By The Japan News/ANN

The Tokyo metropolitan government has decided to ask restaurants that serve alcohol and karaoke establishments to shorten their business hours and close by 10 p.m., in response to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said at a press conference: “The number of seriously ill patients increased sharply, putting us in a critical situation. In order to protect the lives of the people of Tokyo, I again request the shortening of opening hours.”

Shorter business hours will be requested for 20 days from Saturday through Dec. 17. Establishments that respond to the request will receive daily compensation of ¥20,000 in “cooperation money.”

Regarding the central government’s Go To Travel stimulus campaign, the metropolitan government is not expected to ask the central government to exclude travel packages to and from the capital.

Koike announced the plan at an press conference on Wednesday evening.

The metropolitan government included Tokyo’s 23 wards and cities in the Tama area in the request for shorter business hours.

Regarding the central government’s Go To Eat campaign to support the food industry, the metropolitan government will suspend the issuance of new premium meal coupons from Friday through Dec. 17, and ask residents to refrain from using already issued coupons or points.

In Tokyo, a one-day record of 539 cases of novel coronavirus infections was newly confirmed on Saturday.

Since then, the metropolitan government had considered setting criteria for asking eating establishments and other businesses to reduce working hours.

On Tuesday, the number of seriously ill people in Tokyo reached 51, the highest number since the state of emergency was lifted. This led to the metropolitan government’s decision to request shorter business hours. “We need an emergency response,” a senior official of the Tokyo government said.

The metropolitan government previously asked restaurants and other businesses in Tokyo to shorten their business hours and close by 10 p.m. from Aug. 3 to 31.

It made similar requests for facilities in the 23 wards, located in the center of Tokyo, over Sept. 1-15.

Tuesday was the first day that the number of seriously ill patients infected with the novel coronavirus had exceeded 50 since May 18, when 52 critically ill people were registered during the state of emergency.

Koike met Tuesday with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of measures against the virus, to discuss how to deal with the situation.

According to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, the number of seriously ill people has been increasing nationwide, reaching 345 as of midnight Tuesday. The figure hit a record high for the second straight day.

The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients in Tokyo stood at about 30 to 40 a day in November, but on Tuesday the number increased by 10 from the previous day, the Tokyo metropolitan government said. Of the 51 severely ill patients, 41 were aged 60 or older.

The metropolitan government uses its own criteria to define the severity of illness. “It seems that infections spread among elderly people, thus the number of seriously ill elderly patients also increased,” a metropolitan government official said. Tokyo had its highest number of seriously ill patients in late April, at 105.

According to sources related to the metropolitan government, it had considered requesting shorter business hours if the number of occupied beds for such patients reached 50 or 75 out of the total of 150 beds reserved.　

Koike told reporters after meeting with Suga: “The central government had not provided enough information [to us], so I confirmed [the government’s policy]. We will work with the government to take measures.”

Suga and Nishimura, who is also the minister in charge of economic revitalization, called on Koike to consider exempting Tokyo from the Go To Travel campaign and requesting businesses to implement shorter working hours, sources said.

The number of people who were seriously ill nationwide peaked on April 30 at 328, then started to decline. Since early September, the number has remained between 100 and 200, but it has rapidly increased since November.

In Osaka Prefecture, the number reached a record 103 on Tuesday, up by 17 from the previous day.