“Unlawful unilateral activities, including land reclamation to change the status quo, militarisation, collisions that put lives of fishermen in danger are worrisome,” Phuc told The Nation in an interview via e-mail.

“These behaviours have eroded trust and are not conducive to promotion of dialogue and maintenance of peace and stability in the region,” he said.

Phuc arrived in Thailand on Saturday for 34th Asean Summit where many hot security issues will be discussed.

Vietnam is among Asean members at loggerheads with China over the territorial disputes in the contentious sea. The region became a flashpoint as China began militarisation by building facilities for military use years ago.

The group and China signed a legally non-binding declaration on the conduct (DOC) of parties in the South China Sea in 2002 to regulate the sea, but the situation remains tense.

The group and China are now working to have a legally binding code of conduct to control the behaviour of riparian states. Ministers and senior officials of the group expect to conclude the first reading of the text by the end of this year.

“Against that backdrop, Asean needs to firmly adhere to its fundamental position on the South China Sea, in which the parties concerned should exercise restraint, refrain from any action which may further complicate the situation,” Phuc said.

“All parties must refrain from militarisation and seek to resolve disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS [United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea], strictly and fully implement the DOC and strive to formulate a COC that is effective and substantive in line with international law and endorsed by the international community,” he said.

Prime Minister Phuc also said maintaining peace, security and stability in the region was a pre-requisite for sustainable development and prosperity of all nations.

“In the meantime, we are witnessing the strong emergence of both traditional and non-traditional security challenges, alongside multiple hotspots that pose serious threats to peace and stability in the region and the world. These have caused major concerns for all of us,” he said.

“It is Vietnam’s position that security issues must be satisfactorily resolved by peaceful means on the basis of international law, so as to avoid their escalation into conflict hotspots, which may pose a threat to peace, stability and prosperity in the region,” he said.

“In recent years, Asean has made efforts to contribute to addressing regional security issues, including the South China Sea, [the ethnic conflict in] Rakhine state in Myanmar, the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, terrorism and transnational crimes, among others. Vietnam has been and will continue contributing actively to these joint efforts,” Phuc said.

1. Can you please tell us a bit more about yourself and your background? 

I was born in Florida, to a Puerto Rican mother and Asian father. We moved to Jamaica when I was younger, I fell in love with the island and its culture, people and beauty… and didn’t want to leave. I’ve been involved with the automotive industry both professionally and personally my entire life and have faught tooth and nail for respect in the community for years. I love my multicultural background and I find I see things a bit differently in most occasions. I’ve been a Tomboy my entire life, I would play video games… and compete when I was younger- Counter Strike, Warcraft and now DOTA/HON so I’ve always been somewhat of the only woman. I’ve learnt to be tough over the years and more understanding of disagreements, egos and having to respectfully earn your place in something you love.

2. What first sparked your interest in driving?

My grandfather was a classic car enthusiast. He collected classic Jaguars, and our favorite times together were fixing things then taking them out for a spin.

But it wasn’t until my friend Joel invited me to drive a go-kart that I was hooked. Since that day- I’ve never looked back. I’ve done and raced in almost every genre of racing.

3. What were some of the challenges you faced along the way? 

Being a tomboy from an early age was easy… the difficulty started when I was a teenager. I always laughed that I looked like a Chinese boy until I was 16- At that point a lot of things changed. It became hard being a Tom boy loving cars and video games, I was constantly having to prove that the things I’ve loved all my life wasn’t for attention.

People would say that I liked cars because I was young and wanted to be in the “Crowd.” But I knew that this was a love that would stay with me forever, It would just grow and change with me… and so it has. Even with racing in my adult life, being a woman or a minority in anything you do comes with added work and effort. It may not be right or wrong, but it is what it is… I’ve learnt to love the challenge. My parents always said to me- you show up early to anywhere you’re going, with respect and class- eventually people will listen and respect you.

4. What continues to motivate you to excel in this sport? 

I’ve given racing a break once in my life- I was miserable. Racing is something that you crave… that euphoric feeling when I’m in the car.

I’m super competitive, so I can never do something half way. With racing, there’s never the same race, never the same car. I’ve had amazing opportunities in my life to drive great cars, but there’s only forward.

5. How long have been you been racing? 

Pretty late actually- I started go-karting at 18.

I may look like 19 now… but that was a LONG time ago.

6. Do you currently face any challenges being in a male dominated sport? 

When I just started yes. I wasn’t taken seriously, people would bully me and say I didn’t belong. But I always took it with a smile.

As an adult, not so much. Women have made leaps and bounds in racing and have proven that we can do it to. Motor racing is the ONLY sport in the world that men and

women can compete in equally. So I always say- I’m a drive like any other…. and i probably know more about cars than most.

7. What is your routine when preparing for a race? 

When I was younger, I would put on a great playlist sit in my room alone and paint my nails. I took it as a form of meditation, just to be able to relax and not think about

anything else other than what I was doing in that moment.

Recently I do the same… minus the nail painting.

8. What spurred you on to take up this Guinness World Record challenge? 

Well….. I didn’t think too hard on the actually Guinness World Record- my fiance and I are always up for new adventures, traveling around the world and meeting new people.

For me, this wasn’t just about a world record. It was the adventure of it all… and it did NOT disappoint!

9. How was your experience on Record Rides?  

Unbelievable. Never did I think I would have the opportunity to do something this cool.

To travel across the world, for a National Geographic show doing such amazing things going on such amazing adventures.

My co-host, the guys behind the camera… everyone was wonderful to work and just hang out with!

Not to mention- I’ve found a new respect for the TV industry…. that was a lot harder than I would have ever imagined.

Watching the show… All i hear when I see me on camera is my goofy laugh and see how dorky I really am. But I’ve embraced it and over the years I’ve learnt what I think is very important. The ability to laugh at yourself.

***************

Record Rides premieres in South East Asia, and Hong Kong on National Geographic (In Thailand, the show can be viewed on True Visions Ch. 558 / AIS Playbox / TOTiptv Ch. 510) on June 23 and June 30 2019, at 7.00 PM and on Fox Thai (True Visions Ch. 246 / AIS Playbox Ch. 150 / TOTiptv Ch. 303 / Good TV Ch. 48) on June 25, 2019 at 8.55 PM, with its concluding episode airing on July 2, 2019 at 8.55 PM.

As of 9.30am, Asean leaders who had arrived in Thailand included Mahathir Bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei, Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counselor of Myanmar, Rodrigo Duterte, President of the Philippines, Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister of Laos, and Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia.

Two Asean minister-level meetings are scheduled to take place simultaneously in the morning.

Firstly, the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) will be taking place from 9.30am to 10.30am, and secondly, the Special Asean Economic Ministers’ Meeting on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will be taking place from 9am to 1pm.

The region’s leaders will meet this afternoon during the plenary 34th Asean Summit, followed by a gala dinner for the Asean leaders and Asean secretary-general.

Tomorrow’s key events include the opening ceremony of the 34th Asean Summit and the Asean Summit Retreat.

Finally, a press conference will be held with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Sunday afternoon.

The US has withdrawn its preferential trade treatment to India, cut the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) granted to 11 types of Thai products, added countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore to the watch list for currency manipulation, and singled China out as a major target to slap additional tariffs on.

Almost all countries in the region are suffering from export decline and economic slowdown, falling victim to unilateralism and protectionism.

The trade war puts us once again at the crossroads where we have to make a choice – whether to hold the line or make concessions time and again, whether to narrow or sharpen differences, whether to respect each other or exercise unilateral power.

History tells us repeatedly that it is impossible to trade compromises for peace. We should heed warnings from the trade war that took place in East Asia in the 1980s. Only by adopting a future-oriented approach, pursuing win-win cooperation and accommodating each other’s reasonable concerns in a balanced way can different parties’ interests and the whole world’s aspiration be met. There is no better choice than this.

The Chinese side knows that no-one would emerge as a winner in a trade war, and therefore hopes to reach a win-win agreement with the US through equal-footed and mutually beneficial consultation in good faith.

However, it is regrettable that the consultations suffered from severe setbacks due to the inconsistency of the US Administration. It serves no-one’s interests, and the voices inside the US opposing the imposition of additional tariffs is getting louder and louder.

Just a few days ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump had a telephone conversation and agreed to meet during the G20 Osaka Summit.

The Chinese side hopes that the US will work with us to solve the problem through dialogue on an equal-footing. China’s basic stance remains unchanged, that is, we do not want a trade war but are not afraid of one either.

No matter how the situation develops, the Chinese side will always keep to the bottom line and defend its legitimate rights and interests. It will never bow to the bullying of the US, never compromise on matters of principle, and never be forced into signing any treaty that is detrimental to the sovereign dignity of the country.

The Chinese side is firm and calm because we have the conditions, capability and confidence to tackle all kinds of risks and challenges.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Seventy years on, the mega ship of China has shattered economic blockades and all kinds of obstacles, forging ahead nonstop.

Today, China has grown into the second largest economy in the world, relying increasingly on domestic consumption and demand for economic growth. China’s R&D investment ranks second in the world, and under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people are united as one.

A trade war cannot prevent China from sustained, high-quality economic growth, neither can it hold back the ever-deepening reform and opening-up in China. Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, China will emerge stronger, more confident, open and vibrant, and stand rock-firm with a completely new image in the family of nations.

Recently, leaders of many East Asian countries have voiced their support for China’s development, opposition to unilateralism and protectionism, and expectations for regional cooperation. Especially Thailand, who, as the rotating president of Asean, has made important contributions to promoting free trade in the region and deepening Asean-China cooperation. The Chinese side applauds and supports that.

We Chinese describe neighbours as lips and teeth closely related to each other, and we know the Thai people have a similar saying nam phung rua, sua phung pa (น้ำพึ่งเรือ เสือพึ่งป่า).

We will open up further to Thailand and partners in the region, deepen the Belt and Road initiative and practical cooperation across the board, make East Asia, where we all call home, a more stable, prosperous and open community to drive world economic growth.

Dogs and horses joined the security forces across the country in practising yoga on the fifth edition of the International Yoga Day.

In Jammu, the dog squad of the Border Security Force (BSF) was seen performing along with the trainers. The dogs were seen mimicking their trainers even as they performed the various positions in Yoga.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) troops of Animal Training School (ATS) Lohitpur performed yoga with their pets. The ITBP personnel performed yoga ‘asanas’ with their dogs and horses.

“The US recognises the centrality of Asean within Asia and will support the rise of the energy sector in this region,” said Francis Fannon, assistant secretary for the US Bureau of Energy Resources.

Fannon was speaking to the press after meeting Thai government officials to discuss how Asia Edge can help Thailand pursue its energy policies.

The energy sector, he said, plays a key role in US foreign policy because it is fundamental to regional security and economic development and can foster bilateral cooperation.

By 2040, up to 60 per cent of global energy supplies will come from the Indo-Pacific region, he said, and Asia Edge will facilitate investment by US firms. Fannon emphasised that, unlike the BRI, Asia Edge will not be run through “debt diplomacy” but will align with the energy plans of partner-countries.

“There will be absolutely no coercive element to the initiative. We operate with the mindset of self-determination and offer a flexible framework for countries pursuing their specific energy policies with full transparency,” he said.

US companies investing in Asia Edge will make their decisions based fully on their own commercial assessments and will not be an extension of the state, he said.

“Unfortunately I cannot say the same for the BRI, in which investing businesses are state-backed,” he added.

“Unlike Asia Edge, investments from the BRI always call into question the wider political implications of the investment projects.”

Asia Edge has four ambitious goals for Asean: supporting energy security across the globe; promoting open, transparent energy markets; promoting fair energy-trading ties; and promoting energy access for all.

China’s BRI has already made significant strides across Southeast Asia. Thailand has seen an upsurge in Chinese investments in the Eastern Economic Corridor and construction of a high-speed railway that will cross Laos.

Fannon, however, declined to elaborate on the level of US investment, only saying that, since the initiative is fairly new, targets for investment in Asean have yet to be set.

“There is no denying that we are facing the fourth industrial revolution, which is accelerating,” Arin Jira, chairman of the Asean Business Advisory Council (Asean-BAC), said yesterday at a seminar on human empowerment and development.

The council is set to meet Asean leaders on Saturday to offer suggestions on economic cooperation, with a focus on the development of the workforce’s technological skills. Issues surrounding non-tariff measures in the region, as well as impacts of the ongoing US-China trade tension will also be discussed, Arin said.

Established in 2001, the Asean-BAC offers input to leaders on the economic front.

Arin said the number of jobs that machines can perform better than humans is rising at an “alarming” rate and low-skilled labour risks being displaced by automation.

“This calls for immediate action from business, the government and the education sector,” he said.

Developed countries in Asia, such as South Korea, spend as much as 5 per cent of GDP on research and development of new technology and workforce capability. In comparison, he said, Thailand spends just 1 per cent.

He pointed out that more investment in R&D is required, especially when it comes to micro, small and medium-sized companies, which do not have the capital or know-how to adapt to technological change. For this, he said, a regional workforce-development sector is necessary so small businesses can have access to resources to upskill their employees.

Otherwise, he warned, a large portion of the workforce may soon become redundant.

According to a study conducted by Cisco, up to 28 million jobs in Asean will become unnecessary by 2028 due to substantial productivity gains from widespread technology.

Meanwhile the digital economy will contribute 13 per cent to GDP in the Asean-6 (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines) by 2020, increasing from 7 per cent in 2015, a study by Deloitte found. These studies are a clear demonstration at the rapid pace at which new technology is disrupting traditional business.

As Asean chair, Thailand has 13 economic targets, five of which are aimed at equipping Asean for the fourth industrial revolution. They are the completion of a digital integration framework-action plan, an innovation roadmap, guidelines on skilled-labour development, a declaration on “industry transformation 4.0” and the digitisation of micro-enterprises.

Arin said adapting to the revolution would require more than just government initiatives during Thailand’s year as Asean chair. But of these, setting guidelines on skilled-labour development would have the biggest impact.

“These guidelines will help smaller businesses and organisations gain access to the know-how required to adapt to disruptive technology,” he said.

Asean governments and other stakeholders must continue boosting efforts to prepare the workforce for the revolution.

Malaysain Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad meets other Asean leaders. Photo courtesy of Foreign Ministry

The parade of power

Leaders of other Southeast Asian countries are arriving in Bangkok one after another to attend the 34th Asean Summit this weekend.

On Thursday Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and his wife were the first to arrive, greeted by Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda.

Myanmar’s State Counsellor and de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi followed on Friday, received by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwon.

The other seven leaders were expected to reach Bangkok on Friday night or Saturday morning, with the summit set to formally begin on Saturday evening.

They’ll skip the funky shirts

Summit organisers, no doubt to the relief of the visiting leaders, have decided to forego the Asean custom of having them all dress in matching garments that reflect the traditional costume of the host country.

Officially, there’ll be no costumed photo-op because this is only a “half-year summit”. A more formal Asean gathering later this year will indeed see the leaders in festive “team jerseys” trying not to smirk.

Silver souvenirs

Among the souvenirs Asean leaders and their spouses will receive in Bangkok are garlands of silver flowers, meant to symbolise Asean unity, impervious to withering.

The design is by Naruemon Tonchai, recognised in 2014 by the Support Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand as an outstanding art teacher and an expert silversmith.

The garland is much like those made of actual flowers and commonly shared among Thai Buddhists.

What we do best

The menu for hungry Asean leaders this weekend is mainly intended to represent “Thainess” – our best-known dishes, in other words. They’ll get tom yum kung, pad thai and massaman curry (beef or chicken), and no doubt some grilled river prawns with chilli sauce, with mango and sweet sticky rice to finish off.

More of a surprise will be samples of venerable dishes from the distant past such as ma hor (galloping horse) and tung tong (golden bag).

A day at the barges

On Sunday, spouses of the leaders will be given a guided tour of the National Museum of Royal Barges. The aim is to impress the visitors with the amazingly intricate craftsmanship that has gone into the vessels for hundreds of years.

The spouses will view an exhibition of photos of glorious Royal Barge Processions – including the Suphannahong, Anantanakkharat and Narai Song Suban vessels – while seeing first-hand two of the “stars” of those historic events.

Thailand is hosting the 34th Asean Summit this weekend in Bangkok, but it’s not going to be wall-to-wall policy talk.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations wants to world to see it operating in good cheer as well as cohesion, and the most colourful way to do that is to weave a tapestry from the threads of the region’s diverse cultures.

This is, after all, Asean Cultural Year, and the hundreds of delegates arriving for the summit have brought along samples of their countries’ folk music, theatre, visual art and cuisine.

The motto that the artists will sing in chorus at Saturday night’s gala dinner at the Shangri-La Hotel is “Asean we join, Asean we share, Asean will go far, Asean will endure.”

Thai Culture Minister Vira Rojpojanarat said on Wednesday a formal “Leaders’ Statement on Asean Cultural Year 2019” had been drafted for adoption during the summit.

The aim is for all heads of government to encourage their people to share their culture, respect differences among them and improve human welfare.

Activities this weekend will adhere to the concepts of variety, creativity and sustainability with an eye to promoting Southeast Asian culture and sustainable cultural tourism overseas, Vira said.

Headlining the entertainment on Saturday night will be the band C Asean Consonant, each of whose 10 members hails from a different country and plays a traditional instrument of their homeland. The band will present new songs specially written for the occasion.

The ministry invited composers Virat U-thavorn and Prapas Cholsaranon, both National Artists, to conceive two songs to match the year’s cultural theme, “Asean Oneness to the World” and the goal of “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability”.

The results of their efforts are bilingual and suitably rousing. “Advancing Together as One” is about harmony, “Asean Will Go Far” about empowerment.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has said the regional bloc intends to “strengthen our cooperation under the ‘3M’ strategy – mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual benefit – to achieve this year’s goal”.

Starting with the idea of Asean cultural diversity, Prapas composed “Asean Will Go Far” in Thai, his lyrics and melody seeking to strengthen cultural cooperation across borders. Singer Kittinan Chinsamran, one of the popular performers from television’s “The Voice”, translated the words into English and recorded the song in both languages.

“We share similar ways of living, beautiful nature and rich cultures, right down to the friendly greeting of the wai,” Prapas told The Nation Weekend.

Among the lyrics:

“Our cultures and traditions are there to be exchanged. We can break down any wall of differences and build on our similarities. In harmony and unity, 10 fingers mean two helping hands.”

Prapas wanted the tune to sound modern and arranged the chorus for a group of singers – the “Asean we join, Asean we share” refrain, which is repeated in their own languages.

With Thailand chairing Asean this year, Virat has applied a distinctively Thai melody in “Advancing Together as One”, chiefly by use of the Thai flute and dulcimer. Chairat Wongkiat wrote the Thai lyrics, while Chakkrit Sriwalee, Thailand’s ambassador to Hungary, conceived the English words, a message of “good cooperation among the members for achieving sustainable development”.

“Let’s advance as one,” go the lyrics. “Build on the work we’ve done. Hand in hand, you and me. T’wards sustainability.”

The music videos accompanying both songs illustrate cultural similarities such as khon masked dance, Buddhism and rice farming, along with differences – the prevalence of Islam in three member-states and the broad diversity in landscapes.

“I believe in the power of music,” Virat told The Nation Weekend.

“Music is a universal language, so I hope my song can build on our mutual understanding and inspire everyone to join hands to move our region forward.”

So, is Asean about to have a hit single at the top of the charts? A little early criticism has already been heard.

Isara Choosri, a scholar in linguistics at Mahidol University’s Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia, found the music videos lacking balance in their depiction of the region’s cultures, instead focusing too much on Thailand’s.

“Asean has a wealth of diverse cultures, but the music videos fail to address this adequately,” he said. “We don’t see the ethnic minorities of Indonesia or the Philippines in the videos.”

Isara felt the Thai instruments’ dominating “Advancing Together as One” would have been more representative of the whole region with the inclusion of drums, gongs and xylophones typical to every nation with minor variations. “So again, we’re missing the idea of harmony.”

Isara and Prapas agree that music can only inspire to a certain degree. Achieving Asean’s goals will require the cooperation and determined actions of every member-nation, they said.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha plans to make a strong push for early conclusion of negotiations over the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) – which promises to become the world’s most influential economic bloc – while chairing the Asean summit on Saturday and Sunday.

The regional grouping needs the cooperation at every turn to cope with rapid global change, he said at a business forum on Friday, citing geopolitical shifts and the trade dispute between major powers the United States and China.

“Thailand is trying to expedite the conclusion of the RCEP negotiations this year,” the premier said. “This is the agreed intention of all of the leaders.”

Asean and its six Asia-Pacific partners – Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan and South Korea –agreed seven years ago to liberate mutual trade in goods and services.

Ministers and senior officials of the group have to date reached agreement on seven of the 20 “chapters” in the agreement.

Auramon Supthaweethum, chief of the Trade Negotiations Department at the Commerce Ministry, said it was difficult to foresee the process being completed by year’s end, when Thailand relinquishes the rotating Asean chairmanship.

However, there is optimism based on the success of senior officials making significant progress on a particular tricky chapter early this year, one regarding “rule of origin”, she said.

RCEP negotiations have proceeded slowly during the first half of the year with Australia, Indonesia, India and Thailand – all in the throes of elections – having to wait for further directions from their central governments.

“Now that every member-country knows its election outcome and the representatives know their new government’s policy on the matter, we are optimistic about the trade talks,” Auramon said.

Asean members face fewer obstacles because they are already united under a mutual free-trade agreement and have similar pacts with some partners, such as China and Australia, another official said.

Countries outside Asean with no such agreements in place face greater difficulty, he said.

Prime Minister Prayut also plans to stress security matters, notably transnational crime, according to government spokesman Werachon Sukondhapatipak.

Thailand further intends to highlight a formal statement designating 2019 as the Year of Asean Culture, he said. The heads of government will cooperate in encouraging their people to share their culture, respect differences among them and promote human wellbeing.

The leaders are expected to adopt four major documents, he said – the Asean Leaders’ Vision Statement on Partnership for Sustainability, the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in the region, the Asean Leaders’ Statement on Asean Cultural Year 2019, and “An Asean Indo-Pacific Outlook”.

There will be meeting with parliamentarians, youth groups and the business sector to promote the bloc’s intention to be a “people-centred organisation”, but there are no plans for dialogue with civic groups or a people’s advocacy forum.

Informally, the leaders “might discuss” such heated issue as the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, possibly with an eye to taking a more direct role in resolving it, an official said.

He said the issue would only be considered from the stance of humanitarian need and leaders would refrain from addressing the violence and ethnic cleansing that’s taken place in Rakhine state.

Asean agreed last year to help facilitate the repatriation of Rohingya refugees, but plans to send an initial 2,000 home to Rakhine was scrubbed in November because the refugees had no guarantees of a safe return.

An Asean assessment team visited Rakhine several times between December and May, sending its report to member-countries for consideration.

A Rohingya community leader in Thailand told The Nation they wanted to submit a demand for help to the Asean leaders at the summit, but Special Branch police urged them not to make trouble in Bangkok.

They have instead prepared an open letter with a dozen demands for Myanmar and member-countries where members of their community live and work to guarantee their safety and grant them proper legal status.