Asean Morning News
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
China’s Belt and Road Initiative paved with risk and red herrings
There is no shortage of sceptics of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Indeed, stories about the BRI often include the evocation of debt ‘traps’ and ‘vassal states’.
— East Asia Forum
Chinese firms need caution when wading into Southeast Asia’s nationalism
A Financial Times article on Sunday warned China of a need to improve the efficiency of its State-owned companies while making its projects more beneficial to people in Southeast Asian countries along the Belt and Road, as newly-elected Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad decided to review a slew of treaties signed with Chinese companies.
— Global Times
ASEAN, China sea code talks no longer practical — professor
Settling the South China Sea dispute through negotiations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is no longer be practical, a University of the Philippines professor said.
— The Philippine Star
Taiwan hospitals team up to tap into SE Asia health care market
Seventeen large hospitals in Taiwan formally launched an association Monday to jointly explore the health care market in countries targeted by the government’s New Southbound Policy.
— Focus Taiwan
Malaysia election and the state of democracy in Southeast Asia
Liberal democracy in Southeast Asia has long struggled in the face of authoritarianism, monarchy, nationalism and ethnic chauvinism.
— Observer Research Foundation
China, ASEAN officials to meet on South China Sea
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) recently stated that the current situation in the South China Sea has stabilized and cooled down, and more positive progress is expected to be made.
— News Today
Go-Jek prepares to launch ride-hailing services in Vietnam and Thailand
It looks like Indonesian ride-hailing firm Go-Jek will finally initiate its long-awaited expansion in Southeast Asia over the next month.
— TechCrunch
NEW OPPORTUNITIES OF TRANSPORT LOGISTICS
The countries of Central Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will be linked by the global One Belt, One Road initiative.
— kazakh TV
Photo competition to raise awareness on ASEAN biodiversity
THE ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), with support from the European Union (EU), has announced that it is calling on photography and nature enthusiasts to join ‘Zooming in on Biodiversity’ – an ASEAN-wide photo competition promoting appreciation for the rich biodiversity of the ASEAN region through the art of photography.
— Borneo Bulletin
ASEAN-RoK relations beyond diplomatic ties
The relations between ASEAN and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have become more diverse and closely connected beyond simply having diplomatic ties, said Lee Hyuk, Secretary General of the ASEAN-Korea Centre at the Media Invitation Roundtable held in Seoul, the RoK, on June 25.
— Vietnam Plus
Taiwan forms healthcare union of 17 hospitals targeting Southeast Asian countries
Malaysia, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand are the first to receive medical help from Taiwan
— Taiwan News
‘Special report: The ASEAN auto industry’ by Automotive World
Automotive World has published a new report, ‘Special report: The ASEAN auto industry’ which is built around exclusive interviews with analysts and experts on the region’s car and truck markets.
— Automotive World
Siemens eyes chunk of infrastructure boom in Asean
ASEAN is becoming an increasingly important market for Siemens Mobility as countries in the region, including Thailand, boost their investments in infrastructure, said Sabrina Soussan, chief executive officer of the mobility division of Siemens AG.
— The Nation
Asean, China journalists’ tour concludes in Laos
A Working Visit Programme to promote Lao and Thai tourism has concluded after journalists from Asean countries and China spent 10 days exploring the charms and beauty of the two countries.
— Vientiane Times
Recruitment Platform FindWork Secures US$2Mil Seed Funding and Launches Job Search App in Southeast Asia
Blue collar and service industry recruitment platform FindWork has raised a collective US$2 million since August 2017 by angel investor Bernard Chong to expand across Southeast Asia. Bernard Chong has invested in a multitude of tech startups across the region, including ASI Studios and Synergy88 Digital in the Philippines.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)
Chinese firms need caution when wading into Southeast Asia’s nationalism
A Financial Times article on Sunday warned China of a need to improve the efficiency of its State-owned companies while making its projects more beneficial to people in Southeast Asian countries along the Belt and Road, as newly-elected Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad decided to review a slew of treaties signed with Chinese companies.
— Global Times
Southeast Asia’s tech startups
In recent years, much attention has been devoted to the rapid advancement of technology and its ever-growing impact on society as the fourth industrial revolution looms on the horizon. As with other regions in the world, Asean, too, has seen its share of promising tech start-ups rise to prominence.
— Asia News
Japanese networking site Wantedly looks to expand in Southeast Asia, help companies ‘date’ millennials
Wantedly Inc., the Tokyo-listed job recruitment networking company, is considering expanding into Malaysia and Vietnam after setting up in Singapore as it steps up its presence in Southeast Asia.
— South China Morning Post
Cambodia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Cambodian PM unveils new seaport terminal
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen inaugurated a multipurpose terminal in the state-run Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (PAS) on Monday after three-and-a-half years of construction.
— Xinhua
Top Generals From Cambodia, Thailand Meet to Discuss Border Security
General Thanchaiyan Srisuwa was appointed to the position in September and this was his first official visit to Cambodia since assuming the role.
— VOA Cambodia
Over $1B collected in tax revenue
The Cambodian government collected more than $1 billion in tax revenue in the first five months of the year, an increase of more than 12 percent compared to the same period last year, according to a monthly report from the General Department of Taxation (GDT) released on Friday.
— The Phnom Penh Post
See here for more of today’s Cambodia Morning News
Indonesia Morning News
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
Has The PSI Already Been Eaten by Indonesia’s Predatory Politics?
The Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), a new participant in Indonesia’s electoral landscape set to contest the 2019 national election, is grabbing the attention of Indonesian political watchers.
— AEC News Today
Japan to help develop Indonesian islands in South China Sea
Japan said Monday it will provide 2.5 billion yen (US$23 million) in aid to Indonesia for the development of fishery facilities on remote islands, at a time when China’s clout in the region is increasing.
— South China Morning Post
Indonesia posts $1.52 bln trade deficit in May on higher oil prices
Indonesia’s trade deficit narrowed to $1.52 billion in May but was worse than expected, due to higher oil prices, the country’s statistics agency said on Monday.
— Nasdaq
See here for more of today’s Indonesia Morning News
Lao PDR Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
Khonphapheng SEZ sees govt, developer close to deal
The government and a Chinese investor are finalising details of a concession agreement for the planned Khonphapheng Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the far south of Champassak province.
— Vientiane Times
Mekong Journalists Enrich Knowledge Of New Media Growth In China
Journalists and media officials from Mekong countries have attended a two-week media programme in Yunnan, China organized by Yunan Daily Press Group under the theme “One River One Family” to learn about new media growth and the implementation of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
— KPL
Tourism officials, tour operators complete training in China
Thirty-six tourism officials and tour operators from Laos completed a training programme in China last week that is part of measures to improve and develop human resources in the tourism sector.
— Vientiane Times
See here for more of today’s Lao Morning News
Malaysia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Price of water sold to Singapore ‘ridiculous’; Malaysia to renegotiate deal, says Mahathir
The price of water being sold to Singapore is “ridiculous”, and Malaysia will make a presentation to its neighbour on renegotiating the terms of the water supply deal, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Monday (Jun 25).
— Channel NewsAsia
Najib Malaysia’s new Anwar? No, says PM Mahathir as authorities prepare to rain charges
Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak will likely not be “around” for the next general election, says Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who expects him to be charged with embezzlement, corruption and a “lot of other things”.
— Channel NewsAsia
Malaysia mosque bans tourists after provocative dance
A mosque in Malaysia has banned tourists from visiting after a video of two women dancing in front of the site was shared online.
— BBC News
See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News
Myanmar Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
Myanmar Dismisses Rohingya-Crisis General Amid EU Sanctions
Myanmar’s military announced the ouster of a key general Monday as the European Union sanctioned him and six other senior officers in connection with alleged massacres and the forced exodus of hundreds of thousands of minority Rohingya last year.
— The Wall Street Journal
13 telecom fraud suspects returned to China from Myanmar
A total of 13 suspects in telecom fraud cases were brought back to Kunming, capital of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, from Myanmar on Sunday, local police said.
— Xinhua Net
Myanmar Now Reporters Threatened With Arrest by Military
Military personnel threatened to charge Myanmar Now reporters under the Official Secrets Act and asked them to promise not to disclose to the media their brief detention while reporting on the alleged recruitment of a disabled child soldier, the editor of the news website’s Burmese edition said.
— The Irrawaddy
See here for more of today’s Myanmar Morning News
Philippines Morning News
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
Alibaba Offshoot Trials First Blockchain Remittance to Philippines, Plans Global Expansion
Alibaba subsidiary Ant Financial has trialled its first blockchain remittances, sending a transaction in three seconds, Bloomberg reports June 25.
— Cointelegraph
IFC to Issue Green Bonds Worth $90 Million in Philippines
International Financial Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank group, has issued its first internationally rated triple-A peso-denominated green bond which is equivalent to $90 million.
— Mercom India
Cash remittance of Filipino seafarers may exceed $6B this year – lawmaker
The cash sent home by overseas Filipino seafarers through banks was projected to breach the $6-billion mark this year amid mounting deployment, ACTS-OFW Representative Aniceto ‘John’ Bertiz III said on Monday, June 25, which was also the International Day of the Seafarer.
— Rappler
See here for more of today’s Philippines Morning News
Singapore Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
The Big Read: The not-so-Great Singapore Sale — after 25 years, once-premier shopping event is now left in the dust
The Great Singapore Sale (GSS) marks its Silver Jubilee this year, but one can hardly tell while taking a walk along Orchard Road — Singapore’s prime shopping belt — or visiting any suburban malls.
— Channel NewsAsia
Singapore among region’s top cross-border investors in commercial real estate
SINGAPORE was the third-highest source of commercial real-estate capital outflow in the Asia-Pacific last year, with a 35 per cent growth in cross-border purchases to US$19.9 billion.
— The Business Times (paywall)
oBike shuts operations in Singapore, bike-sharing users left in the lurch
Thousands of users were left high and dry after homegrown bicycle-sharing operator oBike pulled out suddenly from the Singapore market, saying it was tough to meet new rules under a licensing regime to tackle indiscriminate parking.
— Today Online
See here for more of today’s Singapore Morning News
Thailand Morning News
Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ
EC sets four tentative election dates next year
The Election Commission has set four tentative election dates during February and May next year while the ban on political activities will be lifted within 90 days after the announcement of the MPs election law in the Royal Gazette, said Deputy Prime Minister Wisanu Krea-ngam after a meeting between the government and 74 political parties at the Army Club on Monday.
— Thai PBS
About 1,100 Thai industrial products may be affected by China-US trade war
About 1,100 items of industrial products are likely to be affected by impacts from trade war between China and the United States, said Mr Kriangkrai Thiennukul, vice president of the Federation of Thai Industries (FDI), on Monday.
— Thai PBS
Industry Min and FTI to attract French investors to EEC this year
The Ministry of Industry has joined with the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) to attract French investors to the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) this year.
— NNT
See here for more of today’s Thailand Morning News
Vietnam Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Vietnam’s Bamboo Airways commits to 20 Boeing aircraft
Boeing Co (BA.N) said on Monday entered into an agreement to sell 20 of its widebody long-haul aircraft to Vietnamese startup Bamboo Airways in a $5.6 billion deal at current list prices.
— Reuters
Forestry exports reach US$ 4.15 billion
The export of forestry products in the first six months of the year reached US$ 4.15 billion, accounting for 46 percent of the yearly plan and up nearly 8.4 percent annually.
— Nhan Dan Online
Textile, garment export markets grow
Viet Nam witnessed a growth in textile and garment exports to most of the major markets in the first five months of 2018, reported the General Department of Viet Nam Customs.
— Bizhub
See here for more of today’s Vietnam Morning News
The Asean Morning News Roundup and its individual country morning news round-ups are the most comprehensive hand-curated selection of news reports from around the Asean Economic Community (AEC) published. We scour hundreds of local and international news and websites to find the things that you need to know to start your working week day.
We clearly identify the source of the story, whether it is behind a paywall, a media release, or whether the site uses annoying pop-up advertising or auto-play video, in case those things annoy you. It’s all then packaged up in an easy to read format enabling you to make an informed choice of whether you want to learn more by clicking directly through to the original source, or keep on reading the headlines. AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.
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