WASHINGTON – On the day Mr Fidel Valdez Ramos died, July 31, several Filipino friends I messaged told me they were weeping. Even days later, one texted me to say: “I am grieving.” The ink is still drying on the many obituaries of Mr Ramos, popularly known as FVR. And much will still be written about […]
BEIJING (REUTERS) – The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday (Aug 8) that Taiwan is part of China, and China is conducting normal military exercises “in our own waters” in an open, transparent and professional way. The relevant departments have also issued announcements in a timely manner, and this is in line with both domestic […]
SEOUL (REUTERS) – South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin is set for his first visit to China on Monday (Aug 8) as President Yoon Suk-yeol’s government seeks to reassure Beijing about their relationship despite Seoul’s stronger ties with the US and tensions over Taiwan. Mr Park is scheduled for a three-day stay in the eastern port city […]
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said on Saturday (Aug 6) that criticism by its envoy to China against US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan isn’t the official position of the Malaysian government. Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, the Malaysian Prime Minister’s special envoy to China, on Friday said Mrs […]
PHNOM PENH (REUTERS) – The chair of this week’s Asean meetings said Saturday (Aug 6) that discussions among foreign ministers over Taiwan tensions were lively and included some strong arguments, but it was better disputes were handled with words. Mr Prak Sokhonn, Cambodia’s foreign minister, said he told a meeting of foreign ministers they must […]
This general view taken on July 8, 2018, shows the Kremlin and Moscow State University (back) in Moscow, Russia. (MLADEN ANTONOV / AFP) MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Friday banning "unfriendly" investors from making transactions with their shares in strategic Russian enterprises and projects until the end of the year. […]
In this photo released by Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends the 12th East Asia Summit foreign ministers' meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Aug 5, 2022. (RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY PRESS VIA AP) Russia and the United States said on Friday they were ready to discuss a prisoner swap, a […]
BEIJING (REUTERS) – China’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday (Aug 5) that it summoned Beijing-based Canadian diplomat Jim Nickel over Canada’s participation in a statement issued by the foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G-7) nations. This is the latest in a string of diplomatic complaints made by Beijing after the G-7 called on […]
BANGKOK (REUTERS) – Thailand’s foreign tourist arrivals in July reached one million for the first time since early 2020, as tourism picks up following an easing of pandemic restrictions, bolstering economic growth prospects. The tourism-reliant country received 1.07 million foreign visitors in July, up from 767,497 visitors the previous month, its Covid-19 task force said […]
YANGON (AFP) – Russia’s foreign minister arrived in Myanmar on Wednesday (Aug 3) for talks with junta leaders, stopping off on his way to a regional meeting that has snubbed the military over its refusal to halt its bloody crackdown on dissent. Mr Sergei Lavrov arrived at the military-built capital Naypyidaw “for a working visit”, […]
PHNOM PENH (AFP) – Asean ministers will push to ramp up pressure on Myanmar’s junta at a regional meeting on Wednesday (Aug 3) in Cambodia as the US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan threatens to overshadow proceedings with tensions between Washington and Beijing soaring. The 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) – […]
PHNOM PENH (AFP) – Malaysia is set to lead a push for tougher action on Myanmar when a regional bloc of foreign ministers meet this week, as anger mounts at the junta for stonewalling crisis resolution efforts. The 10-country Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) – which has spearheaded so far fruitless diplomatic efforts to […]
NEW DELHI (REUTERS) – Indian and Chinese foreign ministers were to attend a regional conference in Uzbekistan on Friday (July 29), a day after New Delhi expressed concern over a Chinese military ship’s planned visit to a strategic port in India’s southern neighbour Sri Lanka. New Delhi worries that the Chinese-built and leased Hambantota port will […]
IJOK, MALAYSIA (AFP) – Overripe palm oil fruits hang untouched in trees while others lie rotting scattered around a plantation, as Malaysian farmers reap the bitter harvest of a severe labour shortage. The tropical country is the world’s second-biggest producer of the edible vegetable oil, which is found in many everyday goods from chocolate to […]
High representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, Josep Borrell, speaks to the media as he arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on, July 18, 2022. (VIRGINIA MAYO / AP) BRUSSELS – The foreign ministers of the European Union member states on Monday agreed to grant Ukraine an […]
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivers a speech during the inauguration event at German carmaker Volkswagen's (VW) first own battery cell factory "SalzGiga" in Salzgitter, central Germany, on July 7, 2022. (RONNY HARTMANN / AFP) BERLIN – The European Union can no longer afford to keep national vetoes when deciding on European Union foreign and security […]
SYDNEY – During his steady path to victory at Australia’s election in May, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese campaigned on policies that were firmly focused on domestic concerns such as health, education and cost of living. But his opening stint as leader has proven to be far more focused on foreign policy.
YANGON (BLOOMBERG) – The Central Bank of Myanmar ordered companies and individual borrowers to suspend repayment of foreign loans, the latest in a series of steps to defend the nation’s dwindsling foreign exchange reserves. In a letter to banks licensed to deal in foreign exchange, Deputy Governor Win Thaw directed borrowers to suspend the repayment […]
BANGKOK (BLOOMBERG) – Thailand faces a shortage of about 500,000 foreign workers in its manufacturing and services sectors to support an economic recovery from the pandemic, with the government having lifted almost all Covid-19-related travel and business restrictions A combination of factors including civil strife in Myanmar and virus outbreaks in neighbouring countries has led […]
Britain's Foreign Secretary Liz Truss arrives at 10 Downing Street, to attend Cabinet Meeting, in London, June 14, 2022. (ALBERTO PEZZALI / AP) LONDON – British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss entered the race to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister on Monday, taking the number of candidates in an increasingly bitter and unpredictable contest to […]