Could Israel shock waves hit Taiwan?
TAIPEI – Israel is still adjusting to the disastrous invasion carried out by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip. It is not yet possible to foresee its full extent.
However, it is possible to take into account the short – and medium-term effects on the dangerous political strong in and around the Taiwan Strait, which continues to be one of the most dangerous outposts in the world due to China’s ongoing efforts to subdue democratic Taiwan.
Taiwan’s protracted wait for British weapons systems that have already been contracted to fend off a potential Chinese attack will likely be made worse by the Hamas harm.
According to current quotes, American weapons systems that have been contracted but have not yet been delivered to Taiwan are worth about$ 18 billion. The systems, which are essential for assisting a heavily depleted Chinese government in resisting China, include Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and Harpoon anti – ship missile launchers.
However, as a result of US actions to give Israel more military support, Taiwan will now rank third( at least ) on the British list of preferred weapons buyers, trailing only Ukraine, with which it had already been vying for limited weapons dwellings, and Israel, whose support is deeply ingrained in the US Congress and the entire American government.
The issue for Taiwan is that since the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, the British armaments economy has drastically shrunk.
The economy was unprepared for the emergence of a new Cold War, one that pitted the United States and its allies in the West against an autocratic alliance made up of North Korea, China, Iran, and Russia. That shortsightedness is now returning to rest, and Taiwan, among others, has been left holding the bag for no sin of its own.
Another potential result of the Gaza conflict is that China may now be tempted to intensify its military efforts against Taiwan in the hopes that the US will be too preoccupied to successfully answer.
The eyes of America’s foreign policy government may be fixed securely on the Middle East for at least the upcoming few weeks; this obsession will only grow if Israel, whose authority is obsessed with deterrence, decides to go beyond Gaza and penalise Iran for its potential involvement in both encouraging and funding the fatal Hamas assault.
This preoccupation, among other things, gives China a great chance to exert more pressure on Taiwan by rapidly expanding” grey-zone” activities, such as violating the island’s self-declared Air Defense Identification Zone or sending naval forces in the direction of its west coast, which is particularly vulnerable.
There may also be some accents in China calling for even more aggressive actions, such as an attack on one or more of Taiwan’s offshore islands or even a brief isolation of the country.
However, such a response is highly improbable, not least given China’s roiling financial crisis and the ongoing issues it faces with its own defense leadership, barring the full-scale outbreak of an Iran-Israeli war, which do completely alter the political landscape of the world.
Therefore, while a full-scale Chinese attack on Taiwan is almost certainly off the board for the time being, an increase in China’s grey-zone actions in and around the Taiwan Strait is not, increasing the likelihood of an unintended issue. Given the current higher level of tension between China and the United States, it is not a happy thought to consider where that turmoil might end up.
China itself is affected by the possibility that, whether it wants to or not, Beijing will now be required to acknowledge its place in the global attempt as a result of the Gaza conflict.
At least since February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, China has played a gentle sport, choosing the ill-defined middle ground between an all-encompassing embrace of pure global authoritarianism on the one hand, and semi-fealty to the American-led global order, which has allowed its economy to grow and its global influence to increase over the past three decades.
As an illustration, Beijing has carefully avoided sending large-scale arms supplies to Russia over the past month and a half( or at least getting caught at it ), despite appearing to support the Russian war effort.
So, China’s response to the Gaza invasion was entirely predictable: it urged both factors to” training caution” while at the same time drawing a lot of media attention to Irans one-sided perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
China’s issue is that this kind of craven political fence-sitting might soon be difficult. This would be especially true if Israel started a conflict with Iran in response to the invasion of Gaza.
If that were the case, people with ambitions to lead the world would have to decide between the current system of government and the rebel autocratic alliance. Any future Chinese dynamic move against Taiwan would probably be severely curtailed if China defied expectations and chose the former.
On the other hand, if it continued to embrace its presently close ties to the authoritarian camp, the exact opposite would happen, which would have a very negative impact on the Taiwan Strait’s peace and stability.
Former Associated Press reporter Peter Enav oversaw the AP Taipei chest in addition to working in Israel.
Past CNN Senior Asia journalist Mike Chinoy. They serve as the readers of the Taiwan Strait Risk Report, a quarterly publication that monitors the risks associated with Taiwanese issue.
North Korea sending Russia military equipment, US claims
shabby GraphicsUS authorities have charged Korea’s North with providing Russia with sizable quantities of defense equipment for use in Ukraine.
According to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, Pyongyang has provided up to 1, 000 pots of” technology and munitions” in” new weeks.”
Jong Un Kim, the leader of Korea’s North, traveled to Russia next month to talk about possible military ties.
In its continued invasion of Ukraine, Moscow’s war is thought to be using enormous quantities of artillery shells and weapons, and it has been looking for materials from some of its remote allies.
According to some analysts, Mr. Kim’s government may have sizable armies on hand, but it may be hesitant to hand over too many given its relative dearth of resources.
The sales, according to US intelligence firms, were made between September 7 and October 1.
The equipment was shipped to a supply depot in southwest Russia, close to Tikhoretsk, about 180 miles( 290 kilometers ) from the Ukrainian border, according to Mr. Kirby, who made this claim while speaking at an event on Friday.
US officials have frequently expressed worries that Korea’s North has given Russia weapons since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Mr. Kirby told reporters,” We condemn Korea’s North for giving Russia this military hardware, which will be used to attack Russian cities, shoot Ukrainian civilians, and further Russia’s illegal war.”
He stated that Korea’s North’s sales violate UN Security Council proposals,” which is why we may continue to forcefully elevate these arms deals at the UN behind with our allies and partners.”
Sergei Shoigu, the Russian Defense Minister, traveled to the nation in July with a military delegation and met with Mr. Kim, who displayed several weapons, including the Hwasong intercontinental ballistic missile ( ICBM ).
Additionally, Mr. Kim met with Putin, Vladimir of Russia in September at the Vostochny storage center in the far east of the country.
Korea’s Northn weaponry, according to observers, may only temporarily improve Russia’s war effort. They demonstrate how Moscow, which has a severely depleted supply of ammunition, relies on older, less dependable gun tank stocks.
Gen. Mark Milley expressed his” skepticism” that any such sales may have a significant impact on the conflict recently at an event to commemorate his retreat as president of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
However, it comes as a result of an ongoing budget dispute in the House of Representatives, which forced the US to halt plans to send an additional$ 6 billion in military aid to Kyiv.
The temporary arrangement between House Democrats and Republicans, according to President Biden, may force him to look for other ways to support Ukraine’s war efforts.
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Arundhati Roy tangled up in India’s new tyranny
Arundhati Roy, the creator of The God of Small Things, and retired law professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain have been accused of making subversive remarks in favor of Kashmir’s separation from India.
Right-wing advocate Sushil Pandit filed the complaint that is the basis for these most recent accusations in 2010, and they were speaking at a convention in Delhi that year.
Almost 13 years after, on October 10, Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena of Delhi approved the trial with the support of Narendra Modi’s administration. Roy and Hussain are charged with saying things that encourage social hostility, favor regional integration, and incite crimes against the state and public peace.
The Unlawful Activities ( Prevention ) Act of India, which was amended in 2019 to allow the government to designate people as terrorists without going through any formal judicial process, has been used in a number of prosecutions and arrests.
However, Roy and Hussain are no facing charges under the insurrection rules. ( While the Indian government reviews the sedition law from the colonial era, the Supreme Court of India ordered a suspension of prosecution in such cases in May 2022. )
Liberal-left civil society and separate media have emerged as the Modi government’s top priorities as India races toward the 2024 presidential election.
Roy, a vocal opponent of Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, used her September understanding talk for the European Essay Prize to denounce his administration even more.
She criticized India’s growing economic inequality, its crony capitalism, and its standardization of Indian supremacy in institutions and public lifestyle. She remarked:
Elections are the most dangerous time for India’s minority, Muslims and Christians in particular, as they are a time of execution, lynching, and dog-whistling.
The” Maoist conspiracy” investigation
In connection with the” Maoist plot” case in the town of Munchingiputtu, the National Investigative Authority of India carried out coordinated attacks on human rights activists on October 2 in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
In November 2020, Munchingiputtu authorities detained TV blogger Pangi Nagannna on suspicion of serving as a Communist” courier.”
Along with 63 other people, he was charged under the Unlawful Activities ( Prevention ) Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code. He then reportedly identified a number of activists who were connected to the banned Communist Party of India( Maoist ) and revealed ties to heinous plots to support repressive insurgencies.
These attacks involve the seizure of electrical equipment essential to the work of activists. They are made to frighten and stifle opposition.
Officers attacks were conducted on October 3 against Newsclick‘s Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakravarty. 50 additional editors and writers, including researchers, protesters, and parodies, were also present.
According to the Unlawful Activities( Prevention ) Act, Purkayastha and Chakravarty were accused of promoting social hostility and engaging in criminal conspiracy.
The foundation seemed to be a two-month-old New York Times report that claimed, with shaky proof, that Newsclick had received money from an American named Neville Roy Singham to” pour” its policy with” Chinese state talking points.”
16 journalists have been accused of violating the Unlawful Activities ( Prevention ) Act since 2010. The Modi period has seen the majority of these detention.
An alleged plot and a” patron.”
Nishikant Dubey, Anuraj Thakur, and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, members of the Bharatiya Janata Party, claimed in a New York Times article that Rahul Gandhi and the opposition Congress Party were conspiring to” split India” and stop” India’s fall.”
Rahul Gandhi is allegedly a creature of philanthropist entrepreneur George Soros, according to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Gandhi was found guilty in March of insulting the prime minister with his remarks that” all thieves have Modi as ] their ] common surname.” He received a two-year prison term, which resulted in losing his parliamentary seats.
On August 4( the day before the New York Times record ), an appeal to the Supreme Court resulted in the suspension of his condemnation, allowing him to return to parliament and run for the federal elections the following year.
Dissent is dwindling due to” failed politics.”
India has always been a flawed politics with oppressive laws that stifle free speech, excessively centralised management structures that breed unhappiness, and constitutions that favor the Buddhist majority, as Roy has long noted.
However, under Modi’s authoritarian populist management, the room for opposition has significantly shrunk over the past ten years.
Social media companies must use AI moderation to spot and remove false, misleading, or false news about the government in accordance with the new information technology regulations of the federal government. The state issued more than 9,800 take-down commands in 2020.
These requests have covered topics like a BBC documentary that criticized Modi, condemnation of the president’s Covid policies, and encouragement of farmer demonstrations against Indian agricultural policies.
embedded material
Against its reviewers and critics, the government has used tax investigations, violence charges, and criminal defamation cases.
Instances ( like Rahul Gandhi’s) are frequently dismissed by judges because of laws that forbid quiet expression. However, their history is shaky, and the protracted legal process results in severe financial and personal fines for the accused. Some people withdraw comments as a result, which chills free talk.
India, which has been hailed as the largest democracy in the world, runs the risk of overtaking oligarchy, with repercussions for the entire globe.
Senior Lecturer in International Politics at the University of Adelaide is Priya Chacko.
Under a Creative Commons license, this article is republished from The Conversation. Read the original publication.
F&B outlets offering to pay more for top reviews should be ‘unreservedly’ rejected, say some food bloggers
SINGAPORE: Some food bloggers believe that a simple” no” should be given when an F & amp, B outlet offers extra cash in exchange for the top spot on the review listicle.
Others emphasized that readers may be informed in advance whenever payment is received in exchange for any kind of policy.
The food reviewers were speaking to CNA in response to the well-known blog SethLui.com, which caused controversy after Charlene Yan, the owner of the B & nbsp, asked if she would like to pay S$ 2, 300 ( US$ 1678 ) for a spot on an article listing the top restaurants in Everton Park.
Ms. Yan was also informed that if she paid an additional & nbsp, S$ 400 to S$ 600, she could be positioned in the top three positions on the listicle for at least a year.
If a client sponsors content, such as listicles or articles, it must be disclosed in accordance with Singapore’s Advertising Standards Authority ( ASAS ) guidelines in order to be mentioned.
Revelations are also necessary when a customer pays for communications in the articles that advertises their products or when they ask for reviews by paying for the product themselves, as is the case with food tastings. & nbsp,
Mr. Lui himself issued a statement in response to Ms. Yan stating that his crew had gotten in touch with her through the media company offering promotion services.
He claimed that when working with consumers, one or more SethLui.com employees had sample their food before writing about it.
It was” apparently false” that his team randomly selects restaurant and sends them ideas of cash-for-content, he said, adding that” if the food quality is far below average, we would still lose the buyer so as not to mislead our visitors.” & nbsp,
A statement for branded or sponsored articles is” placed obviously” at the end of paid reviews, according to Mr. Lui. & nbsp,
Cases of listicles, such as a food guide for Labrador Park and Northpoint City, were sent to Ms. Yan in SethLui.com’s communications with her.
Both are not classified as paid information or advertisements. Mr. Lui declined to answer any additional CNA questions. & nbsp,
” MONEY CAN’T BUY FAVOR ,” they said.
Mr. Tony Boey, who has been writing reviews of meal on his website Johor Kaki since 2012, stated to CNA that he does not take payment from restaurants and food stands. & nbsp,
Unless it’s a hosted multimedia tasting occasion, which I sometimes attend and will identify as such in my post, I pay for my own meals as an unnamed customer, he continued. & nbsp,
Instead, he makes money from various things like hosting Google ads, giving conversations, writing for other publications, and conducting consultations. & nbsp,
Ms. Nobelle Liew, who reviews food on Instagram for her 13, 000 followers under the account @ chocolatetbasil, stated to CNA that she typically declines free tastings unless she has a favorable opinion of the restaurant.
She also makes sure to inform the restaurant owners that she will just publish her honest opinions before going down if she does recognize the enjoying. & nbsp, She has only twice accepted bills for marketing campaigns, both through the FoodPanda food delivery system. & nbsp,
She responded,” I understand why people do it, but I don’t like it ,” when asked what she thought of paid reviews that go unreported.
Ms. Liew said, adding that she views her food reviewing business as a hobby,” I don’t like being paid because I feel like it restricts me from saying what I really feel.” & nbsp,
She also advises consumers who want to pay for evaluations to look for celebrities or reviewers who have built up a following by posting their honest opinions. She is also an independent artist who accepts social media marketing clients. & nbsp,
Restaurants frequently” try their luck” and get in touch with them to try and pay more for a high-ranking area in listicles that are not sponsored, according to food writers. & nbsp,
The creator of DanielFoodDiary, Mr. Daniel Ang, stated that his team categorically rejects like ideas and informs them of their position regarding the declaration of paid reviews. & nbsp,
” Our listicles, such as those showcasing the” best of” hawker centers and cafes, are crafted after numerous anonymous visits and are fundamentally impartial ,” he continued. & nbsp,
Seetoh Kok Fye, better known by his stage name, founded Makansutra, claimed that he also gets a few of these calls each week but rejects them all. Instead, anonymous Makansutra group reviewers may visit the eatery to sample the food. & nbsp,
Money cannot buy that favor. It’s really our tone from the beginning, he said. & nbsp,
Evergrande bankruptcy fears spark a bank run in China
A” cash wall” of renminbi information was displayed this week at the department of one of the heavily indebted Chinese real estate developer Evergrande’s local creditors as depositors flocked to withdraw their funds in what may be the early stages of an ongoing bank run problems in China.
Since October 7, hundreds of people have gathered at the Bank of Cangzhou’s headquarters in Hebei province to withdraw their payments, according to images and videos posted on social media. & nbsp,
The mini-run occurred after online users circulated a message claiming that if Evergrande went bankrupt, lots of Chinese banks would have to write off their debts. Evergrande owes Cangzhou Bank about 3.4 billion renminbi( US$ 466 million ), according to the social media post. Asia Times was unable to independently verify the number in time for publication.
As of October 6, the Bank of Cangzhou reported that its excellent funding to Evergrande and its members amounted to just 340 million renminbi, or one-tenth of the amount claimed in the broadly shared social media post. It claimed that it had enough land and properties as collateral to pay off any costs related to Evergrande.
According to the statement,” the overall risk is manageable and won’t significantly affect the company’s operations, supervision, or asset quality.”
However, according to Chinese media reports, the company’s statement and” money wall” have so far been ineffective in calming down lenders. In China,” money rooms” are frequently observed at corporate events like the distribution of yearly bonuses.
However, concerns about accountability are growing. Authorities in Cangzhou claimed to have detained a number of individuals for allegedly disseminating speculations about the impending bankruptcies of the Bank.
As the Hong Kong High Court will hear a bankruptcy case brought by Evergrande’s offshore creditors on October 30th, earlier hopes that the company you avoid debt are waning. & nbsp,
The State Council stated in a recommendation on October 11 that it will assist industrial commercial banks and remote financial institutions in getting rid of bad assets and loans while also replenishing their money through various channels in order to allay concerns that the continuous home problems may endanger China’s financial stability.
According to a joint statement from the People’s Bank of China( PBoC ), the former China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, and the financial management office of the local government in Suning, Cangzhou, consumers should make informed decisions and avoid being influenced by rumors and losing their interest income. & nbsp,
According to the statement, the Bank of Cangzhou had 245.6 billion yuan in total assets as of the end of September, a gross income of 1.21 billion, and the most recent tax payment of 600 million Yuans. It stated that the bank has a stable and healthy financial position. In addition, & nbsp,
According to the speech, China’s payment insurance scheme, which ensures that a depositor may be compensated up to 500, 000 yuan in the event that their bank files for bankruptcy, also provides good protection for the bank.
A Hunan-based author claims in an article that while all banks in China contribute to loan insurance, the country safeguards the security of people’s deposits through legislation. The nation’s record, which is the highest amount of funds at this time, is used to guarantee deposit insurance.
He advises people to deposit their money in state-owned businesses rather than exclusive banks if they still lack confidence in them. & nbsp,
The Bank of Cangzhou may fail due to stories more than Evergrande’s unpaid bills, which a Henan-based blogger who writes under the Ku Ge pen name contends is an unimportant matter. He points out that if all of the lenders abruptly withdrew their funds, perhaps a large institution like the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China do fail.
The decline of any Chinese estate developer may earn as bad resources in institutions, according to Chinese observer Shi Shan in a YouTube video that was posted on October 13. He asserted that while big banks currently have enough cash on hand, smaller ones might need to ask lenders to wait for payments. & nbsp,
” Technical” divorce
Hui Ka-yuan, the president of Evergrande, was reportedly” subject to necessary procedures in accordance with the law due to suspicion of unlawful crimes” as of September 28 according to a registration to the Hong Kong stock exchange.
Hui was reportedly being watched by officers earlier, according to Bloomberg. Foreign commentators claimed that if Hui is punished, it will likely be because Evergrande’s wealth control system is unable to pay back its investors. & nbsp,
However, the situation appears to be much more complex. & nbsp,
Financial regulators were worried about Hui’s” professional” marriage from his family Ding Yumei, according to a report by The 21st Century Business Herald on September 28.
According to the review, Evergrande had paid its shareholders dividends totaling about 90 billion yuan over the previous several years, with the couple receiving the majority of it through their offshore companies with British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands registrations. It stated that following the child’s divorce, Ding then has control over this money.
A corporate leadership expert was cited in the statement as saying,” Hui had said in a high-profile speech in 2021 that he could gain everything but would not permit his employees to” lie toned”( in the delivery of properties to owners ). However, he was really saying and doing different things.
According to reports, the pair got divorced next year. Ding had left Hong Kong in late July and was no longer listed as Hui’s family in Evergrande ‘ issuing from August of this year. She is in possession of a French card.
Beijing ordered Evergrande to create property delivery its major commercial priority when its debt crisis became visible in 2021. In order to pay back Evergrande’s debts, Hui was also compelled to sell his opulent sailboat, mansion, and aircraft. & nbsp,
However, the company also had net current responsibilities of 687.7 billion yuan at the end of next year, along with a total debt of 2.44 trillion. Falling house prices this year have more hurt it. & nbsp,
According to Chinese media reports, Evergrande also has 1.62 million empty rooms, which have an impact on more than 5 million individuals. & nbsp,
Study: As chairperson probed, Evergrande was seen as more likely to fail.
@ jeffpao3 Follow Jeff Pao on Twitter at & nbsp.
Philippines in historic US-backed military base expansion
MANILA – Ferdinand Marcos Jr., president of the Philippines, is in charge of a traditional development of military ties with the US, putting the Southeast Asian country in the South China Sea in conflict with China.
A recent report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington, DC’s Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative ( AMTI ) demonstrates in vivid detail how the Philippines is quickly modernizing a large number of military bases as part of its Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement( EDCA ) with the US Pentagon.
AMTI has tracked accelerated development activities across as many as nine EDCA bases across the Spanish island using open-access data, public statements from top Filipino officials, and high-resolution satellite pictures.
The report also reveals that infrastructure improvements at some military bases date back to 2016, despite Rodrigo Duterte’s adamant opposition( 2016 – 22 ), who supported closer ties with Beijing and frequently lobbied politicized broadsides against the traditional allies in the US and West.
The Basa Airbase on the island of Palawan, which is close to the hotly contested Scarborough Shoal, received more US money and nbsp for growth than all other amenities. Critically, EDCA stand near the contentious South China Sea have seen the most spectacular enhancements.
According to the ATMI review, the rail and plane storage facilities at the Antonio Bautista Air Base have” received considerable upgrades since 2016.”
Major infrastructure projects paving the way for a three-kilometer-long airport on the local Balabac Island, also in the southwest state of Palawan that protrudes into the South China Sea, predated the participation of the services there under an expanded EDCA announced in 2023.
The continuous US-backed plans to improve a number of Asian military and civil facilities near to Taiwan’s southern shores worry China just as much.
The legislative leaders of the Philippines just visited Thitu Island and pledged sizeable money for important system upgrades, strengthening their position within the Spratly group of islands.
The defense logic behind the Marcos Jr. administration’s expanded military participation with the US has been constantly emphasized.
But based on all evidence, the Philippines is actively strengthening its deterrence against China’s growing influence in the South China Sea to the west while also getting ready for possible repercussions in Taiwan, a neighboring country.
similar to a father and son
In terms of history, Marcos Jr. ‘ s proactive defense strategy is in line with that of his late father, who skillfully used the Philippines’ Cold War ally with Washington to increase the corporate freedom of the Southeast Asian country while ruling the country with an iron fist for nearly 20 years.
For example, Marcos Sr. increased the Philippines’ corporate influence in the contentious Spratly Islands throughout the 1970s. The second-largest naturally formed property feature in the South China Sea, Thitu Island, saw the creation of the first modern airport as a result of this.
The Richard Nixon administration sought to distance itself from its alliance’s marine interests because it was troubled by the Philippines’ strategic development in the disputed places.
Henry Kissinger, the secretary of state at the time, insisted that Washington’s Mutual Defense Treaty ( MDT) with Manila should not be reduced to a” carte blanche” for the Philippines to deploy forces anywhere in the Pacific, including the South China Sea, with the assurance that the other Party will be bound by the MDT in case of an attack on those forces.
In the event of conflict with other claimant states, most notably Vietnam and China, Kissinger reiterated that” there are substantial doubts that the Filipino ] sic ] military contingent on island in the Spratley group would come within protection of( MDT ).” The Nixon management was therefore” most reluctant to accept” extending the MDT to Asian states across the Spratly Islands. & nbsp,
Subsequent Spanish governments did not capitalize on the nation’s strategic advantage in the South China Sea after the Marcos dictatorship fell.
State-of-the-art Asian services deteriorated in the 1990s and 2000s as a result of numerous coup attempts and ongoing financial difficulties. We lacked resources for such activities, as erstwhile Asian leader Fidel Ramos admitted to the author, and the country was having trouble perhaps meeting its most basic security requirements.
Surprisingly, the Philippines, which boasted among the best-equipped military forces in the area throughout the middle of the 20th century, did not acquire even a single current fighter plane until the mid-2010s.
Manila modernized its armed forces, brought a case to international arbitration against China, and — most importantly — negotiated the EDCA with the US during the Benigno Aquino administration.
But, the Philippines made the decision to put off andnbsp the renovation of its features in the Spratly group of islands in order to uphold” the moral high ground.”
In order to satisfy Beijing, the new Duterte management sought to sever ties with Washington. The Pentagon’s calls to phrase weapons systems in designated services, particularly those close to the South China Sea, were denied by the pro-China Duterte, which hindered the full application of EDCA.
Time to catch up
However, according to the AMTI’s most recent report, the Philippines’ US-friendly defence establishment started infrastructure upgrades in a number of EDCA services as early as 2016.
However, under Marcos Jr., who chose to expand the list of foundations under EDCA after a largely useless trip to Beijing earlier this year, Philippine-US safety cooperation has significantly accelerated.
The Philippines have repeatedly emphasized that the EDCA is only a protective tactical move. Marcos Jr. insisted that EDCA foundations” are never… intended to be military outposts to strike, to move against someone … not China, not any state” during his visit to Washington earlier this year at a CSIS event.
Additionally, the president of the Philippines declared that EDCA services would not be used as” staging areas” for offensive actions against any other nation. Marcos Jr. asserted that the Pentagon” always brought up the possibility of using EDC sites” against China.
The US hasn’t been permitted to carry offensive weapons at EDCA stand in the north Philippines for any possible operations against China, particularly over Taiwan, according to Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.
The Philippine political main stated during an April legislative hearing that” EDCA is not intended for any second land outside of its intended use for the Philippines and of course in connection with our treaty with the United States.”
Senior Filipino leaders, however, frequently acknowledged the significance of EDCA in containing China’s growing confidence in the South China Sea. Colonel Medel Aguilar, a spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines( AFP ), stated earlier this year that the designated facilities will also be” made available during emergency situations for combined use of both the US and the AFP ( Armed Fires ).”
Marcos acknowledged that EDCA locations will be essential to Taiwan’s future during his trip to Tokyo earlier this year. The Filipino leader acknowledged that military services” will also prove to be helpful for us if that terrible event( China’s invasion of Taiwan ) come about ,” despite the fact that” conflicts across the Taiwan Straits seem to are continuing to increase.”
The AMTI’s most recent report on the condition of EDCA facilities is extremely dramatic in light of this context of strategic misunderstanding. Initially, the EDCA facilities included Fort Magsaysay( Nueva Ecija ), Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base ( Cebu ), and Antonio Bautista Air Basa( Pampanga ).
The Balabac Island in Palawan, Taiwan Naval Base Camilo Osias( Santa Ana, Cagayan ), Lal-lo Airport in Changan, and Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu( Isabela ) were among the four additional bases that Marcos Jr. approved earlier this year.
Washington and NBP agreed to spend$ 66.5 million on the initial five stand in November. Before Marcos Jr. ‘ s trip to the US in April, Washington consented to spend$ 100 million on the expanded list of EDCA bases.
In that month, the Philippines made it clear that up to five jobs had already been completed by that point, and that eight of the remaining 16 tasks in the five original websites had made” significant progress.”
The Basa Air Base near the Spratly Islands has received more US money and nbsp for infrastructure initiatives, according to the AMTI record. Up to$ 66.57 million had been set aside as of the first quarter of this year for the construction of facilities for a variety of uses, including humanitarian aid and disaster relief( HADR ), as well as for airport parking, fuel storage, runway improvements, and command and control infrastructure.
Significant improvements have also been made to the adjacent Balabac Air Base in recent years, including the construction of a 3, 000-meter runway for both military and civilian uses. The Spanish government has made significant investments in this base.
Additionally, updates are picking up in more northern-oriented stand. The AFP announced in May that with National funding, up to 14 jobs will be built in the four new EDCA stand.
Manila announced in September that it was looking for American help to construct a command centre, energy storage facility, wharf, and an airstrip repair facility at the Camilo Osias Naval Base at Lal-lo Airport. The US is anticipated to move forward this quarter with assistance in constructing a human port on Batanes’ most isolated northern islands. & nbsp,
Importantly, the Philippines has independently strengthened its military installations in Thitu Island, a member of the Spratly group of islands in the South China Sea, as well as & nbsp, Mavulis, Island. These islands are just over 100 nautical miles from Taiwan’s southern shores.
Richard Javad Heydarian can be followed on Twitter at @ RicheyDarian.
54 dates in 8 months: How this 32-year-old single woman tackled her search for love and romance
It took me some time to realize that I had grown accustomed to believing that single people were less” important” than those who were attached, engaged, or had children.
Single people are expected to put in more effort at operate and should have few to no financial, mental, or emotional problems because there is a cultural bias that individual people have more time and resources but fewer tasks than married people.
The notion of being single and not having a partner was also present. Perhaps these daughters were very finicky and bad-tempered. There was always a bad explanation for their” single – ness.” Single-shaming is a problem, and women bear the brunt of it.
54 Times, EIGHT Weeks, IN SEARCH OF THE ONE
I wanted to demonstrate in this film how difficult it was for odd people like me to date. It is difficult to find someone who reciprocates the passionate love and affection you have for them, but there is also nothing wrong with being single.
It would be 54 times, often enjoyable and other times terrible, and eight months of stress.
The realm’s defender in chief
Choosing the right person for the defense investment can be difficult because, in the eyes of observers, it could mean the difference between a government’s success and the security of the nation.
The fact that there was a lot of debate about who the likely defense secretary would be in the few weeks before the case appointees were finalized wasn’t shocking at the time.
The group that forms the government normally assumes the position of defense minister, in this case Pheu Thai. It was one of those occasions when it was the norm, not the exception, in this most recent case session.
Defense ministries in previous administrations were typically former senior military officers, especially one who was closely associated with the prime minister or another influential member of the government.
It virtually became customary to entrust a major military officer with the defense portfolio. It was also largely a result of the violent hegemony of Vietnamese elections in earlier times.
Pheu Thai, however, is hailed as a pioneer when it comes to selecting the defense chancellor. When Yingluck made the unprecedented decision to hold the league and serve as the nation’s first female defense secretary at the same time, the Pheu Thai-led Shinawatra administration broke with tradition.
Following three previous premiers before her — Chuan Leekpai, who took over as defense minister in September 1997, Samak Sundaravej in February 2008, and Somchai Wongsawat in November 2008 — Yingluck was the fourth civilian to oversee the Defense Ministry. She fled abroad to avoid a court conviction in connection with the graft-ridden handling of her administration’s rice-pledging scheme.
After Gen Yuthasak Sasiprapha and ACM Sukampol Suwannathat, Yingluck served as her administration’s next defense secretary.
Samak and Mr. Somchai continued to be affiliated with what is now the Pheu Thai Party, with the exception of Mr Chuan, the father of the Democrat Party.
Samak was succeeded as prime minister by Mr. Somchai, and both men oversaw administrations of the People’s Power Party ( PP ), which the Constitutional Court ultimately ordered to be disbanded for electoral fraud before being reborn as Pheu Thai.
When Pheu Thai was back in power, some people speculated and bet on who it would choose to be its defense minister and whether a civilian would be preferable to an official from the military.
Sutin Klungsang, Gen Vit Thephasdin Na Ayutthaya, or Gen Natthapon Nakpanich were widely believed to be the candidates.
Gen Vit, a former deputy planner of the Palang Pracharath Party led by former assistant leading Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, and Mr. Sutin are both Pheu Thai assistant leaders.
Gen Natthapon maintains close ties with former prime minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and previously held the position of secretary-general of the National Security Council.
Gen Vit and Gen Natthapon represented energy inherited from the Prayut state, having been considered for a shot at the top defense post and having ties to the earlier administration.
After Mr. Sutin’s name was added to the list of potential case appointees, rumors and guess swirled around for weeks, and political observers became very interested in him.
But, Mr. Sutin was briefly considered a potential minister of education.
However, he re-emerged as a formidable candidate for defense minister following the election of former army colonel Pheu Thai, who had coddled up to the previous,” pro-dictator” state whose military leaders they blame for the fatalities in the 2010 assault on red-shirt protesters in Bangkok.
Jatuporn Prompan, a former red-shirt head and co-leader of Kana Lomruam Prachachon( Melting Pot Group ), asserts that the role of the defense secretary is crucial to the survival of an administration.
On a political talk show, he claimed that the military defense secretary during the Yingluck administration had raised concerns about the potential threat Gen Prayut posed to the government despite his apparent proximity to it.
At the top of the widespread protests by the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, which was uniting against the Pheu Thai-led management, Gen Prayut, who was the army commander at the time, afterwards declared martial law. In May 2014, Gen Prayut overthrew the government in a revolution d’état, citing the need to put an end to an impasse in politics and the constitution.
The spectators claimed that Mr. Sutin, whose last name means” inventory” in Thai, visited some of his successors, whom he respected, starting with ACM Sukampol before paying a polite visit to Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, another former prime minister.
Mr. Sutin, who admitted that he was looking for advice, has discovered some very difficult problems that are accumulating on his table and call for quick resolution. For instance, he was pressed to resolve the issue of Germany’s refusal to provide an website for the Chinese underwater that the military had ordered.
Make room for the younger men.
Social observers say it’s time for a new technology to take the helm of the Pheu Thai Party, which lost the May 14 general vote and cost it the majority in the House.
Dr. Cholnan Srikaew, who was chosen to lead Pheu Thai in October 2021, resigned in late August after the party decided to leave the Move Forward Party’s( MFP ) eight-party alliance and attempt to form a coalition government with the parties involved in the coup in 2014.
He pledged during the election campaign that he would resign if Pheu Thai allied himself with the Palang Pracharath Party ( PPRP ), the previous ruling party. When the coalition’s establishment was finalized, he announced his resignation while continuing to serve as an MP.
Observers claim that in light of the MFP’s rising reputation and influence across the nation, Pheu Thai now has the chance to bring a younger group to the fore in order to keep the party socially competitive.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 37, the youngest daughter of imprisoned prime minister Thaksin Shinaibatra is anticipated to assume the leadership position when the ruling party convenes a unique assembly later this month to choose Dr. Cholnan’s replacement.
Paetongtarn: It’s moment for her to take charge.
Ms. Paetongtarn, a key player in the previous vote, is rumored to be Pheu Thai’s clear favorite. She told reporters that even though the executive committee had not yet decided who would take over as president, she would give it her all if she was chosen during the group’s 16th anniversary celebrations at its offices on September 19.
One of Pheu Thai’s candidates for prime minister, Ms. Paetongtarn, does not currently hold any professional positions within the group. She had a significant role to play in the election’s preliminaries thanks to her position as head of the Pheu Thai Family, and she guarded against having to end her political career if she got into legal problems.
It is commonly believed that Pheu Thai faces a number of risks that could cause the group to disintegrate, which is the only issue keeping Ms. Paetongtarn from taking the helm. Ms. Paetongtarn may be barred from politics if Pheu Thai is dissolved, which could end her political career.
Such worries are not false, according to observers who look up on record.
In 2007, the Thai Rak Thai Party was disbanded, and its 111 professionals were barred from elections for a period of five years. Soon after, the People’s Power Party ( PP ), which had been reincarnated, was dissolved due to electoral fraud, and all 109 of its executive members had their political rights suspended for a period of five years.
According to several researchers, Pheu Thai, which emerged from the PPP’s remains and is now the ruling party, shouldn’t be concerned about being dissolved over the course of the next four years.
Pheu Thai is regarded as the sole political organization that can stop the MFP from expanding its aid foundation across the nation, according to Olarn Thinbangtieo, a political science professor at Burapha University.
Regardless of how the Pheu Thai-led federal performs, he said, the conservative camp needs this.
He is certain that Pheu Thai has” immunity” to prevent the breakdown of the group and that the coalition government may soon serve out its four-year term. But whether or not the ruling party is preserve or increase its popularity is a different matter, he said.
The analyst thinks that even though the position is not as important as it is in other parties, Pheu Thai favors Ms. Paetongtarn taking the helm and that she will take the party management.
No matter who takes over as party leader, in his opinion, they may have Thaksin’s grace because he enjoys the utmost respect among the ranks and file of the party.
It wouldn’t come as a surprise if Ms. Paetongtarn, the people he trusts the most, were ultimately given the position.
Pheu Thai is not a social organization where the people choose the leaders. The group appears to be closely associated with Thaksin, and Ms. Paetongtarn may serve as the party’s de facto leader, he said.
Ms. Paetongtarn is not a government member in the Pheu Thai-led administration, but she was chosen to serve as vice chair of the national soft energy strategy committee, which is presided over by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Kenya and a railway to nowhere
shabby PicturesThe first part of Kenya’s Chinese-built rail was inaugurated in 2017 with little fanfare, but two years later, construction on the tracks came to a halt in the middle of the nation, and the master plan to connect it to other landlocked nations in East Africa appears to have failed.
This indicates that the project is not currently bringing in as much money as was anticipated, leaving Kenya with servicing loans totaling about$ 4.7 billion($ 3.9 billion ), mostly borrowed from Chinese banks.
However, it is difficult to believe that Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway ( SGR ) is not successful when passengers disembark from a crowded train of about 12 carriages during the final service of the day at the Syokimau railway terminus in Nairobi.
They have traveled nonstop from Mombasa, a port city that is 470 kilometers( 290 miles ) away on the Indian Ocean.
Pauline Echesa, a 53-year-old passenger, told me,” It’s great.” She claims that the four and a half hour trip gives her the opportunity to observe animals along the way as the rail passes through national parks.
A 30-year-old passenger claimed that although the seats weren’t particularly secure, the trip saved her money when compared to other ways to travel up from the coast.
The passenger side of the company is undoubtedly doing well and is totally booked, but it is unable to repay the loans on its own and was not intended to do so.
The consignment part of the company is responsible for carrying the pots that arrive at Mombasa slot inland. They were supposed to travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.
The issue is that they are only able to travel as far as Naivasha, a African village on the SGR that is 120 kilometers from Nairobi but still far from the Ugandan borders. The majority of the transport trains therefore depart empty for Mombasa, greatly depleting their earnings.
Kipchumba Murkomen, the director of the Kenyan Transport Cabinet, told the BBC that continuing the venture would be more fruitful for us. However, the financial aspect is really our problem.
During the approaching Belt and Road Summit in China, he claims, the government will look into financing options for the remaining rail section.
The massive Belt and Road Initiative ( BRI ), which China launched in 2013, has spread throughout the world and significantly altered Africa’s infrastructure landscape.
But as China cuts back on cash and African nations deal with rising debt that, in some cases, poses a threat to the stability of their economies, its future is now up for debate.
The Council on Foreign Relations, an American think-tank, contends that some BRI assets have involved ambiguous selling procedures and required the use of Chinese companies, which have led to inflated prices that have, in some cases, caused project cancellations and political reaction.
According to Nigeria’s former Deputy Central Bank Governor, Kingsley Moghalu, internal problems that have had an impact on the Chinese market have even resulted in significantly reduced cash.
According to him, funding levels across the continent have not exceeded$ 2 billion in recent years, down from between$ 10 billion and$ 20 billion a decade ago.
One of those who has suffered is Kenya’s SGR.
However, Mr. Murkomen asserts that Kenya has a variety of choices:” We have private sector people in China who have said they are willing to put their own resources in place as long as we can discuss how they’ll deduct their money.”
He explains that there might be a grace period during which the nation was first pay off the loans used to fund the finished rail sections.
Many people in the nation, who have already been suffering from tax hikes implemented by President William Ruto since he took office a year ago, may not appreciate an entrance that the government is looking for more money.
Kenyans worry that loan payments are putting a lot of strain on the nation’s market. According to government data from the end of June 2022, China was Kenya’s third-largest physical creditor, accounting for 19.4 % of the loan.
According to Kenyan economist Ken Gichinga, the nation’s debt profile is currently quite high. He explains that Kenya will need to pay back a$ 2 billion Eurobond in June.
Additionally, there is a perception that not all of the funds were used to construct the rail, according to Mr. Gichinga.
Both their own people and critics worldwide are concerned about the transparency of the agreements that nations like Kenya have made with China.
Loan terms are often made public, according to the assessment by the Council on Foreign Relations, and Chinese banks are not under any pressure to cover lending rates or share information” because China refused to join the Paris Club of big standard creditors.”
It comes to the conclusion that” greatly outweighed its benefits” were the challenges facing both the US and the recipient nations.
Kenya’s railway needs to go international in order to reap the advantages that were anticipated at its inception.
Mr. Gichinga contends that” Uganda actually needs to also be ashore.”
But that goal seems weak.
Two routes into landlocked nations from the coast were intended for the classic East Africa Transport Master Plan, which was first put forth by the East African Community about 20 years ago. The northern corridor from Kenya and the central corridor, from Tanzania, were the two routes. Finally, it was connected to DR Congo and South Sudan.
But, Uganda might choose to direct its firm toward Tanzania. Due to the electrification of the column, its rail project has cost significantly less to construct and offers higher speeds.
Former African President John Magufuli reneged on the agreement his predecessor had made with China to construct the railway and rather chose to obtain funding from Turkey and Portugal to fund the first phase of the project.
Additionally, it appears that Tanzania will link to Rwanda, Burundi, and DR Congo, with China joining the project later.
According to Mr. Moghalu, nations on the globe” should be individuals of their own future ,” just like Tanzania.
African nations need to mentally reposition themselves so they don’t feel like they were mistreated by their previous spouses, the West, and should instead be pleased to China.
Recently, American nations have been attempting to combat BRI, including US President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better World Initiative, which was established in 2021 in partnership with G7 economy. However, it is generally acknowledged that China still has more to offer in terms of long-term growth.
For the commuters between Nairobi and Mombasa, for investments in the future of the nation are unquestionably useful.
Ms. Echesa told the BBC,” Let’s make sacrifices to pay the debt and obtain more for like jobs.”
The Kenyan state will try to persuade China and its bankers that the SGR rail will be successful once it reaches the frontier and above.
More on the relationship between China and Africa:
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Mother told captured son is dead
Her worst fears are confirmed by embarrassment.
14 October 2023 at 6:11 p.m.
According to the Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, one of the Thai staff who was allegedly taken prisoner on October 7 by the Palestinian militant organization Hamas has been confirmed useless.
Pongsathorn Khunsri, 25, one of 21 Thais killed as a result of the Hamas problems, was the target.
Around 9 p.m. on Wednesday, an ambassador representative called Surangkhana, his mother, who resides in the Chalerm Phrakiat city of Nakhon Ratchasima’s Moo 5 village in tambon Nong Yang.
During a Friday interview, she sobbed as she said,” I was surprised and speechless when I heard the news.” ” When I knew he was captured, I had prayed for his safety. I hoped for some sort of revelation. I wanted him to get back back without incident. Unfortunately, no miracle exists.
For a time, her brother, known as” Green,” labored on an Israeli land. To develop a new home for his mother, he wanted to make more money. Pongsathorn even frequently sent his mother a portion of his income because he wanted her to live better lives.
” I never thought my brother would pass away in such a remote place.” Although many Thais have worked it, why did my brother end up being captured and killed? Ms. Surangkhana remarked.
The Thai consulate promised to provide more details afterward, but she claimed she didn’t have many details about what happened to her child. She also pleaded with the embassy to assist in transporting her father’s remains to Thailand for a wake.
When her neighbors learned of her passing, they daily comforted her.
37 residents of Ban Nong Yan town, according to Boonlue Dankratok, the village chief, have worked in Israel. 36 of them were healthy, according to their communities.
The family of Pongsathorn has already received first settlement, according to Papinya Thongsomjit of the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Labour Office.
Ms. Surangkhana and other family members have also received assistance from a Mental Health Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team( MCATT ) in Nakhon Ratchasima to help them cope with the loss.
According to Sayam Sirimongkol, the municipal government, 2,163 residents of Nakhon Ratchasima have held employment in Israel.
In order to provide them with any help they may require, the provincial government has instructed Ms. Papinya to determine how many employees from the state were still in Israel and wished to return back.