HONIARA: A prominent Solomon Islands critic of China, the ousted former governor of Malaita province Daniel Suidani, has been reelected, local media reported on Friday ( Apr 19 ), as counting continues in an election being closely watched by China, the US and Australia. The Solomon Islands ‘ initial resultsContinue Reading
PUBLISHED: 19 Apr 2024 at 04 :00
Senator Somchai Sawangkarn is urging the Election Commission (EC ) to stop any attempts to rig the selection of new senators.
He is upset by moves by Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, chairman of the Progressive Movement ( PM) and former leader of the now-defunct Future Forward Party ( FFP), to urge his supporters to sign up for the Senate election as candidates.
Mr. Somchai sees this as a ruse to rig the new technique so that 200 lawmakers can be elected between the upcoming month and June.
Mr. Thanathorn wished at a new conference in Chiang Mai that around 100,000 people would each spend 2,500 ringgit to appear as staff from 20 professional organizations to the new Upper House.
Then, only those with close links to the coalition government may become appointed and democracy may suffer, he claimed.
Mr Thanathorn said senate67. Potential candidates who share the same philosophy as the party can now use this website as a way to present themselves and get to understand one another before the election.
Without this campaign, he added, they wo n’t be able to beat their rivals in these professional groups, despite how well-qualified an independent candidate may be be.
Throughout its five-year career, the Senate does find seven of nine Constitutional Court courts, five of seven EC commission, and five of nine directors of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, Mr Thanathorn told an earlier conference in Chiang Mai.
Mr. Somchai responded that if the EC does n’t take any action to stop this election-rigging attempt, it will be held accountable for dereliction.
About 100 people showed up to Mr. Thanathorn’s conference in Surat Thani, which was held yesterday.
He urged as many people to apply for the Senate vote as possible in his pitch.
He intends to hold a second conference now in the nearby Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Before Mr. Thanathorn visited Surat Thani, a resigned Interior Ministry official who only used his first name, Alongkorn, claimed he had previously been unaware of the complex system for selecting new lawmakers.
Some protesters have been urging individuals to persuade people in their home provinces to get Senate seats during Songkran to make it more difficult for powerful people to rally into legislature.
A number of new methods have been unveiled by the Biden administration to try to prevent the nation’s shipping and metal industries from being eroded by Foreign overcapacity and non-market opportunities.
One of the steps is a newly-initiated analysis, under area 301 of the Trade Act, of China ’s sea, transportation and manufacturing industries. Another, still at the possible phase, would be a hike of the latest 7. 5 % tax rate on Chinese steel and aluminum exports.
These actions go against the previous plan by US President Joe Biden, who had criticized then-President Donald Trump for imposing an additional 25 % tariff on Chinese goods in 2018.
Trump at the time claimed that China had cheated up thousands of US tasks by manipulating its money. After that, Biden claimed that adding taxes would only result in losses for American farmers, suppliers, and customers by increasing their pay.
After he took office in January 2021, but, Biden did not cancel the extra taxes.
High-quality US goods must contend with intentionally low-priced options produced with higher carbon emissions due to China’s overcapacity and non-market opportunities in the steel and aluminum sectors, according to a statement released on Wednesday.
The administration acknowledged growing issues that cruel Chinese trade practices, including flooding the market with sub-market-cost steel, are causing distortions in the world’s manufacturing sector and reducing competition.
Biden is urging US Trade Representative Katherine Tai to consider bringing the current area 301 tax level on Chinese steel and aluminum up to three, and directing his team to work together to stop China and other nations from evading US steel and aluminum import tariffs.
Five US national labor unions filed a petition on March 12 to complain that the US commercial shipping industry has lost tens of thousands of work and more than 70 % of its factories since 1975.
They claimed that China’s unfair business practices, which is now the largest manufacturing country in the world, are the biggest problem to the US shipping industry’s recovery.
Since joining the World Trade Organization in 2001, China has invested the equivalent of hundreds of billions of dollars and implemented many supportive measures to grow its manufacturing sector.
“The US complaint is full of misleading charges, ” a director of the Chinese Commerce Ministry said Thursday. It interprets regular trade and investment actions as harming US national security and commercial interests, and it attributes blame to China for US business issues, which lacks a factual foundation and goes against common sense economics. ”
He said China is highly displeased with and strongly opposes the newly-launched part 301 research. He claimed that the US is making another error because the WTO has now determined that the Trump administration’s China taxes were in contravention of its rules.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump announced in February that he would impose tariffs on Chinese products of more than 60 % if he won the US election in November. Next month, he vowed to strike vehicles made in Mexico by Chinese firms with a 100 % price.
Additionally, Biden has lately emphasized the damaging effects of China’s industrial overcapacity on British job markets.
Biden announced that his presidency would raise tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum during a campaign rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Wednesday.
He called China “xenophobic” as the land is “not importing everything. He claimed that China’s population is aging and that its economy is experiencing true issues.
Are those phrases intended for China or the US itself? ” Li Jin, a director of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said in a standard media briefing on Thursday in response to Biden’s responses.
We have been urging the US to firmly adhere to WTO regulations, the principle of good competition, and quickly halt all trade protectionist measures against China, he said. China will take all necessary steps to protect its genuine right. ”
The American Iron and Steel Institute ( AISI) estimates that US steel producers imported 28. 25 million tons of steel last month, over 8. 7 % from 2022.
6 were imported by the US. 88 million tons of steel from Canada, 4. 3 million plenty came from Mexico. 94 million plenty from Brazil.
China ’s exports of steel products grew by 36 % to 90. According to the China Iron and Steel Association ( CISA ), there will be 3 million tons in 2023 compared to last year. Best spots of Chinese material are South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Turkey in 2022.
About 2 percent of China’s metallic products were exported directly to the US. 25 % of the total US metal goods. 6 million plenty in 2023.
In 2022, China was the world’s largest producer of copper and aluminum materials with its export valued at over US$ 42 billion, followed by Germany ( US$ 21. 1 billion ) and the US ( US$ 14. 51 billion ).
Last season, US imports of Taiwanese metal amounted to 200,000 lots, 3. 5 % of its entire metal imports. 46 million loads.
In a Thursday content from a Shandong-based writer, it is absurd that Biden wants to raise tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum while the US primarily sources the two metals somewhere. “Biden just wants to gain help in the jump state of Pennsylvania. ”
He says the emphasis of Biden’s latest feedback is not about China, but, instead, the senator ’s decision to stop Japan’s Nippon Steel from buying the Pittsburgh-based US Steel Corp.
Next December, Nippon proposed to get US Steel Corp for US$ 15 billion. The US Justice Department is also conducting an antitrust investigation into the agreement, though.
Read: China detonates an EU engine sensor due to bad wind.
Observe Jeff Pao on Twitter at @jeffpao3
PM says steps’ in position ‘ if Iran assaults
In the event that Iran follows through with its threat to strike Israel, measures have been put in place to assist Thai citizens in Israel, the Thai authorities announced on Saturday.
After Hamas launched its invasion on October 7, about 8, 000 Thai workers were forced to flee Israel.
According to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, many of these employees have since returned to their jobs.
‘ ‘ Certainly, it’s the responsibility of the government to ensure their safety.
‘ ‘ Even though it is their choice to return to Israel, it ca n’t be denied that Thailand’s economy is not appealing enough to keep these workers here,” he said.
In case there become more tensions between Iran and Israel, the government is monitoring the situation in Israel while preparing to act in accordance with disaster protection measures, according to government official Chai Wacharonke.
Now, Thai citizens living in Israel are being advised to stay on large notice.
In addition, they ought to avoid visiting conflict-stricken areas and make contact with the military for assistance, according to the official.
Conflicts between Iran and Israel have escalated, particularly after Israel responded to Iran’s threatened attack, said Mr Srettha.
If the tensions continue to rise there, the PM said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( MFA ) will begin taking security measures to protect the country’s citizens.
In the US, President Joe Biden on Friday said he expected Iran to attack Israel” sooner, rather than after” and warned Tehran not to continue.
Asked by reporters about his concept to Iran, Mr Biden said just,” Couldn’t”, and he underscored Washington’s responsibility to protect Israel.
” We are devoted to the army of Israel. We will assist Israel. We will assist support Israel and Iran did not triumph”, he said.
Israel prepared for an assault by Iran or its proxies on Friday as rumors rose of retribution for the death of a senior commander in the Egyptian Revolution Guard Corps ‘ outside Qods Force and six other officials last week in Damascus.
Israel did not accept responsibility for the April 1 strike.
But Iran’s high head, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Israel “must be punished and shall remain” for an operation he said was similar to an attack on Egyptian land.
Mr Biden said he would never share secure knowledge, but said his desire was that an attack by Iran may come” sooner, rather than later”.
After making a online speech at a legal right meeting, he addressed writers at the White House.
The US quickly placed ships in place to guard Israel and American forces in the region, in an effort to stop an Iranian-led assault on Israel that might occur as soon as this trip, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The US’s actions, which are part of an effort to prevent a wider issue in the Middle East, came after a person with knowledge of the situation alerted the paper about the probable location and timing of the Persian attack.
However, a man briefed by the Egyptian authority said that while plans to attack are being discussed, no final decision has been made, the Journal said.
Countries including India, France, Poland and Russia have warned their people against go to the region, now on top over the conflict in Gaza, now in its sixth month. On Friday, Germany urged its members to keep Iran.
White House official John Kirby previously stated that the alleged immediate invasion by Iran on Israel was a real threat, but he provided no information about a possible schedule.
In light of Tehran’s danger, Mr. Kirby stated that the United States was carefully monitoring the situation and was considering its own power posture in the area.
WASHINGTON: The top US diplomat for East Asia will visit China starting on Sunday ( Apr 14), the State Department said, just days after President Joe Biden held a conference with the leaders of Japan and the Philippines that focused , on China’s aggressive moves , in the South China Sea. USContinue Reading
WASHINGTON: The top US diplomat for East Asia will visit China starting on Sunday ( Apr 14), the State Department said, just days after President Joe Biden held a conference with the leaders of Japan and the Philippines that focused , on China’s aggressive moves , in the South China Sea. USContinue Reading
China experienced a number of crucial turning points that could have altered both its and the earth as the universe came into its own. There were a number of intriguing missed chances and what-ifs that could have altered the course of world events.
Perhaps the most significant was the possibility of playing a significant role in international issues, which Beijing could have accomplished if only China’s domestic political environment and its leaders ‘ economic and strategic choices had allowed it to establish itself as one of the world’s leading power, strongly supported by the United States and the international community.
At the turn of the millennium, the United States found itself engaged in continuous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. After 2001, China collaborated with the US in Afghanistan, gaining benevolence. But after the first issues in Iraq in 2003- 2004, China moved away, keeping far and aloof. China may have volunteered to take troops there when it could and should include helped the US in any way it was. It would have established a close relationship between the nations.
For a partnership had the power to lessen conflicts and lay the groundwork for a more united US-China relationship, which would have transformed world geopolitics. With the standardization of creation in Iraq, it might have also contributed to stabilizing the Middle East, creating a quiet area way across Eurasia, and stabilizing fuel costs. It might have caused a new economic growth and potentially stopped the financial crisis from 2008.
China was also having troubles of its own in the same time. The change of energy from Jiang Zemin to Hu Jintao, both in 2002 and 2007, highlighted underlying dynasty problems and suggested the possibility for symbolic democratic reform in the Mainland. The introduction of guided votes might have been possible at the same time in Hong Kong. A general amnesty for previous financial crimes and a common amnesty for personal property may have provided full legal defense, and it would have given the Chinese ecnomy the opportunity to turn over a new plant.
Such moves may include demonstrated a commitment to progressive political openness, enhancing China’s picture domestically and internationally. The party may have gotten stronger under its command.
Establishing a hereditary chamber combining position and gathering structures would have been a major step in formalizing the position of elites and possibly stabilizing social inheritance and management practices, which would have helped to address the issue of “princelings” within the Chinese Communist Party.
Tradition has traditionally been strained in China’s relations with its neighbors, particularly in terms of territorial disputes.
A courageous decision to surrender the Senkaku Islands to Japan and grant India border concessions, perhaps in combination with the arrival of 10,000 Indian English teachers, could have profoundly improved relationships. Given that English serves as the lingua franca of global business and political relations, proficiency in English across China may have increased its ability to compete globally.
The 2008 economic crises represented a critical time for worldwide markets. The Renminbi ( RMB) could have become a cornerstone of the global financial system if China had made the decision to fully convert it or perhaps to peg it openly to the US Dollar.
Also, adopting President Obama’s 2009 plan to reduce emissions in trade for tech transfers while facilitating a fair Yuan revaluation may have generated a lot of goodwill from developing countries impacted by China’s export growth. The modification of those economic stimulus measures could have helped to further stabilize China’s economic growth.
One of China’s most ambitious global projects has been the Belt and Road initiative to improve global communication and cooperation. Moving to place its office in Los Angeles or San Francisco would have been a stroke of political awareness, though, not to exclude the US from the program. For diversity may have cemented China’s position as the world’s leading power, supported unrestrainedly by the US and the international community.
In summary, while China’s choice would have been paved with complex challenges and potential risks, it also would have created a world with cooperation in global leadership, strategic compromises, and a commitment to both domestic and international reform.
The China that could exist is no longer merely a matter of history. These what-ifs might serve as a guide for a method and ideas that could and should mark the country’s future at a time when China’s relations with its neighbors and with the United States have been getting icier as wars inflame Ukraine and the Middle East.
These are instances of projects that may or may not have been initiated, and for each previous thought, there are unquestionably plenty of good arguments to reject them. But instead of being about the past, it is about the future.
Yesterday’s excessive prudence prevented the leadership from taking the “proper steps”, thus leading to the present situation. Today, the problems are far more complicated than yesterday, and decisions are more delicate. Yet, more than yesterday, the world needs China’s bold, cool- headed effort and thinking.
Beijing may have time to consider and try something creative and truly original while the US is a little distracted by its presidential elections. After the elections, there may not be much time left.
This essay first appeared on Settimana News. It is republished with permission. The original article can be viewed here.
After a fact-finding section produces a statement, a Sukhothai woman leaves the party.
PUBLISHED: 13 Apr 2024 at 17: 22
A person who allegedly had an encounter with a Buddhist monk has filed a departure from the Democratic Party, which the party has decided to do.
On Saturday, group official Ramet Rattanachaweng revealed the findings of its fact-finding research into the wrongdoing involving the young monk and the party member.
The board, chaired by previous MP Theerachart Pangwirunrak, questioned the girl and different people, including witnesses. It concluded on Friday that there were grounds to the claims, said Mr Ramet, who also sat on the commission. He declined to go into details.
The panel concluded that the lady had broken party rules that forbids members from acting in a manner that may harm the party’s reputation, according to Mr. Ramet. Especially, she breached party rules No. 124 by acting in a dishonest manner, and the commission decided to remove her.
The panel did send party chief Chalermchai Sri-on, who will forward the document to the Democratic executive committee, its results and the person’s resignation letter.
The actions come after a video that was posted on the famous Facebook page E- Sor Khayee Khao on Wednesday, which claimed an 18-year-old monk and a 45-year-old politician had an adulterous relationship.
The woman’s father, who had been informed that a priest was staying there, drove from Bangkok to the child’s home in Sukhothai to find out about the matter. When he arrived, he discovered the young man’s partner snuggling up with him. The  set attempted to abuse him while they were taking videos with their smartphone while they ran naked from the base.
The priest later renounced his religious commitments and fled from an Uttaradit church.
The husband claimed to have first met the feminine politician during a merit-making event at a church during the famous Hon Krasae speak show on TV Channel 3.
He moved from Bangkok to sit with her at her home in Sukhothai after they got engaged in May 2022. They lived like husband and wife but were not already married, he said.
He claimed that his wife had met the young monk at a temple a few years ago during a kathin ( robe presentation ) ceremony. She eventually bonded with the priest, and she frequently visited his temple. His wife even believed in wealth- telling and previous life, he added.
On the Hon Krasae speak show on April 11, the father of a previous Democrat Party lawmaker discusses the relationship between his 45-year-old woman and a 24-year-old priest. ( Image from video posted by Hon Krasae )
The meeting’s frantic geopolitics, as well as its attempt to repair ties with its neighbor without making a face-saving new round of applause for the war, was a difficult choice with little benefit for Yoon himself. The US empire is highly regarded by the North Korean people, but it is more wary of growing ties with Japan.  ,
But, South Korea had only look to Washington to see which way the wind is blowing. As the US distances itself from China, it is quickly moving inevitably closer to Japan, which is quickly emerging as one of its most significant international allies. Japan is becoming a more outspoken presence on the international stage in addition to being carefully located in any possible conflict with China.  ,
The possibility of a poor Yoon presidency is already concerning supporters at a time when the multilateral relationship needs to be widened to counter never simply China, but also a North Korea that has deemed the South its “principal enemy.” The leader does not need political approval for international policy initiatives, but he must move forward even though his domestic agenda will be hampered.  ,
International partners , usually express concern about the pain in South Korea’s foreign plan when the president changes hands, as it often does in Seoul. Although in part this reflects the state of politics in the once-dictatorship, it makes it challenging to form long-lasting relationships.  ,
China possesses nearly the entire South China Sea, including the neighboring countries’ coastal economic regions. The 320-kilometer special economic zone of the Philippines includes The Next Thomas Shoal. China’s expansive states have no legitimate schedule, according to a 2016 decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Islands in the EastContinue Reading