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Grasp the pattern, read the trend Asia in Review (AiR) Brought to you by CPG AiR Annual Issue, Vol. 1, 2017 Table of Contents I. Law and Politics in Asia ............................................................................................................................................................................3 1. Bangladesh ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Cambodia ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 3. China .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 19 4. India ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 45 5. Indonesia ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 61 6. Japan .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 76 7. Laos ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 84 8. Maldives ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 84 9. Malaysia ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 86 10. Mongolia ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 97 11. Myanmar ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 98 12. Nepal .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 107 13. North Korea ............................................................................................................................................................................... 109 14. Pakistan ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 112 15. Philippines .................................................................................................................................................................................. 119 16. Singapore ................................................................................................................................................................................... 129 17. South Korea ................................................................................................................................................................................ 136 18. Sri Lanka ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 142 19. Taiwan ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 147 20. Thailand ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 150 21. Vietnam...................................................................................................................................................................................... 161 22. Southeast Asia ........................................................................................................................................................................... 167 II. International Relations, Geopolitics, and Security in Asia ................................................................................................................ 168 1. Diplomacy and Geopolitics ............................................................................................................................................................................. 168 2. Defense and Security ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 215 3. Terrorism ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 246 III. Background Readings ......................................................................................................................................................................... 262 2 I. Law and Politics in Asia 1. Bangladesh Summary/link(s) Date of AiR issue Rohingya refugees and jihadists 29 December 2017 (kg) In their fourth month since being forced to flee military atrocities in Myanmar, Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are beginning to supplement their meagre income by working for Bangladeshis inside the refugee camps. While aid groups provide basic food and shelter, some refugees earn extra income to make ends meet while others are setting up new businesses in the refugee zones. Meanwhile, Rohingya jihadists have joined counterparts from Bangladesh, the UK, and India for terrorist training, weapons, and transport through Thailand. The discovery by Thai intelligence has sparked fear that a new arms-smuggling route now links Rohingya terrorists with South-East Asia’s notorious Golden Triangle, heartland of the region’s narcotics trade [Indian Express] [Voice of America]. Disappearances on behalf of the state? 29 December 2017 The mysterious abductions of an academic and a reporter in Bangladesh are merely the latest in a series of disappearances there that may be linked to the government. The latest victims were released, but often abductees never return. Human Rights Watch reported earlier this year that Bangladesh's law enforcement authorities have “illegally detained hundreds of people since 2013", and 90 people were victims of "enforced disappearances" last year alone [Aljazeera]. 3 Bangladesh: Agreement with Myanmar on joint group to oversee Rohingya repatriation 22 December 2017 Some estimates place the number of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh at around 700,000. Of that number, roughly 655,000 are Rohingya who fled to Bangladesh in the last four months due to Myanmar military attacks. This week Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed to establish a bilateral group to oversee the voluntary repatriation of the refugees. The movement back to Myanmar could begin by January 23. The refugees will be moved from camps and settlements in southeastern Bangladesh for resettlement in neighboring Rakhine. Not all refugees may choose to return to strife-torn Rakhine, though [Radio Free Asia]. Bangladesh: Local challenges and international scrutiny of assisting the Rohingya 15 December 2017 Local administrators imposed a week long ban Monday on NGOs involved in distributing aid to Rohingyas in an attempt to forestall the unintended ill consequences of international aid: loss to local business resulting from the illegal trade of relief supplies. Officials contend that the amount of food and non-food items being distributed by the NGOs among the refugees is more than they require. As a result, they have a surplus of food items which “might be wasted” or sold at lower than market prices, affecting the local business. Accordingly, all NGOs except those working under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) must halt their relief activities from December 11 to December 17. Since Myanmar’s brutal military crackdown on AUGUST 25, more than 620,000 Rohingyas have sought refuge in Bangladesh. Meanwhile, the European Union yesterday said implementation of the Rohingya repatriation agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar will have “to be accompanied and monitored extremely carefully." The EU also helped push for a UN Human Rights Council Special Session on Myanmar last week, and has pledged more funding than any other entity [The Daily Star] [The Daily Star]. Bangladesh: Family of man accused of NYC attack questioned 15 December 2017 Following the attempted bombing of the New York City subway by a Bangladesh man Monday, Bangladesh counterterrorism officers are questioning the suspect’s wife and other relatives. Bangladesh’s government condemned the attack, and reaffirmed its policy of “zero tolerance” against terrorism. The botched bombing has 4 played into America’s immigration debate,
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