Today’s News 30 March 2021 (Tuesday)

A. NAVY NEWS/COVID NEWS/PHOTOS Title Writer Newspaper Page 1st batch of Sinovac Covid-19 doses bought C Ciriaco B Mirror A7 1 by PHL arrive 2 1M vaccines arrive but count break 10k M Blancaflor D Tribune A6 China`s Clover Biopharmaceuticals starts C Atienza M Bulletin 2 3 COVID-19 clinical trials in PH-DOST 4 PH receives 1M doses of Sinovac vaccine K Calayag M Times A3

B. NATIONAL HEADLINES Title Writer Newspaper Page 5 New infections hit 10,016 S Crisostomo P Star 1 6 Health experts want longer lockdown L Salaverria PDI A1

C. NATIONAL SECURITY Title Writer Newspaper Page 7 Phl sending Coast Guard BFAR ships to reef M Punongbayan P Star 2 8 US backs PH amid China’s new incursion in T Santos PDI A3 West PH Sea 9 CHR seeks end to crackdown on rights K Subingsubing PDI A1 defenders 10 Chinese ships remain in Julian Felipe Reef, R Acosta B Mirror A3 defense chief says

D. INDO-PACIFIC Title Writer Newspaper Page NIL NIL NIL NIL

E. AFP RELATED Title Writer Newspaper Page M Sadongdong M Bulletin 3 11 Lorenzana: ‘We did better than a lot of countries’ 12 Gov’t open to ECQ extension P Tonight 1 to ECQ extension in NCR Plus CNN Staff P Journal 2 13 Gov’t open – task force head 14 Labor leader gunned down D Estacio Tempo 1

F. CPP-NPA-NDF-LCM Title Writer Newspaper Page 15 Coffins hitting reds pop up in Makati, QC K Subingsubing PDI A4 16 2 NPA rebels killed in Negros clash A Dalizon P Journal 13 Scores of NPA rebels killed, hurt in Misamis M Crismundo Tempo 2 17 encounter Kumander ng NPA lumutang at sumuko sa J Hallare Ngayon 9 18 police station

G. MNLF/MILF/BIFF/ASG Title Writer Newspaper Page International group calls on government to B Sarmiento PDI A6 19 disband BIFF as elections near 20 ‘Bandit’ nabbed in Zamboanga R Pareño P Star 10 4 terorista patay sa engkwentro ng military F Taboy Balita 2 21 sa Maguindanao

H. EDITORIAL-OPINION-COMMENTARY-SPECIAL Title Writer Newspaper Page 22 Brave voices PDI A8 23 Pointed questions C Lozada D Tribune A4 24 Envoy for whom? P Journal 4 Natuklasan ng mga Bataaeno ang tatlong S Pizarro Balita 5 25 bagong patutunguhan sa turismo sa gitna ng pandemya 26 Ang Bagong Arsobispo ng Maynila B De Guzman Balita 5 27 Bahala na ang Pinoy R Valmonte Balita 5 Do we have a contingency plam amid WPS J Dela Cruz B Mirror A3 28 impasse? Solon asks

I. ONLINE NEWS Title Link NATIONAL NEWS National government debt hits record https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/03/29/nati 29 P10.4 trillion as more loans fuel Covid onal-government-debt-hits-record-p10-4- response trillion-as-more-loans-fuel-covid-response/ P23-B emergency subsidy for areas https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135304 30 under ECQ signed Duterte retains ECQ status of NCR, 4 https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135302) 31 areas until April 4 Relax tax filing restrictions amid ECQ, https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135278 32 solon urges BIR ECQ for NCR, 4 other provinces very https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135201 33 timely: Lorenzana ‘Fast Covid cases rise, slow vaccination https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/03/30/fast- 34 put PHL at risk’ covid-cases-rise-slow-vaccination-put-phl-at- risk/ Groups warn of ‘fragile’ economic https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/groups-warn-of- 35 recovery with education sector in crisis fragile-economic-recovery-with-education- sector-in-crisis/ NAVY NEWS Chinese ships remain in Julian Felipe https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/03/30/chin 36 Reef, defense chief says ese-ships-remain-in-julian-felipe-reef-defense- chief-says/ Defense chief tiptoes on reef case with https://manilastandard.net/news/national/3507 37 China 74/defense-chief-tiptoes-on-reef-case-with- china.html DND mulls leaving Phl ship in contested https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/03/29/dn 38 reef d-mulls-leaving-phl-ship-in-contested-reef/ Coast Guard ship to be stationed off https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135211 39 Julian Felipe Reef Philippines sending Coast Guard, BFAR https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/03/30 40 ships to reef /2088007/philippines-sending-coast-guard- bfar-ships-reef Deployment of ships to patrol WPS https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135177 41 depends on higher-ups Security sector verifying departure of https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/security-sector- 42 Chinese ships at Julian Felipe Reef verifying-departure-of-chinese-ships-at-julian- felipe-reef/ Locsin asks for aerial view to check https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/locsin-asks-for- aerial-view-to-check-chinese-vessels- 43 Chinese vessels’ presence in WPS; new’ satellite image surfaces presence-in-wps-new-satellite-image-surfaces/

Solon: Moored Chinese vessels will https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/solon-moored- 44 contribute to further reef degradation in chinese-vessels-will-contribute-to-further-reef- WPS degradation-in-wps/ 'Atin ang Emden Deep': Filipino scientist https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/29/21/atin- 45 stakes claim after dive to 3rd deepest ang-emdem-deep-filipino-scientist-stakes- place on earth claim-after-dive-to-3rd-deepest-place-on-earth Jogging, recreational cycling, not https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/jogging- 46 allowed in MOA, CCP Complex ( recreational-cycling-not-allowed-in-moa-ccp- complex/) AFP RELATED Lay down arms, rejoin mainstream https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135279 47 society, DND chief tells Reds Lorenzana on NPA anniversary: More https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/natio 48 than 50 years of terrorism is enough n/781691/lorenzana-on-npa-anniversary-more- than-50-years-of-terrorism-is-enough/story/ Peacebuilding NGO sees clashes in https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/peacebuilding- 49 Maguindanao as preview to more ngo-sees-clashes-in-maguindanao-as- violence preview-to-more-violence/ House Speaker backs Duterte https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/03/30/hou 50 administration’s amnesty program for se-speaker-backs-duterte-administrations- Reds, Moro rebels amnesty-program-for-reds-moro-rebels/ Groups reiterate call on SC for TRO on https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/groups- 51 ATL in light of DILG memo reiterate-call-on-sc-for-tro-on-atl-in-light-of-dilg- memo/ Anti-communist groups condemn https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1412791/anti- 52 Netherlands gov’t for ‘coddling’ CPP communist-orgs-condemn-netherlands-govt- leader Sison for-coddling-cpp-leader-sison Bangkay ng hinihinalang miyembro ng https://news.abs- NPA, narekober sa Misamis Oriental cbn.com/news/03/30/21/bangkay-ng- 53 hinihinalang-miyembro-ng-npa-narekober-sa- misamis-oriental 20 kasapi umano ng CPP-NPA, sumuko https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/30/21/20- 54 sa Camarines Norte kasapi-umano-ng-cpp-npa-sumuko-sa- camarines-norte Suspected Abu Sayyaf member arrested https://news.abs- 55 in Zamboanga City cbn.com/news/03/29/21/suspected-abu- sayyaf-member-arrested-in-zamboanga-city Casket with anti CPP-NPA slogan https://news.abs- spotted on a bridge cbn.com/news/multimedia/photo/03/29/21/cask 56 et-with-anti-cpp-npa-slogan-spotted-on-a- bridge INDO-PACIFIC NEWS USTR suspends all trade engagement https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar- with Myanmar until elected government politics-usa-trade/ustr-suspends-all-trade- 57 returns engagement-with-myanmar-until-elected- government-returns-idUSKBN2BL1XH At Least 120 Killed as Myanmar Endures https://thediplomat.com/2021/03/at-least-120- 58 Another Dark Weekend killed-as-myanmar-endures-another-dark- weekend/ Thousands take to the streets in https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar- Myanmar as five more protesters killed politics/thousands-take-to-the-streets-in- 59 on Monday myanmar-as-five-more-protesters-killed- idUSKBN2BL0C2 Thailand preparing for possible refugee https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand- exodus from Myanmar: PM myanmar-refugees/thailand-preparing-for- 60 possible-refugee-exodus-from-myanmar-pm- idUSKBN2BL0K1 Thai police vow more protest arrests https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general 61 after nearly 100 detained /2091571/police-vow-more-protest-arrests- after-nearly-100-detained

Thai Teen Faces Jail Time for Allegedly https://www.voanews.com/episode/thai-teen- 62 Defaming King faces-jail-time-allegedly-defaming-king- 4640601 Singapore minister pessimistic on https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar- Myanmar, says resolution may take time politics-singapore/singapore-minister- 63 pessimistic-on-myanmar-says-resolution-may- take-time-idUSKBN2BL1MT US Palau envoy’s trip to Taiwan prompts https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/ 64 ‘red line’ warning from China article/3127509/us-palau-envoys-trip-taiwan- prompts-red-line-warning-china Fearing refugees influx, China https://www.thejakartapost.com/seasia/2021/0 65 strengthens entry restrictions from 3/29/fearing-refugees-influx-china-strengthens- Myanmar entry-restrictions-from-myanmar-.html Special Report: Money trail from Daphne https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malta- murder probe stretches to China daphne-china-specialreport/special-report- 66 money-trail-from-daphne-murder-probe- stretches-to-china-idUSKBN2BL1WF China says US, UK, EU and Canada https://www.hindustantimes.com/world- 67 seek to destabilise China news/china-says-us-uk-eu-and-canada-seek- to-destabilise-china-101616981979991.html China warns firms not to engage in https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china- 68 politics over Xinjiang xinjiang-sanctions/china-warns-firms-not-to- engage-in-politics-over-xinjiang- idUSKBN2BL03L In Xinjiang cotton dispute, China warns https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/ 69 West ‘era of bullying’ is over article/3127435/xinjiang-cotton-row-era- bullying-china-over-officials-warn China’s propaganda machine kicks into https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_p high gear over Xinjiang criticism acific/china-xinjiang-boycott- 70 propaganda/2021/03/29/0e845244-904f-11eb- aadc-af78701a30ca_story.html China calls on Sri Lanka to jointly https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-03-29/Xi- 71 advance Belt and Road cooperation Jinping-holds-phone-talks-with-Sri-Lankan- president-Z239vFUUnu/index.html UN Human Rights Group ‘Deeply https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/un- 72 Concerned’ Over China’s Treatment of human-rights-group-deeply-concerned-over- Uyghurs chinas-treatment-uyghurs Nobody dictates our friends: Palau https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archi 73 ves/2021/03/30/2003754750 Visiting Palau president praises Taiwan https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4163 74 partnership, rejects China's 'sticks' 490

Taiwanese pro-independence leaders https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archi 75 blast China’s top diplomat peddling ves/2021/03/30/2003754753 misinformation Taiwanese organizations criticize https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4163 76 Chinese claims made at Anchorage 077 summit US ambassador visits Taiwan for 1st https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4163 77 time in 42 years 127 Japan faces pressure to take part in https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archiv 78 sanctions on China es/2021/03/30/2003754761 Hundreds evacuated after large fire at https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast- 79 Indonesia’s Balongan oil refinery asia/article/3127383/hundreds-evacuated- after-massive-fire-indonesias-balongan Indonesia Pertamina aims to restarts https://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia- refinery in days after blaze refinery-fire/indonesia-pertamina-aims-to- 80 restarts-refinery-in-days-after-blaze- idUSKBN2BK0QM Indonesia foreign minister: in close https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar- contact with Japan on Myanmar politics-japan-indonesia/indonesia-foreign- 81 minister-in-close-contact-with-japan-on- myanmar-idUSKBN2BL129 Public Outcry in Indonesia over https://www.voanews.com/episode/public- 82 Mandatory Hijab for Non-Muslim outcry-indonesia-o ver-mandatory-hijab-non- Students muslim-students-4641421 Drought, fire and flood devastate https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia- Australians in the bush weather-farmer/drought-fire-and-flood- 83 devastate-australians-in-the-bush- idUSKBN2BL0JZ 'Ever Given' finally set adrift. Here's a https://www.hindustantimes.com/world- 84 timeline of the Suez blockage crisis news/ever-given-finally-set-adrift-here-s-a- timeline-of-the-suez-blockage-crisis- 1081617025758296.html Britain’s Integrated Foreign Policy https://thediplomat.com/2021/03/britains- 85 Review and Its Relations with Indonesia integrated-foreign-policy-review-and-its- relations-with-indonesia/ Tankie Man: The Pro-Democracy Hong https://thediplomat.com/2021/03/tankie-man- 86 Kongers Standing Up to Western the-pro-democracy-hong-kongers-standing-up- Communists to-western-communists/ Iran-China coop. part of ‘active https://en.mehrnews.com/news/171484/Iran- 87 resistance’ policy China-coop-part-of-active-resistance-policy

China and Iran: A Major Chinese Gain https://www.csis.org/analysis/china-and-iran- 88 in “White Area Warfare” in the Gulf major-chinese-gain-white-area-warfare-gulf Less Than Meets the Eye in China-Iran https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/20 89 Deal 21-03-29/china-iran-deal-there-s-less-to-it- than-meets-the-eye Iran–China strategic agreement could be https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/iran-china- 90 a game-changer strategic-agreement-could-be-a-game- changer/ An Alliance of Autocracies? China Wants https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/29/world/asi 91 to Lead a New World Order a/china-us-russia.html A Clash of Civilizations with Chinese https://nationalinterest.org/feature/clash- 92 Characteristics civilizations-chinese-characteristics-181175 The new American geostrategic https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/the- 93 consensus over China new-american-geostrategic-consensus-over- china/?amp https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2021/03/us 94 The U.S. Doesn’t Know How to Treat Its Allies -doesnt-know-how-treat-its-allies/172971/ Global Networks 2030: Developing https://csis-website- Economies and Emerging Technologies prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs- 95 public/publication/210329_Hillman_Global_Net works_2030.pdf DEFENSE NEWS Chinese vessels warned, told PH Navy, https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/chinese- 96 PCG ships to leave Julian Felipe Reef- vessels-warned-told-ph-navy-pcg-ships-to- Lorenzana leave-julian-felipe-reef-lorenzana/ Do we have a contingency plan amid https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/03/30/do- 97 WPS impasse? solon asks we-have-a-contingency-plan-amid-wps- impasse-solon-asks/ Maritime law expert calls for vigilance https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/natio even if China withdraws vessels from n/781669/maritime-law-expert-calls-for- 98 disputed reef vigilance-even-if-china-withdraws-vessels- from-disputed-reef/story/ Philippines may be accused of https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/natio provocation if Navy ships are sent to n/781623/philippines-may-be-accused-of- 99 Julian Felipe Reef —Lorenzana provocation-if-navy-ships-are-sent-to-julian- felipe-reef-lorenzana/story/ Philippines to increase number of https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news- 100 vessels and aircraft monitoring disputed detail/philippines-to-increase-number-of- Whitsun Reef vessels-and-aircraft-monitoring-disputed- whitsun-reef Philippine Lawmaker Seeks To Speed https://www.asiapacificdefensejournal.com/202 101 Up Naval Upgrade Program 1/03/philippine-lawmaker-seeks-to-speed- up.html US stands with Philippines in face of https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/natio China's maritime militia in Julian Felipe n/781597/us-stands-with-philippines-in-face-of- 102 Reef —Blinken china-s-maritime-militia-in-julian-felipe-reef- blinken/story/ Australia concerned over 'destabilizing https://news.abs- actions' in South China Sea envoy cbn.com/news/03/29/21/australia-concerned- 103 – over-destabilizing-actions-in-south-china-sea- envoy Suicide Bomb Hits Palm Sunday Mass in https://thediplomat.com/2021/03/suicide-bomb- 104 Indonesia, Wounding 20 hits-palm-sunday-mass-in-indonesia- wounding-20/ Indonesia raids find explosives, militant https://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia- 105 suspects after church attack blast/indonesia-raids-find-explosives-militant- suspects-after-church-attack-idUSKBN2BL12F Indonesian police identify newlywed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast- 106 couple with ISIS ties behind Palm asia/article/3127364/islamic-state-terror- Sunday attack network-behind-palm-sunday-suicide Five years after security laws' passage, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/03/29 107 Japan and U.S. defense ties continue to /national/us-japan-security/ deepen US, Japan and Indonesia ramp up https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/ 108 pressure on Beijing article/3127415/south-china-sea-us-japan-and- indonesia-ramp-pressure-beijing Are Indonesia-Japan South China Sea https://www.scmp.com/week- asia/politics/article/3127515/are-indonesia- 109 drills a sign of Jakarta’s pivot away from Beijing? japans-joint-south-china-sea-drills-sign- jakartas Chinese government vessels approach https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/03/29 110 Japanese fishing boats near Senkakus /national/china-coast-guard-senkakus-japan/ Haines stresses rebuilding intelligence https://thehill.com/policy/defense/545435- 111 alliances post-Trump haines-stresses-rebuilding-intelligence-allies- post-trump SolarWinds hack obtained emails of top https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber- U.S. Department of Homeland Security solarwinds/solarwinds-hack-obtained-emails- 112 officials: AP of-top-u-s-department-of-homeland-security- officials-ap-idUSKBN2BL1EJ https://breakingdefense.com/2021/03/solarwin 113 SolarWinds Hack: ‘The Truth Is Much More Complicated’ ds-hack-the-truth-is-much-more-complicated/ US SecDef briefed on military space https://spacenews.com/secdef-briefed-on- 114 programs, threats to satellites military-space-programs-threats-to-satellites/ US Military Using Alternatives to Suez http://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/ 115 Canal In Middle East Article/2553768/military-using-alternatives-to- suez-canal-in-middle-east/ Brains And Brown Shoes: Building A https://cimsec.org/brains-and-brown-shoes- 116 Better Naval Aviation Intelligence building-a-better-naval-aviation-intelligence- Officer officer/ US Navy Fleet and Marine Tracker: https://news.usni.org/2021/03/29/usni-news- 117 March 29, 2021 fleet-and-marine-tracker-march-29-2021 U.S. Navy orders 10th Virginia-class https://www.upi.com/Defense- 118 submarine News/2021/03/29/submarine-Huntrington- NewportNews-BlockV/6001617045299/ US Navy Seeks Info From Industry To https://www.defensedaily.com/navy-seeks- 119 Integrate Hypersonic Weapons On info-industry-integrate-hypersoonic-weapons- Zumwalt-Class Destroyers zumwalt-class-destroyers/navy-usmc/ Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike http://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News- Group Conducts Joint Force Maritime Stories/Article/2553177/theodore-roosevelt- 120 Exercise with India carrier-strike-group-conducts-joint-force- maritime-exercise/ 21st Century Undersea Warfare: A Kill https://sldinfo.com/2021/03/21st-century-usw- 121 Web Team Sport a-kill-web-team-sport/ U.S. Coast Guard Seeks Builders For https://www.forbes.com/sites/craighooper/2021 122 Big New Cutters /03/29/us-coast-guard-seeks-builders-for-big-

new-cutters/?ss=aerospace-defense US Air Force Drone Plan May Rile MQ-9 https://breakingdefense.com/2021/03/air-force- 123 Champions drone-plan-may-rile-mq-9-champions/ 'We trusted that our equipment would https://www.reuters.com/article/us-3m- work,' says Army vet, as U.S. trial over earplugs-trial/we-trusted-that-our-equipment- 124 3M earplugs begins would-work-says-army-vet-as-u-s-trial-over- 3m-earplugs-begins-idUSKBN2BL157 French warship docks in Vietnam as https://ipdefenseforum.com/2021/03/french- 125 foreign powers step up in South China warship-docks-in-vietnam-as-foreign-powers- Sea step-up-in-south-china-sea/ Chinese military planes enter Taiwan's https://focustaiwan.tw/cross- 126 ADIZ for 17th day in March strait/202103290020 20 PLA aircraft enter Taiwan's ADIZ after https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news- Taipei and Washington sign coast guard detail/20-pla-aircraft-enter-taiwans-adiz-after- 127 co-operation agreement taipei-and-washington-sign-coast-guard-co- operation-agreement Taiwan reports large incursion by https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan- 128 Chinese air force on Monday china-security/taiwan-reports-large-incursion- by-chinese-air-force-idUSKBN2BL1ED Taiwanese military turns to missiles in https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archi 129 effort to track increasing Chinese ves/2021/03/30/2003754756 incursions Taiwan says tracks intruding Chinese https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan- aircraft with missiles, not always security/taiwan-says-tracks-intruding-chinese- 130 scrambling aircraft-with-missiles-not-always-scrambling- idUSKBN2BL0JS Wary of Beijing, Taiwan Doubles Down https://www.voanews.com/east-asia- 131 on South China Sea Island pacific/wary-beijing-taiwan-doubles-down- south-china-sea-island Kremlin, despite military visit, says it is https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar- 132 worried by rising civilian toll in Myanmar politics-kremlin/kremlin-despite-military-visit- says-it-is-worried-by-rising-civilian-toll-in- myanmar-idUSKBN2BL1E0 Myanmar's military conducts airstrikes https://www.hindustantimes.com/world- along border, thousands flee to Thailand news/myanmars-military-conducts-airstrikes- 133 along-border-thousands-flee-to-thailand- 101617023753584.html Thais deny army forcing back Myanmar https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar- refugees fleeing air strikes politics-karen/thais-deny-army-forcing-back- 134 myanmar-refugees-fleeing-air-strikes- idUSKBN2BL1JY Japan government halts use of message https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan- app Line for sensitive information line/japan-government-halts-use-of-message- 135 app-line-for-sensitive-information- idUSKBN2BL1QM Japan GSDF’s radars on China on https://the-japan- 136 Japan’s westmost island less divisive 5 news.com/news/article/0007263056 years after deployment Singapore’s new transport helicopters https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia- 137 have arrived pacific/2021/03/29/singapores-new-transport- helicopters-have-arrived/ North Korean submarine capable of https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World- 138 firing missiles being watched, Seoul says News/2021/03/29/North-Korea-ballistic- missiles-submarine-watch/5401617023190/) North Korea accuses U.N. Security https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea- Council of 'double standard' over missile missiles-un/north-korea-accuses-u-n-security- 139 tests council-of-double-standard-over-missile-tests- idUSKBN2BK0P1 Iran’s New Missile Corvette Could https://news.usni.org/2021/03/29/irans-new- 140 Reshape IRGC Naval Doctrine missile-corvette-could-reshape-irgc-naval- doctrine VOA Interview: Retired Admiral James https://www.voanews.com/episode/voa- 141 Stavridis on US-China Relations interview-retired-admiral-james-stavridis-us- china-relations-4641406 Biden Looks to Contain China but https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/03/26/biden- 142 — Where’s the Asian NATO? china-asian-nato/ Authorities And Legal Considerations https://mwi.usma.edu/authorities-and-legal- 143 For US Cyber And Information considerations-for-us-cyber-and-information- Operations In A Contested Environment operations-in-a-contested-environment/ A Multilateral Approach to 5G Safety https://www.realclearpolicy.com/articles/2021/0 144 3/29/a_multilateral_approach_to_5g_safety_7 70138.html Did China cross a new red line in https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/news/chi 145 cyberspace? na-cross-new-red-line-cyberspace https://geopoliticalfutures.com/australias-role- 146 Australia’s Role in America’s War With China, Part 2 in-americas-war-with-china-part-2/ Expand, Consolidate, Centralize https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/202 1/03/29/expand_consolidate_centralize_organi 147 zational_reform_in_the_next_national_security _strategy_770240.html How Small Wars Fit Into Big Ones: https://mwi.usma.edu/how-small-wars-fit-into- 148 Lessons From The Masters Of Irregular big-ones-lessons-from-the-masters-of- Warfare irregular-warfare/ Why Special Operations Oversight https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/why- 149 Should Matter to Every American special-operations-oversight-should-matter- every-american COVID NEWS Philippines sees 10,000 new COVID-19 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health- cases as tight curbs return to capital coronavirus-philippines/philippines-sees- 150 10000-new-covid-19-cases-as-tight-curbs- return-to-capital-idUSKBN2BL0U5 Coronavirus: Philippines accelerates https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/a 151 vaccination drive as shots arrive from rticle/3127508/coronavirus-india-records-most- China daily-infections-five-months Philippines Allows Companies to Import https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/202 Vaccines to Boost Supply 1-03-29/philippines-allows-companies-to- 152 import-vaccines-to-boost- supply?srnd=premium-asia IATF member identifies 7 comorbidities https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/iatf-member- 153 eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine identifies-7-comorbidities-eligible-to-receive- covid-19-vaccine/ No proof yet that Ivermectin can help https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/no-proof-yet- 154 fight COVID-19 — FDA ( that-ivermectin-can-help-fight-covid-19-fda/) A WHO investigation into the https://www.businessinsider.com/who- 155 coronavirus' origins points the finger at coronavirus-likely-jumped-animals-wildlife- animals in Chinese wildlife farms farms-2021-3 WHO says COVID-19 probably passed https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health- from bats to humans through another coronavirus-who-china/who-says-covid-19- 156 animal: AP probably-passed-from-bats-to-humans- through-another-animal-ap-idUSKBN2BL0J8 WHO says virus origins report will be https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health- released on Tuesday coronavirus-who-china-report/who-says-virus- 157 origins-report-will-be-released-on-tuesday- idUSKBN2BL1IF Draft WHO coronavirus report pours https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/ 158 cold water on lab-leak theory: AP article/3127517/draft-who-coronavirus-report- pours-cold-water-lab-leak-theory What you need to know about the https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health- coronavirus right now coronavirus-snapshot/what-you-need-to-know- 159 about-the-coronavirus-right-now- idUSKBN2BL0IQ Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020- 160 Across the World coronavirus-cases-world- map/?srnd=coronavirus)

J. OPINION/EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Title Link 161 Watch how we fish https://opinion.inquirer.net/138924/watch-how- we-fish 162 Pointed questions https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/03/30/poi nted-questions/ 163 Cooked ham https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/03/30/co oked-ham/ 164 Will the U.S. end its ambiguity over https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2021/03/ Taiwan? 29/commentary/world-commentary/china- taiwan-united-states-conflict/ 165 COVID19 a wake-up call to address https://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/202 development fault lines in Asia and the 1/03/29/covid19-a-wake-up-call-to-address- Pacific development-fault-lines-in-asia-and-the- pacific.html 166 To achieve its goals, China needs to https://asiatimes.com/2021/03/to-achieve-its- show more restraint goals-china-needs-to-show-more-restraint/ 167 America losing the future to China https://asiatimes.com/2021/03/america-losing- the-future-to-china/ 168 Why it’s wrong for the US to label China https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2021/03/20/wh a threat to the ‘world order’ y-its-wrong-for-the-us-to-label-china-a-threat- to-the-world-order/ 169 Brave voices https://opinion.inquirer.net/138926/brave- voices 170 Feeling Is Authorized https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2 021/march/feeling-authorized

National government debt hits record P10.4 trillion as more loans fuel Covid response

ByBERNADETTE D. NICOLAS

MARCH 29, 2021

In file photo: Health workers in protective suits walk after performing swab tests on residents at a village under lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Manila.

-February this year soared to a new record high of P10.406 trillion as the government continued to borrow more money to respond to the raging Covid-19 pandemic.THE national government’s outstanding debt as of end

Latest data from the Bureau of the Treasury showed this was up by P78.37 billion or 0.8 percent from the previous record high of P10.327 trillion as of end- t financing from local

January this year “due to ne and external sources and currency fluctuations.” According to the Treasury, this was also a 6.2-percent increase from the end-2020 level of P9.795 trillion and a 27.4-percent spike from only P8.17 trillion as of end-February last year.

Of the total debt stock, 71 percent are domestic borrowings while 29 percent came from foreign sources.

-February also reached P7.36 trillion, a 0.5-percent uptick or P37.51 billion above the end-January 2021 level of P7.33 trillion attributed to net availment of domesticThe national financing. government’s domestic debt as of end

Domestic debt as of end-February also surged by 35.1 percent from only P5.45 trillion a year ago. It also grew by 10 percent from only P6.69 trillion as of end-December 2020.

On the other hand, external debt as of end-February this year amounted to P3.04 trillion, inching up by 1.4 percent from P3 trillion in the previous month.

was due to the net availment of foreign loans amounting to P14.53 billion and the P36.03-billion effect of local currency depreciation against the dollar. “For February, the increment to external debt Treasury said. Meanwhile, the net appreciation of the peso against third currencies trimmed P9.70 billion,” the -February was also a 12-percent jump from only P2.72 trillion a year ago. However, this was a 1.9-percent decline from P3.1 trillion as of end-December 2020, mainly becauseThe government’s of debt repayment. external debt as of end

.1 percent to P446.72 billion in February this year from P456.39 billion in the previous month. The government’s total outstanding guaranteed debt also shrank by 2 guarantees he Treasury said. “The lower level of guarantees was due to the net redemption of both local and foreign amounting to P9.99 billion and P0.34 billion, respectively,” t On top of this, the Treasury also said third-currency exchange rate fluctuations further lowered the peso value of external guarantees by P1.77 billion, slightly offsetting the P2.43-billion effect of local currency depreciation against the dollar.

Total outstanding guaranteed debt in February also dropped by 7.8 percent from P484.36 billion a year ago. It also slid by 2.5 percent from P458.35 billion as of end of last year.

Domestic outstanding guaranteed debt for the month also fell by 4.3 percent to P244.12 billion this year year. from last year’s P254.996 billion. It also declined by 3.9 percent from P254.11 billion in January this -on-year to P202.6 billion from P229.36 billion in February 2020. It also slightly went down by 0.2 percent from P202.28The government’s billion in Januaryexternal this guaranteed year. debt also contracted by 11.7 percent year

year to reach 57 percent of GDP as the country aims to borrow a total of P3.03 trillion, roughly the same amountFinance itSecretary borrowed Carlos in 2020. G. Dominguez III earlier said they expect the national government’s debt this

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/03/29/national-government-debt-hits-record-p10-4-trillion-as- more-loans-fuel-covid-response/

P23-B emergency subsidy for areas under ECQ signed

By Azer Parrocha March 30, 2021, 12:58 am

ECQ AID. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signs the proposed grant of financial assistance to the local government units placed under the enhanced community quarantine following the meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members in Malacañang on Monday night (March 29, 2021). Witnessing the signing are (L-R) Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Senator Christopher Lawrence Go, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Presidential Spokesperson Herminio "Harry" Roque Jr., and Presidential Adviser on Peace Process and National Task Force against Coronavirus Disease-2019 (NTF Covid-19) chief implementer, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (Presidential photo by King Rodriguez)

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday approved the release of PHP23-billion emergency subsidy to about 22.9 million individuals in Metro Manila and four nearby provinces placed under a week-long enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Duterte signed a document allowing the release of "in-kind" aid to beneficiaries during a meeting with Cabinet members aired over state-run PTV-4.

In the same meeting, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said 11.2 million from Metro Manila, 3 million from Bulacan, 3.4 million from Cavite, 2.7 million from Laguna, and 2.6 million recipients from Rizal will receive the emergency subsidy.

Avisado said the funds will be sourced from the remaining unutilized funds under Bayanihan 2, the government’s second pandemic stimulus package.

He said the distribution of in-kind aid may start during the first week of April.

Avisado said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will directly release the emergency subsidy to local government units (LGUs) for distribution to affected individuals.

“So wala po tayong cash po (So we won’t be distributing cash). We will leave it to the local government units,” Avisado said.

To avoid corruption, Avisado said LGUs will be required to provide a list of beneficiaries and submit reports of disbursements and utilization of funds.

“Let us just be careful. Siguraduhin lang natin na walang katiwalian (Let’s make sure there’s no corruption). I place my full faith and confidence in the mayors,” Duterte told Avisado.

During the ECQ last year, beneficiaries received PHP5,000 and PHP8,000 for the months of April and May. The second tranche of cash aid was also distributed for Filipinos who did not receive the first tranche. Duterte has placed Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal under ECQ, the most restrictive quarantine status, until April 4 to curb the spike in Covid-19 cases.

Under ECQ, all households will be required to observe strict home quarantine. Movements will be limited to Authorized Persons Outside Residence, those accessing essential goods and services, and workers in establishments allowed to operate.

As of Monday, the country has recorded 731,894 confirmed Covid-19 cases, 13,186 are deaths, and 603,213 are recoveries.

The country saw at most 10,016 daily infections since new Covid-19 variants have been detected. (PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135304

Duterte retains ECQ status of NCR, 4 areas until April 4

By Azer Parrocha March 30, 2021, 12:30 am

QUARANTINE CLASSIFICATIONS. President Rodrigo Duterte announces new quarantine classifications for April during his weekly talk to the people at Malacañan Palace on Monday night (March 29, 2021). Santiago City in Isabela will be placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from April 1 to 30 while Quirino Province will also be under MECQ form April 1 to 15. (Presidential photo by King Rodriguez)

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has retained the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) classification of the National Capital Region (NCR), Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal until April 4, 2021.

This, as he announced the new quarantine classifications in different parts of the country starting April 1 during his regular public address aired over state-run PTV-4 on Monday night.

The ECQ status -- the most restrictive status -- is, however, subject to further review.

From April 1 to 30, Santiago City in Isabela will be placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

Similarly, Quirino Province will be under MECQ from April 1 to 15, 2021.

In Luzon, the entire Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR); Cagayan, Isabela, and Nueva Vizcaya in Region II; and Batangas will be placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) until April 30.

Also under GCQ for the whole month of April are Tacloban City (Visayas); and Iligan City, Davao City, and Lanao del Sur (Mindanao).

All other areas will be placed under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), the most relaxed quarantine classification, for the month of April.

The country saw at most 10,016 daily infections since new Covid-19 variants have been detected.

As of Monday, the country has recorded 731,894 confirmed Covid-19 cases, 13,186 are deaths, and 603,213 are recoveries.

Malacañang earlier assured that the national government will be providing emergency subsidies to Filipinos in areas placed under ECQ.

Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said around 22.9 million beneficiaries could be given emergency assistance during the ECQ period. Around PHP23 billion in unutilized funds will be tapped for the assistance program.

During the ECQ last year, beneficiaries received PHP5,000 and PHP8,000 for the months of April and May. The second tranche of cash aid was also distributed for Filipinos who did not receive the first tranche. (PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135302

Relax tax filing restrictions amid ECQ, solon urges BIR

By Filane Mikee Cervantes March 29, 2021, 8:24 pm

•

MANILA – House Committee on Ways and Means chairman Rep. Joey Salceda on Monday appealed to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to ease tax filing restrictions in view of the declaration of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and the looming April 15 deadline.

The Albay congressman said among the adjustments that can be made is the relaxation of venue rules on filing of tax returns.

“I don’t think we can extend the deadline. We need the money especially given the plan for a SAP (Social Amelioration Program) 3. But there are other adjustments we can make,” Salceda said. “The venue restrictions are the most irrational part of the BIR tax regulations. It’s also the hardest to navigate, especially given the pandemic.”

Salceda also suggested that the withholding tax be reduced in light of the reduction in the tax rate.

“Withholding tax rate was 15 percent when the CIT (corporate income tax) was 30 percent. It follows that when we lowered to 20 percent, the rate should be 10 percent. It’s not for anything else but logic,” Salceda added.

Under the newly-signed Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, Salceda introduced a mandate requiring the Department of Finance to review rules on withholding taxes every three years.

“Because we changed the rules this year, we should review the revenue regulations on withholding also this year. Again, it’s the logical thing to do,” he said.

Salceda said he will also hold briefings with the BIR to ensure that the rules and regulations can be issued without delay. (PNA

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135278

ECQ for NCR, 4 other provinces very timely: Lorenzana

By Priam Nepomuceno March 29, 2021, 4:10 pm )

MANILA – For Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, the government's decision to place the National Capital Region (NCR) and the four other provinces under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) happened at just the right time.

Lorenzana, who is also chair of the National Task Force Against Covid-19, said the timing was just right as the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) was monitoring very closely the spike of new coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.

"Ang timing natin ay tama lang (Our timing was just right), we have to observe for a couple of days 'yung spike ng new cases, so we were watching closely, the IATF was watching closely sa pagtaas (rise). When it breached 8,000, that's the time that we acted," he said in an interview with CNN Philippines Monday.

ECQ for Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal started March 29 and will end on April 4.

"So today, we are on EQC and hopefully (with) this, we will stem the tide of the rising cases and let's see, we'll watch what happens next," Lorenzana said.

The defense chief also said there was a debate among the IATF on whether it was necessary to place Metro Manila and the four other provinces under ECQ due to its impact on the economy.

"The economic team doesn't want to impose ECQ because of economic health of the country (is in) jeopardy, but eventually they relented dahil nga pataas ng pataas na yung cases na bago (due to growing number of Covid-19 cases)," Lorenzana said.

He added that the one-week ECQ will help the government observe the trend on Covid-19 cases and allow it to act accordingly, including extending the ECQ if needed. (PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135201

Groups warn of ‘fragile’ economic recovery with education sector in crisis

Published March 29, 2021, 7:45 PM by Merlina Hernando-Malipot While the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is first and foremost a health crisis, its impact on education is expected to be unprecedented – especially in the coming years.

Recognizing this, eight of the biggest business organizations in the country on Monday, March 29, called for urgent and comprehensive reforms in the Philippine education sector.

During the joint membership meeting on the Philippine learning crisis organized by the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) via Zoom, the groups also warned that the current learning loss threatens the country’s economic growth for years to come.

“The growth trajectory of our nation is being threatened by the learning crisis. Will our workforce have the skills they need to keep up with the changing business landscape?” said PBEd Chair Ramon del Rosario, Jr. “Will our industries thrive on the back of our future workforce? Let me tell you now: if we do nothing to arrest the decline in our education system, the answer to these questions is a resounding no,” he added.

Representatives from the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), PBEd, Philippine Business for Social Progress and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry participated in the online event, which called for a united business community to help address the learning crisis in the country.

With the COVID-19 pandemic deflating the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 9.5 percent in 2020, the groups warned that the learning loss currently experienced by Filipino students portends a slow economic growth in the years to come, threatening the country’s chances of a full recovery.

“It’s not unreasonable to say that if future members of the workforce are not receiving the proper education right now, they are not getting the skills they need to secure employment in the future,” PBEd Executive Director Love Basillote said. “Our businesses simply cannot be competitive if they lack the skilled workforce that will help them thrive,” she added.

Basilio also noted that the longer “students are kept out of school, the bigger their losses will be in terms of future earnings.”

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Former Education Secretary Armin Luistro, who is currently the brother provincial of the Lasallian East Asia District, said in his keynote address that stakeholders in the education sector must focus on five areas in reforming Philippine education. “The learning crisis is big, multi-faceted, multi-player and multi-generational,” he added.

Meanwhile, MAP President Aurelio Montinola III also called on the business community to reach out to other members of society and work together in ensuring that economic growth still remains inclusive.

“Almost 3 million Filipino students have been left behind; our teachers are put under enormous stress to adjust their teaching methods; families are scrambling for resources to keep up with distance learning; and the entire education system is grappling with the herculean tasks of improving accessibility and the quality of education,” he said. “Unless we come up with something urgent and comprehensive, we are throwing away the future of an entire generation of Filipino learners,” he added.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/groups-warn-of-fragile-economic-recovery-with-education-sector-in- crisis/

Chinese ships remain in Julian Felipe Reef, defense chief says

ByRENE ACOSTA

MARCH 30, 2021

This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows Chinese vessels anchored in Julian Felipe Reef, or the Whitsun Reef, located in the disputed South China Sea on Tuesday, March 23, 2021. The

South China Sea, where Manila has asked a Chinese fishing flotilla to leave a reef. China ignored the call, insistingUnited States it owns said the Tuesday offshore it’s territory. backing the Philippines in a new standoff with Beijing in the disputed

Chinese ships moored in great numbers in the Julian Felipe Reef are trying to drive away Philippine

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Monday, even as he disclosed proposals to anchor a tanker shipmilitary inside “sovereignty the reef. patrols” in the area, but their warnings are being ignored by the government,

the“There latest is nosituation physical inside confrontation, the reef. but there are warnings, their warnings [say] ‘do not come here.’ We [replied], ‘we are patrolling our area,” the defense chief told CNN Philippines as he provided a glimpse of Lorenzana said the exchanges between the Chinese manning the maritime militia vessels and the regular occurrences every time the military conducts sovereignty run in the West Philippine Sea territory. Filipino patrols are “standard,” saying these are The number of Chinese ships inside the reef, which, according to Lorenzana stretches to about 30 kilometers and measures 50 kilometers in width, has not considerably decreased, with about 183 vessels still remaining, although the number may have went down from the more than 220 ships that were spotted on March 7.

Lorenzana admitted the presence of the ships inside the reef and their purpose still remain a puzzle for claim that they were merely sheltering from bad weather. the government, reiterating there is no reason for them to be there despite the Chinese government’s ese are fishing boats, and they are sheltering from turbulent seas or bad weather. Now, I, we know from experience that “There must some reasons why they are there… the Chinese ambassador insists that th this period of the year, from January to May, the water is apparently calm,” the defense chief said. tion of the Chinese that they are there to hide against the [harsh]

“There was [no] truth in the allega elements of the sea. This [period] is also…fishing season there…[and] the water is calm,” he added. Lorenzana said they are intently monitoring the ships and an Air Force S-211 plane has also been sent for a regular patrol run over the reef, while the government is planning to send a vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, hopefully by this week. The government is also eyeing the deployment of a tanker ship inside the reef, but Lorenzana said this still remains a proposal from the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea and no action has been taken yet.

In mulling over the possibility of permanently berthing a tanker vessel in Julian Felipe Reef, the government is apparently attempting to replicate its move in the Ayungin Shoal where the BRP Sierra Madre, a derelict and partly submerged tanker vessel, has been permanently moored and is being used as an outpost for Marine soldiers in the area as a symbol of Philippine sovereignty.

waters.The government, Lorenzana said, is very cautious in sending Navy ships, saying this will “militarize” the area, although the government maintains that Julian Felipe Reefs is within the country’s maritime Lorenzana maintained that the Chinese ships should leave the area, a position that he said has been conveyed by no less than President Duterte to the Chinese ambassador to the Philippines, who, in turn, . told the Commander in Chief that he would relay it to Duterte’s Chinese counterpart

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/03/30/chinese-ships-remain-in-julian-felipe-reef-defense-chief- says/

Defense chief tiptoes on reef case with China posted March 30, 2021 at 01:30 am by Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has said deploying Filipino ships in the Julian Felipe Reef may “militarize” the area but quickly added “we have to avoid provocation”–with some 200 Chinese vessels there, reported by Beijing as taking shelter from bad weather.

Lorenzana on Monday announced a Coast Guard ship might be stationed off Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea to monitor the large number of Chinese vessels that have massed in the vicinity since March 7.

Lorenzana, in an interview with CNN Philippines, said Coast Guard ships would be constantly stationed in the area.

“I think we are going to station a Coast Guard ship there continuously,” he said.

The Philippine Navy will still be in the general vicinity so as not to be accused of “provoking an incident” and “militarizing the area”.

There have been no physical confrontations but Lorenzana noted the Chinese vessels had sent out “warnings” for the Philippine ships not to approach them.

In the meantime, a Philippine air force jet is conducting daily patrols over Chinese fishing vessels parked near the reef, Lorenzana said, as Beijing refuses to pull the ships out of the area.

Meanwhile, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington stood with the Philippines as China maritime militia ships swarm around Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea.

“The United States stands with our ally, the Philippines, in the face of the PRC’s maritime militia amassing at WhitsunReef,” Blinken posted on his Twitter account.

“We will always stand by our allies and stand up for the rules-based international order,” he added.

Blinken made the statement as Lorenzana assured the public the government was assessing the situation in Julian Felipe Reef and was ready to defend the country’s sovereignty. “I assure our people that we are addressing the situation. We stand by our position calling for the immediate withdrawal of Chinese vessels in the Julian Felipe Reef, which was communicated to the Chinese Ambassador,” Lorenzana said last weekend.

“We are ready to defend our national sovereignty and protect the marine resources of the Philippines,” he added.

At the same time, Lorenzana announced that more Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard ships would be sent to the area.

“There will be an increased presence of the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard ships to conduct sovereignty patrols and protect our fishermen in the West Philippine Sea,” he stressed.

Earlier, the Department of Foreign Affairs filed diplomatic protest against the presence of 220 Chinese militia vessels at Julian Felipe Reef.

In Congress, a congressional leader took note of “considerable risk” that a Chinese vessel might end up accidentally running aground in the shallow waters and submerged ridges of the West Philippine Sea.

“We would urge the National Task Force for the WPS to seriously consider this risk, at the rate Chinese vessels are swarming around Julian Felipe Reef,” Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, chairperson of the House committee on strategic intelligence, said.

“In fact, the task force may have to prepare a contingency plan – a comprehensive course of action – in the event of such an unpleasant incident,” Pimentel said.

At the same time, Pimentel, a deputy speaker, voiced concern over the “reef degradation” caused by the horde of Chinese vessels.

“It is not really good for ships to moor there for extended periods because anchors can cause extensive damage to coral reefs and reef-associated habitat such as seagrass beds,” Pimentel pointed out.

“In fact, the hazard of reef damage gets worse during bad weather owing to the risk of anchor dragging and grounding,” Pimentel said. Last week, the Philippine government demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Chinese vessels moored within the West Philippine Sea, saying their presence was a blatant infringement of the country’s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction.

The Chinese Embassy denied the vessels were operated by Chinese maritime militia.

It said the vessels were only “seeking shelter” near the reef, which they claimed was part of China’s Nansha Islands or Spratlys in the South China Sea.

In related developments, Australia has expressed concern over recent “destabilizing actions” in the South China Sea, its envoy to the Philippines said Monday, as China continued its assertive maritime agenda in the vital waterway.

“Australia supports an Indo-Pacific region which is secure, stable and sovereign. The South China Sea, [which] is a critical international waterway, is governed by international rules and norms, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which is very important to us,” Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Steven Robinson told ANC.

“As a consequence, we remain concerned about any destabilizing actions that could provoke escalation in the South China Sea.”

France and Germany, the latest among those who issued a statement, also called on parties “to refrain from measures which endanger peace, stability, and security” in the Indo-Pacific.

Lorenzana said the Philippines would use white ships, meaning law enforcement vessels like the Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, which are civilian ships.

He added there was also a suggestion to take a tanker near the reef like what was previously done in the Ayungin Reef where a Navy landing ship, the BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57), which ran aground in 1999, is now being used as headquarters by Philippine Marine Corps personnel tasked to guard the country’s claims in the area.

Lorenzana, however, said they were still looking at this proposal.

At the same time, Navy chief Vice Admiral Giovannoi Carlo Bacordo said several naval ships were ready for patrol missions at the Julian Felipe Reef but this would be up to the operational commanders when to deploy them.

Some of the ships that can be deployed to patrol the WPS include the offshore patrol vessel BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16) and the anti-submarine corvette BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39). “As to what vessels will be deployed to Julian Felipe Reef or the details of their deployment, that’s the call of the operational commanders,” Bacordo said.

The military’s first missile frigate, the BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) would be deployed to the WPS only through an order from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Lorenzana said: “We are ready to defend our national sovereignty and protect the marine resources of the Philippines,” Lorenzana said, repeating a call for the Chinese ships to withdraw.

He added there would be an “increased presence” of navy and coast guard ships patrolling Philippine waters.

The resource-rich South China Sea is contested by several countries, including the Philippines and China.

Beijing often invokes the so-called nine-dash line to justify its apparent historic rights over most of it, and has ignored a 2016 international tribunal decision that declared this assertion as without basis.

President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed concern over the presence of the vessels to the Chinese ambassador in Manila, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Thursday.

Duterte has fostered warmer ties with Beijing since taking office in 2016 in exchange for greater economic cooperation with its superpower neighbor.

But the shift has failed to stem Chinese ambitions in the South China Sea, or unlock much of the billions of dollars of promised trade and loans. With PNA and AFP

https://manilastandard.net/news/national/350774/defense-chief-tiptoes-on-reef-case-with-china.html

DND mulls leaving Phl ship in contested reef Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana noted that the suggestion was similar to a move by the government to let a World War II-era naval ship run aground at Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) in 1999. Published 18 hours ago On March 29, 2021 07:59 PM By John Roson

Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Monday said his office will study a suggestion to leave a ship at the Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef) which is currently occupied by Chinese vessels.

“We’re looking into it. ‘Yun ang isang suggestion ng, I think West Philippine Sea Task Force, sinasabi nila kung puwedeng dalahin na natin ‘yung isang tanker dun, ilagay dun,” Lorenzana said in an interview over CNN Philippines.

The defense chief noted that the suggestion was similar to a move by the government to let a World War II-era naval ship run aground at Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) in 1999.

“But is it possible to do that? Kasi ‘yung Ayungin, walang tao du’n noon, eh, dinala na lang natin du’n. Sinadsad natin many years ago. Let’s see how this plan will develop,” he said.

According to Lorenzana, the group of about 200 Chinese ships remain at Julian Felipe Reef after being spotted there by the Philippine Coast Guard earlier this month.

The latest check on the vessels was conducted on Sunday, when an Air Force S-211 jet flew over the reef, he said.

Lorenzana said he and the Chinese ambassador have talked about the vessels’ presence, and the latter maintained that the ships, part of the “thousands” of Chinese ships in the South China Sea, were only moored there to take shelter.

He said he learned from the PCG that waters outside the V-shaped reef were “choppy,” while it was calm inside. “There must be some truth in the allegation of the Chinese na nandun sila para magtago sa elements, and it is also fishing season… [but] we are watching closely kung ano pa ang gagawin nila sa mga susunod na araw.”

Lorenzana, meanwhile, reiterated his call for the vessels to be withdrawn from the reef.

“Tanggalin n’yo ‘yan diyan because it’s alarming the Filipino people,” he said, adding that President Duterte has also made a similar call.

Lorenzana said the government, for now, is considering stationing a Coast Guard ship “continuously” at the reef.

“Coast Guard muna, but our Navy ship will be patrolling the general vicinity. Ayaw kasi nating matawag tayo na provoking, retraining our Navy ships in the area, then we will be charged for provoking an incident and militarizing the area.”

https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/03/29/dnd-mulls-leaving-phl-ship-in-contested-reef/

Coast Guard ship to be stationed off Julian Felipe Reef

By Priam Nepomuceno March 29, 2021, 3:49 pm

MANILA – Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Monday announced a Coast Guard ship may be stationed off Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea to monitor the large number of Chinese vessels that have massed in the vicinity since March 7.

Lorenzana, in an interview with CNN Philippines, said Coast Guard ships will be constantly stationed in the area.

"I think we are going to station a Coast Guard ship there continuously," he said.

The Philippine Navy will still be in the general vicinity so as not to be accused of "provoking an incident" and "militarizing the area".

"So (we will use) white ships (law enforcement vessels like the Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources), these are civilian ships," Lorenzana said.

He added that there is also a suggestion to take a tanker near the reef like what was previously done in the Ayungin Reef where a Navy landing ship, the BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57, which was deliberately ran aground in 1999, is now being used as headquarters by Philippine Marine Corps personnel tasked to guard the country's claims in the area.

Lorenzana, however, said they are still looking at this proposal.

"There was a suggestion and we are studying it. No decision (yet to) do it," he added.

Earlier, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF WPS) expressed concern about a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) report that around 220 Chinese fishing vessels, believed to be manned by Chinese maritime militia personnel, were sighted in line formation at the Julian Felipe Reef on March 7.

“The NTF WPS notes this circumstance as a concern due to the possible overfishing and destruction of the marine environment, as well as risks to the safety of navigation,” the NTF WPS said. The reef is a large boomerang-shaped shallow coral reef at the northeast of Pagkakaisa Banks and Reefs (Union Reefs), located approximately 175 nautical miles west of Bataraza, Palawan. (PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135211

Philippines sending Coast Guard, BFAR ships to reef Michael Punongbayan (The Philippine Star

) - March 30, 2021 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — To avoid being accused of provocation by Beijing, the military will not send naval ships to the Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) now being swarmed by Chinese vessels and instead just let Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) or Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels assert the country’s sovereignty in the area.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana pointed this out yesterday in an interview with CNN Philippines. But he stressed the Navy “will be patrolling the area, the general vicinity of the area.”

As this developed, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared that the United States “stands with our ally the Philippines” in the face of China’s latest maritime intrusion.

“We don’t want to be accused of provoking, retaining our Navy ships in the area,” Lorenzana said.

Deployment of naval vessels in the Julian Felipe Reef might be misinterpreted as “militarizing the area,” he said. “So white ship for now; only Coast Guard or BFAR.”

He said the country is calling for the pullout of the Chinese vessels and that President Duterte himself has spoken with Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian about the matter.

“The President said that we assert our right over the area according to the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) of 1982 and according to the 2016 arbitral ruling,” Lorenzana said.

“And the President told the ambassador to remove those ships because their presence is alarming Filipinos. That’s the exact word – ‘alarming the Filipino people,’” he added. The Chinese ambassador promised to relay Duterte’s concerns to Beijing, Lorenzana said, adding there are fewer than 200 Chinese vessels now in the vicinity of Julian Felipe Reef.

He said waters around the reef are choppy but that it is relatively calm inside the reef located off Bataraza in Palawan. The Chinese claimed their vessels were just seeking refuge in the reef due to rough waters.

In a tweet, Blinken said China is “working to undercut the rules of the international system and the values we and our allies share, and threatens our collective security and prosperity.”

“The United States stands with our ally, the Philippines, in the face of the PRC’s maritime militia amassing at Whitsun Reef,” Blinken said, referring to Julian Felipe Reef by its international name.

“We will always stand by our allies and stand up for the rules-based international order,” he said.

The Philippines lodged a diplomatic protest against Beijing over the presence of around 220 Chinese vessels believed to be militias in the reef.

The US embassy said the Chinese deployed the vessels to “intimidate, provoke and threaten” other countries. It also dismissed Beijing’s excuse that its vessels were in the reef to seek refuge from rough seas. The US said the Chinese boats have been mooring in this area for many months in ever increasing numbers, “regardless of the weather.”

For some lawmakers, the Chinese vessels also pose risk to the environment as they could run aground and damage coral reefs, just like what happened in 2013 when a US warship ran aground in Tubbataha Reef in Palawan.

“We would urge the National Task Force for the WPS to seriously consider this risk, at the rate Chinese vessels are swarming around Julian Felipe Reef,” Rep. Johnny Pimentel, chairman of the House committee on strategic intelligence, said.

The Surigao del Sur congressman said there is a “considerable risk” that a Chinese vessel might end up running aground in the shallow waters and submerged ridges of the West Philippine Sea. As a result of the 2013 accident, the US had to pay $1.7 million to the Philippines as compensation. The US warship was eventually removed after a lengthy and costly salvage effort by US Navy contractors.

In 2018, the Philippine Navy’s own flagship, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, ran aground while on night patrol in the vicinity of Hasa-Hasa Shoal near the Spratly Islands.

“The task force may have to prepare a contingency plan – a comprehensive course of action – in the event of such an unpleasant incident,” Pimentel said.

“It is not really good for ships to moor there for extended periods because anchors can cause extensive damage to coral reefs and reef-associated habitat such as seagrass beds,” Pimentel pointed out.

“In fact, the hazard of reef damage gets worse during bad weather owing to the risk of anchor dragging and grounding,” Pimentel said.

“We must stress that under international law, we are duty-bound to conserve and manage the natural resources within our 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, while enjoying sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting such resources,” he said. – Pia Lee-Brago, Delon Porcalla

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/03/30/2088007/philippines-sending-coast-guard-bfar-ships- reef

Deployment of ships to patrol WPS depends on higher-ups

By Priam Nepomuceno March 29, 2021, 11:58 am

MANILA – Several Philippine Navy ships are ready for patrol missions at the Julian Felipe Reef but it is up to the operational commanders when to deploy them.

Navy chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said Navy vessels and aircraft are stationed at the Naval Forces West and Naval Forces Northern Luzon which cover the jurisdiction of the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Some of the ships that can be deployed to patrol the WPS include the offshore patrol vessel BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16) and the anti-submarine corvette BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39).

"As to what vessels will be deployed to Julian Felipe Reef or the details of their deployment, that's the call of the operational commanders," Bacordo said.

The military's first missile frigate, the BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) would be deployed to the WPS only through an order from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

"When HHQ (higher headquarters) so directs," Bacordo said.

Since the latest incursion of around 220 Chinese maritime militia at the Julian Felipe Reef on March 7, the Philippines has been deploying military aircraft to monitor the situation in the area.

The reef is within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. It is located approximately 175 nautical miles west of Bataraza, Palawan.

The United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany as well as the European Union already aired concern over the current situation in the region.

France and Germany, the latest among those who issued a statement, called on parties "to refrain from measures which endanger peace, stability, and security" in the Indo-Pacific. (PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135177 Security sector verifying departure of Chinese ships at Julian Felipe Reef

Published March 29, 2021, 3:33 PM by Martin Sadongdong PH patrol ships told to leave own territory…

Top security officials are now confirming the reported departure of Chinese vessels moored in line formation at the Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

(PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN)

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. confirmed on Monday, March 29, that they have received a report about the departure of majority of the 220 Chinese vessels at the reef, more than three weeks since they were first spotted on March 7.

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Esperon, who is also the chairman of the National Task Force for West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS), shared a screen capture of a satellite image taken by American private Earth imaging company Planet Labs showing that the bulk of the Chinese vessels believed to be manned by maritime militia have left the reef.

“Still for verification. The picture might be an old one. [The] NTF-WPS will meet tomorrow (March 30) morning,” he said.

If the satellite image is to be based, Esperon said that only around 50 vessels would have remained at the reef.

“Now, [the] problem is where to find them in the vast waters and features/islands in [the] South China Sea,” he stressed.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/security-sector-verifying-departure-of-chinese-ships-at-julian-felipe- reef/

Locsin asks for aerial view to check Chinese vessels’ presence in WPS; new’ satellite image surfaces

Published March 29, 2021, 3:10 PM by Roy Mabasa Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. wants an aerial view of the West Philippine Sea taken to see whether the more than 200 Chinese vessels moored and lingering in Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef) have already left the area under almost perfect weather.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. (PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)

Locsin’s comment via a tweet came hours after US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken reiterated Washington’s commitment to stand by with its ally the Philippines over the amassing of Chinese ‘militia’ near the Julian Felipe Reef.

“Weather’s clear, winds down, sea’s like glass, seagulls languidly floating, the Chinese fishing vessels hunkered down for rough seas should have left by now for port or fresh fishing grounds. Can we have a flyover to take a photo; can’t trust native media for verisimilitude,” Locsin said in a social media post on Monday.

However, Twitter user Duan Dang posted a satellite image showing only a handful of Chinese vessels left around the boomerang-shaped Julian Felipe Reef.

“The bulk of Chinese vessels anchoring at Whitsun Reef have left, according to Planet’s satellite image on March 28,” said a caption detailing the posted satellite image.

This satellite photo was a stark contrast to the video footage released by CNN Philippines on March 26 showing a ‘flotilla’ of Chinese vessels still lingering around Julian Felipe Reef, an area within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

The massing of over 200 Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea has raised concerns among the members of the international community that includes the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, among others.

On Monday, Blinken said the US stands with the Philippines in the face of China’s maritime militia amassing at Whitsun Reef.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/locsin-asks-for-aerial-view-to-check-chinese-vessels-presence-in- wps-new-satellite-image-surfaces/ Solon: Moored Chinese vessels will contribute to further reef degradation in WPS

Published March 29, 2021, 2:54 PM by Hannah Torregoza Surigao Del Sur Representative Johnny Pimentel on Monday, March 29 warned that the swarm of moored Chinese vessels in the Julian Felipe Reef could further contribute to the reef degradation in the West Philippine Sea.

(AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)

Pimentel said there is “considerable risk” of this happening as any of the Chinese vessel staying in reef could accidentally run aground in the shallow waters and submerged ridges of the WPS.

“We would urge the National Task Force for the WPS to seriously consider this risk, at the rate Chinese vessels are swarming around Julian Felipe Reef,” Pimentel said in a statement.

The chair of the House Committee on Strategic Intelligence said the Task Force should also prepare a contingency plan in the event of such “an unpleasant incident.”

“It is not really good for ships to moor there for extended periods because anchors can cause extensive damage to coral reefs and reef-associated habitat such as seagrass beds,” he said.

“In fact, the hazard of reef damage gets worse during bad weather owing to the risk of anchor dragging and grounding,” he pointed out.

“We must stress that under international law, we are duty-bound to conserve and manage the natural resources within our 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), while enjoying sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting such resources,” added the lawmaker.

Pimentel recalled that the United States had to pay the Philippines a $1.7-million fine when a US warship accidentally ran aground at the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, some 130 kilometers southeast of Palawan, in 2013.

The amount paid to the Philippines was to compensate the reef damage caused by the USS Guardian, which had strayed into Tubbataha after a port call and fuel stop at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales. The US Navy contractors were able to eventually remove the vessel after a lengthy and costly salvage effort.

In the Senate, Senator Risa Hontiveros filed Senate Resolution No. 369, urging the Duterte administration to “exert legal and diplomatic pressure” on China to stop it from its continued activities in the WPS which is harming the country’s coral reef ecosystems.

Hontiveros said China’s debts to the country now stands at more than P800-billion amid its aggressive moves in the WPS.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/solon-moored-chinese-vessels-will-contribute-to-further-reef- degradation-in-wps/

'Atin ang Emden Deep': Filipino scientist stakes claim after dive to 3rd deepest place on earth ABS-CBN News Posted at Mar 29 2021 08:53 AM | Updated as of Mar 29 2021 11:56 AM

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Courtesy of DSSV Pressure Drop Facebook Page

MANILA - "Atin ang Emden Deep."

A Filipino scientist from the University of the Philippines had this to say after he descended last week into the third deepest place in the ocean -- the Emden Deep.

For Dr. Deo Florence Onda, his dive meant the Philippines could stake a claim to Emden Deep, which is located 34,100 feet deep in the Philippine Trench.

"One of the main objectives really of the expedition and the exploration is to assert the sovereign rights of the country in the Emden Deep," he told Teleradyo's "Sakto".

The microbial oceanographer added, "I hope through that symbolic gesture... pinararamdam ko din sa mga Filipino na atin nga ang Emden Deep... I think it's very important with what's happening in the West Philippine Sea." He was joined by undersea explorer Victor Vescovo, who holds the record for the deepest manned descent in the Mariana Trench in 2019.

The Filipino scientist was invited by private organization Caladan Oceanic in the expedition and explored Emden Deep onboard the submersible DSV Limiting Factor.

Courtesy of DSSV Pressure Drop Facebook Page

Onda described the dive, which took 12 hours to complete, as "surreal" or "out of this world".

"It's something that I have not seen in the surface of the earth before. Napakabagal ng galaw ng mga bagay-bagay," he said.

His team is currently reviewing footage of the dive.

The UP Marine Science Institute earlier touted the activity as a "major record-setting scientific and historic achievement."

“The Philippine Trench is a unique feature found within the EEZ of the Philippines, and it is only appropriate that a Filipino scientist be one of the first to hold this record in the Emden Deep,” it said.

After reaching Emden Deep, Onda's next goal is to explore the West Philippine Sea.

"Susunod natin ay ang West Philippine Sea para gumawa ng expedition ng isang buwan. Pag- aaralan natin do'n kung ano ang nangyayari sa kapaligiran, sa marine environment," he said.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/29/21/atin-ang-emdem-deep-filipino-scientist-stakes-claim-after- dive-to-3rd-deepest-place-on-earth

Jogging, recreational cycling, not allowed in MOA, CCP Complex

Published March 29, 2021, 1:25 PM by Dhel Nazario Unless you’re heading for work, you won’t be allowed to bike in the areas of Mall of Asia (MOA) as well as the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the Pasay City Police said.

(UNSPLASH / MANILA BULLETIN)

This measure will be in place during the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region Plus (NCR-plus) from March 29 to April 4.

“Bawal..pati cyclist at e-Bikers or rollerskater sa MOA at CCP Complex. Magpapalagay ako ng tarpaulin sa mga entrances. Unless dadaan ka papunta sa trabaho mo (I will put up signs at the entrances that cyclists, bikers, eBikers, rollerskaters are not allowed in MOA and CCP Complex unless they are going to work),” Pasay City Police Chief Col. Cesar Paday-os said in a text message.

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Police officers have been monitoring these areas in Pasay City where joggers, bikers, and those who love to exercise or do other recreational activities have been known to flock.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases continue to increase in Pasay City. As of its last update, the city logged a total of 818 active cases with 116 new cases.

Pasay City General Hospital (PGCH) remains at full capacity as of March 27, with all eight of its Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds all occupied and 28 of its beds for COVID-19 completely occupied.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/jogging-recreational-cycling-not-allowed-in-moa-ccp-complex/

Lay down arms, rejoin mainstream society, DND chief tells Reds

By Priam Nepomuceno March 29, 2021, 7:02 pm

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (File photo)

MANILA – Rather than destroying the country, the New People's Army (NPA) communist terrorists should stop committing atrocities, lay down their arms, and rejoin mainstream society.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana made this statement as the NPA observes its 52nd founding anniversary Monday.

"In marking their anniversary this March 29, the NPA, especially those in the higher echelons, should listen to the Filipino people: Enough is enough," he said.

Lorenzana also scored the communist terrorists for taking pride in their willful destruction and burning of properties, spreading lies, sowing violence, and undermining the Republic, all in the name of their flawed ideology.

"Regarding themselves above the laws of the land, the NPA continuously and without remorse committed murder and other crimes. The blood of thousands are on their hands," the defense chief added.

Lorenzana also slammed the NPA for perpetuating insurgency through deception and terrorism.

"This communist terrorist group should know that we are not going to leave any stone unturned to finally end the atrocities they commit against the Filipino people. We will not falter in our mission," he said.

He also said if the Filipino public have not heeded their call for a so-called revolution after all these years, NPA members should realize that it is high time for them to lay down their arms. "Let us work together for healing and sincere reconciliation through the government's localized reintegration efforts," he added.

Lorenzana said the country has much more to gain in seeking to build than to destroy.

"More than 50 years of terrorism and destruction is enough. A different road leading to peace and nation-building is already laid in front of us. This is what we all long for and the future generations of Filipinos deserve," he added.

Founded on March 29, 1969, by the collaboration of Jose Maria Sison and former members of the Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan led by Bernabe Buscayno, the NPA has since waged a guerrilla war based on the Maoist strategy of protracted people's war.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135279

Lorenzana on NPA anniversary: More than 50 years of terrorism is enough

Published March 29, 2021 6:47pm

Defense Chief Delfin Lorenzana on Monday called for the end of years of "terrorism and destruction" as the New People's Army (NPA) marked its 52nd founding anniversary.

"Indeed, we have much more to gain in seeking to build than to destroy. More than 50 years of terrorism and destruction is enough. A different road leading to peace and nation-building is already laid in front of us. This is what we all long for and the future generations of Filipinos deserve," Lorenzana said in a statement.

Lorenzana said the armed group of communist rebels "took pride in burning properties, spreading lies, and sowing violence."

"Regarding themselves above the laws of the land, the NPA continuously and without remorse committed murder and other crimes. The blood of thousands are on their hands," the defense chief said.

Lorenzana also reiterated his vow that there will be no let up in their operations against the NPA rebels.

"This communist terrorist group should know that we are not going to leave any stone unturned to finally end the atrocities they commit against the Filipino people. We will not falter in our mission," the defense chief said.

"If the people have not heeded their call for a so-called revolution after all these years, the members of the NPA should realize that it is high time for them to lay down their arms," he added.

Lorenzana, nonetheless, said the military welcomes rebel returnees, hoping that more communist rebels would surrender to the government. "Tinatanggap natin ang ating mga kababayan na nais nang magbalik-loob. Nawa'y mas marami pa sa inyong hanay ang magpasya na talikuran na ang marahas na landas na tinatahak ng NPA," he said.

(We are accepting rebel returnees. I hope more communist rebels would decide to end their relations with NPA.)

In December last year, Lorenzana said military forces will be more vigilant against possible assault from communist rebels.

President Rodrigo Duterte has ended peace negotiations with the communist groups, saying that there will be no more ceasefire with the NPA until the end of his term. — Consuelo Marquez/BM, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/781691/lorenzana-on-npa-anniversary-more-than- 50-years-of-terrorism-is-enough/story/

Peacebuilding NGO sees clashes in Maguindanao as preview to more violence

Published March 29, 2021, 9:21 PM by Zea Capistrano DAVAO CITY – A peacebuilding organization warned that the recent clashes between the government’s military forces and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao is only a preview of more violence in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“If the violence continues, the Bangsamoro may experience an attack on a political or cultural center, in a pattern similar to the chain of events that led to the capture of Butig and Marawi City, in 2016 and 2017 respectively, by the Maute Group in Lanao del Sur,” the International Alert Philippines said in a statement on Monday, March 29.

Alert noted that “the firefight that began on March 18 in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town was the latest episode involving the military and the BIFF, as monitored by Alert since January through its Critical Events Monitoring System that receives on-the-ground reports from local contacts.”

“The military claimed it attacked BIFF forces under the command of Kagi Karialan when the BIFF tried to violently thwart the establishment of a Joint Peace and Security Team in Brgy Kitango, Datu Saudi Ampatuan,” it said.

It also noted that the BIFF-Karialan faction “has escalated its armed attacks in recent months, targeting indigenous groups including the Teduray in other municipalities such as South Upi.”

According to Francisco Lara, Jr., Senior Peace and Conflict Adviser of International Alert Philippines, the incident “may be an effort to demonstrate the Karialan group’s superiority over other extremist groups in the area and hence gain more recruits and support, or it can be part of a ‘slow burn’ or a gradual yet deliberate escalation of violence that leads to a major political battle before or during the 2022 elections.”

Alert said that the violence perpetrated by extremist groups “such as the BIFF and the shadow economies in drugs and weapons will combine and feed into the violence surrounding these political contests.”

It added that the BIFF will continue to be a threat as the group continues to receive funding not just from other armed groups but also from “local politicians, businessmen, and violent entrepreneurs involved in deadly shadow economies.”

“Reports from our early response network reveal how some local politicians are orchestrating violent incidents in Datu Saudi Ampatuan and nearby towns to depict the BTA (Bangsamoro Transition Authority) as ineffective in improving the security in this conflict- ridden area and hence weaken the legitimacy and authority of the Bangsamoro transition government,” Lara said.

“Many politicians are interested in seizing control of the BTA and the BARMM if elections are held as scheduled in 2022. Others are aware that the MILF is also planning to field candidates against them in their local bailiwicks,” he added.

Alert added that the government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) “will need to show greater resolve in neutralizing the BIFF and other extremist groups before the elections.”

“For the MILF, it will mean disregarding kinship ties in going after the BIFF, even if it leads to internal fissures,” it said.

As provided under the Republic Act 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), the first election in BARMM shall be held in May 2022 synchronized with the national and local elections. However, efforts to extend the three-year transition for another three years are now being undertaken.

In his report to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) on March 25, Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim said they have conducted a roundtable discussion with the House of Representatives “to shed light on issues, nuances, and the rationale behind the proposed bills extending the transition period.”

Ebrahim said they also met with the leadership of both houses of Congress and other lawmakers since the extension requires amendments to the BOL.

In a previous statement, BARMM Spokesman and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo explained that the extension of the transition period is for the full implementation of the peace agreement signed between the Government of the Philippines and the MILF.

“We should all contribute to ensuring that peace agreements’ dream of creating a peaceful progressive Bangsamoro is achieved. The only way to achieve that is to postpone the 2022 election at the regional level, and ensure that by the next three years we are able to complete all the work that needs to be done, so that the peace agreement is complied with, and the organic law is fully implemented,” Sinarimbo said.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/peacebuilding-ngo-sees-clashes-in-maguindanao-as-preview-to-more- violence/

House Speaker backs Duterte adm Reds, Moro rebels inistration’s amnesty program for ByJOVEE MARIE DE LA CRUZ

MARCH 30, 2021

House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco

House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco has thrown his support behind program for Muslim and communist rebels who may have opted to lay down their arms and return to the fold of the law. the Duterte administration’s amnesty

Velasco said the House Committees on Justice and on National Defense and Security have already adopted four resolutions concurring with the proclamations signed by President Duterte granting amnesty to members of four major rebel groups.

former rebe “The amnesty program is a huge step toward achieving just and lasting peace in the country and giving ls a path back into civilian life,” the House leader said. [Moro Islamic Liberation Front] decommissioned combatants into peaceful and progressive lives to“The amnesty will also provide a meaningful and complete transformation and assimilation of the MILF

wards national reconciliation and healing in the Bangsamoro,” he added. Last month, President Duterte issued Proclamation 1090 to 1093 granting amnesty to members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), MNLF, Rebolusyunaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB), and Communist

Terrorist Group (CTG) who may have committed crimes in “furtherance of their political beliefs.” cerity and determination to attain sustainable peace in the country. Velasco said the grant of amnesty is proof of the government’s sin

According to the House leader, amnesty is “necessary for the general interest of the Philippines and the Filipino people for a just and lasting peace.” Velasco said the creation of the National Amnesty Commission and the grant of amnesty in favor of MILF

Agreement on the Bangsamoro, particularly the gradual normalization of the previously conflict-affected would “enable the delivery of an important commitment of the government under the Comprehensive areas.” from armed combatants to productive citizens and peace partners is necessary to achieve the paramount“Both Houses ends of Congressof the peace recognize process thatnational transforming MNLF [Moro National Liberation Front] members

— unity, solidarity and progress for all Filipinos,” he said. In his proclamation, President Duterte said there is a need to reintegrate as soon as possible all rebels and insurgents into the mainstream society under the rule of law, including those who may have committed unlawful acts.

restore political and civil rights, which were lost due to criminal conviction, the proclamation stated. The amnesty “shall extinguish any criminal liability for acts committed in pursuit of political beliefs” and However, the amnesty would not cover kidnappings for ransom, massacres, rape, terrorism, drug trafficking and certain crimes the United Nations says should never be covered by amnesties, such as genocide, crimes against humanity and torture.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/03/30/house-speaker-backs-duterte-administrations-amnesty- program-for-reds-moro-rebels/

Groups reiterate call on SC for TRO on ATL in light of DILG memo

Published March 29, 2021, 8:39 PM by Merlina Hernando-Malipot Teachers along with other government employees reiterated their call upon the high court to urgently issue a status quo ante order and/or a temporary restraining order on the Anti- Terrorism Law (ATL).

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines and the Confederation for Unity, Recognition, and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE) filed a joint manifestation to the Supreme Court on Monday, March 29, in light of the recently exposed Department of Local and Interior Government (DILG) memorandum which declared both organizations as “Communist Terrorist Groups front organizations.”

READ: https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/16/stop-the-witch-hunt-groups-slam-dilg-for-terror- tagging-memo/

In filing the joint manifestation, the petitioners argued that the DILG memo can “trigger grievous consequences to the concerned persons and organizations’ rights and liberties” under the ATL.

READ:

Groups warn of ‘chilling effect’ of DILG’s terrorist-tagging memo

“There have been a marked increase in rights violations in the country over the last few months—teachers, government employees, lawyers, all of whom are merely practicing their profession but have not been spared from the Duterte government’s vicious war on dissent,” said ACT Secretary General Raymond Basilio.

Basilio alleged that members of both groups “have been facing harassment, arrests on trumped up charges, and murder” – among others. “And we fear that these will only intensify, unless concrete steps are taken to frustrate the systematic attacks on the people’s rights and freedoms,” he added.

READ: https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/16/group-calls-on-deped-lgus-to-protect-teachers/

As such, ACT and COURAGE called on the SC to “urgently halt the implementation of the ATL” – if only temporarily to give us some relief as deliberations on its constitutionality are still underway.

The manifestation filed before the SC, Basilio said, is a “step to seek justice and accountability” for the human and trade union rights violations allegedly committed against the groups. “It is, however, only the beginning of a series of measures that ACT plans to take in defense of teachers’ rights and liberties,” Basilio said.

The groups also declared their intent to seek remedies and support from other government agencies and international bodies, to “once and for all put an end to the repressive and fascist attacks against their rank.”

https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/groups-reiterate-call-on-sc-for-tro-on-atl-in-light-of-dilg-memo/

Anti-communist groups condemn Net

herlands gov’t for By: Gabriel Pabico Lalu - Reporter / @GabrielLaluINQ

‘coddling’INQUIRER.net / 04:42 CPPAM March leader 30, 2021 Sison

Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines Two anti-communist groups have condemned the

— Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison, who has been government of the Netherlands for what they called its “continuous coddling’ of living there in political asylum since 1987.

The two groups La Liga Independencia Pilipinas and League of Parents of the Philippines have also asked Dutch authorities on Monday to send the – communist leader back to the Philippines to effectively end its decades-long — communist insurgency.

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The groups said that their request was in line with their advocacy against the and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDFP) nears. communist movement, as the anniversary of CPP, the New People’s Army,

CTG leaders to continue planning their atrocities in NPA-infiltrated areas in the “The groups lamented that Netherlands became a ‘safe haven’ for Sison and other iga Independencia Pilipinas and League of Parents of the Philippines said in a joint statement. Philippines,” La L

CTG stands for “communist terrorist group.” Sison and tolerating his criminal activi “They also condemned [the] Netherlands government for ‘continuous coddling’

ties and ‘using their country as a spring Sisonboard has of aggression’,” not returned they to the added. Philippines since going on self-exile. There have been invitations from President Rodrigo Duterte to meet somewhere or to talk in the Philippines, but such plans have not — Sison’s former student in college — materialized.

Similarly, peace talks between the communists and the government have failed as trust between the two sides fell after both parties accused each other of violating ceasefire agreements.

However, the communist leader has maintained that the Philippine government could not touch him in the Netherlands because the latter would not violate international law. coming home and facing a myriad of cases against him would help curtail the alleged atrocities committed by communist But the groups believe that Sison’s — terrorist groups. — the recent attack of NPA rebels on a police unit doing patrol in Labo town of They also insisted on calling Sison a “political terrorist,” not a refugee, condemning Camarines Norte.

ADVERTISEMENT co- “We appeal to the Netherlands Government to expel Joma Sison together with his terrorists,” they said in the statement. n and the ruling members of the terrorist group CPP-NPA-NDF a sanctuary and a staging ground in Utrecht, “The State of the Netherlands has provided Joma Siso Netherlands, to propagate their senseless war of terror and aggression against the

Thegovernment groups hope and thethat Filipino the Dutch people,” government it added. would grant their request. (sic) that the Netherlands is a state that pushes humanitarian actions and which has been wrongfully deceived by Joma Sison and “We know and believed his co-

conspirators,”time to expel the groups these terrorists noted. from their sanctuary. They have brought so much hate, manipulation, death, and destruction to our society and our lives “Now is the while evading prosecution. These terrorist enablers pass themselves off as victims, feigning persecution and harassment by our government. But they attack

the peaceful lives of the Filipino people from the safety of Europe,” it added. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1412791/anti-communist-orgs-condemn-netherlands-govt-for-coddling- cpp-leader-sison

Bangkay ng hinihinalang miyembro ng NPA, narekober sa Misamis Oriental ABS-CBN News Posted at Mar 30 2021 02:34 AM Narekober mga awtoridad ang labi ng isang hinihinalang miyembro ng New People's Army (NPA) sa Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental nitong Linggo.

Nagkaengkwentro umano ang militar at mga miyembro ng NPA sa Barangay Samay sa Gingoog.

Matapos ang engkwentro, isang joint pursuit operation ang isinagawa at narekober sa Barangay Binakalan ang bangkay ng nakilalang si "Reynan", isang platoon guide umano ng Platoon Cherry Mobile, Guerilla Front Huawei ng Sub-Regional Committee.'

Nasa isang punerarya na sa Gingoog ang bangkay ni "Reynan" upang mabigyan ng disenteng libing at mai-turnover na siya sa kaniyang pamilya.--Ulat ni Lorilly Charmane D. Awitan

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/30/21/bangkay-ng-hinihinalang-miyembro-ng-npa-narekober-sa- misamis-oriental

20 kasapi umano ng CPP-NPA, sumuko sa Camarines Norte ABS-CBN News Posted at Mar 30 2021 01:20 AM

Kuha ng Camarines Norte PPO

Nasa 20 kasapi umano ng Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) ang sumuko sa pamahalaan sa Daet, Camarines Norte nitong Lunes.

Halos 10 araw ito makalipas ang madugong engkuwentro ng 2nd Police Mobile Force Company sa nasa 40 rebelde sa Brgy. Dumagmang sa bayan ng Labo, Camarines Norte na ikinasawi ng 5 pulis at ikinasugat ng 2 iba pa noong gabi ng Marso 19.

Sa harap ng mga awtoridad, hinubad ng mga "surrenderer" ang suot nilang berdeng t- shirt na may naka-imprentang selyo ng CPP-NPA at pumirma sa manifesto bilang tanda ng kanilang pagtalikod na sa ilang taong pag-aalsa sa pamahalaan.

Sinunog sa aktibidad ang isang effigy at watawat ng NPA, nagpalipad ng mga kalapati, nagwagayway ng bandila ng Pilipinas at isinuko ang kanilang mga armas.

Ang nag-iisang babae sa grupo ay nabigyan ng pagkakataong mahagkan ang anak bago ang mensahe at oath of allegiance ni Camarines Norte Governor Edgardo Tallado.

Kinilala naman ni Col. Jaime Abawag, Commander ng 902nd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division ng Philippine Army ang kabayanihan ng pulis at sundalong napatay sa mga bakbakan ng militar at mga rebelde sa Bicol Region.

Tiniyak ng pamahalaan na maibibigay sa lalong madaling panahon ang tulong mula sa enhanced comprehensive local integration program para makapag-umpisa na sa bagong buhay nila ang mga sumukong rebelde.

Pero para sa tagapagsalita ng Romulo Jallores Command-NPA-Bicol na si Raymundo Buenfuerza, hindi solusyon sa malalaking problema ng bansa ang mga pakulo umano ng pamahalaan laban sa CPP-NPA.

“Ang mga PNG (persona non-grata) declaration at iba pang pakulo ng NTF-ELCAC ay naglalagay sa panganib ng buhay ng mamamayan. Hindi solusyon ang PNG declaration at mga pakulo ng NTF-ELCAC sa kagutuman, kahirapan, kawalan ng lupa, kawalan ng trabaho at iba pang problemang kinakaharap ng masang Bicolano."--Ulat ni Jonathan Magistrado

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/30/21/20-kasapi-umano-ng-cpp-npa-sumuko-sa-camarines-norte

Suspected Abu Sayyaf member arrested in Zamboanga City ABS-CBN News Posted at Mar 29 2021 10:01 PM

Authorities in Zamboanga City arrested a suspected member of the Abu Sayyaf Group on Monday.

Police identified the suspect as 22-year-old Merham Tulawi Nasalon, a resident of Sittio Niyog Niyog, Muti, this City.

Government troops served a search warrant against Nasalon who is said to be a member of Ajijul criminal gang under ASG leader Marzan Ajijul.

The early dawn search yielded in the confiscation of a cal. 45 pistol, assorted ammunition and magazines, and assorted identification cards.

The suspect was brought to the police CIDG RFU 9 office for filing of appropriate charges.

- report from Queenie Casimiro

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/29/21/suspected-abu-sayyaf-member-arrested-in-zamboanga-city

Casket with anti CPP-NPA slogan spotted on a bridge Mark Saludes, ABS-CBN News Posted at Mar 29 2021 10:50 AM

A biker walks past a casket with anti CPP-NPA slogan placed at the Guadalupe Bridge in Makati Sunday evening. The CPP-NPA has belied accusations that it is kidnapping and recruiting children to join the armed struggle. The communist underground also condemned the relentless red-tagging of activists and journalists by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/multimedia/photo/03/29/21/casket-with-anti-cpp-npa-slogan-spotted- on-a-bridge

U.S. suspends all trade engagement with Myanmar until elected government returns B y Reuters Staff 2 MIN READ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States is immediately suspending all engagement with Myanmar under a 2013 trade and investment agreement until the return of a democratically elected government, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said on Monday.

Saturday was the bloodiest day of protests in Myanmar since the Feb. 1 military coup with 114 people killed. Five more were killed on Monday here when thousands took to the streets again in opposition to the military returning to power after a decade.

Tai said in a statement that Myanmar security forces’ killing of peaceful protesters, students, workers and labor leaders and children “has shocked the conscience of the international community.”

“These actions are a direct assault on the country’s transition to democracy and the efforts of the Burmese people to achieve a peaceful and prosperous future,” said Tai, who was sworn into office on March 18.

In addition to suspending work on 2013 framework agreement, Tai said USTR would consider Myanmar’s situation as it works with the U.S. Congress on reauthorizing the Generalized System of Preferences program, which reduces U.S. tariffs and provides other special trade access for some developing countries.

Participation requires countries to maintain certain worker rights protections, and Tai said reports that Myanmar’s military leaders have targeted trade unions and workers for their role in pro-democracy protests raise serious concerns.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics-usa-trade/ustr-suspends-all-trade-engagement- with-myanmar-until-elected-government-returns-idUSKBN2BL1XH

Myanmar death toll tops 500 as protesters defy junta's forces By Reuters Staff 5 MIN READ

(Reuters) - Myanmar’s security forces have killed at least 510 civilians in nearly two months of efforts to stop protests against a Feb. 1 coup, an advocacy group said on Monday, as thousands of people took to the streets again despite the growing toll.NT: Your content will begin in 12 seconds

Another 14 civilians were killed on Monday, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said, as it also updated figures for previous days. The total killed on Saturday, the bloodiest day so far, had risen to 141, figures showed.

The White House condemned the killings of civilians as an “abhorrent” use of lethal force and renewed a call for the restoration of democracy, while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Myanmar’s generals to stop the killings and repression of demonstrations.

Monday’s dead included at least eight in the South Dagon suburb of Myanmar’s main city, Yangon, the AAPP said.

Security forces there fired a much heavier-calibre weapon than usual to clear a barricade of sand bags, witnesses said and a video clip showed. It was not immediately clear what type, although a community group posted a picture of a soldier with a grenade launcher.

State television said security forces used “riot weapons” to disperse a crowd of “violent terrorist people” who were destroying a pavement and one man was wounded. Police and a junta spokesman did not answer calls seeking comment.

Two people were also killed in shooting in the central town of Myingyan, student leader Moe Myint Hein told Reuters.

Despite the violence, crowds turned out in towns across the country, according to media and social media posts. groups behind the protests, the General Strike Committee of Nationalities, called in an open letter on Facebook for ethnic minority forces to help those standing up to the “unfair oppression” of the military.

“It is necessary for the ethnic armed organisations to collectively protect the people,” the group said.

‘HEARTLESS ACT’

Insurgents from different ethnic groups have battled the central government for decades for greater autonomy. Though many groups have agreed to ceasefires, fighting has flared in recent days between the army and forces in both the east and north.

Heavy clashes erupted on the weekend near the Thai border between the army and fighters from Myanmar’s oldest ethnic minority force, the Karen National Union (KNU).

About 3,000 villagers fled to Thailand when military jets bombed a KNU area after a KNU force overran an army outpost and killed 10 people, an activist group and media said.

Thai authorities denied accounts by activist groups that more than 2,000 refugees had been forced back, but a local official said it was government policy for the army to block them at the border and deny access to outside aid groups.

“Thailand’s heartless and illegal act must stop now,” Sunai Phasuk, senior researcher on Thailand for Human Rights Watch, wrote on Twitter.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics/thousands-take-to-the-streets-in-myanmar-as- five-more-protesters-killed-idUSKBN2BL0C2

Thailand preparing for possible refugee exodus from Myanmar: PM By Reuters Staff 1 MIN READ FILE PHOTO: Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha at Government House, in Bangkok, Thailand November 27, 2020. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa/Pool/File Photo

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Monday his government is preparing for a potential flood of refugees from neighbouring Myanmar.

“We don’t want to have an exodus into our territory, but we will observe human rights, too,” Prayuth told reporters when asked about a weekend of violence in Myanmar during anti-coup demonstrations. “How many refugees are expected? We have prepared an area, but how many - we are not talking about that.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-myanmar-refugees/thailand-preparing-for-possible- refugee-exodus-from-myanmar-pm-idUSKBN2BL0K1

Police vow more protest arrests after nearly 100 detained

PUBLISHED : 29 MAR 2021 AT 17:39 WRITER: REUTERS

A pro-democracy protester flashes the three-finger salute while she is detained by police officers in front of Government House during a rally demanding the release of arrested protest leaders and the abolition of the 112 lese majeste law, in Bangkok on Sunday. (Reuters photo)

Police on Monday vowed to arrest more people participating in anti-government protests after detaining nearly 100 at a demonstration a day earlier, citing a law restricting gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Another protest demanding the release of jailed activists is planned for late Monday afternoon, raising prospects for another confrontation with activists calling for an end to military dominance of politics and reform of the powerful monarchy.

"We have prepared troops to maintain order," Pol Maj Gen Piya Tavichai, deputy head of the Bangkok police, told reporters.

Gen Piya said 99 people were arrested on Sunday in front of Government House, saying the arrests were necessary under a law forbidding large public gatherings to prevent coronavirus spread. The mostly student-led movement has taken aim at the military for entrenching its role in civilian politics, especially since Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha seized power in a 2014 coup when he was army chief.

The activists say elections held in 2019 were under rules designed to cement Gen Prayut's hold on power. He and his coalition government allies say the vote was free and fair.

Gen Prayut on Monday told reporters the weekend arrests were justified.

"You have to look at the law. If I don't take action, there will be disruption in traffic. We are just taking back space. There have been many warnings," said Gen Prayut.

Dozens of people have been detained at protests in recent months under disease control and public order laws, but Sunday's protest represented one of the largest number of arrests at a single rally. Additionally, at least nine leaders of the movement are jailed pending trial under a law against insulting the monarchy, which carries a maximum 15-year penalty.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2091571/police-vow-more-protest-arrests-after- nearly-100-detained

Singapore minister pessimistic on Myanmar, says resolution may take time By Reuters Staff 2 MIN READ

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore’s foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan has called the situation in Myanmar “an unfolding tragedy” that will take time to overcome, and said it was essential for Southeast Asian countries to have a position on how to respond.

“It is going to take quite some time to resolve. I must confess to you that I am pessimistic,” Balakrishnan told local media, according to a transcript released on Monday.

Balakrishnan has spoken strongly over the Myanmar military’s Feb 1 coup and its deadly crackdown on demonstrators and has been pushing for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to play a role in finding a way out of the crisis.

He spoke to local media on Friday after meeting with Indonesian leaders in Jakarta. He had also visited Malaysia and ASEAN chair Brunei earlier in the week.

ASEAN operates by consensus but the divergent views of its 10 members on how to respond to the army’s use of lethal force against civilians and the group’s policy of non-interference in each others’ affairs has limited its ability to act.

Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines have pushed for an urgent high-level meeting on Myanmar and have condemned the crackdown, which has killed 462 people, according to activists. Singapore said it supports such a meeting.

“It is essential for ASEAN’s credibility, centrality and relevance to have a view, have a position and to be able to offer some constructive assistance to Myanmar,” Balakrishnan said. “But do not expect quick solutions.”

Balakrishnan also said it was “essential for ASEAN to consider, to contemplate, to support and to be a constructive presence inside Myanmar. He said he hoped Myanmar would take into consideration the views of ASEAN leaders.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics-singapore/singapore-minister-pessimistic-on- myanmar-says-resolution-may-take-time-idUSKBN2BL1MT

from China US Palau envoy’s trip to Taiwan prompts ‘red line’ warning • American ambassador to Palau part of Palauan presidential delegation visiting Taipei • Official’s presence sends strong signal to Beijing about US opposition to poaching more allies from Taipei, analyst says

TaiwanBeijing has warned Washington not to cross its “red line” on re after a US envoy arrived on the island as part of a delegation from Palau, one of Taipei’s 15 suchremaining contact allies.Chinese would hurt US-Chinaforeign ministry ties and spokesman affect stability Zhao in Li thejian Taiwan said on Strait. Monday that “the Chinese side solutely opposes any form of official contacts between US and Taiwanese officials”, adding that any The warning came after Palauan President Surangel Whipps arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a five-day

trip to launch a “travel bubble” to ease coronavirus between Taipei and Koror, Palau’s biggest island.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3127509/us-palau-envoys-trip-taiwan-prompts- red-line-warning-china

Special Report: Money trail from Daphne murder probe stretches to China By Reuters Staff 15 MIN READ

VALLETTA/SHANGHAI, March 29 (Reuters) - By Stephen Grey, Engen Tham, Jacob Borg and Christoph Giesen

A widening investigation into allegations of high-level corruption on the island of Malta, first levelled by murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, stretches to China and a $400 million investment into Europe by a Chinese state power company, Reuters has found.

Caruana Galizia was murdered in October 2017 as she investigated a web of companies that she believed were funneling bribes to Maltese politicians.

Now, Reuters and a consortium of journalists have traced two firms involved in that web to relatives of a senior Chinese executive for Accenture, the global consultancy firm. The executive, 43-year-old Chen Cheng from Shanghai, negotiated investments on behalf of China’s state-owned Shanghai Electric Power in Malta and in another small European state, Montenegro, over the past decade, according to Maltese officials and official records.

The revelation of a Chinese connection potentially adds a new international dimension to a scandal that has rocked Malta’s government and last year led to the resignation of the prime minister. It also could figure in a series of Maltese official investigations into the events leading up to Caruana Galizia’s death.

Backed by Malta’s government, the investments by Shanghai Electric Power were portrayed by Maltese and Chinese political leaders as one component of China’s multi-trillion dollar Belt and Road initiative to pour money into economic infrastructure in central Asia and Europe.

In 2016, a year before she was murdered in a car bombing, Caruana Galizia identified Chen’s key role in the transactions on her blog.

A total of six people in Malta have been charged with Caruana Galizia’s killing and await trial. There is no suggestion that Accenture, Chen or any Chinese company or individual is linked with that crime.

Caruana Galizia reported that Chen created a company in the British Virgin Islands in 2014, for an unknown purpose. In the same year, Chen played a central role in negotiations and due diligence for Shanghai Electric Power to invest 380 million euros ($400 million) in buying a share of Malta’s state power company, Enemalta. Caruana Galizia did not specify any wrongdoing by Chen. Chen and Accenture did not respond to Caruana Galizia’s report at the time. Now, reporters at Reuters, the Times of Malta, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and the Süddeutsche Zeitung, have discovered that Chen’s family set up two further companies in Hong Kong, both with business links to Malta.

Contacted for this article, Chen and Shanghai Electric Power didn’t comment. Accenture said in a statement it is taking the matter very seriously and “carefully reviewing these allegations as they relate to one of our people. We adhere to the highest ethical standards in every market in which we operate and have zero tolerance for any deviation from those standards.” Enemalta declined to answer questions about Chen.

The office of the spokesperson of China’s foreign ministry said, “China’s exchanges and cooperation with other countries are all open and transparent.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malta-daphne-china-specialreport/special-report-money-trail- from-daphne-murder-probe-stretches-to-china-idUSKBN2BL1WF

China says US, UK, EU and Canada seek to destabilise China

Xu Guixiang made the remarks during a press briefing while rejecting accusations of genocide being committed in the western Chinese region.

Reuters | , Beijing

PUBLISHED ON MAR 29, 2021 07:15 AM IST

The United States, Britain, the European Union and Canada have engaged in political manipulation to destabilise China, a spokesman for the regional government of Xinjiang said on Monday. Xu Guixiang made the remarks during a press briefing while rejecting accusations of genocide being committed in the western Chinese region and the sanctions announced by the western governments over human rights abuses in Xinjiang. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/china-says-us-uk-eu-and-canada-seek-to-destabilise- china-101616981979991.html

China warns firms not to engage in politics over Xinjiang By Cate Cadell 5 MIN READ

BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese officials on Monday said Sweden’s H&M and other foreign brands should not make rash moves or step into politics after the companies raised concerns about forced labour in Xinjiang, sparking a furious online backlash and boycotts.Your content will begin in 12 seconds

H&M, Burberry, Nike, Adidas and other Western brands have been hit by consumer boycotts in China since last week over comments about their sourcing of cotton in Xinjiang. The growing rift comes as the United States and other Western governments increase pressure on China over suspected human rights abuses in the Chinese province.

“I don’t think a company should politicize its economic behaviour,” said Xu Guixiang, a Xinjiang government spokesman, at a news conference on Monday morning. “Can H&M continue to make money in the Chinese market? Not anymore.”

“To rush into this decision and get involved in the sanctions is not reasonable. It’s like lifting a stone to drop it on one’s own feet,” he said.

H&M did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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In Geneva, U.N. human rights experts voiced concerns about alleged detention and forced labour of Muslim Uighurs in China and called for global and domestic companies to “closely scrutinise their supply chains”. They had received information that “connected over 150 domestic Chinese and foreign domiciled companies” to serious allegations of human rights abuses against Uighur workers, the experts said in a statement that did not name the companies.

“Uyghur workers have allegedly been forcibly employed in low-skilled, labour-intensive industries, such as agribusiness, textile and garment, automotive and technological sectors,” said Dante Pesce, chair of the U.N. working group on business and human rights, using a different spelling for the word Uighur.

Chinese social media users last week began circulating a 2020 statement by H&M announcing it would no longer source cotton from Xinjiang.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-xinjiang-sanctions/china-warns-firms-not-to-engage-in- politics-over-xinjiang-idUSKBN2BL03L

China’s propaganda machine kicks into high gear over Xinjiang criticism

Pedestrians pass an H&M store in Beijing on March 29. (Ng Han Guan/AP)

By

Eva Dou

March 29, 2021 at 7:24 p.m. GMT+8

SEOUL — Boycotts. Threats of lawsuits. Travel bans for scholars' families. Beijing is stepping up its pressure campaign on Western multinationals and academics who raised concern about ethnic oppression in China’s northwest Xinjiang region. Support our journalism. Subscribe today.

Xinjiang officials warned international companies in a news conference on Monday to be careful of blowback, after state media fanned calls to boycott H&M, Nike and other brands that have shied away from Xinjiang cotton because of elevated risk of forced labor in the region. “When you swing the big stick of sanctions at Xinjiang companies, you will also hit yourself,” said Xu Guixiang, a spokesman for the Xinjiang region’s government. “We hope that more companies like H&M will keep their eyes open and distinguish right from wrong.” China attacks foreign clothing, shoe brands over Xinjiang Beijing has been seeking to control the domestic narrative over Xinjiang, flooding social media platforms for days with official media posts defending the work conditions there, calls to boycott Western fashion brands and cartoons depicting pre-Civil War slavery in the U.S. South.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-xinjiang-boycott- propaganda/2021/03/29/0e845244-904f-11eb-aadc-af78701a30ca_story.html

over, officials warn the West Xinjiang cotton dispute: the ‘era of bullying China’ is • China has come a long way since the ‘century of humiliation’, says Xinjiang government as it asks firms such as H&M to ‘distinguish right from wrong’ • Cotton worker quoted in state media saying sanctions imposed by the West intended to ‘smash the rice bowls of Xinjiang cotton workers’

Chinese officials warned Swedish clothing brand H&M foreign powers was over, after months-old statements by the international brands expressing concerns about forced labour in and other companies the “era of bullying” by

Xinjiang triggered calls in China for consumer boycotts.

Xu Guixiang, a Xinjiang government spokesman, said at a press conference with the foreign ministry on

Monday that multinational companies should understand that wielding the “big stick of sanctions” against Xinjiang would hurt the businesses themselves, and called on businesses not to “politicise economic behaviours”. hegemony, and bull “China is no longer the China of 1840, and the era when Chinese people suffered from great power clear- ying will never return again,” he said, referring to the “century of humiliation” when China signed unequal treaties with Western powers. “We hope that businesses like H&M will be more eyed and distinguish right from wrong.”

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3127435/xinjiang-cotton-row-era-bullying-china- over-officials-warn

China calls on Sri Lanka to jointly advance Belt and Road cooperation Updated 23:06, 29-Mar-2021 CGTN

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday said China is willing to work with Sri Lanka to enhance Belt and Road cooperation and contribute to the economic revival of Sri Lanka in post-pandemic era.

Xi made the remarks during a phone call with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Xi said China will continue to provide necessary assistance to Sri Lanka, conduct cooperation in areas including aviation and education and explore other potential cooperation areas.

Xi said China will never forget Sri Lanka's support for the restoration of China's lawful seat in the UN, and is willing to continue working with Sri Lanka to support each other on issues of mutual concern, safeguard each other's legitimate rights and promote global justice and fairness.

Rajapaksa congratulated China on the 100th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China and spoke highly of China's achievements in fighting the pandemic and its economic recovery.

Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka hopes to learn from China's experience in poverty reduction and rural revitalization and is willing to expand cooperation in infrastructure construction, tourism and so on, so as to benefit Sri Lanka's economic development and its people.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-03-29/Xi-Jinping-holds-phone-talks-with-Sri-Lankan-president- Z239vFUUnu/index.html Treatment of Uyghurs UN Human Rights Group ‘Deeply Concerned’ Over China’s

A group of U.N. human rights experts says it is “deeply concerned” about allegations regarding China’s treatment of its Muslim Uyghur minority. information that connected over 150 domestic Chinese and foreign domiciled companiesThe Working to Groupserious on allegations Business andof human Human rights Rights abuses says itagainst has “received Uyghur

workers.” is a State Member, we consider that an official visit to China (including the Xinjiang“As independent region) wouldexperts be appointed the ideal opportunityby the Human for Rights such dialogue Council, ofand which to assess China

theMany situation Chinese for companies ourselves as based well onas privatefree and firms unhindered outside acceChinass,” are the accused group said.of using slave labor or incorporating products made with slave labor into their - said. supply chains. This includes “numerous well known global brands,” the group US and other countries have condemned it as a genocidal campaign measures that are not fully compliant with international law, norms and The group said it “respectfully” urges China “to immediately cease any such standardsChina is accused relating of to rights human violations rights, includingincluding thearbitrary rights detention,of minorities.” forced sterilization and use of slave labor using Uyghurs. China denies the allegations and says its policies in Xinjiang, where Uyghurs are concentrated, aim to combat Islamic extremism.

Britain, Canada, the European Union and the United States have sanctioned several members of Xinjiang's political and economic power elite this week over the allegations of widespread human right abuses there.

https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/un-human-rights-group-deeply-concerned-over-chinas- treatment-uyghurs

Nobody dictates our friends: Palau

VALUE OF FRIENDSHIP: Saying that ‘a true friend is with you no matter what,’ the Palauan president said that Taiwan has been with Palau ‘through thick and thin’ • By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter

Nobody should tell Palau that it cannot befriend other countries, Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr yesterday told an international news conference, citing pressure from Beijing for Ngerulmud to sever ties with Taipei.

Whipps and his delegation arrived in Taipei on Sunday to celebrate the launch of a Taiwan-Palau “travel corridor” this week, with more than 100 Taiwanese tourists scheduled to leave for Palau on a pilot tour on Thursday.

In addition to the significance of the “travel bubble” with Taiwan, Whipps was asked how he withstood pressure from China on Palau’s diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

From left, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu, Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr and US Ambassador to Palau John Hennessey-Niland bump elbows during a news conference yesterday in Taipei. Photo: CNA “We are a very small country, and we believe it was important to have friends and befriend everyone. We also believe that nobody should tell us that we cannot be somebody else’s friends,” he said.

“A true friend is with you no matter what. Taiwan has always demonstrated the value of our partnership and friendship, and they have been with us through thick and thin. This pandemic is a demonstration of that partnership, where we get together and solve problems,” he said.

While an influx of Chinese tourists in Palau helped boost the local economy, Whipps said they were like a “teaser,” and the country’s tourism dropped after Beijing banned Chinese tourists from visiting the country. “If you are in a relationship, you don’t beat your partners to make them love you. You should build the relationship on trust and benefit each other, instead of forcing others to play a political game,” Whipps said.

On March 17, Taiwan and Palau jointly announced the creation of the “travel bubble.”

The travel corridor would help put Palau on the path to economic recovery, as 42 percent of workers in Palau’s private sector have been laid off due to the loss of tourism as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Whipps said.

To keep the government running, it had to borrow to cover about 40 percent of its budget, he said.

“It is crucial to keep the economy back on track. We also need to resume regular flights between the two countries so patients with cancer and heart diseases can be treated in Taiwan, instead of having to wait for monthly charter flights,” he said.

“The main reason why we are able to open the corridor to accept foreign visitors from Taiwan is that we have been vaccinated, with 50 percent of our population having received the first dose of the vaccines,” he added.

Palau remains COVID-19 free, with zero cases to date, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said, adding that Taiwan has also been recognized by the international community for its efforts in combating the virus.

“The visit this time carried great significance. They [Whipps and his delegation] are here to launch the two countries’ travel bubble and to witness this important moment. The trip also underlines Taiwan’s and Palau’s anti-epidemic achievements, as well as the close and cordial ties we share. This is a milestone and showcases our relationship amid the pandemic,” Wu said.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2021/03/30/2003754750

Visiting Palau president praises Taiwan partnership, rejects China's 'sticks'

US Ambassador to Palau Hennessey-Niland accompanied President Whipps to Monday's press conference

1036

By Micah McCartney , Taiwan News, Staff Reporter

2021/03/29 20:58

Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr. (Taiwan News photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr. on Monday (March 29) extolled his country's friendship with Taiwan at his first press conference since arriving to promote the new travel bubble, accompanied by the U.S. ambassador to Palau.

The press conference took place at the Regent Taipei hotel ahead of a state banquet with Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and other Taiwanese officials.

Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Spokesperson Joanne Ou (歐江安) and Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu ( 吳釗燮), who praised the Pacific country for having had zero cases of COVID-19. Wu said the Palauan leader's trip highlights the pandemic successes of both countries, calling it a milestone in bilateral relations.

"Today was one of those days we thought would never come," Whipps said, referring to the quarantine-free travel corridor, which was launched March 17 and will see its first flight on April 1. He attributed this to Palau's partnerships with Taiwan and the U.S. as well as the Palauan people's confidence to accept visitors from the East Asian country.

Vaccinations are well underway in the country, with some 50 percent of Palauans having already received at least the first dose, he stated.

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4163490 Pro- peddling misinformation independence leaders blast China’s top diplomat • By Jason Pan / Staff reporter

Leaders of an alliance of Taiwanese independence organizations yesterday accused China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi (楊潔篪), of lying, as they asserted Taiwan’s sovereign status.

During the first high-level talks on March 18 in Anchorage, Alaska, between US and Chinese officials since US President Joe Biden took office, Yang, director of the Chinese Central Foreign Affairs Commission, said that “Xinjiang, Tibet and Taiwan are all inseparable parts of China’s territory,” adding that Washington has no right to interfere in matters that Beijing considers its internal affairs.

“Yang’s words are an utter fallacy. His speech was full of deceit,” Northern Taiwan Society chairman Lee Chuan-hsin (李川信) told a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.

From second left, Formosa Republican Association director Tommy Lin, Asia-Pacific Liberal Women Association chairwoman Yang Huang Maysing and Northern Taiwan Society chairman Lee Chuan-hsin hold a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times “China’s ruse is to repeat the same lies many times, in the hope that people would believe them and that they would become the truth. That is why Chinese officials are continuing with their global propaganda that Taiwan is part of China,” Asia-Pacific Liberal Women Association chairwoman Yang Huang Maysing (楊黃美幸) said.

The People’s Republic of China has never ruled Taiwan, and Taiwanese have never been its subjects like Chinese citizens, Formosa Republican Association director Tommy Lin (林逸民) said.

Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy director Chang Yu-meng (張育萌) and a group of student representatives also took part at the news conference. “The Taiwanese youth are not afraid of the Chinese dictatorship. We will not back down in defense of Taiwan’s sovereignty, freedom and democratic way of life,” Chang said.

“Most people here identify as Taiwanese, so when China becomes aggressive and threatens Taiwan, people here are not afraid,” he added.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2021/03/30/2003754753

Taiwanese groups criticize Chinese claims made at Anchorage summit

‘Taiwan is not part of China’: Local groups

1451

By Taiwan News

2021/03/29 15:57

Local Taiwanese groups oppose China's claims regarding Taiwan. (Taiwan News photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Multiple Taiwanese groups held a press conference on Monday (March 29) to debunk the rhetoric of Chinese officials at the recent U.S.- China diplomatic talk held in Alaska.

In the meeting on March 18, Director of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) Central Foreign Affairs Commission Yang Jiechi (楊潔篪) claimed that Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang are inseparable parts of China, and that the Chinese government firmly opposed what it considers U.S. interference in its internal affairs.

For Hsu Wen-tang (許文堂), this argument does not hold water, as Taiwan was not a part of the China the CCP established with the founding of its government on Oct. 1, 1949.

"The CCP's 'one China' principle is different from the U.S.'s 'one China' policy. The U.S. government has never agreed on the unilateral statement made by China that Taiwan belongs to it," said Hsu.

Some believe Taiwan only belonged to China during the Qing Dynasty, when the Manchu rulers reigned over the empire. Taiwan was later lost to Japan and no longer under China's control when the Republic of China overthrew the Qing in 1912. Taiwan remained outside the clutches of the CCP after it took control of China in 1949. "In the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the CCP guaranteed Hong Kong judicial independence and freedom under 'one country, two systems' for at least 50 years, but after only two decades, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has already confirmed that the declaration is just a historical document that does not mean anything," said Maysing Yang (楊黃美幸), chairperson of the Asia-Pacific Liberal Women Association.

"How can a county that does not respect international rules keep telling others to follow its 'one China' principle?" she argued.

Director of Taiwan Society North Li Chuan Hsin (李川信) believes it is precisely because the CCP cannot find solid proof to back up its arguments that it tries to brainwash the international community with endless repetitions of the claim that Taiwan is part of China.

"Taiwanese people have the right to decide their own future, and we have been doing it for a long time," Li said.

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4163077

US ambassador visits Taiwan for 1st time in 42 years

Hennessey-Niland 1st American ambassador to visit Taiwan since severing of diplomatic ties

8766

By Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

2021/03/29 12:53

US Ambassador to Palau John Hennessey-Niland arrives in Taiwan with Palau delegation. (CNA photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan on Sunday (March 28) saw the arrival of the first sitting U.S. ambassador since diplomatic ties between the countries were severed 42 years ago.

On Sunday, Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr. arrived to kick off a new travel bubble between Taiwan and Palau, with the first flight slated for Thursday (April 1). Joining Whipps' delegation is Ambassador to Palau John Hennessey- Niland, the first U.S. ambassador to visit Taiwan in an official capacity since former President Jimmy Carter cut ties with Taipei in favor of Beijing in 1979.

Hennessey-Niland has more than 30 years of experience working in the Foreign Service, having previously been stationed in Hawaii, Fiji, and Ireland. During his confirmation hearing in 2019, he publicly expressed support for the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI).

During the hearing, he said that he believes American ambassadors have the responsibility to express their dissatisfaction with China for its economic and political threats against Taiwan's allies. He also called on Washington to penalize Beijing for its "malicious behavior."

Hennessey-Niland said the TAIPEI Act would make an important contribution to supporting diplomatic allies of Taiwan like Palau. He pointed out that Taiwan is an important partner of the U.S. and Indo-Pacific nations and that the U.S. and Taiwan can do more to assist Pacific island countries. Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a senior analyst at the government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research, was cited by CNA as noting that the arrival of Hennessey-Niland marks the first visit by a U.S. ambassador to Taiwan since the end of diplomatic relations. Lin Ting-hui (林廷輝), deputy secretary- general of the Taiwanese Society of International Law, told the news agency that the visit is "not trivial."

Lin asserted that it shows the U.S. is "not shying away" from sending an ambassador to Taiwan. He said this demonstrates that American policy on Taiwan has changed to "a more positive orientation."

He postulated that the U.S. is no longer limiting itself to the parameters of the Taiwan Relations Act. Lin claimed that the move shows the U.S. is not afraid to interact with the East Asian country through official ambassadors.

"It no longer hides it as it did in the past. Instead, it chooses to make it public." said Lin.

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4163127

Japan faces pressure to take part in sanctions on China

• Bloomberg

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is under pressure to join other major democracies in imposing sanctions on China over human rights breaches as he prepares for his first face-to-face summit with US President Joe Biden.

Numerous reports of serious human rights abuses against the Uighur ethnic group in China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region have prompted several Western nations to sanction Chinese Communist Party officials.

Beijing has routinely dismissed the accusations about its behavior against the predominantly Muslim Uighurs as politically motivated lies, and on Saturday it announced retaliatory sanctions on individuals in the US and Canada, adding to those imposed earlier on the UK and the EU.

=While Japan has long resisted putting economic penalties on its largest trading partner, some in Suga’s ruling party are calling for him to take a more radical line — particularly with the G7 summit in the UK coming up in June.

“Japan is the only G7 country not taking part in the sanctions,” said Gen Nakatani, a former Japanese minister of defense who cochairs a cross-party group of lawmakers on China policy. “It’s shameful for Japan to be seen as a country that’s pretending not to know what’s going on.”

Suga is set to become the first foreign leader to visit Biden at the White House, with media reports saying the summit might take place as soon as April 9. China is likely to be on the agenda there, as well as at the G7 talks, to which Asian democracies would be invited to counter China and other states criticized for being authoritarian.

Japan, similar to neighbor South Korea, is stuck in the awkward position of being deeply entwined with China economically, even as it relies on the US for defense as its sole military ally.

While the Biden administration has signaled a renewed focus on human rights in its foreign policy, the Japanese government has often sought to maintain ties with US adversaries and traditionally keeps criticism of other countries low key.

The debate comes as Japanese brands find themselves at risk of boycotts in China similar to those faced by Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M) and Nike Inc after pledging not to use Xinjiang cotton. H&M stores in some parts of China were closed by their landlords in recent days as fallout from a months-old statement by the fashion retailer about forced labor in Xinjiang continues to spread. Ryohin Keikaku Co, the operator of the Muji chain of minimalist furniture and clothing stores, saw its shares tumble after it issued a statement saying it was “deeply concerned” about reports of human rights abuses in the area.

“Relevant people on the Japanese side claimed they care about human rights, but have they forgotten the 35 million Chinese casualties from the war of Japanese aggression,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Hua Chunying (華春瑩) told reporters last week.

She added that it was “not in Japan’s interest” to attack China.

Tokyo’s relations with China have frequently been strained by territorial disputes and disagreements over history, but the Japanese government usually steers clear of head- on clashes that risk damaging economic ties.

Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe had focused on rebuilding a relationship with Beijing that was in tatters when he took office in 2012 because of opposing claims over a chain of East China Sea islands.

In the early days of the pandemic, the Japanese government and citizen groups provided aid shipments to China, an effort that elicited gratitude and praise from Beijing.

The warmer ties were to be feted in a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平 ) to Japan in spring last year, but that was postponed indefinitely as the pandemic worsened.

The past year has seen cracks starting to reappear, with Japan taking a lead role in pulling together a joint statement from G7 foreign ministers in June last year condemning China’s crackdown on Hong Kong’s democracy advocates.

Increasing tension around the disputed islands known as Diaoyutai (釣魚台) in Taiwan and China, and Senkaku in Japan, as well as Beijing’s passage of a law allowing its coast guard vessels to fire on foreign ships, have turned some in Japan more hostile.

“It’s not only the US and Japan,” said Kunihiko Miyake, a former diplomat and now special adviser to Suga’s Cabinet. “This is a concern about attempts to change the status quo even by force, or neglect of universal values, including democracy or human rights.”

Canada, the UK and the EU have passed their own versions of the US Magnitsky Act, which allow governments to revoke visas and freeze the assets of people involved in human rights violations or corruption. Japan has no such law. Nakatani and other lawmakers, including Shiori Yamao of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, want to enact similar legislation, or at least pass a resolution having the same effect.

Asked about the need for such a capability, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters last week that policy “must constantly be analyzed and considered from various perspectives, including the way Japan’s human rights diplomacy has been managed up until now, and the direction of the international community.”

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2021/03/30/2003754761

Balongan oil refinery Hundreds evacuated after massive fire at Indonesia’s • State-run oil firm Pertamina said the blaze, which injured five people, broke out during bad weather • Television footage showed a massive column of black smoke rising from the site in West Java

Indonesian state oil company Pertamina said on Monday it has shut its Balongan oil refinery in West Java as it battles to control a massive fire that broke out overnight, injuring five people.

About 950 nearby residents had been evacuated, Pertamina said, with videos shared on social media showing huge flames engulfing the 125,000 barrels per day facility, while a large explosion can be heard.

The fire started just after midnight, local media reported, while Pertamina said in a statement it broke

out during bad weather. It was conducting “oil flow cont rol” to prevent any further spread. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3127383/hundreds-evacuated-after-massive- fire-indonesias-balongan

Indonesia Pertamina aims to restarts refinery in days after blaze By Bernadette Christina, Fransiska Nangoy 4 MIN READ

JAKARTA (Reuters) -Indonesian state oil company Pertamina said on Monday it hoped to restore operations at its Balongan oil refinery in West Java in four or five days, as firefighters worked to extinguish a massive blaze that broke out overnight, injuring six peopleYour content will begin in 14 seconds

Pertamina shut the plant and evacuated about 950 nearby residents, with videos shared on social media showing huge flames engulfing the 125,000 barrels per day facility, while a large explosion could be heard.

Pertamina chief executive Nicke Widyawati told reporters the fire was concentrated in the refinery’s storage tanks and there had been no impact on the processing plant.

“The main equipment at the refinery is not affected,” she said. “We hope the plant can be operational again soon after we put out the fire so there are no disruptions to supply.”

Separately, Nicke told local media that only four storage tanks were affected, out of the total 72 tanks in Balongan with total capacity of 1.35 million kilo litres.

Efforts to estinguish the blaze were continuing, she said, adding that the fire had been contained to a small area and she’s optimistic it will be put out soon.

Pertamina expects operations can be restored in four to five days, Pertamina director Mulyono said.

The fire started just after midnight during bad weather, Pertamina said, although the cause was currently unknown.

Six people were being treated in hospital for burns, a company statement said. No Pertamina staff were hurt.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia-refinery-fire/indonesia-pertamina-aims-to-restarts- refinery-in-days-after-blaze-idUSKBN2BK0QM

Indonesia foreign minister: in close contact with Japan on Myanmar By Reuters Staff 1 MIN READ Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi meets with Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Tokyo, Japan March 29, 2021, in this photo released by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS

TOKYO (Reuters) - Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said on Monday she has been in close contact with her Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, to discuss the Myanmar situation and COVID-19 responses.

Retno made the comment at the start of her bilateral meeting with Motegi in Tokyo, where Japanese and Indonesia foreign and defence ministers are set to hold a four-way meeting on Tuesday.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics-japan-indonesia/indonesia-foreign-minister-in- close-contact-with-japan-on-myanmar-idUSKBN2BL129

Drought, fire and flood devastate Australians in the bush By Stefica Nicol Bikes 3 MIN READ

HOLLISDALE, Australia (Reuters) - Robert Costigan thought the worst was behind him when he saved two family properties from bushfires a summer ago.will begin in 15 seconds

This year, they floated away.

The homes of the Australian cattle farmer and his father-in-law Brian Watt, who lives next door, were swept off their foundations this month when heavy rains caused rivers to reach their highest levels in half a century, submerging bridges and buildings. Watt’s house slammed into a telegraph pole.

“If it wasn’t for bad luck I’d probably have none at all,” Costigan told Reuters at his 100-acre property at Hollisdale, 400km (249 miles) north of Sydney.

Days after the floods, the property was strewn with upended farm equipment, trees and debris.

“I don’t know whether it’s just someone testing me or what, but it is what it is I guess. You get through it,” he added, fighting back tears.

Costigan’s ordeal is familiar to thousands living outside cities on Australia’s densely populated east coast.

After years of drought devastated crops and livestock, they battled the country’s worst wildfires in a generation in the Southern hemisphere summer of 2019-20, only to face flooding amid a La Nina wet weather event this year.

The same river system Costigan pumped water from to save his house from the bushfires has returned to destroy it with flood.

Water levels have subsided but insurers have written off the building, with structural timber torn loose, tin roofs crushed and everyday objects - a mattress, a fluffy child’s toy - reduced to a sodden mess.

When the fires hit, the family kept safe in town as Costigan remained at the property in an effort to protect it. Now they are all staying with neighbours, homeless and heartbroken.

Two days before the house was swept away, Costigan’s daughter Eva had to cancel her 11th birthday party due to the flood.

“She was upset about that and then we had to tell her that she lost her house Saturday morning. All the presents that she got Thursday are gone,” Costigan said.

Still, the 39-year-old farmer, who also works for the local council, vowed to rebuild.

“I’ve worked too hard to just walk away from it,” he said.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-weather-farmer/drought-fire-and-flood-devastate- australians-in-the-bush-idUSKBN2BL0JZ

China and Iran: A Major Chinese Gain in “White Area Warfare” in the Gulf March 29, 2021

The most important news this weekend may have had nothing to do with Covid-19 or most media headlines. China may well have made a major new strategic gain in the Gulf on Saturday, and one that gives it great influence in the MENA region as well as major new leverage in competing with the United States. The New York Times reported on March 27, 2021, that China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif signed the investment agreement with Iran.1

The terms of the agreement were not made public, but it seems to be largely economic.2 It seems to call for Chinese investment of $400 billon in Iran over a 25 year period in return for lower Iranian petroleum export prices. An earlier draft called for Chinese investment akin to some 100 projects, and the New York Timesreported that they would include key infrastructure programs like airports, high-speed railways and subways, free-trade zones in Maku in northwestern Iran; projects in Abadan, where the Shatt al-Arab river flows into the Gulf, and on the island Qeshm in the Gulf. The agreement also may lead to a major Chinese investment in Iran’s petroleum sector, both to modernize existing facilities and to expend oil and gas production.

Even if the agreement has no immediate military impact, it represents a major shift in strategic attitudes and lays the groundwork for such cooperation in the future. Foreign Minister Wang made it clear during his meeting with Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani that, “China firmly supports Iran in safeguarding its state sovereignty and national dignity.” He also called for the U.S. to remove all sanctions on Iran, as well as to “remove its long arm of jurisdictional measures that have been aimed at China, among others.” Zarif, in turn, described Chia as a “friend for hard times.” Some reports also do indicate that the negotiations at least discussed the need for new forms of military cooperation in areas like military assistance, military training, and intelligence-sharing. The UN agreement that prevented Chinese and Russian arms exports to Iran also has now expired. This opens up the potential for joint military exercises and future major arms transfers, and it does so at a point where China’s new weapons, missiles, and aircraft are making Chinese arms exports a far more attractive arms exporter than in the past.

Yet, even if China does not build on the agreement to create a major new military role, such an economic agreement would still be a major new step in what might be called China’s “white area warfare.” Like so many other aspects of China’s “belt and road” economic measures, it would give China at least as many strategic advantages as would overt military actions, new military bases, or new arms sales.

Even a purely economic agreement gives China a major new role in the entire Persian/Arab Gulf. It sharply undermines U.S. efforts to use economic warfare to put “maximum pressure” on Iran, and it instead turns such U.S. efforts into ways that allow China to gain a steadily greater economic and strategic presence in Iran.

At a minimum, it also gives China massive new strategic leverage in the Gulf region and in the area that controls 20% of the world petroleum supply, which is most critical to Asia’s petroleum imports. No Arab Gulf state can ignore the fact that it expands China’s influence in ways that give China far more potential military leverage over the Gulf as well as the potential to link its interests to an expanded new role in Iraq and new links to Russia and Syria.

https://www.csis.org/analysis/china-and-iran-major-chinese-gain-white-area-warfare-gulf

Iran–China strategic agreement could be a game-changer

29 Mar 2021|Amin Saikal

The signing of a 25-year cooperation agreement between the oil-rich and regionally influential, but US sanctioned, Islamic Republic of Iran and the globally powerful, but US the United States and its allies. Former US President Donald Trump must bear most of the responsibilitypressured, People’s for this Republic development, of China which inserts President a new strategic Joe Biden pincer now hain sthe to Middlehandle. East for

The agreement is the culmination of growing economic, trade and military ties between the two countries since the advent of the Iranian Islamic regime following the revolutionary -Western monarchy 41 years ago. Although the contents of the overthrow of the Shah’s pro strengthendeal haven’t military, been fully intelligence disclosed, and it will counterterrorism certainly involve cooperation, massive Chinese and links investment Iran in Iran’s infrastructural, industrial, economic and petrochemical sectors. It will also

ChinasubstantiallyIran trade to China’s amounted Belt toand some Road US$31 Initiative billion as anin 2016instrument following of global the conc influence.lusion of the landmark multilateral Iran nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,– or JCPOA. However, it declined after Trump withdrew from the deal in May 2018 despite opposition from the other signatories (Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China) and imposed harsh sanctions on Iran. The trade volume is now nonetheless set to reach interest in countering the US and its allies. new heights. Underpinning this exponential elevation of relations is the two sides’ mutual Deeper and wider cooperation between China and Iran, especially when considered in the carries a strong potential for changing the regional strategic landscape. So far, China has beencontext careful of their not close to partner ties with with Russia Iran toand an the extent trio ’sthat adversarial could jeopardise relations its with lucrative the US, relations with the oil- allies. In 2019, China imported some 17% of its oil needs from Saudi Arabia alone, not to mention 10% from Iraq,rich smaller Kingdom amounts of Saudi from Arabia Kuwait, (Iran’s the regional United Arab archri Emiratesval) and and its Arab Oman, and only 3% from US-sanctioned Iran. China also enjoys reasonable military and intelligence cooperation with Israel, another main regional adversary of Iran. h Tehran, which has been in the making since 2016, is bound to deeply concern the Gulf Arab states, Israel and indeed the US. These However, Beijing’s conclusion of the deal wit influence across the Levant (Iraq, Syria and Lebanon) and Yemen as well as its support for thecountries Palestinian are already cause againsttroubled Israeli by a perceivedoccupation. Irani an threat, given Tehran’s expanding

The US is also concerned by Iranian leverage in Afghanistan, where American and allied forces have been fighting the Taliban-led insurgency for two decades without much success, and from which Washington wants to extricate itself with some face-saving measures as soon as possible.

Iran deal potentially generates a strong axis that can only boost powerWhen combined in any negotiations with Iran’s with close the ties Biden with administration Russia, the China– regarding the JCPOA. Biden has favoured a return of the US to the JCPOA, butTehran’s on the conditionregional position that Iran and restore bargaining some of the commitments it withdrew in retalia Tehran has rejected this condition and demanded that the US first lift all of its sanctions. tion for Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement. But Although the two sides have been posturing so far, it will come as no surprise if Tehran holds out until Washington blinks.

The Iranians have traditionally been wary of an alliance with any world power, although something that substantially contributed to the consolidation of a situation that caused the revolution and demiseduring theof the Shah’s Shah, rule bringing their country to power drifted the anti- into the US’s orbit— constant hammering to pressure and isolate the Islamic regime, especially under Trump, has steadily driven Tehran to look to the East andUS toIslamic reach regime. the point However, of concluding America’s the agreement with China.

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/iran-china-strategic-agreement-could-be-a-game-changer/

A Clash of Civilizations with Chinese Characteristics the West articulated by Mao Zedong and Aembraced civilizational by Xi struggle Jinping isof at the the “rest” very versus core of the ideological foundations of the grand strategy of the Chinese Communist Party.

by

The attempt to understand the emerging rivalry between China and the United States has born numerous historical analogies that have included the Cold War, the Great Game, the tensions in Europe prior to the First World War, and the so-called Thucydides Trap. The central problem of these analogies that they all refer to competition between powers or systems of Western origin. The rise of China poses conceptual and strategic challenges that do not lend themselves to ready-made analogies from the official canon of Western military and diplomatic history. The conceptual and geopolitical dimensions of the Chinese threat are not accounted for the historical and theoretical explanations to which Western scholars and commentators are accustomed.

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Western interpretations of Chinese history have similar limits when used to project ancient identities onto the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). These overemphasize an alleged exceptionalism from an idealized ancient past and overlook the modern ideological and geopolitical roots of CCP rule in China.

The most significant geopolitical outcome of the world wars was decolonization. The most dynamic and deadly manifestations of the competition between the new superpowers that emerged after the world wars occurred in the contested spaces left behind by the former empires. The most dynamic and deadly manifestations of the competition between the new superpowers that emerged after the world wars occurred in the contested spaces left behind by the former empires. What was once the greatest prize among these spoils has become the largest player among them and the character of its resulting challenge to world order represents the axis of contemporary geopolitics. A civilizational struggle raced by Xi is at of the “rest” versus the West articulated by Mao and emb the very core of the ideological foundations of the grand strategy of the Chinese Communist Party.

Mao’s Revolution and the Rise of the Third World

The reemergence of China into the international system occurred amidst the struggle by colonial and post-colonial countries to secure their independence from the colonial empires that had ruled them and the among these countries was unique in the sense that it could count itself amongsuperpowers these colonizedthat superseded countries them while in turn. historically China’s beinggeopolitical an empir positione itself. This feature of Chinese history led Mao, as well as subsequent Chinese leaders, to view themselves and China as the natural leaders among the post-colonial countries in a way that was not considered plausible for the United States or the USSR.

https://nationalinterest.org/feature/clash-civilizations-chinese-characteristics-181175

The new American geostrategic consensus over China 26 March 2021

• JOHN C. HULSMAN

Getty

In between 1947 1953, a miracle occurred. Despite a transition in power from one political party to another, despite the anti-Communist hysteria whipped up by the – feeling its way to superpower status, the United States managed to come to a broad ‘Red Scare’ of the odious Senator Joseph McCarthy, despite a country uncertainly political and geostrategic consensus over the most important issue of its day: How to deal with the Soviet Union, its rival superpower in the new global system.

From the ancient Greeks onwards, democratic systems had always been denigrated as being incapable of hewing to a common foreign policy geostrategy for long, given the vagaries of constant elections and the structural inability of major parties to - 1991, the US managed to sustain the dominant containment strategy forged in the leave politics at the water’s edge. Yet remarkably, throughout the Cold War of 1947 late 1940s early 1950s, despite the inevitable highs and lows in American life, and despite very different sorts of men serving as president over these many decades. So – important was this consensus for the establishment of the American-inspired global order, that Dean Acheson successful people ever to have held the position simply entitled his —Truman’s Secretary of State and one of the most memoirs, Present At The Creation. — As a Democratic centrist, President Harry Truman saw off the leftist strategic option embodied by former Vice President Henry Wallace, who advocated appeasing Joseph Stalin and doing nothing to secure Western Europe (let alone the rest of the world) from communist domination. At the same time, the center-right Eisenhower saw off the far-right views of General Douglas MacArthur, who advocated a militaristic rollback of communist gains around the world, even if tactical nuclear weapons would need to be deployed.

Instead, despite their personal animus, Truman and Eisenhower jointly championed the containment doctrine, which called for the West engaging in a political conflict with communism, while drawing clear red lines around the world (such as in Berlin) that the US would defend from Soviet encroachment. Eschewing direct military confrontation with the Soviet Union to the dismay of the far right the US at the same time committed itself to a geopolitical competition with the USSR to the — — frustration of the far left. In the end, the Truman-Eisenhower political-geostrategic — nexus was crowned with incredible victory; the Soviet Union dissolved, just as the Containment doctrine had predicted, while the world managed to avoid a direct superpower confrontation and World War III.

Remarkably, a similar domestic-strategic consensus seems to be coalescing in

President Donald Trump has supplied the first part of the consensus, while newly- America regarding how to handle the US’ new superpower rival, China. Outgoing elected President Joe Biden is well on his way to supplying the second.

https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/the-new-american-geostrategic-consensus-over-china/?amp

The U.S. Doesn’t Know How to Treat Its Allies

If Biden wants to counter China, the U.S. needs to make some sacrifices.

KORI SCHAKE, THE ATLANTIC |

MARCH 29, 2021 09:50 AM ET

President Joe Biden is promising the world that “America is back,” but his effort to reclaim global leadership shouldn’t come at the expense of the country’s closest friends. At a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken sharply criticized Germany’s efforts to get more natural gas from Russia through a pipeline project known as Nord Stream 2. The president, Blinken warned, “believes the pipeline is a bad idea, bad for Europe, bad for the United States. Ultimately it is in contradiction to the EU’s own security goals.” Not only is the Biden administration continuing former President Donald Trump’s punitive policy against an important ally, but it’s considering further strictures.

Blinken’s statement also reflected a major defect in Obama-era foreign policy: the condescending assumption that other countries don’t understand their own interests. But the U.S. focus on stopping an energy project domestically important for Germany is all the more misguided when the administration’s strategy for managing America’s top security concern—the rise of China—is utterly dependent on a dramatic deepening of allied cooperation. Biden has a choice: Should he prioritize concern about Russia, a nettlesome but less important rival power, or should he consolidate support among America’s allies? And the administration is on the verge of choosing the wrong option.

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European reliance on Russian energy resources is significant: EU countries import 30 percent of their crude oil, 40 percent of their natural gas, and 42 percent of their coal from Russia. But the U.S. opposition to Nord Stream 2 nevertheless feels atavistic, because European gas- market integration has defanged much of Russia’s ability to strong-arm other countries by threatening to cut off energy supplies.

Biden’s opposition to the pipeline has several justifications. The project will double existing gas capacity from Russia to Germany, bypassing Ukraine and thereby costing that country $3 billion in transit revenue. Our Central European allies vociferously object to Nord Stream 2, fearing long-term dependence on Russia—and German unwillingness to confront that threat. Now that the U.S. is a net energy exporter, it can offer a commercially advantageous American alternative: liquefied-natural-gas shipments to terminals in the Baltic states and Poland.

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Congress is trying to undermine Nord Stream 2 as well, escalating secondary sanctions against companies that lay pipeline or provide insurance or certification of its construction. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas even bartered his hold on the nomination of Bill Burns as CIA director for promises to carry out the legislated sanctions, which the president has the option to waive.

Biden’s opposition to Nord Stream 2 is in many ways a reprise of President Ronald Reagan’s stand against the Siberian pipeline that the Soviet Union and Germany constructed in the 1980s. And Biden is likely to be no more successful in halting this project than Reagan was in his efforts: Nord Stream 2 is 95 percent complete, and Germany has been obdurate in ignoring objections from both the U.S. and its Central European neighbors for more than a decade. Germany, which is weaning itself off nuclear power, cares desperately about energy reliability and is rushing to find low-carbon sources. To ask the German government to sacrifice its domestic goals would be hypocritical, given that Biden has prioritized the protection of U.S. markets in his own foreign policy. He has been unwilling to pay the political price of rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership—a trade bloc that major American labor groups oppose—or expend the effort to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which the United States nevertheless enforces against China. The U.S. expects other countries to make difficult domestic compromises without being willing to do it ourselves.

The controversy about Nord Stream 2 comes as the U.S. pushes Europeans for a more integrated allied approach to China. On the same trip that included the NATO meeting, Blinken made a big show of reviving the U.S.-EU dialogue on China. The United States has made considerable progress in persuading allies not to use Huawei equipment in their 5G systems. The European Union joined the U.S. in sanctions on China. The Biden administration’s objections to a proposed EU-China trade deal have helped prevent its ratification. Europeans are realizing that China’s repression in Xinjiang is offensive to their human-rights standards—and that Beijing’s indiscriminate retaliation for mild sanctions does not bode well. The EU is developing an Indo-Pacific strategy. Germany is even sending a warship to help patrol the South China Sea. This is the ideal moment for the U.S. and European democracies to build a common approach to managing China.

Having allies requires sacrifices grounded in common values; it does not mean that other democratic countries must in every case do what the United States wants. The Biden administration should compromise on Nord Stream 2, securing concessions that mollify Central Europe and Ukraine, and then let go of this outdated concern. Far from showing that “America is back,” our uncompromising stance impedes the deepening of allied cooperation for our more important problems.

https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2021/03/us-doesnt-know-how-treat-its-allies/172971/

Navy Seeks Info From Industry To Integrate Hypersonic Weapons On Zumwalt-Class Destroyers

By Rich Abott 03/29/2021

The Navy published a sources sought notice on March 18 requesting white papers from possible contractors on capabilities to install hypersonic weapons on the Zumwalt-class destroyers.

The service is assessing the means to implement goals set by Congress in the…

https://www.defensedaily.com/navy-seeks-info-industry-integrate-hypersoonic-weapons- zumwalt-class-destroyers/navy-usmc

Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group Conducts Joint Force Maritime Exercise with India 29 March 2021

From USS Theodore Roosevelt Public Affairs

INDIAN OCEAN - The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG) conducted simultaneous joint multi-domain operations with the Indian Navy and Air Force in the Indian Ocean March 28- 29, 2021.

Joint integration is key to elevate capability and capacity in the maritime domain. The highly successful exercise occurred on the heels of Secretary of Defense Austin’s scheduled visit to India.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to conduct this exercise with the Indian Navy and Air Force,” said Rear Adm. Doug Verissimo, commander, Carrier Strike Group Nine. “Not only do we share a common desire for a free, open, and inclusive Indo- Pacific, we also share common values and maritime traditions which make training together all the more meaningful. Our value together far exceeds what we can do individually to progress security, stability, and economic prosperity through our enforcement of the international rules-based order that benefits all.”

The exercise focused on complex operations such as anti-submarine warfare, joint air operations, and command and control (C2) integration. It demonstrated the capacity of the two nations to operate together to advance a common vision of Indo-Pacific, ensuring peace and stability.

USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and her embarked Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM 75), the “Wolf Pack”, USS Russell (DGG 59), and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) operated with INS Shivalik (F 47) with embarked helicopter, Maritime Patrol Aircraft (P-8I) from INAS 312 – “The Albatross”, and Indian Air Force aircraft from Squadron No. 222 – “The Tigersharks”. U.S. and Indian forces exercised together seamlessly across all domains, demonstrating the compatibility of our platforms and operations on the sea and in the air.

The TRCSG is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet to help ensure freedom of the seas, build partnerships that foster maritime security, and to conduct a wide range of operations that support humanitarian efforts and act as deterrence to potential malign actions.

The TRCSG consists of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), Destroyer Squadron 23, and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Russell (DDG 59) and USS John Finn (DDG 113).

Theodore Roosevelt’s embarked air wing consists of the “Tomcatters” of Strike Fighter Squadrons (VFA) 31, “Golden Warriors” of VFA-87, “Blue Diamonds” of VFA-146, “Black Knights” of VFA-154, “Liberty Bells” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 115, “Gray Wolves” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 142, “Wolf Pack” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75, “Eightballers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 and “Providers” of Fleet Logistic Support Squadron (VRC) 30 Detachment 3.

TRCSG’s operability in the region directly supports the Chief of Naval Operation’s navigation plan to master all-domain fleet operations, and exercise with like-minded navies to enhance our collective strength.

As the U.S. Navy's largest forward deployed fleet, U.S. 7th Fleet routinely operates between 50-70 ships and submarines and 140 aircraft with approximately 20,000 Sailors. 7th Fleet's area of operation spans more than 124 million square kilometers, stretching from the International Date Line to the India/Pakistan border; and from the Kuril Islands in the North to the Antarctic in the South Pacific, providing security and stability to the region. 7th Fleet interacts with 35 other maritime nations to build partnerships that foster maritime security while conducting a wide-range of missions to support humanitarian efforts and uphold international laws and freedoms of the sea.

http://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/2553177/theodore-roosevelt-carrier-strike- group-conducts-joint-force-maritime-exercise

21st Century USW: A Kill Web Team Sport 03/28/2021

By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake

Last Fall, 2nd Fleet hosted the 2020 version of Black Widow, an Atlantic-focused USW exercise.

But to be completely accurate, although the term ASW is most commonly used, what we are discussing is undersea warfare. USW is an integrated fight against all undersea threats, with submarines being a key, but not the only threat. ASW is part of USW.

As one Naval officer put it: “When we tend to discuss an integrated fight, we try to use the term USW, but when we are specifically hunting for just a submarine, ASW is the correct term.”

This is not classic USW, but one in which new capabilities are being woven into shaping a 21st century version of USW to deal with a 21st century threat posed from the sea. USW is becoming reshaped by the interactive kill web approach of multi-domain assets focused on a core warfighting capability and set of relevant skill sets.

U.S. Navy aircraft, surface ships and submarines will participate in Exercise Black Widow 2020 in the North Atlantic Sept. 12-18.

During Exercise Black Widow our Fleet warfighters employ, hone, and evaluate tactics, techniques, and procedures to enhance our readiness for real world operations, with specific focus on advancing our theater undersea warfare advantage in a multi-domain environment. This exercise will allow us to develop new doctrine and innovative tactics that address the capabilities of our near-peer competitors across the range of missions we expect to encounter in major combat operations.

This year’s participants include the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1), the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) and USS McFaul (DDG 74), a Virginia-class fast-attack submarine, a Los-Angeles class fast-attack submarine, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11, and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadrons 46 and 72. This marks the first time U.S. 2nd Fleet (C2F) and Commander, Submarine Group (SUBGRU) 2 will lead the force.

“The reestablishment of Submarine Group 2 enables the Navy and our Allies to finely tune our efforts in this resurgent battlespace, and reinforces the critical trans-Atlantic link,” said Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis, Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet. “Exercises like Black Widow give the undersea force a venue to showcase how we are agile, persistent, flexible, interoperable, and resilient.”

Participating units will refine communication techniques between platforms and simulate real-word application to enhance the lethality of the team as one cohesive fighting force. Black Widow also provides a chance for an increased focus on training in anti-submarine warfare on multiple platforms to enhance strategies and heighten the combat readiness of the fleet.

Vice Adm. Daryl L. Caudle, Commander, Submarine Forces. “We train like we fight, and strive for innovation, development, and improvement across all spectrums of warfare. To maintain superiority, we must be more agile in concepts, geography and technology.”

We had a chance to get further insights into the evolving “team sport,” from Rear Admiral Jim Waters, Commander Submarine Group Two (SUBGRU2) during our visit to Norfolk in March 2021. The Admiral has a distinguished career with significant operational experience in both the Pacific and the Atlantic (see biography at the end of the article.)

When SUBGRU2 celebrated its first anniversary of its establishment in September 2020, the Commander was quoted in a story published by the command on September 30, 2020.

Submarine Group 2 (SUBGRU 2) celebrated its first anniversary after reestablishment on Sept. 30, 2019. SUBGRU 2 was reestablished a little more than a year after the reestablishment of U.S. 2nd Fleet in August 2018, and was aimed at enhancing the Navy’s capacity to command and control its undersea warfare (USW) forces in the Western Atlantic.

Rear Adm. Jim Waters, SUBGRU 2 commander and Ellington, Connecticut native, highlighted the importance of reestablishing the command.

“We are tasked with advancing the art of undersea warfare through the combined efforts of our air, surface, submarine, and other underwater capabilities and to provide exquisitely trained forces to ensure undersea dominance in the Atlantic…I am honored to be a part of developing and leading this command into the future of integrated undersea warfare.” SUBGRU 2 serves as the Theater Undersea Warfare Commander (TUSWC) for 2nd Fleet and 4th Fleet in response to increasing near-peer competition in the Atlantic. SUBGRU 2 has the authority to command and control air, surface, and undersea forces to execute integrated multi-domain undersea operations in defense of the homeland.

In our discussion, a number of themes emerged and what clearly was especially hammered home was a significant focus on innovation in working a wide variety of platforms to deliver the desired combat effect.

In fact, the Rear Admiral underscored that for Vice Admiral Lewis, many Navy platforms maybe considered an USW platform since they all have the ability to see, to communicate, and as necessary provide weapons as contributors to what is now known as the USW Team Sport.

Clearly, the submarine remains the number one sub killer with weapons deployed for this purpose.

But with the expanded capability of surface and air-borne assets to find, track and kill submarines, the role of the underwater U.S. Navy force changes as well. It can be the cutting-edge stalker or killer or work through the kill web force to get the desired result. In fact, having a wider range of options for prosecution and destruction of adversary submarines than in the past is a key element for 21st century maritime operations and warfare.

Over the past few years in interviews with aviators in the transformed Maritime Patrol community with the P-8 and the Triton., along with a more focused integration of the Romeo helicopters we saw the U.S. Navy reshape airborne forces working together to deliver a desired kill web combat effect. Along that journey we saw the establishment of fleet level Maritime ISR (MISR) officers reflect the importance of the Information (note we are calling it “I” for Information vice Intelligence), Surveillance and Reconnaissance capability availability for maritime warfare, including ASW in particular.

Command guidance reflected in what is known as the “Commanders Intent” side of this effort is the key focus of Vice Admiral Lewis and is clearly seen in the work of Submarine Group 2. Mission command is crucial and Command guidance intent is clearly distributed to the fleet to shape and task forces that can deliver the desired combat effect.

Obviously, how communications and how ISR is shared between an undersea, surface and airborne force varies in terms of operating theaters and is a challenge; working interactivity across the domains is a key part of exercising an ASW team approach.

Rethinking how to use platforms is an essential part of the process because the U.S. Navy can practice like Black Widow demonstrated, employing amphibious platforms as part of sea control and sea denial. In Black Widow 2020, they did so in the form of the USS WASP.

The WASP was used as an ASW helo platforms, and the Rear Admiral underscored that the seaworthiness of the WASP and its deck space allowed for the team to use the Romeos operating off of the WASP to provide a key capability for the integrated fight.

Another driver for change in USW operations in the Atlantic is clearly new capabilities being operated by our allies, whether they be new diesel submarines or nuclear attack submarines in the case of the French and British, or new USW frigates, or new maritime patrol aircraft capabilities, whether they be the new P-8s as in the case of Britain or Norway, or new capabilities on older aircraft, as in the case of Canada.

As Rear Admiral Garvin, then the MPRA commander, put it last year; “In effect, we are shaping kill web “matesmanship.”

“Our policy frameworks simply need to catch up with our technologies.”

“Our allies understand the fundamental nature of their region better than we do.

“If you have properly maintained these important working relationships, both interpersonal and technological, then you will have access to the cultural knowledge and human geography that might otherwise would not be available to you.

“We clearly have closer relationships with some allies than with others, which shapes policy and data sharing. However, the technology is now out there which can allow us, within the right policy framework, to provide data at appropriate security levels much more rapidly than in the past.

“Those partnerships need to be nurtured and exercised now to help shape our interactive webs into a truly effective strike force over the extended battlespace.”

Rear Admiral Waters certainly reinforced this point, as in the Atlantic, we have a number of key partners who work ASW and anti-surface warfare as a core competence for their national navies, and their domain knowledge is a key part of the equation in shaping enhanced warfighting capabilities and re-enforcing deterrence.

“Because of the complexity of the underwater domain, it is necessarily a team sport. There are people that would love to say, “It’s the submarines. And they do ASW and that’s what they do.” “And certainly, it’s a major mission for the submarine force. But the threat is so complex, and the environment is so challenging, that you can’t rely on one particular platform to do this mission.

“We as a navy have evolved a very robust structure of training and assessing and preparing and innovating. We’re really good at carrier-centric integration.

“But our ability to integrate a non-carrier-centric force, like a theater undersea warfare task force, needs to be enhanced. And that was what Black Widow represented. We operated as a fleet or a task force to deliver the desired combat effect.”

Finally, there is the question of the coming of maritime autonomous systems and how they might fit into the concepts of operations which the Rear Admiral is shaping and executing.

Recently, the Navy released its plan for developing and then integrating maritime autonomous systems into the force.

Clearly, one domain where this may well happen is in the ISR side of providing information for both ASW and anti-surface warfare. The promise is there, but also the question of the readiness of the networks to handle data and where that data will go remains a work in progress.

This is how Rear Admiral Waters put it: “Unmanned systems will play an important role in the future.

“The fact that they can dwell for long periods, and we don’t have to worry about feeding the people on board, will provide an important contribution in the undersea warfare area.

“Unmanned systems have the ability to stare for a long time and if you could put a platform out there that can either stay in the air a really long time or stay in the environment with acoustic sensors for a really long time, that gives you the ability to sense the environment.

“The challenge comes with regard to how what information you have gathered becomes useful.

“We have to have the place where they plug in, and how to use that information in the area of interest?”

It is clear that the undersea domain which is the focus of attention of Rear Admiral Walters is best understood not only in terms of its own dynamic, but how it interacts with the threats and challenges across the multi-domain theater of operations which C2F and Allied JFC Norfolk focus upon.

As Vice Admiral Lewis noted the change in his March 2021 Proceedings article:

“Both JFCNF and C2F are shifting their mind-sets from predominantly operating from the sea to fighting at sea—which requires mastery of the domains below, on, and above the sea. We are executing high-end maritime operations from seabed to space. Our collective security and interconnected global economy depend on open shipping lanes, unhindered air travel, and uninterrupted flow of data., C2F and JFCNF are natural partners—each advocating for the other and working in unison.

“ Russia has increased its military posture during the past decade, to signal its ability to threaten allied capabilities, infrastructure, and territory. Russia has invested in capability versus capacity—it knows it will never have more ships, aircraft, or submarines than all of NATO—with an eye toward asymmetric capabilities. So, we carefully monitor Russian investments in force multipliers such as hypersonic weapons, submarine quieting, extended-range missile systems, and information warfare.”

“Russia’s activity in the gray zone notably includes its underwater reconnaissance program and information operations. In recent years, Russia intensified its submarine activity around the undersea cables, which are essential for global communications— including the internet. The ability of an American user to access a website in Europe or vice versa largely depends on a network of several hundred fiber-optic communication cables that run across the ocean floor—and Russia has deployed submarines to map out the cables, likely in preparation for nefarious activity.”

In short, the undersea domain is a key field of action, where dominance is best ensured by having a 360-degree operational capability encompassing the surface, air and space domains.

Clearly, Rear Admiral Waters not only understands this, but is leading the way in shaping the kind of innovation crucial for the defense of the homeland and U.S. interests abroad.

Rear Admiral James Waters III, Commander, Submarine Group TWO

Rear Adm. Waters is a native of Ellington, Connecticut and 1989 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in Systems Engineering. He completed graduate studies at Oxford University in 1991.

https://sldinfo.com/2021/03/21st-century-usw-a-kill-web-team-sport

U.S. Coast Guard Seeks Builders For Big New Cutters

The Heritage class Offshore Patrol Cutter.

After a shaky start, the U.S. Coast Guard is accelerating the pace of its highest acquisition priority, the Heritage class Offshore Patrol Cutter program. Today, the U.S. Coast Guard is soliciting multi-billion-dollar proposals from any American shipyard interested in building up to eleven mid-sized, 4,000-ton Offshore Patrol Cutters. With the Coast Guard planning to commission up to twenty-five Heritage class cutters over the next two decades, shipyard managers are eager to find out what they need to do to win the massive contract.

This is the second time U.S. shipyards vied for this future Coast Guard workhorse. Eastern Shipbuilding Group, a scrappy, Florida-based commercial shipyard, marched through a multi-stage design-build award process, ultimately winning a contract for nine Offshore Patrol Cutters and options for two additional hulls. Rivals were skeptical about Eastern’s low bid, and, as the lean commercial yard started work in 2016, teething pains emerged quite quickly.

Like any shipyard new to big government contracts, Eastern struggled with the administrative challenges inherent to government shipbuilding. Eastern’s cutter design expanded in both expected per-hull displacement and per-hull price. But the Coast Guard tolerated the operational hiccups and, with no real show-stoppers, the Offshore Patrol Cutter program made steady progress.

But in 2018, everything changed. Just as Eastern Shipbuilding Group prepared to cut steel on the first cutter, the shipyard’s run of good luck ran out. A record-breaking “Category 5” hurricane—Hurricane Michael—damaged the yard’s Panama City, Florida fabrication facilities, forcing the Coast Guard to reconfigure the program.

As Eastern Shipbuilding Group picked up the pieces, the Coast Guard did what it needed to keep the Offshore Patrol Cutter program moving forward. The stricken shipyard received extraordinary contract relief from the Department of Homeland Security in 2019, setting the stage for the current industry solicitation. Eastern, still game to salvage the contract, was granted options for up to four Offshore Patrol Cutters. Two of those options have since been exercised, and, with two ships under construction, the Coast Guard expects the first Eastern-built Heritage class cutter, the Argus, to be delivered sometime in late 2022.

A lot is at stake. The Offshore Patrol Cutter is a critical component for the future U.S. Coast Guard, replacing some 29 aging mid-sized cutters that support day-to-day deep- ocean law enforcement work—drug interdiction, illegal fishing enforcement and other security duties worldwide.

Hurricane Michael damaged Eastern's Panama City Shipyard.

The Coast Guard’s Dilemma:

Today, the Coast Guard is in a bit of a dilemma. Under ideal conditions, a second tranche of Offshore Patrol Cutters would only be put out for bid after the Coast Guard evaluated the first Eastern-built ships. Once the design was updated and the Coast Guard acquired a final “build-to-print” design, other shipyards could then compete on price. Then, theory goes, only the most efficient, cost-effective shipyard would win the follow-on contract, offering the Coast Guard the most “bang” for the taxpayers buck.

Unfortunately for the Coast Guard, Hurricane Michael ruined those plans. With all the disruption, the first Eastern-built Heritage Class cutter will only arrive in the fleet after the current contract is awarded. And with no performance data available to inform the design, the Coast Guard is now relying upon shipbuilders to offer government contract evaluators a complex witches’ brew of design changes and notional production efficiencies.

A good bit of the current competition rests upon just how much confidence the Coast Guard has in the cutter design Eastern created before the 2016 award. In the current 11- ship proposal, the Coast Guard is giving interested shipyards an enormous amount of leeway to redesign the cutter’s innards, a tactic that, according to stakeholders, facilitates increased competition. Newly proposed ships must look generally the same from the outside, but almost everything “under the hood”—outside of a few major components— can be changed, shifted or modified.

The only problem is that the “new” Cutters acquired from the current solicitation will still be derived from Eastern’s detailed design—a design that is still incomplete and still pretty much proprietary to Eastern. Quite a few in the shipbuilding community believe that Eastern could only have won the original Offshore Patrol Cutter contract by underbidding a poorly-proofed basic design. Today, some potential bidders are reluctant to even think about advancing and modifying a basic design they don’t have detailed information about and still don’t fully trust. This uncertainty—combined with the slow pace of third-party certification of Eastern’s detailed design work—leaves some industry observers wondering if the eleven-ship proposal is actually a thinly-disguised opportunity for Eastern Shipbuilding Group to fix their existing design and re-baseline their original aggressive 2016 Offshore Patrol Cutter pricing.

While the Coast Guard admits that the current Heritage class cutter opportunity is poorly- timed due to the Hurricane-driven delays, Coast Guard stakeholders insist that the contract opportunity maximizes competition. Rather than fret about introducing extensive changes in the Heritage class design, Coast Guard sources point to the 210- foot Reliance class, a 60’s-era mid-sized cutter. While all the ships of the Reliance class appear to be similar, the Coast Guard changed the ship’s entire propulsion system in the middle of a 16-ship production run, eliminating design weaknesses that plagued the first six ships and threatened the future of the entire Reliance cutter class. The redesign worked, and the Reliance class cutters are still going strong, some 50-60 years later.

How To Win The Contract:

With a Coast Guard-sanctioned proprietary cutter design and two ships already under construction, the contract is Eastern’s to win. But to win, Eastern still must demonstrate they are making good headway with their first and second offshore patrol cutters. They will also need to convince the Coast Guard that the yard actually has the fiscal and management chops as well as yard capability to build two ships a year. So, while Eastern holds an advantage, Eastern has a lot to do. The contract is certainly not a done deal.

The challenge for rival shipyards is to show that they can offer assured capability, assured quality as well as an enhanced design.

To beat Eastern, rival yards need to convince evaluators they can quickly ramp up to build two cutters a year. Given all the delays, the existing Coast Guard fleet of mid-sized cutters will have served between 42 and 67 years before their new Offshore Patrol Cutter replacements are ready. With little time to lose, competing yards will have an edge if they reduce design-build risks or, outside of the design, show they have hardened facilities or resilient strategies to overcome storms, flooding or other likely coastal disasters with minimal disruption.

The Coast Guard has a limited ability to provide shipyard oversight. A shipyard that already has complex government cost-and-program management systems in place —the tools required for the government to understand how the project is advancing—will likely be appreciated. A fiscally strong, scandal-free and U.S.-owned yard, unencumbered by Foreign Ownership, Control and Influence issues or ongoing investigations into business practices, will likely be appreciated even more.

Quality control is another area where rivals can score points. A proposal that ties quality work to lower operational costs and better life cycle readiness is going to find an attentive audience. The Coast Guard does not have time to deal with shoddy workmanship or poor quality parts, and the Offshore Patrol Cutter—which will regularly sail “alone and unafraid”—cannot have pipes, davits and other mission-critical components give way under normal use. The Coast Guard is also not eager to have the Offshore Patrol Cutter bleed to death on cutting-edge technology, so advanced systems with a strong performance record or a tried-and-tested commercial lineage will likely be favored.

Design is another important differentiator. Designing and building a new mid-sized patrol ship is always a frustrating exercise in compromise, and Eastern’s cutter design is no exception. With so many stakeholders, so many new risks and so many new technologies on the waterfront, the Coast Guard’s desired cutter capabilities can change in a blink of an eye. As Eastern’s extra displacement margins are already vanishing under a raft of requirements, a yard that offers design enhancements that reflect current Coast Guard operational practices and priorities will have a big competitive edge.

If a shipyard can also show their design tweaks offer the Coast Guard lower operational costs and fewer maintenance headaches, it would also do a lot to offset Eastern’s existing advantages. Detailing a viable path towards condition-based-maintenance and demonstrating innovations that make regular vessel maintenance and operations easier on the crew are all very much in demand and cannot be dismissed.

The Bottom Line: The Ships Have To Work:

The Coast Guard has learned a lot since the dark days of the failed “Deepwater” recapitalization program. With the current Heritage class cutter contract proposal, Coast Guard planners are doing whatever they can to make lemonade out of programmatic lemons. It is a fascinating gambit. If the Coast Guard successfully leverages a national catastrophe to improve their workhorse cutter’s design, production strategy and purchasing terms, this act of sheer bureaucratic mastery will be studied by defense procurement experts for decades.

But there is a lot to do and, with the Coast Guard’s need for new ships now acute, there is little time left to work through design and production issues. Regardless of price, the ships awarded under this new contract must arrive from the shipyard ready to work, with no “teething” problems. With the existing Cutter fleet aging out, the Coast Guard needs new cutters quickly—unlike the first four Littoral Combat Ships, the first four Offshore Patrol Cutters won’t be dismissed as inoperable “prototypes” and decommissioned early.

The Coast Guard’s revised cutter procurement strategy, while smart, is not entirely risk free. The per-vessel cost is likely to grow beyond current expectation of about $411 million per ship. And with the ship already facing design “bloat” and an ever-increasing displacement, the Coast Guard will need to be very disciplined in evaluating new design changes as well as offsetting any new things the Service wants aboard the ship. And, finally, big changes to any “new” variant or “subclass” of the Offshore Patrol Cutter may require completely new and pricey training regimens, maintenance protocols and supply chains. But those issues will evaporate if the cutters are built reliably and handed over to the Coast Guard “ready to work”. Over the next several decades, as maritime security issues multiply, robust, modern, mid-sized cutters will be in extremely high demand. Despite today’s unfortunate, Hurricane-roiled churn, a shipyard turning out operable, handy- sized Heritage class cutters offers the Coast Guard a lot of options—particularly as Washington DC starts realizing that the Coast Guard is undersized for the tasks ahead.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/craighooper/2021/03/29/us-coast-guard-seeks-builders-for-big-new- cutters/?ss=aerospace-defense

Air Force Drone Plan May Rile MQ-9 Champions

"This is a new effort, as the expanded mission now goes beyond a strict MQ-9 replacement," an AFLCMC spokesperson said. "This endeavor serves to explore concepts that address capability gaps of legacy platforms against increasingly sophisticated threats in denied, contested, and highly contested environments."

By THERESA HITCHENSon March 29, 2021 at 4:01 PM

An MQ-9 Reaper takes off at Creech Air Force Base. WASHINGTON: The Air Force plans to develop a family of highly-survivable drones for multiple missions to replace the MQ-9 — but rather than the Reaper’s traditional ground- attack role, the service’s top priority seems to be counter-air capabilities.

“At first glance it looks like a complete reverse of the counterterrorist air-to-mud mission for MQ-9, a battle-proven drone that can’t survive hot air defenses,” said Rebecca Grant, founder of IRIS Independent Research.

This may well raise hackles among Combatant Command leaders — and many in Congress — who are wedded to the Reaper for use in ongoing operations such as in Afghanistan and the killing of high-value targets. Congress blocked Air Force plans to stop production of the MQ-9 by prime contractor General Atomics in 2021, adding 16 aircraft to its budget plans. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown admitted last month that the service “can’t just walk away” from the MQ-9 because of its popularity with commanders.

Mark Gunzinger, director of future projects at the Mitchell Institute, said in an email that the new effort could well spark concerns among MQ-9 supporters. “But it shouldn’t,” he said.

First, he explained that “Reapers will be in the force for a long time.” Second, “the family of UAVs the Air Force apparently wants to procure will expand — not contract — the mission capabilities of its UAV force and threat environments it will operate in.” And finally, “I believe the Air Force intends to grow its overall UAV capacity over time, not reduce it. UAVs—including attritable systems—are force multipliers in many regards.” Likewise, Grant said the shift makes sense particularly when looking at the Pacific theater and competition with China. “The peer battle in the Pacific is so stressing that ACC [Air Combat Command] wants every missile carrier and comm relay node it can put in the air. They might deploy P-51 Mustangs if the museums would give them up,” she said. “Then there is targeting for those Army long-range fires set to dot the Pacific – that will take lots of combat air patrols.”

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/03/air-force-drone-plan-may-rile-mq-9-champions

'We trusted that our equipment would work,' says Army vet, as U.S. trial over 3M earplugs begins By Tom Hals 4 MIN READ

(Reuters) - When U.S. combat veteran Dave Henderson completed his first deployment to Iraq in 2010, he began to experience ringing in his ears and struggled to hear what others around him picked up with ease.

Captain Dave Henderson leaves a Key Leader Engagement at the Provincial Headquarters in Khost, Afghanistan in this 2012 handout photo. Dave Henderson/Handout via REUTERS

Henderson blames the hearing damage on an earplug that the military bought by the millions from 3M Co and he is one of more than 200,000 veterans and service members suing the company, claiming it covered up known design defects from the Department of Defense.

“We had no choice but to use the 3M earplugs,” said Henderson, 36, who earned a Bronze Star Medal while in the Army from 2007 to 2013. “We trusted that our equipment would work.”

Henderson, who lives in Philadelphia, said he now sleeps with a fan on to help blur “out the ringing in his ears” and sometimes can’t hear when one of his two children is crying.

On Monday, jury selection begins in a “bellwether” trial against 3M in Pensacola, Florida. The trial consolidates three lawsuits, will be used to assess key evidence and damages and potentially shape a deal to resolve thousands of other cases, brought mostly by Army veterans between the ages of 30 and 49.

More than 1 million veterans receive compensation for hearing loss, which is the leading service-related disability, according to 2015 government data.

At the heart of the trial is a question that’s central to all the lawsuits: Did earplug designers at Aearo Technologies, which was acquired by 3M, manipulate test results, hide design shortcomings and fail to instruct the military in proper use of the earplugs?

3M has said the Combat Arms Earplugs Version 2, which according to court records cost 85 cents to make and were sold for $7.63, worked and were safe when used and fitted properly. The company has denied the plug was defectively or negligently designed or that the plugs caused injuries, and said in a statement that it will “vigorously defend ourselves against such allegations.”

The Department of Defense, which is not named as a party, said it does not comment on pending litigation. The litigation is the largest mass tort ever brought in federal court, and one of the many legal risks facing 3M, the maker of Post-it notepads, ACE bandages and the leading U.S. manufacturer of N95 face masks.

Since the start of 2018, 3M’s stock has fallen about 20%, weighed partly by litigation over alleged water contamination caused by a discontinued compound used in firefighting foam.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-3m-earplugs-trial/we-trusted-that-our-equipment-would-work- says-army-vet-as-u-s-trial-over-3m-earplugs-begins-idUSKBN2BL157

French warship docks in Vietnam as foreign powers step up in South China Sea Zachary Haver/Radio Free Asia March 28, 2021 Top Stories 0 Comment

Zachary Haver/Radio Free Asia

A French frigate docked at Cam Ranh Port in Vietnam in March 2021, the latest sign that foreign powers are pushing back against the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) assertive behavior and expansive claims in the South China Sea.

In February 2021, France’s defense minister announced that a French nuclear attack submarine and an accompanying support ship had completed a patrol in the South China Sea, and U.S. forces have repeatedly conducted freedom of navigation operations and other maneuvers in the contested waters since the start of the year.

The frigate, Prairial, came to Cam Ranh Port for helicopter repairs, the VnExpress online newspaper reported. The French ambassador to Vietnam said that “the frigate’s visit at this time is meant to deliver a message in support of freedom of navigation in the air and at sea, which is shared by both Vietnam and France,” according to VnExpress. (Pictured: The French frigate Prairial docked at Cam Ranh Port, Vietnam, on March 9, 2021.)

Naval assets from France, Germany and the United Kingdom are scheduled to transit the area in 2021. It is home to a series of competing maritime and territorial claims among Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, the PRC, Taiwan and Vietnam. While Indonesia does not regard itself as party to the South China Sea dispute, the PRC claims historic rights to parts of the sea overlapping Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone.

In response to the PRC’s assertive moves, states without territorial claims are increasing their involvement in the South China Sea disputes through diplomatic and military means.

For example, during a recent call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga “expressed serious concerns regarding unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Sea,” Japan’s Foreign Ministry said.

Similarly, during bilateral security discussions in March 2021, Japan and the U.S. reiterated those concerns, citing the CCP’s new law allowing its coast guard to use force to defend the PRC’s expansive maritime claims, according to the U.S. State Department. The law has generated backlash regionally and internationally.

In January 2021, Japan joined France, Indonesia, Malaysia, the U.K., the U.S., Vietnam and other countries in rejecting the PRC’s maritime claims in a diplomatic note to the United Nations.

The U.S. government, which began deepening its involvement in the South China Sea around 2010, is welcoming increased attention from other states. Adm. Philip Davidson, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said that “one of the efforts that we have deliberately undertaken is to make sure that the international community understands that it’s not a U.S.-China issue in the South China Sea, it is the freedom of communication issue for the international community through that water.” Davidson commended countries such as Australia, France, India, Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam for their efforts, including participating in exercises and raising the South China Sea issue in multinational forums.

https://ipdefenseforum.com/2021/03/french-warship-docks-in-vietnam-as-foreign-powers-step-up-in- south-china-sea

Chinese military planes enter Taiwan's ADIZ for 17th day in March

03/29/2021 08:19 PM

A J-16 multirole fighter. Photo courtesy of Ministry of National Defense Taipei, March 29 (CNA) A total of 10 Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Monday, the 17th day on which such intrusions have occurred in March alone.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft involved in the mission were four J-16 multirole fighters, four J-10 multirole fighters, one Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane and one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control plane, according to a Ministry of National Defense (MND) report.

Taiwan's Air Force responded by scrambling planes to monitor the Chinese aircraft, issuing radio warnings and mobilizing air defense systems until the aircraft left the area, the MND said.

The airspace is considered by Taiwan as part of its ADIZ, which is declared by a country to allow it to identify, locate and control approaching foreign aircraft, although such zones are not recognized under international law.

Monday's intrusions made the seventh day since March 20 that such intrusions have occurred and the 17th since the beginning of this month.

Some military analysts in Taiwan believe that such flyovers may be part of a strategy by Beijing to project an impression that the airspace is its own backyard that it can frequent anytime it wishes.

https://focustaiwan.tw/cross-strait/202103290020 20 PLA aircraft enter Taiwan's ADIZ after Taipei and Washington sign coast guard co-operation agreement by Gabriel Dominguez

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) accused 20 Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft of entering the island’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) on 26 March, a day after Washington and Taipei signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on coast guard co-operation.

The MND said in a statement that the aircraft included 10 J-16 and two J-10 multirole fighters, four H-6 strategic bombers, two KQ-200 anti-submarine warfare (ASW)-capable aircraft, as well as one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform, and one Y-8 reconnaissance aircraft.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/20-pla-aircraft-enter-taiwans-adiz-after-taipei-and- washington-sign-coast-guard-co-operation-agreement

Taiwan reports large incursion by Chinese air force By Reuters Staff 1 MIN READ

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Ten Chinese military aircraft including fighter jets entered the southwestern corner of Taiwan’s air defence identification zone on Monday, the island’s defence ministry said, in a further escalation of tension across the sensitive Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan’s air force deployed missiles to “monitor” the incursion, the island’s defence ministry said, without elaborating. It also said its planes warned the Chinese aircraft over the radio.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-china-security/taiwan-reports-large-incursion-by-chinese- air-force-idUSKBN2BL1ED

Military turns to missiles in effort to track increasing Chinese incursions

• By Ben Blanchard / Reuters, TAIPEI

The air force is no longer scrambling each time Chinese aircraft encroach on its air defense identification zone, but tracks the intruders with ground-based missiles instead to help save resources, a senior official said yesterday.

The air force has repeatedly scrambled to intercept Chinese jets in the past few months, and the US in July last year approved a possible US$620 million upgrade package for Patriot surface-to-air missiles to Taiwan.

Yesterday, 10 Chinese military aircraft, including fighter jets, entered the southwest corner of the zone, the Ministry of National Defense said, adding that it used missiles to “monitor” the incursion and its planes warned the Chinese aircraft over the radio.

Twenty Chinese military aircraft entered the zone on Friday last week, in the largest incursion yet reported by the ministry.

Although they have not flown over Taiwan itself, the flights have ramped up pressure, both financial and physical, on the air force to ensure its aircraft are ready to go at any moment in what security officials describe as a “war of attrition.”

Speaking at the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, Deputy Minister of National Defense Chang Che-ping (張哲平) said that initially fighter jets were sent out each time to intercept the Chinese aircraft, whose missions are concentrated in the southeastern part of the zone.

As that took up valuable time and resources, that strategy was changed, with Taiwan sending slower aircraft up if China did too, but that has also changed, Chang added.

“So we now largely use land-based missile forces to track them. We are considering the war of attrition issue,” he said.

The ministry has spoken of the repeated missions, along with its aircraft being “middle- aged,” leading to a huge increase in maintenance costs not originally budgeted for.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2021/03/30/2003754756

Taiwan says tracks intruding Chinese aircraft with missiles, not always scrambling By Reuters Staff 3 MIN READ

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan’s air force is no longer scrambling each time Chinese aircraft encroach on its air defence identification zone but tracks the intruders with ground based missiles instead to help save resources, a senior official said on Monday.

Taiwan’s air force has repeatedly scrambled to intercept Chinese jets in recent months, and the United States approved in July a possible $620 million upgrade package for Patriot surface-to-air missiles to Taiwan..

Twenty Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) on Friday, in the largest incursion yet reported by the island’s defence ministry and marking a dramatic escalation of tension across the Taiwan Strait.

Though they have not flown over Taiwan itself, the flights have ramped up pressure, both financial and physical, on the air force to ensure its aircraft are ready to go at any moment in what security officials describe as a “war of attrition”.

Speaking in parliament, Deputy Defence Minister Chang Che-ping said that initially fighter jets were sent out each time to intercept the Chinese aircraft, whose missions are concentrated in the southeastern part of Taiwan’s ADIZ.

As that took up valuable time and resources that was then changed, with Taiwan sending slower aircraft up if China did too, but that has changed too, Chang added.

“So we now largely use land-based missile forces to track them. We are considering the war of attrition issue,” he said.

China claims democratic Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.

While Taiwan’s air force is well trained, it is dwarfed by that of China’s.

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry has spoken of the repeated missions, along with its aircraft being “middle-aged”, leading to a huge increase in maintenance costs not originally budgeted for.

The defence minister said in October that Taiwan had spent almost $900 million so far in 2020 on scrambling its air force against Chinese incursions, describing the pressure they are facing as “great”. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-security/taiwan-says-tracks-intruding-chinese-aircraft-with- missiles-not-always-scrambling-idUSKBN2BL0JS

Wary of Beijing, Taiwan Doubles Down on South China Sea Island By Ralph Jennings March 29, 2021 07:30 AM

FILE - An aerial view shows of Itu Aba, which the Taiwanese call Taiping, in the South China Sea, Nov. 29, 2016.

TAIPEI - Taiwan’s military has stepped up training of troops and added defensive weaponry on the contested South China Sea’s biggest natural island to prepare for any attack by Beijing, analysts believe.

Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng told parliament March 17 China was “capable” of attacking and that he wanted Taiping Island “to be ready at all times,” local media reports said. He was referring to a sparsely populated feature in the Spratly archipelago that is located 1,500 kilometers southwest of Taiwan and disputed by five other governments, including China.

“That signals unequivocally that Taipei is concerned and takes China’s ambitions, statements and actions — reaffirming that Beijing intends to [capture] the island — very seriously,” said Fabrizio Bozzato, senior research fellow at the Tokyo-based Sasakawa Peace Foundation’s Ocean Policy Research Institute.

China has alarmed Taiwan since mid-2020 by sending military aircraft almost every day over a corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone. On Friday, the defense ministry spotted 20 planes, an unusually high count. China has added hangars and radar systems to its own seven holdings in the Spratly chain over the past decade.

Taiping Island, an outpost also known as Itu Aba, would be easier for China to take compared to Taiwan because it covers just 46 hectares (110 acres), some analysts say. The tropical landform supports an air strip, a pier and a small hospital.

To “strain and exhaust Taiwan’s air crew and sailors” and “aggravate” Taiwan’s citizens, China could “demonstrate its power by invading one or another offshore island controlled by Taiwan” including Taiping, the research organization Council on Foreign Affairs said in a special report last month. The Beijing government claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory, a leftover issue from the Chinese civil war of the 1940s, and it has not ruled out the use of force to unify the two sides.

Taiwanese have told government polls they prefer autonomy over unifying with China. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen rejects Beijing’s “one-China” principle as a condition for any dialogue. The two sides have not spoken formally since 2016.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam claim all or parts of the South China Sea, as well. Vietnam, worried about China as well, has landfilled its Spratly holdings over the past two years and the Philippines asked this month that China withdraw about 200 fishing boats from the archipelago. The six claimants look to the sea for fisheries and undersea fuel reserves.

https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/wary-beijing-taiwan-doubles-down-south-china-sea-island

Kremlin, despite military visit, says it is worried by rising civilian toll in Myanmar By Reuters Staff 2 MIN READ FILE PHOTO: Men use slingshots as they crouch behind a barricade during a protest against the military coup, in Yangon, Myanmar March 28, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Monday that it was deeply concerned by the rising number of civilian deaths in Myanmar despite a high profile visit by Russia’s deputy defence minister to the southeast Asian nation to deepen military ties.

The visit, by Alexander Fomin, the deputy defence minister, drew strong criticism from rights activists who accused Moscow of legitimising Myanmar’s military junta, which came to power in a Feb. 1 coup.

Myanmar’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing said Russia was a “true friend” and welcomed the presence of Russian forces at the annual Army Day parade on Saturday, the bloodiest day so far with at least 114 civilians reported dead by local news services.

Defence ties between Russia and Myanmar have grown in recent years with Moscow providing army training and university scholarships to thousands of soldiers, as well as selling arms to a military blacklisted by several Western countries for alleged atrocities against civilians.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that Russia’s stance on Myanmar should not be misconstrued despite the delegation visit, which saw Fomin attend the parade.

“We are really worried by the growing number of civilian casualties,” said Peskov. “It is a source of deep concern and we are following the unfolding situation in Myanmar really closely.”

Asked to comment on Fomin’s presence at the parade, he said:

“You know we have long-standing and fairly constructive ties with Myanmar. There are certain developments in our bilateral ties, and it’s from that viewpoint that this should be regarded. But that absolutely does not signify our approval of those tragic events which are taking place in the country.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics-kremlin/kremlin-despite-military-visit-says-it-is- worried-by-rising-civilian-toll-in-myanmar-idUSKBN2BL1E0 Myanmar's military conducts airstrikes along border, thousands flee to Thailand Myanmar aircraft carried out three strikes overnight on Sunday, according to Dave Eubank, a member of the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian relief agency that delivers medical and other assistance to villagers.

PUBLISHED ON MAR 29, 2021 07:03 PM IST

A series of airstrikes by Myanmar's military along the country's border raised concerns on Monday that more villagers might flee to neighbouring Thailand in large numbers, adding a new dimension to an already volatile crisis. The strikes in areas populated predominantly by ethnic Karen people represent another escalation in the increasingly violent crackdown by Myanmar's junta on protests of its Feb. 1 coup. On Saturday, more than 100 people were killed in and around demonstrations throughout the country — the bloodiest single day since the takeover. Myanmar aircraft carried out three strikes overnight on Sunday, according to Dave Eubank, a member of the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian relief agency that delivers medical and other assistance to villagers. The strikes severely injured one child but caused no apparent fatalities, he said. Strikes over the weekend sent about 2,500 people into northern Thailand’s Mae Hong Son province, according to the agency. Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha on Monday acknowledged the problems along his country's western border and said his government is preparing for a possible influx of people.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/myanmars-military-conducts-airstrikes-along-border- thousands-flee-to-thailand-101617023753584.html

Thailand denies forcing back Myanmar refugees blocked at border By Panu Wongcha-um, Panarat Thepgumpanat 4 MIN READ

MAE SARIANG, Thailand (Reuters) - Thai authorities on Monday denied forcing back more than 2,000 refugees who had fled air strikes in Myanmar, but a local official said it was government policy for the army to block them at the border and deny access to outside aid groups.

Karen refugees carrying belongings are seen at Salween riverbank in Mae Hong Son, Thailand March 29, 2021. Karen Women's Organization/Handout via REUTERS

Thousands of people fled Myanmar over the weekend after fighter jets attacked villages near the border held by a force from the Karen ethnic group that had attacked a military post in the wake of a Feb. 1 coup by Myanmar’s army.

Mark Farmaner, head of Burma Campaign UK, told Reuters that thousands of people had been forced to return to the Ee Thu Hta displacement camp on the Myanmar side of the border. Another activist group gave the number as 2,009.

Video shot by a Karen villager and published by Reuters showed refugees boarding boats under the watch of Thai soldiers.

“Look, Thai soldiers told villagers to go back. Here, see old people have to go back. Look there, there are lots of Thai soldiers,” a Karen villager is heard saying. Authorities stopped Reuters reporters from accessing the area.

Thichai Jindaluang, governor of Thailand’s Mae Hong Son province, told reporters the refugees were not being pushed back. They were in a safe place on the fringes of the border in Mae Sariang and Sop Moei districts, state media reported.

“Thai authorities will continue to look after those on the Thai side while assessing the evolving situation and the needs on the ground,” foreign ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said in a statement, also saying the reports that the Karens had been pushed back were inaccurate.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics-karen/thais-deny-army-forcing-back-myanmar- refugees-fleeing-air-strikes-idUSKBN2BL1JY

Japan government halts use of message app Line for sensitive information By Reuters Staff 1 MIN READ

FILE PHOTO: The logo of free messaging app Line is pictured on a smartphone and the company's stuffed toy in this photo illustration taken in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 23, 2014. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/Illustration/File Photo

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Japanese government has decided to temporarily halt its use of popular messaging app Line, owned by SoftBank Corp’s Z Holdings, to handle sensitive information, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said on Monday.

The decision comes after domestic media reports this month that four engineers at a Line affiliate in Shanghai were allowed to access servers in Japan from 2018 that contained the names, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of users.

Following the reports, a spokesman for Line, which has 186 million users worldwide, said the company has since blocked access to user data at the Chinese affiliate.

“The government will halt the use of Line when handling sensitive information for now, and set up a task force swiftly, so that usage guidelines can be compiled soon,” Kato told a regular news conference.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-line/japan-government-halts-use-of-message-app-line-for- sensitive-information-idUSKBN2BL1QM

GSDF’s radars on China on Japan’s westmost island less divisive 5 years after deployment

The Yomiuri Shimbun

A radar facility set up for coastal surveillance is seen on high ground on Yonagunijima island in Yonaguni, Okinawa Prefecture, on Saturday.

5:52 pm, March 28, 2021

By Shogo Hara / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff WriterYONAGUNI, Okinawa — To this westernmost point of territorial Japan, a Ground Self-Defense Force detachment was deployed on March 28, 2016, and has been stationed on the west of Yonagunijima island since.

Residents of the island in Yonaguni, Okinawa Prefecture, had at first been divided over the deployment of the GSDF, but the GSDF members have integrated into the local community, leading the opposition movement to wane.

As there have been concerns that military tensions could grow over Taiwan, which is close to Yonagunijima, how to respond in a contingency has become an issue.

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Manabu Sakai stressed the significance of the deployment of the GSDF detachment, saying at a press conference on Friday, “Camp Yonaguni plays an important role in strengthening the defense of the vast southwestern area, which spans about 1,200 kilometers.”

The island has a population of about 1,700, and about 160 of them are Self-Defense Force members belonging to the Yonaguni Coastal Observation Unit. The members keep an eye on the surrounding waters and the Chinese mainland from two radar towers on the island.

In a 2015 referendum on agreeing to the deployment of the GSDF detachment to the island, the votes in favor were 632, while the votes against amounted to 445. As residents were divided, some people were concerned about negative feelings remaining after the referendum. Nonetheless, the SDF members and their families have tried to deepen exchanges with local residents by actively participating in volunteer activities on the island, such as cleaning up roads and setting up venues for track and field events, which are commonly held there.

The town’s finances have also improved as the population has risen since the GSDF detachment was deployed. About 20% of the town’s tax revenue now comes from the resident tax paid by the SDF personnel. The annual land rent of ¥15 million paid by the GSDF is also a valuable source of revenue for the town.

“I’m still against the GSDF deployment to the island, but there is no opposition movement currently seen on the island,” said Kunio Uechi, the 78-year-old director of a social welfare corporation who led a group asking residents to vote in the referendum against the deployment.

Yonagunijima is about 110 kilometers from Taiwan. In the event of an emergency involving Taiwan, the island could become the target of a Chinese military invasion.

However, the lightly armed GSDF coastal observation detachment is mainly tasked with gathering information, so it is regarded as not being capable of handling actual warfare.

While some residents of the island call for expanding the ability of the GSDF detachment to defend the island and its residents in case of an emergency, others remain wary, with one saying, “If the number of SDF members increases too much, this island will no longer be for us islanders.”

Yonaguni Mayor Shukichi Hokama told The Yomiuri Shimbun that as long as the percentage of SDF personnel “doesn’t rise above 15% of the town’s population, increasing the number is acceptable.”

The Defense Ministry also plans to deploy an electronic warfare unit on the island by the end of fiscal 2023 to collect electromagnetic waves and conduct jamming activities. “The increase in the number of SDF members will be small,” a senior Defense Ministry official said. “So there should be no opposition from island residents.”

The Nansei Islands are a strategic area for Japan and the United States as well as for China. The Japanese government is proceeding with deploying more SDF units to the region in order to strengthen deterrence against China.

Starting with the deployment of the Yonaguni Coastal Observation Unit in 2016, the government has stationed security and other units such as on Amami Oshima island in Kagoshima Prefecture and Miyakojima island in Okinawa Prefecture in March 2019.

In addition, new SDF bases are scheduled to be established on Ishigakijima island in Okinawa Prefecture by the end of fiscal 2023 and on Mageshima island in Kagoshima Prefecture in the middle of the 2020s.

The Nansei Islands span about 1,200 kilometers, which is comparable to the length of the Japanese archipelago, and are located in the so-called first island chain that stretches through Taiwan to the Philippines.

China has drawn up an anti-access and area-denial strategy (A2AD) to prevent U.S. forces from entering the island chain. Under the strategy, Beijing has increased activities of its naval vessels and other units in the vicinity.

In response, Japan and the United States intend to strengthen the defense of the Nansei Islands to halt China’s advance. The United States is seeking the possibility of deploying missiles in the first island chain to counter China’s medium-range missiles, of which Beijing has an advantage in their development. However, Japan is taking a cautious stance.

https://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0007263056

Singapore’s new transport helicopters have arrived By: Mike Yeo 12 hours ago

Singapore has taken possession of its first H225M rotorcraft. (Singapore MoD) MELBOURNE, Australia — Singapore has taken delivery of its first new transport helicopters from Airbus, as the Southeast Asian nation takes the next step in recapitalizing its transport rotorcraft fleet. The Republic of Singapore Air Force, or RSAF, said on Monday that it has received its first H225M medium-lift transport helicopters from the European firm, which will replace the RSAF’s existing fleet of AS332 Super Pumas from the same manufacturer. The first helicopters were delivered on board a chartered Antonov heavy lift transport aircraft from Airbus Helicopters’ facilities in Marignane Airport in Marseille, France. Singapore did not disclose how many helicopters were delivered in this first tranche, although Defense News understands that three helicopters arrived in Singapore last week. The H225M is based on the Super Puma and looks broadly similar to its predecessor, although it is fitted with new engines, new avionics and an enlarged main cabin that Airbus Helicopters says is capable of carrying up to 28 troops in normal cabin seats, or 14 in energy-absorbing wall-mounted seats. Singapore’s H225Ms are also fitted with a nose mounted electro-optical turret capable of transmitting full motion video in low light conditions, along with a defensive suite believed to be made by Elbit Systems. Defense News also understands at least some of the follow- on aircraft for Singapore will be fitted with a dorsal dome antenna believed to house satellite communications equipment. The RSAF says that the H225Ms will be used for a wide spectrum of operations, including search and rescue, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as well as Maritime Security operations. Singapore’s transport helicopter fleet is also regularly used to conduct aeromedical evacuation missions from ships plying through nearby waters, which are some of the busiest in the world for commercial maritime traffic. The Southeast Asian island nation has also not disclosed how many H225Ms it has ordered, although its final number will likely be around 30 helicopters. Singapore has also ordered the Boeing CH-47F Chinook heavylift helicopter to replace the 16 older Chinooks it has in service. The first of those systems are already flying in the United States, with deliveries to Singapore expected later this year. Some of these will be assigned to a RSAF helicopter training detachment stationed in Oakey, Australia.

https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2021/03/29/singapores-new-transport-helicopters- have-arrived

North Korean submarine capable of firing missiles being watched, Seoul says By Elizabeth Shim

South Korea said it is paying attention to developments at Sinpo Shipyard, where in July 2019 Kim Jong Un examined a ROMEO-class submarine. File Photo by KCNA/UPI | License Photo

March 29 (UPI) -- North Korea's possible preparations for the launch of a new submarine is being "closely monitored," Seoul said, after U.S. analysts said movement has been detected at Sinpo South Naval Shipyard.

South Korean defense ministry spokesman Boo Seung-chan said Monday at a regular press briefing that U.S. and South Korean intelligence authorities are "closely cooperating" and the government is tracking the latest developments, News 1 reported.

The statement from Seoul comes after satellite imagery analysis published to 38 North suggested North Korea had repositioned a floating dry dock alongside a submarine-launch quay.

"The new ballistic missile submarine, which has been under construction for several years, may be nearing completion or is ready to be rolled out and launched in the near future," analysts Jack Liu and Peter Makowsky said.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/03/29/North-Korea-ballistic-missiles-submarine- watch/5401617023190

North Korea accuses U.N. Security Council of 'double standard' over missile tests By Hyonhee Shin 2 MIN READ [Captions auto-generated & unedited.] SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Monday that the U.N. Security Council showed a double standard as its sanctions committee criticised the country’s recent missile test as a violation of U.N. resolutions.

North Korea launched a new type of tactical short-range ballistic missile last week, prompting Washington to request a gathering of the U.N. Security Council’s (UNSC) sanctions committee.

At the committee meeting on Friday, the United States called for imposing additional sanctions and tightening the implementation of existing measures, denouncing the test as a violation of U.N. resolutions, according to Jo Chol Su, director-general for international organisations at North Korea’s foreign ministry.

Jo said the meeting was “designed to negate the right of our state to self-defence,” warning it would devise a “countermeasure.”

“It constitutes a denial of sovereign state and an apparent double standard that UNSC takes issue, on the basis of the U.N. ‘resolutions’ - direct products of the U.S. hostile policy,” Jo said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

“It does not make any sense that only our righteous self-defensive measure should be singled out for denunciation, when many other countries across the globe are firing all kinds of projectiles for the purpose of increasing their military strength.”

The statement came after North Korea said on Saturday that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden had taken a wrong first step and revealed “deep-seated hostility” by criticising its self-defensive missile test.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-un/north-korea-accuses-u-n-security-council- of-double-standard-over-missile-tests-idUSKBN2BK0P1

Iran’s New Missile Corvette Could Reshape IRGC Naval Doctrine

By: H I Sutton March 29, 2021 5:21 PM

An aritsits rendering of a Shahid Soleimani-class missile corvette. HI Sutton image used with permission

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGC-N) is building a new class of warships, as first reported in Naval News last week based on satellite imagery. The catamaran design appears relatively large, modern and capable compared to existing IRGC commercial-based designs.

The sectarian arm of the Iranian military’s move to more substantial warships may be part of a wider effort by the IRGC-N to gain conventional naval capabilities more in line with the regular IRIN (Islamic Republic of Iran Navy).

According to satellite imagery, at least three of the new type are under construction simultaneously. One is being built at the Shahid Mahallati Shipyard in Bushehr. Another is in a small boatyard near Bandar Abbas. A third is under construction at a new shipyard near Shib Deraz – on the island of Qushm – that may also be involved in submarine construction, according to analysts.

The vessels have been provisionally identified as the Shahid Soleimani-class, named in memory of Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani was the head of the IRGC’s Quds Force, a branch responsible for unconventional warfare and intelligence in other countries. He was killed in a U.S. drone strike on Jan. 3, 2020. He is seen as a martyr by the IRGC, hence ‘Shahid’ – the Farsi word for martyr – in the ship class name.

The Shahid Mahalas Shipyard is the same builder that is responsible for the IRGC’s existing large catamaran warship, IRIS Shahid Nazeri. The designs do appear to be related with some family resemblance but the new boats are larger. From the available satellite images, they appear to be shaped to be low-observable by radar. In May 2020 the chief of the IRGC’s naval arm, Commodore Alireza Tangsiri, provided some information on the new types. The new vessels would be 213 feet long and have a helipad, Tangsiri said, according to local outlets. He also said they would be equipped with surface-to-surface missiles. Tangsiri also said that the Shahid Soleimani-class would have air-defense missiles.

Despite the revelation of the new ships, it’s unclear if it reflects a conscious shift in doctrine – having such a capable design will enable new tactics for the IRGC-N. Until now the IRGC has emphasized low-tech solutions and asymmetrical warfare. IRGC operate mostly a substantial fleet of tiny speed boats used for swarm tactics for coastal patrol.

IRGC crews have a history of confronting other navies. They do have some missile boats, but most are small and only armed with lightweight missiles. The IRGC has ten Houdong- class missile boats in service that were supplied by China.

The new missile corvettes could allow the IRGC to operate as more conventional force. This could be similar to other corvette-equipped navies in the region (and indeed the IRIN). Or they may use them as command ships for the flotillas of explosive boats.

These corvettes are not the only new project that shows a shift in IRGC naval capabilities. IRGC are experimenting with an extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle (XLUUV) and have recently commissioned a second forward base ship, IRIS Shahid-Roudaki. They are also believed to be building a new type of submarine known as the Shahid Abu Mahdi Al- Mohandes class.

One possible reasoning behind the new more conventional types of platforms is that unconventional tactics have proven less effective in recent proxy conflicts. Iranian forces have widely been accused of supporting the Houthi Movement in Yemen, supplying them with arms and know-how.

Iran has helped the Houthis with uncrewed explosive boats, sea mines and limpet mines that have had some effect, even against warships, but have not changed the course of the conflict. The outcome of the conflict in Yemen may have prompted the IRGC to develop different capabilities.

The new ships could also be aimed at a domestic audience to bolster its political position at home. And whether it is intentional or not, the IRGC is looking more and more like a rival navy to the IRIN.

A recent commercial satellite image, provided by the Intel Lab, showed one of the hulls under construction near Bandar Abbas.

https://news.usni.org/2021/03/29/irans-new-missile-corvette-could-reshape-irgc-naval-doctrine VOA Interview: Retired Admiral James Stavridis on US-China Relations March 29, 2021 11:34 AM

Retired Admiral James Stavridis spent 37 years in the military serving in NATO and as head of the U.S. Southern Command. He has spent his career dealing with the world’s great naval powers. VOA’s Jela de Franceschi spoke with him about the current state of affairs between Beijing and Washington.

https://www.voanews.com/episode/voa-interview-retired-admiral-james-stavridis-us-china-relations- 4641406

Biden Looks to Contain China—but Where’s the Asian NATO?

The United States needs a game plan for a continent that’s home to two-thirds of the world’s population and its biggest rival.

BY JACK DETSCH | MARCH 26, 2021, 4:36 PM

U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken participate in a virtual meeting with leaders of Quadrilateral Security Dialogue countries at the White House on March 12. ALEX WONG/GETTY IMAGES

The Biden administration has found a receptive ear in Asian capitals for pushing back on China’s territorial expansion. It is getting increased buy-in for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue from Japan, as well as from long-wary partners India and Australia, which recently began military exercises together again after a long pause. And the new team is trying to make strides with Japan and South Korea by burying the hatchet on negotiations over the cost of hosting U.S. troops there.

But in the rare moments that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin weren’t slammed with meetings, calls, and press conferences in their first overseas visit last week, U.S. officials were wrestling with a more far-reaching question: What should the American alliance structure look like in a continent that houses nearly two-thirds of the world’s population and America’s biggest strategic rival?

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/03/26/biden-china-asian-nato

AUTHORITIES AND LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR US CYBER AND INFORMATION OPERATIONS IN A CONTESTED ENVIRONMENT Gary Corn | 03.29.21

Editor’s note: This article is the third in a series, “Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse issues surrounding US competition with peer and near- peer competitors in the cyber and information spaces. Read the first two articles in the series here and here. Special thanks to series editors Capt. Maggie Smith, PhD of the Army Cyber Institute and MWI fellow Dr. Barnett S. Koven.

Perhaps taking cues from Russia, it appears China is upping the ante on its use of cyber as an aggressive tool of statecraft. Just as Russia has used Ukraine and Georgia as testbeds for its offensive cyber capabilities, reports are emerging that China may have used cyber tools to turn the lights out in India in response to violent border clashes in the Himalayas. Framed within the context of the so-called return of great power competition, this is a predictable but concerning development that puts increased pressure on the United States to proactively engage the evolving gray-zone national security threats posed by its adversaries—chiefly, China and Russia. How the United States navigates the amorphous threat environment raises difficult legal and policy questions that demand principled but practical responses. Ambiguity can be disorienting, but compensating through overreliance on legal, policy, and doctrinal constructs developed for traditional warfare should be approached with caution. Since at least 2015, US national and defense strategy has oriented on the return of great power competition—the recognition that the brief, post–Cold War unipolar moment of unchallenged US hegemony has given way to an increasingly confrontational multipolar competition among the United States, China, and Russia. This evolving strategic landscape has many features and is playing out dynamically across myriad fronts, requiring a multifaceted and calibrated approach to employing all elements of national power, including the military, to protect US national security. One key facet of this renewed competition, however, is China’s and Russia’s growing use of assertive and at times aggressive military and paramilitary operations and capabilities in what has been dubbed the gray zone between normal, peacetime geopolitical interactions and overt war.

Ambiguity, and the attendant decision delay or paralysis it causes, is the hallmark of these emerging gray-zone conflicts—factual, policy, and legal ambiguities that China and Russia exploit through actions intended to alter the status quo and achieve strategic objectives normally associated with war while avoiding open military confrontation. This is especially true when it comes to cyber and information operations, which figure prominently in China’s and Russia’s gray-zone playbooks and that are extending across all operational domains including space. Russia’s well-documented efforts at election interference, NotPetya, SolarWinds, and China’s cyber-enabled mass intellectual property theft and COVID-19 disinformation efforts are but a few of the better-known examples. As the US intelligence community has consistently warned, China and Russia “increasingly use cyber capabilities—including cyber espionage, attack, and influence— to seek political, economic, and military advantage over the United States and its allies and partners.” China and Russia are leveraging cyber and information capabilities as an integrated whole to challenge the United States, its allies, and the rules-based international order at every turn. The return of great power competition has driven a deliberate if sporadic pivot from a focus on combat and counterinsurgency operations to better posturing the US military to defeat these near-peer competitors in the event of open conflict. At the same time, the military has also been increasingly tasked with conducting a range of active operations outside of armed conflict to engage and counter gray-zone military threats and challenges from China, Russia, and other adversaries, maintain US advantages, and deter escalation to war. This is not entirely new territory. Whether under monikers like “Quasi War,” gunboat diplomacy, political warfare, or military operations other than war, the US military has been employed outside of clear situations of armed conflict numerous times throughout the nation’s history. Nonetheless, for a trained and ready warfighting institution, the world of non–armed conflict operations can quickly fall outside the military’s natural comfort zone, especially in today’s murky, contested gray-zone environment with its inherent legal and policy uncertainties.

This is especially true in the hyper-dynamic arenas of cyber and information conflict. Like the internet, cyberspace and the predominantly digitized information environment are in their relative infancy as are the strategic, operational, and doctrinal concepts governing military operations in this relative terra incognita. Not surprisingly, so too are the understandings of how existing legal paradigms apply to the evolving ways in which states employ cyber and information as means and methods of statecraft in gray-zone conflict. Great power competition is not only pulling the military into an unfamiliar operational environment, for some it is challenging basic Clausewitzian dogma that although the character of war may evolve, the fundamental nature of war is immutable. Maybe Clausewitz was right. Or maybe his theory is an unevolved relic of the analog age. To the planners and operators confronted with the day-to-day reality that the United States is engaged in active, gray-zone conflicts with China and Russia, these esoteric debates are no more than a distraction better left to think tank and war college hallways. Regardless of one’s view of the question, one thing is relatively certain—for better or worse, international law comes down decidedly in Clausewitz’s corner. International law, at least with respect to interstate engagement, draws a bright dichotomy between war and peace, however unsettling that peace may look. As set out in article 2 common to the four Geneva Conventions, other than situations of total or partial occupation, the law of war (also known as the law of armed conflict, LOAC) is triggered in the interstate context only in “cases of declared war or of any other armed conflict which may arise between two or more of the High Contracting Parties, even if the state of war is not recognized by one of them.” And while it is widely accepted that the article 2 threshold for triggering law of war applicability is relatively low, it does require that the states involved be engaged in armed conflict—that is, a resort to armed force between them regardless of the scope, duration, and level of intensity. Fortunately, that is a Rubicon yet uncrossed in the competitive spaces with China and Russia. The US military is generally well versed in the law of war and its applicability to combat operations. It is inculcated in its ethos and infused in its doctrine, training, regulations, and operational constructs. And while the law of war cannot provide ready answers to the myriad challenges that modern combat presents, it generally provides a substantial degree of guidance and clarity to the force on how to operate on the right side of legitimacy during combat. Outside of armed conflict, however, the sight picture gets fuzzy.

The Department of Defense has long approached the legal uncertainties endemic to non- international armed conflict, and other military operations not part of armed conflict, through a basic gap-filling approach. In response to complex conflict classification issues and related legal uncertainties during the Vietnam War, DoD adopted a policy that US forces would “comply with the law of war during all armed conflicts, however such conflicts are characterized, and in all other military operations (emphasis added).” Although well intended to prevent committing the force into legal voids, the policy was flawed from the outset to the extent it suggested that laws premised on the unique authority, among others, to employ lethal force against individuals based solely on their status has any play outside the extraordinary circumstance of war.

https://mwi.usma.edu/authorities-and-legal-considerations-for-us-cyber-and-information-operations- in-a-contested-environment

A Multilateral Approach to 5G Safety By Joakim Reiter March 29, 2021

For the past four years, Washington and Beijing have been locked in an epic battle over 5G dominance. How this saga will play out under President Biden is unclear.

In their first call, Biden and China’s Xi Jinping addressed human rights issues and Taiwan, but the leaders reportedly did not take up 5G directly. Though the administration has indicated it would be looking at adding "new targeted restrictions" on sensitive technology exports to China, its reticence to tackle 5G matters means the fate of the previous administration’s ban on Huawei, and its position on China’s role in global technology supply-chains more broadly, remains uncertain. The supply-chain issue was long controversial between the U.S. and key allies; President Trump, along with Democrats and Republicans in Congress, asserted that Chinese equipment and technologies posed an unacceptable security threat due to the Chinese government’s ability to influence its companies and citizens worldwide. The Trump Administration decreed to allies that they immediately ban any such “high-risk” equipment and technologies altogether from their 5G networks. The United States has legitimate concerns over the safety of current and future telecommunications networks, and the core of these concerns are broadly shared among its allies and the industry at large. But its approach under President Trump missed the realities on the ground in Europe and elsewhere: Equipment from Chinese vendors comprises some 30-40% or more of the installed base of 4G equipment, which, in Europe, underpins our 5G networks. Any rushed ban in 5G would thus require the simultaneous reconstruction of existing 4G networks; this rip and replace of existing equipment would not only cost billions but take years to accomplish. Truth be told, the Trump Administration got certain things right on 5G: pushing (in some quarters, at least) the promise of global Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) and, more generally, raising the awareness of supply-chain security. Network security is a vital national interest; the Trump Administration got that part right, too. But the dissonance in the diplomatic dialogue between Washington and European allies was always deafening, and herein lies the opportunity for President Biden, who has pledged “repair our alliances and engage with the world once again.” One promising place to start is America’s 5G policy. In the U.S., Huawei and ZTE occupies a small (single digit) percentage of the installed equipment base, and almost all of that exists in the networks of small regional operators. In other words, if using equipment from Chinese suppliers presents an existential risk, and must be eradicated, the problem in the U.S. is relatively contained. Even so, and in sharp contrast to its diplomatic positioning, the US government has actually progressed very slowly and cautiously with its domestic plans to take out the already installed equipment of Chinese origin.

Globally, in contrast, Chinese vendors represent around half of the telecommunications equipment market. So, when an American president demands allies abstain from putting equipment from Chinese suppliers in their networks, it ignores the reality that the equipment in most cases is already in place.

Simply put, the economics of rip and replace are nearly impossible for European carriers because it would cause massive disruption to networks on which hundreds of millions of Europeans already rely on for communications and economic activity.

President Biden has promised to practice the politics of unity and multilateralism. A multilateral approach to 5G safety can be cautious and ambitious, recognizing that threats and risks can arise regardless of the country of origin. When it comes to safety, our mantra as a network operator is, “trust no one”. All equipment can be vulnerable — until and unless — it can demonstrate otherwise.

5G security is just one, albeit large, piece of the much bigger puzzle of how to secure our future connected digital societies. The reality today is that hackers, state-sponsored or otherwise, can do significant damage irrespective of the country origin of the hardware or software. The SolarWinds attack is one recent and harsh reminder of this essential point.

In fact, the “softwarization” of economies is a tremendous cyber security challenge, even in an imaginary world where all software originates domestically. Industry and governments have spent decades developing systems to trust the safety of hardware, through standards, technical regulations and certification procedures. But, as products become defined by their software, the well-oiled system for hardware assurance is quickly becoming obsolete. The reality is that there is no equivalent global, regional or even national system to ensure the safety of software, a glaring gap that must be treated with utmost urgency.

In such a world, a blunt and binary tactic of “bans” is short-sighted. The only thing we know for sure is that we will never be 100% safe. Bans won’t fundamentally enhance or improve a country’s security; in fact, it may actually degrade our collective ability to deter attacks and to improve resilience.

None of this is to argue for the status quo. Operators are enthusiastic supporters of expanding the number of network suppliers. The global Open Radio Access Network, or Open RAN, project is promising. The goal is to produce networks that can run on general-purpose computing platforms that are interoperable, open and trusted. Open RAN will radically transform how we acquire equipment and build, run and modernize networks, changing the business models of vendors and network operators. It remains an overlooked and precious piece of the 5G safety puzzle.

As the Biden Administration plots a new path for America, it may well conclude it can solve the 5G safety conundrum—and, more broadly, lead in improving security in a digital age—by means of diplomacy, playing the lighter notes and galvanizing earnest multilateralism rather than thunderous decrees and unilateral edicts. If so, allied governments and industry can unify around a future of truly safe and resilient communications networks.

https://www.realclearpolicy.com/articles/2021/03/29/a_multilateral_approach_to_5g_safety_770138.h tml

Did China cross a new red line in cyberspace? Mark Montgomery & Trevor Logan

Did China cause the blackouts in Mumbai last year? Nearly six months later, the answer is still unclear, but if recent reports that a Chinese cyber operation bears partial responsibility are accurate, Beijing just signalled a willingness to use its cyber power to target civilian lifeline infrastructure during a crisis. Even more worrying, the hackers used hard-to-control cyberattack tools in a destructive manner against a nuclear-armed country, India.

In a report last month, threat analysts at the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future detailed their discovery of China’s systematic penetration of India’s electricity infrastructure. Given the event’s concurrence with the border skirmishes in the disputed area of Galwan Valley, the Chinese hackers appear to have targeted nodes of India’s electric grid to demonstrate Beijing’s capabilities and to convince New Delhi that it should not oppose China’s claims over the area.

Without analysis of the malware or confirmation from Indian officials, we will not know if malware was responsible for the Mumbai blackout, if the outage was caused by operator error while responding to the malware, or if the outage was some kind of combination of these. But the possibility that Chinese hackers planted malware in India’s grid that has no economic or espionage value suggests that Beijing had malicious intent, aiming either to coerce New Delhi by threatening the country’s critical infrastructure or to activate the malware and cripple India’s strategic capabilities.

The breach of critical infrastructure is more concerning than the recent Russian espionage exploiting SolarWinds and other software supply chain vulnerabilities. While the SolarWinds hack helped Russia gain insight into US decision making practices and sensitive information, Moscow’s hackers were targeted and methodical in their exploitation of America’s cyber vulnerabilities, wary of causing collateral damage.

By contrast, the Mumbai hack showed complete disregard for collateral damage. In fact, since then, Beijing demonstrated similar disregard in its breach of Microsoft earlier this year, which exposed vulnerabilities in thousands of companies for criminal actors to exploit. The Microsoft operation appears to be Beijing’s latest effort to conduct espionage and widespread intellectual property theft as part of China’s decades-long cyber-enabled economic warfare campaign, which has undermined the long-term economic and national security of the United States and its allies and partners. In addition to intellectual property theft, the Chinese have conducted aggressive efforts to steal American citizens’ personal data, collecting as much information as possible for further exploitation and analysis.

Four years ago, the world witnessed how a similar disregard for collateral damage in a disruptive and destructive attack could spiral beyond an attacker’s control. In 2017, Russian state hackers targeted Ukraine’s banks and federal agencies using NotPetya ransomware to punish Kyiv and destabilize the country. The operation immediately had unintended consequences, spreading to the electrical power infrastructure. Forensic analysis of the malware revealed that because the hackers used a computer worm with the ransomware package, it inadvertently and indiscriminately infected machines elsewhere in Ukraine and then moved outside Ukraine, causing significant economic damage across Europe.

The lack of attacker controls to limit which machines were infected could have led to significant escalation. Had the ransomware spread even more aggressively, the United States and its European allies might have chosen to respond with actions beyond economic sanctions, such as a cyber response in kind or other form of escalation. At the time, Russia appeared to have signalled it was willing to take that risk to punish a recalcitrant neighbour.

Last year’s Cyberspace Solarium Commission report urged Congress and the White House to issue a declaratory policy that clarifies what cyber activity Washington finds unacceptable and more clearly conveys US intent and willingness to respond to attacks against the United States and its allies and partners. America must reinforce this declaration with a rapid and effective system for attributing malicious behaviour, and ensuring it has the appropriate coordination, authorities, and capabilities in place to enable quick offensive and defensive responses to malicious cyber activity.

China’s contesting of norms in cyberspace appears to risk miscalculation and potentially significant escalation. This irresponsible behaviour is especially worrisome from a nuclear-armed state. The United States needs to firmly establish the declaratory and signalling guidance recommended by the Cyberspace Solarium Commission or risk allowing its adversaries to continue to define the terms of acceptable behaviour in cyberspace. In such a world, the American people, and citizens of our allies and partners like India, would have to live with the risk that a nuclear-armed adversary could accidentally trigger escalation or take steps that cripple civilian critical infrastructure in times of crisis.

https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/news/china-cross-new-red-line-cyberspace

Australia’s Role in America’s War With China, Part 2 The country would have plenty to do aside from housing U.S. forces.

By Jacek Bartosiak March 29, 2021

Perhaps America’s greatest operational advantage over China – should a war ever start between them – is the superiority of its submarines. Submarines are great for breaking China’s anti-access/area denial strategy. Especially in the early stages of the conflict, nuclear submarines and cruise missile carriers would be Washington’s first option; they would be deep in […]

https://geopoliticalfutures.com/australias-role-in-americas-war-with-china-part-2

Expand, Consolidate, Centralize: Organizational Reform in the Next National Security Strategy

By Leo Li

March 29, 2021

What can history teach the architects of the next National Security Strategy? Attempting to tackle modern issues by drawing on lessons from the past has always been fraught with risk. Sir Michael Howard wrote: “analogies with events or personalities from other epochs may be illuminating, but equally they mislead… what is valid in one situation may, because of entirely altered circumstances, be quite untenable the next time it seems to occur.”[1] As a result, writers of the next National Security Strategy must avoid treating history as a catalogue of tested and proven policies and strategies that officials can peruse. However, while history cannot provide specific solutions to specific problems, it can reveal the existence of recurrent or enduring human phenomena that may have modern incarnations that today’s U.S. officials must similarly consider or confront.

As the United States faces another dramatic shift in the character of its strategic competition with states like Russia and China, it should include in the next National Security Strategy proposals for the expansion, synchronization, and further centralization of U.S. national security organizations’ prerogatives, authorities, and decision-making. Particularly since the Industrial Revolution, both the scope and complexity of war and strategic competition have increased dramatically in a relatively short time. This change has placed ever-changing and expanding demands on national strategy and the organizations responsible for its design and implementation.

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/03/29/expand_consolidate_centralize_organizational _reform_in_the_next_national_security_strategy_770240.html

HOW SMALL WARS FIT INTO BIG ONES: LESSONS FROM THE MASTERS OF IRREGULAR WARFARE Nick Lopez and Kyle Atwell | 03.26.21

Irregular warfare practitioners have played a major role in nearly every war over the past 250 years, according to the guests on this episode. The masters of irregular warfare carry distinct characteristics that have allowed them to achieve strategic effects, even while losing tactical level engagements. This episode explores the capabilities that irregular warfare practitioners bring to bear. Our guests discuss how irregular warfare integrates into—and often plays a pivotal supporting role in—broader conventional conflict. The conversation ends with recommendations for how to prepare and employ irregular warfare capabilities to address the major threats to US national security, to include great power rivals, rogue regional powers, and violent nonstate actors.

Dr. John Arquilla is Distinguished Professor of Defense Analysis at the US Naval Postgraduate School. In addition to publishing multiple books and articles on warfare, he has extensive experience advising military practitioners and policymakers, ranging from special operations teams during field problems to senior Department of Defense policymakers in Washington, DC. Today’s conversation is motivated by his book, Insurgents, Raiders, and Bandits: How Masters of Irregular Warfare have Shaped Our World. Major General John Brennan is the commander of the US Army’s 1st Special Forces Command. Maj. Gen. Brennan has deployed and commanded units at every echelon between detachment and task force level in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Inherent Resolve, and Freedom’s Sentinel over the course of thirty-one years of service. He is a graduate of North Carolina State University, the Air Command and Staff College, and the Army War College fellows program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Irregular Warfare Podcast is produced by the Irregular Warfare Initiative, a collaboration between the Modern War Institute and Princeton University’s Empirical Studies of Conflict Project. You can listen to the full episode below, and you can find it and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, or your favorite podcast app. And be sure to follow the Irregular Warfare Initiative on Twitter! Join the conversation! We are looking for written commentaries based on practical experience or scholarly research relevant to the irregular warfare professional community. If you have an idea or argument to share, send a note to the editorial team at [email protected].

https://mwi.usma.edu/how-small-wars-fit-into-big-ones-lessons-from-the-masters-of-irregular-warfare Why Special Operations Oversight Should Matter to Every American by Clay Fuller

Everyday Americans are on the frontlines of the irregular warfare campaigns in the era of Great Power Competition—and these hardworking Americans may not even know it. Every community, from coastal cities to Appalachian small towns, is a grey zone attack away from an adversary and losing critical systems for law enforcement, public utilities, or healthcare. The future is here where one stroke of the keyboard of a foreign adversary like China or other revisionist and rogue powers could send our criminal justice systems into chaos by erasing systems that store evidence or case information. One key stroke could hold the water supply of a community hostage. One key stroke could condemn a critically ill patient in a hospital to death. Not only would this act edge the United States closer to war, it would devastate the American community that it was perpetrated upon. It is not an exaggeration that our foreign adversaries have a gun to the head of municipal and local governments in the United States—who would have no power or ability to respond. So who is best positioned to contribute an element of deterrence and address the huge challenges of Great Power Competition? How do we make them more effective at this monumental task?

When it comes to irregular warfare (IW), an adversary will look to use indirect and asymmetric approaches in order to erode their opponent’s power, influence, and will. IW is where the majority of the competition with our Great Power competitors is occurring. Most of the IW competition is occurring in the “grey zone” which is defined by U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) as the “intense political, economic, informational, and military competition more fervent in nature than normal steady-state diplomacy, yet short of conventional war.” To paraphrase Winston Churchill, it’s not jaw jaw but it’s not quite war war either. The entity well suited to step into this contested arena is our Special Operations Forces (SOF). As the American public begins to ask SOF to focus on IW in the grey zone, it is important to remind ourselves that since 9/11 SOF has had to focus on counterterrorism and other capabilities rather than the other aspects of IW. It is sobering to remember that for twenty years SOF, and our nation’s ground forces in the army and Marine Corps, have been doing the lion’s share of the fighting and dying in the wars against terrorism. An unintended consequence of those wars has been the atrophying of the full spectrum of SOF’s IW capabilities. How can national leaders reverse this trend?

First, our national leaders need to help the American public understand the scope of the challenges we face in the era of Great Power Competition. Our near peer adversaries are not looking to just be regional players, but rather seek and already have accomplished influence around the globe. Consider our major competitor’s strategy: China seeks to export its authoritarian political system around the world in order to dominate regions, co-opt or coerce international organizations, create economic conditions favorable to China alone, and displace democratic institutions. They are also looking to supplant the United States as the global leader. And because they know they cannot match our conventional military capabilities (but they are working on that), they operate in the grey zone without the restrictions and outdated laws that limit our own capabilities there. Second, we need to admit that if SOF walks, talks, and looks like a separate service—then we should treat it as such. This can be done without making it a separate service but providing the correct service authorities. Currently, SOF’s civilian leadership in the Pentagon is not at a senior enough level. SOF needs the civilian equivalent of a service secretary. For twenty years we have asked more and more of SOF and that is not about to change as we require them to conduct IW to contribute to protecting and advancing US national interests in great power competition. Thus, in order to get the proper authorities, budget, and resources that SOF needs to operate in great power competition, they need an advocate at the appropriate level. The uniformed chain, through SOCOM, would report directly to that civilian leader making a more seamless chain of command for SOF. In the last days of the Trump administration, some of these changes to the civilian oversight structure of SOF were enacted by then Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller in order to meet Congressional intent for SOF civilian oversight in Section 922 of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. These changes should be kept. Partisan politics or bureaucratic infighting should not stand in the way of a good idea that will help America protect its national security interests.

https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/why-special-operations-oversight-should-matter-every-american

Philippines sees 10,000 new COVID-19 cases as tight curbs return to capital By Neil Jerome Morales 3 MIN READ

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippine passed the 10,000 mark for new daily coronavirus infections for the first time on Monday and put its capital region back on one of its toughest levels of lockdown, to try to tackle a spike in cases that is testing its healthcare capacity.

Police officers man a checkpoint as the country's capital returns to stricter lockdown measures amid rising coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, March 29, 2021. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David

Manila and surrounding provinces were put back under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the highest tier in its containment protocols, for the first time since May 2020 to try to quell the surge in cases, despite inroads late last year towards controlling its epidemic.

The country recorded 10,016 new infections on Monday, bringing the overall tally to 731,894, with deaths at 13,186, one of the highest caseloads in Asia.

Health experts say the surge in infections underscores the need to expedite a national vaccination drive, with only 656,331 healthcare workers so far given their first of two shots. The government aims to inoculate 70 million people this year.

It has also struggled to secure vaccine supplies, with an inventory of 2.525 million doses, mostly of Sinovac Biotech’s vaccine, one million of which arrived on Monday.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday allowed the private sector to import vaccines to boost supply and help reopen the economy.

“Whatever the cost, whatever the volume they want to bring in, it’s fine with me,” Duterte said in a national address.

Prior to Duterte’s approval, businesses go through the government for supply deals. Previously, half of the purchased doses were required to be given to the government.

Health authorities blame the spike on poor public compliance with prevention measures and the presence of new and more transmissible coronavirus variants in the capital region, which accounts for about a third of economic activity. “This surge is really challenging while ECQ is painful particularly for the economic sector,” said Benjamin Co, an infectious disease expert with three Manila hospitals.

The Philippines was the first country in Asia to go under a nationwide lockdown and broad restrictions and movement curbs saw its economy slump 9.5% last year, its worst economic contraction on record.

Hospitals’ intensive care and isolation bed capacity in the capital region have reached critical levels or above 70% usage, government data showed.

“I can give you beds, I can give you rooms. The problem is I cannot give you additional manpower capacity, like nurses and doctors to take care of you,” Co added.

(For graphic on Philippines' new COVID-19 infections spike as capital region enters tighter restrictions - )

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-philippines/philippines-sees-10000-new-covid- 19-cases-as-tight-curbs-return-to-capital-idUSKBN2BL0U5

Coronavirus: Philippines accelerates vaccination drive as shots arrive from China; Australian city in lockdown

• Philippines recorded 10,016 new infections on Monday, bringing the overall tally to 731,894, with deaths at 13,186, one of the highest caseloads in Asia • Manila and surrounding provinces were on Monday once again placed under enhanced community quarantine, the highest tier in its containment protocols

The Philippines expects to ramp up its vaccination drive with the arrival on Monday of the first batch of government-bought doses as more than 10,000 fresh Covid-19 cases, a new record, were tallied and a lockdown reimposed in Manila

.

President Rodrigo Duterte welcomed the arrival of the first tranche of 1 million Covid-19 doses vaccines bought from China. A total 25 million doses have been procured by the national government from vaccine manufacturer Sinovac.

Earlier this month, the country kicked off its vaccination programme with more than 1.5 million supplies up for the jabs. donated by China and the World Health Organization’s Covax facility but only health workers were lined

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3127508/coronavirus-india-records-most-daily- infections-five-months

IATF member identifies 7 comorbidities eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine

Published March 29, 2021, 4:08 PM by Leslie Ann Aquino Do you have chronic respiratory disease, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, malignancy, diabetes mellitus or obesity?

If you have one of these illnesses or comorbidities, you are eligible to receive the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines under the priority group A3.

(JANSEN ROMERO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULELTIN)

Dr. John Wong, member of the Inter Agency Task Force Data Analytics Expert Group, explained that these seven pre-existing illnesses or comorbidities increase a person’s risk for hospitalization or death, if they are infected with COVID-19.

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“So, for example, if you look at chronic respiratory disease that’s the first disease, these patients are at four times more likely to get severe disease when infected. About three times more likely to be admitted to an ICU, four times more likely to die,” he said during the Department of Health forum on Monday, March 29.

“And overall, the risk is 3.5 times to get a adverse outcome. And you can see the same for all the other diseases, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, malignancies, diabetes mellitus, and even obesity,” said Wong.

He said quite a large percentage of non elderly adult Filipinos have comorbidities.

“The elderly also have comorbidities but since they are already A2 (second priority after healthcare workers), if we exclude the elderly morbidities among elderly adult Filipinos, about 14. 5 million of them have underlying conditions,” Wong said.

“So that means about 25 percent of non elderly adult Filipinos have underlying conditions. About 21 percent or 12.1 million of them have one underlying condition and 4.2 percent or 2.4 million of them have at least two underlying conditions,” he added. “So if they have any of the seven diseases, they can register for A3 and they can show proof of medical certificate from their attending physician or a prescription, a prescription that they are on medication,” said Wong.

The government is planning to ramp up the vaccination by holding a simultaneous inoculation of health workers, senior citizens, and other priority groups due to the increase in COVID cases.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, however, said that since the current supply of vaccines is not enough, there will be subprioritization.

“We wil have the subprioritization with the comorbidities and we will include first in the initial run…the comorbidities mentioned by Dr. John,” she said.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/iatf-member-identifies-7-comorbidities-eligible-to-receive-covid-19- vaccine/

No proof yet that Ivermectin can help fight COVID-19 — FDA

Published March 29, 2021, 5:36 PM by Jhon Aldrin Casinas The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has renewed its warning against the use of Ivermectin as cure for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as the drug has no proven benefits yet against the dreaded disease.

(JANSEN ROMERO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)

FDA Director General Eric Domingo has issued the caution on Monday, March 29, amid reports that some people have opted to take the medicine to combat the effects of COVID- 19.

“Ang sinasabi lang natin, hindi pa naman proven talaga kung ito ay nakakatulong sa COVID-19, at definitely hindi po natin alam kung talagang nakakaprevent po ito ng COVID-19. (All we are saying is that it has not been proven that it really helps fight COVID-19 and we definitely don’t know if it really prevents COVID-19),” Domingo said.

“Kaya ‘wag po sana tayong uminom nito tapos baka mamaya ang tapang natin, akala natin hindi na tayo magkakasakit. Kailangan po mag-iingat po tayo (So let’s not take it and assume that we are strong, and think that we won’t get sick again. We have to be careful),” he added.

In a statement, the FDA said it has issued an advisory warning the public against the purchase of the unregistered Ivermectin and the use of the product for treatment of COVID- 19.

FDA explained that Ivermectin is currently registered as a prescription drug in topical formulation for the treatment of external parasites such as head lice and skin conditions in humans.

It added that the drug has also been approved as an oral and intravenous preparation for the prevention of heartworm disease and treatment of internal and external parasites in some animals.

“Currently, there is no registered Ivermectin oral formulation for human use and the FDA has not received any application for such use,” Domingo said.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/no-proof-yet-that-ivermectin-can-help-fight-covid-19-fda/ COVID-19 probably passed from bats, further studies required - WHO report By Reuters Staff 3 MIN READ

GENEVA (Reuters) - A joint WHO-China study on the origins of COVID-19 says that the virus was probably transmitted from bats to humans through another animal, and that a lab leak was “extremely unlikely” as a cause, a summary seen by Reuters said on Monday.

The WHO did not immediately reply to a query seeking comment, but said the full report by the independent experts would be published on Tuesday at 1400 GMT after member states have been briefed.

The findings, first reported by the Associated Press, match what WHO experts have said previously about their conclusions following a Jan-Feb visit to the central Chinese city of Wuhan where the first human cases were detected in late 2019.

Three laboratories in Wuhan working with coronaviruses had “well-managed”, high-quality biosafety levels, and there had been no reports of compatible respiratory illness among staff during the preceding months, the report said.

Nor had they tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in subsequent blood screening for antibodies, the report said.

“In view of the above, a laboratory origin of the pandemic was considered to be extremely unlikely,” it said.

Many questions remain unanswered about the virus that sparked the pandemic and the team proposed further research in bats and pangolins in China as well as in southeast Asia. Surveys of other wild animals - including civets, mink and ferrets - known to be infected by the virus were recommended.

Many early human cases were associated with the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, which also sold wildlife, “but a similar number of cases were associated with other markets and some were not associated with any market”, the report said, adding it was not possible to draw any conclusions.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus acknowledged receipt of the report but declined to give details, telling a Geneva news briefing: “All hypotheses are on the table and warrant complete and further studies.”

The report does not require any approval by member states. The United States expects the WHO-led investigation to require further study of the virus, perhaps including a return visit to China, a senior U.S. official told reporters last week. He hoped it would be “based on science”.

The probe was plagued by delays, concern over access and bickering between Beijing and Washington, which under former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration accused China of hiding the extent of the initial outbreak.

The WHO declared on Jan. 30, 2020, that COVID-19 constituted an international emergency, its highest level of alert.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-who-china/who-says-covid-19-probably- passed-from-bats-to-humans-through-another-animal-ap-idUSKBN2BL0J8

WHO says virus origins report will be released on Tuesday

By Reuters Staff 1 MIN READ

World Health Organization logo is reflected in a drop on a syringe needle in this illustration photo taken March 16, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

GENEVA (Reuters) - The head of the World Health Organization said that a long-awaited report into the origins of the new coronavirus following a mission to China where the virus first emerged will be released publicly on Tuesday but that further study is required.

Asked to comment further on its conclusions, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “As I have said all hypotheses are on the table and warrant complete and further studies.”

German international development minister Gerd Mueller said at the same briefing that he welcomed China’s cooperation with the probe, which took place in January-February.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-who-china-report/who-says-virus-origins- report-will-be-released-on-tuesday-idUSKBN2BL1IF

Draft WHO coronavirus report pours cold water on lab-leak theory: AP

• News agency says it obtained document from diplomat from WHO member country • Investigators also appear to give little weight to possibility that virus came into China via imported frozen food

The virus that causes Covid-19 most likely passed from bats into humans via an intermediary animal, laboratory leak, according to a draft of a highly anticipated World Health Organization investigation report into the origins of the virus.The key findings inbut the it isWHO “extremely draft leaked unlikely” to Associated that it came Press from and a reported on Monday, seem to correspond with conclusions announced last month by Chinese and international scientists at the end of a 28-day WHO research trip to Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the virus was first identified.Since then, the WHO report has been the subject of intense scrutiny, with the United States questioning the level of access scientists had in Wuhan and China accusing the US of politicising the report.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3127517/draft-who-coronavirus-report-pours- cold-water-lab-leak-theory

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now By Reuters Staff 4 MIN READ

(Reuters) -Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:

FILE PHOTO: People socially distance while walking across London Bridge as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown restrictions begin to ease, allowing groups of 6 to meet up outside starting from March 29, in London, Britain, March 28, 2021. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs

Mexico deaths likely to be 60% higher than confirmed toll

Mexico’s death toll from the pandemic is likely to be at least 60% higher than the confirmed number, putting it in excess of 300,000, according to government data.

Updated figures on excess mortality in a table published by Mexico’s Health Ministry showed that by the end of the sixth week of this year, 294,287 fatalities “associated with COVID-19” had been registered on death certificates in Mexico.

That was 61.4% higher than the confirmed death toll of 182,301 given as a comparison in the same table.

English lockdown measures ease

England’s stay-at-home lockdown order ended on Monday with people allowed to meet up outside in groups of six for the first time in nearly three months, though Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged caution due to rising cases in Europe.

Johnson announced a third national lockdown in England on Jan. 4, but has said he plans to proceed with a “cautious and irreversible” route out of restrictions, underpinned by a quick roll- out of vaccines.

That contrasts with much of Europe, with Germany and France among countries contending with a third wave of infections and hospitalisations.

All options on the table, French minister says Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Monday that health conditions were worsening during a third wave of the pandemic in France and “all options are on the table” to protect the public.

Le Maire also told France Info radio that the country should avoid adopting stricter restriction measures for as long as it could, and ruled out changing the list of shops and businesses that have been allowed to stay open.

“This list will not change,” Le Maire said. “Today sending the signal that we would reopen some businesses while the situation deteriorates, it’s not in the country’s interest.”

Hong Kong to reopen pools and beaches

Hong Kong will ease some restrictions, the government said on Monday, allowing swimming pools and beaches to open and shortening quarantine for some international arrivals to 14 days from 21.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-snapshot/what-you-need-to-know-about-the- coronavirus-right-now-idUSKBN2BL0IQ

Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak Across the World Updated: March 30, 2021, 2:26 PM GMT+8

U.K. 1,939 66,504 1,783.5 2.5

U.S. 1,665 91,840 1,100.7 2.8

Brazil 1,492 59,788 N/A N/A

France 1,407 68,262 N/A 6.0

Germany 948 34,801 609.0 8.0

Russia 679 31,547 814.4 8.1

India 124 9,223 181.9 0.5

Japan 72 3,732 71.3 13.1

Mainland China 3 65 N/A 4.3

Testing data as of March 26, 2021, 5:00 PM GMT+8

Sources: OECD for number of hospital beds (2016 for the U.S., 2017 for other countries), government agencies and the COVID Tracking Project via Our World in Data for testing data (various recent dates) (reported in the past 45 days) and the U.S. Census Bureau for population figures (2019).

The world is bracing for a new wave of Covid-19 infections, as the coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 125 million people and killed more than 2.7 millionglobally since late January 2020. Efforts many countries took to stamp out the pneumonia-like illness led to entire nations enforcing lockdowns, widespread halts of international travel, mass layoffs and battered financial markets. Recent attempts to revive social life and financial activities have resulted in another surge in cases and hospitalizations, though new drugs and improved care may help more people who get seriously ill survive.

01002003004001 yrDays since 100 confirmed cases1001,00010,000100,0001,000,00010,000,00030,000,000CasesMainland ChinaFranceU.K.Hong KongU.S.AustraliaBrazilIndiaRussiaTaiwanNew Zealand

Note: JHU CSSE reporting began on January 22, 2020, when mainland China had already surpassed 500 cases.

Source: Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering

127,654,960

Confirmed cases worldwide

2,792,045

Deaths worldwide

Jurisdictions with cases confirmed as of March 30, 2021, 2:26 PM GMT+8

1–99

100–999

1,000–9,999

10,000–99,999

100,000–999,999

1,000,000–9,999,999 10 million or more Where deaths have occurred Deaths Cases U.S. 550,036 30,331,794 Brazil 313,866 12,573,615 Mexico 201,832 2,227,843 India 162,114 12,095,855 U.K. 126,857 4,351,796 Italy 108,350 3,544,957 Russia 96,413 4,477,916 France 95,114 4,615,295 Germany 76,139 2,794,949 Where deaths have occurred Deaths Cases Spain 75,199 3,270,825 Colombia 63,079 2,389,779 Iran 62,478 1,864,984 Argentina 55,611 2,322,611 South Africa 52,710 1,545,979 Poland 51,932 2,267,964 Show more

Note: Totals for Denmark, France, the Netherlands, the U.K., and the U.S. include overseas territories and other dependencies. Cases and deaths for cruise ships have been separated in accordance with JHU CSSE data.

The epicenter of the pandemic has continued to shift throughout the year, from China, then Europe, then the U.S., and now to developing countries like Brazil. Cases globally surpassed 10 million in late June, but ever since infections have been multiplying faster. The U.S. and India have the most infections, accounting for more than a third of all cases combined. Global Cases Added Per Day New cases: 401,946 Jan 21, 2020 Mar 29, 2021 U.S. New cases: 68,648 Jan 21, 2020 Mar 29, 2021 Brazil 38,927 Germany 10,297 Iran 9,310 France 9,110 Russia 8,589 U.K. 4,783 Mainland China 9 India 0 Note: On February 14, 2020, Hubei officials changed their diagnostic criteria, resulting in a spike in reported cases.

Countries took drastic measures to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 on their homefront— with varying degrees of success. More than 140 governments placed blanket bans on incoming travelers, closed schools and restricted gatherings and public events, according to data compiled by Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government and Bloomberg reporting.

As countries loosen lockdowns in an effort to reboot their economies, many have seen a resurgence of infections. The number of new daily cases in the U.S. rose to record highs after some states relaxed social distancing requirements. Even places that successfully contained infections earlier in the year, like China and South Korea, have seen cases bubble back up. Theories that warmer weather in the Northern Hemisphere would bring relief appear to be unfounded.

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-coronavirus-cases-world-map/?srnd=coronavirus

Watch how we fish

By: Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 04:07 AM March 30, 2021

You can’t manage what you can’ta particularly measure,” goes dangerous a popular thing. saying There in ismanagement growing recognit circles.ion For that our the country’s fisheries, thethis resources, can be goods, and services associated with our marine and coastal “blueresources economy” and inland — waters merits far more attention. This is particularly true in an archipelagic country like ours, where a mere— one-fifth of our territory is land, and about four-fifths is water, with illegallyall the resources extracted, it orcontains. goes unreported But every andyear, unregulated. a substantial portion of our economy’s fisheries output is

Hard data is extremely difficult to obtain, but based on conservative consensus estimates obtained through the USAID Fish Right program, the amount of illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing in the Philippines is so high as to be alarming. Illegal fishing by both commercial and municipal fishers was valued at up to P63 billion in 2019, or up to 40 percent of capture fisheries production. The unreported catch of commercial fishers is placed at a range of 274,000 to 422,000 metric tons per year, and unregistered fishing vessels are estimated to range from a third to nearly half of the number registered with the government. Globally, IUU fishing is estimated to represent up to 26 million tons of annual fish catch, valued at up to $23 billion. All told, so much of our own fishery resources escape the eyes of those tasked to ensure that they are managed in a way that benefits the greatest number of Filipinos, including in generations yet to come.

argue that like the informal economy in general, these

So why should we be alarmed? Can’t one activities, while done “under the radar,” provide jobs and livelihoods, and thus help those engagedroperly in itcondone become acts better that off? are This illegal. can It particularly has long been be arguacknowledged,ed at least forafter the all, “UU” that part, around as one 40 percentcannot p of the Philippine economy is accounted for by the informal sector, also known as the underground economy. In the context of fisheries, however, IUU fishing inflicts genuine harm, some of it potentially irreparable. There are at least three major ways that we are hurt.

First, it especially hurts the poorest of our fisherfolk (who are consistently identified to be among the poorest of the Filipino poor), especially those who faithfully abide by the rules. Illegal or unreported fish catch reduces available fish for legitimate fishers, and at worst, could lead to the collapse of local fisheries. It also represents unfair competition to them, as the fish are caught without paying the usual fees and taxes paid by legitimate fishers. The effect is to unduly depress market prices to the disadvantage of compliant fishers, and it could also lower the overall quality of fishery products available. Further indirect impacts would be loss of income and employment in related industries, with reduced consumer spending by fishing families. In general, IUU fishing diminishes an important food source for dependent coastal communities, especially in our country where fish is the largest source of protein for the people.

Second, IUU fishing undermines proper management of our fisheries activities, as it compromises the accuracy of official fish catch and stock estimates needed in setting catch limits to properly manage fish popul happening.ations. In short, it’s extremely difficult to manage fisheries effectively where IUU fishing is

Third, illegal fishing can cause serious environmental damage, especially when vessels use prohibited gear that catch nontarget species such as turtles, sharks, or dolphins, or physically damage or destroy reefs and other vulnerable marine ecosystems. By removing or reducing key species, the whole ocean ecosystem is impacted, with potentially severe disruptions to the ocean food chain, the harmful effects of which we would only feel years into the future.

All told, IUU fishing threatens livelihoods, worsens poverty, and compromises food security now and for generations yet to come. Clearly, they need to be stopped.

https://opinion.inquirer.net/138924/watch-how-we-fish

Pointed questions What the military wanted now is a strong civilian rule, without the soldiers directly taking charge of the government. Published 15 hours ago On March 30, 2021 12:30 AM By Chito Lozada @tribunephl_cloz

Personalities close to the military institutions said officers are now urging the government to put a closure to the campaign of change initiated by President Rodrigo Duterte by seeking the accountability of abusive officials, including those in Congress.

What the uniformed personnel wanted to drive across was to ask the question, “What happened to the values of the honorable men and women in Congress?”

Retired state auditor Art Besana said officers raised three issues to the resident auditor of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, General Headquarters.

• What happened to the senators and congressmen who received millions of the Disbursement Acceleration Program money that was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court?

• Why did Commission on Audit (CoA) auditors not disallow them and recommend the prosecution of these senators and congressmen?

• Why are the senators behaving as if they have done nothing wrong when it is common knowledge now that they were bribed by the then Secretary of Budget and Management and by their senior members to convict the innocent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Renato Corona?

Atty. Aluino Tolentino, the former Executive Director for Legislation of the Senate from 1997 to 2004 echoed:

• Why were the 19 senators who approved the Senate Sin Tax bill on third reading without reading the title, in violation of the Constitution, not dismissed from service as the Law of the Land so requires? Worse, why did the Senate head let the President sign an unconstitutionally flawed bill into a questionable law? • Why does the Blue Ribbon Committee not investigate the regional vice presidents of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) who were responsible for the multimillion anomalies and losses of Philhealth funds in their areas of responsibility? Is it because they were former Senate employees trained in the ways of the present Senate?

• Why is construction ongoing at the site where the Senate will transfer when there is no law or resolution approving it? Is the transfer idea for purposes of raising funds for reelection? The transfer involves billion of pesos, and expenditures there now are illegal.

• Why are our lawmakers frequently quarreling with each other over money? One senator uttering unkind words against a congressman and vice versa, about insertions, completely disregarding parliamentary rules, ethics or norms of conduct required of every member of Congress?

Military officers, according to Besana, have also expressed their frustration over the indifference of Congress on anomalies in the electoral process: “Why does Congress not enact laws to prevent these anomalies and provide penalties for violation of election laws?”

The military officers lamented that similar to soldiers, the lawmakers have pledged and formally have taken their oath to uphold and defend the Constitution to the best of their ability with honor.

The officers then said the only difference is that, for soldiers, defending the Constitution goes to the extent of even losing their lives.

The military feels the men of Congress seem to be making a mockery of that pledge, which led to a recent letter addressed to the President “purportedly signed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff and the major service commanders.”

In the letter, it was indicated, “Recent events have placed us in a quandary as those who, like us, are pledged to abide by the Constitution have beyond doubt been the ones habitually undermining and making a mockery of it, even while hiding behind it to escape prosecution… Even more curiously, despite the many weaknesses in our electoral process that have been exposed, not a single member of Congress has made a single proposal for electoral reform.”

“Mr. President, we fully understand that it is not in your nature to ask us to transgress the Constitution we have sworn to uphold. However, as our Commander-in-Chief we are obliged to present to you our concerns… We fear that without timely and decisive action, not only will everything we have fought, worked hard and died for will come to naught, threatening the future of our children and future generations.” What the military wanted now is a strong civilian rule, without the soldiers directly taking charge of the government, according to Besana.

The President communicates well with our people who like the way he speaks with them.

https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/03/30/pointed-questions/

Cooked ham

Creditors we run to for vaccine funding note our reliance on military powers rather than efficient mass testing, contact tracing and an intelligent inoculation rollout. Published 15 hours ago on March 30, 2021 12:40 AM By Dean Dela Paz Suddenly, to question our knowledge of one of the simplest, most used and certainly a word within the first thousand in any person’s vocabulary, we sheepishly felt we had to rush to the nearest dictionary or Google the meaning of the term “excellent.”

Under politically charged environments where falsehood proliferates and nothing has definitive face value, replaced instead by double entendre, alternate meanings and undertones, even words longer than four letters can be wielded as weaponry.

Among the images that jumped out of the plasma, once translated into the vernacular just to cover all bases in case the word might have been misapplied, was the image of a bright red box of one of the most desired brands of Chinese ham.

It took less than a second to realize the connection. Here was profound albeit dark humor from a less than sentient device connecting our locked-down isolation to a vibrant albeit virus-infested universe where the word “excellent” might have meant something other than its usage in Philippine politics. The link to recent realities was bridged by fat and plump Chinese pig’s thigh.

The irony could not be helped. Not only did simple culinary imagery evoke better times, but also scenes of long queues along a roadside store in one of Manila’s congested districts before the deadly pandemic hit and before it worsened as a result of our failed management of the pandemic.

Nostalgia sets a basis by which today’s painful and ugly realities might be measured against halcyon days when community meant warmth rather than infection, and Christmas ham brought cheer rather than forlorn longing. It helps mitigate enveloping absurdity in a world gone mad and in our specific nationwide community where total madness has sunk to deeper depths, compacting and constricting, distorting even the simplest commonplace utterances into a sarcastic singularity.

Uttered when scientists and experts were predicting new infections to exponentially leap from a daily average of about 1,000 cases to over 8,000, approaching 10,000, it is difficult to understand how those doomsday numbers result from any competent management.

If excellent is quantified as a sliver below 10,000 and that is set as a contextual point of reference, then do the arithmetic. Think linear. Counting Covid-19 cases, anything north of 10,000 would mean a deterioration, and everything below, an improvement over excellence. As the term turns absurd, allow us to define “excellent” using other contextual metrics on its flipside.

Creditors we run to for vaccine funding note our reliance on military powers rather than efficient mass testing, contact tracing and an intelligent inoculation rollout. The World Bank noted economies with greater contractions and infection rates “imposed more stringent mobility restrictions (and) had more highly indebted governments.”

Our mass testing failure compelled severe mobility restrictions, thus aggravating recessionary pressures. Didn’t our testing czar do the numbers? Mutations have now exacerbated late vaccination outcomes, increasing coverage levels needed for herd immunity. Isn’t the vaccine general doing the arithmetic?

You know something is wrong when words no longer mean what they say. The public is right. Some people need to leave the kitchen now.

https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/03/30/cooked-ham/

To achieve its goals, China needs to show more restraint Beijing's in-your-face belligerence is providing an opening for its US-led competitors to mobilize a coalition against it

By MARK VALENCIAMARCH 29, 2021

Print Chinese coast guard vessels at the disputed Scarborough Shoal. Photo: Reuters / Erik De Castro

The much anticipated meeting between top US and Chinese foreign- policy officials has come and gone with only the great gaps between the two to show for it.

Despite growing US angst and opposition, China is proceeding apace toward its goal of regional and eventual world dominance. As Harvard academic Graham Allison has prophesied, “unless it crashes or cracks up,” China will be – as Lee Kuan Yew once put it – “the biggest player in the history of the world.”

China “Crashing” or “cracking up” seem unlikely in the foreseeable future. But there is another obstacle that could threaten its ambitions, or at least the timing of reaching its goals. That potential obstacle is multinational opposition of the US-led West – and important countries in Asia.

To achieve what it views as its rightful destiny sooner rather than later, China needs regional stability – meaning a managed balance with the US and its supporters. It has to avoid provoking a coordinated backlash that could combine resources and share the strategic task of containing or constraining it.

Such blowback regarding China’s policies and actions – particularly those in the South China and East China Seas – is rapidly producing an incipient loose coalition that could do just that: the Quad Plus. Indeed, some of Asia is welcoming – and even facilitating – a continued US military presence, and Taiwan is even trying to insert itself into the equation.

https://asiatimes.com/2021/03/to-achieve-its-goals-china-needs-to-show-more-restraint/

America losing the future to China If US inattention to R&D continues to abet China's rise to high-tech dominance, Beijing's military threat will grow as well

By BRANDON J WEICHERTMARCH 29, 2021

Print

Few Americans realize it, but their country’s dominance in high-tech innovation is now in question. This is something that Google’s former chief executive officer, Eric Schmidt, acknowledged in his recent testimony before Congress.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk has stated that China will become the world’s premier economy and world power, in large part because of Beijing’s consistent investment in high-tech innovation.

Whether it be artificial intelligence or space technology, China is rapidly becoming a dominant player in high-tech development. As these trends intensify over the next decade, China’s military threat to the United States will naturally increase as well.

At the end of February, for example, China surprised Western intelligence services with the sudden launch of a trio of Yaogan- 31satellites. As US Senator Gary Peters, a Democratic member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, noted, this was the third launch since January 31 – a clear indication that China’s capabilities are rapidly catching up to those of the United States.

As China’s capabilities match – and inevitably surpass – those of the US military, Washington will find itself pushed out of the Indo-Pacific region and its status as the world’s only superpower will have been erased. The Yaogan constellation was inaugurated in 2006, with the launch of China’s first Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite for constant, all- weather imaging of the Earth. A year later, the constellation’s first optical satellite was deployed.

By 2009, the first trio of Yaogan electronic-reconnaissance satellites was added to the growing constellation.

Most experts believe that the Yaogan satellite constellation is akin to the US Naval Ocean Surveillance System (NOSS). These satellites intercept radio signals from the ground and use them to triangulate and track the position of warships at sea.

This is an essential evolution in China’s growing naval and space capabilities. Yaogan will allow China’s rapidly modernizing military to threaten increasingly vulnerable American military units operating near China.

The key strategic aim for China is to deter US military intervention into the Indo-Pacific. The Yaogan satellite constellation’s ability to track and target US naval assets is essential for China’s growing anti- access/area-denial (A2/AD) strategy.

In fact, Beijing has taken extraordinary steps to protect the Yaoganconstellation itself from American anti-satellite (ASAT) attack.

In 2018, a small co-orbital satellite was deployed alongside one of the surveillance satellites of the Yaogan constellation. No one knows what the co-orbital satellite’s mission was. My colleague Brian G Chow has nicknamed these co-orbital satellites “space stalkers.” In peacetime, these tiny and maneuverable systems can be used to repair larger satellites remotely. In wartime, however, they can be fashioned into devastating space weapons. Space stalkers could serve as bodyguards for sensitive satellites like those in the Yaogan constellation. These bodyguards could deflect American ASAT attacks against satellites belonging to the Yaogan constellation. This would keep the Yaogan constellation operating in a war with the United States, increasing China’s threat to US military forces in the Indo-Pacific region.

Many American strategists believe that as China becomes more reliant on satellites over the next decade, the US Armed Forces will be able to hold China hostage by threatening these vulnerable satellite constellations. Yet the presence of space stalkers among sensitive Chinese satellite constellations indicates an added layer of protection that American systems otherwise lack. Therefore, deterrence will be difficult to impose from Washington. And China will still possess an asymmetrical advantage.

China needs systems like the Yaogan satellite constellation to keep the US military just over the horizon in the Indo-Pacific. The harder it is for the United States to deploy forces reliably to stop a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan or possibly to fight Chinese forces in the South or East China Seas, the greater the advantage Beijing enjoys over Washington.

Yet China’s growing military capabilities have only occurred because the United States prematurely surrendered in the race for high-tech development.

As David P Goldman outlines in his recent book, while the United States has grown complacent, Beijing has identified key strategic industries that they want China to capture. By capturing high-tech fields like those of quantum computing, space technology, biotech, or artificial intelligence, China will become the center of the world.

Once China is the source of innovation for the new industrial revolution, its military will naturally grow in capabilities. Beijing will finally have the means with which to threaten the United States. By threatening the US militarily, Beijing could force fundamental changes to the international order that has long favored America.

With each new development, China’s strategic threat to the United States grows. Over time, as per Beijing’s design, the balance of power will shift in China’s favor º and that balance is unlikely to shift back, as China becomes the center of the new high-tech industrial revolution.

America must create a long-term strategy for high-tech research and development before China leapfrogs the United States technologically in the next decade, not only becoming the world’s largest economy but eventually surpassing the US military.

\https://asiatimes.com/2021/03/america-losing-the-future-to-china/

the

Why it’s wrong for the US to label China a threat to MARCH 20, 2021 ‘world order’ Written by Rachel Esplin Odell

between the United States and China quickly devolved into finger-pointing and recriminations by officialsA meeting on hailed both sides, as a chance spelling to trouble “air divisive for a relationshipissues” and stabilize increasingly relations defined by hostility and conflict.

Addressing a group of high-level Chinese officials in Anchorage, Alaska on March 18, Secretary of State Antony Blinken excoriated the rules- Commission for Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi reciprocatedChinese with officials accusat for actionsions of condescensionthat “threaten based order that maintains global stability.” Director of the Office of the Central and interference in China’s internal affairs. -

MarchBlinken’s characterization of China as a threat to a “rules based order” echoes his labeledadministration’s China an languageexistential in threat its Interim to the National U.S.- Security Strategic Guidance released 3, as well as the Trump administration’s 2017 National Security Strategy, which led, “free and open” world order. administratio theWhile need the for Biden cooperation administration’s with China China in some policy areas, has imp its rovedembrace somewhat of this conception on the Trump of the n’s approach by highlighting the need for U.S. domestic reform and admittingerly simplistic and dangerously misleading. international system, or “world order,” and the U.S. and Chinese relationships to it is ov — monolithic, liberal system of mutually-reinforcing laws, norms, institutions, and alliances, upheldThis rhetoric by the reflects United Washington’sStates and its allies.tendency In this to imag view,ine states the currentlike China world and order Russia as seek a to overthrow this order and replace it with one that is more lawless and repressive.

But this is deeply misleading. No such version of a world order has ever existed, nor has the relationship of the United States or its adversaries to the present order ever been so

— — -China cooperation on issuessimple. like And climate this misconception change, fuel a is massive perilous. and Vastly harmful overstating overreaction the nature in American of China’s foreign policy,challenge and to in the the current worst case“world could order” force stands China to to hi assumender vital a more U.S. aggressive and revisionist posture than it otherwise would. Instead of adopting this dangerous course, the administration should recognize the reality of world order: that it is in fact a series of separate and sometimes contradictory orders, governing areas from trade, to arms control, to international humanitarian law. Like the United States, China has varying relationships with each of these orders, as Alastair Iain Johnston of Harvard University writes upholding some, while rejecting or seeking to change others. — better enables the United States to identify areas where it can cooperate with China to strengthenThis understanding particular creates orders, a morewhere nuanced it may need and toaccura negotiatete picture compromise of China’s with challenge. China and It

other states that adequately protects all parties’ bottom lines, and where it must push back Climateon China’s change, influence. for instance, is an area that demands a cooperative international regime for both decarbonization and disaster relief and mitigation. It is one where collaboration with China is readily possible. China has recently positioned itself as a leader on climate, upholding the Paris Agreement and adopting a goal of carbon neutrality by 2060. As the ambitious goals for decarbonization, and can provide financial and technology assistance to developingworld’s two countries largest economies, to accelerate the theirUnited transition States an tod carbonChina can neutrali lead byty andadopting build eventheir more climate resilience.

Similarly, in the international development regime, China is creating new institutions and initiatives such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Belt and Road Initiative, but there is room for Washington and Beijing to coordinate productively in those contexts.

In other regimes, such as freedom of navigation, there is room for the United States, China, and other countries to negotiate compromise agreements to clarify existing ambiguity in international law. To support its global naval primacy, the United States asserts a maximal fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows rightversion more of freedom expansively of navigation, than most insisting countries that in themil itaryIndo-Pacific vessels regihaveon, the including right to many“ U.S. allies and partners. .” Washington interprets the extent of that

Despite U.S. rhetoric, China is not seeking to threaten freedom of navigation for commercial vessels, upon which its economy heavily depends. Even in the military realm, China, like the United States, is increasingly dependent on freedom of navigation for its own warships operating farther from its shores. If the United States were to reduce the tempo of its n operations near disputed South China Sea islands, China would likely express stronger support for military freedomsurveillance of navigation operations given along its China’s own growing coast and naval freedom power. of Meanwhi navigatiole, Washington and Beijing could work with other countries throughout the Indo-Pacific to reach a compromise understandingabout the rights of foreign military vessels in exclusive economic zones. resources is more revisionist. This is most evident in its ill-defined claim to historic rights inOf thecourse, South China’s China approach Sea and its to claim other to aspects resources of the in lawvast of swat thehs sea of regime ocean spacerelated around to marine groups of small disputed offshore islands. These excessive claims merit pushback, but the United States should follow lead in calling for the South China Sea disputes to be resolved in accordance with UNCLOS, rather than conducting unilateral freedom of navigation operations that riskASEAN’s destabilizing the situation.

Finally, in the global regimes related to human rights and domestic governance, the United t to strengthen and reform those regimes. In regimes that are not yet fully formed, such as internet governance, ChinaStates isshould trying counter to shape China’s norms influence in ways thatby deepenin favor stateg its sovereignty engagemen and control. The United States should vigorously defend its own prerogatives and priorities in this regime some of which it has yet to sort out at a domestic level, but which ought to entail a more open and less government-dominated approach to internet governance. —

In other areas where China is acting as a conservative power resisting liberal norm

States should emphasize the need for the international community to work together to respondrevision, tosuch gross as withhumanitarian its resistance violations. to the “respoAt the nsibilitysame time, to protect”Washing norm,ton should the United recognize that its heavy use of economic sanctions to punish human rights abuses and its militarized humanitarian interventions not only often cause direct unintended humanitarian harm, but also have the predictable consequence of strengthening resistance to such liberal norm revision. If Washington desires to strengthen liberal human rights norms, it ought to adopt a more liberal diplomacy-centric approach that relies on soft power and modeling, in lieu of economic and military coercion.

As the United States seeks to adapt to a more multipolar global system and an increasingly powerful and important China, it should avoid the both inaccurate and harmful portrayal of China as a threat to the overall world order. A more fine-grained understanding and less Manichean rhetoric will help the United States make better strategy avoiding Cold War- style competition, while identifying where to focus our efforts in both working with and against the Chinese government. —

Written by

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2021/03/20/why-its-wrong-for-the-us-to-label-china-a-threat-to-the- world-order/

Brave voices

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 04:08 AM March 30, 2021

Deserving of mention in the roll call of the brave is Judge Emmanuel Cacho Rasing of the Baguio Regional Trial Court Branch 3. L -insurgency campaign by ast week, Rasing’s court pushed back issuing an order prohibiting the Cordillera police from making social media posts against the excesses of the Duterte administration’s anti and putting up tarpaulins branding four young activists -

as “communists University of the Philippines Baguio student activists and alumni Christian Dave terrorists.” Rasing issued a writ of amparo, an order of protection sought by Ruz, Deanna Louisse Montenegro, Leandro Enrico Ponce, and Keidy Transfiguracion. They sought protection from the Cordillera police which they said

made “aggressive and systematic effort to condition the public’’ that they were enemies of the state “who deserve to be summarilyribing eliminated.’’ the red-tagging. He has a reason to be afraid, as the list is long of ordinary citizens harassed, attacked, or “Nakakatakot’’ was the term used by Ruz in desc killed after being tagged by state agents as communists or terrorists.

d yesterday (March 29) where Police Regional Office Cordillera director, Police Brig. Gen. The Baguio judge’s order is temporary, pending the hearing schedule

YetR’win this Pagkalinawan, writ of amparo was is anotherasked to important respond to and the much-needed complaint by atheffirmation four activists. by the judiciary of fundamental due process and the rule of law. Of late, a number of courts have bucked the prevailing environment of impunity by issuing rulings in -expanding net of targets. favor of the rights and safety of people placed in the government’s ever

https://opinion.inquirer.net/138926/brave-voices

Feeling Is Authorized

Emotional intelligence is often thought of as “touchy feely” and not needed in a military setting. Research, however, indicates emotional intelligence is essential to impactful leadership, and helps reduce problematic behaviors that detract from readiness and effectiveness.

By Lieutenant Commanders Tommy Shannon and Tara Smallidge, U.S. Navy

Walk the passageways on any Navy ship or workspace, and you’ll likely be asked: “How are you?” If you’re like most, you may not provide an honest answer. Instead, you may reflexively reply with great, good, fine, or ok, demonstrating how people tend to steer around their genuine emotional states. Individual leaders must learn to recognize and deal with emotions; and if the Navy wishes to increase creativity, innovation, and retention, it must develop its leaders’ abilities to perceive, use, understand, and manage both their own emotional states and those of their followers.

The Problem

Emotions influence the way people think, work together, and, most importantly, make decisions. Despite this, they are often overlooked, misunderstood, and avoided. As a service, the Navy struggles to create space for self-awareness and emotional reflection—to engage with the question: “How are you feeling?” Some members of our force claim talking about emotions requires too much time and energy. Others argue emotions are disruptive, unproductive, and have no place in the military. They claim emotions are messy and touchy-feely. Yes, navigating emotions is no simple task. The roller coaster of life sends our emotional states soaring high one moment and plunging deep the next. We can’t spend every minute focused on how we feel, or we would not have the bandwidth to do much else. Yet, the opposite approach is equally perilous: If we walk through life with emotional blinders, we risk missing critical cues from our mind, body, and the outside world that our brains rely on to process, analyze, and formulate our experience.1 Moreover, when we opt to avoid the work of understanding ourselves and those around us, we inevitably suppress or repress emotions. We too often attempt to move on without doing the work of engaging emotions, and as a result those emotions don’t go away. They get buried inside of us—accumulating—and prevent greater well-being, jeopardize relationships, and risk achievement of goals. Put simply, unprocessed emotions don’t dissipate, they metastasize. Research shows that humanity at large is struggling emotionally. According to the 2019 World Happiness Report, negative feelings—including worry, sadness, and anger—have been steadily rising. Depression is now the world’s leading cause of disability. Diagnoses of major depression have risen 47 percent for the younger generation since 2013. Given the difficulties of 2020, including the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant economic impacts, a significant increase to those statistics is likely in the near term. Military suicides, for example, increased as much as 20 percent compared to 2019, signaling that the Navy cannot expect immunity from the harsh realities of today. The need to seek integrative strategies to better understand how we lead and live in an unpredictable world has never been greater, especially if we want to increase creativity, innovation, and retention.

To ensure resiliency through life’s unexpected curveballs, in addition to the many challenges of military life, the Navy must encourage leaders at all levels—from petty officers to flag officers—to recognize their emotions and afford the space to reflect upon them. The Navy must strive to develop people with the skills necessary to promote healthy thinking and productive actions and shift the focus on mental health from reactive to proactive. And those who say, “I’m not a therapist, I’m a warfighter, and I don’t need to attend to fears and feelings,” they are selling themselves short and underestimating one of the biggest threats to the Navy—problematic behaviors. So, we can either spend a reasonable amount of time attending to fears, feelings, and emotions or an unreasonable amount of time dealing with problematic behaviors. When put that way, the solution seems obvious. The Navy needs to be preventionist not interventionist. Scientific research also validates the value of emotionally intelligent leaders.2A recent Yale-led study of nearly 15,000 people across the U.S. workforce found that employees felt 50 percent more inspired and three times happier, as well as more creative and driven to find original ways of achieving work goals, when working for an emotionally intelligent leader.3Moreover, their frustration levels were 30-40 percent lower, resulting in a lower burnout rate and significantly fewer individuals opting to leave their profession.4 Hence, understanding emotions is a critical first step toward creating a productive work culture. Unfortunately, we are not born with an innate talent for recognizing what we or others are feeling and why. Instead, we have to learn and develop it. Some individuals are more fluent than others when it comes to emotional matters. Nevertheless, emotions are essential to our character, and character development involves enhancing one's emotional inventory and capacity.5 We all have the responsibility to apply and model those behaviors to peers and subordinates alike. That is why leaders owe it to themselves and their teams to learn how to recognize, understand, label, express, and regulate emotions. Emotions work for us, not against us, because the cost of failing to deal in healthy ways with them is a steep bill the Navy cannot continue to pay.

A Measured Approach to Building Emotional Intelligence

To grow an emotionally stronger force, leaders need to be comfortable with having difficult conversations around a variety of topics, including, but not limited to, racism, sexism, family life difficulties, and other structural and interpersonal biases. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michael Gilday’s Message to the Fleet on race and relations in the Navy made it clear that “now is the time to have open and honest conversations across the Navy.” Emotional intelligence is essential to enabling those conversations. These discussions can be uncomfortable, but they’re required to ensure all voices are heard. Talking about tough topics requires work—a kind of work that demands emotional skills that are not gifted but acquired through education and exercise. Marc Brackett, the director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, insists that understanding and mastering emotions is an integral part of education for leaders. He shares his RULER approach with organizations worldwide to instill five critical skills: recognizing our own emotions and those of others; understanding those feelings and determining the source;labeling emotions with nuanced vocabulary; expressing feelings in a productive manner; and regulating emotions instead of letting them regulate us.6 Brackett’s research shows how RULER skills can improve mental health, interpersonal relationships, and career performance. All of which are unequivocally positive outcomes, no matter what line of work you’re in, begging the question: If emotional intelligence is so necessary in the workplace, how are employees supposed to acquire it? In the Navy’s case, space must be made for the introduction and application of a RULER-like set of skills, within both enlisted and officer communities. Two of the most promising approaches are described below. As soon as boot camp, sailors learn about their own emotional state in an effort to build mental toughness. An initiative called Warrior Toughness was established in 2018 by three key individuals, a chaplain, psychologist, and a SEAL at Recruit Training Command (RTC). This concept has been adapted and expanded by Naval Nuclear Power Training Command (NNPTC). The Warrior Toughness initiative teaches sailors to perform under pressure, take a hit and keep going, and excel throughout the “day-in and day-out grind.” The program teaches sailors how to recognize, understand, and accurately label their emotions. The evidence-based curriculum encompasses the whole person, mind, body, and soul. A sailor’s approach to mental preparation and enduring focus is derived from a strong sense of commitment, preparation, execution, and reflection. By introducing members of the force to the core teachings of affective psychology through applied exercises rooted in science, we can help sailors be as fit psychologically as they are physically. Research from RTC and NNPTC has shown that staff and students alike benefit from the techniques in both their work and personal lives. The spread of Warrior Toughness teachings within the officer ranks is also vital. Officers influence others to accomplish the mission by providing vision, direction, purpose, and motivation. Officers’ emotional intelligence is a crucial ingredient for mission success as they must lead by example. Officers must continuously and quickly check their decisions and actions against the core values of the Navy and also within their own character. It’s complex and requires constant self-development. Instituting opportunities for officers to learn the importance of approaches such as the RULER technique must start when they join the Navy. Institutions such as Officer Development School, Officer Candidate School, the U.S. Naval Academy, and Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps are ideal places to build on current leadership training. Learning and embracing the power of emotional intelligence and understanding the mind/body connection is a significant foundational skill. Once members learn how to create meaning from their experience by recognizing, understanding, and labeling their emotions, they must have the time and space to express while having someone available to listen. To that point, the Navy has taken the concept of executive coaching, predominately used in the private sector, and created a niche within the military. A variety of Navy communities have welcomed coaching, including the Naval War College/College of Leadership and Ethics, the Naval Leadership and Ethics Center, the Explosive Ordinance and Disposal (EOD) community, Naval Special Warfare, the Submarine Force, and the nuclear power community. Coaching is focused on exactly what we are discussing in this article—an opportunity to express emotions and picking up new strategies to regulate one’s own emotions while helping others with theirs. It’s a laboratory for personal development. In most cases, coaching was offered later in the leadership pipeline. However, as these Navy communities experience the value in coaching, they want to start earlier and offer it to their junior sailors and officers. After receiving coaching, many Navy leaders say, “I wish I had this earlier in my career.” Coaching is a non-clinical approach to developing emotional intelligence. Unlike “hard” skills such as technical skills, the development of emotional intelligence is an ongoing process. Coaching helps leaders recognize patterns in behavior and illuminate blind spots, as well as enhance ways of handling emotions in ourselves and in relationships, both personal and professional. Valid and reliable assessments are frequently used as part of the coaching discussion to provide data on areas to improve and ways to enhance strengths. It takes self-awareness, openness, and vulnerability to explore the meaning behind emotions and understand the triggers that may have led to that emotion. Here’s a three-part reflection question: “Do you know your triggers? Do you know what happens to you emotionally when they are activated? How effective and productive is your default response?” Most individuals may think of emotions, feelings, moods, and personality as synonymous or interchangeable, however there is an important difference. For example, emotions are typically a physiological reaction driven by an internal or external stimulus. In most cases, they are expressed automatically in our body language and facial expressions whether we are cognizant of them or not. Another important reflective question to ask is, “What message does your body language and facial expression reflect, and is it the message you want to send?” Approachability is vital. These are the type of reflection questions leaders at all levels can ask when they allow themselves to feel and reflect. The objective is for leaders to consistently access their own “inner-coach” to strengthen positive habits and build emotional intelligence as they progress through the ranks.

The Navy Leader Development Framework (NLDF) 3.0 encourages Navy leaders to demonstrate excellence (competence), high ideals of integrity and service (character), all while expanding and enhancing trust and confidence with their people (connections). One cannot create trust and connection with another individual without the emotional intelligence to understand how that person feels. By developing sailors’ and officers’ abilities to recognize, understand, label, express, and regulate emotions, the Navy will build stronger leaders. To make this a reality, systemic buy-in from the entire chain of command is essential. If a commander is not committed to developing and applying emotional skills, subordinate officers and senior enlisted will take note, and junior sailors will be shortchanged by half- hearted efforts. Embracing and investing in emotional intelligence development programs, such as Warrior Toughness and coaching, will contribute to the Navy’s resilience, retention, and readiness.

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/march/feeling-authorized