Today’s News 02 April 2021 (Friday)

A. NAVY NEWS/COVID NEWS/PHOTOS Title Writer Newspaper Page NIL NIL NIL NIL

B. NATIONAL HEADLINES Title Writer Newspaper Page NIL NIL NIL NIL

C. NATIONAL SECURITY Title Writer Newspaper Page 1 Air Force patrol spots ‘illegal structures’ in D Reyes M Times A8 WPS

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

E. AFP RELATED Title Writer Newspaper Page NIL NIL NIL NIL

F. CPP-NPA-NDF-LCM Title Writer Newspaper Page NIL NIL NIL NIL

G. MNLF/MILF/BIFF/ASG Title Writer Newspaper Page

H. EDITORIAL-OPINION-COMMENTARY-SPECIAL Title Writer Newspaper Page 2 Inside the enemy’s mind V Ybiernas M Times A6 3 At long last, NPA shouts its last LT. Gen. Parlade Jr M Times A6

I. ONLINE NEWS Title Link NATIONAL NEWS Quarantine doing more harm than good https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/04/01/qu 4 — Salceda arantine-doing-more-harm-than-good-salceda/ Philippine lugaw, inspired by congee, https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle- 5 stirs debate in locked-down Manila culture/article/3128019/lugaw-essential- philippine-dish-inspired-chinese-congee Fil-Am woman attacked in NYC, security https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/31/fil-am-woman- 6 guard shuts doors on her attacked-in-nyc-security-guard-shuts-doors-on- her/ ‘Pasaway’ Pinoys deserve more blame https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/01/pasaway- 7 for COVID surge than the variants, says pinoys-deserve-more-blame-for-covid-surge- consumer group head than-the-variants-says-consumer-group-head/ NAVY NEWS Offense to PH sovereignty’: Sobejana https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/01/offense-to-ph- confirms illegal, man-made structures in sovereignty-sobejana-confirms-illegal-man- 8 Palawan’s Pagkakaisa Banks made-structures-in-palawans-pagkakaisa- banks/ Illegal structures spotted in PH feature in https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135583 9 WPS: AFP WPS features within PH’s EEZ despite https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/01/wps-features- 10 Chinese structures, asserts Locsin within-phs-eez-despite-chinese-structures- asserts-locsin/ Gov't troops raid marijuana plantation in https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/01/21/govt- 11 Sulu troops-raid-marijuana-plantation-in-sulu AFP RELATED BCDA moves forward with P3-B plan to https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/01/bcda-moves- 12 relocate, modernize PAF housing and forward-with-p3-b-plan-to-relocate-modernize- support facilities paf-housing-and-support-facilities/ 2 hurt as blast rocks Cotabato City https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/04/01/2- 13 hurt-as-blast-rocks-cotabato-city/ Arms cache, explosives seized from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135615 14 house of Reds’ labor organizer Hinihinalang NPA commander patay sa https://news.abs- 15 Surigao del Norte cbn.com/news/04/01/21/hinihinalang-npa- commander-patay-sa-surigao-del-norte AFP chief wishes for healing of PH, https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135571 16 world on Lent Police ‘can’t arrest, kill persons’ not https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/01/police-cant- 17 present on sites where search warrants arrest-kill-persons-not-present-on-sites-where- are served search-warrants-are-served/ INDO-PACIFIC NEWS Biden says $2 trillion jobs plan rivals the https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden- space race in its ambition infrastructure/biden-says-2-trillion-jobs-plan- 18 rivals-the-space-race-in-its-ambition- idUSKBN2BN13C What's in Biden's $2.3 trillion https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden- 19 infrastructure plan? infrastructure-factbox/whats-in-bidens-2-3- trillion-infrastructure-plan-idUSKBN2BN13T U.S. says any approach to North Korea https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea- will have to be in 'lockstep' with allies usa/u-s-says-any-approach-to-north-korea-will- 20 have-to-be-in-lockstep-with-allies- idUSKBN2BO6O1 Biden aide to meet Japan, S.Korea on https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/02/biden-aide-to- 21 next steps on N.Korea meet-japan-s-korea-on-next-steps-on-n-korea/ Communist China Is Using MSNBCs https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/04/communi 22 Talking Points Against Joe Biden st-china-is-using-msnbcs-talking-points- against-joe-biden/ battle for truth https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china- 23 China’s media war and the 56607815 Breakingviews-Capital Calls-Chinese https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global- loans attach unexpected strings finance-breakingviews/breakingviews-capital- 24 calls-chinese-loans-attach-unexpected-strings- idUSKBN2BO4NZ China's secret loan contracts reveal https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International- 25 clout over developing nations relations/China-s-secret-loan-contracts-reveal- clout-over-developing-nations China slams Washington over Hong https://www.scmp.com/news/hong- Kong report, saying Biden administration kong/politics/article/3128039/china-hits-back- 26 has disregarded basic facts with washington-over-hong-kong-report-saying irresponsible remarks Beijing lashes out against Japan: 'Stop https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International- 27 slandering China' relations/Beijing-lashes-out-against-Japan- Stop-slandering-China Veteran Hong Kong democrats found https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong- guilty in landmark unlawful assembly security-court/veteran-hong-kong-democrats- 28 case found-guilty-in-landmark-unlawful-assembly- case-idUSKBN2BO3UW 'Do not tempt the law': Hong Kong police https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/04/01 29 warn residents to avoid red lines on /asia-pacific/hong-kong-police/ politics Hong Kong limits public information as https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/04/01 30 China exerts control /asia-pacific/hong-kong-public-information/ Why is China’s Wang Yi hosting four https://www.scmp.com/week- ASEAN ministers in Fujian but meeting asia/politics/article/3127831/chinas-wang-yi- 31 them individually? meets-his-asean-counterparts-will-myanmar- be China pleased ASEAN ‘adopted a non- https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/ 32 interference policy towards Myanmar’ article/3127965/china-pleased-asean-adopted- non-interference-policy-towards https://asiatimes.com/2021/04/chinas-wolf- 33 China’s wolf warrior envoys snarl and bite at the West warrior-envoys-snarl-and-bite-at-the-west/ China, Malaysia seek to strengthen ties https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-04- 34 during FMs meeting 01/China-Malaysia-seek-to-strengthen-ties- during-FM-s-meeting-Z72CHHiWVa/index.html China says no to fake news, urges media https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-04- not to incite confrontation 01/China-says-no-to-fake-news-urges-media- 35 not-to-incite-confrontation- Z6H3BzmcI8/index.html G7 pressure on China over subsidies https://www.scmp.com/economy/china- 36 ‘doomed to fail’ even as Biden economy/article/3128006/g7-pressure-china- administration gathers coalition over-subsidies-doomed-fail-even-biden Myanmar Coup Opponents Announce https://thediplomat.com/2021/04/myanmar- 37 ‘Unity Government’, Interim Constitution coup-opponents-announce-unity-government- interim-constitution/ Myanmar junta may scapegoat https://www.scmp.com/week- insu asia/politics/article/3127917/myanmar-junta- 38 rgents to ‘rain hell’ on civilians: UN expert may-scapegoat-insurgents-rain-hell-civilians- warns Suu Kyi faces new charge under https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar- Myanmar's secrets act; wireless internet politics/suu-kyi-faces-new-charge-under- 39 suspended myanmars-secrets-act-wireless-internet- suspended-idUSKBN2BO42X Myanmar's Suu Kyi, Australian adviser https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar- charged with official secrets violation: politics-suukyi-charge/myanmars-suu-kyi- 40 lawyer australian-adviser-charged-with-official- secrets-violation-lawyer-idUSKBN2BO5B6 Unclear if detained leader Suu Kyi aware https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar- of situation in Myanmar: lawyer politics-suukyi-hearing/unclear-if-detained- 41 leader-suu-kyi-aware-of-situation-in-myanmar- lawyer-idUSKBN2BO58V Truce over as Myanmar's Karen https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar- insurgents brace for battle with junta politics-ethnic-explainer/explainer-truce-over- 42 as-myanmars-karen-insurgents-brace-for- battle-with-junta-idUSKBN2BO4G6 India moves to deport Rohingya girl to https://www.reuters.com/article/bangladesh- Myanmar, draws criticism rohingya-india-myanmar/india-moves-to- 43 deport-rohingya-girl-to-myanmar-draws- criticism-idUSKBN2BO5Q2 Thailand 'gravely troubled' by Myanmar https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar- killings, urges end to violence politics-thailand/thailand-gravely-troubled-by- 44 myanmar-killings-urges-end-to-violence- idUSKBN2BO4BO India, Thailand face looming refugee https://www.scmp.com/week- crisis amid fears of Myanmar civil war asia/politics/article/3127648/india-thailand- 45 brace-refugees-myanmar-juntas-bloody- crackdown Russian diplomats complain of acute https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia- shortages in North Korea causing foreign northkorea-diplomats/russian-diplomats- 46 exodus complain-of-acute-shortages-in-north-korea- causing-foreign-exodus-idUSKBN2BO5EG Seoul proposes co-hosting 2032 https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east- 47 Olympics with North Korea asia/article/3128001/seoul-submits-proposal- co-host-2032-olympics-north-korea UK sanctions Myanmar conglomerate, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar- says junta sinking to new lows with politics-britain/uk-sanctions-myanmar- 48 killings conglomerate-says-junta-sinking-to-new-lows- with-killings-idUSKBN2BO53U https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archi 49 US, Taiwan discuss expanding Taipei’s global participation ves/2021/04/02/2003754954 Report highlights PRC media meddling https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archiv 50 es/2021/04/01/2003754877 The Latest on Southeast Asia: April 1, https://www.csis.org/blogs/latest-southeast- 51 2021 asia/latest-southeast-asia-april-1-2021 The #MilkTeaAlliance in Southeast Asia: https://www.csis.org/blogs/new-perspectives- 52 Digital Revolution and Repression in asia/milkteaalliance-southeast-asia-digital- Myanmar and Thailand revolution-and-repression-myanmar Analysis: China never forgot night the https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/China- 53 US bombed its Belgrade embassy up-close/Analysis-China-never-forgot-night- the-US-bombed-its-Belgrade-embassy US pushes and tests China’s ‘red line’ on https://asiatimes.com/2021/04/us-pushes-and- 54 Taiwan tests-chinas-red-line-on-taiwan/ China Moves To Elevate Its Role in https://www.al- Middle East, but Faces Odds monitor.com/originals/2021/03/takeaway- 55 china-moves-elevate-its-role-middle-east- faces-odds Measuring China's Middle East Moves https://www.al- monitor.com/originals/2021/03/takeaway- 56 china-moves-elevate-its-role-middle-east- faces-odds Great Power Competition: A Recipe for https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/04/01/china- 57 Disaster usa-great-power-competition-recipe-for- disaster/ DEFENSE NEWS Is a South China Sea War Coming https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/south- 58 Soon? china-sea-war-coming-soon-181649 Bulk of Chinese ships remain in reef, https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/04/01/bulk 59 some disperse to other areas of WPS -of-chinese-ships-remain-in-reef-some- disperse-to-other-areas-of-wps/ Philippines Demands China Remove https://www.voanews.com/east-asia- 60 Vessels at 6 Islands, Reefs pacific/philippines-demands-china-remove- vessels-6-islands-reefs Philippines sounds alarm over 200 https://www.scmp.com/video/china/3128030/p 61 Chinese ships in the South China Sea hilippines-sounds-alarm-over-200-chinese- ships-south-china-sea U.S., Philippines officials discuss https://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines- Chinese activities in South China Sea china-southchinasea-usa/u-s-philippines- 62 officials-discuss-chinese-activities-in-south- china-sea-idUSKBN2BO3VG US in talks with Australia on potential https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/a 63 responses to Taiwan war: diplomat rticle/3127890/us-launches-strategic-planning- australia-responses-war-over US, Australia discuss Taiwan defense https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archiv 64 es/2021/04/02/2003754939 US analyst claims China is backing https://www.scmp.com/week- Okinawa independence movement asia/politics/article/3127810/us-analyst-claims- 65 china-backing-okinawa-independence- movement 20,000 Chinese residents on Senkakus? https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/20-000- 66 Japan rushes to buoy defense Chinese-residents-on-Senkakus-Japan- rushes-to-buoy-defense Taiwan Is Deploying Defenses Against https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/0 67 China’s Stealth Fighters—How Many Of 4/01/taiwan-is-deploying-defenses-against- chinas-stealth-fighters-how-many-of-the- The Planes Do Air-Defenders Need To planes-do-air-defenders-need-to-shoot- Shoot Down? down/?ss=aerospace-defense Chinese drones spotted recently over https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202104010014 68 Taiwan's Dongsha Islands Taiwan to build up defenses after https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4166 69 Chinese drones spotted over Dongsha 166 Island Taiwan Fears for Its Security As China's https://www.newsweek.com/taiwan-fears-its- 70 Xi Jinping Eyes Re-Election security-chinas-xi-jinping-eyes-re-election- 1580383 China voices dissatisfaction over https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2021/04/ 71 Japan's behavior in East China Sea 01/china-voices-dissatisfaction-over-japans- behavior-in-east-china-sea.html Revealed: China’s New Super https://www.navalnews.com/naval- 72 Submarine Dwarfs Typhoon Class news/2021/04/revealed-chinas-new-super- submarine-dwarfs-typhoon-class/ Can India's Navy Counter China in the https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/can- 73 Indian Ocean? indias-navy-counter-china-indian-ocean- 181722 Pitch Strength against PLA weakness https://www.myind.net/Home/viewArticle/pitch- 74 strength-against-pla-weakness Indonesia, Japan on verge of record https://asiatimes.com/2021/04/indonesia- 75 gunboat deal japan-on-verge-of-record-gunboat-deal/ Suh Wook’s India Trip: Boost to India- https://thediplomat.com/2021/04/suh-wooks- 76 South Korea Defense Ties india-trip-boost-to-india-south-korea-defense- ties/ India to join French-led naval exercise https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2021/04/ 77 with other Quad nations 01/india-to-join-french-led-naval-exercise-with- other-quad-nations.html Woman Killed After Shooting Gun at https://thediplomat.com/2021/04/woman-killed- 78 Indonesia’s Police HQ after-shooting-gun-at-indonesias-police-hq/ 'Familial terrorism': How personal ties https://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia- link suicide bombings in Southeast Asia blast/familial-terrorism-how-personal-ties-link- 79 suicide-bombings-in-southeast-asia- idUSKBN2BO4RT South Korea enacts law to transform https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news- 80 defence R&D culture detail/south-korea-enacts-law-to-transform- defence-rd-culture_16639 North Korea showcasing ‘developing https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news- detail/north-korea-showcasing-developing- 81 capability' to deliver ‘tactical and strategic nuclear weapons', says UN capability-to-deliver-tactical-and-strategic- expert panel nuclear-weapons-says-un-expert-panel North Korea can likely arm missiles with https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/N-Korea-at- 82 nuclear warheads: UN crossroads/North-Korea-can-likely-arm- missiles-with-nuclear-warheads-UN Kim Jong Un’s Long Game Starts With https://www.wsj.com/articles/kim-jong-uns- 83 Short-Range Missiles long-game-starts-with-short-range-missiles- 11617291813 Close Chinese Backdoors Into US https://breakingdefense.com/2021/04/fccs- 84 Networks carr-close-chinese-backdoors-into-us- networks/ US https://breakingdefense.com/2021/04/theater- 85 Theater Commands OK SDA’s Sat Plans commands-ok-sdas-sat-plans-exclusive/ Counterspace 2020: All (Pretty) Quiet https://breakingdefense.com/2021/04/counters 86 On The ASAT Front pace-2020-all-pretty-quiet-on-the-asat-front/ Exercise Reveals Advantages Artificial http://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/ 87 Intelligence Gives in US All-Domain Ops Article/2558696/exercise-reveals-advantages- artificial-intelligence-gives-in-all-domain-ops/ Sensor Tech Key to Effective US Missile https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/artic 88 Defense les/2021/4/2/sensor-tech-key-to-effective- missile-defense US Defense Secretary Highlights http://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/ 89 Commitment to Allies, Partners, Kirby Article/2559048/defense-secretary-highlights- Says commitment-to-allies-partners-kirby-says/ U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet commander visits http://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News- 90 South Korea Stories/Article/2559189/us-7th-fleet- commander-visits-south-korea/ Makin Island ARG, 15th MEU Leaves https://news.usni.org/2021/04/01/makin-island- Middle East for INDO-PACOM, arg-15th-meu-leaves-middle-east-for-indo- 91 Eisenhower Supporting Anti-ISIS Fight pacom-eisenhower-supporting-anti-isis-fight- from Mediterranean from-mediterranean Admiral: Next US Navy Helos Will Be Mix https://news.usni.org/2021/04/01/next-navy- 92 of Manned, Unmanned helos-will-be-mix-of-manned-unmanned) Rep Luria Letter to President Biden on https://news.usni.org/2021/04/01/rep-luria- 93 Maritime-centric National Defense letter-to-president-biden-on-maritime-centric- Strategy national-defense-strategy Harpoon: The Old Missile Every Navy https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/04/harpoon- 94 Fears In A Fight the-old-missile-every-navy-fears-in-a-fight/ Historic Marine Plan to Reinvent The US https://breakingdefense.com/2021/04/historic- 95 Marine Corps marine-plan-to-reinvent-the-corps-exclusive/

US Marines Lack Trust in Artificial https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/artic 96 Intelligence les/2021/4/1/marines-lack-trust-in-artificial- intelligence Calling In Thunder: Naval Intelligence https://cimsec.org/calling-in-thunder-naval- 97 Enabling Precision Long-Range Fires intelligence-enabling-precision-long-range- fires/ Trustable AI: A Critical Challenge For https://cimsec.org/trustable-ai-a-critical- 98 Naval Intelligence challenge-for-naval-intelligence/

https://www.airforcemag.com/amc-considers- 99 AMC Considers ‘Family of Systems’ for USAF’s Future Strategic Airlift family-of-systems-for-future-strategic-airlift/ Here's how the legendary B-2 bomber's https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how- 100 stealth actually works the-legendary-b-2-bombers-stealth-works- 2018-10 Finding Common Ground on Homeland https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/comme 101 Missile Defense ntary/2021/04/01/finding-common-ground-on- homeland-missile-defense/ Fund the Pacific Deterrence Initiative https://warontherocks.com/2021/03/listen-to- 102 americas-top-commander-in-the-indo-pacific- and-fund-the-pacific-deterrence-initiative/ New reports highlight Russian, Chinese https://spacenews.com/new-reports-highlight- 103 advances in space weapons russian-chinese-advances-in-space-weapons/ France: A Bridge between Europe and https://www.csis.org/analysis/france-bridge- 104 the Indo-Pacific? between-europe-and-indo-pacific The U.S. system created the world’s https://www.washingtonpost.com/national- most advanced military. Can it maintain security/china-us-military- 105 an edge? technology/2021/03/31/acc2d9f4-866c-11eb- 8a67-f314e5fcf88d_story.html Let’s Get Real About US Military https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2021/04/let 106 ‘Dominance’ s-get-real-about-us-military- dominance/173062/ The Longest Telegram: A Visionary https://warontherocks.com/2021/04/the- Blueprint for the Comprehensive Grand longest-telegram-a-visionary-blueprint-for-the- 107 Strategy Against China We Need comprehensive-grand-strategy-against-china- we-need/ Space Threat Assessment 2021 https://csis-website- prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs- 108 public/publication/210331_Harrison_SpaceThr eatAssessment2021.pdf?gVYhCn79enGCOZt cQnA6MLkeKlcwqqks Sustaining the Kill Web with https://defense.info/featured- Comprehensive Intelligence, story/2021/04/sustaining-the-kill-web-with- 109 Surveillance and Reconnaissance comprehensive-intelligence-surveillance-and- reconnaissance/_ Hypersonic weapons, technology https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/policy-guns- 110 innovation, and US politics and foreign and-money-hypersonic-weapons-technology- policy innovation-and-us-politics-and-foreign-policy/ Global chip supply chain increasingly https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa- vulnerable to massive disruption, study semiconductors/global-chip-supply-chain- 111 finds increasingly-vulnerable-to-massive-disruption- study-finds-idUSKBN2BO4TV China’s disinformation on Xinjiang is https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/chinas- 112 political warfare, not diplomacy disinformation-on-xinjiang-is-political-warfare- not-diplomacy/ The very real risks of a dangerous https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/The-very-real- 113 confrontation with China risks-of-a-dangerous-confrontation-with-China https://newlinesinstitute.org/russia/russias- 114 Russia’s Extraterritorial Military Deployments extraterritorial-military-deployments/ Russia and China Seek to Tie America’s https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/03/31/russia- 115 Hands in Space china-space-war-treaty-demilitarization- satellites/ National Security Needs Futurists and https://warontherocks.com/2021/04/national- 116 Traditionalists security-needs-both-futurists-and- traditionalists/ Cyber Deterrence Matters https://russiamatters.org/analysis/punitive- 117 response-solarwinds-would-be-misplaced- cyber-deterrence-still-matters The Next Suez Threat? A Big Hack https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/20 118 21-03-30/a-cyber-attack-could-be-the-next-big- suez-canal-threat Keeping Norms Normal: Ancient https://tnsr.org/2021/04/keeping-norms- Perspectives on Norms in Civil-Military normal-ancient-perspectives-on-norms-in-civil- 119 Relations military-relations/

COVID NEWS Pfizer/BioNTech say vaccine effective https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2021/04/6 120 against S.Africa variant 78864/pfizerbiontech-say-vaccine-effective- against-safrica-variant Chinese coronavirus vaccines’ efficacy https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/arti 121 data ‘meets WHO requirements’ cle/3128023/chinese-coronavirus-vaccines- efficacy-data-meets-who Theory That COVID Came From A https://www.npr.org/2021/03/31/983156340/th 122 Chinese Lab Takes On New Life In eory-that-covid-came-from-a-chinese-lab- Wake Of WHO Report takes-on-new-life-in-wake-of-who-repor China calls on WHO to address US labs https://en.mehrnews.com/news/171561/China- 123 on possible virus leak calls-on-WHO-to-address-US-labs-on- possible-virus-leak WHO team probing coronavirus origins https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/arti 124 in China pushes back as report faces cle/3127907/who-team-probing-coronavirus- global criticism origins-china-pushes-back-report WHO report shows possible COVID-19 http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021- 125 spread in various countries before case 04/01/c_139851544.htm detected in China: media What you need to know about the https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health- coronavirus right now coronavirus-snapshot/what-you-need-to-know- 126 about-the-coronavirus-right-now- idUSKBN2BN198 Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020- 127 Across the World coronavirus-cases-world- map/?srnd=coronavirus

J. OPINION/EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Title Link 128 Growing Duality: Polish Opinions on https://thediplomat.com/2021/04/growing- China and Why They Matter duality-polish-opinions-on-china-and-why-they- matter/ 129 Why US-led, anti-China Quad is either https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article meaningless or doomed to failure /3127615/why-us-led-anti-china-quad-either- meaningless-or-doomed-failure 130 How China’s Middle East charm https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article offensive succeeded despite affecting /3127800/how-chinas-middle-east-charm- little change offensive-succeeded-despite-affecting 131 How Will the Global Semiconductor https://thediplomat.com/2021/04/how-will-the- Crunch Impact South Korea? global-semiconductor-crunch-impact-south- korea/ 132 When Internal Becomes International: https://www.csis.org/blogs/new-perspectives- ASEAN’s Role in Myanmar asia/when-internal-becomes-international- aseans-role-myanmar 133 Correcting America’s Grand Strategic https://www.csis.org/analysis/correcting- Failures in Iraq americas-grand-strategic-failures-iraq 134 US, China should end their self-serving https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/20 narratives 21/04/678892/us-china-should-end-their-self- serving-narratives 135 U.S.-Taiwan collusion tactics must stop http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021- 04/01/c_139853111.htm 136 Contact tracing fail https://opinion.inquirer.net/138992/contact- tracing-fail

Quarantine doing more harm

than good — Salceda Published 23 hours ago onApril 1, 2021 04:59 PM ByMichelle R. Guillang @tribunephl_mish

Blanket quarantines will do more economic harm than public health good at this point, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda cautioned, noting that lockdowns are only good at the onset of the pandemic. In a recent interview with the Daily Tribune, the House Ways and Means chair believed that vaccination against the coronavirus disease “matters more” than placing select places under lockdown.

“Lockdowns are good at the very start of contagion, but not when it has spread widely already,” he said.

The senior lawmaker added that as the country already reached the point of “economic desperation and lockdown fatigue,” imposing very strict quarantine protocols will be toilsome.

“So, we have to do what will work for less trouble for the people. That is to rollout all the vaccines we have now. We have just finished jabbing around 30 percent of the doses we have on hand. We can do better there,” stressed Salceda.

“Aggressively” expanding the number of Filipinos who are willing to be vaccinated is “very critical” amid the pandemic, he emphasized.

The Department of Health (DoH) last 29 March logged record-high 10,016 new Covid-19 cases, the highest one-day tally since the disease was declared a pandemic last year.

Although DoH noted that of at least 130,000 active cases, 97 to 99 percent are considered “mild cases,” Salceda said this is already “alarming” since the recent daily case numbers continue to be “record highs.”

“Even when most cases are mild, the absolute number of people in need of hospital care will still approach critical levels. It’s also alarming because it seems not to be slowing down any time soon,” the congressman explained.

In a statement on Wednesday, Salceda said “mass testing” is needed to avoid further outbreaks.

For him, there’s no such thing as “overtesting” during the time of a pandemic.

“We have to break through the 100,000-mark and do so consistently with testing. That way, we can prevent further undetected infections. You have around 0.4 percent completely asymptomatic cases daily, and around 97-99% are mild cases, so it’s very hard to notice unless we test more,” he claimed.

Testing, he added, is the “trial-run” for mass vaccination.

“If we can’t test more daily, we can’t vaccinate more. It requires basically the same set of capabilities, from storage, logistics, transport of patients, data analysis and records keeping, to administration by qualified health care workers.

“We have to take testing as practice, because I’m sure, once the vaccines arrive, there will be instances when you need to jab 1 million vaccines per day.

“Our ability to test is the ceiling for our ability to vaccinate. So, we have to train our administrative muscles now.

“That’s why we need one crisis manager to coordinate everyone, because there are assignments, such as vaccination and testing, that are mutually reinforcing and require very similar resources,” he said.

He earlier urged President Rodrigo Duterte to appoint Finance Secretary and Economic Development Cluster Head Carlos Dominguez as overall Covid-19 crisis manager to “bring clarity to the response and make our efforts holistic and coordinated.”

“At this stage, while herd immunity is still very far off, it must be our obsessive mission to find every case and isolate it before it infects high-risk segments. Otherwise, we will have new mutations, and we will continue to have high daily cases, because we’re not cutting the virus from its sources,” he averred.

https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/04/01/quarantine-doing-more-harm-than-good-salceda/

Philippine dish lugaw, inspired by Chinese congee, stirs debate in locked-down Manila

• The popular rice porridge trended on social media after an official told a Grab delivery driver that it was not essential during Covid-19 curfew restrictions • The issue took a political slant, with government official Epimaco Densing III taking a swipe at Vice-President Leni Robredo, who had been nicknamed #LeniLugaw

The humble rice porridge lugaw has become a trending topic in the Philippines after a lowly official was recorded preventing a Grab driver from delivering the food to a home because it was past the coronavirus curfew.

The incident happened in the early hours of March 30 when delivery man Marvin Ignacio was stopped in the city of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan province, north of Metro Manila.

The woman scolded Ignacio for violating the 6pm to 5am curfew during the seven-day Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), which started on Monday across the National Capital Region and four neighbouring provinces including Bulacan after

Covid-19 infections quadrupled.

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3128019/lugaw-essential-philippine-dish- inspired-chinese-congee

Fil-Am woman attacked in NYC, security guard shuts doors on her

Published March 31, 2021, 9:10 AM by Jaleen Ramos

An elderly Filipina immigrant was randomly attacked in Midtown Manhattan in New York City on Monday, the latest in the string of violent attacks against Asian Americans.

The 65-year-old Filipino woman was walking along 360 West 43rd Street on Monday when a man approached her and suddenly kicked her multiple times, according to the report by the New York Police District (NYPD).

Authorities said the attacker “made anti-Asian statements” towards the victim as he kicked her and shouted “F*ck you. You don’t belong here.”

ADVERTISING In a video circulated online, bystanders who were on the scene just watched without intervening.

A security guard from inside an adjacent building where the incident happened also failed to aid the woman and even closed the door.

Security guards stand at the entrance to the the building where a 65-year-old Asian woman was attacked in New York as people attend an Asian American anti-violence press conference outside the building in New York on March 30, 2021. (Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP) The victim, whose identity has not been released, was hospitalized with multiple injuries and suffered a fractured pelvis.

Authorities have yet to identify the attacker and appealed to those with information to come forward. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the violence was becoming “an epidemic” across the country that “must stop now.”

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called on anyone who witnesses an attack to “literally shout” to disturb the aggressor and attract attention.

ADVERTISING

The NYPD has already stepped up its presence in neighborhoods with high Asian immigrant populations while volunteer groups have formed safety patrols.

People attend an Asian American anti-violence press conference outside the building were a 65-year-old Asian woman was attacked in New York on March 30, 2021. (Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP) Several demonstrations expressing solidarity with Asian-American communities have also taken place. They have been attended by New York mayoral candidates and the Reverend Al Sharpton, the influential Black rights activist.

New York has more than one million inhabitants of Asian descent.

In the week of March 15 to 21, police recorded a total of nine hate crimes, up from three in the same period of 2020. (With a report from Agence France-Presse)

https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/31/fil-am-woman-attacked-in-nyc-security-guard-shuts-doors-on-her/

‘Pasaway’ Pinoys deserve more blame for COVID surge than the variants, says consumer group head

Published April 1, 2021, 6:19 PM by Ellson Quismorio The leader of a pro-science consumer advocacy group said it’s premature at best to blame the entry of new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) variants in the country for the alarming surge in active cases, which began early last month.

Residents queue up to enter a market in Manila on March 28, 2021, after the Philippines announced that more than 24 million people in and around Manila will go into lockdown next week as hospitals struggle to cope with a surge in COVID-19 coronavirus infections. (Photo by Jam STA ROSA / AFP) Angelo Palmones, president of the Alyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya Para sa Mamamayan (AGHAM), told the Manila Bulletin on Maundy Thursday, April 1 that there’s simply not enough evidence or technical study to back up the claim.

“Wala tayo empirical data on those eh (We don’t have empirical data on those). The new variants are all still under study,” he said.

As if undergoing reflection this Holy Week, Palmones said the most logical reason for the case surge is the “pasaway” or disobedient nature of some Filipinos, particularly when it comes to the observance of minimum public health standards (MPHS).

This includes the non-wearing of face mask and face shields, disregarding physical distancing, and insistence on performing non-essential task outdoors.

“I think it’s more on the public’s carelessness and disobedience. You can observe that in most wetmarkets and public areas,” the AGHAM president and former congressman reckoned.

“Public transport like passenger jeeps and tricycles did not strictly observe the physical distancing after we moved to GCQ (general community quarantine) from ECQ (enhanced community quarantine),” he further noted.

It was only last Monday, March 29, that the National Capital Region (NCR) along with the nearby provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal were again placed under ECQ–the strictest lockdown protocol. The ECQ implementation is supposed to last one week only, at least based on the initial Palace pronouncement.

There are close to 139,000 active COVID-19 cases in the Philippines as of Thursday afternoon.

There are at least four supposed mutations of the new coronavirus in the country: B117, the United Kingdom variant; B1351, the South African variant; P1, the Brazilian variant; and P3, the first variant discovered in the Philippines.

It has been suggested by experts that some of the mutations have increased transmissibility.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/01/pasaway-pinoys-deserve-more-blame-for-covid-surge-than-the- variants-says-consumer-group-head/

‘Offense to PH sovereignty’: Sobejana confirms illegal, man- made structures in Palawan’s Pagkakaisa Banks

Published April 1, 2021, 11:33 AM by Ellson Quismorio Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana confirmed in a statement Thursday, March 31 the presence of illegal, man-made structures on some features of Palawan’s Pagkakaisa Banks.

(AFP WESTERN COMMAND / MANILA BULLETIN) Sobejana said the discovery was made during regular maritime patrol (marpat) Wednesday, March 30 in the Pagkakaisa or Union Banks that are within the Kalayaan Islands Group (KIG) under the Municipality of Kalayaan, Palawan.

“During this patrol we were able to document man-made structures that were built on some of the features. These structures are illegal,” Sobejana said.

“The Laws of the Sea gives the Philippines indisputable and exclusive rights over the area. These constructions and other activities, economic or otherwise, are prejudicial to peace, good order, and security of our territorial waters,” he stressed.

The discovery came amid the increased presence and activity of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) the past few months.

“We have already updated our higher civilian authorities such as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Department of National Defense (DND) about these offenses to our sovereignty,” the Sobejana said, referring to the illegal structures.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/01/offense-to-ph-sovereignty-sobejana-confirms-illegal-man-made- structures-in-palawans-pagkakaisa-banks/

WPS features within PH’s EEZ despite Chinese structures, asserts Locsin

Published April 1, 2021, 12:01 PM by Raymund Antonio Read his lips.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Thursday, April 1, said the Philippines’ ownership of maritime features in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) was “ours” even China built massive structures in the area.

In a Twitter post, Locsin asserted the island part of the WPS where there are massive China- built structures, is within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“Within our EEZ so it’s ours. The durability and vintage of the structures don’t matter. Ours,” he said.

The country’s top diplomat was responding to a question of a Twitter user who asked about China’s massive structures being built in the West Philippines Sea.

On Wednesday, the Philippine military conducted an aerial patrol in the area, but it was told to “leave immediately and keep out” because it was a Chinese reef.

Locsin has filed a diplomatic protest against China over the presence of the 220 Chinese vessels near the Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef) in the West Philippine Sea.

There were still 44 Chinese maritime militia vessels moored in the maritime area as of Tuesday, March 30.

EMBED: https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/31/exclusive-document-photos-show-chinese-vessels- now-dispersed-in-other-features-in-west-ph-sea/

China has been increasing its deployment of sea vessels to the contested region since the administrations of President Benigno Aquino III. This prompted then Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario to bring the matter before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in The Hague.

The Philippines won the case under the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and has since then used this landmark legal victory to call on China to respect maritime boundaries.

“Just laughed at the adventures. All that interesting history of losses/gains was made irrelevant by the arbitral award we won at the Hague all by ourselves with all countries against us including the West,” Locsin said in another tweet.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/01/wps-features-within-phs-eez-despite-chinese-structures-asserts-locsin/ Gov't troops raid marijuana plantation in Sulu ABS-CBN News Posted at Apr 01 2021 09:33 PM

Soldiers uproot marijuana plants. Handout photo Governmeng troops raided a marijuana plantation estimated to contain P760,000 worth of marijuana plants in Barangay Masjid Punjungan, Kalingalang Caluang, Sulu on Wednesday.

The raid was a follow-up operation in connection with their March 26 raid on two marijuana plantations in Kalingalang Caluang, Sulu, according to 4th Marine Bigade and Naval Task Group Sulu Commander Col. Hernanie Songano.

"Yesterday, we've found three sites that are located at Brgy Masjid Punjungan covering more or less one hectare of fully grown marijuana and is allegedly owned by a certain Jaju," said Songano.

Last week, the same joint operating forces seized around P80,000 worth of shabu and have seized marijuana plantations worth around P21 million in Kalingalang Caluang.

Joint Task Force Sulu commander Maj. Gen. William Gonzales commended the Marines and other agencies in the second district of Sulu for their efforts.

"All in all six sites of marijuana plantations were raided by our marines for the first quarter of 2021. Definitely, this will have an enduring effect on the peace and order of the province," said Gonzales.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/01/21/govt-troops-raid-marijuana-plantation-in-sulu

BCDA moves forward with P3-B plan to relocate, modernize PAF housing and support facilities

Published April 1, 2021, 2:59 PM by Leslie Ann Aquino The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) on Thursday, April 1, said it is a step closer towards the completion of its over Php 3-billion plan to relocate and modernize the housing and support facilities of the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

In a statement, BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Vince Dizon said they are now procuring the civil works for the site development of a 65-hectare relocation site for the PAF housing facilities.

“In short, we have already finished and completed the Detailed Architectural and Engineering Design of the PAF housing facilities,” he said.

BCDA said it is also in the process of preparing the Detailed Architectural and Engineering Design of the new PAF operational facilities to be relocated in the 146-hectare near OMNI area.

Dizon said BCDA is actively engaging with the PAF to ensure that the new PAF operational facilities comply with their requirements.

“From the PAF housing, you can go to New Clark City in 10 to 15 minutes, and to Clark International Airport in 10 to 15 minutes using an access road. Works are ongoing for a 20- kilometer access road and this will be finished by next year. From SCTEX (Subic-Clark- Tarlac Expressway), it will only take you less than 30 minutes to get to New Clark City. We made sure the PAF housing site will be accessible via the major thoroughfares,” he said.

It was in August 2019 when Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Dizon signed a Memorandum of Agreement for the relocation of PAF’s housing and operational areas to Clark.

“To continue our commitment of helping strengthen AFP and promote national development, we at BCDA will always look for ways to transform former military bases and properties into premier centers of economic growth with the help of our private sector partners,” Dizon said.

He stressed that BCDA will double its efforts to raise much-needed revenues for the government amid the financial debacle posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our mandate to strengthen the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines transcends all threats. However, by building modern cities in partnership with the private sector, we strive to continuously raise more funds for the modernization of the AFP as well as provide for the welfare of our troops and the entire nation especially in this difficult period,” said Dizon.

BCDA said it has so far remitted to the Bureau of Treasury and completed about Php 11- billion worth of replication projects and Php 38 billion for the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/01/bcda-moves-forward-with-p3-b-plan-to-relocate-modernize-paf- housing-and-support-facilities/

Arms cache, explosives seized from house of Reds’ labor organizer

By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan April 1, 2021, 3:26 pm

MANILA – Police seized some eight assorted high-powered firearms, ammunition, and explosives from a female labor organizer's house in Sta. Rosa, Laguna on March 30.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief, Maj. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro, in a report released on March 31, identified the house owner as Maritess Santos David alias "Teacher Laly", a resident of No. 3275 Blk 2 Street, Oval Subdivision, Barangay Market Area, Sta Rosa, Laguna.

David, who reportedly has links to the Communist Party of the Philippine – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), was not around when a search warrant was implemented for violations of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act), and Republic Act 9516 (Illegal Possession of Explosives), issued by Presiding Judge Charito M. Macalintal-Sawali of RTC Branch 66, Fourth Judicial Region in Tanauan Batangas.

Ferro said David, a known labor sector in Calabarzon, has direct links to members of Alyansa nang Manggagawang sa Enklabo (AMEN)), Pagkakaisa ng mga Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK ), Revolutionary Council Trade Union(RCTU), Organized Labor Association in Line industries and Agriculture (OLALIA), allegedly provides safe haven and arms stash for NPA hitmen known as Sparu Units.

The police operation was witnessed by barangay officials of the locality.

Seized from David’s house were: one M-1 .30 caliber carbine rifle with Serial Number (SN): 953078; one M-2 30cal carbine rifle w/ scope and silencer and w/o SN; one Bushmaster rifle with SN: L767622; one unit M-16 Elisco Rifle with defaced SN; one unit M-16 Colt AR-15 rifle with defaced SN; three .45 caliber pistols; nine long magazines for M-16 rifle; three short magazines for M-16 rifle; 530 rounds of M-16 ammunition; two magazines for a carbine rifle; 17 rounds of M-14 ammunition; three pieces of .45 caliber magazines; 21 rounds for .45 caliber pistol; holster for .45 caliber pistol; one suppressor for .45 caliber; nine M-203 grenades; one improvised anti-troop carrier mine; three improvised claymore mines; 15 pieces of improvised anti-personnel mine; one claymore mine; one roll detonating cord; 10 blasting caps; one claymore mine switch; 50 meters of claymore wire; one M-16 bandolier; one M-203 bandolier; one M-16 rifle bag; Samsung laptop with charger and case; four envelopes containing subversive documents; several subversive streamers.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135615

Hinihinalang NPA commander patay sa Surigao del Norte ABS-CBN News Posted at Apr 01 2021 12:59 PM Patay ang isang hinihinalang commander ng New People's Army (NPA) sa engkuwentro kasama ang Philippine Army sa bayan ng Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte, kung saan naaresto rin ang isa pang umano'y rebelde, sabi ngayong Huwebes ng militar.

Ipinadala umano ang tropa ng gobyerno sa Barangay Lahi, Gigaquit noong umaga ng Martes para magsagawa ng pagpapatrol matapos makatanggap ng impormasyong may mga NPA sa lugar.

Pagdating umano sa lugar, pinaputukan ng mga rebelde ang mga sundalo, na nauwi sa isang oras na bakbakan.

Kinilala ang nasawi bilang si alyas "War," vice commanding officer umano ng North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee.

Dinala naman sa ospital ang isa pang naaresto, na nakatakdang sampahan ng kasong kriminal.

Kasama sa mga narkeober ang isang M16 rifle, M203 grenade launcher, at mga fragmentation grenade, sabi ng militar.

-- Ulat ni Charmane Awitan, ABS-CBN News

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/01/21/hinihinalang-npa-commander-patay-sa-surigao-del-norte

AFP chief wishes for healing of PH, world on Lent

By Priam Nepomuceno April 1, 2021, 11:09 am

MANILA – As the nation observes Holy Week, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff, Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, said he continues to pray for the healing of the country and the rest of the world from the sorrow and suffering brought by the coronavirus pandemic.

"Hiling ko ang taimtim at makabuluhang pagdiriwang sa Semana Santa para sa ating lahat. Patuloy natin ipanalangin ang tuluyang paghilom sa lahat ng klase ng sugat at sakit na iniinda ng atin bansa at buong mundo. Pagpalain nawa tayong lahat (May fervent wish is for a solemn and worthwhile observance of Holy Week for all us. Let us pray for the healing of all wounds and sickness being experienced by our country and the rest of the world. May God bless us all)," Sobejana said in his Lenten message sent to reporters on Wednesday night.

As the AFP joins the rest of the Christian world in the annual religious observation, Sobejana urged every Filipino to remember all the sacrifices of Jesus Christ and live in accordance with his teachings.

"Tayo ngayon ay nahaharap sa mga matitinding pagsubok, mas lalo dapat natinng ipadama ang pagmamahal sa atin kapwa. Hindi man natin mayakap at mahagkan ang isa't isa dahil sa banta ng pandemya, ipadama natin ang init ng atin pagmamahal sa pamamagitan ng pagkalinga sa isa't isa lalo na sa mga higit na nangailangan (We are now facing severe tests which requires us to show our love to our fellow human beings. We might not be able to embrace and kiss one another due to the threat of the pandemic but we can still show our love to one another for showing care and compassion to each other, especially to those needing it more)," he added.

Sobejana also said despite challenges and hardships, the AFP continues to pray that Filipinos will continue to have strength, clear-mindedness, and genuine compassion in facing the present crisis.

"Maniwala at manalig tayo, lilipas din ang lahat ng ito. Matatapos din ang unos.(Believe and have faith. All of this will come to pass, the storm will soon end)," he added. (PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1135571

Police ‘can’t arrest, kill persons’ not present on sites where search warrants are served

Published April 1, 2021, 1:27 PM by Jeffrey Damicog “Activists served with search warrants but not found on site, none of them may be arrested, or killed, on sight,” the Public Interest Law Center (PILC) said on Thursday, April 1.

This was pointed out by the PILC in reaction to the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) declaration that it has launched a manhunt against labor activist Marites Santos David after the reported discovery and seizure of firearms and explosives in her house in Calamba, Laguna last March 30.

The PILC said the statement made by the PNP “is erroneous and reckless” and puts David “in danger as she is now treated as a criminal even though no warrant of arrest has been issued against her, nor was she found in the act of committing a crime.”

It stressed: “Only the courts can issue a warrant of arrest upon a proper executive determination of probable cause. None has been issued as per information today” (April 1).

The PILC told the PNP that it is “legally entitled to file a criminal complaint, which then effectively transfers the investigation to the prosecutor.”

“If a case has indeed been filed against Ms. David, she will be given the time and opportunity to file a counter-affidavit during preliminary investigation, at her option,” it said.

“It is the prosecutor who then has the authority to summon the respondent,” and if the prosecutor finds probable cause, only then will “a criminal information be filed in court,” it added.

“By declaring Ms. David as ‘at large’ the PNP is pre-empting the preliminary investigation that is yet to take place,” it also said.

“Ominously, this could be used as setting the stage for a ‘nanlaban’ (fought back) narrative upon accosting Ms David, similar to what the PNP used to justify ‘tokhang’ deaths and the killing of nine activists during the simultaneous raids conducted on March 7, 2021,” it lamented.

The PILC said the continued killings and arrests of activists in recent weeks have been “the fount of rage against the wrongful service of search and arrest warrants.”

“Police propaganda has been aggressively setting the tone that subjects are resisting, when testimonies from witnesses point to planting of evidence, grave violation of constitutional rights, and blatant disregard of police protocols,” PILC said. “Police and all law enforcement officers must be reminded that when search or arrest warrants are correctly served, no one is supposed to end up dead,” it added.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/01/police-cant-arrest-kill-persons-not-present-on-sites-where-search- warrants-are-served/

Biden says $2 trillion jobs plan rivals the space race in its ambition By Steve Holland, Jarrett Renshaw 6 MIN READ

PITTSBURGH (Reuters) -President Joe Biden on Wednesday called for a sweeping use of government power to reshape the world’s largest economy and counter China’s rise in a $2 trillion-plus proposal that was met with swift Republican resistance.

The president’s “American Jobs Plan” would put corporate America on the hook for the tab as the government creates millions of jobs building infrastructure, such as roads, tackles climate change and boosts human services like care for the elderly.

“It’s a once-in-a-generation investment in America, unlike anything we’ve seen or done since we built the interstate highway system and the space race decades ago,” Biden said in unveiling the program in Pittsburgh.

He said he had no problem asking companies to foot the bill and is “gonna put an end” to Amazon.com Inc and other major companies paying little to nothing in federal taxes.

Biden’s second multitrillion-dollar legislative proposal in two months in office sets the stage for a partisan clash in the U.S. Congress, where members largely agree that investments are needed but are divided on the total size and inclusion of programs traditionally seen as social services. Another economic proposal Biden will release in April could add a further $2 trillion to the total price tag.

Coupled with his recently enacted $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, Biden’s infrastructure initiative would give the federal government a bigger role in the U.S. economy than it has had in generations, accounting for 20% or more of annual output.

Biden’s team believes a government-directed effort to strengthen the economy is the best way to provide support to an economy walloped by the coronavirus pandemic and contend with increased competition and a national security threat posed by China.

The proposal was greeted icily by conservatives and major business groups.

Republican Senator Mitch McConnell said the proposal was “another Trojan horse for far-left demands” one day after Biden called to brief the minority leader on the proposal. McConnell said raising taxes would be “killing jobs and slowing wage growth when workers need a fast recovery.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden-infrastructure/biden-says-2-trillion-jobs-plan-rivals-the- space-race-in-its-ambition-idUSKBN2BN13C

What's in Biden's $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan? By Reuters Staff 4 MIN READ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The infrastructure plan U.S. President Joe Biden will roll out in Pittsburgh on Wednesday includes $2.3 trillion in investments aimed at everything from fixing 10,000 bridges to tearing lead pipes out of millions of homes in the United States.

Heavy traffic is seen on the George Washington Bridge from New Jersey to New York, as seen from Fort Lee Historic Park, New Jersey, U.S. March 31, 2021. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

Here are some highlights.

The plan would modernize 20,000 miles of highways and roads, the top 10 “economically significant bridges” and 10,000 other bridges.

It includes $20 billion for road safety programs to reduce fatalities for cyclists and pedestrians, and $20 billion to reconnect neighborhoods divided by highway projects.

It would double federal funding for public transit with a $85 billion investment and invest $80 billion in Amtrak.

The plan includes $25 billion for airports, $17 billion for inland waterways, coastal ports and ferries, and investments in cleaning port air pollution. There’s another $25 billion for “ambitious” transportation projects “too large for current funding programs.”

And, in a boost to electronic vehicle makers, a $174 billion investment to “win the EV market” by spurring domestic supply chains and giving consumers rebates to buy them.

$650 BILLION FOR ‘HOME INFRASTRUCTURE’

These funds would go to broadband, clean water, the electric grid, and high-quality housing.

Among other things, it would replace 100% of the water-bearing lead pipes and service lines across the country, which the White House says serve as many as 10 million families.

It also proposes broadband access for some 35% of rural Americans who don’t have the service, building or retrofitting two million housing units, and veterans hospitals.

There’s $100 billion to “upgrade and build new public schools, through $50 billion in direct grants and an additional $50 billion leveraged through bonds.”

The proposal includes capping and sealing oil and gas wells and abandoned mines, the which the White House says will create “hundreds of thousands” of jobs in area where oil and mining employment has dried up.

$400 BILLION FOR THE ‘CARE ECONOMY’ One in six essential care workers live in poverty, the White House said.

The plan will fund home or community-based care for hundreds of thousands of senior citizens and people with disabilities, creating “well- paying caregiving jobs with benefits.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden-infrastructure-factbox/whats-in-bidens-2-3-trillion- infrastructure-plan-idUSKBN2BN13T

U.S. says any approach to North Korea will have to be in 'lockstep' with allies By David Brunnstrom 3 MIN READ

(Makes clear in 8th paragraph that Biden spoke last week)

FILE PHOTO: U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price arrives to speak at the State Department in Washington, U.S., March 31, 2021. Carolyn Kaster/Pool via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Denuclearization will remain at the center of U.S. policy toward North Korea and any approach to Pyongyang will have to be done in “lockstep” with close allies, including Japan and South Korea, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Thursday.

Price made the comments at a regular briefing ahead of a meeting on Friday between U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan and his counterparts from Japan and South Korea as the Biden administration concludes a review of its policy towards North Korea.

Price said the meeting would be an opportunity to share “where we are in terms of our review” and for them to share their perspectives.

“I wouldn’t want to prejudge the conclusion of any ongoing review, but we have said that denuclearization will remain at the center of American policy towards North Korea,” Price said.

“We also know that any approach to North Korea, in order to be effective, will be one that we will have to execute in lockstep with our close allies, including in this case, our treaty allies, Japan and South Korea,” he said.

Sullivan is to meet his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Kitamura and South Korea counterpart Suh Hoon at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis on Friday.

The Biden administration has been simultaneously signaling a hard line on human rights, denuclearization and sanctions in its North Korea policy, while making diplomatic overtures that administration officials say have been rebuffed by Pyongyang.

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday of last week the United States remained open to diplomacy with North Korea despite its ballistic missile tests earlier that week, but warned there would be responses if North Korea escalates matters.

Biden does not intend to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the White House said on Monday when asked if he planned to follow the lead of former President Donald Trump, who met Kim three times but failed to persuade him to give up his nuclear weapons.

Pyongyang said the Biden administration had taken a wrong first step and revealed “deep-seated hostility” by criticizing what it called a self- defensive missile test. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-usa/u-s-says-any-approach-to-north-korea-will-have- to-be-in-lockstep-with-allies-idUSKBN2BO6O1

Biden aide to meet Japan, S.Korea on next steps on N.Korea

Published April 2, 2021, 7:24 AM by Agence-France-Presse Top security officials of the United States, Japan and South Korea will meet Friday to discuss next steps on North Korea as President Joe Biden completes a policy review.

Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, will huddle with his counterparts from South Korea and Japan, Suh Hoon and Shigeru Kitamura, at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Sullivan will share “where we are in terms of our review,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters, saying the evaluation was “coming to a conclusion.”

“Denuclearization will remain at the center of American policy towards North Korea. We also know that any approach to North Korea, in order to be effective, will be one that we will have to execute in lockstep with our close allies,” Price said.

The Biden administration is looking at how to move forward after former president Donald Trump’s unusually personal diplomacy with North Korea which included three meetings with strongman Kim Jong Un, with whom Trump said he “fell in love.”

Biden has sharply criticized Trump’s meetings, saying he legitimized one of the world’s most ruthless leaders, but has also said he is open to diplomacy.

Biden administration officials are widely expected to support a resumption of lower-level talks rather than high-stakes, high-drama summits.

Biden has also warned North Korea of consequences for violations of Security Council resolutions after Pyongyang recently tested what US officials judged to be ballistic missiles.

The Annapolis talks mark rare in-person diplomacy for the Biden administration amid the pandemic and Sullivan’s first trilateral since taking office.

On a range of issues such as facing a rising China, Biden has put a priority on rallying allies including Japan and South Korea — which, despite their respective treaties with Washington, have historically tense ties with each other.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin last month jointly visited both Tokyo and Seoul on their first foreign trips.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/02/biden-aide-to-meet-japan-s-korea-on-next-steps-on-n-korea/

Communist China Is Using MSNBCs Talking Points Against Joe Biden

By Mike Gonzalez

Published 1 min ago

Former Vice President of the United States Joe Biden speaking with attendees at the 2019 Iowa Democratic Wing Ding at Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. Image: Gage Skidmore.

Don’t be surprised when China’s leaders talk down to top Biden administration’s officials, whether at a meeting last month in Alaska or elsewhere, going out of their way to cast the United States as a racist den of inequity. Sponsored Content That is, after all, how our elites and educators describe the country to our students constantly.

What we’re seeing now, generally, is a convergence of interests and rhetoric between the American far left and a Chinese Communist Party that has been fully in control of the People’s Republic of China since 1949.

So, when Yang Jiechi, the Chinese Communist Party’s foreign-affairs chief and longtime American hand, lectures U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Anchorage, Alaska, that the U.S. must “change its own image” and that “many people within the United States actually have little confidence in the democracy of the United States,” he’s just repeating what is routinely said on MSNBC or on any U.S. college campus. Sponsored Content

Myanmar bloodbath signals open warfare on protesters by juntaNikkei Asia

Nothing Is More Luxurious Than a Castle: Explore HereMansion Global Similarly, when Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian tells a press conference in Beijing that attacks against Chinese Americans are the result of rhetoric from the Trump administration and of criticism of China’s woeful human rights record, he’s just repeating what Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., and even people in the Biden administration have said. The same holds for when China’s top leaders hold up Black Lives Matter to say, as Yang did, that “the challenges facing the United States in human rights are deep- seated. They did not just emerge over the past four years, such as Black Lives Matter. It did not come up only recently.”

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/04/communist-china-is-using-msnbcs-talking-points-against-joe- biden/

'The grim reality of reporting in China that pushed me out’

By John Sudworth BBC News

Published 7 hours ago Share media captionThe BBC's John Sudworth: "Intensifying attempts to obstruct and harass us wherever we film" It was a reminder of the grim reality of reporting in China to the very end. As my family scrambled to the airport - late and unprepared from the last-minute packing - we were watched outside our home by plainclothes police, who then followed us to the airport and tailed us through check-in. True to form to the very end, China's propaganda machine has been at full throttle, denying I faced any risks in China, while simultaneously making those risks abundantly clear. "The Foreign Ministry said they are not aware that Sudworth was under any threat," the Communist Party controlled Global Times said, "except that he may be sued by individuals in Xinjiang over his slanderous reports."

The chilling effect of such statements lies in the reality of a court system run - like the media - as an extension of the Communist Party, with the idea of an independent judiciary dismissed as "an erroneous Western notion". • Pressure and propaganda - the reality of reporting Xinjiang • The disinformation tactics used by China

China's ministry of foreign affairs has continued the attacks, using the podium at its daily press briefing on Thursday to criticise what it called the BBC's "fake news".

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-56607815

Breakingviews-Capital Calls-Chinese loans attach unexpected strings By Reuters Staff 2 MIN READ The Chinese national flag is seen in Beijing, China April 29, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter - RC24EG9MBJIN

HONG KONG (Reuters Breakingviews) - FINE PRINT. China is sabotaging some international credit cooperation, but not in the way typically feared. An analysis of 100 of the country’s loans to poor countries over the last two decades by U.S. research outfit AidData undermines arguments that Beijing ensnares them in so-called debt traps: It neither charged predatory rates nor demanded strategic assets like ports as collateral. And although the sample used reflects less than 5% of an estimated $900 billion of credit China has extended to developing countries, the contractual fine print reinforces fears about China.

In addition to overly broad confidentiality clauses, 75% of loans scrutinised were excluded from restructuring deals with the Paris Club group of developed-economy lenders. China Development Bank often demands that if borrowers take action deemed adverse to any Chinese entity, it triggers a default. For wealthy nations seeking to arrange debt relief, the AidData findings ultimately raise as many trust issues as they resolve. (By Pete Sweeney) https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-finance-breakingviews/breakingviews-capital-calls-chinese- loans-attach-unexpected-strings-idUSKBN2BO4NZ

China's secret loan contracts reveal clout over developing nations Study finds clauses giving its state-owned lenders priority over other creditors

The Great Hall of the People during a session of the National People's Congress in Beijing. © Reuters

April 1, 2021 16:02 JST

DAKAR (Reuters) -- The terms of China's loan deals with developing countries are unusually secretive and require borrowers to prioritize repayment of Chinese state-owned banks ahead of other creditors, a study of a cache of such contracts showed on Wednesday.

The dataset -- compiled over three years by AidData, a U.S. research lab at the College of William & Mary -- comprises 100 Chinese loan contracts with 24 low- and middle-income countries, a number of which are struggling under mounting debt burdens amid the economic fallout from the COVID-10 pandemic.

Much focus has turned to the role of China, which is the world's biggest creditor, accounting for 65% of official bilateral debt worth hundreds of billions of dollars across Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia.

"China is the world's largest official creditor, but we lack basic facts about the terms and conditions of its lending," the authors, including Anna Gelpern, a law professor at Georgetown University in the United States, wrote in their paper.

The researchers at AidData, the Washington-based Center for Global Development (CGD), Germany's Kiel Institute and the Peterson Institute for International Economics compared Chinese loan contracts with those of other major lenders to produce the first systematic evaluation of the legal terms of China's foreign lending, according to CGD. Their analysis uncovered several unusual features to the agreements that expanded standard contract tools to boost the chances of repayment, they said in the 77-page report.

These include confidentiality clauses that prevent borrowers from revealing the terms of the loans, informal collateral arrangements that benefit Chinese lenders over other creditors and promises to keep the debt out of collective restructurings - dubbed by the authors as "no Paris Club" clauses, the report said. The contracts also give substantial leeway for China to cancel loans or accelerate repayment, it added.

Scott Morris, a senior fellow at CGD and co-author of the report, said the findings raised questions about China's role as one of the G20 group of major economies that has agreed a "common framework" designed to help poorer nations cope with the financial pressure of COVID-19 by allowing them to overhaul debt burdens.

The framework calls for comparable treatment of all creditors, including private lenders, but he said most of the contracts examined prohibit countries from restructuring those loans on equal terms and in coordination with other creditors.

"That's a very striking prohibition, and it seems to run counter to the commitments the Chinese are making at the G20," Morris told Reuters, though he added that it was possible China would simply not enforce those clauses in its loan contracts.

The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. China has said in the past that its financial institutions, and not just the country's official creditors, were working to help ease the debt woes of African nations.

It also said in November that it had extended debt relief to developing countries worth a combined $2.1 billion under the G20 programme, the highest among the group's members in terms of the amount deferred.

The material examined by researchers for the study includes 23 contracts struck with Cameroon, 10 with Serbia and Argentina as well as eight with Ecuador.

In January, the World Bank warned that several countries were in urgent need of debt relief due to the severity of the global recession triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/China-s-secret-loan-contracts-reveal-clout-over- developing-nations

China slams Washington over Hong Kong report, saying Biden administration has disregarded basic facts with irresponsible remarks

• Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying says US moves cannot hinder the city’s development and prosperity • Remarks sparked by publication of US State Department’s annual Hong Kong Policy Act Report, which said city’s autonomy had been eroded by Beijing

Beijing hit back at the United States on Thursday following the release of an annual report on Hong Kong, saying the Biden administration had disregarded basic facts and made irresponsible remarks on

Thethe city’s remarks operations, by Chinese and foreign had seriously ministry interfered spokeswoman in China’s Hua in Chunyinternal affairs.g came a day after the publication annually to Congress, which includes a determination as to whether the city is sufficiently autonomous from mainland China to justify preferentialof the US State economic Department’s relations. Hong Kong Policy Act Report, sent

Hong Kong did not warrant differential treatment under US law owing to the erosion of its autonomy by

Beijing, the country’s top diplomat Antony Blinken determined.

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3128039/china-hits-back-washington-over- hong-kong-report-saying

Beijing lashes out against Japan: 'Stop slandering China' Spokesperson Hua responds after Tokyo slams aggressive maritime actions

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying called on the Japanese media to refrain from inciting confrontation and creating tensions between regional countries. © Kyodo

TSUKASA HADANO, Nikkei staff writerApril 2, 2021 06:42 JST

BEIJING -- China's Foreign Ministry accused Japan of "sowing discord" on Thursday, hitting back forcefully in response to Tokyo speaking out against Beijing's expansionist maritime activities.

"We are gravely concerned about Japan's recent negative actions concerning China," Hua Chunying, ministry spokesperson, said during her regular news conference.

This reaction follows the two-plus-two dialogue between Japanese and Indonesian diplomatic and defense chiefs Tuesday in Tokyo. The two sides shared "serious concerns" about "unilateral attempts to alter the status quo by force" in the South China and East China seas, according to a readout provided by Japan's Foreign Ministry. China's new coast guard law granting quasi-military status to such vessels was cited.

Hua said China and Indonesia communicated with each other immediately to clarify the situation after Japan released the information.

"We urge the Japanese side to stop sowing discord, abide by the basic norms of international relations, stop slandering China and take concrete actions to safeguard the overall interests of China-Japan relations," she added.

The spokesperson also rebuked members of the Japanese press during Thursday's briefing. "We also urge relevant Japanese media to uphold their social responsibility and professional ethics, stop fabricating disinformation and refrain from inciting confrontation and creating tensions between regional countries," Hua said.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Beijing-lashes-out-against-Japan-Stop- slandering-China

Veteran Hong Kong democrats found guilty in landmark unlawful assembly case By Jessie Pang, James Pomfret 5 MIN READ

HONG KONG (Reuters) -A Hong Kong court found seven prominent democrats guilty of unauthorised assembly charges, including 82-year- old barrister Martin Lee and media tycoon Jimmy Lai, 72, the latest blow to the city’s beleaguered democracy movement.

Lee, who helped launch the city’s largest opposition Democratic Party in the 1990s and is often called the former British colony’s “father of democracy,” was accused of taking part in an unauthorised assembly on Aug. 18, 2019.

The silver-haired Lee and the others, all in their 60s or older, sat impassively as district court judge Amanda Woodcock handed down her decision.

“I have found after trial the prosecution able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that all of the defendants together organised what amounted to an unauthorised assembly,” the district court judge said in the full written judgement.

They were also found guilty of knowingly participating in an unauthorised assembly.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-security-court/veteran-hong-kong-democrats-found- guilty-in-landmark-unlawful-assembly-case-idUSKBN2BO3UW

'Do not tempt the law': Hong Kong police warn residents to avoid red lines on politics • Oscar Kwok, the Hong Kong Police Force’s deputy commissioner for management | BLOOMBERG For Hong Kong residents wondering what sort of behavior might breach the Beijing-imposed national security law, one of the city’s top police officers says it’s the wrong question to ask. “Do not tempt the law — it’s simple,” Oscar Kwok, the Hong Kong Police Force’s deputy commissioner for management, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television.

“A healthy attitude is to say, ‘How can I be a responsible citizen and just make sure that I contribute to the overall harmony and peace and security of this place,’ rather than say ‘Hmm, let me see how far I can push this envelope, so that I can almost touch the red line, but you can’t touch me,’” Kwok said. “This isn’t how we want to police Hong Kong.” The security law, put into place after sometimes-violent pro-democracy protests that rocked the city in 2019, prohibits subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion. But lawyers and Western governments have criticized the law’s vague provisions as a tool for Hong Kong authorities to jail activists and opposition lawmakers for normal political activities, as well as students for posting comments online.

In a wide-ranging interview, Kwok defended the Hong Kong Police Force, saying the arrests were necessary because the city faces pressing national security threats, including from the U.S. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has tightened sanctions on mainland and Hong Kong officials on allegations they undermined the former British colony’s autonomy — as promised ahead of the 1997 handover.

“There are countries on Earth whose basic DNA is aggressive,” he said. “I’m talking about the United States. And I think it’s also clearly stated what their intent is, OK? To suppress the development of China. It’s an open secret.”

China this week increased its control over Hong Kong’s elections, passing sweeping amendments that give Beijing the right to veto any candidates it deems disloyal to Beijing. The new order gives police a role in vetting the candidates to see if they pose a national security threat.

“I’m not in charge of that, but I would say you only need to look at how all countries on Earth conduct national security, intelligence and vetting,” Kwok said when asked what criteria the police would use to vet candidates. “How different can it be?”

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/04/01/asia-pacific/hong-kong-police/

Why is China’s Wang Yi hosting four Asean ministers in Fujian but meeting them individually?

• Myanmar is expected to be on the agenda but all parties are careful not to give the impression it is a ‘minilateral’ meeting • Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines have been most vocal about Myanmar’s worsening crisis

-on-one talks this weeks with his counterparts from four Southeast Asian nations that have been most vocal about China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is holding one s political crisis, suggesting that the worsening post-coup upheaval will feature among other bilateral issues.Song Qingrun, an associate professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told CGTN, theMyanmar’ international arm of Chinese state broadcaster CCTV that China plans to work with Asean to maintain stability in the South China Sea

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3127831/chinas-wang-and resolve Myanmar’s “internal politicalyi-meets-his-asean- crisis”. counterparts-will-myanmar-be

-interference

China pleased Asean ‘adopted a non • Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi makes statement in meeting with his policySingaporean towards counterpart, Myanmar’ Vivian Balakrishnan • Singapore finds situation in Myanmar ‘very troubling’, Balakrishnan says

China hopes the Association of Southeast Asian Nations can provide a stabilising influence in Myanmar, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Singaporean counterpart on Wednesday. discussed a range of other issues, including the Covid-19 pandemic.Speaking about the situation in Wang met Vivian Balakrishnan in Nanping, southeast China’s Fujian province, where the two men also that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations can play a positive role in promoting the stability of Myanmar, where security forces killed more than 100 protesters on Saturday, Wang said: “China hopes

Myanmar.”https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3127965/china-pleased-asean-adopted-non- interference-policy-towards

China’s wolf warrior envoys snarl and bite at the West Beijing's diplomats are increasingly snapping back at Western criticism in a combative break from the reticence of the past

By FRANK CHENAPRIL 1, 2021 Print

China's Zhao Lijian is among the nation's so-called "wolf warrior" diplomats. Image: AFP/Getty Images

China’s combative “wolf warrior” diplomacy is hitting a new fever pitch as its envoys become less and less diplomatic in their words and manners vis-a-vis Western counterparts.

One recent case in point: “Boy, your greatest achievement is to have ruined the friendly relations between China and Canada, and have turned Canada into a running dog of the US. Spendthrift!!!”

The comment, aimed at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, would be par for the course for a nationalistic Chinese internet troll. But in this instance, it was tweeted by a senior Chinese diplomat who is not even involved in Beijing’s policymaking toward Canada.

Li Yang, China’s consul-general in Rio de Janeiro, has become a social media star in China due to his cyber-outburst against Canada’s leader. His tweet, posted on Monday, is now doing the rounds among patriotic Chinese who admire his snark and straight-talking style, never mind that Canada is outside Li’s ambit of duty as Beijing’s envoy in Brazil.

https://asiatimes.com/2021/04/chinas-wolf-warrior-envoys-snarl-and-bite-at-the-west/

China, Malaysia seek to strengthen ties during FMs meeting Updated 09:02, 02-Apr-2021 CGTN China and Malaysia on Thursday said they had arrived at a consensus that high-quality Belt and Road cooperation is pushing their bilateral ties to a new stage.

The agreement was reached during talks between Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Malaysian counterpart Hishammuddin Hussein in Nanping City, Fujian Province.

Wang said China is willing to work with Malaysia to continue to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to bring more benefits to the people of the two countries in the post-pandemic period. He also expressed China's willingness to enhance cooperation on COVID-19 vaccine and drug research with Malaysia, adding that they should align their development strategies and enhance cooperation in fields including 5G, digital economy and modern agriculture.

Hussein said he appreciated China's help in fighting the pandemic, adding that it demonstrated that Malaysia and China are family.

Stating that attempts by outside forces to divide regional countries will not succeed, Hussein said Malaysia hopes to learn from China's experience in epidemic prevention and control and to boost bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy, investment, and food security under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The two ministers also discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-04-01/China-Malaysia-seek-to-strengthen-ties-during-FM-s-meeting- Z72CHHiWVa/index.html

China says no to fake news, urges media not to incite confrontation Updated 21:26, 01-Apr-2021 CGTN

Media outlets must not fabricate fake news to incite confrontation or escalate tensions, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a news briefing on Thursday.

Hua made the comment in response to a report made by Japan's Kyodo News which said the two-plus-two foreign and defense ministers' meeting between Japan and Indonesia raised concerns over China's newly released coast guard law.

According to the report, the two sides "shared serious concerns about China's continued and strengthened unilateral attempts to alter the status quo by force in the South and East China seas, including the enactment of a new Chinese coast guard law."

In response to questions about the report, Hua said both Japan and Indonesia have made clarifications regarding the statement through internal communication channels.

Stressing that the development of bilateral ties is in the interest of the two countries, as well as regional peace and stability, the Chinese spokesperson urged media outlets not to incite confrontation or escalate tensions with fake news.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-04-01/China-says-no-to-fake-news-urges-media-not-to-incite- confrontation-Z6H3BzmcI8/index.html

even as Biden administration gathers coalition G7 pressure on China over subsidies ‘doomed to fail’ • Trade ministers from the Group of 7 (G7) – the United States, Germany, Britain, France, Canada, Italy and Japan – on Wednesday pledged collective action against “harmful industrial subsidies” without naming China directly • China responded by saying it “won’t accept any accusation” of its trade practice as it “has always honoured its commitments” since it joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) at the end of 2001

Pressure from the G7 to force China to chang might simply choose to ignore it if external pressure continues to mount, experts said. e its economic behaviour is “doomed to fail”, and Beijing On Wednesday, trade ministers from the Group of 7 (G7) the United States, Germany, Britain, France, Canada, Italy and Japan naming China directly. – – pledged collective action against “harmful industrial subsidies” without British Trade Minister Liz Truss, with Britain the current president of the bloc, had said before the inaugural meeting under the new G7 Trade

Track that it was time for the group to “get tough on China andhttps://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3128006/g7-pressure-china-over-s their behaviour in the global trading system”. ubsidies- doomed-fail-even-biden

Myanmar Coup Opponents Announce ‘Unity Government’, Interim Constitution The move came as a special U.N. envoy warned that the country “is on the verge of spiraling into a failed state.” By Sebastian Strangio

April 01, 2021

Anti-coup protesters hold slogans during a demonstration in Yangon, Myanmar on March 31, 2021. Credit: AP PhotoADVERTISEMENT

Opponents of Myanmar’s military junta have formally announced plans to set up a “unity government,” releasing a new interim constitution and declaring the military- drafted 2008 constitution void – a move that is likely to harden the country’s battle lines two months since the military coup that plunged it into crisis.

The move was taken by the Committee Representing Pyithu Hluttaw (CRPH), a group of parliamentarians elected at the election in November, which is positioning itself as a nucleus of a sort of internal government-in-exile.

The CRPH announced on Facebook on Wednesday evening that it had revoked the 2008 constitution, putting forward a Federal Democracy Charter as an interim constitution, aimed at uniting anti-coup groups, ethnic armed organizations, and other opponents of the junta.

According to a declaration that accompanied the Charter (an English translation of both documents can be found here), its aim is the “eradication of dictatorship” and the creation of an inclusive federal democracy “where all citizens can live peacefully.” It also pledges to address the longstanding demands of Myanmar’s ethnic minority groups, which have been fighting for greater autonomy for decades. The announcement came amid increasingly bloody fighting between the military and ethnic armed groups in Kayin and Kachin states, and a fierce crackdown on anti-coup protesters that has claimed at least 536 lives.

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Among other things, the Charter, which was drafted with input from ethnic minority groups and civil society organizations, calls for escalating the country’s civil disobedience movement “to weaken and bring to a standstill the governance mechanism of the council of military junta” and to pledges to “abolish” the country’s existing constitution, copies of which were burnt by protesters across the country today. “The new day begins here!” tweeted Dr. Sasa, a special envoy for the CRPH.

https://thediplomat.com/2021/04/myanmar-coup-opponents-announce-unity-government-interim- constitution/

Myanmar junta may scapegoat insurgents to ‘rain hell’ on civilians, warns UN rights expert

• Thomas Andrews, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, says any coordinated effort by insurgents could lead the Tatmadaw to wage a brutal assault • The global community must continue supporting the civil disobedience movement to convince anti-coup protesters they do not need armed backing from insurgent groups, Andrews says

Any sort of coordinated militia action by

Myanmar all- ’s insurgents against the junta will provide the military rulers with the perfect foil to launch an Moreout than attack 500 that unarmed would civilians“rain down have hell” been on killed innocent by security civilians, force a tops inUN daily rights protests investigator since the has February warned. 1 coup, and Thomas Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, predicted that -out engagement between armed groups and t the figure would “increase exponentially” if there was an all he Tatmadaw, as the country’s military is known. toldThe coup’sThis Week architects in Asia havein a Zoom shown interview. that they are desperate to paint the civil disobedience movement as an armed clash and “have been making stories out of cold cloth to justify their killings’, Andrews https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3127917/myanmar-junta-may-scapegoat-insurgents- rain-hell-civilians-warns

Suu Kyi faces new charge under Myanmar's secrets act; wireless internet suspended By Reuters Staff 5 MIN READ

(Reuters) -Myanmar’s deposed leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been charged with breaking a colonial-era official secrets law, her lawyer said on Thursday, the most serious charge against the veteran opponent of military rule.econds

Myanmar has been rocked by protests since the army overthrew Suu Kyi’s elected government on Feb. 1 citing unsubstantiated claims of fraud in a November election that her party swept.

In a new measure to stifle communication about the turmoil, the junta ordered internet service providers to shut down wireless broadband services until further notice, several telecoms sources said.

Suu Kyi and other members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) have been detained since the coup and the junta had earlier accused her of several minor offences including illegally importing six handheld radios and breaching coronavirus protocols.

Her chief lawyer, Khin Maung Zaw, told Reuters by telephone that Suu Kyi, three of her deposed cabinet ministers and a detained Australian economic adviser, Sean Turnell, were charged a week ago in a Yangon court under the official secrets law, adding he learned of the new charge two days ago.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics/suu-kyi-faces-new-charge-under-myanmars- secrets-act-wireless-internet-suspended-idUSKBN2BO42X

Myanmar's Suu Kyi, Australian adviser charged with official secrets violation: lawyer By Reuters Staff 1 MIN READ

(Reuters) - Myanmar’s deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been charged along with four of her allies with violating the country’s colonial-era official secrets act, her chief lawyer said on Thursday.

Suu Kyi, three of her deposed cabinet ministers and her detained Australian economic adviser, Sean Turnell, were charged a week ago in a Yangon court, Khin Maung Zaw told Reuters by phone, adding he learned of the new charge two days ago.

Suu Kyi has been detained since a Feb. 1 coup and is also charged with violating coronavirus protocols, illegally possessing two-way radios and has been accused by the ruling military council of bribery.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics-suukyi-charge/myanmars-suu-kyi-australian- adviser-charged-with-official-secrets-violation-lawyer-idUSKBN2BO5B6

Unclear if detained leader Suu Kyi aware of situation in Myanmar: lawyer By Reuters Staff 1 MIN READ FILE PHOTO: Protesters from Myanmar residing in Japan raise their fists and hold a poster depicting Aung San Suu Kyi during a rally against Myanmar's military, after it seized power from a democratically elected civilian government and arrested Suu Kyi, outside Foreign Ministry in Tokyo, Japan February 3, 2021. REUTERS/Issei Kato

(Reuters) - Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and detained President Win Myint appeared in good health during a court hearing but it was not clear if they were aware of the current situation in the country, their lawyer said on Thursday.

Min Min Soe, who is representing the deposed leaders, said she was not able to inform them about what was happening outside and is not allowed to meet her clients in person.

Their hearing was adjourned until April 12, Min Min Soe told reporters. Suu Kyi and Win Myint were arrested hours before the military’s Feb 1 coup on several charges their allies say are fabricated. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics-suukyi-hearing/unclear-if-detained-leader-suu- kyi-aware-of-situation-in-myanmar-lawyer-idUSKBN2BO58V

Explainer: Truce over as Myanmar's Karen insurgents brace for battle with junta By Martin Petty 5 MIN READ

(Reuters) - One of Myanmar’s oldest ethnic minority rebel groups has warned major conflict with the military could soon erupt and has called for international intervention and protection of its people forced to flee fighting.

Thai Army soldiers are seen in the background as Karen refugees carry their belongings at Salween riverbank in Mae Hong Son, Thailand March 29, 2021. Karen Women's Organization/Handout via REUTERS

The Karen National Union (KNU) which until 2012 fought one of the world’s longest-running insurgencies, is preparing its fighters for attacks on several fronts, as hostilities with the military reignite following a Feb. 1 coup.

With Myanmar in turmoil, the KNU and several other ethnic armies have sided with opponents of the junta, according to Reuters interviews with representatives of three such groups and the ousted civilian government.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics-ethnic-explainer/explainer-truce-over-as- myanmars-karen-insurgents-brace-for-battle-with-junta-idUSKBN2BO4G6

India moves to deport Rohingya girl to Myanmar, draws criticism By Devjyot Ghoshal, Zarir Hussain 3 MIN READ

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A 14-year-old Rohingya Muslim girl has been taken to a border town in northeastern India for deportation to Myanmar, police officials said on Thursday, as the U.N. refugee agency and rights groups pressed New Delhi to halt the process.

Tens of thousands of Rohingya, who are denied citizenship in their home country Myanmar, have lived in India for years but Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government regards them as a security threat and has started detaining them.

Police have taken the girl to a border crossing in Manipur state, where paperwork was being finalised to send her back to coup-hit Myanmar. She had been sheltered for more than a year in the neighbouring Indian state of Assam, while her family lived as refugees in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar.

“It is under process,” Assam police official B.L. Meena told Reuters, referring to her deportation. “This was previously scheduled.”

Diba Roy, founder of non-profit Nivedita Nari Sangshta in Assam’s Silchar town that had cared for the girl, said local authorities had been informed that she did not have family in Myanmar.

“But she was sent to Myanmar,” Roy said, adding that she had received instructions from federal authorities to hand over the girl to local police this week. “We have only obeyed the order.” India’s foreign and home ministries did not immediately

https://www.reuters.com/article/bangladesh-rohingya-india-myanmar/india-moves-to-deport- rohingya-girl-to-myanmar-draws-criticism-idUSKBN2BO5Q2

Thailand 'gravely troubled' by Myanmar killings, urges end to violence By Reuters Staff 1 MIN READ

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand’s foreign ministry on Thursday said it was “gravely troubled” by casualties during weekend unrest in Myanmar and called for utmost restraint and an end to the violence.

In some of the strongest comments yet by Myanmar’s neighbour, foreign ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat told a news conference Thailand called for a de-escalation of the situation, an end to violence and the further release of detainees. It was working with Southeast Asian countries for a peaceful solution, he added. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics-thailand/thailand-gravely-troubled-by-myanmar- killings-urges-end-to-violence-idUSKBN2BO4BO

Seoul submits proposal to co-host 2032 Olympics with North Korea

• South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed to pursue the joint Olympics bid at their summit in Pyongyang in late 2018 • But relations have soured since a summit between Kim and then US president Donald Trump in 2019 failed to reach agreement on North Korea’s denuclearisation

South Korean capital Seoul on Thursday said it has sent a proposal for co-hosting the 2032 Olympics Olympic Committee (IOC) in a bid to keep its hopes alive despite Brisbane being the front-runner. with the North’s Pyongyang to the International The IOC has already picked the Australian city as the preferred partner for hosting the Games.South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed to pursue the joint Olympics bid at their summit in Pyongyang in late 2018.

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3128001/seoul-submits-proposal-co-host-2032- olympics-north-korea

UK sanctions Myanmar conglomerate, says junta sinking to new lows with killings By Guy Faulconbridge 2 MIN READ

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain sanctioned a Myanmar conglomerate on Thursday for its close links to the military leadership which Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said was wantonly killing innocent people including children.

Britain imposed sanctions on the Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) for involvement in serious human rights violations by making funds available to the Myanmar military, as well as its association with senior military figures.

“The Myanmar military has sunk to a new low with the wanton killing of innocent people, including children,” Raab said.

“The UK’s latest actions target one of the military’s key funding streams and impose a further cost on them for their violations of human rights.”

Myanmar has been rocked by protests since the army overthrew the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1 citing unsubstantiated claims of fraud in a November election.

At least 538 civilians have been killed in the protests, 141 of them on Saturday, the bloodiest day of the unrest, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has called for international companies to consider cutting ties to enterprises that support Myanmar’s military, welcomed Britain’s action.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics-britain/uk-sanctions-myanmar-conglomerate- says-junta-sinking-to-new-lows-with-killings-idUSKBN2BO53U

Report highlights PRC media meddling

TAIWAN TARGETED: The US report said that officials in the People’s Republic of China ‘influenced Taiwan media outlets through pressure on the business interests’ • By Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter

Beijing’s influence campaign targeting Taiwanese media, as well as corruption among Taiwanese officials were highlighted on Tuesday in the US’ annual report on global human rights practices.

The US Department of State releases annual reports of human rights practices around the world in the previous year.

In a section on Taiwan, the report found that there were no credible reports of Taiwanese authorities restricting media freedom, but it highlighted Beijing’s influence.

US Acting Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Lisa Peterson speaks in Washington on Tuesday. Photo: AFP The issue was addressed in previous reports, but was given more space this year.

“Officials in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) influenced Taiwan media outlets through pressure on the business interests of their parent companies in the PRC,” this year’s report said.

“To punish Taiwan media outlets deemed too critical of PRC policies or actions, the PRC would subject their journalists to heightened scrutiny at Chinese ports of entry or deny them entry to China,” it said. “PRC actors also targeted the computers and mobile phones of Taiwan journalists for cyberattacks.”

The report documented how the National Communications Commission (NCC) last year declined a CTi News request for a license renewal after the channel was repeatedly fined for breaching broadcasting regulations.

Some opposition politicians and academics said that the NCC was politically motivated and that its decision was retaliation for criticism of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the report said.

There were also allegations that the channel and its sister publications owned by Want Want China Times Media Group (旺旺中時集團 ) took editorial direction from China, the report said, without providing an evaluation of the case. Journalists in Taiwan faced online bullying and threats of legal action, particularly over alleged libel, it said.

While journalists were rarely convicted for criminal defamation, some legal academics and non-governmental organizations had called for libel to be exclusively a civil matter, it said.

The report cited Want Want lawsuits against Financial Times journalist Kathrin Hille over her report exposing coordination between Want Want media firms in Taiwan and China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, and against the Central News Agency for citing her report.

It also documented major cases of corruption.

Former minister of transportation and communications Kuo Yao-chi (郭瑤琪) was sentenced to eight years in prison due to a guilty verdict for bribery, it said.

Several lawmakers, including Su Chen-ching (蘇震清) of the DPP, Sufin Siluko and Chen Chao-ming (陳超明) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), and former New Power Party legislator Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明), were charged with accepting bribes from a businessman, it said, using Sufin’s Chinese name, Liao Kuo-tung (廖國棟).

Independent Legislator Chao Cheng-yu (趙正宇) was indicted in a separate bribery case, it said, adding that the cases were pending trial.

The findings have been referred to government agencies in charge of corresponding issues, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a news release yesterday, adding that it would inform the US of any action taken.

Taiwan and the US promote human rights, democracy and good governance through platforms such as the Indo-Pacific Democratic Governance Consultation, the ministry said, adding that it would continue to deepen the bilateral partnership based on its good foundations.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2021/04/01/2003754877

The Latest on Southeast Asia: April 1, 2021 April 1, 2021

As Myanmar’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing celebrated Armed Forces Day with a parade and drone portrait of himself in the capital Naypyidaw on Saturday, soldiers and police across the country killed at least 114 civilians, including children as young as 5 years old. March 27 marked the bloodiest day yet since the general took power in a February 1 coup against the country’s democratically elected government, and the official death toll has now surpassed 500.

On Sunday, President Joe Biden called the killings “absolutely outrageous” and indicated that a renewed pressure campaign would be forthcoming. On Monday, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai announced that the United States was suspending all trade activity with Burma under the 2013 Trade and Investment Framework Agreement “until the return of a democratically elected government.”

This action by USTR is the latest in the United States’ increasing economic pressure campaign against the military regime. On March 25, the Treasury Department sharply escalated sanctions against the junta, designating in their entirety both the Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) and the Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL), two giant military-owned conglomerates whose over 100subsidiary firms fund Myanmar’s armed forces. These firms touch many sectors of the economy, including trade, natural resources, alcohol, cigarettes, food, consumer goods, clothing, telecommunications, and tourism. Treasury stated in a press release that its goal is to specifically target the military’s control of significant segments of the economy, not the people of Myanmar.

Myanmar’s economy is already reeling due to a convergence of crises. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought with it various travel and business restrictions over the past year and dried up the country’s nascent tourism industry. The United Nations warned in November that the pandemic could cause the number of children living in poverty in Myanmar to increase by 2 million. On March 26, the World Bank reversed its earlier prediction of a strong rebound for the Myanmar economy in 2021. It is instead projecting a 10 percent contraction amid nationwide turmoil following the coup.

The civil disobedience movement, which has seen government functions across the country shut down as civil servants and other essential workers have gone on strike, has also brought to a halt international trade and the country’s banking system. As ports have closed and imports have ground to a halt, fuel prices have risen by over 15 percent nationally and food prices have risen at varying, double-digit rates around the country. Importers who were already experiencing elevated shipping costs due to Covid-19 are now forced to pay even higher rates due to lack of staff at the ports to unload containers in a timely manner. Meanwhile, exporters are having trouble getting paid as Myanmar’s banking system lacks automation and requires staff—who are currently on strike—to approve payouts. The junta’s threat to semi-nationalize private banks has also caused demand for cash to skyrocket, even as ATMs have halved withdrawal limits to $350 per day and the government has restricted corporate account withdrawals to $14,000 per week. This has left many working citizens without pay since February.

https://www.csis.org/blogs/latest-southeast-asia/latest-southeast-asia-april-1-2021

The #MilkTeaAlliance in Southeast Asia: Digital Revolution and Repression in Myanmar and Thailand April 1, 2021

By Karen Lee

Following the February 1 coup, Myanmar’s netizens became the latest to join the #MilkTeaAlliance, an online collective of pro-democracy youth across Asia. Drawing from the protest movements in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and neighboring Thailand, youth activists in Myanmar have leveraged their intimate knowledge of digital tools to protest authoritarianism. Inspired by the movement in Myanmar, the nearly year-long protests in Thailand against that country’s military-led government have gained renewed momentum.

The rise of digital activism across Southeast Asia in the past half- decade has featured a new generation of protesters leveraging social media and co-opting popular symbols to attract international coverage and garner sympathy for their causes. Although the governments they are fighting against have also used these same tools to restrict protest activities and free speech, the digital imprint of the Milk Tea Alliance in the region ensures that these protests will not easily be forgotten.

https://www.csis.org/blogs/new-perspectives-asia/milkteaalliance-southeast-asia-digital-revolution- and-repression-myanmar

US pushes and tests China’s ‘red line’ on Taiwan US deployment of highest level official to self-governing island in 42 years raises question of what Biden will do next to irk Beijing

By RICHARD JAVAD HEYDARIANAPRIL 1, 2021 Print

When the Biden administration deployed a sitting American ambassador to Taiwan, marking the first time such a senior US envoy visited the self-governing island in over 42 years, the move clearly aimed to send a signal to China.

Last weekend, US Ambassador to Palau John Hennessey-Niland accompanied Palau President Surangel Whipps to Taiwan, ostensibly as part of ongoing efforts to expedite pandemic-era travel between Taiwan and Palau. The small island nation is one of the few remaining countries to maintain official diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

Yet the broader geopolitical significance of the much-vaunted Hennessey-Niland visit wasn’t lost on China, which almost immediately doubled down on its intimidation tactics against the island, which Beijing considers a renegade province that must be incorporated with the mainland.

The day before the US envoy’s visit, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) deployed as many as 20 fighter jets into Taiwanese airspace, the largest incursion of its kind in recent memory. Just days later, the PLA sent 10 other aircraft, including Shenyang J-16 fighters and Chengdu J- 10’s, into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

The Donald Trump administration came under fire for its unilateralist and protectionist policies, an approach that degraded US alliances in Asia and Europe.

https://asiatimes.com/2021/04/us-pushes-and-tests-chinas-red-line-on-taiwan/

Great-Power Competition Is a Recipe for Disaster

The latest poorly defined buzzword in Washington is leading pundits and policymakers down a dangerous path.

BY EMMA ASHFORD | APRIL 1, 2021, 11:59 AM

Fighter jets preparing to take off from the flight deck of USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier as it sails in South China Sea on its way to Singapore on Oct. 16, 2019. PHOTO BY CATHERINE LAI / AFP) (PHOTO BY CATHERINE LAI/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

“America is back,” blared headlines following President Joe Biden’s speech to the Munich Security Conference in February, an address clearly designed to draw a line under the Donald Trump presidency and mark a new start in trans-Atlantic relations. “We are not looking backward,” Biden promised. “We are looking forward, together.” Yet one big plank of the Trump administration’s foreign policy is apparently sticking around: great-power competition. “We must prepare together for a long-term strategic competition,” Biden told conference attendees, adding that “competition with China is going to be stiff.”

Unfortunately, for all that great-power competition has been Washington’s favorite buzzword in recent years, it remains frustratingly poorly defined. Indeed, most commentators skip right past the big questions (Why are we competing? Competing over what?) and go straight to arguing about how to achieve victory. Since the possible answers to these questions range from the entirely reasonable (i.e., that Western states should engage in collective defense of liberal democracy) to the dangerous and utterly unrealistic (i.e., that Washington should be pursuing regime collapse in Beijing), it’s hardly something we should ignore.

It seems that once again—just as it did during the global war on terrorism in the mid-2000s or when styling the United States as the indispensable nation in the 1990s—Washington’s strategic community is again reorienting itself around a new, poorly theorized model of the world and of America’s place in it. Yet precisely because it is so ill-defined, great-power competition as a strategy—that is to say, competition for its own sake—also has the potential to be highly dangerous.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/04/01/china-usa-great-power-competition-recipe-for-disaster/

Bulk of Chinese ships remain in reef, some disperse to other areas of WPS

ByRENE ACOSTA APRIL 1, 2021

This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows Chinese vessels in Julian Felipe Reef, or Whitsun Reef, located in the disputed South China Sea. Some of the Chinese maritime militia vessels have left Julian Felipe Reef after berthing in the area for three weeks, but these ships have redeployed in swarming numbers in other features within the

country’s maritime waters that China disputes. The movement of the Chinese militia vessels was revealed by the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF- to leave the West Philippine Sea, maintaining that these are indeed maritime militia ships, contrary to the claims of Beijing. WPS) on Wednesday, even it reiterated the government’s demand to these vessels

Ads by optAd360 -WPS reiterates its assertion of Philippine sovereignty, and sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the KIG [Kalayaan Island Group] and West Philippine Sea [WPS], and expresses deep concern over the“The continuing NTF unlawful presence [or swarming] of the Chinese Maritime Militia [CMM], which did not pull out and have remained in Julian Felipe Reef [or Whitsun Reef] and are now in other areas of the -WPS said in a news statement issued on Wednesday. Kalayaan Island Group in the Municipality of Kalayaan, Palawan,” the NTF The presence of these Chinese vessels, numbering more than 200, was first reported by the Philippine government on March 7 to have berthed in military type formation in the Julian Felipe Reef, with China claiming they were there to seek shelter from bad weather.

weather was fine and the waters at the reef were calm, noting onset of the fishing season in the WPS, whichDefense China Secretary wholly Delfin claims. N. Lorenzana, however, said there was no truth to Beijing’s claims since the https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/04/01/bulk-of-chinese-ships-remain-in-reef-some-disperse-to- other-areas-of-wps/

Philippines Demands China Remove Vessels at 6 islands, Reefs By Associated Press April 01, 2021 02:24 AM

In this photo provided by the National Task Force-West Philippine Sea, Chinese vessels are moored at Whitsun Reef, South China Sea, on March 27, 2021.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Philippine government said Wednesday that more than 250 Chinese vessels it believes are operated by militia have been spotted near six Manila-claimed islands and reefs in the disputed South China Sea and demanded that China immediately remove them.

The gathering of the Chinese-flagged vessels, along with four Chinese navy ships at a Chinese-occupied manmade island base, “is hazardous to navigation and safety of life at sea” and may damage coral reefs and threaten the Philippines' sovereign rights, a government body overseeing the disputed waters said.

China has ignored a Philippine government diplomatic protest and a call more than a week ago by Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana for about 200 Chinese vessels to leave Whitsun Reef, stating that the maritime territory belongs to it and the Chinese vessels were sheltering from rough seas.

After carrying out aerial and maritime patrol missions, Philippine officials said 44 Chinese “maritime militia” vessels were still moored Monday at Whitsun Reef, which Manila calls Julian Felipe. More than 200 other vessels from the Chinese flotilla have apparently dispersed to five other areas in the Spratly group of islands, including three Chinese-occupied artificial islands, they said.

At least four Chinese navy ships were at Chinese-occupied Mischief Reef, the Philippine officials said. China took control of the reef in 1995, drawing strong protests from the Philippines and other claimant states. About 45 Chinese vessels were in the vicinity of the Philippine-occupied island of Thitu, which Manila calls Pagasa, the officials said.

“The Philippines calls on China to immediately withdraw these vessels flying its flag,” the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said in a statement. “Neither the Philippines nor the international community will ever accept China's assertion of its so-called ‘indisputable integrated sovereignty’ over almost all of the South China Sea.” https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/philippines-demands-china-remove-vessels-6- islands-reefsment says the ships, while they appear to be fishing boats, are actually operated by China's maritime militia.

Philippines sounds alarm over 200 Chinese ships in the South China Sea • Bonnie Au 0 SHARES Over 200 Chinese vessels have been seen anchored around Whitsun Reef, west of Palawan in the Philippines. The area in the South China Sea is considered part of the country’s exclusive economic zone, according to the International Court of Arbitration. The Philippines believes the parked ships are being controlled by Chinese militia and have ordered them to leave immediately. However, China has dismissed all claims, saying that it is “perfectly normal” for its fishing boats to use the zone as an important wind shelter.

https://www.scmp.com/video/china/3128030/philippines-sounds-alarm-over-200-chinese-ships-south- china-sea

U.S., Philippines officials discuss Chinese activities in South China Sea By Reuters Staff 2 MIN READ FILE PHOTO: White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan delivers remarks during a press briefing inside the White House in Washington, U.S., February 4, 2021. REUTERS/Tom Brenner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The national security advisers for the United States and the Philippines discussed their shared concerns over Chinese activities in the South China Sea in a call on Wednesday, the White House said.

The Philippines has described the presence of hundreds of Chinese boats inside its 200-mile exclusive economic zone at Whitsun Reef in the South China Sea as “swarming and threatening.”

Manila believes the vessels were manned by maritime militia. Chinese diplomats have said the boats were sheltering from rough seas and no militia were aboard.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Philippines national security adviser Hermogenes Esperon “agreed that the United States and the Philippines will continue to coordinate closely in responding to challenges in the South China Sea,” the White House said.

“Sullivan underscored that the United States stands with our Philippine allies in upholding the rules-based international maritime order, and reaffirmed the applicability of the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty in the South China Sea,” it added. Canada, Australia, Japan and others have voiced concern about China’s intentions.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, China and Vietnam have competing territorial claims in the South China Sea, through which at least $3.4 trillion of annual trade passes.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-china-southchinasea-usa/u-s-philippines-officials- discuss-chinese-activities-in-south-china-sea-idUSKBN2BO3VG

on responses to war over Taiwan, diplomat says US launches ‘strategic planning’ with Australia • Michael Goldman, the US Embassy’s chargé d’affaires, said the strategic planning covers a range of contingencies, including Taiwan • China has stepped up military exercises around the self-ruled island over the past few years as the US bolsters diplomatic ties with Taipei

Th to a war over e US is undertaking “strategic planning” with its Australian ally to consider potential joint responses Taiwan

, accordingtted asto Presidentallies to working Joe Biden’s together top diplomat not only in in Canberra. making our militaries interoperable and

“We’re commi – ased on Thursday, when asked about a potentialfunctioning role well for together, but also in strategic planning,” Michael Goldman, the US Embassy’s chargé d’affaires, said in an Australian National University podcast rele Australia in a Taiwan contingency. h Tai added. “And when you look at strategic planning, it covers the range of contingencies that you’ve mentioned, of whic wan is obviously an important component,” Goldman https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3127890/us-launches-strategic-planning- australia-responses-war-over

US, Australia discuss Taiwan defense

NO AGREEMENT YET: Australia, which hails its involvement in every major US conflict over the past century, has yet to officially commit to aiding Taiwan

• Bloomberg

The US is undertaking “strategic planning” with ally Australia to consider potential joint responses to a war over Taiwan, US President Joe Biden’s top diplomat in Canberra said yesterday.

“We’re committed as allies to working together — not only in making our militaries interoperable and functioning well together, but also in strategic planning,” Michael Goldman, charge d’affaires ad interim at the US embassy in Canberra, said in an Australian National University podcast, when asked about a potential role for Australia in a Taiwan contingency.

“And when you look at strategic planning, it covers the range of contingencies that you’ve mentioned, of which Taiwan is obviously an important component,” Goldman added.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2021/04/02/2003754939

US analyst claims China is backing Okinawa independence movement in bid to drive wedge between Tokyo, Washington

• In an opinion piece, Robert D. Eldridge says Beijing has deployed thousands of ‘agents provocateurs’ to rise up and limit US and Japanese military responses • While the former political adviser for the US Marine Corps in Japan warns that an eye should be kept on the disputed Diaoyu Islands, analysts are sceptical about his take

The Chinese government is encouraging the independence movement in Okinawa, according to a former political adviser for the US Marine Corps in Japa in n, and has deployed thousands of “agents provocateurs” Japan Washington.In an opinion article for the Sankei Eldridge, founder’s most and presidentsoutherly ofprefecture The Eldridge to rise Thinktank up in the and event a direct of a clashor of involvithe Hawaii-basedng Beijing and Global Japan Risk or Mitigation Foundation, said local media was beingnewspaper’s used to promote Japan Forward the independence site, Robert narrative D. and foment opposition to the US military presence in the prefecture.

He added that blocking airports and port facilities would be a relatively straightforward operation for Chinese fifth-columnists supported by local separatists in the event of a conflict breaking out, severely limiting the potential military responses of Tokyo and Washington.

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3127810/us-analyst-claims-china-backing-okinawa- independence-movement

Taiwan Is Deploying Defenses Against How Many Of The Planes Do Air-Defenders Need To China’sShoot Down? Stealth Fighters—

J-20s.

CHINESE STATE MEDIA

The Taiwanese military last week tried to sneak a high-tech radar system onto its outpost on the Penghu island group—and got caught when a photographer from a state-run news outlet snapped photos of the truck-mounted sensor rolling off a navy landing craft.

The deployment of the locally-developed passive radar—which excels at detecting stealth aircraft—underscores just how worried Taiwanese leaders are about China’s growing fleet of radar-evading J-20 fighters.

But for the time being, China’s stealth arsenal is so small that even a few losses in combat could render the front-line fleet ineffective.

That is to say, in the event of war across the Taiwan Strait, Taipei actually might be able to beat Beijing’s J-20s.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/04/01/taiwan-is-deploying-defenses-against-chinas- stealth-fighters-how-many-of-the-planes-do-air-defenders-need-to-shoot-down/?ss=aerospace- defense&sh=32518a7672c5 Chinese drones spotted recently over Taiwan's Dongsha Islands

04/01/2021 07:29 PM

Listen

Dongsha Islands (CNA file photo) Taipei, April 1 (CNA) The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) on Thursday said China was likely conducting reconnaissance missions over the Dongsha Islands, as its drones were recently spotted near the Taiwan-held territory in the South China Sea.

The presence of Chinese unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) near Dongsha indicates that Beijing may be gathering information about the area, the CGA said in a report presented during a legislative hearing.

According to the CGA, China is likely to step up such actions as the relationship between Taiwan and the United States continues to grow.

Cross-strait tensions remain high, with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) sending warplanes into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) almost on a daily basis, the CGA said in the report.

Beijing may also resort to using its coast guard vessels and private ships to ramp up the threats against Taiwan, the CGA said. In its recommendations, the CGA said it needs to hold regular drills to improve the capability of its officers to respond to emergencies.

Furthermore, Taiwan should seek to expand its exchange of information with friendly foreign forces, the CGA said. Meanwhile, the CGA said, it is closely monitoring the marine area around the Dongsha Islands to look out for Chinese vessels and is holding drills to improve its response procedures.

The Dongsha Islands, also known as the Pratas, lie 450 kilometers southwest of Kaohsiung. They are one of two territories in the South China Sea that are controlled by Taiwan and manned by its CGA personnel, the other being Taiping Island.

(By Matt Yu and Ko Lin)

https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202104010014

Taiwan to build up defenses after Chinese drones spotted over Dongsha Island

Coast Guard says Chinese threat likely to rise as Taiwan-US cooperation strengthens

2265

By Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

2021/04/01 15:34

Dongsha Island (CNA, Construction and Planning Agency photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said Thursday (April 1) it would strengthen defenses around the disputed South China Sea islands after Chinese drones were spotted near the Dongsha Islands (東沙群島, Pratas Islands).

The Dongsha Islands, located 450 kilometers southwest of Kaohsiung, and Taiping Island in the Spratlys, 1,500 km from Kaohsiung, are held by Taiwan. However, other countries in the region, including China, have laid claims to the territories.

The recent appearance of Chinese unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) near the Dongsha Islands point at Beijing collecting information about the area, the CGA said at a legislative committee Thursday.

As tension in the region remains high and China sends warplanes into Taiwan’s southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on an almost daily basis, there has been speculation the communist country might start encroaching on Taiwan by launching a military operation against remote islands such as the Dongsha Islands.

According to the CGA, China’s actions are likely to intensify as relations between Taiwan and the United States grow closer, CNA reported. Officials did not exclude the possibility China would use private ships and its own coast guard vessels to increase its threats against the islands and even provoke an incident.

Communication between government departments and channels of communication with friendly military forces would be strengthened, while Taiwanese forces will improve their capability to respond to emergencies, the CGA report said. Officials added they were closely monitoring the seas around the islands for Chinese ship movements while holding regular drills to improve response procedures.

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4166166

Revealed: China’s New Super Submarine Dwarfs Typhoon Class

The new submarine, identified as the Type-100 Class, is armed with 48 Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs). It can also carry ginormous nuclear-powered nuclear-armed autonomous torpedoes. And a hangar on its back indicates a smaller submarine will also be supported. There is no doubt that this is the new god of submarines.

H I Sutton 01 Apr 2021

For decades the Russian Navy’s mighty Pr.941 Typhoon Class submarine has been the largest ever built. And size is relevant, both for political messaging as well as military reasons. Giant submarines can have greater stealth (due to space for quieting), greater survivability, and can operate for longer.

But the Typhoon’s reign is over. The Chinese Navy’s (PLAN – People’s Liberation Army Navy) latest submarine is even larger. Launched earlier today at the Bohai Shipyard in Huludao, China, the new submarine is believed to be the Type-100 ‘Sun Tzu’ class. The timing, together with its type number, appear to refer to the 100th year anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The vessel is approximately 210 meters (690 feet) long and about 30 meters (100 feet) across. This compares to a paltry 175 meters (574 feet, sources vary) and 23 meters (75 feet) for the Typhoon Class. Although figures for the new submarine’s displacement are not known, it is almost certainly greater than the 48,000 ton Typhoon.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/04/revealed-chinas-new-super-submarine-dwarfs- typhoon-class/

Pitch Strength against PLA weakness

• In article • 05:38 PM, Apr 01, 2021 • LT GEN P R SHANKAR (Retd)

The Sino-Indian faceoff has recessed from an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation to a military stalemate. However, the issue remains unresolved since the bulk of forces are still there. India cannot trust China one bit. Reflagration of hostilities cannot be ruled out. While the military stalemate can be construed as a victory, India should be prepared to confront the PLA again. When that happens, PLA should get more than a bloody nose. Many will think that I am putting my foot in the mouth. However, if we fight smart, we should be able to forcibly tuck their tails between their legs. Fighting smart is all about focussing on weaknesses. The PLA is a well-equipped Army, with global ambitions operating with better infrastructure. Taking it head on is foolish. Matching it shoulder to shoulder or getting involved in headbutting is the worst option. In one simple sentence – pitch our strengths against PLA weaknesses. Some weaknesses were exhibited during the face off, some were lying dormant awaiting exposure, some were camouflaged by Chinese propaganda and halo building.

The QEDs of the Face-off

The faceoff has revealed a few things. The PLA is under-par in the Himalayas and the IOR. The space for conventional action between nuclear powers is extremely limited and thresholds low. Examine Kargil, Surgical Strikes of 2016, Balakot, Doklam and Eastern Ladakh. As much as there has been violence and belligerence from both sides, war avoidance was the name of the game. Thresholds were deliberately kept low in the garb of being responsible nations. Project this trend line into the future. Confrontation, conflicts and wars with China are most likely to be localised, small scale, sharp manoeuvres and encounters to gain military and political ascendancy. Hitherto fore, PLA donned a halo of invincibility, which was rudely broken in Eastern Ladakh. The comprehensive strength of a nation is or the capability of its armed forces does not matter. What matters is the ability to fight in a set of given conditions. Victory or defeat still depends upon the man on ground. The Russians, Americans, French, Chinese and we ourselves have been taught this lesson rudely by the Mujahideen, Taliban, Vietcong and LTTE. We should never ever forget such basics in the hubris of modernisation and technology. Lastly, care should be taken when transposing lessons from the Gulf Wars and the recent Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict on to a Sino-Indian or an Indo-Pak scenario. They were conflicts between unequal opponents in a non-nuclear setting.

https://www.myind.net/Home/viewArticle/pitch-strength-against-pla-weakness

Indonesia, Japan on verge of record gunboat deal Jakarta poised to purchase eight Mogami-class frigates to bolster its naval defenses amid rising Chinese incursions

By JOHN MCBETHAPRIL 1, 2021 Print

Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi (R) and Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto (L) attend a signing ceremony at the two-plus-two Foreign and Defense Ministers meeting between Japan and Indonesia at the Iikura Guesthouse of the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo, March 30, 2021. Photo: David Mareuil/Pool/AFP

JAKARTA – Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto is considering the purchase of eight stealthy Mogami-class multi-mission frigates as part of a plan to beef up the navy’s long-range patrol capabilities and strengthen the country’s strategic defense relationship with Japan.

If the purchase is completed, it would represent the biggest-ever arms deal between the two nations, significantly at a time the Biden administration seeks to build an alliance of like-minded nations to contain China’s maritime ambitions.

Prabowo and Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi were in Tokyo last week for the first two-plus-two ministers meeting since 2015 as Indonesia quietly tries to counterbalance China’s increasingly aggressive posture in the southern reaches of the South China Sea. Referring only to the transfer of fisheries surveillance vessels, Prabowo and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi signed an agreement on the transfer of military equipment and technology, one of the prerequisites Jakarta insists on in most new defense deals.

https://asiatimes.com/2021/04/indonesia-japan-on-verge-of-record-gunboat-deal/

Suh Wook’s India Trip: Boost to India- South Korea Defense Ties Defense relations between India and South Korea are deepening.

By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan

April 01, 2021

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh welcomes South Korea’s Minister of National Defense Suh Wook as the latter arrives for a ceremonial reception in New Delhi, India, Friday, March 26, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Manish SwarupADVERTISEMENT

South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook was in India last week, giving a boost to rapidly growing India-South Korea defense and security ties. As an Indian Ministry of Defense press release put it, “The defence and security engagements between India and RoK have grown exponentially over the last few years. Latest talks explored new domains of bilateral defence cooperation and avenues to strengthen the long-standing bilateral defence partnership.”

New Delhi and Seoul raised the level of their relations to a Special Strategic Partnership in 2015 and since then periodic high-level visits and consultations between the two sides have maintained the tempo in bilateral ties.

Suh reportedly held detailed discussions on ways to strengthen India-South Korea defense exchanges and security cooperation with his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh. The two sides reviewed the state of relations and appreciated the depth and breadth of their bilateral defense ties across the three services of the two militaries as well as between the agencies handling defense technology and industry. Following the meeting, Singh tweetedto say that they discussed ways to deepen their defense engagements. During the meeting, media reports noted that the two countries also made a decision to undertake co-production and co-development of military hardware, strengthen intelligence collaboration, and step up partnership in space and cyber sectors as part of the broadened defense and security relations. Singh had invited South Korean defense industries to invest in India during his visit to Seoul in 2019, stating that they could use India as a “spring board to export defense equipment manufactured in India to various friendly countries in South East Asia, Middle Asia, Middle East Asia, South Asia and Africa.”

South Korea has also been keen to strengthen its presence in the Indian defense market. In 2019, the two countries put in place a roadmap that will streamline and strengthen bilateral defense industry collaboration. This assumes significance in the context of the Indian decision a few years ago not to use Chinese systems and components in the defense electronics sector. But India is still in the process of establishing its domestic capabilities. Given the urgent need address this capacity deficit, this partnership can be mutually beneficial and ease South Korean participation in the defense sector.

https://thediplomat.com/2021/04/suh-wooks-india-trip-boost-to-india-south-korea-defense-ties/

Woman Killed After Shooting Gun at Indonesia’s Police HQ Police described the 25-year-old woman as “a lone wolf with the radical ideology of the Islamic State.” By Niniek Karmini

April 01, 2021

A police armored vehicle is parked outside the National Police Headquarters following a suspected militant attack in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 31, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Dita AlangkaraADVERTISEMENT

A woman entered Indonesia’s National Police Headquarters in Jakarta and fired a gun at several officers before being shot dead by police, in the latest militant attack in the world’s most populous Muslim nation, officials said. There were no reports of injuries among the police.

Authorities had earlier imposed a counterterrorism crackdown and were on heightened alert for possible attacks against police and places of worship following a suicide bombing during Palm Sunday Mass at a Roman Catholic cathedral on Sulawesi island which wounded at least 20 people.

Television video on Wednesday showed a woman wearing a long black robe and a blue veil walking near a parking lot at the police headquarters toward the police chief’s office building. She pointed a gun and fired at several police officers before being shot dead by other officers, National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo said.

A bomb squad member approached her body, which was lying in the rain with the gun nearby, and determined there were no dangerous materials in the area before the body was removed, the videos showed. Prabowo identified the woman by her initials, ZA, and said she was a 25-year-old university dropout.

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He said at a news conference late Wednesday that she came to the main building’s security post and fired at officers six times, prompting other officers “to take decisive action.” He didn’t say whether any police were injured. Televised videos indicated she was about 10 meters from the nearest officers, who ran into the building when she fired.

A preliminary investigation showed she was acting independently, “a lone wolf with the radical ideology of the Islamic State,” he said.

https://thediplomat.com/2021/04/woman-killed-after-shooting-gun-at-indonesias-police-hq/

'Familial terrorism': How personal ties link suicide bombings in Southeast Asia By Kate Lamb, Agustinus Beo Da Costa 5 MIN READ

JAKARTA (Reuters) - As the rain teemed down and guests feasted on chicken curry, Muhammad Lukman married his burqa-clad bride in a late night ceremony at the home of Rizaldi, the head of their Islamic prayer group, on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

FILE PHOTO: Armed police officers stand guard outside a house of suspected militants during a raid in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 29, 2021 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/Indrianto Eko Suwarso/ via REUTERS

Guests who attended the August wedding said the ceremony was held at 10 p.m., deemed auspicious.

This week, on Palm Sunday morning, the newlyweds strapped pressure cooker nail bombs to their chests and detonated them as they drove into the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in the provincial capital of Makassar.

Their deaths followed the killing of their wedding host in January, shot by counter-terrorism forces.

The millennial, newlywed bombers were the only fatalities in the cathedral attack, but the incident offers a view into the Islamic State’s dangerous legacy in Southeast Asia, and the personal and family ties that bind religious extremists across the region. In Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, pro- ISIS groups remain a threat two years after the ultra-radicals were defeated in Syria and Iraq, analysts say.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia-blast/familial-terrorism-how-personal-ties-link-suicide- bombings-in-southeast-asia-idUSKBN2BO4RT

South Korea enacts law to transform defence R&D culture by Jon Grevatt

South Korea enacted legislation on 1 April to spur advancements in national capability to undertake military-technology research and development (R&D).

The new Defense Science and Technology Innovation Promotion Act is intended to enable the country to make “rapid changes in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and to systematically support defence R&D”, said the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

South Korea enacted on 1 April the Defense Science and Technology Innovation Promotion Act, which is intended to promote greater levels of collaboration on major defence R&D projects such as the KAI KF-X fighter aircraft. (Korea Aerospace Industries)

The legislation, DAPA added, is focused on “fostering a creative and competitive” defence R&D culture that will support advanced technology development and demands for new military systems.

The law is also aimed at supporting the evolvement of an “open defence R&D system” in which there is greater emphasis on collaboration including private-sector involvement.

The legislation is supported by record levels of proposed defence R&D funding.

South Korea’s mid-term defence spending plan, which runs through 2021–25, outlines total defence funding of KRW300.7 trillion (USD270 billion), with KRW200.6 trillion allocated for operating expenses and KRW101.1 trillion for military modernisation, including procurement and R&D.

According to DAPA, the Defense Science and Technology Innovation Promotion Act contains several key clauses. These include:

Citing its parent agency, the Ministry of National Defense (MND), DAPA said the new law will also seek to “reorganise” defence R&D in the country to enable greater priority to be given to 4IR technologies and the associated involvement of small firms, established defence companies, state research agencies, and academia.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/south-korea-enacts-law-to-transform-defence-rd- culture_16639

North Korea showcasing ‘developing capability' to deliver ‘tactical and strategic nuclear weapons', says UN expert panel by Gabriel Dominguez

The ballistic missile systems paraded by North Korea in October 2020 and January 2021 have confirmed the country’s “developing capability” to deliver “tactical and strategic nuclear weapons”, according to a report by a United Nations panel of experts for the UN Security Council (UNSC).

The military parades also showcased “diversity and innovation, as well as the renewal of the [country’s] missile arsenal, with solid-fuel missiles replacing liquid-propellant short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) and medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs)”, said the experts in the report, which was dated 4 March but only published in late March.

Moreover, citing an assessment made by a UN member state, the experts noted that judging by the size of the weapons, “it is highly likely” that a nuclear device can be mounted on North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Perhaps, more importantly, they indicated that it is “also likely that a nuclear device can be mounted on the [country’s] medium-range ballistic missiles and short-range ballistic missiles”.

One of the road-mobile SRBM systems paraded by North Korea on 14 January in Pyongyang. The new system, apparently a variant of the KN-23, is believed to have been test-fired on 25 March. (KCNA)

That said, the member state noted that it was “uncertain” about whether North Korea has developed ballistic missiles “resistant to the heat generated during re-entry”.

In their report, which covered the period from 4 August 2020 to 5 February 2021, the experts stated that Pyongyang has also showcased the mobility of its different land- based ballistic missiles, which are deployed from transporter-erector-launchers (TELs), and pointed out that the Northeast Asian country is building a new submarine that is expected to be “capable of launching the submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) Pukguksong-3, as well as probably the new Pukguksong-4 and Pukguksong-5 missiles”.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/north-korea-showcasing-developing-capability-to- deliver-tactical-and-strategic-nuclear-weapons-says-un-expert-panel

FCC’s Carr: Close Chinese Backdoors Into US Networks

"It’s the presence of this insecure gear in our networks that’s the threat, not the source of funding used to purchase it," Commissioner Carr said.

By BRAD D. WILLIAMSon April 01, 2021 at 5:19 PM

Huawei HQ in Shenzhen, China WASHINGTON: FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr wants the FCC to “move swiftly to eliminate Communist China’s backdoor into our networks.” At issue is an FCC rule that forbids companies from using federal money to buy “insecure” Chinese equipment to install on US networks. However, as currently written, the rule does not prevent companies from using private funds to buy and install the exact same equipment.

“It is time that we close this glaring loophole,” Carr, a Republican appointed by former President Trump, told the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on Tuesday. “Once we’ve determined that Huawei or any other gear poses an unacceptable national security risk, it makes no sense to allow that exact same equipment to get purchased and inserted into our communications network as long as federal dollars aren’t involved. It’s the presence of this insecure gear in our networks that’s the threat, not the source of funding used to purchase it.” In December, the FCC voted unanimously to adopt rules implementing the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (STCNA). Implementation entails a few actions. First, it allows the FCC to publish a list of communications equipment and services deemed to be a national security threat. Second, the STCNA allows companies to “rip and replace” equipmentdetermined to pose a national security threat. The rules allow for some entities to be reimbursed from a $1.9 billion program that was funded by Congress in December 2020.

Third, it prevents federal money, in what’s called the Universal Service Fund, from being used to purchase communications equipment and services determined to pose a risk to national security. This includes gear made by the companies on FCC’s published list. But private funding can be used instead, which is what Carr wants to change.

So, how can the loophole be closed? There are two potential courses of action, according to a source familiar with the issue. The first is that Congress can pass a law requiring the FCC to change its rules. The other is that the FCC can take action now through its equipment authorization process, which Carr explained.

“We have this equipment authorization process that disallows any device from being marketed, sold, or used in the U.S. unless it goes through that approval process,” Carr said. “And I think we need to carry through our decisions on Huawei and ZTE with respect to federal dollars and apply it to our equipment authorization regime, so we close that loophole that allows these insecure devices to continue to get inserted into the US communications network.” As to the timing for changing the rule, it would vary. If the FCC were to change the equipment authorization process, it could be initiated now by new FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, who is a Democrat. But the FCC’s change cannot happen overnight, the source said. It could take up to a year for the process to play out, which will include gathering and reviewing public comments on the proposed change.

While Carr’s suggestion appears to have widespread bipartisan support, it could still take Congress years to act. Carr noted that the security concerns around gear made by some Chinese companies have been known since at least 2012. In October of that year, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence published a report on the matter.

“I would say over the past three to four years, we have really turned the page in this country on the weak and timid approach that we took to Communist China in the past,” the commissioner said. “And frankly, that was a bipartisan failing. And we now have a bipartisan commitment, from my perspective, to show the strength and the resolve needed to address Communist China’s threat.”

What’s really at stake here? Heritage Foundation Senior Fellow Dean Cheng explained at the CSIS event: “China sees the world as entering a new period, that the world has shifted from the industrial age to the information age. From the CCP’s perspective, information is now the currency of power, both domestic and foreign.”

But Cheng cautioned against conflating information and cyber: “Notice that I don’t use the term cyber, because it’s not just about the bits and bytes, software, hacking, viruses. It is about information. From the Chinese government’s perspective, it is about controlling the generation, transmission, access to, exploitation, interpretation, and the credibility of information. And this [has] both internal and external implication[s].”

The external implication is that China’s “Hoovering up” vast amounts of data on all sorts of groups, people, and organizations worldwide. The Chinese then manage this data using AI, big data analytics, and cloud computing — what they call ABC, Cheng said — to “build a remarkably comprehensive picture of people down to the individual level should they need it.”

And while they prioritize specific targets in general — what they call “anti- China elements” — the process can also be largely indiscriminate. “This goes to the reality that the Chinese are constantly trying to gain intelligence on a variety of topics,” Cheng said. “It’s very holistic, because it’s never quite clear where a line can be drawn between military, economic, political, diplomatic issues.” The goal, Cheng noted, is what the West would call deterrence, but what the Chinese call “coercion.” He explained that “if you know your emails are being monitored, if you can’t be certain how secure your communications are, then you may be more reticent. You may choose not to write things. You may choose not to email. And, from the Chinese perspective, that’s all to the good. It’s not necessarily that you have to agree with them. It’s that you shut up.”

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/04/fccs-carr-close-chinese-backdoors-into-us-networks/

Counterspace 2020: All (Pretty) Quiet On The ASAT Front

"From the evidence we have available, it sure looks like Russia is a bigger counterspace threat than China, which is contrary to a lot of the public discussion that focuses almost entirely on China," said SWF's Brian Weeden.

By THERESA HITCHENSon April 01, 2021 at 8:44 AM

A Russian mobile laser system used to dazzle aerial and space reconnaissance assets. Image credit: Russian Ministry of Defense. WASHINGTON: With regard to the potential for war in space, the COVID-19 pandemic has been the proverbial silver lining in the cloud — with two studies on the development of global anti-satellite weapons capabilities showing no Big Bangs happening in 2020.

Perhaps the biggest surprise in the fourth annual editions of the twin counterspace studies by the Secure World Foundation (SWF) and the Center for Strategic and International Security (CSIS) is just how little China’s military seems to have been up to over the past year. That’s especially intriguing given the widespread perception among US military commanders and in Congress that Beijing is seeking to ‘dominate’ not only near-Earth space where the US military is today predominant, but even the Moon and Mars.

That said, it doesn’t mean everything is now unicorns and rainbows in orbit. Russia, in particular, continued in 2020 to test and field capabilities that very clearly are aimed at attacking US satellites, both studies found. While Moscow didn’t demonstrate anything really new, it did just keep on keeping on with its robust efforts to find ways to undercut US military advantage in space.

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/04/counterspace-2020-all-pretty-quiet-on-the-asat-front/

Exercise Reveals Advantages Artificial Intelligence Gives in All-Domain Ops

A P R I L 1, 2021 | BY JIM G A R A M O N E , D O D N E W S U.S. Northern Command hosted a global information dominance exercise and the results point to the tremendous advantages the Defense Department would receive by applying machine learning and artificial intelligence to all-domain information, Air Force Gen. Glen D. VanHerck said yesterday.

VanHerck, who commands NorthCom, detailed the results of the exercise during a virtual meeting with the Defense Writers' Group.

All 11 combatant commands participated in the exercise, which was based on a global scenario involving two peer competitors. "What we were looking to do is show the incredible value of information and how information can be used today," he said.

This is especially true if commanders can take information from all domains undersea, space, cyberspace, air, land, sea and share it through machine-learning artificial intelligence, he said. This would serve to make— data and information available in a timely manner to produce space for decision makers.

The decision makers could be at the tactical level all the way up to the president of the United States, VanHerck said. "You can use it in competition day-to-day; you can use it in crisis for de-escalation and, obviously, in conflict for 'defeat or deny,' if needed," he said. https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2558696/exercise-reveals-advantages-artificial- intelligence-gives-in-all-domain-ops/

NDIA Policy Points: Sensor Tech Key to Effective Missile Defense 4/2/2021 By Samantha Beu

Photo: iStock

“If you can’t see it, you can’t shoot it. And if you can’t see it, you can’t deter it either,” said Air Force Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

In a recent interview, Hyten discussed the way forward for integrated air-and-missile defense, saying the key to missile defeat and defense is “the sensory capability that can track that missile.”

This sentiment has been echoed by other leaders.

During her Senate confirmation, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks was asked about her priorities, replying: “I would assess ongoing efforts to improve national missile defense, with a particular focus on improving discrimination capabilities and sensors for detection of both ballistic and hypersonic missiles.”

The Defense Department has already worked to upgrade interceptor capabilities.

After scrapping the Redesigned Kill Vehicle program, the Missile Defense Agency began pursuing the Next-Generation Interceptor, expected to roll out within the next decade. The interceptor will enhance the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system based in California and Alaska, but a 10-year gap in capability presents a risk.

With growing concerns about potential threats, lawmakers are pushing for an additional layer of defense. Per the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress has tasked the Pentagon to deliver 20 new interim ground-based interceptors capable of protecting the homeland.

According to the bill, the interim interceptors should “address the majority of current and near- to mid-term projected ballistic missile threats to the United States homeland from rogue nations.”

North Korea and Iran remain a threat to America and its allies, so the United States must be well-equipped to defend against long-range weapons. But what about efforts to advance sensor technologies? Also noted in the NDAA were lawmakers’ concerns regarding the lack of budgeting for key programs to improve overall sensor architecture, including the Homeland Defense Radar-Hawaii and AN/TPY-2, as well as the development and deployment of the hypersonic and ballistic tracking space sensor.

Senior “military and civilian officials have stated repeatedly that space-based sensors are the most effective path to improving both homeland and theater missile defenses against a wide range of missile threats,” states the NDAA.

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2021/4/2/sensor-tech-key-to-effective-missile- defense

Makin Island ARG, 15th MEU Leaves Middle East for INDO- PACOM, Eisenhower Supporting Anti-ISIS Fight from Mediterranean

By: Sam LaGrone April 1, 2021 6:47 PM

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The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group and 15th Marine Expeditionary Group left the Middle East this week and are operating in U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. 7th Fleet confirmed to USNI News on Thursday.

The three-ship amphibious ready group embarked with the 15th MEU is on the tail end of its deployment to the Middle East and Pacific and headed back to the West Coast.

Big deck amphibious warship USS Makin Island (LHD-8) has been the sole capital ship in U.S. Central Command since the January departure of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group.

Since May 2019, the Navy maintained a near-constant carrier strike group presence in the region. The departure of the ARG leaves U.S. naval presence in the region at its lowest point since the Lincoln CSG was rushed to the region in 2019. However, this week French aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R 91) assumed the helm Task Force 50. of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command’s The French is expected to turn over command to USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) later this month. IKE and its strike group began this week conducting air operations in support of the anti-ISIS effort.

The ARG USS Makin Island (LHD-8), USS Somerset (LPD-25) and USS San Diego (LPD-22) departed the West Coast in October with the 15th MEU. The ARG operated— in the Western Pacific and then in December off Eastern Africa in support— of Operation Octave Quartz, the named operation to reposition about 700 U.S. troops from Somalia to other parts of Africa.

https://news.usni.org/2021/04/01/makin-island-arg-15th-meu-leaves-middle-east-for-indo-pacom- eisenhower-supporting-anti-isis-fight-from-mediterranean Harpoon: The Old Missile Every Navy Fears In A Fight

By Peter Suciu

Published 45 seconds ago

In March, the Royal Thai Navy conducted a historic firing of a Harpoon Block 1C missile at a target some fifty-five nautical miles away. Introduced in 1985, the Block 1C differs from previous iterations in its flight path, guidance and target technology. Sponsored Content

According to Navy Recognition, while the Block 1B and 1A could perform either a low apogee pop-up trajectory or a sea-skimming approach in its terminal phase, the Block 1C can perform both. A change in fuel increased its range, while the new variant has a higher altitude in the first part of its flight path to avoid friendly ships as well as other landmasses that may be in the missile’s path. The Old Harpoon Missile, Explained: The Harpoon has been described as the world’s most successful anti-ship missile, and it is currently in service with the armed forces of more than thirty nations. It has been regularly upgraded over the years, and this has led to the development of the standoff land attack missile (SLAM) and the SLAM expanded response (SLAM-ER).

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/04/harpoon-the-old-missile-every-navy-fears-in-a-fight/

Marines Lack Trust in Artificial Intelligence 4/1/2021 By Yasmin Tadjdeh

Illustration: Getty

Before the Marine Corps can fully utilize the power of AI technology and the efficiencies it brings, the service must overcome one major hurdle: trust.

That’s the message from Commandant Gen. David Berger.

“We’re going to have to trust artificial intelligence,” he said during remarks at the National Defense Industrial Association’s Expeditionary Warfare Conference in February. “We’re not trusting today.”

Whether it’s “sensor-to-shooter or fuel to a frontline unit, we put humans in the loop at about 16 places because we don’t trust it yet,” he said.

The best way to boost confidence in the technology is to have Marines train machines, he said. “Then we’ll trust it.” Brig. Gen. Eric Austin, director of the Marine Corps’ Capabilities Development Directorate, said building that faith in artificial intelligence will unlock its potential.

Service leaders believe the technology will be a key enabler for troops.

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2021/4/1/marines-lack-trust-in-artificial- intelligence

CALLING IN THUNDER: NAVAL INTELLIGENCE ENABLING PRECISION LONG-RANGE FIRES

MARCH 31, 2021 GUEST AUTHOR LEAVE A COMMENT

Naval Intelligence Topic Week By Lieutenant Commander Gerie Palanca, USN “The essential foundation of all naval tactics has been to attack effectively by means of superior concentration, and to do so first, either with longer-range weapons, an advantage of maneuver, or shrewd timing based on good scouting.”—Captain Wayne P. Hughes, U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Michael McDevitt states in his 2020Proceedings article that by 2035 the Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) will have approximately 430 ships. Former Pacific Fleet Chief of Intelligence, Capt. (ret.) Jim Fanell calledPeople’s the span between 2020 and 2030 a of Chinese Communist Party leaders likely assess 2030 as their last opportunity to militarily Taiwan and mainland China.“decade By that timeconcern” the PLAN– fleet will dwarf the estimated U.S. Navy fleet size of 355 ships. This imbalance in fleet size will“reunite” likely embolden regional efforts to deny American presence within the 9-dash line, sterritorial claim in the South China Sea. By 2035, the PLAN will notChina’s only have a larger maritime force, but they will also procure anti-surface weaponsChina’ and supporting capabilities that will either match or outshine U.S estimated capabilities. To characterize this scenario, the Congressional Research Service report on precision-guided munitions highlighted that the current anti-access/area denial weapon systems deployed along coast and afloat outrange U.S. weapon systems, with ranges of almost 1000 nautical miles, creating a need for U.S. ships and aircraft to engageChina’s the adversary at longer ranges in order to maintain survivability. According to Fleet Tactics, increasing a range squares the scouting (i.e. intelligence) requirement for that system.1 weapon’s https://cimsec.org/calling-in-thunder-naval-intelligence-enabling-precision-long-range-fires/

c AMC Considers ‘Family of Systems’ for Future Strategic Airlift March 31, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

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The Air Force is considering a “family of systems” for strategic airlift in the future, as it looks beyond the C-17 to see the mobility needs in future high- end fights.

Air Mobility Command boss Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost said ongoing wargames looking at great power competition are feeding into what the group of systems could require to meet a heavy cargo capability.

“As we look into what capabilities I’m asking for, when I work with the Marine Corps and the Army, what is it they need to transport, what types of timelines? What kind of capabilities and where might they be positioned?” Van Ovost said during a March 31 Mitchell Institute for Airpower Studies event.

https://www.airforcemag.com/amc-considers-family-of-systems-for-future-strategic-airlift/