Asia-Pacific Nations Form World's Largest Trade Bloc
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RABIA ALTHANI 1, 1442 AH MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2020 16 Pages Max 27º Min 16º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 18284 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Amir accepts Sisi’s Questions arise as lab execs Egypt fortress renovation Hamilton wins seventh F1 2 invitation to visit Egypt 8 sell shares worth millions 13 boosts hopes for ecotourism 16 world title, equals record Asia-Pacific nations form world’s largest trade bloc RCEP a major coup for China • Deal does not include US • Door open for India HANOI: Fifteen Asia-Pacific countries yesterday The RCEP “solidifies China’s broader regional signed the world’s biggest free trade deal, seen as a geopolitical ambitions around the Belt and Road huge coup for China in extending its influence. The initiative”, said Alexander Capri, a trade expert at Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership the National University of Singapore Business (RCEP) includes 10 Southeast Asian economies School, referring to Beijing’s signature investment along with China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand project that envisions Chinese infrastructure and and Australia, with members accounting for around influence spanning the globe. “It’s sort of a comple- 30 percent of global GDP. mentary element.” First proposed in 2012, the deal was finally But many of the signatories are battling severe sealed at the end of a Southeast Asian summit as coronavirus outbreaks and they are also hoping the leaders push to get their pandemic-hit economies RCEP will help mitigate the crippling economic cost back on track. In an unusual ceremony, held virtual- of the pandemic. Indonesia recently tumbled into its ly because of the coronavirus pandemic, leaders of first recession for two decades while the Philippine RCEP countries took turns standing behind their economy shrunk by 11.5 percent on-year in the lat- trade ministers who, one by one, signed copies of est quarter. “COVID has reminded the region of the agreement, which they then showed triumphant- why trade matters and governments are more eager ly to the cameras. than ever to have positive economic growth,” said “Under the current global circumstances, the fact Deborah Elms, executive director of the Asian Trade the RCEP has been signed after eight years of Centre, a Singapore-based consultancy. negotiations brings a ray of light and hope amid the India pulled out of the agreement last year over clouds,” said Chinese Premier Li Keqiang after the concerns about cheap Chinese goods entering the virtual signing. “It clearly shows that multilateralism country and was a notable absentee during yester- is the right way, and represents the right direction day’s virtual signing. Signatories to the agreement of the global economy and humanity’s progress.” said they hoped New Delhi would rejoin in the The agreement to lower tariffs and open up the future, acknowledging its “strategic importance” to A screen grab shows China’s Premier Li Keqiang (left) clapping as Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong services trade within the bloc does not include the the deal which already covers more than two bil- Shan holds up the agreement during the signing ceremony for the Regional Comprehensive Economic United States and is viewed as a Chinese-led alter- lion people. Partnership (RCEP) trade pact at the ASEAN summit that is being held online in Hanoi. — AFP native to a now-defunct Washington trade initiative. Continued on Page 2 reviewed today. A government commission last court decision as historic. The court later set Nov 11 Court hearing week disqualified 34 candidates, some of them from as the date to issue its verdict. the opposition, for several reasons including for Two more candidates - Tareq Al-Madasi from Plans to allow being convicted in financial cases. the fifth constituency and Ibrahim Dashti from the cases of barred One of those disqualified is former opposition third - said they have challenged the decision to Islamist MP Bader Al-Dahoum, who was reportedly disqualify them and the court set today’s date to domestic workers candidates barred over a court verdict against him for taking part hear their arguments. The court’s decision can be in storming the Assembly building during a protest by appealed at the court of appeals and the final ver- to return directly By B Izzak the opposition in Nov 2011. Dahoum immediately dict must be issued before election day on Dec 5. challenged the decision and the court heard argu- Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Authority KUWAIT: KUWAIT: President of the Directorate General The lower court yesterday heard the ments by his lawyers yesterday. Defense lawyer Ali (Nazaha) said it will look into allegations and of Civil Aviation Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem first case of a candidate disqualified from running in Al-Sabri said on Twitter he made arguments against reports on social media regarding the election if Continued on Page 2 Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah met Kuwait Airways next month’s elections and set more cases to be Dahoum’s disqualification and described the expected Chairman Ali Mohammad Al-Dakhan and Jazeera Airways Chairman Marwan Boodai to prepare a detailed schedule to restart flights and professionals. from some countries from where passengers are UAE widens All holders of doctorate degrees, banned from directly flying into Kuwait. They medical doctors and also computer, also discussed the institutional health quaran- ‘golden’ visa electronics, programming, electrical tine requirement in Kuwait as instructed by and biotechnology engineers are eli- Health Minister Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Sabah, Al- gible, UAE Vice President and the Anbaa Arabic daily reported yesterday, quoting eligibility ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin informed sources. Rashid Al-Maktoum said in a state- Continued on Page 2 DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates ment. Also eligible are those with spe- will extend its “golden” visa system - cialized degrees in artificial intelli- which grants 10-year residency in the gence, big data and epidemiology, as Gulf state - to certain professionals, well as high school students living in specialized degree-holders and oth- the UAE who rank top in the country Biden makes ers, the UAE’s vice president said yes- and students from certain universities terday. Foreigners in the UAE usually with a GPA of 3.8 or higher. have renewable visas valid for only a After first announcing a long-term diplomacy few years tied to employment. The visa plan in 2018, the UAE in 2019 government in the past couple of started granting 5- and 10-year dull again years has made its visa policy more renewable visas to certain foreign flexible, offering longer residencies investors, entrepreneurs, chief DUBAI: The Ain Dubai (Dubai Eye) Ferris wheel is seen after the installation of all 48 pods on Nov 12, 2020. — AFP WASHINGTON: After Donald Trump in his first for certain types of investors, students Continued on Page 2 week as president spoke to Australia’s prime min- ister, leaks of the call left many dumbfounded, with the new US leader haranguing and hanging His aides say he is preparing for a up on the close ally. When Joe Biden spoke by Trump: Biden second term in office despite the vote phone Thursday with Prime Minister Scott count confirming Biden’s clear victory. Morrison, the president-elect’s office said Biden “He won because the Election was ‘won because Rigged,” Trump tweeted early yester- hoped to work with him on “many common chal- day. The phrasing - coming two days lenges” and the Australian leader said he would election rigged’ after a slip in which he said “time will forward a study on how his country fought tell” if he remains president - was COVID-19 through contact tracing. immediately seized upon as one more Following four years of presidential pique and WASHINGTON: US President step towards admitting defeat. But the chronic chaos in dealing with foreign leaders, Donald Trump appeared accidentally president soon followed up with a Biden has already signaled a reversal - he is mak- to admit his election defeat in a tweet sharp U-turn, tweeting “He only won ing US diplomacy predictable, even dull, again. His yesterday morning - before reversing in the eyes of the FAKE NEWS transition office - which is not receiving custom- course to claim he won, and once MEDIA. I concede NOTHING! We ary assistance from the State Department as again push unsubstantiated claims of have a long way to go.” Trump refuses to concede the election - is putting mass fraud in the vote. Trump has Thousands of Trump supporters out the sort of soporific readouts that until the refused to concede the Nov 3 US rallied in Washington on Saturday, 2016 election were the primary means of US pres- election to challenger Joe Biden, and backing his claims of fraud, with WASHINGTON: Members of Antifa and Proud Boys clash in the middle of the idential communication. repeatedly said he intends to overturn clashes erupting in the evening with street following the “Million MAGA March” on Saturday. — AFP Continued on Page 2 the result through legal cases. Continued on Page 2 2 Established 1961 Monday, November 16, 2020 Local Kuwait Amir accepts Sisi’s invitation to visit Egypt Sheikh Nawaf receives visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah reads a letter from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, as he meets Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets Egyptian Minister of Shoukry. — Amiri Diwan and KUNA photos Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry. His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah meets Egyptian Minister Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah meets his Egyptian coun- of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry.