News
Southeast Asia to suffer intense, more frequent drought without government action: UN and Asean report
Drought in Southeast Asia may become even more frequent and intense if countries do not take steps to reduce its impact, according to a joint study from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and ASEAN. “Ready for the Dry Years: ...
China Digs Deep in Landlocked Laos
Laos, a country of 6.8 million people roughly the size of China’s southern autonomous region of Guangxi, is often overlooked in China’s outreach to Southeast Asia. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the upgrading of Chinese-Lao relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and ...
Cambodia, Thailand sign human trafficking MoU
Cambodia and Thailand yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening the management of the repatriation and reintegration of human trafficking victims. The MoU was signed on behalf of the Cambodian government by Nhek Vannara, a Social Affairs Ministry secretary of state, who led a delegation ...
Asia Rice: Vietnam rates gain on fears Mekong water woes may hurt crops
Rice export prices in Vietnam rose for the first time in six weeks as domestic buying picked up and fears of water scarcity in the country’s rice bowl grew, while weaker local currencies weighed on rates in other top Asian exporting hubs. In Vietnam, rates for ...
Lao newspaper says BRI strengthens Laos-China ties
The friendship between Laos and China has reached new heights with the two neighboring nations’ commitment to a shared future, and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is strengthening Laos-China relations, local daily Vientiane Times’ editorial desk commented in an opinion article on Monday. Since the ...
Weak logistics services cause great losses to Mekong Delta exporters
The poor logistics services in the Mekong Delta have pushed up the costs of export goods, especially farm produce, and caused great losses to export firms, it was reported at a workshop on enhancing connectivity to improve value chains of farm produce and aquatic products ...
Where the Silk Roads meet the mighty Mekong
Welcome to the China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor, one of the key planks of the New Silk Roads, or Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The apparition on the Mekong is an under-construction bridge, part of the 420 km-long, US$6 billion worth high-speed railway connecting Kunming, in Yunnan ...
Pepe Escobar
Cambodia gets serious about its illegal ivory trade
The director-general of the Cambodian Department of Customs and Excise, Kun Nhim directed all branch directors to intensify their efforts and crack down on ivory smuggling. In a letter, Mr Nhim reminded branch chiefs: “Importing, exporting and transporting elephant and rhino ivory and furniture made from them ...
Is China meeting its international environmental and human rights obligations on BRI?
On Thursday, April 25, 2019, Chinese President Xi Jinping will deliver the keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Second Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation in Beijing. Heads of state and other senior government officials from 37 governments will attend, including representatives from ...
Oliver Ward
Vietnamese land grabbers linked to Cambodian firm
A senior Virak Chey National Park official on Monday said the 12 Vietnamese nationals being held in pre-trial detention for allegedly crossing the border illegally into Ratanakkiri province and clearing land are suspected of having links to a Cambodian company. Sou Khon, Virak Chey National Park ...
