China firmly opposes the submission by Vietnam to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (UNCLCS) on the extent of its undersea shelf in the South China Sea, and has lodged stern representations to the Vietnamese side, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday. On Wednesday, Vietnam submitted a note of objection to the United Nations, in response to an earlier submission last month by the Philippines on the extent of its undersea shelf in the South China Sea. When answering a related query at a daily press briefing, spokesperson Lin Jian said the relevant claims…
Author: Asia News Network
As the world’s second-largest plastic polluter, Indonesia has topped the global per capita intake of microplastics that are found mostly in seafood, studies suggest, with fishermen and coastal communities being the most affected. However, the communities know very little about the potential health risks haunting them and continue to consume fish as part of their daily diet, prompting experts to urge immediate action from the relevant authorities to minimize the impact, including imposing stricter regulations on single-use plastics. Microplastics, often invisible to the naked eye, are particles smaller than five millimeters and usually come from larger plastic pieces that have…
With the risk of copyright infringement increasing with the spread of generative AI that automatically produces elaborate texts, some experts say legislation to protect copyrights is necessary. The Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association has warned that search engines powered by artificial intelligence are “free-riding” on news content in a statement on Wednesday. With the risk of copyright infringement increasing with the spread of generative AI that automatically produces elaborate texts, some experts say legislation to protect copyrights is necessary. Copyright infringement In response to a search for the number of victims of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake that occurred on…
The late social media influencer Esha was found dead in a condominium unit in Setapak on July 5, a day after lodging a police report at the Dang Wangi police station over threats made against her. The case was touted to be the first of its kind involving a cyberbullying victim. The laws concerning cyberbullying will be reviewed by the authorities, including re-examining the appropriate fine for the crime, says Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil. He said this was necessary to strengthen the law and ensure it would be able to serve as a deterrent. His comments came following the maximum…
Vietnam, along with Thailand, are the two fastest growing e-commerce markets in Southeast Asia, according to the recently released report ‘2024 E-commerce in Southeast Asia’ by Momentum Works. Vietnam also surpassed the Philippines to become the third largest e-commerce market in the region. The total merchandise value (GMV) of the top eight e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia reached US$114.6 billion last year, a year-on-year increase of 15 per cent. The report showed although the macro economy still has many difficulties, the Southeast Asian e-commerce has grown continuously and this year’s GMV is predicted to be double that of 2020. Vietnam…
Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the decision was made because the US has disregarded China’s firm opposition and repeated protests, kept selling arms to Taiwan and taken a series of actions undermining China’s core interests and its mutual trust with the US. Beijing said on Wednesday it has decided to suspend discussions with Washington on holding a new round of arms control and nonproliferation consultations, and called on the latter to respect its core interests. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian made the remarks at a regular news conference, as recent media reports quoted United States officials as saying that…
Starting Monday, the Climate Clock will show less than five years remaining until the Earth exceeds the 1.5 degrees Celcius global warming limit, highlighting the rapid global temperature rise due to carbon emissions. The Climate Clock counts down to the 1.5 C deadline according to data presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It is known for its 80-foot digital clock face in New York City’s Union Square, as well as its other clocks located worldwide in cities such as Seoul, London, Rome, Tokyo and Beijing. It also displays other lifeline clocks crucial to slowing the pace of climate…
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised upwards Thailand’s GDP growth forecast to 2.9% for this year, up by 0.2 percentage point over the previous forecast, but maintained 3.1% for next year. Meanwhile, the IMF’s World Economic Outlook report is maintaining the global economic growth forecast for this year at 3.2% and raised it to 3.3% for next year, unchanged from its previous April report. However, there have been adjustments in specific country forecasts. The report has lowered the growth forecast for the United States by 0.1 percentage point to 2.6% for this year while raising forecasts for major economies…
The governments of Laos and China on Wednesday signed a new pact under the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) scheme, bringing the number of projects initiated under the scheme this year to 10, worth a total of US$2.6 million. The agreement was signed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Thongphane Savanphet, representing the Lao government, and the Chinese Ambassador to Laos, Ms Fang Hong. The two governments are confident that new projects under the MLC initiative will effectively contribute to social and economic development in the Mekong River region, as well as strengthen the cooperative relationship under the MLC framework, according…