Antony Blinken Begins ‘Farewell Trip’ to Asia
Secretary of State Antony Blinken departs for a six-nation tour of Asia, derisively described by Chinese state media as his “farewell tour.”
Laos
Report: North Korean Hackers Share Money-Laundering Networks with Drug Traffickers
The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released a report on Monday that accused North Korean state-controlled hackers of sharing their shadowy banking and money-laundering networks with scam artists and drug traffickers across Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.
Laos Gives Chinese Firm 25-Year Concession to Manage Power Grid
China will control Laos’s electricity grid for the next quarter-century according to a concession agreement the Laotian government signed with a majority Chinese-owned power company revealed this week.
China Blocks Mekong River, Waits a Few Days to Tell Anyone Downstream
China shut down almost half of the water flow through its southernmost dam on the Mekong River on December 31, reducing water levels downstream by enough for a U.S.-funded satellite monitoring system to notice.
Laos Cracks Down on Christianity as ‘Religion of the Europeans and Americans’
Laos has been tightening restrictions on Christian practice as an unwelcome Western influence, mirroring the situation of other Asian communist nations.
World View: General Warns of U.S. Security Danger if China Acquires Djibouti Seaport
Contents: General warns of US security danger if China acquires Djibouti seaport; China continues influence through ‘debt trap’ policies
World View: India and Vietnam Sign Security Agreements for the South China Sea
Contents: India and Vietnam sign security agreements for the South China Sea; India’s relationship with Southeast Asian nations overshadowed by China
World View: China’s Mekong River Dams Criticized for Affecting Other Countries’ Livelihoods
Contents: China’s Mekong River dams criticized for affecting other countries’ livelihoods; In policy shift, US sides with Indonesia in South China Sea over Natuna Sea
World View: Thailand’s Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra Flees to Dubai
Contents: Thailand’s former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra flees to Dubai; Collapse of Thailand’s democracy; Brief generational history of Thailand
World View: China and India Have Military Confrontation over Bhutan’s Doklam Plateau
Contents: China and India have military confrontation over Bhutan’s Doklam plateau; Border tensions grow between China and India
China Exploits Duterte-Obama Drama to Establish South China Sea Dominance
Capitalizing on the highly-publicized spat between Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama, China has exploited the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this week to impose its own rules on South China Sea navigation with seemingly little resistance.
Obama in Laos: ’Stressed’ Americans Typically Turn To Racism
In Asia, Barack Obama highlighted America’s rich heritage of multiculturalism, then he pointed to the country’s racist tendencies.
Duterte ‘Regrets’ Obama ‘Son of a Whore’ Remark, but Does Not Apologize
The office of the presidency of the Philippines has released a statement expressing “regret” that President Barack Obama canceled a one-on-one meeting with his Filipino counterpart, President Rodrigo Duterte, after the latter referred to Obama as a “son of a whore.”
In Laos, Obama Apologizes for U.S. Bombings
President Barack Obama continued his international apology tour for American deeds overseas, traveling to the Asian country of Laos to deliver a speech.
World View: France’s François Hollande Declares War on Islamic State After Priest Attack
Contents: Arab League in chaos as it fails to address Arab existential threats; ASEAN in chaos as it fails to address South China Sea threats; France’s François Hollande declares war on ISIS after terror attack kills priest; Turkey fears that Gulen will flee the United States
World View: ASEAN Makes Humiliating South China Sea Reversal Under Pressure from China
Contents: ASEAN makes humiliating South China Sea reversal under pressure from China; Obama administration reevaluates plans for Afghanistan troop withdrawal
World View: Laos Sides with China in South China Sea Dispute
Contents: Israel to open another truck crossing to the Gaza Strip; Report: Hamas, Israel and Egypt in alliance fighting ISIS; Laos sides with China in South China Sea dispute
China Recruits Gambia, Laos to Support South China Sea Claims
China is looking far and wide for allies in support of its invasion and colonization of South China Sea territories belonging to other nations. Last week, it received its first statement of support from the African nation of Gambia, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is now claiming that Laos and Brunei also support China’s claims.
