NEWS in brief

CHINESE MEDIA

Asia’s Largest Passenger Railway Hub Starts Operation in Beijing

The largest passenger railway hub in Asia was put into operation on June 20 in Beijing as a four-year reconstruction breathes new life into the Chinese capital’s oldest railway station.

With a gross floor area of nearly 400,000 square meters,or 56 standard football pitches,Beijing Fengtai Railway Station has 32 rail tracks and 32 platforms and is able to accommodate a maximum of 14,000 passengers per hour.

Located in southern Beijing’s Fengtai District,the time honored station was built in 1895 and used to provide both passenger and freight services until its closure in 2010.Reconstruction of the station kicked off in 2018.

In addition to accommodation expansion,the station has a new look with many traditional Chinese architectural designs.

It is also the country’s first railway station featuring a double-deck structure that serves both high-speed and regular train services.There is also a metro station under the railway station,enabling convenient transfers.

The station’s operator said it would put 120 trains into service for the preliminary stage of the railway station’s operation.

Cambodia,China Ink Deal to Build COVID-19 Vaccine Filling Factory in Cambodia

Cambodia and Chinaon June 1 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the construction of a COVID-19 vaccine filling and packaging factory in Cambodia.

The MoU was inked by Cambodian Health Minister Mam Bunheng and Gao Qiang,general manager of Sinovac Life Sciences Co.,Ltd.,via video link.Under the deal,the Cambodia Pharmaceutical Enterprise is given rights to build a COVID-19 vaccine filling and packaging factory and the Cambodian government has contracted to purchase the vaccines from the factory for three years from 2024 to 2026,Bunheng said.

Cambodia has administered COVID-19 vaccines to over 15 million people,or 94 percent of its total population of 16 million,the Ministry of Health said.

Philippines’ Marcos Vows to Foster Stronger,Deeper Ties with China

Philippine President-elect Ferdinand Romualdez Marcoson June 10 vowed to foster stronger and deeper Philippines-China relations during his six-year administration.In his speech at the awarding ceremony to Filipinos that contributed to the promotion of the Philippines-China mutual understanding,the leader lauded China’s role in helping the Philippines in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said the past six years saw China-Philippines relations consolidated,and China became the Philippines’ largest trading partner,second-largest export market and the major source of foreign investments.The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines and the Association for Philippines-China Understanding honored 11 Filipinos,including former President Joseph Estrada,who helped forge a better understanding between the neighboring Asian countries.

China,Laos Achieve Two-way Power Transmission for 1st Time

China and Laoshave for the first time achieved the two-way transmission of electricity since the two countries’ grid connectivity project was launched 12 years ago.The Nam Tha 1 Hydropower Station in northern Laos successfully sent electricity to Yunnan Province in southwest China on June 20.

In order to help consume the surplus hydropower in Laos during the rainy seasons,China Southern Power Grid (CSG) and Electricite du Laos (EDL) signed a 115 kV power trade agreement in March.

China and Laos agreed to send extra hydropower from Laos to Yunnan Province in rainy seasons,while in dry seasons,CSG will supplement the power supply to northern Laos.

All 13 Tunnels of Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway Completed

With the completion of theNo.2 Tunnel of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR)on June 21,the construction of all 13 tunnels on the whole line was finished,laying a solid foundation for the completion of the whole project and the opening to traffic in June 2023.Since the start of the construction in 2018,China Railway International Group,affiliated to the China Railway,has led the Chinese construction consortium to actively overcome the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic.

With a design speed of 350 km per hour,the high-speed railway built with Chinese technology will cut the journey between Jakarta and Bandung,the capital of West Java province,from more than three hours to around 40 minutes.

VOICES

“We hope that the HWG meeting can conclude a global collective action needed to increase investment and support from various parties to strengthen the capacity of developing countries to prevent,prepare,and respond to the next possible pandemic.”

—Spokesperson of Indonesia’s Health Ministry Siti Nadia Tarmizitalked about the second Health Working Group (HWG) meeting held by health leaders from G20 countries on June 6 to 7

“Our presence today underlines our commitment with high responsibilities to maintain ASEAN’s centrality,unity and cooperation for peace and security in the region.”

—Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Tea Banhsaid at the 16th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting on June 22,focusing on key challenges and security in the region

“We must get a good grasp of the overarching development trend in the world,firm up confidence,and act in unison and with great motivation to promote global development and foster a development paradigm featuring benefits for all,balance,coordination,inclusiveness,win-win cooperation and common prosperity.”

—Chinese President Xi Jinpinghosted the High-level Dialogue on Global Development on June 24 in virtual format,calling for forging high-quality partnership for new era of global development

65.7%

China has played a crucial role in securing Cambodia’s energy security,Cambodian officials and academics said on June 14.Ministry of Mines and Energy spokesman and directorgeneral for Energy,Heng Kunleang,said Chinese-invested projects such as hydropower dams,coal fired power plants,and solar power plants accounted for65.7 percentof the total energy generated in Cambodia.“Chinese-invested energy plants have been playing a vital role in Cambodia’s socioeconomic development,contributing to securing the stable and reliable supply of electricity in the kingdom,”he said.

4 million

The China-Laos Railway,half a year into its operation,has delivered more than4 million tonnesof freight,China’s railway operator said.The transport volume of cross-border cargo came in at647,000 tonnesduring the period,according to the China State Railway Group Co.,Ltd.The train line also handled over3.2 millionpassenger trips,said the operator.Since December 2021,21 Chinese regions have designated cross-border trains for freight transport along the railway,with goods including fertilizers,daily necessities,electronics and fruits.

47.2%

The RCEP agreement has brought tangible dividends to economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN countries.Customs data show that in the first quarter of this year,China’s imports and exports to ASEAN reached1.35 trillion yuan(US$202.2 billion),an increase of8.4 percentyear on year,accounting for14.4 percentof China’s total foreign trade.During the period,trade between China and ASEAN accounted for47.2 percentof China’s foreign trade with RCEP partners.

ASEAN MEDIA

The Star

The StarJune 25,2022

Inflation Worries Remain

Food inflation in Malaysia jumped to the highest in 10½ years,hitting 5.2% in May 2022 as 93% of food items saw their prices rise.

Of the 93% items that saw higher prices in the food category,Statistics Department chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said in a statement that 29.4% increased in the range of less than 5%,while 37.7% rose between 5% and 10% and 32%jumped more than 10%.

The higher cost of food saw Malaysia post a 2.8%year-on-year rise in the consumer price index (CPI)for May.Economist and Rising Success Consultancy advisor Manokaran Mottain foresees the June CPI inflation to be even higher than May with the hike in the prices of chicken and rice by restaurants.

THE SGOOP

The ScoopJune 23,2022

Brunei to Set up ASEAN Centre for Climate Change

The ASEAN Centre for Climate Change is slated to launch in Brunei sometime in September,pending approval from other countries in the regional bloc,said the head of Brunei Climate Change Secretariat.

Discussions are ongoing with other ASEAN countries to develop the modalities and structure of the organisation,Ahmad Zaiemaddien Pehin Dato Hj Halbi toldThe Scoopon June 22.An agreement on the establishment of the centre is being drafted and options on the location of the centre are being studied,he added.

The ASEAN Centre for Climate Change is expected to become a hub for research,scientific data,and capacity building.

Bangkok Post

Bangkok PostJune 27,2022

The Long Road to RecoveryThe Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)announced on June 17 that Thailand plans to lift most

of its travel restrictions and virus containment measures from July 1.Even though public health authorities played down concerns by insisting the subvariants,BA.4 and BA.5,still needed further study,Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha instructed the Public Health Ministry to keep a close eye on the situation in Europe as next month Thailand enters a critical period as it fully reopens.Fitch Ratings said Thailand’s economy will expand by 3.2% in 2022,up from 1.5% in 2021,bolstered by improved domestic consumption,still supportive

policy settings,and a mild recovery in inbound tourism.However,a full resumption of tourism inflows to pre

pandemic levels is expected to take a few years.

THE STRAIT TIMES

The Strait TimesJune 27,2022

Small Businesses Affected by Covid-19 Measures Receive Cash Support

More than 40,000 small businesses,including hawkers and market stallholders,received about $132 million in total from a government grant.The Small Business Recovery Grant was announced during the Budget in February as part of the $500 million Jobs and Business Support Package.

The grant provides one-off cash support to small businesses in sectors most affected by Covid-19 safe management measures last year,said the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore on June 27.

To qualify for the grant,a firm needs to be physically present in Singapore and registered before December 31 last year,among other criteria.Other requirements include employing fewer than 200 employees as at December 31,2021.