News Story: Cut ties with N. Korea, Japan foreign minister Kono urges world

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono

NEW YORK (Kyodo) -- Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono called Thursday for all countries that maintain diplomatic and economic ties with North Korea to sever them in a unified response to Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

"Now is the time for the international community as a whole to maximize the pressure on North Korea to take concrete actions toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Kono said in a speech to students at Columbia University in New York after several days of meetings during the U.N. General Assembly's general debate week.

"Can you believe that over 160 countries have diplomatic ties with North Korea, the biggest threat to the world right now?" he asked during the speech, a few hours after discussing the North Korea issue in a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

He said too many countries also maintain economic ties with the North, including by accepting its migrant workers, a target of the latest U.N. Security Council sanctions resolution adopted in response to the Sept. 3 nuclear test.

"We must work together with countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa to get rid of the 'loopholes' in the sanctions," Kono said.

Read the full story at The Mainichi

News Story: Ranking U.S. lawmakers urge Trump to strengthen Korea alliance

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- Two ranking U.S. lawmakers urged President Donald Trump on Monday to bolster Washington's alliance with South Korea in the face of North Korea's escalating threat and China's growing regional influence.

Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), chairman of the House committee on foreign affairs, and Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL), chairman of the subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, said it was clear the bilateral relationship has never been more important in their letter to Trump reflecting on their recent trip to South Korea.

They noted North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is "trying at all costs to drive a wedge" between the allies and remove U.S. forces from the South.

"The United States must remain resolute in our support for South Korea in the face of this menacing threat, as a withdrawal of the United States from the Peninsula could lead to catastrophic consequences," they wrote.

They also pointed out that China's aspirations for supremacy in Northeast Asia depend on weakened U.S. influence in the region.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: N. Korea's nuclear test emboldens U.S. to shoot down its missiles - ex-American diplomat

US THAAD Missile Defense System

By Lee Haye-ah

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- The United States is "significantly" more likely to strike down a North Korean missile in the wake of the regime's sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date, a former State Department official said Monday.

Alan Romberg, who served in various capacities dealing with East Asia through the 1990s, made the observation after Pyongyang on Sunday detonated what it said was an H-bomb ready for delivery on a long-range missile.

If the claim is true, it would mean that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has moved closer to acquiring the capability to strike the U.S. mainland with a nuclear weapon.

"While it would require careful consideration of the consequences, I believe that this latest test, following on the two ICBM tests, significantly raises the possibility that the U.S. might seek to shoot down a North Korean missile heading in a direction that could be seen as threatening to U.S. territory or the territory of one of its allies," Romberg said in a written interview with Yonhap News Agency.

He was referencing the North's intercontinental ballistic missile tests in July, which analysts said theoretically put cities like Chicago and Los Angeles within range. Tensions reached new levels as U.S. President Donald Trump responded with threats to unleash "fire and fury" on Pyongyang, and the Kim regime hit back with threats to lob missiles toward the U.S. territory of Guam.

Romberg, who now works as director of the East Asia program at the Stimson Center think tank in Washington, said it is safe to assume North Korea will ultimately succeed in developing a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile if it hasn't yet.

"Whether within a year or two or perhaps over a somewhat longer time frame, what I think we need to understand is that the North has no intention of allowing itself to be put off course before it has acquired a deliverable intercontinental nuclear attack capability," he said.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: Philippines' Duterte pushes for immediate conclusion of Asian trade pact RCEP

MANILA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte stressed on Tuesday the need to conclude the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), saying it will help in further integrating the economies of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"The RCEP will provide further impetus to our efforts (to integrate the ASEAN economies). Negotiations should conclude swiftly as decided by RCEP leaders in 2016," he said in a speech marking ASEAN's 50th anniversary.

The Philippines has committed to fast track the RCEP, a giant free trade pact that aims to tie together ASEAN's free trade agreements with each trading partners including Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand.

In April, Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the Philippines will push for the "substantial conclusion" of RCEP that will expand the ASEAN market from 600 million people to 3.5 billion by year-end.

At the same time, Duterte said ASEAN must take a serious look at the economic integration of its members economies.

"ASEAN has a bigger stake than any other part of the world standing up against protectionism and securing the rules of the game in the international trade," he said.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Australia-Indonesia FTA may be signed "by end of year - Australian minister

CANBERRA, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Trade Minister Steve Ciobo on Wednesday declared Indonesia as his "number one trade priority" for 2017, saying the government is confident of signing a free trade agreement (FTA) with Indonesia before the end of the year.

Speaking on local television, Ciobo said negotiations surrounding the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership (IA-CEPA) were progressing smoothly after leaders from both nations met at the G20 summit in Hamburg earlier this month.

"Indonesia is my number one trade priority and I'm putting a lot of focus on doing this deal," Ciobo told Sky News.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Deputy PM visits Australia to beef up bilateral ties

Sydney (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue held working sessions with some Australian officials on July 24 to seek measures to further foster partnership between the two countries.

At a meeting with Treasurer Scott Morrison, Deputy PM Hue, who is on a visit to Australia from July 23-25, highly valued Australia’s commitment to continue providing development assistance to Vietnam in various fields such as environment, the improvement of livelihoods for mountainous and rural areas, climate change response, and gender equality.

Morrison lauded Vietnam’s role as the host of the APEC 2017 with many important meetings. Vietnam has also devised the agenda for the event, which received high approval from member economies, he said.

He affirmed Australia’s policy of giving top priority to cooperation with the ASEAN and the country’s wish to help promote ASEAN’s solidarity, self-reliance, prosperity and central role in the region.

The two sides agreed that bilateral partnership is experiencing a sound period, with strong collaboration in economy, trade and investment. They lauded the close ties between the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam and Australia’s Treasury, with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in 2012. 

The two sides are also discussing the signing of another deal for the new period to 2020, aiming to share experience in finance-budget, state budget allocation and the management of bad debt and public debt of joint stock commercial banks, and maintaining the macro economy’s stability.

Read the full story at VietnamPlus

News Story: China calls for deeper cooperation with ASEAN

Beijing (VNA) – China has called for deeper cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to achieve mutual development as the bloc is marking its 50th founding anniversary this year.

The call was made by Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN Xu Bu at the seminar “ASEAN at 50: A New Chapter for ASEAN-China Relations” on July 14.

The ambassador said that ASEAN and China should seize the opportunities to elevate the relations to a new height. He said the two sides need to push win-win cooperation in connectivity, production capacity, trade promotion and investment as well as reap benefits from the upgraded protocol of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area.

The two economies should combine their strengths and potential to carry out those efforts, aiming at supporting China’s Belt and Road Initiative and ASEAN Vision 2025 in the future, he added.

Read the full story at VietnamPlus

News Story: Chinese leaders call for stronger cooperation with Canada

BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Canadian Governor General David Johnston in Beijing on Thursday, urging both countries to expand cooperation in such areas as trade, law enforcement, technology and culture, and launch negotiations on a free trade agreement at an early date.

Xi called on both sides to respect each other's core interests and major concerns to boost progress of the China-Canada strategic partnership.

Calling China and Canada important countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Xi said they enjoy common interests and broad cooperation prospects in their national development and response to global challenges.

The sound momentum of China-Canada ties has brought concrete benefits to the two peoples, and promoted the peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific and the world, he said.

China hopes to maintain high-level exchanges with Canada, make use of dialogue mechanisms at various levels, and expand exchanges between government departments, legislative bodies and parties, Xi said.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Pacific Alliance to open trade talks with four countries

SANTIAGO, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Latin American trade bloc Pacific Alliance (AP) will begin formal negotiations in September towards a trade agreement with Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Singapore, officials announced on Wednesday.

Paulina Nazal, head of International Economic Relations at the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Chile, one of the bloc's four founding members, said the AP's negotiating team will first gather in Lima, Peru between Sept. 3 and 4.

Alliance members Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile hope to quickly wrap up trade talks with the four countries, which currently have associated state status, she said.

To that end, "the chief negotiators will meet with the legal advisers of the eight countries to agree on the terms of the negotiations," said Nazal.

"There is great interest in concluding these negotiations, or in announcing the terms of the negotiations, ideally by the opening of the next Pacific Alliance summit, which is going to be in the middle of the year," added Nazal.

While there are existing trade agreements between the eight states, the new talks hope to expand those accords within the framework of the AP.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: 11 TPP countries to meet in Japan

Hanoi (VNA) – Representatives from 11 Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) member countries are expected to meet in Hakone town, west of Tokyo, Japan on July 12.

The three-day meeting follows a breakthrough last week on a Japan-European Union trade deal reached after four years of negotiation, which marks a great advance in free trade in the context of the US pulling back from the TPP.

Other TPP members hope to make progress on an alternative that does not include the US called “TPP 11” or “TPP 12-1” before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting in Vietnam in November.

Read the full story at VietnamPlus

News Story: Indonesia, Australia agree to complete CEPA in late 2017

Hamburg (VNA) – Indonesia and Australia will complete the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) by the end of year, said Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The leaders made the statement during their talks on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany on July 7.

The IA-CEPA will improve the current free trade agreement of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Australia, and New Zealand, said the officials.

It is also hoped to boost bilateral trade and investment cooperation, as well as support Australia’s regional economic integration.

Read the full story at VietnamPlus

News Story: Vietnamese PM meets leaders of RoK, Australia in Hamburg

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc
(Image: Wiki Commons)

Hamburg (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had official meetings with President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Moon Jae-in and Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull on July 7 on the fringe of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany.

On behalf of President Tran Dai Quang, PM Phuc invited the RoK and Australian leaders to attend the 25th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting slated for this November in Vietnam. They thanked and accepted the invitation with pleasure.

He highly valued the RoK President sending a special envoy to Vietnam shortly after he was sworn into office, saying the move showed that President Moon attached importance to the two countries’ strategic partnership.

The two sides agreed to increase high-ranking visits and meetings amid the 25th founding anniversary of their diplomatic ties this year. The countries will bolster cultural exchanges and economic, trade and investment cooperation in order to raise bilateral trade to 100 billion USD in 2020.

Highlighting the RoK’s role as the biggest investor and the third largest trade partner of Vietnam, PM Phuc asked the RoK to import more advantageous products of Vietnam, like agro-forestry-fishery products, and to work closely with his country to effectively implement the Vietnam-RoK Free Trade Agreement.

Read the full story at VietnamPlus

News Story: Moon, Trump to hold talks on N. Korea, alliance

WASHINGTON, June 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump were set to hold bilateral talks Friday over a wide range of issues that will likely include ways to strengthen the countries' alliance and their joints efforts to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons.

The first bilateral summit between the two leaders was set to begin at 10:15 a.m. at the White House. The 30-minute one-on-one meeting will quickly be followed by what Seoul officials have called an "expanded summit" that will include top officials from both countries.

The talks will likely focus on ways to further develop the countries' traditional alliance as they struggle to rein in North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats.

Pyongyang has staged five missile tests since the new South Korean administration came into office on May 10.

And to ensure their joint efforts, officials from South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said it was imperative for the countries' leaders to form a close personal relationship.

"We hope the two heads of state will form a close relationship and trust, so they will establish a close consultative mechanism through telephone conversations whenever necessary, reciprocal visits and multilateral meetings," Chung Eui-yong, Moon's top security adviser and head of the presidential National Security Office, said earlier.

Since his arrival here Wednesday, Moon has been provided with what South Korean officials called the highest formalities afforded to a foreign leader, apparently reflecting the importance Trump and his administration place on the Korea-U.S. alliance.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: Vietnam, Russia issue joint statement

Moscow (VNA) – Vietnam and Russia issued a joint statement on the occasion of President Tran Dai Quang’s official visit to Russia from June 28-July 1.

The joint statement noted that during their talks on June 29, the two presidents evaluated the current situation and prospects of the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership, while giving measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in prioritised areas and discussing international and regional matters of shared concern.

The two sides agreed to maintain regular and practical political consultation at all levels, as well as effective meetings through the channels of Party, parliament, ministries, sectors, localities and social organisations.

The two leaders stressed the need to seek new growth momentums to ensure dynamic development of economic-trade cooperation, and meet the urgent demands of the tasks on improving two-way trade and completing bilateral trade structure.

Therefore, the two sides concurred to work for the efficient implementation of the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) that was signed on May 29, 2015 and related documents.

President Tran Dai Quang and his Russian counterpart agreed to continue working closely in building the Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology in Vietnam, and affirmed their support of the cooperation programme between Vietnam and Russia on the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, which was signed on May 23, 2017 in Hanoi.

Both sides agreed on positive progress of joint projects in oil and gas, affirming that they will continue creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese and Russian enterprises, including the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group, Gazprom Group, Zarubezhneft, and Rosneft, to carry out activities in the field in the territories of both countries.

The two sides will foster collaboration in promising areas, including oil refinery and petrochemistry, supplying liquefied petroleum gas for Vietnam, producing and selling fuel for gas-fuelled vehicles in Vietnam.

The two sides agreed to strengthen partnership and expand oil and gas exploration area in Vietnam’s continental shelf in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

They also consented to the extension of cooperation in electricity, while sharing the hope for effective affiliation in machinery manufacturing, shipbuilding, aviation, chemicals and light industry, and acknowledging the need to diversify bilateral ties in finance-credit.

The two presidents underscored the importance of cooperation in defence and military technology, as well as coordination of actions in defence-security without harming any third party.

Read the full story at VietnamPlus

Related Link: Vietnam treasures partnership with Russia: President

News Story: Moon says reducing military drills not an option, at least for now

AIR FORCE ONE, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday said reducing his country's joint military exercises with the United States was not an option for now, though it may be considered following what he called irreversible and verifiable steps by North Korea to denuclearize.

"First of all, the official position we have now is that North Korea's nuclear freeze and reduction of joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States cannot be linked," Moon said.

"That has been the official position of South Korea and the United States, and that position has not changed," he added, while aboard Air Force One on his way to Washington for a summit with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump.

Moon's remarks came after his special security adviser, Moon Chung-in, claimed Seoul and Washington may consider scaling back their joint military drills staged in South Korea should the North freeze its nuclear activities.

The Yonsei University professor later said he was speaking within his personal capacity and not a special adviser to the president.

Still, his remarks sparked concerns that Seoul's new liberal government under the new president may be considering making such an offer to Pyongyang despite the North's continued nuclear and missile provocations.

"I do believe the notion that we must not reward bad behavior is a principle we must uphold," the new South Korean president told reporters.

North Korea has staged five missile tests since Moon came into office on May 10.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: Moon-Trump meeting to focus on alliance, N. Korea

SEOUL AIR BASE, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in will meet his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump this week in a summit largely expected to focus on how to strengthen their countries' alliance and put their joint strength to use in ridding North Korea of its nuclear arms, Seoul officials said Wednesday.

The two leaders will hold their first summit talks Friday (U.S. time), following a dinner hosted by Trump and his wife, Melania, at the White House the day before.

The most urgent issue for the meeting is North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile capabilities, officials from the South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae noted.

The communist North has conducted five missile tests in violation of various U.N. Security Council resolutions since Moon took office May 10.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: U.S. senators call on Trump to use summit with S. Korea to find way to quicken full THAAD deployment

By Chang Jae-soon

WASHINGTON, June 25 (Yonhap) -- A bipartisan group of U.S. senators have called on President Donald Trump to use the upcoming summit with South Korea President Moon Jae-in to reaffirm the firmness of the alliance and to expedite a full deployment of the THAAD missile defense system.

A total of 18 senators, led by Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ), made the request in a joint letter to Trump on Friday. The letter came after a separate group of 19 senators introduced a resolution welcoming Moon's visit. The resolution and the letter underscore the high interest the United States has in Moon's summit with Trump set for Thursday and Friday.

"We ask you to offer a firm assurance to President Moon that the bonds of our historic alliance are unbreakable and that the U.S. is fully committed to our defense treaty obligations with South Korea," the letter said, according to a full text released by Gardner's office.

"We also ask you to reiterate to President Moon that the United States is committed to working with the ROK to implement a full range of multilateral sanctions against the DPRK -- and to intensify those sanctions, if necessary and as merited by DPRK's behavior," it said.

Trump's "maximum pressure" policy can only be effective with full cooperation from Seoul, it said.

The senators also called for a fully deployment of the THAAD battery in the South at an early date. Two of the six THAAD launchers have already been installed, but the South suspended the deployment of the remaining four pending an environmental review.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: Tokyo conference spotlights Asia’s sustainable development

Tokyo (VNA) – Measures to maintain stability and sustainable development in Asia amid the increasing trade protectionism were discussed at the 23rd International Conference on the Future of Asia in Tokyo, which was hosted by Nilkkei Inc of Japan on June 5. 

President and CEO of Nilkkei Inc Naotoshi Okada asked how to retain stability and sustainable development in the region and what Asian counties should do to prevent increasing trade protectionism. 

He expressed his belief that leaders and experts will discuss the issue straightly.

Meanwhile, former Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong warned of the growing sentiment that economic integration in the West is “not Asia’s interest”.

“It is time for Asia to stand up for free and fair trade, reap the full benefits of globalisation, and shape the new global agenda”, he stressed.

He called on China and Japan – the powerful economies in Asia to cooperate in driving economic integration and free trade in the region. 

Read the full story at VietnamPlus

AUS: Australian-US Ministerial consultations (AUSMIN) 2017

Australia will host the United States Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, and Secretary of Defense, Jim Mattis, in Sydney on 5 June for the 2017 Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN). The US delegation will include the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph F. Dunford, and Commander, US Pacific Command, Admiral Harry Harris.

Established over 30 years ago, AUSMIN is the premier forum for Australia-US bilateral consultations on foreign affairs, defence and strategic matters. 

This will be the first AUSMIN with the new US Administration, and will build on our strong, dynamic bilateral relationship and our steadfast Alliance, which began with the signing of the ANZUS treaty in 1951.

During the meeting we will discuss our shared commitment to ensuring global peace and stability, and our mutual strategic priorities including North Korea, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and defeating ISIS. Australia-US cooperation and collaboration in the Pacific and South East Asia will also be a key focus.

Australia and the US have a substantial economic partnership. The Australia-US Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) has boosted growth in both countries, with bilateral trade worth nearly $70 billion in 2015-16. The US is also the largest investor in Australia, with investments of $861 billion in 2016. In the same year, Australia’s investment in the US was $617 billion.

AUS DoD

News Story: Meeting seeks to finalise RCEP trade pact

Hanoi (VNA) – The third Inter-sessional Ministerial Meeting of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) opened in Hanoi on May 22, with the aim to speed up negotiations seeking to finalise the regional trade pact.

Attending the event were representatives from the 10 ASEAN nations and their partners of Australia, China, the Republic of Korea, India, Japan and New Zealand.

Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said that the parties involved have exerted efforts to boost negotiations with a hope to expand economic integration on the basis of the existing positive cooperation between ASEAN and its six partners.

All of them expect the RCEP will create a stable and unified framework and facilitate the circulation of products, services and investment in the region.

Read the full story at VietnamPlus