🇮🇩🇷🇺 Prabowo to Visit Russia, Meet Putin

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is set to depart for Russia within days, with a meeting with President Vladimir Putin expected during the upcoming visit, Indonesia's Foreign Minister Sugiono said on Saturday.

Sugiono said the talks would cover the potential for Indonesia to purchase Russian oil as an alternative supply source amid a global crunch linked to the Iran war.

The Kremlin previously confirmed that contacts between the two leaders were being prepared, without specifying a timeline.

#Indonesia #Russia

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🇰🇷🇨🇳 Samsung Weighs Retreat From China Markets

Samsung Electronics is considering a broad China business restructuring, potentially exiting home appliances and displays while retaining smartphones and semiconductor storage as core units, according to Chinese outlet Yicai citing industry sources. One source told the South China Morning Post that Samsung could transfer home appliance distribution to local partners while keeping manufacturing operations in place.

The company has already begun job cuts in some underperforming divisions. Samsung invested 465.4 billion won in its Xi'an chip plant in 2025, up 67.5 percent year on year, indicating continued commitment to semiconductor operations in China even as other segments contract.

A Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology fellow described Samsung's position as a choice between defending market share in China or directing resources toward global competition with Chinese firms. A former Samsung executive vice-president and visiting research fellow at the Sejong Institute said the contraction reflects the competitive environment in China rather than a deliberate pivot toward semiconductors.

#SouthKorea #China

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🇰🇷🇹🇼 Seoul Removes "China (Taiwan)" Entry Card Label

South Korea completed an update to its electronic entry card system on April 10, removing the "previous departure point" and "next destination" fields that had listed Taiwan under the label "CHINA (TAIWAN)". The "country/region" field was retained and continues to list "TAIWAN" as a selectable option.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had lodged multiple protests over the labeling and announced in late March that it would relabel South Korea as "South Korea" in its own entry forms — covering birthplace and residence fields — if Seoul did not respond by March 31. Taiwan had described the measure as upholding Taiwan's dignity and applying a reciprocity principle.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated it had noted the system update and described the change as beneficial to travel and exchange between the two sides. A South Korean Foreign Ministry official, cited by Yonhap, had earlier characterized the removal of the two fields as a technical adjustment to streamline the system and align the electronic format with the paper entry card, which had never included those fields.

#SouthKorea #Taiwan

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🇨🇳 China Warns Students on Foreign Spy Jobs

China's Ministry of State Security issued a notice warning university students to avoid job postings that may serve as covers for foreign espionage. The ministry identified offers such as 800 yuan (US$117) a day for remote data processing work as potential traps designed to recruit students into illegally collecting sensitive information.

The ministry advised students to treat any salary far exceeding industry standards as a warning sign. It also flagged recruitment schemes that solicit résumé details about internships in military units or experience in classified research projects.

The notice was published as China enters its spring recruitment period ahead of a record 12.7 million university graduates expected this summer. Youth unemployment among urban residents aged 16 to 24 stood at 16.1 per cent in February, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

#China

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🇨🇳 China Tightens Oversight of Red-Chip IPO Structures

China's Securities Regulatory Commission is requiring companies that retain offshore holding structures to justify their necessity before proceeding with Hong Kong listings. Approval data shows only one red-chip company using a variable interest entity structure received listing approval between January 1 and March 18 this year, compared with 21 in the same period last year.

Regulators have advised some red-chip firms to restructure and pursue listings through their mainland entities instead. One concern driving the shift is that funds raised through overseas listings — including dividends and share sale proceeds — were often held outside China and difficult for authorities to track, according to lawyers at Allbright Law Offices.

Dismantling a red-chip structure typically takes one to two years and can involve share buy-backs, deregistration of offshore entities, and significant tax liabilities. Companies with variable interest entity structures have already faced delays, while those that have restructured are being asked to provide detailed compliance documentation covering foreign exchange, tax, and overseas investment approvals.

#China

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🇵🇭🇹🇭 Iran War Squeezes Southeast Asia's Rice Farmers

The near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which remains largely blocked despite a temporary ceasefire, has choked fertiliser and fuel deliveries to South-east Asia. Tens of millions of smallholders across the region are struggling to afford diesel for tractors and irrigation pumps, as well as crop nutrients whose costs have doubled or tripled. In Thailand, some farmers have left harvest-ready crops in the ground because collection costs are prohibitive.

In the Philippines, the world's top rice importer, the Federation of Free Farmers Cooperatives projects paddy-rice output could fall by at least 10 per cent in 2026, equivalent to roughly 2 million tons. In Cambodia, around a tenth of the approximately 2,000 farmers working with integrated rice firm BRM Agro have said they will not plant unless they can secure a fixed price for the new crop. Vietnam's Mekong Delta growers are barely breaking even, with some considering reducing from three crops a year to two.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization's chief economist Maximo Torero stated that a further 20 to 30-day Hormuz closure would affect food availability as early as the second half of 2026. Thailand's dry-season crop in March–April could fall around 19 per cent from the same period in 2025, according to the Kasikorn Research Center. The International Rice Research Institute's senior scientist Alisher Mirzabaev noted that existing stocks provide a buffer but cautioned against complacency.

#Philippines #Thailand

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🇻🇳 Vietnam Elects Technocrat Le Minh Hung PM

Vietnam's National Assembly elected Le Minh Hung as prime minister on Tuesday, making him the country's youngest person to hold the office since 1955. Hung, born in 1970, built his career in financial technocracy rather than provincial politics, serving as central bank governor from 2016 to late 2020, where he helped stabilise macroeconomic foundations and expand foreign reserves.

Hung enters office with thinner political networks than his predecessor Pham Minh Chinh, having never held a provincial leadership role. His tenure at the State Bank also coincided with the Van Thinh Phat fraud case, one of Vietnam's largest financial scandals, which drew scrutiny over supervisory oversight during his governorship.

Hung will operate under General Secretary To Lam, who has consolidated authority over personnel, security, and economic strategy to a degree not seen in the post-Doi Moi era. External pressures include ongoing tariff negotiations with the United States, energy supply shortfalls compounded by Middle East conflict, and intensifying pressure from both Washington and Beijing for more explicit strategic alignment.

#Vietnam

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🇨🇳🇹🇼 Beijing Pledges Restored Flights After KMT Visit

Beijing announced plans to restore direct flights between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan following a visit to Beijing by Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun. The pledges were presented as part of a broader package of measures aimed at strengthening cross-strait ties.

Cheng's trip included a meeting with Chinese leadership, making her the most senior KMT figure to visit the mainland in recent years. The KMT is Taiwan's main opposition party and has historically favored closer engagement with Beijing compared to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

The announced measures focus on improving air and travel connectivity between the two sides. No timeline for implementation was specified in the announcements accompanying Cheng's visit.

#China #Taiwan

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🇰🇭🇹🇭 Cambodia Presses Thailand on Border Talks

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on April 11 called on Thailand to resume border negotiations as soon as possible, stating Cambodia is fully prepared to engage. Thailand's Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said the same day that his country was not ready to resume talks despite the formation of a new government.

The two countries' 800km shared border has been disputed for decades, rooted in French colonial-era demarcation. Armed clashes in 2025 killed dozens and displaced over one million people across two separate episodes in July and December.

A ceasefire signed in late December 2025 included provisions for border talks, but both sides have since accused each other of violating its terms. Cambodia has specifically accused Thai forces of occupying areas in border provinces contrary to the agreement and demanded their withdrawal.

#Cambodia #Thailand

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🇰🇷🇰🇿 Seoul Near Deal on Kazakh Oil Supplies

South Korea's Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said the country is close to finalizing crude oil supplies from Kazakhstan, with specific volumes and terms expected to be announced early the following week. The statement came after South Korea's presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik and Minister Kim travelled to Kazakhstan earlier in April to secure supplies of crude oil and naphtha.

The diplomatic mission was prompted by disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Kim noted that transit times for Kazakh shipments are comparable to those from the United States, at approximately 50 to 60 days.

South Korea sources 70% of its oil imports from the Middle East and is almost entirely dependent on imports for its energy needs. The country separately secured a pledge from the United Arab Emirates last month to supply 24 million barrels of crude oil.

#SouthKorea #Kazakhstan

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🇰🇷🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Pledges Priority Oil Shipments to Seoul

Saudi Arabia has committed to allocating oil shipments to South Korea on a priority basis, Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said on April 12. Seoul is working to dispatch five Korean-flagged vessels to the Saudi Red Sea port of Yanbu to establish alternative supply routes after the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed amid the Middle East conflict.

Kim said the government is preparing to allow South Korean vessels to use the Red Sea route, including the possible deployment of the Cheonghae unit's Dae Joyoung destroyer for escort operations. The ministry is also considering increasing crude oil purchases from the United States and Kazakhstan to diversify import sources.

Oil prices rose following US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, adding pressure on South Korea's economy given its heavy reliance on Middle East energy supplies. Kim described securing energy resources as a priority alongside economic considerations.

#SouthKorea #SaudiArabia

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🇲🇾 Malaysia Warns of Fuel Supply Gap in June

Malaysia's Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir described June and July as a critical period for ensuring fuel supply availability, adding that adequate stocks of oil- and gas-derived raw materials — including those used in drugs and medical devices — would be equally important. The government has confirmed stable supply for April and May, with the primary challenge beginning from June onwards.

Malaysia's Deputy Domestic Trade Minister Fuziah Salleh stated that increased demand in several areas had caused temporary disruptions at some petrol stations, and that measures to restore supplies were being implemented immediately. She urged consumers to continue purchases as normal.

State energy firm Petronas denied a Philippine media report that 329,000 barrels of diesel recently delivered to the Philippines originated from Malaysia, stating it had not entered into diesel supply arrangements with any party there. Petronas added that ensuring reliable and continuous fuel supply for Malaysia remains its primary priority.

#Malaysia

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🇯🇵🇺🇸 Futenma Base Return Still Decades Away

Thirty years after Japan and the United States agreed to return U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Japanese control, the replacement facility in Nago's Henoko coastal area remains unfinished due to local opposition, legal disputes, and construction complications. Japan's Defense Ministry has indicated the earliest possible return of the Futenma site is 2036.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stated that construction would continue on the basis that relocation to Henoko is the only viable solution. Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki countered that the current plan would not remove the dangers posed by the Futenma base in the shortest possible time.

The U.S. Defense Department informed a congressional watchdog that the United States would continue operating Futenma unless Japan identifies an alternative runway of sufficient length. The original base has a 2,700-meter runway, while the planned replacement would feature two 1,800-meter V-shaped runways.

#Japan #USA

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🇨🇳 China Develops 2D Chip With 1,000x Growth Speed

A team of Chinese scientists led by researchers from the National University of Defence Technology and the Institute of Metal Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a wafer-scale growth method for 2D semiconductors. Their findings were published on March 26 in National Science Review.

The team modified the conventional chemical vapour deposition process by using a liquid gold/tungsten bilayer as the growth substrate, enabling doping-tunable growth of monolayer tungsten silicon nitride films. The new method raises the growth rate from as low as 1 micrometre over five hours to 20 micrometres per minute, with a final film size of 3.6cm by 1.8cm.

The material addresses a critical gap in 2D semiconductor development: the scarcity of stable, high-performance p-type materials required for sub-5-nanometre node transistors. Beyond integrated circuits, the material has potential applications in light-emitting diodes, photodetectors, lasers, and bio-interfacing electronic devices.

#China

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🇭🇰 HK Opens Protest Rehab Program to All Arrestees

Hong Kong's Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung stated that a special rehabilitation programme run by his bureau for people arrested during the 2019 anti-government protests has been operating for the past one to two years. Tang said authorities would not set eligibility limits and hoped to welcome anyone interested in participating.

The programme offers participants career planning services, internship opportunities with government departments, and exchange trips to mainland China. Tang said those who complete it would not face prosecution, and that rehabilitation would be assessed primarily on attitude rather than strict criteria.

Tang said the programme was kept confidential initially due to concerns that disclosure could expose participants to doxxing and that opponents might exploit the situation. Cantopop singer Hins Cheung, previously associated with pro-opposition causes, confirmed he had been leading mainland exchange tours for 2019 protest arrestees during the first half of 2026.

#HongKong

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🇻🇳 Vietnam Invites Pope Leo XIV for Historic Visit

Vietnam's National Assembly chairman Tran Thanh Man presented Pope Leo XIV with an official invitation from Communist Party General Secretary and President To Lam on April 11. Pope Leo XIV expressed his wish to visit the country in the near future and said he hoped to further deepen bilateral ties.

Hanoi and the Vatican have had no official diplomatic relations since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. A joint working group has met since 2009 to work toward restoring ties, and in 2023 the two sides agreed to establish a resident papal representative in Vietnam.

Vietnam has approximately six million Catholics, comprising around six per cent of the population. Human rights groups have accused the Vietnamese government of restricting religious freedoms.

#Vietnam

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🇦🇺🇵🇬 Australia Sends A$2.5M Cyclone Relief

Australia pledged A$2.5 million in cyclone relief funds to Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands on April 12, following tropical cyclone Maila. The storm caused floods and landslides that killed 11 people, eight of them in a single landslide in Bougainville.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong allocated A$1 million to Papua New Guinea, targeting the Bougainville autonomous region and Milne Bay. In Bougainville, the cyclone destroyed roads and bridges, disrupted food supply chains, and severed access to Panguna, site of a major gold and copper mine.

The remaining A$1.5 million will go to Solomon Islands, where remote communities in Western and Choiseul provinces sustained severe damage. The weather system was downgraded to a tropical low after beginning to weaken on April 11.

#Australia #PapuaNewGuinea #SolomonIslands

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🇵🇭🇨🇳 Philippines Finds Cyanide on Chinese South Sea Boats

The Philippines' National Security Council announced that laboratory tests confirmed the presence of cyanide in bottles seized from Chinese boats operating around Second Thomas Shoal. The Philippine navy recovered the bottles during operations at the disputed atoll in 2024.

National Security Council spokesperson Cornelio Valencia described the use of cyanide at the shoal as sabotage intended to kill local fish populations, depriving navy personnel stationed there of a food source. Valencia added that the substance could damage the reef and compromise the structural stability of the BRP Sierra Madre, a warship Manila deliberately grounded on the atoll to reinforce its maritime claim.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not respond to a request for comment. The disclosure came days after the Philippines and China held high-level talks that included preliminary discussions on oil and gas cooperation and coast guard communication, though the Philippine foreign ministry specified that coast guard cooperation would not extend to sensitive operational areas.

#Philippines #China

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🇻🇳🇨🇳 Vietnam Adopts China Governance Model Under Lam

Vietnam's party chief To Lam, who formally consolidated two of the country's most powerful roles on April 7, is travelling to Beijing this week for talks with Xi Jinping. Internal documents and cooperation agreements reviewed by Reuters show Hanoi advancing Chinese-style regulation on data control, equity markets, and surveillance infrastructure.

Vietnam's public security ministry has drafted data rules limiting cross-border transfers, mirroring China's centralised data model. Plans include state-run data-trading exchanges overseen by the ministry, a nationwide AI camera identification network, and a government-backed stock market stabilisation fund modelled explicitly on a Chinese mechanism.

On technology, Vietnam has removed earlier objections to Chinese equipment in its 5G network, with a telecom unit under the public security ministry in active talks with Chinese firms for additional contracts. China's exports to Vietnam are at record highs, and Chinese investment in Vietnamese manufacturing continues to expand.

#Vietnam #China

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🇰🇷🇺🇸 NATO Envoys Visit Seoul for Defense Talks

A delegation of envoys representing 30 NATO member countries will visit Seoul for three days through Wednesday to discuss defense industry cooperation, North Korea, and other shared security issues. South Korea's Foreign Ministry confirmed the visit on Monday.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is scheduled to meet the delegation on Tuesday, followed by a briefing from Vice Foreign Minister Jeong Yeon-doo. Cho will also host a dinner reception for the visiting envoys.

The delegation plans to visit a South Korean industrial site to observe defense-related capabilities of local companies. A ministry official noted that 30 envoys attending marks the highest such participation to date, reflecting growing NATO interest in Korean Peninsula and Indo-Pacific affairs.

#SouthKorea

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🇰🇷🇵🇱 Seoul, Warsaw Upgrade Ties to Strategic Partnership

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk agreed on April 13 to elevate bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, with defense industry cooperation and energy supply chains identified as priority areas. Tusk's visit to Seoul marked the first trip to South Korea by a Polish prime minister in 27 years.

Defense trade anchors the relationship. Poland signed a $44.2 billion framework agreement in 2022 to purchase K2 tanks, K9 howitzers, FA-50 aircraft, and Chunmoo rocket systems. In December, Poland concluded an additional $4 billion contract with Hanwha Aerospace to acquire further Chunmoo batteries.

The two leaders also agreed to broaden cooperation to infrastructure, science, and technology. Lee called on Poland to support Korean firms involved in EV battery production and requested Polish attention to South Korean participation in a new airport construction project and the Warsaw tram replacement program.

#SouthKorea #Poland

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