ASEAN and the world

Recent floods in northern China have left 123 people dead or missing.

The United Nations Security Council on July 21st conducted a first secret vote to elect a new Secretary General among 12 candidates.

Indonesia on July 18th began re-inoculating children who were injected with fake vaccines in a major drug counterfeiting scandal.

The recent ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) on the Philippines’s lawsuit against China concerning disputes in the East Sea is of historical significance, a Japanese expert has said.

(CPV)- More private sector investment is needed to sustain growth and create jobs in Fiji, Asian Development Bank’s Vice-President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development, Bambang Susantono, told officials attending a Pacific region conference here on July 20th 2016.

Billionaire businessman Donald Trump officially won the Republican Party nomination for US president after months of acrimonious campaigning.

US Vice President Joe Biden landed at Auckland International Airport on July 20th to begin his 24-hour visit to New Zealand.

Thailand may have to buy 9,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity from Laos this year to meet its rising demand.

The ASEAN University Network – Quality Assurance’s (AUN-QA) set of criteria for university quality assessment was officially launched by the Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNUH) on July 19th.

(CPV) - State-owned enterprises (SOEs) are a significant drain on Pacific island economies, with the returns from most countries’ SOE portfolios not even meeting their capital costs, according to an upcoming ADB report.

Kyoto has one of the world’s largest collections of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Kyoto Imperial Palace attracts a large number of tourists annually.

The United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organisation (UNESCO) has added 21 new World Heritage sites at the 40th annual meeting of its World Heritage Committee in Istanbul, Turkey.

On July 17th, the Malaysian government affirmed that it would continue its efforts to investigate the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 tragedy.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong underlined the need to combat terrorism on multiple fronts at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Leaders’ Retreat in Ulan Bator, Mongolia on July 16th.

Officials from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Lao Ministry of Health went to Xieng Khouang province to investigate a “mystery disease” that has affected hundreds of people, reported Vientiane Times newspaper.

A group of trade representatives of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) members in Mexico will be set up in an effort to boost trade ties with the host country.

(CPV) - Growth in Asia and the Pacific’s developing economies for 2016 and 2017 will remain solid as firm performances from South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia help offset softness from the US economy, and near-term market shocks from the Brexit vote, says a new ADB report.

A roundtable talk on the East Sea issue took place in New Delhi, India on July 15th, drawing scholars, experts and representatives of diplomatic corps.

Thailand’s Foreign Ministry on July 15th issued a press release confirming that the Thai Government is open to opinions and is cooperating with foreign diplomats in Bangkok to provide information on political developments in the country, including the draft Constitution and the referendum.

Foreign experts around the world have voiced their support for a diplomatic settlement in the East Sea following the final ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague against China.

Both the Philippines and Japan have called on China to respect the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s (PCA) ruling that rejected Beijing’s nine-dash line claims in the East Sea, as part of their participation at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit.

On July 14th, the US State Secretary John Kerry officially visited to Russia.

Chinese authorities have announced that recent severe floods killed at least 237 people and left 93 missing across China.

A Cambodia court has banned deputy opposition leader and lawmaker Kem Sokha from leaving the country since he has been charged with "refusal to appear" in a case involving his alleged mistress.

Thailand posted a net sugar output in the 2015-16 sugar cane harvest at 9.7 million tonnes, produced from 94 million tonnes of sugar cane, lower than the previous crop.

(CPV) - Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Pacific subregion’s largest economy, faces tough challenges in pursuing effective economic management while maintaining public spending for the delivery of basic social services, says a new ADB report launched on July 14th 2016.

The 75th World Cities Summit (WCS) has opened in Singapore with the participation of more than 110 mayors and city leaders.

More than 110 mayors and officials as well as top executives of corporations and international organisations are gathering at the five-day 2016 World Cities Summit (WCS) in Singapore which opened on July 10th.

President Tony Tan announced Singapore’s Climate Action Plan at the opening ceremony of the 2016 World Cities Summit held on July 10th in the country.

(CPV) - Siemens and 100 Resilient Cities – Pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation (100RC), are cooperating in their efforts to make cities more resilient. Siemens has joined the 100RC Platform of Partners – working with other private companies and public organizations in helping cities, their people, communities and institutions prepare for, withstand, and emerge from the stresses and sometimes a