Thai Prime Minister under mounting pressure over leaked callーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS
thailand is facing political turbulence after the second largest party in the ruling coalition exited the alliance dealing a heavy blow to the government led by Prime Minister Patong Tan Chinowat the move was prompted by a leaked phone conversation between Patong Tan and Cambodia’s Senate President Hunen over border issues whom she calls uncle [Music] the Puma Thai Party issued a statement on Thursday condemning Patong Tan for damaging Thailand’s sovereignty and the army’s dignity the departure of Puma Thai has left the coalition with a slim majority in the lower house of parliament pat Tongan later apologized and described her comments to Hunsen as a negotiation tactic the daughter of Thailand’s influential former premier Taken Chinawat she has held office since August criticisms have been mounting over her government’s handling of border disputes after a military clash with Cambodia last month as well as over economic policies new Zealand has announced it halted millions of dollars in financial aid to the Cook Islands the move comes amid Wellington’s growing concern over the island groups deepening ties with China in a statement on Thursday the government said about $18 million New Zealand dollars or about 11 million US in development funding would be paused the Cook Islands has been self-governing in free association with New Zealand which is committed to defending it the two nations are obliged to consult mutually on defense and security but in February the Cook Islands signed a strategic partnership agreement with China which New Zealand says it was not consulted on wellington also says it will not consider significant fresh funding until the Cook Islands take steps to restore trust well we’ve said from the beginning of the year we were unhappy and dissatisfied with the fact that the Cook Islands government wasn’t open and transparent about its international agreements the Cook Islands says the agreement with China did not contain security or defense matters cambodia has long looked to China for trade and investment but its neighbors economic slowdown and trade war with the US have shaken up the status quo to bring prosperity to Cambodia its leaders have embraced diversification as they seek to strengthen ties with other countries nhk World’s Suzuki Kot reports sukville in the country’s south is a popular tourist destination starting in the mid2010s Chinese money poured in and hotels and casinos sprang up everywhere but when COVID struck Chinese rearrested companies withdrew leaving behind hundreds of abandoned or unfinished ghost buildings the investors and owners all left the buildings it’s deserted and our business is not going well long-standing trade friction with the US has triggered a new course of action among Chinese companies more and more are shifting production to Cambodia for some time Cambodia has relied on exporting processed products to the US made from Chinese law materials and parts this strategy hit a serious load broke in April when the Trump administration threatened to impose a 49% tariff on Cambodia the highest for any Southeast Asian country experts say the US want to head off the roundabout export of Chinese goods through Cambodia this has forced Cambodia to seek out other channels for investment prime Minister Human has met with representatives and companies from the EU South Korea and Japan and elsewhere the Shanuk Autonomous Port is an important trade hub it handles 70% of the country’s total containerized cargo it’s undergoing a major expansion with Japanese funding and support help our nation be more stable and have greater potential in the future this Japanese logistics company beat it riots to the punch setting up operations two years ago in the special economic zone neighboring the port the company was encouraged to jump at the chance based on the government determination to turn the port into a major logistics hub in Southeast Asia i think we can grow in a way that is different from doing business in Japan or other countries the provincial deputy governor says they are open to investment from countries other than China cambodia is a small country and we do not have the option of partnering with one friend and abandoning the other we are an independent country and seek economic diversification with all countries caught in the crossfire between the US and China Cambodia is looking for cover in economic diversity as it seeks out new partners around the world suzuki NHK World and that wraps up our bulletin i’m in Bangkok
June 19 NEWSROOM TOKYO Bangkok Live Lineup:
00:00 Thai Prime Minister under mounting pressure over leaked call
01:17 New Zealand freezes Cook Islands aid
02:27 Cambodia forging new ties to thrive in Trump tariff era
#asia #cambodia #thailand #securiy #politics #usa #china #trade #newzealand
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