Southeast Asian & World Briefs (17 November): Asia's Geopolitical Chessboard: Biden-Xi Summit and Kamandag 7's Military Maneuvers
Southeast Asian & World Briefs (17 November): Asia's Geopolitical Chessboard: Biden-Xi Summit and Kamandag 7's Military Maneuvers
Welcome to Friday, readers!
In today’s edition, we delve into pivotal moments shaping the geopolitical and socio-economic landscapes in Asia. The highlight is the significant yet challenging meeting between President Biden and President Xi Jinping in California, marking a crucial point in US-China relations.
Equally impactful is the "Kamandag 7" military exercise in the Philippines, illustrating a strategic shift in regional defense dynamics, particularly in the face of rising tensions in the South China Sea. On the socio-economic front, Thailand's stance on Chinese police cooperation and Cambodia's inauguration of a new, China-funded airport in Siem Reap signal intriguing developments in Asia's tourism and economic sectors, influenced by complex international relationships.
Tables of Contents and Summaries
Geopolitics
🌏 Biden Meets With Xi Jinping in California; Agreements Reached but Face Challenges in Talks
President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting in California marked significant agreements on fentanyl production and military communications, but faced challenges in technology and peacekeeping areas.
🌐 Joint Military Exercise "Kamandag 7" Takes Place in the Philippines
"Kamandag 7", a joint military exercise in the Philippines with the US, Japan, South Korea, and Britain, aims to enhance defense capabilities, particularly in maritime areas, reflecting a strategic balance in the South China Sea.
Social/Economic
🇹🇭 Thailand Clarifies Plans Regarding Chinese Police Cooperation
Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin dismissed plans for Chinese police patrols in Thai tourist spots, focusing instead on information exchange to boost tourist confidence.
✈️ Cambodia Inaugurates New Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport
Cambodia inaugurated the China-funded Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport, aiming to boost tourism and showcasing strong Cambodia-China economic ties.
Geopolitics
Biden Meets With Xi Jinping in California; Agreements Reached but Face Challenges in Talks
President Biden and President Xi Jinping of China met in California for their first in-person meeting in a year.
The meeting took place at a grand estate in the hills, with both leaders expressing a desire to find a way to prevent an escalating competition between the two countries from turning into conflict.
No joint statement was expected after the meeting, and each government would provide its own account of the discussions.
Mixed Results: President Biden and President Xi Jinping held a four-hour meeting that resulted in significant agreements. They agreed to curb fentanyl production and resume military-to-military communications.
Challenges: Little progress was made on issues related to semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI). Xi expressed concerns about US export controls on advanced technology. Efforts to enlist China in peacekeeping in the Israel-Hamas conflict were unsuccessful.
Economic Interdependence: The summit highlighted the economic interdependence between the US and China and the desire to maintain cooperation to avoid further conflict.
China's Struggling Economy: Xi's engagement with foreign businesses may aim to attract foreign investment amid China's economic struggles.
Western Businesses and China: Many Western businesses continue to operate in China despite challenges and are managing their operations in the Chinese market.
Joint Military Exercise "Kamandag 7" Takes Place in the Philippines
The Philippines is hosting an 11-day joint military exercise called "Kamandag 7" involving elite forces from the Philippines, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Britain.
"Kamandag 7" is part of a series of training exercises in Southeast Asia and reflects increased US interest in its troop deployment in the Indo-Pacific region.
The exercise focuses on enhancing "interoperability" among these forces and is not aimed at any specific country, including China.
It includes 2,749 personnel, with 902 US marines participating.
The implications: The Philippines, supported by the US and Japan, is significantly enhancing its maritime defense capabilities, signaling a more assertive stance in the South China Sea, particularly in response to China's activities in the region.
Increased US military presence, exemplified by substantial investments in the Philippines' Basa Air Base and multinational military exercises like Kamandag 7, indicates a strategic counterbalance to China's regional influence, aiming to ensure regional security.
These developments highlight the Indo-Pacific region's growing strategic importance and the potential for heightened tensions, as regional militarization and complex alliances escalate power competition, particularly between China and the US-led coalition.
About the Exercise: The exercise will involve activities such as martial arts training, explosive ordnance disposal, coastal defense drills, and more.
The US Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia (MRF-SEA) plays a significant role in this exercise and is tailored for training with local militaries in the region.
China has expressed "serious concerns" about increased US military deployments in the Indo-Pacific region.
Social/Economic
Thailand Clarifies Plans Regarding Chinese Police Cooperation
Thailand's Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, clarified that there are no plans to invite Chinese police officers to patrol Thai tourist destinations.
This clarification comes after earlier comments by the Tourism Authority of Thailand about a joint patrol program sparked controversy and concerns about sovereignty.
Srettha corrected that Thailand only seeks cooperation with Chinese police for information exchange about criminal networks that might be active in Thailand to boost the confidence of Chinese tourists.
Thailand is keen to restore confidence in its tourism industry, especially among Chinese visitors, who used to be a significant segment of foreign arrivals before the pandemic.
Cambodia Inaugurates New Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport
Cambodia has officially inaugurated its new Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport, a major project financed by China.
Located 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of the Angkor Wat temple complex, the airport sits on 700 hectares (1,730 acres) of land and features a 3,600-meter (11,810-foot) runway.
It has the capacity to handle 7 million passengers annually, with plans to expand to 12 million passengers by 2040.
The why: The new airport replaces the old one, which was located closer to the Angkor temples and was causing concerns about vibrations damaging their foundations.
Tourism is a vital component of Cambodia's economy, and the new airport is expected to boost the tourism sector in the Siem Reap province.
The project is part of the Belt and Road Initiative, showcasing strong economic ties between Cambodia and China.