Author: Rangga Putri

The primary purpose of Xi Jinping’s three-day visit to Hungary might be to ensure that Hungary can help China gain market share in the EU, as Beijing and Budapest prepare to sign a total of 16 bilateral agreements. The Chinese president has arrived in Budapest late Wednesday, in the third and last stop of his European visit. During his three-day stay, Xi Jinping and his delegation are expected to conclude a series of economic agreements with Budapest, as China sees Hungary as an important bridgehead in conquering European markets: among other things, Chinese companies are building electric car and battery factories.…

Last week, Vietnam released its Resource Mobilisation Plan (RMP) for the Just Energy Transition Partnership it formed last year. But the RMP is just one pillar of a multifaceted approach to Vietnam’s green energy transition. In this article Vietnam Briefing looks at one other: the National Strategy on Green Growth Strategy. Vietnam’s National Strategy on Green Growth Period 2021 to 2030, with a Vision to 2050 was approved by Vietnam’s Prime Minister in 2021 with Decision 1658/QD-TTg. A core tenet of Vietnam’s approach to a more sustainable future for the Southeast Asian nation, it covers critical objectives and outlines several key…

London, Dublin (1/11 – 66) Hamas is sheltered in a sea of civilians. Ostensibly a Palestinian political and military organization established in 1987, Hamas “governs” on the basis of having won a majority in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections – defeating Fatah, another Islamist terror combine – before forming a government in the Gaza Strip, described as “…the world’s largest open-air prison” for its Palestinian inhabitants. So why don’t the Palestinians, having been robbed of their ancient lands, simply up and move somewhere else? It is telling that none of the Islamic nations surrounding Israel care to admit any more…

BANGKOK, Nov 15 (Reuters) – Thailand will receive 300 billion baht ($8.46 billion) worth of investment from Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google and Microsoft, a government spokesperson said on Wednesday. The companies will invest 100 billion baht each, Chai Wacharonke said. AWS plans to build a data centre with a budget of $5 billion over 15 years, the government said in a separate statement. “The prime minister is confident that AWS’ investment will enhance the country’s competitiveness,” said Chai, adding Microsoft and Google were also studying investment plans for large data centres in Thailand. Amazon Web Services, Google and Microsoft…

A new hotel in Indonesia is trying to nab the title of being the “world’s skinniest.” But its creator says the project isn’t just about trying to set a world record – it’s about getting international attention for the small town he calls home. Ary Indra grew up in Salatiga, Central Java. After training as an architect and making his career in Jakarta and Singapore, he felt himself called to return home to Salatiga – and to use his skills there. There, he found an unwanted piece of land, which no one was willing to develop on due to its…

WEST SUMBAWA, Indonesia — More than a decade ago, Amiruddin would climb aboard a small fishing boat under the cover of night armed with around 10 bombs. Amir, as he is commonly known, and his accomplices motored for around half an hour from the western shoreline of Indonesia’s Sumbawa Island to waters off the small island of Paserang. Then the men would detonate the explosives over the reef below, Amir told Mongabay Indonesia. “I have done all the illegal fishing practices,” Amir said. “It’s because the yield was so great.” Amir, who is in his late 30s, has ventured out…

JAKARTA, Oct 31 (Reuters) – Indonesia is finalising a regulation that opens up carbon capture and storage schemes to more industries and allow green house gases from abroad to be stored in the country, a government official said on Tuesday. Indonesia’s existing regulatory framework for implementing carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon capture, storage and utilisation (CCUS) currently only applies to the oil and gas sector. The country aims to set itself up as a carbon storage hub, utilising its depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs and saline aquifers, said energy ministry senior official Tutuka Ariadji. “This regulation will have a wider…

SYDNEY/HONG KONG, Oct 11 (Reuters) – Indonesian courier services startup J&T Global Express is aiming to launch its Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) on Monday to raise $500 million, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said, in the city’s second largest new share sale in 2023. The sources could not be named as the information has not yet been made public. J&T did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company had earlier aimed to raise at least $1 billion via a Hong Kong IPO in the second half of 2023, Reuters reported in February.…

Nusa Dua, Bali (ANTARA) – Indonesia has agreed to strengthen economic cooperation with Cabo Verde, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea, respectively. At a bilateral meeting with Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Cabo Verde Miryan Viera, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi welcomed Viera’s proposal for the two countries to cooperate in several sectors, according to a statement of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday. Those sectors are the blue economy, infrastructure, and tourism. Marsudi stated that she would bring together Minister Viera and Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno, for…

Brussels (21/10 – 75) In May 2022, tens of ethnic Pamiri protesters were killed by security forces as demonstrations were violently suppressed and an “anti-terrorist operation” was launched in the east of the country. Activists, local leaders, journalists and bloggers were arrested and sentenced in unfair trials. Many reported being tortured. Access to information, including through the media and internet, remained heavily restricted. Domestic violence remained widespread with victims rarely securing justice or support. Afghan refugees continued to be detained and deported. Tajikistan’s economic and political life continued to be tightly controlled by the president, in the 30th year of…