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The presidential race is expected to be dominated by three men - Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, 72, and popular former governors Ganjar Pranowo and Anies Baswedan, both 54 years of age. The camps of Anies and Ganjar have signalled they will register and present their policy platforms at the election commission on Thursday, when a seven-day window opens to join the five-yearly contest. Opinion polls show Ganjar neck-and-neck with Prabowo, who is making a third run at the presidency having lost to Jokowi in 2014 and 2019. Former special forces commander Prabowo has yet to announce his vice presidential running mate, an issue that has dominated headlines in recent days amid speculation he will be joined by Jokowi's 36-year-old son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka. Reporting by Stanley Widianto; Additional reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by Martin PettyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pranowo, Mohammad Mahfud Mahmodin, Joko Widodo, Prabowo Subianto, Ganjar Pranowo, Anies Baswedan, Prabowo, Anies, Mahfud, Muhaimin Iskandar, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Stanley Widianto, Ananda Teresia, Martin Petty Organizations: Indonesian Democratic Party, Struggle, Defence, Jokowi, Former Jakarta, Islamic, Jokowi's, Constitutional, Prabowo, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, JAKARTA, Anies

☆ Candidates for Indonesia's presidential election
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

A recent poll of potential candidates by Lembaga Survei Indonesia showed Prabowo top with the support of 34% support. After losing the 2019 election, Jokowi appointed Prabowo defence minister, a move analysts say helped heal divisions. Prabowo chairs the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) party, which endorsed him as its presidential candidate last year. Erick Thohir - A businessman-turned-politician who once owned Italian football giant Inter Milan, Erick, 53, heads Indonesia's football association and serves as State Owned Enterprises Minister. Khofifah Indar Parawansa - One of Indonesia's most prominent female politicians, the popular, 58-year-old East Java governor has been courted by all three presidential candidates.

Persons: Ganjar Pranowo, Mohammad Mahfud Mahmodin, Antara, PRABOWO SUBIANTO, Joko Widodo, Jokowi, Prabowo, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Gibran, Erick Thohir, Erick, Indar, Khofifah, Ganjar, Mahfud, BASWEDAN, Anies, Basuki Tjahaja, Muhaimin, Imin, Abdurrahman Wahid, Gus Dur, Ananda Teresia, Stanley Widianto, Martin Petty Organizations: Indonesian Democratic Party, Struggle, Lembaga, Great Indonesia Movement, Inter Milan, State Owned Enterprises, Ulama, Indonesia's, Indonesian Democratic Party of, Israel, Islamic Prosperous Justice Party, National Awakening Party, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, JAKARTA, Surakarta, Italian, Central Java, Jokowi, Chinese, East Java

☆ Indonesia ruling party picks security minister Mahfud MD for VP candidate - chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Indonesian Chief Security Minister Mohammad Mahfud MD gestures as he talks during an interview at his office in Jakarta, Indonesia, December 26, 2019. Picture taken December 26, 2019. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJAKARTA, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Indonesia's chief security minister Mahfud MD has been chosen to run with the ruling party's presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo, said party head Megawati Sukarnoputri on Wednesday. Indonesia is set to hold simultaneous presidential and legislative elections on Feb. 14, 2024. Reporting by Stanley WidiantoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mohammad Mahfud, Mahfud, Ganjar Pranowo, Megawati Sukarnoputri, Stanley Widianto Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, Rights JAKARTA

☆ Indonesia ex-agriculture minister named as graft suspect
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

South Sulawesi governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo is pictured before meeting with legislative members in Makassar, March 14, 2014. Syahrul Yasin Limpo, who resigned last week after KPK raids on his multiple houses and ministry, said via his lawyer that he will cooperate with the investigation. KPK named Limpo as a suspect for allegedly instructing two colleagues to force officials to pay him at most $10,000 in exchange for positions or participation in procurement projects at the ministry. Limpo is the sixth minister in Jokowi's cabinet to face corruption allegations. Earlier this year, authorities arrested the then communications minister on corruption charges.

Persons: Syahrul Yasin Limpo, Yusuf Ahmad, Joko Widodo's, KPK, Limpo, Johanis Tanak, Johanis, Jokowi, Ananda Teresia, Stanley Widianto, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Sulawesi, Makassar, INDONESIA, Rights JAKARTA

[1/4] Bening Widayati, 40, sells clothes live on a social media platform inside her stall at the International Trade Center (ITC) mall in Jakarta, Indonesia, September 27, 2023. The government said the move, which takes effect immediately, is aimed at protecting offline merchants and marketplaces, adding that predatory pricing on social media platforms is threatening small and medium-sized enterprises. The move comes just three months after TikTok pledged to invest billion of dollars in Southeast Asia, mainly in Indonesia, over the next few years in a major push to build its e-commerce platform TikTok Shop. He warned of letting social media become an e-commerce platform, shop, and bank all at the same time. Indonesia Deputy Trade Minister Jerry Sambuaga earlier this month named TikTok's live streaming features as an example of people selling goods on social media.

Persons: Widayati, Willy Kurniawan, TikTok, China's ByteDance, Zulkifli Hasan, Zulkifli, Jerry Sambuaga, Fahmi, Edri, Dewi Kurniawati, Stefanno Sulaiman, Fransiska Nangoy, Stanley Widianto, Johan Purnomo, Kanupriya Kapoor, Alexandra Hudson, Miyoung Kim, Mark Porter Organizations: International Trade Center, REUTERS, Indonesia Trade, Wednesday, Reuters, Indonesia Deputy Trade, Research, BMI, HK, Lazada, Momentum Works, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, JAKARTA, Shop, TikTok, Europe, United States

☆ Indonesia may issue regulation on use of social media as e-commerce platform this week - president
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Indonesian President Joko Widodo speaks during a news conference after the closing of the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, September 7, 2023. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsJAKARTA, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Indonesia may on Tuesday issue a regulation on the use of social media to sell goods in the country, President Joko Widodo said, a move intended to quell threats to offline markets in Southeast Asia's biggest economy. Ministers have repeatedly said that e-commerce sellers using predatory pricing on social media platforms are threatening offline markets in Indonesia, with some officials specifically citing the video platform TikTok as an example. "We just...decided on the use of social media for e-commerce. Tomorrow it will perhaps come out," the president, who is commonly known as Jokowi, said in a streamed video address on Monday.

Persons: Joko Widodo, Willy Kurniawan, Jokowi, Ananda Teresia, Stanley Widianto, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: 43rd ASEAN Summit, REUTERS, Rights, Ministers, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, Rights JAKARTA, Asia's

☆ UN chief says global finance system fragmenting; Myanmar crisis worsens
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres speaks during his bilateral meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. In a wide-ranging speech that touched on geopolitical tension, multilateral development finance and climate change, Guterres called on world leaders to find peaceful and inclusive solutions to the challenges facing the world. He also voiced support for re-channelling an additional $100 billion of International Monetary Fund's Special Drawing Rights through multilateral development banks to increase liquidity and support developing economies' needs. At a Paris summit in June this year, world leaders backed a push for multilateral development banks like the World Bank to put more capital at risk to boost lending. ASEAN leaders are set to hold talks with the United Nations later on Thursday.

Persons: General Antonio Guterres, Joko Widodo, Tatan, António Guterres, Rich, Ajay Banga, Guterres, Stanley Widianto, Kanupriya Kapoor, Robert Birsel Organizations: UN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Monetary, Bank, World Bank, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, Rights JAKARTA, China, United States, Paris, Myanmar, ASEAN

On Wednesday, China's Li warned against starting a "new Cold War" and warned countries against taking sides in any conflict. Harris, attending the meetings instead of President Joe Biden, reiterated a U.S. commitment to the region. "The United States has an enduring commitment to Southeast Asia and more broadly to the Indo-Pacific," she said. A White House official said earlier the U.S. shared interests with ASEAN in "upholding the rules-based international order, including in the South China Sea, in the face of China's unlawful maritime claims and provocative actions". The Chinese premier and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met briefly on the sidelines of the summit on Wednesday and discussed Japan's release into the sea of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos, Jr, Lee Hsien Loong, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sarun, Pham Minh Chinh, Fumio, Yoon Suk Yeol, Joko, Kamala Harris, Li Qiang, Sergei Lavrov, China's Li, Harris, Joe Biden, Fumio Kishida, Kanupriya Kapoor, Robert Birsel Organizations: Singapore's, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnam's, Japan's, ASEAN, Russian, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, White, U.S, Japanese, Thomson Locations: Philippines, Fumio Kishida, South, JAKARTA, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, South China, Myanmar, Korea, Russia, United States, Southeast Asia, China, Laos

☆ China warns against 'new Cold War' at ASEAN summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/5] China's Premier Li Qiang (L) attends the 26th ASEAN-China Summit during the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, on September 6, 2023. In remarks at the start of her meeting with ASEAN leaders, Harris said the United States was committed to the region. "The United States has an enduring commitment to Southeast Asia and more broadly to the Indo-Pacific," she said. Just before this week's gatherings, China released a map with a "10-dash line" showing what appeared to be an expansion of the area it considers its territory in the South China Sea. "The Philippines firmly rejects misleading narratives that frame the disputes in the South China Sea solely through the lens of strategic competition between two powerful countries," Marcos said.

Persons: Li Qiang, Yasuyoshi, Li, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Xi, Harris, ASEAN's, Retno Marsudi, Ferdinand Marcos, Marcos, Yoon Suk, Yoon, Kim Jong, Vladimir Putin, Stanley Widianto, Kate Lamb, Kanupriya Kapoor, Robert Birsel, Nick Macfie Organizations: China, ASEAN Summit, REUTERS Acquire, China Sea, Asia ASEAN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, U.S, White, Indonesian, United, South, North, New York Times, Thomson Locations: ASEAN, Jakarta, Indonesia, Asia, JAKARTA, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, South China, United States, Southeast Asia, Myanmar, States, South, Philippine, Philippines, North Korea, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine

☆ ASEAN welcomes world leaders as China-U.S. rivalry overshadows region
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The United States and its allies have echoed ASEAN's calls for freedom of navigation and overflight and to refrain from building a physical presence in the area. Just before this week's gatherings, China released a map with its "10-dash line" delineating what it considers its waters, that appeared to expand its claims in the South China Sea. The United States has also courted ASEAN countries with varying degrees of success. 'GREAT DANGER'Lina Alexandra, a political analyst at think tank CSIS, said the draft was "very weak on the issues of the South China Sea". President Joko Widodo of ASEAN chair Indonesia warned on Tuesday that members must not become proxies in big-power rivalry.

Persons: Ferdinand " Bongbong, Marcos Jr, Lee Hsien Loong, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sarun, Pham Minh Chinh, Li Qiang, Joko Widodo, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, ASEAN's, Lina Alexandra, Alexandra, Wednesday's, Aung, Suu Kyi, Stanley Widianto, Kate Lamb, Kanupriya Kapoor, Robert Birsel Organizations: Singapore's, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnam's, ASEAN, Wednesday, The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, U.S, White, United, Reuters, CSIS, Thomson Locations: Philippines, Laos, JAKARTA, United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, South China, States, South, Indonesia, ASEAN, Myanmar, Suu, Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

☆ Indonesia upper house speaker says 'important' to discuss means to delay elections
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A worker walks on the roof of Indonesian Parliament Building in Jakarta, Indonesia, December 5, 2022. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJAKARTA, Aug 16 (Reuters) - The speaker of Indonesia's upper house of parliament said on Wednesday it was important for the country to discuss the means to delay elections in times of natural disasters, wars, or pandemics. Indonesia, the world's third-largest democracy, must hold national elections every five years, with the next vote scheduled for Feb. 14. Indonesia currently has no framework to delay an election and some politicians have called for the constitution to be amended to allow a postponement. "How do we hold elections in the case of unexpected events occurring, like big natural disasters, wars, revolts, or pandemics," Bambang Soesatyo, the upper house speaker, said in an annual address ahead of Indonesia's Independence Day.

Persons: Willy Kurniawan, Bambang Soesatyo, Bambang, Joko Widodo, Stefanno Sulaiman, Gayatri Suroyo, Stanley Widianto, Martin Petty Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, Rights JAKARTA

☆ Indonesia arrests militant over alleged plot to attack police division
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Antara Foto/Fakhri Hermansyah/ via REUTERSJAKARTA, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Indonesia's counter-terrorism unit on Tuesday announced the arrest of an alleged Islamic State (IS) loyalist suspected of planning an attack on the headquarters of the police's security division. "We were shocked by the evidence we found," Aswin told a news conference. "The movement of ISIS or supporters of ISIS ... has never stopped even when it's not visible to our eyes that they congregate," he said, referring to the Islamic State. Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, suffered its worst militant attack in 2002 when two nightclubs on the island of Bali were bombed, killing 202 people, mostly foreign tourists. Analysts say the threat of extremist attacks has since diminished significantly and while arrests of suspected extremists do take place, pledges of allegiance to Islamic State have been rare.

Persons: Antara, Aswin Siregar, Aswin, Todd Elliott, Stanley Widianto, Kate Lamb, Martin Petty Organizations: Islamic, REUTERS, ISIS, Concorde Consulting, Thomson Locations: Indonesian, Islamic State, Iraq, Syria, Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia, REUTERS JAKARTA, State, Jakarta, Bali

☆ Miss Universe cuts ties with Indonesia organiser accused of sexual harassment
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A general view during the 71st Miss Universe pageant in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. January 14, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman/ File PhotoJAKARTA, Aug 13 (Reuters) - The Miss Universe Organization said it was cutting ties with its Indonesian franchisee and cancelling this year's Malaysia pageant after contestants accused local organisers of sexual harassment. Six Miss Universe Indonesia contestants filed complaints with police accusing organisers of sexual harassment, saying they were subjected to topless "body checks", their lawyer said on Tuesday. "I emphasise that I, as the national director and license owner for Miss Universe Indonesia, was not involved at all and have never known, ordered, requested or allowed anyone who plays a role and participated in the process of organising Miss Universe Indonesia 2023 to commit sexual harassment through body checking as reported," she said. The Jakarta contest was held to select Indonesia's entry for the annual Miss Universe competition, to be held in El Salvador late this year.

Persons: Jonathan Bachman, Poppy Capella, Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko, Capella, Fransiska Nangoy, Stanley Widianto, William Mallard Organizations: Miss Universe, REUTERS, Miss Universe Organization, Capella, Miss Universe Malaysia, Miss Universe Indonesia, Thomson Locations: New Orleans , Louisiana, U.S, JAKARTA, Malaysia, Jakarta, Miss Universe Indonesia, El Salvador

"The drought in this village has been felt since April, and there has been no rain until now. The wells in this area have dried out, so residents can only get water from the river bed," Sunardi, who only goes by one name, told Reuters. Tobacco can live, but it doesn't grow optimally, so we have to keep watering it with the river bed water too." Sunardi's village has been digging up the river bed since June, when the water in their wells ran out. "Even if the river here is completely dry, we'll have to find it wherever it is," he said.

Persons: Heru, It's, Sunardi, Ardhasena Sopaheluwakan, El, Tris Adi Sukoco, Budi Purwanto, Johan Purnomo, Stanley Widianto, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, El, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Grobogan, Central Java, Indonesia, El Nino, Karanganyar, Java, Kalimantan, Beijing, Rome

Sources said Biden's schedule for Asia is not official until it has been announced and could change. One senior diplomat referred to Indonesia having scheduled the ASEAN summits, which are normally held in November, for September, specifically to make is possible for Biden to attend and then go on to the G20. Sources said Biden was expected to send Vice President Kamala Harris in his place. Policy analysts said another no-show by Biden, who attended ASEAN meetings in Cambodia in November, would call that characterization into question. "Southeast Asia has been impressed that Washington under Biden has stepped up engagement with the region," Hiebert said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Jonathan Ernst WASHINGTON, Biden, we'll, Kamala Harris, Harris, Jonathan, Murray Hiebert, Hiebert, Ted Osius, Donald Trump, Barack Obama, David Brunnstrom, Simon Lewis, Michael Martina, Stanley Widianto, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, White, White House, Biden, U.S ., Southeast, Washington's Center, Strategic, International Studies, ASEAN Business Council, Democrat, Republican, Thomson Locations: Tusayan , Arizona, U.S, JAKARTA, Jakarta, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Washington, Asia, American, Papua New Guinea, Australia, ASEAN, Cambodia, Southeast Asia, East Asia

☆ Miss Universe Indonesia contestants complain of sexual harassment
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JAKARTA, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Six contestants of a Miss Universe Indonesia pageant have filed complaints with police accusing organisers of sexual harassment after they alleged they were subjected to topless "body checks", their lawyer said on Tuesday. The Miss Universe Organization said in a statement on Tuesday that it had been made aware of the allegations and it was looking into this matter. "Miss Universe takes allegations of sexual abuse and impropriety extremely seriously. Thai celebrity media tycoon and transgender rights advocate Jakapong “Anne” Jakrajutatip bought the Miss Universe Organization for $20 million last year. The contest run by the Miss Universe Organization, which was co-owned by Donald Trump between 1996 and 2002, has been running since 1952.

Persons: Mellisa, Poppy Capella, Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko, Jakapong, Anne ” Jakrajutatip, Donald Trump, Stanley Widianto, Ananda Teresia, Kate Lamb, Robert Birsel, Alex Richardson Organizations: Miss Universe Indonesia, . Police, Miss Universe Organization, Miss, Capella, Reuters, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesian, Jakarta, Indonesia, El Salvador

JAKARTA/HONG KONG, July 27 (Reuters) - TikTok said it has no plans to roll out a cross-border business in Indonesia as a government minister on Thursday expressed concerns over how reported plans for a new e-commerce push by the firm could flood the country with Chinese products. "We have no intent to create our own e-commerce product or become a retailer/wholesaler in Indonesia to compete with Indonesian sellers." The current localised TikTok Shop model "empowers and benefits" local sellers, and TikTok will continue with this approach, she added. The company said that its app has 325 million Southeast Asian users that are active every month while 125 million are in Indonesia. The company has said that there are 2 million small businesses on TikTok Shop in Indonesia.

Persons: TikTok, China's ByteDance, Masduki, Fiki, Temu, Anggini Setiawan, Shou Zi Chew, Stanley Widianto, Josh Ye, Brenda Goh, Conor Humphries Organizations: Reuters, Indonesia's, Cooperatives, Enterprises, PDD Holdings, U.S, of Communications, TikTok, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, HONG KONG, Indonesia, United States, Indonesian, Europe, TikTok Indonesia, Asia, Jakarta, Hong Kong

[1/7] Indonesian President Joko Widodo greets Cambodia's Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn during the Courtesy Call at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 14, 2023. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/PoolJAKARTA, July 14 (Reuters) - Foreign ministers of two dozen countries meet in Indonesia on Friday with U.S.-China rivalry, the war in Ukraine and North Korean missiles set to dominate roundtable talks in Southeast Asia's annual security gathering. In opening remarks to foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), chairman Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the gathering aimed to seek solutions rather than exacerbate regional and global problems. LAVROV: WESTERN 'DOMINATION'The 10-member ASEAN hosts an East Asia Summit on Friday morning before holding a separate meeting with Blinken. China's Wang also met with Lavrov, and said the two sides would "strengthen strategic communication and coordination".

Persons: Joko Widodo, Prak Sokhonn, Antony Blinken, Wang Yi, Nancy Pelosi, Matthew Miller, Wang, Blinken, Sergei Lavrov, China's Wang, Lavrov, Myanmar's, Martin Petty, Michael Perry Organizations: Cambodia's, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, REUTERS, U.S, North Korean, Friday's ASEAN Regional Forum, ASEAN, State Department, ARF, enraging, Washington, Department, U.S . Navy, East Asia Summit, United Nations Security Council, Russian, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, JAKARTA, China, Ukraine, North, United States, Russia, Taiwan, enraging Beijing, LAVROV, Australia, Japan, Britain, South Korea, Myanmar

☆ ASEAN struggles for unity on Myanmar conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The cause of the delay was unclear but an ASEAN official said a communique was being finalised and would be released soon. ASEAN chair Indonesia on Wednesday urged the group's foreign ministers to remain united in tackling the escalating violence in Myanmar. Malaysia, a vocal critic of the junta, urged ASEAN to strongly condemn the junta's actions, including violence. RIFTS APPARENTRifts within ASEAN over Myanmar were highlighted when Thailand invited Myanmar military officials to a meeting last month aimed at "re-engaging" with the junta. Indonesia, as ASEAN chair this year, is working behind the scenes to bring all stakeholders in the Myanmar conflict together for informal talks, but diplomats say it is struggling to make headway.

Persons: Zambry Abdul Kadir, Antony Blinken, Wang Yi, Don Pramudwinai, Don, Myanmar's, Aung San, Aung San Suu Kyi, Malaysia's Zambry, Suu Kyi's, Kate Lamb, Stanley Widianto, Kanupriya Kapoor, Rob Birsel, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Myanmar's, Association for Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, Junta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Myanmar, Thai Foreign, National Unity Government, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Jakarta, Myanmar, Malaysia, United States, China, Russia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Aung San Suu, Naypyitaw

[1/5] Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi delivers her opening remarks during a retreat session of the 56th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Minister's Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/PoolJAKARTA, July 12 (Reuters) - ASEAN foreign ministers on Wednesday called for regional unity in addressing an intensifying conflict in Myanmar, amid doubts over the bloc's capability to implement a two-year-old peace process that has yet to get off the ground. Retno's remarks come after a Thai-led meeting last month attended by Myanmar's military leaders who have been barred from high-level ASEAN meetings. Most ASEAN members shunned that meeting, which Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai defended, saying Thailand was suffering in terms of its border, trade and refugee problems. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Wednesday said the agreed peace plan should remain ASEAN's focus.

Persons: Retno Marsudi, Don Pramudwinai, Don, Aung San, Aung San Suu Kyi, Suu Kyi, Rizal Sukma, Sukma, Kanupriya Kapoor, Martin Petty, Michael Perry Organizations: Indonesian, 56th Association of Southeast Asian Nations, REUTERS, ASEAN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Indonesia's, United Nations, Thai Foreign, Centre, Strategic, International Studies, Friday's East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, JAKARTA, Myanmar, ASEAN, Thai, Thailand, Aung San Suu, China, Philippines, Vietnam, South China, Friday's, United States, Russia

July 11 (Reuters) - China's foreign minister Qin Gang will not attend a diplomatic gathering in Indonesia this week for health reasons, a spokesman for his ministry said on Tuesday. Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China are scheduled to meet on Thursday, before Friday's East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum. "State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang cannot attend this ASEAN ministerial meeting because of health reasons," spokesman Wang Wenbin said. Qin, 57, took over from Wang as foreign minister in December and was last seen in public on June 25 in Beijing after meeting officials from Sri Lanka, Russia and Vietnam. Wang Yi, who is the foreign policy chief for the Chinese Communist Party, ranks above Qin, who as the foreign minister is the government's foreign policy chief.

Persons: Qin Gang, Wang Yi, Wang Wenbin, Wang, Qin, Josep Borrell, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Yew Lun Tian, Karen Lema, Stanley Widianto, Martin Petty, John Geddie, Robert Birsel Organizations: Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, Friday's East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional, Politico, European Union, EU, U.S, Chinese Communist Party, Thomson Locations: Indonesia, China, Jakarta, Wang, Beijing, Sri Lanka, Russia, Vietnam, Washington, Manila

☆ Myanmar crisis, South China Sea tensions loom over ASEAN meet
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Kate Lamb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JAKARTA, July 11 (Reuters) - Southeast Asia's top diplomats will gather in Indonesia on Tuesday amid pressure to address a bloody political crisis in Myanmar and resolve tensions in the South China Sea where some ASEAN members have overlapping territorial claims with China. The meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comes as doubts mount over the credibility and unity of the bloc in dealing with the region's thorniest challenges. Indonesia is also seeking during this week's forum to accelerate talks on a long-stalled code of conduct on the South China Sea. More than $3 trillion in trade passes through the South China Sea each year, and overlapping territorial claims by China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei have led to a spate of confrontations. ASEAN will also hold the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum later this week, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov both slated to attend.

Persons: Human Rights Volker Turk, Retno Marsudi, Antony Blinken, Sergei Lavrov, Stanley Widianto, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: ASEAN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, United, United Nations, Human Rights, . Security, International Criminal Court, East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum, U.S, Russia's, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Myanmar, South China, China, ASEAN, United Nations, Jakarta, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei

The World Health Organization is working with countries to investigate the global pharmaceutical supply chain for such syrups. Andika Urrasyidin, lead police investigator of the case, told Reuters police have called in "many" BPOM officials for questioning, and the investigation is still underway. Hersadwi Rusdiyono, the director of Indonesia's national police's crimes detection unit, said BPOM officials were brought in as witnesses, but investigators are now checking if any wrongdoing was committed by drug regulators. "We asked them according to their functions, as regulators, whether they've conducted supervision and what kind of supervision," he told Reuters. Hersadwi said the probe so far has focused on staff at lower levels and not included BPOM'S chief, Penny Lukito.

Persons: Urrasyidin, Hersadwi Rusdiyono, they've, Hersadwi, Penny Lukito, Penny, BPOM, Tirta Buana Kemindo, Stanley Widianto, Miyoung Kim, Sara Ledwith, Michele Gershberg Organizations: Reuters, World Health Organization, Police, Afi, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Gambia, Uzbekistan, BPOM

☆ Indonesia moves site of ASEAN military drills away from South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JAKARTA, June 22 (Reuters) - Indonesia has changed where it will host ASEAN's first-ever joint military exercise to a location away from the South China Sea where several countries including China have overlapping territorial claims, its military said on Thursday. The non-combat drills for members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were originally set to take place in the southernmost waters of the South China Sea, which are also claimed by Beijing. But the September 18-25 exercise will now be moved out of the strategic waterway altogether to the South Natuna Sea in Indonesian waters, said military spokesperson Julius Widjojono. ASEAN's unity has for years been tested by a rivalry between the United States and China that is being played out in the South China Sea, a conduit for about $3.5 trillion of annual ship-borne trade. China claims sovereignty over the area via an expansive 'nine-dash line' based on its historic maps, which an international arbitration court in 2016 ruled had no legal basis.

Persons: ASEAN's, Julius Widjojono, Stanley Widianto, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, Beijing, Myanmar's, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, South China, China, Beijing, Batam, Malacca Strait, United States, Vietnam, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar

JAKARTA, June 21 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian neighbours of conflict-riven Myanmar must consider imposing measures to hold its military rulers accountable, a United Nations expert said on Wednesday, adding the bloc is "deadlocked" over how to resolve the ongoing crisis. "It is time to consider alternative options to break what has become a deadly stalemate," he said at a press conference in Jakarta. "ASEAN must consider measures to impose accountability on the junta for its grave human rights violations and blatant disregard for implementation of the Five-Point Consensus." In November, an ASEAN leaders' summit issued a warning to Myanmar's junta and concluded a need for "concrete, practical and measurable indicators with a specific timeline." Andrews said the meeting in Thailand "can have the dangerous effect of legitimising the junta and undermining ASEAN unity".

Persons: Thomas Andrews, Andrews, Stanley Widianto, Kanupriya Kapoor, Lincoln Organizations: United, United Nations, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Myanmar, United Nations, Jakarta, U.S, Indonesia, Thailand

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