Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Friday her country is willing to resume talks with South Korea if it doesn’t provoke the North with hostile policies and double standards.

Kim Yo Jong’s statement was a response to South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s renewed calls for a declaration to end the 1950-53 Korean War as a way to bring back peace. Her proposal also came days after North Korea performed its first missile tests in six months and South Korea performed its first test of a submarine-launched missile.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 (NNN-Bernama) — Saudi women have received significant attention under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to empower them in various fields.

In an article made available to Bernama in conjunction with Saudi’s 91st National Day on Sept 23, the Media Affairs Department of Saudi Arabia’s Embassy in Malaysia said that Saudi women have achieved qualitative success scientifically, economically, politically and socially.

Social, economic and civil reforms for Saudi women began in 2015, a year before the launching of Vision 2030 by the Kingdom.

BEIJING, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Washington Post has questioned whether President Joe Biden's foreign policy is a faithful continuation of Donald Trump's and a repudiation of Barack Obama's.

In an opinion piece in the paper, columnist Fareed Zakaria raised the question after "almost eight months of watching policies, rhetoric and crises."

"...Many foreign observers have been surprised - even shocked - to discover that," wrote Zakaria.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan has applied to join an 11-nation Pacific trade group, Cabinet officials said Thursday, setting up a potential clash with rival Beijing over the status of the island democracy.

Taiwan’s application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership might be disrupted if China, which applied last week, is admitted first, said John Deng, a minister without portfolio.

BANGKOK (AP) — With increasingly strong talk in support of Taiwan, a new deal to supply Australia with nuclear submarines, and the launch of a European strategy for greater engagement in the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. and its allies are becoming growingly assertive in their approach toward a rising China.

SHANGHAI, September 22. /TASS/: The cooperation between Moscow and Beijing continues to strengthen in a progressive manner, notwithstanding the COVID-19 restrictions, Russian Ambassador to China Andrei Denisov said on Wednesday.

MANILA, Sept 22 (NNN-PNA) – Philippine President, Rodrigo Duterte, today condemned the rich countries’ “selfish” plan, to hoard COVID-19 vaccines, while poor and developing nations are experiencing vaccine drought.

“There is a man-made drought of vaccines ravaging poor countries,” Duterte said, in a pre-recorded virtual address at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

“Rich countries hoard life-saving vaccines, while poor nations wait for trickles,” he added.

BEIJING, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday expressed grave concern over the cooperation between the United States, the UK and Australia on nuclear submarines, stating that it deliberately escalates regional tensions, provokes an arms race, threatens regional peace and stability, and undermines international nuclear non-proliferation efforts.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The popular mayor of the Philippine capital said Wednesday he will run for president in next year’s elections, the latest aspirant in what is expected to be a crowded race to succeed the controversial Rodrigo Duterte.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysia is taking a cautious stand and is monitoring the latest developments in Afghanistan following the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban last Aug 15, before deciding on the recognition for the interim government, said Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah.

He noted so far the Taliban interim government has not been recognised by any country, including by Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries.