Hi all,

In today’s bulletin:

Australia complains about China’s ‘economic coercion’ threat & Filipinos about Beijing’s veiled message in a music video, China and India emerge as the world’s 2nd and 3rd biggest military spenders, Muslims mark the beginning of Ramadan, e-sports finds more enthusiasts in Covid-19 times, how the workplace will change, and more. 

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AUSTRALIA REJECTS CHINESE ‘ECONOMIC COERCION’ THREAT; FILIPINOS UPSET OVER CHINA’S MUSIC VIDEO ON COVID-19 HELP FOR PHILIPPINES

Ties with China are in the spotlight, as countries continue to battle the coronavirus outbreak.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne cautioned China against attempts at ‘economic coercion’ after the Chinese ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye said in a newspaper interview today (Monday) that the ‘Chinese public’ could avoid Australian products and universities.

The ambassador’s interview follows Canberra’s call to all members of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to support an independent investigation into the origins and spread of the virus that China opposes.

In the Philippines, a music video on China’s efforts to help the country contain the virus earned the ire of some Filipinos who saw it as a veiled attempt by Beijing to reassert its claims over the South China Sea. Philippines Correspondent Raul Dancel explains why.

Earlier, Japan announced support measures to encourage domestic companies to decouple their supply chains from China, especially those in high value-added manufacturing. 

Meanwhile, China, which has come a long way in containing the pandemic within its own country, continued with its efforts to support moves to do the same elsewhere. It announced late last week that Beijing would donate another US$30 million (S$43 million) to the WHO to help in the fight against the pandemic, days after the United States said it would freeze its funding.

We’re tracking coronavirus’ impact on regional ties. Read below for more: 

Ravi Velloor: Risks of putting all eggs in China basket

Benjamin Kang Lim: Looming exit of US, Japan manufacturers adds to Chinese woes

CHINA, INDIA AMONG WORLD’S BIGGEST MILITARY SPENDERS

Global military expenditure reached a new high in 2019 with China and India figuring in the list of the world’s top 3 military spenders after the United States, a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) showed. The global military spending is at its highest point since the end of the Cold War, a SIPRI researcher said.

Washington spent US$732 billion in 2019, a 5.3 per cent increase over that in 2018. This alone accounts for 38 percent of global spending. 2019 marked the second year of growth in US military spending after seven years of decline.

For the first time, two Asian countries were among the top three, with China and India spending an estimated US$261 billion (up 5.1 per cent) and US$71.1 billion (up 6.8 per cent) respectively, the report said.

CORONAVIRUS CHANGES RAMADAN FOR MUSLIMS BUT NOT THE SPIRIT

Muslims are adapting to a new normal during Ramadan with movement restrictions in place in many countries in the region, but the spirit remains alive.

In a village in West Java, Indonesia, a group of youth walk through their village in the wee hours of the morning to wake their neighbours for sahur, the last morning meal before their fast from dawn to dusk. 

In Malaysia, many food traders are selling their food and juices via online platforms called e-bazaars following a ban on Ramadan bazaars due to the virus outbreak. While in India, many are planning to celebrate online with their families and friends, and hoping that the Covid-19 situation in their countries will improve in time to mark the end of the fasting month.

Read more: 

Pakistan bows to pressure, allows prayers at mosques

Fighting Covid-19 in the spirit of Ramadan

In Pictures: Muslims around the world begin the month of Ramadan amid coronavirus pandemic

AMID THE GLOOM, IT’S E-SPORTS BOOM TIME

Stadiums and sports arenas may have fallen silent because of the pandemic, but e-sports and gaming is booming with both players and spectators turning to screens, for a game.

Twitch, one of the world’s biggest streaming platforms for gamers, is estimated to have grown its audience by 31 per cent in March. Steam, a video game digital distribution service, hit an all-time record of concurrent users on April 3 and 4, with over 24 million users. 

Analytics and market research firm Newzoo says the global e-sports revenues will grow to US$1.1 billion (S$1.57 billion) in 2020, a 15.7 per cent growth from the previous year. But there’s a long training process to go through, for those wanting to be world champions.

Also read: 

Gamescom Asia to keep Oct dates despite Covid-19 concerns

Five free-to-play games while waiting out the coronavirus

RETURNING TO A DIFFERENT WORKPLACE AFTER THE PANDEMIC

One day, the pandemic will be over. But given that there is no certainty about that date yet, companies will re-examine how they want their workplaces to be and new norms that should be in place. Temperature checks could become a daily mandatory exercise, masks could become a fashion statement, coming in to work with a flu could be considered a disciplinary offence and businesses could shift towards remote deployment, writes Associate Editor Ven Sreenivasan.

Also read:  

Your office will not be the same – architects, designers on what the post Covid-19 workplace will look like

IN OTHER NEWS

KIM’S OKAY SAYS SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is “alive and well”, a top security adviser to the South’s President Moon Jae in said, downplaying rumours over Kim’s health following his absence from a key anniversary. Moon Chung-in, the official, told CNN that Kim had been staying in Wonsan – a resort town in the country’s east – since April 13, adding: “No suspicious movements have so far been detected.”

JAPAN’S LDP SCORES ELECTION VICTORY: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) scored a convincing special election victory, indicating the opposition has failed to capitalise on criticism of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Yoichi Fukazawa, 43, an LDP member and former regional assemblyman, won election for a lower house parliamentary seat representing Shizuoka prefecture on Sunday, easily beating a rival backed by four opposition parties.

NEW ANTI-VIRAL COATING: Researchers at a Hong Kong university say they have developed an anti-viral coating which could provide 90 days of “significant” protection against bacteria and viruses such as the one causing Covid-19. The coating, called MAP-1, took 10 years to develop and can be sprayed on surfaces that are frequently used by the public, such as lift buttons and handrails, researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) say.

That’s it for today. Thanks for reading. Stay safe and we’ll be back with you tomorrow. 

Shefali

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