The prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand will meet face-to-face for the first time in 15 months on Sunday, amid signs of division between the neighbours on how to manage relations with China.Scott Morrison and Jacinda Ardern will meet in Queenstown for discussions that are expected to touch on their differing approaches to China as Western countries including the United States ramp up coordination to pressure Beijing on human rights and security concerns.Ardern said earlier this month…
Philippines lodges protest over China’s ‘illegal’ South China Sea presence and activities
The Philippines has lodged a protest over China’s continuing “illegal presence and activities” near an island in the South China Sea held by the Southeast Asian nation, the foreign ministry said on Saturday.Manila lodged the diplomatic protest on Friday over the “incessant deployment, prolonged presence, and illegal activities of Chinese maritime assets and fishing vessels” in the vicinity of Thitu island. It demanded that China withdraw the vessels.The Chinese embassy in Manila did not…
Coronavirus: Antony Blinken says US and India united in tackling pandemic
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday the United States and India are united in trying to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic together and Washington wants to make sure it takes action to help India with its current coronavirus crisis.Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who has spent the past week in the United States seeking help amid a devastating second wave of infections at home, told reporters while standing with Blinken at the State Department that India is grateful to…
Western Australia security of payment reforms set to create subcontractor uncertainty
A proposed new security of payment regime in Western Australia would not improve on existing legislation designed to ensure construction subcontractors are paid in a timely fashion for the work they carry out and protect them in the event of an insolvency higher up the supply chain.
Singapore court clarifies conditions for granting post-judgment Mareva injunction
The Singapore Court of Appeal has confirmed for the first time the conditions required to grant a freezing injunction after a judgment has been made against the subject of the injunction. The clarification came in the recent case of JTrust Asia Pte Ltd v Group Lease Holdings Pte Ltd and others.
Dutch court orders Shell to speed up emissions cuts
Royal Dutch Shell (Shell) must cut its global carbon emissions by 45% compared to 2019 levels by 2030, a court in the Netherlands has ruled.
‘Midnight deadline’ decision highlights need to file court claims in time
The UK Supreme Court has clarified that the six-year period for filing a professional negligence action against a defendant which had negligently missed a midnight deadline includes the day immediately following that deadline.
Myanmar sentences 28 people to 20 years in jail for torching Chinese-run factories
A Myanmar military tribunal has sentenced 28 people to 20 years in jail with hard labour for arson attacks on two factories, state media reported, after a string of mainly Chinese-financed businesses were torched during unrest in Yangon in March.The army-run Myawady news portal said the offenders had targeted a shoe plant and a garment factory in the industrial Hlaing Tharyar suburb of Myanmar’s biggest city.Martial law was imposed in the suburb after the blazes, with dozens killed or wounded…
Confucius Institutes at Australian universities could be the next casualty of strained Beijing-Canberra ties
When the University of Adelaide launched its Confucius Institute in partnership with Shandong University in 2007, Australia’s foreign minister Alexander Downer oversaw the opening ceremony.The Chinese cultural centre was not only uncontroversial, it was welcomed across the board, former director Mobo Gao recalled.“Politicians on both sides, the business community, the education sector and culture sector all collaborated with us and they all liked our programmes,” said Gao, who ran the institute…
UK government confirms changes to supply chain plans for renewable energy projects
The UK government will have the ability to withdraw or terminate a contract for difference (CfD) if a developer fails to deliver an acceptable supply chain implementation statement (SCIS) under changes to the renewables auction scheme.