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Japan is asking universities for greater scrutiny of foreign students and scholars to prevent technology leaks to places like China, partly for its own national security but also to safeguard exchanges with U.S. and European universities. While many Western countries have measures to prevent espionage on their campuses with strict screening and penalties for breaches, experts say Japan has been a weak link given its often-unchecked embrace of foreign students. A string of U.S. arrests of Chinese academics in recent years over suspicion of spying was a wake-up call for Japan, officials say. "Around the world, export controls are getting more stringent on foreign nations like China," said a Japanese trade ministry official who helps colleges develop ways to monitor high-risk technology transfers and students. "We want Japanese universities to be trusted for their security and trade controls so that joint research with the United States or Europe can continue," said the official, … [Read more...] about With eye on China, and U.S. ties, Japan’s universities to screen foreigners

"The United States and Japan, together with 11 other nations will be launching" the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, or IPEF, Biden said at a press conference alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. "This framework is a commitment to working with our close friends and partners in the region on challenges that matter most to ensuring economic competitiveness in the 21st century," he said. Biden was due to make a formal rollout of the framework later Monday. He did not say what countries had already signed up to IPEF, which the White House is billing as a framework for what will ultimately become a tight-knit group of trading nations. Unlike traditional trade blocs, there is no plan for IPEF members to negotiate tariffs and ease market access -- a tool that has become increasingly unpalatable to U.S. voters fearful of undermining homegrown manufacturing. Instead, the program foresees integrating partners through agreed standards in four main areas: the … [Read more...] about Biden says 13 countries to join new Asia-Pacific trade framework

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam (second from left) attends the session. (Photo: VNA) Guided by the theme “A common agenda to advance sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific”, the annual session brought together leaders, senior government officials and about 700 representatives of 51 countries and territories which are ESCAP members, and President of the UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. In his speech, Deputy PM Dam underlined the special meaning of this year’s session which marks the 75th founding anniversary of ESCAP, and upheld the Commission’s contributions to socio-economic development of the region which have lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty and seen the development of some of the world’s large and most dynamic economies. At the  78th session of ESCAP (Photo: VNA) He expressed a concern that countries, particularly developing ones, are struggling with the huge multi-faceted impacts of the Covid-19 … [Read more...] about Deputy PM addresses 78th session of ESCAP

GENEVA — The World Economic Forum’s Community of Chief Economists expects lower economic activity, higher inflation, lower real wages and greater food insecurity globally in 2022, pointing to the devastating human consequences of the fragmentation of the global economy. Reversing previous expectations for recovery, the majority of respondents to the latest survey expect only a moderate economic outlook in the United States, China, Latin America, South Asia and Pacific, East Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and North Africa in 2022. In Europe, the majority expect the economic outlook to be weak. The choices of both business and government are expected to lead to greater fragmentation in the global economy and unprecedented shifts in supply chains, creating a perfect storm of volatility and uncertainty. These patterns are expected to create further difficult trade-offs and choices for policy-makers, and – without greater coordination – shocking human costs. These are the … [Read more...] about Chief economists outlook warns of dire human consequences from the fragmentation of the global economy

Retail prices of petrol in Vietnam rose by nearly VND700 to more than VND30,000/litre on May 23, setting a new record in the domestic petrol market. Vietnam's petrol prices rise to an all-time high over almost 10 years. Illustrative photo by Dantri The latest price adjustments unveiled by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and the Ministry of Finance saw common petrol RON95-III reach VND30,657 per litre, marking a VND669 increase compared to the previous adjustments 12 days ago. Similarly, petrol E5RON92 also rose VND674 to be capped at VND29,633 per litre. Meanwhile, diesel was traded at VND25,553 per litre, representing a decline of VND1,097. The price of kerosene stood at VND24,450 per litre, down nearly VND763, and mazut was also adjusted down by VND962 to VND20,598 per kg. Following the latest price changes, the two ministries decided to stop using the petrol price stabilisation fund to subsidise prices of E5RON92 and RON95. However, they … [Read more...] about Retail petrol prices keep rising, set new record

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai (first on the left) is investigating the construction site of Provincial Road No.910 in Can Tho City. (Photo: SGGP) The Transport Ministry reported that the land compensation step in the first stage of the mega North-South Expressway project has finished. However, some technical infrastructure has not been fully moved. The total expense for construction until now has reached VND20,087 billion ($867 million), accounting for 35.4 percent of the contract value, and 0.7 percent later than the planned one. The disbursement volume for the four projects to be completed this year is 53.4 percent of the contract value, which is 2.6 percent later than expected. In the Southern region, the 21-kilometer coastal road project from Rach Gia City to Hon Dat District of Kien Giang Province has the total investment of VND600 billion ($26 million), and is planned to complete two years after its commencement date of January 2020. Since the construction work is … [Read more...] about VN determinedly stops slow public investment projects