South Korea’s Joongang Ilbo, citing “a source familiar” with China-North Korea relations, reported Wednesday that dictator Kim Jong-un requested Chinese economic investment in his country during his most recent summit with counterpart Xi Jinping. The report is the latest in a string that appears to show concerted efforts by North Korean leaders to persuade foreign powers to pay for the reconstruction of their country, ravaged by over 60 years of strict communist leadership.While China is run by the Communist Party, it allows foreign investment that benefits the regime, strictly regulating it to ensure that there is no free market, which could result in unintended beneficiaries Beijing cannot control. According to North Korea’s state-run news agencies, Kim Jong-un told the leadership of his Workers’ Party in April that Pyongyang would shift its focus away from the development of nuclear weapons and “concentrate all efforts of the whole party and … [Read more...] about Report: Kim Jong-Un Urging China to Invest in Special ‘Economic Zones’
Visakhapatnam special economic zone
Quang Ninh plays the “big game” with Van Don Economic Zone
The transportation infrastructure projects connecting Van Don Special Administrative-Economic Zone (Van Don SAEZ) are being implemented under the PPP form and make an ideal case study for successful development. Opening doors to the world Van Don International Airport is one of the few projects receiving positive comments from the leading construction experts of the State Check and Acceptance Board. According to Notice No.32/TB-HDNTNN published on December 19, the board accepted the completed Van Don International Airport, including landing and take-off lines, runways, beacon system, flight zone, specialised equipment, power supply, and air traffic tower. Auxiliary items such as a garden and drainage have also been completed by contractors, satisfying design requirements as well as technical standards. After checking Van Don International Airport on Saturday, the board said that work had been completed, meeting the design quality and technical standards to be fully eligible for … [Read more...] about Quang Ninh plays the “big game” with Van Don Economic Zone
Vietnam jails six for economic zone protest clashes
HANOI (Reuters) – A court in central Vietnam on Thursday jailed six Vietnamese for clashing with police during last month’s nationwide protests over new economic zones and feared dominance of Chinese investors. The court in Binh Thuan province handed down prison sentences of between two and two and a half years for “disturbing public order”, the Ministry of Public Security said in a statement on its website. The six hurled bottles, bricks and petrol bombs at police during the protests on June 11, according to the statement. Their lawyers were not immediately available for comment. The protests, by thousands of people in several cities, were fuelled by concerns that a draft law to develop economic zones offering land leases of up to 99 years would be dominated by investors from China, a neighbour with which Vietnam has a rocky history. Police have detained dozens of people following the protests, including in the economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City and the capital, … [Read more...] about Vietnam jails six for economic zone protest clashes
Concerns abound over special zone’s autonomy: NA
Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — The latest revision of the draft law for special administrative and economic zones absorbed feedback and made changes to several items including planning and organisation of the special zone’s government, according to lawmakers. Most National Assembly deputies agreed the revision was a positive step during yesterday’s meeting to review items to be submitted to the fifth plenary session of the 14th National Assembly. The two draft laws selected to be reviewed yesterday were the law on special administrative-economic zones Vân Đồn, Bắc Vân Phong, Phú Quốc, and the law on cyber security, which according to the meeting’s president, NA Deputy Chairman Uông Chu Lưu, are two important and very technical laws that deal with modern concepts. “This meeting was a chance for specialist NA deputies to contribute their wisdom to raising the quality of laws, helping bring high consensus … [Read more...] about Concerns abound over special zone’s autonomy: NA
GMS leaders reaffirm commitment to enhancing economic cooperation
The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to the advancement of GMS Economic Cooperation Programme and continuing support for the principles underlying the GMS Framework and encourage all stakeholders to begin considering the way forward to address the gap between the success of the past 25 years and full realization of a sustainable, integrated and prosperous subregion. Heads of delegations at the GMS 6 in Hanoi on March 31 They made the reaffirmation in a Joint Statement adopted at the sixth GMS Summit held in Hanoi on March 31. The following is the full text of the Joint Statement. THE SIXTH GREATER MEKONG SUBREGION SUMMIT Hanoi, Vietnam 31 March 2018 Joint Summit Declaration Leveraging 25 Years of Cooperation for a Sustainable, Integrated and Prosperous GMS WE, the Heads … [Read more...] about GMS leaders reaffirm commitment to enhancing economic cooperation