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Jumat, 21 Agustus 2020

Hong Kong to begin mass COVID-19 testing on Sep 1, says Carrie Lam - CNA

HONG KONG: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Friday (Aug 21) that mass testing of residents for COVID-19 will begin on Sep 1, as she warned people not to be complacent despite a steady fall in the number of new infections.

The testing, which will be done with the assistance of a 60-person team from the mainland, is the first time Chinese health officials have assisted the special administrative region in its battle to control the epidemic.

According to the government's COVID-19 website, the city has reported more than 4,600 COVID-19 cases and 75 deaths.

The testing will be voluntary and take around two weeks to complete, Lam said.

"There will be a substantial boosting of the testing capacity in the public and private sector, a more than 10-fold increase."

On Monday, the government announced an extension to social distancing measures aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19.

These restrictions include a ban on dining at restaurants from 6pm, and the mandating of masks in all outdoor public areas. They are set to remain in force until Aug 25.

READ: After COVID-19 dining ban, takeaway waste clogs Hong Kong's pavements, parks and waterways

"In extending the social distancing measures, the government has balanced the ... competing factors of public health protection, economic impact and social acceptance," said a food and health bureau spokesperson on Monday.

"At present, the severe epidemic situation does not allow any room to relax social distancing measures."

EXPANDED TESTING FOR SOME GROUPS

A spokesperson for the food and health bureau appealed for people's continued cooperation and reassured them of the government's containment efforts.

"We understand that people are getting impatient over the prolonged quasi-lockdowns and they wish to start resuming social and economic activities. However, it is not yet the time for relaxation and there is no room for complacency in epidemic control," he said.

Surveillance and testing have been ramped up significantly, with more than 700,000 tests conducted since early July, compared to about 350,000 tests from January to June.

READ: Commentary: Now is not the time to relax - a scientist's plea on coronavirus restrictions

Hong Kong will expand testing for high-risk and high-exposure target groups, which started in mid-July, he added.

These include elderly home employees, taxi and public light bus drivers, restaurant and market stall workers, frontline property management staff members, and foreign domestic helpers staying in boarding facilities.

Testing and quarantine arrangements for air and sea crew members have also been tightened.

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2020-08-21 08:07:19Z
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Kamis, 20 Agustus 2020

Biden to accept Democratic nomination, lay out vision for post-Trump America - The Straits Times

WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - Joe Biden will speak directly to Americans about his plan to unite a country battered by the coronavirus pandemic and economic misery on Thursday (Aug 20) as he accepts the Democratic nomination to challenge President Donald Trump in the Nov 3 US election.

Biden's speech on the fourth and final night of the Democratic National Convention will be a high point of a half-century in the public eye for the former US senator and vice-president, who fared poorly in two previous runs for the White House in 1988 and 2008.

It will conclude a nominating convention that was held virtually because of the pandemic, with the party's biggest names, rising stars and even prominent Republicans lining up via video to support Biden and attest to the urgency of ending what they called Trump's chaotic presidency.

The day brought new fodder for the Biden campaign to highlight that chaos. Steve Bannon, an architect of Trump's 2016 election victory, was arrested on fraud charges, while in New York a judge ruled Trump cannot block a prosecutor's subpoena for eight years of his tax returns.

"Donald Trump has run the most corrupt administration in American history," Kate Bedingfield, Biden's deputy campaign manager, told reporters.

Trump on Thursday denied knowing about the organisation linked to Bannon's arrest, which had sought donations to help build a wall on the US-Mexico border that was Trump's signature 2016 campaign promise.

"I feel very badly. I haven't been dealing with him for a long period of time," Trump said. He also appealed the decision on his tax returns.

Biden's vice-presidential choice, Kamala Harris, the first Black woman and Asian American on a major presidential ticket, accepted her nomination on Wednesday and accused Trump of failed leadership that had cost lives and livelihoods.

A BREAK WITH TRADITION

Biden, 77, heads into the general election campaign with a clear and steady lead in opinion polls over Trump, 74, who will accept the Republican nomination for a second White House term at his own convention next week.

Democrats have worked to expand Biden's support during the convention, particularly by showcasing prominent Republican supporters such as former US Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Ohio Governor John Kasich, as well as Americans who voted for Trump in 2016 but now blame him for the economic and health toll of the pandemic.

The acceptance speech will give Biden his biggest audience since he was largely sidelined from the campaign trail by the pandemic in March.

He will speak directly to camera in a mostly empty event centre in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, not in front of a roaring crowd of convention delegates, adding to the unusual nature of a convention conducted remotely through video feeds.

US Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, a close Biden ally, said he expected the speech would be focused on unity, not Trump.

"He recognises this isn't about Donald Trump. It's not about Joe Biden. It's about us, and it's about who's going to move us forward in a way that reminds us of the best in America, not the worst," Coons said.

Trump has campaigned across the country to offer counter-programming to the Democrats, a break with tradition in which candidates limit their activities during their opponents' conventions.

The president held a campaign event on Thursday near Biden's birthplace of Scranton in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, where he slammed his Democratic challenger's long record in government.

"Biden is no friend of Pennsylvania," Trump said, arguing his opponent backed policies that Trump said had cost some workers their jobs, including global trade deals, the Paris climate accord and clean energy plans.

'HATE AND DIVISIONS'

Other scheduled convention speakers on Thursday include Biden's 2020 primary rival, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, along with Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and US Senator Tammy Duckworth, both of whom were on Biden's short list of possible running mates.

"Every American must now decide. Can America be a place where faith is about healing and not exclusion? Can we become a country that lives up to the truth that Black lives matter?" Buttigieg will ask, according to excerpts of his speech.

Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg is also set to speak, to the dismay of some former staffers for his own short-lived presidential campaign. They argue his broken pledge to keep them employed through November was a mockery of the Democratic Party's platform on workers' rights.

Biden, who became a US senator from Delaware in 1973 before becoming Obama's vice-president, captured the nomination by convincing Democratic primary voters he was the best bet to beat Trump.

Despite questions about his age and criticism of his moderate stances in a party that has lurched leftward, he was able to quickly unite the Democrats' sometimes fractious progressive and moderate wings with the goal of defeating Trump.

His last primary rival, US Senator Bernie Sanders, ended his campaign in April, and on Monday urged his supporters to back Biden, saying he would end the "hate and divisions" fostered by Trump.

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2020-08-20 22:57:51Z
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Russia to test COVID-19 vaccine on 40000 people - CNA

MOSCOW: Russia said on Thursday (Aug 20) it would start clinical trials of its controversial coronavirus vaccine next week, involving tens of thousands of people.

President Vladimir Putin said earlier this month that Russia had become the first country to register a coronavirus vaccine, though the announcement was met with caution from scientists and the World Health Organization who said it still needed a rigorous safety review.

Russia's sovereign wealth fund, which finances the vaccine project, said in a statement Thursday that tests of the "immunogenicity and safety of the Sputnik V vaccine" will begin next week involving more than 40,000 people.

It said the tests were the equivalent of the Phase 3 trials that other vaccines are undergoing.

Kirill Dmitriyev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, told an online briefing that the vaccination of at-risk groups, including medical personnel, would also start next week on a voluntary basis.

More than 20 countries have made requests to purchase over a billion doses of the vaccine, he said, adding that Russia had agreements with several countries to produce it.

He said mass vaccinations in Russia are expected to start in October and the first foreign deliveries in November or December.

The vaccine - named after the pioneering 1950s Soviet satellite - was announced with much fanfare in Russia but drew warnings from Western scientists that Moscow may be moving too quickly.

Dmitriyev said scepticism was starting to wane.

"We have seen a significant change in tone from the WHO. At first, yes, they did not have enough information on the Russian vaccine, now official information has been sent and they will evaluate it," he said.

But he added: "We do not see any obstacle for individual regulators to approve the Russian vaccine without the approval of the WHO."

Russia had registered more than 942,000 confirmed coronavirus infections as of Thursday, the fourth-highest number after the United States, Brazil and India, and more than 16,000 deaths.

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2020-08-20 21:20:16Z
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PM Lee, China's top diplomat express appreciation for mutual support during COVID-19 pandemic - CNA

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi on Thursday (Aug 20) expressed appreciation for the mutual support between Singapore and China during the COVID-19 pandemic, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

Mr Yang, Director of China's Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs and a member of the Communist Party Politburo, is on a visit in Singapore from Wednesday to Friday.

In a meeting on Thursday, Mr Lee and Mr Yang affirmed the strong ties between Singapore and China, said MFA in a press statement. This year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and China.

"They also expressed appreciation for the mutual support between Singapore and China during the COVID-19 pandemic, and welcomed the continued good progress in bilateral cooperation in spite of COVID-19," the ministry said.

Mr Lee and Mr Yang also exchanged views on global and regional developments and reaffirmed the importance of strengthening cooperation within a rules-based international order, said MFA.

PM Lee Hsien Loong Yang Jiechi China Singapore visit meeting Aug 20 2020 — Politburo member and Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office Director Yang Jiechi called on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana on 20 Aug, 2020. (Photo: MCI)

Mr Lee said in a Facebook post on Thursday night that he had a "fruitful meeting" with Mr Yang.

"Despite the ongoing pandemic, it’s a good feeling to return to some semblance of normalcy," said Mr Lee.

He also expressed hope that the "fast lane" arrangement for essential business and official travel between both countries will be able to be expanded to include more places "if the situation stays under control". The arrangement currently covers six Chinese provinces and municipalities.

"Our ties with China are substantial and multi-faceted. I am confident that by working with each other and with the international community, we can make more progress in the post-COVID world," said Mr Lee.

READ: Singapore, China to launch 'fast lane' arrangement with COVID-19 measures for essential business, official travel

Chinese top diplomat Yang Jiechi calls on Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat — Call on Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat by Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi at The Treasury, Singapore on Aug 20, 2020. (Photo: MCI)

During his visit, Mr Yang also called on Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.

They discussed the "substantive and multi-faceted cooperation" between Singapore and China, said MFA.

Both countries had worked closely to combat the public health and economic impact of COVID-19, including through the "fast lane" arrangement that was launched in June, said MFA.

Mr Heng and Mr Yang agreed that both countries should work together, and with other countries, to strengthen supply chain and cross-border connectivity to facilitate economic recovery, the ministry said.

MFA said both sides are looking forward to the 16th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation – the highest-level annual forum between Singapore and China – which will be hosted by Singapore this year.

Mr Heng said in a Facebook post on Thursday night that this was his first in-person meeting with a foreign leader since the COVID-19 situation escalated.

"As we gradually resume daily activities and reopen our borders, we can look forward to more high-level exchanges, with safe measures in place, as we strengthen our ties with countries around the world," he said.

"COVID-19 has highlighted how interconnected we are as a world. And we must work in close cooperation with all countries to overcome this pandemic and emerge stronger," he added.

READ: Singapore, China agree to strengthen cooperation to address global COVID-19 threat

During his visit, Mr Yang was also hosted to lunch by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, during which both sides discussed global and regional issues.

"They reaffirmed the importance of strengthening collaboration to deal with global challenges and to shape a more cooperative and constructive region," said MFA.

Mr Teo and Mr Yang also visited a commemorative marker for former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping along the Singapore River, as well as the Tang Shipwreck Exhibition at the Asian Civilisations Museum.

DPM Heng Swee Keat Yang Jiechi China Singapore visit meeting Aug 20 2020 — Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and Politburo member and Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office Director Yang Jiechi visited the Deng Xiaoping Marker at ACM Green, Aug 20, 2020. (Photo: MCI)

Earlier, Mr Yang was also hosted to breakfast by Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Both men exchanged views on regional and international developments, and affirmed the positive momentum of bilateral cooperation, said MFA.

Mr Balakrishnan and Mr Yang also witnessed a cheque presentation ceremony for a charity project initiated by the Singaporean community in China to support poverty alleviation in Chongqing's Pengshui county.

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2020-08-20 16:04:14Z
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US stands to lose just as much by suspending treaties, Hong Kong warns - South China Morning Post

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US stands to lose just as much by suspending treaties, Hong Kong warns South China Morning Post
Beijing says Hong Kong will suspend some legal cooperation with US CNA
Slump forces mainland Chinese owners to dump Hong Kong flats at big losses AsiaOne
Bank of East Asia profit jumps 53 per cent as soured loans in China decline South China Morning Post
US formally ends three accords with Hong Kong CNA
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2020-08-20 15:41:04Z
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COVID-19: China face questions over 'vaccinated' workers sent to Papua New Guinea - CNA

PORT MORESBY: China faced demands on Thursday (Aug 20) to explain why a state-backed firm claimed it had vaccinated dozens of staff against the coronavirus before sending them back to work at a mine in Papua New Guinea.

The China Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC) - which controls a major nickel mine in the country - warned local authorities that 48 staff who returned from China this month may test positive for the virus because they had received a vaccine.

In response, Papua New Guinea authorities called for "immediate clarification" from Beijing and blocked a charter flight full of Chinese workers that was due to land on Thursday.

The pandemic has disrupted operations at several lucrative mines in Papua New Guinea, one of the Pacific's poorest nations.

READ: COVID-19 case emerges at second mine in Papua New Guinea

While moving its staff into place, MMC's subsidiary firm Ramu NiCo told Papua New Guinea authorities that any positive coronavirus test results were "the normal reaction of the vaccination and not due to infection", according to a Chinese and English-language statement obtained by AFP.

The 48 members of staff at its multi-billion-dollar mine had "been vaccinated with SARS-COV-2 vaccine" before their return, it said.

China has previously indicated that it would test vaccines on military personnel and staff at state-backed companies, but it is not clear whether these tests were carried out on workers heading overseas.

"It takes around seven days to produce antibodies in the vaccine recipient's body after being vaccinated," the statement reads.

"If they need to be tested again for COVID-19, it is suggested to be conducted at least seven days after the vaccination date."

READ: COVID-19 outbreak shutters huge Papua New Guinea mine

Papua New Guinea's pandemic tsar David Manning told AFP he wanted answers and had blocked the arrival of a flight with around 150 Chinese workers on board due in Port Moresby on Thursday.

"I am demanding an explanation from the Chinese ambassador as to how this has happened," he said.

"I have written to the Chinese government through the Chinese ambassador - to explain how these 48 employees of this state company were vaccinated."

CALL FOR CLARITY

There are growing concerns that Ramu NiCo staff may have circumvented arrival quarantine procedures, that the vaccinations may have been administered unlawfully in Papua New Guinea, or that they were tested on Papua New Guinea citizens.

Anyone arriving in Papua New Guinea must receive a coronavirus test before boarding their flight and undergo quarantine on arrival.

In a letter from Manning to the Chinese ambassador, also seen by AFP, he demanded "immediate clarification" and stated that Papua New Guinea "does not currently acknowledge a vaccine" for coronavirus and will not until national regulators and the World Health Organisation have given their approval.

He also issued a decree banning coronavirus testing, trials and unapproved vaccine treatments in Papua New Guinea.

READ: Papua New Guinea to lift lockdown despite surge in COVID-19 cases

Chinese ambassador Xue Bing told AFP: "We don't have any comments for the moment. However, one thing is for sure, China is not doing (coronavirus) tests here in PNG."

Papua New Guinea - which has an already under-resourced health sector - had largely dodged the worst of the virus outbreak until recent weeks.

The country saw 12 new cases on Thursday taking its total to 359, with 159 active cases amid low rates of testing. At least three people have died from the virus.

Coronavirus clusters recently forced the closure of major mines including the vast Ok Tedi copper and gold mine.

China's Ramu NiCo is no stranger to controversy and was temporarily shuttered in late 2019 after spewing slurry into the Bismarck Sea and turning parts of the surrounding coastline ochre red.

Nickel is a highly prized metal widely used in batteries, including for electric cars.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

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2020-08-20 11:17:30Z
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Hong Kong will suspend some legal cooperation with US, China says - CNA

BEIJING: Hong Kong will suspend an agreement on mutual legal assistance with the United States, China's foreign ministry said on Thursday (Aug 20), in a tit-for-tat response to Washington ending some agreements with Hong Kong.

The US State Department notified Hong Kong on Wednesday that Washington had suspended or terminated three bilateral agreements with the semi-autonomous city following China's imposition of a sweeping national security law.

"China urges the US to immediately correct its mistakes," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a news briefing on Thursday as he announced the suspension of the agreement on legal assistance.

The agreement, signed in 1997 before Britain returned Hong Kong to China, specified that the United States and Hong Kong governments would help each other in criminal matters such as transferring people in custody or searching and confiscating proceeds of crime.

READ: US formally ends three accords with Hong Kong

The US State Department said earlier the three agreements the United States ended covered "the surrender of fugitive offenders, the transfer of sentenced persons, and reciprocal tax exemptions on income derived from the international operation of ships".

A Hong Kong government spokesperson said on Thursday that abandoning the agreements created further "troubles in the China-US relationship, using Hong Kong as a pawn", and "should be condemned by the international community".

He said the decision reflects a "disrespect for bilateralism and multilateralism" under the administration of US President Donald Trump.

Hong Kong authorities said the agreements were negotiated "in good faith to benefit the peoples and businesses of both sides".

The spokesperson added that ending the tax exemptions would increase the operating costs of shipping companies.

"It will hamper the development of the shipping sector between Hong Kong and the US, and is in nobody's interest," he said.

The US decision followed Trump's order last month to end Hong Kong’s special status under US law to punish China for what he called “oppressive actions” against the former British colony.

Trump signed an executive order that he said would end the preferential economic treatment for the city following the imposition of the new security law.

Large-scale protests hit Hong Kong from mid-2019. (Photo: AFP/Anthony WALLACE)

The national security law punishes anything China considers secession, subversion, terrorism or collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison. It has drawn criticism from Western countries that worry the law will end the freedoms promised when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule.

Beijing and the Hong Kong government have defended the law as necessary to restore order and preserve prosperity after months of at times violent anti-government protests last year.

Hong Kong has become another contentious issue between China and the United States, whose relations were already strained by differences over trade, China's claims in the South China Sea and its treatment of its Muslim Uighur minority.

Earlier this month Washington imposed sanctions on Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam along with 10 other senior officials in the city.

It also required goods imported from Hong Kong to be marked as "made in China", following a move to end the former British colony's special status under US law.

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2020-08-20 11:03:45Z
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