TAIPEI: Taiwan will not start a war with China but will defend itself "full on", Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said on Thursday (Oct 14), amid a spike in tensions across the Taiwan Strait that has raised concern internationally. Taiwan, a major semiconductor producer, has repeatedly said it will defend itself if attacked, but that it will not "advance rashly" and wants to maintain the status quo with China.
"What is clearest is that the Republic of China absolutely will not start or set off a war, but if there are movements we will meet the enemy full on," Chiu told a parliament committee meeting, using Taiwan's official name.
Military tensions with China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, are at their worst in more than 40 years, Chiu said last week, adding that China will be capable of mounting a "full-scale" invasion by 2025.
He was speaking after China mounted four consecutive days of mass air force incursions into Taiwan's air defence identification zone that began on Oct 1, part of a pattern of what Taipei views as stepped-up military harassment by Beijing.
No shots have been fired and China's aircraft have stayed well away from Taiwan's airspace, concentrating their activity in the southwestern corner of Taiwan's air defence zone.
The ministry, in a report to parliament ahead of Chiu's appearance before lawmakers, warned China of strong countermeasures if its forces got too close to the island.
Chiu agreed with an assessment from a lawmaker that China's abilities were constrained by a limited mid-air refuelling capacity, meaning it has only H-6 bombers and Y-8 anti-submarine and reconnaissance aircraft that have flown into the Bashi Channel that separates Taiwan from the Philippines.
Chinese fighters have kept much closer to China's coast, according to maps of their activity drawn up by Chiu's ministry.
"Their aims are on the one hand to pressure Taiwan, and on the other to say to everyone else we have the ability to scare away and obstruct foreign military forces from getting involved," he said.
China on Wednesday called its military activities a "just" move to protect peace and stability, and again blamed Taiwan's "collusion" with foreign forces - a veiled reference to the United States - for sowing the tension.
China's Washington embassy on Wednesday said it had complained to the US government about a meeting between Taiwan's de facto ambassador to the country and senior US diplomats, and of the visit of Taiwan's army commander, Hsu Yen-pu, to the United States.
"The US should not fantasise (about) seeking China's support and cooperation while wantonly challenging China's red line on the Taiwan question," it said.
Speaking earlier in the week, Chiu said Hsu was not in the United States on a secret trip but as part of regular annual exchanges, according to Taiwan's official Central News Agency.
Hit South Korean show Squid Game has officially become Netflix's biggest original series launch, the streaming service said on Wednesday (Oct 13).
The nine-part thriller, in which cash-strapped contestants play childhood games with deadly consequences in a bid to win 45.6 billion won (US$38 million), has become a worldwide sensation for Netflix since its launch less than a month ago.
The dystopian drama has inspired countless memes, Halloween costumes of the ubiquitous green tracksuits worn by contestants and real world recreations of the various games. It has also sparked a debate within South Korea about toxic competitive societies and prompted new interest in the country's culture and language around the world.
"Squid Game has officially reached 111 million fans – making it our biggest series launch ever!" Netflix posted on Twitter.
The series reached that total in just 27 days, since its release on Sep 17, easily outpacing UK costume drama Bridgerton, which was streamed by 82 million accounts in its first 28 days.
Netflix gives limited information on viewing figures for its platform and cuts the data it does provide in various ways. The 28-day debut figures it released for Bridgerton and other shows included any account that watched an episode for at least two minutes.
Netflix co-CEO and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos told a tech conference in California last month said the streaming service was surprised by how popular Squid Game has become.
"We did not see that coming, in terms of its global popularity," he said.
The series was so popular that South Korean Internet service provider SK Broadband sued Netflix to pay for costs from increased network traffic and maintenance work because of the surge in viewers.
And a South Korean woman was in talks with the US firm about compensation after she was deluged with thousands of prank calls and text messages when her phone number was inadvertently highlighted as a key plot point in the series.
Netflix has said it would spend more than US$500 million on content produced in South Korea this year.
Singapore's borders have effectively been closed for 21 months, so news that the rules will finally be relaxed has sent residents rushing for a ticket out.
From 19 October, people will be able to travel freely from Singapore to a dozen countries around the world, without quarantine and with fewer swab tests, as long as they are vaccinated. By 15 November, another nine countries will be added to the list.
"The cabin fever was just driving us crazy. There's no demarcation between leisure and work here," Low Ka Wei, a corporate communications executive, told the BBC.
After the announcement, the demand for tickets was so great that travel websites crashed. The website of Singapore Airlines went down over the weekend, causing a frenzy among eager travellers and leading one Reddit thread to pose the question: "Did we just collectively break SIA's website?".
Having no luck online, Mr Low and many others went the old fashioned way: spending hours waiting in line outside a downtown airline office to book.
The country's closed borders have been a source of frustration for many residents, as has the constantly changing messaging.
Despite a 83% vaccination rate among the population, the government recently imposed Covid curbs once again, limiting the number of people who can gather in public to two.
The rules came as a surprise, after authorities previously said they would abandon a "zero Covid" strategy, and work towards living with the virus.
Even the rules around the vaccinated travel lanes changed less than two days after they were announced, reversing a decision to not include children under the age of 12.
"I'm happy that we've now decided on one direction, and I'm glad that we're sticking with that," said Mr Low. "It's important to show that decisiveness to the global community and to citizens - having a direction helps and then we just need to manage expectations after that."
The perceived flip-flopping provided ample fodder for meme makers online.
The city state of Singapore measures 50km (31 miles) from east to west and for some, the lack of domestic travel options has become tricky.
"In a way, the pandemic allowed me to really appreciate what we have in Singapore," said Kristel Quek, co-founder of a cryptocurrency start-up. "There's greenery and every weekend I'm doing something new. But it was a bit challenging watching my friends in the UK, Italy, Spain have summer vacations online and feeling stuck here," she said.
Divides emerging
Many foreigners living in Singapore chose to live here for the travel opportunities in the region, and many have been frustrated with the border controls restricting their movement. Citizens and permanent residents have been free to leave the country and return, provided they quarantine for two weeks - a stipulation that put many off leaving the country at all.
But foreigners did not even have that option. They have been forced to apply for a permit to re-enter, and the vast majority of those permits have been denied, effectively trapping non-citizens and non-residents in the country.
"I really feel like the way they are managing things is so oppressive for people," said Christophe Blanc, a French gym instructor working in Singapore. "They think of the collective rather than the individual. It's not bad or good, but for me it's very frustrating and suffocating."
So, do Singaporeans agree that the system has been unfair?
"I'm not sure if there is that distinction - yes the re-entry permit makes the foreigners feel excluded. But the recent hawker centre rule - closing it off to the unvaccinated - does not," Ms Quek said.
New rules prevent unvaccinated people from entering malls and hawker centres - food courts where most Singaporeans eat their meals.
"We must press on with our strategy of 'Living with Covid-19'", Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told the nation as the vaccinated travel lanes were announced.
"What next steps must we now take? To start off with, and most fundamentally, we need to update our mindsets," he said. "We should respect Covid-19, but we must not be paralysed by fear."
"I think a lot of people are still concerned with the numbers. This whole month we've been seeing around 3000 cases, I think a lot of people still want a more zero Covid approach," Phik See, head of operations at a local company, said.
Some say they are waiting for countries in the region, like Malaysia, Indonesia and parts of South Asia to be included in the vaccine travel lanes.
Travel to South Korea is now allowed, but a round trip would involve eight PCR tests at a cost of roughly $1000 (£542).
Whatever the current rules, there would be dissatisfaction somewhere, said Ms Quek.
"Singaporeans love to complain in general," she said. "Can't travel - complain; can travel - complain."
"It's ironic Singaporeans are so regimented in so many ways but they love to do spontaneous things like travel too."
Yeo Zheng Ye grew up in Singapore knowing he would have to go to jail.
A member of the Jehovah's Witnesses church, his beliefs prevent him from bearing weapons and from joining any organisations intended for war.
So at age 20, he refused to attend mandatory military service, and was sent to prison for being a conscientious objector.
Although Singapore is not at war, military conscription is compulsory in the city-state for all able-bodied male citizens and second generation permanent residents when they turn 18.
Since 1970, an average of six Jehovah Witnesses have been sent to military prison every year, though none receive permanent criminal records.
Mr Yeo spent nearly three years in jail, one year longer than the national service training programme.
In prison, he would wake up at 5am to wash toilets and mop a 200-metre corridor that was frequently soiled by muddy boots.
After a daily roll call in his cell at 8am, he would have to do other chores like gardening and laundry.
"Jehovah's Witnesses are not asked to participate in the exercises and sandbag drills that inmates have to do every day," said a former military police officer who declined to be named.
Mr Yeo says it took him time - around a year - to get used to being in prison.
"I cried so many times, over many days. I cried before going into jail, realising I won't be able to leave and see my family and friends for the next two and a half years," he said.
There was one silver lining. Mr Yeo's older brother, whom he is extremely close to and shares a birthday with, is also a member of the church. He had been sent to prison a year before Mr Yeo.
"I thought at least I'll get to see my brother."
A family of believers
Mr Yeo and his brother were introduced to the faith as children.
Their father joined the church after serving his time as a soldier.
Once conscripts complete the initial two year training period, they are required to attend reserve force duty for a few weeks once a year. That goes on for ten years.
And so Mr Yeo's father also experienced time in prison as a result of his religion.
"My mom isn't from the church, but she knew [jail time] was coming for me and my brother because my dad has gone back to detention multiple times, sometimes risking his job," said Mr Yeo.
Employers in the city are legally required to release their staff for their annual reservist training. However, Jehovah's Witnesses who refuse are sent to military prison for 40 days or longer, and they forfeit that protection.
Jordan Chia, a Jehovah's Witness and music teacher received a seven-month sentence for refusing to return for reserve duty a second time.
"It was challenging because I couldn't tell exactly how long I was going to be in detention for. I told my employers they were not obligated to keep me," Mr Chia told the BBC.
"But thankfully they did."
Church and State
Questions surrounding the need to send conscientious objectors to prison have been raised in Singapore's Parliament on a number of occasions.
But ministers have insisted on the need for such strict conscription policies, saying that "national service is vital to the security of a small country like Singapore".
"No Singaporean should be allowed to cite any reason to exempt himself from having to contribute to the national defence effort as every Singaporean benefits from the peace and security which National Service has helped to ensure," Matthias Yao Chih told Parliament in 1998 when he was Minister of State for Defence.
The BBC approached Singapore's Ministry of Defence for the purposes of this article to which it said: "The reasons to disallow exemption from compulsory military service based on religious grounds have been stated in Parliament, and remain unchanged."
Jehovah's Witnesses have asked for changes to this policy, pointing to South Korea as an example.
In a radical departure last October, Seoul stopped sending Jehovah's Witnesses to jail and introduced a new scheme allowing those who object to military conscription based on faith or personal reasons to serve three years as prison administrators instead.
They now work and live in prisons separate from other inmates, and are given several weeks of annual leave.
"Our members in Singapore have consistently expressed their desire to authorities to make a meaningful contribution to society," said a spokesperson from the Asia-Pacific Association of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Mr Yeo says he also asked repeatedly to serve in civilian vocations like firefighting, which some men in the city are conscripted to do.
There is international support for alternative duties.
The European Human Rights Convention says that countries should provide alternative forms of service for citizens who believe "the use of lethal force may seriously conflict with the freedom of conscience and the right to manifest one's religion or belief."
Yet, Singapore is technically not in breach of its international duties because it has not signed up to this convention, according to Dr Paul Hedges, an associate professor in interreligious studies at S.Rajaratnam School of International Studies, a graduate school and think-tank in Singapore.
Members of the church have asked to serve in alternative civil professions instead of attending military training
"National service is built so strongly into the fabric of the country's national narrative around security that it is hard for the government to compromise around its own secular norms and red lines," said Dr Hedges.
"Without a major shift in direction by either side, a compromise will be hard to reach," he added.
'Freedom was overwhelming'
Mr Yeo was released last April, a day before Singapore entered its first Covid lockdown.
"The first thing I did when I got out was to go to my favourite restaurant with my family because I knew I wouldn't be able to do it for a while," said Mr Yeo.
Under the restrictions which lasted until June, residents were only allowed to leave their homes for essential activities like grocery shopping and exercise.
"I was so looking forward to seeing my friends," Mr Yeo said, "My home felt so small compared to prison."
But even so, he says the half-day of freedom he experienced before the lockdown was overwhelming.
"Life was simple in prison. When I got out, it felt like a lot. The cars, buses, walking freely without handcuffs and without curfew."
Hong Kong suspended schools and the city’s $6.3 trillion stock market canceled morning trading as strong winds and rain from typhoon Kompasu lashed the financial hub.
Storm warning signal No. 8, the third-highest on its scale, will remain in force before noon, according to the Hong Kong Observatory. Kompasu, which was about 370 kilometers (230 miles) south-southwest of the city at 7 a.m. local time, is forecast to move west at about 25 kilometers an hour toward China’s Hainan Island, it said on its website.
WHAT ARE THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR DIFFERENT COUNTRIES?
Brunei
As of Oct 12, Brunei still does not allow general travel in the country.
Canada
COVID-19 tests: All travellers five years or older, vaccinated or otherwise, must provide proof of a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of their scheduled departure time to enter Canada. Other molecular tests are accepted but not antigen rapid tests (ART).
Those who have had COVID-19 earlier can provide proof of a previous positive test result taken between 14 and 180 days ago.
Some travellers may be randomly selected for a mandatory test on arrival. It must be completed within 24 hours of entering Canada but there’s no need to wait for the results.
Vaccination certificate: Travellers must enter their proof of vaccination and travel information in ArriveCAN, which is free to use, up to 72 hours before the trip.
Otherwise they won't be considered as a fully vaccinated traveller, even if they meet all the other requirements. Travellers also need to bring the original proof of vaccination while they travel and for 14 days after entry.
Others: Unvaccinated children under 12 who are accompanied by fully vaccinated travellers must follow all testing requirements unless they are under the age of five. They do not need to quarantine as long as they follow the public health requirements.
COVID-19 tests: Fully vaccinated visitors from Singapore can enter Denmark without restrictions, and no tests or quarantine is required.
Singapore is currently classified as a “Yellow” or lower-risk country and the rules may change if the category changes.
Vaccination certificate: The vaccine must be approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This means that Denmark does not recognise the Sinovac or Sinopharm vaccine.
EMA has approved four vaccines - Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty, Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.
The vaccine must have been taken in the last 12 months.
A full overview of the rules and regulations are available here.
France
COVID-19 tests: Fully vaccinated individuals are not subject to any health measures as Singapore is on France’s “Green” list.
Vaccine certificate: France also does not accept Sinovac or Sinopharm as only vaccines authorised by the EMA will be accepted.
Others: Unvaccinated travellers aged 11 years or older must present a negative PCR or antigenic test taken less than 72 hours before the flight.
More information on whether you can enter France is available here.
Germany
COVID-19 tests: Travellers from Singapore to Germany can travel quarantine-free with no testing.
Vaccination certificate: All travellers 12 years and older arriving in Germany have to furnish proof of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 or a test certificate. Sinovac or Sinopharm vaccinations are not accepted.
Travellers may use their digital or paper certificate from Singapore to prove their vaccination status. To generate the vaccination card, log in to HealthHub and navigate to the section labelled "COVID-19 records" to download the PDF.
In addition to this, it is recommended that you authenticate your certificate via Notarise.
The German Embassy in Singapore has further information on its website.
Italy
COVID-19 tests: Vaccinated visitors from Singapore need to present a certificate of vaccination with an EMA-authorised vaccine.
They also need to take a PCR or ART test 72 hours before they arrive, with a negative result. Children aged five or younger do not have to take a COVID-19 test.
Vaccination certification: These are accepted - An EU Digital Covid Certificate (EU DCC); or a COVID-19 vaccination certificate showing that they were fully vaccinated with AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria), Janssen, Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) at least 14 days before arrival. The certificate must be in English, French, Italian or Spanish.
COVID-19 tests: All travellers from Singapore are allowed to enter the Netherlands without the need for a test or for quarantine.
Vaccination certificate: The Netherlands accepts both EMA and WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines. These include: Astra Zeneca (Vaxzevria), Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty), Johnson & Johnson (Janssen), Moderna (Spikevax), Serum Institute of India (Covishield), Sinopharm and Sinovac.
Requirements for proof of vaccination are available here.
HONG KONG (REUTERS, BLOOMBERG) - Hong Kong authorities closed schools on Tuesday (Oct 12) and raised the third highest storm warning as a typhoon threatened the financial hub for the second time in less than a week.
The Hong Kong Observatory is considering raising the warning signal from No. 3 to No. 8, the third-highest level on its scale, between 4pm to 6pm, according to a statement on its website.
The move won’t affect operations of the Hong Kong stock market as it closes at 4pm, though Wednesday trading depends on the cyclone’s movement.
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing will scrap pre-market trading if signal No. 8 is in force between 7am and 9am, according to its trading arrangements. There will not be a morning session if the No. 8 warning is lowered after 9am, and no trading for the day if it’s still in effect after midday.
Yantian Port in neighboring Shenzhen said it halted container pick-up and drop-off operations. Gaming hub Macau is also considering issuing the No. 8 warning between Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, its weather office said in a statement.
At 12pm, Kompasu was estimated to be about 560km southeast of Hong Kong and is forecast to move west at about 25kmh across the northern part of the South China Sea, according to the Observatory. Kompasu’s outer rainbands will bring showers and squalls to the financial hub on Tuesday night as it gradually edges closer to the coast of Guangdong.
Kompasu is the second tropical storm to affect Hong Kong in three days, after Lionrock brought flooding to some low-lying areas as it pounded the city on the weekend. Potential damage from Kompasu could be more severe than Lionrock based on its current track and intensity forecasts, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Steven Lam wrote in a note Monday.
Surfers ride waves brought by Kompasu in Big Wave Bay, Hong Kong on Oct 12, 2021. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
