Chinese ships intentionally crash Vietnamese vessels in continental shelf

The international press conference.

The information was released by Rear Admiral Ngo Ngoc Thu, vice commander of the Viet Nam Marine Police at the international press conference in Ha Noi on Wednesday afternoon.
He said that Chinese ships intentionally crashed into and caused damages to the vessels of the Vietnamese marine police and fisheries surveillance force right in Viet Nam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf though the Vietnamese forces exercised restraint over the perverse acts of Chinese ships.

The rear admiral also showed footage provided by the Vietnamese fisheries surveillance force of a Vietnamese boat being besieged by Chinese ships during a clash. Mr. Thu said six Vietnamese people have been injured.Speaking at the press conference, Spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Hai Binh said that China’s acts violate Viet Nam’s sovereignty and jurisdiction over the Southeast Asian country’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf as stipulated in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Earlier on May 6, Deputy PM, FM Pham Binh Minh made a phone call to Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi after China illegally deployed a drilling rig and vessels in the oil and gas lot 143 belonging to Viet Nam’s continental shelf since May 1.Deputy PM, FM Minh stressed that China’s unilateral deployment of the drilling rig HD-981 and a large number of vessels, even military ones, in this area is illegal, runs counter to the international law and practices, seriously violates Viet Nam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa archipelago and sovereign right and jurisdiction over Viet Nam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

This act negatively impacts mutual political trust and cooperation aspects between the two countries and hurts the Vietnamese people’s sentiment.Viet Nam cannot accept and resolutely protests the China’s act and demands China totally withdraw the drilling rig HD-981 as well as escort vessels from this area, together with Viet Nam to join talks to handle the related differences.

China Jails Elderly Hong Kong Publisher For 10 Years

 
A court in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen on Wednesday handed a 10-year jail term to a Hong Kong publisher who edited a book highly critical of President Xi Jinping, his lawyer said.Yiu Mantin, 79, was handed the sentence by the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court, which found him guilty of "smuggling ordinary goods," his former lawyer Ding Xikui told RFA.

Yiu's U.S.-based son Edmond Yiu, known in Mandarin as Yao Yongzhan, said he was "angry" at the sentence, which activists and relatives say is far more likely to be linked to his work on a controversial book by U.S.-based dissident author Yu Jie, titled "Xi Jinping: China’s Godfather."

"We find this totally unacceptable, and we will be appealing," Edmond Yiu told RFA after the sentence was passed. "We are in shock.""This entire case is a form of persecution of my father, and we will continue to fight it."He said there was very little evidence to support the charges of smuggling."These charges were ridiculous," he said.

Unclear

Ding said it was unclear whether Yiu, an editor at Hong Kong's Morning Bell Press whose name in Mandarin is Yao Wentian, had been sentenced in court or in his absence."The court sentenced him to 10 years' imprisonment, and he was convicted of smuggling common goods," he said."Of course I think that's a heavy sentence."Ding added that he had already handed over responsibility for defending Yiu to another lawyer who didn't wish to be named.

Hong Kong's newly established press watchdog, the Independent Commentators' Association, said it was worried that Yiu's heavy jail term would have a chilling effect on publishing in the former British colony, which was promised the continuation of existing freedoms after the 1997 handover to Chinese rule.

"Recently, there have been a series of attacks on press freedom [in Hong Kong], on the media and the publishing industry, and we are increasingly worried that freedom of speech is becoming more and more restricted," the group said.It said growing political pressure on media and publishing in Hong Kong were at odds with the territory's mini-constitution, the Basic Law.

"We are even more concerned that the mainland authorities are waging a public opinion war [on Hong Kong], which would be at odds with the 'one country, two systems' and 'high degree of autonomy' stipulated in the Basic Law," the statement said.Calls to Yu Jie went unanswered during working hours on Wednesday.

Undeclared paint

Yiu was detained on a trip to Shenzhen from neighboring Hong Kong last October with seven bottles of undeclared paint he brought across the border to Shenzhen, media reports said at the time.Sentencing in smuggling cases is usually dictated by the total value of the allegedly smuggled goods.

Edmond Yiu pleaded for his father’s release in an open letter to Xi Jinping in February, saying that the senior Yiu suffered from heart disease and asthma. Yiu was held at two hospital facilities since his formal arrest in November, local media reports said.Yu Jie told RFA at the time of Yiu's detention that the editor had received a threatening phone call shortly before his trip, warning him not to go ahead and publish the book.

Yu, who is also the author of "China's Best Actor: Wen Jiabao," a scathing critique of China's former premier, said the caller had described the book as "extremely sensitive" and told Yiu it must not be published.The caller had also threatened Yiu with consequences for his personal safety and that of his family, should he ignore the warning.

Failing health

Overseas rights groups appealed in January for the international community to put pressure on the ruling Chinese Communist Party to release Yiu, amid growing concerns for his failing health.Hong Kong, which was supposed to retain its traditional freedoms for 50 years under the terms of the handover, is a popular destination for authors of censored Chinese books, where they find an eager market.But journalists and political analysts say self-censorship to avoid angering Beijing is now beginning to permeate the media and publishing industry.

Cambodia calm as Yingluck falls

 

The ouster of Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra by that country’s Constitutional Court yesterday reverberated throughout the region, raising questions about how a Thailand withoutYingluck at the helm would get along with its neighbours.But Cambodian officials and analysts were broadly in agreement that little would change in the two countries’ relationship.

Yingluck’s ouster on abuse-of-power charges was the climax of a months-long campaign by political opponents, many of whom accused her of being a proxy for her disgraced brother, former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is said to have close ties to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government.

Despite the end of Yingluck’s administration – which enjoyed relatively cordial ties with Cambodia – Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan maintained that the Kingdom would continue to get along with its neighbour.“Cambodian-Thai relations are not based on individuals; they’re based on rule of law and concern about the mutual interests between the countries.”Cambodia sends thousands of migrant workers to Thailand each year, and was recently the beneficiary of an International Court of Justice ruling granting it an area in the immediate vicinity of the Preah Vihear temple, which sits at the heart of a disputed patch of territory on the Cambodia-Thailand border.

According to Siphan, no change in Thailand’s government would jeopardise cooperation on either issue.

General Phat Sophen, deputy commander of the army division stationed at Preah Vihear, said the situation there was calm as usual.“Nothing is happening along the border,” he said. “We keep communicating regularly.”As for migrants, Siphan said the continued flow of workers from Cambodia to Thailand “is in the interest of both parties”, and noted that exporting affordable Cambodian labour was “not just an interest for the governments, but [also] for the private sector”.

Neither Touchayoot Pakdi, Thailand’s ambassador to Cambodia, nor Sek Wannamethee, spokesman for Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, could be reached for comment yesterday.

Analysts also largely downplayed the possibility of renewed tensions between Cambodia and Thailand.

“A change in policy between the two countries would not be in the best interests of either country, especially with the ASEAN summit next year,” political analyst Kem Ley said, adding that with both governments distracted by internal matters, illegal immigration to Thailand might spike.

Nonetheless, the importance of trade would quell any tensions, he said.

“Thailand and Cambodia are too reliant on one another with the import and exporting of goods for either country to try and endanger that relationship,” Ley said.

Fellow political analyst Chea Vannath also said there was little to fear as long as Yingluck’s Pheu Thai Party remains in power, as it still does through acting Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan.

“But Preah Vihear could again become an issue if there is a change in political parties,” she said. “[However], Thailand’s internal politics are in such chaos that I think their focus will remain inward, and is unlikely to change dramatically.”Carl Thayer, a Cambodia expert and emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales, agreed that the chance of border violence was remote.

“Domestic politics in Thailand have move[d] on and the Preah Vihear dispute is no longer a front-burner issue,” he said in an email. “The status quo suits both parties.”

But Paul Chambers, of the Institute of South East Asian Affairs at Chiang Mai University, predicted a less rosy outlook, saying that “the fall of Yingluck will be bad news for Thai-Cambodian relations”.

A newly installed pro-royalist security adviser – who is “no friend of Hun Sen” – and greater influence from the leading anti-Thaksin military faction could inflame tensions, said Chambers, who predicted Yingluck’s ouster in December.

Rahul Gandhi's Amethi votes in penultimate phase

The seat, held by party leader Rahul Gandhi, has been at the centre of a row after the main opposition BJP's candidate for PM held a rally there.Narendra Modi blamed the Gandhi dynasty for Amethi's "backwardness" and said he wanted to change it.A 97-year-old man, among India's oldest voters, has also voted on Wednesday.Shyam Saran Negi, a retired teacher in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, has voted in every single election since 1951 - when India held its first general election after gaining independence from British rule.On Wednesday morning, Mr Negi visited the polling centre along with his wife in Kalpa village. He was presented a shawl and a garland by officials.

With 814 million eligible voters, India's election is the world's biggest exercise in democracy and the governing Congress party is battling the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for power. Mr Modi is ahead in all the opinion polls.Tight securityUttar Pradesh, where Amethi is located, returns more MPs than any other and is often described as India's battleground state.

Long queues had formed outside most polling stations within hours of their opening, BBC Hindi's Nitin Srivastava reported from Amethi.

Kamlesh Kumari, 39, returned from her parents' home in Gorakhpur on Tuesday because she did not want to miss voting. "I missed voting in the 2012 assembly election because I was expecting my third child, but this time I made it a point to be in the village on this day to vote," she said.
Authorities in the high-profile seat held by Rahul Gandhi are taking no chances with security and a large number of police and paramilitaries are deployed in the town and on its borders with the neighbouring districts of Sultanpur and Lucknow, our correspondent adds.
Campaigning closed there on Monday evening after visits by Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka, as well as senior BJP leaders backing their candidate, former television actress Smriti Irani.

In Amethi, long queues have formed outside most polling stations within hours of their opening

Former television actress Smriti Irani is the BJP candidate for Amethi

Candidates in Amethi include poet Kumar Vishwas (garlanded, right) of the Aam Aadmi Party

Shyam Saran Negi, 97, has voted in every single election since 1951-52

There are 34 candidates in Amethi, including Hindi poet Kumar Vishwas of the new anti-corruption Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party (AAP).
Amethi has been held almost continuously by the Gandhi dynasty since 1980 - Mr Gandhi's mother Sonia had previously represented the constituency, as did his father Rajiv, who was prime minister from 1984 to 1989.
And although the BJP is expected to do well nationally, Mr Gandhi is defending a massive majority in Amethi. He won over 70% of the vote there in 2009. The BJP candidate came third with less than 10%.
Wednesday is the second last polling day in India and voting was held in seats in seven states - Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Indian-administered Kashmir.
In Baramulla constituency in Kashmir, voting began amid sporadic violence and very heavy security, the BBC's Riyaz Masroor reports.
A crude bomb was defused by police near a polling station in Pattan town, our correspondent said.
More than 95 million voters were eligible to cast their ballots at more than 107,000 polling centres on Wednesday.
The general election, which began on 7 April, will conclude on 12 May. Votes will be counted on 16 May.

Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra dismissed from office by court

 

Thailand's Constitutional Court has dismissed caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from office, ruling that she is guilty of violating the country's constitution for reassigning a senior security official in 2011."The defendant has abused her position as prime minister," said the judge in the ruling. "Her prime ministership has ... ended."The court ruled that nine cabinet ministers who attended a meeting over the decision to transfer the official were also to be removed from office.

Deputy PM and Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan has been nominated by the cabinet as the next caretaker prime minister, Secretary General to the Prime Minister, Suranand Vejjajiva, told CNN.

Yingluck's dismissal, which analysts say will only deepen Thailand's protracted political crisis, was brought about by a lawsuit filed by anti-government senators. They accused Yingluck of abusing her power by unlawfully transferring National Security Council chief Thawil Pliensri from his role in September 2011, alleging the move was intended to benefit her Pheu Thai Party and a family member.Thawil was replaced by the then national police chief, whose role in turn was later given to Priewpan Damapong, a relative of Yingluck.In March, Thailand's Supreme Administrative Court ruled the transfer unlawful and Thawil was reinstated.

In the wake of the court's ruling, Yingluck thanked her cabinet ministers, government officials and supporters."It's been two years, nine months and two days that I worked as prime minister and every day of those two years, nine months and two days was a proud day," she said. "I will always stand by the people."'More protests and dysfunction'Analyst Paul Quaglia, director at PQA Associates, a Bangkok-based risk assessment firm, said the development set the scene for "more protests and more dysfunction in the days ahead.""Her supporters will look at this as what they call a judicial coup, which is one of the red lines they've drawn about all of this," he said.

He said the case against Yingluck were "pretty weak," and that abuse of power was a "pretty grandiose term to describe what went on.""What she is accused of doing is approving the removal of a military officer from a civil servant's job in 2011. This is pretty routine," he said. "Her supporters of course will view this as a technical pretext by the court simply to get rid of her and get rid of this government."For the "yellow shirt" political bloc opposed to Yingluck, who came to office in a landslide win in 2011, her ouster would be a welcome cause for celebration, he said.

"It was the last stop on the track for them -- the army had refused to get into it, to stage a coup. They hadn't won any other battles, so it falls to the judiciary to get the job done to get rid of this elected government."

Yingluck defended herself against the charges in court Tuesday. "I didn't do anything against the law," she said. "I have performed my duty in the administration with the intention of benefiting the country."Yingluck had led a caretaker administration since parliament was dissolved in December, ahead of a general election in February that was disrupted by anti-government protesters. The Constitutional Court subsequently ruled the election invalid.The protests had been sparked in November by Yingluck's government's botched attempt to pass an amnesty bill that would have paved the way for the return of her brother -- the polarizing former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra -- to the political fray in earnest.

Military coup

Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon, was overthrown in a military coup in 2006 and has since lived in self-imposed exile to avoid a corruption conviction, which he says is politically motivated. The anti-government protesters, drawn mainly from Bangkok's middle class, royalist establishment, allege that Yingluck is her brother's puppet and seek to rid Thai politics of her family's influence.

In contrast, the "red shirt" supporters of Yingluck and her brother, many of whom are poor and hail mainly from rural areas in the north of the country, accuse the court of bias against their side. Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai political party was dissolved by the court in 2007.

Observers are now watching how both camps, who have large rallies planned in the capital over the coming week, respond to the verdict. Political tensions have occasionally spilled over into deadly violence during the current crisis.

"For the first time in Thailand's history of political discord, we have opposing camps threatening to stage demonstrations in relative proximity to each other in Bangkok," said Quaglia. "We could see some trouble, frankly."He said the government had been "dealt a blow, but not a fatal blow" by the court. Under the caretaker administration, key infrastructure projects and policy decisions had already been placed on hold until after elections scheduled for July 20. 

"We are headed one way or another towards elections at some point. I don't know how peaceful those elections will be or what the landscape will look like between now and July 20," he said.

Yingluck's opponents have campaigned against elections, arguing the alleged corruption of their political rivals meant that widespread reforms were necessary before any meaningful vote could be held, said Quaglia. Anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a former deputy prime minister for the Democrat Party, has called for power to be transferred to an unelected "people's council."

"The Pheu Thai Party ... want to have elections. They know they will win those elections. Their opponents, the Democrat Party, say 'No, we can't have elections,' because they know they will lose those elections. Therein lies the rub," said Quaglia.Yingluck also faces a charge brought by the National Anti-Corruption Commission over a controversial state rice-buying scheme. The commission's ruling is expected this month.