Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing politicians sought to allay worries about the impact of China’s proposed national security legislation on the Asian financial hub’s business environment, saying it would boost investor sentiment.

The legislation aims to tackle secession, subversion, terrorism, and foreign interference and could see mainland intelligence agencies set up bases in Hong Kong, raising fears of direct law enforcement.

BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The national security legislation for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is purely a matter of China's internal affairs and no foreign country has the right to interfere, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday.

A draft decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security was submitted to the third session of the 13th National People's Congress for deliberation Friday.

TOKYO (AP) — The coronavirus pandemic continued to drop in much of Asia on Saturday even as the outbreak surged in Latin America, as the world grappled with balancing the urge to restart economies with fears about health risks.

China, where the outbreak began late last year, reported no new confirmed cases for the first time. In South Korea, there were 23 fresh infections, mostly from the densely populated Seoul area where authorities shut down thousands of nightclubs, bars and karaoke rooms to stem transmissions.

TOKYO, May 22. /TASS/: Tokyo’s position on the southern Kuril Islands and the peace treaty issue has not changed, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said at a press conference on Friday.

Motegi earlier unveiled the 2020 Diplomatic Bluebook, which is scheduled to be published in the fall. The report says that "the Northern Territories [which is what the southern Kuril Islands are called in Japan — TASS] include the islands under Japan’s sovereignty."

"Our position on the Northern Territories and peace treaty talks has not changed," Motegi told reporters.

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia’s election commission is investigating the release of 2.3 million voters’ private information on a hacker website along with a threat to release of the data of about 200 million people, the agency said on Friday.

The electoral data from the world’s fourth most-populous nation was posted anonymously on the hacking forum raidforums on Wednesday and analysts said it could be used for identity theft and fraud.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso and Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda met in Tokyo, the finance ministry said on Friday, in a show of resolve to coordinate policies to combat the widening economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

The rare bilateral meeting came hours after an emergency BOJ rate review at which the central bank decided to create a new loan scheme to channel more funds to small businesses hit by the coronavirus.

BEIJING, May 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — China’s annual high-level political meetings opened with a minute’s silence for the victims of the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed over 4,600 lives in the country since emerging late last year.

Delayed by two months because of the outbreak, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) — a largely ceremonial advisory body — began its first session a day before the start of the country’s most important legislative congress.

BEIJING, May 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — China’s parliament will consider legislation that could limit opposition activity in Hong Kong, a spokesperson said, appearing to confirm speculation that China will sidestep the territory’s own legislative body in enacting legislation to crack down on activity Beijing considers subversive.

Zhang Yesui said the National People’s Congress will deliberate a bill on “establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to safeguard national security.”

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s central bank said Friday it will provide some 30 trillion yen ($280 billion) to banks for financing small and medium-size businesses battling economic hardships brought on by the coronavrius pandemic.

The Bank of Japan will start providing funding to the banks in June, it said. The offer for zero-interest and unsecured loans comes on top of earlier measures, such as 20 trillion yen ($187 billion) for purchasing corporate bonds and commercial papers.

The Bank of Japan has also announced 25 trillion yen ($234 billion) financing for private debt.

BEIJING (AP) — China’s legislature will take over long-stalled efforts to enact national security legislation in Hong Kong, a move that could limit opposition activity in the semi-autonomous territory and signals the central government’s determination to take greater control after months of pro-democracy protests last year.

The announcement drew sharp criticism from the U.S., which has threatened to withdraw preferential trade status for Hong Kong, and seems likely to prompt more protests in the short run.