Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

Beijing, Nov 20, AFP/GANASHAKTI: China's foreign ministry on Wednesday summoned a top US diplomat over the Senate's passing of a Hong Kong rights bill, warning of "strong" countermeasures against the United States should the legislation be signed into law.

Vice foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu called in acting charge d'affaires William Klein to lodge a "strong protest", the ministry said in a statement.

"We strongly urge the US side to immediately take effective measures to prevent this bill from becoming law" and stop meddling in China's internal affairs, the statement said.

HANOI (Reuters) - The United States announced on Wednesday it will provide Vietnam with another coast guard cutter for its growing fleet of ships, boosting Hanoi’s ability to patrol the South China Sea amid tensions with China.

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper disclosed the decision during an address in Vietnam, which has emerged as the most vocal opponent in Asia of China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea.

In the same speech, Esper sharply criticized China.

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday disqualified the leader of an opposition party and fierce government critic from parliament after finding him guilty of violating election law.

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, 40, the leader of the Future Forward Party, was found guilty of holding shares in a media company after registering his candidacy for an election earlier this year to formally end five years of military rule.

Thanathorn is a strong opponent of the army’s role in politics and his new party came in a surprise third in the March election.

TOKYO, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe on Tuesday became the joint longest-serving prime minister along with Taro Katsura, having served at the helm for 2,886 days amid a number of setbacks including scandal-driven public mistrust, constitutional controversies and diplomatic impasses.

On Wednesday, Abe is set to become Japan's longest-serving prime minister, marking a new record in Japan's political history, having held the top post for almost seven years after he won the premiership in 2012, having also held the position briefly between 2006 and 2007.

BEIJING, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature of China, on Wednesday firmly opposed to and strongly condemned the passing of the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 by the U.S. Senate.

The U.S. Senate passed the bill on Tuesday local time despite stern representations and strong opposition from China.

The move "grossly interfered in China's internal affairs," according to a statement issued by the NPC committee.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Squeezed between a growing North Korean threat and a shaky alliance with the United States, South Korea must decide this week whether its national pride and deep frustrations with Japan are worth killing a major symbol of their security cooperation with Washington.

BANGKOK (AP) — Pope Francis arrived in Bangkok on Wednesday to begin a tour of Thailand and Japan, part of a mission to boost the morale of those countries’ tiny minority Catholic communities and speak about issues of concern including human trafficking and peacemaking.

He is expected to highlight his admiration in Thailand for the community’s missionary ancestors who brought the faith to this Buddhist nation centuries ago and endured bouts of persecution more recently.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong schools reopened Wednesday after a six-day shutdown but students and commuters faced transit disruptions as the last protesters remained holed up on a university campus.

City officials tried to restore a sense of normalcy as primary and secondary classes resumed. They sent inspectors to examine the damage to a major road tunnel targeted by protesters, but it was unclear when it could be reopened.

PYONGYANG, Nov 19 (NNN-KCNA) – An official of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), said, Pyongyang was no longer interested in another DPRK-U.S. summit, that “brings nothing” to his country.

In a statement, Kim Kye Gwan, adviser to the DPRK’s Foreign Ministry, said, he learned that, U.S. President, Donald Trump, called for another DPRK-U.S. summit.

Trump addressed DPRK top leader, Kim Jong Un, saying, “I am the only one who can get you where you have to be. You should act quickly, get the deal done. See you soon!”

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - U.S. oil prices fell for the second straight day on Tuesday amid market jitters over limited progress between China and the United States on rolling back trade tariffs, while expectations of a rise in U.S. inventories also jangled nerves.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 dropped 32 cents or 0.56% to $56.73 a barrel by 0803 GMT, slipping further away from an eight-week high hit last Friday when hopes for the trade deal rose.

Brent crude futures LCOc1 were down 26 cents, or 0.42%, at $62.18 a barrel.