Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

TOKYO (AP) — The Latest on South Korea ending an intelligence-sharing deal with Japan (all times local):

3:20 p.m.

South Korea says it will push to bolster its military alliance with the United States amid worries that its decision to terminate its intelligence-sharing deal with Japan would weaken the Seoul-Washington alliance.

Senior presidential official Kim Hyun-chong also told reporters Friday that South Korea will try to bolster its own defense capability by introducing military satellites and other reconnaissance assets.

BEIJING (AP) — China “will not sit idly by” if the U.S. proceeds with a sale of advanced F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan, a Chinese general said, while warning of other potential countermeasures in addition to punishing foreign firms involved in the deal.

HONG KONG (AP) — The Canadian Consulate in Hong Kong says it has suspended local staff from travelling outside the city including to mainland China.

The move comes after the Chinese government said a British Consulate employee has been detained after he went to the neighboring mainland city of Shenzhen.

In a statement Friday, the Canadian Consulate says, “At present, locally engaged staff will not undertake official business travel outside of Hong Kong.”

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea’s foreign minister on Friday called U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo a “poisonous plant of American diplomacy” and vowed to “shutter the absurd dream” that sanctions will force a change in Pyongyang.

The North’s blistering rhetoric may dim the prospect for an early resumption of nuclear negotiations between the countries. A senior U.S. diplomat said earlier this week that Washington was ready to restart the talks, a day after U.S. and South Korean militaries ended their regular drills that Pyongyang called an invasion rehearsal.

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets were mixed on Friday after Wall Street declined ahead of a closely watched speech by the U.S. Federal Reserve chairman.

Market benchmarks in Shanghai, Tokyo and Australia rose while Hong Kong declined.

Investors are looking to Jerome Powell’s speech Friday for signs of direction on interest rates after two regional Fed presidents said they see no need for a change.

Investors expect a cut in September, the Fed’s second in three months, to shore up U.S. economic growth amid a tariff war with Beijing and weakening global growth.

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday said South Korea’s decision to cancel a deal to share military intelligence is damaging mutual trust, and he vowed to work closely with the U.S. for regional peace.

Abe also accused Seoul of not keeping past promises. The military agreement started in 2016.

“We will continue to closely coordinate with the U.S. to ensure regional peace and prosperity, as well as Japan’s security,” he said, ahead of his departure for the Group of Seven summit of industrialized nations in France.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - China Telecom said on Thursday it is ready to build a 5G mobile network with its rivals in order to reduce costs, a proposal that is likely to cut multi-billion dollar equipment orders for vendors such as Huawei Technologies.

China’s big three state telcos are racing to roll out 5G services in more than 50 cities this year, following countries like South Korea and the United States which have already started the service that promises to support new technologies such as autonomous driving.

SEOUL, S. Korea, Aug 22 (NNN-YONHAP) – South Korean President, Moon Jae-in’s approval rating, fell this week, on controversy over the nomination of new justice minister, a weekly poll showed today (Thursday).

According to the Realmeter survey, support for Moon fell 2.7 percentage points over the week, to 46.7 percent this week.

The negative assessment on Moon’s management of state affairs was up 2.9 percentage points to 49.2 percent.

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Thursday it will scrap an intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, a decision that could escalate a dispute over history and trade and undercut security cooperation on North Korea.

With the decision not to extend the pact, the political and trade disputes between South Korea and Japan now extend into some of the most sensitive national security issues in the region.

The arrangement was designed to share information on the threat posed by North Korea’s missile and nuclear activities.

VIENTIANE, Laos, Aug 22 (NNN-KPL) – Laos is targeting an increase in electricity trade with Vietnam on a year-on-year basis, after the two sides reached agreements on developing energy and mining projects and electricity trading contracts earlier this year.

The bilateral cooperation agreement on developing energy and mining projects, was among several pacts signed at the 40th Meeting of the Laos-Vietnam Inter-governmental Committee in Vietnam in 2019.