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14 Hong Kong democrats found guilty in landmark subversion trial

REUTERS

HONG KONG — Fourteen Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were found guilty and two were acquitted on Thursday in a landmark subversion trial that critics say could deal another blow to the city’s rule of law and its reputation as a global financial hub.

The verdicts in Hong Kong’s biggest trial against the democratic opposition come more than three years after police arrested 47 democrats in dawn raids at homes across the city. They were charged with conspiracy to commit subversion under a national security law imposed by China.

Sentencing will come at a later date for those found guilty, with prison terms ranging from three years to life for this offense. Thirty-one defendants pleaded guilty, and four of them have become prosecution witnesses.

The US and some other countries have criticized the trial as politically motivated, calling for the accused to be immediately released. Diplomats from several countries including the U.S. and the European Union attended the hearing.

Security was tight around the High Court, with several foreign diplomats in attendance. Scores of police officers and vehicles patrolled the area. Some supporters queued overnight to secure a spot.

“I came because it’s a critical stage and a historic moment” for Hong Kong, said a man who gave only his surname, Chiu, 35, who began waiting at midnight. The defendants “all stood up for themselves and for Hong Kong people hoping to make a change.”

The defendants are accused of a “vicious plot” to paralyze government in the former British colony and force the city’s leader to resign through a pre-selection ballot in a July 2020 citywide election. The democrats maintain it was an unofficial attempt to select the strongest candidates in a bid to win a historic majority in Hong Kong’s legislature.

Summarizing their verdict, Judges Andrew Chan, Alex Lee and Johnny Chan wrote that if the defendants had succeeded, it would have created “a constitutional crisis for Hong Kong” and led to “serious interfering in, disrupting or undermining the performance of duties and functions in accordance with the law by the (Hong Kong) government.”

Several defendants, including activists Owen Chow and Gwyneth Ho, appeared stony-faced in the dock as the verdicts were delivered to a packed courtroom.

Those convicted also include former democratic lawmakers Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting and Helena Wong. It was not yet clear whether any would appeal, with court adjourned until an afternoon session.

‘RUTHLESS ILLUSTRATION’
Leung, 68, is the oldest defendant.

“Although he might not be well emotionally and still not yet adapted to prison life… he always told me that he’s innocent,” Mr. Leung’s wife, Chan Po-ying, told Reuters.

Acquitted were barrister Lawrence Lau and social worker Lee Yue-shun.

“There are still other defendants in this case warranting our concern and even love,” Mr. Lau said outside the court. He told reporters he could not say much given the possibility the prosecution might appeal his acquittal.

Mass pro-democracy protests erupted in Hong Kong in 2019 against Beijing’s plans for legislation that democrats argued infringed on freedoms guaranteed when Hong Kong returned to China’s control in 1997.

Beijing in 2020 imposed the sweeping national security law that led to a spate of arrests of democratic campaigners as well as the closures of liberal media outlets and NGOs. Hong Kong’s democratic opposition had sought for decades to pressure Beijing to allow full democracy in the city.

Once-lively street marches, demonstrations and vigils have essentially ceased amid intense policing.

“This unprecedented mass conviction is the most ruthless illustration yet of how Hong Kong’s national security law is weaponized to silence dissent,” Amnesty International’s China director, Sarah Brooks, said in a statement. “It represents a near-total purge of the political opposition.”

Beijing says the national security laws have brought stability to Hong Kong and that human rights are respected.

Most of the accused have been detained since Feb. 28, 2021 and went through marathon bail hearings.

Those who have pleaded guilty include former law scholar Benny Tai, whom the prosecution called a “mastermind” of the “conspiracy,” and activist Joshua Wong. — Reuters

Gold worth tens of billions smuggled to the UAE each year, report says

GOLD BARS are seen in this picture illustration taken at the Istanbul Gold Refinery in Istanbul March 12, 2013. — REUTERS

GOLD SMUGGLING out of Africa, mainly to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has surged over the last decade, with hundreds of tons of gold worth tens of billions of dollars illegally leaving the continent every year, according to a report published on Thursday.

Analysis by Swissaid, an organization that focuses on development aid and advocacy, found that a total of 435 tons of gold, mostly mined by small-scale miners and worth more than $30 billion, was smuggled out of Africa in 2022.

Swissaid said the UAE was the main destination for Africa’s smuggled gold and took in 405 tons in 2022. Over the previous decade, UAE accepted more than 2,500 tons of smuggled gold with a total value of over $115 billion, the organization said.

Asked to comment on the findings, a UAE official said that the country had taken significant steps to address concerns about gold smuggling and implemented new regulations on gold and other precious metals.

The scale of the flow underscores how small scale, or artisanal, mining has mushroomed into an industry involving millions of people producing volumes of gold on a par with or even bigger than industrial mining.

In 2019, a Reuters investigation found that billions of dollars’ worth of gold was being smuggled out of Africa every year through the UAE, which served a gateway to markets in Europe, the United States and beyond. 

Aside from the loss in tax revenues, experts and governments have warned that smuggling on this scale indicates a vast parallel illicit economy vulnerable to potential money laundering, terrorist finance and sanctions evasion.

Marc Ummel, the commodities lead at Swissaid and one of the authors of the report, said the UAE contributes to gold laundering because large quantities of smuggled gold acquire a legal existence by transiting through the UAE.

“If we keep on seeing more than 400 tons of illegal gold entering the UAE every year, this is a clear sign that the implementation of the regulations in the UAE is seriously lacking.”

DISCREPANCIES
For its analysis, Swissaid compared total gold exports from all African countries with gold imports into non-African countries. The organization filled gaps in UN Comtrade data with individual country statistics and identified errors by comparing the data with figures reported by trade associations and speaking with governments and refineries.

These discrepancies between declared exports and declared imports do not exist for Switzerland and India, the other two major gold importing countries for African gold.

The Swissaid report found that there were 12 countries in Africa involved in smuggling 20 tons or more per year.

In response to accusations that it was not doing enough to enforce regulations on the sector, a UAE Ministry of Economy spokesperson said the UAE cannot be held accountable for other government’s export records.

“Only our own, where we have sophisticated technologies and systems to track and verify the data.”

ARTISANAL MINING
With the gold price having doubled since 2009, the number of people turning to artisanal mining has surged. Swissaid estimates that artisanal and small-scale gold mining in African countries produced between 443 and 596 tons of gold in 2022.

Of this, more than 70 percent is not declared.

By comparison, industrial miners have produced around 500 tons of gold a year.

The report found that the majority of African gold imported into the UAE each year comes from informal artisanal and small-scale mining. These methods provide a livelihood to millions of Africans but often come at a high cost to local communities and to the environment.

“There’s a certain hypocrisy with some of the Swiss refineries,” said Ummel. “They don’t want to source African artisanal gold directly but at the same time import very high quantities of gold from the UAE, which is the main hub for African artisanal gold.”

Between 80% and 85% of Africa’s artisanal gold in 2022 was exported to the UAE, according to the researchers.

A UAE official said the country recognizes the importance of artisanal and small-scale gold mining to the sector and that its “inclusive approach” has allowed artisanal miners to realize more value for their extracted gold. — Reuters

Gaza’s wounded children denied medical aid with Rafah crossing closed

A MAN looks on as Palestinians inspect a tent camp damaged in an Israeli strike during an Israeli military operation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 28, 2024. — REUTERS

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza — Ahmed Abu Athab’s Aunt Jamila sobs as she implores the world to get the boy out of Gaza for medical treatment after he was injured by Israeli fire this week and joined the growing list of wounded stuck in the embattled territory without medical aid.

The boy had gone to the beach on Tuesday to wash with a group of children and a munition landed as they came out, hitting him with shrapnel, she said.

He now lies, swathed in bloody bandages, in Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis as Israel’s assault on the border city of Rafah continues, part of a military campaign against Hamas sparked by the group’s deadly Oct. 7 attack.

The attack on Rafah, the only part of tiny, crowded Gaza that Israeli troops had not entered in force, has cut off the main border crossing into Egypt, constricting aid and stopping what had been a trickle of people leaving for medical help.

“Where should I take him? Tell me. Where should I go?” Jamila Abu Athab said.

“I ask all the leaders of the world, anyone with a conscience, to open the border and allow these children to leave. What have they done to deserve this?” she added.

Like the vast majority of Palestinians in Gaza, Ahmed Abu Athab had already lost his home in Israel’s assault on the enclave. He has also lost his mother — not to the war but because she left Gaza for cancer treatment.

When Jamila Abu Athab reached the child, he told her: “Auntie, I was looking for water. I want to bathe. I died, I died,” she said.

TRAPPED
At al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah, spokesperson Doctor Khalil al-Dakran said Israel’s military campaign had unleashed a medical catastrophe.

“All hospitals are struggling due to lack of medicine and medical necessities and fuel,” he said in video obtained by Reuters, adding that thousands of patients needed treatment abroad and were unable to travel after the Rafah border closure.

Israel blames Egypt for the closure, saying it wants to reopen Rafah to Gazan civilians who wish to flee.

Egyptian officials and sources say humanitarian operations are at risk from military activity and that Israel needs to hand the crossing back to Palestinians before it starts operating again. Egypt is also worried about the risk of Palestinians being displaced from Gaza.

Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan said on Wednesday there was no indication of when the Rafah crossing would reopen.

Israel’s ground and air campaign in Gaza has killed more than 36,000 people and wounded more than 81,000, health authorities in Gaza’s Hamas-run administration say. The figures include both civilians and Hamas fighters. The Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7 killed 1,200, according to Israeli tallies.

In Al-Aqsa Hospital, Nashat Abed Bari said he had been trying to leave Gaza for medical help since being injured five months ago.

“There are no capabilities here in Gaza at all. I tried to look for doctors or to go around hospitals but no one was able to help me,” he said in video obtained by Reuters.

“The border has been shut for more than 20 days. No one is going in or out. I need an operation urgently because my situation is getting worse every day.” — Reuters

Nicotine-like chemicals in US vapes may be more potent than nicotine, FDA says

REUTERS

LONDON — Nicotine alternatives used in vapes being launched in the US and abroad, such as 6-methyl nicotine, may be more potent and addictive than nicotine itself, though the scientific data remains incomplete, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and independent researchers.

The synthetic substances — which have a chemical structure similar to that of nicotine — are not subject to US tobacco and vaping regulations that are designed to control traditional nicotine, a highly addictive drug.

That means manufacturers can sell vapes containing synthetic nicotine analogues such as 6-methyl nicotine in the United States without seeking authorization from the FDA – a process that can be costly, time-consuming and is often unsuccessful.

Big tobacco firms like Altria Group and British American Tobacco have already lost substantial US sales to an influx of disposable vapes containing traditional nicotine that are being illegally sold without FDA authorization.

Altria, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes in the United States, highlighted the emerging use of 6-methyl nicotine in vapes and other smoking alternatives in a May 9 letter to the FDA, according to a copy of the correspondence posted on its website.

It urged the agency to evaluate the compounds and establish what authority it had over them, warning they posed a “new threat” to regulation of the sector.

“The introduction and growth of chemicals intended to imitate the effects of nicotine, if left unchecked, could present unknown risks to US consumers and undermine FDA’s authority,” the letter said.

It cited SPREE BAR, a vape launched in October by Charlie’s Holdings, Inc. that uses 6-methyl nicotine.

The FDA does not comment on its correspondence with individual firms.

In response to Reuters’ questions about 6-methyl nicotine and other nicotine alternatives, the FDA said in a statement: “Although more research is needed, some emerging data show these nicotine analogs may be more potent than nicotine — which is already highly addictive, can alter adolescent brain development and have long-term effects on youth’s attention, learning and memory.”

Traditional nicotine found in many vapes and pouches is extracted from tobacco leaves. 6-methyl nicotine, in contrast, is made entirely in the lab using chemicals.

The FDA said it was considering the use of such synthetic compounds from an “agency-wide perspective” and would use all of its resources to protect youth from products that may harm their health. As well as tobacco products, the FDA also regulates drugs, foods, cosmetics and more to ensure safety and efficacy.

“The FDA is a data-driven agency, and we’re in the process of reviewing the available data to inform potential actions in this space,” it said in response to Reuters’ questions.

Three academic researchers told the news agency that current studies of 6-methyl nicotine are too limited to draw definite conclusions on the health impact or to what degree it is addictive.

Imad Damaj, a professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Virginia Commonwealth University, said his research showed 6-methyl nicotine may be more potent than nicotine, but more extensive tests were needed to say what impact it has on humans.

The limitations of existing research included that some papers were industry funded, while others focused on the short-term impact on animals or cells and were insufficient to understand 6-methyl nicotine’s effects on human bodies, the researchers said.

Charlie’s Holdings calls the 6-methyl nicotine solution used in SPREE BAR Metatine. SPREE BAR’s website says Metatine “may have a toxicity profile similar to nicotine.”

Charlie’s Holdings co-founder Ryan Stump acknowledged that more research is needed on 6-methyl nicotine, adding that the company dilutes it in its products.

SPREE BAR promises users 6,000 puffs from each device and offers fruity flavours including “blue razz ice” and “creamy melon,” according to its website.

The FDA has yet to approve any flavored vape using traditional nicotine for sale in the United States, saying companies have not been able to show that the health benefits they offer to smokers outweigh the known risks to young people, who may be more attracted by the flavors.

Stump told Reuters that the company only targets adults, adding that flavours played an important role in its mission to help smokers quit cigarettes. He said Charlie’s Holdings respects and abides by laws in every market where it operates.

TARGETING INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
Anes Saleh sells Spree Bar in his vape shop in Denver, Colorado, called Sultan Smoke. He said he has some customers who only buy Spree Bar instead of a nicotine vape and he hasn’t had any negative feedback on the product.

“The only… protest I would hear about people not wanting to try this is that they don’t know what Metatine is or does,” he said.

The American Vapor Manufacturers Association said in a statement that the FDA had banned vaping products that many US smokers used to quit cigarettes. That fuels the black market and risks pushing people back towards smoking, Allison Boughner, the association’s vice president, said.

Stump said that Charlie’s Holdings is working on new varieties of SPREE BAR and new products using 6-methyl nicotine. It will launch SPREE BAR internationally this year. He declined to say where.

The company buys the 6-methyl nicotine solution used in SPREE BAR from another US firm, Novel Compounds, according to Novel Compounds’ founder Samuel Benaim.

Novel Compounds imports 6-methyl nicotine from overseas and alters it to make it easier for manufacturers like Charlie’s Holdings to use in their products. It sells this solution under the trade name imotine.

Tests commissioned by Novel Compounds have found 6-methyl nicotine to be no more harmful than nicotine, Benaim said. But he also said that more research was needed into the chemical.

Benaim added that Novel Compounds had received legal advice that its product is not classified as a tobacco product or drug in the United States. The company is committed to legal compliance, he said.

MORE POTENT THAN NICOTINE?
Sven Jordt, a professor at Duke University, who has authored papers on products like SPREE BAR, said 6-methyl nicotine could be more addictive and toxic than its traditional cousin.

“Do we want to have such a chemical as a recreational product, available to anyone?” he asked. “That’s really questionable.”

Neither Jordt nor Damaj — the professor at Virginia Commonwealth University – have received funding from tobacco or vape makers.

As well as the United States, Novel Compounds also sells its 6-methyl nicotine solution around the world, including in the United Kingdom, Indonesia, India and Japan.

Another company, Aroma King, sells 6-methyl nicotine in the United Kingdom in pouches, which users insert under the lip to get a buzz. The pouches are sold in cans emblazoned with graphics of gorillas in suits and sunglasses.

It said in a February blog post that its 6-methyl nicotine products were “less toxic” “less harmful,” and “less addictive” than regular nicotine products.

In a statement to Reuters, Aroma King cited existing research, its own toxicology and other tests and its supplier, which classifies 6-methyl nicotine as less toxic under the European Union’s Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures (CLP) Regulation.

Aroma King said 6-methyl nicotine was self-classified by its supplier. It declined to say who supplies it with the chemical.

Four Chinese companies hold patents in China related to the production of 6-methyl nicotine, including Zinwi Biotech, a company that makes the liquid used in vapes.

Zinwi Biotech confirmed it is researching 6-methyl nicotine but did not answer further questions, including on whether it has sold any 6-methyl nicotine so far. Reuters was unable to find contact details for the other firms. — Reuters

Trust in e-commerce platform, merchants key to purchasing decisions of consumers

STOCK PHOTO | Image by andrespradagarcia from Pixabay

The volume of online fraud contributes to the lack of trust in the e-commerce system in the Philippines, Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual stated. 

“Given the volume of fraud online, it doesn’t come as a surprise that consumers base their purchasing decisions on how much they trust the e-commerce system in general and the online merchant in particular,” he claimed on Filipinos’ relationship with digital trade platforms. 

According to Statista, Gen Zs and Millenials are the most common online shoppers in the country.  

“Those aged between 25 to 34 years old accounted for more than 50 percent of online shopping and are members of the society earning highest among other working groups,” Statista elaborated. 

In an interview during Shopee’s event last May 28, the company’s Regional Marketing Lead Huiyan Pan shared that “Gen Z is being digital native. I think they have lived and breathed this right from the get-go…. So they are the most discerning, they know what they want. And they, I guess, demand for the best experience.”  

The online shopping platform showcased its new feature ‘COD Unbox: Return on the Spot’ that would allow shoppers to check their package or parcel before receiving the item. 

“If you change your mind on something, you can very easily file for easy return. So that gives you peace of mind when you buy. For example, if you are getting COD and you’re missing a parcel, you can just check it before…you accept that. That gives you…peace of mind on Shopee. So these are the structural journeys that we want to create,” she added. 

 

E-Commerce Roadmap 

In the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) discussion on the 2024 to 2028 E-Commerce Philippines roadmap last April 8, digital trade platforms were encouraged to strengthen the relationship of its users to promote inclusivity and innovation towards youth, women, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens. 

“Our goal is to strengthen the trust between buyers and sellers. By achieving this, we can foster a more complex economic landscape, enhancing connections and establishing stronger relationships,” Mr. Pascual said. 

He added that the e-commerce platforms, both from the government and private sectors, should represent a shift from “easy commerce” to “exciting commerce. 

Republic Act No. 11967, or the Internet Transactions Act (ITA) of 2023 was also enacted to recognize and value the importance of e-commerce platforms in the digital economy to improve confidence in online shopping. 

“I am confident that this law and the IRR will positively revolutionize e-commerce in the Philippines. By fostering trust in online transactions, we are creating more opportunities for high-quality and better-paying jobs,” the Trade Secretary mentioned in his speech last May 22.   

ITA aims to guarantee: 

  • The protection of consumer rights and data privacy 
  • Encourage innovation 
  • Promote competition 
  • Secure internet transactions  
  • Uphold intellectual property rights 
  • Ensure product standards and safety compliance 
  • Observe environmental sustainability.

– Almira Louise S. Martinez

Global shift to renewables slowed in 2023, policy group says

EVGENIY ALYOSHIN-UNSPLASH

SINGAPORE – The global shift to renewables in major energy-consuming sectors slowed in 2023, hindered by regulatory gaps, political pressures and a failure to set clear targets, a policy group said on Wednesday.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war helped ambitions to shift to renewables amid growing concerns about energy security, but governments have failed to build on the momentum, an annual assessment by Paris-based REN21 group said.

By the end of last year, only 13 countries – including the United States, India and China – had implemented policies on renewables that cover buildings, industry, transport and agriculture, with only 12.7% of the energy the sectors consume coming from clean sources, REN21 said.

Many countries have even backtracked on their ambitions: of 69 countries with renewable energy targets for end-users, only 17 extended them beyond 2024, said REN21, which brings together governments, research institutions and NGOs to promote the switch to clean energy.

“Governments have basically stepped back from their ambitions, and energy-consuming sectors don’t have the economic incentives any more,” REN21’s Executive Director Rana Adib said.

The report warned that countries were slow on reforms and the trillions of dollars of subsidies granted to fossil fuels, particularly in industry and agriculture, still hold the energy transition back.

Falling fossil fuel prices in 2023 also shaped policymaking, and debate about the costs of switching to cleaner energy have intensified, especially as many countries head towards elections, Ms. Adib said.

Decarbonizing heavy industry remains a major challenge, with “hard to abate” sectors such as cement and steel arguing that renewables cannot generate the heat required to fire their kilns and blast furnaces.

But while the transition of industry could prove more challenging than transportation, solutions do exist, including the use of electric arc furnaces to make steel, Ms. Adib said.

“‘Hard to abate’ already sends the message that these are sectors that are almost impossible to decarbonize, which is not true,” she said.

China lifts ban on five Australian beef exporters

STOCK PHOTO | Image by 정훈 정 from Pixabay

SYDNEY – China has lifted bans on imports from five major Australian beef processing facilities, the Australian government said on Thursday, in the latest sign of improving relations between the two nations.

Beijing has now removed restrictions from eight abattoirs but two remain subject to import bans, the government said.

China imposed the bans between 2020 and 2022, around the same time it barred imports of a swathe of commodities including coal, timber and wine from Australia after Canberra called for an independent investigation into the origin of COVID-19.

The bans applied to certain abattoirs but did not affect others, which meant Australia was still able to ship beef to China.

“It was difficult for those particular abattoirs but we still saw beef flowing,” said Matt Dalgleish, an analyst at agricultural consultants Episode 3.

He said the removal of the restrictions should still boost Australian shipments to China, which have already risen to their highest level since 2020 as a shrinking cattle herd in the United States, Australia’s main competitor, reduces U.S. exports.

Lower US supply may have been one reason for China’s action, Dalgleish said.

China was Australia’s second-biggest beef export market last year, receiving 240,000 tons worth around $1.6 billion, Australian trade data show.

Beijing has lifted most of the barriers it imposed on Australian goods since a change of government in Canberra two years ago. A ban on imports of Australian lobsters remains in place.

“We continue to press China to remove the remaining trade impediments, including for Australia’s rock lobster industry,” Australian foreign minister Penny Wong, trade minister Don Farrell and agriculture minister Murray Watt said in a joint statement.

They said China’s trade impediments at their height impacted Australian exports worth A$20.6 billion ($13.6 billion).

The reasons China gave for suspending the Australian beef processors were issues over labelling or contamination or cases of COVID-19 among their workers. – Reuters

Fourteen Hong Kong democrats found guilty in landmark subversion trial

FREEPIK

HONG KONG – Fourteen Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were found guilty and two were acquitted on Thursday in a landmark subversion trial that critics say could deal another blow to the city’s rule of law and its reputation as a global financial hub.

The verdicts in Hong Kong’s biggest trial against the democratic opposition come more than three years after police arrested 47 democrats in mass dawn raids at homes across the city. They were charged with conspiracy to commit subversion under a China-imposed national security law.

Sentencing will come at a later date for those found guilty, with prison terms ranging from three years to life for this national security offence. Thirty-one defendants pleaded guilty, and four of them have become prosecution witnesses.

The US and some other countries have criticized the trial as politically motivated, calling for the accused to be immediately released.

Security was tight around the High Court, where diplomats from the US, Britain and Europe have attended proceedings. Scores of police officers and vehicles patrolled the area. Some supporters queued overnight to secure a spot.

“I came because it’s a critical stage and a historical moment” for Hong Kong, said a man who gave only his surname, Chiu, 35, who began waiting at midnight. The defendants “all stood up for themselves and for Hong Kong people, hoping to make a change”.

The defendants are accused of a “vicious plot” to paralyze government and force the city’s leader to resign through an unofficial pre-selection ballot in a July 2020 citywide election. The democrats maintain it was an unofficial attempt to select the strongest candidates in a bid to win a historic majority in Hong Kong’s legislature.

Mass pro-democracy protests erupted in Hong Kong in 2019 against Beijing’s plans for security legislation that democrats argued infringed on freedoms guaranteed when Hong Kong was handed back to China by the British in 1997.

Most of the accused have been detained since Feb. 28, 2021, and were subjected to marathon bail hearings. – Reuters

Taiwan says China is ‘nibbling away’ at its space, trying to create a new normal

CHESS PIECES are seen in front of displayed China and Taiwan’s flags in this illustration taken Jan. 25, 2022. — REUTERS

TAIPEI – China is trying to “nibble away” at Taiwan’s space and create a new normal with its military drills and other moves to exert pressure, which is a matter for global concern, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said on Thursday.

China, which views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, staged two days of war games around the island last week following shortly after the inauguration of new Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, who Beijing calls a “separatist”.

While those drills have formally ended, China’s military activities have not, with Taiwan reporting that on Wednesday Chinese warplanes and warships carried out a “joint combat readiness patrol”.

“The Chinese communists’ pressure on Taiwan is all encompassing, especially diplomatically,” Mr. Lin told reporters at parliament before taking lawmaker questions.

Taiwan faces a huge amount of obstruction in its attempts to take part in international organizations, like a major World Health Organization meeting this week which it has been unable to take part in, the minister added.

Chinese pressure keeps Taiwan out of most international bodies. China says Taiwan is one of its provinces with no right to the trappings of a state, a position the government in Taipei strongly rejects.

Mr. Lin pointed to other things China has been doing, like unilaterally opening new air routes close to Taiwan-controlled islands next to the Chinese coast, and sending coast guard ships to Taiwan’s east coast during the exercises last week.

“The Chinese communists are continuing to change the status quo,” he said. “They are creating a new normal, pressing on at every stage, trying to nibble away and annex (us).”

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, at its routine news conference on Wednesday, reiterated its list of complaints about Lai being a dangerous supporter of Taiwan’s formal independence, and threatened continued Chinese military activity.

Mr. Lai has repeatedly offered talks with China but been rebuffed, and says on Taiwan’s people can decide their future.

China says Taiwan is a purely internal matter.

Mr. Lin said stability was a matter for everyone.

“The cross-strait issue is not only about the strait; it’s a regional, or even global matter,” he added.

The government in Taipei says Taiwan is already an independent country, the Republic of China. The Republican government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong’s Communists who set up the People’s Republic of China. – Reuters

Mushrooming opportunities: How TikTok Shop transformed Casi’s Mushroom chicharon business

Casi’s Mushroom Chicharon products

As the digital landscape continues to reshape the business landscape, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are finding new avenues for growth and expansion. Among these success stories stands Casi’s Mushroom Chicharon, a local business specializing in snacks crafted from organic white oyster mushrooms.

With the rise of e-commerce platforms like TikTok Shop, this local enterprise has seized the opportunity to enhance its market reach and visibility, positioning itself for sustainable growth in the digital era.

Thriving in Adversity

Casi’s Mushroom Chicharon was founded by Josemartin Casillano during a challenging time, following a significant medical expense. Starting as a side project, Casillano’s commitment and hard work led to the rapid growth of his business. Initially employing a small team, the focus was on efficient mushroom cultivation, production, and sales. The nutritional benefits of oyster mushrooms, including being a source of protein, fiber, and antioxidants, attracted a health-conscious customer base.

Leveraging TikTok for Business Growth

Recognizing the potential of social media, Casillano launched a TikTok Shop to increase the visibility of his products. Dedicated to empowering local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), TikTok Shop assists businesses in enhancing their visibility and creating growth opportunities in the digital landscape. Casi’s Mushroom Chicharon stands out as one of the success stories from this platform.

“Selling Casi’s Mushroom Chicharon has become easier because of TikTok Shop. Customers can now see our product. It doesn’t require a large capital, and you don’t need much technical knowledge to join TikTok Shop,” said Casillano.

Casi’s Mushroom Chicharon experienced a significant transformation after partnering with TikTok Shop. Leveraging the platform’s dynamic features, including content creation tools and shoppable content options, the business saw an unprecedented increase in visibility and consumer engagement. Consequently, the growing business boosted its sales by 50-60% through TikTok Shop.

Empowering Filipinos with income opportunities

The rise in Casi’s Mushroom Chicharon sales created new opportunities for many individuals. Starting with an initial team of three, the company has expanded to employ 19 people and now relies on 35 mushroom growers to meet the growing demand for its product.

“TikTok Shop helps small business owners like me through their programs like Buy Local, Shop Local. By providing vouchers and discounts, it further boosts the sales of small business owners and also helps local employees and farmers,” Casillano shared.

Josemartin Casillano, founder of Casi’s Mushroom Chicharon

Launched in November 2023, TikTok Shop’s “Buy Local, Shop Local” campaign aims to enhance the visibility of local vendors and promote community pride and economic solidarity among consumers.

Reflecting on his business journey, Casillano acknowledges the collaborative efforts with TikTok Shop, citing its alignment with his goals to promote business and support local growers. Together, they contribute to positive change, fostering growth in agriculture and socio-economic empowerment.

Looking ahead, Casillano sees potential in continuing the partnership with TikTok Shop, recognizing its role in fostering growth for Filipino enterprises.

 

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Tech brain drain fuels Philippines’ cybersecurity skills gap

STOCK IMAGE | Image by Dee from Pixabay

MANILA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Nurses, engineers, doctors – now cybersecurity experts. As the Philippines counts the cost of brain drain, a surge in malicious cyber activity has highlighted the country’s digital security skills gap.

US cybersecurity firm Resecurity reported a 325% jump in hacking and other digital intrusions targeting the Philippines during the first quarter of 2024 amid rising tensions with China, largely over disputed territory in the South China Sea.

That prompted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to launch a cybersecurity strategy to beef up the nation’s cyber defenses to combat attacks and digital crimes. Its military said last year it would create a cyber command.

But industry analysts say such plans could struggle due to big shortages of skilled “cyber warriors” in the Philippines, which is estimated to need tens of thousands of digital security professionals.

Whether targeting ordinary people, journalists or activists, online threats from doxxing to domain blocking and digital surveillance are rising in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations, highlighting a lack of resources and expertise to fight them, experts say.

“What the government doesn’t recognize is we’re having a brain drain not only in the healthcare sector but also in cybersecurity,” said JM Cipriano, a cybersecurity professional who has worked for a multinational company in the Philippines.

Despite a higher salary than other careers in IT, he said Filipino cybersecurity experts are being lured abroad by companies offering more money, better working conditions and relocation packages.

Practitioners in the Philippines can expect a monthly salary of between 40,000 and 90,000 pesos ($690-$1,560) – up to six-times the minimum wage, Mr. Cipriano told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

But he said the Philippines was still losing cybersecurity talent to US companies with offshore offices in Manila, or companies in Singapore, the United Kingdom and the Middle East that offer more competitive salaries.

Globally, the shortage of cybersecurity professionals reached a record last year, with some 4 million vacancies around the world, according to cybersecurity nonprofit ISC2, with the gap growing fastest in developing countries.

 

‘ENORMOUSLY EXPENSIVE’

While part of the problem is migration from the Philippines, a major global exporter of labor, domestic shortages are also linked to inadequate training opportunities and policies to boost recruitment at a national level, experts say.

The need for cybersecurity professionals “is not well communicated to the different parts of the country”, said Angel Redoble, founder of the Philippine Institute of Cyber Security Professionals, a nonprofit pushing for a secure Philippine cyberspace.

Filipinos can study cybersecurity in only a handful of private universities with high tuition fees, and are often encouraged to pursue certifications for specific training and courses for 15,000 to 20,000 pesos.

Such barriers led 27-year-old former teacher Jaevik Madayag to abandon his plans of working in the field.

“Cybersecurity certifications are enormously expensive for Filipinos and having a certification doesn’t guarantee that you could enter that workforce,” he said.

With cybersecurity threats and data breaches on the rise, the government is taking steps to boost recruitment.

In January, it launched a new set of cybersecurity standards that schools and training centers can use for their program curriculum.

Under the new national cybersecurity strategy, there are plans for more specialist degrees and programs to upskill or retrain existing professionals.

Fostering accessible career progress will be vital, said Mr. Madayag, who now does IT support for a leading global tech company.

“Cybersecurity is a niche job in the IT industry,” he said. “You have to go through many paths and prerequisites and cannot jump ahead to practice.” – Reuters

RFM Corporation to conduct 2024 Annual Meeting of the Stockholders virtually on June 26

 

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