Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 2, 2023)
Page 2 n THE ASIAN REPORTER ASIA / PACIFIC January 2, 2023 China again issuing passports, visas as virus curbs ease BEIJING (AP) — China says it will resume issuing passports for tourism in another big step away from anti-virus controls that isolated the country for almost three years, setting up a potential flood of Chinese people travelling abroad for the Lunar New Year holiday. The announcement added to abrupt changes that are rolling back some of the world’s strictest anti-virus controls as President Xi Jinping’s government tries to reverse an economic slump. Rules that confined millions of people to their homes kept China’s infection rate low but fuelled public frustration and crushed economic growth. The latest decision could send free-spending Chinese tourists to revenue-starved destinations in Asia and Europe for the Lunar New Year. Bangladesh opens first metro service to ease Dhaka traffic DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh has launched its first metro rail service, mostly funded by Japan, in the densely populated capital amid enthusiasm that the South Asian country’s development bonanza would continue with both domestic and overseas funds. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the service accompanied by newly appointed Japanese ambassador Kiminori Iwama and Ichiguchi Tomohide, the chief representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, or JICA. “We have added another feather of pride to the crown of Bangladesh’s people today. Another feather added to the crown of the development of Bangladesh,” she said during the inauguration. Hasina also used the ceremony to commemorate six Japanese rail engineers working on the project who were killed during an attack on a Dhaka café by Islamic extremists in 2016. HK scraps vaccine pass, COVID-19 tests for travellers HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong is scrapping some of its COVID-19 restrictions, including PCR tests for inbound travellers and vaccination requirements to enter certain venues, according to the city’s leader. For most of the pandemic, Hong Kong has aligned itself with China’s “zero-COVID” strategy, requiring stringent COVID-19 tests and isolation for close contacts of infected cases as well as for incoming travellers. But the mainland has relaxed measures in recent weeks, and Hong Kong prepared for the January reopening of its border with China, which had previously imposed harsh restrictions and snap lockdowns to stamp out the virus. “Our society as a whole has built an extensive and high-level barrier of immunity (to COVID-19),” said Hong Kong chief executive John Lee at a news conference. Court in Myanmar again finds Suu Kyi guilty of corruption BANGKOK (AP) — A court in military-ruled Myanmar convicted the country’s ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, of corruption, sentencing her to seven years in prison in the last of a string of criminal cases against her, a legal official said. The court’s action leaves her with a total of 33 years to serve in prison following a series of politically tinged prosecutions since the army toppled her elected government in February 2021. She has also been convicted of several other offenses, which previously gave her a total of 26 years of imprisonment. Her supporters and independent analysts say the charges against her are an attempt to legitimize the military’s seizure of power while eliminating her from politics before an election it has promised. S. Korea’s unannounced rocket launch causes UFO scare SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s military confirmed it test-fired a solid-fuelled rocket after its unannounced launch triggered a brief public scare of a suspected UFO appearance or a North Korean missile launch. The Defense Ministry said in a statement that the rocket launch was part of its efforts to build a space-based surveillance capability and bolster its defense posture. It said it didn’t notify the general public of the launch in advance because it involved sensitive military security issues. A twisty tendril of vapor in white-to-red ombre could be seen snaking behind a bright white light in parts of South Korea’s sky. SCARE SUPPLIES. People gather around a street food vendor in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on December 28, 2022. In Sri Lanka, where the tourism-driven economy has been hammered by political upheavals and shortages, the situation remains dire since COVID-19 hit in early 2020. Across South Asia, hotels and restaurants are finding past business models obso- lete, forcing a reset in strategies as investments recover to meet rising demand from hungry diners eager to eat out again. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) South Asian eateries try “going local” as recovery strategy By Vineeta Deepak The Associated Press EW DELHI — Hotels and restaurants across South Asia have had to adapt and reimagine dining out since the pandemic ripped through the region, forcing many out of business. Those that have survived are tapping local sources and going online. In India, from hole-in-the-wall casual eateries to fine dining, restaurants were devastated by lockdowns and virus outbreaks, with millions losing their jobs since COVID-19 hit in early 2020. In neighboring Sri Lanka, where the tourism-driven economy also has been hammered by political upheavals and shortages, the situation remains dire. Saman Nayanananda, a food and beverage manager at a hotel chain in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, says going local for food sourcing and menu offerings is vital. Nayanananda, who was in New Delhi recently for the South Asian Food for Thought festival, survived the devastating tsunami in 2004 that killed 230,000. He lived through a prolonged civil war that ended in 2009 and witnessed the aftermath of deadly 2019 Easter terrorist attacks. After every calamity, the economy managed to get back on its feet. The struggle to recover for the nation of 22 million is infinitely tougher given Sri Lanka’s troubles with debt, fuel, and food shortages, said the 50-year-old hospitality industry veteran. “We had lot of challenges, including raw materials and the transport problems. A year after COVID, all hotels started food delivery. N We were slowly recovering and then this economic crisis came. We ran out of both imported and local materials. Again back to zero,” said Nayanananda, who lost his job at a tourist resort in 2020 as everything shut down. “We recovered from terrorism, from the tsunami, but this crisis, it has broken the middle class,” he said. With food inflation at 70% and hard currency to buy from abroad in short supply, going local both in terms of food sourcing and menu offerings is the only option. “We came out with the concept of grow and sell. We replaced imported production with local production, coming up with innovative food items,” he said, mentioning dishes using locally grown sweet potatoes, cassava, yams and cowpeas, or black-eyed peas. Across the region, hotels and restaurants are finding past business models obsolete. That’s forcing a reset in strategies as investments recover to meet rising demand from hungry diners eager to eat out again. India’s food services market is expected to grow to $79 billion by 2028 from $41 billion in 2022, according to a report by the Francorp and restaurantindia.in. But the sector will still face supply delays or shortages, the report says. Maneesh Baheti, founder and director of the South Asian Association for Gastronomy, said the pandemic has raised awareness about health concerns and food sourcing, leading the industry to adopt more sustainable practices. That includes offering dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. “Eating fresh local produce according to season, returning to diets rich in nuts, legumes, and green leafy vegetables, are Continued on page 3 Asian Currency Exchange Rates Time zone by time zone, another new year swept into view Units per U.S. dollar as of 12/30 CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — New Year’s celebrations swept across the globe, ushering in 2023 with countdowns and fireworks — and marking an end to a year that brought war in Europe, a new chapter in the British monarchy, and global worries over inflation. The new year began in the tiny atoll nation of Kiribati in the central Pacific, then moved across Russia and New Zealand before heading deeper, time zone by time zone, through Asia and Europe. At least for a day, thoughts focused on possibilities, even elusive ones like world peace, and mustering — finally — a resolve to keep the next array of resolu- tions. Bangladesh Taka· · Cambodian Riel · · China Renminbi · · Fijian Dollar · · · · Hong Kong Dollar · Indian Rupee · · · · Indonesian Rupiah · Iranian Rial · · · · Japanese Yen · · · Laos New Kip · · · Malaysian Ringgit · Nepal Rupee · · · · Pakistani Rupee · · Papua N.G. Kina · · Philippine Peso· · · Russian Ruble · · · Saudi Riyal· · · · · Singapore Dollar · · South Korean Won · Sri Lankan Rupee · Taiwan Dollar · · · Thai Baht · · · · · Vietnam Dong · · · North Korea’s Kim lays out key goals to boost military power SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un presented new plans to further bolster his military power at a meeting of top political officials, according to state media, in an indication he’ll continue his provocative run of weapons displays. Kim’s statement came as animosities with rival South Korea rose sharply with the South accusing the North of flying drones across the border for the first time in five years. North Korea has already performed a record number of missile tests in what experts call an attempt to modernize its arsenal and increase its leverage in future dealings with the United States. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 102.5 4117.2 6.8972 2.1758 7.8003 82.718 15528 41858 131.83 17327 4.4 132.51 226.4 3.52 55.639 72.0 3.757 1.3406 1256.9 365.08 30.695 34.55 23628