DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “ASEAN Connectivity Symposium to be held in Indonesia's Bali” plus 9 more

JAKARTA, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- The ASEAN Connectivity Symposium will be held in Indonesia's Bali province on Nov. 8-9 where some 200 participants are expected to congregate the event, officials said here on Wednesday.

The symposium will provide an opportunity to follow the latest developments in the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity and provides a platform for ASEAN to dialog with and engage they key stakeholders in the implementation process.

The ASEAN Connectivity Symposium is one of the flagship outreach activities of the ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCCC) this year under the chairmanship of Indonesia.

"The symposium is held at an opportune time since we just crossed the one-year mark of the adoption of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity in October last year. It would be the platform for both public and private sectors to exchange information on possible means of cooperation in the implementation of the Master Plan," said Ambassador Ngurah Swajaya, current chair of and Indonesia's representative to the ACCCC.

S. Puspanathan, deputy secretary general of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community, said that upon the adoption of the master plan by 17th ASEAN Summit in Vietnam's Hanoi last year, the ACCC is currently implementing 15 priority projects that include among others the completion of the ASEAN Highway Network (AHN), the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link (SKRL), feasibility study on the roll- on/roll-off network and short sea shipping supported by Japan that connect the Philippines's Davao and Indonesia's Bitung, operation of all national single windows, easing visa requirement for ASEAN nationals and many more.

"It is important to connect and work together with key stakeholders in order to realize enhanced regional community that will benefit all in the region," said Puspanathan.

Swajaya added that in supporting these efforts, ASEAN finance ministers had launched the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund with initial equity contribution of 485.2 million U.S. dollars.

He added that the sum is the largest fund mobilized by ASEAN so far and it is expected that the total lending commitment through 2020 will reach up to 3.6 billion dollars.

This fund will be used to leverage on the external funding to support the implementation of the master plan.

SALZBURG, Austria, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao concluded his state visit to Austria and left Salzburg for Cannes, France, Wednesday for a Group of 20 (G20) summit.

Hu began his visit to Austria on Sunday. He became the first Chinese head of state to visit Austria in 12 years.

On Monday, Hu held talks with his Austrian counterpart, Heinz Fischer, and met Chancellor Werner Faymann and National Council President Barbara Prammer.

In his talks with Fischer, Hu spoke highly of the ties between the two countries, saying that China values its relations with Austria and is willing to join hands with Austria to elevate bilateral ties to a higher level.

The Chinese leader proposed that the two sides enhance their political relationship based on equality and mutual trust, continue with their frequent high-level contacts and steer bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective.

The two countries should also expand their mutually beneficial economic and trade relations, he said, while calling for concerted efforts to fight trade protectionism and encourage mutual investment so as to achieve a balanced, diversified and sustainable trade relationship.

Hu urged Vienna to play a more active role in pushing for the EU's recognition of China's full market economy status and for a lift of the bloc's restrictions on high-tech exports to China.

In the culture sphere, the two sides should promote people-to-people exchanges and boost cultural and educational cooperation, Hu said.

In addition, the two countries should also deepen cooperation in multilateral mechanisms to jointly push for a more just and fairer international political and economic order, Hu said.

Fischer, for his part, said that he fully agreed with Hu's proposal, adding that his country is willing to enhance cooperation with China in culture, science and technology and tourism and expand coordination in the United Nations and other international frameworks.

Austria will play an active role in seeking the EU's recognition of China's full market economy status, Fischer said.

After their talks, Hu and Fischer witnessed the signing of a host of cooperation documents by representatives of the two sides, covering economics and trade, environmental protection, water conservancy, education and culture.

From Vienna, Hu traveled to Salzburg Monday evening to continue his visit. Hu toured a family farm near Salzburg, visited Wolfgang Mozart's resident, and met local officials.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Austria.

Over the past 40 years, China-Austria relations have developed continuously with frequent exchanges of high-level visits, increase in bilateral trade, and more visitors traveling to each other's country.

China became Austria's biggest trading partner outside Europe in 2010, when their two-way trade rose to 6 billion U.S. dollars, marking a 26 percent increase over the previous year.

Last year, about 200,000 Chinese tourists visited Austria, while some 80,000 Austrians traveled to China.

BANGKOK, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Vimon Chantarothai, director- general of Department of Fisheries, said on Wednesday that in order to ease people' anxiety about crocodiles and alligators on the loose, the department has set up hotline to cope with the problem.

Widespread flooding that has lashed large parts of the country since late July has been complicated by escaping reptiles from ranching farms across the nation.

People have been afraid of being bitten by those crocs, gators as well as some venomous animals and vipers which escaped floods.

Residents who were certain that they saw reptiles on the loose are encouraged to call the hotline number around the clock, the director-general said.

Vimon also warned people not to wade through floodwaters at night since the reptiles are very active for hunting during the time.

Floods caused by heavy monsoon downpours and tropical storms have killed some 427 people so far and affected over 9.4 million in 63 provinces or four-fifths of the country.

Floodwaters still prevail in 26 provinces in central and northeastern regions while the northern runoff has begun to flood parts of outer capital city last week, putting the inner city at the risk of being swamped.

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- At least one man was killed and 12 others were injured in a blast that took place in capital city Peshawar of Northwestern Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday, reported local Urdu TV Geo.

CANBERRA, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama might find his visit to Northern Territory (NT) of Australia a perfect opportunity to announce a strategic plan involving Australia, South Korea and Japan, a foreign and defense policy expert told Xinhua in a recent interview.

According to Associate Professor Wayne Reynolds from University of Newcastle, Obama's upcoming visit to Australia in November comes at a time when the U.S. is under pressure to assert its primary role in Asia.

"From the U.S. standpoint, this will be an attempt to regain the initiative in Asia since it lacks the economic leverage that it once had," Professor Reynolds said.

Expectations are growing that Obama and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard will make a significant joint announcement about an increase in U.S. military presence in the NT, described by Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith as "more troops in, troops out, more planes in, planes out and more ships in, ships out."

However, Professor Reynolds expected the in-principle discussions about closer co-operation allowing more U.S. troops bases in Australia would take place over an even longer time frame.

Instead, he anticipated that Obama might find the occasion of his visit a perfect time to make announcement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership plan involving Australia, South Korea, and Japan.

"If this occurs it will be couched as a geo-strategic initiative rather than a narrowly focused economic or trade proposal," he said.

While the status of India as a security partner and potential nuclear partner remains a pressing security concern for U.S., Professor Reynolds said the issue is likely to be discussed by the two leaders, when Obama will "almost certainly add his weight to the pressure to have Australia approve the export of uranium as part of civil nuclear."

He also expected Obama to make a statement on the importance of Indian Ocean and energy security, as a basis for increasing U.S. naval basing rights in Western Australia.

Professor Reynolds warned Australia to be mindful of the importance of trade issue when making any announcement on quasi- strategic agreements.

"It will be important that any regional arrangement for security is both comprehensive and inclusive," he said.

The U.S. president's visit to Australia on Nov. 16 and 17 will mark the 60th anniversary of the military alliance between Australia and the United States. This will be Obama's first visit since he became U.S. president.

During his trip in Australia, he will address the parliament and visit Darwin of NT, while en route to the East Asia Summit in Bali of Indonesia.

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday expressed congratulations to China for successfully launching unmanned spacecraft Shenzhou-8 on Nov. 1.

"I bless the spacecraft to return to Earth successfully after its airspace mission," he said during the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the 5th Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge, or 2nd Chroy Changvar Bridge, across Tonle Sap River in Phnom Penh.

"China's success is the world's success," he said.

The spacecraft would contribute to the world in the research on the issues relevant to the development of China and the development in the region and the world, he added.

The unmanned spacecraft Shenzhou-8 was successfully sent into the designated orbit after the blast-off at 5:58 a.m. on Tuesday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China's northwestern desert area, carried by an upgraded Long March-2F rocket.

Meanwhile, Hun Sen said the progress of China is "not a threat" to other countries, instead, China's development will benefit developing countries.

KUNMING, NOV. 2 (Xinhua) -- The trade of refined oil on Yunnan's black market is worth nearly 100 million yuan (15.7 million U.S. dollars) in real market terms per annum, according to provincial industrial association for oil circulation.

In October, Yunnan police busted the operators of three illegal refined oil storage sites and seized 10 tonnes of diesel worth around 4 million yuan. Three people have been arrested and the case is still under investigation.

Police are increasingly focusing on the illegal gas trade as unprecedented diesel shortages hit China.

Shortages usually arise every September and October, the traditional peak months of diesel use, but this year the situation is worse.

Over 10,000 of China's 44,000 private-sector gas stations, which account for nearly half the nation's gas stations, face diesel shortages, said Zhao Youshan, chairman of the Commercial Petroleum Flow Committee of China.

Yunnan police say refined oil is traded on the black market across China, particularly in Beijing and Shanghai and the provinces of Hubei and Hunan.

One major source of diesel on the black market is from tank truck drivers, who surreptitiously remove fuel from their trucks' tanks, said a person who refused to be named in charge of a branch of PetroChina in Yunnan.

A lead seal makes it difficult to steal fuel from the tank, but drivers can get around the problem by working in cahoots with oil depot workers.

"At first I had no idea about it at all, and then I followed other drivers' example after I discovered them doing so. Later we discussed with each other which oil depots and workers were flexible to 'cooperate with' us and how to avoid inspections from the company," said a tank truck driver who gave his surname as Wang, a common Chinese name.

Another source of the illegally traded diesel comes from thieves who siphon gas from the fuel tanks of trucks.

Diesel is often stolen from heavy trucks on the highway, said Nie Jiyou, the deputy police chief of the district of Qilin, Qujing city.

Dai Zhonghua, a truck driver said he and other drivers were afraid to park their vehicles late at night at highway stops. And if they had to, they would park their trucks very close to each other, side-by-side, to make it difficult for thieves to access the fuel tank.

"But even by doing so, my truck's fuel tank has been prized open three times this year and I've lost nearly 10,000 yuan worth of diesel," said Dai.

To counter the diesel shortage, China Petrochemical Corp (Sinopec), China's largest oil refiner, has said it will raise its refinery output by 2.8 percent to 18.3 million tonnes in November.

And the National Development and Reform Commission on Oct. 8 lowered retail fuel prices for the first time in 16 months by 300 yuan a tonne.

JINAN, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Receiving a wedding invitation has become like receiving a bill for young people in China, as they are expected to give cash to the newlyweds.

Having attended more than five weddings in October alone, Chen Dongfang, whose monthly salary is 2,800 yuan (442 U.S. dollars), spent over 3,000 yuan as cash gifts for his friends.

"I could barely survive with my salary. Cash wedding gifts for friends' weddings are burdensome," said Chen, who graduated last year and now works at an interior design company in Shandong's provincial capital of Jinan.

Giving gifts to newlyweds is standard etiquette in the East and the West, but before China's opening up and reform started in 1978, it was common to give living necessities, such as linens, thermos, and utensils, as wedding gifts.

Liu Senping, who is about to retire in Jinan, said that when he got married in 1983, he received several pairs of shoes, two sets of linens, a set of tableware, and some cash gifts of less than 10 yuan each.

As the Chinese economy picks up, sending cash as a wedding gift to allow newlyweds to choose how to use the funds has become a common practice.

However, the good intentions of cash wedding gifts are overshadowed by the increasing amount of cash expected. The trade-off between "face" and money hikes up the amount of cash sent, overtaxing the young.

"For young people who have recently entered the job market, chipping in at least 200 yuan for each wedding is indeed a burden," Liu said.

There is a way out, though, according to Chen.

"If the wedding invitation is sent from a mere acquaintance, I would make excuses to avoid attending, which could save me some money as less money is expected from the people who were invited but did not attend the wedding," he said.

"But, compared to hard cash, I would prefer to pick up a nice present that shows I care," Chen added.

BANGKOK, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 427 people were confirmed dead and two people were missing in the floods that have inundated the upper part of the country for almost three months, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported on Wednesday.

A total of 43 more people were confirmed dead on Tuesday -- 23 people in central province of Ayutthaya, 12 in central province of Suphanburi, four in northeastern province of Surin, three in northeastern province of Mahasarakham, and one in central province of Chainat.

Central province of Nakhon Sawan has the highest death toll of 59 people, following by central province of Phichit, of which 50 people killed by flood.

Flash floods were caused by the heavy monsoon "Nock-Ten" and overflow from several dams in upper part of the country since mid July.

On Saturday, floods still prevail in 26 of 77 provinces and are affecting about 2.1 million people from 720,000 households.

The flood have affected about 3.3 million households and about 9.9 million people in 63 of 77 provinces since July 25.

About 73 main highways in 15 provinces are flooded and cannot be passed and 18 north-bound train routes were canceled.

BEIJING, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao said in a written interview on Wednesday that China sincerely hopes the eurozone economy and the euro will maintain stability.

"China has noted that the leaders of relevant eurozone countries have repeatedly pledged their determination, ability and resources toward solving the sovereign debt problems," Hu told French daily Le Figaro ahead of the G20 summit scheduled for Nov. 3-4 in Cannes, France.

European leaders agreed on Oct. 27 that private creditors must accept a 50 percent cut in the value of the Greek government debt they hold, and the bailout fund will be increased to 1 trillion euros (1.37 trillion U.S. dollars).

Hu also said that China hopes the results of the summit will help to stabilize the European financial market, and promote economic recovery and development, adding that the results will show Europe's unity.

In regards to China-EU relations, Hu said that China always considers Europe an important power on the international stage and supports European integration.

"China is willing to strengthen mutual understanding and trust with the European side, and expand and deepen pragmatic cooperation in all areas," said Hu.

The partnership between China and Europe not only contributes to China's development and European economic recovery, but is also in favor of world peace, stability and prosperity, Hu added.