TEGUCIGALPA: Honduras will soon begin talks toward a trade deal with China, the Central American country’s top diplomat said on Friday (May 12), marking the latest step toward stronger bilateral ties between the two nations after Honduras broke off relations with Taiwan.

Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina told reporters at a press conference that the goal is to launch talks “soon” and eventually ink a “free trade” agreement with the Asian giant, the world’s second-largest economy.

“It will be good news and (offer) opportunities for access to our products to China,” said Reina.

In late March, Honduras ended its decades-long diplomatic recognition of Taiwan, after President Xiomara Castro opted to open relations with China in a bid for more investment and jobs.

Coffee will be the first Honduran export to the massive Chinese market, Reina noted, adding that both countries are also evaluating future shipments of shrimp and melon to China.

Honduras is one of Central America’s top coffee growers.

Reina said that China has also expressed interest in buying Honduran beef and bananas, among other products.

In April, the diplomat said Honduras also hopes to reach agreements with China to lighten the nation’s debt burden with the support of financial organisations from its new partner. 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan police imposed an emergency order banning gatherings as supporters of Imran Khan were expected to march to the capital on Friday (May 12) where the former prime minister will appear for a court hearing.

His arrest earlier this week, which sparked deadly unrest in the nuclear-armed nation, was ruled “invalid and unlawful” by the Supreme Court on Thursday.

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party said thousands of “peaceful Pakistanis” from across the country will gather in Islamabad in solidarity with their leader.

Khan, 70, an international cricket hero-turned-politician, will appear before the Islamabad High Court at 11am (2pm, Singapore time) for a hearing on his petition challenging the anti-corruption action against him, on orders of the top court.

His arrest aggravated instability in the country of 220 million people at a time of severe economic crisis – with record high inflation, anaemic growth and a delayed IMF funding – and escalated Khan’s tussle with the powerful military.

Nearly 2,000 people have been arrested so far and at least eight killed after Khan’s supporters clashed with police, attacked military establishments and set other state buildings and assets ablaze, prompting the government to call in the army to help restore order.

The army has warned Khan’s supporters that it will respond firmly if there are further attacks on its assets, saying in a statement on Wednesday that the violence on its installations was “pre-planned” and ordered by his party leadership.

Khan, who opponents say was brought to power through a rigged election in 2018 by the generals, has blamed the military for his ouster from office in April 2022 in a parliamentary no-confidence vote.

The army, which remains Pakistan’s most powerful institution, having ruled it directly for close to half its 75-year history through three coups, has denied Khan’s allegations.

KUALA LUMPUR: The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) is still relevant despite the perception that it is now like a “lifeless” party following its poor electoral showings since 2018, said party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Thursday (May 11). 

“We see that UMNO seems like it is lifeless. That is the perception of society as a whole. 

“But UMNO is still relevant even though our number of members in parliament is only 26 at the moment with four more from BN (Barisan Nasional),” he said at the party’s 77th anniversary celebration. 

According to Bernama, Ahmad Zahid – who is also Malaysia’s deputy prime minister – said that UMNO has gone through various challenges throughout its 77 years of existence and that the struggles ahead may change over the years. 

“When we look within, we should not forget history but if we keep digging into history without preparing to move forward, we will end up nowhere. 

“In two more decades, when UMNO is 100 years old, the outline of UMNO’s struggles may have changed,” he reportedly said. 

UMNO, which is the oldest political party in Malaysia, lost its 61-year hold on government when it was voted out of power in favour of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition during the 14th General Election in 2018.

In his speech on Thursday, Ahmad Zahid noted that UMNO functions better in the current unity government as compared to its ties with partners in the previous government. The previous government comprised Barisan Nasional (BN), of which UMNO is a component party, and Perikatan Nasional (PN). 

General elections are due no later than October, and the former cricket star has accused the shaky incumbent coalition government of supplanting him in cahoots with top generals.

The 70-year-old has also made explosive claims that they puppeteered a November assassination attempt which saw him shot in the leg as he campaigned for snap polls.

LABYRINTHINE LEGAL CASES

Khan was arrested under the orders of Pakistan’s top graft agency as he arrived for a routine court appearance in the capital.

Two days of chaos followed, with several thousand of his supporters rampaging through cities across the country in protest, setting fire to buildings and blocking roads.

At least nine people died in the unrest, police and hospitals said.

Hundreds of police officers were injured and more than 3,500 people arrested, mostly in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, according to authorities.

On Thursday, Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said the arrest was unlawful because it took place on court premises, where Khan had intended to file a bail application.

“Your arrest was invalid, so the whole process needs to be backtracked,” he told Khan.

Khan remained in the bench’s custody overnight under police protection for his own safety until he arrived at the Islamabad High Court, where hundreds of security forces were deployed and nearby roads shut.

“COUNTRY NEEDS PEACE”

Islamabad police had issued an emergency order banning all gatherings in the capital city after Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party called for supporters to come together.

Faisal Hussain Chaudhry, a lawyer for Khan, told reporters that further arrests of senior PTI leaders overnight brought the total number to 10.

“The country needs peace but such steps by the government are not helpful,” he said.

BANGKOK: Thailand incumbent Prime Minister and former army chief Prayut Chan-o-cha has emphasised the importance of the military and its contribution to national security in his electoral campaigns ahead of a general election on Sunday (May 14).

The 69-year-old retired general is running for the premiership under the banner of the United Thai Nation Party, hoping to stay on in power after more than eight years in the job.

Speaking at a rally in southern Thailand on Thursday, Gen Prayut showed his support for military conscription, as opposed to his rivals’ position to replace the compulsory enlistment with voluntary recruitment.

“Soldiers look after the borders for us. They take risks for us. How many of them have lost their legs and arms and are lying in the hospitals? And who are they? Our children and grandchildren. These people carry out their duty according to their Constitution – the duty of all men,” he told supporters in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

“Soldiers are the security of the country,” he added.

Every Thai male citizen is required by law to participate in the military service. According to the Military Service Act of 1954, the selection of personnel shall be done by conscription or other means stipulated in the ministerial regulations.

“This is a principle that every country has. If Thailand has no soldiers, it will have no strength. Soldiers in other countries have fewer responsibilities compared to ours. They only go to wars. In Thailand, they provide assistance, alleviate disasters and help out during floods,” said the prime minister hopeful.

Other political parties, including Pheu Thai and Move Forward have proposed to abolish compulsory enlistment.

That said, there has been “considerable pressure” for the senators to accept the popular will and go with the elected government’s choice of prime minister, noted Dr Hewison.

Dr James Ockey, associate professor at the University of Canterbury, told CNA’s Asia First: “Thai elections are quite fascinating in the sense that victory doesn’t necessarily depend on who gets the most votes and who gets the most seats.”

He noted that since the turn of the millennium, the most number of seats in every election has gone to Pheu Thai or its predecessor parties.

“But on most occasions, it’s not been able to form a government because of some kind of interference. It’s been dissolved twice to prevent it from governing. The military put together a coalition on another occasion to prevent it from governing,” he explained.