CNA Correspondent - What you need to know about South Korea's snap presidential election
CNA Correspondent
After Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law decree and his ouster from the presidency, South Korea is looking to recover from the political turmoil. Citizens are set to vote for their next leader in less than a week. CNA's Lim Yun Suk sets the stage with Teresa Tang.
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CNA
4 hours ago
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Taiwan accuses China of carrying out 'provocative' military patrol near island
TAIPEI: Taiwan accused China on Friday (Jun 6) of raising tensions in the region with a "provocative" military patrol involving warplanes and warships near the island, an unusual public rebuke in what are typically routine accounts of Chinese military activity. Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has complained of repeated Chinese military drills and patrols nearby. Since President Lai Ching-te took office last year, China has held three major rounds of war games. Taiwan's defence ministry said that starting mid-afternoon Friday, it had detected 21 Chinese military aircraft, including J-16 fighters, operating with warships to carry out "so-called joint combat readiness patrols" and "harass the airspace and seas around us". "The Ministry of National Defence stresses that these acts are highly provocative, fail to pay proper attention to the maritime rights of other countries, bring anxiety and threat to the region, and blatantly undermine the status quo in the region," it said. Taiwan regularly reports such Chinese "combat patrols", but does not generally attach such commentary to its statements. COAST GUARD DRILLS The patrol came one day after Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump spoke by telephone, with Xi telling Trump that the United States must "handle the Taiwan question with prudence". This is "so that the fringe separatists bent on 'Taiwan independence' will not be able to drag China and America into the dangerous terrain of confrontation and even conflict", Xi said, according to a Chinese government read-out of the call. China regularly calls Taiwan its most important and sensitive issue in relations with the United States, which is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself. China says democratically governed Taiwan is its "sacred territory" - a position the government in Taipei strongly rejects - and that it has a right to carry out drills in Chinese territory. Lai, who last month marked a year in office, is hated by Beijing, which calls him a separatist and has rebuffed his repeated offers for talks. Lai says only Taiwan's people can decide their future, and that the government is determined to ramp up defence spending and strengthen its military. China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. On Sunday, Lai will attend drills in the southern city of Kaohsiung for Taiwan's coast guard, whose ships would be pressed into service in combat roles in the event of war with China.
Independent Singapore
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'Death by a thousand cuts': Bukit Batok forest faces imminent axe despite wildlife warnings and public outcry
SINGAPORE: A young forest tucked behind the HomeTeamNS Adventure Centre in Bukit Batok is set to be mostly cleared for housing development, despite warnings from environmentalists and a recently released Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) urging caution. The forest, which grew naturally on cleared land since the 1960s, has become a key habitat and corridor for endangered species, including the critically endangered straw-headed bulbul—one of the rarest songbirds in the world. Singapore is its last global stronghold, and the Bukit Batok plot is one of its few remaining footholds in the west. A patch too small? Only 0.48 hectares of the forest—less than 10 per cent of the existing vegetation—will be retained as a 'stepping stone' for wildlife movement between the western green spaces and the Central Nature Reserves. The rest of the 5.5-hectare forest will be cleared to make way for a 14.5-hectare housing estate at the junction of Bukit Batok Road and Bukit Batok West Avenue 5. The plot includes the current Bukit Batok Driving Centre and nearby scrubland. See also Why did HDB hire US based lawyers when it is in deficit? To compensate, the report proposes greening the new estate with native flora and creating a forest-like vertical structure to support flying fauna. For ground-based wildlife, NParks is exploring the possibility of dedicated crossings. But the measures haven't gone far enough for conservationists. 'This is a very small patch with decent butterfly diversity, which suggests it's well connected to surrounding forests,' said ecologist Dr Anuj Jain, who has studied the area. 'It's like death by a thousand cuts' Youth nature group, Singapore Youth Voices for Biodiversity (SYVB), called for more decisive action. Outreach head Jayden Kang raised concerns over the limited forest retention in Bukit Batok. He noted that developments like Tengah had already affected the western ecological network, and suggested that further clearing could worsen the impact. He likened the current pattern of fragmented development to 'death by a thousand cuts.' The ecological implications go beyond Bukit Batok. Experts warn that Singapore's wildlife relies on forest corridors to move, breed, and maintain genetic diversity. If these green links are severed, it could lead to population crashes among already fragile species. See also "Superman" spotted in Singapore! Reports about this development acknowledged that construction will likely cause 'noticeable stress' on flora and flying fauna, even with mitigation in place. Backlash on World Environment Day On June 5—World Environment Day—the Instagram account of Woodlands Botanical Gardens published a scathing response. 'It is incredibly disgusting how they try to cheat the people by saying they will retain a tiny bit of forest,' the post read. 'There is not enough buffer zone to minimise impact. Even when the EIA says it's not a good idea, you still go ahead. So what then is the use of an EIA?' The post also questioned the sincerity of the public consultation process, accusing agencies of offering feedback opportunities only to 'show face'—not to meaningfully engage. 'Stop trying to placate the people with cheap tactics,' the group added. 'Walk the talk you falsely showcase to the world.' In a pointed remark, the group proposed an alternative: demolish underutilised Good Class Bungalows (GCBs) instead of natural forests if the aim is truly to house more people. See also Singapore Catholic churches offer shelter to homeless people 'GCBs house four or five. HDBs house hundreds. If housing is a basic need, then prioritise it where it matters.' What happens next? While there is no official timeline yet, signs point to redevelopment beginning in the next decade. The Bukit Batok Driving Centre's lease has been extended till the end of 2028, and a new clubhouse replacing HomeTeamNS' facilities is expected by 2031. Public feedback on the EIA is open until June 15 at 6 p.m. on the HDB website. But many in the nature community are already sceptical of whether public sentiment will sway planning outcomes. For now, the future of the Bukit Batok forest—and the wildlife that calls it home—remains hanging in the balance. What is clear is that trust in the system has been shaken. And once the trees fall, there may be no going back.
CNA
6 hours ago
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China seeks improved ties with Canada amid rising trade tensions
BEIJING: China called on Friday (Jun 6) for steps to improve bilateral ties with Canada, saying there were no deep-seated conflicts of interest, following a spike in trade tensions with many of Beijing's Western trade partners this year. China is willing to work with Canada to put ties on a healthy and stable path and find solutions to address each other's concerns through enhanced dialogue, Premier Li Qiang told Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in a phone call on Friday, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. "There is no fundamental conflict of interests between the two countries," Li said. Li's talks with Carney followed a highly anticipated phone call between United States President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, which Trump said led to "a very positive conclusion" and offered hope the trade war between the world's two largest economies might start to de-escalate. As the effects of trade frictions start to make their way into the already soft Chinese economy, Beijing has stepped up engagement with other countries to alleviate friction despite earlier retaliation. In March, Beijing announced tariffs on over US$2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural and food products in retaliation for Ottawa's levies on Chinese electric vehicles and steel and aluminium products introduced in October. Beijing has also launched an anti-dumping investigation into Canadian canola that is set to conclude in September. Canola, also known as rapeseed, was one of Canada's top exports to China, the world's No.1 agricultural importer, prior to Beijing's investigation. "The two governments should listen to and respond to the people's calls and do more to deepen the friendly cooperation and enhance mutual understanding and trust," Li told Carney. China is Canada's second-largest trading partner, trailing far behind the US. Canada exported US$47 billion worth of goods to the world's second-largest economy in 2024, according to Chinese customs data. Beijing is also willing to work with Canada to safeguard multilateralism and free trade, Li added. Beijing's olive branch to Ottawa also comes ahead of a Group of Seven summit of leaders in Canada in mid-June.
