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world news Diamars 6 OctOber 2020

Cambodia denies new speculation about Chinese base plans

(AP) — Cambodia's govern- plans were begun in late 2017 allow China 30-year use
ment on Monday officially to relocate it. of the Ream base, where it
denied suggestions that its It said the existing facility was would be able to post military
demolition of a U.S.-funded too small and lacked dock- personnel, store weapons and
facility at one of its naval bas- ing facilities, with limited ca- berth warships.
es is a signal that China will pacity for training and other Western analysts believe
be granted basing privileges activities, so a larger facil- basing rights in Cambodia
there, saying the work only ity was being established at a would extend Beijing's stra-
involves planned infrastruc- new location, with no change tegic military profile consid-
ture improvements. in function or relationships erably, and tilt the regional
The statement by the Na- with foreign partners. balance of power in a manner
tional Committee for Mari- China is Cambodia's clos- that would pressure adjacent
time Security was in response est political ally and main countries in the Association
to recent media reports high- source of economic support, of Southeast Asian Nations
lighting new concerns over through aid and investment. whose security concerns tra-
China's suspected plans for Cambodian Prime Minister ditionally have been aligned
Cambodia's Ream Naval Hun Sen declared in June more closely with the United sets Control announced last The Treasury Department
Base on the Gulf of Thai- that China has not been giv- States. month that it was imposing said in announcing the sanc-
land. The stories were based en exclusive rights to use the Speculation about China be- sanctions under U.S. law on tions that the Chinese com-
on satellite photos showing base, while also saying that ing allowed military facilities China's Union Development pany in 2008 acquired a 99-
the demolished facility and warships from all nations, in the area was heightened Group Co. Ltd., the company year lease from Cambodia's
statements from Cambodian including the United States, by a deal giving a Chinese behind the coastal land deal. government for the devel-
officials. are welcome to dock there. company control over a large It charged that the company opment of the Dara Sakor
The committee said its Tacti- He pointed out that Cambo- part of the coastline, and con- "forced Cambodians from project covering almost 20%
cal Command Headquarters, dia's Constitution does not struction of an airport on its their land and devastated the of Cambodia's coastline by
"an operational unit responsi- allow foreign military bases land that appeared to be de- environment, hurting the forming a local company
ble for implementing multi- to be established on its soil. signed to accommodate mili- livelihoods of local commu- to become the leaseholder.
agency law enforcement" in The Wall Street Journal re- tary aircraft as well as civilian nities, all under the guise of The company later reverted
cooperation with the United ported last year that an early planes. converting Cambodia into to Chinese ownership, the
States and Australia, had been draft of a reputed agreement The U.S. Treasury Depart- a regional logistics hub and Treasury Department said.
a temporary structure, and seen by U.S. officials would ment's Office of Foreign As- tourist destination."

WHO: 10% of world's people may have been infected with virus

(AP) — The head of emer- can be protected," Ryan said. Experts have long said that executive board to consider the U.N.'s Food and Agri-
gencies at the World Health He was flanked by his boss, the number of confirmed the follow-up to its previous cultural Organization to look
Organization said Monday WHO Director-General cases greatly undershoots the meeting, in May, that passed into the animal origins of the
the agency's "best estimates" Tedros Adhanom Ghebreye- true figure. a resolution to look into the virus and its transmission to
indicate roughly 1 in 10 sus, who minutes earlier led Ryan did not elaborate on the world's — and WHO's — humans.
people worldwide may have a moment of silence to honor estimate. Dr. Margaret Har- response to the pandemic, A two-person advance team
been infected by the corona- victims, as well as a round of ris, a WHO spokeswoman, among other things. for that mission has visited
virus — more than 20 times applause for the health work- said it was based on an aver- The two-day meeting is the China, but a fuller mission
the number of confirmed ers who have strived to save age of antibody studies con- first by the executive board isn't ready. Giroir said it was
cases — and warned of a dif- them. ducted around the world. She since the Trump administra- "critical" that WHO mem-
ficult period ahead. Ryan said southeast Asia said the estimated 90 percent tion set off a one-year count- ber states receive regular
Dr. Michael Ryan, speak- faced a surge in cases, Europe of people remaining without down this summer toward and timely updates about
ing to a special session of and the eastern Mediterra- infection means the virus has pulling the United States out the mission and its "terms of
the WHO's 34-member ex- nean were seeing an increase, "opportunity" to spread fur- of the WHO next July. Presi- reference" — an allusion to
ecutive board focusing on while the situations in Africa ther "if we don't take action dent Donald Trump, who working guidelines that de-
COVID-19, said the figures and the Western Pacific were to stop it" such as by contact- himself has been infected by tail just how much access the
vary from urban to rural ar- "rather more positive." Over- tracing and tracking of cases COVID-19, has repeatedly mission's members will have
eas, and between different all, though, he said the world by health officials. accused the WHO of being in China.
groups, but that ultimately it was "heading into a difficult Tedros, during his remarks, too accepting of China's ex- Chinese board member
means "the vast majority of period." said: "What we have learned planations of its handling of Zhang Yang, speaking by
the world remains at risk." "The disease continues to in every region of the world the outbreak in Wuhan late videoconference, said China
He said the pandemic would spread. It is on the rise in is that with strong leadership, last year. has been "transparent and re-
continue to evolve, but that many parts of the world," clear and comprehensive On a far more conciliatory sponsible" and has been ful-
tools exist to suppress trans- Ryan told attendees from strategies, consistent com- tone, Assistant Secretary of filling its responsibilities un-
mission and save lives. governments who make up munication, and engaged, Health Brett Giroir, the U.S. der the resolution. She said
"Many deaths have been the executive board and pro- empowered and enabled representative on the board, it had been communicating
averted and many more lives vide much of the WHO's population, it's never too told the meeting by video- regularly with the WHO and
funding. "Our current best late ... Every situation can be conference that the United keeping up its financial com-
estimates tell us that about 10 turned around — and hard- States "looks forward to mitments to the U.N. agency.
percent of the global popula- won gains can be easily lost." working together to defeat Board member Clemens
tion may have been infected "The pandemic underlines this pandemic and move our Auer of Austria lamented a
by this virus." the fundamental importance people and economics back "political weakening" of the
The estimate — which of investing in public health to normalcy." WHO, citing the "potential
would amount to more than and primary health care," Giroir also pressed WHO — withdrawal of a strong WHO
760 million people based on said Tedros, wearing a stylish albeit gently — to clear up its member state" — an allusion
a current world population black, red and yellow mask. relationship with the Chi- to the U.S. He appealed for
of about 7.6 billion — far Tedros had not worn a mask nese government. He said a a "retreat session" for board
outstrips the number of con- during scores of COVID-19 "key mandate" from the reso- members, saying it should
firmed cases as tallied by both press conferences he led at lution in May was its call for be an "active" body — not a
the WHO and Johns Hop- WHO headquarters this year. a joint mission involving the "ceremonial" one. U.S. rep-
kins University, now more The comments came dur- WHO, the World Organiza- resentative Giroir expressed
than 35 million worldwide. ing a special session of the tion for Animal Health, and support for that idea.