COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Srilanka

• President Rajapaksa sworn in for his second term; Asian Development Bank (ADB) helps Sri Lanka in drafting national strategy for climate change adaptation; Sri Lanka grants financial assistant package to Palestinian National Authority (PNA); Hambantota Port officially opened; MoU signed between Indian Government and the HPL for IDP housing projects in the north of Sri Lanka

Maldives

• US Special Representative to Muslim communities meets President Nasheed; Denmark to support climate change projects in Maldives; President Nasheed visits Sri Lanka to attend Rajapaksa's swearing-in ceremony; IMF to delay paying loan to the Maldives; International tourist arrival to Maldives rose by 27% in August 2010; A joint medical camp organised by US-Navy and the MNDF

East Asia

China

• PLA’s Chief of the General Staff General Chen Bingde meets Venezuelan Defense Minister; South African Secretary of Defense visits China to attend the fourth meeting of China-South Africa defense committee; China and Peru will jointly conduct “Peace Angel 2010”; Sino-Romanian joint exercise concluded; The PLA and the Singapore Armed Forces start joint exercise; Need for foreign publicity work emphasized; New ships to join the 7th naval task force in the Gulf of Aden; Chinese ship attacked by the pirates; PLAAF hosts 8th International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition; 100-member strong contingent left for peacekeeping in the DRC

Southeast Asia

• East Timor calls for ending sanctions on Myanmar; Aang San Suu Kyi calls for dialogue with the Junta; ASEAN makes statement on Myanmar; Sinopec discovers gas in Myanmar; Pakistan Foreign Minister’s first visit to Singapore; Indonesia expects to attract more Chinese tourists; US-Vietnam cooperation on MIAs; India said no to vote against Myanmar and Iran in UN; Philippines pleads Malaysia to replace facilitator while Muslim rebels disagree

USA

• US and South Korea to carry out military exercises as first response to North Korea’s shelling; US sends aircraft carrier George Washington and other ships in the region

ENERGY REVIEW

• Reports: Government of India launches a certification process for the clean energy sector aimed at setting in motion the trade of renewable energy