Deep structure of the Southeast Asian curved subduction system and its dynamic process

The deep structure,material circulation,and dynamic processes in the Southeast Asia have long been an elusive scientific puzzle due to the lack of systematic scientific observations and recognized theoretical models.Based on the deep seismic tomography using long-period natural earthquake data,in this study,the deep structure and material circulation of the curved subduction system in Southeast Asia was studied,and the dynamic processes since 100 million years ago was reconstructed.It is pointed out that challenges still exist in the precise reconstruction of deep mantle structures of the study area,the influence of multi-stage subduction on deep material exchange and shallow magma activity,as well as the spatiotemporal evolution and coupling mechanism of multi-plate convergence.Future work should focus on high-resolution land-sea joint 3-D seismic tomography imaging of the curved subduction system in the Southeast Asia,combined with geochemical analysis and geodynamic modelling works.

The characteristics, formation and exploration progress of the potash deposits on the Khorat Plateau, Thailand and Laos, Southeast Asia

The giant potash deposit on the Khorat Plateau is one of the most promising targets for exploitation of potassium salts.So far,many researches and geologic survey have been conducted on the giant potash deposits.Hence,it is necessary to make an overall review on the potash deposits.The potash deposit on the Khorat Plateau was formed during the Middle to Late Cretaceous,during which seawater was enriched in Ca2+and depleted in SO42-compared with those of modern seawater.In addition to seawater,continental water and hydrothermal fluids could have affected the evaporite basins.The seawater was probably derived from Tethys ocean,and the brine should have evaporated to some extent before entering into the basin systems based on the evidence of absence of carbonates and unproportionate sulphate compared with chloride salts.The paleo-climate during Middle to Late Cretaceous was characterized as high temperature and extremely arid environment,which is favourable for deposition of potassium-magnesium saline minerals.The major saline minerals are of anhydrite,halite,carnallite,sylvite and,tachyhydrite,with trace amounts of borates.The resources of the potash deposit on the Khorat Plateau could be approximately as much as 400×109 t of carnallite and 7×109 t of sylvite.The evaporite sequences have been deformed and altered by postdepositinal processes,including tectonic movements and chemical alteration.Salt domes were formed in the postdepositional processes.Based on the analyses of geophysical surveys and drilling projects,high-quality sylvinite ores are commonly found at the flanks of those salt domes due to incongruent dissolution of carnallite.The furure potential prospecting areas for the highquality sylvinite ores would be on the edges of the Khorat Plateau.

Intensive High-Level Visits from Southeast Asia

Recently,senior officials from Southeast Asian countries have visited China in succession,including Indonesian Presidentelect Prabowo Subianto,Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith,Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son,Timor-Leste Foreign Minister Bendito Freitas,Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue,Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat,and Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirinhorn.

HELLO ASEAN Visa-free policy sparks surge of Chinese tourists to Southeast Asia

As of March 1,Malaysia,Singapore,and Thailand have all implemented visa-free entry policy for Chinese citizens,allowing stays of up to 30 days.The three Southeast Asian countries have been popular destinations for Chinese outbound tourists since the late 1980s and early 1990s.The implementation of the visa-free entry policy is expected to attract more Chinese tourists,especially young people,to travel to Southeast Asia and boost the recovery of the tourism industry in the region.

Chinese Enterprises’ Investment in Southeast Asia Continues Unabated

As we all know,Southeast Asia has become a hot destination for Chinese enterprises to invest in.The latest report shows that Southeast Asia continues to attract China’s capital,within which the medical industry has become an important area for Chinese enterprises to invest in,and the investment activity has gradually warmed up despite fluctuations.

A novel seed cone of Pinus from the Miocene of coastal Southeast China indicates kinship with Southeast Asian pines

Pinus is an economically and ecologically important genus whose members are dominant components globally in low-latitude mountainous and mid-latitude temperate forests.Pinus species richness is currently concentrated in subtropical mid-low latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere,differing from the latitudinal diversity gradient mostly recognized in woody angiosperms.How the present pattern was developing in Earth's past is still poorly studied,particularly in eastern Asia.Here,a new fossil species,Pinus shengxianica sp.nov.is described based on a fossil seed cone from the Late Miocene Shengxian Formation in Zhejiang,southeast China.A co-occurring cone is recognized as a known fossil species,Pinus speciosa Li.Extensive comparison of extant and fossil members of Pinus suggests P.shengxianica shares a striking cone similarity to Pinus merkusii and Pinus latteri(subsection Pinus)from tropical Southeast Asia in having annular bulges around the umbo on the apophysis.The morphological resemblance indicates these two extant low-latitude pines probably possess a close affinity with the present newly-discovered P.shengxianica and originated from East Asian mid-low latitude ancestors during this generic re-diversification in the Miocene.This scenario is consistent with the evolutionary trajectory reflected by the pine fossil history and molecular data,marking the Miocene as a key period for the origin and evolution of most extant pines globally.The co-occurrences of diverse conifers and broadleaved angiosperms preferring diverse niches demonstrate Late Miocene eastern Zhejiang was one of the hot spots for coniferophyte diversity and hosted a needled-broadleaved mixed forest with complex vegetation structure and an altitudinal zonation.

Approach to the Geopolitical Influences of Great Powers in Southeast Asia: Case Studies of China and the US

A quantitative approach to the national geopolitical influence is helpful to provide a reference for national sustainable development on the international stage, based on describing national diplomatic capacity and overseas influence. Herein, this study proposes a complex geopolitical influence model, considering the affected nations' response. The geopolitical influences of great power in the affected nation are correlated with overall strength, the acceptance degree of the affected nation to the great power and the distance between both sides. Then, the geopolitical influences of China and the US in Southeast Asia countries are empirically analyzed from 2005 to 2015. The geopolitical influence of China in Southeast Asia has been largely growing for the past decades, accompanying with a constant trend of the US' effects. It is believed that China and the US can coexist peacefully in Southeast Asia to promote the regional development, and jointly create an open, inclusive and balanced regional cooperation architecture that benefits all nations in this region and great powers, through mutual political trust and economic beneficial cooperation. This study may contribute to advancing the policy debate and determining the optimal cooperation in pledging commitment to a new and sustainable model of great power relationship among the various regional geopolitical options.

A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF GROWTH TRIANGLES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Along with the emergence of a worldwide trend of economic regionalism,theSoutheast Asian countries have taken an initiative in promoting sub-regional e-conomie cooperation,notably in the form of“growth triangles”or“natural eco-nomic territories”.As this new development is helpful to enhance economic com-plementarity and mutual benefit among the member states,it will certainly give agreat impetus to the further development of the Southeast Asian economy.

Taxonomic notes and new species of the genus Minooa Yamanaka from Southeast Asia and China(Lepidoptera, Pyralidae,Pyralinae)

Two species of Minooa are revised from China and Southeast Asia,and one of these,Minooa carinata Qi,Bae&Li,sp.nov.is described as new to science,and M.acantha Qi,2016 is newly recorded from Vietnam.Photographs of adults,male and female genitalia are provided,along with a key for all species of Minooa.

Needs of exploring the burden of recent onset seizures due to neurocysticercosis and challenges in southeast Asia focusing on scenario in Malaysia

Seizures due to neurocysticercosis(NCC) is a neglected human-to-human transmitted disorder and an emerging problem worldwide.A substantial portion of recent onset seizures is known to be attributed to NCC in Taenia solium(T.solium) endemic areas where populations which neither raise pigs nor eat pig meat are also at risk.High prevalence of NCC causing epilepsy has been reported in the underdeveloped areas of Southeast Asia(SEA) however,only fragmentary information on its incidence is available in countries like Malaysia.In Malaysia T.solium infection was previously thought to be infrequent due to Muslim population majority and the religious prohibition of consuming pork,but it is not totally absent There is an evident lack of knowledge and awareness of the actual burden,routes of transmission,and the impact of NCC in this region.The problem is assumed to be more prevalent particularly in cities because of the frequent inflow of possibly T.solium infected individuals or carriers among those who migrate from neighboring endemic countries to Malaysia.The issue of imported cases that are likely to be emerging in Malaysia is highlighted here.An accurate quantification of regional burdens of epilepsy due to NCC in Malaysia is warranted considering the disease emergence in its neighboring countries.It is suggested that the importance of NCC be recognized through quantification of its burden,and also to collect epidemiological data for its subsequent elimination in line of World Health Organization's mission for control of cysticercosis as a neglected tropical disease.In this review the need as well as a strategy for neurc-care center screening of epilepsy cases,and various issues with possible explanations are discussed.It is also proposed that NCC be declared as a reportable disease which is one of the eradicable public health problems in SEA.

A preliminary investigation of fossil wood from Lower Mekong Basin of Southeast Asia

Nine fossil wood samples from the Mesozoic bedrock and the Quaternary terrace deposits of the Lower Mekong Basin in Southeast Asia including Thailand,Laos and Cambodia were investigated in order to assist in developing a hypothesis about the Mekong River palaeocourses. Six of the samples were conifers assigned to Aga-thoxylon sp.,and three were dicots of cf. Pahudioxylon sp. and two unknown taxa( Dicotyloxylon sp.).The preservation of two dicotyledonous wood samples is insufficient for precise identification to family level,such that the samples are not suitable with respect to investigation of the river palaeocourse. However,these findings increase the systematic data of the fossil wood from the Mekong Basin. Further investigations of fossil wood from the Mekong Basin are in progress to gain a regional perspective on the plant communities and to form better reconstruction of the palaeoenvironment.

The paleoclimate environment and recent sea level change on the seashores of Thailand Gulf in Southeast Asia

This paper analyzed and researched on several significant natural geological sections from the views of stratum-sequence stratigraphy,climate stratigraphy,event stratigraphy and regional stratigraphy by the investigation of Thailand,Malaysia and Singapore. In combination with the coupling relationship between the life-temperature of regional life zone and the evolution of geological environment,this paper exactly made out the geological sediment records of paleoclimate times in different time scales of 3 kaBP,1 kaBP and 0.5 kaBP since the past glacier age of Quaternary period,and it is consecutive and authentic for the material medium and time joint. These studies definitely reflected that the sea level of Thailand Gulf area is in tendency of continually dropping in recent years. They also provided important and new information for the global change analysis.

Regional Endeavours Rrequired to Deal With Water Vulnerability in East and Southeast Asia

Booming economic development during the past decades has made the East and Southeast Asian region one of the most dynamic economies in the world and brought about rapid urbanization. It is expected that Asia will account for 12 of the world’s 25 cities with population exceeding 10 million by 2000. Tokyo will have more than 27 million people and Shanghai and Jakarta will each have more than 20 million people. Demand for water supply, as a result, will drastically increase. Data show that most of the East and Southeast Asian countries are faced with serious water shortage and contamination, in particular in the urbanized areas. The vulnerability of water supply constituents one of the greatest threats to the sustainable socio economic development of the region. Great efforts have been made to conserve both surface and subsurface water resources, to protect water from contamination and to use water in an efficient way. In addition to the establishment of administrative agencies under the governments in individual countries, a number of regional and country wide projects have been launched for a solution to ease the water vulnerability. The Coordinating Committee for Coastal and Offshore Geoscience Programmes in East and Southeast Asia (CCOP), an intergovernmental organization of the region, has devoted itself to coordinating regional endeavours to solve applied geoscientific problems through technology transfer, human resources development and regional data compilation. The regional map series and related databases produced by CCOP have provided useful information on regional geological background, which is also essential for the solution of water problems. However, it is obvious that regional efforts are not enough to meet the challenges we are faced with. In addition to raising public awareness and governmental concerns, advanced technologies, in particular those used in the petroleum industry to deal with oil and gas, a sort of fluid resources similar to water, must be adopted to the water supply industry. Since 1996, CCOP has, in cooperation with the developed countries, been working on a project called Petrowater. The Project aims at using the technology and infrastructures related to the oil industry to the water supply industry.

Tourism With the Integration and Development of Vietnam—Southeast Asia

Due to its intrinsic and functional characteristics,tourism can be viewed as a special activity that is both an agent and a result,and is itself a concrete manifestation of the process of human the process of developing social life.Especially in the context of industrialization,modernization,and globalization today,along with the“information society and the knowledge economy”,tourism can both be an important cultural interchange channel,and can become a“smoke-free industry”playing a key economic role.Through the development process of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN),especially after the ASEAN Community(AC)was formed(October 2003)with three pillars,especially with the initiative of the Asean Tourism Association(ASEANTA),in fact,it is proving that...By the basis of history-culture and geo-economic conditions have opened up favorable prospects;in coming time through proactive solutions,tourism may become a focal point associated with strategies to accelerate the process of integration of Vietnam and Southeast Asia in order to contribute to the sustainable development of the nation,the region,and the whole world.

E-cigarettes in ten Southeast Asian countries:a comparison of national regulations

The market and popularity of e-cigarettes are growing rapidly worldwide.However,the research and regulation of this novel products have lagged behind.In this paper,we reviewed and compared the regulatory mechanisms regarding e-cigarettes among ten Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN)member states.Our findings demonstrated a continuum of the legal regulations of e-cigarettes in this region:on the one hand,countries such as Brunei,Cambodia,Thailand,and Singapore have prohibited the importation and sale of e-cigarettes with existing tobacco control laws or specific regulations;on the other,countries such as Myanmar and Vietnam had almost no legal restrictions on e-cigarettes whatsoever.This overview of national regulations not only clarified the legal status of e-cigarettes in the ASEAN region but also provided informing lessons for countries currently lacking e-cigarette regulations such as China.

Teleconnection between Winter Arctic Oscillation and Southeast Asian Summer Monsoon in the Pre-Industry Simulation of a Coupled Climate Model

A 600-year pre-industrial simulation with Bergen Climate Model(BCM)Version 2 is used to investigate the linkage between winter Arctic Oscillation(AO)and the Southeast Asian summer monsoon(SEASM)on the inter-decadal timescale.The results indicate an in-phase relationship between the AO and SEASM with periods of approximately 16–32 and 60–80 years.During the positive phase of winter AO,an anomalous surface anti-cyclonic atmosphere circulation appears over North Pacific in winter.The corresponding anomalies in ocean circulation and surface heat flux,particularly the latent and sensible heat flux,resemble a negative Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO)-like sea surface temperature(SST)pattern.The AO-associated PDO-like winter SST can persist into summer and can therefore lead to inter-decadal variability of summer monsoon rainfall in East and Southeast Asia.

Phylogenetic Patterns of the Southeast Asian Tree Frog Chiromantis hansenae in Thailand

Although landscape features such as mountains and rivers are recognized often as limiting factors to amphibian dispersal and gene flow, a limited number of studies have investigated such patterns across Southeast Asia. A perfect example of this is Thailand, located in one of the world＇s biodiversity hotspot regions. Thailand represents the corridor between mainland Asia and the Sunda Shelf, a famous and widely recognized biogeographic region, and yet there are few studies on the genetic structure among populations of amphibian species distributed across Thailand. The Southeast Asian tree frog, Chiromantis hansenae has been reported to possess a geographic range that is restricted to Thailand and, presumably, Cambodia~ Here, we investigate phylogenetic relationships among C. hansenae populations using partial sequences of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene and nuclear POMC gene. Our results reveal two distinct evolutionary lineages within C. hansenae populations in Thailand. The genetic divergence among populations between these two clades is considerable, and results support inter-population divergence, and high genetic differentiation （pairwise FsT = 0.97）, between two localities sampled in western Thailand （TK1 and TK2）, separated from each other by 40 kilometers only. The results suggest that landscape features across Thailand may have a profound impact on patterns of diversification in the country, underscoring the urgent need for fine-scale investigations of genetic structure of endemic and ＂widespread＂ species.

Eurasian Snow Conditions and Summer Monsoon Rainfall over South and Southeast Asia: Assessment and Comparison

This study reveals the complex nature of the connection between Eurasian snow and the following summer season＇s monsoon rainfall by using four different indicators of snow conditions and correlating each of them to summer monsoon rainfall. Using 46 years of historical records of mean winter snow depth, maximum snow depth, and snow starting dates, and 27 years of snow area coverage from remote sensing observations over Eurasia, the authors found diverse correlation patterns between snow conditions and the following warm season＇s rainfall over South and Southeast Asia. Some of the results contradict the well-known inverse relationships between snow and the summer monsoon. This study provides an easy comparison of results in that it shows the connections between Eurasian snow and monsoon rainfall by using different Eurasian snow indicators based on the best available historical records without discrimination of regional variations in snow conditions.