Top Asian News 4:58 a.m. GMT

Billionaire Sultan Ibrahim sworn in as Malaysia’s 17th king under rotating monarchy system

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The billionaire sultan who rules Malaysia’s Johor state was sworn in as the nation’s new king Wednesday under a unique rotating monarchy system. Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, 65, took his oath of office at the palace and signed the instrument of the proclamation of office in a ceremony witnessed by other royal families, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Cabinet members. A coronation ceremony will be held later. One of the richest men in the country, Sultan Ibrahim has an extensive business empire ranging from real estate to telecoms and power plants. The candid monarch has close ties with Anwar and his rule could bolster Anwar’s unity government, which faces a strong Islamic opposition.

Order to liquidate property giant China Evergrande is just one step in fixing China’s debt crisis

BANGKOK (AP) — A Hong Kong court’s order to liquidate China Evergrande, the world’s most heavily indebted real estate developer, is only a tentative step toward resolving a debt crisis that is haunting financial markets and dragging on the Chinese economy. Evergrande owes $340 billion to its creditors. Experts say it’s unclear if Monday’s order will be enforced in mainland China, where the company and 90% of its assets are based. Lenders inside of China already have claims on most of those “onshore” assets, and Beijing is likely to favor them. The order by the Hong Kong High Court also is not a remedy for the crisis of confidence haunting China’s financial markets.

North Korea says it tested long-range cruise missiles to sharpen attack capabilities

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Wednesday it conducted a test-firing of long-range cruise missiles with an aim to sharpen its counterattack and strategic strike capabilities, in its latest display of weapons threatening South Korea and Japan. The report by North Korean state media came a day after South Korea’s military detected the North firing multiple cruise missiles into waters off its western coast, the third launch of such weapons this month. The event extended a provocative streak in weapons testing as North Korea continues to raise pressure on the United States and its Asian allies amid a prolonged freeze in diplomacy.

US pilot safely ejects before his F-16 fighter jet crashes in South Korean sea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A U.S. Air Force pilot safely ejected from an F-16 fighter jet that crashed into waters off South Korea’s southwestern coast on Wednesday, in the second such crash in less than two months. The unidentified pilot was conscious and was transported to a medical facility for assessment, the U.S. 8th Fighter Wing said in a statement. It said it closely worked with U.S. and South Korean mission partners to recover the pilot, who experienced an unspecified in-flight emergency and ejected before the plane crashed into sea. The cause of the crash, which reportedly occurred in waters near the port city of Seosan, was being investigated.

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan gets 10 years in prison ahead of elections

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A Pakistani court convicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan of revealing official secrets on Tuesday and handed him his harshest sentence yet of 10 years — the latest in a slew of legal cases that supporters say are meant to sideline the imprisoned politician just days ahead of parliamentary elections. Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in 2022, is not on the ballot because he is already serving a three-year prison term — and more than 150 other cases are still pending against him. The former cricket star nonetheless remains a potent political force because of his grassroots following and anti-establishment rhetoric.

Taiwan launches spring military drills following presidential election amid China threats

PINGTUNG, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan is holding spring military drills following its recent presidential election and amid threats from China, which claims the island as its own territory that it is determined to annex, possibly by force. Reporters on Tuesday were flown to a base in the southern county of Pingtung, where the air force maintains a fleet of C-130 transport planes, E-2 early warning aircraft and P-3 Orion submarine hunters and maritime surveillance planes. The tour for journalists included a display of the various ordnance carried on the P-3, a turboprop aircraft with four engines developed by Lockheed that was first introduced into the U.S.

Police in Sri Lanka use tear gas to disperse opposition protest against dire economic conditions

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s police used Tuesday tear gas and water cannons to disperse an opposition protest in the island nation facing its worst economic crisis while gearing up for a national election later this year. Protesters from the main opposition United People’s Power party gathered in the capital, Colombo, and accused President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s administration of overburdening citizens by increasing taxes, as well as hiking prices for electricity and fuel, causing a sharp spike in living costs. “The government is not concerned with the people suffering and being unable to provide for themselves,” said opposition lawmaker Sarath Fonseka who was at the protest.

India’s navy rescues two hijacked boats. British military warns of two pirate groups in Indian Ocean

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s naval forces rescued an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel hijacked by Somali pirates and freed its 19-member Pakistani crew off the east coast of Somalia, a navy statement said Tuesday. Later that day, the navy said in a statement it also rescued a Sri Lankan fishing vessel, together with forces from Seychelles and Sri Lanka. The Iranian vessel Al Naeemi was rescued late Monday after the Indian navy intercepted the vessel, forcing 11 Somali pirates to release the crew and boat. It didn’t immediately say what happened to the hijackers, but it posted images showing 10 pirates with their hands tied behind them and armed Indian naval troops guarding them.

US and China launch talks on fentanyl trafficking in a sign of cooperation amid differences

BEIJING (AP) — American and Chinese officials committed Tuesday to working together to stem the flow of fentanyl into the United States, the head of a visiting U.S. delegation said. Their meeting was a hopeful sign of cooperation as the two global powers try to better manage their contentious ties. The U.S. is seeking more information sharing and law enforcement cooperation and the designation and control of made-in-China chemicals that are ingredients for fentanyl made elsewhere, said Jen Daskal, a deputy homeland security advisor in the White House. “Obviously we need to see the results and we need to see action,” she said in a phone interview after the meeting.

China sees two ‘bowls of poison’ in Biden and Trump and ponders who is the lesser of two evils

BEIJING (AP) — As the U.S. presidential campaign moves closer to a Donald Trump-Joe Biden rematch, China is watching uneasily. First, there are concerns about the campaign itself, where candidates are likely to talk tough on China. That could threaten the fragile improvements in U.S.-China relations seen in recent months. Then there’s the outcome of the November vote. Neither candidate is particularly appealing to Beijing. While Biden has looked for areas of cooperation with China, Beijing is concerned about his efforts to unite allies in the Indo-Pacific in a coalition against China. It’s also nervous about his approach to Taiwan after he has repeatedly said he would have U.S.