Neutering & Defanging Chinese Threat (09-08-2014)

zoverian · Post by **zoverian** » 24 Sep 2016 20:22

Why i am getting a feeling that in an attempt to isoltae pakistan, its india who is getting surrounded. Russia is having a drill with Pakistan. China is openly supporting pakistan. US has formally declined to support india.....

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 24 Sep 2016 20:45

The Bakis are reporting that the UK Army chief has called the Bak army chief the *bestest of the best* army chief. Should this also count as being surrounded and trigger alarm?

If we are going to sit at the big table we will have to learn to deal with uncertainties and fluid situations. BTW, I don't see anything to worry wrt either of the 3 countries.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 25 Sep 2016 18:40

Baloch activists to stage week-long protest in London against China-Pakistan 'nexus' - ToI

The Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) will organize a sit-in protest in front of the Chinese Embassy in London starting today and ending on October 1. The focus of the week-long campaign is the alleged plundering of Balochistan's natural resources by the China-Pakistan "nexus," the FBM said in a statement on Sunday.

The FBM - a collective of Baloch activists lobbying for freedom and secession from Pakistan - will seek to "expose China's expansionist designs in Balochistan" this week, its statement said. Two FBM members will sit in front of the Chinese Embassy every day and night, starting today until September 30. On October 1 - China's National Day and the last day of the campaign - the FBM will organize a protest outside the Embassy from 2 PM to 5 PM.

China, "the 21st century East India Company in Balochistan," had been "looting" Balochistan's natural resources for decades with Pakistan's help, the FBM's statement said. And it had now "intensified its efforts to consolidate its permanent grip over Balochistan's Gwadar coast and other areas where in 2001 it sought to anchor its military outpost in the name of the Gwadar deep-sea port project," it added.

The FBM further alleged that a "morally bankrupt" Pakistan had enlisted China's help to contain the Baloch freedom struggle, for it knew it couldn't do so on its own. It said China was providing Pakistan with "all types of financial and technical support to Pakistan in its evil design to change the demographics of Balochistan, and to turn the Balochs into a minority on their own soil."

Participation in this week's campaign, the FBM says, is open to all pro-Baloch freedom activists and human rights activists. FBM activist Faiz Baloch told TOI that this UK-based protest is the third phase of an international campaign - following events organized in Germany in July, and outside the UN headquarters in New York earlier this month. After London, they'll continue to protest in other countries, Faiz added.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 25 Sep 2016 19:23

China air force holds drills in Western Pacific for second time this month - Reuters

China's air force said on Sunday it had flown more than 40 bombers and other fighter planes through a strait between Japanese islands on their way to drills in the Western Pacific.

Regular long range drills in the Western Pacific and patrols over the East China Sea air defence identification zone were for the Air Force to protect China's sovereignty and national security, China's air force spokesman Shen Jinke said, according to a statement posted on the Ministry of Defence website.

China drew condemnation from Japan and the United States in 2013 when it imposed an Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea, in which aircraft are supposed to identify themselves to Chinese authorities.

The patrols were to “carefully monitor and judge the foreign military aircraft that enter the anti-aircraft defence zone, to take measures to respond to different threats in the sky and to protect national airspace,” the statement said.

Aircraft of the People's Liberation Army did the exercises after flying over the Miyako Strait, a body of water between Japan's islands of Miyako and Okinawa, the air force statement said.

This comes as China has been increasingly asserting itself in territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas.

China's ties with Japan have been strained by a longstanding territorial dispute over a string of islets in the East China Sea, known in China as the Diaoyu and in Japan as the Senkaku.

The two countries have also clashed over what China sees as Japan's refusal to take responsibility for its wartime past.

China's navy has often used the Miyako Strait, a key strategic route for the military, as a pathway from eastern China to the Pacific Ocean.

Earlier this month, Chinese bombers, fighters and early warning and aerial refuelling aircraft flew through the Bashi Channel that separates Taiwan and the Philippines to exercises in the Western Pacific.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 26 Sep 2016 17:19

China again declines to confirm backing Pakistan on Kashmir - PTI

For the second time in less than a week, China on Monday snubbed Pakistan by declining to back reports in Pakistani media claiming Beijing's support for the country in the event of any aggression and backing it on the Kashmir issue.

As a "neighbour and friend", China once again appealed to India and Pakistan to engage in dialogue to "properly" resolve disputes, including the Kashmir issue which it said was "left over from history", and jointly work towards regional peace and stability.

Asked about reported remarks by Pakistan consul general in Lahore Yu Boren that China will support Pakistan against any foreign aggression and backs Islamabad on the Kashmir issue, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told media briefing here he was not aware of any such remarks made by the envoy.

"I am not aware of the situation you mentioned. But China's position on the relevant issue is consistent and clear," he said.

"As the neighbour and friend to both Pakistan and India, we hope the two countries will properly address their differences through dialogue and consultation, manage and control the situation and jointly work for the peace and stability of South Asia and the growth of the region.

"With regard to the Kashmir issue, we believe it is an issue left over from history. We hope the relevant parties will peacefully and properly resolve the issue through dialogue and consultation," he said.

He was replying to a question about remarks attributed to Yu made during his meeting with chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab province Shahbaz Sharif.

"In case of any (foreign) aggression our country will extend its full support to Pakistan," consul general of China in Lahore Yu was quoted as saying in a press release by the Punjab chief minister's Office, according to a report by Pakistani daily Dawn.

"We are and will be siding with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. There is no justification for atrocities on unarmed Kashmiris in (India)-held Kashmir and the Kashmir dispute should be solved in accordance with aspirations of the Kashmiris," the report had quoted Yu as saying.

China's reaction on Monday is the second time since September 22 that it distanced itself from the Pakistani media attributing Beijing's support to Pakistan on Kashmir issue.

China has declined to confirm Beijing's backing to Islamabad on the issue during the meeting between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The two leaders "exchanged views on bilateral relations as well as international and regional issues of common interest", Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang had told PTI here when asked about reports that Li extended support to Pakistan's stance on Kashmir.

A report in Dawn said Li had assured Sharif that China would continue to support Pakistan's stance on Kashmir. It had quoted Li telling Sharif that "we support Pakistan and we will speak for Pakistan at every forum."

China is saying different things to different audiences. Though we cannot believe the Pakistani media, one can reasonably expect that it was reporting the truth.

TKiran · Post by **TKiran** » 26 Sep 2016 18:04

China has never been a neighbor nor a friend of India, han Chinese occupied Tibet and Xinjiang that is the 'Left over from history'.

I spoke to ordinary Chinese, they don't consider Tibet and Xinjiang as China, but willing to colonize those lands if the government gives incentives.

But they still consider Taiwan as China.

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 26 Sep 2016 22:00

http://www.thehindu.com/news/internatio ... 150104.ece
China ‘not aware’ of its envoy’s remarks in Lahore

China on Monday said it was not aware of the remarks in the Pakistani media, attributed to its Consul General in Lahore, that Beijing will support Islamabad in case of “any foreign aggression.”

“I am not aware of the situation you mentioned,” said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, when asked to comment on the reported remarks.

In Pakistan, a statement from the Punjab Chief Minister’s office quoted Yu Boren, China’s top diplomat in Lahore as saying,“In case of any [foreign] aggression our country will extend its full support to Pakistan.”

<snip>

Asked to comment specifically on the Kashmir issue, he said: “With regard to the Kashmir issue, we believe it is an issue left over from history. We hope the relevant parties will peacefully and properly resolve the issue through dialogue and consultation.”

arun · Post by **arun** » 27 Sep 2016 13:07

X Posted from the STFUP thread.

Even when firmly prodded with a short, clear and blunt question, the People Republic of China seems strangely hesitant to say that they will support their Taller than Himalaya’s, Deeper than Indian Ocean, Sweeter than Honey, As Close as Lips To Teeth, Iron Brother Islamic Republic of Pakistan on the issue of Jammu & Kashmir against India:

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on September 26, 2016

2016/09/26

Q: Indian and Pakistani media have been discussing which side China would be on once conflicts broke out between India and Pakistan. On the issue of Kashmir, will China support Pakistan?

A: The Kashmir issue is left over from history. We hope that relevant parties can properly resolve this issue peacefully through dialogue and consultation.

From PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs website:

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on September 26, 2016

Above PRC response should come as something as a shock to the Islamic Republic that PRC will take on India over Jammu & Kashmir. Three days ago the Pakistani’s where propagating the illusion that the PRC would provide a blank cheque regards taking on India over Jammu & Kashmir:

In the wake of rising tensions at borders with India, China has assured in unequivocal terms its support in case of any foreign aggression and also supported Pakistan’s stance on the Kashmir dispute, according to a press release issued by the Punjab Chief Minister Office.

“In case of any [foreign] aggression our country will extend its full support to Pakistan,” Consul General of China in Lahore Yu Boren was quoted as saying by the CM Office on Friday.

Beijing conveyed the message during a meeting of its top diplomat in the provincial capital with Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. “We’re and will be siding with Pakistan on Kashmir issue...There is no justification for atrocities on unarmed Kashmiris in...[India-] held Kashmir and the Kashmir dispute should be solved in accordance with aspirations of the Kashmiris,” the press release quoted the emissary as assuring the chief minister.

China to support Pakistan against foreign aggression

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 27 Sep 2016 14:50

Chinese troops violate border in Arunachal - PTI, The Hindu

After the Ladakh sector, Chinese troops came 45 km inside Indian territory in a remote area of Arunachal Pradesh earlier this month and built shelters to claim that the territory belonged to them, according to reports from the area.

Initial reports from Anjaw district said more than 40 Chinese soldiers set up a temporary shelter at ‘Plum post’, an area 45 km inside the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the district.

Banner drill conducted

Official sources said on Monday that the incursion was, however, detected by a joint patrol of the ITBP and Army on September nine after which a required banner drill was conducted.

However, the Chinese troops were reluctant to leave the place and claimed that the territory belonged to them, the sources said.

The ‘Plum post’ has witnessed frequent incursion bids by the Chinese troops every year at least two to three times but it was for the first time that they entered the area, the sources said.

Some of the Chinese troops left on September 13 and the others after India and China held a flag meeting on September 14 on the Chinese side, the sources said.

In a bid to end the repeated incursions, the two sides would be meeting again on October one. Chinese troops have to travel through dense forests to reach ‘Plum post’ while Indian troops have a jeep track in larger areas and have to trek some distance to reach this post, the sources said.

The Chinese troops had earlier entered Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh but were pushed back. — PTI

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 27 Sep 2016 18:48

China's hold on Azhar's UN terror listing to lapse soon - PTI

The six-month validity of the technical hold imposed by China on India's bid to get JeM chief Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist by the UN will "lapse" soon and the Pathankot attack mastermind could be sanctioned if Beijing does not block the move again.

On March 31 this year, China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, had blocked India's move to put a ban on the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leader under the Sanctions Committee of the Council.

China was the sole member in the 15-nation UN organ to put a hold on India's application with all other 14 members of the Council supporting New Delhi's bid to place Azhar on the 1267 sanctions list that would subject him to an assets freeze and travel ban.

Sources have said that the six-month validity of the technical hold is set to "lapse" in about a week-10 days time and unless China again seeks to bloc or veto the resolution on some pretext, the resolution could stand passed automatically, designating Azhar as a terrorist.

The other 14 UNSC members have already supported India's bid and the lapse of the technical hold, coupled with no further objection from China, will essentially mean that there is no opposition to the demand to get Azhar listed under the sanctions committee.

Sources said that in the current environment of "growing global crescendo against terrorism", "can China still stand up alone" and block the designation of an individual who heads an organisation that was listed as a terrorist group by the UN in 2001".

They said a possibility could be that after the lapse of the technical hold, China could seek more time on Azhar's application, in effect allowing the technical hold to continue.

However, China could be questioned by other UNSC members on such an extension, sources said, adding that other member nations in the UNSC could ask as to why Beijing needs more time even after getting a six-month time frame due to its technical hold.

Sources said India is not alone in its bid to get Azhar listed as the US, UK and France had "co-sponsored" the resolution seeking Azhar's listing.

During the current UN General Assembly session, over 140 nations that have addressed the General Debate have voiced strong condemnation for the growing scourge of terrorism and vowed to combat it.

Sources said against this backdrop can a nation (China) decide to go against the "global consensus" on ramping up efforts to fight terrorism by still going ahead and blocking the bid to get Azhar designated?

India has repeatedly slammed the UN sanctions committee for its failure to designate terrorists saying it is an "anomaly" and a "sheer folly" that the terror groups are proscribed entities under the Sanctions regime but individuals heading them are not listed.

"Is Osama bin Laden separate from Al Qaeda, can they designate Al Qaeda and not bin Laden," sources said.

In June this year, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin had said at a Security Council debate that it is "sheer folly" that the new leader of Taliban, a proscribed entity, Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzady is not yet designated as a terrorist individual.

Previously also, India has slammed the UN sanctions committee for taking a "selective approach" in tackling terrorism when the technical hold was put on its application to include Azhar's name on the committee's list of designated terrorists.

India had said in April that it finds it "incomprehensible" that while the Pakistan-based JeM was listed in the UN Security Council Committee as far back as 2001 for its known terror activities and links to the al-Qaeda, the designation of the group's main leader, financier and motivator has been put on a technical hold.

India had submitted detailed dossier on Azhar and moved the UNSC 1267 committee following the January 2 Pathankot attacks.

In March, India's submission was considered by the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) for technical aspects of the evidence provided. The technical team then with the support of the US, UK and France had sent it to all the members.

All were told that if there are no objections, the designation will be announced after the expiry of the deadline. However, hours before the deadline, China requested the committee to hold up the banning of the JeM chief.

"Any listing would have to meet the requirements" for blacklisting, Chinese Permanent Representative to the UN Liu Jieyi had told reporters in April in response to questions over China's decision to place a technical hold on designating Azhar in the UN Sanctions Committee.

India had said that the sanctions committee was taking a "selective approach" in tackling terrorism.

India had made a strong call for reform of the "subterranean universe" of the UN Security Council's sanctions regimes, as it criticised the lack of transparency in their functioning and said that the principles of "anonymity and unanimity" adopted by Council members absolve individual members of accountability.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 27 Sep 2016 19:29

India, China hold 1st high-level dialogue to combat terror - PTI

Rather anachronistic with China always holding up Indian requests for Pakistani terrorists under UNSC 1267 !

India and China today discussed ways to enhance security and cooperation to combat terror as officials from the two sides exchanged information on policies and legislation to deal with terrorism at the first high-level dialogue where they reached "important consensus".

The two sides exchanged views on the international and regional security situation at the first meeting of the India- China High Level Dialogue on Counter-terrorism and Security held here [Beijing].

The meeting was co-chaired by R N Ravi, Chairman of Joint Intelligence Committee and Wang Yongqing, Secretary General of Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of China.

They exchanged information on respective policies, systems and legislation to deal with terrorism, and further enhance their understanding on issues of major concerns to both sides, according to a press release issued by the Indian embassy here.

"The two sides had in-depth discussions on enhancing cooperation in counter-terrorism and security and on measures to jointly deal with security threats and reached important consensus in this regard," the release said without elaborating.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Sep 2016 18:06

China remains India's primary security challenge: UK report - PTI

China remains India's primary security challenge because of its assertiveness on the border dispute, a report by a think-tank in the UK said today.

The 'Strategic Survey 2016: The Annual Review of World Affairs' by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) said India's relations with Pakistan and Nepal had deteriorated in the past year but China remained a primary concern because of its assertiveness on the border dispute.

"For policymakers in New Delhi, this created fears of encirclement and hardened their attitude towards Beijing, even as China continued to be India's largest trading partner, and [Prime Minister] Modi sought to establish stronger trade and investment links with Beijing," the report said.

The annual survey reviewed India's troubled relationship with Pakistan and referred to the intensive "retaliatory" firing across the Line of Control (LoC) under the current Narendra Modi-led government, "fluctuations" in the dialogue process and the terror attack on Pathankot airbase.

The report said: "India's major security threat remained the terrorism emanating from Pakistan, on which Modi took a tougher position than his predecessor.

"As ever, the main driver of Pakistan's security policy was its rivalry with India. This consideration trumped all other factors."

The survey also felt India's "neighbourhood first" policy had not paid off beyond Bangladesh and Bhutan.

"This was due to the complex domestic politics of countries in the region, their historical suspicion of India as the dominant regional power, the influence of India domestic and ethnic politics, and increasing Chinese engagement with the region," it said.

On its assessment of India, the IISS review highlighted that by mid-2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made official visits to nearly 40 countries in two years.

"While his efforts had the immediate effect of raising India's global profile and emphasising his commitment to diaspora communities, they centred on substantive policies designed to strengthen the country's economy. And Modi appeared to be succeeding: India's GDP grew by 7.6 per cent in 2015-16, a rate higher than that of any other large country," the report says.

On a global level, it concludes that "rising populism and intractable conflict" shook the international system in the year to mid-2016.

"Worldwide dissatisfaction with ruling elites and resistance to globalisation appeared to reach a crescendo. Wars across the Middle East showed little sign of abating. The increasing assertiveness and military capabilities of China and Russia amplified competition, and the attendant risk of conflict, between major powers," it said.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 28 Sep 2016 18:30

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6863&p=2050380#p2050380

South China Sea: How to Prevent China From Changing the Status Quo
“China appears to be testing opportunities on its maritime borders – where is the weak spot it can exploit?”

By Dennis Blair and Jeffrey Hornung
September 23, 2016

North Korea’s recent nuclear test has once again focused world attention on a region fraught with 19th century security concerns of aggression and territorial aggrandizement. The recent G20 summit meeting in China, however, studiously avoided the greatest long-term threat to peace and security in the region – Chinese aggression in its maritime borders. In the month leading up to the summit, China sent at least 36 ships—coast guard, marine surveillance, fisheries law enforcement command—into Japan’s territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. Another 200 to 300 fishing vessels entered the contiguous zone. Roughly 800 miles away, in the South China Sea, a flotilla of Chinese barges and coast guard ships have sailed around the Philippines’ Scarborough Shoal. At this writing, China and Russia are conducting a combined exercise including seizing and defending islands. This ramped up Chinese activity has stoked fears in Tokyo and Manila that China is positioning itself to change the status quo, such as occupy the features or, at a minimum, blockade them.

Both Japan and the Philippines are taking active diplomatic measures. Japan launched a furious set of protests, requesting China to withdraw its ships from Japanese waters and prevent the reoccurrence of such situations in the future. Former President Fidel Ramos of the Philippines visited China to negotiate an agreement on maritime disputes. These diplomatic measures are appropriate and important, but diplomacy without the threat of an armed response to aggression is unlikely to succeed.

China appears to be testing opportunities on its maritime borders – where is the weak spot it can exploit? The United States is a treaty ally of both Japan and the Philippines. The stakes for our two allies are sovereign territory – the highest stakes in international relations. At stake for the United States is its influence in East Asia, where most of the world’s wealth, and most of its military power, are located. The damage that China is doing to its reputation and the scramble of countries in the region to cooperate with the United States do not appear to deter China from engaging in provocative behavior. What should the three countries do?

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Without taking a position on the merits of all sovereignty claims, the United States should make it explicitly clear that it regards the Senkaku Islands and Scarborough Shoal as fundamentally different from the other territorial disputes plaguing the region. Chinese aggression against either would trigger the alliance obligations the United States has to both countries. The United States has already made this policy clear in the case of the Senkakus, but not yet for Scarborough Shoal.

At the same time, the United States should make it clear that the lead role for defense of these features lies with our allies, Japan and the Philippines. We can and will support them, but it is their sovereignty that is being challenged by China. They are the first lines of defense. They should continue to bolster their defenses. Japan has recently requested a record $50 billion defense budget that focuses heavily on island defenses. The Philippines has been slower, but it too recently requested a record-breaking $2.9 billion defense budget that included frigates, surveillance planes, and radar to boost its surveillance and detection capabilities of Chinese forces. President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent intemperate statements, although they do not represent the majority of Philippine sentiment, risk undermining American support against Chinese aggression.

Beyond general defense increases and diplomacy, Japan and the Philippines must build contingency plans for the defense of these features. Contrary to most military commentary, China is not an easy victor in a fight over these islands. Even without help from the United States, Japan’s Self Defense Forces can make a Chinese grab of the Senkakus a high-risk operation. The Philippines has a very weak maritime and air capability compared to China’s, but has a full range of maritime and air guerrilla tactics that could be brought to bear on a shoal only 100 miles – five hours’ steaming or 15 minutes’ flight time – off its coast. Both countries could send strong signals to China by exercising these plans in waters close to these disputed features. The United States should make plans to support the Japanese and Philippines contingency responses, and participate in exercises that practice and refine the combined plans. Japanese and Philippine defenses supported by the United States should be adequate to prevent China from successfully taking and holding any land feature.

Finally, the United States, Japan and the Philippines should prepare an economic strategy in case of Chinese aggression. China’s economy is big, and would retaliate against sanctions with measures of its own, but the interdependent nature of trade makes China vulnerable to actions brought against it. A full range of worldwide sanctions and embargoes triggered by an unprovoked Chinese attempt to seize either the Senkakus or Scarborough will deal further blows to China’s already contracting economy.

With strong defenses and realistic, effective and well-practiced military contingency plans in hand, Japan and the Philippines can treat Chinese activities in their waters as what they are – shadow-boxing, grey-area signaling, and provocative bluffing. Japan, the Philippines and the United States do not need to respond to every Chinese action, except an actual attack. They should make their own deployments to the area, but do so in a more unpredictable manner—sometimes in large numbers, sometimes in smaller numbers—to offset the perception that China controls access to these land features. Critically, they should continue to work together to offset Chinese actions. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s announcement that Japan will provide Duterte with two additional patrol boats and lend up to five used surveillance aircraft demonstrates trilateral unity and provides real capability.

The eventual objective in both the East and South China Seas is a series of diplomatic agreements to settle sovereignty disputes by negotiation and compromise rather than through force or gray zone actions. However, such diplomatic progress will not take place unless China’s potential military actions and current shows of force are neutralized by offsetting defensive military capability.

Dennis Blair is the Chairman of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA and former Director of National Intelligence (2009-10). Adm. Blair also served as Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Command, the largest of the combatant commands.

Dr. Jeffrey Hornung is the Fellow for the Security and Foreign Affairs Program at Sasakawa USA.

arun · Post by **arun** » 29 Sep 2016 21:34

X Posted from the STFUP thread.

The Peoples Republic of China on Islamabad SAARC summit boycott, Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s diplomatic blitz on Jammu & Kashmir and the current tensions between India and the Islamic Republic brought on the Islamic Republic’s fomenting of Mohammadden Terrorism.

On the record, the PRC is not going pulling out all stops for helping out its Sweeter than Honey, Deeper than Oceans, Higher than Himalaya’s Iran Brother the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on matters concerning India:

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on September 29, 2016[/url]

Q: First, two days ago, China and India held the first security dialogue on counter-terrorism. Media reports mentioned that the two countries are taking measures to strengthen cooperation in jointly dealing with security threats. What are the plans? Their discussions also covered international and regional situation. Did the India-Pakistan tension come up in the talks? Second, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit is being canceled because India, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh announced their boycott for the summit in light of the regional situation. What is your comment?

A: On your first question, during the China-India Counter-Terrorism Security Dialogue held on September 27, the two sides exchanged views on how to enhance counter-terrorism security cooperation and jointly meet security threats. Important consensus was reached. With regard to India-Pakistan tension, China is in touch with both India and Pakistan through various channels. We hope that they can carry out dialogues to properly resolve disputes and maintain regional peace and security. We have released information of this security dialogue.

On your second question, SAARC is an important mechanism for promoting cooperation and development of South Asia. China, as an observer state of SAARC, has been a long-term supporter of the SAARC cooperation process. We hope that SAARC will continue to move ahead and play a constructive role for regional peace, stability, prosperity and development.

Q: You said that China is in touch with both India and Pakistan through various channels. Did China prevail on the two sides to ramp down tension? Special envoys of Pakistan on the Kashmir issue yesterday visited China and met with senior officials of the Foreign Ministry. What messages has China conveyed to the Pakistani side on alleviating India-Pakistan tension?

A: On your first question, China is a friendly neighbor to India and Pakistan. China always hopes that India and Pakistan can properly resolve relevant disputes through dialogue and consultation, improve bilateral relations, strengthen all-round cooperation and jointly promote regional peace, stability, and development.

On your second question, on September 28, Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin met with Bakhtyar and Laleka, special envoys of Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. Vice Minister Liu Zhenmin listened to Pakistani envoys' briefings on the situation in Kashmir and Pakistan's standpoint, and emphasized that China has been following the Kashmir situation and takes seriously Pakistan's position on Kashmir. China believes that the Kashmir issue is a left-over from history which shall be resolved by relevant parties through dialogue and consultation. China hopes that Pakistan and India will strengthen channels for dialogue, properly handle their differences, improve bilateral relations and together protect the regional peace and stability.

From here:

Clicky

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 30 Sep 2016 17:06

Behind Pakistan's military confidence: China's growing shadow - Abheet Singh Sethi, Economic Times

Until five years ago, the US and China shared an almost equal proportion of Pakistans arms imports: 39 per cent and 38 per cent respectively. Today, China supplies 63 per cent of Pakistans armaments, with the US dropping to 19 per cent and second place, an IndiaSpend analysis reveals, as Pakistan mulls a response to Indias strike on terror camps across the border.

China's rise to becoming the world's third-largest arms exporter was to a large degree helped by heightened demand from Pakistan, which now buys 35 per cent of these exports and is Beijing's biggest buyer (Bangladesh follows at 20 per cent), according to a February 2016 report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The military supplies are bolstered by unwavering support at a time of heightened tension with India and faltering ties with the US (there was a 73 per cent drop in US security aid over four years to 2015, The Wire reported in August 2016; the US also cancelled the subsidised sale of eight F-16 fighters).

Last month, Pakistan's Ministry of Defence Production confirmed a contract with China for the purchase of eight conventional diesel-electric submarines, which will cost between $4 billion to $5 billion (Rs. 25,600 crore to Rs. 33,200 crore), China's biggest defence export deal.

The submarines could have a nuclear strategic capability -- they could be used to launch nuclear-tipped land attack cruise missiles, providing Pakistan with a partial second-strike capability to rival India's submarine-launched nuclear ballistic missiles.

The submarines are the latest of several big ticket arms purchases by Pakistan.

Others:

* Between 250 to 300 JF-17 fighter planes jointly developed by China and Pakistan. These will form the backbone of the Pakistani Air Force. Nigeria has signed a memorandum of understanding to purchase an unknown number of JF-17 aircraft, according to IHS Jane's, a defence/aerospace publication, making Pakistan a defence exporter

* Four 2,5000-ton Zulfiquar-class frigates at a cost of $500 to $750 million. Three of these were constructed in China, the fourth in Karachi

* Four 560-ton Azmat-class fast attack craft, essentially missile boats armed with eight C-802 anti-ship missiles meant for littoral defence. Three of four are being manufactured in Pakistan

* 600 Al Khalid tanks produced in Pakistan form the backbone of the Pakistan Army's Armoured Corps. They are variants of Chinese Type 90-II tank.

* Nine HQ-16 medium range surface-to-air missile systems with a maximum intercept range of 40 km at a cost of $600 million.

* Four Karakoram Eagle airborne early warning & control aircraft (AWACS) at a cost of $278 million.

From 2011 to 2015, China sold $8.4 billion worth of arms, overtaking long-established arms exporters France ($8 billion) and Germany ($6.7 billion), although it still lags the leaders: the US ($47 billion) and Russia ($36.2 billion).

China's share in the international arms exports market has risen from 3.6 per cent in 2006-10 to 5.9 per centin 2011-15. France's market share has declined from 7.1 per cent to 5.6 per cent and Germany's, from 11 per cent to 4.7 per cent during this period.

The period coincides with China's emergence as a major global power, seeking to challenge US hegemony across various areas and with enough heft to keep India unbalanced, either directly or through Pakistan.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 01 Oct 2016 17:36

As India mulls scrapping of Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, China blocks tributary of Brahmaputra in Tibet to build dam - PTI

China has blocked a tributary of the Brahmaputra river in Tibet as part of the construction of its "most expensive" hydro project+ , which could cause concern in India as it may impact water flows into the lower riparian countries.

The Lalho project on the Xiabuqu river+ , a tributary of the Yarlung Zangbo (the Tibetan name for Brahmaputra), in Xigaze in Tibet involves an investment of 4.95 billion yuan ($740 million), Zhang Yunbao, head of the project's administration bureau was quoted as saying by Chinese state-run Xinhua news agency on Saturday.

Xigaze also known as Shigatse is closely located to Sikkim. From Xigaze, the Brahmaputra flows into Arunachal Pradesh.

Terming it as the "most expensive project", the report said the project, whose construction began in June 2014, was scheduled to be completed in 2019.

It is not clear yet what impact the blockade of the river+ will have on the flow of water from the Brahmaputra into the lower riparian countries like India and Bangladesh as a result, it said.

Last year, China had operationalised the $1.5 billion Zam Hydropower Station, the largest in Tibet, built on the Brahmaputra river, which has raised concerns in India.

But China has been maintaining that it has taken into consideration India's concerns and allays apprehensions of restricting the flow of water, saying its dams are not designed to hold water.

The outline of China's 12th Five Year Plan indicates that three more hydropower projects on the mainstream of the Brahmaputra river in Tibet Autonomous Region have been approved for implementation.

In March, Union minister of state for water resources Sanwar Lal Jat said in a statement that India had expressed its concerns to China about the likely impact of the dams.

While there is no water treaty between the countries, India and China established an Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) on trans-border rivers and in October 2013 the two governments signed a memorandum of understanding on strengthening cooperation on trans-border rivers under which Beijing provides data to India on the water flows.

The blockade of the Brahmaputra river tributary comes at a time when India's reported decision to suspend talks with Pakistan under Indus Water Treaty as part of its efforts to hit back at Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri attack.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang gave a guarded reply when asked on September 27 about India's reported move.

"As a friendly neighbour to both India and Pakistan, China hopes that India and Pakistan can properly address disputes and improve relations through dialogue and consultation, maintain and enhance all-round cooperation and join hands to promote regional peace, stability and development," Shuang told PTI.

Some of the rivers under the Indus water treaty originate in China.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 01 Oct 2016 20:32

China snubs India again, blocks move to ban Masood Azhar at UN - Indrani Bagchi, ToI

China continues to protect Pakistan-based terrorists. China on Saturday extended its technical "hold" on Jaish-e-Mohammed(JeM) chief Masood Azhar for a further three months in the UN Security Council's 1267 committee.

The "hold" is on an international move to ban the Jaish-e-Mohammed leader by the UN. The JeM as an organization is already on the proscribed list. But in March this year, China put a technical "hold" on the move to put sanctions on Azhar. The resolution to ban him was co-sponsored by the US, UK, France and India, with 14 other countries acquiescing. China was the only one to block it with a technical hold.

In the past six months, India has lobbied with China to lift the hold. It has had absolutely no effect. In response to India's efforts, China has continued to ask India to "talk directly" to Pakistan about it. In reality, whatever China might say officially, it's actually a political hold, a show of support to its ally, Pakistan.

The move came on a day when the previous Chinese hold was due to expire. Sources said China extended the hold just hours before it was due to expire. China's action comes after India admitted to carrying out strikes against terrorist launching pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, across the Line Of Control.

Confirming in Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said, "China always maintains that on the listing matter, the 1267 committee should stick to the main principles of objectivity, impartiality and professionalism, base its judgments on solid evidence and decide upon consensus among the members of the Security Council," he said in a written reply to a question.

He added, ""There are still different views on India's listing application. The extended technical hold on it will allow more time for the committee to deliberate on the matter and for relevant parties to have further consultations."

China trod a careful middle path while reacting to the strikes, calling for restraint and de-escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan. With the extension of the hold against Azhar though, China has signaled full support to Pakistan and its terror proxies.

While there is no official statement yet from India, officials pointed to a recent conversation between US national security adviser Susan Rice and Ajit Doval, NSA. The White House readout of the conversation quoted Rice thus: "Highlighting the danger that cross-border terrorism poses to the region, Ambassador Rice reiterated our expectation that Pakistan take effective action to combat and delegitimize United Nations-designated terrorist individuals and entities, including Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, and their affiliates. In the context of the robust US-India partnership, Ambassador Rice discussed our shared commitment with India to pursuing peace and regional stability and pledged to deepen collaboration on counterterrorism matters including on UN terrorist designations."

Basically, it means US and India are expected to work together specifically on this issue in the UN. But since the 1267 committee works by consensus, a single veto can block any movement. China knows the US, in a lame duck administration, is hardly likely to pursue vigorously such issues.

India is likely to up its diplomacy against the move, and for the next three months China can expect a lot of naming and shaming by many countries. However, its unlikely to have much of an impact on Beijing, which is working on a bigger plan to support and stabilize Pakistan, both at a bilateral level and multilaterally.

Ironically, China's action has also served to highlight Pakistan's intimate ties with global terrorists. {Not only that. It highlights China's direct support to jihadi cross-border terrorism. That needs to be highlighted everytime. Pakistan, we know. China is the new terror kid in the block.}

China's move in favour of Pakistan is not unique. In recent weeks, China has threatened South Korea for installing a THAAD (Terminal high Altitude Area Defense) system against North Korea's nuclear weapons. Pakistan and North Korea are China's closest allies. China continues to use them to keep regional powers like Japan and South Korea in the east and India in the west off balance and in check.

We must now expect a savage terror attack on us from Pakistan who are already angered by the multiple simultaneous attacks on launch-pads inside POK. The direct Chinese support to jihadi terrorism would increase the Pakistani swagger, bravado and tactical stupidity (I think we should stop referring to their tactical 'brilliance' because there is no brilliance in Pakistani actions).

KarthikSan · Post by **KarthikSan** » 01 Oct 2016 20:58

^^^I hope the GOI and IA have good actionable intel on this pig. It'll be awesome if in the next couple of weeks another sir ji kal strike takes this pig out and we could just tell the Chinese to eff off without saying so.

kit · Post by **kit** » 01 Oct 2016 21:13

An immediate and vicious response to any attack without talking and publicizing anything ..

kit · Post by **kit** » 01 Oct 2016 21:16

China's move in favour of Pakistan is not unique. In recent weeks, China has threatened South Korea for installing a THAAD (Terminal high Altitude Area Defense) system against North Korea's nuclear weapons. Pakistan and North Korea are China's closest allies. China continues to use them to keep regional powers like Japan and South Korea in the east and India in the west off balance and in check.

this is china s bluff .. now who s going to call it ?

The IWT is dead in the waters ! (sic!)

Christopher Sidor · Post by **Christopher Sidor** » 02 Oct 2016 11:16

We should make PRC make a choice what it wants CPEC or Sino-India trade?

Chinmayanand · Post by **Chinmayanand** » 02 Oct 2016 11:53

China is all about loud farts. Time to express concern about human rights violations in East Turkestan and Tibet. Time to bring Chinese Nuke Proliferation concerns in UN too.Let GoI name and shame China on global platforms.

kit · Post by **kit** » 02 Oct 2016 12:04

I think its going to be Be Indian Buy Indian .. boycott of Chinese goods seems not far off if they are continuing this behavior

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 02 Oct 2016 12:21

We need to start retaliating against China economically. Even under WTO we can raise duties on non essential consumer goods to 40% from 10%.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 03 Oct 2016 11:58

China’s One-Road-One Belt Initiative: A New Model of Global Governance - Mukul Sanwaal, IDSA

South Asia is the least integrated region in the world, and that is not in line with global trends. This is a major reason constraining India’s economic potential and its re-emergence as a global power. With China now a USD 10 trillion economy, compared to India’s economy of USD two trillion, India is at a defining movement on how the Asian Century will be shaped. The strategic question is whether Asia will have two poles, as it has had throughout history, or will India remain at Asia’s periphery as a regional power? Does connectivity, rather than institutions and rules, now enable integration and economic growth? The related question is whether economic development is the best way of reducing the role of the military in polity.

The One-Road-One-Belt (OROB) initiative for connectivity, with clear strategic advantages for China, contrasts sharply with existing treaty-based integration concepts where the geographical scope, partner countries, strategy, principles and rules are clearly defined at the outset. 34 countries have already signed cooperation agreements with China.

With Asia increasingly the world’s political and economic centre of gravity, the 27th Workshop of China’s Political Bureau, held on October 12, 2015, focused on ‘Global Governance’ seeking a new identity, vision and strategy. The motivation was to re-define the international perception of China as a large developing country, with one-Party rule, split with Taiwan and a regional power. China accounts for 40 per cent of world GDP growth, with the United States contributing only 10 per cent and India 20 per cent. China’s middle class has increased from five million in 2000 to 225 million today. Its outbound direct investment has reached USD 123 billion.

China is now seeking to establish its identity as a world class power; the organization of the Olympics had that aim. It has a vision of major power relations wherein it is an equal of the United States; the China-United States Climate Agreement and Ratification, contributing to global public goods, were announced in China. China’s strategy is to be a major player in global governance; the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is being developed as a multilateral, rather than a Chinese, entity. And, the OROB is consciously not adopting the development-cooperation model based on aid. Instead, it relies on a state strategy implemented by corporate investments and catalysed by the USD 40 billion Silk Road Fund, planned to be increased to 100 billion, to leverage a proposed investment of 1.4 trillion.

China’s ‘grand strategy’ looks both to the West and to the East. The OROB Initiative, seen more as a policy indicator than a set of projects, will link three continents – Asia, Europe and Africa. China is also looking at a free-trade area in the Asia-Pacific, possibly linking up with the United States. In addition, China is going in for tri-lateral agreements with the United States and European Union in Africa and Latin America, where its interests are not directly involved but giving it a global reach and influence beyond its immediate borders – the hallmark of a global power.

The OROB Initiative was accelerated as a strategic response to the military ‘re-balancing’ of the United States to Asia. The drivers are economic – the ‘exceptionalism’ of China’s growth story, which, it believes, serves as a model for others. Capital has been the key driver of China’s growth over the last three decades, with investment in infrastructure peaking at 54 per cent of GDP in 2013. In the period 2001-2007, China’s current account surplus reached 10 per cent of GDP because of booming exports. Foreign exchange reserves increased from USD 300 million to 3.5 trillion during the period 2000-2011. China has cash and deposits in Renminbi equivalent to USD 21 trillion, or two times its GDP, and expects that the massive overseas investment in the OROB will speed-up the internationalization of the Renminbi.

Energy security is another important factor, with pipelines already linking China with the rich gas and oil reserves in Central Asia. Western China also has a restive Uighur minority population, and the most important threat is from the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which has taken sanctuary in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border areas. Lastly, China expects to bridge the socio-economic divide – Western China suffers a 15-fold gap in per capita income with Shanghai.

A regional transport network has begun to be put in place. For some origins and destinations, the door-to-door costs for the rail option is already similar to the ocean option. The logistics rationale is clear; Kashgar is closer to Gwadar than to Shanghai, just as Yunnan, another minority province, is closer to Chittagong than to Shanghai. In 2015, 815 freight trains reached Europe. Iran is excited about being a transit point for a route to Europe via Turkey. A train has just reached Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan.

A new concept of “International Capacity Cooperation” is also being implemented by relocating some manufacturing capacity to OBOR countries. In 2015, China signed memorandums with seventeen OBOR countries for capacity cooperation. This is very different to the current development-cooperation model of capacity building, which is institutional capacity supported by aid rather than local economic activity.

China is determined to push the OBOR initiative as it sees connectivity rather than global rules leading to increased trade, and continuing growth. China plans to have free-trade agreements with 65 countries in the six ‘economic belts’ of the OBOR, accounting for two-thirds of the world population and 30 per cent of GDP and consumption. The areas of cooperation include fibre optics, telecommunication, trade facilitation, monetary policy coordination and arrangements to manage financial risk. Bringing together policy areas that are currently split between the United Nations and Bretton Woods Institutions is a long-standing demand of developing countries.

China recognizes that India had these ideas earlier but did not have the resources to execute them. The principal Indian idea was that of an International North-South Transit Corridor (INSTC), initiated in September 2000, to bring together India, Iran and Russia in an effort to create multi-modal links (ship-rail-road) from India to Europe, via the Gulf, Central Asia and Russia. Another multi-modal transport agreement, the Ashkhabad Agreement, which brings together India, Oman, Iran and the Central Asian republics was initiated in April 2011, and linked closely to the INSTC projects. Only one Indian connectivity project, the trade and transit corridor from Chabahar in Iran to Afghanistan is off the ground; but the Indian investment of USD 500 million for port development is miniscule compared to the OROB.

In three years, China has achieved considerable success with OROB. The lending of the China Development Bank (CDB) and the Export-Import Bank of China (Cexim) has become closely aligned with its OBOR strategy, in the fields of industry, infrastructure, energy, trade finance and financial services. Some of the largest recent Chinese lending include: a USD three billion loan to the governments of Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Laos, to be used for infrastructure projects and trade finance purposes; a 2.2 billion Cexim facility extended to the Kenya Railways Corporation for a new rail link between the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa and the Kenyan capital of Nairobi; and two facilities to companies in Indonesia for power plants, one totalling 1.5 billion and another worth 1.2 billion.

An interesting development with regard to OBOR is that projects have attracted overseas capital. For example, in October 2014, Oman’s State General Reserve Fund signed an agreement to take an equity stake in a port being constructed in Tanzania by the China Merchant Group (CMG) as well as the railway network leading to it. The agreement specified that USD 500 million would be designated for port financing for 2013 (via Cexim), for interest-free or low-interest loans to get the project started.

China is aware that it is investing in a risky environment and that the OROB initiative may not be commercially rewarding. China has a three-fold solution to these problems. First, it invites governments to organize summits to identify issues and seek common understandings, cooperation memorandum and people-to–people contact as the basis for regional cooperation.

Second, China is also organizing technical workshops of the concerned countries to facilitate investments and is partnering with multilateral institutions in this effort to give greater legitimacy. It is entering into areas the United Nations and bilaterals have ignored but have been considered important by developing countries. For example, a workshop to harmonize intellectual property rights legislation was organized in Beijing in July, jointly with the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Third, China is using money to resolve security issues, like paying Pakistan for an army division dedicated to the protection of Gwadar and is actively considering setting up a private security agency, borrowing ideas from something the United States has done for decades, but paid for by the companies rather than the government. Currently, China has no intention of directly improving the military capacity of these countries or getting involved in regional disputes, as its military strategy is focused on Taiwan and the Pacific.

The OROB initiative has moved beyond the discussion stage to being politically and economically accepted widely. In April 2016, an agreement was signed with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), treating implementation of the OROB initiative as promoting regional cooperation. This is in part an answer to India’s concerns that connectivity should be built through consultative processes and not unilateral decisions.

Perceptions of what OBOR is really about – and how far it is feasible – diverge widely like the fable of the blind men and the elephant. Europe is assessing whether it will be a financial bonanza, the United States has been caught slow footed with its focus on seeking support for security from China, and India remains ambivalent.

India’s concerns centre on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), finalized in April 2015 on the basis of 51 agreements, for a series of highway, railway and energy projects linked to the newly developed port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea, all of which taken together will be valued at USD 46 billion. These projects will generate 700,000 jobs in Pakistan and, when completed, add 2 to 2.5 per cent to the country’s GDP. By focusing on the strategic implications, India is ignoring China’s supplementary interest – that such investments in the backward regions of Pakistan also address China’s, and India’s, concerns relating to security problems whose roots are in Pakistan.

During Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to India in May 2013, China and India jointly proposed the building of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM) at a total cost of USD 22 billion, and agreed to do a joint study – this is a part of OROB. At the BRICS Summit, to be held in Goa in October 2016, India has invited the seven-member BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) group, comprising Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka from South Asia and Myanmar and Thailand from ASEAN. It dates back to 1997, with a study on infrastructure as an important activity, and the discussion will inevitably turn to connectivity. Linking BIMSTEC and BCIM will be a strategic response to a strategic issue.

President Xi Jinping has staked so much personal and political capital on OROB that it has become a key test of his leadership, and will be made to succeed. China is keen to have India on board and both recognize that working together is necessary for achieving the ‘Asian Century’. India should seek to ‘redefine’ OROB to add a strong component for a ‘Digital Asia’, as that is where our comparative advantage lies, and for Asian connectivity to have two nodes, in China and in India, as has been the case throughout history.

It is rumoured that the OROB was a purely political initiative that did not emerge from the foreign policy establishment. It is now up to Prime Minister Modi to make a similar strategic leap with respect to Kashmir; the road to Islamabad is now through Beijing and not Washington.

The author is a former Diplomat and currently Visiting Professor, Tsinghua University, Beijing. The article is based on a discussion at the Brookings-Tsinghua Center for Public Policy held on September 13 titled “After Hangzhou: Next steps in International Cooperation” which had a panel on ‘The Belt and road Initiative’.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 03 Oct 2016 16:26

Gilgit News Time ‏@GilgitNewsTime now3 seconds ago
The Sino-Pak border at the 15,500 ft high Khunjerav Top has been closed for traffic&trade for 10 days.

Must be moving Hardware....

prahaar · Post by **prahaar** » 03 Oct 2016 16:29

Gyan wrote:We need to start retaliating against China economically. Even under WTO we can raise duties on non essential consumer goods to 40% from 10%.

Already Whatsapp has such messages. Apoliticals usually busy sharing new holiday trip photos are sharing these messages.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 03 Oct 2016 16:34

Could be a security measure too. Even Cheenis do not trust Pakis on their ind day celebrations

Gilgit News Time ‏@GilgitNewsTime 3m3 minutes ago
This is done because of China's Independence Day, when will #GilgitBaltistan celebrate Independence Day?

panduranghari · Post by **panduranghari** » 03 Oct 2016 19:10

Mukul Sanwal wrote:It is now up to Prime Minister Modi to make a similar strategic leap with respect to Kashmir; the road to Islamabad is now through Beijing and not Washington.

What is the meaning of this?

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 04 Oct 2016 00:49

panduranghari wrote:
Mukul Sanwal wrote:It is now up to Prime Minister Modi to make a similar strategic leap with respect to Kashmir; the road to Islamabad is now through Beijing and not Washington.
What is the meaning of this?

Indian intellectuals always want India to beg somewhere outside to settle Islamabad problem.

NaMo is settling Islamabad problem by himself.
No need to go to Beijing or what ever.

kit · Post by **kit** » 04 Oct 2016 00:59

There is no Islamabad policy per se ..only Beijings !! .. Beijing owns the generals

panduranghari · Post by **panduranghari** » 04 Oct 2016 11:48

K Subramanyam will be disappointed if he reads the ISDA article.

NaMo is re writing all the rules, in these very tumultuous times and we have our own people advising status quo policies.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 05 Oct 2016 18:41

Why China's hold on Brahmaputra bothers India - ToI

Within days of India announcing plans to assert its right within the Indus Water Treaty+ with Pakistan, China+ said it was building a dam+ on a tributary of the Yarlung Zangbo, as Brahmaputra is known in Tibet. This will be its 'most expensive hydel project'. Here's all about the project, the tributary and why India worries about the project.

Why India sees red

1. China's dam building overdrive is a concern because there are no bilateral or multilateral treaties on the water
2. China believes dam building on the Brahmaputra helps it assert claim over Arunachal Pradesh
3. India believes China's projects in the Tibetan plateau threaten to reduce river flows into India
4. Dams, canals, irrigation systems can turn water into a political weapon to be wielded in war, or during peace to signal annoyance with a co-riparian state
5. Denial of hydrological data becomes critical when the flow in the river is very high
6. China is contemplating northward re-routing of the Yarlung Zangbo+
7. Diversion of the Brahmaputra is an idea China does not discuss in public, because it implies devastating India's northeastern plains and Bangladesh, either with floods or reduced water flow
8. In 2013, India complained to China about its hydro projects on the Brahmaputra
9. India and China signed two pacts in 2008 and 2010 which facilitated India with data on water levels and rainfall twice a day from June 1 to October 15 at three hydrological stations in Tibet
10. In 2001, an artifical dam in Tibet collapsed and killed 26 people and damaged property of Rs 140 crore along the river Siang in Arunachal Pradesh

The Lalho project

The Lalho project+ on the Xiabuqu River in Xigaze (close to Sikkim) is under way at an investment of $740 million. Xigaze is a few hours from the junction of Bhutan and Sikkim. It is also the city from where China intends to extend its railway towards Nepal

China's first dam on the main upper reaches of the Brahmaputra was built at Zangmu in 2010

Three more dams at Dagu, Jiacha, and Jeixu (small-scale projects) are under construction

In 2015, China inaugurated the Zam Hydropower Station, largest in Tibet, the highest dam built on Brahmaputra

The Xiabuqu river, 195-km long, flows from Bainang in Tibet northwards and joins the Yarlung Zangbo near the region calledXigaze, also known as Shigatse

This tributary was blocked for the Lalho hydel project that launched in June 2014, scheduled to be completed in 2019

The river's mean discharge is 25.8 cubic metres per second (cumecs), less than 0.15 per cent of the Brahmaputra's mean discharge
when it enters India

Its reservoir was designed to store up to 295 cumecs and it will irrigate 30,000 hactares, control floods and generate power

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 06 Oct 2016 07:34

New Horizons - Chandrajit Banerjee, Business Line

The fourth India-China strategic economic dialogue (SED) comes after a gap of more than two years.

China’s ‘new normal’ of 6.5 per cent GDP growth rate has been set as an objective in the 13th Five Year Plan. While India has emerged as the world’s fastest growing large economy, the mechanics of bilateral economic relations have shifted. Over the last decade or so, India-China trade has soared to over $70 billion, but its contours are now recognised as ‘unsustainable’.

The third SED took up a trade deficit of $36 billion, or 26 per cent of India’s total trade deficit. The fourth SED will need to factor in an adverse bilateral trade balance of $53 billion, 45 per cent of the Indian aggregate. Getting this figure to a more sustainable level would be a priority for the dialogue.

Emerging scene

An encouraging investment scenario is emerging. Although official FDI from China stands just at a cumulative $1.4 billion till March 2016, new announcements of large investments by Chinese companies in India are a regular feature. Sectors such as pharma, electronics, e-commerce, startups, and so on are attracting funds from China, and companies like Alibaba, Xiaomi and Lenovo are household names in India.

At a recent India-China’s CEOs’ Dialogue organised by CII, the excitement was palpable. Several Chinese companies expressed desire to work with Indian partners, while Indian participants talked about growing opportunities in a changing India with programmes such as Make in India, Housing for All, Smart Cities, and Digital India.

At the same time, business leaders mentioned challenges to bilateral trade and investment relations. Financing options, work visas, information gaps and cultural diversity were some of the factors thought to be inhibiting economic cooperation. The suggested solutions pertained to building the India brand in China, enhancing people-to-people links, regular business interactions, and investor facilitation.

What matters

Our recommendations are built around several strategies: attract more Chinese FDI, engage at the State and provincial level, and slot India into global value chains dominated by China. SED could consider platforms for these with the participation of industry from both sides.

In the manufacturing space, rising Chinese overseas FDI flows should be channelised to low-cost production centres in India for sectors such as capital goods and machinery, core infrastructure, and consumer products. In sectors such as pharmaceuticals, electrical equipment, and auto components our exports to China can be stepped up, provided market access issues are resolved.

Cooperation in the services sector has hardly been explored. IT services would benefit from access to Chinese state-owned enterprises and easier work visas for Indian software professionals. Tourism, films and financial services have high potential.

Chinese sovereign wealth funds could be invited to participate in long-term infrastructure assets in India. However, regulations are a deterrent. Chinese companies should be encouraged to explore FTAs.

At the same time, Indian companies should look at opportunities in China’s provinces. The forum of state and provincial leaders set up in 2015 could help in this effort. Building on the gains of the past, the SED has the potential to reset partnerships between Indian and Chinese industry and enhance cooperation at the global, regional, national and sub-national levels for mutual benefit.

The writer is the director-general of CII

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 06 Oct 2016 12:10

Chinese chickens flee from the Sudanese rebels rapists leaving UN workers to be raped!
So much for the great "Dragon.They seem to have much in common with their Paki brethren!

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/ ... ers-report

UN peacekeepers refused to help as South Sudan rebels raped aid workers – report
Chinese troops ‘abandoned their posts’ rather than engage in fighting and protect civilians, says US-based rights group

Xcpt:

Outside the fortified bases, however, peacekeeper presence was “non-existent”.

On 11 July, around 80 to 100 rebel soldiers attacked a compound in Juba where they raped and gang-raped at least five international aid workers, physically or sexually assaulted at least a dozen others, the report said.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 06 Oct 2016 12:21

But give credit where credit is due.The Chinese infrastructure juggernaut is changing the world at record pace.At one time it was India and RITES which was the preferred agency in Africa,we have nothing to compare in India with this in Ethiopia of all places!

If we really want to "manage the Dragon",then we too should be able to construct with the same std. of quality and cost what the Chiunese are capable of.Ck the excellent pics in the link.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/ ... o-djibouti

Next stop the Red Sea: Ethiopia opens Chinese-built railway to Djibouti
The new 750km line will link Addis Ababa to the sea in 10 hours, bypassing a potholed road that can take trucks days to negotiate

Chinese and local staff during the inauguration of the new train line linking Addis Ababa to the Red Sea state of Djibouti on Wednesday. Photograph: Tiksa Negeri/Reuters
Agence France-Presse
Thursday 6 October 2016 03.36 BST

With Chinese conductors at the helm, a fleet of shiny new trains has begun plying a new route from the Ethiopian capital to Djibouti, in a major boost to both economies.

The 750km (460 mile) railway, built by two Chinese companies, which will link Addis Ababa to the Red Sea port city of Djibouti, was inaugurated at a new station just outside the Ethiopian capital.

China denies building empire in Africa*But this is exactly what is happening!

The Ethiopian prime minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, and his counterpart from Djibouti, Ismael Omar Guelleh, were welcomed by the uniformed Chinese personnel who will be operating the trains until their local counterparts have been trained.

“This train will speed up the development of our country’s manufacturing industry and it will provide huge benefits to the industrial parks and modern farms that will be built in the future. It will give employment opportunities for our citizens,” Desalegn said at the ceremony.

While coffee production remains Ethiopia’s biggest earner and agriculture its main employer, the Horn of Africa nation is working on diversifying exports and boosting its manufacturing industry.

A security guard during the inauguration of the new line on Wednesday. Photograph: Tiksa Negeri/Reuters
The new railway, the first electrified railway in Africa, will take products between Ethiopia and Djibouti in about 10 hours, a far cry from the current excruciating multi-day trip along a congested, pot-holed road.

“We’re so excited! It takes two or three days for a truck to come from Djibouti,” said Ethiopian importer Tingrit Worku.

“The train could make a huge difference.”

Some 1,500 trucks a day currently lumber along the road which carries 90% of imports and exports from landlocked Ethiopia to the port – a key trade hub to Asia, Europe and the rest of Africa.

“This train is a game-changer. Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. The connection to the ports of Djibouti will give a bounce and our economy will grow faster,” said Mekonnen Getachew, project manager of the Ethiopian Railways Corporation.

Ethiopia country was the world’s fastest growing economy last year at 10.2%, but the International Monetary Fund estimates that the worst drought in 30 years is likely to see this plummet to 4.5% in 2016.

Both countries benefit from economic integration, with Ethiopia gaining access to the sea and Djibouti gaining access to Ethiopia’s emerging market of 95 million people.

The new railway means the end of the historic French-built diesel line constructed in 1917, which fell into disrepair in later decades, with frequent derailments.

The inauguration will be followed by a three-month test period, with no paying passengers and carrying only cargo on the line which includes stops at Mieso, Dire Dawa and Dewele on the border.

Stewardesses during the ceremony. Photograph: Tiksa Negeri/Reuters
However when the line is fully functional, uniformed Chinese controllers will welcome passengers to the spotless platforms of newly built stations all along the route, while Chinese technicians and stationmasters will keep things running behind the scenes.

“We don’t yet have the management experience yet. We have a management contract with Chinese staff for five years, with an Ethiopian counterpart in training,” said Getachew.

China has invested heavily in infrastructure in Ethiopia, funding sub-Saharan Africa’s first modern tramway – which opened in Addis Ababa last year – as well as motorways and dams.

The new $3.4 billion railway, with its red, yellow and green trains evoking the Ethiopian flag, was 70% financed by China’s Exim Bank and built by China Railway Group and China Civil Engineering Construction.

A high-level Chinese delegation, in Addis Ababa for the inauguration of the railway, on Tuesday signed further agreements worth $100m for the construction of roads, the state-controlled Fana Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Natural resources from Africa have helped fuel China’s economic boom, and it became the continent’s largest trade partner in 2009.

However direct investment in Africa slumped more than 40% last year, as growth slowed in the Asian giant.

The railway is the first step in a vast 5,000km-long network of rail which Ethiopia hopes to build by 2020, connecting it to Kenya, Sudan and South Sudan.

Chinese employees of the new railway.

Chinese employees of the new railway. Photograph: Zacharias Abubeker/AFP/Getty Images
Djibouti, the smallest state in the Horn of Africa, sees the project as the start of a trans-African railway crossing the continent from the Red Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, a journey which takes three weeks by boat.

However this dream appears far off, as the railway would have to pass through war-torn countries like South Sudan or the Central African Republic.

Christopher Sidor · Post by **Christopher Sidor** » 06 Oct 2016 21:14

Recently two Pakistani Envoys went to USA and gave a talk in the Atlantic Council about their view point on what is happening in Kashmir. What made headlines is what they said after the session got over

“(The) US is no longer a world power. It is a declining power. Forget about it,” Special Kashmir Envoy of Sharif, Mushahid Hussain Syed was heard as saying.

The character in question is Mushahid Hussain Syed belongs to PML. Now this is not the first time that a member of Pakistani ruling establishment has said something similar. In Aug-2011 the then Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Gilani, who incidentally belonged to PPP and was reportedly the most pro-American PM of Pakistan in this decade had this to say

Gilani did tell the Afghans that Pakistan can protect them but they need to accelerate the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country.
Gilani, the source said, painted the United States as a declining power, weakened economically, and in debt to China.

Now while PRC has not denied or disavowed what it's envoy in Lahore said a few days earlier, about PRC coming to help of Pakistan if it's Sovereignty is threatened, it stands to reason that PRC is doing to South Asia what it is doing in North-East-Asia.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 06 Oct 2016 21:32

Gilani advised Karzai to switch over to Renminbi in its international dealings than the USD.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 06 Oct 2016 22:04

Renminbi wont be currency of international dealing until Chinese gets its fully convertible lets say capital account convertibility and Oil countries can trade Yuan for Oil ....If China can convince Russia to trade its energy product in Renminbi then it would greatly help yuan , they might convince Iran and Venezeula too

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 07 Oct 2016 10:47

Indians boycotting 'Made in China' wares for Beijing's support to Pak: Traders
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/chin ... 82272.html

India is a huge market of Chinese items as they are cheaper. According to an estimate, the volume of Chinese goods during eight to 12 weeks ahead of festive seasons falls in the vicinity of Rs 1000 crore in Delhi alone. There are similar wholesale inventories of imports from China in all major cities of the country.A majority of these goods include toys, fancy lights, gift items, plastic ware, decorative goods etc. "Retailers say that their customers have started asking for Indian items," said Rameshwar Goyal, a trader dealing in decorative items at Sadar Bazar, the biggest wholesale market of north India.Goyal said he too had received messages on his phone about boycotting Chinese lights during Diwali. "I think that campaign has made a difference. People are openly talking about boycotting Chinese items," he said.