Managing Chinese Threat

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 05 Mar 2014 23:54

SSridahr, Yasin Bhatkal was ring about Ind Muj facilitating Rohingyas and Uighers. Its probable this far way from Xinkiang, attack in Kunming has an IM link in planning atleast.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 06 Mar 2014 00:16

ramana wrote:SSridahr, Yasin Bhatkal was ring about Ind Muj facilitating Rohingyas and Uighers. Its probable this far way from Xinkiang, attack in Kunming has an IM link in planning atleast.

It will be all about IM now in the rest of Asia.
They will create a new movement in Asia and will be not connected to TSP

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 Mar 2014 08:46

Tibet rail extension to Nepal border to complete by October - Ananth Krishnan, The Hindu

China will complete the extension of the high-altitude Qinghai-Tibet railway line to Shigatse, a town near the Nepal border, by October, officials said on Thursday.

The Lhasa-Shigatse (Xigaze in Chinese) line will extend over 253 km, carrying trains at 120 km per hour through valleys and over three bridges that run across the Brahmaputra river, or Yarlung Zangbo as it is known in China.

The line will reduce the travel time from Lhasa to the border town to only two hours from over five hours, enabling China to move resources more quickly to remote Tibetan areas.

Chinese officials say the line is being built to boost development. The rail network will also boost China’s mobilisation capabilities in remote Tibetan areas.

China has proposed extending the line from Shigatse to the border with Nepal. The Chinese side has also thought to have offered financial support to extend the line into Nepal, although Kathmandu has, so far, responded cautiously to the offer considering India’s sensitivities.

Shigatse is an important monastery town home to the Tashilhunpo monastery that has been the seat of the Panchen Lamas, and is an important centre of pilgrimage for many Tibetans.

The announcement of the railway line extension came as the China-backed 11th Panchen Lama, Gyaincain Norbu, attended the opening of an annual session of China’s Parliament, or National People’s Congress (NPC).

He serves on the Standing Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a top political advisory body that is convened annually along with the NPC.

Norbu was controversially chosen as the 11th reincarnation of the Panchen Lama — the second most important figure for the Gelugpa or Yellow Hat sect of Buddhism after the Dalai Lama — in place of Gendun Choekyi Nyima, who was chosen with the Dalai Lama’s approval but subsequently disappeared. He is thought to be under the custody of Chinese authorities.

Separately on Thursday, it emerged that a leading former Tibet official, who founded the Communist Party in Tibet, had authored a new book criticising China’s rule and making a case for the exiled Dalai Lama to return.

The autobiography of the Phuntso Wangye (92), who joined Mao Zedong’s Communists in the 1940s but was later imprisoned following the Chinese occupation of Tibet, is expected to be released in Hong Kong on Friday, the South China Morning Post reported.

Mr. Wangye was rehabilitated following Mao’s death. Although a founding member of the Tibet Communist Party, he later emerged as a critic of China’s policies, famously penning letters to former President Hu Jintao in 2006.

In his book, Mr. Wangye makes a case for China to compromise with the exiled Tibetan administration in Dharamsala to enable the return of the Dalai Lama and “allow the hundreds of thousands of exiled Tibetan compatriots headed by the Dalai Lama to return home, live and work in peace”, the SCMP reported.

He warned that Chinese policies had fuelled tensions between Tibetans and majority Han Chinese, most evident in riots in 2008. “It is significant that someone who has spent his whole life working with the Central government shows this kind of dissatisfaction with its policies,” publisher Bao Pu told the newspaper.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 Mar 2014 15:27

Asia needs a body like NATO - Japan Times

Japan should aim to create a multilateral security alliance in Asia similar to NATO to help counterbalance China’s ongoing military buildup, a senior ruling party lawmaker said Thursday.

Shigeru Ishiba, secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, also told his fellow lawmakers in a speech that Japan should remove its self-imposed ban on the right to collective self-defense, saying he is on the same page with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, noting the revision is “a long-cherished wish.”

“It will become necessary for us to have an Asian version of NATO,” Ishiba said. “We will likely see a continued rise in China’s defense budget, and U.S. influence waning. So we need a balance here in the region with China.”

The LDP’s No. 2 man made the remarks after meeting earlier with Abe. Ishiba said he discussed the steps toward lifting the ban on the right to collective self-defense after gaining support from New Komeito, the LDP’s ruling coalition partner, which is more wary about expanding Japan’s regional security role.

Lifting the ban would allow Japan to defend allies under armed attack even when it has not been directly hit. But the issue is divisive, given it would mark a major change in the postwar security framework set up under the war-renouncing Constitution.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 Mar 2014 15:34

China's civilian fleet, a potential force asserting sovereignty in disputed seas - Japan Times

From harassing Filipino fishing boats and monitoring oil exploration off Vietnam to playing cat-and-mouse with the Japan Coast Guard, China’s expanding fleet of civilian patrol vessels have become the enforcers in disputed Asian waters.

The ships of the recently unified Chinese coast guard are a fixture around the disputed islands and shoals of the South and East China seas. While the ships don’t have the weaponry of military vessels, thus reducing the risk a confrontation could get out of control, they still represent a potent show of sovereignty.

The coast guard is funded by China’s State Oceanic Administration, a civilian body, although one U.S. naval officer and security experts said it coordinates its operations with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). It includes the 200-strong China Marine Surveillance fleet and is seen as another example of how hard it is to get a true picture of China’s defense-related spending.

China said this week it would increase military spending by 12.2 percent to $131.5 billion in 2014 after a 10.7 percent hike last year. Much spending likely takes place outside the defense budget, however, and many experts estimate real outlays are close to $200 billion, second only to the United States, whose base 2014 defense budget is $526.8 billion.

Neither the budget for the marine surveillance fleet, which includes decommissioned warships, nor the overall coast guard is known.

Premier Li Keqiang told the opening of China’s annual session of parliament Wednesday that the government would enhance border, coastal and air defenses, but he gave no updates on the coast guard’s fleet expansions or operations.

“The maritime surveillance force has been getting a number of new vessels for the last several years, reflecting growing resources and growing importance,” said Dean Cheng of the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank in Washington. “They are large . . . and can help intimidate potential opponents.”

Tensions have grown across Asia as China has become increasingly assertive in pressing its claims to disputed territory.

In the East China Sea, China and Japan are locked in a bitter row over a group of rocky islands administered by Tokyo. China also claims about 90 percent of the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims to the sea, which sits above potentially rich oil and gas deposits.

Beijing’s civilian fleets now routinely flank both sides of the South China Sea. At times they surround the Scarborough and Second Thomas shoals, which China disputes with the Philippines, or patrol contested waters off southern Vietnam, close to oil exploration blocks leased out by Hanoi.

China’s navy is active across the disputed areas but is increasingly focused on operations beyond China’s near seas.

China sent its sole aircraft carrier, the 60,000-ton Liaoning, on its first training mission into the South China Sea late last year. Beijing bought the Soviet-era ship from Ukraine in 1998 and refitted it in a Chinese shipyard.

But the coast guard is at the sharp end in defending what China sees as its sovereign territory. Chinese media say its ships tend to be armed with water cannons and grappling hooks.

In one of the most recent incidents, Manila protested against the use of water cannons on Filipino fishermen in disputed South China Sea waters Jan. 27. China said it had every right to respond to “provocative” acts.

“What we are seeing now is the PLA navy moving into broader areas of ocean and fine-tuning their operational training, including combat, leaving the civilian fleets to concentrate on the most sensitive areas,” one Asian naval officer said. “It is those fleets that represent the daily assertion of Chinese sovereignty in disputed areas — and we watch them like hawks as a result.”

At the last annual parliament session a year ago, China merged four maritime agencies into a unified coast guard under the State Oceanic Administration.

A recent study by the Tokyo-based National Institute of Defense Studies noted that little was known about the authority and organization of the State Oceanic Administration or its relationship with the PLA.

In total, the coast guard has 370 vessels, according to figures released last month by the independent International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) in London. The state-owned Global Times newspaper has said the China Marine Surveillance fleet, one of the merged entities, alone had more than 200 vessels, nine marine surveillance planes and 8,400 personnel.

Many of the marine surveillance ships are old frigates decommissioned from the PLA navy. In late 2012, Chinese media reported the navy transferred two destroyers to the fleet. China is also building a 10,000-ton maritime surveillance vessel, the world’s largest, the Beijing Times newspaper said last month.

The Japan Coast Guard, the most technologically advanced in the region, has 389 vessels and 25 aircraft, according to IISS. Japanese officials say they are watching the increasing scope and reach of their Chinese counterparts with alarm.

The State Oceanic Administration said last month it would base a 5,000-ton ship on one of the main islands it controls in the Paracel chain of the South China Sea, which is also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.

The civilian vessels are playing the role of “antagonist” in the East and South China seas, Capt. James Fanell, director of intelligence and information operations for the U.S. Pacific Fleet, told a maritime security conference in San Diego last month.

They are “harassing China’s neighbors while PLA naval ships — their protectors — conduct port calls around the region promising friendship and cooperation,” Fanell said. “We have heard many senior PLA officers say the PLA navy and the Chinese coast guard efforts are not coordinated. This is simply not true. This campaign is being meticulously coordinated from Beijing.”

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 Mar 2014 16:09

China, ASEAN talk South China Sea Code at meeting in Singapore - Straits Times

China is willing to work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to formulate a code of conduct (COC) for the South China Sea, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said on Friday.

Mr Qin's comment was reported by the Xinhua news agency and it came ahead of the 10th joint working group meeting between China and Asean on the implementation of the declaration on the conduct of parties in the South China Sea.

The meeting will be held on March 18 in Singapore, the Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) confirmed in reply to a question by The Straits Times on Friday.

"Singapore will be hosting the 10th meeting of the Asean-China Joint Working Group (JWG) on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) on 18 March 2014. Participation is at the working-level," MFA said.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 08 Mar 2014 10:02

Xi Jinping Plans India Visit in Post-election Outreach - Ananth Krishnan, The Hindu

China’s President Xi Jinping has expressed his desire to visit India later this year on what would be his first trip to the country after taking over last year.

The proposed visit is being framed by officials as signalling Beijing’s intent to take ties forward with the new dispensation in New Delhi {One can be sure that there would be a nasty intrusion deep into Indian territory just before the visit and India would be forced to make some concessions in order to continue with the Presidential visit. The Li Keqiang-DBO redux. It would be also good to hustle a new government which is not yet completely in grips with the issues.} that will be in place after the Lok Sabha elections. Chinese officials conveyed the desire during last month’s 17th round of boundary talks in New Delhi, sources familiar with the initial discussions said.

The details of the visit had not been fully finalised, and would be done so only after the Lok Sabha elections, the sources said.

Beijing, for its part, has made clear it is keen to establish a good rapport and take ties forward with the new government that comes to power, regardless of the outcome of the elections.

As is the custom with visits to India by the top leadership, Mr. Xi is also expected to travel to Pakistan. It is understood that he is also considering a visit to Sri Lanka in what would be the highest profile visit by a top Chinese leader to the country in many years.

The visit of Mr. Xi, who travelled to India many years earlier as a provincial leader, would be the most significant by any Chinese leader to India in many years.

Since taking over as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and head of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in November 2012, Mr. Xi has surprised observers with the speed with which he has accumulated power.

He has emerged as the most powerful leader since former Paramount Leader Deng Xiaoping, exerting direct influence over foreign policy, security issues and the economy in a way his predecessor Hu Jintao could not.

While Mr. Hu delegated economic power to the former Premier, Wen Jiabao, and was seen as having limited say over the PLA with no military background, Mr. Xi has centralised power by creating a National Security Commission and a central group for economic policy under his direct control.

While Chinese officials have acknowledged there is now some degree of comfort between Beijing and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) governments following engagement over two terms, officials here [Beijing] also have warm recollections of their dealings with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a leader held in high regard here.

In sharp contrast to the belated outreach from Washington, Beijing has carefully courted BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, hosting him as Gujarat Chief Minister in 2011.

“If we look back at history, in 2003 the NDA Prime Minister, Mr. Vajpayee, paid a very successful visit to China and broke the ice between the two countries in some ways,” said Lan Jianxue, a South Asia scholar at the China Institute of International Studies. “China is already acquainted with Mr. Modi. Whether the next government is NDA or UPA or somebody else, I don’t think it will have a huge impact because the bilateral relationship is interest-oriented, not party-oriented.”

rajrang · Post by **rajrang** » 08 Mar 2014 18:05

Beijing has cultivated Mr. Modi in the past in contrast to the US which has embarrased (insulted?) him with the visa ban. (Arguably the ban would have cost Mr. Modi some votes during elections, so it would be personal for him.) A visit by Mr. Xi in the near future may be an attempt by China to encourage a pro-China tilt (relative to the US) by a new NDA government. So, my guess is on this occasion there should be no DBO type incident.

raj.devan · Post by **raj.devan** » 09 Mar 2014 00:07

Asia needs a body like NATO - Japan Times

ASEAN already has a Defence Industry Collaboration Body meant to allow military tactics and weapons interoperability between ASEAN countries and with the US. I wouldn't be surprised if this gets ramped up to resemble something like Cold War NATO in the near future, with involvement from India and Japan who are already guest nations at ASEAN summits. This is inspite of ASEAN's frequent denials that they will turn anything like NATO from a military standpoint.

Which leaves China to set up it's Warsaw Pact equivalent with villains like NK, Myanmar and Pakistan.

rajrang · Post by **rajrang** » 09 Mar 2014 02:53

Doubtful if India will join an Asian NATO. India has a track record of neutrality when the big guys of the world fight.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 09 Mar 2014 04:10

IMO, the Asian NATO will be more informal than a real, formal grouping, the contours of which are already seen.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 10 Mar 2014 09:05

Japanese ASDF scrambles jets to intercept three Chinese planes - Japan Times

The Air Self-Defense Force scrambled jets Sunday after three Chinese planes approached Japanese airspace, defense officials said.

The ASDF response was prompted by a Chinese Y-8 surveillance plane and two H-6 bombers that were flying in international airspace over the East China Sea between southern Japanese islands. The Chinese planes entered skies over the Pacific Ocean before heading back toward China along the same route Sunday morning, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry’s Joint Staff said.

“They flew above public seas, and there was no violation of our airspace,” he said, declining to release more details about the response.

Japan, China and Taiwan are locked in a territorial row over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which China calls Diaoyu and Taiwan calls Tiaoyutai. The uninhabited islands have long been administered by Japan.

Chinese ships and planes have been shadowing the disputed islands since Japan nationalized them in September 2012. The Chinese sometimes enter Japan’s 12 nautical-mile territorial zone.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 14 Mar 2014 09:31

China Wants a Peaceful Neighbourhood: Li Keqiang - Ananth Krishnan, The Hindu

China’s Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday during his annual interaction with the media that his government wanted to build a “favourable” neighbouring environment and narrow down differences with neighbours, amid recently flaring territorial disputes.

Mr. Li said China had an “unshakeable will” in safeguarding its territory and sovereignty, but at the same time also had “an unwavering commitment” to ensuring a peaceful periphery.

“As a developing country, China needs a favourable neighbouring and international environment for its modernisation,” he said at the press conference, held following the conclusion of the annual Parliament session.

“When neighbours interact with each other, it is only natural that sometimes they will run into problems of some kind or another. As long as they respect each other, properly manage differences and pursue mutual benefits, there will be harmonious sound instead of jarring noises.”

China is currently involved in boundary disputes with India; with Japan over disputed East China Sea islands and with a number of countries over the South China Sea.

Peregrine · Post by **Peregrine** » 14 Mar 2014 14:59

Chinese see Uighur hand in Malaysian plane mystery

NEW DELHI: Amid global speculation on what exactly caused Malaysia Airlines flight MH 370 to jump radar contact and disappear, an ugly suspicion has taken roots in China that it could be the handiwork of Uighur terrorists.

If this turns out to be correct, it would be the biggest attack by Uighurs on Chinese interests. Over two-thirds of the passengers in the missing plane were Chinese. As yet there is little to suggest that it could be an act of terror since it's not yet clear where or how the plane went down. While stolen passports initially hinted at a possible terror angle, the holders are believed to be Iranian asylum seekers rather than terrorists.

But China, just recovering from a savage attack by Uighurs at a train station in Kunming, is more ready to buy the Uighur terror theory, despite lack of evidence.

A group of attackers armed with knives went on a rampage in Kunming station on March 1, killing at least 29 people and injuring more than 100. Chinese authorities and its state media were quick to describe it as a terror attack by Uighurs in their "jihad".

Interestingly, India too described the Kunming attack as a terrorist one, using its official response to draw Chinese attention to "all forms of terrorism". Uighur terrorists are regularly trained and funded by Pakistan, one of China's closest allies. China has in the past taken an ambivalent attitude to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in India.

Cheers

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 17 Mar 2014 09:24

Japan & US to Compile New Guidelines for Defense Cooperation - Japan Times

Japan and the United States will include cooperation in outer space in their new defense cooperation guidelines, a government official said Sunday.

The current guidelines, revised in 1997, are based on assumed contingencies on the Korean Peninsula {and the situation has drastically changed since then} and have no reference to bilateral defense cooperation in space.

The new guidelines to be compiled by the end of this year will provide for greater cooperation by taking into account such matters as the use of satellites to monitor North Korean missile launches and Chinese activities in the airspace over the East China Sea, according to the official.

Japan and the United States agreed in their so-called two-plus-two meeting of foreign and defense ministers in 2013 to revise their defense cooperation guidelines again. They have already started working-level talks on the issue.

Last month, for the first time in six years, the Defense Ministry convened the Committee for Promotion of Outer Space Development and Use, which had been dormant, for detailed discussions on the bilateral cooperation in space.

The two sides assume transfers of what the U.S. global positioning system detects on activities by North Korea and China to Japan’s satellite system.

The Defense Ministry plans to launch a new satellite capable of high-speed, large-volume data transmission in fiscal 2015 because two of its three communications satellites will reach the end of their operating lives during that year.

It will also accelerate research, conducted jointly with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, on a satellite with infrared sensors which can detect missile launches.

Furthermore, the ministry will share information with the United States on space debris which could cause major damage to satellites.

The inclusion of 'outer space' in the defence cooperation between the US & Japan has to be seen in the light of a review of the Japanese defence program as soon as Abe took over. It was completed in December, 2013 and one conclusion was that Japan should enhance its capabilities in ballistic missile defence.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 17 Mar 2014 11:09

Non-nuclear States to Call on China to Join US-Russia Arms Talks - Japan Times

A draft joint statement for a foreign ministerial meeting in Hiroshima next month involving Japan and other nonnuclear weapons states will call for countries including China to participate in the nuclear arms reduction talks between the U.S. and Russia, a government source said Sunday.

The move is essentially aimed at China as the country is believed to be the only one of the five recognized nuclear weapons states under the global nonproliferation regime to be building up its nuclear warfare capabilities.

The draft, which will call for progress on nuclear disarmament in a multilateral setting, reflects Japan’s preference, given that the meeting of the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative will be held symbolically in Hiroshima, according to the source.

Japan is eager to raise its profile ahead of the review conference next year of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty because 2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the A-bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The draft statement at the meeting involving Japan, Australia and 10 other countries without nuclear arsenals will stress the importance of enhancing transparency among the countries that have nuclear weapons, including China, according to the source.

It is also expected to call for each of the countries concerned to strictly control nuclear-related materials and technology in their possession so as not to help North Korea’s nuclear weapons development.

The draft will make clear the readiness of the nonnuclear weapons states involved in the meeting to support the negotiations between Iran and the world’s major powers on Tehran’s nuclear program, according to the source.

The foreign ministerial meeting will be held in Hiroshima on April 11 and 12, with Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, who represents a constituency in the city, serving as chairman.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 17 Mar 2014 11:16

Japanese Government May Put-off Decision on 'Collective Self Defense' - Japan Times

The government may postpone until the summer officially changing its constitutional interpretation to enable the country to come to the defense of allies under attack, amid calls from within the ruling coalition for a careful debate on the matter, government and coalition sources said Sunday.

The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had planned to change the interpretation through a decision by the Cabinet by the June 22 end of the current session of the Diet.

But at a meeting on March 6, Abe and others, including Shigeru Ishiba, secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, agreed that such a decision should not be made hastily, the sources said.

The plan has already been conveyed to a senior official of the LDP’s junior coalition partner, New Komeito, which has been cautious about reinterpreting Article 9 of the Constitution in a way that would allow Japan to lift its self-imposed ban on exercising the right to collective self-defense, according to the sources.

The Abe government still plans to maintain its existing policy of seeking changes to the Self-Defense Forces law and other legislation during the next Diet session in the fall to reflect the envisioned reinterpretation of the Constitution in the revision of the Japan-U.S. defense cooperation guidelines.

But to accommodate the postponement, the government and the coalition may put off such legislative moves until the regular session of the Diet next year, the sources said.

Besides the reservations within New Komeito, the LDP itself remains divided, with Masashi Waki, secretary-general of the LDP caucus in the House of Councilors, telling a news conference earlier this month that there is a need for further internal debate.

For decades, the government has maintained that Japan has the right to collective self-defense but cannot exercise it due to limits imposed by Article 9, which forbids the use of force to settle international disputes, because doing so would go beyond the minimum necessary to defend the country.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 18 Mar 2014 09:53

India-China Strategic Economic Talks Today - The Hindu

India and China will discuss in Beijing on Tuesday counter strategies to the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership being negotiated by the U.S. Montek Singh Ahluwalia is leading the Indian delegation.

India has to play realpolitik.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 18 Mar 2014 14:16

India-China Hold Third Round of Strategic Dialogue - PTI, ToI

India and China held their third round of the strategic economic dialogue here [Beijing] on Tuesday focusing on collaboration in a number of areas, including railways and information technology.

The Indian side at the talks is headed by deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia while Xu Shaoshi, chairman of the National Reforms Development Commission (NDRC) led the Chinese delegation.

Ahead of the talks, five working groups covering different areas finalised the details for the high-level economic and trade dialogue between the two countries.

Besides attending the SED, Ahluwalia would call on Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday.

The working groups covered areas like infrastructure, mainly the railways and operationalise the agreement for service centres to be set up in India for Chinese power equipment, environment and resources protection, water management and policy coordination, collaboration on planning and urbanisation, cooperation in high technology including the IT sector.

Officials said the working group on infrastructure focused discussions to work out collaboration in strengthening the existing tracks in India to increase speed of the trains, official sources said.

They said talks would be centred on high speed tracks rather than high speed trains in which China has developed expertise in recent years.

The two sides would also discuss collaboration on improving heavy haul and redevelopment of the railway stations.

Present global economic situation, cooperation in international monetary and financial systems, global commodity markets, sustainable development and climate change would also figure in the discussion.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 18 Mar 2014 19:37

Chinese troops make fresh attempt to violate border - The Hindu

Chinese troops made a fresh attempt to violate the border with India in Chumar area in Ladakh on Sunday and retreated only after ITBP and Army jawans formed a human wall to block their incursion bid.

Chumar, located 300 km east of Leh, has been an epicentre of heightened activities of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who had been making increased attempts to enter through this region, official sources said on Tuesday.

Giving details of the incursion bid, the sources said that nine PLA soldiers first reached the border area at 7 a.m. on March 16, 2014 and were stopped by the jawans which was followed by the customary banner drill.

However, in no time 10 more PLA personnel arrived on the scene riding horses and joined their colleagues to make attempts to move ahead into the Indian territory.

Chinese troops made repeated assertions that it was their territory and they were headed towards to Tible area, 5 km deep into the Indian territory, the sources said.

Explaining their action, the troops told the Indian jawans that they were ordered by the PLA headquarters to conduct a reconnaissance in Tible area, the sources added.

However, more Indian troops joined in and Chinese troops made a retreat by 9 a.m. the same day, the sources said.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 19 Mar 2014 10:11

India and China agree to cooperate on IT - Ananth Krishnan, The Hindu

India and China, on Tuesday, signed a memorandum of understanding on IT cooperation, which, officials said, was a ‘formal recognition’ from the Chinese government to promote Indian software companies, which have largely struggled to obtain contracts from Chinese state-run companies. Both countries held their third Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) here on Tuesday.

Yang Xueshan, Vice Minister in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and one of China’s senior-most officials in charge of IT policy, told The Hindu in an interview on the sidelines of Tuesday’s talks that contrary to Indian perceptions, Chinese state-run companies were ‘not blocking’ Indian IT. He pointed to the success of other foreign software companies in obtaining contracts. Tata Consultancy Services has been the exception in obtaining a number of contracts from state-run banks and local governments.

“We do not pose any impediments for Indian software companies in entering into cooperation with SOEs,” Mr. Yang said. Mr. Ahluwalia said the MoU was “essentially a formal recognition [from China] that we want to promote Indian IT'.’’ companies.

India also sought Chinese support in substantially raising the speed on three rail corridors and in developing modern stations.

China has rapidly modernised its rail network, which only three decades ago lagged behind India’s. Today, express trains run at 200 to 250 kilometres per hour, up from 110 kilometres per hour, while the government has revamped stations to build a network of modern, airport terminal-like rail hubs. The country has also built the world’s biggest high-speed rail network, where trains run at 350 kilometres per hour on 13,000 kilometres of newly-laid track, running entirely separately from the older rail network. India has sought assistance in raising speeds on three lines, between New Delhi and Agra, Kanpur and Chandigarh. Chinese rail officials said they could help raise speeds from the current 130 kilometres per hour to 160 or even 200 kilometres per hour.

“This will require realignment of the track and strengthening bridges,” said Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia. “The Chinese also have a lot of expertise on heavy haul, where they are pushing a lot more per train.”

Arunendra Kumar, Chairman of the Railway Board, told The Hindu cooperation with China on high-speed rail, which would involve building an entirely new network, was for now off the cards. “You would need a lot of land and money,” he said. “This would cost Rs.120 crore per kilometre, but it costs a lot less to raise the speed on existing tracks.”

India has, however, asked Japan for assistance in carrying out a project report considering the possibility of building a high speed rail line between Mumbai and Vadodara. At the SED, both sides signed an MoU to push IT cooperation. India has asked China to expand market access for software and pharmaceutical companies, and to take steps to narrow the record $35 billion trade deficit, which, Mr. Ahluwalia said, was ‘not sustainable’.

But, the strategic dialogue is still silent on pharmaceuticals.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 19 Mar 2014 20:18

This is a fake dialogue. PRC is not in a position to give concessions

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Mar 2014 21:23

SS, Even though the article title is about IT the real deal is in the railways.

Karan M · Post by **Karan M** » 20 Mar 2014 00:20

Jhujar wrote:U.S. General Tells Japan, Philippines to Cool China Rhetoric
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-0 ... lisle.html

U.S. General Tells Japan, Philippines to Cool China Rhetoric
Comments by the leaders of Japan and the Philippines drawing parallels between China’s growing assertiveness in the region and events in pre-war Europe are “not helpful,” said the commander of U.S. air forces in the Pacific.“The rise of Germany and what occurred between the U.K. in particular and Germany, and what happened in Europe, I don’t draw that comparison at all to what’s going on today” in the Asia-Pacific, General Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle, 58, said in an interview yesterday in Singapore. “Some of the things, in particular that have been done by Japan, they need to think hard about what is provocative to other nations.”Carlisle urged all countries involved in territorial disputes with China in both the East and South China Seas to try and defuse tensions. He said any move by China to extend an air-defense identification zone south, where it has disputes over oil-rich waters with the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia, would be “very provocative”.

The recent comments by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Philippine President Benigno Aquino -- two U.S. allies -- have escalated tensions at a time when China is pushing its territorial claims in both the East and South China Seas, and as President Xi Jinping expands the reach of his country’s navy. Both sought to cast China’s actions against the historical perspective of Germany’s ascension in the first half of the 20th century.“The de-escalation of tensions has got to be a multilateral approach and it’s not just one country that needs to de-escalate,” said General Carlisle, a former fighter squadron commander who is responsible for air force operations for more than half the globe, with oversight of 45,000 personnel. “All of them do. The risk from miscalculation is high. It’s greater than it should be.”“If you look at some of the things that have been going on in the East China Sea, both militaries have been conducting themselves very professionally,” said Carlisle. “But the potential for something, a mistake to occur or miscalculation or misunderstanding to occur, is out there. There is significantly more activity from both nations around the disputed territorial claims, and that to me is a risk.”

Any attempt by China to replicate its air zone in the South China Sea would be a “very provocative act,” said Carlisle, who has more than 3,600 flying hours in a variety of aircraft and was promoted to the rank of general in August 2012, according to his official Air Force profile.The U.S. opposes any such move and “we’ve strongly, through diplomatic channels, made that known to the PRC,” Carlisle said, referring to the People’s Republic of China.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying today said the U.S. had first established an air defense identification zone more than 60 years ago and China was justified in doing the same in the the East China Sea.“It was the first country in the world to do so, so why can’t China do so?” Hua told reporters in Beijing. “When relevant officials make remarks they should think whether they are in any position to make irresponsible accusations against China.”

typical khan behavior bend over to the bully and advise restraint unless its own interests are threatened

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 20 Mar 2014 05:15

There you go ! Instead of rejecting it outright, the "authorities" are in "dilemma" .

China wants its warships in Indian waters to search for plane

With the search for missing Malaysian plane turning to India's neighbourhood, China has sought permission for sending its four warships into the Indian waters, causing a major dilemma for the authorities here.

India, which had suspended the search operations for last three days, resumed efforts today to locate the aircraft in South Indian Ocean region.

China, whose 150 nationals are on board the aircraft, has sent a formal request to India to allow their warships including a salvage vessel and two frigates to enter Indian waters in the Andaman Sea to locate the plane, sources said.

The Government, which has been taken by surprise, will take a decision the request after consulting the defence forces, particularly the Navy, the sources said.

The dilemma for the government is because its assets in the Arabian Sea are mainly to guard against China and these could get exposed if the Chinese warships are allowed in.

Meanwhile, Indian Navy and the Air Force along with Coast Guard ships resumed operations to locate the aircraft after keeping them suspended for three days awaiting instruction for looking into new areas.

A Navy official said the Naval and other assets have now been asked to look into the South Indian Ocean stretching south from Jakarta after the request from the Malaysian authorities.

India has deployed six warships and five maritime surveillance aircraft to locate the missing airliner with 239 passengers on board.

The assets deployed for the search operations include INS Saryu, INS Kumbhir and INS Kesari from the Navy and ICGS Kanaklata Barua and ICGS Bhikaji Cama.

The Navy has also deployed two of its P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft from INS Rajali in Tamil Nadu for locating the missing plane along with its Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft.

The IAF has also pressed into action its C-130J Super Hercules Special Operations aircraft fitted with modern surveillance capabilities to find the plane.

member_19686 · Post by **member_19686** » 20 Mar 2014 06:48

Taiwan Protesters Occupy Legislature Over China Trade Pact

Police and protesters have been engaged in a standoff in Taiwan's legislature after students stormed the building to demand the government scrap a trade deal with China.

The protesters Wednesday knocked down a large metal gate as they entered the legislative chamber late Tuesday and were using chairs to keep out police. Authorities said several officers were slightly injured when they made a failed attempt to clear the chamber.

The students said the deal would endanger Taiwanese jobs and increase Beijing's growing influence.

Student organizer Shi Yilun told VOA that the protesters felt the ruling Kuomintang, or KMT, party has bypassed the democratic process.

“The public hearings have not taken into consideration the voice of the people, the voice of all parties, or the questions and challenges all sides have about the Cross Strait Service Trade Agreement. On the contrary, on February 17 (the KMT) did something that violated fundamental democratic procedures and was without regard to the people of Taiwan. They violated what we authorized them to do at that time. We’ve come here to take back our rights,” said Shi.

The students are upset that a government committee passed a review of the deal despite opposition protests.

KMT Policy Committee Chairman Lin Hong-chi told reporters that the protesters were the ones damaging Taiwan's democracy.

“From last night until the present moment, a portion of the populous has been misled by a small number of people with ulterior motives into occupying the Legislative Yuan. This has caused great harm to Taiwan’s democracy. How sacred are the halls of parliament. To trample on a palace of democracy is to trample on parliament, which is the same as trampling on the people,” said Lin.

Taiwan-China economic ties have been strong for years. Political relations have also grown warmer following historic high level talks last month.

Taiwan's opposition is worried about excessive Chinese influence. The opposition has vowed to vote against the trade deal, but does not have the strength to block it.

Finance Minister Chang Sheng-ford said the deal was too important for the island to pass up.

“The Cross Strait Service Trade Agreement has a stake in the nation’s prospects. Mainland China is such a big market that if we don’t sign this agreement our competitiveness will drop. How will we join regional mechanisms in the future? Everyone had better calmly consider over [this], [we] must not be influenced by ideology," said Chang.

The trade deal is part of the far-reaching Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, or ECFA, signed between Taiwan and China in 2010.

Under the subdivision of the pact now under discussion, Chinese and Taiwanese service companies would increase investments in each other's territory.

Chang Ching is a Taiwan-based research fellow at the Society for Strategic Studies. He told VOA the dangers of the deal were being overblown by some in the opposition who have their eye on elections later this year.

"Many of the impacts to the service sector in Taiwan are overstated by the opposition party. But that's just the reality of life. Because in the opposition party, you will definitely find some who want to mobilize the public in order to get support (and) in order to get political leverage," he said.

Chang said the opposition did have a legitimate complaint about the way in which the ruling party decided to review the agreement.

"Originally, [the KMT] promised they would review the agreement - article by article, item by item, clause by clause. But eventually, they found another way to interpret that. [They said] since it is an administrative agreement, it can automatically be passed," he said.

The debate over the trade deal comes as many in Taiwan are concerned over steadily improving political ties with China.

Last month, Taiwan's top official on China affairs, Wang Yu-chi, visited the mainland, where he held Taiwan's first ever political talks with China.

Taiwan split from China following a civil war in 1949. Beijing still regards it as a breakaway province that will someday be reunified with the mainland.

Economic ties have improved in recent years, especially after the somewhat Beijing-friendly Ma Ying-jeou was elected president in 2008 and re-elected in 2012.

Hongshen Zhao contributed to this report from Taipei and William Gallo contributed from Washington.

http://www.voanews.com/content/taiwan-p ... 74277.html

Live coverage:

http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv173117558

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 21 Mar 2014 09:23

India turns down China's offer to help with search [for missing MH370] - The Hindu

India turned down a Chinese offer to help it search for the missing Malaysian airliner in an area that is the Indian Navy’s backyard. The Chinese made a request detailing the equipment and personnel aboard four vessels to enter the waters of the Andaman Sea.

India has already mounted search operations in a wider maritime area including the place requested for by the Chinese following a formal request by Malaysia to scour an area of about 5,000 km in the Indian Ocean. On Friday, two of its sophisticated planes will operate from Malaysia while some from its P-8 I and C-130 Hercules squadrons are already conducting operations over the area requested by Malaysia.

“In addition to Coast Guard vessels, four naval warships are at work in the Bay of Bengal, the Andaman Sea & West of Andaman Islands,” said naval officials.

The Chinese had sent the request for permitting four vessels of which one was a salvage ship and two were warships for search operations in the Andaman Sea.

The Chinese were informed about the deployment of Indian military assets in the search of the plane and told that their assistance was not required.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 21 Mar 2014 09:26

ramana wrote:SS, Even though the article title is about IT the real deal is in the railways.

In fact, the Chinese are using their oversize trade balance in their favour to make deep inroads into Indian infrastructure space. India, not knowing how to bring down the deficit, is reduced to a spectator level as Chinese workmen and Railway engineers from the PLA will swarm all over the place soon if this goes through.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 21 Mar 2014 14:52

My mission is to better India ties: Xi Jinping - Ananth Krishnan, The Hindu

China’s President Xi Jinping said Thursday he saw improving relations with India as his “historic mission,” as the top Chinese leader met with the Indian envoy here. The Indian Ambassador to China Ashok Kantha, who began his term here in January, formally presented his credentials to Mr. Xi at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on Thursday afternoon. The top-ranked Chinese leader subsequently met Mr. Kantha for a 15-minute interaction, sources informed about the meeting said.

Mr. Xi in a formal ceremony received credentials from 14 recently appointed envoys. The Chinese leader later held individual meetings with only three of the envoys, including Mr. Kantha and the newly appointed United States Ambassador Max Baucus.

Mr. Xi told Mr. Kantha he was an “advocate of furthering the India-China strategic partnership.” “Doing so is my historic mission,” he said.

He especially highlighted what he described as the increasing importance of India-China relations beyond the bilateral context, and called for greater cooperation on regional and global issues.

As The Hindu first reported earlier this month, Mr. Xi intends to visit India later this year on what would be his first visit to the country after taking over as President in March 2013.

The keenness for the proposed visit, conveyed by the Chinese side during the recent 17th round of boundary talks, is being framed as underlining Beijing’s intent to work with the new government in New Delhi that will be in place after the Lok Sabha elections.

Mr. Xi on Thursday said he looked forward to deepening engagement with India in the coming year, which both sides have agreed to mark as a “year of friendly exchanges.” He also mentioned the upcoming fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the five principles of peaceful coexistence, which both sides plan to mark with a number of events.

India also plans to hold a “Glimpses of India” celebration in 12 Chinese cities in the months ahead to mark the year of exchanges and to widen people-to-people engagement. To that end, India has also begun the process of liberalising the visa regime, starting with ensuring that all business and tourist visas are issued by the embassy in Beijing in two working days and by consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou within three working days, down from the earlier five-day processing time.

member_19686 · Post by **member_19686** » 21 Mar 2014 17:51

Taiwanese Students Protest against Cross Strait Pact between China and Taiwan - CNN iReport

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lytCA2Y1_Jg

rgsrini · Post by **rgsrini** » 21 Mar 2014 18:46

^^Look at the Hindu playing with words (China's offer to help"), to please its Chinese masters.

The word "help" portrays as if India is unable to do the job, and Chinese is "helping" India to fill some gap.
It also ignores that India is the one who is doing the helping in this case.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 22 Mar 2014 16:44

In Indian Ocean waters, India & China show maritime prowess - Ananth Krishnan, The Hindu

Earlier this week, China requested India for permission to deploy four naval vessels in the waters of the Andaman Sea, as the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 widened across the waters of the Indian Ocean.

India turned down the Chinese offer to search its own backyard, and replied to the formal request by detailing its extensive search efforts under way in the Indian Ocean, including the deployment of four naval warships and the new P-8I aircraft, all demonstrating the capabilities of the Indian Navy.

The search for MH370 is undoubtedly an entirely humanitarian exercise, and one that has become unprecedented both in scale and in terms of international cooperation - a dozen countries, including several embroiled in maritime disputes over the South China Sea, have put aside their spats as they have willingly followed Malaysia's lead in the search for the Boeing.

At the same time, the search has also served to demonstrate the new capabilities of the navies of Asia - navies that have been fast modernising at a time of record increases in military spending across the region.

China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has in recent days rapidly deployed eight vessels to scour the South China Sea. On Friday, warships were sent to search the southern Indian Ocean, where four Indian naval warships are also deployed in the search for debris.

Experts in India and China said this week the search has underlined an often ignored aspect of India-China relations.

While the long-running boundary dispute across the Himalayas has remained at the focus of attention for most observers, the fast-expanding engagement - and encounters - between their navies as they spread their presence across the Indian and Pacific Oceans has sometimes been ignored, said Lou Chunhao, a strategic affairs expert at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations in Beijing.

"Now, China under [President] Xi Jinping is paying more attention to 'going west', and as India 'looks east', there will be more interaction [in the Indian and Pacific oceans]," he said.

Mr. Lou was speaking at a rare event in Beijing highlighting India-China relations in the maritime domain. The event was being held to mark the launch of what is possibly the first ever Chinese translation of an Indian book on foreign policy, according to the Chinese publishers, authored by foreign affairs expert C. Raja Mohan on the growing India-China maritime rivalry.

"China's dependence on the Indian Ocean region is continuing to grow, for energy imports from the Gulf, resources from Africa, and trade with Europe," Mr. Raja Mohan said.

Since December 2008, China has been involved in Gulf of Aden anti-piracy operations. Earlier this year, the PLAN held its first-ever major exercise in the Lombok Strait in the southern Indian Ocean.

This year, President Xi Jinping also launched a new "maritime silk road" initiative aimed at boosting trade links and maritime engagement with littoral countries in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

With China's maritime presence in the Indian Ocean set to expand along with its economic interests, the question for India - and its strategic community - was how to engagement with this new reality.

"You cannot build a great wall against Chinese maritime presence," Mr. Raja Mohan said.

In India, most commentaries still highlight China's so-called "string of pearls", referring to port projects China is involved in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Bangladesh that some analysts suggest may later become military bases, although there is, as yet, no evidence to suggest so.

China has maintained these are purely commercial. "Chinese ships going to the Indian Ocean region and the only purpose is for security of energy supplies," said Ma Jiali, a senior South Asia scholar at the China Reform Forum. About the Hambantota project in Sri Lanka, he said it was to be remembered that the project was first offered to India, which turned it down.

Mr. Raja Mohan said Indian and Chinese strategic communities were "taking {sic} past each other for most of the time". He hoped the translation of his book would "begin a process of getting Chinese books translated into English, and Indian books into Chinese, and getting strategic communities to understand each other a lot better".

His book has been translated by the official China Publisher Group. Xiao Qiming, who heads the China Democracy and Legal System Publishing House, which is a subsidiary, said the idea was to begin direct interaction between both countries on strategic issues, rather than, as was the case at present, rely on third-party works from western sources.

"By publishing in China, this will given an opportunity for us to understand political and diplomatic ideas of India, and we hope this will add value to taking forward maritime cooperation between the two countries," he said.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 22 Mar 2014 18:22

Abe's hard-line stance against China worries Japanese companies - Japan Times

Japanese firms are concerned about Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s forceful diplomacy with China at a time when demand from the giant economy appears to be ebbing, a recent survey found.

More than half the executives in the Reuters Corporate Survey said demand from China is peaking or declining.

The survey found that a quarter are concerned about the impact of Abe’s approach to foreign policy, which has inflamed tensions with China and South Korea. Forty-six percent said it has not affected them, and 29 percent said they were unsure.

Japan’s ties with China and South Korea have worsened over bilateral the territorial disputes and accusations from Seoul and Beijing that Tokyo has not atoned for its wartime aggression, especially with Abe’s December visit to Yasukuni Shrine, which Japan’s neighbors consider a symbol of its wartime and colonial brutality.

“On territorial issues, it’s natural to protect Japan’s interests and positions,” said an executive at an electrical equipment company.

“But I would like to see more humility regarding issues that are sensitive not only for China and Korea, but globally, like the understanding of history, the Yasukuni Shrine visit and the place of Tokyo war crimes tribunals,” the executive said.

“Obstinately insisting on these issues could erode trust in Japan and damage national interests — not only economically but also from the perspective of the international standing of Japanese people.”

Executives offered their comments anonymously in the survey of 400 firms split evenly between manufacturers and nonmanufacturers. It was conducted from March 3 to 14.

Even among the majority who reported they were not concerned, many of the 195 respondents expressed reservations about Abe’s diplomacy.

“I would like more attention paid to avoiding friction over Yasukuni and other diplomatic issues of low importance,” said an executive at a steel maker whose business has not been affected.

The rise of China has been an engine of global growth, drawing huge numbers of Japanese manufacturers to build or use its factories and offering many millions of new customers for Japanese goods.

But after 30 years of growth averaging 10 percent or more, the world’s second-biggest economy is shifting gears. The government targets 7.5 percent growth this year, shifting toward domestic demand and relying less on exports and investment. A growing number of analysts say Beijing may need to take steps to prop up growth.

Of the 176 executives who responded to a question about Chinese demand, 45 percent said it is peaking and 13 percent it is declining, while only 31 percent said it is rising and 11 percent said it is bottoming.

With Europe recovering only sluggishly, the survey showed, companies are seeing strong demand in North America and Southeast Asia.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 23 Mar 2014 17:53

Kobe University Professor, Uighur Expert, Missing in China - Japan Times

Wang Ke, a Chinese professor at Kobe University’s Faculty of Intercultural Studies, went missing during a visit to China earlier this month, it was learned Saturday.

Wang is known for his studies on the Xinjiang Uighur autonomous region of China. The university is trying to confirm his whereabouts.

According to the university, Wang traveled to China on March 1.

On March 10, when he was scheduled to come back, Wang called his family in Japan saying his return would be delayed by about 10 days because he was going to see his ill mother in Xian, Shaanxi province. Since then, his family and the university has been unable to contact him.

Wang’s family got in touch with his mother in Xian and found that he had not visited her. Wang also was absent from a symposium in Singapore that he planned to participate from Friday.

He completed his doctorate at the University of Tokyo in 1994 and was appointed as a professor at Kobe University in 2001. In 1996, Wang received the Suntory Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities for his research on the defunct East Turkestan Republic, focused on the Uighur independence movement in the early 20th century.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 23 Mar 2014 18:02

The US NSA Targetted Chinese Tech Giant Huawei, Report Claims - Japan Times

U.S. intelligence agencies hacked into the email servers of Chinese tech giant Huawei five years ago, around the time concerns were growing in Washington that the telecommunications equipment manufacturer was a threat to U.S. national security, two newspapers reported Saturday.

The National Security Agency began targeting Huawei in early 2009 and quickly succeeded in gaining access to the company’s client lists and email archive, German weekly Der Spiegel reported, citing secret U.S. intelligence documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. The New York Times also published a report Saturday about the documents.

Huawei objects to activities that threaten network security, said William B. Plummer, the company’s vice president of external affairs.

“Huawei has declared its willingness to work with governments, industry stakeholders and customers in an open and transparent manner, to jointly address the global challenges of network security and data integrity,” Plummer said in an email. “The information presented in Der Spiegel and the New York Times article reaffirms the need for all companies to be vigilant at all times.”

Among the people whose emails the NSA was able to read were Huawei President Ren Zhengfei, Der Spiegel said.

The operation, which Der Spiegel claims was coordinated with the CIA, FBI and White House officials, also netted source codes for Huawei products. One aim was to exploit the fact that Huawei equipment is widely used to route voice and data traffic around the world, according to the report. But the NSA was also concerned that the Chinese government itself might use Huawei’s presence in foreign networks for espionage purposes, it said.

In response to the Der Spiegel report, NSA spokeswoman Vanee Vines said the agency doesn’t comment on specific alleged activities. She reiterated the NSA’s position that its activities are aimed only at “valid foreign intelligence targets in response to intelligence requirements.”

“In addition, we do not use foreign intelligence capabilities to steal the trade secrets of foreign companies on behalf of — or give intelligence we collect to — U.S. companies to enhance their international competitiveness or increase their bottom line,” Vines said in an emailed statement.

In 2012, the House Intelligence Committee recommended that Huawei be barred from doing business in the U.S., citing the threat that its equipment could enable Chinese intelligence services to tamper with American communications networks.

In January, the company rejected a previous Der Spiegel report claiming that its equipment was vulnerable to hacking. The magazine had reported that the NSA was able to install secret “back doors” in telecoms equipment made by Huawei and other companies.

Der Spiegel’s latest report claims the NSA also targeted top Chinese officials, such as former President Hu Jintao, as well as ministries and banks.

member_19686 · Post by **member_19686** » 24 Mar 2014 02:41

"I'm a Taiwanese " Young Generation Guarding Taiwan Democracy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2XyhLbWKOw

Taiwan students storm government headquarters

Hundreds of students have stormed the Taiwanese government's headquarters in protest at a deal that will bring closer trade ties with China.

They used a vehicle to knock down barbed wire gates outside the Executive Yuan in central Taipei.

Another group of students has occupied the parliament chamber since Tuesday.

The protesters fear that the agreement would make Taiwan susceptible to pressure from China, which believes that Taiwan belongs to the mainland.

The BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei says some students staged a sit-in once inside the gates but others tried to push their way into the actual building.

Police guarding the government offices were outnumbered and have called for reinforcements, our correspondent says.

The mayor of Taipei has appealed for calm and instructed police to protect the building.

Barricades hold
On Friday thousands of people rallied in Taiwan to support the students who had been occupying parliament, which is also in central Taipei.

Police tried to dislodge the students on Wednesday but failed to breach barricades made using furniture.

The ruling Kuomintang party says it is determined to ratify the deal with China, which it says will boost the economy and create jobs.

The opposition Democratic Progressive Party has backed the protests.

China is Taiwan's biggest trading partner and in recent years ties between the two have improved.

The two sides split at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, and China regards Taiwan as part of its territory.

This year however the two held their first direct talks.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26705779

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 24 Mar 2014 09:34

Anti-dam march in Myanmar - The Hindu

Dozens of protesters began a 2,400-km march on Sunday to northern Myanmar, calling for the cancellation of a Chinese-backed hydroelectric dam project over environmental concerns. The $3.6 billion dam along the Irrawaddy River, which was supposed to export 90 per cent of its power to China, was suspended in 2011.

Now, many worry construction will resume after the 2015 general elections.

Waving banners calling for permanent cancellation of the Myitsone dam, around 60 people gathered early Sunday in a suburb of the main city of Yangon.

They will walk along the Irrawaddy River , said one of the organisers. He expects the march to Myitsone in Kachin state, where the dam is located, to take up to 70 days.

The vast majority of Burmese do not have access to electricity. — AP

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 24 Mar 2014 13:01

Japan F15 scrambled after China plane approaches disputed islet - DPA, Business Line

Japan scrambled F-15 fighter aircraft after a Chinese Government plane was spotted on course for a group of disputed islets, officials said Monday.

A Y-12 turboprop from China headed south over the East China Sea early Sunday, prompting the Japanese aircraft to take off from Okinawa, the Defence Ministry said.

It turned back toward China 100 kilometres before entering Japanese airspace, the ministry said. An official declined to say how many Japanese jets were scrambled.

DavidD · Post by **DavidD** » 24 Mar 2014 23:05

An article that echoes some of the sentiments voiced here:

http://thediplomat.com/2014/03/how-japa ... -on-china/

So it was with Greeks of antiquity. So it is with their pseudo-Greek knockoffs on college campuses today. Now substitute Xi Jinping for Otter. (Betcha likening Xi to a frat boy is a Naval Diplomat first.) That lets Animal House illustrate the logic of Communist Chinese diplomacy vis-á-vis Japan. “Hey, you Japanese can’t do that to the Chinese people,” exclaim Chinese leaders. “Only we can do that to the Chinese people!!!”

Isn’t that what China’s leadership is essentially saying?

This is the ground where Tokyo should fight the history wars. Chancellor Willy Brandt’s apology on Germany’s behalf doubtless remains the gold standard for national contrition. Yet the leaders of democratic Japan have conceded the long-dead imperial regime’s wrongdoing. Tokyo has performed reasonably well in the apology department. It should continue owning up to Japanese history rather than dissembling.

But who was the 20th century’s biggest abuser of Chinese citizens? Not Japanese militarists but the Chinese Communist Party, the party responsible for the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, and countless casualties from these self-inflicted traumas. And unlike Imperial Japan’s military potentates, the CCP remains alive and in power. The offender can and should atone for its crimes.

We've debated this issue already though, and you can see basically a rehash of our arguments in the comments section as well (e.g. the CCP did a lot of good too, what Chinese people do to ourselves is our own problem, etc.)

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 25 Mar 2014 06:16

Xi Jinping Tells US to be Fair on China's Maritime Disputes - ToI

Chinese President Xi Jinping told US President Barack Obama on Monday that the United States should adopt a "fair" attitude on the East and South China Seas, where China is involved in a series of increasingly bitter territorial disputes.

"On the issues of the East and South China Sea, the US side ought to adopt an objective and fair attitude, distinguish right from wrong, and do more to push for an appropriate resolution and improve the situation," state news agency Xinhua cited Xi as saying. It provided no other details.

The two were meeting on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit in the Netherlands, where their talks also took in the situation in Ukraine, North Korea and military-to-military cooperation.

Xi added that he hoped China and the United States deepened their military cooperation and carried out more joint exercises, to help "prevent misunderstandings and miscalculations".