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Amidst border tension with China, India’s ambassador to Taiwan Gourangalal Das has already reached that country, Taiwan. According to informed sources, he will assume charge after the official announcement and at the end of the quarantine period in Taiwan. India’s new ambassador Gourangalal Das, was joint secretary (Americas) in the Ministry of External Affairs Headquarters and is a prolific Mandarin speaker. The appointment of an envoy to Taiwan is a significant departure from the erstwhile policy of India known for its risk-aversion and soft-diplomacy, say experts. In most of the meetings until 2010, India endorsed “One China policy”. But this began to change with the growing border face-off between the two countries, and China’s interference in domestic affairs.:
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“I would predict there will be a clash within the next three to six months,” Florida Rep. Ted Yoho, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee for Asia, told the Washington Examiner.
Yoho’s forecast attests to the suspicion that has come to characterize U.S.-China relations in recent years, as U.S. intelligence officials assess that the world’s largest communist power is waging “a cold war” against Washington. That competition has played out in the economic sphere and between spy agencies, but Yoho thinks it could soon turn percussive as China seeks to tighten control of the shipping lanes around its borders.
“Knowing China, I think what they would do is ram one of our ships and say it was a mistake,” Yoho said while discussing U.S. naval exercises in the South China Sea.
U.S. Pacific Fleet officials rebuked China for risking a collision in 2018 through a warship's “an unsafe and unprofessional" approach to an American guided-missile destroyer. And a Chinese admiral also has boasted about the possibility of attacking U.S. carriers, wagering that such a loss of American life would leave U.S. leaders and the broader public "frightened" of Chinese military power in the disputed area.
“I think all those are possibilities,” Yoho said. “To sink a carrier would be a huge mistake, to attack any of our ships would be a huge mistake, but I think they're willing to risk that to test the waters. And unfortunately, people will die. It would just be a mistake if they did that, for them.”
Fifty-three per cent of those surveyed in a new Nanos Research poll say Canada should step up pressure on China by blocking Chinese investors from purchasing Canadian companies or denying entry to Chinese government officials and their families who want to live or study in Canada.
Critical mass forming around the globe ...
Btw, Germany dropped the ball on China. Will post the details later.
AdityaVM and RaviB (also nam and others), thanks for the responses, if you want to continue the discussion, we'll have to pick some other thread. But I was just curious about that issue, that's all.
Amidst border tension with China, India’s ambassador to Taiwan Gourangalal Das has already reached that country, Taiwan. According to informed sources, he will assume charge after the official announcement and at the end of the quarantine period in Taiwan. India’s new ambassador Gourangalal Das, was joint secretary (Americas) in the Ministry of External Affairs Headquarters and is a prolific Mandarin speaker. The appointment of an envoy to Taiwan is a significant departure from the erstwhile policy of India known for its risk-aversion and soft-diplomacy, say experts. In most of the meetings until 2010, India endorsed “One China policy”. But this began to change with the growing border face-off between the two countries, and China’s interference in domestic affairs.:
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Sorry, am not understanding whats new about this. We already had an envoy, which we replaced with a new one ?. Or did we open an embassy ?
Pompeo's latest statement that " the world will not allow China to treat the SCS ( ICS) as its maritime empire" is akin to throwing down the gaunlet at XI's feet,or even a slap in his face. It is a direct challenge to China's illegal annexation of the atolls and islands in the ICS .How XI will take it,huge loss of face,is another matter.Trump is upping the ante against China in rhe Nov. run--up.Expect more anti- China rhetoric and actions from the US.
As I've said repeatedly,pl.read the TOI today's issue,front page report on Sino-Pak naval build-up worth $7B.Bases at Djibouti,Gwadar and Karachi and search for more.In the last decade alone,China commissioned a staggering 117 major warships .Under construction, 2 more carriers,33 DDGs,54FFGs, 42 corvettes,50,yes 50(!) diesel AIP subs plus 10 N- boats,among other warships like type- 075 amphib warships. In comparison,we have only 1+1 carrier, 10DDGs,14FFGs,11 corvettes and 15 diesel non- AIP subs plus 2 small SSBNs and 1 SSGN on lease.
Pak has 9 FFGs,5 SSKs,10 missile boats,but is getting 4 new stealth FFGs and another 4 new DDGs of Chinese origin,plus the 8+future 8 type-039A Yuan AIPsubs.We have no option but to hugely expand the force structure of the IN in every dept.,especially subs,and acquire suprrsonic maritime strike aircraft that can swiftly deal with any emergent situation carrying BMos, and other LRCMs,hyper-BMos too in the future.
Fifty-three per cent of those surveyed in a new Nanos Research poll say Canada should step up pressure on China by blocking Chinese investors from purchasing Canadian companies or denying entry to Chinese government officials and their families who want to live or study in Canada.
Critical mass forming around the globe ...
Btw, Germany dropped the ball on China. Will post the details later.
Pankajji
I thought they had given a lot of residency/citizenship to a lot of peaceful and people sympathetic to Khalistan.
'JT' is even more unpredictable than DT
Will he ever join the group to oppose the Chinese (if there is going to be one )
Excuse the ignorance, is this the first time that there is an Indian ambassador to Taiwan? If so, nice move. Now if not, what is particularly notable about this appointment( of Mr Das). Edited: Evidently yes! No formal diplomatic relations until now. Excellent!
I don't think we've formally recognised Taiwan.That would be a kick in XI's backside tantamount to derecognising China. We have an India-Taipei Association,plus a similar Eco and Cultural Centre.
Thus far,we still maimtain the " One China" policy,but should the PRC Chinks maintain their hardened positions on the LAC,refusing to return to the old status quo ante, then I would strongly advocate the GOI to ALSO recognise Taiwan. What China does afterwards is entirely upto it. It can downgrade relations,break them off,but diplomaticaly can do bugger all against India.
The ball is now in Taiwan's court to see that it happens by offering to replace PRC investment with Taiwanese,esp. in the electronics sector. An Indian recognition of Taiwan could see other nations also following our example,not derecognising the PRC but also recognising Taiwan,putting China into a huge dilemma as how to react.
The very least we must do in the face of PRC ( and we should now refer to it as such and not " China" since Taiwan is also part of " China") intransigence,to downgrade relations,expelling its ambassador and much of his embassy staff,plus raising Taiwan's status by appointing an official "Charge d' Affaires",who in the absence of an appointed Ambassador or Minister who handles dll matters. Lower in rank to an Ambassador or Minister,the envoy is still addressed as His or Her Excellency, enjoys all the rights and priviliges as head of mission.This generally is an interim appointment,or in such cases where a more senior diplomat ( ambassador or minister) cannot be appointed. Such an appointment is an acknowledgement of " recognition" of a nation as being regular. A huge slap in the face of the PRC.MEA,are you listening?u
PS: Indo-Taiwan military relations must also be enhanced.The US,by its own act must come to the defence of Taiwan,so Taiwan does not require India's help in standing up to the PRC.Nevertheless,Taiwan has developed several indigenous missiles and other weapon systems,plus has the most military and political information on the PRC which would be of immense value to us. An exchange of defence technology and intel would benefit both nations too.Taiwan is desperate for conv. sub tech. We can v.easily transfer some degree of sub tech of our German U-boats ,since years ago Germany betrayed us by selling our unique 209- 1500 design to apartheid S.Africa. SoKo who are building under licence more advanced AIP U- boats based upon the basic209 class,could be encouraged to supply spares,etc. for support of the Taiwanese effort at building its own indigenous sub.
Varoon Shekhar wrote:Excuse the ignorance, is this the first time that there is an Indian ambassador to Taiwan? If so, nice move. Now if not, what is particularly notable about this appointment( of Mr Das). Edited: Evidently yes! No formal diplomatic relations until now. Excellent!
However, this is suddenly being played up by the media because ...
As usual, media is hyping it up in the context of the ongoing India/China border fracas.
The appointment "seems" to be of a more senior level than previous envoys. This may be a message to China or Taiwan or both that we are upgrading our ties with a more political envoy.
Joyce Karam @Joyce_Karam
BREAKING: US Rejects All Major #China Claims in South China Sea .
In its previous statements, the US has not explicitly said that China’s claims to submerged features such as Reed Bank, Vanguard Bank, 2nd Thomas, Mischief, etc. are illegal. It has only said that the 9-dash line is invalid.
Even though it endorsed the 2016 arbitral award, the State Dpt's legal position has been that it doesn’t definitively reject PRC claims in these areas. This new position provides a legal basis for the US to more forcefully respond to Chinese harassment of other claimants.
Qualitative change in the US position in SCS/Champa sea.
SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE Pompeo on Monday ramped up pressure against China over its contested territorial claims in the South China Sea, saying the U.S. would break from its prior de facto neutrality and condemning as "unlawful" Beijing's "bullying" and "intimidation."
Pompeo's surprise statement came four years and a day after a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that sided against China in a case regarding territorial disputes also claimed by its other regional U.S. allies and partners, including the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia. The United States at that time responded to the ruling by urging China to respect the decision of the court and maintained support for its partners but ultimately remained neutral on the competing claims.
We've heard in recent years that Chinese spying and hacking in Australia is so rife that it's overwhelming our own intelligence agencies. The federal government in 2018 even introduced new laws to try to limit Chinese spying and interference. But we can't name the agencies doing it. Is it because they are so small and insignificant? Today, China has more people engaged in its spying effort than any other country, according to the 2019 book Chinese Communist Espionage: An Intelligence Primer by Americans Peter Mattis and Matthew Brazil.
So how can we be so blind to such a big enterprise? A New Zealand sinologist, Anne-Marie Brady, in a new essay on China's spying, suggests a couple of reasons. One is what she calls "decades of post-Cold War complacency, of arrogance about the superiority of liberal democracies over communist systems". Another is a post-September 11 preoccupation with terrorism among Western intelligence systems including Australia's. A third is public sector cutbacks.
But there are other reasons, too. Penetrating the veil of the Chinese language is hard. The West has lacked the interest to make the effort. Another reason – popular culture hasn't created a Chinese James Bond. Yet. Finally, a deep-seated reason is that we haven't wanted to know. Brady recalls that a Chinese diplomat defected to Australia in 2005, the former first secretary for political affairs in China's consulate in Sydney, Chen Yonglin, and issued a clear warning. "When Chen said there were all these Chinese spies in Australia, everyone in Australia said, 'Yeah, right'," Brady recalls. "It turns out he was right." Yet even now, 15 years later, even as Australia has started to wake to the risks, "Australia doesn't yet have the critical mass in the police and other agencies to deal with the problem," she tells me.
China "is continuing to attempt to alter the status quo in the East China Sea and the South China Sea," Japan said in the defence white paper approved by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government on Tuesday.
The white paper described "relentless" intrusions in waters around a group of islets claimed by both nations in the East China Sea, known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China.
The United Kingdom has banned Huawei from its 5G telecom network, reversing a January decision to allow the embattled Chinese tech company a limited role in building the country's super-fast wireless infrastructure.
Operators such as BT (BTGOF) and Vodafone (VOD) have been given until 2027 to remove existing Huawei equipment from their 5G networks, the UK government announced on Tuesday. Digital and Culture Minister Oliver Dowden said new US sanctions imposed on the company in May had "significantly changed" the landscape.
Norbert Röttgen @n_roettgen {Kandidat für den Vorsitz der @CDU | Vorsitzender des Auswärtigen Ausschusses / Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee | Mitglied des Deutschen Bundestages}
UK #5G U-turn provides important lessons for German decision. It rightly stresses that where modern technology is involved econ & security issues cannot be treated separately. It further shows how #China responds, namely with threats, highlighting the need for #European solidarity.
Chinese People's Liberation Army’s Recent Activities in the Surrounding Sea Area and Airspace of Japan. The Defence White Papers say, "there are cases involving the one-sided escalation of activities"
The UK's mobile providers are being banned from buying new Huawei 5G equipment after 31 December, and they must also remove all the Chinese firm's 5G kit from their networks by 2027.
Because the US sanctions only affect future equipment, the government has been advised there is no security justification for removing 2G, 3G and 4G equipment supplied by Huawei.{The use of the phrase "future equipment" clearly implies ALL future kits, 5G for now but also 6G, 7G, 8G and so on and so forth.}
However, when swapping out the company's masts, networks are likely to switch to a different vendor to provide the earlier-generation services.
Huawei said the move was "bad news for anyone in the UK with a mobile phone" and threatened to "move Britain into the digital slow lane, push up bills and deepen the digital divide."
The action, however, does not affect Huawei's ability to sell its smartphones to consumers or how they will run.
China's ambassador to the UK said the decision was "disappointing and wrong".
"It has become questionable whether the UK can provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for companies from other countries," tweeted Liu Xiaoming.
The dismay re the decision in China is quite evident.
#环球时报Editorial: The UK’s decision to ban #Huawei means huge economic loss for it. It is highly doubtful that other European countries will make the same decision. https://bit.ly/3h4lYxB
Gone are the halcyon days of the early through mid-2010s when Japan’s defense ministry actively avoided criticizing Chinese behavior to keep the relationship positive. Now, the more critical of China, the better. This is a new Japan, folks.
Japan actively avoided criticizing Chinese behavior to keep the relationship positive till a while back. Now it has reversed course.
India too has "actively avoided criticizing Chinese behavior to keep the relationship positive". Modi at Leh was harshest India has been on China in a while. We are neither as rich nor as powerful as Japan nor do we have security guarantees from a power like America. Makes sense for us to keep it low key.
However, a conflict with China is in the makings whether we like it or not. Modi started slow preparation after assuming office but I guess we will see military spend going ahead.
Delivering the 14th Giri Deshingkar lecture organised by the Institute of Chinese Studies, Centre for Studies in Developing Societies and ThePrint as media partner, Dr Elizabeth Economy, Director of Asia Studies at the Council for Foreign Relations, New York, explained how US policy had changed from "engage & hedge" under the Obama administration to "counter & contain" under the Trump administration
The Trump administration is considering a sweeping ban on travel to the United States by the 92 million members of the Chinese Communist Party and their families.
Caught in ‘Ideological Spiral,’ U.S. and China Drift Toward Cold War “One by one, the United States has hit at the core tenets of Xi Jinping’s vision for a rising China ready to assume the mantle of superpower.“.
In response to Beijing’s broken promises, President @realDonaldTrump has taken steps to end Hong Kong’s preferential treatment and announced the United States will place a special focus on the admission of Hong Kong residents as refugees. We stand with the Hong Kong people.
Chinese protested UK plan on a similar arraingement. This is poking the Chinese.
May I make a request please? Let's stop calling " China" as such,instead the PFC ( People's Republic of China).There is another Chinese state called "Taiwan" truly democratic unlike the Commie dictatorship of the PRC.
India must appoint as said earlier, a " Charge d'Affaires" to Taiwan pending full dpl. relations,ecxhangf of ambassadors,etc.Or even better than a Charge d'Af,a " Ministrer",who can represent the country,rank just below that of an ambassador,the dpl. who really runs the show. The PRC's ambassador must be given the boot with the recall of our envoy to Beijing as well.
Secondly,we should call thd South China Sea ( SCS) the " Indo- China Sea".
The Asian landmass adjoining it is mostly comprised of peoples of Indian religion,culture,etc. Most ancient sites are Buddhist and Hindu,both Indianreligiond.Godless PRC have ziltch! This landmass of Vietnam,Cambodia,Laos, part of Malaysia,Indonesia is known as "Indo'- China",thereforethe sea must be renamed as the ICS.At least India should start calling it by this name just as the PRC calls Ar.Pr. as S.Tibet.
Now to the subject of the td.Business Line asks in an editorial today a relevant Q," Can the Quad rise to be an Asian NATO?"
It says that very rightly the Quad must help Asian nations reduce their dependence on the PRC,also roping in ASEAN will strengthen the body.
Whilf western nations were trying to recover from WW2,they were not dependent upon the USSR. Today the situ is different. Most of Asia is dependent upon the PRC even Quad members. Therefore if the US wants Asian nations to form an alliance against the PRC, it must first work to wean away Asian states by sharing tech., shifting its supply chainout of HQ Beijing, and opening up its market to Asia. While Nixon opened the political door to the PRC,other US leaders like Clin Ton opened the eco door eider still.These are the two key reasonsfor the rise of the Middle Kingdom.
You may recall that Clin Ton actually waived sanctionx against the PRC for N- proliferation esp. to Pak,by getting the PRC to route their tech and missiles through NoKo so that he could give thd PRC a clean chit! BL says that the US must take the lead in forging
the Quad into an alliance by taking over the Indo-Japanese Africa- Asia Growth Corridor ( AAGC) providing a credible and democratic alternative to the PRC. Inthis is is vital that ASEAN is roped in first if an alliance can become a reality first and force multiplier in the shape of a NATO like outfit.
America will stand with our friends in upholding sovereignty in the face of Beijing’s belligerence — whether in South China Sea or the Himalayas. Read more here: https://www.state.gov/the-south-china-s ... -backyard/
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