Tag: China

Chinese Growing Influence

China’s Influence Reaches Caribbean, Unsettles US: Report

By LokMarg

Amidst the tension between US and China, Beijing’s influence has reached the Caribbean as the 10 nations of the region have participated in the “Belt and Road” initiative, which is a big issue for Washington DC, The New York Post reported.

10 Caribbean nations– Grenada, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname and Cuba– have participated in the Belt and Road initiative.

According to The New York Post, most of the borrower nations choose China over the US as the former offers a cheap, no-questions-asked alternative, while America prides itself on upholding a “rules-based international order” which is burdensome for the developing states.

Chinese development banks offered a less time-consuming process than Western-dominated multilateral lending institutions, demanded less transparency and disclosure, and were often willing to supply credit at below-market interest rates,” explains Scott B. MacDonald in a recent report for the Jamestown Foundation.

And the nations that don’t sell their sovereignty willingly nonetheless face “the possibility China could use leverage gained through lending or ‘debt-trap diplomacy’ as a means for Beijing to gain control over strategic assets like harbours and railways.”

Moreover, China uses its economic pull to maximum political effect, as per The New York Post.

Honduras, another Caribbean nation, has become part of the Belt and Road which stands to gain greater investment in hydroelectric power, among other perks.

Chinese influence throughout Latin America is growing, but the Caribbean has special significance.

Five of the remaining 12 United Nations member states that recognize Taipei as a national capital are Caribbean — Haiti, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Belize.

Even if China can’t lure them all into Belt and Road, these countries increasingly have to think about Beijing as they navigate relationships with their own neighbours. China’s strategic interests are now locally embedded.

Where superpowers are concerned, globalization is never just an economic phenomenon. It’s political — and military — too.

Diplomatically isolating Taiwan is one of China’s aims in the Caribbean, reported The New York Post. (ANI)

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China For Blocking Move In UN

India Slams China For Blocking Move In UN To Label 26/11 Accused As Global Terrorist

By LokMarg

India has lashed out at China for blocking proposals at the United Nations to designate Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba’s Sajid Mir as a “global terrorist.”

“…If we cannot get established terrorists who have been proscribed across global landscapes listed under security council architecture for pure geopolitical interest, then we do not really have the genuine political will needed to sincerely fight this challenge of terrorism…,” Prakash Gupta, Joint Secretary, at the Ministry of External Affairs, said at the United Nations counter-terror meeting on Tuesday.

In a stern response to China’s move at a high-level summit, India without naming its neighbouring country said it “had strong reasons to believe that something was genuinely wrong in the global sanctions regime as manifested in the Security Council.”

Detailing a history of terror attacks in India, Gupta said, “India has faced the brunt of terrorism largely flowing from across our borders for well over three decades. Whether it is the Mumbai terror attack of 2008, the 2016 Pathankot Air Base attack, or the 2019 Pulwama terror attacks, we have lost several thousands of innocent civilians as well as the bravest of our armed forces in this battle against terrorism.”

“But regretfully, justice still continues to elude the victims of the Mumbai terror attacks,” he added.

The MEA Joint Secretary then played an audio in which Mir is heard instructing the attack on Chabad House, one of the terror targets in the Mumbai attack.

“Even as the terror attacks were unfolding, Sajid Mir, a very dreaded terrorist who directed the terrorists from across the border in real time to hunt down foreigners in the Taj Hotel and kill them indiscriminately. He was listed as a proscribed terrorist under the national laws of India. He was prescribed, under the laws of the United States, this host country and of several other countries globally, many of whose nationals lost their lives,” Gupta added.

He then in a veiled attack on China said, “When the proposal for labelling him as a global terrorist did not go through the Security Council sanctions regime, we had strong reasons to believe that something was genuinely wrong in the global sanctions regime as manifested in the Security Council.”

“We really do not have the genuine political will needed to sincerely fight this challenge of terrorism,” India said.

Even 15 years after the Mumbai terrorist attacks, its masterminds have not yet been brought to justice.

So the first and most critical gap we feel addressing is avoiding double standards and this self-defeating justification of good terrorists versus bad terrorists.

The MEA joint secretary also reiterated PM Modi and said, “We consider that even a single attack is one too many, and even a single life lost is one too many.”

On Tuesday, Beijing blocked the proposal that had been moved by the US and co-designated by India to blacklist Mir under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council as a global terrorist and subject him to assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.

China’s blocking of the proposal by US and India comes as prime minister Narendra Modi is in the US for his first State visit.

Sajid Mir, one of India’s most wanted terrorists, is wanted for his involvement in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. Mir served as the chief planner of the attacks, directing preparations and reconnaissance, and was one of the Pakistan-based controllers during the attacks.

“Beginning on November 26, 2008, and continuing through November 29, 2008, ten attackers trained by the Pakistan-based foreign terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) carried out a series of coordinated attacks against multiple targets in Mumbai, including hotels, cafes, and a train station, killing approximately 170 people. Six Americans were killed during the three-day attacks,” the FBI website reads.

Earlier in 2022, India at the UN counter-terror meet in Mumbai revealed in detail Pakistan’s role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack by playing Pakistan-based terrorist Sajid Mir’s audiotape. In the audio clip, he is heard directing the attack on Chabad House during Mumbai 26/11 terror attacks.

Meanwhile, China, in recent months, has blocked several bids to designate several terrorists based in Pakistan. In October last year, Beijing put on hold a proposal to list Talha Saeed, son of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed. This bid was moved by India and co-supported by the US, under the 1267 sanction regime.

It was the fifth time that China has blocked an India-US proposal in recent months, Lashkar-e-Taiba member Shahid Mahmood in October, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Sajid Mir in September, LeT and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) leader Abdul Rehman Makki in June, as well as Abdul Rauf Azhar in August, the brother of Jaish-e Mohammed (JEM) chief Masood Azhar, were protected by Beijing. (ANI)

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Make in India

China Could Help Make the ‘Make in India’ Dream Come True

By Sanjoy Narayan

China could help the ‘Make in India’ dream come true

It is easy to slam the Indian government’s policies and initiatives, particularly those related to the economy and development. The Modi government’s “Make in India” initiative is one that has been the target of several brickbats. Make in India was launched by the Indian government in September 2014, barely four months after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power and Narendra Modi took over as Prime Minister, and it was among the earliest of the major economic policies announced by his government.

Make in India aims at encouraging companies to manufacture their products in India. The initiative is based on four pillars that have been identified to give a boost to entrepreneurship in India, not only in manufacturing but also other sectors: new processes, new infrastructure, new sectors, and a new mindset. The idea was to offer India as a base for manufacturing to both, foreign and domestic enterprises, by simplifying procedures, incentivising investments, and easing regulations.

To be fair, the Make in India model has been successful in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). If you exclude the extraordinary circumstances during the pandemic period, FDI inflow has increased by 23% post-Covid (during March 2020 to March 2022 it was reported at $171.84 billion) in comparison to FDI inflow reported pre-Covid (during February, 2018 to February, 2020 it was $141.10 billion).

Yet, it doesn’t take Indian manufacturing to anywhere near the world’s largest factory, In 2022 alone, FDI flows to China reached around $189.1 billion. There is, however, a silver lining for India in what is happening in China.

China is still the world’s largest manufacturer of a wide range of products, both consumer as well as industrial. Its surge to the top began in 2001 when its economy opened up and it joined the World Trade Organisation and multinationals made a beeline to invest in the country. But of late, things are changing and companies are looking at alternative bases for their manufacture. First, as China’s economy grows, labour costs have been rising. Second, there has been pressure from the Chinese government, which controls and regulates almost everything in the economy, to seek technology transfers to Chinese companies so that they could compete with Western MNCs. Third, there have been consequences of the Trump regime’s sanctions against China and the Covid-related lockdowns in the country. And, fourth, there has been significant decline in China’s relations with the West.

Now, Western foreign direct investors are trying to find alternative bases for their manufacturing activities. And, among other destinations such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Mexico, India is also increasingly finding favour.

Apple, the maker of the iconic iPhone, recently announced that it would significantly increase its production in India, including manufacture of its latest models. Other companies are intending to do the same.

There are still hurdles to cross. In comparison to China, India’s global supply chain linkages are still underdeveloped; infrastructure is still hobbled with bottlenecks: and regulations, although simplified, can still be overwhelming for investors.

By all indications, though, the Indian government is working on these. Investments in new ports and airports, railroads, and power generation are underway and efforts are on to simplify the red tape hurdles that investors often encounter.

Apple could also herald a change for the better. Foreign investors often display lemming-like behaviour. So, if Apple expands its manufacturing base in India, it could set an example for others to follow. At least the Indian government hopes that it would.

Congress dashes BJP’s southern dreams

The Congress party, which has had a poor track record of winning state elections in nearly a decade, roughly after the BJP came to power in 2014, pulled off a victory in the southern state of Karnataka, unseating the incumbent BJP-led government and securing an overwhelming majority.

Before winning Karnataka, the Congress ruled in only three– Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan—out of India’s 28 states. Now Karnataka adds to that tally.

While the Congress has called its victory a triumph over the “divisive politics” of the BJP, its win has several implications.

First, the BJP’s hopes of making an inroad into the southern states where its influence and sway is marginal have now suffered a setback. Second, the Congress’ victory could signal that it could still pose a challenge for the BJP in the coming parliamentary elections scheduled for 2024. Third, it implies that the Modi magic may be wearing thin—the BJP campaigned in Karnataka mainly by peddling Modi’s persona and image (he himself addressed nine rallies in the state). And fourth, it shows that money, power, and organisational strength, all attributes in which the BJP tops the Congress, may not be enough when it comes to winning the favour of the electorate.

Shinde (and confusion) continue in Maharashtra

If you are a bit confused about what’s going on in Maharashtra, I can assure you that you will stay confused after reading the following paragraphs.

After a split in 2022 created two factions of the Shiv Sena party in Maharashtra, a crisis followed when the Election Commission awarded the use of the title Shiv Sena and its recognisable election symbol of the bow and arrow to the faction led by the party’s rebel leader and current Maharashtra chief minister, Eknath Shinde, who had assumed office after Uddhav Thackeray, the son of the founder of the party, the late Bal Thackeray, had resigned. The controversy was about whether the state’s governor should have invited the BJP (in alliance with the Shinde faction) to form a government.

This was contested and last week the Supreme Court ruled that it could not order the restoration of the Thackeray government after he had resigned as chief minister of the state because he had done so without facing a floor test. The court, however, strongly criticised the then Maharashtra governor, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, for deciding to help the Shinde faction and in concluding that Thackeray had lost the support of the majority of his party’s MPs.

So, Shinde, who became chief minister because the governor had erred, remains chief minister: Thackeray gets some sort of moral win (although nothing material that would change things for him and his faction), and the status quo continues.

As promised, surely you are still as confused as you were before reading this item.

The mess in Pakistan gets messier

Pakistan’s former prime minister, the celebrity cricketer-turned-politician, Imran Khan, 70, was arrested last week on corruption charges. The allegations were that he had benefited from receiving land as a bribe for political favours when he was prime minister during 2018-2022 and that he had also illegally sold official gifts that he had received when he travelled abroad on official trips. Then, after a couple of days, on an appeal to the courts, he was released on bail. The charges still stand although he cannot be rearrested on the same charges for two weeks, according to the bail order.

Meanwhile, as political crisis grows in Pakistan, the country hurtling into severe economic crises. Economic growth has been sputtering, and inflation has soared. Excessive external borrowings by the country over the years has raised the spectre of default, causing the currency to fall and making imports more expensive in relative terms.

million over the past year. There are fears that Pakistan could default on debt.

Mass shootings in the US: please do the math

Gun rights in the United States refer to the legal protections and privileges afforded to individuals regarding the possession, use, and ownership of firearms. These rights are primarily derived from the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states: “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

A judicial interpretation of that right that prevails states that “is that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to possess firearms for self-defence within their home”.

What it means is that in the US, which considers itself as one of the most developed and forward-looking nation (disclaimer: it is their view, not mine), it is easier for an individual to get guns and keep them than it is in most other places in the world.

Now for some statistics: In the less than five months of 2023 that have elapsed, there have been 185 incidents of mass shootings in which 254 people have been killed, and 708 injured. Most of these have been unprovoked attacks aimed at innocent humans.

Please do the math: in less than 140 days, there have been 185 shootings and more than 250 innocent people have been killed. You won’t be at fault if you think the American Dream is really a nightmare.

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South China Sea

US Calls On China To Stop Provocative Acts In South China Sea

By LokMarg

The United States called upon China to stop the provocative and unsafe conduct in the South China Sea, the State Department said in the statement.

In a statement, the State Department said, “We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct. The United States continues to track and monitor these interactions closely.”
This statement came after the Philippines accused China’s coast guard of “aggressive tactics” on Friday following an incident during a Philippine coast guard patrol close to the Philippines-held Second Thomas Shoal, a flashpoint for previous altercations located 105 nautical miles (195 km) off its coast, Reuters reported.

In February, the Philippines said a Chinese ship had directed a “military-grade laser” at one of its resupply vessels.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said that Philippine vessels had intruded into Chinese waters and made deliberate provocative moves.

“On April 23, two Philippine Coast Guard vessels intruded into the waters of the Ren’ai Reef without Chinese permission. One of them made deliberate provocative moves by closing in on a Chinese Coast Guard vessel. In accordance with the law, the Chinese Coast Guard vessel upheld China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime order by making timely manoeuvres to dodge the dangerously approaching Philippine vessel and avoid a collision. The Chinese side’s manoeuvres were professional and restrained,” Ning replied to a media query.

The State Department said that the US stands with the Philippines in the face of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Coast Guard’s continued infringement upon freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

“Imagery and video recently published in the media is a stark reminder of PRC harassment and intimidation of Philippine vessels as they undertake routine patrols within their exclusive economic zone,” the state department said in the statement.

“The United States stands with our Philippine allies in upholding the rules-based international maritime order and reaffirms that an armed attack in the Pacific, which includes the South China Sea, on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft, including those of the Coast Guard, would invoke U.S. mutual defence commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S. Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty,” it added. (ANI)

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China and Pakistan Indian Army

Indian Army Raising New Units To Counter China, Pak In Cyber Warfare

By LokMarg

Amid the rising activities of adversaries China and Pakistan in the online domain to target India, the Indian Army has operationalised new specialist units to counter these threats and challenges under its cyber warfare initiatives.

The decision was taken during the Army Commanders Conference held in the third week of this month headed by Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande.
“To safeguard the communication networks and increase preparedness levels in this niche domain, Command Cyber Operations and Support Wings (CCOSW) are being raised in Indian Army,” government sources said here.

They said that Cyberspace has emerged as an important component of the military domain both in grey zone warfare as well as conventional operations,” they said.

Highlighting the importance and requirement of such specialist units, the sources said the expansion of cyber warfare capabilities by our adversaries has made the cyber domain more competitive and contested than ever before.

“The Indian Army today is rapidly migrating towards net centricity, which entails an increased reliance on modern communication systems at all levels,” they said.

Specifying the role of these new units, the sources said: “These organizations will assist the formations to undertake the mandated cyber security functions to strengthen the cyber security posture of the Indian Army.”

In the last few years, the Army has taken multiple steps to counter the aggression of adversaries in the form of virtual honey trapping and hacking.

The Defence Cyber Agency is working at the tri-services level to deal with these issues. (ANI)

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CM Khandu Attends Event in arunachal

Message To China! Buddhist Leaders Meet In Arunachal, CM Khandu Attends Event

By LokMarg

Sending out a strong message to China, which recently attempted to rename 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh in a fresh attempt to lay claim on sovereign Indian territory, a group of top Himalayan Buddhist leaders on Monday visited the state and held a day-long national conference on Nalanda Buddhism Tradition at Gorsam Stupa, Zemithang in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district on Monday.

It’s rare for top Himalayan Buddhist leaders to come together in such big numbers in the border state and the meeting on Monday is being seen as a clear and unambiguous message to China after its renaming attempt.

The day-long conference, attended by about 600 delegates, is also being seen as an attempt to give a strong push to Himalayan Buddhism.

Zemithang in Arunachal is the last village in India, along the Indo-China border.

In December 2022, Chinese PLA troops clashed with Indian forces on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh later issued a statement saying that the Chinese troops tried to unilaterally change the status quo on the LAC and the bid was successfully foiled by the Indian forces.

The conference was attended by delegates of revered Rinpoches, Geahes, Khenpos and scholars from all the Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh (Union Territory), Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir (Paddar-Pangi), Sikkim, North Bengal (Darjeeling, Doors, Jaigaon and Kalimpong), Densa South India Monasteries and 35 delegates from various parts of Arunachal Pradesh like Tuting, Mechuka, Taksing and Anini and others.

Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the Buddhist culture, which thrives on the peaceful co-existence of every sentient being, should not only be preserved but also propagated.

Khandu said the state has a big chunk of the Buddhist population and “fortunately they have kept their culture and traditions safe with religious fervour”.

“The main pillar on which Nalanda Buddhism stands is the principle of ‘reasoning and analysis’. This means we can even bring the teachings of Lord Buddha under the ambit of reasoning and analysis. This logic is based on science and perhaps Buddhism is the only religion that gives its followers this liberty,” Khandu said.

Welcoming the delegates, the chief minister said Arunachal Pradesh is home to a mix of religious followers.

“Arunachal Pradesh is not home only to Buddhism but to several religions, including those who follow their own indigenous faith. I believe that every religion and faith should flourish and exist peacefully. I am proud that we Arunachalis are doing just that,” Khandu said.

He expressed gratitude to the Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition (IHCNBT) for organising the one-day national conference on Nalanda Buddhist tradition on retracing the source in the footsteps of Acharyas: “from Nalanda to Himalaya and beyond”.

“Zemithang, as you might all know, is the last Indian border through which his holiness the 14th Dalai Lama entered India in 1959. Therefore, holding this conference here is significant,” Khandu said.

While noting that Buddhism was expanding globally and witnessing an important resurgence in a few traditional areas, Khandu pushed for the need to make its presence more vibrant with roots connected to Nalanda Buddhism.

He insisted that those attending the conference, especially the youth, stay put for the three technical sessions scheduled for the day.

“We are blessed to receive his teachings based on ancient Nalanda tradition,” CM Khandu said.

He added that great scholars of Nalanda University had developed Nalanda Buddhist traditions and, with time, they went to Tibet and propagated the faith through the great Nalanda gurus such as Acharya Santarakshita, and Nagarjuna, among others. (ANI)

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Centre's Ordinance bill

Centre Erasing Mughal History, China Erasing Our Present: Owaisi

By LokMarg

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday alleged that the Centre is erasing the past by removing Mughal history from the NCERT syllabus while China is erasing our present. He was referring to China renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh.

“On one side, the Modi government is erasing the Mughals from NCERT syllabus, while on the other side, China, with whom PM Modi was shaking hands at G20 Indonesia meeting, is erasing our present,” Owaisi told a press conference.
Owaisi’s barb comes after China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs came up with the names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh, which it referred to as “Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet.”

Sharpening his attack further, Owaisi said, “This is happening because China knows that the country’s Prime Minister will not take its name, secondly this government does not speak facts, thirdly their [the government’s] response is weak.”

“Based on these three things, China is erasing our present and the government is erasing the Mughals (history),” he reiterated.

However, while responding to China’s attempt of renaming names, the Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Tuesday asserted that Arunachal Pradesh will always be an integral part of India.

“India has outrightly rejected China’s attempt to rename places of Arunachal Pradesh,” Arindam Bagchi said.

In response to media queries regarding China renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh, Arindam Bagchi in a statement said, “We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright.”

He further said, “Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality.”

China released names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh in Chinese characters, Tibetan and pinyin according to the rules on geographical names issued by the State Council, China’s cabinet, Global Times reported.

The ministry announced the names of 11 places on Sunday and also gave precise coordinates, including two residential areas, five mountain peaks, two rivers and two other areas. China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs also listed the category of places’ names and their subordinate administrative districts, as per the news report.

According to a Global Times report, this is the third batch of geographical names announced by the ministry in Arunachal Pradesh. As per the news report, the first batch of the standardized names of six places was issued in 2017, and the second batch of 15 places was released in 2021.

Earlier, in December last year, the Indian government said that it has seen reports of China attempting to rename some places in Arunachal Pradesh “in its own language” and asserted that the border state has been and will always be an integral part of India.”

In response to a media query on reports that China has renamed some places in Arunachal Pradesh in its own language, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said China had also sought to assign such names in April 2017.

“We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has attempted such a renaming of places in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. China had also sought to assign such names in April 2017,” Bagchi said.

“Arunachal Pradesh has always been, and will always be an integral part of India. Assigning invented names to places in Arunachal Pradesh does not alter this fact,” he added. (ANI)

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Kerala CM Congratulates Xi Jinping

Kerala CM Congratulates Jinping For Being Re-elected As President

By LokMarg

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday congratulated Xi Jinping on his re-election as the Chinese President. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Vijayan extended wishes to Xi “for the continued efforts to achieve prosperous China”.

The veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader even took to Twitter to praise China. “Revolutionary greetings to President Xi Jinping on his re-election as the President of the People’s Republic of China. It is truly commendable that China has emerged as a prominent voice in global politics. Best wishes for the continued efforts to achieve a more prosperous China,” he tweeted.

On Friday, Xi was unanimously appointed Chinese President for the third time, making him the country’s longest-serving leader since Mao Zedong, Nikkei Asia reported.

As per the news report, thousands of delegates at the National People’s Congress (NPC)in Beijing voted on Xi’s appointment as president and head of the military for another five years. However, the process was a formality in “China’s rubber-stamp parliament” after Xi Jinping was confirmed as chief of the ruling Communist Party at a twice-a-decade congress in October, Nikkei Asia reported.

All 2,952 NPC delegates cast a ballot approving a new mandate for Xi. Previously, the National People’s Congress (NPC) had ditched term limits, clearing the way for Xi to potentially rule for life.

Delegates also voted to appoint Vice Premier Han Zheng as China’s vice president. A set of reforms, including setting up a new financial sector watchdog and national data agency, was approved at the NPC in a move that might herald tighter restrictions on key sectors of China.

Meanwhile, China’s Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang became the new premier on Saturday after being nominated for the post during a session of the 14th National People’s Congress, Global Times reported. Chinese President Xi Jinping nominated Li Qiang for the post of premier. He will replace Li Keqiang, who became the Chinese Premier in 2013. (ANI)

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Jaishankar is Right; India Should be Really Scared of China

By Sanjoy Narayan

India should be scared of China

Last month India’s foreign minister S. Jaishankar, who is building a sort of reputation for delivering gaffes, came under fire of the Opposition when, after the recent India-China border stand-off in the north east, he remarked that India could not pick a fight with China because the latter had a much bigger economy. The Opposition tore into him, saying that he was suffering from Stockholm syndrome (which may have been a reference to Jaishankar’s stint during his foreign service days as India’s ambassador to China) and Indian military veterans, notably those who have fought in India’s wars and skirmishes with China, termed his attitude as “defeatist”.

Factually, however, Jaishankar’s statement about China, while probably not befitting in the pride and patriotism-fuelled world of diplomatic norms, is quite correct. China is much larger and more powerful than India on most measures. India might take pride about the fact that, according to the World Bank, its GDP growth for last year was 7%, making it one of the world’s best-performing economies, while China’s growth figure was well below its official target of 5.5% and probably the worst in the history of modern China. But before we get ahead of ourselves, the sobering fact to note is that China’s GDP is $14.69 trillion, and India’s is $3.18 trillion. In that context, getting giddily excited about growth percentages is a bit stupid.

Militarily too China is far ahead of India. According to Global Firepower, which ranks countries on the basis of their military strength, China is No. 3 and India No. 4 (USA is No. 1 and Russia No.2) and in terms of personnel in military service the difference between India and China may not be huge. India has 14.5 lakh active personnel; and China has 20 lakh. But consider defence budgets of the two countries: India spends $72 biillion on defence but China spends $225 billion. That is a difference of $147 billion.

China’s economic strength and military power are not the only formidable factors that India should be concerned about. Last week, US intelligence agencies, in their annual global threat assessment report, warned that after the clash between India and China in 2020 along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which is a notional demarcation line that separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory in the Sino-Indian border dispute, there is a real threat of a full-blown armed confrontation between the two countries that could require the intervention of the US. The report said that “previous standoffs have demonstrated that persistent low-level friction on the Line of Actual Control has the potential to escalate swiftly.”

Changes in China that could further impact India

Last week, when Chinese premier Li Keqiang bid farewell to 800 or so senior government officials, he is said to have said the following words: “Heaven is looking at what humans are doing. The firmament has eyes.” The segment of his address in which he said those words has unsurprisingly not been aired by the state-run China Central Television but unofficial videos that capture him saying that have been circulating.

Interpreting what Li meant is not difficult. Also last week, an unprecedented third term for Xi Jinping, China’s all-powerful president was officially and unanimously approved by the country’s legislature, which is in effect a rubber-stamp institution in country that Xi runs single-handedly and with authoritarian might. In that context, the nuance of what outgoing premier Li said is easy to see.

In China’s Communist ideology, the people are supposed to be the lead players in politics and in governance of the country. The state council, which is the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China and the supreme organ of state power, is supposed to interpret the common people’s voices and shape policies based on that. Li’s comments about “heaven” looking at what humans are doing is likely a nuanced reference to how, under Xi, who has been in office since 2013, how the state council has been overshadowed by the Communist Party’s central committee that he runs with near-absolute control.

Xi’s philosophy and objectives have been variously interpreted as throwback to an era where economic , political and international policies of China were centralized and heavily controlled. Xi’s policies have put private sector players in China back under central control after an era of near-capitalistic market freedom. But more importantly, his policies regarding the west and the rest of the world are being interpreted as being aggressive and expansionist. This is why the relations between China and US have turned southward and this is another major reason for India, which shares a 3,488 km border with China ought to be worried.

Rahul Gandhi gets flak over comments “against India”

Congress leader, MP, and member of the Congress party’s elite family (there is no other way of describing the sometimes enthusiastic and sometimes reluctant leader), Rahul Gandhi, came under severe criticism for what supporters of the ruling regime in India called “anti-India” remarks. While on a visit to the UK, Gandhi, 52, criticized the Indian foreign minister’s comments about China as being “cowardly”, accused the government of stifling democracy and was quoted as saying that the Indian government was intolerant of criticism and accused it of trying to silence the Opposition.

Among other things, Gandhi alleged that his phone was being surveilled, and that in Parliament, microphones were often switched off when Opposition party members wanted to protest against government action and policies. While there is probably a degree of truth in what Gandhi has ranted about in his meetings and public engagements in the UK, the fact that he chose a foreign country to make such allegations is what seems to have angered his opponents.

Australia-India ties and the Quad initiative

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), or Quad, is a strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan and the United States and is interpreted as a grouping that seeks to counter China’s growing dominance in the Indo-Pacific region. In that context, the visit of Australia’s prme minister Anthony Albanese to India last week was of significance. The countries seek to strengthen ties by engaging in more trade, investment and defence relations.

In the engagement, which included Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian prime minister Albanese also attending a cricket match between the teams of the two countries, the importance of China loomed. Both India and Australia want to become bigger trade partners as both countries want to detach from China. As of now, China is Australia’s largest trade partner. India could now become Australia’s second-largest trade partner. The two countries last year signed an interim trade deal that was close to a full free trade agreement.

Artificial Intelligence for brewing beer

After humanlike chat interactions on platforms such as ChatGPT, Bing and Bard, it is breweries where artificial intelligence may be making inroads. Beer making might be an ancient skill: the oldest recipe for beer dates back to 1800 B.C. in Mesopotamia where Sumerians are said to have brewed the drink from fermented barley bread.

But today, breweries are beginning to use artificial intelligence to get the perfect brew. An Australian brewery is putting QR codes on its beer cans and bottles so that customers can scan them and give feedback on the taste and other attributes of the beer that they are drinking. The feedback is directly transmitted to company’s brewery where an algorithm tweaks the formula of the brew.

This is how it works: The Adelaide based company, Deep Liquid, which partners with the Australian Institute for Machine Learning, helped a local brewery, Barossa Valley Brewing to create AI2PA: The Rodney. It is an AI-generated IPA. On each can of AI2PA, a QR code allows drinkers to send in their comments and views on the beer’s flavor, smell, taste, etc. The feedback in real time is converted to a set of data that can be used by an algorithm to change the recipe of the beer according to what consumers want. So, tipplers get to drink the beer that they actually prefer. Cheers!

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China Plans Railway Line In Tibet Along Line Of Control

China Plans Railway Line In Tibet Along Line Of Control

By LokMarg

China has unveiled an ambitious plan to construct a new railway line along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and through the disputed Aksai Chin region.

According to a new railway plan revealed by the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) government, the ‘medium to long-term railway plan’ will help expand the TAR rail network to 4,000km by 2025 from the current 1,400km.

As per the report by Railway Technology, the project will cover new routes that will continue up to China’s borders with India and Nepal. Designed to start in Shigatse, Tibet, the proposed rail line will run northwest along the Nepal border before piercing north via Aksai Chin and ending at Hotan, Xinjiang. The planned route will travel through Rutog and around Pangong Lake on the Chinese side of the LAC. The first section from Shigatse to Pakhuktso is anticipated to be completed by 2025, while the remaining line section concluding at Hotan is expected to be completed by 2035.

A state media report citing the plan revealed by the TAR Development and Reform Commission stated – “by 2025, the construction of several railway projects, including the Ya’an-Nyingchi section of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway, the Shigatse-Pakhuktso section of the Xinjiang-Tibet Railway, and the Bomi-Ra’uk section of the Yunnan-Tibet Railway will all see significant progress”.

There is a serious concern in India now that with its railway network into and within Tibet expanding and railway lines poised to reach the LAC soon, Beijing may feel emboldened to flex its military muscles more resolutely to alter its border with India unilaterally. Even Tibetans fear that more railway lines into Tibet will facilitate Beijing’s plunder of natural resources. The increased influx of Han Chinese migrants and tourists into Tibet is also expected to further impact local demography and culture, already under threat by China’s decades-long “Sinicization” policy.

India is concerned about the strategic motivations that underlie China’s construction and extension of railway lines along the border region. Chinese analysts have openly advocated that in the event of a war with India, the railway line will help deliver strategic materials to the disputed Sino-Indian border. The Army Chief General Manoj Pande recently said there has been an increase in Chinese troops at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). In addition to building up troop numbers along the border, satellite imagery shows continued construction activity by Chinese forces shoring up their position along the LAC.

The new railway line is close to Indian borders. In the event of a border conflict between China and India in the eastern LAC, the new railway line would allow the PLA to mobilise trainloads of soldiers to the frontline swiftly. In recent years, Beijing has dedicated substantial resources to building the connective infrastructure that links the border city with the rest of China. China is also extending the Lhasa-Xigaze railway line southwards to Yadong – a trading town near the strategic Nathu La mountain pass that runs between Tibet and India in the eastern sector of the LAC. Yadong is also near western Bhutan, where China has territorial claims in the Doklam plateau.

The recent escalation of tensions along the LAC has made India more sensitive to railroads’ role in the PLA’s mobilisation of troops to the border. Indian observers have not overlooked that many of the towns along the LAC where Chinese trains are planned to arrive have been the site of major crises and face-offs between the PLA and Indian security forces recently. (ANI)

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