This bipartisan, bicameral bill would create a strategy to raise awareness of the persecution of Uyghurs and direct the State Department to effectively respond to human rights challenges in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
Prominent United States (US) Congresswoman and the representative of the 40th district of California Young Kim, announced the undisputed passing of the Uyghur Policy Act 2023 by the US House of Representatives.
In a post shared on the social media platform ‘X’ the Congresswoman stated, “We must show through our words and actions that we stand against Uyghur genocide and the CCP’s repeated disinformation, coercion, & abuse. I’m thrilled my Uyghur Policy Act passed the House to do exactly that. Let’s get this done.”
We must show through our words and actions that we stand against Uyghur genocide & the CCP’s repeated disinformation, coercion, & abuse.
I'm thrilled my Uyghur Policy Act passed the House to do exactly that. Let's get this done.
Further, in a press statement, the US representative said that “the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Uyghur Policy Act of 2023 (H.R. 2766), led by Rep. Young Kim (CA-40) to help the United States take concrete steps to support Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities subject to atrocities by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).”
This bipartisan, bicameral bill would create a strategy to raise awareness of the persecution of Uyghurs and direct the State Department to effectively respond to human rights challenges in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
“This bipartisan, bicameral bill would create a comprehensive, multilateral strategy to raise international awareness of the persecution of Uyghurs, direct the State Department to effectively respond to human rights challenges in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and push back on the CCP efforts to silence Uyghur voices” the statement added,
Notably, the Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities have been repeatedly silenced, detained, imprisoned, tortured, and brainwashed in concentration camps led by the Chinese Communist Party.
“We must show through our words and actions that we stand against Uyghur genocide and the CCP’s repeated disinformation, coercion, and abuse,” said Rep. Young Kim, Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific.
Moreover, the Uyghur Policy Act equips the US with tools to support the basic human rights and distinct identities of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region which are prone to the CCP’s inhumane treatment.
“I thank Rep. Bera for co-leading this bill with me, the 106 cosponsors for your support, and all who joined this effort to stop Uyghur genocide. I will continue to fight to get this done, firmly push back against the CCP’s abuses, and support human rights and freedom around the world,” she added.
Additionally, Ami Bera a member of the House Foreign Affairs Indo-Pacific Subcommittee and a co-lead on the Uyghur Policy Act with Kim expressed joy to see the Uyghur Policy Act pass by a broad bipartisan majority in the House.
“This bill takes crucial steps to bolster American efforts to safeguard the distinct ethnic, religious, cultural, and linguistic identity of the Uyghur people and promote respect for human rights and religious freedom in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The United States Congress must remain vigilant in our efforts to uphold human rights at home and abroad,” she added.
Another prominent human rights activist and the Executive Director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project Omer Kanat also said that this will give huge hope to Uyghurs, further asking the Senate to act without delay.
“This House vote gives huge hope to Uyghurs. Our people are now suffering the 7th year of ongoing atrocity crimes. With Rep. Kim’s hard work and tremendous bipartisan support for passage of the Uyghur Policy Act, Uyghurs know they are not forgotten. We are asking the Senate to act without delay,” she said. (ANI)
US has been doubling down on its drive to “responsibly” manage strategic competition with China through improved bilateral communication and other measures
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed a range of regional and global issues, including the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan and Russia’s war in Ukraine during their talks in Germany on Friday, a US State Department spokesperson said.
They met on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Friday as Washington has been doubling down on its drive to “responsibly” manage strategic competition with China through improved bilateral communication and other measures, Yonhap news agency reported.
“The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East and on the Korean Peninsula and affirmed that their respective senior officials should meet to follow up on these discussions,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a readout.
Miller did not elaborate on the Korea-related topic, but the two sides were expected to touch on North Korea’s evolving military threats.
Blinken emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea, while raising concerns over China’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine, including support for Russia’s defence industrial base, according to Miller.
Met with PRC Director and Foreign Minister Wang on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference today. We had a candid and constructive discussion on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, including the Middle East, DPRK, and Russia’s war against Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/A3zDVJLpLs
The secretary also highlighted the importance of continuing to implement the progress made by President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at their summit in November in California, including counternarcotics cooperation and military-to-military communications.
“The secretary reiterated that the United States will stand up for our interests and values and those of our allies and partners,” Miller said.
Both sides recognized the importance of maintaining open lines of communication across a range of strategic issues, including consultations and high-level meetings in key areas in the coming months, according to the spokesperson.
The Ministry stated that Taiwan has continuously backed Palau’s tourism development efforts, aiming to enhance the Pacific nation’s economic resilience and sustainability….reports Asian Lite News
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Thursday affirmed that the country will continue to push for peace, prosperity and stability with Palau in the Indo-Pacific region, even though China has encouraged the Pacific ally to cut ties with Taipei, Central News Agency Taiwan reported.
The Ministry said in a statement that Taiwan has long supported Palau in tourism development in a bid to strengthen the Pacific nation’s “economic resilience and sustainability.”
The Taiwan Foreign Ministry said that Taipei has been keen to help Ngerulmud improve its tourism industry in the post-Covid era, maintaining stable direct flight links between the two countries while working with like-minded countries to support the Pacific island nation’s development.
“In the future, MOFA will continue to team up with Palau to facilitate peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region,” the statement read.
This came after Cleo Paskal, a researcher at the US-based think tank ‘Foundation for Defense of Democracies’, posted a letter from Palau President Surangel Whipps Junior to a US senator on her X handle, Focus Taiwan reported.
“The PRC has already offered to ‘fill every hotel room’ in our tourism-based private sector — ‘and more if more are built’ — and USD 20 million a year for two acres for a ‘call centre,’” the letter stated.
Whipps urged the US Congress to support the Compacts of Free Association (COFA), a financial aid agreement with Palau, that also includes Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.
A renewal of the 20-year COFA was signed late last year, but USD 7 billion to fund it is still struggling to find a path forward in the US Congress, Central News Agency Taiwan reported citing international media.
Whipps further said that as long as the US Congress fails to renew the COFA aid package, it will “play into the hands of the CCP and the leaders here (some of whom have done ‘business’ with the PRC) who want to accept its seemingly attractive economic offers — at the cost of shifting alliances, beginning with sacrificing Taiwan.”
In response, the ministry said Whipps has repeatedly supported Taiwan’s international organizations on many international occasions, including the UN General Assembly and the 28th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) held last year.
The Taiwan ministry also described Whipps as an “adamant ally” of Taiwan, as per CNA Taiwan.
In addition, it said Whipps had a phone conversation with Taiwan’s President-elect Lai Ching-te soon after the presidential election on January 13 and congratulated Taiwan for advancing ‘democratic values’, indicating the bilateral ties between the two countries are stable and continue to grow.
Notably, Taiwan has long criticised China accusing it of “poaching” its diplomatic allies
Nauru severed ties with Taiwan two days after the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate was elected president.
It was the 10th diplomatic ally Taipei lost to Beijing since President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May 2016 due to deteriorating cross-Taiwan Strait relations, Focus Taiwan reported. (ANI)
Secretary Blinken will participate in the conference, which begins today, as part of the US delegation led by Vice President Kamala Harris…reports Asian Lite News
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, the US State Department said, as cited by Japan’s Kyodo news agency.
The planned meeting on the sidelines of the security conference (February 16-18) is part of efforts to increase high-level engagements after months of heightened tensions over issues ranging from a suspected Chinese spy balloon and Taiwan to trade restrictions, according to Kyodo.
Secretary Blinken will participate in the conference, which begins today, as part of the US delegation led by Vice President Kamala Harris, who will deliver a major policy speech at the event.
According to a White House statement, the US State Secretary will hold bilateral meetings to underscore the United States’ enduring support for the people of Ukraine, continue discussions with partners on how to achieve lasting peace and security in the Middle East, and highlight our steadfast commitment to transatlantic security.
Blinken will also join international partners for a public forum on multilateralism.
Last month, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks in Thailand, which the White House said were part of an effort “to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage competition in the relationship as directed by the leaders.”
Washington and Beijing separately announced that the round of talks between Sullivan and Wang Yi in Bangkok was meant to follow up on the Woodside, California, Summit held between US President Joe Biden and China’s President Xi Jinping in November 2023.
At the meeting, Biden and Xi reopened military-to-military communications.
Ties between the US and China had soured after US military fighter jets shot down the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon over the Atlantic Ocean off the Eastern Seaboard of the United States in February 2023.
Moreover, Taiwan also remains a sensitive issue in US-China relations.
During his summit with Biden, Xi asserted that China’s “reunification” with Taiwan is “unstoppable.”
In Taiwan’s presidential election held in mid-January, Lai Ching-te of the ruling, independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party won.
During an official visit to Egypt last month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, “Taiwan independence seriously threatens the wellbeing of Taiwan compatriots, seriously damages the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, and will also seriously undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. It is a dead end and a path to ruin. China will eventually achieve complete reunification and Taiwan province will surely return to the embrace of the motherland.” (ANI)
China’s “salami slicing” tactics, used so successfully in the South China Sea, are a reliable indication of how China is acting in other border areas too….reports Asian Lite News
In late 2021, Chairman Xi Jinping famously told President Joe Biden, “Aggression or hegemony is not in the blood of the Chinese nation. Since the founding of the people’s republic, China has never started a single war or conflict, and has never taken one inch of land from other countries.” However, such a claim is demonstrably false, as China recklessly pushes forward its boundaries on land and at sea.
Including Bhutan and India, along their shared rugged, mountainous frontier, China is pushing forward wherever it can to forge a fait accompli on the ground. It is doing the same with illegal territorial claims in the South China Sea and attempting the same in Japan’s Senkaku Islands.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in the USA provided an assessment of new People’s Liberation Army (PLA) infrastructure near the Indian border. It noted, “China is currently undertaking a major expansion of its infrastructure that is enhancing its ability to project military power along its western frontier” in both Tibet and Xinjiang.
The CSIS report revealed China is constructing or upgrading dozens of airports and heliports, supplemented by new roads, rail and other infrastructure that enhance PLA logistics by permitting greater quantities of troops, weapons and supplies to be shuttled closer to the frontier.
It added, “The pace of development in the region accelerated following standoffs and skirmishes between China and India along disputed portions of their border in 2017 and 2020.” The 2017 reference is to the Doklam Plateau, where PLA engineers attempted to build a road. Even more serious was the outbreak of bloody violence at Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh in 2020.
In the rugged and unforgiving high-altitude terrain of Tibet and Xinjiang, airports and heliports grow exponentially in importance. They are vital for moving personnel and equipment into the area, plus they serve as launch pads for reconnaissance assets and potentially strike missions.
CSIS assessed: “The airpower buildup taking place on China’s western frontier is sweeping in scale. Based on analysis of satellite imagery and other open-source material, China Power has identified 37 airports and heliports within Tibet and Xinjiang that have been newly constructed or upgraded since 2017 … At least 22 of these are identifiable as military or dual-use facilities, or are expected to be once they are completed. The pace of this activity sped up significantly in 2020. That year alone, China began constructing seven new air facilities and initiated upgrades at seven others.”
Much of the construction is occurring in Tibet. All five existing dual-use airports have received new terminals, hangars, aprons and runways since 2017, while four new airports have been constructed less than 60km from the Indian border. For example, Lhuntse, Ngari-Burang and Shigatse Tingri Airports fill glaring gaps in the PLA’s coverage. The dual-use Shigatse Peace Airport is the closest to Doklam, and it has received a large underground facility that has at least three entrances.
CSIS added: “The PLA is also significantly scaling up its ability to conduct helicopter-based operations through the construction of at least five new heliports in Tibet, and the upgrading of two heliports. These heliports, which are operated by PLA Army aviation units, are dotted throughout Tibet, stretching from Rutog County in the west to Nyingchi City in the east. The addition of these heliports stands to significantly enhance PLA operations in the mountainous region, since helicopters are capable of manoeuvring in ways that aeroplanes and ground equipment cannot.”
As for Xinjiang, at least 15 airports have been upgraded since 2017, seven of which are military or dual-use. One example is Hotan, 240km from the Indian border. It has a new runway, additional tarmacked areas and an expanded air defense complex.
Three new airports have started construction in Xinjiang since 2019, including Tashkorgan near the border junction with Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
Nonetheless, CSIS explained: “Despite the military benefits that China’s investments in the region have brought, the PLA faces several notable disadvantages compared to India. Much of China’s side of the border is situated on the highest portions of the Tibetan Plateau, which is often described as the ‘roof of the world’, owing to its high elevation. Twenty of China’s airports and heliports within Xinjiang and Tibet are located more than 3,000m above sea level…”
Such altitudes present massive operational challenges for the PLA. Thin air affects the performance of aircraft taking off, which in turn requires longer runways and aircraft may not be able to carry full weapon, cargo or fuel loads. Cold and harsh weather adds its own challenges too.
Official Chinese figures reveal that Tibet’s highway system grew 51 per cent from 2015-20 to a total of 11,820km. In the same period, Xinjiang’s highway network grew from 17,830km to 20,920km. As well as enhancing economic development, these roads assist the PLA in moving supplies. For instance, at least eight roads stretching from the G219 highway towards the Indian border are being constructed. The PLA would be able to use them to quickly reposition troops if another Galwan Valley confrontation occurred, for example.
Completed in 2021 and reducing travel time by eight hours, another new road connects Nyingchi to Medog County in eastern Tibet. Nyingchi hosts the headquarters of the PLA’s 52nd and 53rd Combined Light Infantry Brigades, showing how critical such new routes are in spreading the influence of the PLA.
Xinjiang’s rail network has grown quickly too, from 5,900km in 2015 to 7,800km in 2020. New lines help connect military bases and airports. However, Tibet’s topography makes the creation of new railways very difficult, and the region boasts only 800km of tracks. Nevertheless, the first high-speed railway from Lhasa to Nyingchi opened in 2021 and, soon after it opened, it carried PLA personnel to an exercise area.
China’s “salami slicing” tactics, used so successfully in the South China Sea, are a reliable indication of how China is acting in other border areas too. One victim is Bhutan, with Beijing using such tactics against it for years. Afterwards, China attempts to formalize its theft of land by engaging in negotiations, but this type of bullying has negatively impacted bilateral negotiations. China lays claim to 269km2 of Bhutanese territory in Doklam in the west, 495km2 of the sacred Buddhist area of the Beyul Khenpajong in the north, and 650km2 of the Sakteng wildlife sanctuary in the east.
China has trespassed the Bhutan border and rapidly constructed settlements such as Gyalaphug village. Sudha Ramachandran, writing for the Jamestown Foundation think-tank in the USA, noted: “Beijing appears to be robustly altering the status quo on the ground along its border with Bhutan. Recent satellite images reveal the staggering pace at which the PRC is building townships along a river valley in Beyul Khenpajong located in territory it claims in northcentral Bhutan.” Currently, the settlement contains more than 200 structures, including roads, hydropower stations, communication facilities and military/security outposts built over the past decade.
China has faced little pushback from Bhutan, exacerbated by the difficulty in accessing the area from the Bhutan side.
A 1998 agreement was supposed to see both countries “refrain from taking any unilateral action to change the status quo of the boundary,” but Chinese words are as cheap as the paper they are written on. The PLA is particularly enraptured with the tri- junction border at Doklam, as dominating this area would improve China’s military position versus India.
Ramachandran said, “The rationale behind Beijing’s land grab is not entirely clear. Unlike Doklam, which is near India and where the PRC has also pressed ahead to alter the situation on the ground through construction of roads and bunkers, control over Beyul Khenpajong would have no strategic value in the event of an India-China war.” Regardless, “Parallel to changing the status quo on the ground in its favor with its infrastructure-building activity, China is keen to enhance its economic and other presence in Bhutan. This would help the PRC to create a favorable environment for itself while increasing its leverage.”
When it comes to China’s outrageous maritime territorial claims and bullying at sea, state media and government channels are spouting increasingly ridiculous messages. For example, the Global Times tabloid tweeted on 27 January that the China Coast Guard (CCG) had expelled “Japanese vessels near the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands, which are an inherent part of China’s territory, and CCG vessels carry out maritime rights protection and law enforcement activities in China’s jurisdictional waters in accordance with the law. We urge the Japanese side to immediately cease all illegal activities in this area and ensure that similar incidents do not occur again.”
Such statements are figments of China’s imagination. Beijing has also succeeded in antagonizing the Philippines, causing Manila to become more strenuous in its criticism of blatant Chinese interference. After Manila stated it would modernize military facilities in its northernmost province of Batanes, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin warned the Philippines to “tread carefully and don’t play with fire”.
Subsequently, a Philippine Department of National Defense press statement issued on 10 February sternly warned China: “The Defense Department stresses that Batanes is Philippine territory, and China has no business warning the Philippines about what it does within its own territory. China’s pronouncements and acts are the main reasons for its low credibility with the Filipino people. China should refrain from engaging in provocative rhetoric and activities if it truly wants to earn the widespread trust and respect that it is trying so hard to gain but has, so far, been unable to.”
Chinese encroachment has caused growing resentment from countries like the Philippines and Japan, and its 2020 gambit against India in Eastern Ladakh in mid- 2020 resulted in awakening Indian ire too. China has refused to return to the April 2020 status quo in Ladakh, despite numerous talks and disengagement of troops from friction points. The PLA carved out for itself important buffer zones, largely from Indian territory and causing Delhi to lose control of areas it formerly patrolled, which is precisely how Chinese salami slicing proceeds. Once the PLA has gained a foothold, it is impossible to dislodge it.
Both China and India worked hard to strengthen their respective infrastructure after the Eastern Ladakh confrontation, and it is estimated both sides keep around 50,000 troops in Ladakh. In October 2021, China began constructing a new road and 300m- long bridge over the strategically important Pangong Lake so soldiers can move quickly to either side of the lake and areas adjacent to the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Construction of a bigger and wider bridge started in 2022, which would even allow armored vehicles to cross. In a conflict, bridges are vulnerable; however, in scenarios beneath that, bridges are an important logistical tool for the PLA.
To the west of these bridges, the PLA established what is believed to be a permanent divisional-level headquarters and garrison, just 6km from the LAC. Settled permanently from mid-2020, the camp expanded throughout 2021.
As well as revetments and a company’s worth of armored vehicles, there are shelters presumably for artillery and antiaircraft systems. It functions as a node connecting troops at Pangong with the Western Theater Command headquarters. After work began in August 2021, a second radome was constructed on a mountain peak north of the lake, about 6km from the headquarters facility. Such construction efforts show that China has no intention of retreating; rather, it is deepening its foothold.
A report published last year by the Indo-Pacific Security Program of the Center for a New American Security, concluded: “While the Chinese and Indian militaries have since pulled back forces from the most contentious standoff sites where the 2020 build-up occurred and established temporary buffer zones, both sides retain high numbers of troops forward deployed along the disputed frontier, and there are several flashpoints that could erupt into another border crisis at any time … With both China and India enhancing infrastructure and introducing new and advanced weapons systems on their sides of the disputed border, combined with forward deployments and heightened lack of trust, the chances for continued standoffs that could erupt into local or even full-blown conflict remain high.”
The same is true everywhere that China is blatantly pushing forward with coercive or stealthy methods. Unless victims strenuously stick up for themselves, China is only emboldened to continue such illegal moves to enlarge its territory. In a sense, Xi was right – no, China “has never taken one inch of land from other countries” – for it has helped outside to hundreds of square miles instead. (ANI)
The significance of this move lies in the fact that India and China have been major purchasers of Russian oil, providing crucial support to the Russian economy amidst the ongoing conflict with Ukraine…reports Asian Lite News
The European Union is contemplating trade restrictions on around 24 companies spanning various nations, accused of supporting Russia’s military operations in Ukraine, as per a Bloomberg report.
The proposed sanctions reportedly intend to block European entities from conducting business with these firms, as part of a broader effort to impede Russia’s acquisition of sanctioned goods through third-party entities.
Notably, the inclusion of companies from countries such as India, Sri Lanka, and Turkey in the proposed sanctions, without directly implicating their respective governments, underscores the EU’s measured approach to sanctioning, according to the Bloomberg report.
As the European Union adds more than 620 predominantly Russian firms to its sanctions list, it amplifies its efforts to obstruct the transfer of prohibited technologies and electronics to Russia, showcasing a comprehensive approach to addressing the Ukrainian conflict.
The significance of this move lies in the fact that India and China have been major purchasers of Russian oil, providing crucial support to the Russian economy amidst the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Additionally, this latest development could represent the EU’s first instance of targeting Chinese firms since the onset of the Ukraine conflict.
This action highlights the EU’s resolve to further restrict Russia’s access to essential goods, against the backdrop of its strategic trade ties, notably with China. Germany’s substantial economic connections with China, particularly in the automotive sector, emphasize the intricate balance that the EU must maintain in its sanctions strategy.
For the sanctions to become effective, all EU member states must unanimously agree, allowing for potential modifications to the proposal. The EU’s position sends a strong message against the indirect backing of Russia’s military actions, illustrating the bloc’s wider strategy of employing economic sanctions in reaction to geopolitical tensions.
Past attempts to sanction Chinese firms were halted following objections from certain EU member states, with China providing assurances of compliance. This underscores the challenges associated with enforcing such measures.
During a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed the significance of China’s neutrality in the conflict. She underscored, “We also count on China not to provide any military equipment, directly or indirectly, to Russia.” This underscores the potential impact on international relations and legal frameworks.
The inclusion of companies from various nations like India, Sri Lanka, and Turkey in the proposal, without attributing blame to their governments, showcases the EU’s cautious approach in its sanctioning endeavors. As the EU expands its sanctions regime, listing over 620 firms predominantly Russian, it aims to obstruct the flow of prohibited technologies and electronics to Russia. This multifaceted strategy highlights the EU’s commitment to addressing the conflict in Ukraine.
China’s asymmetric lend-to-own approach leaves little wiggle room to counter its geopolitical agenda. Essentially, Beijing exports its influence by weaponizing debt as a tool of coercion, using extortionist loans with higher interest rates and shorter maturities as leverage to force political compliance when it cannot buy loyalty … writes Dr Sakariya Kareem
Across South Asia, an ominous great game is unfolding. China is battling for regional influence, with smaller buffer states caught in the middle as pawns. Far from peaceful rise, China’s tactics reveal a belligerent dragon pulling neighbors ever tighter into its orbit through debt-trap diplomacy, data colonialism and brazen political interference – a 21st century brand of imperialism powered by infrastructure financing and 5G networks instead of gunboats.
Nowhere are Chinese ambitions clearer than the Maldives, where a 2017 free trade agreement handed over entire islands and lagoons to Beijing. With over 70% of external debt owned by China, the archipelago is at risk of forfeiting sovereignty if it defaults on loans funding white elephant projects like the Friendship Bridge. This “donation” linking Male and Hulhule has become a symbol of China converting financial largesse into physical assets and long-term presence using debt as leverage.
Equally worrying is significant Chinese ownership of national data, telecommunications infrastructure and mass surveillance systems that let it shape public discourse and monitor critics. Through state-backed firms like Huawei, Beijing has built cellular networks and surveillance systems across Malé and other islands, exporting its censorship and monitoring tools powered by artificial intelligence.
Having bent the tropical paradise to its will through debt bondage and data penetration, China allegedly influenced elections in 2018 to defeat President Mohammed Nasheed. Installing allies happy to further Chinese interests, democratic backsliding and anti-Indian rhetoric became the norm under China’s stewardship. With politicians bought and public discourse shackled, the once placid archipelago has become a dangerous flashpoint as the newest pawn in China’s desire to encircle India.
A similar saga unfolds in Nepal, which carries over significant Chinese debt today. Outlays have massively increased for showpiece infrastructure projects under China’s Belt and Road Initiative, including highways, dams, railroads, tunnels and airports funded by Chinese banks.
In Bangladesh too, Chinese cyber warriors unleashed a malicious social media campaign in 2020 targeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ahead of elections, disseminating fake news to try undermining South Asia’s longest serving female head of state. This brazen political meddling sparked angry protests outside the Chinese embassy in Dhaka, revealing how propaganda and media manipulation form part of China’s bullying playbook even against stronger regional leaders.
Debt-laden partners like Pakistan have become catalysts for China’s penetration rather than true allies, despite over $60 billion invested in highways and energy corridors traversing sensitive disputed areas under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Sri Lanka too carried Chinese debt equivalent to nearly 19.6% of its external loans before being forced to hand over Hambantota port operations on a 99-year lease after failing to service loans. As predatory Chinese financing becomes the fuel accelerating assimilation of South Asia’s sovereign stars into Beijing’s strategic orbit, smaller nations watch nervously wondering who will be forced to forfeit autonomy next.
Unlike Western concessional assistance that lets recipients exercise foreign policy independence, China’s asymmetric lend-to-own approach leaves little wiggle room to counter its geopolitical agenda. Essentially, Beijing exports its influence by weaponizing debt as a tool of coercion, using extortionist loans with higher interest rates and shorter maturities as leverage to force political compliance when it cannot buy loyalty. If you default, we take your assets – while embedding our workers, contractors and diplomats in sensitive areas in perpetuity. This strategy makes China’s rising presence almost impossible to dislodge once its economic tentacles and surveillance networks have taken root.
Abetting this financial imperialism is China’s smothering embrace of communications, hacking tools and strategic infrastructure that systematically compromises national assets and data privacy while enhancing its intelligence gathering reach.advanced 5G telecom equipment assists signals interception and monitoring abilities patched into undersea fiber optic cables built by state champion Huawei. AI-powered facial recognition systems like Hikvision rigged into CCTV networks in Dhaka, Colombo, Islamabad and beyond feed biometric data back to Chinese databases, turning South Asia into a panopticon safeguarding Beijing’s interests.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets Chinese President Xi Jinping.(photo:facebook.com/ShehbazSharif)
Nimble manipulation of political fault lines through misinformation campaigns splinters national consensus while direct financing of pliant leaders allows China’s meddling in internal governance. Carrots like market access are dangled to flip states recognizing Taiwan while sticks like unilateral trade embargoes and import bans intimidate opponents. In effect, China disrupts democratic checks and balances to entrench pseudo-autocratic regimes keeping its periphery stable as vassal territories.
Through debt, data and election capture, South Asia – civilization’s cradle – now confronts its biggest test resisting becoming a Chinese colony. Ironically the world’s largest autocracy backing kleptocrats and building digital surveillance states presents itself as the leader of the Global South – a savior for other developing nations. But as granted mega-projects turn into leased national assets, the dragons’ embrace looks increasingly like a debt trap squeezing sovereignty. With flavors of East India Company aggression powered by 5G instead of the musket, the struggle for the soul of the Indo-Pacific edge has begun in earnest – one that demands unity of pro-democracy forces before it’s too late. The chips are down across South Asia’s checkerboard with aggressive Chinese maneuvers threatening friendly powers. Regional democracies must rally together before Beijing’s Trojan Horse turns from wooden gift to weapon of mass influence destruction.
Nations in South Asia must remain acutely aware of China’s growing influence and strategic interests in the region. With China’s expanding economic footprint through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its increasing military presence, South Asian countries cannot afford to overlook the implications of China’s actions. Beijing’s investments and infrastructure projects often come with geopolitical strings attached, potentially altering regional power dynamics. Moreover, China’s assertive stance in territorial disputes, particularly in the South China Sea, serves as a cautionary tale for South Asian nations regarding the need for vigilance in protecting their own sovereignty. Understanding China’s motivations, economic leverage, and military capabilities is crucial for South Asian countries to navigate the complex geopolitics of the region and safeguard their own interests.
The Reserve Bank’s action against PPBL follows a comprehensive system audit report and subsequent compliance validation report of external auditors…reports Asian Lite News
The government is examining foreign direct investment from China in Paytm Payments Services Ltd (PPSL), the payment aggregator subsidiary of One97 Communications Ltd, sources said.
In November 2020, PPSL had applied for licence with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a payment aggregator under the guidelines on Regulation of Payment Aggregators and Payment Gateways.
However, in November 2022, RBI rejected PPSL’s application and asked the company to resubmit it, so as to comply with Press Note 3 under FDI rules. One97 Communications Ltd (OCL) has investment from Chinese firm Ant Group Co.
Subsequently, the company filed the required application on December 14, 2022 with Government of India for past downward investment from OCL into the company in order to comply with Press Note 3 prescribed under FDI guidelines. An inter-ministerial committee is examining investments from China in PPSL and decision would be taken on the FDI issue after due consideration and comprehensive examination, sources said.
Under Press Note 3, the government had made its prior approval mandatory for foreign investments in any sector from countries that share land border with India to curb opportunistic takeovers of domestic firms following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Countries which share land borders with India are China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Afghanistan. A query sent to OCL for comments remained unanswered till the filing of the story.
The Reserve Bank last month barred Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL), an associate company of OCL, from accepting deposits or top-ups in any customer account, prepaid instruments, wallets, and FASTags, among others after February 29, 2024.
The Reserve Bank’s action against PPBL follows a comprehensive system audit report and subsequent compliance validation report of external auditors. RBI had said that these reports revealed persistent non-compliances and continued material supervisory concerns in PPBL, warranting further supervisory action. On March 11, 2022, RBI had barred PPBL from onboarding new customers with immediate effect.
Members of two parties at the council in Sweden’s second-largest city submitted a motion to expand its foreign relations….reports Asian Lite News
The Chinese embassy in Sweden warned the Gothenburg City Council as it considered concluding sister city agreements with Taiwan to reduce its reliance on China, Taiwan News reported.
Members of two parties at the council in Sweden’s second-largest city submitted a motion to expand its foreign relations.
However, the move caught the attention of the Chinese embassy in Stockholm, according to the report.
The mission sent an e-mail to the Gothenburg City Council, warning it should adhere to the One China principle, Beijing’s claim that Taiwan is part of China, the Goteborg Posten reported. The politicians should handle the “Taiwan issue” correctly, as it was at the very core of China’s interests, the embassy said.
While Gothenburg and Shanghai were sister cities, there were rising suspicions about national security threats from China’s investments. Several Swedish cities have ended sister relations with Chinese cities, but Gothenburg has economic factors to consider.
China’s Geely owns Gothenburg-based carmaker Volvo Car Corporation, leaving more than 10,000 jobs at risk if relations between the two countries deteriorate. As a result, opinions at the city council were divided about whether to deal with the issue or leave it up to the central government, Taiwan News reported.
Taiwan’s envoy to Sweden, Klement Gu, called on the mayor of Gothenburg to visit Taiwan and witness the country’s economy, culture, and education. Bilateral relations should not be subject to interference by China, he said.
Five Chinese balloons detected crossing Taiwan Strait
Eight Chinese balloons were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait on Friday, the most in a single day to date, with two of them later flying over Taiwan, Central News Agency Taiwan reported quoting the Ministry of National Defence (MND) on Saturday.
According to the report, five of the eight balloons crossed the median line at points ranging from 68 nautical miles northwest of Keelung to 92 nautical miles west of the port city, while two crossed the line 55-65 nautical miles from Taichung and crossed the line closer to southern Taiwan.
They flew at altitudes ranging from 15,000 feet to 38,000 feet, according to the MND.
The fourth balloon, which made its way across the median line at 8 am, flew over central Taiwan before disappearing above the island at 9.52 am, according to an MND chart of the balloons’ paths.
Central News Agency Taiwan reported that the sixth balloon, which crossed the median line at 10:41 a.m., flew over the northern part of Taiwan before disappearing at 12:32 p.m. above waters to the east of Taiwan, the MND said.
Taiwan’s military did not make any comment on the type of balloons involved nor did it speculate on why Beijing sent eight balloons across the median line in a single day.
Another two military aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles also crossed Taiwan’s median line between 6 a.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Saturday, the MND said.
The median line in the Taiwan Strait served for many years as a tacit border between the two sides, but China’s military has more freely sent aircraft, drones, and balloons across it over the past 18 months, since former United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022. (ANI)
President Xi told Putin that the two countries should pursue “close strategic coordination…reports Asian Lite News
Chinese President Xi Jinping held a telephonic conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday and said that Beijing is ready to work jointly with Moscow toward boosting international multilateral cooperation, Russia’s state agency TASS reported.
“China actively supports Russia’s work as the BRICS chair in 2024 and is ready to deepen international multilateral cooperation with Russia,” state broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi as saying.
President Xi told Putin that the two countries should pursue “close strategic coordination” and defend the sovereignty, security and development interests of their respective countries, state media said.
Xi further said both sides should resolutely oppose interference in internal affairs by external forces, CCTV reported.
In the phone call, the two heads of state also exchanged greetings of the Chinese New Year, Chinese state agency Xinhua reported.
2024 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Russia. The two leaders earlier announced holding events as part of the Year of Sino-Russian Culture in 2024-2025, TASS reported.
According to the Kremlin’s press service, Xi and Putin summed up the development of a comprehensive partnership between the two countries over the recent period in a telephone conversation.
“Heads of states summed up the development of Sino-Russian comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation over the recent period,” the statement read.
The two leaders also rejected the US’ interference in the internal affairs of other countries, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov reported after the conversation.
“The leaders confirmed the common course of our countries on the formation of a fair multipolar world order based on international law,” TASS quoted him as saying.
“Both sides expressed their mutual rejection of the US course aimed at interfering in the internal affairs of other states. Our countries also do not accept political and military pressure from the United States,” he added. (ANI)
