VIF Information Alerts - 23 Mar 2018

China prepares to strike back in trade spat, aims tariffs at S$3.95b of US goods
Published: The Straits Times
23 Mar 2018

China is planning to impose its own tariffs on US imports, in retaliation against tariffs on Chinese goods that the White House has announced. Beijing is readying tariffs on 28 products that China imports from the US ranging from fresh fruits and wine to steel pipes and recycled aluminium worth US$3 billion (S$3.9 billion), a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce said on Friday (March 23). Click here to read... [2]

Trump Chooses Bolton for 3rd Security Adviser as Shake-Up Continues
Published: The New York Times
22 Mar 2018

President Trump named John R. Bolton, a hard-line former American ambassador to the United Nations, as his third national security adviser on Thursday, continuing a shake-up that creates one of the most hawkish national security teams of any White House in recent history. Click here to read... [3]

Dawood Ibrahim's D-company in Pakistan has diversified: US lawmakers told
Published: The New Indian Express
23 Mar 2018

Pakistan-based crime syndicate D-company, like Mexican drug organisations, has diversified in many other fields, US lawmakers were told today.

"Pakistan-based crime-terror group, D-company, whose origins lie in India, expanded Karachi's historic role as a drug transhipment point, and built a powerful transnational crime-terror organisation, in part from drug proceeds," Dr Louise Shelley, Professor,Schar School of Policy and Government, at the George Mason University told lawmakers. Shelley claimed that the D-company has diversified. Click here to read... [4]

Pakistan gets powerful missile tracking system from China: Report
Published: The Economic Times
22 Mar 2018

In an unprecedented deal, China has sold Pakistan a powerful tracking system which could speed up the development of multi-warhead missiles by its all-weather ally, the state-run Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said.

Zheng Mengwei, a researcher with the CAS Institute of Optics and Electronics in Chengdu, Sichuan province, confirmed to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post that Pakistan had bought a highly sophisticated, large-scale optical tracking and measurement system from China.

Click here to read... [5]

No positive response from Pakistan on South Asia strategy: Afghan NSA
Published: The Financial Express
23 Mar 2018

There has been no positive response from Pakistan on the South Asia strategy of Trump administration, which has a significant impact on the reduction of violence and capabilities of the terrorists in this war-torn country, a top Afghan official said today.

Welcoming the South Asia Strategy announced by President Donald Trump last August, Afghan National Security Adviser Mohammad Hanif Atmar told a Washington audience that it already has a significant impact on the reduction of violence and capabilities of the terrorists and to create an enabling environment for our peace and reconciliation strategy. Click here to read... [6]

EC’s policy on changing voters’ names will make Hindus suffer
Published: Dhaka Tribune
23 Mar 2018

Experts have voiced objections against an Election Commission move to formulate a new policy on correcting and changing voters’ names on their national identity (NID) cards. According to the draft of the policy, a voter’s name on the NID card must be the same as the one on his or her birth certificate and academic credentials, and corrections and changes will be allowed only in special circumstances.

Officials at the Election Commission said the measure was taken to “prevent crimes” as criminals frequently change their names and address to dodge arrests. If the draft policy comes into effect, minority groups, especially the Hindus, will have to face hurdles as their naming conventions are heavily influenced by their caste system, said minority leaders and experts. Click here to read... [7]

India to start flights to Asean from Assam, South Asia News & Top Stories
Published: The Straits Times
23 Mar 2018

India is planning to operate flights from the north-eastern state of Assam to Asean countries, including Singapore, through a scheme that subsidises air travel. The move comes amid a growing focus on pushing India's ties with South-east Asia.

Assam's Minister for the Act East Policy Department Chandra Mohan Patowary told The Straits Times that the federal government and the Assam state government are working on a plan to start routes from Assam's capital Guwahati to South-east Asian capitals including Hanoi and Singapore. Click here to read... [8]

Seychelles opposition to block India military deal, despite possible $550m
Published: Business day
22 Mar 2018

The Seychelles opposition coalition, which holds a majority in parliament, said on Tuesday it would not ratify a deal signed with India to build a military base on one of the archipelago’s outlying islands. The deal would see India invest $550m in building the base on Assumption island to help it ensure the safety of its vessels in the southern Indian Ocean. Click here to read... [9]