VIF Information Alerts - 04 July 2018

China presses EU for anti-US alliance on trade, faces resistance
Published: The Asian Age
04 Jul 2018

China is putting pressure on the European Union to issue a strong joint statement against President Donald Trump’s trade policies at a summit later this month but is facing resistance, European officials said.

In meetings in Brussels, Berlin and Beijing, senior Chinese officials, including Vice Premier Liu He and the Chinese government’s top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, have proposed an alliance between the two economic powers and offered to open more of the Chinese market in a gesture of goodwill.Click here to read... [2]

US ‘unfairly’ forced to bear NATO financial burden: White House
Published: The Tribune
04 Jul 2018

The US has been “unfairly” forced to bear the financial burden of NATO, the White House has said, ahead of President Donald Trump’s Europe visit next week which includes attending a summit of the 29-member bloc in Brussels.

The remarks by the White House yesterday came amid reports that during the NATO Summit, Trump would be asking its member countries and leaders to increase their spendings on defence.Click here to read... [3]

India's 5-point formula to tackle global terrorism
Published: The Economic Times
04 Jul 2018

India has offered a five-point formula including sharing of timely actionable intelligence and information related to movement of passengers for practical counter-terror cooperation among UN member states to fight global terror.

Addressing UN High Level conference on Heads of Counter Terrorism Agencies last week in New York Rina Mitra (Special Secretary, Internal Security) extended five-point formula --exchange of timely and actionable intelligence; prevention of misuse of modern communication through collaboration with private sector; building capacities for improved border controls; sharing of info related to movement of passengers and designation of Counter-Terror focal points for establishing a possible global to fight global terror.Click here to read... [4]

Japanese helicopter carrier to tour South China Sea, Indian Ocean for two months
Published: The Indian Express
04 Jul 2018

Japan will send a large helicopter carrier to the South China Sea and Indian Ocean for a second straight year as it looks to bolster its presence in the strategic maritime region with annual tours, two Japanese officials said, “This is part of Japan’s efforts to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said one of the officials, who has direct knowledge of the plan for a two-month tour beginning in September.Click here to read... [5]

Chinese Army delegation on two-day visit
Published: The Pioneer
04 Jul 2018

With the objective of normalising relations between the two armies, a high level Chinese Army delegation is now visiting in India. It reached Sukna in Eastern Command on Monday for a two-day visit. The ongoing visit is seen as a major initiative to strengthen relationship between the militaries of both nations. The delegation comprising 10 senior military officials from China will interact with their military counterparts at 33 Corps headquarters. The delegation before arriving at Sukna, visited New Delhi and Agra.Click here to read... [6]

Sri Lankan Lawmakers Target Reporters in Times Investigation
Published: The New York Times
03 Jul 2018

Angered by a New York Times investigation detailing how China seized ownership of a seaport in Sri Lanka, a group of Sri Lankan lawmakers denounced the newspaper on Monday, focusing their ire on two local journalists for the newspaper.

On Monday night, the lawmakers, who are allies of the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, held a televised news conference in which they claimed that the journalists, Dharisha Bastians and Arthur Wamanan, were working on behalf of the current government to malign Mr. Rajapaksa. Click here to read... [7]