VIF Information Alerts - 1st August 2018

Progress in sea feud, Koreas stir ASEAN though rifts pester

Published: The Indian Express
01 Aug 2018

Southeast Asian nations are expected to welcome an initial negotiating draft of a nonaggression pact with China on the South China Sea, but critics warn that the protracted talks provide a diplomatic cover for Beijing’s tenacious aggression in the disputed waters. Top diplomats of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will also praise the rapprochement between the Koreas, along with that of President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, when they gather for four days of annual summitry in Singapore starting today. Click here to read... [2]

China tops FDI pledges to Nepal three years in a row

Published: Xinhua
01 Aug 2018

China pledged the highest foreign direct investment (FDI) to Nepal three years in a row as the Himalayan country received China's pledge of 427 million U.S. dollars in last fiscal year 2017-18 that concluded in mid-July, Nepal's Department of Industry (DoI) said on Tuesday. FDI commitments from China stands at 84 percent of the total FDI pledges Nepal received in the last fiscal 2017-18 which stands at 505 million U.S. dollars. Click here to read... [3]

India’s population growth rate highly overestimated, finds study

Published: The Indian Express
01 Aug 2018

India’s population growth rate is highly overestimated by existing models, say scientists who suggest that accounting for the diversity and differences in the levels of education among people can help arrive at more accurate projections. Accurate population projections could help India and its workforce catch up to more developed Asian countries with higher GDP per capita, researchers suggest. Click here to read... [4]

Armed forces facing shortage of over 9,000 officers: MoS for Defence in LS

Published: The Tribune
01 Aug 2018

The three armed forces face a shortage of over 9,096 officers, with the Army topping the list, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. In a written response to a question in the Lower House of Parliament, Subhash Bhamre, Minister of State for Defence said as on January 1, 2018, the authorised strength of the Army was 49,933, but it has 42,635 officers, which is 7,298 short of the sanctioned strength. Click here to read... [5]

Rohingya crisis: Myanmar forms ‘independent’ inquiry commission

Published: Dhaka Tribune
31 Jul 2018

The Myanmar government has formed a four-member 'independent' commission to investigate allegations of human rights violations in the Rakhine state following attacks on security forces’ check posts in August last year. The commission’s formation was disclosed in a press release posted on the website of the Myanmar president’s office on Monday. According to the release, the Myanmar government established the commission as part of its national initiative to address reconciliation, peace, stability and development in Rakhine. Click here to read... [6]

China launches Earth observation satellite to monitor Belt and Road Initiative

Published: The Asian Age
31 Jul 2018

China on Tuesday successfully launched an optical remote sensing satellite, as part of its high-resolution Earth observation project which will also provide data for the Belt and Road Initiative, official media reported. The Gaofen-11 satellite was launched on a Long March 4B rocket at 11 am (local time) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Click here to read... [7]

US competes with China’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ with US$113 million Asian investment programme

Published: South China Morning Post
30 Jul 2018

The US government is expanding its infrastructure drive in the Asia-Pacific region using new investment programmes amid rising anxiety in Washington about China’s aggressive overseas development policies. Announced by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday, the initiative follows concerns about the Trump administration’s commitment to engaging with countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Pompeo will visit Southeast Asia from Wednesday to Sunday, when he is expected to announce funding plans for the region. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/economy/article/2157381/us-competes-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-new-asian-investment [8]