VIF Information Alerts - 29th August 2018

China paves way to end two-child policy

Published: The Telegraph
28 Aug 2018

China, the world's most populous nation, appears to be setting the stage to end its decades-long policy of determining the number of children that couples can have, a social media post by a state-run newspaper suggested. All content on family planning has been dropped in a draft civil code being deliberated by top lawmakers on Monday, the Procuratorate Daily wrote in a post on its Weibo account.Click here to read... [2]

China seeks to delink India ties and contentious CPEC

Published: Hindustan Times
28 Aug 2018

China on Monday sought to delink the contentious economic corridor it’s building through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir from Sino-India ties, saying recent meetings between the leaders of the two sides have given the relationship “fresh impetus”.

“We are neighbours, we are partners. Historically we were together and in the future, I never believe that anybody can separate India and China,” Zhang Jun, assistant minister of foreign affairs, said while describing ties between New Delhi and Beijing.Click here to read... [3]

China’s plan to build houses in Sri Lanka hits a hurdle

Published: The Economic Times
27 Aug 2018

China’s plan to build 40,000 houses in northern Sri Lanka as part of its strategy to expand influence in the island nation – where India has contributed significantly to the post-civil war reconstruction – has run into rough weather.

While China wanted to build houses made of concrete in the conflict-ravaged area, the locals want homes made of bricks in the traditional fashion. India has stepped in to negotiate for this project, ET has learnt.Click here to read... [4]

With Eye on China’s Belt Road Initiative, India to step up economic partnerships with Eastern, Southern Europe

Published: The Economic Times
28 Aug 2018

India is planning to boost economic ties with the erstwhile communist states of Eastern Europe and with Southern Europe amid inroads by China as part of its mega infrastructure project, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The upcoming back-to-back visits by President Ram Nath Kovind to Cyprus, Bulgaria and Czech Republic ( September 2-9) followed by a visit by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu to Malta, Serbia and Romania (mid-September) will underline India’s focus on this part of the world. This will be Kovind’s second visit to the region, after he outlined India’s Europe policy during his trip to Greece a few months ago.Click here to read... [5]

Bimstec officials discuss charter, development fund

Published: Hindustan Times
29 Aug 2018

A meeting of senior officials of Bimstec states in Kathmandu considered 14 reports on issues ranging from connectivity to counter-terrorism and agreed on the setting up of a new development fund to accelerate several projects. Foreign secretaries of the member states joined the meeting that was chaired by Nepal’s foreign secretary Shankar Das Bairagi and concluded on Tuesday. The meet recommended measures for strengthening the Bimstec Secretariat in Dhaka that will be taken up at at the ministerial meeting scheduled for Thursday.Click here to read... [6]