'Impossible': China denies planning military base in Vanuatu
Published: The Guardian
10 Apr 2018
A Chinese embassy spokesman has said the idea that China is planning to establish a military base in Vanuatu is “ridiculous”. Australia’s Fairfax Media reported on Tuesday that China was eyeing a base in the Pacific nation. “That’s impossible,” said Chen Ke, a spokesman for the ambassador to Vanuatu. Click here to read...
India-China boundary issue should not be 'hyped up': Beijing
Published: The Times of India
09 Apr 2018
The India-China boundary issue should not be "hyped up" and the two sides must abide by the agreements to maintain the peace and tranquillity along the border areas, the Chinese foreign ministry asserted on Monday.
The ministry skirted a direct response to a report that China has lodged a strong protest with New Delhi, alleging "transgression" by the Indian troops in the strategically sensitive Asaphila area along Arunachal Pradesh. The Indian side has dismissed Beijing's complaint. Click here to read...
China says conflict with Taiwan ‘more probable’ after US agrees to help Taipei build submarines
Published: The Telegraph
09 Apr 2018
A conflict between China and Taiwan is becoming "more probable" after Donald Trump agreed to help Taipei build its own submarines, Chinese media said.
The US gave the go ahead for defence contractors to help Taiwan build an indigenous fleet after repeated appeals from Taiwan for help to bolster its defences against an increasingly assertive China. Click here to read...
Adding artificial rain to the Sino-Indian conundrum
Published: Asia Times
10 Apr 2018
The bilateral relationship between India and China has often been called a mix of cooperation and conflict. However, in the recent past, it has been weighing in heavily in favor of the conflict side of that equation.
As if ongoing boundary disputes were not enough, newer elements of conflict ranging from trade imbalance to data sharing on the Brahmaputra River to standoffs between the two countries’ militaries as seen last year on the Doklam Plateau have been added to the conundrum. And yet another thread of discontent lies in China’s plans to create artificial rain over the Tibetan Plateau.
Last month, the South China Morning Post ran a report on Beijing’s plans to create a rainmaking network in Tibet, which is roughly “three times the size of Spain.” Click here to read...
India-Bangladesh ties_ Bangladesh, India sign 130 km oil pipeline deal
Published: The Economic Times
10 Apr 2018
Bangladesh and India signed an agreement here on Monday on their proposed nearly 130 km oil pipeline aimed at pumping Indian oil to Bangladesh with a capacity of 1 million tonnes per annum.
The deal was part of the six memorandum of understandings (MoUs) which Dhaka and New Delhi signed during a meeting between their foreign secretaries in Dhaka, Xinhua news agency reported. Click here to read...
Pakistan talk on buying arms from Russia ‘Wishful Thinking’
Published: The Economic Times
10 Apr 2018
Russia does not plan to sell fighter jets, air defence systems and tanks to Pakistan, people aware of the matter told ET, dismissing a recent statement by Pakistan’s defence minister on the proposed purchase as “wishful thinking”.
They said the statement made by the Pakistan minister in a recent interview was mere posturing, on the lines of Pakistan foreign minister’s claim in February of Russian support at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary, which turned out to be false. Click here to read...
