First India-Nordic summit to boost ties with 5 nations
Published: The Economic Times
11 Apr 2018
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet leaders of Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark & Iceland for the first India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm on April 17. Modi will be the first Indian PM to visit Stockholm since 1988. The only other instance of a similar Nordic summit was during President Barack Obama’s tenure when heads of state or governments participated. Click here to read...
India, China talk disarmament but mum on NSG
Published: Hindustan Times
11 Apr 2018
India and China held the fifth round of the Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Dialogue here against the backdrop of Beijing continuing to block New Delhi’s entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) citing proliferation issues. The countries exchanged views on developments related to disarmament, non-proliferation, nuclear issues and the role of science and technology in international security, disarmament and outer space, the Indian embassy said in a statement. Click here to read...
How a Remote Iranian Port Could Heighten China-India Tensions
Published: Bloomberg
11 Apr 2018
A remote Iranian port could be the next trigger for geopolitical tensions between rivals China and India. India has pledged more than $500 million to develop the strategically located port of Chabahar -- roughly 1,800 kilometers (1,110 miles) from the capital Tehran -- since it first expressed interest in 2003. Yet repeated delays have prompted Iran to turn to China in the hope of speeding up construction. Click here to read...
Prime Minister Abbasi, Chinese President hold bilateral meeting; Agree to deepen cooperation in diverse areas
Published: UrduPoint News
10 Apr 2018
Pakistan and China on Tuesday agreed to continue to deepen cooperation in all areas of bilateral relations while exploring new avenues for practical collaboration in line with the vision of the leadership of two countries.
This was agreed during a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Senior members of China's Politburo as well as State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi participated in the meeting held in China's Hainan province. Click here to read...
Pakistan may bar killer US diplomat from leaving country
Published: millenniumpost
10 Apr 2018
Pakistan is set to bar a senior US diplomat from leaving the country after he was involved in a fatal road accident that killed a motorcyclist here, media reports said.
A fast-moving Land Cruiser, driven by Col Joseph Emanuel Hall, the defence and air attache at the US embassy, jumped the red light and hit a motorcycle carrying two men at a traffic signal near Islamabad's Daman-e-Koh area on Saturday. One of them died and the other was injured. The capital police sent a letter to the Ministry of Interior, asking to include Hall's name in the Exit Control List (ECL). The ministry has started the process, Dawn News reported. Click here to read...
Sri Lanka aims for $2.5bn in FDI in 2018
Published: Business Standard
10 Apr 2018
Sri Lanka is aiming to attract $2.5 billion in Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) in 2018 after reaching $1.9 billion in 2017, the Finance Ministry said on Tuesday. According to the Ministry, last year's record of $1.9 billion in Foreign Direct Investments was four times what was achieved in 2016 and toped the previous biggest high of $1.7 billion in 2014.
The $1.9 billion for 2017 included the $300 million that came as part of the payment over the Hambantota harbour deal signed between the Sri Lankan government and China Merchants Port Holdings, Xinhua news agency reported. Click here to read...
China has already built US$ 15 billion worth of infrastructure In Sri Lanka
Published: The Citizen
10 Apr 2018
By the end of 2017, Chinese companies had completed more than US$ 15 billion worth of infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka, says the Chinese Ambassador, Cheng Xueyuan. The projects cover transportation, water supply, electricity, ports and an airport. “Chinese projects have created more than 100,000 jobs for Sri Lankans and trained tens of thousands of technical and management personnel,” Cheng said. Click here to read...
China Installed Military Jamming Equipment on Spratly Islands, U.S. Says
Published: The Wall Street Journal
09 Apr 2018
China has installed equipment on two of its fortified outposts in the Spratly Islands capable of jamming communications and radar systems, a significant step in its creeping militarization of the South China Sea, U.S. officials say. The move strengthens China’s ability to assert its extensive territorial claims and hinder U.S. military operations in a contested region that includes some of the world’s busiest shipping routes. Click here to read...
