Fwd: D China, India must prevent border tensions from blocking progress toward RCEP+China Pak Water Axis on the Indus + Non Traditional Threats: South Asia's “Meth” Traffic

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From: Sanjeev Nayyar

1. Dragon Bristles At India's Defiance, But Makes Silent Inroads Into Bhutan 20.7.17 by jaideep mazumdar Good Read https://swarajyamag.com/politics/dragon-bristles-at-indias-defiance-but-makes-silent-inroads-into-bhutan 

China, however, has not been sitting idle. It has stepped up its charm offensive in Bhutan. China is offering attractive scholarships to Bhutan's best and brightest to study in Chinese Universities. It is strengthening ties with Bhutan in the fields of culture, education and sports. It has been hosting a number of eminent personas from Bhutan and has promised to not only undertake massive infrastructure projects in that country, but also extend soft loans to Bhutan.

One of the latest symbols of China's increasing footprint in Bhutan is the massive, 51.5 metre-high Buddha Dordenma statue that looms over Thimpu. Though it is said that the massive gilded statue of Bhagwan Buddha costing over $4.7 lakh (Rs 305 crore) is sponsored by a Chinese-origin Singaporean billionaire, it is widely believed that the businessman was simply fronting for the Chinese government. China is also footing a major part of the $100 millions (Rs 650 crore) Buddha park and other facilities amidst which the gigantic statue is set.'

 

2. Dams Pakistan will build by Lt Gen Grover 21.7.17 http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/dams-pakistan-will-build/439651.html

The 400-km cascade of dams on the Indus will stretch all the way from Gilgit-Baltistan to the existing Tarbela Dam near Islamabad. China will provide about $50 billion through its agency National Energy Administration (NEA).  It has been reported that the first allocation of funds will take place next year.

The proposed dams may also lead to the submergence of a major part of the Karakoram Highway, initiating displacement and relocation of millions of people who will perhaps lose their livelihood as the agricultural fields will no longer be replenished by deposition of fresh, fertile sediments.

The Indus river is the largest river as also the national river of Pakistan. The snows and glaciers of the Himalayas, Karakoram and the Hindu Kush ranges of Tibet, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and Gilgit-Baltistan (PoK), largely feed the Indus system.

 

2a. China Pak Water Axis on the Indus 21.7.17 by priyanka singh http://www.idsa.in/issuebrief/china-pakistan-water-axis-on-the-indus_psingh_190717

'It is natural that once the North Indus Cascade fructifies India may have to further contend with popular misgivings that stem from looking at the other side of the LoC and the development prospects that Chinese-aided projects are expected to augur in due course.

India is yet to fully harness its permissible share for storing water up to 3.6 MAF (million acre-feet) under IWT in the western rivers (Jhelum, Chenab and Indus) allotted for its use.24 Besides, in comparison to Pakistan's tally of dams on the eastern rivers including those on the Indus, India has so far built only a small number of run-of-the-river dams on the western rivers.

However, before looking at what China is doing in cahoots with Pakistan, certain domestic realities within China must be accounted for, foremost being the saturation levels in the manufacturing sector, idle machinery, labour, etc. The same could be partially, if not wholly true, with regard to China's dam construction industry. A report prepared by Urgewald, an environmental lobbyist group based in Germany, shows how China's state-owned enterprises – China Datang Corporation, China Huaneng Group, and State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) – are involved in the majority of overseas coal-fired power projects in contravention of China's stated commitment on climate change.25 '

3. Non Traditional Threats: South Asia's "Meth" Traffic 21.7.17 by anant mishra and richa chadha http://www.indiandefencereview.com/news/non-traditional-threats-south-asias-meth-traffic/

The intensity of the issue within South Asia is clearly visible from the fact that, those nations which are principle "consumers" of methamphetamines, be it Laos, China and Myanmar, are not only the largest consumers, they also make a major "profit" from the largest drug trade in the history of South East Asia. There "illicit" revenue has further infuriated member nations of South Asia, particularly those which have designated law enforcement agencies to apprehend drug traffickers in their region.

4. There is a method in China's Doklam Stand 19.7.17 by bhaskar roy http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/node/2185

It is important to note that China has unleashed its "three warfares" strategy in full.  The strategy perfected around 2005'.

 

5. China, India must prevent border tensions from blocking progress toward RCEP 21.7.17 http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1057308.shtml

Hundreds of officials from 16 nations are set to address a gathering in Hyderabad, India next week where they will meet to negotiate an Asia-centered trade deal called the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). China and India are two prominent members of the group, but they face the task of preventing an escalation of their border tensions from becoming an obstacle to reach ing trade agreements at the negotiating table.

 

6. Military conflicts to escalate if India refuses to withdraw troops OPED 21.7.17 http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1057440.shtml

'She was lying to the parliament. First, India's invasion of Chinese territory is a plain fact. New Delhi's impetuous action stuns the international community. No other country will support India's aggression. Second, India's military strength is far behind that of China. If the conflict between China and India escalates to the intensity where their row has to be resolved through military means, India will surely lose.  She was lying to the parliament. First, India's invasion of Chinese territory is a plain fact. New Delhi's impetuous action stuns the international community. No other country will support India's aggression. Second, India's military strength is far behind that of China. If the conflict between China and India escalates to the intensity where their row has to be resolved through military means, India will surely lose.  '

The way some Indians compare China's military strength with that of India at the border is extremely comical. They bragged that India has more troops in the area but they fail to realize that the PLA's strong capability to deploy troops can reverse the balance of power at the border within a day. The PLA's long-range combat capability can also allow its troops in remote area to provide fire support to troops at the border.

India should by no means count on support from the US and Japan because their support is illusory. If India fancies the idea that it has a strategic card to play in the Indian Ocean, it could not be even more naïve

 

7. Afghanistan and Turkmenistan: A model for regional economic cooperation 19.7.17 by m ashraf http://www.orfonline.org/expert-speaks/afghanistan-turkmenistan-model-regional-economic-cooperation/

Warm Regards
sanjeev nayyar

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