Tag: Belt and Road Initiative

A headless chicken: Multiple obstacles hit CPEC’S progress
17Nov By Brian ThompsonNo Comments
China, Market, USA

A headless chicken: Multiple obstacles hit CPEC’S progress

 A ‘headless’ body, officially admitted as such, is supposed to be taking (or delaying) decisions in Pakistan regarding the 60 billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.The Pakistan Government’s ordinance under which the CPEC Authority (CPECA) was set up last year lapsed in July, 2020 and no fresh legal/constitutional arrangement has been made. Questioned by a parliamentary committee, the government said the body is headed by “no one.”The man placed at the top of CPECA, retired Lt. general Asim Bajwa, is working away from the office, and not drawing any salary. He was forced to resign as a Special Adviser of Prime Minister Imran Khan in October following media exposure about over 90 business firms his family has allegedly set up. He was holding dual charge and now, Kha...
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China holds meet with Pak, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh to fight Covid-19
13Nov By Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, World

China holds meet with Pak, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh to fight Covid-19

With an aim to fight coronavirus and boost economy, China hosted a high-level virtual meeting with Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka to build up “political consensus” in all nations.Termed as the “five-parties” meeting by the Chinese foreign ministry in a late-night statement on Thursday; the meet was an expansion of a similar meeting held in July involving Pakistan, Nepal, and Afghanistan, and hosted by foreign minister, Wang Yi.“To jointly defeat Covid-19, protect people’s life, safety and health, and accelerate economic and social recovery and development, China, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka convened a vice-ministerial-level video conference on Covid-19 response on November 10,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday.“The five parties had in-de...
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China challenging Vietnam dominance in Cambodia, Laos through BRI projects: Analyst
3Nov By Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, World

China challenging Vietnam dominance in Cambodia, Laos through BRI projects: Analyst

Defense analyst Derek Grossman has said that by leveraging Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects, China has increasingly challenged Vietnam’s dominance in Cambodia and Laos, and that Vietnam will have to find alternative means of engaging its neighbors to combat Chinese influence.In an opinion article, Grossman stated that China’s strengthening ties to Cambodia and Laos in recent years have real effects on Vietnam. “For example, Chinese support has likely contributed to Cambodian and Laotian decisions not to fully support Vietnam’s stance on ASEAN’s Code of Conduct negotiations in the South China Sea.”“China has increasingly challenged Vietnam’s dominance in Cambodia and Laos, primarily by leveraging Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects to raise its influence in the region. Outspent b...
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Developer says ‘New City’ on Thai-Myanmar border part of BRI, despite China’s denials
29Sep By Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, Singapore, World

Developer says ‘New City’ on Thai-Myanmar border part of BRI, despite China’s denials

The Chinese developer of a “new city” project on the Myanmar-Thai border has insisted the project is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), despite the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar denying the claims.The project in Karen State, known locally as the Shwe Kokko New City after the village where it is located, was launched in 2017 by Yatai International Holdings Group (YIHG) after the company signed a deal with a local ethnic Karen armed group, the Border Guard Force (BGF).Locals have criticised the project over what they see as a lack of transparency, as well as confusion over the scale of construction and a growing influx of Chinese migrants. Also, suspicions have been aroused over possible illicit activity and concerns about the social impacts of casino businesses.From the beginning,...
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China’s presence in Arctic poses military threat to West
23Aug By Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, World

China’s presence in Arctic poses military threat to West

Melting ice in Arctic Circle has raised the focus for Donald Trump's administration over the presence of china’s navy and its effort to strengthen its knowledge of the Arctic. According to the 2020 Nordic Report, China has made efforts to lay the necessary diplomatic groundwork to justify future military activities but creation of new sea due to melting ice could offer china’s submarines a clear path which could pose a military threat to the West.US forces commander, Admiral James Foggo, said: "The diminishing ice coverage is causing competition to emerge in this new area”.“The High North is attracting global interest with abundant natural resources and opening maritime routes that have not been navigable before", Admiral Foggo added.Pentagon in its warning also said: "The diminishing ice ...
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Myanmar continues pushback against China’s BRI
23Aug By Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, World

Myanmar continues pushback against China’s BRI

In yet another setback for China’s expansionist plans, the Myitkyina Financial Growth Zone (MEDZ) – a part of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – is behind schedule due to reservations from the Myanmar government and its residents.China’s headache continues to multiply in its southern neighbor Myanmar with a series of BRI associated infrastructure projects that hopes to provide Beijing access of Bay of Bengal facing critical pushback.After the Yangon mega city project where Beijing’s position has been minimized China funded Myitkyina Financial Growth Zone (MEDZ) – which was scheduled to be ready by 2021 – in Myanmar’s Kachin state is yet to take off due to serious differences between the Myanmar government and Chinese firm over land acquisition and compensation package.It wa...
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Myanmar to involve foreign partners in China-funded mega city project
17Aug By Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, World

Myanmar to involve foreign partners in China-funded mega city project

In another pushback against China, Myanmar has decided to involve international partners in a key project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) - the Chinese funded mega Yangon City Project.The Myanmar government has decided to open up the project for other foreign firms besides China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), as it is not keen that one single company dominates the mega project, according to sources with knowledge on the matter.According to sources, the project has been a source of controversy due to its flood-prone location as well as the CCCC’s involvement.“The CCCC has been accused of corruption relating to development deals in at least 10 countries in Africa and Asia”, they said.During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Myanmar early this year, the two sides had ...
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