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Li Keqiang met Afghan CEO Abdullah in Dushanbe on the afternoon of the 12th.

  An interesting item on the first match between the Chinese and Indian football teams, presented under cover of the Indian media's focus on it. The item notes that neither country is a big player in the world of soccer, with the Chinese team ranked 76th and the Indian team 97th in the world.  It quotes the Indian coach, and others, to project a picture of the Indian side taking the match very seriously but the concluding paragraph is revealing of its own attitude: ...................This game is also viewed as the "World Cup" on the Chinese Internet because of the large population of China and India.  Some Chinese netizens commented that for the Chinese men's soccer team, this is a match whose outcome won't do it proud if it were to defeat (the Indian side) but one in which loss of face will be severe if it were to lose.

Translation underway

  An item on interest in learning Chinese in Pakistan, mentioning the "three well known Universities and three language centers" where facilities for learning Chinese exist  in Pakistan.

China will send light to Myanmar cataract patients again

The report begins by noting the following facts and figures:

• The  war in Afghanistan launched by the United States on October 7, 2001 in the name of counter-terrorism has taken a toll of more than 300,000 casualties so far, with over 30,000 Afghan civilians killed in the fighting.
• It has cost the United States more than 900 billion US dollars directly, with indirect expenditure going as high as 2 trillion US dollars. At present, there are still about 14,000 US soldiers stationed in Afghanistan, and the withdrawal of troops is nowhere in sight. The process of political reconciliation in Afghanistan is full of ups and downs and the anti-terrorist situation is getting more and more serious.
• The latest poll released by the US Pew Research Center shows that nearly half of the American people believe that the Afghan war launched by the United States “basically failed” and did not achieve its intended purpose.

It cites a United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan Report on the third quarter of 2018 to focus on the civilian casualties in Afghanistan as a result of the coalition air strikes as part of the US' war on terror, noting also that the “Islamic State” has continued to increase its attacks against civilians in Afghanistan this year, with 52% of civilian casualties related to attacks made by the organization., The item dwells on the lack of progress in the peace talks within Afghanistan, heavy US casualties and tearing apart of the fabric of US society as a result. It refers to a Washington Post report that the United States spends an average of $45 billion annually on security and economic aid in Afghanistan, which is equivalent to twice the gross domestic product of Afghanistan. And to the latest poll released by the US Pew Research Center on October 5, according to which 49% of Americans believe that the Afghan war launched  by the United States had "substantially failed" and did not achieve its intended purpose., and that 53% of Americans and nearly 60% of veterans believe that the United States lacks clear strategic goals in Afghanistan. It concludes by citing a former Indian diplomat who is a Pakistani and Southeast Asian expert, to say that political and ethnic differences in Afghanistan remain the same, and it is difficult for the various factions to reach a consensus.  Also that it now appears that the new Afghan strategy announced by the US government in August last year is nothing new. And finally that the United States lacks clarity and consistency in its peace building efforts in Afghanistan. "The US Afghan strategy has undoubtedly failed completely." Full translation underway

An item on Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan's call for priority attention to construction of economic zones under the framework of the CPEC, whose title does not give any indication of that, suggesting  instead that this was the view of the newspaper.. Full translation underway.

  A piece that strains hard to address widespread criticism of the CPEC/BRI internationally.  The burden of the piece is that Pakistan benefits strongly from the CPEC and that the Pakistani Government and people are therefore in its favour, only confirming in the process that criticism of the BRI is biting.

The item is based on a Facebook post  by Pakistani Air Force’s “Lion of Hearts” aerobatic demonstration team . While taking care to make adequate disclaimers, it veers towards endorsement of the news -- certainly there is no effort to deny it. Full translation underway.

................... The relationship between India and the United States clearly does not have the deep foundation that  India-Russia relations do. Among India's strategic partners with major powers, only the Russian one is called “special privileged strategic partnership”, and  Russia is the only strategic partner defined by “privilege”. (India and Japan are also special strategic partners). Similarly, India has established an annual mutual visit mechanism only with leaders of Russia and Japan, which shows their importance. It would be for this reason that  Modi said that "the world  has changed, and is still changing, but the friendship between India and Russia remains unchanged." ....................... As far as China's India diplomacy is concerned, we understand India's security requirements. At the same time, we must also see where China-India relations are different from China-US, China-Japan, Central Europe, and China-Russia relations. China and India share similar histories of colonisation and similar national conditions. They have both gradually risen in the international system dominated by the United States and Europe. Therefore, their attitude towards the current international system is rather congruent, and they can “naturally converge” (in their views) on many global issues. India’s strategic swing is, in a sense, in line with our needs. However, the United States and Russia continue to use military sales to upgrade India’s military equipment and indirectly undermine the stability of the entire region. This requires us to be wary and vigilant.   Full translation underway

The two-day 19th annual Summit of Indian and Russian leaders ended in the Indian capital of New Delhi on the 5th. During the Summit, India and Russia formally signed a purchase agreement for the S-400 anti-aircraft missile system worth more than US$5 billion.  In addition, the two countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fields of energy, aerospace, economics and trade. Analysts believe that  India signed a missile procurement agreement with Russia in spite of US opposition,, demonstrating its stance of insistence on independence in foreign policy. From the perspective of safeguarding its own interests, India will continue to pursue a diplomatic strategy that seeks a balance between the United States and Russia. The India-Russia Leaders’ Summit is the highest level of talks between the two countries. It began in 2000 and takes  place in each country in alternate years. The joint statement issued after the Summit said that India and Russia reaffirmed the maintenance of a privileged strategic partnership and believed that such relations "are an important factor for global peace and stability." Indian Prime Minister Modi said at a joint press conference that  India-Russia bilateral relations have become more important in an ever-changing world. The Summit "pointed a new direction" for the strategic partnership between the two countries. India and Russia disregarded US warnings against India signing up for the S-400 anti-aircraft missile system purchase agreement is the biggest point of the Summit. According to the agreement, India will purchase a US$5.43 billion anti-aircraft missile system from Russia . It is to be delivered by the end of 2020. Before Russian President Vladimir Putin visited India, the United States warned that the Russian S-400 air defense missile system would be a "key area" triggering US sanctions. The United States does not rule out sanctions against India under the "counter-attack by the United States". A US State Department spokesman said: "We urge all allies and partners to abandon the deal with Russia, because these transactions will trigger sanctions." In addition to the defense field, India and Russia also agreed to strengthen cooperation in other fields such as energy. The two sides are studying the feasibility of building a natural gas pipeline from Russia to India and encouraging Indian companies to jointly mine oil in Russia. India has significantly increased its investment in the Russian energy sector in recent years, and Russia has become India's main natural gas supplier. According to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two countries, Russia will also take steps jointly with India in the field of manned space flights to help India complete its first manned space mission and train Indian astronauts. In the economic and trade field, the two sides indicated that they will hold the first Strategic Economic Dialogue meeting in Russia this year, and increase bilateral investment to 30 billion US dollars by 2025. Analysts believe that Putin’s visit was held shortly after the “2+2” dialogue between India and the United States in New Delhi, which was attended by the two Foreign and Defense Ministers.  It reflects India’s diplomatic strategy of seeking a balance between the United States and Russia. In an interview with Xinhua News Agency, former Indian Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Ashok Sajhanhar, pointed out that India-Russia relations have stood the test of time and are an important pillar of India’s foreign policy. He said that although India-US relations have "developed very well" recently , India-Russia relations are still very important.  India hopes to be free to purchase defense equipment from the United States and Russia, and hopes that the United States will grant sanctions exemption for India for its purchase of the S-400 air defense missile system from Russia. Swaran Singh, Professor at the School of International Studies at the Jawahar Lal Nehru University in India, believes that the India-Russia strategic partnership is very important because both countries face major challenges. He pointed out that India's diplomacy, centered on "strategic autonomy", will continue to strive to maintain a balance between all major powers. Russia has always been the most  reliable partner in sensitive areas such as defense, space and nuclear technology. Even today, more than 65% of India’s defense equipment comes from the Soviet Union and Russia. The joint statement issued by India and Russia after the Summit was entitled "India-Russia: A Lasting Partnership in a Changing World." However, some analysts pointed out that both sides will be tested, in the context of the drastic changes in the geopolitical environment, whether this strategic partnership is strong enough to withstand changes in the international situation is . (Xinhua News Agency, New Delhi, October 6th, reporter Hu Xiaoming)    

Translation of full text of interview underway On September 29, 2018,  on the eve of the National Day and on the occasion of the second anniversary of his assumption of office in India, Ambassador Luo Zhaohui accepted an exclusive interview with the well-known Indian newspaper, the Tribune. He answered questions from reporters on Sino-Indian relations, the regional situation, “One Belt, One Road”, China.- US trade friction, 40th anniversary of reform and opening up and the issue of religious freedom in Xinjiang. The Tribune (and its website) published the interview with Ambassador Luo Zhaohui on October 1st. The full text of the interview is as follows: Q: You have been the Chinese Ambassador to India for two years. How to evaluate China-India relations? A:  I completed two years in India in September this year, and have experienced the roller coaster like ups and downs of China-India relations during this period. .In 2016, bilateral relations began to decline due to issues like the Nuclear Suppliers Group.  In 2017, there was the confrontation incident in Dong Lang, resulting in a dip in the relationship. President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Modi in Xiamen in September 2017 to "step on the brakes" of the downturn. The two sides agreed to turn over old pages and open new ones, reaching agreement on informal meetings. In April this year, the leaders of the two countries held an informal meeting in Wuhan. The Wuhan meeting has reshaped bilateral relations and  “energised and opened the door” for bilateral relations.  Now China-India relations have stabilized and are on the rebound, stepping into the fast track. I have used five Cs to summarize the priority directions for the two sides to implement the Wuhan consensus and promote bilateral relations, namely, Communication, Cooperation, Contacts, Coordination, Control and Management. In the past four months, the leaders of the two countries have met three times and they will meet again during the G20 Summit in Argentina in November. State Councilor and Defense Minister, Wei Fenghe, visited India in August. State Councilor and Minister of Public Security, Zhao Kezhi, will visit India in October. The two sides will hold the first meeting of the China-India high-level exchange mechanism in the course of this year. Then a  meeting of the Special Representatives on the border issue is to be held in China.  I am optimistic about the prospects for bilateral relations. Q: After the Wuhan meeting, how can the two sides implement the consensus into action? ..................... Q: You have recently visited Bhutan. Can you tell us about the specific content of the visit and the "2+1" cooperation model? ....................... Q: How do you view the new approach to China and the “Belt and Road Initiative” initiative after the changes in the Maldives and Malaysia? ............................. V. Q: How does China view Sino-US trade frictions? How does China and India cooperate in various multilateral institutions? ............................... Q: India has been seeking reduction in the trade deficit with China. Are there any new measures for the two sides to cooperate to solve this problem? Recently, China allowed Indian rice to be exported to China, but since 2011, India has banned exports of soybeans to China.  Since China imports 900 million tons of soybeans every year, why not reopen India's soybean exports? What is the trade situation of sugar and cotton? ........... 7. About the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up ........................................... 8. On the issue of freedom of religion in Xinjiang ...............(contd.)

.................President of the Pakistani Senate, Sadiq Sanjrani, said in his speech that  Pakistan attaches importance to relations with China as a cornerstone of its diplomacy. The Pakistani people are grateful to China for its support to Pakistan over the years. He emphasized that China is a model for development of emerging economies and low-income countries in Asia, Africa and South America. Pakistan supports China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative and looks forward to achieving common prosperity and mutual benefit. In his speech, Myanmar’s First Vice President, Henry (?), said that in the past 69 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, especially in the 40 years of reform and opening up, extensive and striking progress has been made by China in economic construction and in other fields. Myanmar has long maintained friendly cooperation with China and believes that Myanmar and China will both continue to promote the "One Belt, One Road" and the Myanmar-China Economic Corridor in the future.

An item on reports from across the world on commemoration of China's National Day. Includes mention of Chinese Ambassador to India Luo  Zhaohui's remarks at his reception in New Delhi towards the end,  after beginning with a report from Pakistan, as follows: ...............The meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi in Wuhan opened a new chapter in China-India relations. As long as the dragon and elephant dance, and the "Phoenix" and the "Peacock" fly together, the world will become better. The guests expressed their hope to learn more about the successful experience of China and (expressed) good  wishes for healthy and stable development of India-China relations. Friendship between the Indian and Chinese people will last forever............

The twelfth meeting of the China-India consultation and coordination mechanism on border affairs was held in Chengdu. from September 27 to 28, 2018. Yi Xianliang,, Director of the Department of Border and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, and Fu Pengfei, Director of the East Asia Department of the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, co-chaired. Representatives of the defense and diplomatic departments of the two sides participated in the meeting. The two sides reviewed the situation in the border areas of the two countries this year and exchanged in-depth views on issues such as border control and confidence-building measures. The two sides agreed to carry out the spirit of consensus reached by the leaders of their two countries, further strengthen communication and coordination between the diplomatic and defense departments of the two countries, properly manage and control border-related problems, enhance exchanges and cooperation on the border and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas so as to create  an atmosphere conducive for healthy and stable development of China-India relations.

Covers military exercises and other recent  military developments in India under the sub-heading "Frequent Military Action", along with trends in military developments in USA, Russia, Japan and Germany.

An item on the Chinese Ambassador's meeting with the Party Secretary of Linyi city in Shandong province, which is home to substantial cooperation projects between China and India, including the Linyi “China-India Technology International Innovation Park” carrying out  professional research in cloud computing and big data and other aspects in the field of software technology.  Mentions that nearly 100 software engineers from India work in the park. The item concludes by quoting the Ambassador as follows: ".........We hope that Linyi City will continue to develop and cooperate with India to make greater contributions to China-India relations and the construction of the “Belt and Road.”    

Brief snippet on the first use of F-35 B planes by USA for carrying out air strikes in Afghanistan.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on September 25

 

Q: The Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. However, recently some media reported that the Indian side announced the meeting would be canceled. What is your comment?

A: Both India and Pakistan are important countries in South Asia. Maintaining the steady development of India-Pakistan relations is of important significance to the peace and development of the region and the world at large. We sincerely hope that the two countries can enhance communication and dialogue, properly handle differences, improve their relations and jointly uphold regional peace and stability.

    Our correspondent in India, Hu Bofeng, our reporter in Pakistan, Ding Xuezhen Less than twenty four hours after easing of the climate in the India-Pakistan relationship, the two sides brought out into a war of words. According to the “Forum Express” of Pakistan of the 24th, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan called on India the day before to stem its arrogant attitude, conduct peace talks with Pakistan and carry engage in trade cooperation. "We hope to develop friendship with India and want to end poverty in the subcontinent." Imran Khan stressed that the Pakistani people will not succumb to the pressure of any big country. "If they threaten us, the all of Pakistan will unite. (And remain so) till the very end". The Times of India reported that Imran Khan had previously written to Indian Prime Minister Modi and suggested that the two Foreign Ministers meet during the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly. India agreed with the Pakistani proposal on the 20th, but announced cancellation of the Foreign Ministers' meeting on the 21st. The Indian Foreign Ministry explained that the reversal was due to the killing of several security personnel in the Kashmir region and recent issuances of “glorification of terrorists” through release of commemorative stamps in Pakistan. In a strongly worded statement, the Indian Army Chief of Staff, Rawat, said that India would take drastic measures to counter the terrorists and barbaric Pakistani acts of killing Indian security personnel. In a response on the 21st, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry claimed that the Pakistani side had nothing to do with the killings of Indian security personnel and accused the Indian side of "spreading inflammatory and vicious remarks." In his tweet of the 22^nd, Imran Khan said that the arrogance of the Indian side was disappointing. As to the reasons advanced by the Indian government for cancellation of the Foreign Minister's meeting, The Hindu newspaper did not find them to be convincing because both events)  had already occurred before the Indian government's acceptance of the Pakistani proposal. The Indian media believes that the real reason for India's  cancel lation of the meeting was the issue of Kashmir being raised in  a high-profile manner during the UN General Assembly in a bid to internationalize it  yet again. The Pakistani side believes that the Indian side's cancellation of  the Foreign Ministers' meeting was to avoid dialogue before elections to the Lower House of Parliament next year. Modi's Bhartiya Janta Party has always adopted a hard line against Pakistan. “India made another mistake”, Pakistan’s “Forum Express” averred in a statement of the 23rd, maintaining that India’s decision will hinder Pakistan’s efforts to improve relations between the two countries.” Pakistan’s “Dawn” said that India’s move had ruined hopes of an improvement in bilateral relations betwen the two countries.  

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on September 25

Q: It is reported that Pakistan's Minister for Religious Affairs met with Chinese Ambassador in Islamabad last week and raised concerns about China's restrictions on Muslims in Xinjiang. Do you have any comment on this?

A: On September 19, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing met with Pakistan's Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri, during which the two sides had good communication on China-Pakistan relations and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The Chinese side commends the efforts made by the Pakistani government to promote religious harmony. Our two sides share the same position on religious issues. In the information released by the Associated Press of Pakistan on that day, the meeting was reported in an accurate way. However, some foreign media made unfounded and distorted reports on the meeting. China is firmly opposed to that.

The Chinese government governs and develops Xinjiang in accordance with law. A host of policies and measures have been introduced to promote stability, development and solidarity and improve people's livelihood in Xinjiang, thus safeguarding social stability and lasting peace there. Currently, Xinjiang enjoys social stability and a sound momentum of economic development with people of different ethnic groups living in harmony.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on September 25

 

Q: On September 24, the Maldives Election Commission announced the preliminary results of the presidential election. Maldivian joint opposition presidential candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won the election with 58 percent of the vote. What is your comment? What are China's expectations for the future development of China-Maldives ties?

A: The Chinese side congratulates the Maldives on the smooth holding of the presidential election and Mr. Solih on his election as the President. We respect the choice made by the people in the Maldives and hope that the Maldives can maintain stability and development.

China and the Maldives enjoy traditional friendship. In recent years, our bilateral relations have maintained a sound momentum of growth. Our two sides have conducted mutually beneficial cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, which has yielded fruitful outcomes. We are willing to work with the Maldives to continue to cement traditional friendship and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation so as to deliver benefits to our two countries and two peoples.

Q: The opposition party will just come to power in the Maldives, which has been critical of China. They have also slammed some of the investment by China. In fact, the free trade agreement which was signed between the Maldives under the Yameen government and China came under a lot of criticism from the opposition party. Is China concerned because there are reports that the opposition party coming to power may just lead to renegotiation of the free trade agreement?

A: With regard to the presidential election in the Maldives, I have elaborated on China's position just now. We congratulate the Maldives on the smooth holding of the general election and Mr. Solih on his election as the President. We respect the choice made by the people in the Maldives and hope that the Maldives can maintain stability and development. Meanwhile, I also said that China is willing to continue to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with the Maldives so as to deliver benefits to our two countries and two peoples.

As to China's projects and investment in the Maldives which you are interested in, the Chinese side always encourages Chinese enterprises to invest and start businesses in the Maldives in accordance with the market principles and play a positive role in promoting the Maldives' socioeconomic development. We hope that the Maldives can maintain the consistency and stability of relevant policies and create a sound business environment for Chinese enterprises' operations there.

Regarding the China-Maldives free trade agreement, our two countries inked the free trade agreement in December last year. The Chinese side is willing to work with the Maldives to implement this agreement and continuously expand bilateral trade and investment cooperation so as to deliver more benefits to our two countries and two peoples.

Article on celebration of the mid-Autumn Festival in different parts of the world. Begins with Gwadar, Paksitan and includes also Egypt, and Central Asian countries on the XInjiang border. ............................. After the fun event, I arrived at the unique reunion dinner of the “Gwadar people”. In Gwadar Port, every reunion dinner starts at 4:30 in the morning. Zhang Baozhong explained, "This is because we seek to have the meal with the family, far away in China, so that it feels as a kind of reunion." “The most important part is to give a video call to the family to report our safety. Now, the water, electricity, network and other supporting facilities in Gwadar are gradually improving, and the family is able to be in close contact. Else it feels so far away", Hu Yaozong, Deputy General Manager of Gwadar Free Zone Co., Ltd. said. ......... Behind the bustling Gwadar Port lies a silent effort by a group of white angels. In May this year, the second batch of a Chinese Red Cross team consisting  of Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University, Beijing Red Cross Society, 999 Emergency Center, Fudan University Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital and China Red Cross Foundation Coordinator.,The Hong Kong Medical Aid team arrived in Gwadar Port. The 9 members of the second batch of these medical teams worked 6 days a week, and attended to an average of 200 patients per month locally. .....................

Our correspondent in India, Hu Bofeng A number of Indian media reported on the 20th that Pakistan’s new Prime Minister, Imran Khan, recently wrote to Indian Prime Minister, Modi, calling for resumption of the "diplomatic dialogue" between the two sides underway since the beginning of 2016, and expressing the hope that  Foreign Ministers of the two countries would be in New York this month. for the UN General Assembly meetings. It is believed that Imran Khan has repeatedly called on Pakistan and India to resume dialogue. If the Pakistani and Indian Foreign Ministers can clinch the talks during the UN General Assembly session, it will be the first diplomatic breakthrough after his assuming office. The original letter disclosed by India’s World News TV shows that Imran Khan addressed Modi in the letter with the honorific “Sahab” (meaning Sir/friend) and thanked him for his congratulations on his appointment as Prime Minister of Pakistan on August 18. The letter expressed gratitude and appreciated Modi’s remark that “the only direction of development of the relationship between the two countries lies in constructive engagement”. Imran Khan suggested that the two Foreign Ministers meet during the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly to discuss matters such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Council of Ministers meeting. He also invited Modi to attend the  SAARC  Summit in Islamabad and visit Pakistan. It was claimed that Imran Khan had previously received a letter from Modi, saying that dialogue was needed between Pakistan and India to resolve disputes, including Kashmir. The letter (from Modi), disclosed by the Indian media, was subsequently confirmed by the Pakistani side. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mohamed Faisal, said that Imran Khan’s letter to Modi showed that “the Prime Minister is responding positively to Prime Minister Modi and his proposal in a positive manner. Let us solve problems through dialogue”.  In addition, the Pakistani side also said that it was "in touch" with India to promote a meeting between the two Foreign Ministers during the UN General Assembly. However, Indian government sources subsequently told New Delhi TV that the Indian side does not have a plan as yet to restart the dialogue and suggested that the prerequisite for resumption of dialogue is resolution of the issue of terrorism. Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Kumar, said on  20th afternoon that India had rejected Pakistan's invitation to Modi to attend the SAARC Summit, saying that "the current atmosphere was not conducive for the Summit to take place." However, he responded positively to the (proposal for a) meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, saying that "the Foreign Ministers will meet during the UN General Assembly session, and that the specific time and venue will be worked out by both sides." However, he also stressed that "this is only a meeting, not a resumption of dialogue. And that the agenda for the meeting had not been decided as yet." The Times of India commented that in January 2016, the Indian Air Force base at Pathankot near the Pakistani border “had suffered a terrorist attacks from Pakistan”. And that that was the immediate trigger for the bilateral dialoguevgoing into limbo. "The attitude and policies of the Palestinian side on cross-border terrorism have not changed" to this day.  The US suspension of the security assistance program for Pakistan reflects US worries about the regional security situation and its dissatisfaction with the Pakistani side's "anti-terrorism" deliveries Therefore, India should be careful while responding to the letter from the Prime Minister of Pakistan.      

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on September 19

Q: This week, the Indian government reportedly banned ZTE and Huawei from the 5G network trial in the country. Do you have any comment? Is the Chinese side in touch with the Indian government on this? A: We have noted the relevant report. The Chinese government always encourages Chinese enterprises to carry out economic and trade cooperation on the basis of observing international rules and local laws. We also hope that the relevant country can provide a fair, just and transparent environment for Chinese businesses to operate there. The China-India economic cooperation and trade are mutually beneficial in nature and now they are going smoothly on the whole.

Item based on a report in the Deccan Herald. Full translation underway

Item based on a Deccan Chronicle report. Full translation underway

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's regular press conference on September 19, 2018  

Q: According to reports, on September 15, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi visited Afghanistan, during which he met and held talks with the Afghan leaders and other officials. The two sides made positive remarks on improving their relations and agreed to continue moving forward the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) and advancing the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan. They also agreed to hold the second China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Dialogue. What is your comment? As China is part of the trilateral Foreign Ministers' Dialogue, could you tell us about the preparations, considerations and expectations of the Chinese side for the dialogue?  

A: As a neighbor and friend to both Afghanistan and Pakistan, China hopes that the Afghanistan-Pakistan relations can develop in a sound and steady way and commends the relevant positive remarks made by the two sides.

China supports the two countries in implementing the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) and jointly moving forward the reconciliation process in Afghanistan. We are willing to continue with our constructive role in the improvement of the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan and actively promote China-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral cooperation.

Now the Chinese side is in close communication with Afghanistan and Pakistan on the specific arrangements of the second trilateral Foreign Ministers' Dialogue.

  A much abbreviated version of a long article on the website under the same title.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on September 17

  Q: Do you have any details on China-Nepal military exercises? A: I would suggest that you refer this question to the military.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Regular Press Conference on September 13, 2018

Q: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in an interview to the CNBC on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting of the World Economic Forum that Sri Lanka is not in a debt trap because of Chinese loans and it is not ceding control of its important ports to China. What is your comment? A: We have noted relevant reports. We welcome Prime Minister Wickremesinghe's words because we believe they are a forceful rebuttal to those baseless allegations that China is creating a "debt trap" in Sri Lanka, and Sri Lanka was forced to "sell" its ports to China. I would like to reiterate that China's assistance to Sri Lanka has no political strings, and China's investment and financing activities in Sri Lanka seek no political interests. China-Sri Lanka cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative will not only benefit the two peoples but also contribute to regional economic development and connectivity.

 

An item on the visit of a Shanghai-Colombo exchanges delegation to Sri Lanka

  A cross-party “Belt and Road” and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Group was established in the British Parliament at the Westminster Parliament Building in London on September 10th. British public opinion believes that the group was established to help the British Parliament increase its understanding of the “Belt and Road” initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, and provide a platform for the British business community to actively participate in the “Belt and Road” and seek cooperation opportunities. At the inauguration ceremony of the group, Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Liu Xiaoming, said that "currently, unilateralism and protectionism are rampant as undercurrents of globalization.  In such a background, the 'One Belt, One Road' initiative follows the trend of the times and upholds dialogue and consultation. Building and sharing, cooperation and mutual benefit, exchange and mutual understanding have opened up new vistas for world development, provided new ideas for enhancing reform of the global governance system and created a new platform for leading a new round of economic globalization." This year marks the fifth anniversary of the “Belt and Road Initiative” initiative. So far, 103 countries and international organizations have signed 118 cooperation agreements with China on this initiative.

The world's largest mobile phone store - Samsung India Bangalore flagship store -- opened on Tuesday. Reuters analysts said that Samsung's move is intended to compete with Chinese mobile phone manufacturers for becoming the world's second largest mobile phone supplier in the Indian market.

Our correspondent in Pakistan Ding Xuezhen, and reporter Li Sikun The "Dawn"  of Pakistan reported on the 10th that Pakistan and China have agreed to invite "third country" investors to participate in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Yan Shuang, did not talk about this issue at her regular press conference of the 10th,. He said that China and Pakistan have decided to negotiate and determine the path of future development cooperation and direction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in accordance with the emerging economic and social development priorities of the Pakistani side and the needs of their peoples. The Dawn said that this consensus was reached after prolonged consultations between Pakistan and China. The participants in this dialogue were the delegations of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform of Pakistan and the China Development and Reform Commission. No country has been specifically mentioned, but an official said that countries from Central Asia, Europe and some countries including Turkey, Russia and Saudi Arabia are likely to invest in the nine special economic zones concerned. Gwadar Port will be re-positioned optimally among them as an industrial center for export markets. The above countries can invest separately or jointly with Pakistan or China to take advantage of the port's transshipment potential, location and benefits of the free trade zone. "Dawn" quoted sources as saying that Beijing hopes that countries with friendly relations with China and Pakistan will participate in the construction of special economic zones to refute the voices of criticism, especially the charge of opacity of the related projects by  US and India. The previous day, the Financial Times reported that Pakistan was  re-considering  its role in the “Belt and Road Initiative”, citing the Government’s Advisor on commercial, textile, industrial and investment matters, Razak Dawood,, as having stated that  “Chinese companies have received multiple benefits such as taxation and enjoyed excessive privileges in Pakistan. This is one of the things we are paying attention to because Pakistani companies believe this to be unfair.” In response to this report, the Pakistani government issued a statement on the 10th refuting it and saying that the statement of Razak Dawood was quoted out of context and distorted. Pakistan refused to acknowledge the report, especially its title. The statement said that during the recent visit of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, Pakistan and China reaffirmed the "all-weather strategic partnership" and the two countries' commitment to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The Pakistani side assured the Chinese side that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was a national priority for the Pakistani government and that there was total convergence between the two sides on the future direction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

  An item on the gold medal won by Vinesh Phogat at the recent Asian Games for women's free style wrestling. ............... Indian movie star Amir Khan also congratulated Vinesh on social media: "We are all proud of you." Vinesh' growth trajectory epitomises the enhanced status of Indian women in recent years. Their successes have shown that women can also strive to become glorious stars, and will encourage more Indian girls to take part  in sports. During my stay in India, I had a lot of contact with local professional women because of work, including journalists, officials, doctors, and women in the service industry like Amita. They are quick-thinking, open-minded, and hardworking. It can be seen that Indian women in the metropolis are changing from tradition. "Dangal" and a series of local films inspired by women, such as Dad and Mysterious Superstar, are sought after in India. More and more Indian women are finding strength in these films and drawing inspiration for happiness and independence.

    "China's development achievements have been watched with admiration.  I especially hope to learn from China's achievements and experience in poverty alleviation and anti-corruption." Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan made the above remarks during a meeting with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yixi in Islamabad on the 9th.  He is looking forward to an official visit to China in November this year.. Wang Yi’s two-day trip to Pakistan has attracted much attention. In particular, his use of facts and figures at the press conference on the 8th to show that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor had not aggravated Pakistan's debt burden. Some American media believe that Wang Yi’s disclosure details are intended to respond to US criticism. The United States once said that Pakistan plans to obtain funds from the International Monetary Fund, for the sole purpose of repaying  Chinese loans. In the talks with Wang Yi on the 9th, Imran Khan stressed that "China has a special position in the hearts of the Palestinian people." "The Pakistan-China Economic Corridor is an iconic economic cooperation project between the two countries. It is also important to build the 'One Belt, One Road' connect.  Pakistan is willing to cooperate with China to build this project." Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper said on the 9th that Wang Yi was the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit Pakistan since Prime Minister Imran Khan took office. Pakistan’s “National Daily” published a commentary on the 8th saying that the all-weather strategic partnership between China and Pakistan has maintained a good momentum of frequent high-level exchanges, and many fruitful cooperation agreements. The two countries support each other on issues involving their core interests. Prime Minister Imran Khan has specifically mentioned the special friendly relations between China and Pakistan on various occasions. In addition to meeting Imran Khan, Wang Yi also held talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi, Pakistan Army Chief of Staff, Bajwa and National Assembly Speaker, Kaiser and other political leaders during the visit  on 8th and 9th. On the afternoon of the 9th, Wang Yi attended the inauguration ceremony of Pakistani President Alvi. Attention in the outside world was focused mainly on Wang Yi’s statement about Pakistan’s debt. He detailed a set of figures on the 8th, when he held a press conference with Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi : there are currently 22 cooperative projects under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, 9 of which have been completed and 13 are under construction, with a total investment of USD 19 billion. This has boosted Pakistan’s economic growth by 1 to 2 percentage points per year and created 70,000 jobs for Pakistanis. Among the 22 projects, 18 were directly invested or assisted by China, and only 4 used Chinese preferential loans. Wang Yi stressed that the results of the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor are real and have not aggravated the debt burden of the Pakistani government. On the same occasion, Qureshi assured Wang Yi that China-Pakistan relations are time-tested and will not change with changes in government. The Pakistan government continues to prioritize the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as an important project for Pakistan's social and economic development. On the 9th, almost all major Pakistani English media such as "Dawn", "Observer" and "Pakistan Today" published Wang Yi’s statement at the press conference on Pakistani debt and relations between the two countries (pictured). Reuters said on the 8th that the question whether China had aggravated Pakistan's debts had become a "sore point" in relations between the two countries. US Secretary of State Pompeo warned in July that any IMF assistance to the Pakistani economy could not be used to repay Chinese loans. This statement was immediately refuted by China and Pakistan as unfounded. A "Voice of America" report of the 9th ​​said that according to information provided by the Pakistani Finance Minister to the Parliament earlier this month, Beijing’s share of the over $69 billion foreign debt of Pakistan is about $8.4 billion, of which $6 billion pertains to  the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project loan. And that  on the 8th, Wang Yi had said that 47% of the foreign debts held by Pakistan came from multilateral financial institutions. He disclosed this detail in response to criticism from the United States. The report said that  Pompeo had just visited Islamabad on the 5th of this month, and tried to reset the US-Pakistan relationship.

    The item dwells on Indian 'jugaad', noting, inter alia,  PM Modi's proud claim of an Indian space launch's budget being no more than that of a Hollywood film, with unabashed admiration.;  a rarity.

Q: India and the US yesterday held their 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue and signed the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement. The two sides also called for ensuring maritime freedom in the Indo-Pacific region. What is your comment?

A: We have seen relevant reports on the US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. China is glad to see the two countries develop normal bilateral relations. We also hope that while moving forward bilateral relations, they could contribute more to regional peace and stability.

As to the two sides calling for ensuring the freedom of navigation you mentioned, China always upholds the freedom of navigation enjoyed by all countries in accordance with international law and hopes that all sides could make earnest efforts to ensure real freedom of navigation.

(N.B. The part of the answer featured in italics above was not included in the report in Chinese on the MOFA website in Chinese but is there in the webpage on the English version of the website.)

A summary reproduction of a travelogue reportedly published in the Deccan Herald of September 7, 2018 "Travelling through China: Changing Lives of Herdsmen", on the changing life patterns with availability of online connectivity in Inner Mongolia in China.

  An item on the Chinese comic strips and cartoons exhibition held in Pakistan

  An abbreviated version of the piece with the same title in Global Times  (Chinese) the same day that is being translated.

  Translation underway

  A detailed  item that takes off from Minister for Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu's recent statement announcing spending of USD 60 billion to build 100 airports in India (featured in a separate item in the Global Times (Chinese) today), dwelling on the well known difficulties of land acquisition etc that result in chronic delays in implementation of planned projects..

  The item reports on Minisiter of Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu's recent statement on construction of 100 airports with a spending of USD 60 billion.   A separate item makes a comment on the Indian plans for boosting air transport infra-structure.

The item contradicts a Times of India report of September 2, 2018, which mentioned that the Ambassadors of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Maldives did not attend the inaugural ceremony of the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge in Male because their cars were stopped ahead of the venue by the Maldives' security staff and they were asked to walk down from there, whereas the Chinese Ambassador's car was allowed to proceed till the last point (and was, in fact, the only one to be so allowed). The item claims that the Global Times reporter in Male was told by a Chinese Embassy official that the Chinese Ambassador did not use his car at all that day, but walked down to the function, as the venue of the opening ceremony was very close to the Embassy. It also dismissed speculation of a boycott of the function by the Ambassadors of these three countries (India , Bangladesh and Sri Lanka), citing their presence at the Bridge, along with 10 other envoys in Male on July 30th.  

A detailed report that gives prominence, not surprisingly, to the Pakistani viewpoint that the US $ 300 million withheld by the US was not aid or assistance but reimbursement for expenditure incurred by Pakistan on (joint) anti-terror operations, while reporting the US view on the need for Pakistan to do more in the fight against terrorism only in passing, somewhere in the middle of the item. The item concludes with the observation that the USA has little choice but to carry Pakistan with her if it wishes to make headway in (creating the conditions for witjhdrawal from) Afghanistan.

On Monday, the price of oil in Delhi, India touched a record high of 79 rupees per liter (100 rupees equal to 9.6 yuan). Analysts believe that the rise in international oil prices and the historical low of the exchange value of the rupee on the day are the main factors.

 

Recently, the  long established Indian university, Aligarh Muslim University, has been involved in public controversies on the issue of whether or not to accord low caste students reserved quotas in its admissions policy. According to India’s “Times of India” of September 1st, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, said that Aligarh Muslim University should assume social responsibility as an established  institution of long standing, and accord reservation to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes students.  Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes,  according to reports, is the terminology in the Indian Constitution for socially disadvantaged groups. This has led to public debate about whether or not a socially disadvantaged group should be accorded a certain policy bias. Supporters believe that it would help them integrate into society, while opponents believe that to be unfair. (Li Chongxiu)

A rhesus macaque (monkey) from New Delhi, India, got hold of a broken mirror and looked into it out of curiousity.  His "cocky" appearance was captured by a photographer, making him "net red monkey."

An item on the inauguration of the bridge connecting three islands in Maldives built by China.. Excerpts:   ......The bridge spans the Indian Ocean's Jurassic Strait and, in a first in the country's history, realises the objective of forging land links between the capital island of  Male, Airport Island and Hulhumale Island, eliminating a long-term obstacle to economic development. Yaming said that in order to alleviate the congestion in Male and develop the local economy, the Maldives is developing Hulu Malé Island and plans to develop the island into a modern city with a population of 240,000............. ..............Alongside bringing real benefits to the Maldivian people, the China-Malaysia Friendship Bridge also fully demonstrates China's infrastructure strength. The bridge built by China Communications Construction Second Navigation Bureau has a total length of 2,000 meters, of which the cross-sea bridge is 1390 meters long and is a six-span laminated hybrid beam V-shaped steel bridge. The design life of the bridge is 100 years, and the construction adopts Chinese standards, Chinese specifications, Chinese technology and Chinese management. Wang Xiaotao, representative of the Chinese government and Director of the National Development Cooperation Agency, said that as a sincere and credible partner of the Maldivian side, China will cooperate with the Maldivian side under the framework of the “Belt and Road” initiative, develop opportunities and accomplish common prosperity.

The China-Maldives  Friendship Bridge,, which was built under Chinese assistance,, was officially opened on the evening of August 30.th . The China-Maldives  Friendship Bridge is an iconic project  of the two countries in the realm of  the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The bridge is 2 kilometers long and will connect  Malé and the airport  island of Maldives. It has a design life of 100 years.  With the completion of the bridge, life and residential circles in Male will be extended. This  will help in relieving pressure on Male  island . Visitors will be able to  make quick return trips between Male and the Airport Island through a land route. Xinhua News Agency

  Extracts of reply pertaining to India: .....................................China is willing to promote healthy and stable development of Sino-Indian relations Wu Qian introduced that State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe paid an official goodwill visit to India from August 21st to 24th. The  Indian Prime Minister Modi and Defense Minister Sitaraman held separate meetings and talks with Wei Fenghe during the visit. The two sides conducted in-depth discussions on further important agreements reached between President Xi Jin Ping and Prime Minister Modi, deepening military security exchanges and cooperation, and strengthening mechanisms for building mutual trust in the field of defense, including establishing a mechanism for mutual visits by Defense Ministers, establishing a confidential telephone line for the two Ministries of National Defense, and strengthening defense exchanges. Wu Qian said that China and India are important countries in the Asian region and shoulder important responsibilities in maintaining regional peace and stability.  If the dragon and elephant dances, the two sides benefit along with Asian prosperity; if the dragon and elephant fight, both sides will be at a disadvantage  and others will benefit. China is willing to work together with India to actively implement the consensus reached by the two Heads of State, strengthen communication and coordination, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage differences and promote healthy and stable development of relations between the two militaries..................

 

On the 29th, a large dam breach in the Bago area of ​​Myanmar caused flooding and displacement of more than 50,000 people from their homes. The picture shows affected people hugging trees for survival in the floods .

 

Our  correspondent in India,, Hu Bofeng Under the title "China-US trade war, India can benefit" - India's "Economic Times" and other media reported on the 28th that a study by the Indian business sector showed that after the US launched a trade war against China,  US exports to China had been curtailed  by China. The impact on competitiveness caused by the high tariffs is an excellent time for India to strengthen its exports to China and seize the US position in the Chinese market. The report also said that if India can successfully seize this opportunity, the trade deficit of 63 billion US dollars between India and China  can be expected to quickly equalize. The report analyzed in detail at least 100 Indian commodities with export potential to China, such as cotton, corn, almonds, wheat, sorghum and so on. "Economic Times" quoted the report as averring that "fresh grapes, cotton, flue-cured tobacco, lubricating oil, and chemical products such as benzene were important varieties of US exports to China , whose total export value could exceed 100 billion US dollars."  Exporting these goods to China is expected to expand the scale of exports. A person familiar with the report contacted the local media and said, "After the US launched the trade war, the trade confrontation between China and the United States has intensified. US exports of Chinese goods have a huge tax component compared with other countries' exports to China. However, China’s huge market demand has not changed, which is a major business opportunity for India and market space for it to strengthen its exports to China. India’s Financial Express said that after the United States launched a trade war with China, China imposed a high tariff of 15% to 25% on goods from the United States, but only 5% to 10% on goods exported to other countries. Normal tariffs. The report specifically pointed out that under the framework of the revised Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement of 2005, India's exports to China enjoy an additional 6% to 35% tax rebate, making them more competitive. Bloomberg of the United States also paid attention to this news on the 28th. The report quoted sources as saying that the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry had instructed the Embassy in China as a promoter to arrange relevant meetings for Indian exporters in China. Amarendra Pali, a senior researcher at the South Asian Institute, said that the US trade war against China will largely reshape the global supply chain, which is important for India, which urgently needs to increase its export s to China. While this was good,  it was still too early to say whether India would benefit from the Sino-US trade war. "Interestingly, the Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry, Prabhu, recently convened a meeting to discuss the strategy for increasing India's manufacturing exports by 2025." India's "Business Today" website said on the 28th that this report will provide a blueprint for that goal. According to data released by the Ministry of Commerce of China in April this year, the volume of bilateral trade between China and India increased by 20.3% in 2017 to US$84.4 billion. China is India's largest trading partner, and India is expected to rank among the top 10 trading partners of China.

According to a report in the "Indian Express" of the 28th, the Indian government is planning to take a series of measures to attract Chinese tourists, including holding of tourism roadshows, setting up tourist offices in China, training Chinese tour guides, and strengthening communication and publicity together with the Chinese media in India. The goal of the Indian tourism sector is to attract at least 14 million Chinese tourists over the next five years in the course of promoting Indian tourism products amongst Chinese tourists.. The  Indian Minister of Tourism, Alphons, will participate in tourism promotion activities in China on the 28th. This is his second visit to China in the past four months. Alphons will personally participate in all roadshows held by the Ministry of Tourism of India from August 28th to September 1st in Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan and Guangzhou. He said: "Chinese tourists will form the focus of Indian tourism in the future." According to data from the Indian Ministry of Tourism in 2017, China offers 144 million outbound tourists  every year, of which only 250,000 are tourists to India. In an interview with the local media, Alphons said that India is rich in tourism resources, including many natural and historical sites, national parks and wildlife parks. Many of them are listed in the World Natural Heritage and Cultural Heritage List.  These will be the focus of our promotion in China." According to reports, the Indian tourism department has produced a variety of Chinese-themed promotional videos on tourism topics, including yoga, wildlife, Ayurvedic and other tourism projects with distinctive Indian characteristics. The Indian Express quoted officials from the Indian Ministry of Tourism as saying that after the informal meeting between the Indian and Chinese leaders in Wuhan, the enthusiasm of the two countries to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in tourism and culture has been at an all-time high. However, compared with China's relatively comprehensive tourism supporting resources and facilities, there are still many aspects meriting improvement in India. At present, there are no more than 50 registered Chinese tour guides in India, and the government plans to train more Chinese tour guides. According to Alphons,,  India also intends to speed up the construction of tourism-related infrastructure with a view to attracting more tourists,. It is reported that the office of the Indian Ministry of Tourism that is to be set up in Beijing will also be operational officially this month for facilitating  long-term promotion of Indian tourism in China, .

A photo item on the pineapple season in Bangladesh

An item on the statement of Shri Subramaniam Swamy, MP, advocating invasion of Maldives by India in case the forthcoming elections there were rigged, as apprehended widely. "........................................................Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Kumar said on the 26th that Swamy’s words “represent only his personal views and do not represent the position of the Government of India”. Swamy’s remarks were also  condemned by the Maldivian ruling and opposition parties. Even the opposition party claimed that the speech was “irresponsible and caused damage to relations between the Maldives and India”.

A brief item on the (large) number of cattle killed in India by running trains.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson's  regular press conference of August 27, 2018 Q: It is reported that on the 24th, India and Pakistan participated for the first time in the 2018 SCO "Peace Mission" anti-terrorism exercise held in Russia. The Ministry of Defense officials of India and Pakistan said that they believe that the two sides can learn from each other, and from the unique opportunity to exchange experiences. What is China's comment on exchanges and cooperation between India and Pakistan? A: We welcome the joint participation of India and Pakistan in the anti-terrorism exercise under the SCO framework. Both India and Pakistan are important countries in South Asia. Stability in India-Pakistan relations is of great significance for regional peace and stability and even world peace and development. We sincerely hope that India and Pakistan will strengthen bilateral dialogue and cooperation within multilateral mechanisms such as the SCO, improve relations and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

A summary of the article in Economic Times of August 26, 2018 by Mithila Phadke, on her experiences, of having got used to -- to the point of being spoilt by --  online shopping through apps on the mobile phone, without cash payments. Extols China's advanced apps for their customer friendly and easy to use service.

Xinhua News Agency, Islamabad, August 18 (reporter Ji Wei)  The inauguration ceremony of the newly elected Prime Minister was held in Pakistan on 18th morning. Imran Khan officially became the Prime Minister. On the afternoon of the 17th, the Pakistan National Assembly held a Prime Ministerial election. Imran Khan won the support of 176 members and defeated the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (Sharif), Shabaz Sharif, and was elected as the new Prime Minister. According to the Pakistani Constitution, the Prime Minister of the government is elected for a term of five years and can be re-elected.

According to US media reports, US State Department officials recently held a series of meetings with representatives of the Taliban in Afghanistan in Doha, Qatar. The two sides held several rounds of consultations on the domestic reconciliation and peace process in Afghanistan. Since US officials have not denied this report, analysts believe that the US authorities have in fact acknowledged a direct dialogue with the Taliban militants, and the US is making important adjustments to its Afghan policy. The direct dialogue between the United States and the Taliban, was welcomed by the Afghan government in rather cautious  terms. Some analysts believe that this dialogue will be a turning point in the peace process in Afghanistan. But the peace process in Afghanistan is not going to be realised. Seeking to realize such a direct dialogue (with the Taliban) is a desperate move by the United States in recognition of the reality in Afghanistan. After all, the Afghan war has been underway for 17 years. The Taliban office in Qatar has also been running for five years. The US Afghanistan strategy has changed, but the security situation in Afghanistan is still turbulent, and peaceful reconstruction still difficult. At present, less than 60% of the 407 regions in the country are under the full control of the Afghan government, and the annual security and economic assistance provided by the United States to Afghanistan is as high as $45 billion. Under the current situation, the United States' response to the demands of the Afghan Taliban and engaging in direct dialogue with them has become a desperate move. On the one hand, although the Taliban do not possess the capacity to capture Kabul again, or dislodge the US forces out of Afghanistan, they still have the initiative in the battlegrounds in Afghanistan. Their strategy is to continue to fight until the United States is constrained to choose to retreat, like the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, because of not being able to withstand the duration of the conflict. Therefore, they do not need to defeat the Americans, only need to wear out their patience. In this regard, the United States does not have an effective strategy to crack (the Taliban). On the other hand, although the United States dominates the battlefield, it is difficult for it to completely eliminate the Taliban militarily. Therefore, it wants to seek a solution to the Afghan issue through peace talks with the Taliban. Over the years, the Taliban’s office in Doha and the Afghan Embassy have been functioning in the same city. Both of them have been able to conduct public activities and naturally been acquiesced in by the United States. However, the US government’s readiness for talks has not been strong in the past. The US military has all along had the mentality of “others can’t do it” and wants to gamble on the military approach. It is not difficult to see that the sincerity is at a discount in the (US) peace talks. Its military's reluctance not only makes it difficult for the peace talks to accomplish substantive results, but also drags the Afghan peace talks process forward. For many years, the United States has insisted that the Taliban should first lay down their weapons and then participate in the "mainstream politics" of Afghanistan. The United States has never seriously considered the Taliban’s request for US troops to withdraw from Afghanistan.  The Taliban does not at all accept such an outrageous negotiating objective, -- give up arms, and where is the capital of peace talks? The jumpiness of the Trump Administration on many diplomatic issues over the past year upon assuming office  would undoubtedly have deepened the Taliban’s distrust and doubts whether the United States will abide by its commitments further. Despite all this, the talks after all do mean that the United States has taken a positive step towards recognizing the political and security realities of Afghanistan and are conducive to peace and national reconciliation in Afghanistan. At the same time, it has created favorable conditions for other forces to support the peace process in Afghanistan with a more positive attitude. However, the outcome of the direct dialogue between the United States and the Taliban remains to be seen. Whether the Taliban, which has been refusing to engage in dialogue with the Afghan government, will make changes in these talks is yet not determined, and the extremist organization "Islamic State" is active in the northern part of the region. The threat from them is graver than that from the Taliban. All of this makes for the peace process in Afghanistan still having a long way to go. (The author is the Director of the South Asian Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)

The item reports BJP General secretary, Ram Madhav's, remarks to the Indian media in Beijing. Full translation: A Press Trust of India despatch of the 15th reported that India and China are to hold the 21st round of meetings between their Special Representatives on boundary issues in the coming weeks. The General Secretary of the People’s Party of India, Ram Madhav, affirmed the results of previous negotiations ahead of the forthcoming meeting. He said on the 15th that the two countries have resolved some of the boundary disputes through negotiations, excepting mainly the dispute in the Western sector, and that the negotiations were moving in a positive direction. The above-mentioned remarks were made by him to the Indian media in Beijing during his visit there. Asked by an Indian journalist whether the border disputes that the two countries had "already resolved" included "Arunachal Pradesh" (Southern Tibet), Madhav replied that he could not comment on that, but stressed that the main difference between the two sides is in the Western segment of the boundary. He said that India, China and Bhutan are still maintaining the status quo in the Doklam ( Donglang) area. Madhav said that the "Wuhan Spirit", the result of the informal meeting between the leaders of India and China in Wuhan, is a new phrase in their relationship, and that both sides should persist in making full use of it. Talking about the influence of India's domestic politics on the boundary negotiations, he said that whenever there are (domestic) elections in India, the boundary issue becomes a political issue, and parties vie (with each other) for gaining the upper hand. (Zhen Xiang) (N.B. Original PTI report at https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/india-china-resolved-dispute-over-large-segment-of-border-ram-madhav-1315263-2018-08-15)

Japan not suitable in the high-speed rail market in India

A military base in northern Afghanistan seized by Taliban forces

A report on the Children's Theatre Festival in China, with special emphasis on the performances of the Tibetan troupes and those from BRICS countries. The presentation by the Indian troupe is singled out for strong positive mention.

Cooperation between China and Pakistan has been steady and sustained

A motorcade attacked in Pakistan caused injured 6

The item reports the commencement of the first commercial cargo flight between Shnzhen and Chennai: ............"As two important cities of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, the opening of Shenzhen = Chennai route is a reflection of China-India good economic and trade relations." Liu Lianghao, chairman of SF Airlines, said, "With the expansion of international business, SF Express It will also open destinations in 12 international cities and commence flights to provide services to more international cities, and strive to seize the development opportunities of 'One Belt, One Road' construction."......................

What is the purpose of the dialogue between the United States and the Taliban in Afghanistan?

China's signing ceremony for exchange of drought emergency food aid to Afghanistan held in Kabul

The United States talks directly with the Taliban

The item reports imposition of duties on Chinese solar energy equipment by India.  After going on to mention that perceptions of China in India are generally negative (citing the 2017 Pew survey reporting favourable perceptions to be no more than 25% ), and US attempts to drag India as the axis of its Indo-Pacific strategy to check China, the report dismisses that (India's enlistment for “encirclement and containment” of China.) as an over interpretation, drawing comfort from the US -- especially President Trump-- being regarded as an unreliable partner in India and lack of congruence between PM Modi's 'Make in India' initiative and US trade and technology policies.. It concludes with an exhortation to India to shoulder more responsibility, along with China, for countering protectionism as a beneficiary of the global multilateral free trade system.

A translation of the August 6, 2018 "US News and World Report" article titled "India becomes China's secret commercial weapon" by  Cindy Ladu. Foreign players are increasingly attracted by India's economic potential. For Chinese investors, the ongoing threat of US-China trade wars may make India an increasingly attractive discussion topic. Driven by the “going outwards” policy, Chinese companies that have not been able to penetrate the Indian market by themselves have turned to investing in Indian companies. At the same time, US Internet companies are still struggling with the Indian market. Experts believe that those who succeed in the Indian market are those who are most determined, rather than more qualified companies. Chinese Internet companies are increasingly leading India and Southeast Asia, especially Alibaba, Tencent and Xiaomi, the number one mobile phone brand in the Indian market. .......... Why do Chinese technology start-ups pay close attention to the Indian market? Because of the 150 years of retail infrastructure and history (not like the West), Southeast Asian and South Asian consumers are now experiencing problems similar to the challenges China has faced in the past 10 years, so Chinese entrepreneurs' solutions are better suited to these markets. Why is China's strategy more suitable for infiltration into the Indian market than the US? Chinese companies have formed partnerships and investments with local Indian companies to introduce technology, especially in areas such as artificial intelligence. The Chinese company does not enter India with its own banner or carrying its own products. This strategy is far more effective than those of  the US companies. The current competitive situation in the Indian market is “China + (India) Home vs. USA”. Almost all growth in the world today comes from developing markets. There are 400 million new netizens in India and Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. These regions are just new markets where Chinese companies are far more aggressive than local players and even (Western) established Internet companies. ( translated by Wang Huicong)

Afghan military killS 51 Taliban militants in the East

India uses military procurement to hover between the United States and Russia

Three NATO soldiers killed in an attack in eastern Afghanistan

On the difficulties caused by the torrential rains in Mumbai. Photo shows a woman with load on her head and a cow finding it difficult to make headway on the street full of water.

In the rural areas of Myanmar, cattle are still the main working animals, and ox carts are still a common means of transport. At the tourist attraction at Bagan stupa, the white ox in the cart are beautifully decorated red and green. In addition, colorful plastic flowers are inserted in the cart. Foreign tourists take the oxcart as a popular choice to experience the local traditional culture. It is said that most Burmese people do not eat beef, not for religious reasons, but because they believe that cattle are hard-working for a lifetime and cannot bear slaughter.

Reporting the record decline in the exchange value of the rupee, and other currencies/

About the extraordinary contribution of Chinese military personnel deployed in the Belt and Road Initiative towards completion of the projects. In Belarus, Laos and Pakistan (Gwadar) under inhospitable conditions.(Item focussed on China, more than on Pakistan.)

An item based on a Times of India report on the Indian Government's decision to deploy 500 women commandos in J&K (India controlled Kashmir) in a bid to counter stone-pelting against the Army by women.

About China assistance to Myanmar for poverty reduction programmmes.

About the foray into foreign countries being made by Shanghai TV serials, beginning with Pakistan but including also Hungary, Malaysia, Singapore,Vietnam and Mongolia. (A domestic oriented item, than one on Pakistan.)

According to Xinhua News Agency reporting from Kabul on July 1st, on June 30 Afghan President Ghani announced that he will end the unilateral ceasefire with the Taliban in Afghanistan and called upon them (Taliban) to participate in the peace talks. At a press conference held on the same day, Ghani said that the 18-day ceasefire has ended and the Afghan security forces will resume military operations. Ghani said that the previous ceasefire had achieved remarkable results, indicating that the country wais ready for peace.

Many Volkswagen Beetle owners brought their cars to Hotel GalleFace in Colombo on July 1st to celebrate the annual "Volkswagen" day.

■Wang Qishan met Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Ali in Beijing on the 29th

This article, published on the occasion of World Anti-drugs Day, seeks to put Pakistan's drug problem in explanatory relief by beginning with the (massive) scale of the problem world-wide: 450,000 drug abuse deaths in 2015. It then goes on to mention the total number of drug addicts in Pakistan  to be about 7.6 million, of which 78% are male and 22% are female, adding that the actual number is much larger. And that Pakistan is relatively vulnerable to drug trafficking due to its geographical proximity to the “new golden Crescent” area where production and trafficking is severe.  Pakistan is presented as a victim of manufacture and transit trafficking of opium and heroin, with increasing spillover effects of the international drug industry chain exacerbating the challenges and making Pakistan a frontline country in the fight against drugs.

A photo item on joint patrolling of the Xinjiang border by Chinese and Pakistani troops.

We will earnestly implement the neighborhood diplomacy concept of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness proposed by President Xi Jinping. China and Myanmar will always be good neighbors, good friends and good partners

We will earnestly implement the neighborhood diplomacy concept of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness proposed by President Xi Jinping. China and Myanmar will always be good neighbors, good friends and good partners

Extracts from Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang's Regular Press Conference on June 27, 2018 Q: Could you offer us more details on the Bangladeshi Foreign Minister's visit to China? Does China have any expectation for it? A: China and Bangladesh are friendly neighbors. In October 2016, President Xi Jinping paid a visit of milestone significance to Bangladesh during which the China-Bangladesh relationship was elevated to a strategic cooperative partnership. Through Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali's visit, the two sides will strive to achieve greater synergy, further implement the outcomes of President Xi's visit to Bangladesh and move forward the all-around cooperation. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will hold talks with Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali, and they will exchange in-depth views on China-Bangladesh relations and issues of mutual interest. China looks forward to joining hands with Bangladesh to move forward the China-Bangladesh strategic cooperative partnership in the new era.