Post 19th Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping&rsquo;s self-election, the enshrinement of his thoughts and ideas like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the Chinese Constitution, and self-achievement of parallel status to Mao Zedong, made headlines across the globe.&nbsp;

His being &ldquo;Chairman of everything&rdquo; after routing all his possible competitors through every possible means, including famous anti-corruption drive, has definitely created some disgruntled elements in his system, who may not speak now because disagreeing with Xi &lsquo;The Core&rsquo; is anti-national and may lead to jail. This may well create a pressure cooker kind of situation, having no safety valve.

How Xi Jinping became so powerful?

In exploring the power of Xi, one finds that Xi Jinping&rsquo;s ambition and journey to such powerful autocratic position started immediately on taking over as President after 18th Congress. In his initial speeches, he talked of &lsquo;Young Chinese to Dream&rsquo; and &ldquo;Revitalisation of the nation&rdquo; which later turned to &ldquo;Rejuvenation&rdquo; as China&rsquo;s national dream in the 19th Congress.

The script of &ldquo;Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era&rdquo;, now enshrined in the Constitution, was in his mind since 2012. His strength is that he was able to successfully sell the dream of &lsquo;Making China great&rsquo; with making &lsquo;Xi great&rsquo; embedded in it. He was able to sell the dream of prosperous life, and his anti-corruption drive was most popular amongst masses, notwithstanding the accusation of systematically eliminating the entire dissent under this drive.

He also demonstrated that mainland China is the safest place in the world with no terrorist attack so far, (even if it amounted to appeasing some militant groups like JeM, or buying out few others based in Pakistan), in an era when almost every other country doesn&rsquo;t find itself safe from terror attacks. The masterstroke was getting the PLA under full control by becoming the Commander in Chief of Joint Battle Command of PLA, and now reorganising CMC as its Chairman with his loyalists on top hierarchy.

He also used the relative inaction period of the US by increasing international gains and incremental encroachment in the South China Sea. While President Trump spoke of &lsquo;America First&rsquo; giving the inward-looking impression, President Xi continued with &lsquo;China First&rsquo; without speaking about it, giving an outward-looking impression. Today he stands tall almost as an autocratic leader of China with no worthwhile checks and balances.

Are Xi&rsquo;s Achievements worth his status to be in league with Mao?

Xi&rsquo;s critics have a reason to argue that he has got much more than his dues. Economically, he took over at 7.9 per cent GDP and entered 19th Congress with a downward slide to approximately 6.5 per cent. Notwithstanding global slide, his economic achievements do not match Deng Xiaoping. He initiated BRI which has not met much success so far because the countries who partnered it are finding it exploitative, including its closest ally Pakistan.

Despite his attractive packaging of BRI as a win-win initiative for inclusive growth, most of the countries found it to be Win-China initiative purely to offload over capacities and trade surpluses to boost dipping economy, increasing strategic footprints, getting warm water access and exploiting their resources. It is viewed as China-centric global connectivity model, conceived by him, and expecting the world to follow by purse diplomacy or coercion.

It started showing true intentions&nbsp;when a bulk of the contracts and jobs went to Chinese companies with China grabbing land and resources of poor countries, which cannot pay back. The success of AIIB can also be attributed to the desire of participating countries to find an alternate source of funding other than the US-dominated IMF or Japan dominated ADB.

The anti-corruption drives made him popular amongst masses, but also gave him a tool to wipe out dissenting elements. All his so-called achievements covered in boastful speech, to my mind do not measure up to Mao Zedong, who fought as a military commander, raised the Peoples Republic of China out of peasants&rsquo; force to People&rsquo;s Army to PLA after a long march and struggled to give the shape to the country.

The only recognisable achievement of Xi Jinping, in my opinion, is that he managed the power play better than most of his predecessors in his last five years, to make himself great.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) .

The anti-corruption drives made Jinping popular amongst masses also he managed the power play better than most of his predecessors in his last five years, to make himself great

Post 19th Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping’s self-election, the enshrinement of his thoughts and ideas like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the Chinese Constitution, and self-achievement of parallel status to Mao Zedong, made headlines across the globe. His being “Chairman of everything” after routing all his possible competitors through every possible means, including famous anti-corruption drive, has definitely created some disgruntled elements in his system, who may not speak now because disagreeing with Xi ‘The Core’ is anti-national and may lead to jail. This may well create a pressure cooker kind of situation, having no safety valve. How Xi Jinping became so powerful? In exploring the power of Xi, one finds that Xi Jinping’s ambition and journey to such powerful autocratic position started immediately on taking over as President after 18th Congress. In his initial speeches, he talked of ‘Young Chinese to Dream’ and “Revitalisation of the nation” which later turned to “Rejuvenation” as China’s national dream in the 19th Congress. The script of “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era”, now enshrined in the Constitution, was in his mind since 2012. His strength is that he was able to successfully sell the dream of ‘Making China great’ with making ‘Xi great’ embedded in it. He was able to sell the dream of prosperous life, and his anti-corruption drive was most popular amongst masses, notwithstanding the accusation of systematically eliminating the entire dissent under this drive. He also demonstrated that mainland China is the safest place in the world with no terrorist attack so far, (even if it amounted to appeasing some militant groups like JeM, or buying out few others based in Pakistan), in an era when almost every other country doesn’t find itself safe from terror attacks. The masterstroke was getting the PLA under full control by becoming the Commander in Chief of Joint Battle Command of PLA, and now reorganising CMC as its Chairman with his loyalists on top hierarchy. He also used the relative inaction period of the US by increasing international gains and incremental encroachment in the South China Sea. While President Trump spoke of ‘America First’ giving the inward-looking impression, President Xi continued with ‘China First’ without speaking about it, giving an outward-looking impression. Today he stands tall almost as an autocratic leader of China with no worthwhile checks and balances. Are Xi’s Achievements worth his status to be in league with Mao? Xi’s critics have a reason to argue that he has got much more than his dues. Economically, he took over at 7.9 per cent GDP and entered 19th Congress with a downward slide to approximately 6.5 per cent. Notwithstanding global slide, his economic achievements do not match Deng Xiaoping. He initiated BRI which has not met much success so far because the countries who partnered it are finding it exploitative, including its closest ally Pakistan. Despite his attractive packaging of BRI as a win-win initiative for inclusive growth, most of the countries found it to be Win-China initiative purely to offload over capacities and trade surpluses to boost dipping economy, increasing strategic footprints, getting warm water access and exploiting their resources. It is viewed as China-centric global connectivity model, conceived by him, and expecting the world to follow by purse diplomacy or coercion. It started showing true intentions when a bulk of the contracts and jobs went to Chinese companies with China grabbing land and resources of poor countries, which cannot pay back. The success of AIIB can also be attributed to the desire of participating countries to find an alternate source of funding other than the US-dominated IMF or Japan dominated ADB. The anti-corruption drives made him popular amongst masses, but also gave him a tool to wipe out dissenting elements. All his so-called achievements covered in boastful speech, to my mind do not measure up to Mao Zedong, who fought as a military commander, raised the Peoples Republic of China out of peasants’ force to People’s Army to PLA after a long march and struggled to give the shape to the country. The only recognisable achievement of Xi Jinping, in my opinion, is that he managed the power play better than most of his predecessors in his last five years, to make himself great. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) .

Opinion: Xi Jinping's rise to power in 2017

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only world statesman to have stood up to China&#39;s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/india-welcome-to-join-belt-and-road-initiative-says-china-22994">Belt and Road Initiative</a>, also known as One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR), even though the US has been silent on the ambitious project till recently, a top American expert on China said on Friday.

During a Congressional hearing, Michael Pillsbury, Director of Center on Chinese Strategy at the prestigious think-tank Hudson Institute, told lawmakers that Modi and his team have been quite outspoken against Chinese President Xi Jinping&#39;s ambitious project.

&quot;The only statesman in the world who stood up to it yet, is Prime Minister Modi. He and his team have been quite outspoken, partly because the Belt and Road Initiative includes violation of Indian sovereign claims, Pillsbury said.

&quot;But the US government, until now and this is a five- year-old initiative if you count the early part of it, has been silent, he said.

Praising the Trump administration for its new Indo- Pacific strategy, the former Pentagon official said in recent days people have heard more than 50 times by members of the Trump administration including the president himself mentioning &quot;free and open&quot; Indo-Pacific region.

&quot;The Chinese have already attacked this. They don&#39;t like it, said Pillsbury, who is considered an authority on China- related issues.

&quot;The Indians, fairly recently, were joking about we want to make the Indian Ocean the Indian Ocean, by which they meant the purchase of several billion dollars worth of American PA aircraft, which have weapon systems in the back that can sink ships, frankly, and other improvements including maritime situational awareness and a big new center in Delhi where the Indians can keep track of both blue holes and grey holes going through the Indian Ocean, he said.

&quot;Chinese are very angry about this. They have criticised the Obama administration for its effort to, as they say, boost India, to a higher rank order in comprehensive power than the Chinese believe India deserves, the top American expert on China said in response to a question.

Senator Ed Markey said China&#39;s signature Belt and Road Initiative that aims to position China as the uncontested leading power in Asia &quot;may further coerce&quot; its neighbours through loans they cannot repay.

The BRI aimed at building a vast network of infrastructure projects expanding China&#39;s expertise and capital to different parts of the world includes US $50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over which India has protested as it traversed through Pakistan- occupied-Kashmir (PoK).

India boycotted the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) organised by China in May this year to highlight its concerns over Beijing pushing projects through the the PoK.

He said the US companies face the threat of intellectual property theft with reports that China has been stealing cutting-edge research as well as sensitive trade secrets from the US.

And that includes companies working in the clean energy sector who cannot compete with state-backed firms, he alleged.

Pillsbury said Chinese are offering low interest loans to countries that cannot afford it.

&quot;We&#39;re already saw the example of Sri Lanka, which fell behind in its payments and then was the subject of coercion that if you transfer the main port here in Sri Lanka to Chinese control, we will forgive the debt. The Sri Lankans did it, he said.

There were concerns of debt burden brought in by the BRI projects after Sri Lanka opted for long-term lease of its Hambantota port for US $1.12 billion debt swap.

&quot;...So we are beginning to see, just through the media, what the Belt and Road Initiative may mean, Pillsbury told the lawmakers.

Senator Markey said China is challenging the very underpinnings of the global order that has brought peace and prosperity.

China has not lived up to its international obligations to help denuclearise the Korean Peninsula, he said.

&quot;No country has greater leverage than China, which is responsible for approximately 90 per cent of North Korean trade,&quot; he noted.

Markey said, &quot;China is challenging the international system elsewhere as well. It has constructed in violation of international law, military bases on artificial islands and disputed areas of the South China Sea.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;Through economic coercion, Beijing undermined the sovereignty of its smaller neighbours and countries including South Korea and the Philippines face Chinese retaliation for taking legal and sovereign actions in their own defence,&quot; he said.

Michael Pillsbury, Director of Center on Chinese Strategy at the prestigious think-tank Hudson Institute, said that Modi and his team have been quite outspoken against Chinese President Xi Jinping's ambitious project.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only world statesman to have stood up to China's Belt and Road Initiative, also known as One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR), even though the US has been silent on the ambitious project till recently, a top American expert on China said on Friday. During a Congressional hearing, Michael Pillsbury, Director of Center on Chinese Strategy at the prestigious think-tank Hudson Institute, told lawmakers that Modi and his team have been quite outspoken against Chinese President Xi Jinping's ambitious project. "The only statesman in the world who stood up to it yet, is Prime Minister Modi. He and his team have been quite outspoken, partly because the Belt and Road Initiative includes violation of Indian sovereign claims, Pillsbury said. "But the US government, until now and this is a five- year-old initiative if you count the early part of it, has been silent, he said. Praising the Trump administration for its new Indo- Pacific strategy, the former Pentagon official said in recent days people have heard more than 50 times by members of the Trump administration including the president himself mentioning "free and open" Indo-Pacific region. "The Chinese have already attacked this. They don't like it, said Pillsbury, who is considered an authority on China- related issues. "The Indians, fairly recently, were joking about we want to make the Indian Ocean the Indian Ocean, by which they meant the purchase of several billion dollars worth of American PA aircraft, which have weapon systems in the back that can sink ships, frankly, and other improvements including maritime situational awareness and a big new center in Delhi where the Indians can keep track of both blue holes and grey holes going through the Indian Ocean, he said. "Chinese are very angry about this. They have criticised the Obama administration for its effort to, as they say, boost India, to a higher rank order in comprehensive power than the Chinese believe India deserves, the top American expert on China said in response to a question. Senator Ed Markey said China's signature Belt and Road Initiative that aims to position China as the uncontested leading power in Asia "may further coerce" its neighbours through loans they cannot repay. The BRI aimed at building a vast network of infrastructure projects expanding China's expertise and capital to different parts of the world includes US $50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over which India has protested as it traversed through Pakistan- occupied-Kashmir (PoK). India boycotted the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) organised by China in May this year to highlight its concerns over Beijing pushing projects through the the PoK. He said the US companies face the threat of intellectual property theft with reports that China has been stealing cutting-edge research as well as sensitive trade secrets from the US. And that includes companies working in the clean energy sector who cannot compete with state-backed firms, he alleged. Pillsbury said Chinese are offering low interest loans to countries that cannot afford it. "We're already saw the example of Sri Lanka, which fell behind in its payments and then was the subject of coercion that if you transfer the main port here in Sri Lanka to Chinese control, we will forgive the debt. The Sri Lankans did it, he said. There were concerns of debt burden brought in by the BRI projects after Sri Lanka opted for long-term lease of its Hambantota port for US $1.12 billion debt swap. "...So we are beginning to see, just through the media, what the Belt and Road Initiative may mean, Pillsbury told the lawmakers. Senator Markey said China is challenging the very underpinnings of the global order that has brought peace and prosperity. China has not lived up to its international obligations to help denuclearise the Korean Peninsula, he said. "No country has greater leverage than China, which is responsible for approximately 90 per cent of North Korean trade," he noted. Markey said, "China is challenging the international system elsewhere as well. It has constructed in violation of international law, military bases on artificial islands and disputed areas of the South China Sea." "Through economic coercion, Beijing undermined the sovereignty of its smaller neighbours and countries including South Korea and the Philippines face Chinese retaliation for taking legal and sovereign actions in their own defence," he said.

Narendra Modi only world statesman to stand up to China on OBOR: US expert

Mergers and acquisitions by Chinese companies in countries that are part of the Belt and Road initiative are soaring, even as Beijing cracks down on China&#39;s acquisitive conglomerates to restrict capital outflows.

Chinese acquisitions in the 68 countries officially linked to President Xi Jinping&#39;s signature foreign policy totalled $33 billion as of Monday, surpassing the $31 billion tally for all of 2016.

Unveiled in 2013, the Belt and Road project is aimed at building a modern-day &quot;Silk Road&quot;, connecting China by land and sea to Southeast Asia, Pakistan and Central Asia, and beyond to the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

At a summit in May, Xi pledged $124 billion for the plan, but it has faced suspicion in Western capitals that it is intended more to assert Chinese influence than Beijing&#39;s professed desire to spread prosperity.

The surge in Chinese companies&#39; acquisition-linked investments in the Belt and Road corridor comes as the volume of all outbound mergers and acquisitions from China has dropped 42 per cent year-on-year as of Monday.

Beijing&#39;s move to prop up the yuan by restricting the flow of capital outside the country and clamp down on debt-fuelled acquisitions to ensure financial stability has made it tougher for buyers to win approvals for deals abroad.

Regulators have tightened the screws further since June, reviewing deal agreements in minute detail and ordering a group of lenders to assess their exposure to offshore acquisitions by several big companies that have been on overseas buying sprees, including HNA Group, Dalian Wanda Group, and Fosun Group.

The heightened regulatory scrutiny of overseas acquisitions comes after companies spent a record $220 billion in 2016 on assets overseas, buying up everything from movie studios to European football clubs.

The scrutiny, however, has not impacted Chinese companies&#39; pursuit of targets along the Belt and Road corridor, as those investments are considered strategic for the companies as well as the Chinese economy.

&quot;People are thinking in a long-term approach when making investments along Belt and Road countries,&quot; said Hilary Lau, a corporate and commercial lawyer and partner at the law firm Herbert Smith Freehills.

&quot;The acquisitions are also policy-driven. There are funds allocated by Chinese banks and state funds for Belt and Road deals,&quot; he said.

The number of Chinese deals targeting Belt and Road countries totalled 109 this year, compared to 175 in the whole of last year and 134 in 2015.

Companies enjoy a relatively smooth approval process for deals along the Belt and Road project as regulators tend to put them in a different basket when reviewing outbound investments, according to lawyers and dealmakers.

&quot;If you are doing One Belt, One Road, that becomes the first sentence in the document&quot; to the regulators, said a senior investment advisor at a Chinese company that has acquired several overseas businesses.

&quot;It is a wise thing to point out early on,&quot; said the advisor, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The largest deal in a Belt and Road country so far this year was a Chinese consortium&#39;s $11.6 billion buyout of the Singapore-based Global Logistics Properties.

Other top deals include the $1.8 billion purchase of an 8 per cent ownership interest in an Abu Dhabi oil company by the state-owned oil giant China National Petroleum Corp, and HNA Group&#39;s $1 billion acquisition of a logistics company, CWT Ltd, which has not yet closed.

The State Administration of Foreign Exchange, China&#39;s foreign exchange regulator, said this month that domestic companies would still be encouraged to participate in Belt and Road activities.

HNA, which has seen at least two overseas deals hit a hurdle as a result of the crackdown on transferring money, has said it plans to prioritise investments that are in industries and regions mapped out under the Belt and Road initiative.

The belt and road acquisitions are predominantly in energy and infrastructure sectors, said Hilary Lau of Herbert Smith Freehills.

&quot;We&#39;ve seen a lot of activities recently in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar. The whole Sri Lanka, India, and Bangladesh corridor is also hot as it&#39;s connecting the East and West,&quot; he said.

Unveiled in 2013, the Belt and Road project is aimed at building a modern-day 'Silk Road'

Mergers and acquisitions by Chinese companies in countries that are part of the Belt and Road initiative are soaring, even as Beijing cracks down on China's acquisitive conglomerates to restrict capital outflows. Chinese acquisitions in the 68 countries officially linked to President Xi Jinping's signature foreign policy totalled $33 billion as of Monday, surpassing the $31 billion tally for all of 2016. Unveiled in 2013, the Belt and Road project is aimed at building a modern-day "Silk Road", connecting China by land and sea to Southeast Asia, Pakistan and Central Asia, and beyond to the Middle East, Europe and Africa. At a summit in May, Xi pledged $124 billion for the plan, but it has faced suspicion in Western capitals that it is intended more to assert Chinese influence than Beijing's professed desire to spread prosperity. The surge in Chinese companies' acquisition-linked investments in the Belt and Road corridor comes as the volume of all outbound mergers and acquisitions from China has dropped 42 per cent year-on-year as of Monday. Beijing's move to prop up the yuan by restricting the flow of capital outside the country and clamp down on debt-fuelled acquisitions to ensure financial stability has made it tougher for buyers to win approvals for deals abroad. Regulators have tightened the screws further since June, reviewing deal agreements in minute detail and ordering a group of lenders to assess their exposure to offshore acquisitions by several big companies that have been on overseas buying sprees, including HNA Group, Dalian Wanda Group, and Fosun Group. The heightened regulatory scrutiny of overseas acquisitions comes after companies spent a record $220 billion in 2016 on assets overseas, buying up everything from movie studios to European football clubs. The scrutiny, however, has not impacted Chinese companies' pursuit of targets along the Belt and Road corridor, as those investments are considered strategic for the companies as well as the Chinese economy. "People are thinking in a long-term approach when making investments along Belt and Road countries," said Hilary Lau, a corporate and commercial lawyer and partner at the law firm Herbert Smith Freehills. "The acquisitions are also policy-driven. There are funds allocated by Chinese banks and state funds for Belt and Road deals," he said. The number of Chinese deals targeting Belt and Road countries totalled 109 this year, compared to 175 in the whole of last year and 134 in 2015. Companies enjoy a relatively smooth approval process for deals along the Belt and Road project as regulators tend to put them in a different basket when reviewing outbound investments, according to lawyers and dealmakers. "If you are doing One Belt, One Road, that becomes the first sentence in the document" to the regulators, said a senior investment advisor at a Chinese company that has acquired several overseas businesses. "It is a wise thing to point out early on," said the advisor, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media. The largest deal in a Belt and Road country so far this year was a Chinese consortium's $11.6 billion buyout of the Singapore-based Global Logistics Properties. Other top deals include the $1.8 billion purchase of an 8 per cent ownership interest in an Abu Dhabi oil company by the state-owned oil giant China National Petroleum Corp, and HNA Group's $1 billion acquisition of a logistics company, CWT Ltd, which has not yet closed. The State Administration of Foreign Exchange, China's foreign exchange regulator, said this month that domestic companies would still be encouraged to participate in Belt and Road activities. HNA, which has seen at least two overseas deals hit a hurdle as a result of the crackdown on transferring money, has said it plans to prioritise investments that are in industries and regions mapped out under the Belt and Road initiative. The belt and road acquisitions are predominantly in energy and infrastructure sectors, said Hilary Lau of Herbert Smith Freehills. "We've seen a lot of activities recently in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar. The whole Sri Lanka, India, and Bangladesh corridor is also hot as it's connecting the East and West," he said.

China's Belt and Road acquisitions surge despite outbound capital crackdown

To its Western detractors, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an emergent anti-NATO coalition, &ldquo;an OPEC with bombs&rdquo; and a military and economic alliance to be reckoned with.

&nbsp;

To its Eastern proponents and supporters, the SCO is a military and economic coalition of mostly Central Asian countries (Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), which after the expected inclusion of India and Pakistan as full members at the grouping&rsquo;s annual summit in Astana today, would make it represent half the world&rsquo;s population and almost 20 per cent of its GDP.

&nbsp;

Founded in 2001, the alliance&rsquo;s three stated aims are to fight terrorism, extremism and separatism. In addition, members of the group also engage in economic and scientific cooperation.

&nbsp;

But all eyes today, along with a few raised eyebrows, will be fixed on the admission of India and Pakistan as full member states into the SCO. Although chances of a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Pakistan premier at the summit appear bleak, there are reports that a head-to-head between Mr Modi and the Chinese President Xi Jinping could be the highlight. India is understandably less sanguine about its role in the coalition, thanks to the growing clout of some of its &lsquo;frenemies&rsquo; in the bloc.

&nbsp;

One of the stumbling blocks which India will likely face is the SCO member states&rsquo; expected endorsement of China&rsquo;s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which connects it to Europe and Africa and covers nearly 70 countries through a series of trade pacts. Delhi believes the BRI violates its sovereignty, particularly the proposed China-Pakistan

Economic Corridor (CPEC), which runs through Pak-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan region (both an integral part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir). It should be noted that India did not participate in the BRI summit held in Beijing in mid-May, which drew 30 heads of state.

&nbsp;

Again, there are differing views on terrorism and territoriality between India on the one hand, as well as China and Pakistan on the other. Beijing still considers the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh a disputed territory, remains adamant on preventing Masood Azhar&rsquo;s naming in the UN sanctions list and obstructs India&rsquo;s entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Therefore, some Indian strategists contend that becoming part of the SCO and the so-called consensus-driven &lsquo;Shanghai Spirit&rsquo;, could potentially imperil India&rsquo;s vital interests.

&nbsp;

There are also concerns that India-Pakistan disputes at the forum could render the bloc flaccid (SAARC serves as the precedent) and for this reason, SCO member states have already instructed the two new entrants to keep their differences aside in the spirit of the SCO Charter, which prohibits the raising of bilateral issues. Thus, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying has reportedly said: &ldquo;Hope India and Pakistan strictly follow the charter of the SCO and the idea of good neighbourliness to uphold the SCO spirit, improve their relations and inject new impetus into the development of the SCO.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

Some Indian experts fear that the strong Chinese and now growing Russian ties with Pakistan will not allow them to take the Islamic Republic to task for its increased support to cross-border terrorism and separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, but instead may use the SCO to force India into negotiating with Pakistan on Kashmir in the context of &lsquo;good-neighborliness&rsquo;.

&nbsp;

In spite of these issues, India would benefit from greater connectivity and influence with Central Asian countries, and this development is likely to facilitate a Free Trade Agreement with European Economic Union (EEU), enabling an easy flow of raw materials, goods, finance and technology.

&nbsp;

Again, the opening of the International South Transport Corridor (INSTC) &mdash; the 7,000 km long network of ship, rail and road route for moving goods connecting India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia &mdash; and the proposed Chabahar project in Iran would get a boost by India&rsquo;s joining the coalition.

&nbsp;

Even more important, India might gain from SCO&rsquo;s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). In March this year, the anti-terror charter of SCO was bolstered when officials of special services of member states approved a draft convention on combating extremism and terrorism at a meeting in Tashkent. Again, the participation in SCO&rsquo;s counter-terror exercises and military drills with member countries could prove useful for Indian forces. However, it is difficult to foresee India and Pakistani forces participating in bilateral anti-terror exercises under the SCO ambit. India could also benefit from an SCO &lsquo;Energy Club&rsquo;, particularly when Iran would likely join the grouping at a later date.

&nbsp;

The SCO could also provide an opportunity to India to establish stronger ties with other Central Asian countries, for example with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, to circumvent the influence of China-Pakistan alignment that could impede India&rsquo;s direct access to Eurasia.

&nbsp;

Some Western observers believe that Russia is trying to take advantage of India-China rivalry by getting India inducted into the SCO. It is contended that Moscow is wary of Beijing&rsquo;s growing clout within the bloc and in a region that Russia views as its backyard. Some observers see signs of Russian unease with growing Chinese investment in Central Asia and reduced economic dependence of the region on the Russian largesse. It is in this context that Russia is said to have objected to any free trade agreement among the SCO members and wants the entry of India &mdash; with its large economic mite &mdash; to mitigate growing Chinese influence.

&nbsp;

Thus, the inclusion of new members into the SCO could make the organisation stronger by virtue of more resources (people and aggregate GDP), but could also make it more vulnerable given the divergence of security and economic interests among its member states.

Some Indian strategists contend that becoming part of the SCO could potentially imperil India?s vital interests.

To its Western detractors, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an emergent anti-NATO coalition, “an OPEC with bombs” and a military and economic alliance to be reckoned with. To its Eastern proponents and supporters, the SCO is a military and economic coalition of mostly Central Asian countries (Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), which after the expected inclusion of India and Pakistan as full members at the grouping’s annual summit in Astana today, would make it represent half the world’s population and almost 20 per cent of its GDP. Founded in 2001, the alliance’s three stated aims are to fight terrorism, extremism and separatism. In addition, members of the group also engage in economic and scientific cooperation. But all eyes today, along with a few raised eyebrows, will be fixed on the admission of India and Pakistan as full member states into the SCO. Although chances of a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Pakistan premier at the summit appear bleak, there are reports that a head-to-head between Mr Modi and the Chinese President Xi Jinping could be the highlight. India is understandably less sanguine about its role in the coalition, thanks to the growing clout of some of its ‘frenemies’ in the bloc. One of the stumbling blocks which India will likely face is the SCO member states’ expected endorsement of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which connects it to Europe and Africa and covers nearly 70 countries through a series of trade pacts. Delhi believes the BRI violates its sovereignty, particularly the proposed China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which runs through Pak-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan region (both an integral part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir). It should be noted that India did not participate in the BRI summit held in Beijing in mid-May, which drew 30 heads of state. Again, there are differing views on terrorism and territoriality between India on the one hand, as well as China and Pakistan on the other. Beijing still considers the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh a disputed territory, remains adamant on preventing Masood Azhar’s naming in the UN sanctions list and obstructs India’s entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Therefore, some Indian strategists contend that becoming part of the SCO and the so-called consensus-driven ‘Shanghai Spirit’, could potentially imperil India’s vital interests. There are also concerns that India-Pakistan disputes at the forum could render the bloc flaccid (SAARC serves as the precedent) and for this reason, SCO member states have already instructed the two new entrants to keep their differences aside in the spirit of the SCO Charter, which prohibits the raising of bilateral issues. Thus, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying has reportedly said: “Hope India and Pakistan strictly follow the charter of the SCO and the idea of good neighbourliness to uphold the SCO spirit, improve their relations and inject new impetus into the development of the SCO.” Some Indian experts fear that the strong Chinese and now growing Russian ties with Pakistan will not allow them to take the Islamic Republic to task for its increased support to cross-border terrorism and separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, but instead may use the SCO to force India into negotiating with Pakistan on Kashmir in the context of ‘good-neighborliness’. In spite of these issues, India would benefit from greater connectivity and influence with Central Asian countries, and this development is likely to facilitate a Free Trade Agreement with European Economic Union (EEU), enabling an easy flow of raw materials, goods, finance and technology. Again, the opening of the International South Transport Corridor (INSTC) — the 7,000 km long network of ship, rail and road route for moving goods connecting India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia — and the proposed Chabahar project in Iran would get a boost by India’s joining the coalition. Even more important, India might gain from SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). In March this year, the anti-terror charter of SCO was bolstered when officials of special services of member states approved a draft convention on combating extremism and terrorism at a meeting in Tashkent. Again, the participation in SCO’s counter-terror exercises and military drills with member countries could prove useful for Indian forces. However, it is difficult to foresee India and Pakistani forces participating in bilateral anti-terror exercises under the SCO ambit. India could also benefit from an SCO ‘Energy Club’, particularly when Iran would likely join the grouping at a later date. The SCO could also provide an opportunity to India to establish stronger ties with other Central Asian countries, for example with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, to circumvent the influence of China-Pakistan alignment that could impede India’s direct access to Eurasia. Some Western observers believe that Russia is trying to take advantage of India-China rivalry by getting India inducted into the SCO. It is contended that Moscow is wary of Beijing’s growing clout within the bloc and in a region that Russia views as its backyard. Some observers see signs of Russian unease with growing Chinese investment in Central Asia and reduced economic dependence of the region on the Russian largesse. It is in this context that Russia is said to have objected to any free trade agreement among the SCO members and wants the entry of India — with its large economic mite — to mitigate growing Chinese influence. Thus, the inclusion of new members into the SCO could make the organisation stronger by virtue of more resources (people and aggregate GDP), but could also make it more vulnerable given the divergence of security and economic interests among its member states.

The SCO Summit: A growing coalition of ?Frenemies??

China and Poland have agreed on Monday to upgrade their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Chinese President Xi Jinping&#39;s&nbsp;visit to the country.

The move was made as Xi met with Polish President Andrzej Duda, in a bid to further promote cooperation across the board and benefit the two peoples.

Xi said at the meeting that the two peoples have enjoyed lasting friendship since the two countries established diplomatic relations 67 years ago.

The two countries have borne fruitful results in high-level and people-to-people exchanges, and economic and trade cooperation, especially since they established a strategic partnership in 2011, said Xi.

He added that China has cherished the traditional friendship with Poland and stands ready to work with Poland to push forward the bilateral relations in a sound and steady way.

Xi also called for efforts to enhance mutual trust, align development strategies of the two countries and boost interconnectivity and production cooperation under the Belt and Road initiative.

Bilateral cooperation in economy and trade, finance, agriculture, science and technology should be promoted, according to Xi.

Hailing the bilateral ties, Duda said that Poland is willing to strengthen cooperation within the framework of the Sino-Polish comprehensive strategic partnership in various areas including the Belt and Road initiative, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and people-to-people exchanges.

A joint statement on the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership was inked after the meeting, as well as a memorandum of understanding on a bilateral cooperation blueprint.

Poland is the second leg of Xi&#39;s Eurasia tour. Before visiting Poland, Xi visited Serbia from June 17 to June 19.

After visiting Poland, Xi will travel to Uzbekistan for a state visit and attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. 
 
(Reuters)

A bunch of cooperation agreements signed covering various aspects, including infrastructure construction, education, culture and aerospace

China and Poland have agreed on Monday to upgrade their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the country. The move was made as Xi met with Polish President Andrzej Duda, in a bid to further promote cooperation across the board and benefit the two peoples. Xi said at the meeting that the two peoples have enjoyed lasting friendship since the two countries established diplomatic relations 67 years ago. The two countries have borne fruitful results in high-level and people-to-people exchanges, and economic and trade cooperation, especially since they established a strategic partnership in 2011, said Xi. He added that China has cherished the traditional friendship with Poland and stands ready to work with Poland to push forward the bilateral relations in a sound and steady way. Xi also called for efforts to enhance mutual trust, align development strategies of the two countries and boost interconnectivity and production cooperation under the Belt and Road initiative. Bilateral cooperation in economy and trade, finance, agriculture, science and technology should be promoted, according to Xi. Hailing the bilateral ties, Duda said that Poland is willing to strengthen cooperation within the framework of the Sino-Polish comprehensive strategic partnership in various areas including the Belt and Road initiative, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and people-to-people exchanges. A joint statement on the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership was inked after the meeting, as well as a memorandum of understanding on a bilateral cooperation blueprint. Poland is the second leg of Xi's Eurasia tour. Before visiting Poland, Xi visited Serbia from June 17 to June 19. After visiting Poland, Xi will travel to Uzbekistan for a state visit and attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. (Reuters)

China, Poland to lift ties to comprehensive strategic partnership