Ahead of the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit beginning today in China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi&nbsp;said on Friday that he was excited to lead the Indian delegation for the grouping's first-ever meeting with the country as a full member.

Modi will also hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Qingdao, where they will take stock of the implementation of decisions taken at the informal summit just over a month ago in Wuhan.

"I am excited to lead the Indian delegation for our first-ever meeting of the Council as a full member," Modi said in a Facebook post.

"On 9th and 10th June, I will be in Qingdao, China to take part in the annual SCO Summit. This will be India's first SCO Summit as a full member. Will be interacting with leaders of SCO nations and discussing a wide range of subjects with them," the prime minister tweeted.

Discussions in the summit will take place on diverse issues ranging from combating terrorism, separatism and extremism to promoting cooperation in connectivity, commerce, customs, law, health and agriculture, protecting the environment and mitigating disaster risk and fostering people-to-people relations.

"In the last one year since India became a full member of the SCO, our interaction with the organisation and its member states has grown considerably in these areas. I believe that the Qingdao Summit will further enrich the SCO agenda, while heralding a new beginning for India's engagement with the SCO," he said.

Founded in 2001, the SCO currently comprises eight member states, India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan were admitted to the SCO last year.

"India enjoys deep friendship and multi-dimensional ties with the member states of the SCO. On the sidelines of the SCO Summit, I will have the opportunity of meeting and sharing views with several other leaders, including the Heads of States of many SCO Member States," Modi said.&nbsp;

Founded in 2001, the SCO currently comprises eight member states, India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan were admitted to the SCO last year

Ahead of the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit beginning today in China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that he was excited to lead the Indian delegation for the grouping's first-ever meeting with the country as a full member. Modi will also hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Qingdao, where they will take stock of the implementation of decisions taken at the informal summit just over a month ago in Wuhan. "I am excited to lead the Indian delegation for our first-ever meeting of the Council as a full member," Modi said in a Facebook post. "On 9th and 10th June, I will be in Qingdao, China to take part in the annual SCO Summit. This will be India's first SCO Summit as a full member. Will be interacting with leaders of SCO nations and discussing a wide range of subjects with them," the prime minister tweeted. Discussions in the summit will take place on diverse issues ranging from combating terrorism, separatism and extremism to promoting cooperation in connectivity, commerce, customs, law, health and agriculture, protecting the environment and mitigating disaster risk and fostering people-to-people relations. "In the last one year since India became a full member of the SCO, our interaction with the organisation and its member states has grown considerably in these areas. I believe that the Qingdao Summit will further enrich the SCO agenda, while heralding a new beginning for India's engagement with the SCO," he said. Founded in 2001, the SCO currently comprises eight member states, India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan were admitted to the SCO last year. "India enjoys deep friendship and multi-dimensional ties with the member states of the SCO. On the sidelines of the SCO Summit, I will have the opportunity of meeting and sharing views with several other leaders, including the Heads of States of many SCO Member States," Modi said.

Excited to lead delegation for India's first-ever SCO summit as a full member, says PM Modi

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged US counterpart Donald Trump to take Pyongyang's "reasonable security concerns" into consideration, in a phone call Tuesday hours after Xi met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Xi told Trump that he supports the planned meeting between the US and North Korean leaders, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

The Chinees president "hopes the US and North Korea can work together, build mutual trust" and "consider North Korea's reasonable security concerns," the report said.

The North has long demanded the withdrawal of US troops from the peninsula and an end to its nuclear umbrella over South Korea.

Trump said last week that he was not envisaging a drawdown of troops in South Korea for now, but he admitted it was a possibility in the longer term.

The US said the two leaders agreed to keep economic pressure on North Korea. Beijing -- Pyongyang's sole major diplomatic and economic ally -- has backed UN sanctions over North Korea's nuclear programme.

"President Trump and President Xi agreed on the importance of continued implementation of sanctions on North Korea until it permanently dismantles its nuclear and missile programmes," the White House said in a statement.

Xi and Kim met on Monday and Tuesday in the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian, the North Korean leader's second trip to China in six weeks as the two countries seek to bolster frayed ties.

The meeting came as Kim is expected to meet with Trump in June, possibly in Singapore.

"China is willing to continue playing a positive role for the realisation of denuclearisation of the Peninsula and long-term peace and security of the region," Xi told Trump.

Xi and Trump also discussed trade frictions.

"The economy and trade has always been the ballast and propellor of the China-US relationship," Xi said.

US and Chinese official held talks in Beijing last week, but no breakthroughs were announced.

Xi described the discussions as "frank, efficient and constructive".

"Both sides can maintain communication and strive to find a way to appropriately resolve the existing issues and obtain mutually beneficial win-win results," he was quoted as saying.

Xi told Trump that he supports the planned meeting between the US and North Korean leaders, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged US counterpart Donald Trump to take Pyongyang's "reasonable security concerns" into consideration, in a phone call Tuesday hours after Xi met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Xi told Trump that he supports the planned meeting between the US and North Korean leaders, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. The Chinees president "hopes the US and North Korea can work together, build mutual trust" and "consider North Korea's reasonable security concerns," the report said. The North has long demanded the withdrawal of US troops from the peninsula and an end to its nuclear umbrella over South Korea. Trump said last week that he was not envisaging a drawdown of troops in South Korea for now, but he admitted it was a possibility in the longer term. The US said the two leaders agreed to keep economic pressure on North Korea. Beijing -- Pyongyang's sole major diplomatic and economic ally -- has backed UN sanctions over North Korea's nuclear programme. "President Trump and President Xi agreed on the importance of continued implementation of sanctions on North Korea until it permanently dismantles its nuclear and missile programmes," the White House said in a statement. Xi and Kim met on Monday and Tuesday in the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian, the North Korean leader's second trip to China in six weeks as the two countries seek to bolster frayed ties. The meeting came as Kim is expected to meet with Trump in June, possibly in Singapore. "China is willing to continue playing a positive role for the realisation of denuclearisation of the Peninsula and long-term peace and security of the region," Xi told Trump. Xi and Trump also discussed trade frictions. "The economy and trade has always been the ballast and propellor of the China-US relationship," Xi said. US and Chinese official held talks in Beijing last week, but no breakthroughs were announced. Xi described the discussions as "frank, efficient and constructive". "Both sides can maintain communication and strive to find a way to appropriately resolve the existing issues and obtain mutually beneficial win-win results," he was quoted as saying.

Xi urges Trump to consider North Korea's 'reasonable security concerns': State media

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in have discussed bilateral relationship and achieving peace and denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula in a telephonic conversation on Friday.

Moon briefed Xi on the feat of the historic inter-Korean Summit, held last week, reported China's state-run news agency.

Moon underscored that the "successful summit has reached broad consensuses on improving the inter-Korean relations, promoting the denuclearisation of the Peninsula and establishing a peace mechanism."

According to the report, the South Korean President praised Xi Jinping's role in helping Seoul and Pyongyang reach an agreement on denuclearisation.

Xi laid emphasis on the bilateral ties, saying that Beijing is willing to boost the relationship between the two countries by enhancing communication with South Korea, deepening pragmatic cooperation, and promoting cultural exchanges.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in held their historic summit last week in Panmunjom n the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the world's most heavily guarded border, separating the two countries.

The inter-Korean summit was also unique as it was the first time in over a decade that it was being held. The previous two summits were held in 2000 and 2007 in North Korean capital of Pyongyang. It was also the first time that the summit was being held in South Korea.

In a joint declaration after the talks, the two leaders officially inaugurated a document formally called the 'Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification on the Korean Peninsula'.

The two Koreas agreed to sign a peace treaty formally later this year, ending the six-decades-old war between the two countries.

The South Korean President is also slated to visit Pyongyang later this year, according to a statement released by his presidential office.

Kim Jong-Un on April 21 announced to suspend its nuclear tests and inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests.

Following that, on April 29 South Korean President Moon Jae-in's chief press secretary Yoon Young-chan confirmed that Punggye-ri nuclear site will be closed down by May amidst the presence of public and foreign experts from South Korea and the United States.&nbsp 
&nbsp

Moon underscored that the 'successful summit has reached broad consensuses on improving the inter-Korean relations, promoting the denuclearisation of the Peninsula and establishing a peace mechanism'

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in have discussed bilateral relationship and achieving peace and denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula in a telephonic conversation on Friday. Moon briefed Xi on the feat of the historic inter-Korean Summit, held last week, reported China's state-run news agency. Moon underscored that the "successful summit has reached broad consensuses on improving the inter-Korean relations, promoting the denuclearisation of the Peninsula and establishing a peace mechanism." According to the report, the South Korean President praised Xi Jinping's role in helping Seoul and Pyongyang reach an agreement on denuclearisation. Xi laid emphasis on the bilateral ties, saying that Beijing is willing to boost the relationship between the two countries by enhancing communication with South Korea, deepening pragmatic cooperation, and promoting cultural exchanges. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in held their historic summit last week in Panmunjom n the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the world's most heavily guarded border, separating the two countries. The inter-Korean summit was also unique as it was the first time in over a decade that it was being held. The previous two summits were held in 2000 and 2007 in North Korean capital of Pyongyang. It was also the first time that the summit was being held in South Korea. In a joint declaration after the talks, the two leaders officially inaugurated a document formally called the 'Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification on the Korean Peninsula'. The two Koreas agreed to sign a peace treaty formally later this year, ending the six-decades-old war between the two countries. The South Korean President is also slated to visit Pyongyang later this year, according to a statement released by his presidential office. Kim Jong-Un on April 21 announced to suspend its nuclear tests and inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests. Following that, on April 29 South Korean President Moon Jae-in's chief press secretary Yoon Young-chan confirmed that Punggye-ri nuclear site will be closed down by May amidst the presence of public and foreign experts from South Korea and the United States.

Xi, Moon discuss bilateral ties, denuclearisation of Korean Peninsula

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have decided to issue "strategic guidance" to their militaries to strengthen communications and to build trust and understanding, the top Indian diplomat said on Saturday, a move aimed at avoiding a Doklam-like situation in the future.

Modi said his talks with President Xi focussed on diverse areas of India-China cooperation. "We discussed ways to give impetus to our economic ties as well as people-to-people relations. Other areas we spoke about include agriculture, technology, energy and tourism," he said.

Briefing reporters at the end of the two-day informal summit between the two leaders in the central Chinese city Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said the two leaders underscored the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in all areas of the India-China border region.

"To this end, they issued strategic guidance to their respective militaries to strengthen communication in order to build trust and mutual understanding and enhance predictability and effectiveness in the management of border affairs," Gokhale said.&nbsp;

He said the two leaders further directed their militaries to earnestly implement various confidence-building measures agreed upon between the two sides, including the principle of mutual and equal security, and strengthen existing institutional arrangements and information sharing mechanisms to prevent incidents in border regions.

They also endorsed the work of the special representatives to find a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement on the boundary issue.

The two countries have so far held 20 rounds of talks to resolve the boundary dispute and worked out different mechanisms to keep peace along the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control.

His remarks assumes significance as the 'heart-to-heart' summit between Modi and Xi is being seen as an effort by India and China to rebuild trust and improve ties that were hit by the 73-day-long Doklam standoff last year.

"The two leaders were of the view that the two countries have the maturity and wisdom to handle all our differences through peaceful discussions within the context of the overall relationships and bearing in mind, we would respect each other's sensitivities, concerns and aspirations," Gokhale said.

Modi and Xi underlined that as two major countries India and China have wider and overlapping regional and global interests. They agreed on the need to strengthen strategic communication through greater consultation on all matters of common interest. "They believe that such strategic communication will have a positive influence on enhancing mutual understanding and will contribute to regional and global stability," Gokhale said.

The two leaders recognised the common threat posed by terrorism and committed to cooperate further on counter-terrorism, he said.

When asked whether the issue of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar was raised, he said the two leaders "did not go into specifics". China has repeatedly blocked India's bid to designate Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN.&nbsp;

The two leaders agreed that India and China are major powers, with strategic and decisional autonomy and they will pursue peaceful, stable and balanced relations and such a relationship will be a positive factor for stability amidst the current global uncertainties, he said, amidst increasing protectionist moves by countries like the US.

"The developments were reviewed from the strategic and long-term perspective. They agreed to significantly enhance efforts to build on the convergences through the established mechanisms in order to create the broadest possible platform for the future relationship," Gokhale said.

The two leaders underlined that trade should be balanced, it should be sustainable, and that the two sides should take advantage of the complementarities between the two economies.

Modi also mentioned the importance of balancing the trade, and the scope of the possibilities of agricultural exports and pharmaceutical exports to China.&nbsp;

The two sides also discussed climate change, sustainable development and food security.&nbsp;

Xi shared his experience in terms of the preservation of the Yangtze - China's longest river - and Modi shared his own experience on the question of the cleaning of the Ganga - India's longest river.

They also discussed how to promote sports between the two countries and how to strengthen tourism on the Buddhist circuit.

"They reiterated the importance of building an open, multi-polar, pluralist and participatory global economic order which will enable all countries to pursue their development and contribute to the elimination of poverty and inequality in all regions of the world. They spoke of their respective efforts to contribute to the regional and global economic development," Gokhale said.

They also underscored the importance of reform of multilateral financial and political institutions to make them representative and responsive to the needs of developing countries.

The forward-looking dialogue helped them in forging a common understanding of the future direction of India-China relations built upon mutual respect for each other's developmental aspirations and prudent management of differences with mutual sensitivity," he added.

Modi said his talks with President Xi focussed on diverse areas of India-China cooperation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have decided to issue "strategic guidance" to their militaries to strengthen communications and to build trust and understanding, the top Indian diplomat said on Saturday, a move aimed at avoiding a Doklam-like situation in the future. Modi said his talks with President Xi focussed on diverse areas of India-China cooperation. "We discussed ways to give impetus to our economic ties as well as people-to-people relations. Other areas we spoke about include agriculture, technology, energy and tourism," he said. Briefing reporters at the end of the two-day informal summit between the two leaders in the central Chinese city Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said the two leaders underscored the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in all areas of the India-China border region. "To this end, they issued strategic guidance to their respective militaries to strengthen communication in order to build trust and mutual understanding and enhance predictability and effectiveness in the management of border affairs," Gokhale said. He said the two leaders further directed their militaries to earnestly implement various confidence-building measures agreed upon between the two sides, including the principle of mutual and equal security, and strengthen existing institutional arrangements and information sharing mechanisms to prevent incidents in border regions. They also endorsed the work of the special representatives to find a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement on the boundary issue. The two countries have so far held 20 rounds of talks to resolve the boundary dispute and worked out different mechanisms to keep peace along the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control. His remarks assumes significance as the 'heart-to-heart' summit between Modi and Xi is being seen as an effort by India and China to rebuild trust and improve ties that were hit by the 73-day-long Doklam standoff last year. "The two leaders were of the view that the two countries have the maturity and wisdom to handle all our differences through peaceful discussions within the context of the overall relationships and bearing in mind, we would respect each other's sensitivities, concerns and aspirations," Gokhale said. Modi and Xi underlined that as two major countries India and China have wider and overlapping regional and global interests. They agreed on the need to strengthen strategic communication through greater consultation on all matters of common interest. "They believe that such strategic communication will have a positive influence on enhancing mutual understanding and will contribute to regional and global stability," Gokhale said. The two leaders recognised the common threat posed by terrorism and committed to cooperate further on counter-terrorism, he said. When asked whether the issue of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar was raised, he said the two leaders "did not go into specifics". China has repeatedly blocked India's bid to designate Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN. The two leaders agreed that India and China are major powers, with strategic and decisional autonomy and they will pursue peaceful, stable and balanced relations and such a relationship will be a positive factor for stability amidst the current global uncertainties, he said, amidst increasing protectionist moves by countries like the US. "The developments were reviewed from the strategic and long-term perspective. They agreed to significantly enhance efforts to build on the convergences through the established mechanisms in order to create the broadest possible platform for the future relationship," Gokhale said. The two leaders underlined that trade should be balanced, it should be sustainable, and that the two sides should take advantage of the complementarities between the two economies. Modi also mentioned the importance of balancing the trade, and the scope of the possibilities of agricultural exports and pharmaceutical exports to China. The two sides also discussed climate change, sustainable development and food security. Xi shared his experience in terms of the preservation of the Yangtze - China's longest river - and Modi shared his own experience on the question of the cleaning of the Ganga - India's longest river. They also discussed how to promote sports between the two countries and how to strengthen tourism on the Buddhist circuit. "They reiterated the importance of building an open, multi-polar, pluralist and participatory global economic order which will enable all countries to pursue their development and contribute to the elimination of poverty and inequality in all regions of the world. They spoke of their respective efforts to contribute to the regional and global economic development," Gokhale said. They also underscored the importance of reform of multilateral financial and political institutions to make them representative and responsive to the needs of developing countries. The forward-looking dialogue helped them in forging a common understanding of the future direction of India-China relations built upon mutual respect for each other's developmental aspirations and prudent management of differences with mutual sensitivity," he added.

To avoid Doklam like situation, Modi, Xi agree to issue 'strategic guidance' to their militaries to build trust

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said on Saturday China does not think it is important whether India accepts China's Belt and Road infrastructure project and China won't force it to.

Kong, speaking to reporters in the central Chinese city of Wuhan after an informal summit between the leaders of China and India, also said China does not think the Indian government has changed its official position that Tibet is a part of China.

China and India have concrete differences but the summit was not aimed at addressing these specific issues, Kong told reporters in the central Chinese city of Wuhan where the meeting took place.&nbsp;

The just-concluded informal summit between the leaders of China and India was a milestone in relations, Kong said.&nbsp;

Chinese President Xi Jinping said the problems between China and India are of a limited, temporary nature, Kong said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)

The just-concluded informal summit between the leaders of China and India was a milestone in relations, Kong said.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said on Saturday China does not think it is important whether India accepts China's Belt and Road infrastructure project and China won't force it to. Kong, speaking to reporters in the central Chinese city of Wuhan after an informal summit between the leaders of China and India, also said China does not think the Indian government has changed its official position that Tibet is a part of China. China and India have concrete differences but the summit was not aimed at addressing these specific issues, Kong told reporters in the central Chinese city of Wuhan where the meeting took place. The just-concluded informal summit between the leaders of China and India was a milestone in relations, Kong said. Chinese President Xi Jinping said the problems between China and India are of a limited, temporary nature, Kong said. (With inputs from Reuters)

China won't force India to accept Belt and Road project, says Chinese vice foreign minister

The talks of extension of Chinese president Xi Jinping&rsquo;s tenure beyond the stipulated limit of two terms as per their 1982 constitution is generating reasonable interest in the diplomatic circles. We Indians, from an open democracy with no such restrictions, have no case to comment on the political philosophies, structures and processes that China wants to adopt. It is purely their call, albeit it has exposed an inherent flaw in their constitutional design.

The sensibility of this proposed change is under scrutiny as President Xi is currently the head of all three apex level decision making bodies, including the communist party, national people&rsquo;s congress and the military commission. In absence of political opposition in the one-party political system, a division of power amongst these three institutions has some modicum of conceptual debate on national issues, if not an elbow space for a &nbsp;dissent in a communist structure. With the proposed changes, however, the possibility of prompting by the all-powerful president himself cannot be ruled out. The change is symbolic of giving higher credence to a perceived successful personality over the proven institutional strength of existing governance structures.

What concerns the international community most are the political connotations; China is seen as transitioning to quasi-dictatorial political structures. There are fair chances of enhanced political hubris of China in the absence of internal political opposition. This can get worse with President Xi&rsquo;s penchant for the conduct of aggressive diplomacy as observed so far.&nbsp;

Closer home, one cannot forget the Chinese duplicity and high handedness in orchestrating a major incursion across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) into Indian territory while President Xi was on a state visit to India, conveying a coercive politico- military message. Soon, thereafter, the Doklam happened as a sequel. The timings of the Doklam face-off was apparently linked to the domestic political compulsion of President Xi who intended to showcase his firm handling of territorial issues with an aim of enhancing his central position in Chinese polity in the forthcoming 19th Congress meet and the 90th anniversary of PLA.&nbsp;

However, the Chinese bluff was exposed with firm political handling and Indian military resolve. A repeat of such military incursions cannot be ruled out in the future once Xi is firmly in the saddle for a longer tenure. Open threats of using military force and anti-India rhetoric from their foreign office on trivial issues are part of Chinese psychological warfare to keep India on the back foot.&nbsp;

Looking at the pattern of political aggressiveness during his tenure so far, Xi seems to have used anti-India quotient in a deft manner, thereby, rallying national sentiments in his favour besides similar other international politically significant initiatives with military signatures.&nbsp;

It also appears that China is getting worried due to the refusal of India to join CPEC bandwagon which is the key to its success, their biggest political investment in recent times. Fearing an adverse impact on their politico-economic ambitions, they seem to be desperate to tame India through a show of force, a sure shot recipe in their medieval mindset. &nbsp;Whereas, with the increased political clout and strategic pull of India as well as with the help from the US has put the Chinese under pressure to introspect their conduct. &nbsp;

Chinese stand down from supporting Pakistan in FAFT and their reported outreach to the ASEAN countries in working out a code of conduct in the South China Sea are indicative of scaling down of their obstinate political posturing. These changes are due to their political compulsions to push through their national agenda as of now. However, their underlying confrontationist tendencies are likely to continue under Xi in order to retain Chinese political position of strength.

Xi happens to be the tallest Chinese leader in the current strategically transitory situation. Moreover, he has developed a working equation and personal rapport with the current world political leaders who are going to be around for some time. From the Chinese perspective, it certainly is a sensible idea to perpetuate the vision of president Xi instead of bringing in a new incumbent in order to ensure political stability. Hence, a case for his continuation as an exception in the Chinese national interests.

While the Chinese proposal has its merits, it is also fraught with negatives that are detrimental not only to China but also to the world in general. Given the current Chinese politico-economic outreach and subtle military signatures beyond their borders. Since human mind has limited cognitive capabilities, depending on one individual as an ultimate arbitrator becomes counterproductive in the longer run.&nbsp;

Moreover, anti-incumbency is a known phenomenon in any political system which would have no room for catharsis in a single point closed Chinese system, unlike a democracy where there is an option for change. One man show at times may fail to keep pace with the contemporary geopolitical changes due to a rigidity of perceptions, thereby, losing out on political flexibility to adapt to requisite environmental synergies. In the proposed system perception of an individual would have the power to overrule the institutional decision-making mechanism which may manifest into inappropriate synergies.

Now that President Xi is likely to continue in the office beyond the stipulated two terms, he would serve the Chinese interests better if he accords priority to cooperation instead of confrontation. It is &nbsp;President Xi, who has to take a call with added faith and concomitant responsibilities bestowed upon him by the Chinese people.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Xi Jinping would serve the Chinese interests better if he accords priority to Cooperation instead of confrontation.

The talks of extension of Chinese president Xi Jinping’s tenure beyond the stipulated limit of two terms as per their 1982 constitution is generating reasonable interest in the diplomatic circles. We Indians, from an open democracy with no such restrictions, have no case to comment on the political philosophies, structures and processes that China wants to adopt. It is purely their call, albeit it has exposed an inherent flaw in their constitutional design. The sensibility of this proposed change is under scrutiny as President Xi is currently the head of all three apex level decision making bodies, including the communist party, national people’s congress and the military commission. In absence of political opposition in the one-party political system, a division of power amongst these three institutions has some modicum of conceptual debate on national issues, if not an elbow space for a dissent in a communist structure. With the proposed changes, however, the possibility of prompting by the all-powerful president himself cannot be ruled out. The change is symbolic of giving higher credence to a perceived successful personality over the proven institutional strength of existing governance structures. What concerns the international community most are the political connotations; China is seen as transitioning to quasi-dictatorial political structures. There are fair chances of enhanced political hubris of China in the absence of internal political opposition. This can get worse with President Xi’s penchant for the conduct of aggressive diplomacy as observed so far. Closer home, one cannot forget the Chinese duplicity and high handedness in orchestrating a major incursion across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) into Indian territory while President Xi was on a state visit to India, conveying a coercive politico- military message. Soon, thereafter, the Doklam happened as a sequel. The timings of the Doklam face-off was apparently linked to the domestic political compulsion of President Xi who intended to showcase his firm handling of territorial issues with an aim of enhancing his central position in Chinese polity in the forthcoming 19th Congress meet and the 90th anniversary of PLA. However, the Chinese bluff was exposed with firm political handling and Indian military resolve. A repeat of such military incursions cannot be ruled out in the future once Xi is firmly in the saddle for a longer tenure. Open threats of using military force and anti-India rhetoric from their foreign office on trivial issues are part of Chinese psychological warfare to keep India on the back foot. Looking at the pattern of political aggressiveness during his tenure so far, Xi seems to have used anti-India quotient in a deft manner, thereby, rallying national sentiments in his favour besides similar other international politically significant initiatives with military signatures. It also appears that China is getting worried due to the refusal of India to join CPEC bandwagon which is the key to its success, their biggest political investment in recent times. Fearing an adverse impact on their politico-economic ambitions, they seem to be desperate to tame India through a show of force, a sure shot recipe in their medieval mindset. Whereas, with the increased political clout and strategic pull of India as well as with the help from the US has put the Chinese under pressure to introspect their conduct. Chinese stand down from supporting Pakistan in FAFT and their reported outreach to the ASEAN countries in working out a code of conduct in the South China Sea are indicative of scaling down of their obstinate political posturing. These changes are due to their political compulsions to push through their national agenda as of now. However, their underlying confrontationist tendencies are likely to continue under Xi in order to retain Chinese political position of strength. Xi happens to be the tallest Chinese leader in the current strategically transitory situation. Moreover, he has developed a working equation and personal rapport with the current world political leaders who are going to be around for some time. From the Chinese perspective, it certainly is a sensible idea to perpetuate the vision of president Xi instead of bringing in a new incumbent in order to ensure political stability. Hence, a case for his continuation as an exception in the Chinese national interests. While the Chinese proposal has its merits, it is also fraught with negatives that are detrimental not only to China but also to the world in general. Given the current Chinese politico-economic outreach and subtle military signatures beyond their borders. Since human mind has limited cognitive capabilities, depending on one individual as an ultimate arbitrator becomes counterproductive in the longer run. Moreover, anti-incumbency is a known phenomenon in any political system which would have no room for catharsis in a single point closed Chinese system, unlike a democracy where there is an option for change. One man show at times may fail to keep pace with the contemporary geopolitical changes due to a rigidity of perceptions, thereby, losing out on political flexibility to adapt to requisite environmental synergies. In the proposed system perception of an individual would have the power to overrule the institutional decision-making mechanism which may manifest into inappropriate synergies. Now that President Xi is likely to continue in the office beyond the stipulated two terms, he would serve the Chinese interests better if he accords priority to cooperation instead of confrontation. It is President Xi, who has to take a call with added faith and concomitant responsibilities bestowed upon him by the Chinese people. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: China is giving Xi Jinping unprecedented power

Skype has apparently joined the lengthening list of internet tools on China&#39;s blacklist, disappearing from download stores with Apple saying Wednesday it was ordered by the government to remove certain apps.

Skype is no longer available for download from the Chinese Apple Store or popular Android sites, with Chinese web-users saying it had been gone for weeks.

&quot;We have been notified by the Ministry of Public Security that a number of VOIP (voice over internet protocol) apps do not comply with local law, therefore these apps have been removed from the App Store in China,&quot; Apple said in an emailed statement.

&quot;These apps remain available in all other markets where they do business.&quot;

The company did not specify which laws such apps were found to have violated.

China has tightened it&#39;s already stringent online policing this year, including enacting new rules that require tech companies to store user data inside the country as well as imposing fresh restrictions on what is permissible content.

Chinese authorities appeared to severely disrupt the WhatsApp messaging app as they ratcheted up security ahead of a Communist Party congress in October that saw President Xi Jinping consolidate his hold on the country.

The moves have prompted speculation on the Chinese internet that authorities were moving against services with effective encryption, like WhatsApp and Skype, that make them less vulnerable to government monitoring.

The change does not seem to have affected the use of previously downloaded versions of Skype, which appeared to work normally.

Also, Skype Business, a separate app tailored for corporate use, was still available for download in China.

Great Firewall&nbsp;

Skype&#39;s removal follows Apple&#39;s August decision to strike out so-called VPN apps, or virtual private networks, which allow users to skirt the so-called &quot;Great Firewall of China&quot; system of online censorship.

Both cases underscored the dilemma faced by US tech companies seeking to uphold principles of web freedom while holding on to their Chinese market shares.&nbsp;

&quot;We would rather not remove the apps, but like in other countries, we obey the laws where we do business,&quot; Apple chief Tim Cook said after the VPN move.

China has for years blocked leading foreign websites or services including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and a number of news organisations, largely to prevent content that could challenge party rule.

Slamming the door on foreign tech leaders have allowed Chinese champions like Tencent to prosper in the vacuum.

The market value of the Chinese social media and video game giant surpassed that of Facebook on Tuesday as investors sent Tencent soaring into the world&#39;s top five biggest firms.

By the end of trading Tuesday, Tencent&#39;s Hong Kong-listed shares were worth $523 billion, surpassing Facebook&#39;s $519 billion at the time.

China this year also ordered the country&#39;s internet platforms to verify the true identity of users before letting them post online content.

The move could make it more difficult to post online anonymously, often one of the only avenues for honest debate in the country.

Skype&#39;s removal from app stores comes as China prepares to host its fourth World Internet Conference next month.

The annual event in eastern China is used by Beijing to promote its views about web policy but has been criticised by rights groups.

On Tuesday the ruling Communist Party&#39;s anti-graft agency said China&#39;s former internet czar Lu Wei, who stepped down last year after overseeing a tightening of online censorship, was under investigation for suspected &quot;severe disciplinary violations,&quot; which typically means corruption.

Skype has apparently joined the lengthening list of internet tools on China's blacklist, disappearing from download stores with Apple saying it was ordered by the government to remove certain apps

Skype has apparently joined the lengthening list of internet tools on China's blacklist, disappearing from download stores with Apple saying Wednesday it was ordered by the government to remove certain apps. Skype is no longer available for download from the Chinese Apple Store or popular Android sites, with Chinese web-users saying it had been gone for weeks. "We have been notified by the Ministry of Public Security that a number of VOIP (voice over internet protocol) apps do not comply with local law, therefore these apps have been removed from the App Store in China," Apple said in an emailed statement. "These apps remain available in all other markets where they do business." The company did not specify which laws such apps were found to have violated. China has tightened it's already stringent online policing this year, including enacting new rules that require tech companies to store user data inside the country as well as imposing fresh restrictions on what is permissible content. Chinese authorities appeared to severely disrupt the WhatsApp messaging app as they ratcheted up security ahead of a Communist Party congress in October that saw President Xi Jinping consolidate his hold on the country. The moves have prompted speculation on the Chinese internet that authorities were moving against services with effective encryption, like WhatsApp and Skype, that make them less vulnerable to government monitoring. The change does not seem to have affected the use of previously downloaded versions of Skype, which appeared to work normally. Also, Skype Business, a separate app tailored for corporate use, was still available for download in China. Great Firewall Skype's removal follows Apple's August decision to strike out so-called VPN apps, or virtual private networks, which allow users to skirt the so-called "Great Firewall of China" system of online censorship. Both cases underscored the dilemma faced by US tech companies seeking to uphold principles of web freedom while holding on to their Chinese market shares. "We would rather not remove the apps, but like in other countries, we obey the laws where we do business," Apple chief Tim Cook said after the VPN move. China has for years blocked leading foreign websites or services including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and a number of news organisations, largely to prevent content that could challenge party rule. Slamming the door on foreign tech leaders have allowed Chinese champions like Tencent to prosper in the vacuum. The market value of the Chinese social media and video game giant surpassed that of Facebook on Tuesday as investors sent Tencent soaring into the world's top five biggest firms. By the end of trading Tuesday, Tencent's Hong Kong-listed shares were worth $523 billion, surpassing Facebook's $519 billion at the time. China this year also ordered the country's internet platforms to verify the true identity of users before letting them post online content. The move could make it more difficult to post online anonymously, often one of the only avenues for honest debate in the country. Skype's removal from app stores comes as China prepares to host its fourth World Internet Conference next month. The annual event in eastern China is used by Beijing to promote its views about web policy but has been criticised by rights groups. On Tuesday the ruling Communist Party's anti-graft agency said China's former internet czar Lu Wei, who stepped down last year after overseeing a tightening of online censorship, was under investigation for suspected "severe disciplinary violations," which typically means corruption.

Skype joins list of apps on China blacklist

A top American expert has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only world statesman to have stood up to China&#39;s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) even though the US has been silent on the ambitious project till recently.

The statement came during a Congressional hearing of Michael Pillsbury, Director of Center on Chinese Strategy at the prestigious think-tank Hudson Institute. He&nbsp;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,&quot; 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.&quot; He said

The former Pentagon official while praising the Trump administration for its new Indo-Pacific strategy said that in recent days, people have heard more than 50 times by members of the Trump administration including the president himself mentioning a &quot;free and open&quot; Indo-Pacific region.

&quot;The Chinese have already attacked this. They don&#39;t like it,&quot; 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,&quot; he said.

&quot;The 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,&quot; 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 the USD 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&nbsp;organised by China in May this year to highlight its concerns over Beijing pushing projects through the PoK.

Markey 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 the Chinese are offering low-interest loans to countries that cannot afford it.

&quot;We have already seen 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,&quot; he said.

There were concerns about debt burden brought in by the BRI projects after Sri Lanka opted for long-term lease of its Hambantota port for USD 1.12 billion debt swap. So we are beginning to see, just through the media, what the Belt and Road Initiative may mean,&quot; 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 was constructed in violation of international law, military bases on artificial islands and disputed areas of the South China Sea.&quot; 
 
&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.

A top American expert has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only world statesman to have stood up to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) even though the US has been silent on the ambitious project till recently.

A top American expert has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only world statesman to have stood up to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) even though the US has been silent on the ambitious project till recently. The statement came during a Congressional hearing of Michael Pillsbury, Director of Center on Chinese Strategy at the prestigious think-tank Hudson Institute. He 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 The former Pentagon official while praising the Trump administration for its new Indo-Pacific strategy said that in recent days, people have heard more than 50 times by members of the Trump administration including the president himself mentioning a "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. "The 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 the USD 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 organised by China in May this year to highlight its concerns over Beijing pushing projects through the PoK. Markey 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 the Chinese are offering low-interest loans to countries that cannot afford it. "We have already seen 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 about debt burden brought in by the BRI projects after Sri Lanka opted for long-term lease of its Hambantota port for USD 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 was 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.

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

US President Donald Trump told his Vietnamese counterpart Sunday he is ready to help resolve the dispute in the resource-rich South China Sea, which Beijing claims most of.

&quot;If I can help mediate or arbitrate, please let me know...I am a very good mediator,&quot; the dealmaking American leader told Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang during an official state visit Sunday.

Vietnam has long courted support from Washington in its dispute with China over the precious waterway, where Beijing has built military installations and artificial islands.

Beijing&#39;s sweeping claims also overlap with those of the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

Trump&#39;s comments come ahead of a state visit on Sunday afternoon by Chinese President Xi Jinping who will meet with top communist leaders.

Tensions over the sea spiked earlier this year when Vietnam suspended an oil exploration project in an area of the waterway also claimed by Beijing, reportedly under pressure from its powerhouse communist neighbour.

In 2014, China moved an oil rig into waters off Vietnam&#39;s coast, sparking violent protests in several Vietnamese cities.

Trump is in Hanoi for a brisk visit that could touch on boosting military support for America&#39;s former wartime foe.

Talks will also focus on promoting trade between the cosy allies, though Vietnam&#39;s gaping trade surplus with the United States, worth $32 billion in 2016, could be a sticking point.

Trump heads to Manila later Sunday for the final stop on his marathon Asia tour that has mainly focused on building regional consensus against North Korea&#39;s nuclear ambitions and espousing his &quot;America First&quot; vision of global trade.

US President Donald Trump told his Vietnamese counterpart Sunday he is ready to help resolve the dispute in the resource-rich South China Sea, which Beijing claims most of

US President Donald Trump told his Vietnamese counterpart Sunday he is ready to help resolve the dispute in the resource-rich South China Sea, which Beijing claims most of. "If I can help mediate or arbitrate, please let me know...I am a very good mediator," the dealmaking American leader told Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang during an official state visit Sunday. Vietnam has long courted support from Washington in its dispute with China over the precious waterway, where Beijing has built military installations and artificial islands. Beijing's sweeping claims also overlap with those of the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. Trump's comments come ahead of a state visit on Sunday afternoon by Chinese President Xi Jinping who will meet with top communist leaders. Tensions over the sea spiked earlier this year when Vietnam suspended an oil exploration project in an area of the waterway also claimed by Beijing, reportedly under pressure from its powerhouse communist neighbour. In 2014, China moved an oil rig into waters off Vietnam's coast, sparking violent protests in several Vietnamese cities. Trump is in Hanoi for a brisk visit that could touch on boosting military support for America's former wartime foe. Talks will also focus on promoting trade between the cosy allies, though Vietnam's gaping trade surplus with the United States, worth $32 billion in 2016, could be a sticking point. Trump heads to Manila later Sunday for the final stop on his marathon Asia tour that has mainly focused on building regional consensus against North Korea's nuclear ambitions and espousing his "America First" vision of global trade.

Trump offers to 'mediate' in South China Sea dispute

While North Korea and trade are set <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-xi-watch-chinese-opera-in-beijing-23755">to dominate the formal part of the visit, which ends on Friday</a>, China has been keen to show the importance it puts on Trump&rsquo;s visit, the first by a foreign leader since the end of a key Communist Party congress last month where Xi cemented his power.

Trump and his wife Melania were whisked from Beijing airport - where they were met by China&rsquo;s top diplomat Yang Jiechi, a key player in the outreach to Trump since he won the election a year ago - straight to the Forbidden City.

Chatting over cups of tea, Trump showed Xi a video of his granddaughter Arabella Kushner singing in Mandarin and reciting classical Chinese poetry, prompting Xi to compliment her performance as worthy of an &ldquo;A+&rdquo;, Chinese state media said.

Xi said he hoped Arabella would visit China soon, noting that she was already a &ldquo;child star&rdquo; in China, the official Xinhua news agency said.

A video of Arabella reciting a Chinese poem went viral on Chinese social media shortly after Trump&rsquo;s election last year.

In another break from precedent, Xi himself gave the Trumps a tour of the imperial treasures of the Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage site cleared of tourists for the day, before the two first couples watched Chinese opera and an acrobatic display.

&ldquo;That&rsquo;s something!&rdquo; Trump said after the show, as he and Xi walked away. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re having a great time.&rdquo;

China had widely been expected to pull out all the stops for Trump, who has pressed it to do more to control its neighbour North Korea, and resolve a yawning trade gap with the United States.

The ceremony on Trump&rsquo;s arrival at Beijing&rsquo;s airport on Wednesday was also more elaborate than usual, with the Trumps met by a marching band and soldiers standing at attention. Smartly dressed children waving miniature Chinese and American flags jumped up and down as Trump&rsquo;s motorcade passed.

In another rare, if not unprecedented step, Trump&rsquo;s official ceremonial welcome at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday will be broadcast live on national television, state broadcaster CCTV said.

While the sprawling palace complex in the center of Beijing is a regular stop for visiting dignitaries, it is rare for a Chinese leader to provide a personal escort, confirmation of the &ldquo;state visit-plus&rdquo; treatment that China had promised for Trump.

&nbsp;

With lavish pageantry and an uncharacteristic personal flourish, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday rolled out a red carpet welcome for U.S President Donald Trump at the Forbidden City, the ancient home of China?s emperors

While North Korea and trade are set to dominate the formal part of the visit, which ends on Friday, China has been keen to show the importance it puts on Trump’s visit, the first by a foreign leader since the end of a key Communist Party congress last month where Xi cemented his power. Trump and his wife Melania were whisked from Beijing airport - where they were met by China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi, a key player in the outreach to Trump since he won the election a year ago - straight to the Forbidden City. Chatting over cups of tea, Trump showed Xi a video of his granddaughter Arabella Kushner singing in Mandarin and reciting classical Chinese poetry, prompting Xi to compliment her performance as worthy of an “A+”, Chinese state media said. Xi said he hoped Arabella would visit China soon, noting that she was already a “child star” in China, the official Xinhua news agency said. A video of Arabella reciting a Chinese poem went viral on Chinese social media shortly after Trump’s election last year. In another break from precedent, Xi himself gave the Trumps a tour of the imperial treasures of the Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage site cleared of tourists for the day, before the two first couples watched Chinese opera and an acrobatic display. “That’s something!” Trump said after the show, as he and Xi walked away. “We’re having a great time.” China had widely been expected to pull out all the stops for Trump, who has pressed it to do more to control its neighbour North Korea, and resolve a yawning trade gap with the United States. The ceremony on Trump’s arrival at Beijing’s airport on Wednesday was also more elaborate than usual, with the Trumps met by a marching band and soldiers standing at attention. Smartly dressed children waving miniature Chinese and American flags jumped up and down as Trump’s motorcade passed. In another rare, if not unprecedented step, Trump’s official ceremonial welcome at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday will be broadcast live on national television, state broadcaster CCTV said. While the sprawling palace complex in the center of Beijing is a regular stop for visiting dignitaries, it is rare for a Chinese leader to provide a personal escort, confirmation of the “state visit-plus” treatment that China had promised for Trump.

President Xi fetes Trump on first day of Beijing trip

Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun his second five-year term ordering the country&#39;s 2.3 million-strong military, the world&#39;s largest, to be absolutely loyal to the ruling Communist Party and intensify its combat readiness by focussing on how to win wars.

The once-in-a-five-year Congress of the Communist Party endorsed Xi&#39;s leadership of the party, the military, and the presidency this week and approved his ideology to be written into its Constitution, elevating him on par with modern China&#39;s founder Chairman Mao Zedong and his successor Deng Xiaoping.

Xi, 67, began his second tenure yesterday by holding a meeting of top military officials, regarded as the main source of power base.

Xi, who heads the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC) the overall high command of the Chinese military, is the only civilian leader in the body which is otherwise packed with topmost officials of the armed forces. The new CMC line-up which was unveiled on Wednesday will be led by a group of seven, down from the 11 members who headed its operations before.

Earlier reports said Xi, who consolidated his power in the last five years with a massive anti-corruption campaign in which over a million officials were punished wanted to shrink the Standing Committee of the party to five from seven.

But apparently, he did not succeed as other groups in the party headed by former leaders pressed for status quo to include their nominees in the highest-ranking body bringing it a semblance of balance in power equations. 
In the last night&rsquo;s meeting of top military officials, some high-ranking officials were conspicuously absent, Hong- Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

It appeared from the state-run CCTV report that two top generals, the former chief of general staff General Fang Fenghui and director of the political work department, General Zhang Yang were absent.

Both Fang and Zhang were CMC members in Xi&rsquo;s first term, but they were left off the list of PLA delegates to this month&rsquo;s Party Congress.

Earlier the two Generals were taken away on the same day last month as part of a corruption investigation, the Post report said.

Meeting top military officials, he ordered them to be absolutely loyal to the party, to focus on how to win in wars, to pioneer reforms and innovation, to scientifically manage to command a unit, to lead troops in accordance with the strictest standards and to take the forefront in complying with laws and regulations.

He also told the officers to strengthen party-building within the military and to continue to intensify combat-ready training and exercises, to keep carrying out reforms in the national defence system and the military, and to carefully consider strategic issues concerning the PLA&#39;s future development, the official media here reported.

Defence ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang said yesterday that Xi&#39;s plan to strengthen the military would be fully implemented and his authority would be upheld.

Xi asked the PLA officers to learn and implement the spirit of the just-concluded 19th CPC National Congress by following the road of building a strong army with Chinese characteristics and promoting the modernization of national defence and the army.

&quot;We should strive to fully transform the people&#39;s armed forces into a world-class military by the mid-21st century,&quot; Xi said.

He said that during the past five years, the CMC has endeavored to build an army that follows the command of the CPC, capable of winning battles and has a fine style of work, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

During his previous tenure, Xi carried out widespread reforms of the military including reconfiguring the command structure, slashed three lakh troops from 2.3 million militaries, cut the size of the army to a million and made navy more powerful to push China&#39;s influence abroad.

Over 13,000 military personnel including top generals were punished in the anti-graft campaign. With over USD 141 billion-dollar annual budget, the Chinese military is next only to the US in terms of defense spending.

Xi also said the military should obey CPC&#39;s absolute leadership over the armed forces, innovate military strategy, govern the army by law and promoting civil-military integration.

Senior officers, as the backbone of the campaign to build a strong army, should be loyal and obedient to the party, be good and smart at combat and endeavor to reform, Xi said.

Unlike other countries, the military in China functions under the party and not under the government.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun his second five-year term ordering the country's 2.3 million-strong military, the world's largest, to be absolutely loyal to the ruling Communist Party and intensify its combat readiness by focussing on how to win wars.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun his second five-year term ordering the country's 2.3 million-strong military, the world's largest, to be absolutely loyal to the ruling Communist Party and intensify its combat readiness by focussing on how to win wars. The once-in-a-five-year Congress of the Communist Party endorsed Xi's leadership of the party, the military, and the presidency this week and approved his ideology to be written into its Constitution, elevating him on par with modern China's founder Chairman Mao Zedong and his successor Deng Xiaoping. Xi, 67, began his second tenure yesterday by holding a meeting of top military officials, regarded as the main source of power base. Xi, who heads the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC) the overall high command of the Chinese military, is the only civilian leader in the body which is otherwise packed with topmost officials of the armed forces. The new CMC line-up which was unveiled on Wednesday will be led by a group of seven, down from the 11 members who headed its operations before. Earlier reports said Xi, who consolidated his power in the last five years with a massive anti-corruption campaign in which over a million officials were punished wanted to shrink the Standing Committee of the party to five from seven. But apparently, he did not succeed as other groups in the party headed by former leaders pressed for status quo to include their nominees in the highest-ranking body bringing it a semblance of balance in power equations. In the last night’s meeting of top military officials, some high-ranking officials were conspicuously absent, Hong- Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. It appeared from the state-run CCTV report that two top generals, the former chief of general staff General Fang Fenghui and director of the political work department, General Zhang Yang were absent. Both Fang and Zhang were CMC members in Xi’s first term, but they were left off the list of PLA delegates to this month’s Party Congress. Earlier the two Generals were taken away on the same day last month as part of a corruption investigation, the Post report said. Meeting top military officials, he ordered them to be absolutely loyal to the party, to focus on how to win in wars, to pioneer reforms and innovation, to scientifically manage to command a unit, to lead troops in accordance with the strictest standards and to take the forefront in complying with laws and regulations. He also told the officers to strengthen party-building within the military and to continue to intensify combat-ready training and exercises, to keep carrying out reforms in the national defence system and the military, and to carefully consider strategic issues concerning the PLA's future development, the official media here reported. Defence ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang said yesterday that Xi's plan to strengthen the military would be fully implemented and his authority would be upheld. Xi asked the PLA officers to learn and implement the spirit of the just-concluded 19th CPC National Congress by following the road of building a strong army with Chinese characteristics and promoting the modernization of national defence and the army. "We should strive to fully transform the people's armed forces into a world-class military by the mid-21st century," Xi said. He said that during the past five years, the CMC has endeavored to build an army that follows the command of the CPC, capable of winning battles and has a fine style of work, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. During his previous tenure, Xi carried out widespread reforms of the military including reconfiguring the command structure, slashed three lakh troops from 2.3 million militaries, cut the size of the army to a million and made navy more powerful to push China's influence abroad. Over 13,000 military personnel including top generals were punished in the anti-graft campaign. With over USD 141 billion-dollar annual budget, the Chinese military is next only to the US in terms of defense spending. Xi also said the military should obey CPC's absolute leadership over the armed forces, innovate military strategy, govern the army by law and promoting civil-military integration. Senior officers, as the backbone of the campaign to build a strong army, should be loyal and obedient to the party, be good and smart at combat and endeavor to reform, Xi said. Unlike other countries, the military in China functions under the party and not under the government.

Xi Jinping begins his second term with ordering PLA to be combat ready

In the current standoff in Doklam, India will remain firm militarily but be reasonable diplomatically, the Times of India reported on Wednesday quoting sources.&nbsp;

&quot;India will remain &#39;firm and resolute&#39; on the ground or at the military level to thwart any attempt by China to &#39;bully&#39; Bhutan, while being &#39;reasonable&#39; at the politico-diplomatic level to resolve the ongoing troop stand-off with the People&#39;s Liberation Army in the Doklam area in Bhutanese territory, say sources&quot;, the TOI said.&nbsp;

There are at the moment about 300 soldiers from either side facing off from each other, about 150 metres apart, in Doklam.&nbsp;

Doklam lies in Bhutan, close to the trijunction where China (Tibet), India (Sikkim), and Bhutan meet.&nbsp;

The standoff erupted in June when Chinese troops began to build a road on the plateau.&nbsp;

Bhutanese troops tried to stop them but were unable to do so.&nbsp;

They then asked Indian troops for help, who intervened, sparking the standoff which has been building up ever since.&nbsp;

Only yesterday, the Chinese defence ministry said -- depending on the situation -- it would continue to increase troop deployments to the region.&nbsp;

There are at the moment about 300 soldiers from either side facing off from each other, about 150 metres apart, in Doklam

In the current standoff in Doklam, India will remain firm militarily but be reasonable diplomatically, the Times of India reported on Wednesday quoting sources. "India will remain 'firm and resolute' on the ground or at the military level to thwart any attempt by China to 'bully' Bhutan, while being 'reasonable' at the politico-diplomatic level to resolve the ongoing troop stand-off with the People's Liberation Army in the Doklam area in Bhutanese territory, say sources", the TOI said. There are at the moment about 300 soldiers from either side facing off from each other, about 150 metres apart, in Doklam. Doklam lies in Bhutan, close to the trijunction where China (Tibet), India (Sikkim), and Bhutan meet. The standoff erupted in June when Chinese troops began to build a road on the plateau. Bhutanese troops tried to stop them but were unable to do so. They then asked Indian troops for help, who intervened, sparking the standoff which has been building up ever since. Only yesterday, the Chinese defence ministry said -- depending on the situation -- it would continue to increase troop deployments to the region.

On Doklam, India will remain firm militarily but be reasonable diplomatically: Report

President Xi Jinping arrives in Hong Kong on Thursday to celebrate its 20th anniversary of Chinese rule, but he faces a city divided, mass protests and aggrieved crowds resentful of Beijing&#39;s growing meddling in local affairs.

Britain returned Hong Kong to Chinese rule on July 1, 1997, under a &quot;one country, two systems&quot; formula which guarantees wide-ranging autonomy and judicial independence not seen in mainland China.

The central government in Beijing has promised Hong Kong&#39;s capitalist system will remain unchanged for &quot;at least&quot; 50 years, but it has not clarified what happens after that.

Fears of the creeping influence of Communist Party leaders in Beijing are highlighted by the abduction by mainland agents of some Hong Kong booksellers who specialised in politically sensitive material and Beijing&#39;s efforts in disqualifying two pro-independence lawmakers elected to the city legislature.

An annual protest to press for full democracy in the city is expected to take place after Xi&#39;s departure on the afternoon of July 1. The city is already on tenterhooks. On the eve of Xi&#39;s visit, police arrested pro-democracy protesters, some of whom scrambled up a monument symbolising the city&#39;s handover from British to Chinese rule.

Part of the major rift under Chinese rule in Hong Kong has been a tenacious push by activists to get China to live up to a constitutional promise under Hong Kong&#39;s mini-constitution, the Basic Law, to allow universal suffrage as an &quot;ultimate aim&quot;.

&quot;This promise has been shattered under the watchful eyes of the whole world,&quot; organisers of a planned July 1 rally wrote in a statement. &quot;Hong Kong has been lied to for 20 years. Let&#39;s retake Hong Kong for a real and fully fledged democracy.&quot;

&nbsp;

MASSIVE SECURITY FOR XI VISIT

A massive security presence is expected with thousands of police deployed to maintain order as protests simmer, including one on Saturday that could draw well over 100,000 people.

During Xi&#39;s first visit to Hong Kong as China&#39;s president, he will oversee the swearing in of the city&#39;s first female leader, Carrie Lam. He will also visit the local People&#39;s Liberation Army garrison, and meet establishment figures, although he is expected to avoid any grassroots engagement.

There has been talk Xi could hold a symbolic meeting with a few local democrats, an olive branch at a time of unprecedented tensions and mistrust between Hong Kong&#39;s opposition and Beijing, but it is unlikely to yield much of substance.

In a press conference on Wednesday by 20 of the city&#39;s pro-democracy lawmakers they said nothing had been confirmed.

The streets of Hong Kong have been festooned with Chinese flags and paraphernalia, including two huge harbourfront screens carrying celebratory messages. Upwards of 120,000 youngsters will join China-related activities at a time of growing disillusionment and bitterness towards Beijing among the city&#39;s younger generation.

Over the past five years under President Xi&#39;s tenure as Chinese leader and amid a ferocious crackdown on civil society and critics on the mainland, the squeeze on Hong Kong&#39;s autonomy has intensified, say diplomats, observers and activists.

&quot;Things have changed. The central government has tightened its grip over Hong Kong,&quot; says political scientist Joseph Wong.

As President Xi Jinping arrives to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Chinese rule, many are protesting Beijing's growing meddling in local affairs

President Xi Jinping arrives in Hong Kong on Thursday to celebrate its 20th anniversary of Chinese rule, but he faces a city divided, mass protests and aggrieved crowds resentful of Beijing's growing meddling in local affairs. Britain returned Hong Kong to Chinese rule on July 1, 1997, under a "one country, two systems" formula which guarantees wide-ranging autonomy and judicial independence not seen in mainland China. The central government in Beijing has promised Hong Kong's capitalist system will remain unchanged for "at least" 50 years, but it has not clarified what happens after that. Fears of the creeping influence of Communist Party leaders in Beijing are highlighted by the abduction by mainland agents of some Hong Kong booksellers who specialised in politically sensitive material and Beijing's efforts in disqualifying two pro-independence lawmakers elected to the city legislature. An annual protest to press for full democracy in the city is expected to take place after Xi's departure on the afternoon of July 1. The city is already on tenterhooks. On the eve of Xi's visit, police arrested pro-democracy protesters, some of whom scrambled up a monument symbolising the city's handover from British to Chinese rule. Part of the major rift under Chinese rule in Hong Kong has been a tenacious push by activists to get China to live up to a constitutional promise under Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, to allow universal suffrage as an "ultimate aim". "This promise has been shattered under the watchful eyes of the whole world," organisers of a planned July 1 rally wrote in a statement. "Hong Kong has been lied to for 20 years. Let's retake Hong Kong for a real and fully fledged democracy." MASSIVE SECURITY FOR XI VISIT A massive security presence is expected with thousands of police deployed to maintain order as protests simmer, including one on Saturday that could draw well over 100,000 people. During Xi's first visit to Hong Kong as China's president, he will oversee the swearing in of the city's first female leader, Carrie Lam. He will also visit the local People's Liberation Army garrison, and meet establishment figures, although he is expected to avoid any grassroots engagement. There has been talk Xi could hold a symbolic meeting with a few local democrats, an olive branch at a time of unprecedented tensions and mistrust between Hong Kong's opposition and Beijing, but it is unlikely to yield much of substance. In a press conference on Wednesday by 20 of the city's pro-democracy lawmakers they said nothing had been confirmed. The streets of Hong Kong have been festooned with Chinese flags and paraphernalia, including two huge harbourfront screens carrying celebratory messages. Upwards of 120,000 youngsters will join China-related activities at a time of growing disillusionment and bitterness towards Beijing among the city's younger generation. Over the past five years under President Xi's tenure as Chinese leader and amid a ferocious crackdown on civil society and critics on the mainland, the squeeze on Hong Kong's autonomy has intensified, say diplomats, observers and activists. "Things have changed. The central government has tightened its grip over Hong Kong," says political scientist Joseph Wong.

Celebration and protest as China president visits Hong Kong

History is tricky business. Often it requires breaking a continuum at different points to demarcate the beginning or end of eras. This week is one such inflection point that future historians are likely to look back at to mark the beginning of a new dynamic in the world order.

&nbsp;

With Donald Trump set to take charge in the Oval Office, on a bitterly cold day in the Swiss town of Davos, the leader of the world&rsquo;s largest Communist Party, Xi Jinping of China pitched himself as the next standard bearer of globalisation and the liberal economic order.

&nbsp;

Delivering the opening plenary speech at the World Economic Forum, Chinese President Xi Jinping hinted more clearly than ever before that Beijing is ready to move on from Deng Xiaoping&rsquo;s vision of tao guang yang hui &ndash; roughly meaning: keep a low profile and bide your time while things get accomplished.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Beijing is ready to move on from Deng Xiaoping&rsquo;s vision of tao guang yang hui &ndash; roughly meaning: keep a low profile and bide your time while things get accomplished</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Beijing is ready to move on from Deng Xiaoping?s vision of tao guang yang hui ? roughly meaning: keep a low profile and bide your time while things get accomplished" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&nbsp;

&ldquo;We must remain committed to developing global free trade and investment, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation through opening-up and say no to protectionism. Pursuing protectionism is like locking oneself in a dark room. While wind and rain may be kept outside, that dark room will also block light and air. No one will emerge as a winner in a trade war,&rdquo; Xi proclaimed to applause, chiding critics of globalisation.

&nbsp;

A day later, Xi met United Nations General Assembly President Peter Thomson and new Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the UN office in Geneva, pledging Beijing&rsquo;s commitment to the organisation.

&nbsp;

&quot;The interests of all nations are connected, while their future is shared. The old way of chasing profits and hegemony must be banished, and should be replaced with a new pattern of using rules and institutions to better coordinate relationships and interests,&rdquo; Chinese state media quoted him as saying.

&nbsp;

Guterres and Thomson lauded those remarks as indicative of China&rsquo;s reaffirmation to multilateralism.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Ever since winning the elections, Trump has indicated that he intends to act on his protectionist campaign promises</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Ever since winning the elections, Trump has indicated that he intends to act on his protectionist campaign promises" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In both Davos and Geneva, although Xi mentioned no names, the target of his rhetoric was clear. Ever since winning the elections, Trump has indicated that he intends to act on his protectionist campaign promises.

&nbsp;

Apart from the much-talked about border wall, which Trump says Mexico will pay for, he has threatened carmakers like Toyota, General Motors, Ford and BMW with a border tax for manufacturing abroad and selling in the US. He&rsquo;s also spoken about re-negotiating NAFTA and junking the Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership agreement. Added to that, he has vowed to get tougher on immigration, even for skilled workers, by raising the bar for H1-B visa applicants.

&nbsp;

Trump&rsquo;s rhetoric has not just been protectionist but also anti-multilateralism bordering on isolationism, at least in the context of long-standing American commitments in the global arena. From terming NATO &ldquo;obsolete,&rdquo; predicting the break-up of the EU and calling it an institution that serves German interests, to dismissing the UN as a &ldquo;club&rdquo; for people to &ldquo;have a good time,&rdquo; Trump has indicated that he wants US allies to carry their own weight.

&nbsp;

It is this perceived pullback that the Chinese president is looking to capitalise on. For instance, in November, as the US was debating the outcome of the presidential election, Xi traveled to South America.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Although data shows that South America&rsquo;s trade with China creates fewer jobs per dollar worth of exports, Beijing is looking to change that.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Although data shows that South America?s trade with China creates fewer jobs per dollar worth of exports, Beijing is looking to change that." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Beijing&rsquo;s economic ties with the region have largely been in the context of raw materials and investments in infrastructure. China buys raw materials such as oil, minerals like copper and soybeans from Latin America. Its share in overall South American trade has climbed steadily since 2000. While the US&rsquo;s share remains the largest, it has steadily declined. Moreover, although data shows that South America&rsquo;s trade with China creates fewer jobs per dollar worth of exports, Beijing is looking to change that.

&nbsp;

China is promising investments in oil and energy sectors, such as the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric station in Ecuador or the Shanghai-based Envision Energy&rsquo;s proposed wind farms in Argentina, along with undertaking mega infrastructure projects, such as the proposed 3,300-mile-long transcontinental railroad.

&nbsp;

Beijing has been employing a similar approach elsewhere too. For instance, reports suggest that Africa is likely to slide down the new US administration&rsquo;s priority list, with Trump questioning aid and security commitments along with the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which eliminated US import levies on 7,000 African products. China, meanwhile, is expanding its engagement in the region, ever since it overtook the United States as Africa&rsquo;s top trade partner in 2009.

&nbsp;

Estimates value China-Africa trade to be nearly 170 billion US dollars in 2015, dipping from over 200 billion US dollars in 2014. Chinese exports to Africa in 2015 reached 103 billion US dollars, which far outstrips the 27-billion-dollars worth of exports from the US.

&nbsp;

In addition, many China-funded infrastructure projects in Africa, such as the Ethiopia-Djibouti Railway and the Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge railway in Nigeria, were completed in 2016. During his visit to the region at the beginning of 2017, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also extended an invite to African nations to join Beijing&rsquo;s foreign policy cornerstone Belt and Road initiative.

&nbsp;

Chinese media reports suggest that already 40 countries and organizations have signed deals in connection with the Belt and Road initiative, with Chinese investment in countries along the routes having surpassed 50 billion US dollars. In addition, the China-led 57-member Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has already approved nine major projects in the last year, lending 1.7 billion US dollars, surpassing its initial target of 1.2 billion US dollars.

&nbsp;

Added to that, with Trump indicating a US reversal on the TPP, Beijing is keen on pressing ahead with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which brings together ASEAN members and its six FTA partners - China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>China&rsquo;s attempts to cement its position as a leader of the multilateral liberal economic order hinge&nbsp;on crucial changes in its domestic economic policy.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=China?s attempts to cement its position as a leader of the multilateral liberal economic order hinge?on crucial changes in its domestic economic policy." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

However, China&rsquo;s attempts to cement its position as a leader of the multilateral liberal economic order hinge&nbsp;on crucial changes in its domestic economic policy. First, Chinese growth is slowing, with GDP growth estimates for 2017 down to 6.5 per cent - the lowest in over 25 years. If that trend continues, it will place a serious question mark on Beijing&rsquo;s ability to use its economic muscle to sway countries in its favour.

&nbsp;

Second, while Chinese banks extended a record 12.56 trillion yuan (roughly $1.83 trillion) of loans in 2016, growing debt, particularly corporate debt with state-owned enterprises, remains a major concern. In a recent assessment, the IMF warned that China&rsquo;s total debt rose to 247 per cent of its GDP in 2015. The economic slowdown and rising debt, along with external factors, are also contributing to the yuan&rsquo;s depreciation.

&nbsp;

Lastly, any attempts at leading the liberal economic order will require China to further ease access to its domestic markets. China still hasn&rsquo;t been accorded &lsquo;market economy status&rsquo; at the WTO and the recent 2016 Enabling Trade Index published by the WEF ranks China 121 out of 136 countries in terms of domestic market access, estimating average applied tariffs of 11.1 per cent.

&nbsp;

Given the above, delivering on the rhetorical flourishes in Switzerland will require Xi Jinping to addresses domestic economic challenges, along with managing political tensions with countries like India, Japan and claimants in the South China Sea dispute.

China chides critics of globalisation, 'No one will emerge as a winner in a trade war'

History is tricky business. Often it requires breaking a continuum at different points to demarcate the beginning or end of eras. This week is one such inflection point that future historians are likely to look back at to mark the beginning of a new dynamic in the world order. With Donald Trump set to take charge in the Oval Office, on a bitterly cold day in the Swiss town of Davos, the leader of the world’s largest Communist Party, Xi Jinping of China pitched himself as the next standard bearer of globalisation and the liberal economic order. Delivering the opening plenary speech at the World Economic Forum, Chinese President Xi Jinping hinted more clearly than ever before that Beijing is ready to move on from Deng Xiaoping’s vision of tao guang yang hui – roughly meaning: keep a low profile and bide your time while things get accomplished. Beijing is ready to move on from Deng Xiaoping’s vision of tao guang yang hui – roughly meaning: keep a low profile and bide your time while things get accomplished × “We must remain committed to developing global free trade and investment, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation through opening-up and say no to protectionism. Pursuing protectionism is like locking oneself in a dark room. While wind and rain may be kept outside, that dark room will also block light and air. No one will emerge as a winner in a trade war,” Xi proclaimed to applause, chiding critics of globalisation. A day later, Xi met United Nations General Assembly President Peter Thomson and new Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the UN office in Geneva, pledging Beijing’s commitment to the organisation. "The interests of all nations are connected, while their future is shared. The old way of chasing profits and hegemony must be banished, and should be replaced with a new pattern of using rules and institutions to better coordinate relationships and interests,” Chinese state media quoted him as saying. Guterres and Thomson lauded those remarks as indicative of China’s reaffirmation to multilateralism. Ever since winning the elections, Trump has indicated that he intends to act on his protectionist campaign promises × In both Davos and Geneva, although Xi mentioned no names, the target of his rhetoric was clear. Ever since winning the elections, Trump has indicated that he intends to act on his protectionist campaign promises. Apart from the much-talked about border wall, which Trump says Mexico will pay for, he has threatened carmakers like Toyota, General Motors, Ford and BMW with a border tax for manufacturing abroad and selling in the US. He’s also spoken about re-negotiating NAFTA and junking the Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership agreement. Added to that, he has vowed to get tougher on immigration, even for skilled workers, by raising the bar for H1-B visa applicants. Trump’s rhetoric has not just been protectionist but also anti-multilateralism bordering on isolationism, at least in the context of long-standing American commitments in the global arena. From terming NATO “obsolete,” predicting the break-up of the EU and calling it an institution that serves German interests, to dismissing the UN as a “club” for people to “have a good time,” Trump has indicated that he wants US allies to carry their own weight. It is this perceived pullback that the Chinese president is looking to capitalise on. For instance, in November, as the US was debating the outcome of the presidential election, Xi traveled to South America. Although data shows that South America’s trade with China creates fewer jobs per dollar worth of exports, Beijing is looking to change that. × Beijing’s economic ties with the region have largely been in the context of raw materials and investments in infrastructure. China buys raw materials such as oil, minerals like copper and soybeans from Latin America. Its share in overall South American trade has climbed steadily since 2000. While the US’s share remains the largest, it has steadily declined. Moreover, although data shows that South America’s trade with China creates fewer jobs per dollar worth of exports, Beijing is looking to change that. China is promising investments in oil and energy sectors, such as the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric station in Ecuador or the Shanghai-based Envision Energy’s proposed wind farms in Argentina, along with undertaking mega infrastructure projects, such as the proposed 3,300-mile-long transcontinental railroad. Beijing has been employing a similar approach elsewhere too. For instance, reports suggest that Africa is likely to slide down the new US administration’s priority list, with Trump questioning aid and security commitments along with the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which eliminated US import levies on 7,000 African products. China, meanwhile, is expanding its engagement in the region, ever since it overtook the United States as Africa’s top trade partner in 2009. Estimates value China-Africa trade to be nearly 170 billion US dollars in 2015, dipping from over 200 billion US dollars in 2014. Chinese exports to Africa in 2015 reached 103 billion US dollars, which far outstrips the 27-billion-dollars worth of exports from the US. In addition, many China-funded infrastructure projects in Africa, such as the Ethiopia-Djibouti Railway and the Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge railway in Nigeria, were completed in 2016. During his visit to the region at the beginning of 2017, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also extended an invite to African nations to join Beijing’s foreign policy cornerstone Belt and Road initiative. Chinese media reports suggest that already 40 countries and organizations have signed deals in connection with the Belt and Road initiative, with Chinese investment in countries along the routes having surpassed 50 billion US dollars. In addition, the China-led 57-member Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has already approved nine major projects in the last year, lending 1.7 billion US dollars, surpassing its initial target of 1.2 billion US dollars. Added to that, with Trump indicating a US reversal on the TPP, Beijing is keen on pressing ahead with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which brings together ASEAN members and its six FTA partners - China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand. China’s attempts to cement its position as a leader of the multilateral liberal economic order hinge on crucial changes in its domestic economic policy. × However, China’s attempts to cement its position as a leader of the multilateral liberal economic order hinge on crucial changes in its domestic economic policy. First, Chinese growth is slowing, with GDP growth estimates for 2017 down to 6.5 per cent - the lowest in over 25 years. If that trend continues, it will place a serious question mark on Beijing’s ability to use its economic muscle to sway countries in its favour. Second, while Chinese banks extended a record 12.56 trillion yuan (roughly $1.83 trillion) of loans in 2016, growing debt, particularly corporate debt with state-owned enterprises, remains a major concern. In a recent assessment, the IMF warned that China’s total debt rose to 247 per cent of its GDP in 2015. The economic slowdown and rising debt, along with external factors, are also contributing to the yuan’s depreciation. Lastly, any attempts at leading the liberal economic order will require China to further ease access to its domestic markets. China still hasn’t been accorded ‘market economy status’ at the WTO and the recent 2016 Enabling Trade Index published by the WEF ranks China 121 out of 136 countries in terms of domestic market access, estimating average applied tariffs of 11.1 per cent. Given the above, delivering on the rhetorical flourishes in Switzerland will require Xi Jinping to addresses domestic economic challenges, along with managing political tensions with countries like India, Japan and claimants in the South China Sea dispute.

China: The new face of globalisation

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) stressed its independence from China at its first annual meeting today, saying it plans to cooperate with other development banks and add new members, including Hong Kong.&nbsp; 
 
Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the bank two years ago and it began operations in January, with 57 founding member countries and $100 billion in committed capital, which it plans to invest in projects across the region.&nbsp; 
 
The AIIB, which intends to invest $1.2 billion this year, said it is aiming to meet international standards of governance, although some members say there is still work to be done.&nbsp; 
 
And in response to concern that China, its biggest backer, will dominate, the AIIB said it answers to all its shareholders. 
 
&quot;China as much as other shareholders has been very supportive of the governance standards that we&#39;re setting and of the transparency around the bank&#39;s operations,&quot; AIIB vice president Danny Alexander said. 
 
AIIB&#39;s board approved its first four deals worth $509 million on Friday, with three projects co-financed with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the United Kingdom Department for International Development and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.&nbsp; 
 
The co-financed projects are a slum renovation in Indonesia and highway construction in Pakistan and Tajikistan. A power grid upgrade project in Bangladesh will be solely AIIB financed. 
 
&quot;We are working on a number of additional projects and look forward to bringing them to our Board for its approval later this year,&quot; said AIIB President Jin Liqun. 
 
It is crucial for the AIIB to comply with multilateral agency procedures and rules, Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli, said at the opening ceremony for AIIB&#39;s annual meeting.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;AIIB should learn from the successful experience of other multilateral agencies and forge close partnership with the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other institutions,&quot; he said, a commitment which was echoed by the AIIB&#39;s Jin. 
 
The bank, with only 38 full-time staff, needs organization and procedures to be fleshed out, say members.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The roles of the management and the Board should be more clearly defined. Over the past six months, the basic framework for operation took shape, but there is still much to be done,&quot; Korean finance minister and AIIB governor Ilho Yoo said, adding that it needs to develop its environmental and social framework.&nbsp; 
 
The bank&#39;s lean operation and flexibility as a new organization was a positive for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which is partnering on one of AIIB`s first deals.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;What impresses me is the efficiency they go about things. AIIB is a natural partner because they are willing and able to take risk, such as going into private public partnership structures,&quot; said Thomas Maier, the EBRD&#39;s managing director for infrastructure. 
 
Zhang also said that China will contribute $50 million to a new fund set up by the AIIB to support member countries with project preparations.&nbsp; 
 
The AIIB is looking to expand its numbers this year and will take applications for new members through the end of September. 
 
Hong Kong, despite being a special administrative region of China, has applied for membership, and Jin said he is confident Hong Kong will soon be a full member of the bank.&nbsp; 
 
Beijing has been looking for ways to support Hong Kong, which has been convulsed by political turmoil.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

China, the biggest funder, addresses concern that it'll dominate the bank by insisting it's accountable to all shareholders

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) stressed its independence from China at its first annual meeting today, saying it plans to cooperate with other development banks and add new members, including Hong Kong. Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the bank two years ago and it began operations in January, with 57 founding member countries and $100 billion in committed capital, which it plans to invest in projects across the region. The AIIB, which intends to invest $1.2 billion this year, said it is aiming to meet international standards of governance, although some members say there is still work to be done. And in response to concern that China, its biggest backer, will dominate, the AIIB said it answers to all its shareholders. "China as much as other shareholders has been very supportive of the governance standards that we're setting and of the transparency around the bank's operations," AIIB vice president Danny Alexander said. AIIB's board approved its first four deals worth $509 million on Friday, with three projects co-financed with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the United Kingdom Department for International Development and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The co-financed projects are a slum renovation in Indonesia and highway construction in Pakistan and Tajikistan. A power grid upgrade project in Bangladesh will be solely AIIB financed. "We are working on a number of additional projects and look forward to bringing them to our Board for its approval later this year," said AIIB President Jin Liqun. It is crucial for the AIIB to comply with multilateral agency procedures and rules, Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli, said at the opening ceremony for AIIB's annual meeting. "AIIB should learn from the successful experience of other multilateral agencies and forge close partnership with the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other institutions," he said, a commitment which was echoed by the AIIB's Jin. The bank, with only 38 full-time staff, needs organization and procedures to be fleshed out, say members. "The roles of the management and the Board should be more clearly defined. Over the past six months, the basic framework for operation took shape, but there is still much to be done," Korean finance minister and AIIB governor Ilho Yoo said, adding that it needs to develop its environmental and social framework. The bank's lean operation and flexibility as a new organization was a positive for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which is partnering on one of AIIB`s first deals. "What impresses me is the efficiency they go about things. AIIB is a natural partner because they are willing and able to take risk, such as going into private public partnership structures," said Thomas Maier, the EBRD's managing director for infrastructure. Zhang also said that China will contribute $50 million to a new fund set up by the AIIB to support member countries with project preparations. The AIIB is looking to expand its numbers this year and will take applications for new members through the end of September. Hong Kong, despite being a special administrative region of China, has applied for membership, and Jin said he is confident Hong Kong will soon be a full member of the bank. Beijing has been looking for ways to support Hong Kong, which has been convulsed by political turmoil. (Reuters)

China-backed AIIB seeks cooperation and new members, beyond 57 founding countries