<p>Gulf powerhouse Saudi Arabia snubbed its former regional ally Qatar at the annual summit Tuesday of regional monarchies as King Salman stayed away despite the presence of the Qatari emir.</p>

<p>The crisis-hit Gulf Cooperation Council summit was going ahead in Kuwait City but amid uncertainty over which leaders from among Riyadh and its allies would join their Qatari rival for the talks.</p>

<p>The future of the six-nation GCC -- formed 36 years ago to bring together energy-rich Sunni Arab Gulf states -- appeared to be hanging in the balance.</p>

<p>This year&#39;s meeting comes with Saudi Arabia and its allies engaged in a bitter dispute with fellow GCC member Qatar, in the worst crisis ever to hit the bloc.</p>

<p>Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani accepted an invitation to attend, but with only hours before talks were due to begin, Saudi King Salman sent his foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, in his stead.</p>

<p>Bahrain sent its deputy prime minister and Emirati media said the state minister for foreign affairs would represent Abu Dhabi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Those three Gulf states, together with Egypt, cut all ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing the gas-rich emirate of supporting Islamist extremists and of being too close to Shiite Iran, Riyadh&#39;s arch-rival.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Qatar denies the allegations and has accused the Saudi-led bloc of aiming to incite a change of regime in Doha.</p>

<p>Kuwait has been leading mediation efforts within the GCC to resolve the crisis, but so far with little success.</p>

<p>Casting further doubt on the group&#39;s future, the UAE said Tuesday it was forming a new military and economic committee with Saudi Arabia separate from the GCC.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The committee &quot;will coordinate between the two countries in all military, political, economic, trade and cultural fields,&quot; according to a decree issued by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.</p>

<p>Founded in 1981, the GCC is a political and economic union grouping Qatar with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates as well as Oman and Kuwait.</p>

<p>Dominated by Riyadh, it has been a regional counterweight to Iran, Sunni Saudi Arabia&#39;s Shiite rival across the Gulf.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Monday, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Qatar attended round-table talks ahead of the gathering, in their first such encounter since the diplomatic crisis erupted in June.</p>

<p>Omani Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Yussef bin Alawi sat between them at the meeting which the foreign ministers of the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait also attended.</p>

<p>After cutting off all ties with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed a land, sea and air blockade of the emirate and issued a list of 13 demands to have it lifted.</p>

<p>Bahrain in October called for Qatar&#39;s membership of the GCC to be suspended until it accepted the demands.</p>

<p>Experts warn that the crisis could lead to the demise of the once-powerful GCC.</p>

<p>&quot;The justifications for the existence of the GCC bloc amidst the continued crisis are no longer present like before,&quot; said Sami al-Faraj, head of the Kuwait Center for Strategic Studies. &quot;As long as our enemy has changed from Iran to Qatar, the GCC will not continue.&quot;</p>

<p>The failure of the GCC members to solidify long-delayed plans for economic unity may also threaten its future.</p>

<p>The Gulf states have approved a customs union, a common market, a single currency and a single central bank, but most of these have yet to be implemented.</p>

<p>Speaking at Monday`s meeting, Kuwait&#39;s Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah stressed the determination of member states to preserve the GCC.</p>

<p>&quot;The GCC is a continuous project in which the will of member states meets to build a unified Gulf body,&quot; he said.</p>


The crisis-hit Gulf Cooperation Council summit which was going ahead in Kuwait City witnessed the absence of the Saudi King

Gulf powerhouse Saudi Arabia snubbed its former regional ally Qatar at the annual summit Tuesday of regional monarchies as King Salman stayed away despite the presence of the Qatari emir. The crisis-hit Gulf Cooperation Council summit was going ahead in Kuwait City but amid uncertainty over which leaders from among Riyadh and its allies would join their Qatari rival for the talks. The future of the six-nation GCC -- formed 36 years ago to bring together energy-rich Sunni Arab Gulf states -- appeared to be hanging in the balance. This year's meeting comes with Saudi Arabia and its allies engaged in a bitter dispute with fellow GCC member Qatar, in the worst crisis ever to hit the bloc. Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani accepted an invitation to attend, but with only hours before talks were due to begin, Saudi King Salman sent his foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, in his stead. Bahrain sent its deputy prime minister and Emirati media said the state minister for foreign affairs would represent Abu Dhabi. Those three Gulf states, together with Egypt, cut all ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing the gas-rich emirate of supporting Islamist extremists and of being too close to Shiite Iran, Riyadh's arch-rival. Qatar denies the allegations and has accused the Saudi-led bloc of aiming to incite a change of regime in Doha. Kuwait has been leading mediation efforts within the GCC to resolve the crisis, but so far with little success. Casting further doubt on the group's future, the UAE said Tuesday it was forming a new military and economic committee with Saudi Arabia separate from the GCC. The committee "will coordinate between the two countries in all military, political, economic, trade and cultural fields," according to a decree issued by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. Founded in 1981, the GCC is a political and economic union grouping Qatar with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates as well as Oman and Kuwait. Dominated by Riyadh, it has been a regional counterweight to Iran, Sunni Saudi Arabia's Shiite rival across the Gulf. On Monday, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Qatar attended round-table talks ahead of the gathering, in their first such encounter since the diplomatic crisis erupted in June. Omani Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Yussef bin Alawi sat between them at the meeting which the foreign ministers of the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait also attended. After cutting off all ties with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed a land, sea and air blockade of the emirate and issued a list of 13 demands to have it lifted. Bahrain in October called for Qatar's membership of the GCC to be suspended until it accepted the demands. Experts warn that the crisis could lead to the demise of the once-powerful GCC. "The justifications for the existence of the GCC bloc amidst the continued crisis are no longer present like before," said Sami al-Faraj, head of the Kuwait Center for Strategic Studies. "As long as our enemy has changed from Iran to Qatar, the GCC will not continue." The failure of the GCC members to solidify long-delayed plans for economic unity may also threaten its future. The Gulf states have approved a customs union, a common market, a single currency and a single central bank, but most of these have yet to be implemented. Speaking at Monday`s meeting, Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah stressed the determination of member states to preserve the GCC. "The GCC is a continuous project in which the will of member states meets to build a unified Gulf body," he said.

Saudi, allies snub Qatar at crisis-hit Gulf summit

<p>US&nbsp;President Donald Trump landed in the Philippines on Sunday for a summit of Southeast and East Asian nations, hours after offering to mediate on competing claims to the South China Sea that have long stoked tensions in the region.</p>

<p>It will be the last leg of a marathon Asia tour that, despite Trump&#39;s &quot;America First&quot; policy, may reassure some that his administration remains committed to a region that Beijing sees as its strategic domain.</p>

<p>In Vietnam earlier on Sunday, Trump said he was prepared to mediate in the dispute over the South China Sea, where four Southeast Asian countries and Taiwan contest China&#39;s sweeping claims to the busy waterway.</p>

<p>But Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, host of two days of summit meetings that will bring together Southeast Asian and East Asian nations, said the thorny issue was better left untouched. All the claimants will be at the summit, except for Taiwan.</p>

<p>&quot;We have to be friends, the other hotheads would like us to confront China and the rest of the world on so many issues,&quot; Duterte said at a pre-summit business conference in Manila.</p>

<p>&quot;The South China Sea is better left untouched, nobody can afford to go to war. It can ill-afford a violent confrontation.&quot;</p>

<p>The United States and its former colony, the Philippines, have been strategic allies since World War Two.</p>

<p>Trump is expected to try during the summit to shore up relations, which have been strained by the mercurial Duterte&#39;s notorious anti-US&nbsp;sentiment and his enthusiasm for better ties with Russia and China.</p>

<p>Police used water canon to prevent hundreds of protesters reaching the US&nbsp;embassy in Manila ahead of Trump&#39;s arrival.</p>

<p>Carrying placards declaring &quot;Dump Trump&quot; and &quot;Down with US&nbsp;Imperialism&quot;, the left-wing protesters were blocked by police in riot gear with shields and batons, and then showered with jets of water from a fire engine.</p>

<p>&quot;Trump is the CEO of the imperialist government of the US, said 18-year-old student Alexis Danday after the protesters were scattered. &quot;We know he is here to push for unfair treaties between the Philippines and the US&quot;</p>

<p>On a tour that has taken him to Japan, South Korea, China and Vietnam, Trump and his team have repeatedly used the term &quot;Indo-Pacific&quot; instead of &quot;Asia-Pacific&quot; for the region, which some see as an effort to depict it as more than China-dominated.</p>

<p>Pacific Rim nation leaders agreed in Vietnam on Saturday to address &quot;unfair trade practices&quot; and &quot;market distorting subsidies&quot;, a statement that bore the imprint of Trump&#39;s efforts to reshape the global trade landscape.</p>

<p>The summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries in Vietnam put on show the contrasting vision of the &quot;America First&quot; policy with the traditional consensus favouring multinational deals that China now seeks to champion.</p>

<p>Leaders at the Philippines summit will discuss the South China Sea, but mainly to agree on a procedural step to cool tensions.</p>

<p>In August, foreign ministers of Southeast Asia and China adopted a negotiating framework for a code of conduct in the resource-rich waterway, a move they hailed as progress but one seen by critics as a tactic to buy China time to consolidate its power.</p>

<p>The framework seeks to advance a 2002 Declaration of Conduct (DOC) of Parties in the South China Sea. The DOC has mostly been ignored by claimant states, particularly China, which has built seven man-made islands in disputed waters, three of them equipped with runways, surface-to-air missiles and radars.</p>

<p>The framework will be endorsed by China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Monday, a diplomat from one of the regional bloc&#39;s countries said.</p>

<p>Others who will be in Manila for the summit meetings include Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and leaders from Japan, Canada, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.</p>


It will be the last leg of a marathon Asia tour that, despite Trump's "America First" policy, may reassure some that his administration remains committed to a region that Beijing sees as its strategic domain.

US President Donald Trump landed in the Philippines on Sunday for a summit of Southeast and East Asian nations, hours after offering to mediate on competing claims to the South China Sea that have long stoked tensions in the region. It will be the last leg of a marathon Asia tour that, despite Trump's "America First" policy, may reassure some that his administration remains committed to a region that Beijing sees as its strategic domain. In Vietnam earlier on Sunday, Trump said he was prepared to mediate in the dispute over the South China Sea, where four Southeast Asian countries and Taiwan contest China's sweeping claims to the busy waterway. But Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, host of two days of summit meetings that will bring together Southeast Asian and East Asian nations, said the thorny issue was better left untouched. All the claimants will be at the summit, except for Taiwan. "We have to be friends, the other hotheads would like us to confront China and the rest of the world on so many issues," Duterte said at a pre-summit business conference in Manila. "The South China Sea is better left untouched, nobody can afford to go to war. It can ill-afford a violent confrontation." The United States and its former colony, the Philippines, have been strategic allies since World War Two. Trump is expected to try during the summit to shore up relations, which have been strained by the mercurial Duterte's notorious anti-US sentiment and his enthusiasm for better ties with Russia and China. Police used water canon to prevent hundreds of protesters reaching the US embassy in Manila ahead of Trump's arrival. Carrying placards declaring "Dump Trump" and "Down with US Imperialism", the left-wing protesters were blocked by police in riot gear with shields and batons, and then showered with jets of water from a fire engine. "Trump is the CEO of the imperialist government of the US, said 18-year-old student Alexis Danday after the protesters were scattered. "We know he is here to push for unfair treaties between the Philippines and the US" On a tour that has taken him to Japan, South Korea, China and Vietnam, Trump and his team have repeatedly used the term "Indo-Pacific" instead of "Asia-Pacific" for the region, which some see as an effort to depict it as more than China-dominated. Pacific Rim nation leaders agreed in Vietnam on Saturday to address "unfair trade practices" and "market distorting subsidies", a statement that bore the imprint of Trump's efforts to reshape the global trade landscape. The summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries in Vietnam put on show the contrasting vision of the "America First" policy with the traditional consensus favouring multinational deals that China now seeks to champion. Leaders at the Philippines summit will discuss the South China Sea, but mainly to agree on a procedural step to cool tensions. In August, foreign ministers of Southeast Asia and China adopted a negotiating framework for a code of conduct in the resource-rich waterway, a move they hailed as progress but one seen by critics as a tactic to buy China time to consolidate its power. The framework seeks to advance a 2002 Declaration of Conduct (DOC) of Parties in the South China Sea. The DOC has mostly been ignored by claimant states, particularly China, which has built seven man-made islands in disputed waters, three of them equipped with runways, surface-to-air missiles and radars. The framework will be endorsed by China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Monday, a diplomat from one of the regional bloc's countries said. Others who will be in Manila for the summit meetings include Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and leaders from Japan, Canada, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Trump lands in Philippines, offers to mediate on South China Sea

<p>The disengagement of both Chinese and Indian troops in Doklam has fortunately led to a less tense atmosphere for the ninth BRICS Summit. China as the host would naturally like to make it a big success.</p>

<p><strong>Evolution</strong></p>

<p>BRIC&nbsp;has come a long way from Jim O&rsquo;Neill&rsquo;s (of Goldman Sachs) 2001 concept of four attractive investment destinations comprising of Brazil, Russia, India and China. It expanded into BRICS with the inclusion of South Africa. The agenda has also steadily expanded and there is a growing awareness about its relevance. The group brought a unique and alternative narrative for global growth and development.</p>

<p>In the beginning, the group was confusing for many people, since it did not fit in with any of the recognised foundations for forming such groups. It was not based on region, ideology, language, religion or commodities. The common factor for the group was the success that these five countries had made out of the process globalisation and the rapid economic growth that they registered. The raison d&rsquo;etre of the group was the growth potential of these emerging markets.</p>

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<h5>Intra BRICS cooperation in sectors like health, education, urbanisation, inclusive growth, gender issues and the environment has been making steady gains, though these do not make headline news.</h5>
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<p>Initially, BRICS countries concentrated on three main pillars &ndash; reform of the Global Financial Institutions (IMF and World Bank), intra-BRICS cooperation in various sectors and addressing Global Governance Issues. In all three, there has been considerable progress. At the Seoul G-20 Summit in 2010, a decision was taken to change the share quotas and voting powers in the IMF and World Bank. It was a modest success but the US Congress has stalled further progress on the issue.</p>

<p>Intra-BRICS cooperation in sectors, such as health, education, urbanisation, inclusive growth, gender issues and the environment have been making steady gains, though these do not make headline news. Here, the idea is to learn from each other&rsquo;s experiences and follow best practices.</p>

<p>On Global Governance, the group has been demanding an equitable sharing of global leadership commensurate with the economic and political influence of BRICS. The Global Financial Crisis of 2008 clearly reiterated the need for a new approach to Global Economic and Political Governance with the inclusion of new emerging economies.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>The most impressive achievement of BRICS, of course, is the establishment of the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Contingency Reserve Arrangement (CRA) in a very short time.</h5>
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<p>The most impressive achievement of BRICS, of course, is the establishment of the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Contingency Reserve Arrangement (CRA) in a very short time. These come about because of the inability of the World Bank and the IMF to evolve with changing circumstances. This development proved that BRICS could indeed establish global institutions wherever needed.</p>

<p><strong>What are the expectations from the Xiamen Summit?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Even though there are no big-ticket items like the NDB on the cards, some pending ideas like the establishment of a BRICS Credit Rating Agency and BRICS standardisation and benchmarking would be pursued. There are also new initiatives on cyber security and sustainable development goals.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>BRICS should step in to take the leadership role in promoting globalisation, free trade and multilateralism.</h5>
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<p>The international scenario today is truly at a crossroads. This provides a unique opportunity for BRICS to step into global leadership roles. The US and the Western countries have retreated from promoting their pet themes of globalisation and free trade. These are issues of critical importance to BRICS because their economic success has been predicated on these principles. With the West taking a back seat on these questions, BRICS should step in to take the leadership role in promoting globalisation, free trade and multilateralism.</p>

<p>The question is does BRICS have the bandwidth to do it? If not, it will have to find it because it is an excellent opportunity for BRICS to play a role in Global Governance. Of course, it will not be easy because there is a divergence in BRICS on many of these issues. The original convergence that the five countries had on Global Governance does not appear to be strengthening. Nonetheless, BRICS should not miss this opportunity of taking over a leadership role in these three critical areas.&nbsp;</p>

<p>BRICS also suffers from structural and procedural issues. Summits every year hosted by different countries lead to a proliferation of agenda items with each host trying to outdo the predecessor. There is hardly any follow-up on many of these items. The time has come for BRICS to prioritise a select number of critical areas and work towards achieving concrete goals.</p>

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<h5>China has invited leaders of Thailand, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Mexico and Guinea (African Union Chair) to the Xiamen Summit.</h5>
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<p><strong>BRICS Plus is not a good idea</strong></p>

<p>The question of deepening vs broadening BRICS has been debated many times. The consensus, so far, has been to deepen cooperation between the five before broadening the group. Of course, since the Summit in Durban (South Africa), there has been outreach activities as part of South-South Cooperation (AU countries in Durban, Latin American leaders in Fortaleza, SCO members in Ufa and BIMSTEC members in Goa). China has been keen to take it to a higher level with a &ldquo;BRICS plus&rdquo; concept. So long as it is within the outreach approach, it would work well. Any attempt to increase the membership could be counter-productive.</p>

<p>China has invited leaders of Thailand, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Mexico and Guinea (African Union Chair) to the Xiamen Summit. As an outreach activity, there is no harm so long as there is no formal induction into the group. It appears that China has since given up the idea of BRICS Plus due to objections from other members. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a remark to this effect on August 30.</p>

<p>Another aspect that India will have to look out for in the Xiamen Final Declaration is a reference to China&rsquo;s pet project of One Belt-One Road (OBOR) or the Belt-Road Initiative (BRI). India has held the view that this is a unilateral project of China without any multilateral consultations. Further, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) of the project impinges on India&rsquo;s sovereignty. Therefore, India has to make sure that there is no reference to this initiative in the Final Declaration.</p>


For BRICS to play an important role in Global Governance, it should step in to take the leadership role in promoting globalisation, free trade and multilateralism.

The disengagement of both Chinese and Indian troops in Doklam has fortunately led to a less tense atmosphere for the ninth BRICS Summit. China as the host would naturally like to make it a big success. Evolution BRIC has come a long way from Jim O’Neill’s (of Goldman Sachs) 2001 concept of four attractive investment destinations comprising of Brazil, Russia, India and China. It expanded into BRICS with the inclusion of South Africa. The agenda has also steadily expanded and there is a growing awareness about its relevance. The group brought a unique and alternative narrative for global growth and development. In the beginning, the group was confusing for many people, since it did not fit in with any of the recognised foundations for forming such groups. It was not based on region, ideology, language, religion or commodities. The common factor for the group was the success that these five countries had made out of the process globalisation and the rapid economic growth that they registered. The raison d’etre of the group was the growth potential of these emerging markets. Intra BRICS cooperation in sectors like health, education, urbanisation, inclusive growth, gender issues and the environment has been making steady gains, though these do not make headline news. × Initially, BRICS countries concentrated on three main pillars – reform of the Global Financial Institutions (IMF and World Bank), intra-BRICS cooperation in various sectors and addressing Global Governance Issues. In all three, there has been considerable progress. At the Seoul G-20 Summit in 2010, a decision was taken to change the share quotas and voting powers in the IMF and World Bank. It was a modest success but the US Congress has stalled further progress on the issue. Intra-BRICS cooperation in sectors, such as health, education, urbanisation, inclusive growth, gender issues and the environment have been making steady gains, though these do not make headline news. Here, the idea is to learn from each other’s experiences and follow best practices. On Global Governance, the group has been demanding an equitable sharing of global leadership commensurate with the economic and political influence of BRICS. The Global Financial Crisis of 2008 clearly reiterated the need for a new approach to Global Economic and Political Governance with the inclusion of new emerging economies. The most impressive achievement of BRICS, of course, is the establishment of the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Contingency Reserve Arrangement (CRA) in a very short time. × The most impressive achievement of BRICS, of course, is the establishment of the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Contingency Reserve Arrangement (CRA) in a very short time. These come about because of the inability of the World Bank and the IMF to evolve with changing circumstances. This development proved that BRICS could indeed establish global institutions wherever needed. What are the expectations from the Xiamen Summit? Even though there are no big-ticket items like the NDB on the cards, some pending ideas like the establishment of a BRICS Credit Rating Agency and BRICS standardisation and benchmarking would be pursued. There are also new initiatives on cyber security and sustainable development goals. BRICS should step in to take the leadership role in promoting globalisation, free trade and multilateralism. × The international scenario today is truly at a crossroads. This provides a unique opportunity for BRICS to step into global leadership roles. The US and the Western countries have retreated from promoting their pet themes of globalisation and free trade. These are issues of critical importance to BRICS because their economic success has been predicated on these principles. With the West taking a back seat on these questions, BRICS should step in to take the leadership role in promoting globalisation, free trade and multilateralism. The question is does BRICS have the bandwidth to do it? If not, it will have to find it because it is an excellent opportunity for BRICS to play a role in Global Governance. Of course, it will not be easy because there is a divergence in BRICS on many of these issues. The original convergence that the five countries had on Global Governance does not appear to be strengthening. Nonetheless, BRICS should not miss this opportunity of taking over a leadership role in these three critical areas. BRICS also suffers from structural and procedural issues. Summits every year hosted by different countries lead to a proliferation of agenda items with each host trying to outdo the predecessor. There is hardly any follow-up on many of these items. The time has come for BRICS to prioritise a select number of critical areas and work towards achieving concrete goals. China has invited leaders of Thailand, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Mexico and Guinea (African Union Chair) to the Xiamen Summit. × BRICS Plus is not a good idea The question of deepening vs broadening BRICS has been debated many times. The consensus, so far, has been to deepen cooperation between the five before broadening the group. Of course, since the Summit in Durban (South Africa), there has been outreach activities as part of South-South Cooperation (AU countries in Durban, Latin American leaders in Fortaleza, SCO members in Ufa and BIMSTEC members in Goa). China has been keen to take it to a higher level with a “BRICS plus” concept. So long as it is within the outreach approach, it would work well. Any attempt to increase the membership could be counter-productive. China has invited leaders of Thailand, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Mexico and Guinea (African Union Chair) to the Xiamen Summit. As an outreach activity, there is no harm so long as there is no formal induction into the group. It appears that China has since given up the idea of BRICS Plus due to objections from other members. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a remark to this effect on August 30. Another aspect that India will have to look out for in the Xiamen Final Declaration is a reference to China’s pet project of One Belt-One Road (OBOR) or the Belt-Road Initiative (BRI). India has held the view that this is a unilateral project of China without any multilateral consultations. Further, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) of the project impinges on India’s sovereignty. Therefore, India has to make sure that there is no reference to this initiative in the Final Declaration.

What can the Xiamen BRICS Summit get for India and others?

Vice President Hamid Ansari today left for Mongolia leading an Indian delegation to the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit.&nbsp;The two-day ASEM Summit will be held in Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia from tomorrow.<br />
<br />
The theme for the Summit is &quot;20 Years of ASEM: Partnership for the Future through Connectivity&quot;.&nbsp;At the Summit, India&#39;s efforts would be inclined towards more successful outcomes and the building of a resilient and multidimensional web of interconnectivity between the two continents - Asia and Europe, officials said ahead of the meeting.<br />
<br />
ASEM comprises of 53 entities - 51 countries from Asia and Europe and two regional bodies - the European Union and the ASEAN Secretariat.&nbsp;It represents around 62.3 per cent of the world&#39;s population, 57.2 per cent of the global GDP and almost 60 per cent of the world&#39;s trade.<br />
<br />
ASEM is a unique platform that serves to bridge the two continents of Asia and Europe for constructive partnership and exchange, under the three key pillars of political dialogue, economic collaboration and socio-cultural exchanges, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.<br />
<br />
The 11th ASEM Summit assumes special importance in view of the fact, that 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of the dialogue forum, officials said.&nbsp;Since the Summit is the first ever international event of such stature that Mongolia is hosting, the participation of Vice President Ansari signifies the importance India attaches to its strategic partnership with Mongolia, they said.<br />
<br />
Ansari will also hold bilateral meetings with a few other participating leaders on the sidelines of the Summit.<br />
<br />
(PTI)

India signals the importance it attaches to its partnership with host Mongolia by sending its VP

Vice President Hamid Ansari today left for Mongolia leading an Indian delegation to the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit. The two-day ASEM Summit will be held in Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia from tomorrow. The theme for the Summit is "20 Years of ASEM: Partnership for the Future through Connectivity". At the Summit, India's efforts would be inclined towards more successful outcomes and the building of a resilient and multidimensional web of interconnectivity between the two continents - Asia and Europe, officials said ahead of the meeting. ASEM comprises of 53 entities - 51 countries from Asia and Europe and two regional bodies - the European Union and the ASEAN Secretariat. It represents around 62.3 per cent of the world's population, 57.2 per cent of the global GDP and almost 60 per cent of the world's trade. ASEM is a unique platform that serves to bridge the two continents of Asia and Europe for constructive partnership and exchange, under the three key pillars of political dialogue, economic collaboration and socio-cultural exchanges, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. The 11th ASEM Summit assumes special importance in view of the fact, that 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of the dialogue forum, officials said. Since the Summit is the first ever international event of such stature that Mongolia is hosting, the participation of Vice President Ansari signifies the importance India attaches to its strategic partnership with Mongolia, they said. Ansari will also hold bilateral meetings with a few other participating leaders on the sidelines of the Summit. (PTI)

Indian Vice President heads to Mongolia for 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit

European Union president Donald Tusk on Tuesday cautioned China to respect the international system, as the world&#39;s second-largest economy finds itself locked in disagreements over maritime law and global trade practices. His comments preceded a judgement from a UN-backed tribunal declaring that China had no &quot;historic rights&quot; in the strategically vital South China Sea, a ruling swiftly rejected by China&#39;s foreign ministry.<br />
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Speaking in Beijing at the start of the EU-China summit, Tusk called on the Asian country to protect the &quot;rule-based international order&quot;, saying the task &quot;may be the biggest challenge ahead of us&quot;.<br />
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EU members have roundly criticised Beijing for its trade practices, claiming the Asian giant is flooding global markets with cheap products, driving down prices and threatening economic stability.<br />
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The global framework of laws and regulations &quot;brings so many benefits to our nations&quot;, Tusk said, adding: &quot;If many start believing that globalisation and international trade are happening without or against common rules, then the first victims will be Chinese and European economies, not to mention people.&quot;<br />
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His comments followed remarks by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang that the meeting is &quot;an active signal that clearly states that we are two important powers safeguarding world peace and development&quot;.<br />
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Earlier in the day, China cancelled a pre-arranged press conference with the leaders, EU representatives said.<br />
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The EU is in the process of considering whether or not to grant China market economy status, a designation that would make it much harder for major economies to fight Beijing over alleged unfair trading practices.<br />
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Opposition to granting the status has focused on complaints that China has violated global trade rules, most notably selling steel at below market prices.<br />
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Tusk also referred to the South China Sea dispute between Beijing and Manila ahead of the decision from the Hague-based tribunal, saying &quot;the rule-based international order is in our common interest, and both China and the EU have to protect it, as this is in our peoples best interests.&quot;&nbsp;<br />
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China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters in the face of rival claims from its south-east Asian neighbours. To bolster its position it has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes. Manila lodged its suit against Beijing in 2013, challenging China&#39;s claims to much of the waterway and saying it was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both countries are signatories.<br />
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Beijing insists the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the issue and that it will ignore the ruling.<br />
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(AFP)

After maritime row, Beijing is facing criticisms for it's trade practices which has been threatening economic stability across markets

European Union president Donald Tusk on Tuesday cautioned China to respect the international system, as the world's second-largest economy finds itself locked in disagreements over maritime law and global trade practices. His comments preceded a judgement from a UN-backed tribunal declaring that China had no "historic rights" in the strategically vital South China Sea, a ruling swiftly rejected by China's foreign ministry. Speaking in Beijing at the start of the EU-China summit, Tusk called on the Asian country to protect the "rule-based international order", saying the task "may be the biggest challenge ahead of us". EU members have roundly criticised Beijing for its trade practices, claiming the Asian giant is flooding global markets with cheap products, driving down prices and threatening economic stability. The global framework of laws and regulations "brings so many benefits to our nations", Tusk said, adding: "If many start believing that globalisation and international trade are happening without or against common rules, then the first victims will be Chinese and European economies, not to mention people." His comments followed remarks by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang that the meeting is "an active signal that clearly states that we are two important powers safeguarding world peace and development". Earlier in the day, China cancelled a pre-arranged press conference with the leaders, EU representatives said. The EU is in the process of considering whether or not to grant China market economy status, a designation that would make it much harder for major economies to fight Beijing over alleged unfair trading practices. Opposition to granting the status has focused on complaints that China has violated global trade rules, most notably selling steel at below market prices. Tusk also referred to the South China Sea dispute between Beijing and Manila ahead of the decision from the Hague-based tribunal, saying "the rule-based international order is in our common interest, and both China and the EU have to protect it, as this is in our peoples best interests." China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters in the face of rival claims from its south-east Asian neighbours. To bolster its position it has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes. Manila lodged its suit against Beijing in 2013, challenging China's claims to much of the waterway and saying it was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both countries are signatories. Beijing insists the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the issue and that it will ignore the ruling. (AFP)

EU head cautions China to respect international system

Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union raises &quot;longer-term concerns&quot; about global growth at a time of already weak economic output, US President Barack Obama said today.<br />
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&quot;I think there are some genuine, longer-term concerns about global growth if, in fact, Brexit goes through and that freezes the possibilities of investment in Great Britain or in Europe as a whole,&quot; Obama said, speaking at a North American leaders summit.&nbsp;<br />
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&quot;At a time when global growth rates were weak already, this doesn&#39;t help,&quot; he said.<br />
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However, the US President, after meeting his Canadian and Mexican counterparts, expressed confidence in the global financial system&#39;s resilience as markets rebounded on Wednesday from post-Brexit losses following a bruising two-day rout.<br />
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&quot;Given the vote of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, our economic teams are going to continue to work together so that we remain focused on keeping our economies growing and making sure that the global financial system is stable,&quot; Obama said.<br />
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Both Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had made clear their desire to see Britain remain in the 28-member bloc and the fallout from the Brexit was high on their agenda in Ottawa.<br />
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(AFP)

Obama pledged to work with other nations to keep the economic system growing and stable

Britain's vote to leave the European Union raises "longer-term concerns" about global growth at a time of already weak economic output, US President Barack Obama said today. "I think there are some genuine, longer-term concerns about global growth if, in fact, Brexit goes through and that freezes the possibilities of investment in Great Britain or in Europe as a whole," Obama said, speaking at a North American leaders summit. "At a time when global growth rates were weak already, this doesn't help," he said. However, the US President, after meeting his Canadian and Mexican counterparts, expressed confidence in the global financial system's resilience as markets rebounded on Wednesday from post-Brexit losses following a bruising two-day rout. "Given the vote of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, our economic teams are going to continue to work together so that we remain focused on keeping our economies growing and making sure that the global financial system is stable," Obama said. Both Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had made clear their desire to see Britain remain in the 28-member bloc and the fallout from the Brexit was high on their agenda in Ottawa. (AFP)

Brexit raises 'genuine concerns' for long-term global growth: Obama

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