Tag Archives: Indonesia

Neighborhood News Digest – 12 January 2023

Afghanistan
Blast Happened Near Foreign Ministry in Kabul: Tolo News

A blast took place in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in downtown Kabul on Wednesday afternoon. At least five civilians were killed and several others were wounded in the blast, a spokesman for the Kabul security department, Khalid Zadran, said. He said the Islamic Emirate condemns such “heinous” attacks and will punish the perpetrators. He said the explosion happened on the street of the Foreign MinistryClick here to read…

Pakistan, Afghanistan Suffering From Militancy and Terrorism: The Khaama Press

Pakistan has experienced a major rise in militancy since the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke its peace treaty with the Pakistani government in November. According to Jang Media, the attacks have claimed the lives of 415 military personnel and civilians thus far. Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS) has announced that TTP and other terror groups based in border areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan have launched 262 attacks over the past year, causing the death of 419 people and injuring 734 others. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
US wants Bangladesh to join Indo-Pacific Strategy – Dhaka Tribune

The United States wants Bangladesh to be part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS), a White House brainchild aimed at strengthening its long-term position in and commitment to the region. The IPS was established in early 2022 to partner with like-minded countries in the region, facing mounting challenges, particularly from ChinaClick here to read…

Why Chinese Foreign Minister, on first diplomatic trip to Africa, made midnight stop in Bangladesh? – Firstpost

China did not reveal much about the meeting but talking to media, Momen said during the meeting, he raised the widening trade gap with Beijing. As per reports, every year, Bangladesh imports around $13 billion worth of goods from China, while its exports to Beijing remain below $800 million. Over $12 billion deficit is of a major concern for Bangladesh considering the shaky condition of its foreign exchange reserves amid the global economic turmoil sparked by the Ukraine war. Click here to read…

Bangladesh opposition holds rally seeking PM Hasina’s resignation – Aljazeera

Thousands of supporters of Bangladesh’s main opposition party have rallied across Bangladeshi cities to demand Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and the formation of a caretaker government to conduct general elections. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies staged protests in the capital Dhaka and nine other cities on Wednesday, the latest of several demonstrations in recent months amid mounting anger over the rising cost of living. Click here to read…

Bhutan
31 Battalion SSB Gossaigaon conducted ‘Operations alert’ exercise along Indo Bhutan border – The Sentinel

The aim of the exercise is to detect and neutralise the insurgents and their hideouts in the forest area, revamp the security of the SSB Border outpost, monitoring the activities of suspected linkmen & other ground workers working for the militants groups and apprehending them while attempting any illegal activity, detect anti social elements, insurgents, timber smugglers, poachers in the forest area in and around the area of responsibility and to make the sense of security among the border population. Click here to read…

A need for radical policy shift – Kuensel Online

The report is damning—close to 70 percent of job seekers in Bhutan prefer to go abroad to work. This is a survey report from the employment ministry. When emigration rate is high, it indicates that something is seriously wrong with the country’s economic and employment policies. Australia is the choice for most Bhutanese today. What is worrying is that we are not just losing young talents but also a critical talent pool that helps shape our long-term national vision. Click here to read…

Maldives
Maldives: Backsliding on Law Reform, Free Speech – HRW

The Maldives government failed in 2022 to enact critical reforms to the justice system and counter threats to free expression. It did not address longstanding abuses against migrant workers, LGBT people, and other at-risk groups, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2023. The government carried out development projects without full consideration of environmental harm. Click here to read…

Biden applauds Maldives’ efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change – Raajje

The President of the United States of America, Joe Biden has applauded the Maldives’ efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and build resilience. The US President made the remarks during his meeting with the new Ambassador of the Maldives to the United States of America, Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed, after he presented his Letter of Credence to the President, on 12 December 2022. Click here to read…

Myanmar
Sham election will only prolong Myanmar civil war: Jakarta Post contributor – Strait Times

Jan 4 marked the 75th anniversary of Myanmar’s independence. Under normal circumstances, the occasion, usually referred to as a “diamond jubilee”, would involve great celebration and joy. However, the people of Myanmar are instead dealing with a deadly war. Since illegally seizing power on Feb 1, 2021 to prevent the newly elected parliament from convening, the military junta has escalated its attacks on unarmed civilians and armed resistance forces alike. Click here to read…

Indonesia to establish office of ASEAN special envoy on Myanmar – Vietnam Plus

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said on January 11 that she will head an office that Indonesia – the rotating Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, is establishing to spearhead how the bloc deals with the crisis in Myanmar. Click here to read…

Myanmar: Abuses Mount Since Military Coup – HRW

Myanmar’s junta has been responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity since the military coup in February 2021, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2023. The security forces have been implicated in mass killings, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, sexual violence, and attacks on civilians in conflict areas. Amid a post-coup economic crisis, the junta has severely hindered the delivery of humanitarian aid to communities most at risk. Click here to read…

Nepal
Nepal’s opposition-less Parliament – Nepali Times

Deuba’s decision to give Dahal his party’s vote of confidence has diminished NC’s role and responsibility to be a watchdog of government. For his part, Deuba remarked that his party had decided to give Dahal his party’s vote of confidence to protect the Constitution from the coalition itself, referring to Oli’s comments about dissolving Parliament. While another confidence motion cannot be called for two years, any party can exit the coalition at any time. Given the past bad blood between Oli and Dahal, there is every possibility of them falling out again, which Deuba can capitalise on. Click here to read…

Nepal and Bangladesh lobby India for corridor to trade electricity – The Kathmandu Post

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) says it has sought approval from the Indian authorities to export 40-50 MW of electricity to Bangladesh through India’s existing transmission infrastructure, in line with an agreement reached between Nepal and Bangladesh in August. The two countries in August last year had decided to request the southern neighbour to allow export of 40-50MW of electricity from Nepal to Bangladesh in the initial phase by utilising the high-voltage Baharampur-Bheramara cross-border power transmission link. Click here to read…

Nepal, China prepare for high-level visits – The Annapurna Express

Nepal and China have also begun preparations for high-level visits in the next couple of months. A diplomatic source told ApEx that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is likely to visit China at the end of March to participate in the Boao Form for Asia. The newly appointed Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang has already begun diplomatic trips and he is likely to visit South Asian countries soon. The source said the Chinese foreign minister could visit Kathmandu too. A high-level Chinese delegation is also expected to visit Nepal to convey Beijing’s message to the new government. Click here to read…

Thousands rally in Nepal to seek restoration of monarchy – The Pioneer

Thousands of supporters of Nepal’s former royal family held a rally on Wednesday demanding the restoration of monarchy in the Himalayan nation. They gathered around the statue of King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who started the Shah dynasty in the 18th century. The last Shah king — Gyanendra — was forced to step down and the monarchy abolished in 2008, making Nepal a republic. There are still many supporters who seek to bring the monarchy back and rally every year on the birth anniversary of Prithvi Narayan. Click here to read…

Pakistan
China pledges $100m more flood aid: The Express Tribune

China is pledging an additional $100 million to continue supporting Pakistan’s recovery efforts from the devastating 2022 floods, announced Luo Zhaohui, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA). Click here to read…

After much ado, Elahi proves majority: The Express Tribune

The vote of confidence that commenced after midnight concluded with the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) coalition showing majority in the provincial legislature with the support of 186 lawmakers – the minimum number of votes required to win the trust vote. Earlier, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry had announced that Elahi would take the vote “shortly”, followed by the deputy speaker validating it as well. The proceedings thus resumed and Law Minister Raja Basharat tabled the resolution in the house. Later, the members were invited to the house and the voting commenced. Click here to read…

IMF demands on power sector reforms being worked out: Ishaq Dar: The News

Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar has said the government was taking action for narrowing down the path for the revival of IMF programme, including making efforts to erase the circular debt of energy sector and taking additional taxation measures without further burdening the general masses. However, Dar, in a statement, said the IMF’s demands on account of power sector reforms were being worked out. He said the circular debt of the gas sector went up at an extra speed. Now the government, he said, has worked out a plan to utilise dividends of gas companies to reduce the circular debt of the gas sector. He said the government was working on a comprehensive plan but there would be no burden on the massesClick here to read…

Sri Lanka
CPA Asia Region office to be opened in Sri Lanka – Daily News

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Secretary General, Stephen Twiggs expressed his deep concern over recent violent acts against Members of Parliament including the killing of an MP and offered assistance from the CPA to strengthen democracy and security of Sri Lanka Parliament, its members and staff. Click here to read…

4 Lankans arrested for stealing 4.6mn INR from car – Daily Mirror

The Police recovered more than 4.6 million (₹46.50 lakh) Indian rupees (INR) from the possession of the accused, who speak Tamil. They said that the accused live in temporary shanties in Delhi and other different states and have conducted multiple thefts in the past. Click here to read…

New Political Alliances in the making – Daily News

A petition protesting against the proposed tariff hike, reportedly signed by 6.9 million consumers of electricity, was presented to the PUCSL and accepted by its Chairman Janaka Ratnayake. The different views held by the Government and the PUCSL leaves room for much discussion and debate. With these developments emerging on several fronts, the coming weeks and months will be busy for both the Government and the Opposition, tackling not only economic issues but also the political fallout from the much anticipated Local Government elections, the first national elections since 2020. Click here to read…

VIF Neighbourhood News Digest – December 14, 2022

Afghanistan
Attack on Kabul Hotel Sparks International Reactions: Tolo News

The attack on a hotel in the Shar-e-Naw area of Kabul on Monday has brought international condemnation and calls to action. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked the Islamic Emirate to identify the attackers and ensure the safety of Chinese nationals in Afghanistan. “China demands the Afghan side spare no efforts in searching for and rescuing Chinese individuals, and at the same time open a comprehensive investigation, severely punish the attackers, and earnestly strengthen the protection of Chinese citizens and organizations in Afghanistan,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said. Click here to read…

Everyone Wants a Peaceful and Progressive Afghanistan; FM Bilawal: The Khaama Press

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday stated that everyone wants peace, progress and prosperity in Afghanistan. It is not in favor of anyone to see Afghanistan becoming the hub of terrorism once more. “We are hopeful that the current caretaker government in Afghanistan will not only address the issue of terrorism but also provide security because that’s a fundamental prerequisite for peace and prosperity,” FM Bilawal said in an interview with an Indonesian television channel. Click here to read…

Further Security Measures to be Provided at the Foreign Entities in Kabul: The Khaama Press

Over the past few weeks, several people died and many were wounded in three different terrorist attacks in Kabul. The latest bombing targeted a Chinese-run hotel in which five Chinese nationals were injured according to the Chinese Ambassador to Kabul, Wang Yu. Following the attack, the Chinese government urged its citizens to leave Afghanistan immediately to avoid similar incidents. Similarly, over the past few days, a gunman attack targeted the head of the Pakistani Diplomatic Mission in the capital Kabul, injuring one of the Charge D’affaire’s security guards, while another terrorist attack targetted a jihadi leader’s office, killing one and injuring two people. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
PM stresses addressing threats for national security – New Age

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday stressed the need for addressing traditional and non-traditional threats to ensure national security as the pattern of crimes has changed with the advent of newer technology. ‘Nowadays, the security concept is changed as on the one hand, digital devices brought many advantages and on the other hand changed the pattern of terrorism, militancy and crimes. So, it is equally important to defend non-traditional and traditional threats to ensure national security,’ she said…The prime minister said they have even not engaged in any quarrel with Myanmar over repatriation of their forcibly displaced national Rohingyas to their home land. ‘We’re trying to solve the problem through discussions,’ she added. She referred to solving the land boundary issue with India through discussion and establishing rights in the vast sea areas and on its resources after winning legal battles with neighbouring India and Myanmar maintaining friendly relations. Click here to read…

Bangladesh wants Dhaka-Guwahati direct air connectivity – Daily Star

Bangladesh wants direct Dhaka-Guwahati and Sylhet-Guwahati air connectivity and direct bus service between Sylhet and Shilchar for promoting people-to-people contacts, boosting bilateral ties and ensuring collective prosperity in the region. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen shares this idea when Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Kumar Verma called on him at his office yesterday. Click here to read…
A call for international recognition – Dhaka Tribune
The demand for acknowledgment of the 1971 genocide committed by Pakistan was raised in October by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in Geneva, Sanchita Haque. To this day, 51 years later, Pakistan has neither apologized to Bangladesh for the atrocities committed by its troops, nor has it brought to justice the 195 war criminals recognized by Bangladesh in 1972. The acknowledgement from the United Nations is significant not only for the families of the victims, but also for the aggrieved nation, which has now reached the age of 51 and is also an important member of the United Nations. Click here to read…

Bhutan
Bhutan opens two formal trade routes with India – Kuensel Online

As the decision to open two more formal trade routes with India has got the green light, people living near the borders in Lhamoidzingkha in Dagana and Chhuchungsa in Samtse have begun measuring their future prospects. The routes would be operational after the official inauguration next month. Click here to read…

Remittance drops by 11 percent – Kuensel Online

What was feared and a concern, inflow of remittance has dropped from Nu 5.29B to Nu 4.69B or by 11 percent from January to August. While hundreds of Bhutanese are leaving to work or study in Australia, remittance in AUD has been declining while remittance in USD has been growing. Remittance in AUD, which contributed over 50 percent in the same period last year, has gone down to 40 percent this year. Click here to read…

ADB approves $20m package to improve water management and resilience in Bhutan – Devdiscourse

he Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $20 million financing package to improve access to drinking water, irrigation services, and strengthening of climate resilience in Thimphu and the districts of Zhemgang and Wangdue Phodrang in Bhutan. The Water Flagship Program Support Project will build gravity-fed integrated drinking water supply and irrigation systems in the Hetshosamchu area of Wangdue Phodrang district and Zhemgang town and surrounding villages, which collect surface water from upstream sources. Click here to read…

Maldives
Civil servants from Bangladesh, Maldives to receive training at India’s Good Governance Centre – TBS News

India’s National Centre for Good Governance began its two-week capacity-building programmes for civil servants from Bangladesh and Maldives on Tuesday. As many as 39 civil servants from Bangladesh and 27 Maldives are participating in the two programmes, reports The Hindu. India has been helping neighbouring countries to build capacities of their civil servants to meet the emerging challenges in governance and assure public service delivery to improve the quality of life of people, a statement by the Indian government reads. The centre was set up in Mussoorie, India, in 2014. Click here to read…

WHO donates air quality monitoring stations to the Maldives – Avas

The World Health Organization (WHO) has donated two ambient air quality monitoring stations to the Maldives. One out of the two stations donated by WHO will be installed in Hulhumale’ Central Park. An agreement has been signed between the Environment Ministry and Housing Development Corporation (HDC), handing over the management of the station to HDC. The HDC and the Environment Ministry plan to use the data available through the station to raise awareness among the public and publish the data for public viewing. Click here to read…

Myanmar
Malaysian Court Lifts Stay on Deportation of Myanmar Nationals – The Diplomat

A court in Malaysia yesterday lifted a stay on the deportation of 114 Myanmar nationals, clearing the legal obstacles to their deportation and raising concerns about the likely threats to their safety if sent back to the troubled country. The court granted the request from the Malaysian government to lift the stay, which was imposed in February of last year to delay the deportation of 1,200 Myanmar nationals, and which the government ignored. Click here to read…

Myanmar conflict may take 5 more years to resolve: Cambodia PM – Asia News

Prime Minister Hun Sen expressed his doubts that the Myanmar crisis would be resolved any time soon and ruled out a third trip there by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn in his capacity as the ASEAN chair’s special envoy. He made the remarks on December 12 while meeting with over 2,000 members of the Cambodian diaspora in Europe who came to see him in Brussels, Belgium, where he is slated to co-chair the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit. The December 14 event marks the 45 anniversary of ASEAN-EU Dialogue Partnership. Click here to read…

Europe and ASEAN Should Work Together on Myanmar Crisis – The Diplomat

On December 14, leaders of European Union member states are meeting in Brussels with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) — with one exception. Myanmar is unrepresented. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who heads the junta put in power in Myanmar after a February 2021 military coup against a democratically elected government, was not invited. Click here to read…

Canada sanctions Myanmar jet fuel suppliers – Mizzima

Pressure group Justice For Myanmar has welcomed the latest round of Canadian sanctions in response to the Myanmar military’s illegal attempted coup, to mark Human Rights Day. Canada is the first jurisdiction to impose sanctions on Myanmar military jet fuel suppliers, designating Asia Sun Group, a Myanmar conglomerate. Asia Sun Group is a local partner of the Myanmar military and is involved in procuring, storing and distributing jet fuel. Asia Sun has been found to import aviation fuel and directly deliver it to the Myanmar military. Click here to read…

India Urged to Back ASEAN Peace Plan for Myanmar – The Irrawaddy

Indonesia, the incoming chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), says other countries including India must get behind the bloc’s peace effort for Myanmar, which has been engulfed by violence since a coup last year. Retno Marsudi, Indonesia’s foreign minister, urged other regional powers to support ASEAN’s “five-point consensus” for peace, which includes an immediate end to violence in Myanmar and dialogue among all parties. Indonesia will chair the bloc next year. Click here to read…

Nepal
Nepalese delegation visits Warangal to study sanitation – Telengana Today

A team of 29 officials including Mayors from Nepal has visited Warangal city to study sanitation practices particularly the management of the ‘Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP)’ here on Tuesday. The team has inspected the Decentralised Sewage Treatment Plant at Ambedkar Nagar in Hanamkonda , and also the FSTP at Ammavaripet. Click here to read…

Pakistan-Nepal trade relations impriving day by day: Ambassador – The National

Ambassador of Nepal to Pakistan Tapas Adhikari said yesterday that Nepal-Pakistan bilateral trade relations were very limited but they were improving day by day. “We are optimistic on recent positive trends after the Covid-19 pandemic on bilateral economic engagements and hope it will surpass pre-Covid level very soon.Click here to read…

Madhav Nepal in North Korean embassy to take part in Kim Jong Il’s memorial assembly – The Annapurna Express

CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal has reached the North Korean embassy at Jhamsikhel in Kathmandu to take part in the memorial assembly of Kim Jong-il, father of Kim Jong Un, supreme leader of North Korea. The North Korean embassy had invited Nepal as the chief guest of the memorial assembly. North Korean Ambassador to Nepal Jo Yong Man welcomed former prime minister Nepal at the Embassy. Click here to read…

Can Gagan Thapa beat Deuba in prime minister race? – The Kathmandu Post

Political observers think Thapa is well aware that he has only a slim chance of winning parliamentary party leadership and that by declaring his candidacy, he only intends to project himself as the party’s future leader. They said as much, citing the strategy experimented by Thapa at the party’s 13th general convention. Click here to read…

Investment pledges plunge amid global economic slowdown – The Kathmandu Post

Foreign direct investment (FDI) commitments to Nepal plunged by more than half in the first four months of the current fiscal year, which officials attributed to a slowdown in the global economy. An economic slump in China is the key reason behind the fall in FDI pledges, insiders said. China’s economy is decelerating after it adopted a zero-Covid strategy. Despite the steep fall in commitments, China, which has been Nepal’s top FDI source for nearly a decade, still retains the top spot, accounting for two-thirds of the total. Click here to read…

Pakistan
Cracks appear in ruling coalition over Reko Diq: Dawn

Amid fragile political situation in the country, some cracks appeared for the first time in the ruling coalition on Tuesday when two allied parties boycotted the federal cabinet meeting over a controversial bill regarding revival of the Reko Diq copper and gold mine project in Balochistan. Sources privy to the cabinet meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, told Dawn that two of the allies — Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) and Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-Mengal) — boycotted that meeting to register their protest, but later joined it. Click here to read…

FM calls for stronger ties with Indonesia: The Express Tribune

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed the desire to uplift the bilateral economic cooperation in diverse fields between Pakistan and Indonesia. During an interview with an Indonesian TV channel, the foreign minister opined that there existed a large scope of cooperation between Pakistan and Indonesia. He said that they had signed an MoU for setting up a joint ministerial commission between the two countries, adding the economic and bilateral ties between the two countries had more potential which required to be unlocked. Click here to read…

Rs 340bn flood expenditures: Pakistan asking IMF to allow budget deficit increase: The News

Informing the IMF that the expenditures on flood rescue and relief amounted to Rs 340 billion, Pakistan has requested the lender to grant an adjuster of the same amount by allowing an increase in the budget deficit for the current fiscal year 2022-23, it is learnt. To jack up the tax collection target, the government is considering slapping a Flood Levy in the current fiscal year and different proposals are under consideration for finalizing its exact modalities. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Tamil parties to meet President Wickremesinghe to settle outstanding issues – The Print

The representatives from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), an alliance of parties who represent Tamils from the North and East regions, the Tamil Progressive Front, the Tamil National People’s Front and the Tamil National People’s Alliance will meet Wickremesinghe this evening, sources saidClick here to read…

IMF not expected to discuss Sri Lanka before year-end, say sources – Malaymail

The executive board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is not expected to formally approve Sri Lanka’s US$2.9 billion (RM12.8 billion) bailout before year-end, a key step required for the embattled country to receive funding, two sources familiar with the matter said…Sri Lanka has to secure prior financing assurances from creditors, put its heavy debt burden on a sustainable path and increase public revenue before the global lender will disburse the funds. The IMF stressed the importance of joint talks involving three of Sri Lanka’s main bilateral creditors ― China, Japan and India. Click here to read…

VIF Neighbourhood News Digest – December 12, 2022

Afghanistan
Clashes Occur Across Durand Line at Spin Boldak: Tolo News

Clashes between the forces of the Islamic Emirate and Pakistan military happened along the Durand Line in Spin Boldak port, a spokesman told TOLOnews. Haji Zaid, a spokesman for Kandahar governors, said that one member of the Islamic Emirate was killed and 10 others were wounded in the clashes. Meanwhile, a source from Chaman on the other side of the Durand Line told TOLOnews that one Pakistani forces member was wounded in the fightingClick here to read…

Indonesia, Qatar Host Conference Supporting Women’s Education: Tolo News

The International Conference on Afghan Women’s Education, co-chaired by Indonesia and Qatar, was convened in Bali, Indonesia on 8 December 2022.
At the International Conference on Afghan Women’s Education, representatives from more than 30 countries stressed the need of supporting women’s education in Afghanistan. The foreign minister of Pakistan, who attended the conference, said that his country supports women’s access to education, saying an investment in female education is an investment in the future of the nation. Click here to read…

Drought and Lack of Water, a Major Concern in Afghanistan: The Khaama Press

The problem of lack of water caused by continued drought over the past couple of years in Afghanistan is a huge concern on different fronts. Providing clean and safe water for the people has been a great challenge, particularly, with climate change which is an addition to the existing problem. “The problem of lack of water is serious and UNICEF would help Afghanistan in addressing the problem. Bringing clean, safe water to 9 million people the following year is a priority for the organization,” Salam Al-Janabi, UNICEF Afghanistan spokesperson, said. Click here to read…

Afghan FM Meets with Ambassador of Japan Discussing Aid and Economy: The Khaama Press

Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting foreign affairs minister, met with Takashi Okada, the Japanese ambassador, in the Afghan capital to discuss aid to Afghanistan and the resurrection of the Afghan economy.

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, announced in a string of tweets on Sunday, December 11, that the leadership of the ministry visited the Japanese envoy in a constructive meeting. The Japanese diplomat, according to the ministry’s statement, said that his country is in dialogue with the international community to set the stage for the reconstruction of the Afghan economy. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
Bangladesh on razor’s edge: Why India must wake up to the looming economic crisis and political instability to its east – Indian Express

So routine are protests and violence in Bangladesh that treating the ongoing crackdown against Sheikh Hasina’s opponents as anything but election-generated noise could seem a stretch. From the latest deaths of opposition activists in police firing, and the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) demanding a “caretaker” administration that could ensure electoral transparency, to an angry Hasina vowing to never let “arson terrorists” come to power — this is quintessential Bangladeshi politics. Even Western criticism, visible in a recent ambassadorial joint statement asking for free, fair, and peaceful elections, and Indian and Chinese silences, are not novel. Click here to read…

Awami League remains unmoved over BNP MPs’ resignation – Dhaka Tribune

Terming the BNP lawmakers’ decision to resign from Parliament a mistake, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday said that the House would not sit idle without the seven of them. Several other senior leaders reacted to the BNP’s move a day after the party conducted its 10th and last divisional rally, and declared 10-point charter for demands that included the dissolution of Parliament and holding the next election under a non-party government. Click here to read…

‘People to determine who will rule Bangladesh; not external power, internal conspiracy’ – Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will not “bend down to any external pressure” or internal conspiracy to derail the nation from its constitutional path towards democracy and fundamental freedom, said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam in unison on Sunday. They said the government is determined to hold the next parliamentary elections in a free, fair, transparent and participatory manner under the independent election commission. Click here to read…

Bhutan
Capital budget up by 5 percent in this FY: Kuensel Online

The capital budget for this fiscal year 2022-23 was revised by 4.79 percent to Nu 40.31 billion (B) as compared to the approved budget of Nu 38.47B. This, according to the finance ministry’s first quarter budget report, is an increase of Nu 1.84B. The fiscal year (the last year under the 12th five-year Plan) has allocated about 52 percent of the total budget as capital budget. It is more than the current expenditure, unlike in the past. Click here to read…

China threatens Bhutan for aligning with India: Report: ANI

China’s act of flaring up the territorial disputes can be the means to ‘punish’ Bhutan for aligning with India as Beijing assumed that Thimphu’s foreign policy for their country is influenced by New Delhi’s dominance and control, Epardafas.com reported citing scholars. Click here to read…

Maldives
RBI Signs Currency Swap Agreement with Maldives Monetary Authority – Adda

The Reserve Bank of India has signed a Currency Swap Agreement with the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) to enable MMA to make drawals in multiple tranches up to a maximum of $200 million from the RBI. This agreement has been signed under the SAARC Currency Swap Framework. Click here to read…

EC initiates dissolution of DRP – Sun

Elections Commission (EC) has initiated the process of dissolving Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) due to failure to meet the 3,000-member requirement. EC’s chairman Fuad Thaufeeq told Sun on Sunday evening that DRP had been given three months’ notice to bring up membership numbers after the party’s membership fell below 3,000.“According to the law, we need to give three months’ notice to political parties that fail to meet the 3,000-member requirement, and take measures to dissolve the party if they fail to meet the membership mark during that period,” he said. Click here to read…

Myanmar
Follow ASEAN path on Myanmar, says Indonesian FM, after New Delhi engages military rulers – The Hindu

In comments to The Hindu about India’s decision to engage the Myanmar military government that came to power in February 2021 after deposing the elected National Unity Government (NUG) and jailing thousands of leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi, Ms. Marsudi said that it could make the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) efforts towards democracy “less effective”. Instead, she urged India and other countries to follow the ASEAN “five point consensus” that calls for an immediate end to violence in the country; dialogue among all parties; the appointment of a special envoy; humanitarian assistance by ASEAN; and the special envoy’s visit to Myanmar to meet with all parties. Click here to read…

Is China using Pakistan as its proxy to arm military rule in Myanmar? – Times of India

It is reported that Pakistan is looking forward to intense collaboration with China regarding the development of sub-warfare equipment. China is allowing Pakistan to maintain and overhaul Chinese-made equipment, thus letting Pakistan’s defence industries become a course of action for Chinese defence sales. It is alleged that Pakistan, enticed by China, has intensified military-industrial collaboration with the new regime in Myanmar, one of India’s critical neighbours to the East. It is reported that Myanmar is keen to advance its domestic arms industry with Pakistan-China combined sustenance even as it has developed a bilateral defence corporation with RussiaClick here to read…

Nepal
Dahal sees foreign hand in poll debacle: The Kathmandu Post

CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman and former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Sunday said foreign powers directly interfered in the November 20 federal and provincial elections and called the situation serious.This is the first time a top politician has publicly accused foreign powers of meddling in the recent elections. “We have seen many elections since joining the peace process [in 2006]. But never before had I seen this level of foreign meddling, when foreign forces meticulously decided whom to defeat and whom to elect,” said Dahal while addressing a meeting of the office bearers of the Press Centre Nepal, the press wing of his party, at Harisiddhi in Lalitpur. “All past elections were announced and conducted by Nepalis, but that was not the case this time. This is a very serious development.” Click here to read…

Editorial: Assessing the election results: The Kathmandu Post

Our general elections took place at a time of great turmoil in the international arena. The Covid-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, bitter rivalry between China and the United States—all have cast a long shadow over South Asia. The world is coping with geopolitical tensions, economic slowdown, rising unemployment and skyrocketing food and energy prices. Nepal too is suffering from rising inflation, liquidity crunch, unemployment, loss of tourism revenue and public frustration over poor state response. Click here to read…

Pakistan
‘Unprovoked’ shelling by Afghan forces kills seven at Chaman: Dawn

At least seven people lost their lives and 16 others suffered injuries on Sunday in Chaman, which came under heavy gunfire and artillery shelling by Afghan border forces, the military’s media wing said. Pakistani troops retaliated against the “unprovoked and indiscriminate” fire, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement, without giving details of any losses on the other side. Click here to read…

Imran wants ‘apolitical’ military to help stabilise economy: Dawn

Despite the former army chief stressing in his farewell address that the institution had decided to stay away from politics, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chair¬man Imran Khan on Sunday urged the establishment indirectly to facilitate early elections as he believed the country was fast heading towards a default. Click here to read…

OIC secretary general visits LoC: The News

The Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) Secretary General, Hissein Brahim Taha, has said that Kashmir is the top priority of OIC agenda and he will submit a comprehensive assessment report on the human rights situation in Kashmir to member countries.https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1019253-oic-secretary-general-visits-loc” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
IMF chief cites ‘fruitful exchange’ with China on SL debt issues – Daily News

A Reuters report said Georgieva, World Bank President David Malpass and other financial leaders met in person in China’s Anhui Province last week with officials from the People’s Bank of China, China’s Finance Ministry and its EXIM Bank and China Development Bank. Georgieva said the discussions touched on the common framework for debt treatment set up in late 2020 by China, the United States and other Group of 20 major economies, as well as some specific cases of countries seeking debt relief. Click here to read…

Shanakiyan Rasamanickam | An MP to watch in Sri Lanka – The Hindu

In the two years since he was first elected to Parliament, Sri Lankan legislator Shanakiyan Rasamanickam has won many fans within Sri Lanka, including from the Sinhalese majority. But his recent speech in Parliament, threatening to launch a “China go home” campaign, similar to the “Gota go home” people’s movement that dislodged the former President, made more heads turn. China was “forcing down” useless investments in Sri Lanka, China has “no democracy, no human rights,” he roared in the House. If China is truly a friend of Sri Lanka, it must restructure the bankrupt island’s debt and help the crisis-hit country access IMF support, the 32-year-old Opposition MP argued. Click here to read…

VIF News Digest: National Security – Defence Studies & Terrorism, 16-30 November 2022

DEFENCE

  • MALABAR 22 culminates.
  • Mr Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of Navy, US on a five day official visit to India.
  • Raksha Mantri (RM) Shri Rajnath Singh attends ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus meeting & India-ASEAN Defence Ministers meeting.
  • Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2022 (IPRD).
  • Raksha Mantri & his Cambodian counterpart co-chair maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Siem Reap.
  • RM holds bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defence Mr Lloyd Austin in Cambodia.
  • Bilateral joint training Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI with Indonesian Special Forces.
  • DRDO’s Compendium on Low Intensity Conflict Products Released.
  • Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise ‘Samanvay 2022’.
  • 13th Edition of the Indian Navy (IN) – Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) bilateral exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ (Sea Breeze).
  • 4th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue.
  • “AUSTRA HIND 22”.
  • India – Malaysia joint military exercise.

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

Africa
Chad
  • In a surprise attack, Boko Haram terrorists killed at least 40 Chadian soldiers.
Somalia
  • At least 08 people were killed in a terror attack on a hotel by al-Shabaab in Mogadishu.
Pakistan
  • Suicide bombing killed a police officer and two civilians in Balochistan province.

DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir
  • NIA Special Court sentenced six terrorists in ‘JeM conspiracy’ case.
  • Security forces arrested a LeT terrorist from Jammu.
  • “Three districts of the UT of J&K are ‘terrorist-free’,” claimed ADGP (Kashmir).
  • Police filed chargesheet against HM chief Syed Salahuddin in 10-years old threat case.
Left-Wing Extremism
  • Security forces eliminated two Maoists in Odisha.
Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)
  • NIA Special Court pronounced sentence in ‘JMB Bengaluru’ case.
  • NIA filed supplementary chargesheet against a HM OGW in a criminal conspiracy case.
Khalistan-inspired Extremism
  • NIA arrested an absconding terrorist from Delhi IGI Airport.
Organised Crime
  • NIA conducted searches at multiple locations in connection with Organised Crime network.
  • NIA arrested Lawrence Bishnoi in a case related to connection between Organised Crime network and various terrorist outfits.

DEFENCE

MALABAR 22 culminates.

The 26th edition of the multinational maritime exercise MALABAR 22 culminated in the seas off Japan on 15 November 2022. This edition also marked the 30th anniversary of the exercise and was hosted by the JMSDF. The Indian Navy was represented by ships Shivalik and Kamorta. Malabar series of exercises began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between the navies of India and US and gained further prominence with joining of the navies of Australia and Japan.

The sea phase of MALABAR 22 was conducted over a period of five days near Yokosuka and witnessed live weapon firings, surface, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare drills and tactical procedures. Another highlight of the sea phase was the conduct of War at Sea exercise which enabled all four navies to consolidate interoperability and hone their tactical skills. The high-tempo exercise saw the participation of eleven surface ships including a nuclear powered aircraft carrier with its integral air elements, alongwith four long-range maritime patrol aircraft, integral helicopters and two submarines.
For more information: Click here to read…

Mr Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of Navy, US on a five day official visit to India.

Mr Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of Navy, US was on a five day official visit to India from 17-21 Nov 22. Interactions during the visit included those with Adm R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff and high ranking GoI officials in New Delhi. Mr Carlos Del Toro made a visit to Indian Navy’s Southern Naval Command at Kochi, wherein interacted with the Commander-in-Chief SNC and visited India’s first indigenous Aircraft Carrier, INS Vikrant at Cochin Shipyard.
India and USA have traditionally maintained close and friendly relations. The Defence relationship between the two countries has been one of mutual trust and confidence, which has transformed after the accord of major ‘Defence Partner Status’ to India in Jun 16. In addition, both countries have concluded certain foundational agreements, including the Defence Framework Agreement, signed in 2015, which lays a blue print for collaboration between the defence establishments of both countries, the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) signed in 2016, which is a foundational agreement facilitating reciprocal logistics support between the Armed Forces of both countries, the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) signed on 06 Sep 18, which facilitates information-sharing between the Armed Forces of both nations and more recently, the Basic Exchange Cooperation Agreement (BECA), which enables sharing of geo – spatial information between Ministry of Defence and National Geospatial Agency (NGA), USA.
For more information: Click here to read…

Raksha Mantri (RM) Shri Rajnath Singh attends ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus meeting & India-ASEAN Defence Ministers meeting.

At the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence of Cambodia Samdech Pichey Sena TEA Banh, Raksha Mantri will pay an official visit to Cambodia from November 22-23, 2022. Cambodia, as the chair of ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus (ADMM Plus) meeting is hosting the 9th annual meeting at Siem Reap, Cambodia and the Raksha Mantri will address the forum on November 23, 2022. He will also call on the Prime Minister of Cambodia.

To commemorate 30 years of India-ASEAN relations, India and Cambodia will co-chair the maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting on November 22, 2022, presided over by Shri Rajnath Singh. Various initiatives to boost India-ASEAN partnership are planned to be announced during the meeting.

India became the dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992 and the inaugural ADMM-Plus was convened in Hanoi, Vietnam on October 12, 2010. Since 2017, ADMM-Plus Ministers have been meeting annually to further the dialogue and cooperation amongst ASEAN and the Plus countries. India and ASEAN have elevated their relationship to ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ in November 2022. Apart from the ADMM-Plus meeting and India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting, the Raksha Mantri will hold bilateral discussions with Defence Ministers of the participating countries. During the talks, Shri Rajnath Singh will discuss defence cooperation matters and ways to further strengthen the mutually beneficial engagements.
Reference: Click here to read…

Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2022 (IPRD).

The IPRD is an apex level international annual conference of Indian Navy, and is principal manifestation of Navy’s engagement at the strategic-level. The fourth edition of IPRD was held from 23 to 25 Nov 22. The theme of IPRD-2022 was ‘Operationalising the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)’. The six thematically-arranged sessions of the IPRD-2022 are: (1) Weaving the Fabric of Holistic Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific: Multilateral Options: (2) Constructing Holistic-Security Bridges across the Western and Eastern Maritime Expanse of the Indo-Pacific; (3) Building maritime Connectivity: Ports, Trade, and Transport; (4) Capacity-building and Capability Enhancement Leveraging the Physical and Social Sciences; (5) Practical approaches to a Regional Blue Economy; (6) Disaster Risk-reduction and Management; Solutions for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Vulnerable Littoral States.
For more information: Click here to read…

Raksha Mantri & his Cambodian counterpart co-chair maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Siem Reap.

The maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting was held on 22 November 2022 at Siem Reap, Cambodia to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of India-ASEAN relations in 2022, which has also been designated as ‘ASEAN-India Friendship Year’. During this maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers meeting, Shri Singh proposed two major initiatives for further expanding the scope and the depth of the India-ASEAN defence relations. One of the initiatives proposed by Raksha Mantri was the ‘India-ASEAN Initiative for Women in UN Peace Keeping Operations’ which includes conduct of tailor-made courses for women peacekeepers of ASEAN Member States at the Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping in India and conduct of a ‘Table Top Exercise’ in India for women officers from ASEAN incorporating facets of UN peacekeeping challenges. The Raksha Mantri underlined the importance of women officers in peacekeeping missions for ensuring lasting peace.
For more information: Click here to read…

RM holds bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defence Mr Lloyd Austin in Cambodia.

RM held a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defence Mr Lloyd Austin in Siem Reap, Cambodia on22 Nov 2022. Shri Rajnath Singh and Mr Lloyd Austin are in Cambodia to attend the 9th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Plus meeting. The Raksha Mantri was accompanied by Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane and other senior officials of Ministry of Defence. The two Defence Ministers discussed wide range of issues of mutual interest while expressing their commitment to a strong India-US defence cooperation. RM emphasised the need for both countries to work together for capability building in critical domains such as military aviation, artificial intelligence and cyber technology. The RMlooked forward to building a roadmap towards greater defence industrial collaboration between India and US. He highlighted India’s growing expertise in aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) and ship-building, repairs and refits and suggested specific areas where US defence companies can look for technology cooperation and manufacturing opportunities with Indian partners in India. Secretary Austin welcomed the suggestions and assured Raksha Mantri of cooperation in this regard.

The two leaders expressed their commitment towards an inclusive and rules-based Indo Pacific with freedom of navigation, overflight and unimpeded trade. They further discussed initiatives that can be taken to strengthen maritime cooperation between the two countries including in maritime domain awareness.
For more information: Click here to read…

Bilateral joint training Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI with Indonesian Special Forces.

As part of military-to-military exchange programs, a contingent of Indian Special Forces troops are currently engaged in a bilateral joint training Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI with Indonesian Special Forces at Sangga Buana Training Area, Karawang, Indonesia. Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI is the eighth edition of the series of bilateral exercises under this banner. The exercise which commenced on 21 November 2022 aims at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the Special Forces of both armies. The joint training would also focus on a high degree of physical fitness, tactical drills, techniques and procedures for which a comprehensive 13-day training programme has been worked out.
For more information: Click here to read…

Defence Research and Development Organistion’s (DRDO) Compendium on Low Intensity Conflict Products Released.

DRDO’s Compendium on Low Intensity Conflict (LIC) Products was released on 23 Nov 2022. In line with the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” campaign of the Government of India, the compendium consists of more than 100 technologies, systems and products developed by DRDO for LIC operations. It is a valuable repository of information for the central security forces.
For more information: Click here to read…

Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise ‘Samanvay 2022’.

Indian Air Force is conducting the Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise ‘Samanvay 2022’ from 28 November 2022 to 30 November 2022 at Air Force Station Agra. With an aim to assess the efficacy of institutional Disaster Management structures and contingency measures, the exercise will comprise a seminar on Disaster Management, a ‘Multi Agency Exercise’ involving static and flying displays of various HADR assets and a ‘Table Top Exercise’. This multi-agency engagement is expected to contribute in the evolution of institutional frameworks for effective communication, interoperability, cooperation and their application for successful conduct of HADR. Along with involvement of various stakeholders from the country, the exercise will see participation by representatives from the ASEAN countries as well.
For more information: Click here to read…

13th Edition of the Indian Navy (IN) – Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) bilateral exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ (Sea Breeze).

The Indian Navy’s guided missile stealth frigate, INS Trikand, offshore patrol vessel, INS Sumitra, and Maritime Patrol Aircraft, (MPA) Dornier, participated in the 13th Edition of the Indian Navy (IN) – Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) bilateral exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ (Sea Breeze). The exercise was conducted from 19 to 24 Nov 22 off the coast of Oman.
For more information: Click here to read…

4th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh co-chaired the 4th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue with the Minister of Armed Forces of the French Republic Mr. Sebastien Lecornu on his visit to India from 26-28 November, 2022. The visiting French Minister shall also meet External Affair Minister and the National Security Advisor. This is the first visit of Mr Sebastien Lecornu as French Minister of Armed Forces to India. The meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere. A wide range of bilateral, regional, defence and defence industrial cooperation issues were discussed in the dialogue.

The Ministers reviewed the ongoing military-to-military cooperation which has increased substantially in the recent years. They discussed means to strengthen maritime cooperation and increase the scope and complexity of bilateral exercises. They noted with satisfaction that India and France recently held their bilateral Air Exercise ‘Garuda’ at Air Force Station, Jodhpur successfully.

During the dialogue, one of the key areas of discussion was defence industrial cooperation with a focus on ‘Make in India’. Future collaborations and potential co-production opportunities were discussed. The Ministers agreed that the technical groups from both the countries should meet early next year and take the key cooperation issues forward.
The Ministers recognised their convergences on number of strategic & defence issues and shared the commitment to work together on enhancing cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral fora, with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region. France is the current chair of Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and both countries cooperate closely in these fora.
For more information: Click here to read…

“AUSTRA HIND 22”.

The bilateral training exercise “AUSTRA HIND 22” between contingents of the Indian Army and the Australian Army is scheduled to take place at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges (Rajasthan) from 28 November to 11 December 2022. This is the first exercise in the series of AUSTRA HIND with participation of all arms and services contingent from both armies. The Australian Army contingent comprising soldiers from the 13th Brigade of the 2nd Division has arrived at the exercise location. The Indian Army is represented by troops from the DOGRA Regiment. Exercise “AUSTRA HIND” will be a yearly event that will be conducted alternatively in India and Australia. Aim of the exercise is to build positive military relations, imbibe each other’s best practices and promote the ability to operate together while undertaking multi-domain operations in Semi deserts terrain under a UN peace enforcement mandate.
For more information: Click here to read…

India – Malaysia joint military exercise.

India – Malaysia joint military Exercise “Harimau Shakti -2022” commenced at Pulai, Kluang, Malaysia on 28th November and will culminate on 12th December 22. Exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI is an annual training event between the Indian and Malaysian Army which is being conducted since 2012. Combat-experienced troops of the GARHWAL RIFLES Regiment of Indian Army and the Royal Malay Regiment of the Malaysian Army are participating in the exercise this year to share experiences gained during operations in order to enhance inter-operability in planning & execution of various operations in jungle terrain. The scope of this exercise involves a Command Planning Exercise (CPX) at the Battalion level and Company level Field Training Exercise (FTX) on sub-conventional operations in jungle terrain.
For more information: Click here to read…

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

Africa
Chad
In a surprise attack, Boko Haram terrorists killed at least 40 Chadian soldiers.

On 22 November 2022, Boko Haram terrorists attacked on a military unit in the Lake Chad province, near the Nigerian border, and killed at least 40 Chadian soldiers. According to the Chadian government, the unit had been dispatched to establish an army outpost on the island of Boukatoullorom, where Boko Haram has been active in recent years. Various reports confirmed that terrorists attacked the unit in successive waves, managing to enter and destroyed the outpost before stealing weapons and ammunition.
For more information: Click here to read…

Somalia
At least 08 people were killed in a terror attack on a hotel by al-Shabaab in Mogadishu.

On 27 November 2022, al-Qa’ida affiliated al-Shabaab terrorists attacked Villa Rose Hotel, a popular hotel in Mogadishu and killed at least 08 people. Next day, on 28 November 2022, the Somali security forces concluded the siege. Somali government officials frequently use the Villa Rose Hotel for meetings. “At the time of attack some government officials escaped from windows,” said a police officer on the basis of anonymity.
For more information: Click here to read…

Pakistan
Suicide bombing killed a police officer and two civilians in Balochistan province.

On 30 November 2022, a suicide bomb explosion targeted a police vehicle, in which a police official and two civilians were killed, in Buleli district of Quetta in Balochistan. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)/Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility of the attack. “The police vehicle was carrying security personnel deployed to protect polio vaccination campaign workers in Quetta.
In the same attack, at least 24 people, including 20 policemen wounded,” said Quetta Police’s Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) Ghulam Afzar Mahesar. Later, TTP issued a statement stating that “the attack was carried out after the announcement to end ceasefire, and was planned to take revenge for the death of Omar Khalid Khorasani. Our attacks will continue.” Omar Khorasani was a senior TTP leader who was killed in a car bomb blast in Afghanistan in August 2022.
For more information: Click here to read…

DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir
NIA Special Court sentenced six terrorists in ‘JeM conspiracy’ case.

On 28 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, New Delhi, pronounced sentence convicting six terrorists— i) Sajad Ahmad Khan, ii) Tanveer Ahmed Ganie, iii) Bilal Ahmad Mir, iv) Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat, v) Ishfaq Ahmad Bhat, and vi) Mehraj ud-din Chopan, in Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) conspiracy case. The case— RC-08/2019/NIA/DLI pertains to criminal conspiracy of JeM leaders, mainly Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar (brother of Masood Azhar) to recruit people to carry out terrorist attacks in various parts of India. All terrorists, especially Bilal Mir and Muzaffar Bhat, had carried out recee of targets, arranged shelters, and had provided logistic support to carry out attacks in India. Sajad Khan carried our recee of prime locations as potential targets in Delhi.
For more information: Click here to read…

J&K Police arrested a LeT terrorist from Jammu.

On 27 November 2022, police arrested a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist— Faisal Munir, from Talab Khatikan area of Jammu city in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Allegedly, Faisal was in contact with officials at Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, to monitor terror activities in the UT of J&K.

Faisal was the main facilitator for collecting arms dropped through Pakistani drones in various border areas of Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts. The police also found a hideout of the terrorists inside the Talab Khatikan house of a LeT terrorist which had been erected inside an almirah from where one AK47 rifle, ammunition, and explosives were seized.
For more information: Click here to read…

“Three districts of the UT of J&K are ‘terrorist-free’,” claimed ADGP (Kashmir).

On 26 November 2022, the Additional Director-General of Police (ADGP) of Kashmir Zone— Vijay Kumar said that “the Kashmir region, which comprises 13 police districts, has 81 terrorists with 29 being local and 52 are of foreign origin (Pakistan). Three districts— Bandipora, Kupwara, and Ganderbal, are terrorist-free with ‘zero’ local terrorists while Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) have gone headless after security forces eliminated their key operatives and commanders in multiple counter-terrorism (CT) operations.”
“We are very hopeful of eradicating terrorism from Kashmir in next two years,” said ADGP Kumar.
For more information: Click here to read…

Police filed chargesheet against HM chief Syed Salahuddin in 10-years old threat case.

On 23 November 2022, the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) police filed chargesheet against Hizb ul-Mujahideen (HM) chief Mohammad Yusuf Shah aka Syed Salahuddin before National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court, Baramulla, in connection with a case pertaining to threatening Panchs and Sarpanchs for participating in Panchayat elections 10 years ago.
The chargesheet against Salahuddin has been filed under Section 512 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
For more information: Click here to read…

Left-Wing Extremism
Security forces eliminated two Maoists in Odisha.

In a gun-battle with security forces, on 24 November 2022, two Maoists were killed in Gandhamardan Hills area in Bolangir district, Odisha. Some arms and ammunition have also been seized from the alleged Maoist camp.
For more information: Click here to read…

Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)
NIA Special Court pronounced sentence in ‘JMB Bengaluru’ case.

On 28 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, Bengaluru, pronounced sentence in ‘JMB Bengaluru case’ in which three Jamaat ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) operatives— i) Najir Sheikh aka Patla Anas, ii) Habibur Rahman SK, and iii) Mosaraf Hossain, are convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UA(P)A]. The cases— RC-19/2019/NIA/DLI and RC-15,16,17,18/2020/NIA/DLI pertains to recovery of huge quantities of electronic/electric items, chemical apparatus, containers, etecetra, used for fabrication of bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) from the hideout of JMB group in Bengaluru.
For more information: Click here to read…

NIA filed supplementary chargesheet against a HM OGW in a criminal conspiracy case.

On 25 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a supplementary chargesheet against a Hizb ul-Mujahideen (HM) Over-Ground Worker (OGW)— Danish Naseer, in case related to a criminal conspiracy of carrying out terror attacks in India.
Danish Naseer was an HM OGW, allegedly involved in conspiracy. He transferred an amount of ₹ 30,000 to arrested terrorist Kamruj Zaman to further terror activities of HM.
For more information: Click here to read…

Khalistan-inspired Extremism
NIA arrested an absconding terrorist from Delhi IGI Airport.

On 18 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Kulwinderjit Khanpuria, associated with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Khalistan Liberation Front (KLF), from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport upon his arrival from Bangkok. Kulwinderjit had been absconding since 2019. According to investigation report, Kulwinderjit is the chief conspirator behind terror attacks by targeting establishments related to Dera Saccha Sauda and well of Police and Security in Punjab.

Kulwinderjit Khanpuria, along with his handlers and associates in India and other South-East Asian countries, planned and conspired to carry out terrorist attacks in India. Khanpuria was eventually able to flee India. He first collaborated with Harmeet aka PhD, and now with wanted Pakistan-based International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) chief Lakhbir Singh Rode, to use his India-based terrorist associates to target identified individuals and establishments. Khanpuria was declared a Proclaimed Offender (PO) by the NIA Special Court in Punjab, and Interpol issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) and a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him. The NIA had also announced a ₹ 5 lakh cash reward for information leading to his arrest. On 21 November 2019, he was chargesheeted as absconder.
For more information: Click here to read…

Organised Crime
NIA conducted searches at multiple locations in connection with Organised Crime network.

On 29 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out search operations at over 13 locations in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Union Territory of Chandigarh, and Delhi/NCR region. The search operations were to dismantle and distrupt the emerging Organised Crime nexus between terrorists, gangsters, and drug traffickers based in India and abroad in two connected cases registered in August 2022.

The searches were conducted at the premises of Kaushal Chaudhary, resident of Gurugram, Haryana, Vishal Mann from Prahalpur, Delhi, Binny Gurjar from Sangroor, Punjab, Ravi Rajgarh from Ludhiana, Punjab, and their associates. During the searches, NIA officials recovered incriminating material, including contraband and ammunition. According to preliminary investigation, these gangs were carrying out targeted killings and were raising funds to carry out criminal activities. The Organised Crime members were using cyberspace to propagate their deeds to create terror among public.
For more information: Click here to read…

NIA arrested Lawrence Bishnoi in a case related to connection between Organised Crime network and various terrorist outfits.

On 24 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Lawrence Bishnoi, from Bathinda Jail in a case related to the conspiracy hatched by various terrorist outfits based in India and abroad, working in nexus with organised crime groups to carryout terror acts and targeted crimes.

Investigations have revealed that the terrorists have an active nexus with drug smugglers and cadres/members of the Organised Crime group led by Lawrence Bishnoi, who has been found involved in commissioning various types of terror/criminal acts, including extortions from businessmen, professionals, doctors, and others, which has caused public fear. Lawrence, along with his brothers— Sachin and Anmol Bishnoi and associates, including Goldy Brar, Kala Jathedi, Kala Rana, Bikram Brar and Sampat Nehra were raising funds to carry out terror/criminal activities through smuggling of drugs and weapons and widespread extortions.
For more information: Click here to read…

China: Daily Scan, November 17, 2022

Historical document collection boosts China’s confidence in national rejuvenation: Xinhuanet
November 16, 2022

Three volumes of the Revitalization Library, a major cultural project approved by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, were recently published. The five-volume library is themed on the great revival of the Chinese nation and keeps track of the history of thought. It systemically recounts the Chinese nation’s glorious journey from weakness and poverty to national rejuvenation. Click here to read…

Senior Tibet legislator under investigation: Xinhuanet
November 16, 2022

Ji Guogang, a vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Regional People’s Congress, has been placed under investigation for suspected severe violations of Party discipline and laws, an official statement said Wednesday. Ji is being investigated by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision, according to the statementClick here to read…

China to continue working with G20 members on global digital economic paradigm: China Military
November 16, 2022

China will continue to work with the Group of 20 (G20) members to foster a balanced, coordinated and inclusive global digital economic paradigm that brings benefits to all and features win-win cooperation and shared prosperity, President Xi Jinping said here on Wednesday. Click here to read…

China displays advanced weapons, equipment at Pakistani defense expo: Global Times
November 16, 2022

China is displaying many advanced weapons and equipment, including drone and anti-drone systems, at an ongoing defense expo in Pakistan, a move analysts said on Wednesday indicates that the two countries’ defense cooperation will continue to deepen under their ironclad friendship, with Pakistan’s armed forces already operating advanced main battle equipment of Chinese origin. Click here to read…

NDRC official meets with US firms over economic, trade issues: Global Times
November 16, 2022

The deputy director of China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the top economic planner, Lian Weiliang, met with a delegation of US companies’ representatives led by Craig Allen, president of the US-China Business Council (USCBC) on Wednesday, to discuss a wide range of economic and trade issues. Click here to read…

Chinese authorities call on retired soldiers to help Foxconn iPhone plant: Reuters
November 16, 2022

Local authorities in China’s Henan province are urging retired soldiers and government workers to take on stints at Foxconn’s iPhone factory in Zhengzhou, the official Shanghai Securities News reported on Tuesday. The plant, the world’s largest iPhone manufacturing facility, has been hit by discontent over government mandated measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, which required the company to isolate many workers but also prompted many others to flee in recent weeks. Click here to read…

China’s ambassador to India Sun Weidong named as new foreign vice-minister: South China Morning Post
November 16, 2022

China’s former ambassador to India Sun Weidong, whose three-year spell in New Delhi coincided with a sharp deterioration in relations as a result of a deadly border stand-off, has been promoted to foreign vice-minister. Sun is the third Chinese ambassador to India in a row to be promoted to a vice-ministerial role, underlining the importance Beijing attaches to its increasingly fraught relationship with New Delhi.

The appointment was announced on Tuesday, the same day that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted each other in public for the first time since a deadly clash along the disputed Himalayan border in June 2020.
At least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in hand-to-hand fighting in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh, the deadliest confrontation between the two sides for five decades. Click here to read…

Full text: Joint Statement between The People’s Republic of China and The Republic of Indonesia: Xinhuanet
November 17, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo here Wednesday evening, in which the two heads of state reached important consensus on striving towards building a China-Indonesia community with a shared future. Xi and Widodo agreed to take the 10th anniversary of the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership next year as an opportunity to forge a new paradigm of high-level cooperation. Click here to read…

China-CEEC cooperation intensifies amid global changes: Xinhuanet
November 17, 2022

The cooperation mechanism between China and the Central and East European Countries (CEEC) has brought immense benefits, which encourages them to further intensify exchanges in the context of today’s complex global situation, speakers said at an online event held on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Tibet sets up first airborne emergency rescue team: Xinhuanet
November 17, 2022

Southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region has set up its first airborne rescue team for emergency response. The 20-member team, co-established by the administration of emergency management in the city of Nyingchi and the city’s forest fire brigade, will mainly be responsible for rescue and relief work in case of natural disasters and accidents in Nyingchi, according to the brigade. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 2,328 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet
November 17, 2022

The Chinese mainland on Wednesday reported 2,328 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said Thursday. Altogether 20,804 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified. Click here to read…

Demonstration zones sign of higher level of opening-up: Qiushi
November 17, 2022

The central government has recently issued a notice on the establishment of 29 more national demonstration zones for innovative development of the import trade, raising the number of such zones in China to 43. This marks China’s renewed efforts to expand imports and promote higher-level opening-up. Click here to read…

Former senior provincial legislator of Sichuan prosecuted: China Daily
November 17, 2022

Wang Minghui, former vice chairman of the Standing Committee of Sichuan Provincial People’s Congress, has been indicted on suspicion of accepting bribes and abusing power.
The Foshan Municipal People’s Procuratorate in Guangdong province recently filed a lawsuit against Wang with the Intermediate People’s Court of Foshan, an official statement said Wednesday. Click here to read…

28 Chinese provinces adopt optimized measures to COVID-19 response; six cities cancel mass testing: report: Global Times
November 17, 2022

A total of 28 provinces, including South China’s Guangdong Province which is hit hardest in the latest COVID-19 flare-up, announced adoption of newly optimized measures to COVID-19 response in the past five days. Moreover, six cities, including Shanghai and Sanya scrapped mass nucleic acid testing, in an effort to implement the new measures, media reported. Click here to read…

NDRC issues report on digital transformation, targets core technology breakthroughs: Global Times
November 17, 2022

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China’s top economic planner, released a report on development of the digital economy on Wednesday, reviewing the past achievements in digital reforms while providing a clear vision and guidelines for the future as China aims for breakthroughs in “bottleneck” technologies. Click here to read…

NDRC push to speed up steps for stability: People’s Daily
November 17, 2022

China’s top economic regulator will continuously promote the implementation of a package of policies to stabilize the economy, further expedite the financing of projects via policy-based and developmental financial instruments, accelerate infrastructure projects and proactively expand effective investment, said an official with the National Development and Reform Commission on Wednesday. Click here to read…

China: Daily Scan, November 15, 2022

4 weaknesses in China’s economy, from local government finances to poor regulation: South China Morning Post
November 14, 2022

Deteriorating local government finances, weak banks and inadequate regulation are among the main risks facing China’s economy, according to senior officials and regulators who have recently published candid assessments following the agenda-setting 20th party congress. Vice-Premier Liu He, central bank governor Yi Gang, Minister of Finance Liu Kun and banking and insurance regulator chairman Guo Shuqing have all reflected on the dangers facing the state-dominated financial system, though they have not outlined specific improvements. Click here to read…

Xi told Biden Taiwan is first red line that must not be crossed, urging US to respect China’s path, system: Global Times
November 14, 2022

At the very core of China’s core interests, the Taiwan question is the first red line that must not be crossed, Chinese President Xi Jinping told US President Joe Biden during the meeting on Monday in Bali, Indonesia, urging the US to respect the differences between the two countries’ paths. Click here to read…

Quantum computing patent filings surge in China: China Daily
November 15, 2022

Applications by Chinese companies for patents related to quantum computing have surged in the past two years alongside an industry boom and increasing awareness of the field, though experts said the country still has a long way to go to catch up with foreign competitors. Click here to read…

State weapons contractors capitalize on growing global market for munitions: China Daily
November 15, 2022

A number of State-owned defense contractors have developed and promoted their own loitering munitions — also known as suicide drones — expecting to seize the rapidly expanding demand for such hardware in the market. Click here to read…

Beijing braces after rise in COVID cases: China Daily
November 15, 2022

The number of COVID-19 infections in Beijing has continued to trend upward in recent days, involving most districts, a senior official said on Monday. Xu Hejian, spokesman for the municipal government, said at a news conference on Monday that people should be aware of the capital’s severe and complicated epidemic situation and that the government will strengthen accurate and scientific prevention work. Click here to read…

Chinese cities harness nuclear power for winter heating: Global Times
November 15, 2022

A growing list of Chinese cities are utilizing nuclear energy as a source of winter heating, with 9.24 million square meters covered so far. In Haiyang, East China’s Shandong Province, the nuclear power plant has entered test operation to provide heating services to 200,000 residents living in a city area of 5 million square meters, domestic news portal China Media Group (CMG) reported on Monday. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 1,621 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: People’s Daily
November 15, 2022

The Chinese mainland on Monday reported 1,621 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said Tuesday. Altogether 16,151 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified. Click here to read…

Xi, Biden hold candid, in-depth exchange of views on bilateral ties, major global issues: Qiushi
November 15, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, had a candid and in-depth exchange of views here on Monday on issues of strategic importance in China-U.S. relations and on major global and regional issues. The current state of China-U.S. relations is not in the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, and is not what the international community expects, Xi said. Click here to read…

Biden, Xi trade barbs over Taiwan, seek “principles” on competition: Kyodo
November 15, 2022

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping traded barbs Monday over Taiwan, with Xi stressing that the question of the self-ruled island is “the first red line that must not be crossed,” but agreed to develop “principles” to manage their intensifying competition. In their first in-person summit, which took place in Indonesia’s Bali, Biden expressed objections to China’s “coercive and increasingly aggressive actions” toward Taiwan, saying they undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and jeopardize global prosperity, according to the White House. Click here to read…

Xi raises anti-secession law in talks on Taiwan with Biden, says China foreign minister: Reuters
November 15, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping raised the country’s anti-secession law in talks on Taiwan with U.S. President Joe Biden at the G20 Summit on Monday, the Chinese foreign minister said in a statement. Xi told Biden that China will uphold the “One country, Two systems” proposal for Taiwan and will make all efforts for peaceful “reunification” with Taiwan, the statement said. Click here to read…

China’s property investment falls at a faster clip in Jan-Oct: Reuters
November 15, 2022

China’s property investment fell at a faster pace during January-October, declining 8.8% from a year earlier after slumping 8.0% in the first nine months of the year. Property sales by floor area dropped 22.3% during January-October from the same period a year earlier, compared with the 22.2% plunge in the first nine months of the year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Click here to read…

China picks public health expert as Beijing leader: Taipei Times
November 15, 2022

China has named former SARS firefighter Yin Li the new Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader of Beijing, as President Xi Jinping begins recalibrating the “zero COVID” policy that has slowed the world’s second largest economy. Yin, 60, replaces Cai Qi as party secretary of the capital city of about 21 million people, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday. Click here to read…

Xi says China supports African Union to join G20: Xinhuanet
November 15, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Tuesday that China supports the African Union to join the Group of 20 when addressing the G20 summit. Click here to read…

Highlights of Xi-Biden meeting ahead of G20 summit in Indonesia: Xinhuanet
November 15, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, had a candid and in-depth exchange of views here on Monday on issues of strategic importance in China-U.S. relations and on major global and regional issues. Click here to read…

Courts make joint agreement on IPR protection: China Daily
November 15, 2022

Legal protection on intellectual property will be further strengthened in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region thanks to an agreement made by courts in the three areas. The agreement was jointly signed by the Beijing Intellectual Property Court, the Tianjin No 3 Intermediate Court and Hebei’s Xiong’an New Area Intermediate Court on Friday. Click here to read…

China: Daily Scan, November 14, 2022

Xi Jinping presides over meeting of Standing Committee of Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee on COVID-19 prevention and control: Xinhuanet
November 11, 2022

The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held a meeting on November 10 to hear a report on COVID-19 prevention and control and laid out 20 measures to further improve work in this regard. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting and delivered an important speech. Click here to read…

Chinese president appoints new ambassadors: Xinhuanet
November 11, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping has appointed four new ambassadors in accordance with a decision by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, according to a statement from China’s top legislature on Friday. Ma Qiang has been appointed ambassador to South Sudan, replacing Hua Ning. Wang Xining has been appointed ambassador to Chad, replacing Li Jinjin. Click here to read…

Xi to attend G20 Summit, APEC Economic Leaders’ meeting and visit Thailand: Xinhuanet
November 11, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 17th Group of 20 (G20) Summit in Bali, Indonesia, from November 14 to 17, at the invitation of President Joko Widodo of the Republic of Indonesia, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying made the announcement here on Friday. He will attend the 29th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, as well as visit Thailand from November 17 to 19, at the invitation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha of the Kingdom of Thailand, Hua said. Click here to read…

China unveils ‘drone killer’ laser weapon at Airshow China, can shoot down target at low cost: Global Times
November 11, 2022

A laser weapon used against drones attracted wide attention at this year’s Airshow China. Dubbed the killer of UAVs, the weapon can launch effective strikes on low, slow and small (LSS) targets, which refer to those that fly below an altitude of one kilometer, at speeds of around 200 kilometers per hour and have a radar cross-section smaller than one square meter. Click here to read…

Chinese premier meets Japanese, S. Korean, Philippine leaders: Xinhuanet
November 12, 2022

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Saturday held talks here with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, and Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos during the leaders’ meetings on East Asia cooperation. Click here to read…

Full text: China-ASEAN Joint Statement on Strengthening Common and Sustainable Development: Xinhuanet
November 12, 2022

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday attended the 25th China-ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, during which a joint statement on China-ASEAN cooperation has been released. Click here to read…

China debuts container-type missile launch system; weapon can ‘effectively improve defense capabilities of coastal countries’: Global Times
November 12, 2022

China’s leading missile developer exhibited a container-type sea defense combat system at the ongoing Airshow China in Zhuhai, South China’s Guangdong Province, which could effectively improve the defense capabilities of coastal countries for its outstanding mobility and capability to disguise itself. Click here to read…

BMW to invest 10 bln yuan in battery production project in China: Xinhuanet
November 14, 2022

BMW Group’s joint venture in China, BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. (BBA), will invest 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars) into a new battery production project in northeast China’s Liaoning Province. Click here to read…

China’s WJ-700 UAS debuts at Airshow with more powerful technologies: Global Times
November 13, 2022

As China’s first high altitude, high speed and long endurance armed reconnaissance UAV system that had made maiden flight, WJ-700 UAV is exhibited at this year’s Airshow China, attracting wide attention with newly equipped high technologies including the country’s first domestic one-ton thrust turbofan engine featuring high performance and high reliability and the use of a large number of carbon fiber composite materials. Click here to read…

Multiple provinces across China further detail implementation of optimized anti-COVID measures: Global Times
November 13, 2022

Multiple provincial-level regions across China have further deployed, researched, optimized and detailed the implementation of anti-epidemic measures following the roll-out of 20 measures to optimize COVID-19 response on Friday, the country’s latest move in scientific and precise epidemic control and prevention work to fight the COVID-19 epidemic amid a global resurgence. Click here to read…

300 China-made EV unveiled at G20 Summit in Indonesia as official vehicles: Global Times
November 13, 2022

300 China-made new-energy vehicles from Chinese car maker SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile were unveiled at the G20 Summit in Indonesia as official vehicles, demonstrating the strength of intelligent manufacturing in China. Air ev, a new energy model under SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile was appointed as the official vehicle of the G20 Summit to provide high-quality travel service for the G20 summit delegation and organizing committee, the company said in a statement told the Global Times on Sunday. Click here to read…

Airshow China displays advanced technology, shared market: People’s Daily
November 14, 2022

China’s first homemade large jetliner, the C919, soared into the sky, its two roaring engines sending out a wave of sound. This impressive outing was the aircraft’s public appearance at Airshow China 2022. The six-day event, also known as the 14th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, concluded Sunday in Zhuhai, a port city in south China’s Guangdong Province. Click here to read…

China plan to restore sector liquidity boosts property stocks, bonds: Reuters
November 14, 2022

Chinese property stocks and bonds soared on Monday as the market cheered an extensive package outlined by Chinese regulators to shore up financing in the embattled real estate sector, with the sub-index surging close to a two-month high in morning trading. The package, which sources say lays out multiple liquidity-boosting measures, was hailed by analysts as a “turning point” with one even describing it as the equivalent of “soaking rain after a long drought”.Click here to read…

China regulators order more financing support for property firms: Reuters
November 14, 2022

Chinese regulators have told financial institutions to extend more support to property developers to shore up the country’s struggling real estate sector, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Sunday. A notice to the institutions from the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) and the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) outlined 16 steps to support the industry, including loan repayment extensions, in a major push to ease the deep liquidity crunch which has plagued the property sector since mid-2020. Click here to read…

BMW to invest 10 bln yuan in battery production project in China: Xinhuanet
November 14, 2022

BMW Group’s joint venture in China, BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. (BBA), will invest 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars) into a new battery production project in northeast China’s Liaoning Province. Click here to read…

Xi encourages young aviation workers to promote self-reliance, high-quality development of industry: China Military
November 14, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday wrote back to young workers and engineers of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), encouraging them to promote self-reliance and strength in aviation science and technology and high-quality development of the industry. Click here to read…

More Party regulations to tighten up discipline: China Daily
November 14, 2022

The Communist Party of China believes that its commitment to continuously improve conduct and enforce discipline is a major reason it has won the full support of the people. In a report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, the Party said that it will take steps to improve conduct and enforce discipline, reflecting its firm determination to ensure full, rigorous Party governance. Click here to read…

New CPC chiefs named for Beijing and Fujian: China Daily
November 14, 2022

Yin Li, former Party chief of Fujian province, has been appointed by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China as Party chief of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, replacing Cai Qi, according to a report from Xinhua News Agency. The 60-year-old is also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Click here to read…

Chongqing at ‘critical point’ in virus control: China Daily
November 14, 2022

Chongqing, a megacity of 32 million people in Southwest China, is facing a “severe and complicated “epidemic situation and is at a critical point with its number of infections rising rapidly in recent days, senior officials said at a news conference on Saturday evening. Click here to read…

VIF Cyber Review: September 2022

NATIONAL

Pegatron Mobile Manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu: another milestone added to PM’s vision of making India a global electronics manufacturing hub.

On 30 September 2022, the Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship— Rajeev Chandrasekhar, inaugurated the Pegatron mobile manufacturing facility in Chenglapattu near Chennai, Tamil Nadu and said that the facility is another milestone in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making India a global electronics manufacturing hub. “It is a symbol of the partnership between the Central and State government to help India achieve the target of USD 300 billion in electronics manufacturing, from the current USD 75 billion,” said Minister Chandrasekhar during the inaugural of the facility. The facility was established by Taiwan’s electronics giant— Pegatron Technology India, under the Indian government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, in an industrial park in Chenglapattu, near Chennai.

The PLI scheme has played a significant role in ushering the investments and employment in electronics manufacturing and has catalysed an investment of ₹ 6,500 crores in a short period, generating employment of over 40,000 in Tamil Nadu alone. “It has been an extraordinary journey for Pegatron to be in India. We are overwhelmed by the support extended by the Government of India and Tamil Nadu,” said Cheng Jian Jong, Chairman of Pegatron Technology India.[1]

Ministry of Communications initiated the ‘Public Consultative’ process on the draft of the Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022.

The Ministry of Communications, Government of India (GoI), had initiated a public consultative process to draft a contemporary and futuristic legal framework in telecommunications. As per the process, in July 2022, the ministry published a consultation paper on ‘Need for a new legal framework governing Telecommunications in India’ and invited comments/suggestions from various stakeholders, including industry associations.

Based on the consultations and suggestions, the ministry has prepared the draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022. The draft Bill and explanatory note can be accessed at: https://dot.gov.in/relatedlinks/indian-telecommunication-bill-2022. The deliberations can be shared with the ministry by 20 October 2022.[2]

“Pervasive digital infrastructure and ensured access to digital services to all is key for a better digital future,” said MoS for Communications.

On 25 September 2022, the Minister of State (MoS) for Communications— Devusinh Chauhan, addressed the Ministerial Roundtable, part of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Bucharest, Romania. The Minister said that a better digital future could only be built on pervasive digital infrastructure, developing digital platforms to deliver government services to all citizens and ensuring access to digital services to all.

The MoS also cited stories about the Government of India’s (GoI) commitment to building telecom infrastructure, such as the plan to extend mobile services to all 6,40,000 villages in India by 2023 and Optical Fibre by 2025. It is the result of citizen-centric and industry-friendly public initiatives and policies that point to a bright future for India’s digital economy. The MoS also highlighted the success of the Digital India Initiative, mainly the Aadhaar and Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS), under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As per the data, around 400 million transactions were carried out on AEPS, which is the best example of financial inclusion affected by the development of digital infrastructure. “India has been contributing to the goals of the ITU and will take all necessary steps to fulfil Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030,” said MoS Chauhan.[3]

Indian banking users targeted by SOVA Android Trojan.

On 10 September 2022, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issued an advisory about Indian banking customers being targeted by a new variant of mobile banking malware using SOVA Android Trojan. In July 2022, SOVA added India to its target list, where the US, Russia, and Spain were already enlisted. The latest version of this malware hides within fake Android applications that show up the logo of a few famous legitimate apps, such as Chrome and Amazon, to deceive users into installing them. The malware captures the credentials when users log into their net banking apps and access bank accounts. The new version of the malware— SOVA- seems to target over 200 mobile applications, including banking apps and crypto exchanges.

SOVA’s list of functions includes the ability to:

  • Collect keystrokes,
  • Steal cookies,
  • Intercept Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) tokens,
  • take screenshots and record videos from a webcam,
  • copy/paste,
  • Mimic over 200 banking and payment applications.

Another feature of SOVA is its “protections module” refactoring, which aims to protect itself from different victims’ actions. For instance, if the user tries to uninstall the malware from the settings, SOVA can intercept these actions and prevent them (through the abuse of Accessibilities) by returning to the home screen and showing a pop-up displaying “this app is secured”. The attack can effectively jeopardise the privacy and security of sensitive customer data and result in large-scale attacks and financial fraud. The advisory also includes detailed information about the malware and best practices to avoid being a victim of SOVA.[4]

Quad Foreign Ministers committed to an open, secure, stable, peaceful cyberspace.

The foreign ministers of India, Australia, Japan, and the United States (US) met on September 23, 2022, to discuss the Quad’s commitment to an open, secure, stable, and peaceful cyberspace, as well as regional initiatives to strengthen nations’ ability to put the United Nations’ (UN) Framework for Responsible State Behaviour in Cyberspace into practice. The security and resiliency of the cyber infrastructure in the region would be guaranteed through targeted actions to improve the cyber capabilities of Indo-Pacific nations.

The Foreign Ministers emphasised their commitment to addressing the global ransomware threat, which has hampered the security and economic growth of the Indo-Pacific region, and referred back to their previous meeting held on 11 February 2022. Ransomware’s global reach has the potential to harm the national security, the financial and commercial sectors, key infrastructure, and the privacy of individuals. The Quad nations value the strides the 36 nations supporting the Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI) under US leadership and the ongoing, pragmatic consultations against cybercrime in the Indo-Pacific region.a href=”#_edn5″ name=”_ednref5″>[5]

In 2021, the Indian healthcare sector faced a 7.7 per cent share of cyber-attacks on the global healthcare sector.

According to a report prepared by CloudSEK on “Increased cyber-attacks on the global healthcare sector”, India recorded the second highest number of cyber-attacks, with a total of 7.7 per cent of total cyber-attacks on the healthcare industry in 2021. The United States (US) healthcare sector witnessed 28 per cent of global attacks. According to the same report, the cyber-attack incidence on the Indian healthcare industry translates into over 71 lakh records, whereas Australia has been the most-hit country with around 70 crore records in the first four months of 2022.[6]

In India, 2021 saw the highest cyber-attacks/breaches in the last four years.

According to the data presented in Lok Sabha (the Lower House of the Indian Parliament), India witnessed the highest number of cyber-attacks or breaches compared to the last four years. A total of 160,560 Indian websites were hacked between 2016 and 2021, translating to around 73 websites per day. The year 2021 reported the highest number of cyber-attacks, with a total of 28,897 cyber-attacks, including on 186 government websites.

Some of the significant cyber-attacks involved the State Bank of India (the year 2019), COVID-19 test results (the year 2021), Air India (2021), and Domino’s (2021).[7]

INTERNATIONAL

Denmark banned Hikvision camera purchases based on a security assessment.

One of the most populous regions of Denmark, which includes Copenhagen, banned the purchases of China-made Hikvision cameras, followed by a security assessment that highlighted Hikvision as a ‘critical’ threat to security. In January 2022, Denmark’s intelligence agency warned against PRC (People’s Republic of China)-made cameras, calling out Hikvision’s vulnerabilities and PRC data laws.

On 26 September 2022, Region Hovedstaden, Denmark’s Capital Region, declassified a June 2022 briefing stating that the Capital Region’s Steering Group for IT and Information Security “has decided to purchase video cameras from the manufacturer Hikvision must be discontinued.” On 15 February 2022, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET/ Politiets Efterretningstjeneste) and the Centre for Cyber Security sent a “Security recommendation regarding the use of surveillance cameras.” The threat consists of a backdoor that “makes it possible for an attacker to access the camera without the use of authentication.” However, the recommendation did not recommend bans but urged patches, and those video cameras are connected to their own (domestic) network.”[8]

Huawei Technologies staged its ‘Huawei Connect’ in Thailand.

In efforts to avoid a crackdown from the West, mainly the United States (US), China’s Huawei Technologies showcased its ‘Huawei Connect’ annual technology showcase in Thailand, where Digital and Economic ministers from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Bangladesh had gathered to attend the event. All four countries have already allowed their respective mobile network operators to source 5G telecom equipment from Huawei, despite security concerns, warnings and sanctions/bans issued by the US and European governments.

In South-East Asia, Vietnam has become an alternative destination for electronics manufacturers leaving China, while Indonesia and Thailand are vying to be the centre of a regional electric vehicle supply chain. After Thailand, Huawei Connect will be held in Dubai and Paris. France has discouraged telecom operators from using Huawei 5G equipment but has allowed Huawei to build a factory. Despite US concerns, Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have continued to use Huawei in their networks.[9]

Optus data breach: hacker released 10,000 records from the Australian Prime Minister’s and Defence Minister’s office.

On 26 September 2022, a purported hacker released a text file of 10,000 customer records and ‘promised’ to leak around 10,000 per day for the next four days unless Optus paid them USD 1 million. “Federal Police investigated a post on an online forum purported to release the records from the recent data breach and threatened to release more until a USD 1 million ransom is paid,” said CEO of Optus— Kelly Bayer Rosmarin. The customer records included e-mail addresses from the Department of Defence and the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The Optus attack has affected up to 10 million customer records. On 27 September 2022, the hacker deleted the original post with links to the data and apologised for attempting to sell data.[10]

US Senators aimed to amend the Cyber Security bill to include Crypto.

The US Senators Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee) and Cynthia Lummis (Wyoming) attempted to provide frameworks for the digital asset industry. Both Senators urged the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, 2015 amendment to include cryptocurrency. The Electronic Transactions Association endorses the bill.

According to Senator Blackburn, Some criminals have utilised cryptocurrencies to conceal their unlawful activities and escape punishment. The revised “Cryptocurrency Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act” will review and revise current laws to directly address this misuse. It will give bitcoin companies a voluntary way to report rogue actors and safeguard cryptocurrency from risky practices. The bill also aims to mitigate losses from several cyber-related incidents, including data breaches, ransomware attacks, and network damages.[11]

Endnotes :

[1]Press Information Bureau. “Pegatron plant roll out another milestone in PM Shri Narendra Modi ji’s vision of making India a global electronics manufacturing hub: MoS Shri Chandrasekhar”, Ministry of Electronics and IT, 30 September 2022, accessed on 03 October 2022, available from: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1863721
[2]Press Information Bureau, “Inviting comments on the draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022”, Ministry of Communications, 22 September 2022, accessed on 03 October 2022, available from: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1861399
[3]Press Information Bureau, “Better digital future can only be built on pervasive digital infrastructure, developing digital platforms and ensuring access to digital services to all – Shri Devusinh Chauhan”, Ministry of Communications, 25 September 2022, accessed on 03 October 2022, available from: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1862131
[4] “SOVA Android Trojan targeting Indian banking users”, Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, 10 September 2022, available from: https://www.cert-in.org.in/
[5]“Quad Foreign Ministers’ Statement on Ransomware”, Ministry of External Affairs- Government of India, 23 September 2022, accessed on 05 October 2022, available from: https://mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/35746/Quad_Foreign_Ministers_Statement_on_Ransomware
[6]PTI. “cyber-attacks on Indian healthcare industry second highest in the world: CloudSEK”, Outlook, 20 September 2022, accessed on 05 October 2022, available from: https://www.outlookindia.com/business/cyber-attacks-on-indian-healthcare-industry-second-highest-in-the-world-cloudsek-news-224600
[7]Basu, Orin and Suparna Shree. “73 websites hacked every day in India, 2021 saw highest cyber breaches in four years”, Zee News, 23 September 2022, accessed on 05 October 2022, available from: https://zeenews.india.com/india/73-websites-hacked-every-day-in-india-2021-saw-highest-cyber-breaches-in-four-years-2513355.html
[8]Rollet, Charles. “Danish Capital Region bans Hikvision purchases, calls ‘critical threat to security’”, IPVM, 28 September 2022, accessed on 05 October 2022, available from: https://ipvm.com/reports/danish-capital?code=1&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
[9]Regalado, Francesca. “Huawei courts Thailand, Indonesia with supply chain support”, Nikkei Asia, 19 September 2022, accessed on 05 October 2022, available from: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/Huawei-courts-Thailand-Indonesia-with-supply-chain-support
[10]May, Natasha and Josh Taylor. “Purported Optus hacker releases 10,000 records including e-mail addresses from defence and prime minister.” The Guardian, 27 September 2022, accessed on 05 October 2022. available from: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/sep/27/police-all-over-dark-web-ransom-threat-to-release-10000-customer-records-a-day-optus-ceo-says
[11]Melinek, Jacquelyn. “US Senators aim to amend cybersecurity bill to include crypto”, Tech Crunch, 29 September 2022, accessed on 06 October 2022. available from: https://techcrunch.com/2022/09/28/us-senators-aim-to-amend-cybersecurity-bill-to-include-crypto/

China: Daily Scan, September 2, 2022

Domestic, overseas press invited to cover 20th CPC national congress: Xinhuanet
September 1, 2022

Both domestic and overseas press have been invited to cover the upcoming 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), according to an official statement released on Thursday. Click here to read…

China pledges greater economic support ahead of Party Congress, firms ‘facing more difficulties’ than 2020: South China Morning Post
September 1, 2022

Premier Li Keqiang has sounded another warning about China’s economy ahead of the 20th Party Congress, saying companies are “facing more difficulties than in 2020” – during the initial outbreak of the coronavirus – while calling for more reform. Speaking at a State Council meeting on Wednesday, he said “market entities” were struggling and China was at a critical point in its economic recovery, so effective delivery of support policies was important. Click here to read…

China’s Communist Party points to ‘continuity’ at congress, observers say: South China Morning Post
September 1, 2022

China’s ruling Communist Party has set the date for its twice-a-decade congress, and observers say the official announcement suggests President Xi Jinping is likely to remain in firm control in the coming years. Official news agency Xinhua announced the Politburo’s decision to hold the party congress from October 16 in a report on Tuesday. It cited a Politburo statement laden with political slogans from the past decade of Xi’s rule and a call for the party to take stock of the “major achievements and valuable experience” under his leadership. It also called for the party to continue to implement Xi’s key policies. Click here to read…

After long drought, China plots ambitious water infrastructure push: Reuters
September 1, 2022

After a record heatwave parched large areas of the Yangtze basin, Chinese provinces are planning to spend billions of dollars on new water infrastructure as they try to fend off the growing impact of extreme weather on agriculture and hydropower. Click here to read…

Chinese premier stresses need to nurture higher-quality products: Xinhuanet
September 1, 2022

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday called for efforts to boost the quality of Chinese products amid market competition and nurture more competitive products, in a bid to better cater to people’s needs. Click here to read…

China dispatches advanced main combat equipment to Russian Vostok-2022 drills: People’s Daily
September 1, 2022

China has sent some of its most powerful main combat equipment units of its army, navy and air force to the Russian Vostok-2022 exercises, whose maneuvering phase officially started on Thursday after an opening ceremony a day earlier. The participation of the equipment displayed the depth of China-Russia military cooperation, as the drills will deter uncertainties and contribute to peace and stability in the region, analysts said. Click here to read…

China’s hydrogen energy industry shifts into full gear in fast lane of development: People’s Daily
September 1, 2022

China has adopted several measures to boost the development of its hydrogen energy industry in recent years, having already made huge progress. Various places across the country have offered subsidies for enterprises operating in this green energy industry. Beijing has rolled out subsidies for those focusing on new products involving new technologies as well as certain products used in new infrastructure construction projects. An enterprise focusing on the former may be awarded up to 10 million yuan (about $1. 5 million) for each project, while the latter may receive as much as 30 million yuan for each project, according to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology. Click here to read…

2 China-made trains of Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway arrive in Indonesia: People’s Daily
September 2, 2022

A high-speed electric passenger train and an inspection train, made in China and customized for the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) project, arrived in the Jakarta Port from China’s Qingdao Port on Thursday. The arrival of the trains symbolizes another milestone for the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung HSR. It was also the first time that high-speed trains made in China were exported to another country. Click here to read…

China scales up support for elderly care, childcare industries: People’s Daily
September 2, 2022

China has adopted a host of measures to support the elderly care and childcare industries to help them overcome difficulties, the country’s top economic planner said Thursday. Some elderly care and childcare service providers have faced multiple challenges during the past two years due to the pandemic, Su Wei, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission, told a press conference. Click here to read…

Taiwan shooting down drone near China was ‘appropriate’, premier says: Reuters
September 2, 2022

Taiwan’s shooting down of a drone off the Chinese coast that buzzed a Taiwanese-controlled island was the most “appropriate” thing to do after repeated warnings, and China should exercise restraint, Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang said on Friday. Click here to read…

Biden’s curbs on chips to China part of broader effort: Reuters
September 2, 2022

Chip designer Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) this week said the United States told it to restrict exports to China of two computing chips for artificial intelligence work, the latest move in a broader government effort to hamper China’s access to the most sophisticated semiconductors. Click here to read…

China’s Chengdu locked down as outbreak emerges: Taipei Times
September 2, 2022

About 16 million people in the Chinese city of Chengdu were effectively under lockdown from yesterday as authorities reacted to a new COVID-19 outbreak. China is the last major economy wedded to a “zero COVID-19” policy, stamping out virus flare-ups with snap shutdowns, mass testing and lengthy quarantines. Click here to read…

China railway travel hits 8-year low in summer months on virus flare-ups: Reuters
September 2, 2022

Railway travel in China hit an eight-year trough and a pandemic low in the usually busy summer season, according to official data, as fresh virus flare-ups curbed mobility and hit tourist confidence. Some 440 million passenger trips were taken on China’s railway network between July 1 and Aug. 31, its lowest since 2014, data from China Railway showed. Click here to read…

China passes new law to fight telecom, online fraud: Xinhuanet
September 2, 2022

Chinese lawmakers on Friday voted to pass a new law on telecom and online fraud, which will take effect on Dec. 1, 2022. Lawmakers approved the law at the 36th session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People’s Congress. Click here to read…

China issues guideline to further promote national defense education: Xinhuanet
September 2, 2022

A guideline on enhancing and improving national defense education for all people has been jointly issued by the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 318 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet
September 2, 2022

The Chinese mainland Thursday reported 318 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 128 were in Sichuan, the National Health Commission said Friday. Altogether 1,567 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified in 24 provincial-level regions. Click here to read…

Former vice governor of Liaoning expelled from CPC, public office: Xinhuanet
September 2, 2022

Hao Chunrong, former vice governor of northeast China’s Liaoning Province, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office over serious violations of Party discipline and laws, the country’s top anti-graft body said Thursday. Click here to read…

China condemns ‘invalid’ UN report: China Daily
September 2, 2022

China hit back on Thursday at a United Nations report on the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, saying that it was a mishmash of disinformation and a political tool to exploit Xinjiang to contain China. Click here to read…

China’s top legislature passes law on telecom and online fraud: China Daily
September 2, 2022

China’s top legislature adopted a law on Friday against telecom and online fraud, a widely anticipated item of legislation as the public has long been troubled by financial losses after receiving spam messages and crank calls. The Anti-Telecom and Online Fraud Law was passed after being reviewed three times by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislative body, in a bid to strengthen the fight against scammers and those aiding them through harsher punishment. Click here to read…

China: Daily Scan, August 22, 2022

Spokesperson denounces proposed U.S.-Taiwan trade agreement: Xinhuanet

August 18, 2022

A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Thursday voiced resolute opposition to the negotiation of any agreement of official nature or with implications of sovereignty between the United States and China’s Taiwan region. Click here to read…

Rallying national support for Tibet testifies to China’s institutional strengths: Qiushi
August 19, 2022

China’s unswerving drive to rally national support for the Tibet Autonomous Region has helped transform a once poor, backward old Tibet into a new Tibet featuring economic prosperity and happiness of its people over the 71 years since the region’s peaceful liberation in 1951. Click here to read…

China, Uzbekistan pledge more robust, solid intergovernmental cooperation: Xinhuanet
August 19, 2022

China and Uzbekistan on Thursday pledged to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields and boost bilateral relations. The two sides on Thursday held the sixth meeting of the China-Uzbekistan intergovernmental cooperation committee via video link. The meeting was co-chaired by Guo Shengkun, who is the committee’s Chinese chairman, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee; and Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, who is the Uzbek chairman of the cooperation committee. Click here to read…

Xi Jinping calls for further endeavor and responsibility for revitalization of Northeast China, development of Liaoning Province: Xinhuanet
August 19, 2022

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, president of the People’s Republic of China, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made an inspection tour of Liaoning Province in recent days. He required the province to implement the Party Central Committee’s decisions and plans, uphold the underlying principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, balance COVID-19 control and economic and social development, and coordinate development and security. Xi also called for thorough implementation of the new development philosophy, resolutely promoting high-quality development, making solid progress in achieving common prosperity, and stepping up efforts to modernize the governance system and capacity. He required that Party building must be furthered with strict discipline, and local Party committees and governments must shoulder greater responsibility and make further endeavors in revitalizing Northeast China in the new era, strive to open a new chapter in the revitalization and development of Liaoning, and set the stage with concrete action to welcome the 20th CPC National Congress. Click here to read…

Rallying national support for Tibet testifies to China’s institutional strengths: Qiushi
August 19, 2022

China’s unswerving drive to rally national support for the Tibet Autonomous Region has helped transform a once poor, backward old Tibet into a new Tibet featuring economic prosperity and happiness of its people over the 71 years since the region’s peaceful liberation in 1951. Click here to read…

Collaborative system to expedite birth benefits: China Daily
August 20, 2022

The State Council has approved the establishment of an interministerial joint collaboration system on improving China’s birth rate policies in the latest move to harness multi-sector efforts to fully implement measures aimed at encouraging births, according to a circular released on Friday. Click here to read…

China to step up support for people in difficulty to effectively meet basic living needs: Xinhuanet
August 20, 2022

China will make greater efforts to secure the basic livelihood of the people in hardship and meet their basic living needs, according to the decision made at the State Council’s Executive Meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday. The meeting noted that having basic living needs met is a key concern of the people and the due responsibility of governments at all levels. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, the number of people in difficulty has seen an increase. Click here to read…

Chinese vice premier urges greater efforts to boost employment: Xinhuanet
August 20, 2022

Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua on Friday urged greater efforts to create new jobs while keeping existing jobs, in order to further bolster employment. Hu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said at a teleconference that measures must be taken to expand new job openings and actively support flexible employment through various channels. Click here to read…

Six members of HK secessionist organization promoting ‘uprising’ plead guilty to conspiracy to subvert state power: Global Times
August 20, 2022

Six members of a Hong Kong secessionist organization pleaded guilty to “conspiracy to subvert state power” in Hong Kong on Saturday. Legal experts said the case marked the first time that minors have pleaded guilty to the crime of subversion of state power under the national security law for Hong Kong, which delivers a message of deterrence to those who intend to endanger national security, especially the young in Hong Kong. Click here to read…

Chinese embassy in Solomons encourages bilateral biz deals, dismisses ‘debt trap’ as West’s ‘narrative trap’: Global Times
August 20, 2022

The Chinese government encourages and supports competent and reputable Chinese enterprises to engage in foreign exchanges and cooperation, the Chinese Embassy in Solomon Islands said in a statement on a reported cooperation project between Huawei and the island country, dismissing Western media’s malicious interpretation of the project. Click here to read…

China sentences tycoon Xiao Jianhua to 13 years, fines his company $8.1 billion: Reuters
August 20, 2022

A Shanghai court on Friday sentenced Chinese-Canadian billionaire Xiao Jianhua, not seen in public since 2017, to 13 years in jail and fined his Tomorrow Holdings conglomerate 55.03 billion yuan ($8.1 billion), a record in China. Xiao and Tomorrow Holdings were charged with illegally siphoning away public deposits, betraying the use of entrusted property, and the illegal use of funds and bribery, the Shanghai First Intermediate Court said. Click here to read…

Shanghai’s Lingang releases major policies to attract talent, foster major industrial clusters: Global Times
August 21, 2022

Shanghai’s Lingang New Area announced a talent cultivation project over the weekend that plans to create 180,000 jobs in three years with preferential housing policies for certain talents, as the major economic pilot area aims for greater, high-tech development after remarkable achievement over the past three years. Click here to read…

China begins shipment of high-speed trains to Indonesia: Xinhuanet
August 21, 2022

A high-speed electric passenger train and an inspection train, customized for the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway in Indonesia, left the port of Qingdao in east China’s Shandong Province on Sunday. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 360 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet
August 22, 2022

The Chinese mainland on Sunday reported 360 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 232 were in Hainan Province, the National Health Commission said Monday.
Altogether 1,464 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified on Sunday, including 535 in Hainan and 494 in Tibet Autonomous Region, said the commission in its report. Click here to read…

26 dead, 5 missing in flash floods in Qinghai: China Daily
August 22, 2022

The search for people missing after a mountain flood triggered by heavy rainfall on Wednesday night is still ongoing in Datong Hui and Tu autonomous county in Qinghai province. As of 4 pm Sunday, 26 people had been confirmed dead, five were still missing and 23 previously listed as missing had been found safe, according to the county government. Click here to read…

Tightened epidemic controls applied to train travel: China Daily
August 22, 2022

Tailored, stricter epidemic control protocols are being implemented on trains to prevent the spread of COVID-19 via the railway network amid a recent surge in cases, the national railway operator, China State Railway Group, said on Saturday. The measures came after more than 30 passengers aboard a train from Lhasa, capital of the Tibet autonomous region, to Beijing on Aug 17 tested positive. The train, the Z22, made 10 stops during the 40-plus hour journey. Click here to read…

More than 20 Chinese universities postpone new semester to stop COVID-19: People’s Daily
August 22, 2022

More than 20 colleges and universities across China have moved to postpone the starting dates of the new semester, in a move that public health experts say is necessary to stop the spread of the COVID-19, as many places across the country are combating sporadic outbreaks. Click here to read…

China cuts benchmark lending rate amid economic downturn fears: Kyodo
August 22, 2022

China’s central bank cut its benchmark lending rate Monday for the first time in seven months to shore up the country’s slowing economy amid restrictions under its radical “zero-COVID” policy to stem the novel coronavirus outbreak and a property market slump.
The People’s Bank of China said it had lowered the one-year loan prime rate by 0.05 percentage point to 3.65 percent. The central bank also said it had reduced the five-year loan prime rate — the benchmark mortgage interest rate — by 0.15 point to 4.30 percent, the first cut since May. Click here to read…

KMT group might meet with Chinese officials: Taipei Times
August 22, 2022

A delegation to China led by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia sparked controversy over the weekend amid speculation that they might meet with top Chinese officials today. Click here to read…