Author: Arif ArifArman

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The PLA Marine Corps (PLANMC) is a vital cog in Xi Jinping’s dream of establishing a Sino-centric world order as he builds the strongest military in the world. He is striving to develop a world-class Marine Corps that will be an elite force capable of full spectrum multidomain operations in all dimensions, including during emergencies at all times. The success or failure of China’s global ambitions depends heavily on the growth of this force. As the PLANMC expands, the PLA assumes the nature of a capability-based force instead of a task/threat-based force. It becomes a critical capability for…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Taiwan lost one of its few remaining diplomatic allies Nauru to China on Monday, just days after it elected a new president, and accused China of attempting to pressure it while it affirmed the will of Taiwanese to go out into the world. China claims Taiwan as its own territory with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taiwan strongly disputes, and the two have for years traded accusations of using “dollar diplomacy” as they compete for diplomatic recognition. Taiwan security officials told Reuters before Saturday’s election that China was likely to continue to whittle away at the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: House church pastors in China are getting increasingly heavy prison sentences, as a result of Xi Jinping’s instructions to compel all Protestant churches to join the government-controlled Three-Self Church, cracking down on those that refuse. On January 12 , 2024, Dalian’s Pastor Kan Xiaoyong was sentenced by the Ganjingzi District People’s Court to fourteen years in prison. His wife Wang Fengying was sentenced to four years, and co-worker Chu Xinyu to ten years. Other three defendants received three-year verdicts. These were heavy penalties, which the prosecutor obtained by adding to the charge of “illegal business practices” the “use…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Chinese embassy in Japan said on Sunday that it “resolutely opposed” Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa’s statement congratulating Taiwan’s new president-elect Lai Ching-te. In a statement published on the Japanese foreign ministry’s website on Saturday, after the results of the Taiwan presidential election were announced, Kamikawa congratulated Lai on his victory, calling the self-ruled island claimed by Beijing “an extremely crucial partner and an important friend.” In response, the Chinese embassy in Japan, without mentioning Lai or acknowledging his victory, described Kamikawa’s comments as “a serious interference in China’s internal affairs”, according to a statement published on…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: After 17 years as the top source of imported goods in the United States, China will likely move into second place for 2023, ceding the first position to Mexico, according to data released by the U.S. Commerce Department this week. The shift is the result of a yearslong trend that has seen a gradual decline in China’s share of the U.S. import market, driven primarily by continued U.S. tariffs on a broad array of Chinese goods. However, other contributing factors include a broader reshuffling of global supply chains in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and a push…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: China is considering reimposing tariffs on more Taiwanese imports under a landmark cross-strait free trade agreement, a prospect that has taken on a political dimension as the presidential election draws near, and which analysts warn could wrought damage to the Taiwan economy in the long term. There is also uncertainty about China’s next step, which is likely to differ based on who Taiwan elects as president on Saturday (Jan 13). The three contenders – Mr Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Mr Hou Yu-ih of the Kuomintang (KMT) and Dr Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Montana Sen. Jon Tester renewed his demands for the White House to clamp down on sales of U.S. farmland to China following a report this week that a Chinese billionaire is among America’s biggest landowners. Tester, a Democrat, issued a statement Friday calling for Congress to block “foreign adversaries” from buying U.S. farmland and agribusinesses. The Land Report on Monday listed Chinese billionaire Chen Tianqiao as the country’s 82nd-largest land owner and second-biggest foreign owner. Chen, 50, who made his fortune from a company that made online video games, owns 198,000 acres of Oregon timberland that he purchased…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Hundreds of thousands of people attended final pre-election rallies in Taiwan on Friday ahead of critical presidential and parliamentary polls, as China’s defence ministry warned it would “smash any Taiwan independence plots”. Taiwan, a neighbouring island China claims as its own, has been a democratic success story since holding its first direct presidential election in 1996, the culmination of decades of struggle against authoritarian rule and martial law. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which champions Taiwan’s separate identity and rejects China’s territorial claims, is seeking a third term in office with its candidate, current Vice President Lai…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: China’s consumer prices fell in December for the third straight month. Across the whole year of 2023, they rose by the lowest level in 14 years. The data highlight mounting deflationary pressures in the world’s second-largest economy. Official figures show CPI dropped 0.3 percent last month from a year earlier. Major factors behind this were a significant fall in prices of items including pork, as well as a drop in prices of automobiles and smartphones. Prices of furniture and home electronics products also fell on the back of sluggish home sales. The producer price index fell 2.7 percent,…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, held a bilateral meeting with his Czech counterpart, Petr Fiala, and reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries. The leaders held discussions covering various sectors, including new and emerging technologies, automobiles, climate change, and defence in Gandhinagar. “Deepening India-Czech partnership! PM @narendramodi held a fruitful meeting with PM @P_Fiala of the Czech Republic in Gandhinagar. The two leaders reviewed bilateral relations and held discussions covering various sectors, including new and emerging technologies, automobiles, climate change, and defense,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X. Earlier in the day, speaking at the Vibrant…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India and the Czech Republic expressed satisfaction with the development of their bilateral relationship and affirmed commitment to further strengthen cooperation in various areas including science, innovation, defence, health and green energy. In a joint statement on Wednesday, the two countries expressed commitment to deeper engagement within the Indo-Pacific region based on an open, free inclusive and rules-based approach with respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and recognizing the promotion of effective rules-based multilateralism as a way to achieve global prosperity and commitments of the UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals. The two countries said they are…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Lauding the historical ties between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Union Minister of State (MoS) V Muraleedharan said that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two nations is a model for any country to engage with India. The MoS for External Affairs further said that Vibrant Gujarat has shown the crucial role, the state of Gujarat is playing in the growth of India. Speaking to ANI, Muraleedharan said, “The presence of the UAE President and many dignitaries across the world show the importance of Vibrant Gujarat as well as the role Gujarat is playing…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) on Tuesday announced it will be a “partner organisation with the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024 and lead a delegation of over 35 Fortune American companies. These companies have plans to increase their investments in Gujarat, USISPF said. “USISPF is honoured to lead a delegation comprising over 35 Fortune American companies, including Salesforce, Abbott, Blackstone, HSBC, UPS, Micron, Cisco, SHRM and others,” the forum said in a statement. The focus areas include leveraging India’s burgeoning momentum in the hi-tech manufacturing space, particularly in avenues of semiconductors and chip manufacturing, as well as…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The recent podcast by Michael Rubin, a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, with Shukri Hilowle for the Brown Pundits has reignited the debate surrounding the Khalistan movement in North America. Rubin asserted that this movement, advocating for an independent Sikh homeland, lacks organic legitimacy within India and is instead manipulated by external forces, primarily Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Pakistan’s Shadow: A Puzzling Connection Rubin’s claim stems from observations of seemingly coordinated activities and suspicious economic backing of some proponents in Canada. He argues that this movement, far from being a grassroots campaign, exploits the open arms…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: China threatened new trade measures against Taiwan on Tuesday, piling on pressure ahead of weekend elections, as Taipei complained of more Chinese balloons and the ruling party’s presidential candidate warned against “fake peace” with Beijing. Saturday’s presidential and parliamentary elections are taking place against a backdrop of a ramped up war of words between Taiwan and China, which views the island as its own territory despite the strong objections of the Taiwanese government. Taiwan’s government has accused China of an unprecedented campaign of election interference, using everything from military activity to trade sanctions to sway the vote towards…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: From November 28 to 30, Prague hosted the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA) conference, which followed similar inter-ministerial meetings in Washington DC and London. It was hailed throughout the democratic world as one of the largest and most successful gathering of governments to promote freedom of religion or belief and denounce its violations. As reported on the website of the U.S. Department of State, IRFBA gathers 37 countries, with others in process of joining and five participating as “friends.” The United Nations attends IRFBA meetings as an “observer” through the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Taiwanese armed forces have detected 13 Chinese military aircraft, five vessels and two balloons near the island nation over the past day, the Taiwanese Defense Ministry said on Saturday. “13 PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 06:00 (UTC+8) today. 1 of the detected aircraft (WZ-7 UAV RECCE) had entered Taiwan’s SW ADIZ … Two PRC’s balloons were detected at 12:04 [04:04 GMT] and 13:05 [05:05 GMT] yesterday after crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait at the location 33 nautical miles northwest and 51 miles west of Hsinchu respectively,” the defense…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Amidst the tumultuous landscape of Balochistan, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) emerged as a formidable force in 2023 by persistently engaging in armed operations to bring down the occupying Pak Army personnel as well as its collaborators, achieving significant victories throughout the year. The operations have resulted in the defeat of enemy forces that were routed on several fronts by the highly trained fighters of the Baloch Liberation Army. During these operations in 2023, the BLA executed 247 attacks on the enemy forces including 9 special operations and two self-sacrificing operations. These actions led to the elimination of…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: China is exploring ways to boost educational exchanges with Central Asian states. Such efforts appear designed to reinforce Chinese business activity in the region. China’s Deputy Education Minister Sun Yao recently visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. In Astana, discussions focused on the creation of a Kazakh-Chinese scientific research center at Al-FarabiNational University, one of Kazakhstan’s most prestigious institutions of higher learning. Officials also announced an expansion of an educational exchange program, as well as plans to increase Chinese-language instruction at Kazakh universities and develop dual-degree programs. In Uzbekistan, Sun’s talks likewise focused on increasing Chinese language instruction, as well…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: China’s local government financing vehicles (LGFVs) need to pay back a record amount of maturing local bonds in 2024, testing the limits of a central government programme to help them refinance their debt and avoid default. The country’s LGFVs – companies that borrow on behalf of provinces and cities to finance mainly infrastructure projects, such as roads and ports – have 4.65 trillion yuan (S$869 billion) worth of bonds due over the next 12 months, according to Bloomberg-compiled data. This is the highest amount on record and is roughly 13 per cent more than what came due in…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In 2023, Mexico became the United States’ top trading partner, surpassing China. Just as the Mexican and American economies integrate, though, so have the Mexican and Chinese economies, with China now the former’s fastest-growing foreign investor. This has worried Washington, including members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, who see in Beijing’s investments an attempt to take advantage of a permissive North American trade deal. Put simply, while some view Mexico-U.S. integration as reflecting a success in decoupling from China, others believe that the Asian giant is trying to better its relationship with the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Taiwan’s foreign minister says it is documenting its experiences with China’s alleged attempts to interfere in elections next week and will publish its analysis soon after the vote. Taiwan’s government has pointed to military and economic pressure as well as Chinese-subsidised trips to China for local Taiwanese officials, as evidence of Beijing’s alleged interference ahead of the Jan. 13 presidential and parliamentary election. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office has called Taiwan’s elections a “purely an internal Chinese matter” and that the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is trying to call any kind of interactions between the two sides of…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Taiwan’s defence ministry said it had detected three more Chinese balloons flying across the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, and one of those flew over the island, the second day in a row it has reported such activity. The potential for China to use balloons for spying became a global issue in February 2023 when the United States shot down what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon. China said the balloon was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray. Taiwan is on high alert for Chinese activities, both military and political, ahead of Jan. 13 presidential and parliamentary…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Regional experts believe China’s recent efforts to mediate between the Myanmar junta and ethnic rebels on its northern border are motivated mainly by self-interest but unlikely to have a significant impact on the conflict. China’s goals in convening the peace talk between the military and the Three Brotherhood Alliance, conducted most recently in Kunming on December 20, is two-fold, according to the experts: to eliminate cyberfraud operations victimizing Chinese citizens and to stabilize trade across the China-Myanmar border. ‘So, the economic interest or the border trade is being affected, that is for sure,’ Yun Sun, director of the…