Author: Arif ArifArman

INTERNATIONAL DESK: As developing countries weigh the consequences of borrowing heavily from China for major infrastructure projects, anti-corruption officials in Nepal have begun an investigation into a flagship airport financed and built by Chinese state-owned companies. Nepal’s $216 million international airport in Pokhara, the country’s second-biggest city, opened in January. China agreed to provide loans to build the airport more than a decade ago. Nepal tapped China CAMC Engineering, the construction arm of a state-owned conglomerate, Sinomach, as the contractor. The airport has failed to attract any regular international flights, raising concerns about whether it will generate enough revenue to…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Vietnam has stepped up its efforts to sell its underutilized rare-earth mines to foreign investors even as the United States expressed its readiness to assist Hanoi in organizing auctions for them. The development is likely to have an impact on geopolitics and global economy, a statement clearly made by Emily Blanchard, the U.S. State Department chief economist, during her recent visit to Hanoi. The overture came as Vietnam plans to launch tenders for several sections of its Dong Pao mine, one of the world’s largest untapped reserves of rare earths, by year’s end, a move that could help…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Japan’s navy on Saturday announced the start of a joint annual military exercise, with the Philippines observing the operations for the first time as the two countries seek closer maritime cooperation. The Japan-led Annualex exercise started on Friday with operations conducted by the naval forces of the United States, Australia and Canada, with the Philippines attending as an observer, Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force Vice Admiral Akira Saito told reporters. “The Philippines is a very important country for us, and we are looking to coordinate with their navy at every possible opportunity,” Saito said aboard the USS Carl Vinson…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: China is setting out to mass produce human-like robots in two years, an ambitious plan that it hopes to put Beijing as the leader of the field. In a blueprint issued to local authorities across China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced the goal to establish an innovation framework for humanoid robots and ensure that the country can make core parts of the robots on its own. The products, under the plan, will reach advanced international standards in quality. They will see applications in harsh environments, manufacturing, as well as service sectors, according to the directive.…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Philippines on Friday condemned China’s coast guard for “unprovoked acts of coercion and dangerous maneuvers,” including its use of a water cannon against one of its boats, in an attempt to disrupt a resupply mission in the South China Sea. China’s actions, the Philippines said, have not only “put the lives of our people at risk,” but have “put into question and significant doubt the sincerity of its calls for peaceful dialogue.” The regular resupply missions support the Philippines’ troops stationed in an intentionally grounded dilapidated warship on Second Thomas Shoal, a hotly disputed atoll in the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Philippines on Friday condemned China’s coast guard for “unprovoked acts of coercion and dangerous manoeuvres,” including its use of a water cannon against one of its boats in an attempt to disrupt a resupply mission in the South China Sea. China’s actions, the Philippines said, have not only “put the lives of our people at risk,” but have “put into question and significant doubt the sincerity of its calls for peaceful dialogue”. The regular resupply missions support the Philippines’ troops stationed in an intentionally grounded dilapidated warship on Second Thomas Shoal, a hotly disputed atoll in the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: This month, China’s government began a nationwide poll of 500,000 urban and rural households to learn more about population trends. The survey, coming soon after China’s “once-in-a-decade” 2020 census, was, in the words of Reuters, “unexpected.” China’s leaders look like they are now panicking over population decline. Will they force couples to procreate? Or will they industrialize the process of procreation? The population survey came just days after Chinese leadership tried to talk up births. Xi Jinping, in remarks published by the official Xinhua News Agency on Oct. 30, told women to start a “new trend of family.”…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Laos, a Southeast Asian nation nestled between Thailand and Vietnam, is grappling with an escalating debt crisis that threatens its economic stability. The primary contributor to this precarious situation is its significant indebtedness to China, raising concerns about the country’s ability to manage its obligations and maintain financial equilibrium. The financial entanglement began in late 2013 when China emerged as Laos’ largest foreign investor. The subsequent years witnessed a surge in Chinese influence, particularly through infrastructure projects funded under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Laos borrowed substantial sums from the administration of President Xi Jinping to finance…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Taiwan is taking aim at China’s alleged “communist spies” ahead of a crucial presidential election, where the island’s relationship with Beijing will be on the ballot. Taiwan and China have been spying on each other since 1949, when Chinese nationalists set up a separate government in Taipei opposing Mao Zedong’s communist China. In the last 10 months, Taiwanese authorities have handed down a steady stream of charges and convictions – proof, they say, that Beijing’s espionage strategy has intensified and expanded beyond elite military circles. Retired air force colonel Liu Sheng-shu was sentenced to 20 years in prison…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The U.S. announced a $553 million project Wednesday to build a deep-water shipping container terminal in Sri Lanka’s Port of Colombo as it competes with China in international development financing. The project is billed as providing critical infrastructure for the South Asian nation with the potential to “transform Colombo into a world-class logistics hub at the intersection of major shipping routes and emerging markets,” according to the U.S. International Development Finance Corp. The DFC loan of $553 million for the West Container Terminal will “expand its shipping capacity, creating greater prosperity for Sri Lanka — without adding to…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In recent years, TikTok, a popular Chinese social media app, has captured the attention of millions, both young and old, across the globe. With its short video format, catchy music, and quick entertainment, TikTok quickly became a cultural phenomenon. However, its seemingly harmless allure masks a darker side, which has left an indelible mark on the social fabric of Nepal. The Ministry of Home Affairs’ recent public notice has shed light on the government’s growing concerns about the platform. In discussions with TikTok’s executives, government officials, including representatives from the Nepal Police’s Cyber Bureau, expressed their apprehensions about…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Chinese government on Thursday told Britain to stop its efforts to “enhance” ties with Taiwan after a high level meeting in London and the signing of a new trade agreement between the island and Britain. Taiwan and Britain, which like most countries has no formal ties with the Chinese-claimed island, on Wednesday signed a new Enhanced Trade Partnership and British Trade Minister Nigel Huddleston hosted Taiwan Deputy Economy Minister Chen Chern-Chyi for talks in London. China’s embassy in London said in a statement that Beijing has always firmly opposed any form of official contact between countries that…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: It has come to light that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has directed Chinese students studying in the United States to attend the visit of President Xi Jinping during his trip to the US. The directive was reportedly issued by the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles. The CCP has organized Chinese students to travel to San Francisco to welcome President Xi Jinping, characterizing this act as a “great responsibility and a glorious mission.” An internal notice was sent to all committee members of the USC Chinese Student and Scholar Association. “We have just received a notification from the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: China’s economy is still in a stage of medium-speed growth of about 5%, and there may be the potential for it to continue to grow at this rate for another five to 10 years, a central bank advisor said on Wednesday. The country needs to maintain a relatively loose monetary and fiscal policy, while paying more attention to discover its potential through structural reforms, Liu Shijin, a member of the People’s Bank of China’s (PBOC) monetary policy committee, told the Financial Street Forum in Beijing. “For the Chinese economy which is currently on a medium-speed growth stage, macro…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: More than half of China’s $1.1 trillion of loans to low- and middle-income countries have entered their principal repayment periods, a new study found, prompting a reboot by Beijing to reduce exposure to distressed debt. The report published on Tuesday by AidData, a research lab at U.S. university William & Mary, comes after Beijing pledged last month to promote “small yet smart” projects as its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) marked its tenth anniversary. About 55% of outstanding debt owed by developing nations — including principal but excluding interest — has entered principal repayment periods and the figure…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The storming of Pakistan Air Force’s training base at Mianwali in Punjab by several terrorists early this month indicates the terrorist group’s intention to renew its attacks against Pakistan military’s strategic assets.The attackers were from Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), a newly emerged militant group said to be an affiliate of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Noted defence expert Dr Ayesha Siddiqa writes in The Print (November 7. 2023) that the air force lost about 35 men and 14 aircraft were damaged or destroyed. This failure raises a serious question about the army’s intelligence as well as counter-offensive strategy to deal…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: More than 6,500 Afghanistan nationals left Pakistan through the Torkham border on Sunday, taking the number of repatriated Afghans to more than 174,350, Pakistan-based Dawn reported citing border officials. Afghan nationals started leaving Pakistan after the government gave a deadline to all unregistered foreign nationals to leave Pakistan by October 31, after which action will be taken against them as per law. Officials said 174,358 Afghan nationals have departed for Afghanistan since September 17. According to officials, voluntary repatriation is still underway; however, the number continues to decline with each passing day. “There was a huge number of…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The United States embassy has issued letters to over 25,000 Afghan nationals under the process of relocation to and resettlement in America and shared their names with authorities in Pakistan, diplomatic and other sources told Dawn. However, these Afghan nationals face an uncertain future as Pakistan has raised objections over the list, according to a senior Interior Ministry official. At present, these Afghan nationals are living in Pakistan, awaiting resettlement in the US. The crisis emerged when Pakistan started detaining illegal Afghan refugees in holding centres after the Nov 1 deadline for their voluntary departure to Afghanistan expired.…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Two people died, including a child, in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Pakistan’s Bettani Lakki Marwat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ARY News reported. The IED blast occurred in the Bettani area of Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which resulted in two dead, and three injured including a woman. According to police officials, all the injured and dead are part of one family. The blast was followed by intense firing in the market near Tank Ada, reported ARY News. The law enforcement personnel reached the crime scene. However, the nature of the blast is still unknown as…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Pakistani government’s deportation of unauthorised Afghan migrants has drawn criticism from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which has said that 200 Afghan journalists are now in danger of being deported as well, according to Khaama Press. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in a statement that they have spoken with a number of journalists who have reported experiencing severe violence as a result of the Pakistani government’s decision to remove Afghan migrants. Following the implementation of this expulsion programme, some journalists have had terrifying encounters. According to Khaama Press, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has urged Pakistani authorities to permit…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Pakistan has informed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the debt servicing cost may rise to Rs8.5 trillion, marking a slippage of Rs1.2 trillion over the allocated budget. Challenges persist in arranging approximately $6.5 billion in external debt this year due to challenging economic conditions. Pakistani authorities have now requested the Fund’s assistance in bridging the external financing gap, which remains despite the IMF programme, according to sources from the Ministry of Finance. Excessive expenditures on interest payments and difficulties in raising external debt due to unfavourable domestic and global economic conditions are the two major issues in…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: A significant number of Afghan migrants who recently returned from Iran have complained of mistreatment by the Iranian security forces, according to Tolo News. In addition to physical abuse, these refugees report enduring severe psychological harm due to verbal mistreatment by the Iranian military. Local officials in Nimroz province confirmed the distressing situation and disclosed troubling statistics. In the past two months, out of the 120,000 Afghan refugees who returned from Iran, an alarming 90 per cent of them were reportedly forcibly deported. Abdullah Ryaz, the provincial head of Refugee and Repatriations in Nimroz, stated, “In the last…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Amidst the terror attacks recorded in Pakistan, Islamabad believes the majority of terror strikes could be attributed to the influx of unregistered Afghan nationals, who may be trained militants posing as civilians or refugees. In the latest incident, 14 Pakistan soldiers were killed after two vehicles were ambushed in Balochistan’s Gwadar district. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the vehicles were moving from Pasni to Ormara when they were ambushed. It said 14 soldiers embraced martyrdom in the “unfortunate incident.” Additionally, there was an attack on Pakistan’s Air Force station. In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Students of Government Degree College, Barkholzo in Mamond tehsil on Saturday staged a demonstration against the lack of security and shortage of teachers. The students, who blocked the Umary-Sewai Road for over an hour, said it was the only degree college in the entire Mamond tehsil with over 1,500 students enrolled. They alleged that the institution had no security arrangements causing fear among students and teachers. The protesting students, who chanted slogans against the relevant authorities, mentioned that not a single policeman was deployed at the college for security purposes. Ali Rehman, Luqman Khan, Riaz Khan and other…