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Thread: Eurasia Topics

  1. #101
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OhOh View Post
    I think

    I'm pretty sure
    Neither of which makes any difference to you posting pro-chinky propaganda, you snivelling sycophant.

  2. #102
    Thailand Expat OhOh's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    Not to mention them raping natural resources from all over the world

    State Grid Corp makes major strides in clean power

    Eurasia Topics-5cafcebea3104842e4a8337b-jpg


    "State Grid Corp of China, which runs the majority of China's electricity distribution networks, said its clean power generation installed capacity has reached 550 million kilowatts, 73 percent of the nation's total capacity of 700 million kilowatts.
    The installed capacity for hydropower generation, wind power and solar power reached 227 million kilowatts, 146 million kilowatts and 153 kilowatts respectively, up 1 percent, 13 percent and 33 percent compared with the same period in 2017, making the company the world's biggest power grid with access to the largest installed capacity, the company said on Thursday.

    This is as China has made substantial progress in developing clean energy, totaling 700 million kilowatts of installed capacity for hydropower generation last year, which accounts for 30 percent of the total global installed capacity for clean energy.

    China will step up efforts to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and improve its energy consumption mix to ensure improved air quality. It plans to cut carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels, while investing 2.5 trillion yuan ($366 billion) in renewable energy by 2020, according to the National Energy Administration.

    Analysts said despite the substantial progress made by China on clean energy generation, it still looks tough to achieve the government's target of 5 percent or less curtailment rate by 2020.

    Joseph Jacobelli, an independent energy analyst and Asia-Pacific CEO of clean energy producer Joule Power, said the nation's momentum in accelerating the use of clean energy picked up speed since the 2011 to 2015 period, and the fast pace has enabled China to become the undisputed clean energy growth engine in the world.
    "I don't think this momentum will stop in the next two to three decades," he said.

    "If you look at just the recent numbers, they are simply amazing. The country has been able to aggressively change its energy mix."

    Qinghai province in northwestern China has set a record, running only on electricity generated from wind, solar and hydropower stations for nine consecutive days last June, which is a successful testament to China's commitment to a low-carbon future.
    According to China State Grid's Qinghai branch, electricity consumption during the nine days reached 1.76 billion kilowatt-hours, and it said it would expand the duration of the clean energy power supply project to one month or longer this year.
    The company will continue expanding its network for clean energy this year, aiming to transfer some 12.6 billion kilowatts of clean energy compared with the total 42 billion kilowatts of energy in total."

    State Grid Corp makes major strides in clean power - Chinadaily.com.cn
    You're so far behind the curve. Sad.

    I wonder which "western style" country can claim similar environmentally sound government actions and delivered improvements?

    The "unexceptional country north of Mexico" (UCNOM), an Asian vassal, the target for the only use of nuclear bombs in history or possibly a European country currently gobbling up all the oil and gas it can find, from it's alleged enemies.

    I won't hold my breath for your examples.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Eurasia Topics-5cafcebea3104842e4a8337b-jpg  
    A tray full of GOLD is not worth a moment in time.

  3. #103
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    China approves fixed-asset investment projects worth $55.3 billion


    "BEIJING -- China's top economic planner approved 50 fixed-asset investment projects worth 370.3 billion yuan (about $55.3 billion) in the first quarter of 2019, official data showed. These projects are mainly in the energy, transportation and high-tech industries, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).


    Among them, the Yongqing-Shanghai section of the China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline project will play an important role in optimizing energy structure, improving gas supply along the route and helping the local economy and environment, according to NDRC spokesperson Yuan Da.


    The country's fixed-asset investment rose 6.3 percent year-on-year in Q1, 0.2 percentage points faster than the first two months, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

    Fixed-asset investment includes capital spent on infrastructure, property, machinery and other physical assets."


    China approves fixed-asset investment projects worth $55.3 billion - Chinadaily.com.cn


    https://tradingeconomics.com/china/f...set-investment


    Compared to UCNOM's 0.8% annual increase in its Gross Fixed Capital Formation
    https://tradingeconomics.com/united-...ital-formation

  4. #104
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    Pakistan-Iran ties set for makeover — II

    CPEC lurches toward Iran

    Imran Khan’s visit to Iran on Sunday can be seen as vindicating Tehran’s nuanced approach to the relations with Pakistan. Surely, border security will top the agenda of the discussions in Tehran between the two leaderships. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will be receiving Imran Khan.

    Tehran is indeed seeking a much broader engagement with Pakistan than has been possible so far. The Iranian approach presents a study in contrast with the Modi government’s policy of ‘no-dialogue-unless-terrorism-ends’. Fundamentally, Iran sees that Pakistan is on the cusp of change and its past policies of using terrorist groups as ‘strategic assets’ are becoming increasingly unsustainable.

    According to media reports, Pakistan has promised to boost security cooperation with Iran, saying that the two neighbouring countries are considering fencing the 950-kilometre long common border to keep terrorists in check. The Pakistani army spokesperson and director-general of Inter-Services Public Relations Major General Asif Gafoor has been quoted as saying, “We both are considering fencing the border so that no third party could sabotage the brotherly and friendly relations through any nefarious act.”

    Looking ahead, expansion of trade relations and the completion of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project are sure to figure in the agenda of Imran Khan’s talks in Tehran. Iran has completed its part of the gas pipeline project and is awaiting Pakistan’s fulfilment of commitments. In the past, Pakistan tried to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia but all those diplomatic efforts failed to achieve the desired results.

    Reports suggest that Imran Khan would reiterate Pakistan’s call for unity among all the Muslim countries to deal with common challenges. In reality, though, Pakistan lacks the clout to mediate the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, two regional powerhouses in the Muslim Middle East.

    Nonetheless, Pakistan’s positive neutrality in the Iran-Saudis tensions itself works in favour of Tehran. Imran Khan has reiterated more than once that Pakistan will no longer act as a hired gun in someone else’s war, showing his resolve to pursue an independent foreign policy. As for Iran, it is critically important that like Turkey and Iraq on its western border, Pakistan on its eastern border also repudiates the US’ sanctions and has an open mind on expanding trade and economic cooperation with Iran.

    Immediately after the visit to Iran, Imran Khan will proceed on a visit to China on April 25-28 to attend the Belt and Road forum’s second summit in Beijing. Whether it is by design or a mere coincidence is unclear. But the fact of the matter is that Iran has expressed interest in joining the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. To be sure, Iran with its vast energy resources can play a major role in making the CPEC a grand success.

    On the other hand, China also has deep interest in expanding and deepening Iran’s participation in its Belt and Road Initiative and to use Iran as a regional hub. China is figuring as the number one strategic partner in Iran’s calculus and Beijing too attaches high importance to the relations with Tehran. Something of this is bound to rub on the Pakistani thinking. Again, Russia has signalled interest in promoting the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project.




    Clearly, if such a thing happens, the geopolitics of the region will transform phenomenally. Basically, Iran and Pakistan are on the same page in seeking greater Eurasian integration. Incidentally, Iran’s membership of the Shanghai Cooperation is under active consideration at the moment, too.

    However, Pakistan would run into headwinds in optimally developing its relations with Iran. To be sure, Saudi Arabia and the UAE will be monitoring closely and are sure to curb Pakistan’s enthusiasm to give verve to the ties with its western neighbour. It is with an eye on Iran that Saudi Arabia is making investments in Gwadar and the Baluchistan province.

    There are other factors too that inherently limit the scope for a dramatic surge in Iran-Pakistan relations. Clearly, it is highly unlikely that at a juncture when Pakistan is nearing a $12 billion IMF loan deal, Imran Khan will risk annoying Washington by taking a big leap forward in relations with Iran. Again, any Pakistani expectations of Tehran abandoning its expanding strategic ties with India for the sake of stabilising its relations with Pakistan will be quite unrealistic. Above all, it is apparent that the Pakistani and Iranian approaches to the Afghan problem are quite divergent. In fact, Tehran, Kabul and New Delhi are working together in a trilateral format based on common interests.

    The bottom line is that Imran Khan’s Iran visit throws into relief the shifting sands of regional politics. Consider the following. To be sure, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are bailing out Pakistan’s economy and Pakistan reciprocates by acting as a provider of security to these Arab regimes. It is a profound relationship, which is time-tested and mutually beneficial. But, having said that, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are also lately strengthening their partnership with India (which they see as an emerging Asian power) and are even promoting India’s association with the Organisation of Islamic Conference, which has historically provided a platform for Pakistan to berate India and condemn Indian policies.

    Suffice to say that Imran Khan’s visit underscores that Pakistan is ‘de-hyphenating’ its strategic alliance with the Saudis and Emiratis from its policies aimed at improving its relations with Iran. No matter the US-led containment strategy against Iran with which these two Gulf states are closely associated, Imran Khan’s visit signals that Pakistan intends to explore the potentials for a constructive engagement of Iran.

    Viewed from Iran too, it is clear that any improvement of relations with Pakistan cannot be at the cost of its expanding cooperation with India, which has a promising future. At the same time, Iran cannot but be conscious that India is developing a robust relationship with both Saudi Arabia and the UAE (as well as with Israel) and, furthermore, Delhi will not defy the US sanctions against Iran and is actually cutting back on its imports of Iranian oil and is substituting with increased imports of Saudi oil.

    What emerges is a complex web of regional alignments that are very dynamic both because of the numerous variables in regional politics as well as due to the impact of big-power competition, which is itself yet to crystallise and whose future trajectory is difficult to predict. All regional states are hedging — India, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

    On the whole, Pakistan has been quick on its feet to adapt to (and exploit) the emergent trends on the geopolitical chessboard. At the moment, it has a stronger hand than Iran in regional politics. It is possible to conclude that Imran Khan delayed his visit to Iran with deliberation and has timed it at a juncture when Iran’s need for good relations with Pakistan is greater than Pakistan’s."


    https://indianpunchline.com/pakistan...r-makeover-ii/
    Last edited by OhOh; 22-04-2019 at 11:06 AM.

  5. #105
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OhOh View Post
    State Grid Corp makes major strides in clean power
    That would be using the wind turbine software they stole from the US.


  6. #106
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    Nigeria is waking up to corrupt officials letting Chinastan import chinky prisoners (they must be "lifting them out of poverty") to work in its Nigerian sweat shops.

    And letting Chinastan appropriate large swathes of farmland without compensating the owners.

    Fucking chinky parasites.

    https://guardian.ng/news/rep-raises-...rk-in-nigeria/

  7. #107
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    Texas Cancer Centre catches dirty chinky spies trying to steal their IP.

    A world-class cancer research center in Texas has ousted three Asian senior researchers whom U.S. federal authorities recently identified as being involved in efforts to pilfer intellectual property for the Chinese regime.


    The MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas was notified last year by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) about five faculty members who had potentially attempted to steal U.S. scientific research, according to an April 19 report by The Houston Chronicle, citing Dr. Peter Pisters, president of MD Anderson.

    The report cited internal documents detailing conflicts of interest and unreported foreign income by the faculty members.

    MD Anderson, located in Houston, is dedicated to cancer patient care, research, education, and prevention. It has more than 1,600 faculty members and nearly 20,000 employees.

    All of the suspected five faculty members are Asian, three were identified in reporting by The Chronicle and the magazine Science as ethnically Chinese, although it is unclear whether the three who were fired are Chinese.

    <snip>

    Pisters didn’t give their names—which were redacted in the internal documents—but an anonymous senior researcher at MD Anderson told the Chinese-language Epoch Times on April 21 that Wu Xifeng and Hung Mien-Chie resigned from the cancer center and returned to China in January.

    https://www.theepochtimes.com/texas-...s_2889123.html

  8. #108
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Dirty chiny spies - rampant. I bet one in five is a low estimate, as others probably don't even know it yet, such is the scale of chinky theft.

    A new CNBC poll finds that one in five corporations say China has stolen their intellectual property within the last year.
    Intellectual property, or IP, theft has been a major contentious issue in trade talks between the Trump administration and China.


    IP theft—use of patents, trade secrets, trademarks, and copyrights without permission—may seem dry to many. But it represents big money. Intangible assets, which include IP, make up 80% of the value of S&P 500 companies, according to the Harvard Business Review.

    IP theft may not seem the same as taking physical property, but it represents either a loss of opportunity or of competitive advantage that reduces the money a company could have made. The U.S. Trade Representative has
    estimated the annual loss to China at between $225 billion and $600 billion, according to CNN.


    There are different ways Chinese companies reportedly obtain U.S. IP.
    Corporate espionage and cyberattacks are two, according to Axios. But so is forced technology transfers, in which the Chinese government compels companies investing in China to provide IP details and licenses.


    The Trump administration has delayed additional tariffs that were supposed to go into effect March 1 because of progress in trade talks. But it is unclear whether there has been any progress on IP issues.

    http://fortune.com/2019/03/01/china-ip-theft/

  9. #109
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    ^Whose been a busy boy.

  10. #110
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    Not really. Finding stories about dirty chinky crooks is like shooting fish in a barrel.

  11. #111
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    New Russian passenger jet to get Russian engines replacing American Pratt & Whitney

    Eurasia Topics-5cbecad1dda4c8fc758b4642-jpg

    "Russia’s first post-Soviet large domestic airliner, MC-21-300, has received two of the first 16 domestically-made engines to eventually replace American Pratt & Whitney engines that it currently uses.


    The Irkut Division of Russia’s state-run United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), which is in charge of the MC-21-300 airliner project, will reportedly receive the next two PD-14 engines developed by Russia’s Aviadvigatel in the Ural city of Perm within the current year.


    So far, the domestically-produced turbofan engine has undergone an audit by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The manufacturer expects the agency to grant approval for operating jets equipped with PD-14s by the end of the year. This will allow foreign air carriers to buy MC-21-300s powered by Russian engines.


    The maiden flight of the Irkut MC-21-300 took place in May 2017. It is scheduled to make its public debut at the Moscow International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS 2019) later this year.


    The Russian-made narrow-body airliner, which is set to complete certification tests by 2020, is expected to challenge medium-haul jets such as Airbus A320neo, Chinese Comac C919, and the troubled Boeing 737 Max. The main competitive advantages of the jet include modest operating costs, which are up to seven percent lower than its competitors. The jet will replace the remaining Soviet-era Yakovlev Yak-42, Tupolev Tu-134, Tupolev Tu-154, and Tupolev Tu-204/214 airliners.


    Earlier this year, another round of US economic restrictions banned Japanese and American producers from supplying Irkut with composite materials used for the wings of the MC-21. The Russian producer said it would obtain the material from alternative suppliers in southeastern Asia.


    According to initial plans, the Russian jet was to be built using 38 percent domestically-made components. Later, the manufacturer decided to raise the figure to 97 percent by 2022 as part of a government plan to eliminate dependence on imports."

    https://www.rt.com/business/457289-m...-made-engines/
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Eurasia Topics-5cbecad1dda4c8fc758b4642-jpg  

  12. #112
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    VEB Leasing Russia
    Aeroflot Russia
    Ilyushin Finance
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    Red Wings Airlines
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    Nothing to worry about.

  13. #113
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    Malaysia says it is keen for more 'fair' deals with China


    KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia is hopeful of getting more “fair” investment from China, its foreign minister said on Tuesday, after both countries agreed to resume two multi-billion dollar projects just before a Belt and Road conference in Beijing this week.

    Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who came to power after a stunning election victory last May, had vowed to renegotiate or cancel what he calls unfair Chinese projects authorized by his predecessor.


    Earlier this month, both countries agreed to resume construction of the East Coast Rail Line (ECRL) at a discount. Last week, Mahathir announced the resumption of a multi-billion dollar property development linked to China.

    “We want to improve our ties with China. That is a fact. But it doesn’t mean we will do whatever it takes,” Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah told Reuters in an interview.

    “Agreements and arrangements have to be fair for both sides,” he said.

    The minister said ties between the countries had improved since the resumption of the two projects - both part of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a key policy of President Xi Jinping that envisions rebuilding the old Silk Road to connect China with Asia, Europe and beyond with massive infrastructure spending.

    Mahathir will travel to Beijing on Wednesday to attend a forum on the Belt and Road initiative.

    Mahathir and the Malaysian delegation are also expected to hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines with Xi, premier Li Keqiang and Li Zhanshu, the chairman of the standing committee of the national people’s congress, according to the Malaysian foreign ministry.

    Saifuddin, who will be part of Malaysia’s delegation, said Malaysia is open to Chinese investments from “any sector”, but particularly in high-tech manufacturing.

    He said Malaysia is also optimistic that China will increase its imports of Malaysian palm oil, on top of an increase of 500,000 tonnes premier Li had pledged during Mahathir’s last visit in August. Palm oil is a key Malaysian export.

    “We are hopeful that with the BRI conference and the positive closure of the two p
    rojects, we would be receiving more investments from China,” Saifuddin said.


    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-c...KCN1RZ1MS?il=0

    One hopes 'arry has checked and signed off this Malay Leaders copy of the contracts. I'm sure the Malay leader's bank account has been checked this time and a "western" financial advisors was not chosen. They do seem to muddy the waters to their own advantage.

  14. #114
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Au contraire, I think it's admirable that Malaysia told chinastan to fuck off with their bent contract and negotiated something fairer.

    Although I daresay someone in the previous administration probably had to give chinastan his bribe back.

  15. #115
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    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    Malaysia told chinastan to fuck off with their bent contract and negotiated something fairer.
    We shall see whether you continue to agree that the new contracts are fair or not. But it's refreshing to see you accepting mutually agreeable contracts by whoever.

  16. #116
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    Quote Originally Posted by OhOh View Post
    We shall see whether you continue to agree that the new contracts are fair or not. But it's refreshing to see you accepting mutually agreeable contracts by whoever.
    I'm completely in favour of transparent, mutually beneficial inter-government contracts.

    Obviously that doesn't include the bent ones the chinkies fiddle that are not only highly imbalanced but allow chinastan to leverage the impossible debt burdens they create to suck even more out of the countries off which they leech so parasitically.

  17. #117
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    Not content with the environmental destruction the chinkies wreak across the planet, they are trying to choke and boil us to death as well.

    Stupid chinkies.


    Belt and Road forum: China's 'project of the century' hits tough times

    Raft of countries including Turkey have refused to attend latest summit amid growing concern about debt diplomacy


    As China fetes its Belt and Road initiative at a summit this week, Chinese officials will be working hard to defend the flagship project from growing international criticism.


    The three-day forum starting on Thursday is meant to promote Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s “project of the century”, a foreign policy initiative launched in 2013 to revive ancient trading routes between Asia and Europe, as well as build new links in the Middle East, Africa, and South America.

    But in contrast to its first summit two years ago, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) takes place in a much less welcoming environment. Critics say the initiative is an effort to cement Chinese influence around the world by financially binding countries to Beijing by way of “debt trap diplomacy”.


    “The ‘Belt and Road initiative’ (BRI) is not a geopolitical tool but a platform for cooperation,” Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said last week, ahead of the forum “We welcome all parties to take part in it.”

    This week’s event is especially important for Beijing, which uses the forum as a way to convince the international community, as well as its own citizens, of the success of the project.


    Beijing is likely to laud the memoranda of understanding signed at the event, which will conclude with a joint communique.

    “The overall purpose of the Belt and Road initiative is to generate legitimacy for the Chinese leadership and the Chinese Communist Party more broadly,” said Thomas Eder, a research associate at the Mercator Institute for Chinese Studies.


    “Such prestige is bolstered by every government signing a BRI memorandum of understanding and every head of government attending a grand BRI summit in Beijing. These countries allow Xi Jinping to then tell Chinese citizens that the entire world is endorsing his policies and that he is the one to have put China firmly back at the centre of the global stage,” Eder said.

    The event is to be attended by 37 leaders, including Russian president Vladimir Putin, Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte, UK chancellor Philip Hammond, Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan and the heads of state of the 10 Asean (Association of South-east Asian Nation) states. The US is reportedly sending low-level delegates, and India is not attending.


    Countries that previously attended but have chosen not to come this year include Turkey, which has publicly criticised China over is treatment of the Uighurs, a Muslim minority, Poland, Spain, Fiji, Sri Lanka, and Argentina, according to the Eurasia Group, citing geopolitical issues as a possible reason.


    Critics have also called for China to institutionalise the Belt and Road initiative, so that the project is not seen as entirely Chinese-led. Others have cited environmental concerns, as Chinese companies build coal power projects around the world. Coal projects accounted for as much as 42% of China’s overseas investment in 2018, according to the China Global Energy Finance database.

    “For the sake of the planet, for people who could be breathing in pollutants from coal plants and for the long-term economic health of many developing countries, let’s hope BRI quits coal,” said Wawa Wang, senior adviser at VedvarendeEnergi in Denmark.


    Ahead of the forum, China has scored some key wins for the project. Italy is now the first G7 country to endorse the initiative, after signing up for Belt and Road in March, despite criticism from the US. This month, Malaysia agreed to continue a $10.7bn rail project, previously cancelled.

    So far, China has signed more than 170 agreements with 125 countries, according to Chinese state media. Between 2013 and 2018, these deals totalled more than $90bn in Chinese investment.


    Beijing has also begun to take some steps to soothe concerns. Officials are reportedly drafting rules on which projects can be called “Belt and Road”, to prevent the initiative’s brand from being diluted by unsuccessful projects. Chinese ambassadors in Kenya and Mexico have published editorials in local media defending the initiative.


    On Thursday, Xi will give a keynote address, where he is likely to strike a similar tone. “The Belt and Road is an initiative for economic cooperation, instead of a geopolitical alliance or military league, and it is an open and inclusive process rather than an exclusive bloc or ‘China club’,” Xi said in remarks given at a symposium in August.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ts-tough-times



  18. #118
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    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    The overall purpose of the Belt and Road initiative is to generate legitimacy for the Chinese leadership and the Chinese Communist Party more broadly,”
    I would suggest a less violent means than the generally accepted "western" alternative;

    "Adopt our viewpoint or we will bomb your citizens, lands/steal your gold and savings/spray poisonous chemicals on your plants/place financial sanctions on your people and companies, give your money to any person we decide is a "fit and proper" stooge" etc. etc.

  19. #119
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    Quote Originally Posted by OhOh View Post
    I would suggest a less violent means than the generally accepted "western" alternative;

    "Adopt our viewpoint or we will bomb your citizens, lands/steal your gold and savings/spray poisonous chemicals on your plants/place financial sanctions on your people and companies, give your money to any person we decide is a "fit and proper" stooge" etc. etc.
    You can suggest what you like.

    However, when they say "to generate legitimacy" what they really mean is "they bribe as many people as possible to lie and say they are not raping resources wherever they can and not bribing officials so that they can put countries into debt so big that they have no choice but to hand over sovereign assets".

  20. #120
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    US, China, Russia lend gravitas to Afghan peace talks

    Posted on April 27, 2019 by M. K. BHADRAKUMAR






    Chinese Special Envoy Deng Xijun (L), Russian Presidential Representative Zamir Kabulov (C) & U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (R) met in Moscow on April 26, 2019 for the second round of trilateral consultation on Afghanistan.


    "From a modest start one month ago on March 20-21 in Washington, the trilateral format of the special representatives of the US, China and Russia on Afghanistan, took a big leap forward at the second meeting in Moscow on April 26. This is at one evident from the fact that in comparison with the separate readouts on the Washington meeting, here, the format felt the time has come to issue a joint statement.

    If the Washington meet devolved upon an ‘exchange of views’ and consultations on ‘common efforts’, the Moscow round ‘reached consensus’ on a compass to navigate the road map in the period ahead. This is a significant achievement and this is reflected on the intention of the three big powers to move on to a “phased expansion of their consultations before the next trilateral meeting in Beijing.”

    In sum, the three big powers have taken charge of the Afghan problem, as it were. This is a watershed moment in international security — something which the US President Donald Trump probably wanted all along but couldn’t happen due to the Robert Mueller inquiry on “Russia collusion”. Now that the Mueller inquiry has ended, Washington is already reaching out to Moscow to discuss a host of pending issues — North Korea, Sudan, Venezuela, arms control and so on.

    What stands out is that the trilateral format includes China. Most certainly, when it comes to Afghanistan, China is no longer hiding and biding. This is as much a matter of coming of age as a great power with global interests as a recognition by the international community of China’s rise as a global power that is destined to play the lead role, arguably, in post-settlement Afghanistan’s reconstruction and it of course underscores the unique influence Beijing is currently wielding with all all major protagonists in the Afghan conflict, which if leveraged, can help accelerate the Afghan peace process and negotiate a settlement that is durable.

    The five main templates of the “trilateral consensus” at the Moscow round on April 26 are the following:
    First and foremost, the US has committed to Russia and China that “an orderly and responsible withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan” will form “part of the overall peace process” — and not something for the post-settlement era. This is an important commitment which will form the basis of their joint efforts to put a peace process on track. The Taliban will have taken note — as indeed Iran, which openly opposes any continued US military-intelligence presence in a neighbouring country on its eastern border. Russia has blown hot and cold over the years on the issue of US military presence in the region, while China remains ambivalent and even allows the US analysts to interpret the ambivalence as working in Washington’s favour (being a tacit acquiescence with the American military presence.) But the truth is both Russia and China will be better off if the western occupation of Afghanistan is brought to an end.

    Second, the trilateral format has put its weight behind the Taliban holding peace talks “with a broad, representative Afghan delegation that includes the government as soon as possible.” Simply put, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his circle of hardliners (who kept insisting on direct talks between Afghan government and the Taliban and nothing less) have either caved in or have been told the facts of life. It is a bitter pill for Ghani to swallow that in Afghan bazaar, he will now be seen as leading one faction amongst several others and that “an inclusive Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process” doesn’t give him any special status. What it means is that the second round of intra-Afghan dialogue which was to take place in late April and got scuttled by Ghani will now g ahead — possibly in May itself.

    Third, the joint statement makes no reference at all to the holding of Afghan presidential election this year. Presumably, the election is neither the priority nor the right thing to do at this juncture unless and until an intra-Afghan consensus emerges as regards the future of Afghanistan and the reconciliation of the Taliban is realised. (Delhi should see the writing on the wall.)

    Fourth, the joint statement accepts the desirability of a “comprehensive ceasefire” but realises that it is too much to expect the Taliban to agree to it in immediate terms. Thus, the trilateral format agreed on a realistic first step — “As a first step, we call on all parties to agree on immediate and concrete steps to reduce violence.” It remains to be seen how the Taliban views this prospect or whether the US military commanders will be bound by it. The problem is also that there are several militant groups operating in Afghanistan other than the Taliban who are not part of the peace process. Besides, there is a contradiction insofar as the trilateral format accepts the Afghan government’s “efforts to combat international terrorism and extremist organizations in Afghanistan” and “takes note of the Afghan Taliban’s commitment to: fight ISIS and cut ties with Al-Qaeda, ETIM, and other international terrorist groups; ensure the areas they control will not be used to threaten any other country; and… expel any known terrorists.”

    Fifth, and finally, the trilateral format hopes to “build a more extensive regional and international consensus on Afghanistan.” This is going to be a challenging task, since many extraneous factors also come into play — for example, India-Pakistan tensions and the unresolved Kashmir problem, China’s Belt and Road Initiative, US-led “maximum pressure” strategy against Iran, cross-border terrorism against Iran from Pakistani soil by extremist proxy groups and so on.

    The best thing about the new trilateral format is that when the US, China and Russia led gravitas to the Afghan peace talks, the chances of any second-tier player (such as India or Iran) playing the spoiler’s role vastly diminishes. In turn, the scope for recaltricant, irreconcilable, hardline elements — the rejectionist camp within Afghanistan — to take covert external help to sabotage the reconciliation with the Taliban and / or thwart the peace process narrows dramatically.

    However, the big-power competition is continuing on a global scale and it provides the stark backdrop to the “trilateral consensus”, which is limited to Afghanistan. Such a limited approach of “selective engagement” has traditionally suited Washington. But Moscow and Beijing hope that the trilateral format on Afghanistan would be an offshoot of a new type of relations between the three big powers in the emerging world order.

    In the past, Trump appeared to be a votary of the US adopting a collegium approach involving China and Russia. But then, after moving into the Oval Office, he careered away from what candidate Trump espoused — out of own volition or due to force of circumstances. His senseless walkout from Iran nuclear deal and his “maximum pressure” approach to Iran are glaring examples. Perhaps, the compulsion to end the endless war in Afghanistan will have a sobering effect on Trump."

    https://indianpunchline.com/us-china-russia-lend-gravitas-to-afghan-peace-talks/

    The joint statement can be found here ;

    https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2019/04/291372.htm

  21. #121
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    I can't see the seppos being too worried as long as it gets them the fuck out of the mess they created.

  22. #122
    Thailand Expat OhOh's Avatar
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    2nd Belt and Road Forum – An Informational


    "President Xi Jinping announced The Belt and Road initiative or ‘the new Silk Road,’ six years ago during a state visit to Kazakhstan. The idea is to establish and maintain trade corridors between more than 60 countries in Central Asia, Europe, and Africa. The design is inspired by the legacy of the historical Silk Road that connected the East and the West for centuries. Some of the objectives are unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people bonds. The 2nd Belt and Road Forum came to completion Saturday, April 27th in Beijing, and while 60 countries initially were envisaged, even Mexico has now announced its interest with much activity around Belt and Road in South America as well. This initiative is growing.



    Politicians and entrepreneurs from 150 nations attended the second Belt and Road forum. This is 3/4 of the world. President Putin took part in the event, addressed the delegates, held a meeting with President Xi Jinping as well as a series of bilateral sideline meetings. China’s elite Tsinghua University awarded him with an honorary doctorate.

    Mr. Putin’s presser at the end of the forum again confirmed:


    • China is merely putting stability into place.
    • Russia and China are closely aligned strategic partners.
    • China has to strengthen the principles of international trade and create conditions for growth in their interests. China should develop transport infrastructure, aviation, ports, railroads, trucks, roads, but this is not enough.
    • And here it becomes interesting because Mr. Putin stops talking about China and starts talking about what became clear in this process to Russia and this was it! “We need to strengthen the fundamentals of international trade, international cooperation.” “Russia wants to use its potential in full, and China does this in a very civilized manner. (I love the word civilized in this context!)
    • “I think this prospect, this initiative has an excellent outlook.”
    • He goes on to say that ‘almost all the countries are interested in this’ and ‘nobody wants to see trade wars except possibly for the countries that initiate such processes’.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUGj5eTsPUk

    Mr. Putin arrived at this 2nd Belt and Road Forum straight from his meeting with Kim Jong Un from North Korea where he stated that there are no secrets. North Korea is looking for security assurances, and a group of countries needs to be drawn together to give them this, to advance de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

    Mr. Xi JinPing addressed the leader’s round table of the Belt and Road forum and outlined the progress from the first forum. He says BRI should be “Open, Green and Clean.” By this, he means open to whoever in the world wants to participate, green in technology and clean in terms of bribery and corruption.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye4-M_WPDws

    Xi JinPing made it very clear that the relationship between China and Russia is epitomized by:


    • the highest degree of mutual trust,
    • the highest level of coordination and,
    • the highest strategic value since the two countries established diplomatic ties 70 years ago.

    But besides all the positive language, what actually happened at this 2nd Belt and Road forum?

    Let’s first take a look at the name. Belt and Road Forum for International Development. China holds that BRI is not a geopolitical extension or projection of power, but rather a methodology that can lift all boats, or The Sun Shines Over Everyone.

    No less than 283 concrete results in six categories were announced as deliverables of this 2nd Belt and Road Forum. Note how this is stated, as deliverables, and not as plans, or objectives or as vague promises for the future. These deliverables are indeed a juggernaut of world development.

    Have we ever seen such a size of hopeful international development in our lifetimes? I think not.
    Let us look at just 3 of those 283 concrete deliverables:

    From the Category of Investment Projects and Project Lists:

    8The Silk Road Fund of China established co-investment platforms with the International Company for Water and Power Projects of Saudi Arabia, the Three Gorges Corporation and the International Finance Corporation of China and the General Electric of the United States. The Silk Road Fund is establishing a co-investment platform with the Surbana Jurong Private Limited of Singapore.

    I count impacts in at least four countries.

    From the Category of Financing Projects:

    3The Export-Import Bank of China signed loan agreements on road projects with the Ministry of Finance of Serbia, the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Cambodia and the KazAvtoZhol of Kazakhstan respectively, on bridge rail link and pipeline projects with the Ministry of Finance of Bangladesh, on photovoltaic and hydroelectric power plant projects with the Ministry of Finance of Argentina and the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Guinea respectively, on steel plant project with the Ministry of Development Planning of Bolivia, on railway projects with the Ministry of Transport of Egypt and the Federal Ministry of Finance of Nigeria respectively, and signed working capital facility agreements with the AL Khalij Commercial Bank of Qatar and the Global Bank Corporation of Panama.

    I count impacts in at least 11 countries.

    From the Category of Projects by Local Authorities and Enterprises:

    Local authorities and enterprises built the China-Serbia Friendship Industrial Park in Serbia; developed Industry and Sci-tech Cooperation Project of China-UAE Industrial Capacity Cooperation Demonstration Zone; developed Cambodian Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone industry upgrade and social development cooperation program; invested in and constructed Zhongtai New Silk Road Tajikistan Agriculture Industrial Park in Tajikistan; implemented the PhaseⅡ of Diamniadio Integrated Industrial Park in Senegal; upgraded and constructed the Project of Chan Mya Shwe Pyi Bus Terminal in Mandalay, Myanmar; invested in and constructed the Belt and Road Logistics and Trade Complex in the United Arab Emirates; acquired Tata Steel Southeast Asian Plants in Singapore and Thailand; undertook with Saudi Aramco the Fine Chemicals and Raw Materials Engineering Project in Panjin, Liaoning Province, China; built Tharcoal block-178MTPA open-pit coal mine & 2*660MW coal-based power plant integrate project in Pakistan; invested in and constructed the project of high-performance radial tires with an annual output of 13.62 million in Serbia; developed 1.5mtpa cement clinker project in Nepal; engaged in laterite nickel ore for battery-grade nickel chemical (nickel sulfate crystal with an annual output of 50,000 tons of nickel) production in Indonesia; constructed PTA/PET project in Saudi Arabia; developed a healthcare medical diagnostic integrated project in Kenya; and constructed China-Uzbekistan Medical Science and Technology Park in Uzbekistan.

    I stopped counting when I found impacts in more than ten countries.

    As you will immediately notice, the 283 concrete results are not in ones or twos but encompass many countries and many projects. It is already clear that what Mr. Putin said, seems to be very accurate: “We need to strengthen the fundamentals of international trade, international cooperation.” “Russia wants to use its potential in full, and China does this in a very civilized manner.”

    (Of course the West remains somewhat clueless and cannot really decode this language of civilized cooperation and I really wonder who has mastered The Art of the Deal).

    So, if we pull across the crystal ball which is hazy at best, I respectfully submit that we, globally, have passed the nexus point and that we are now de facto living in a multi-polar world. Here is the list of Deliverables of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation

    And here you can download the full text of the joint communique of leaders’ roundtable.

    A snippet: “The ancient Silk Road contributed to the strengthening of the connectivity and the expansion of the world economy in the spirit of promoting peace and cooperation, openness, inclusiveness, equality, mutual learningand mutual benefit. We look forward to restoring and rejuvenating such spirit, through the Belt and Road Initiative and other cooperation frameworks and initiatives.”

    You will agree, this is a global juggernaut. It remains to be seen what the dying empire will do in its final frenzy, but we can already now ask the questions: Are we building a better world here? Will economic development and peaceful international cooperation lead a peaceful world, or does military power projection lead, into the future? Are we seeing a new and improved erstwhile United Nations being born where ‘international trade, international cooperation’ form the basis of moving to ‘people-to-people’ bonds’ ?"


    2nd Belt and Road Forum ? An Informational | The Vineyard of the Saker
    Last edited by OhOh; 04-05-2019 at 09:14 AM.

  23. #123
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    It would be more useful to tell us about all the brown envelopes they've handed out. Then we can predict where the next environmental and economic nightmares will happen.

  24. #124
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    Again the Chinks...

    European diplomat: ‘At UN, US treats us like the Chinese’

    May 3, 2019

    The gloves are off at the United Nations between the United States and their once-close European allies, according to some diplomats.

    European diplomats complain that Washington has shown little interest in working with them to address global crises and appears indifferent to the prospect of going it alone on the international stage.

    The 15 members of the Security Council — five of which are European Union members — will hold a retreat on Friday (3 May) outside New York, but there is little hope of reviving the US-EU entente.

    “The current level of disagreement is not new, and relations were arguably worse in 2003 than they are today,” said Richard Gowan, UN director of the International Crisis Group, referring to the Franco-US rift over the Iraq war.

    “But the US and Europeans are clashing very regularly now.”

    In December, the United States locked horns with Britain over Yemen, insisting that a draft resolution include references to Iran and pushing for watered-down language on the Saudi-led coalition, according to diplomats.

    Last month, a new disagreement emerged over a British-drafted resolution demanding a ceasefire in Libya.

    On the same day that Britain circulated the text to the council, President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar whose forces had launched an offensive to take Tripoli.

    It remains unclear whether London was aware of Trump’s phone call, but the result was that Britain was forced to put its text on the back burner.

    Rough treatment

    A US official rejected claims that the US was mistreating its council partners. He said the US made clear that it would not support any UN action until the end of ongoing talks with Libyan parties.

    “The Americans and French have always sparred at the UN, but it’s unusual for the US to treat the Brits this roughly,” said Gowan.

    Last week, Germany was forced to cave in to US threats of a veto over language on reproductive rights and international justice in a resolution on combating rape as a weapon of war.

    The language was removed to satisfy Washington’s view that references to reproductive rights encouraged abortion.

    Venezuela is a vexing issue for the Europeans who complain that Trump administration officials are using the United Nations as a bully pulpit to push for regime change.

    So far, US Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and special envoy Elliott Abrams have all appeared at the council.

    A European diplomat complained that the US “treats us like the Chinese.”

    Another council diplomat said that while the US, France and Britain — permanent council members along with Russia and China — do not appear united it is not “a crisis issue, but differences of views.”

    “The current lack of strategic unity among the Western members of the Security Council has created diplomatic space for Russia and China to advance their interests in New York,” said Gowan.

    https://www.euractiv.com/section/glo...e-the-chinese/

  25. #125
    Thailand Expat OhOh's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    It would be more useful to tell us about all the brown envelopes they've handed out.
    If you would kindly list your alleged occurrences, name of convicted foreigner and Chinese, amounts and legal decisions, court etc. I will check your database against my official database and post here confirmation/rejection. All additional confirmed cases not on your database will be published.

    Win/win, don't you agree?




    Of course failure to supply, may lead me to believe you have, 0 , that's a big fat zero, evidence to support your fantasy.

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