Even after Asia’s economies climb out of the COVID-19 recession, China’s strategy of frenetically building dams and reservoirs on transnational rivers will confront them with a more permanent barrier to long-term economic prosperity: water scarcity.
China and India edged forward in their commitment to lower carbon pollution on Saturday, issuing a string of promises that experts said fell short of action needed from the two emerging giants.President Xi Jinping told a virtual climate summit that China would work to reduce the intensity of its emissions by 65 percent by 2030, compared with 2005 levels.Xi promised to "aim to peak carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions before 2030", repeating a pledge he made in September, when the world�
Last month, 15 Asia-Pacific countries signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The occasion marked what might be the most significant economic achievement since the COVID-19 crisis began. And yet the RCEP – or, indeed, Asia – cannot save the ailing multilateral trading system alone.
Germany, once a beacon of hope in Europe's coronavirus nightmare, logged its one millionth case on Friday, while Russia signed up India to mass produce its controversial Sputnik vaccine.Although the virus spread is slowing thanks to weeks of tough restrictions, Europe remains at the heart of the pandemic, recording more cases than the United States (US) in the past week.The pandemic is gaining strength fastest in Asia and Latin America, and is up by a worrying 113 percent over the week i
United States (US) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo opened talks in India on Monday, kicking off a four-country Asia tour that he has said will focus on the "threats" posed by China.Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper, who is joining him for the two-day visit, will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday amid heightened tensions since a border clash between India and China in June.Pompeo opened his trip with talks and a dinner with External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaish
The Quad, a loose strategic coalition of the Following a recent meeting of their top foreign-policy officials in Tokyo, Australia, India, Japan, and the United States (US) are now actively working toward establishing a new multilateral security structure for the region. The idea is not to create an Asian version of NATO, but rather to develop a close security partnership founded on shared values and interests, including the rule of law, freedom of navigation, respect for territorial
The world economy has risen from the depths of the initial COVID-19 plunge. But the recovery has been tepid, uneven, and fragile – and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.Start with the good news.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday opened a Himalayan tunnel that will drastically reduce the time needed to rush troops to the country's remote Chinese border as tensions grow between the Asian neighbours.The tunnel traverses India's northern Himachal Pradesh state and lies on one of two main routes for troops headed to border areas in Ladakh.20 Indian and an unspecified number of Chinese troops were killed in June during a deadly clash in Ladakh, which shares a
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, India’s economy shrunk by 23.9 percent in the second quarter of 2020. This was a historic contraction, going down as the worst in the nation’s history. No other major economic power suffered as greatly during these past six months, and coming on the heels of 3.1 percent growth in the first quarter, it stings.As if to add insult to injury, now China and India are facing increasing tensions along their Himalayan border.
India as the world's biggest vaccine maker will use its resources "for all humanity" in the battle against the coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the United Nations (UN) on Saturday.In his address to the virtual UN General Assembly (UNGA) Modi made no direct mention of climate change or of India's current border tussle with China following a clash in June when 20 Indian troops died, however."As the largest vaccine producing country of the world...
China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, recently declared that aggression and expansionism have never been in the Chinese nation’s “genes.” It is almost astonishing that he managed to say it with a straight face.
A global hacking collective known as APT41 has been accused by United States (US) authorities of targeting company servers for ransom, compromising government networks and spying on Hong Kong activists.Seven members of the group – including five Chinese nationals – were charged by the US Justice Department on Wednesday.Some experts say they are tied to the Chinese state, while others speculate money was their only motive.
