China is paving its âbelt and roadâ to British Columbia
The âWorld Commodity Trade Centerâ, including four warehouses and two large exhibition halls, is a joint venture between a Chinese-sate sponsored company and a local development firm.
A trailblazing memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) between the B.C. government and Guangdong province in 2016 precedes the project. Most Western Jurisdictions have been apprehensive of Xiâs aspirations of emboldening Chinaâs national and economic interests on a global scale, via the BRIâs foreign infrastructure investments and overseas financial, social and cultural programs.
Guo Taicheng, chairman of Shing Kee Godown Group and Canadianâs permanent resident, is leading this project. He is also executive vice-president of the China Federation of Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs, which is part of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (AFROC) of the CCPâs United Front.
Source: Tricity News #Aug17
https://www.tricitynews.com/china-is-paving-its-belt-and-road-to-british-columbia-1.24187665/
#Canada #China #BRI #CCP #BeltandRoad
The âWorld Commodity Trade Centerâ, including four warehouses and two large exhibition halls, is a joint venture between a Chinese-sate sponsored company and a local development firm.
A trailblazing memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) between the B.C. government and Guangdong province in 2016 precedes the project. Most Western Jurisdictions have been apprehensive of Xiâs aspirations of emboldening Chinaâs national and economic interests on a global scale, via the BRIâs foreign infrastructure investments and overseas financial, social and cultural programs.
Guo Taicheng, chairman of Shing Kee Godown Group and Canadianâs permanent resident, is leading this project. He is also executive vice-president of the China Federation of Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs, which is part of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (AFROC) of the CCPâs United Front.
Source: Tricity News #Aug17
https://www.tricitynews.com/china-is-paving-its-belt-and-road-to-british-columbia-1.24187665/
#Canada #China #BRI #CCP #BeltandRoad
British Thinktank Urges UK to Focus on Indo-Pacific Region
An influential centre-right British thinktank recently published a report proposing the UK's strategic policies on the Indo-Pacific region focusing on military, financial and diplomatic resources on building up democratic power against China's growing impact on world order. The report also recommends the UK government to support Hong Kong's autonomy and freedoms promised in the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
The report was published by Policy Exchange's Indo-Pacific Commission, chaired by former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and endorsed by former Japanese Prime Minister ShinzoĚ Abe and current Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. With the publishing of this report expects closer collaboration between Britain and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region, including Australia, India, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Together, they make up nearly half of the global economic output and comprise of more than half of the world population.
The report points out the UK government should expand the deployment of Royal Navy assets, Royal Air Force aircraft and Army (including Special Forces) or Royal Marines personnel to achieve uninterrupted and year-round UK military presence in the Indo-Pacific Region on operational and training missions. The City of London would offer its financial muscle through an Indo-Pacific investment initiative to set up a clean alternative to the Chinese belt and road initiative. It is also suggested to create an Indo-Pacific multinational investment treaty to protect investors from Chinese discriminatory practices and allow investors to enter into arbitration under international law.
Source: Apple Daily #Nov25
https://bit.ly/2IDPJdm
#UK #IndoPacific #PolicyExchange #BeltAndRoad
An influential centre-right British thinktank recently published a report proposing the UK's strategic policies on the Indo-Pacific region focusing on military, financial and diplomatic resources on building up democratic power against China's growing impact on world order. The report also recommends the UK government to support Hong Kong's autonomy and freedoms promised in the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
The report was published by Policy Exchange's Indo-Pacific Commission, chaired by former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and endorsed by former Japanese Prime Minister ShinzoĚ Abe and current Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. With the publishing of this report expects closer collaboration between Britain and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region, including Australia, India, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Together, they make up nearly half of the global economic output and comprise of more than half of the world population.
The report points out the UK government should expand the deployment of Royal Navy assets, Royal Air Force aircraft and Army (including Special Forces) or Royal Marines personnel to achieve uninterrupted and year-round UK military presence in the Indo-Pacific Region on operational and training missions. The City of London would offer its financial muscle through an Indo-Pacific investment initiative to set up a clean alternative to the Chinese belt and road initiative. It is also suggested to create an Indo-Pacific multinational investment treaty to protect investors from Chinese discriminatory practices and allow investors to enter into arbitration under international law.
Source: Apple Daily #Nov25
https://bit.ly/2IDPJdm
#UK #IndoPacific #PolicyExchange #BeltAndRoad
Australian Economy Is Too Dependent on China and Needs Diversification, Says Senate Opposition Leader
Under Australia's new foreign relations law, which allows the federal government to veto pacts between states and overseas governments or institutions, it is expected that agreements on the âBelt and Roadâ (âB&Râ) initiative and Confucian Institutes between local governments and China will be voided. Penny Wong, leader of the opposition Labor Party in the Senate, said on 7 December that she hopes the federal and Victorian governments will have âsensible discussionsâ regarding the latterâs âB&Râ agreement. While stressing the need for a new economic strategy where Australia will work with other countries, Wong fell short of signalling a revocation of Victoriaâs âB&Râ agreement.
As Victoriaâs âB&Râ agreement with China faces the prospect of being suspended, Wong said in an interview with the ABC that she thinks the federal government âshould try to resolve this in a way that respects engagement with the state government and that recognises that China will observe how this is handled carefullyâ.
Adding that the Labor Party supports the Liberal government in opposing Victoriaâs âB&Râ initiative, Wong did not indicate specifically that the agreement will be unilaterally cancelled. Wong suggested that instead of considering how Australia can fix its relationship with China, it needs a strategy to diversify its economy and cooperate with other countries in the region given that it is now too reliant on China.
Source: Stand News #Dec07
#Australia #Victoria #China #OneBeltOneRoad #BeltAndRoad #PennyWong #Labor #Diplomacy #Economy #Trade
https://bit.ly/38ES1Sa
Under Australia's new foreign relations law, which allows the federal government to veto pacts between states and overseas governments or institutions, it is expected that agreements on the âBelt and Roadâ (âB&Râ) initiative and Confucian Institutes between local governments and China will be voided. Penny Wong, leader of the opposition Labor Party in the Senate, said on 7 December that she hopes the federal and Victorian governments will have âsensible discussionsâ regarding the latterâs âB&Râ agreement. While stressing the need for a new economic strategy where Australia will work with other countries, Wong fell short of signalling a revocation of Victoriaâs âB&Râ agreement.
As Victoriaâs âB&Râ agreement with China faces the prospect of being suspended, Wong said in an interview with the ABC that she thinks the federal government âshould try to resolve this in a way that respects engagement with the state government and that recognises that China will observe how this is handled carefullyâ.
Adding that the Labor Party supports the Liberal government in opposing Victoriaâs âB&Râ initiative, Wong did not indicate specifically that the agreement will be unilaterally cancelled. Wong suggested that instead of considering how Australia can fix its relationship with China, it needs a strategy to diversify its economy and cooperate with other countries in the region given that it is now too reliant on China.
Source: Stand News #Dec07
#Australia #Victoria #China #OneBeltOneRoad #BeltAndRoad #PennyWong #Labor #Diplomacy #Economy #Trade
https://bit.ly/38ES1Sa
China's New Belt and Road Has Less Concrete, More Blockchain
The Covid-19 pandemic hasnât been good for Chinaâs Belt and Road Initiative. the virus âseriously affectedâ one-fifth of the projects in the China-centered infrastructure drive, according to the Ministry of foreign Affairs. Djibouti, Laos, Maldives, Pakistan, and Zambia, among others, have asked China to renegotiate or forgive Belt and Road loans. Kyrgyzstan and Sri Lanka have already extracted concessions.
Source: Bloomberg #Mar24
#China #BeltandRoad #Djibouti #Laos #Maldives #Pakistan
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-24/china-s-new-belt-and-road-has-less-concrete-more-blockchain
The Covid-19 pandemic hasnât been good for Chinaâs Belt and Road Initiative. the virus âseriously affectedâ one-fifth of the projects in the China-centered infrastructure drive, according to the Ministry of foreign Affairs. Djibouti, Laos, Maldives, Pakistan, and Zambia, among others, have asked China to renegotiate or forgive Belt and Road loans. Kyrgyzstan and Sri Lanka have already extracted concessions.
Source: Bloomberg #Mar24
#China #BeltandRoad #Djibouti #Laos #Maldives #Pakistan
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-24/china-s-new-belt-and-road-has-less-concrete-more-blockchain
China indefinitely suspends Strategic Economic Dialogue, accuse Australia's âCold War mindsetâ for disrupting normal exchanges
China National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued a statement on Thursday (5 May), saying that it has decided to suspend the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue indefinitely due to Australian government's measures to disrupt the normal exchanges and cooperation out of âCold War mindset and ideological discriminationâ. This is the first diplomatic mechanism that has been formally frozen since the relationship between the two countries deteriorated.
The relation between China and Australia continues to be tense, Australia has been criticizing China on human rights issues in Hong Kong and Xinjiang for many times. Last month the Australian Federal Government cancelled the âBelt and Roadâ agreements between Victoria state government and China. ABC quoted the analysis saying that it caused China's discontent.
âSome Australian Commonwealth government officials launched a series of measures to disrupt the normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Australia out of Cold War mindset and ideological discriminationâ, said NDRC in a statement. It declared that the decision is âbased on the current attitude of the Australian Commonwealth Government toward China-Australia cooperationâ, and decides to indefinitely suspend all activities under the framework of the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue.
Source: The Stand News #May06
https://bit.ly/2SVdK4k
#China #Australia #Economic #Diplomatic #BeltAndRoad #Xinjiang #HongKong #HumanRights #ABC
China National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued a statement on Thursday (5 May), saying that it has decided to suspend the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue indefinitely due to Australian government's measures to disrupt the normal exchanges and cooperation out of âCold War mindset and ideological discriminationâ. This is the first diplomatic mechanism that has been formally frozen since the relationship between the two countries deteriorated.
The relation between China and Australia continues to be tense, Australia has been criticizing China on human rights issues in Hong Kong and Xinjiang for many times. Last month the Australian Federal Government cancelled the âBelt and Roadâ agreements between Victoria state government and China. ABC quoted the analysis saying that it caused China's discontent.
âSome Australian Commonwealth government officials launched a series of measures to disrupt the normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Australia out of Cold War mindset and ideological discriminationâ, said NDRC in a statement. It declared that the decision is âbased on the current attitude of the Australian Commonwealth Government toward China-Australia cooperationâ, and decides to indefinitely suspend all activities under the framework of the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue.
Source: The Stand News #May06
https://bit.ly/2SVdK4k
#China #Australia #Economic #Diplomatic #BeltAndRoad #Xinjiang #HongKong #HumanRights #ABC
The US supports Australia in repealing the âBelt and Roadâ agreement, saying Australia is the victim of Chinaâs coercive diplomacy
Australian federal government repealed âBelt and Roadâ memorandum and âframework agreementâ between the Victorian state government and China. The decision has caused China discontent and renewed tension between China and Australia. United Stated indicated their support to Australiaâs decision on Thursday (22 April), described Australia as a victim of Chinaâs coercive diplomacy, which borne tremendous toll.
On Wednesday (21 April), Australian Foreign Minister Payne used her powers conferred by Foreign Affairs (State and Territorial Arrangements) Act 2020 passed late last year, to cancel the âBelt and Roadâ memorandum and âframework agreementâ between Victorian state government and China. US Spokesperson of State Council Ned Price, when asked whether US will take a similar action, or has US spoken to Australia about the move during regular press conference, responded âthis is a decision made by the Australian Governmentâ. He continued by saying that US will continue to stand with the people of Australia for the brunt of the PRCâs coercive behavior. Price said that Australia government's cancellation of agreements with China, Iran and Syria demonstrated that Australia is focused on protecting its national interest from all international concerns.
Source: Stand News #Apr23
https://bit.ly/3v6gIRD
#US #Australia #BeltandRoad #Victim #China #Diplomacy
Australian federal government repealed âBelt and Roadâ memorandum and âframework agreementâ between the Victorian state government and China. The decision has caused China discontent and renewed tension between China and Australia. United Stated indicated their support to Australiaâs decision on Thursday (22 April), described Australia as a victim of Chinaâs coercive diplomacy, which borne tremendous toll.
On Wednesday (21 April), Australian Foreign Minister Payne used her powers conferred by Foreign Affairs (State and Territorial Arrangements) Act 2020 passed late last year, to cancel the âBelt and Roadâ memorandum and âframework agreementâ between Victorian state government and China. US Spokesperson of State Council Ned Price, when asked whether US will take a similar action, or has US spoken to Australia about the move during regular press conference, responded âthis is a decision made by the Australian Governmentâ. He continued by saying that US will continue to stand with the people of Australia for the brunt of the PRCâs coercive behavior. Price said that Australia government's cancellation of agreements with China, Iran and Syria demonstrated that Australia is focused on protecting its national interest from all international concerns.
Source: Stand News #Apr23
https://bit.ly/3v6gIRD
#US #Australia #BeltandRoad #Victim #China #Diplomacy
Taliban calls China its âmost important partnerâ, vows support for Belt and Road
The Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid has called China the groupâs âmost important partnerâ in an interview with the Italian newspaper la Repubblica. This was the first time a Taliban representative openly declares China to be its most significant ally.
In the interview, Mujahid said China is ready to invest in and rebuild Afghanistan and called it an âextraordinary opportunityâ. The spokesperson also said the Taliban is following the âBelt and Roadâ initiative closely. Noting Afghanistanâs rich copper reserves, he said the country will be modernized, âthanks to Chinaâ.
âChina is our pass to markets all over the world.â
Mujahidâs comments came before the Taliban announced a new government in Afghanistan. Previously named a contender for the head of the administration, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, chief of the Talibanâs political commission and leader of the groupâs recent delegation to Beijing, was appointed the acting first deputy prime minister.
Source: Stand News #Sep03
https://bit.ly/39e5tx9
#Taliban #China #Afghanistan #BeltAndRoad #Diplomacy
The Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid has called China the groupâs âmost important partnerâ in an interview with the Italian newspaper la Repubblica. This was the first time a Taliban representative openly declares China to be its most significant ally.
In the interview, Mujahid said China is ready to invest in and rebuild Afghanistan and called it an âextraordinary opportunityâ. The spokesperson also said the Taliban is following the âBelt and Roadâ initiative closely. Noting Afghanistanâs rich copper reserves, he said the country will be modernized, âthanks to Chinaâ.
âChina is our pass to markets all over the world.â
Mujahidâs comments came before the Taliban announced a new government in Afghanistan. Previously named a contender for the head of the administration, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, chief of the Talibanâs political commission and leader of the groupâs recent delegation to Beijing, was appointed the acting first deputy prime minister.
Source: Stand News #Sep03
https://bit.ly/39e5tx9
#Taliban #China #Afghanistan #BeltAndRoad #Diplomacy
Cambodia: Chinaâs âBelt and Roadâ Dam is a Rights Disaster
A large-scale, Chinese-financed hydroelectric dam in northeastern Cambodia, completed in 2018, has undermined the lives and livelihoods of thousands of Indigenous and ethnic minority people, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The Lower Sesan 2 dam, one of Asiaâs widest dams, flooded large areas upstream of the confluence of the Sesan and Srepok Rivers, two tributaries of the Mekong River.
Source: Human Rights Warch #Aug10
https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/08/10/cambodia-chinas-belt-and-road-dam-rights-disaster
#China #BeltAndRoad #Sesan #Srepok #Mekong
A large-scale, Chinese-financed hydroelectric dam in northeastern Cambodia, completed in 2018, has undermined the lives and livelihoods of thousands of Indigenous and ethnic minority people, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The Lower Sesan 2 dam, one of Asiaâs widest dams, flooded large areas upstream of the confluence of the Sesan and Srepok Rivers, two tributaries of the Mekong River.
Source: Human Rights Warch #Aug10
https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/08/10/cambodia-chinas-belt-and-road-dam-rights-disaster
#China #BeltAndRoad #Sesan #Srepok #Mekong
ADB: China Can Probably Stand On Its Own
In a sign of China's rising strength, the Asian Development Bank announced it may stop lending to the world's second largest economy.
The Asian Development Bank, the Manila-headquartered multilateral lender, may end loans to China in a move being characterized as more about the maturity of Chinaâs economyânow the worldâs second-largestâthan political posturing. In a recent interview, ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa said a reassessment of whether China still meets the development criteria for further loans could start as early as next year.
Some analysts say the move has a political dimension and is symbolic of the estrangement between China and the West as well as a tectonic shift in geopolitical alliances. In 2016 China created its own infrastructure bankâthe Asian Infrastructure Investment Bankâbut the US and Japan notably declined to join. At just under 7%, Russia is the third-largest contributor to the AIIBâs coffers, after China and India, according to the AIIBâs website.
Although the AIIBâs role in has been described as complementary to ADBâs, the fact that it is offering financial assistance to other countries calls into question Chinaâs need for further aid. When development loans are monopolized by economic superpowers, it promotes economic imbalances that hold countries back, says David Baxter, a sustainable development consultant.
âIt is important that aid loans go to countries that really need it,â he says. âChina does not.â
source: Global Finance #Sep15
https://www.gfmag.com/magazine/september-2022/china-asia-development-bank-loans-end
#Sept1 #ChinaEconomy #BeltAndRoad
In a sign of China's rising strength, the Asian Development Bank announced it may stop lending to the world's second largest economy.
The Asian Development Bank, the Manila-headquartered multilateral lender, may end loans to China in a move being characterized as more about the maturity of Chinaâs economyânow the worldâs second-largestâthan political posturing. In a recent interview, ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa said a reassessment of whether China still meets the development criteria for further loans could start as early as next year.
Some analysts say the move has a political dimension and is symbolic of the estrangement between China and the West as well as a tectonic shift in geopolitical alliances. In 2016 China created its own infrastructure bankâthe Asian Infrastructure Investment Bankâbut the US and Japan notably declined to join. At just under 7%, Russia is the third-largest contributor to the AIIBâs coffers, after China and India, according to the AIIBâs website.
Although the AIIBâs role in has been described as complementary to ADBâs, the fact that it is offering financial assistance to other countries calls into question Chinaâs need for further aid. When development loans are monopolized by economic superpowers, it promotes economic imbalances that hold countries back, says David Baxter, a sustainable development consultant.
âIt is important that aid loans go to countries that really need it,â he says. âChina does not.â
source: Global Finance #Sep15
https://www.gfmag.com/magazine/september-2022/china-asia-development-bank-loans-end
#Sept1 #ChinaEconomy #BeltAndRoad
Global Finance
ADB: China Can Probably Stand On Its Own
In a sign of China's rising strength, the Asian Development Bank announced it may stop lending to the world's second largest economy.
Uganda suspended a "Belt and Road" essential constructions
#Reuter reported that #Uganda has suspended an essential construction under China's Belt-and-Road initiatives, spoken by a Uganda official.
Uganda originally planned to build a railway to #Kenya with China Harbour Enginering Company (#CHEC) in 2015. The project is expected to cost USD$2.2 million. Unlike other narrow track railway in Africa, this railway project complies to the international construction standard. However, Uganda didn't receive any fund from China under the Belt and Road policy.
Uganda was forced to stopped the plan with CHEC and is considering to continue the project with Yapi Merkezi, a Turkish company.
#Uganda #Kenya #China #BeltandRoad #CHEC
Source: Common #Jan15
http://cmmns.co/RApYN
#Reuter reported that #Uganda has suspended an essential construction under China's Belt-and-Road initiatives, spoken by a Uganda official.
Uganda originally planned to build a railway to #Kenya with China Harbour Enginering Company (#CHEC) in 2015. The project is expected to cost USD$2.2 million. Unlike other narrow track railway in Africa, this railway project complies to the international construction standard. However, Uganda didn't receive any fund from China under the Belt and Road policy.
Uganda was forced to stopped the plan with CHEC and is considering to continue the project with Yapi Merkezi, a Turkish company.
#Uganda #Kenya #China #BeltandRoad #CHEC
Source: Common #Jan15
http://cmmns.co/RApYN