News Analysis India

Tag: China

  • Poco C65 Launched In India: Check Price, Specifications, Colour Options, And More |

    New Delhi: Poco has expanded its budget-friendly smartphone lineup in India by launching the Poco C65. With its official launch into the Indian market, the Poco C65 has cemented its status as the newest member of the low-cost smartphone industry. As per the reports, the smartphone comes with an attractive design.

    Currently, the smartphone is priced under Rs 10,000. It has a 6.74-inch HD+ 90Hz display and a MediaTek Helio G85 processor. (Also Read: Google Pixel 8 Pro Available At A Discount Of Rs 17,000 On Flipkart: Here’s How To Avail The Deal)

    Poco C65: Sale Date, And Time

    The smartphone’s first sale starts on December 18, 2023. The time at which the sale will start is at 12 PM. The POCO C65 will go on sale on Flipkart. (Also Read: OnePlus 12 Series Set To Launch Globally: Check Details)

    Poco C65: Colour Options

    It will be available in two color options: pastel blue and matte black.

    Poco C65: Price In India

    The smartphone starts at Rs. 7,499, and its price goes up to Rs 8,499 for the 4+128GB variant, Rs 9,499 for the 6+128GB variant, and Rs 10,999 for the 8+256GB variant.

    Poco C65: Price On Special Sale Date

    Customers may purchase the handset for an exciting price of Rs. 7,499, Rs. 8,499, and Rs. 9,999 for the 4+128GB, 6+128GB, and 8+256GB models, respectively, on the special sale day. After a Rs. 1,000 reduction using ICICI Debit/Credit cards/EMI transactions, or after an equivalent product exchange offer, this discounted deal is valid.

    POCO C65: Weight And Fingerprint Scanner

    The POCO C65 smartphone, which weighs 192g and has dimensions of 168mm x 78mm x 8.09mm, stresses portability. For security, the phone has a side fingerprint scanner.

    Poco C65: Storage Options

    There are three storage options available: 4+128GB, 6+128GB, and 8+256GB. Users can increase capacity up to 1TB by using a dedicated microSD card slot and two Nano SIM cards.

    POCO C65: Specifications

    This phone has a 6.74-inch HD+ non-notch display with a refresh rate of 90Hz and a 180Hz touch sampling rate. The POCO C65 is powered by the MediaTek Helio G85 processor. 

    Regarding photography, the phone has an 8MP front camera, a 2MP macro lens for detailed up-close photos, and a 50MP AI triple rear camera. With the help of the included 10W C-type charger, the 5000mAh battery of the POCO C65 allows for effective recharging at up to 18W of fast charging.

  • EAM Jaishankar calls on SCO nations to strictly adhere to international law, respecting sovereignty

    By PTI

    BISHKEK: India on Thursday said that the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) should work together to promote stability and prosperity in the region by strictly adhering to the principles of international law, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other and encouraging economic cooperation, in an apparent dig at China.

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made the remarks here in his address to the 22nd session of the Council of Heads of Government of SCO, which was attended by representatives from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Iran, China, Russia, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

    “SCO should work together to promote stability and prosperity in the region by strictly adhering to the principles of international law, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other and encouraging economic cooperation,” he said.

    In this context, the centrality of the interests of Central Asian states plays a key role, he said, adding that India is keen to partner with member states for sustainable, mutually beneficial and financially viable solutions as it strives to improve trade within the region.

    “We need robust connectivity and infrastructure. India has accorded utmost priority to these domains in its own developmental journey. At the same time, connectivity initiatives should always respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries,” he added.

    Beijing is investing billions of dollars in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan. India has protested to China over the economic corridor – the flagship project of the BRI – as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

    Jaishankar said India shares deep civilisational ties with the people of the SCO region.

    Currently, the SCO countries include India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

    “The continuous movement of goods, ideas and people traversing the region has left indelible imprints on our customs, traditions, language and cuisine. These historical relationships should now create a template for greater economic cooperation,” he said.

    “To improve trade within the region, we need robust connectivity and infrastructure. Such initiatives should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries,” he said.

    “The Global South should not be saddled with unviable debt arising from opaque initiatives,” Jaishankar said, in another jibe at China, which is accused of launching unviable infrastructure projects in countries like Sri Lanka and Pakistan, saddling those countries with debts.

    At the same time, Jaishankar said that the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) could become enablers in bringing economic prosperity to the region.

    The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, which many see as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, was jointly announced by the leaders of the US, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union on the sidelines of the G20 summit in September.

    The International North-South Transport Corridor is a 7,200-km long multi-mode network of ship, rail, and road routes for moving freight between India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.

    The Global South refers to countries often characterised as developing, less developed, or underdeveloped, primarily located in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

    Beijing was the lender of choice for many nations over the past decade. Many borrowed heavily from China. There have been global concerns over debt traps and regional hegemony by China using its ambitious BRI infrastructure projects.

    China is doling out huge sums of money for infrastructure projects in countries from Asia to Africa and Europe. The US’ previous Donald Trump administration had been extremely critical of the BRI and was of the view that China’s “predatory financing” is leaving smaller countries under huge debt endangering their sovereignty.

    During its SCO presidency, Jaishankar said, India focused on five new verticals of cooperation- Startups and Innovation, Traditional Medicine, Science and Technology, Youth Empowerment and Shared Buddhist Heritage. The response received highlighted the relevance of the chosen themes.

    “We adopted a Statement on Cooperation in Digital Transformation and we have also institutionalized a Special Working Group on Startups and Innovation. India is also hosting SCO Startup Forum on a regular basis,” he said.

    He said that the world is facing challenges of a looming economic recession, broken supply chains, food and energy insecurity and this calls for closer cooperation within the SCO in this context.

    Noting that climate change is one of the serious challenges facing humanity, he said India has pioneered along with partners Global Initiatives contributing to climate action.

    “This includes the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient infrastructure, the infrastructure for resilient island states and the leadership group on industry transition,” he added.

    “India has also launched mission life to bring individual behavioural change to the forefront of global climate action. With a narrative defined by mindful and deliberate utilisation of resources, we have only earth with one shared future therefore we hope that the fight against climate change will unite the world as one family,” he added.

    He said India was committed to tackling the challenge of energy security.

    “We ranked fourth in wind, energy and solar energy. Our government has taken various measures to increase the use of alternate fuel through the National Hydrogen Mission. We are moving towards an environmentally friendly energy source. It will help India and all our partners to achieve the goal of net zero carbon emissions,” he said.

    Underlining that food security continues to be a challenge in many parts of the world, he said India believes in harnessing the power of millets as one possible means to ensure global food security. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

    BISHKEK: India on Thursday said that the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) should work together to promote stability and prosperity in the region by strictly adhering to the principles of international law, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other and encouraging economic cooperation, in an apparent dig at China.

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made the remarks here in his address to the 22nd session of the Council of Heads of Government of SCO, which was attended by representatives from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Iran, China, Russia, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

    “SCO should work together to promote stability and prosperity in the region by strictly adhering to the principles of international law, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other and encouraging economic cooperation,” he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });

    In this context, the centrality of the interests of Central Asian states plays a key role, he said, adding that India is keen to partner with member states for sustainable, mutually beneficial and financially viable solutions as it strives to improve trade within the region.

    “We need robust connectivity and infrastructure. India has accorded utmost priority to these domains in its own developmental journey. At the same time, connectivity initiatives should always respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries,” he added.

    Beijing is investing billions of dollars in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan. India has protested to China over the economic corridor – the flagship project of the BRI – as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

    Jaishankar said India shares deep civilisational ties with the people of the SCO region.

    Currently, the SCO countries include India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

    “The continuous movement of goods, ideas and people traversing the region has left indelible imprints on our customs, traditions, language and cuisine. These historical relationships should now create a template for greater economic cooperation,” he said.

    “To improve trade within the region, we need robust connectivity and infrastructure. Such initiatives should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries,” he said.

    “The Global South should not be saddled with unviable debt arising from opaque initiatives,” Jaishankar said, in another jibe at China, which is accused of launching unviable infrastructure projects in countries like Sri Lanka and Pakistan, saddling those countries with debts.

    At the same time, Jaishankar said that the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) could become enablers in bringing economic prosperity to the region.

    The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, which many see as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, was jointly announced by the leaders of the US, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union on the sidelines of the G20 summit in September.

    The International North-South Transport Corridor is a 7,200-km long multi-mode network of ship, rail, and road routes for moving freight between India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.

    The Global South refers to countries often characterised as developing, less developed, or underdeveloped, primarily located in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

    Beijing was the lender of choice for many nations over the past decade. Many borrowed heavily from China. There have been global concerns over debt traps and regional hegemony by China using its ambitious BRI infrastructure projects.

    China is doling out huge sums of money for infrastructure projects in countries from Asia to Africa and Europe. The US’ previous Donald Trump administration had been extremely critical of the BRI and was of the view that China’s “predatory financing” is leaving smaller countries under huge debt endangering their sovereignty.

    During its SCO presidency, Jaishankar said, India focused on five new verticals of cooperation- Startups and Innovation, Traditional Medicine, Science and Technology, Youth Empowerment and Shared Buddhist Heritage. The response received highlighted the relevance of the chosen themes.

    “We adopted a Statement on Cooperation in Digital Transformation and we have also institutionalized a Special Working Group on Startups and Innovation. India is also hosting SCO Startup Forum on a regular basis,” he said.

    He said that the world is facing challenges of a looming economic recession, broken supply chains, food and energy insecurity and this calls for closer cooperation within the SCO in this context.

    Noting that climate change is one of the serious challenges facing humanity, he said India has pioneered along with partners Global Initiatives contributing to climate action.

    “This includes the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient infrastructure, the infrastructure for resilient island states and the leadership group on industry transition,” he added.

    “India has also launched mission life to bring individual behavioural change to the forefront of global climate action. With a narrative defined by mindful and deliberate utilisation of resources, we have only earth with one shared future therefore we hope that the fight against climate change will unite the world as one family,” he added.

    He said India was committed to tackling the challenge of energy security.

    “We ranked fourth in wind, energy and solar energy. Our government has taken various measures to increase the use of alternate fuel through the National Hydrogen Mission. We are moving towards an environmentally friendly energy source. It will help India and all our partners to achieve the goal of net zero carbon emissions,” he said.

    Underlining that food security continues to be a challenge in many parts of the world, he said India believes in harnessing the power of millets as one possible means to ensure global food security. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

  • We have a lot of censorship requirements in mainland China: Chow Yun-fat at BIFF

    By AFP

    BUSAN: Hong Kong film legend Chow Yun-fat on Thursday lamented China’s “difficult” censorship while conceding the mainland market’s crucial financial importance for filmmakers.

    Speaking at South Korea’s Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), Chow told reporters that Hong Kong’s cinema industry had to learn to play by a new set of rules since the city returned to China’s control in 1997.

    “We have a lot of censorship requirements in mainland China. Our scripts must go through a lot of different departments for the film bureau”, BIFF’s Asian Filmmaker of the Year honouree said.

    But while Chow said things were “very difficult” for Hong Kong’s filmmakers, they also knew it was necessary to reach the “huge” mainland Chinese audience to “make a living”.

    “We have to pay attention to our government … otherwise it is very hard to get the money to shoot a movie,” he said, adding they still strove to maintain the “Hong Kong spirit”.

    In announcing this year’s honour, BIFF organisers heaped praise on Chow for “spearheading the golden age of Hong Kong cinema” that flowered in the early 1990s, and making “Hong Kong noir” a globally recognised genre.

    Three of Chow’s films — “A Better Tomorrow” (1986), “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000) and 2023’s “One More Chance” — will be screened at the festival.

    Freedom

    Along with Tony Leung, his “Hard Boiled” co-star and 2022 BIFF honouree, Chow has long been a well-liked figure in South Korea thanks to Hong Kong cinema’s surge in popularity in the 1990s.

    Since then, South Korea has cemented its own status as a global cultural powerhouse, and has had explosive successes like Oscar-winning film “Parasite” and the Netflix series “Squid Game”.

    “It’s a good thing that when one industry feels stagnant and unable to move forward, another region can take it even further,” Chow said, when asked about the rise of South Korean cinema.

    “I believe the greatest strength of Korean cinema lies in its freedom.”

    Despite his prolific career and global fame, Chow said he still considers himself an “ordinary person”.

    In 2018, he vowed to donate his fortune to charity after he dies.

    Chow quipped Thursday that it was his wife’s decision, but added: “I believe that since I came into this world with nothing, it doesn’t really matter if I leave with nothing as well.”

    BUSAN: Hong Kong film legend Chow Yun-fat on Thursday lamented China’s “difficult” censorship while conceding the mainland market’s crucial financial importance for filmmakers.

    Speaking at South Korea’s Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), Chow told reporters that Hong Kong’s cinema industry had to learn to play by a new set of rules since the city returned to China’s control in 1997.

    “We have a lot of censorship requirements in mainland China. Our scripts must go through a lot of different departments for the film bureau”, BIFF’s Asian Filmmaker of the Year honouree said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    But while Chow said things were “very difficult” for Hong Kong’s filmmakers, they also knew it was necessary to reach the “huge” mainland Chinese audience to “make a living”.

    “We have to pay attention to our government … otherwise it is very hard to get the money to shoot a movie,” he said, adding they still strove to maintain the “Hong Kong spirit”.

    In announcing this year’s honour, BIFF organisers heaped praise on Chow for “spearheading the golden age of Hong Kong cinema” that flowered in the early 1990s, and making “Hong Kong noir” a globally recognised genre.

    Three of Chow’s films — “A Better Tomorrow” (1986), “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000) and 2023’s “One More Chance” — will be screened at the festival.

    Freedom

    Along with Tony Leung, his “Hard Boiled” co-star and 2022 BIFF honouree, Chow has long been a well-liked figure in South Korea thanks to Hong Kong cinema’s surge in popularity in the 1990s.

    Since then, South Korea has cemented its own status as a global cultural powerhouse, and has had explosive successes like Oscar-winning film “Parasite” and the Netflix series “Squid Game”.

    “It’s a good thing that when one industry feels stagnant and unable to move forward, another region can take it even further,” Chow said, when asked about the rise of South Korean cinema.

    “I believe the greatest strength of Korean cinema lies in its freedom.”

    Despite his prolific career and global fame, Chow said he still considers himself an “ordinary person”.

    In 2018, he vowed to donate his fortune to charity after he dies.

    Chow quipped Thursday that it was his wife’s decision, but added: “I believe that since I came into this world with nothing, it doesn’t really matter if I leave with nothing as well.”

  • Delhi Police seize laptops, mobile of journalists

    By Express News Service

    The Special Cell of the Delhi Police on Tuesday morning conducted raids and seized laptops and mobile phones from journalists associated with the news portal NewsClick.

    According to official sources, the Special Cell has registered a case in the matter under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

    UAPA is a law designed to be used against terrorisit organization, and enables authorities to detain suspects for up to six months without filing chargesheet. They can also keep suspects in police custody for up to 30 days.

    Authoritiies have previously indicated that they suspect the owners of the portal to have received money from Chinese sources to fund the daily operations of the organization.

    At the same time, it is unusual for journalists of an organization to be raided in a case involving financial mismanagement by the owners or the parent company.

    In today’s raid, the journalists have been questioned and their mobile and laptops were seized by the cops. However, no arrests have been made so far.

    Senior Journalist Abhisar Sharma took to social media to inform about the raid being conducted at his residence.

    “Delhi police landed at my home. Taking away my laptop and Phone…,” Sharma wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

    Sources confirmed to the New Indian Express that searches are being made at around a dozen locations, including the office of NewsClick.On August 5, The New York Times published a report titled “A Global Web of Chinese Propaganda Leads to a US Tech Mogul” which claimed that the news portal NewsClick was part of a global network that received funding from American millionaire Neville Roy Singham, who allegedly works closely with the Chinese government media.

    Referring to the NYT report, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur had alleged that the Congress, China and NewsClick are attached to an ‘anti-India umbilical cord’ and the agenda of the Communist Party of China is being pushed through the website.

    Following the NYT report, the NewsClick had also issued a statement two days later and claimed that the allegations were made against it “are unfounded and without basis in fact or law.”

    The Special Cell of the Delhi Police on Tuesday morning conducted raids and seized laptops and mobile phones from journalists associated with the news portal NewsClick.

    According to official sources, the Special Cell has registered a case in the matter under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

    UAPA is a law designed to be used against terrorisit organization, and enables authorities to detain suspects for up to six months without filing chargesheet. They can also keep suspects in police custody for up to 30 days.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Authoritiies have previously indicated that they suspect the owners of the portal to have received money from Chinese sources to fund the daily operations of the organization.

    At the same time, it is unusual for journalists of an organization to be raided in a case involving financial mismanagement by the owners or the parent company.

    In today’s raid, the journalists have been questioned and their mobile and laptops were seized by the cops. However, no arrests have been made so far.

    Senior Journalist Abhisar Sharma took to social media to inform about the raid being conducted at his residence.

    “Delhi police landed at my home. Taking away my laptop and Phone…,” Sharma wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

    Sources confirmed to the New Indian Express that searches are being made at around a dozen locations, including the office of NewsClick.
    On August 5, The New York Times published a report titled “A Global Web of Chinese Propaganda Leads to a US Tech Mogul” which claimed that the news portal NewsClick was part of a global network that received funding from American millionaire Neville Roy Singham, who allegedly works closely with the Chinese government media.

    Referring to the NYT report, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur had alleged that the Congress, China and NewsClick are attached to an ‘anti-India umbilical cord’ and the agenda of the Communist Party of China is being pushed through the website.

    Following the NYT report, the NewsClick had also issued a statement two days later and claimed that the allegations were made against it “are unfounded and without basis in fact or law.”

  • Blockbuster movie scares Chinese tourists away from Thailand

    By AFP

    BANGKOK: For millions of Chinese tourists, Thailand used to be a happy land of water fights, lantern festivals and delicious food.

    But thanks to social media rumours and a blockbuster movie, the kingdom’s image among many Chinese people is now one of dangerous illegality and seedy scam border compounds — leaving visitor numbers plummeting.

    Thailand is hugely reliant on tourism, particularly from China. The country welcomed more than 10 million Chinese visitors each year before the Covid-19 pandemic — numbers Bangkok is desperate to see return.

    But its struggling holiday industry has been hit by viral social media rumours claiming that tourists might be kidnapped and sent across the border to work in brutal scamming compounds in Myanmar or Cambodia.

    Chinese tourist Jia Xueqiong spent a week in Thailand with her husband and daughter, despite her parents’ disapproval.

    “They felt it was not safe here, and tried to persuade us not to come,” the 44-year-old nurse told AFP outside Bangkok’s unusually quiet Grand Palace.

    “All my friends said ‘You go first to explore, if it’s ok we will follow’,” she said.

    Her family and friends’ concerns were stoked by “No More Bets”, a high-octane thriller claiming to be based on “real events”, about a computer programmer who ends up in a violent scamming compound in Southeast Asia after being trafficked through an unnamed country remarkably similar to Thailand.

    The movie has some basis in reality.

    Extensive reporting by AFP and other media has documented thousands of Chinese people lured to centres in Southeast Asia, mainly in Myanmar and Cambodia, to operate online scams fleecing victims for large sums.

    But most of those involved are tricked into it with fake offers of lucrative work — not dragged off the streets while on holiday — and so far, no such scam compounds have been found in Thailand.

    ALSO READ | Can China’s push to replace dollar with yuan as world’s reserve currency succeed?

    Despite only being released in August, “No More Bets” has become the third-most-popular film in China this year, raking in 3.8 billion yuan ($521 million) and super-charging online discussion about the dangers of visiting Thailand.

    Beijing student Leanna Qian, 22, told AFP that while she knew some of the stories were “exaggerated”, she was still concerned about travelling to the kingdom.

    “I’m worried that we’ll be taken to other places, such as Cambodia or Myanmar,” she said.

    Action call

    Thailand welcomed a record-breaking 11 million Chinese tourists in 2019 — a quarter of all visitors that year, according to official data.

    But since the start of 2023, only 2.3 million Chinese tourists have come, and last week the Thai government announced temporary visa-free travel for Chinese travellers in a bid to restart the flow.

    Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, told AFP that negative online chatter had played a role in the drop.

    “Things don’t happen in Thailand but Thailand is targeted,” he said.

    Rumours began in March online and spread rapidly, with posts shared and viewed millions of times. Topics about whether travel in Southeast Asia was safe trended on Weibo.

    The rumours grew so persistent that earlier this year, the Thai embassy in Beijing released a statement reassuring visitors that officials would “take measures to secure tourists’ safety”.

    And across the border, the president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, Chhay Sivlin, told AFP that the situation was worse.

    Chhay Sivlin said her company has received no Chinese tour groups so far this year, and feedback highlighted many tourists’ worries about safety.

    “If the Chinese government helps, we will receive tourists soon because Chinese people listen to their government,” she said.

    ‘Never return’

    Back in China, travel agents are switching their focus from foreign trips — which accounted for more than 40 percent of their tourism revenue pre-pandemic — to pushing domestic tours.

    Business is also suffering the after-effects of Beijing’s draconian Covid control measures, which saw around 1.2 billion people unable to leave China after its borders were shut in 2020.

    Gary Bowerman, director of travel and tourism consulting firm Check-in Asia, said it took time for people to get used to travelling abroad again.

    “Going out of the country again, you start hearing about these scams… It does have an impact on people’s psychological willingness to travel,” he told AFP.

    Meanwhile, domestic travel is booming — especially for younger people, who view it as an on-trend alternative to flying abroad, Bowerman explained.

    In the office of a Beijing-based travel agency, which declined to be identified, staff were busy pushing domestic holiday promotions.

    The agency formerly employed more than 200 people but downscaled to only a few dozen as a result of the worsening global economy, visa difficulties, and a slow aviation industry recovery.

    “There’s not much willingness to go abroad,” employee Guo, who asked to be referred to by only one name, told AFP.

    And, she added, for Southeast Asia “there’s also the fear that they could go but never return.”

    Outside Bangkok’s Grand Palace with her family, tourist Jia dismissed the fears of many inside China.

    “It isn’t like what’s said on the internet, being scammed or other things,” she said.

    “There is nothing like that at all.”

    BANGKOK: For millions of Chinese tourists, Thailand used to be a happy land of water fights, lantern festivals and delicious food.

    But thanks to social media rumours and a blockbuster movie, the kingdom’s image among many Chinese people is now one of dangerous illegality and seedy scam border compounds — leaving visitor numbers plummeting.

    Thailand is hugely reliant on tourism, particularly from China. The country welcomed more than 10 million Chinese visitors each year before the Covid-19 pandemic — numbers Bangkok is desperate to see return.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });

    But its struggling holiday industry has been hit by viral social media rumours claiming that tourists might be kidnapped and sent across the border to work in brutal scamming compounds in Myanmar or Cambodia.

    Chinese tourist Jia Xueqiong spent a week in Thailand with her husband and daughter, despite her parents’ disapproval.

    “They felt it was not safe here, and tried to persuade us not to come,” the 44-year-old nurse told AFP outside Bangkok’s unusually quiet Grand Palace.

    “All my friends said ‘You go first to explore, if it’s ok we will follow’,” she said.

    Her family and friends’ concerns were stoked by “No More Bets”, a high-octane thriller claiming to be based on “real events”, about a computer programmer who ends up in a violent scamming compound in Southeast Asia after being trafficked through an unnamed country remarkably similar to Thailand.

    The movie has some basis in reality.

    Extensive reporting by AFP and other media has documented thousands of Chinese people lured to centres in Southeast Asia, mainly in Myanmar and Cambodia, to operate online scams fleecing victims for large sums.

    But most of those involved are tricked into it with fake offers of lucrative work — not dragged off the streets while on holiday — and so far, no such scam compounds have been found in Thailand.

    ALSO READ | Can China’s push to replace dollar with yuan as world’s reserve currency succeed?

    Despite only being released in August, “No More Bets” has become the third-most-popular film in China this year, raking in 3.8 billion yuan ($521 million) and super-charging online discussion about the dangers of visiting Thailand.

    Beijing student Leanna Qian, 22, told AFP that while she knew some of the stories were “exaggerated”, she was still concerned about travelling to the kingdom.

    “I’m worried that we’ll be taken to other places, such as Cambodia or Myanmar,” she said.

    Action call

    Thailand welcomed a record-breaking 11 million Chinese tourists in 2019 — a quarter of all visitors that year, according to official data.

    But since the start of 2023, only 2.3 million Chinese tourists have come, and last week the Thai government announced temporary visa-free travel for Chinese travellers in a bid to restart the flow.

    Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, told AFP that negative online chatter had played a role in the drop.

    “Things don’t happen in Thailand but Thailand is targeted,” he said.

    Rumours began in March online and spread rapidly, with posts shared and viewed millions of times. Topics about whether travel in Southeast Asia was safe trended on Weibo.

    The rumours grew so persistent that earlier this year, the Thai embassy in Beijing released a statement reassuring visitors that officials would “take measures to secure tourists’ safety”.

    And across the border, the president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, Chhay Sivlin, told AFP that the situation was worse.

    Chhay Sivlin said her company has received no Chinese tour groups so far this year, and feedback highlighted many tourists’ worries about safety.

    “If the Chinese government helps, we will receive tourists soon because Chinese people listen to their government,” she said.

    ‘Never return’

    Back in China, travel agents are switching their focus from foreign trips — which accounted for more than 40 percent of their tourism revenue pre-pandemic — to pushing domestic tours.

    Business is also suffering the after-effects of Beijing’s draconian Covid control measures, which saw around 1.2 billion people unable to leave China after its borders were shut in 2020.

    Gary Bowerman, director of travel and tourism consulting firm Check-in Asia, said it took time for people to get used to travelling abroad again.

    “Going out of the country again, you start hearing about these scams… It does have an impact on people’s psychological willingness to travel,” he told AFP.

    Meanwhile, domestic travel is booming — especially for younger people, who view it as an on-trend alternative to flying abroad, Bowerman explained.

    In the office of a Beijing-based travel agency, which declined to be identified, staff were busy pushing domestic holiday promotions.

    The agency formerly employed more than 200 people but downscaled to only a few dozen as a result of the worsening global economy, visa difficulties, and a slow aviation industry recovery.

    “There’s not much willingness to go abroad,” employee Guo, who asked to be referred to by only one name, told AFP.

    And, she added, for Southeast Asia “there’s also the fear that they could go but never return.”

    Outside Bangkok’s Grand Palace with her family, tourist Jia dismissed the fears of many inside China.

    “It isn’t like what’s said on the internet, being scammed or other things,” she said.

    “There is nothing like that at all.”

  • Who sought Modi, Xi meet? Both sides differ

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: India on Friday countered China’s claim that the conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Johannesburg took place at New Delhi’s request.

    “There was a pending request from the Chinese side for a bilateral meeting. The two leaders, however, had an informal conversation in the leaders’ lounge during the BRICS Summit,’’ said a source.

    The Indian version came after the Chinese foreign ministry issued a readout of the conversation, stating they met on India’s request, adding the talks were in-depth and candid.

    “President Xi Jinping spoke with PM Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit at India’s request. An in-depth exchange of views on current China-India relations and other questions of shared interest took place. President Xi stressed that improving China-India relations serves the common interest of the two countries and peoples and is conducive to peace, stability and development of the world and the region,’’ stated the Chinese statement.

    “The two sides should bear in mind the overall interests of their bilateral relations and handle properly the border issue so as to jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border region,’’ the statement noted.

    On Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra had said, “On the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, Prime Minister Modi in a conversation with President Xi Jinping, highlighted his concerns on the unresolved issues on the LAC in the Western Sector of the India-China border.”

    “PM Modi underlined that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and observing and respecting the LAC are essential for the normalisation of the Indo-China relationship. In this regard the two leaders agreed to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation,” Kwatara said.

    Prime Minister Modi and President Xi held the conversation on Wednesday on the sidelines of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Johannesburg. The conversation was not a structured bilateral meeting and was an informal one. The two leaders were also seen shaking hands and exchanging courtesies after the joint conference of the BRICS leaders.

    NEW DELHI: India on Friday countered China’s claim that the conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Johannesburg took place at New Delhi’s request.

    “There was a pending request from the Chinese side for a bilateral meeting. The two leaders, however, had an informal conversation in the leaders’ lounge during the BRICS Summit,’’ said a source.

    The Indian version came after the Chinese foreign ministry issued a readout of the conversation, stating they met on India’s request, adding the talks were in-depth and candid.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “President Xi Jinping spoke with PM Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit at India’s request. An in-depth exchange of views on current China-India relations and other questions of shared interest took place. President Xi stressed that improving China-India relations serves the common interest of the two countries and peoples and is conducive to peace, stability and development of the world and the region,’’ stated the Chinese statement.

    “The two sides should bear in mind the overall interests of their bilateral relations and handle properly the border issue so as to jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border region,’’ the statement noted.

    On Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra had said, “On the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, Prime Minister Modi in a conversation with President Xi Jinping, highlighted his concerns on the unresolved issues on the LAC in the Western Sector of the India-China border.”

    “PM Modi underlined that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and observing and respecting the LAC are essential for the normalisation of the Indo-China relationship. In this regard the two leaders agreed to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation,” Kwatara said.

    Prime Minister Modi and President Xi held the conversation on Wednesday on the sidelines of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Johannesburg. The conversation was not a structured bilateral meeting and was an informal one. The two leaders were also seen shaking hands and exchanging courtesies after the joint conference of the BRICS leaders.

  • Everyone in Ladakh knows China has taken away our land: Rahul Gandhi

    By PTI

    KARGIL: Raking up the border issue, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said every individual in Ladakh knows that China has “taken away our land” and claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion that not an inch of land was taken away was “absolutely false.”

    The former Congress president’s remarks come after Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a conversation on Wednesday on the sidelines of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Johannesburg.

    The conversation was not a structured bilateral meeting and was an informal one.

    “I visited the whole of Ladakh on my motorcycle over the past week. Ladakh is a strategic place and when I was at Pangong lake, one thing was clear that China had taken over thousands of kilometers of Indian land. Unfortunately, the prime minister during an opposition meeting makes a statement that not an inch of our land was taken away which is ‘absolutely false’,” he said addressing a public meeting here on the last day of his nine-day tour of Ladakh.

    “Every individual of Ladakh knows that China has taken away our land and the prime minister is not speaking the truth,” he alleged.

    This is the second time during his Ladakh tour that the Congress leader has raked up the border issue with China.

    On Sunday last, Gandhi had claimed that Modi’s statement that not an inch of the land in Ladakh has been taken over by China is not true.

    India’s Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Thursday said Modi conveyed to Xi India’s concerns on the “unresolved” issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, underlining that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in border areas was essential for normalisation of India-China ties.

    The ties between India and China came under severe strain following the eastern Ladakh border row that began in May, 2020.

    The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in an over three-year confrontation in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks.

    During the public meeting, Gandhi also extending support to Leh-based Apex body and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which are fighting for full statehood and safeguards under sixth schedule of the Constitution, and said his party would not allow the BJP to hand over the resource-rich land of the union territory to its corporate friend.

    The former Congress president said he was briefed by the people about their demand for political representation, safeguards for land, culture and language, unemployment, non-functional Kargil airport and the problem of cell phone coverage.

    “I heard you and want to convey that the Congress is standing with you in your struggle, whether linked to the demand for safeguards or employment issues. All the people know that Ladakh is rich in natural resources. The 21st century is of solar energy and Ladakh has no dearth of it,” he said.

    “The BJP knows and understands that if you will be given (political) representation, they cannot snatch your land,” he said and alleged that the “BJP wants to take your land for (industrialist Gautam) Adani and we will not allow this to happen”.

    The two powerful bodies are jointly campaigning to press for their four-point demands, including full statehood, safeguards under sixth schedule of the Constitution, creation of two separate parliamentary constituencies for Leh and Kargil districts, recruitment and job reservation for the youth of Ladakh.

    Both the Apex body and KDA, which is a separate amalgam of socio-religious, political and youth organisations of Leh and Kargil districts, were formed after the Centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into Union territories of J-K and Ladakh.

    The BJP Ladakh unit was also part of the Apex body but later distanced itself after it raised the demand for full statehood.

    In an apparent reference to Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio broadcast, Gandhi said, “Some are speaking what is in their heart but I came here to know what is in your heart. One thing is clear that the ideology of Gandhi and Congress exists in the blood and DNA of the people of Ladakh.”

    He said migrant labourers from different parts of the country, including Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, told him that they feel that Ladakh is their second home as locals are lending a helping hand whenever they come forward to seek their support.

    Referring to his Bharat Jodo Yatra from September 7, 2022 to January 30, 2023, he said the only goal of the foot march was to stand up against the “hatred and violence being spread by BJP and RSS” in the country and spread the message of love and brotherhood.

    “The yatra was not supposed to end in Srinagar but in Ladakh. The administration did not allow us to continue the march due to harsh winter and we accepted it. My visit is in continuation of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. I visited every nook and corner of the region on the motorcycle and heard the people,” he said.

    He also thanked the people of Kargil for always standing with the country during crisis and war, and said, “All the people in the country, irrespective of their religion, language and culture are equal for us and we all want to live together with love and respect.”

    Gandhi described Ladakh as the most beautiful region of the country and assured the people that he will raise both their local and central issues during the next Parliament session.

    After his over 15-minute long address, Gandhi walked past the security cover to interact with the gathering amid chants of ‘Jodo Jodo Bharat Jodo’.

    Besides the working president of Ladakh Congress Asgar Ali Karbalai, National Conference leader and co-chairman of KDA Qamar Ali Akhnoon, AICC in-charge of J-K and Ladakh Rajni Patel were present at the public rally.

    KARGIL: Raking up the border issue, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said every individual in Ladakh knows that China has “taken away our land” and claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion that not an inch of land was taken away was “absolutely false.”

    The former Congress president’s remarks come after Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a conversation on Wednesday on the sidelines of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Johannesburg.

    The conversation was not a structured bilateral meeting and was an informal one.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “I visited the whole of Ladakh on my motorcycle over the past week. Ladakh is a strategic place and when I was at Pangong lake, one thing was clear that China had taken over thousands of kilometers of Indian land. Unfortunately, the prime minister during an opposition meeting makes a statement that not an inch of our land was taken away which is ‘absolutely false’,” he said addressing a public meeting here on the last day of his nine-day tour of Ladakh.

    “Every individual of Ladakh knows that China has taken away our land and the prime minister is not speaking the truth,” he alleged.

    This is the second time during his Ladakh tour that the Congress leader has raked up the border issue with China.

    On Sunday last, Gandhi had claimed that Modi’s statement that not an inch of the land in Ladakh has been taken over by China is not true.

    India’s Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Thursday said Modi conveyed to Xi India’s concerns on the “unresolved” issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, underlining that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in border areas was essential for normalisation of India-China ties.

    The ties between India and China came under severe strain following the eastern Ladakh border row that began in May, 2020.

    The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in an over three-year confrontation in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks.

    During the public meeting, Gandhi also extending support to Leh-based Apex body and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which are fighting for full statehood and safeguards under sixth schedule of the Constitution, and said his party would not allow the BJP to hand over the resource-rich land of the union territory to its corporate friend.

    The former Congress president said he was briefed by the people about their demand for political representation, safeguards for land, culture and language, unemployment, non-functional Kargil airport and the problem of cell phone coverage.

    “I heard you and want to convey that the Congress is standing with you in your struggle, whether linked to the demand for safeguards or employment issues. All the people know that Ladakh is rich in natural resources. The 21st century is of solar energy and Ladakh has no dearth of it,” he said.

    “The BJP knows and understands that if you will be given (political) representation, they cannot snatch your land,” he said and alleged that the “BJP wants to take your land for (industrialist Gautam) Adani and we will not allow this to happen”.

    The two powerful bodies are jointly campaigning to press for their four-point demands, including full statehood, safeguards under sixth schedule of the Constitution, creation of two separate parliamentary constituencies for Leh and Kargil districts, recruitment and job reservation for the youth of Ladakh.

    Both the Apex body and KDA, which is a separate amalgam of socio-religious, political and youth organisations of Leh and Kargil districts, were formed after the Centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into Union territories of J-K and Ladakh.

    The BJP Ladakh unit was also part of the Apex body but later distanced itself after it raised the demand for full statehood.

    In an apparent reference to Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio broadcast, Gandhi said, “Some are speaking what is in their heart but I came here to know what is in your heart. One thing is clear that the ideology of Gandhi and Congress exists in the blood and DNA of the people of Ladakh.”

    He said migrant labourers from different parts of the country, including Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, told him that they feel that Ladakh is their second home as locals are lending a helping hand whenever they come forward to seek their support.

    Referring to his Bharat Jodo Yatra from September 7, 2022 to January 30, 2023, he said the only goal of the foot march was to stand up against the “hatred and violence being spread by BJP and RSS” in the country and spread the message of love and brotherhood.

    “The yatra was not supposed to end in Srinagar but in Ladakh. The administration did not allow us to continue the march due to harsh winter and we accepted it. My visit is in continuation of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. I visited every nook and corner of the region on the motorcycle and heard the people,” he said.

    He also thanked the people of Kargil for always standing with the country during crisis and war, and said, “All the people in the country, irrespective of their religion, language and culture are equal for us and we all want to live together with love and respect.”

    Gandhi described Ladakh as the most beautiful region of the country and assured the people that he will raise both their local and central issues during the next Parliament session.

    After his over 15-minute long address, Gandhi walked past the security cover to interact with the gathering amid chants of ‘Jodo Jodo Bharat Jodo’.

    Besides the working president of Ladakh Congress Asgar Ali Karbalai, National Conference leader and co-chairman of KDA Qamar Ali Akhnoon, AICC in-charge of J-K and Ladakh Rajni Patel were present at the public rally.

  • Indian Army division commander in Ladakh meets Chinese counterpart; talks focus on standoff areas

    Express News Service

    The division commander of the Indian Army in Ladakh on Friday met his Chinese counterpart to take forward the talks on the disengagement of troops from the standoff areas of Depsang and Demchok.

    Defence sources confirmed the meeting at the level of the Major Generals, saying “It was to carry forward the discussions by the ground commanders as part of confidence-building measures.”

    This follows an elaborate 19th corps commander-level talks that continued for two days for the first time. In the process to resolve the issues Brigadier-level meetings continue to take place often, sources added. India maintains that its ties with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas.

    The 3 Division of the Indian Army looks after the 832-km Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh. There has been no movement forward on standoffs in Depsang and Demchok.

    The standoff persists at Depsang Y-Junction and Demchok even before the May 2020 standoff began. Sources said the Depsang standoff has resulted in obstruction of Indian troop movement to the traditional Patrolling Points (PP) PP 10, PP11, PP 11A, PP12 and PP13, covering 952 sq km.

    A few tents have been pitched by the Chinese on the Indian side in Demchok and have refused to pull back. The Chinese side dominates around 150 sq km in this area.

    Technical term for corps commander-level talks is senior highest military commander level (SHMCL); so far there have been 19 rounds of talks. Matters have earlier been resolved at the higher commander level (Major General) meetings.

    There has been disengagement at Galwan, North and South banks of Pangong Tso, Gogra-Hot Springs with the corps commanders meetings in addition to the multiple diplomatic parlays between the two countries.

    As reported first by this newspaper, the Chinese moved in their troops after the clashes at Finger 4 area on the North Bank of Pangong Tso.

    Subsequently, the standoff spread to other areas. After 2020, India and China currently maintain a combined deployment of over 1 lakh soldiers along with a massive presence of tanks and artillery.

    In May the Indian Army put its foot down on the restoration of patrolling rights till traditional points in the remaining standoff points. The standoff at Depsang is of much significance where the Chinese troops have blocked access to PPs 10, 11, 11A, 12, and 13.

    The sub-sector North, of which Depsang is a part, is strategically most relevant.

    The terrain here is such that large-scale armour operations are possible. China has multiple roads feeding this area while India has only the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulet Beg Oldi (DSDBO) road.

    By sitting at the Y Junction, China can obstruct India’s movement. Depsang is also a link towards Siachen and the DBO airfield. The Y Junction is about 20km from the strategic airfield Daulat Beg Oldi.

    The division commander of the Indian Army in Ladakh on Friday met his Chinese counterpart to take forward the talks on the disengagement of troops from the standoff areas of Depsang and Demchok.

    Defence sources confirmed the meeting at the level of the Major Generals, saying “It was to carry forward the discussions by the ground commanders as part of confidence-building measures.”

    This follows an elaborate 19th corps commander-level talks that continued for two days for the first time. In the process to resolve the issues Brigadier-level meetings continue to take place often, sources added. India maintains that its ties with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The 3 Division of the Indian Army looks after the 832-km Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh. There has been no movement forward on standoffs in Depsang and Demchok.

    The standoff persists at Depsang Y-Junction and Demchok even before the May 2020 standoff began. Sources said the Depsang standoff has resulted in obstruction of Indian troop movement to the traditional Patrolling Points (PP) PP 10, PP11, PP 11A, PP12 and PP13, covering 952 sq km.

    A few tents have been pitched by the Chinese on the Indian side in Demchok and have refused to pull back. The Chinese side dominates around 150 sq km in this area.

    Technical term for corps commander-level talks is senior highest military commander level (SHMCL); so far there have been 19 rounds of talks. Matters have earlier been resolved at the higher commander level (Major General) meetings.

    There has been disengagement at Galwan, North and South banks of Pangong Tso, Gogra-Hot Springs with the corps commanders meetings in addition to the multiple diplomatic parlays between the two countries.

    As reported first by this newspaper, the Chinese moved in their troops after the clashes at Finger 4 area on the North Bank of Pangong Tso.

    Subsequently, the standoff spread to other areas. After 2020, India and China currently maintain a combined deployment of over 1 lakh soldiers along with a massive presence of tanks and artillery.

    In May the Indian Army put its foot down on the restoration of patrolling rights till traditional points in the remaining standoff points. The standoff at Depsang is of much significance where the Chinese troops have blocked access to PPs 10, 11, 11A, 12, and 13.

    The sub-sector North, of which Depsang is a part, is strategically most relevant.

    The terrain here is such that large-scale armour operations are possible. China has multiple roads feeding this area while India has only the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulet Beg Oldi (DSDBO) road.

    By sitting at the Y Junction, China can obstruct India’s movement. Depsang is also a link towards Siachen and the DBO airfield. The Y Junction is about 20km from the strategic airfield Daulat Beg Oldi.

  • Eastern Ladakh: Amidst prevailing tensions deterrent capabilities beefed up

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: While the tensions prevail along the Line of Control in Eastern Ladakh work on beefing the overall military capability to match the Chinese build-up continues. 

    Sources said, “Plan is to refurbish all the Air Bases in Ladakh and the government has already given permissions to develop the Nyoma Airbase into a full-fledged fighter base.”

    Ladakh already has Leh and Thoise which are capable of supporting fighter aircraft operations. The Demchok Sector has Fukche Advanced Landing Ground also. 

    Nyoma is at over 13,000 feet and is less than 50 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Fighter aircraft, new radars, and upgraded drones for enhancing surveillance in Ladakh can operate from there.

    The next focus will be on constructing hangars to safeguard the fighters from the vagaries of weather and terrain, the sources added.

    The movement has been towards strengthening the deterrent military posture and there has been deployment of troops, weaponry and Platforms. “We have paid every attention to sustain our deployed forces, monitor the enemy build and be ready, even with fighter operations, if the need arises.”

    In terms of platforms strategic airlift transport aircraft and helicopters have played an important role since the standoff which began in May 2020. The area also saw the quick deployment of fighters like the Rafale, Sukhoi and Jaguars. Even MiG-29 fighters were moved ahead in a mirror deployment to that of China.

    The Chinese side has also significantly improved its military infrastructure including its air force facilities in areas bordering India, have been constructing new airbases and expanding existing ones.

    There have also been instances when Chinese fighter jets flew extremely close to India’s defences.

    Multiple Divisions Airlifted 

    With the Chinese People’s Liberation Army moving in its troops in large numbers, the Indian Air Force had to swing into action pressing its strategic airlift transport fleet. Over 68,000 troops were moved within a limited period to forward locations and 90 tanks, 330 Infantry Combat Vehicles, the Russian BMPs, and several artillery guns, were airlifted, a total load exceeding 9000 tonnes, sources said. 

    Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs) from the forward bases are operated gathering for surveillance operations.

    The story of clashes in Ladakh was broken by TNIE in May 2020. Indian and Chinese troops continue to be still locked in standoff mode in Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks.

    The heightened deployments from both sides continue in the area and there have been no clashes since Galwan of June 2020.

    Meanwhile, the 19th round of Corps Commander-level talks to discuss de-escalation in Eastern Ladakh is scheduled for August 14.

    Upgraded Israeli Heron UAVs

    “We have enhanced our surveillance capabilities and are looking at furthering it by deploying the latest technology that will allow us to catch Chinese activities even deeper,” said the sources in the security establishment.

    Sources said the Indian Air Force has recently procured four new Heron Mk2 drones that are the upgraded versions of the existing fleet and will be put into operation in Ladakh. 

    NEW DELHI: While the tensions prevail along the Line of Control in Eastern Ladakh work on beefing the overall military capability to match the Chinese build-up continues. 

    Sources said, “Plan is to refurbish all the Air Bases in Ladakh and the government has already given permissions to develop the Nyoma Airbase into a full-fledged fighter base.”

    Ladakh already has Leh and Thoise which are capable of supporting fighter aircraft operations. The Demchok Sector has Fukche Advanced Landing Ground also. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Nyoma is at over 13,000 feet and is less than 50 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Fighter aircraft, new radars, and upgraded drones for enhancing surveillance in Ladakh can operate from there.

    The next focus will be on constructing hangars to safeguard the fighters from the vagaries of weather and terrain, the sources added.

    The movement has been towards strengthening the deterrent military posture and there has been deployment of troops, weaponry and Platforms. “We have paid every attention to sustain our deployed forces, monitor the enemy build and be ready, even with fighter operations, if the need arises.”

    In terms of platforms strategic airlift transport aircraft and helicopters have played an important role since the standoff which began in May 2020. The area also saw the quick deployment of fighters like the Rafale, Sukhoi and Jaguars. Even MiG-29 fighters were moved ahead in a mirror deployment to that of China.

    The Chinese side has also significantly improved its military infrastructure including its air force facilities in areas bordering India, have been constructing new airbases and expanding existing ones.

    There have also been instances when Chinese fighter jets flew extremely close to India’s defences.

    Multiple Divisions Airlifted 

    With the Chinese People’s Liberation Army moving in its troops in large numbers, the Indian Air Force had to swing into action pressing its strategic airlift transport fleet. Over 68,000 troops were moved within a limited period to forward locations and 90 tanks, 330 Infantry Combat Vehicles, the Russian BMPs, and several artillery guns, were airlifted, a total load exceeding 9000 tonnes, sources said. 

    Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs) from the forward bases are operated gathering for surveillance operations.

    The story of clashes in Ladakh was broken by TNIE in May 2020. Indian and Chinese troops continue to be still locked in standoff mode in Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks.

    The heightened deployments from both sides continue in the area and there have been no clashes since Galwan of June 2020.

    Meanwhile, the 19th round of Corps Commander-level talks to discuss de-escalation in Eastern Ladakh is scheduled for August 14.

    Upgraded Israeli Heron UAVs

    “We have enhanced our surveillance capabilities and are looking at furthering it by deploying the latest technology that will allow us to catch Chinese activities even deeper,” said the sources in the security establishment.

    Sources said the Indian Air Force has recently procured four new Heron Mk2 drones that are the upgraded versions of the existing fleet and will be put into operation in Ladakh. 

  • India to host SCO summit virtually on July 4, opts against in-person meet

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India will host the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the virtual format on July 4, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Tuesday.

    However, it did not cite reasons for holding the summit in the virtual mode.

    People familiar with the matter said the option of holding the summit in the virtual format was on the table considering various aspects and a final decision on it was taken following consultations with the member states.

    Last year, the in-person SCO summit took place in the Uzbek city of Samarkand that was attended by all top leaders of the grouping including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

    In September, India will host the G20 summit for which it is going to invite Xi and Putin besides other leaders of the bloc.

    India assumed the rotating chairmanship of the SCO at the Samarkand Summit on September 16 last year. “Under India’s first-ever chairmanship, the 22nd summit of the SCO Council of Heads of State will be held in the virtual format on July 4, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” the MEA said in a statement.

    India hosted the foreign ministers of the SCO at a two-day conclave in Goa earlier this month.

    The MEA said all the SCO member states — China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — have been invited to attend the summit.

    “In addition, Iran, Belarus and Mongolia have been invited as observer states. As per SCO tradition, Turkmenistan has also been invited as the guest of the chair,” it said.

    The SCO is an influential economic and security bloc and has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations.

    The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017. Heads of the two SCO bodies — the secretariat and the SCO RATS (Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure) will also be present.

    The MEA said heads of six international and regional organisations have also been invited to the summit. The organisations are the UN, the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization), EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union) and CICA (Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia).

    The theme of the summit is ‘Towards a SECURE SCO’.

    The SECURE acronym was coined by Prime Minister Modi at the 2018 SCO summit and it stands for Security; Economy and Trade; Connectivity; Unity; Respect for Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity; and Environment. These themes have been highlighted during India’s chairmanship of the SCO.

    “India has set up new pillars of cooperation under its chairmanship — startups and innovation; traditional medicine; digital inclusion; youth empowerment; and shared buddhist heritage,” the MEA said.

    “In addition, India has worked towards fostering greater people-to-people ties that celebrate the historical and civilizational bonds between our nations. These include the various socio-cultural events hosted by Varanasi under the framework of the first-ever SCO cultural and tourist capital for 2022-23,” it said.

    The MEA said India’s chairmanship of SCO has been a period of intense activity and mutually beneficial cooperation between member states.

    “India has hosted a total of 134 meetings and events, including 14 Ministerial-level meetings. India remains committed to play a positive and constructive role in the organization, and looks forward to a successful SCO Summit as the culmination of its Chairmanship,” it said.

    India was made an observer at the SCO in 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping, which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region.

    India has shown a keen interest in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence.

    NEW DELHI: India will host the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the virtual format on July 4, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Tuesday.

    However, it did not cite reasons for holding the summit in the virtual mode.

    People familiar with the matter said the option of holding the summit in the virtual format was on the table considering various aspects and a final decision on it was taken following consultations with the member states.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Last year, the in-person SCO summit took place in the Uzbek city of Samarkand that was attended by all top leaders of the grouping including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

    In September, India will host the G20 summit for which it is going to invite Xi and Putin besides other leaders of the bloc.

    India assumed the rotating chairmanship of the SCO at the Samarkand Summit on September 16 last year. “Under India’s first-ever chairmanship, the 22nd summit of the SCO Council of Heads of State will be held in the virtual format on July 4, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” the MEA said in a statement.

    India hosted the foreign ministers of the SCO at a two-day conclave in Goa earlier this month.

    The MEA said all the SCO member states — China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — have been invited to attend the summit.

    “In addition, Iran, Belarus and Mongolia have been invited as observer states. As per SCO tradition, Turkmenistan has also been invited as the guest of the chair,” it said.

    The SCO is an influential economic and security bloc and has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations.

    The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017. Heads of the two SCO bodies — the secretariat and the SCO RATS (Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure) will also be present.

    The MEA said heads of six international and regional organisations have also been invited to the summit. The organisations are the UN, the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization), EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union) and CICA (Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia).

    The theme of the summit is ‘Towards a SECURE SCO’.

    The SECURE acronym was coined by Prime Minister Modi at the 2018 SCO summit and it stands for Security; Economy and Trade; Connectivity; Unity; Respect for Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity; and Environment. These themes have been highlighted during India’s chairmanship of the SCO.

    “India has set up new pillars of cooperation under its chairmanship — startups and innovation; traditional medicine; digital inclusion; youth empowerment; and shared buddhist heritage,” the MEA said.

    “In addition, India has worked towards fostering greater people-to-people ties that celebrate the historical and civilizational bonds between our nations. These include the various socio-cultural events hosted by Varanasi under the framework of the first-ever SCO cultural and tourist capital for 2022-23,” it said.

    The MEA said India’s chairmanship of SCO has been a period of intense activity and mutually beneficial cooperation between member states.

    “India has hosted a total of 134 meetings and events, including 14 Ministerial-level meetings. India remains committed to play a positive and constructive role in the organization, and looks forward to a successful SCO Summit as the culmination of its Chairmanship,” it said.

    India was made an observer at the SCO in 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping, which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region.

    India has shown a keen interest in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence.