Tag: South&Central Asia

India, Mauritius upgrade strategic ties with eye on China

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NEW DELHI —  India and Mauritius have upgraded their ties, say leaders of both countries — a move analysts say is aimed at increasing New Delhi’s influence in the Indian Ocean as it seeks to counter China’s expanding footprint in the region. The announcement of upgraded ties came during a two-day visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mauritius, an island nation that sits along vital seaways in the western Indian Ocean. Modi, who was chief guest at Mauritius’s National Day celebrations on Wednesday, said that the countries had…

Popular Indian payment system faces restrictions due to China connections

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Paytm, a popular payment app in India, faces government restrictions on business because of its Chinese connections, local media say. India is ramping up scrutiny and restrictions on other Chinese tech companies, too, amid concerns about security and geopolitics. Henry Wilkins has the story from Mumbai. Voice of America

Amid China tensions, India delivers supersonic cruise missiles to Philippines 

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New Delhi —  India has begun delivery of supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines as the two countries tighten defense and strategic ties amid rising tensions between the East Asian nation and China over maritime disputes in the South China Sea. The BrahMos missiles are being acquired by the Philippines under a $ 375 million deal signed in 2022. “Now we are also exporting BrahMos missiles. The first batch of this missile is going to the Philippines today,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Friday at an election rally. India…

Pakistan protests ‘erroneous’ US sanctions on Chinese firms over missile program allegations

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Islamabad —  Pakistan criticized the United States on Saturday for penalizing four international companies on charges they are aiding its ballistic missile program. “Pakistan rejects political use of export controls,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch. The reaction came a day after Washington imposed sanctions on three Chinese companies and one Belarus-based firm for their alleged links to Islamabad’s missile development program. “These entities have supplied missile‐applicable items to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, including its long-range missile program,” the U.S. State Department said on Friday. It noted that the…

President Biden continues group diplomacy strategy

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U.S. President Joe Biden this week welcomed the prime minister of Japan and the president of the Philippines to the White House to discuss security in the Indo-Pacific region. VOA Senior Washington Correspondent Carolyn Presutti compares Biden’s security policies with those of his 2024 presidential opponent Donald Trump. Voice of America

Kyrgyz officials optimistic about China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project

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Kyrgyz officials remain upbeat about a much-anticipated China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, but skeptics say odds are stacked against this mega project. The project, referred to as CKU, dates to 1997, when the three countries signed a memorandum on construction of a railroad to link China’s Xinjiang province with the Andijan province of Uzbekistan through Kyrgyzstan’s Naryn and Osh provinces. Kyrgyz officials rolled out a red carpet April 2 for Erkin Tuniyaz, chairman of China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous region, who was visiting the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, on a two-day tour. The chairman of…

Central Asia leaders overlook plight of Uyghurs to woo China

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washington —  Any resentment among Central Asian leaders over China’s treatment of its Uyghur minority was swept aside during recent tours of the region by the chairman of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and the Chinese minister of public security. The warm welcome given the Chinese officials reflects the region’s growing economic ties with Beijing and its uneasiness with Russia — the region’s longtime guarantor against domestic rebellion — as that country struggles on the battlefield in Ukraine. Fears that Moscow’s territorial ambitions may extend to other former Soviet republics…

China’s Temu Drops Ad Campaign Over Personal Data Use Fears

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Paris, France —  Chinese online marketplace Temu said Saturday it would drop an advertising offer in which clients could gain vouchers in exchange for surrendering their personal data for an indefinite period. The campaign, launched this month in England and later in France, promised vouchers of up to 100 euros if a client downloaded the Temu shopping app and invited another person to sign up. But the terms of the offer state that Temu is granted the right to use for life, and without notice, much of a client’s personal…

China Says ‘Deeply Rooted’ Ties with Pakistan Unaffected by Terror Attack

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ISLAMABAD —  China said Wednesday it had asked Pakistan to “speed up the hunt” for those behind the previous day’s terrorist attack that killed five Chinese workers and their local driver. The foreign ministry spokesman told a news conference in Beijing that both countries were working closely to ensure “effective steps” were taken to protect the safety and security of Chinese personnel in Pakistan. Lin Jian said that Islamabad “promised to thoroughly investigate the incident, provide timely updates on the progress of the investigation, (and) strengthen security measures for Chinese…

Suicide Bombing Kills 5 Chinese Nationals in Pakistan

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Police in northern Pakistan said Tuesday that at least five Chinese nationals and their local driver were killed when a suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into their convoy. The attack occurred on the main highway linking Pakistan to China. Local police officer Bakht Zahir told VOA an investigation into the “suicide blast” was underway. No group immediately claimed responsibility for one of the deadliest attacks on Chinese nationals in recent years. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack and conveyed his condolences to the victims’ families and the…