[NATIONAL]

Quad Meet: Main Highlights

• President Joe Biden- The US would respond militarily if China invades Taiwan, ‘that’s the commitment we made’ “We agree with the One China policy and all the attendant agreements we made. But the idea that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, would just not be appropriate,” Mr. Biden said. (here)
• Against any unilateral attempt to change the status quo, says Japanese PM over China-Taiwan issue- We’re against any unilateral attempt to change the status quo. In Asia, peace and stability must be upheld & defended. We will strengthen our defense capability. The US, an ally for Japan,” says Japanese PM Fumio Kishida ahead of Quad.
• In Tokyo, Biden endorses Japan’s plan to beef up its defenses- President endorsed Japan’s plan to beef up its defense capabilities as he and PM Kishida committed to working closely to counter China’s growing influence in Asia. The president commended Kishida’s determination to strengthen Japan’s defense capabilities, the WH stated following the meeting. The 2 leaders committed to working closely on China’s “increasingly coercive behavior that runs counter to international law“, it said. The two were expected to hold a joint news conference. (here)
• ‘Don’t underestimate us’: China hits back at the US after Biden’s warning over Taiwan-Expressing strong dissatisfaction in response to Biden’s remarks on the Taiwan question, Chinese FM Wang Yi said, “On issues related to China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, China has no room for compromise.” (here)
• PM Modi participates in a round table with Japanese business leaders in Tokyo– Top executives and CEOs of 34 Japanese companies participated in the event, mostly these companies have investments and operations in India. The companies represented diverse sectors including automobiles, electronics, semiconductors, steel, technology, trading, and banking & finance. Key business bodies and organizations from India and Japan such as Keidanren, Japan External Trade Organization, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Japan-India Business Consultative Committee and Invest India also participated in the event. (here)
• Prime Minister’s meeting with Dr. Nobuhiro Endo, Chairman, NEC Corporation PM Modi met Chairman, NEC Corporation on Mon in Tokyo. NEC has undertaken Chennai-Andaman and Nicobar and Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands OFC projects. Japan to contribute to smart cities, 5G projects in India: NEC Corporation Chairman (here)
• PM meeting with Osamu Suzuki, Senior Advisor, Suzuki Motor Corp- discussed strategies for building the local innovation system in India, including skill development through Japan-India Institutes of Manufacturing and Japanese Endowed Courses. (here)
• PM meeting with Tadashi Yanai, Chairman, President, and CEO, Fast Retailing Co. Ltd.- PM met Yanai, the parent company of Uniqlo, on Mon and invited Uniqlo’s enhanced participation in India’s journey to becoming a manufacturing hub for textiles, particularly the use of technologies in textile manufacturing. (here)
• Ahead of Quad summit, Chinese FM Wang Yi slams the US for pursuing ‘Indo-Pacific Strategy’- Ahead of the Quad summit on Tue, Chinese FM Wang Yi slammed the US’s Indo-Pacific strategy on Sun, charging that the Quad was formed in the guise of freedom and openness but with the purpose to contain China, while he was addressing a press conference after talks with visiting Pak’s FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Guangzhou, (Xinhua). Wang also questioned changing the term from “Asia-Pacific” to “Indo-Pacific” and kept referring to Asia-Pacific. Bhutto began his 2-day visit to China on Sat, amid the slow progress of CPEC projects and worsening security situation in Pakistan that have caused friction between the two countries. (here)
• PM Modi joins the US President, and Japanese PM at the launch of Indo Pacific Economic Framework in Tokyo- India joins the US-led IPEF— a mega “economic arrangement” that will be launched by US President to counter China’s rising economic clout. The IPEF will have the US, Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, S Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam as members, representing 40% of the world economy. (here) The IPEF consists of 4 key principles to unify economies among its partners: a wide variety of trade issues, improving the “transparency, diversity, security, and sustainability in our supply chains,” privacy provisions to protect against money laundering or bribery regimes and strong labor and environmental standards including decarbonization. (here)

“We share a commitment to a free, open, fair, inclusive, interconnected, resilient, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region that has the potential to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth,” a joint statement from IPEF leaders said. 

• Foreign Secy Vinay Kwatra and CEO of U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, Scott Nathan sign the India-USA Investment Incentive Agreement (IIA). The signing of IIA would lead to enhanced investment support provided by IDFC in India, thereby encouraging investment in key sectors.
• Biden says ‘considering’ lifting some China trade tariffs– US President said Mon he is “considering” lifting some trade tariffs on China, noting they were not imposed by his administration. “We did not impose any of those tariffs,” adding again that lifting them was “under consideration.”

India and the US reached an understanding during Fin Minister’s visit to the US last month and it was agreed that although the IPEF will demand “high standards”, supply-chain resilience, and infrastructure, it will nevertheless be a “strategic move” targeting China. India already has bilateral trade agreements with the Quad except for the US. New Delhi now believes it will help India face up to the China challenge, as Beijing tries to dominate all the supply-chain linkages in Asia under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which came into effect on 1 Jan 2022. ‘Powerful message’ to Beijing, claimed US NSA on Wed. (here)

India shouldn’t retain ties with Afghanistan’s previous rulers, says Taliban leader Shaheen

India should establish ties based on national and mutual interest with the Taliban govt in Kabul and sever all links with the former Ashraf Ghani govt, according to Suhail Shaheen, head of the Taliban’s political office in Doha and official spokesperson. He said that the Taliban was committed to providing full security to Indian diplomats. Before that, India had also closed down its consulates. Since the Taliban takeover, India has sent several batches of humanitarian aid and assistance to Afghanistan from food grains, medicines, and other essential items. Shaheen also reiterated the Taliban’s commitment to the international community that it made under the Doha Agreement, which was signed between the Taliban and the US in Feb 2020. Committee to look at the reopening of schools for Afghan girls (here) Afghanistan has caused constant unrest and a severe food crunch in the country with the newest one emerging in the form of soaring food prices, especially the inflation of flour which presently costs about 2800 to 3000 Afghanis (1= 0.85 Indian Rupee).

India sends food, and medicine donations to crisis-hit Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka received the first consignment of a $16 million humanitarian aid package from India to help mitigate severe shortages caused by the country’s worst economic crisis in recent memory. Gopal Baglay, the Indian envoy to Sri Lanka, delivered the donation from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Gamini Peiris late Sunday. The goods include rice, milk powder, and essential medicines. (here).

Govt will likely to stick to fiscal deficit target, says RBI chief

The government is likely to stick to its fiscal deficit target as specified in the budget and there may not necessarily be a need for increased government borrowing just yet, governor Shaktikanta Das told CNBC-TV18 in an interview. India on Sat announced a series of changes to the tax structure levied on crucial commodities in a bid to insulate consumers from rising prices. Experts said the latest moves will likely increase fiscal concerns and raise doubts about govt meeting its deficit target of 6.4% of GDP for 2022-23. Governor Das said fiscal and monetary authorities were working in coordination to control inflation which has stayed well above the central bank’s mandated target band of 2-6%. (here)

Pak PM backs Yasin Malik, says India mistreating ‘political prisoners’ in J&K

Days after separatist leader Yasin Malik was convicted by a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on terror funding charges, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif on Mon backed the chairman of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, calling upon world leaders to take note of what he said was India’s ‘mistreatment of political prisoners’ in J&K. The ‘prominent’ Kashmiri leader has been convicted on ‘fake’ terrorism charges, PM said. (here)

12 booked for shouting pro-Pakistan slogans in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh

The Hazaribagh police have booked a dozen people including a victorious Panchayat Samiti member for allegedly shouting ‘pro-Pakistan’ slogans during a victory procession, officials said on Mon. The incident occurred on May 19 during a victory procession taken out by supporters of Amina Khatoon, who became a member of Panchayat Samiti, just outside the counting station at Hazaribagh Basar Samiti campus in the district. Police took action after a video of the purported incident began circulating on social media. Amina’s son claimed there were more Hindu supporters even at the victory procession where the alleged sloganeering is said to have been done. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

China’s Xinjiang crackdown under scrutiny ahead of UN rights chief visit

The highly scrutinized 6-day trip by High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet will begin Mon, with stops in the cities of Urumqi and Kashgar in Xinjiang, as well as Guangzhou in southern China, as reported. China’s crackdown on Muslim minorities in the remote region of Xinjiang will return to the spotlight next week when Beijing hosts the UN human rights chief for the first time in nearly two decades. Bachelet will meet “several high-level officials“, her office said, adding that she would “also meet with civil society organizations, business representatives, academics, and deliver a lecture to students at Guangzhou University”. But hopes of a thorough investigation into rights abuses have given way to concern among rights advocates that the ruling CCP will use the visit to whitewash its alleged atrocities. Instead, campaigners fear that Bachelet will get a stage-managed tour that sidelines key issues.

Chinese-run ports worldwide exert pier pressure

Infrastructure deals with foreign countries – including airports and ports – are instrumental for China to exert greater influence on other countries, which is showing itself in the Pacific at present. China has already sewn up a security cooperation deal with the Solomon Islands, and now Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be visiting Fiji, Solomons, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and possibly Kiribati one after the other to sign deals relating to things like airports and runways. However, ports are the most useful for a militant-minded China, as such facilities could have a direct military application like servicing Chinese warships, a potential channel for Chinese weapons overseas. If China has access to foreign ports that are close to airfields, that possess fuel supplies, spare parts, dry docks, and roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) piers suitable for unloading military vehicles, it has a distinct advantage in all sorts of scenarios. If Ro-Ro berths are built to higher specifications (e.g. a min 10x10m, cargo assembly sites, storage areas greater than 120,000 m^2, and quality service roads), this allows heavy military equipment to be unloaded. Currently, some 86% of Chinese-run foreign ports are capable of berthing the PLAN’s largest Shandong aircraft carrier. (here)

Iranian firefighting aircraft to join operation as Balochistan forest inferno rages on

A firefighting airplane provided by Iran has reached Quetta and will start aiding in efforts to extinguish the forest fire which has been raging since May 18 in Balochistan’s Koh-i-Suleman range, Forest Officer said on Mon. The fire in the Shirani forest started a week ago after the area was struck by lightning and has since engulfed hundreds of trees dotting the mountain range, home to the world’s largest pine nuts (chilghoza) forest and connecting Balochistan, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. It has now turned into a raging inferno, forcing several residents of nearby villages to move to safer locations. Different species of animals and birds are also under threat. (here)

Govt mulls reduced working days to save fuel

Amid rising oil consumption and import bill, owing to higher international prices, the govt is examining the possibility of fuel conservation through reduced working days a week. It hopes to save an estimated annual foreign exchange of up to $2.7 billion. The estimates are based on 3 different scenarios in terms of working days and fuel conservation prepared by the State Bank of Pakistan for foreign exchange savings of $1.5-2.7bn. Total oil import during the first 10 months (Jul-Apr) FY22 has gone beyond $17bn, showing a massive 96% growth compared to the same period last fiscal year. This includes the import of petroleum products worth $8.5bn and petroleum crude of $4.2bn, showing a 121% and 75% surge, respectively. This increase is not solely because of international price hikes as the import quantities of petroleum products and crude have also increased by 24% and 1.3%, respectively. (here) Fin Minister said on Mon that he would convey to the International Monetary Fund that fuel and energy subsidies — which were introduced by the previous PTI govt — could not be reversed as the “nation cannot endure it”. Ismail, who is due to leave for Doha today to participate in talks with the IMF for the resumption of a $6 billion loan program that has been stalled since early Apr. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif had ruled out the possibility of ending the subsidies. (here)

IT exports to touch $5bn mark in next fiscal year, says Aminul Haq

Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecom­muni­cation Aminul Haq has said that Pakistan’s IT exports would touch the $3 billion mark in the current year while a $5bn target was fixed for the next year., while speaking at the inauguration of a National Incubation Centre (NIC) here on Sat evening, he said an investment target of Rs 600m was fixed for the IT sector which had attracted $75m investment in fiscal 2019-20. Pointing out that IT exports were increasing rapidly, he said that in 2019-20, they stood at $1.4bn which would rise in 2021-22. He added that around 47.4pc increase was recorded in IT exports and by Jun 30, the $3bn mark would be touched. (here)

Counter-Terrorism Department Punjab arrested 5 alleged terrorists of banned organizations.

According to the spokesperson, CTD Punjab conducted 22 intelligence-based operations in different districts of the province to deal with any untoward incidents of terrorism. 23 suspects were interrogated and weapons, explosives, and other contraband were recovered from their possession. (Daily Jinnah, Nawaiwaqt)

Protest rallies and demonstrations of the Give Rights to Balochistan movement

Protest rallies and demonstrations of the Give Rights to Balochistan movement against the enforced disappearance of Baloch women and serious allegations were held in the coastal city of Gwadar in Balochistan on Sun. A large number of the Give Rights to Balochistan movement activists and citizens led by Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman Baloch and Hussain Wadila patrolled the streets of Gwadar carrying placards and banners and protesting against the enforced disappearances of Baloch women staged protests at the martyrs Jivani Chowk. (Nawaiwaqt, Daily Express) The leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee Doctor Mahrang Baloch has criticized the large-scale presence of police in Quetta. She had tweeted that the police in large numbers is called to disperse the protestors and stop the protest at Quetta. (Intekhab Daily)

Taiwan’s attempt to join World Health Organization’s assembly fails

Taiwan’s bid to take part in the World Health Organization’s annual assembly was rejected on Mon, the assembly said, in a decision that follows a campaign of diplomatic pressure from China to isolate the island. Assembly president Ahmed Robleh Abdilleh, also Djibouti’s health minister, said in a statement that a proposal sent by 13 WHO members seeking for Taiwan to join as an observer would not be included in its official agenda. Taiwan is excluded from most global groups due to Beijing’s objections. China insists that Taiwan should not be treated as an independent country as it considers the island to be one of its provinces. (here)