Author: Nectar Gan

US Forces Returning to the Philippines to Counter China Threats
10Feb By Nectar GanNo Comments
World

US Forces Returning to the Philippines to Counter China Threats

The United States is sending forces back to the Philippines in an effort to counter China's increasing military presence and influence in the region. The decision to return American troops to the Philippines comes after years of tension between the two countries, with China claiming large swaths of the South China Sea and the Philippines pushing back against what it sees as an illegal expansion of Chinese influence. The move is part of a broader effort by the US to strengthen its presence in the Asia-Pacific region and maintain a balance of power in the face of China's growing influence. The US has been increasing its military presence in the region over the past few years, including through the deployment of more naval vessels and the strengthening of alliances with countries such as ...
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<strong>Pak pays heavy price for grooming terror; terrorists bleed their own master</strong>
1Feb By Nectar GanNo Comments
World

Pak pays heavy price for grooming terror; terrorists bleed their own master

A suicide bomber ripping apart a mosque at Peshawar’s Police Lines and leaving around 100 people, mostly policemen, dead created ripples in Pakistan.The government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was shaken to core by the attack. Terrorists who were trained by Pakistan to bleed India and other countries have turned their guns and bombs towards their trainer (Pakistan) and are leaving no opportunity to bleed their own master.     The bomb blast inside a police compound in the northwestern city of Peshawar has once again proven that terror has no religion and the terrorists can never be good.   Soon after the suicide bombing in the high security zone, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed the responsibility for the act.  ‘Good’ Taliban turn bad &n
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<strong>America to Strip China’s Permanent Free Trade Status</strong>
30Jan By Nectar GanNo Comments
China

America to Strip China’s Permanent Free Trade Status

After closing 50,000 domestic manufacturing plants and losing nearly 4 million jobs due to the approval of US free trade with China, American lawmakers have moved to strip the special trade ties with its arch-rival. The US Republican Senators Tom Cotton, Ted Budd, Rick Scott, and JD Vance introduced the China Trade Relations Act on January 26 to end China's Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status. According to Senator Cotton of Arkansas, the legislation would require China to obtain the most-favoured-nation (MNF) status with annual Presidential approval. The approval would be granted based on human rights records and trade abuses as factors for disqualification from the MNF status. "Communist China has enjoyed permanent most-favoured-nation status for two decades,...
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<strong>CHINA’S BRI PUSH IN 2023 TO FURTHER EXPAND ITS SOFT INFLUENCE</strong>
14Jan By Nectar GanNo Comments
Business, China

CHINA’S BRI PUSH IN 2023 TO FURTHER EXPAND ITS SOFT INFLUENCE

While China hides the truth about the near-stoppage of its most prestigious BRI project related to the economic corridor between the two countries in Pakistan, the communist country is using the new year to tom tom its success elsewhere. China embarked on the BRI project with Pakistan a few years ago but Pakistan realised neither its citizens nor its infrastructure were in reality profiting from it, other than provide China a land and rail facility to move its goods to Europe through Pakistan. During the period Imran Khan was Prime Minister, he saw through the game. Many projects were suspended as local Pakistanis started protesting, angered at the easy prosperity of Chinese nationals living in their country working on the projects while local Pakistanis hardly got any jobs or other...
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Becoming a Great “Maritime Power” : A Chinese Dream
10Jan By Nectar GanNo Comments
Asia, China

Becoming a Great “Maritime Power” : A Chinese Dream

In November 2012, then president Hu Jintao's work report to the Chinese Communist Party's 18th Party Congress was a defining moment in China's maritime history. Hu declared that China's objective is to be a haiyang qiangguo— that is, a strong or great maritime power. China "should enhance our capacity for exploiting marine resources, develop the marine economy, protect the marine ecological environment, resolutely safeguard China's maritime rights and interests, and build China into a strong maritime power".[1] Hu's report also called for building a military (the PLA) that would be "commensurate with China's international standing." These two objectives were repeated in the 2012 PRC defense white paper, which was not released until April 2013, after Xi Jinping had assumed Party and nat
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Beijing’s activity at Spratly islands leaves Philippines unhappy and disgusted
6Jan By Nectar GanNo Comments
China

Beijing’s activity at Spratly islands leaves Philippines unhappy and disgusted

 Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to China from January 3 to 6 is likely to be marred by the threat from Chinese activities at Spratly islands. The Philippines government has ordered its military to boost presence in South China Sea, citing a "threat" from Chinese "activities" at Spratly Islands. The order came two days after media reports emerged about China claiming more land in the major archipelago in South China Sea. Philippines is irritated by China’s constant attempts to reclaim several unoccupied land features in the South China Sea after satellited images emerged in the media about China’s illegitimate attempts of expansion in the South China Sea. For Philippines, it has come as a major setback however, it has begun closely watching China’s growing
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“Terror Epicenter Located Close To India”: S Jaishankar’s Veiled Dig At Pak In Austria
5Jan By Nectar GanNo Comments
Asia

“Terror Epicenter Located Close To India”: S Jaishankar’s Veiled Dig At Pak In Austria

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that the epicentre of terrorism is close to India in a subliminal jab at Pakistan.  At a press conference with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, Jaishankar said he had discussions with Austrian officials about the dangers terrorism poses to world peace.  We had a lengthy discussion about the dangers that terrorism poses to world peace and security, including its cross-border activities, violent extremism, radicalization, and fundamentalism, according to Jaishankar. He added, "Their effects cannot be contained within a region especially so when they are deeply connected to narcotics and illegal weapons trade, and other forms of international crime. Since the epicentre is located so close to India, nat
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Countering China: Japan Raises Military Spending to Record Levels
25Dec By Nectar GanNo Comments
Asia

Countering China: Japan Raises Military Spending to Record Levels

Japan is finally strengthening its military might against the looming Chinese threat. Following Japan’s new National Security Strategy that pledged to increase its defence budget from 1 per cent of GDP to 2 per cent, the Kishida government approved a record $862 billion budget for the 2023 fiscal year, with a large portion earmarked for defence spending amid rising regional security challenges from China. The budget includes $277.6 billion for social security and $51 billion for the military, a 26.3 per cent increase from $40.6 billion in the current defence budget, the Kyodo News reported on 23 December. That will bring Japan into the third position globally regarding military spending, behind the United States and China. The defence budget includes expenditures for the impr
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A cornered Pakistan in denial mode over pitiable state of its minorities
20Dec By Nectar GanNo Comments
Asia

A cornered Pakistan in denial mode over pitiable state of its minorities

Undergoing global criticism over treatment of religious minorities in the country, Pakistan government received a jolt in the form of latest designation by the United States under its International Religious Freedom Act. Pakistan was among the 12 nations which were identified as “countries of particular concern" for religious freedom on December 2, 2022. The countries were so designated for having engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom. This is not the first time that the United States has called out the role of Pak government and other institutions in suppressing the identity and curtailing the rights of minorities.  Earlier, through a report on Human Rights Practices for 2021, the US Department of State had raised serious questions on the tre
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China loses influence in South Asia
5Dec By Nectar GanNo Comments
Asia

China loses influence in South Asia

Beijing’s ambitious objectives of expanding its influence in South Asia appear to be facing troubles thanks to rising anti-China sentiments in the region. People and politicians in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Maldives have been expressing their opposition to China’s policies and its presence in their countries. The ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka, which led to the Chinese occupation of Hambantota port over non-repayment of loans, has added to the problem.The “predatory” lending for China-led infrastructure projects especially under the Belt Road Initiative (BRI) has become the major reason for the growing suspicion about China. In the past year, several anti-China protests have been held in Sri Lanka as the people of the island nation hold Chinese for the economic crisis. R
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