VIF Neighbourhood News Digest - 9 Feb 2018

Pakistan

National security committee reviews Pak-US ties: Dawn

09 Feb, 2018
A day after the military’s top brass reviewed the “geo-strategic and security environment” in the context of US policy on the region, the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) went into a session on Thursday to receive briefing from officials of the defence and foreign affairs ministries on US-Pakistan ties. The head of the committee, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, who in the past had informed reporters about discussions taken place during the in-camera meetings, on Thursday refused to give any media briefing due to the amendment to the rules recently passed by the Senate providing for punishment to the members found guilty of leaking out details of in-camera proceedings of the house.Click here to read... [2]

Afghanistan

Afghan Forces Inflict Heavy Losses To Taliban: Nicholson: Tolo News

08 Feb, 2018
The US Forces Commander in Afghanistan General John Nicholson visited the American troops base in Laghman on Thursday to assess security of the eastern parts of the country. Nicholson said the Afghan forces’ offensives, backed by US Air Force, have prevented the collapse of districts and provincial centers to the Taliban and other groups. The US general said the Afghan security and defense forces with the support of the Resolute Support forces have inflicted heavy losses to the Taliban and other groups. “The success of the Afghan operations around the country supported by Resolute Support and US forces have caused the enemy high casualties everywhere. This has caused them to stop their attempts to seize provincial capitals, to stop trying to seize districts and instead return to these horrible suicide attacks, which target civilians, innocent civilians, with indiscriminate bombing in the cities,” Nicholson told TOLOnews. Click here to read... [3]

Nepal

Left alliance commands two-thirds majority in National Assembly: Kathmandu Post

09 Feb, 2018
The left alliance which narrowly missed out on the two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives (HoR) has crossed that 66 percent with a comfortable margin in the National Assembly elections that concluded on Wednesday. With a combined strength of 39 seats, the CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Centre) have secured the two-thirds majority in the Upper House, while the government has yet to recommend three names to be picked to complete the House. The left alliance has won 69 percent or 56 seats in the 59-member strong Upper House. However, the wining share in total 59-member House stands at 66.11 percent. Click here to read... [4]

Maldives

China against UN intervention in the Maldives: Hindustan Times
08 Feb, 2018

China indicated on Thursday that it is against any intervention by the UN in the political crisis in the Maldives, reiterating that the turmoil was the country’s internal affair. The UN Security Council is expected to discuss the crisis in the Maldives, which boiled over when President Abdulla Yameen imposed emergency on Monday, during a closed-door meeting. The UN has also urged President Abdulla Yameen to end a state of emergency. “China has followed closely the situation in the Maldives. China thinks that the current situation and dispute in the Maldives are its internal affairs,” foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said. Click here to read... [5]

BANGLADESH

Khaleda Zia jailed for five years in corruption case: Al-Jazeera

08 Feb, 2018
A court in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, has sentenced former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to jail in a corruption case. Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Court-5 on Thursday sentenced the two-time former prime minister to five years rigorous imprisonment. He read out selected parts of the 632-page verdict. "The verdict proves no one is above the law," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Haque said after the verdict was announced amid tight security. Zia, chairperson of the country's main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and five others were accused of embezzlement of funds meant for the Zia Orphanage Trust. Tarique Rahman, Zia's elder son and heir apparent, and four others were sentenced to 10 years in this politically significant case that comes ahead of general elections due in December. Click here to read... [6]

MYANMAR

U.S. passes Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act: Mizzima

09 Feb, 2018

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has passed legislation authored by U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Ben Cardin (D-MD), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to impose targeted sanctions and travel restrictions on senior Burmese military officials allegedly responsible for human rights abuses in Rakhine State. The Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act would prohibit specific military cooperation with the Burmese military until the Departments of State and Defense can certify that officials have halted the violence. The bill would also support economic and security sector reform, and encourage Burma’s successful transition of power to a civilian government. Click here to read... [7]

CHINA

China's aid to Maldives attaches no political conditions: FM: People’s Daily

09 Feb 2018
China has never attached any political conditions to aiding the Maldives, and the aid has done no harm to the country's sovereignty and independence, let alone jeopardized the Indian Ocean area's security, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said Thursday. Click here to read... [8]

Chinese state councilor says China, U.S. can address trade issue through opening markets: Xinhuanet

08 Feb 2018

Visiting Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi said here Thursday that China and the United States could properly address bilateral trade issue through opening of markets and "making a bigger cake of cooperation." While meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Yang said that China is committed to comprehensive reform at home, peaceful development and win-win cooperation. Noting that keeping the positive momentum of China-U.S. relations is in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples and the common aspirations of the international society, Yang said he hoped the U.S. side could meet China halfway to ensure the stable and healthy development of bilateral ties in the long run. Click here to read... [9]

China, US ‘to resume comprehensive economic dialogue’ amid trade war fears: South China Morning Post

09 Feb 2018

China and the United States have agreed to resume their high-level economic dialogue, according to the Chinese government, after the talks were suspended last year by the US amid rising trade tensions between the two nations. Click here to read... [10]

Spotlight: Chinese, S. Korean leaders meet in positive atmosphere on China-S. Korea ties, peninsula situation: Xinhuanet

08 Feb 2018

Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy Han Zheng and South Korean President Moon Jae-in held a meeting Thursday on enhancing bilateral ties and improving the situation on the Korean Peninsula in a cordial and friendly atmosphere. Click here to read... [11]

China plans sea-based anti-missile shields ‘for Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean’: South China Morning Post

08 Feb 2018

China is developing sea-based anti-missile systems and plans to deploy them in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean, according to military experts. The assessment came as Beijing announced it had carried out a successful test of its ground-based mid-course defence system on Monday. Click here to read... [12]

Boosting ties with ‘good neighbours’ in Asean top priority, Chinese defence minister says: South China Morning Post

08 Feb 2018

China’s defence minister told a meeting with his Asean counterparts that improving ties in Southeast Asia was a top priority for Beijing, calling on the two sides to tackle obstacles in the way of better relations. Chang Wanquan, who is also a State Councillor, made the remarks on Tuesday at an informal meeting with defence ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Singapore, according to a statement from the ministry on Thursday. Click here to read... [13]

Will Wang Qishan become Xi Jinping’s go-to man as Chinese vice-president? : South China Morning Post

09 Feb 2018

Other than Xi Jinping, perhaps no other Chinese Communist Party official draws as much attention from the outside world as Wang Qishan. Even though he has retired, there remains much speculation about his future.Click here to read... [14]

Legal services on tap for major improvement: China Daily

09 February 2018

Chinese will enjoy improved legal services in 2020 following the setting up of a new public judicial system, the nation's top justice authority said on Thursday. The system, which is scheduled to be unveiled in two years and covers residents from urban and rural areas, aims to meet the public's increasing demand for high-quality and efficient legal services, according to a Ministry of Justice statement. Click here to read... [15]