VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: 3rd July, 2018

PAKISTAN
Senior US official arrives to discuss Afghan peace: Dawn
July 3, 2018

A senior official of the US State Department, Ambassador Alice Wells, reached Islamabad from Kabul on Monday to again ask Pakistani authorities for pressurising the Taliban to join the peace process in Afghanistan. Ambassador Wells, deputy assistant secretary of state at the State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, opened her trip with a meeting with Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua at the Foreign Office. She is expected to meet other civil and military officials on Tuesday. During her stay in Kabul, she had said that the Taliban’s refusal to join the political process was “unacceptable”. She also accused the “Taliban ….who are not residing in Afghanistan” of being obstacle to the peace talks. She was apparently referring to Pakistan-based Taliban against whom the US has long asked for action. Click here to read.... [2]

AFGHANISTAN
Sikh Community want Jalalabad bombing investigated: Pajhwok News
July 2, 2018

Sikh minority members on Monday asked the government to investigate deadly attack that killed 19 people, including 17 Sikhs in Jalalabad, the capital of eastern Nangarhar province. On Sunday, the blast took place in Malang Jan square in the limits of the first municipality district at around 3:50pm targeting the vehicles that carried the Sikh minority community members. The blast happened over a hundred of meters away from the Governor’s House where President Ashraf Ghani, was present. Nangarhar-based Sikhs attended the funeral ceremony of their relatives killed in the bombing that claimed by Daesh or known as Islamic State rebels. They urged the government to properly investigate the suicide attack and punished the security forces who committed negligence. Click here to read.... [3]

NEPAL
2 Indian pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar die, over 1500 stranded: Kathmandu Post
July 3, 2018

Two Indians on pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar have died on Monday. Indian foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, in a series of tweet, said over 1,500 Indian pilgrims are stranded in Nepal and Tibet and they have requested Government of Nepal and local authorities for army helicopters to evacuate stranded Indians and provide them with necessary assistance. Click here to read.... [4]

SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka to shift naval base to China-controlled port city
July 3, 2018

Sri Lanka is shifting a naval base to a port built and controlled by China, it said on Monday, a move that will strengthen security at a harbour that foreign powers fear China could use for military purposes. The base currently in the tourist district of Galle will be moved 125 km (80 miles) east along Sri Lanka's southern coast to Hambantota, nearer a main shipping route between Asia and Europe. The US$1.5 billion deepwater port is likely to play a major role in China's "Belt and Road" initiative and is under a 99-year lease to China Merchants Port Holdings at a cost of US$1.12 billion. Government and diplomatic sources have told Reuters that the United States, India and Japan have raised concerns that China might use the port as a naval base. Click here to read.... [5]

CHINA
Xi tells Chinese youth to dare to dream: People's Daily
July 03, 2018

President Xi Jinping Monday told young Chinese to dare to dream, and work courageously and diligently to realize their dreams. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during a talk with the new leadership of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) Central Committee. "A country will have a great tomorrow, and a nation will be full of hopes, when the younger generations have ideals, ability and a strong sense of responsibility," Xi said. Click here to read.... [6]

National pricing system to curb pollution: People's Daily
July 03, 2018

China plans to build a national pricing system by the end of 2020 to encourage a reduction in pollution by putting a price on pollutants in a variety of sectors, including water contaminants and carbon emissions, according to the nation's top economic regulator. Click here to read.... [7]

Full text of Chinese commerce minister's signed article on People's Daily: Xinhuanet
July 03, 2018

Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan published a signed article on the People's Daily on Monday under the title "An open China and a win-win world." Click here to read.... [8]