VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: 22nd August, 2018

PAKISTAN

Taliban plan to attend Afghan talks in Moscow, says Russia: Dawn
August 22, 2018

Russia said on Tuesday that the Taliban had accepted an invitation for talks next month, in what promises to be one of the insurgent group’s biggest diplomatic forays since the 2001 US-led invasion. The announcement of the planned talks comes as the Taliban have expanded their footprint across Afghanistan and launched an unrelenting wave of attacks, including a prolonged assault on Ghazni, a strategic city near Kabul, earlier this month. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow invited the Taliban to the Sept 4 talks and was hoping for “productive” negotiations. “The first reaction was positive, they are planning to take part in the meeting,” he added.Click here to read... [2]

Kashmir parties support India-Pakistan talks: Dawn
August 22, 2018

Major political parties and the Hurriyat Conference in India-held Kashmir have expressed support for a Kashmir-centric dialogue between India and Pakistan, welcoming the intent for “constructive engagement” expressed by the former and “uninterrupted dialogue” by the latter, The Hindu said on Tuesday. It said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Confere­nce, described Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Min­ister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s remarks of “uninterrupted dialogue on Kash­mir” as “a positive development”.Click here to read... [3]

AFGHANISTAN

Atta Noor Threatens To Boycott Elections: Tolo News
August 21, 2018

Former governor of northern Balkh province and CEO of Jamiat-e-Islami party Atta Mohammad Noor on Tuesday warned that “if transparency of the elections is not guaranteed, we will boycott the elections.” Addressing Mazar-e-Sharif residents, during his Eid message, Noor said: “For the last time I am announcing to all friends, who are leaders of the government, to take my words seriously.” “If you do not bring reforms in all of Afghanistan or major parts of the country and do not accept the demands of the political parties over bringing of changes in the election system or voting system, including a biometric system, we will boycott your election,” he said. Noor said if their demands are not met and election transparency is not guaranteed the political parties will call for the resignation of government leaders and install an interim government.Click here to read... [4]

NEPAL

1,200 container trucks stranded in Kerung: Kathmandu Post
August 22, 2018

Around 1,200 container trucks have been stranded in the Chinese border town of Kerung for the last three weeks after landslides blocked the Dhunche-Rasuwagadhi road section. Ghattekhola Bridge at Gosainkunda Rural Municipality-2 was damaged by the flooded stream three weeks ago. Incessant rains have triggered landslides at Khopang cliff near Trishuli River along the Pasang Lamhu Highway. Tapindra Prasad Timalsina, chairman of Ekata Byapar Sangh Nepal, said container trucks loaded with goods for Teej, Dashain and Tihar festivals have been stranded in Kerung. Businessmen blamed the government of not paying attention to repair the damaged bridge and road sections. Shailesh Paudel, a businessman, said goods loaded in four sealed containers were robbed in Kerung.Click here to read... [5]

SRI LANKA

Japan offers to boost Sri Lanka security as China makes inroads: Channel News Asia
August 21, 2018

Japan has pledged to help strengthen Sri Lanka's maritime security, authorities said Tuesday (Aug 21), in a new sign of efforts to counter China's strategic grip on the Indian Ocean island. President Maithripala Sirisena thanked Japan's Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera for donating two coast guard patrol craft costing more than US$11 million in total, his office said in a statement after talks in Colombo.Click here to read... [6]

CHINA

Political advisers wrestle with pollution: China Daily
August 22, 2018

China's leading national political advisers offered suggestions for the country's pollution-control work as they gathered in Beijing on Monday for a three-day meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Their suggestions include dealing with urban and rural waste, solving air pollution in three years, shutting down polluting enterprises and protecting sources of water. China should step up its efforts to win the battle against pollution and tackle key environmental issues, said Wang Yang, chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC, who presided over the opening session of the meeting. Wang also urged political advisers to pool their wisdom on ways to protect the environment and build a beautiful China.Click here to read... [7]

China's efforts to finance real economy take effect: central bank: People’s Daily
August 22, 2018

China's policies since 2018 to tackle corporate financing difficulties and prompt the financial sector to better serve the real economy have taken effect, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said Tuesday. "Generally speaking, these policies have been implemented in an orderly manner and taken effect gradually," Zhu Hexin, deputy governor of the PBOC, told a press briefing. Zhu said the banking liquidity is reasonable and abundant with fast growth in loans. China's new yuan-denominated loans stood at 10.48 trillion yuan (1.5 trillion U.S. dollars) in the first seven months, up 1.69 trillion yuan year on year, central bank data showed. The credit structure continued to be optimized with stronger credit support for sectors including high-tech manufacturing, the service sector and poverty relief, said Zhu. The deputy governor stressed that China's deleveraging efforts have made very good progress and the central bank will stand firm on structural deleveraging.Click here to read... [8]

President Xi to chair China-Africa summit September 3-4: People’s Daily
August 22, 2018

Chinese President Xi Jinping will chair the 2018 Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation September 3-4, during which Chinese observers predicted stronger China-Africa ties. President Xi is set to chair the summit and hold relevant activities on the sidelines, said Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lu Kang, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday. Leaders are invited to attend as well as representatives of regional and international organizations, according to Xinhua. The relationships between China and African countries will be further strengthened by the summit, Song Wei, an associate research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation in Beijing, told the Global Times on Monday.Click here to read... [9]

China and India promise to keep peace on their border after last year’s Doklam stand-off: South China Morning Post
August 22, 2018

Chinese defence minister Wei Fenghe and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to maintain a peaceful border as the two militaries continue to work to repair their relationship. Wei, who is also a general in the People’s Liberation Army, told Modi during a visit to New Delhi that friendly cooperation has become the main component of China and India’s inter-military relations, the Chinese defence ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday. It was the first visit by a Chinese military leader since last year’s stand-off on the border between the two countries.Click here to read... [10]