With India halting export of Oxford-AstraZaneca vaccine following a massive spike in Covid 19 infection, Bangladesh has now turned to China for the jab, The Daily Star reported
South Asia's Balance of Payments Challenge: The Changing Dynamics of External Balances in South Asia
South Asia remains one of the least integrated regions in the world despite geographical proximity and complementary economic structures. Greater regional trade, improved transport connectivity, cross-border electricity markets, digital payment systems and investment partnerships could substantially reduce external vulnerabilities.
India's Employment Debate: A Future With Plenty of Work, But Fewer Jobs
Between 2004 and 2023, India produced roughly five million graduates every year, but graduate employment increased by only around 2.8 million annually. Even fewer obtained salaried employment. Millions are either unemployed or working below their qualifications or in the waiting room for the elusive government job.
How Sri Lanka Missed the Opportunity to Become a 200-billion dollar economy
Policy instability during the 2015-2024 likely pushed back Sri Lanka’s path towards becoming South Asia’s first High-Income Country. The 2022 financial crisis would never have happened as stable growth during the first half of 2015–2024 would have built enough buffer to weather impact of the Covid pandemic
When Nations Employ the Expansionary Grammar of Corporate Acquisitions
China’s Belt and Road Initiative - which funded Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port through loans resulting in a 99-year lease to Chinese State-owned enterprise in 2017 due to Colombo’s struggle to service said loans - follows the same expansionary script.
More on Economy, Trade and Development
Chinese Defence Minister pays tributes to Bangabandhu
Chinese State Councilor and Defence Minister Wei Fenghe, now on a visit to Bangladesh at a time the two nations are in discussion over COVID-19 vaccine cooperation, paid tributes to the nation’s founder and its first president Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Dhaka on Tuesday
Chinese Defense Minister on Sri Lanka visit
Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe is into Sri Lanka Tuesday on an official three-day visit
China suspends cargo flights carrying critical medical supplies to India
China's state-run Sichuan Airlines has stopped all its cargo flights to India for the next 15 days, hurting the efforts of the private traders to source the oxygen concentrators and other medical supplies needed to treat the critical cases of COVID-19 even as China offered "support and assistance" to the country to battle the deadly-second wave of the infection, according to media reports
With India's supply uncertain, Bangladesh to join China’s Covid vaccine storage facility
In the wake of uncertainty over getting purchased doses from India, Bangladesh has decided to join China’s COVID-19 vaccine storage facility for South Asia, bdnews24.com reported
Chinese vessel with radioactive material ordered to leave Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port
Sri Lanka officials have asked a Chinese vessel that was carrying radioactive material to leave Hambantota port immediately, reported Newswire
China’s Exim Bank may fund $6.8 billion rail project in Pakistan
The Chinese government has sent a final funding proposal for Pakistan’s $6.8 billion modern rail project, ML-1, to the Exim Bank of China, as per a report in The Express Tribune
China offers six million doses of Sinopharm to Bangladesh
As Bangladesh struggles to procure vaccines, Sinopharm, the Chinese drug firm, has offered to provide six million doses of its COVID-19 vaccines to the country, a report in The Daily Star said
Colombo Port City will not become Chinese colony: Sri Lankan government
Under attack from all sides over the controversial Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill, the Sri Lankan government defended the move, saying the city will not become a Chinese colony
Sri Lanka to get $500 million from China this month
Sri Lanka is expected to receive $500 million in dollar credit from the China Development Bank this month, according to a report in The Sunday Morning
China’s 2049 plan a big challenge before the world
The only way before the US and the world is to confront China in the economic, diplomatic, and military spheres, writes Ivaylo Valchev for South Asia Monitor
China, Pakistan agree to jointly safeguard Asian peace and stability
Pakistan and China have agreed to jointly safeguard peace and stability of the world, especially Asia, and strengthen cooperation on counter-terrorism and peacekeeping in the UN framework, according to a report in Dawn
Can Quad stop China’s rise?
China forcibly entered Tibet, then an independent country, a few decades back and violently suppressed the protest by the Tibetans
Would like to see disengagement in remaining areas of East Ladakh: India on standoff with China
India hassaid it would like to see disengagement by Chinese troops in the remaining areas of Eastern Ladakh which would lead to restoration of peace with Beijing
Pakistan continues cotton trade with China's controversial Xinjiang region
Pakistan is still continuing cotton trade with China, especially from the controversial Xinjiang region of the country
