The United States backs the right of the Tibetan Buddhists to select the next Dalai Lama and the Chinese Communist Party does not have the authority, according to a US official dealing with international religious matters
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 envoy meets Nepal PM Oli amid deep fissures in ruling party
A day before the expected Secretariat meeting of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), China’s Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi met Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday
China pushes weapons into Myanmar, India; threatens regional security
Easy flow of Chinese weapons illegally into Myanmar and India is posing threats to regional security and stability, intelligence agencies have flagged to the Indian government. From the northeastern states of India, a total of 423 illegal weapons, including AK-47s, M-16s, Chinese pistols and Lathodes, have been recovered so far this year
Pakistan to seek $2.7b Chinese loan
Pakistan on Friday decided to seek $2.7 billion in loan from China for the construction of package-I of the Mainline-1 project of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) amid the Ministry of Finance’s emphasis on making the project bankable to address debt sustainability concerns
China to build waste-to-electricity power plant for Dhaka area
A Chinese company will set up the country's first large-scale waste-to-energy plant for Dhaka North City Corporation areas
China and Pakistan on course to jointly colonise Gilgit-Baltistan
There is a burning smell in the air as the Imran Khan government backed by the Pakistani Army is holding elections to annex Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region located in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), as the fifth province of Pakistan
China construction workers in Sri Lanka hit by coronavirus
Four Chinese nationals working in a construction site in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo and two locals have been confirmed with Coronavirus, the Chinese embassy said
India, China talk three-step disengagement proposal to resolve border dispute
Moving forward to resolve the border dispute, a three-step disengagement proposal including restoration of status quo ante as of April this year in Eastern Ladakh is under consideration between India and China
Indian Army Chief visits force formations in Uttarakhand-China border
Amid border tension with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane is on a two-day visit to force formations in Uttarakhand to review the security situation and operational preparedness
No CPEC Authority chairman at present, National Assembly panel told
The Pakistan government on Tuesday told a parliamentary panel that there was no chairman of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority at present as members of the National Assembly had challenged the legal status of the defunct agency and the functioning of its top management
China’s poverty alleviation strategy hailed as model for Pakistan
The Pakistan-China Institute (PCI), the Centre for Chinese Legal Studies and the Lahore University for Medical Sciences (LUMS) co-hosted a virtual conference on “Poverty Alleviation, COVID-19, and CPEC” as part of PCI’s ‘Friends of Silk Road’ Initiative
Two Chinese projects in Bangladesh: PMO asks rail ministry to cut costs
The Prime Minister's Office has directed the railways ministry to significantly reduce the cost of China-funded Akhaura-Sylhet and Joydebpur-Ishwardi rail line expansion projects
India, China to hold ninth round of talks to resolve border dispute
Military delegates from India and China are likely to hold talks for the ninth time this week to resolve the border disputes in Eastern Ladakh, as both countries during the eighth round of dialogue had constructive exchange of views on disengagement
Chinese coronavirus vaccine better suits Pakistan, says Dr Atta-ur-Rehman
Famed Pakistani scientist and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s aide on Science and Technology Dr Atta-ur-Rehman on Tuesday said that the coronavirus vaccine developed by a Chinese pharmaceutical firm is “better suited for Pakistan and other developed countries”
Sri Lanka, China presidents share experiences in governance
A special meeting was held between Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping on Zoom to exchange experiences on administrative matters of the two countries
