China One Belt One Road is a colonial enterprise

[Vikrant]

China is certainly morphing itself into a colonial power.

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NEW DELHI: On the eve of China's biggest foreign policy manoeuvre in years, India on Saturday came out in open opposition against Beijing's One Belt, One Road forum, reminding it that no country could accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity.

India has strong reservations over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship project of the connectivity initiative that is expected to figure prominently in the two-day meet starting in Beijing on Sunday.

In a strongly-worded statement on the eve of the event, which will see participation of more than 60 countries, India escalated its opposition to OBOR, suggesting that the project is little more than a colonial enterprise, leaving debt and broken communities in its wake.

"We are of the firm belief that connectivity initiatives must be based on universally recognised international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality. Connectivity initiatives must follow principles of financial responsibility to avoid projects that would create unsustainable debt burden for communities; balanced ecological and environmental protection and preservation standards; transparent assessment of project costs; and skill and technology transfer to help long term running and maintenance of the assets created by local communities.

Connectivity projects must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity." Structural misalignments of OBOR have been detailed by observers and scholars.

Sri Lanka is a big example, where an unviable Hambantota port project has left Colombo reeling under $8 billion debt.

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China road initiative is like a colonial enterprise: India - Times of India

 

[ScienceRocks]

China wants to rule and are starting to act as a world power...America is on its way out.

 

[ESay]

Asia in the coming century will have a role which Europe had during the second half of the 20th century. It will be a “battle place” for two world powers – China and the US, and will be divided on two main blocs. In the China’s bloc there will be formed an axe China-Russia-Iran; the West’s side will comprise Japan, Korea, Israel, the Gulf monarchies, and India.

 

[Vikrant]

China wants to rule and are starting to act as a world power...America is on its way out.

China certainly has colonial ambitions which is clear from its OBOR initiative. China just finished roping in Sri Lanka into a scheme which has put Sri Lanka in around $8B debt. Sri Lankans are just beginning to realize that it was a monumental mistake.

There are only two countries in Asia that can challenge Chinese hegemony and they are India and Japan. Indians are annoyingly pacifist but Chinese aggression has forced them to reevaluate their stance in recent years. As a result India has started military buildup (both conventional and strategic) aimed at defending against China. Japan is very much interested in forming a military alliance with India. This may bring in US as well. I think the logical outcome of Chinese hegemonic maneuvers is formation of an alliance of countries that do not see any value in rise of China.

 

[Vikrant]

Wow! China ranks so high on corruption index.

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CPEC: China And Pakistan Miscalculated Corruption

A transparency commission and a name change won't smooth the ride on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is beginning to look like a “sand castle.”

Investors should follow the developments surrounding the project closely, as they threaten to throw cold water on the markets of the region. Especially Pakistan’s hot market.

CPEC is a gamble for both Pakistan and China. For Pakistan it's a big infrastructure project, which could help the country make a big step forward, from emerging to a mature economy.

For China, CPEC is the western route to the Middle East oil, and the riches of its 'third continent,” Africa. It also serves Beijing's strategic ambition to encircle India, something that makes Pakistan a natural ally.

That sounds like something too good to be true for both China and Pakistan. And in fact there are two things the genuine partners have miscalculated, placing the project in trouble.

One of them is corruption on both ends of the partnership, which keeps pushing the costs of the project higher by the day, making Pakistan more indebted to China.

That's why the two countries announced the creation of a "transparency" commission recently. The trouble is that such commissions rarely help solve corruption -- especially when it comes to projects, which are constructed and executed by the governments of countries that rank high in corruption.

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CPEC: China And Pakistan Miscalculated Corruption -- And India

 

[WhyPluto]

China obviously has reached the point where they calculate they can throw their weight around. Expanded trade with identified areas/countries is just a starting point. As they expand, the economic factor will lead to loans, assistance and other ways of tying up countries to China. Secondary, they will begin to take a position to effect political considerations. "Pay me the money or else" will be their byword. China has a history of meddling in country affairs, especially in Africa and Latin America.

China will have their hands full with trying to introduce this to India. The two most populated countries don't exactly see eye to eye. India is doing the same thing but on a much smaller scale. Russia is another story. They were not exactly partners in communism and with Russia now a capitalist country, Putin is not going to be too receptive of China attempt to horn in their influence.

Stayed tuned to watch who lines up with who.

 

[Vikrant]

China obviously has reached the point where they calculate they can throw their weight around. Expanded trade with identified areas/countries is just a starting point. As they expand, the economic factor will lead to loans, assistance and other ways of tying up countries to China. Secondary, they will begin to take a position to effect political considerations. "Pay me the money or else" will be their byword. China has a history of meddling in country affairs, especially in Africa and Latin America.

China will have their hands full with trying to introduce this to India. The two most populated countries don't exactly see eye to eye. India is doing the same thing but on a much smaller scale. Russia is another story. They were not exactly partners in communism and with Russia now a capitalist country, Putin is not going to be too receptive of China attempt to horn in their influence.

Stayed tuned to watch who lines up with who.

Any investment in OBOR (One Belt One Road) is unwise simply because it passes through the disputed territory of Kashmir. War can erupt any time there. If war breaks out, India is not going to worry about Chinese investment in Kashmir.

 

[Vikrant]

European MPs caution OBOR could make continent subservient to China

Members of European Parliament (MEP) have expressed concern over real motives of China's mega 'One Belt, One Road' initiative and cautioned that this project could make Europe politically dependent on Beijing.

A conference titled 'European Union and OBOR', hosted by the Brussels-based South Asia Democracy Forum (SADF), was held in the European Parliament (EP) on Friday.

The objective of the conference was to discuss and understand the China-initiated ‘One Belt One Road’ ..

Read more at:
European MPs caution OBOR could make continent subservient to China

 

[Vikrant]

India, Japan plan an alternative to OBOR

China’s 2 day unveiling of the One Belt One Road initiative, saw 29 heads of state coming together to partake in the $900 bn investment initiative aimed at developing land and sea trade routes from China to Europe; there were two conspicuous absent nations from the meet, Japan and India.

India in its statement reply to China’s invitation to the initiative said, “We are of firm belief that connectivity initiatives must be based on universally recognized international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality... Connectivity projects must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity.

India’s reluctance is plain and open. The CPEC route threatens to violate India’s sovereignty as the project passes through the Pak Occupied Kashmir (PoK) region and India cannot accede to China’s dominance through the initiative, which experts believe is bigger than the one undertaken by the British empire. China will be strengthened geographically, economically and politically posing a security threat to India by creeping into its backyard!

India and Japan plan to soft launch their own initiative at the upcoming annual meeting of the African Development Bank (AfDB) at Ahmedabad on May 22. The initiative is based on Asia-Africa connectivity. It is said discussions for this initiative began during the Indian PM’s visit to Japan last year. For Japan and India this is important as both nations are striving to draw attention to their strength which is equivalent or more than that of OBOR.

The setting for the announcement is significant as AfDB has 78 member countries with 53 member states of the continent. The launch of the African Economic Outlook 2017 report which is jointly produced by UNDP and OECD will be an apt occasion for both the OBOR non-participant countries to pitch in their viewpoint towards the multi-continent plan dominated by China.

Experts opine Japan has a better alternative to OBOR as it is democratic in nature. Named the “Partnership for Quality Infrastructure”, Japan aims to build on its own maritime shores taking in African shores and including India along the way. Tokyo has already invested $150 bn in the project. Japan and India hope to build ports in friendly nations to expand trade mutually.

Media reports suggest that the specific mention of a ‘free ocean’ in the document conveys the discomfort that Japan and India feel at China’s intrusion into the South China Sea, which is inching closer to India’s ports. The other point Japan intends to make is to recognise India’s ‘Act East Policy’, which is again being thwarted by China’s overtures to Myanmar. Though the Partnership for Quality Infrastructure is still a paper-plan prepared by JETRO, there is no doubt given the rising tensions in the Asian region, Japan can clearly put it into action taking New Delhi’s connections in the African region. A Japan-India combine is the only fitting reply to OBOR which India needs now.

India, Japan plan an alternative to OBOR