China ‘in’ the hyperloop

China has enlisted the help of a US company to build a hyperloop in the mountainous southwest region.

Hyperloop transportation technologies (California, USA) in partnership with a company controlled by the government of Tongren, Guizhou, will build a test track no longer than 10 kilometers in length. The expansion of the track will depend on the test results.

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, or HTT, is one of several companies formed to develop hyperloop systems since billionaire Elon Musk in 2013 released a manifesto detailing his idea for moving people at superfast speeds through a tube.

Besides this project, HTT has also signed a contract for a Hyperloop route in Abu Dhabi and other countries. (I assume it is time to invest in this company!)

Data from China plans Hyperloop track

SCO members praise ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative

#China #India #OneBeltOneRoad #SCO #Asia #terrorism #international

Leaders at Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) praised the results of the One Belt and One Road initiative, however they clarified that the project should be based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. They also noted that granting full SCO membership to India and Pakistan will help facilitate further development of SCO.

The declaration also asked to adhere strictly to the goals and principles of UN Charter, which, if followed, will work to the advantage of New Delhi, who till now has been wary of the initiative as it will be passing through Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) (Indian land claimed forcibly by Pakistan).

India’s long standing agenda, Combating terrorism, was also stressed as a key point in SCO, and the work towards the adoption of the UN Comprehensive Convention on Combating International Terrorism will be acknowledged.

Read the full article here

This is one positive news, after quite a while. Countries getting together. It doesn’t seem hard.

Narendra Modi to meet XI Jingping at SCO summit

#politics #India #China #NarendraModi #XiJingping #SCOsummit #CPEC #NSG

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Chinese President Xi Jingping at the SCO summit, and they are expected to discuss a variety of issues including sanctions against JeM chief Masood Azhar, CEPC and NSG.

India wants to list the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 for a while now, but every single time China has blocked the sanction.

India also missed the BRF in may, which was attended by representatives from several countries, as China wanted to spill more information regarding the CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) because it is a known fact that it runs through PoK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir).

China was also furious over India’s welcome to Tibetan leader, Dalai Lama, who also met Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, the first time the Tibetan spirtual leader met a serving Indian President in several decades.

Read the full article here

All these rifts and incidents cause a tense atmosphere during these summits as leaders from various countries try to decide how to act in the presence of the other nations. Though I am sure that India-China can/will have a strong future together if things go well. They might be able to form the largest trade entities.

US exit Paris Climate Pact; Asks to reinstate Muslim travel ban

#Trump #US #muslim #ParisClimatePact #ClimateChange #India #China #politics

Trump announced in Thursday that United States will be withdrawing from the Paris Climate Pact. He also mentioned that since the Election Day on November 8th, the US has added $3.3 trillion in stock market to the economy, and had opened up more than a million private sector jobs. He also concluded a military and economic development deal of $350 billion which was finalized during his foreign trip.

Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord is a necessity for the United States, as the deal works against the US, punishing it for being a developed country. Each year US and several other developed countries have to give $100 billion to developing countries, so that they can counter the climate change threat. And so far, US has given a sum of $1 billion, which is far more than any of the countries.

The Paris Accord can cost US as many as 2.7 million jobs by 2025. It also asks US to reduce coal production by 86 percent or more, and several other industries, which will cost the economy a good $3 trillion in lost GDP and 6.5 million jobs.

Countries like China and India, on the other hand, have free rein and can increase coal usage, with Indian given the authority to ‘double’ its coal production.

On another note, the Trump administration also asked the Supreme Court to reinstate the travel ban on six countries – Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen.

Read the full article here

Travel Ban here

It’s a pretty selfish world from here on. Each country is looking out for themselves first, which isn’t a wrong thing in general. It’s just sad to hear it. And different countries in Paris Climate Pact get different rules & regulations because they are at a different stage of development, with United States considered at the top of the chain. That’s why other countries are allowed to use coal, till they build infrastructure for renewable resources, since it’s cheaper.

North Korea fires missile again

#NorthKorea #incident #US #China #Japan #missile #nuclear

North Korea’s third ballistic missile test and 12th missile test this year were carried out on Monday into Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), an area of water extending out to 200 nautical miles from the coast of the country.

Even after US show of military force (sending US Navy ships to the Korean peninsula), and much condemning by the international community, North Korea launched a short-range Scud, that flew about 450 kms before landing in the Sea of Japan.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe swiftly condemned the test and vowed concerted action along with its US ally.

Only China and US have mentioned that they are willing to enter into diplomatic talks with North Korea, only after it halts its missile and nuclear tests.

Read the full article here

So another missile launched by the Kim Jong Un regime, and yet another discussion panel to be set up by the international community. I wonder how long will this keep on.

China warns as North prepares for celebration

#China #US #NorthKorea #nuclear #celebration #USSCarlVinson #international

An influential Chinese newspaper urged North Koreans to halt its nuclear programmer in exchange for Chinese protection. Concerns have been growing that North Korea could soon conduct a sixth nuclear test or more missile launches in defiance of UN sanctions and star warning from the United States that a policy of patience was over.

Trump told the Chinese President that US is prepared to tackle the North Korean crisis without China, if needed. US has also diverted the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier towards the Korean peninsula to try to deter North Korea from conducting another nuclear test.

North Korea will be celebrating the 105th anniversary of the birth of state founder Kim II Sung on Saturday.

Read the full article here

Well, at least news like gets attention to the North.

China and US should handle issues properly

#China #US #PresidentXiJinping #Trump #RexTillerson #international #politics

According to the Chinese President Xi Jinping, China and US should handle sensitive issues in their bilateral ties properly. He told visiting Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that cooperation between the two countries was the only correct choice. President Xi also said that the two countries should enhance coordination on regional hotspot issues, respect each other’s core interests and major concerns and encourage friendly exchanges.

Trump has earlier branded China as a currency manipulator stealing American jobs and also threatened to impose 45 percent tariffs on Chinese goods. Before Tillerson’s visit, Trump even tweeted that North Korea is behaving very badly and has been playing the United States for years, whereas China has done little to help the situation.

China and U.S. has been dealing with a number of contentious issues including the South China Sea, the status of Taiwan, trade as well as the North Korean missile and nuclear threats.

Read the full article here.

Beijing outflanking US?

#China #US #military #Navy #AircraftCarrier #SouthChinaSea

US aircrafft carrier Carl Vinson has been patrolling the South China Sea since the last week. It is just the kind of display of Washington’s power and global reach that the US Navy excels at – both to reassure allies and, in this case, send a message to potential foes.

Military experts project that within a decade, China might have more warships than US because military buildup is part of the strategy to dominate many disputed territories in the Southern China Sea. The strategy includes new weapons systems, considerable conventional naval expansion but also a host of other tactics including building naval bases, floating power stations and artificial islands.

In 1995, when the Chinese fired several missiles and conducted military maneuvers around Taiwan, President Bill Clinton ordered two aircraft carriers to patrol the waters between Taiwan and China, a move that Beijing’s military could do little to stop without sparking a war it knew it would not win.

Read the full article here.

China angry, THAAD

#China #THAAD #USA #SouthKorea #Asia #missile #military

The decision of South Korea’s Lotte Group approval to a land swap with the government isn’t considered to be a good decision by the Chinese state media. This land swap will enable authorities to deploy a US missile defense system.

The government decided last year to deploy the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, in response to the North Korean missile threat, on land that is part of a golf course owned by Lotte in the Seongju region, southeast of Seoul. The deal was approved with the government on Monday.

A South Korean military official told Reuters the military would begin installing fences and soldiers would patrol the area.

China objects to this deployment in South Korea because THAAD has a powerful radar capable of penetrating Chinese territory, and it is a threat to its security and will do nothing to ease tension with North Korea.

Read the full article here.

China on India’s record of sending 104 satellites

#India #China #Space #ISRO #Satellite #Record

The Chinese government had previously described India’s Mars orbiter mission as The Pride of Asia and had said that it would be keen to work more closely with India on space projects.

However, on Thursday, also mentioned that “the space race is not mainly about the number of satellites at one go. It’s fair to say the significance of this achievement is limited. In this regard, Indian scientists know more than the Indian public, who are encouraged by media reports.”

It also added that it was “a hard-won achievement for India to reach current space technology level with a relatively small investment.” and also pointed out that the US Space budget in 2013 was $39.3 billion, China $6.1 billion, Russia $5.3 billion, Japan $3.6 billion and India $1.2 billion.

It also mentioned that “as a hierarchical society, India has both world-class elite and a largest number of poor people. Many lessons can be drawn from India. As a rising power, it has done a good job. It is ambitious but pragmatic, preferring to compare with others as an incentive to progress.”

Read the full article here.

(Also, PLEASE beware of the articles that might highlight all the negative points mentioned in the article rather than the positive ones. Some media sources just want to heighten the curiosity and there readership, even if it means hiding or bending the actual facts.)