Tibet Digest May 2016
FOUNDATION FOR NON-VIOLENT ALTERNATIVES Www.Fnvaworld.Org
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 1 May 2016 1 China’s Minority Policies 9
New city inaugurated in Tibet 9
Rights abuse allega ons in Tibet groundless: Chinese media 9
China Pouring Billions Into Majority Tibetan Ganzi Prefecture 10
Lhasa passes a law to protect ancient villages 11
Tibetans Protest Unsafe Condi ons in Their Town in Draggo 12
China’s Centuries-long Secret War on MuslimsOZY.COM 12
Panchen Lama visits Jokhang Temple 13
Over 100,000 Tibetan an ques digitally documented 13
China Pressures Europe to Stay Silent on Human Rights 14
Kardze Mine Work Halted Pending 'Resolu on' of Community Concerns 15
China's Youth League Sends 4,500 Volunteers to Tibet in 13 Yrs 15 Deten on and Self-immola on 16
Tibetan Former Prisoner Vanishes Into Custody Again 16
Over a Hundred Tibetans Launch New Protest Against Gold Mine in Gansu 16
Tibetans in Ngaba Warned Over An -Mine Protests 17
Chinese Police Hold Herders Who Staged a Sit-in at Construc on Site 17
China: Repression Expands Under ‘Stability Maintenance’ in Tibetan Areas 18
Tibetan Prisoner's Family Fears For His Health 20
China Holds Ac vist Who Helped Lawyers' Son on 'Smuggling Charges' 20
Detained Tibetan Monk Had Photo Taken With Banned Na onal Flag 21
Six Months On, No Sign of Repatriated Chinese Poli cal Refugees 22
Death of Man in Police Custody Sparks Anger, Raises Doubts in Beijing 23
China Officially Jails Two Rights Ac vists A er Three Years of Unofficial Deten on 24
Uyghur Given 7-Year Prison Term For Viewing Muslim Film 25
Two Tibetan Protesters Are Freed From Jail in Sichuan 26
Tibetan writer Lomig is handed 7-year term on unknown charges 27
A Tibetan Detained and Tortured for Singing Na onal Anthem in China 27
Last Tiananmen Protest Prisoner Scheduled For Release This Year 27
Tibetan Monk Vanishes a er Staging Protest in Western China 29
Two Tibetan Monks Detained For Ten Days, Beaten Following Traffic Dispute 29
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 2 China arrests a Tibetan Buddhist monk for peaceful protest in Tibet 30 Important Mee ngs & Conferences 30
2560th Buddha Jayan Conference issues 10-point Kathmandu Lumbini Declara on 30
Chinese rights ac vist speaks about the future of Tibet and democracy 31
World in reality has a lackadaisical approach to Tibet's Panchen Lama 32
Sino-Tibetan conference urges China to engage dialogue on Tibet 33 Tibet’s Environment 35
Xi’s Green Teams Fight for the Environment 35
Ecological civilisa on makes gains in Tibet 36
Three Gorges Dam braces for flooding on Yangtze 36
Landslide destroys dam in Three Gorges region 37
China warns of geological disasters as heavy rain ba ers 38
5.3-magnitude earthquakes hit Tibetl 39
China Voice: Iron-fist needed for China's green development 39
Clear as mud: how poor data is thwar ng China’s water clean-up 40
Tibetan Fossils Reveal The Origins Of Ice Age Mountain Sheep 42
One-third of China is now Desert, and it is Ge ng Worse 43
China’s deser fica on is causing trouble across Asia 44
The Conversa on 44
Nepal quake caused 4,312 landslides:Report 45
New species from Tibet reveals origin of Ice Age mountain sheep 46
Nepal's power woes and Koshi basin 46
China to Integrate Water and Environment Management with GEF support 47
Hydropower poten al of GB enough to resolve country’s energy crisis’ 48
India unaware of details of hydro projects on Brahmaputra 48
Tibetans protest against Chinese mining in Minyak County, Tibet 49
Slower Evapora on Rate Spurs Tibetan Lake Growth 50
Environmental inspectors expose pollu on in N China 50 Military and Infrastructure Development 51
Rs.1 lakh crore for road infrastructure in Northeast: Gadkari 51
Border Roads director general arrives today 52
China wants its Nepal rail link to touch Bihar 52
China’s supply of nuclear weapons to Pakistan pose threat to US, India, Obama administra on warned 53
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 3 Centre seeks to connect to SAARC na ons with more railway links 54
China launches remote sensing satellite 54
China deploys new genera on rocket for space missions 55 Border Issue 55
President Pranab Mukherjee lists eight steps to resolve issues between India, China 55
Ready to 'accelerate' talks with India to resolve border dispute: China 56
Economic Times 56
India asks China to stop work in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 56
Shillong ITBP hqr shi ed to Itanagar, a move to leverage Indo-China border stalemate? 57
China says disputes not to prevent coopera on with India 57
India wants fair se lement of boundary issue with China: Pranab Mukherjee 58
GOC-in-C Central Command reviews opera onal preparedness along Tibet border in Himachal 59
US trying to sow discord between China and India 59
China Furious With Pentagon Report Ci ng More Troops Along India Border 60
High-end SUVs for troops on India-China border 60
China is raising troop strength on border with India: Pentagon 61
Villagers along China-India border receive suspicious calls from 'spies' 62
‘China elevates Tibet command to prepare for likely conflict with India’ 62
Commi ees to implement pacts with India, China 63
No 'border haats' with China in Arunachal Pradesh: Govt 64
India to Revive World War II Era Airfields Along China Border 64 Tibet in Exile 65
Tibet group asks Kerry to dump trust holding in abusive bo ler 65
Sangay adopts new strategy for Tibet autonomy 66
Tibetan spiritual leader calls for concerted effort to resolve Tibet issue 67
Tibet ready for dialogue with China under Dalai Lama's guidance 68
Sooner or later China will change: Tibetan PM-in-exile 69
Chinese ambassador to UK tells Tibetans their cause is ‘doomed’ and will ‘never succeed’ 70
The Tibet Museum portrays "truth about Tibet's history": Sikyong 70
TYC rallies for release of Panchen Lama 71
Re-elec on of Exiled PM Spurs Hope for Renewed Tibet Talks 72
German legislator denied visa by China for pro-Tibet remarks 73
Only a free China can free Tibet 73
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 4 Sikyong releases book tled 'The Old and New Century of Tibet' 74
47 Tibetans cycle to spread awareness on Panchen Lama's fate 75
Tibet also needs China's help for economic growth: Dalai Lama 75
Secretary of State Kerry invested in a Chinese company that exploits Tibetans 76
Ac vist group demands Shokjang's release on world press freedom day 76
China says Tibetan "elec on" is just "poli cal slaps ck" 77
Localist ac vist Edward Leung Tin-kei in talks with Dalai Lama 77 Regional News 78
Russia and China Seeking mutual Support in Territorial Disputes 78
Construc on Work on RCC Bridge over Indus River in Skardu to be Started Soon 79
Nepal-India Security Meet to be Held on June 9-10 79
China and Bangladesh Pledge to Boost Coopera on, Military Exchange 79
President: Serbia can be "pillar for China" in Europe 80
Mul -sports facility to be constructed in Babena 80
Pakistan cannot accept China's rejec on of Islam: Hafiz Sayeed 81
Nepal, India discuss energy bank 82
NCCCI, CCPIT sign MoU to promote investment in Nepal 82
Strong es with China cons tute bedrock of our foreign policy: Sartaj 83
Pakistan-China fibre cable project goes live in Gilgit 83
China keen on India joining Tibet-Nepal railway network 84
Pakistan Important Partner in One Belt One Road Project: Xi 84
Gilgit-Bal stan police starts patrolling CPEC route 86
Nepal PM Oli is commi ed for development of Lumbini 86
Govt told to start work for gran ng transit rights to India, China 87 imported goods from China arrive in Kyirong 87
Beijing ‘sends’ freight train for Nepal 88
Int’l Conference on Key Trends in China-Nepal-India Ties Starts 89
PM Performs Groundbreaking Pakistan-China Op cal Fiber Cable Project in Gilgit 90
Diamer residents threaten to halt dam construc on 90
Pak-origin Brussels MP signs pe on against illegal annexa on of Gilgit Bal stan 91
Chinese Team Starts Hydrocarbon Explora on in Nepal's Western District 91
China pips India in aid to Nepal; Delhi out of top five donors' list 92
Arunachal MP Wants to Visit China But not on Stapled Visa 93
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 5 Other News from the PRC 93
Poli cal Mo ves Seen in Beijing's Warning on 'Himalayan Viagra' 93
In a first, China's Tibet think-tank to open doors to India 95
CCP shoulders mission of na onal revival 96
China Sees First-ever Monorail Train Powered by Magne c Motors as Solu on to Traffic and Air Pollu on 97
China Detains Two Over '1989' Tiananmen Crackdown Labels on Spirits 98
China to launch first 'hack proof' quantum communica on satellite 99
Drone delays 55 flights in China 99
Hope for Maharashtra: China offers to bring ar ficial rain in drought-hit state 99
China opens socialist journalism research centre 100
John Kenneth Knaus, 92, CIA officer who aided in Tibetan struggle 100
Alibaba tale of counterfei ng, poli cs 101
China is encouraging its ci zens to eat less meat — and that could be a big win for the climate 103
China will never forego rights on regula ng cyberspace 105
Beijing Calls South China Sea Island Reclama on a ‘Green Project’ 105
China's Premier urges less red tape to bolster economy - Xinhua 107
No country for academics: Chinese crackdown forces intellectuals abroad 107
China mulls new ways to control video websites 109
‘In-depth’ talks needed for India’s entry into nuclear group: China 110
Tibetan Flag unfurled in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests 111
China's business registra on streamlined to unlock economic poten al 111
Senior Chinese Leader Vows to Hear Hong Kong’s Autonomy Concerns 112
Hong Kong Police Arrest Pro-Democracy Protesters During Chinese Official Visit 114
Repeat of Cultural Revolu on 'Impossible,' Says China 115
China marks 50 years since Cultural Revolu on with silence 117
How the Chinese Cultural Revolu on Came to an End 118
China to Launch Pla orm to Refute Online Rumours 120
As Tiananmen Anniversary Nears, June 4 Disappears from the China's Web 120
China Voice: No need to overreact to China's overseas NGO law 121
China trains 'fishing mili a' to sail into disputed waters 122
News Analysis: Broader tax overhaul to pep up China's economy 124 Chinese Leadership & An Corrup on Campaign 125
Rising poli cal star, former top aide to China’s Vice-President Li Yuanchao, put under probe for corrup on 125
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 6 China's Xi Faces Pushback on Economic Policy 125
Xi Jinping has changed China’s winning formula 127
Three Communist Party cadres receive promo ons crucial to China’s power transi ons next year 128
‘It was a grave mistake’: tearful former top gra -buster admits taking 140 million yuan in bribes 129
China's 'feud' over economic reform reveals depth of Xi Jinping's secret state 130
China expected to intensify probes into commercial bribery next year: report 131
China declares cultural revolu on a ‘total mistake’ 132
China Silence on Mao’s ’Catastrophe’ Role Fuels Revival Fear 132
Interview: 'Dear Chairman Mao, Please Think About What You Are Doing’ 134
China's Great Leap Backwards: Xi Jinping and the cult of Mao 136
China accuses ex-presiden al aide of bribery, secrets the 138
China Has Biggest Number of Links to Panama Papers 139
China In Transi on: PLA restructuring and reforms part of Xi Jinping’s larger gameplan 140
China's Deng Xiaoping's Niece Named in Panama Papers 140
China's military deploys its first corrup on inspectors 141
China’s Communist Party Disciplines Outspoken Property Tycoon 141
Xi Jinping’s Poli cs in Command 142
China's Xi Jinping denies House of Cards power struggle but a acks 'conspirators' 143
China's Xi says not s fling debate but wants everyone on same song sheet 144
Xi Jinping vs. Li Keqiang 144
China’s President Xi Jinping warns Communist Party schools against ‘Western capitalist’ values 145 Commentaries 146
Hydropower dams worldwide cause con nued species ex nc on 146
China’s Nuclear Submarine : Strategic balance in South Asia 146
India, Japan Must Come Together to Take on Chinese Dragon Breathing Military Fire 147
China’s Chengdu-Lhasa Railway: Tibet and 'One Belt, One Road' 148
Indo-Pak-China strategic games 149
China and the Mekong: The Floodgates of Power 150
Narendra Modi con nues Vajpayee’s legacy of appeasement of China 151
A new railway to Tibet 153
Doubling down 153
65 YEARS OF PAK-CHINA FRIENDSHIP 154
Nepal's Pivot to China May Be Too Late 155
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 7 How China’s Silk Road project can benefit India 156
China’s Freight Train to Nepal Is No Threat, But Indian Border Infrastructure Needs Fast Upgrade 157
India must stop appeasing China, it's me to follow a strong policy 161
35 Tons of Dead Fish Spo ed In China Lake 162
Commentary: China, India and what a new ‘red telephone’ would mean for the world 162
Blow to India as Nepal strengthens es with China 163
How India’s River Row with China Shows The Growing Importance of Water Security 164
India’s China appeasement itch 164
India watches anxiously as Chinese influence grows 166
A Chinese Spring is, of course, probable, says this dissident leader 167
India’s visa U-turn on Chinese dissidents a sign of its lightweight diplomacy 168
Russia-China coopera on ‘important factor’ on interna onal arena - top lawmaker 169
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 8 Rights abuse allega ons in Tibet China’s Minority groundless: Chinese media Policies easternmirrornagaland.com p May 26, 2015 Accusing the US of being an “ac ve provoker” of Tibetan independence, China’s state media today said the West was making “groundless” allega ons about human rights New city inaugurated in Tibet viola ons to sabotage the integrity of China. china.org.cn “The western countries are always hyping human rights Xinhua condi ons in Tibet. Their accusa ons are groundless,” said May 28, 2016 an ar cle in the state-run Global Times. Shannan in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region “The Western countries are colluding with some Tibetan was officially reclassified as a city on Friday. radicals to ins gate Tibet independence. In recent years, China has been developing rapidly. Concerned about China’s rise, the Western countries are colluding with the 14th Dalai Lama, who went into exile in India in 1959, and other radicals to ins gate Tibet independence,” it said. “However, the Tibetan separa sts are merely chess pieces used by the West to counter China,” it claimed. China this month commemorated the 65th year of its takeover of Tibet and Chinese media has been taking an increasingly tough stance against the US of late. Yesterday, the Chinese media slammed the US for li ing the decades- old arms embargo against Vietnam. Photo taken on May 21 shows Shannan City in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. [Photo: Xinhua] Today, the paper said: “The US is also an ac ve provoker China's State Council, or the cabinet, approved Shannan's of Tibet independence. Given its huge ideological disparity applica on to be upgraded from a prefecture to a from China, the White House has been a emp ng to prefecture-level city in January. sabotage the integrity of China for a long me.” Shannan will now get its own city commi ee of the “In fact, the so-called Tibet independence movement is an Communist Party of China, government, people's congress outcome of the imperialist aggression against China. standing commi ee, and poli cal advisory body. Specifically, the UK a empted to construct a buffer zone to protect its geopoli cal interests in India, which was Located in southeastern Tibet with an average al tude of colonised by the UK at that me. To this end, the UK 3,700 meters, Shannan is the fi h prefecture-level city in invaded Tibet in the 1860s and at the beginning of the Tibet a er regional capital Lhasa, Qamdo, Xigaze and 20th century,” it said. Nyingchi. “India, a er its independence, a empted to inherit the With a popula on of 360,000, Shannan had a GDP of UK’s strategic legacies in the region, and thus followed the 11.36 billion yuan(1.73 billion U.S. dollars) in 2015. UK to intervene in the interior affairs of Tibet,” it said. Phurbu Dondrup, mayor of Shannan City, said that In 1959, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet to Dharmsala in India. conversion from a prefecture to a city means a simplified administra ve approval procedure, which will be helpful China officially established the Tibet Autonomous Region for the economic development of the area due to higher in 1965. “Since then Tibet has achieved enormous efficiency. development,” the ar cle said. Tibet’s GDP surged from USD 15 million in the 1950s to over USD 17 billion in 2015 and the ar cle claimed that Tibet has seen “drama c changes” in economy, poli cs, social welfare and culture.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 9 China Pouring Billions Into Majority These improvements have made a huge difference for Alaskan teacher-turned-café owner Jonathan Westbrook, Tibetan Ganzi Prefecture who introduced the first Western-style café to Kangding NBCNEWS.COM when he traveled there four years ago. At the me, poor MAY 25, 2016 roads were prac cally crippling for the young business. KANGDING, China — One of the world's most remote "The transporta on access to the region is phenomenal regions is in the midst of a mul -billion dollar overhaul. compared to 10 years ago," Westbrook told NBC News, A er decades of subduing unrest, China is be ng that no ng that his pioneering Himalayan Coffee bar, which cold, hard cash will pacify res ve Tibetans within its blends Tibetan mo f with the log cabin feel from his borders. Alaska hometown, is now popular among locals and tourists alike. Beijing aims to spend nearly $30 billion — or roughly $25,000 per person — over a five-year period in the Some 3 million Tibetans live in province of Tibet while majority Tibetan prefecture of Ganzi in western Sichuan another 3.5 million call other parts of China home, mainly province, according to Governor Yeshe Dawa. in the west. Its capital city of Kangding now features a new airport For most Tibetans in exile and their interna onal offering easy access. In a couple of years, an expressway supporters, China has unlawfully occupied much of the will cut the road trip to provincial capital of Chengdu to Himalayan region since 1951 when the People's Libera on three hours from as many as 20. A billion-dollar railway Army overran what is now the autonomous region of project is also in the works. Tibet. "In 20 or 30 years, we will achieve Northern Europe's The Dalai Lama, Tibet's Nobel Prize winning spiritual living standards," said the feisty Yeshe, who is an ethnic leader, has led the government in exile from neighbouring Tibetan. India since fleeing during the 1959 uprising. During a recent government-organised media tour of While strikingly beau ful and a tourist draw, Ganzi is also Ganzi, Yeshe and other officials revealed the scale of "one of the most res ve Tibetan areas," according to Kate China's Tibet investment plan: An annual subsidy equaling Saunders, communica ons director of the Interna onal 10 mes the prefecture's internal revenues. Campaign for Tibet, ci ng Tibetans' self-immola ons and other protests against Chinese rule. ICT is the largest Tibet The rare visit to the area was an a empt by Beijing to advocacy group and chaired by American actor Richard showcase its efforts to fast-track Tibetans' integra on with Gere. China's modernising economy. Officials cited improvements to health services, educa on and A majority of 145 reported self-immola on protests have employment opportuni es. taken place in western Sichuan's Tibetan areas including Ganzi since 2009, according to Pema Yoko, leader of the Part of the ancient Tibetan region of Kham, Ganzi is Students for a Free Tibet, another advocacy group. roughly the size of the state of New York but has a popula on of only 1.16 million, mostly Tibetans. Boas ng Asked about these self-immola ons, the Ganzi snow-capped mountain peaks, alpine forests, breathtaking government issued a statement to NBC News that "the gorges and river valleys, its 500 Lamaist monasteries also reasons were not what Western media have reported, inspire a unique cultural and religious legacy. some people had lost hope, some incurred gambling debts, and very few were incited by outside forces for However, China's investment has triggered a tourism poli cal purpose," referring to supporters of the exiled boom that is promp ng fears that Tibetans' tradi ons and Dalai Lama whom China has accused of spli ng the way of life are threatened. country. The trip offered a glimpse of how the new Tibet strategy It said the "inhuman" incidents have become very rare mapped out by President Xi Jinping in August is playing due to "improvements in people's lives and rule of law." out at the local level. It mandated that Tibetans will march "in step" with the rest of China towards the 2020 goals of "Self-immola on is definitely on the decline," according to a $20 trillion economy — an overall GDP rivalling that of Robert Barne , a leading authority on Tibet at New York's the U.S. Beijing, the prefecture chief said, is so suppor ve Columbia University. "It seems that the use of collec ve of Ganzi's takeoff that it is funding road construc on at a punishment in some key areas —penalising families, cost of $45 million per mile. Many areas soar from 6,000 friends, communi es and monasteries for a single incident to 13,000 feet above sea level. — contributed to the decline."
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 10 Exact reasons won't be known as "no independent are plans to "rehouse" 2 million Tibetan nomads within research is allowed there," he said, adding that the China. Tibetan government in exile in India has also called on The moves were "profoundly altering to Tibet's social and people not to self-immolate. environmental fabric, imperilling their livelihoods and In Ganzi, the Beijing-organised visit showed off a new $30- their culture, and threatening the survival of the million hospital which offers medical services nearly for rangelands," the organisa on's interna onal coordinator free due to insurance schemes, a $30 million technical said. college and a middle school for 4,700 mostly Tibetan "Historically, many other centralised governments have students on government scholarships, a winery that tried to win over oppressed popula ons with money, and mostly employs Tibetans, and a tourism program that have failed," said Ma eo Mecacci, president of the recruits former nomadic herdsmen. Interna onal Campaign for Tibet and a former Italian The local government said it has spent nearly $200 million parliamentarian. helping hundreds of monasteries and religious sites in the He also called on Beijing to accept that "the expression by past five years, covered some 80,000 Tibetan monks and Tibetans of their iden ty and way of life is not an - nuns with health and social insurance, and spent $400 China." million to almost double high school enrolment. Chinese official argue that Tibetans must abandon at least Local Tibetans NBC News met during the government- some expressions of their culture in order to benefit from organised tour said they are taking up the offer of modern Chinese society. economic help. "If we don't help the Tibetan herdsmen to se le down, "I want to be an art teacher," said 17-year-old Zeren how can we provide them with health, educa on and Yongjin while doing a tradi onal Tibetan Thangka pain ng other social services?" said Li Yongxin, a press officer for at the technical school. One pain ng can take three to rural Danba County. four months, she said. He also stressed that rese lement efforts were strictly Meanwhile, 19-year-old high student Dingzhen Yijie comes voluntary. from a long line of herdsmen, but he sees his future in law enforcement. "The concept of law is weak among us so I want to be a policeman," he said. A police officer commands a monthly Lhasa passes a law to protect salary of $650, which would place him firmly in the ancient villages country's growing middle class. Xinhua Tourism is an industry that Beijing and at least some May 25, 2016 Tibetans are really staking their future on. Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Sensing a boom in this area, Zuo Ma, a 49-year-old mother Region, has passed a law to protect its ancient villages, of three told NBC News she invested $150,000 in savings authori es said Wednesday. to convert a two-room family inn into a 14-room, 30-bed The law, effec ve June 1, s pulates principles on ancient hotel in the picturesque Jiaju Village in Danba County. village protec on and restora on, funds, responsibili es "Making $50,000 a year is no problem," she said. and building a long-term protec on mechanism. It also Meanwhile, Luo Zha, a former nomadic herdsman, has demands a "supervisor mechanism" and encourages decided to se le his family and 30 yaks — the long-haired volunteer groups to help with protec on efforts, according oxen unique to the Himalayas — in a village. From now on to the regional government. he's be ng that he can boost his income three-fold by Lhasa has 1,123 villages, which boast unique landscapes, hos ng curious tourists his colorful Tibetan-style house. cultures and tradi ons. As the local economy speeds up, While some may see these changes as opportuni es, a many ancient villages have yet to be restored, and the law spokesman for rights group Interna onal Tibet Network was enacted to address this, the government said. warned that Beijing's a empts to se le tradi onally "The law will enhance protec on efforts for precious nomadic Tibetans could destroy an ancient culture. cultural resources in Lhasa," said Zhang Hui, vice director Interna onal Tibet Network's spokesman Tenzin Jigdal of the standing commi ee of the Lhasa municipal people's with family roots in Daofu County, condemns what he says congress.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 11 Tibetans Protest Unsafe Condi ons Deforesta on ini ated by local authori es has also damaged the local environment, RFA’s source said, adding in Their Town in Draggo that the “random cu ng and transporta on” of mber in rfa.org and around Kharnya has also resulted in injuries. May 25, 2016 “The authori es have not provided any kind of compensa on for these vic ms of government neglect in the area,” he said. School abandoned Lying about 80 miles from the Draggo county seat, Kharnya is home to about 400 families, but owing to poor road condi ons in the area, no teacher can be persuaded to remain in the township to teach, the source said. “Thus, there are now no students in the school,” he said. Chinese security forces swarmed Draggo in large numbers two years ago in an apparent a empt to prevent county ! Map showing location of Draggo county in Sichuan province. residents from observing the anniversary of a violent crackdown on Tibetan protesters in January 2012. Facing increasingly hazardous condi ons caused by Two Tibetans were killed, and at least 30 injured, in the decaying infrastructure, the residents of an impoverished incident in which armed police fired at random into a Tibetan town in southwestern China’s Sichuan province crowd, sources said in earlier reports. are pleading with local authori es to repair crumbling Shopkeepers in the county have since been ordered by roads and a badly maintained power sta on, according to authori es to hand over all stocks of photos of exiled a local source. spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, with “severe punishment” Kharnya township in Draggo (in Chinese, Luhuo) county in threatened for those who fail to comply. the Kardze (Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture has suffered for years from dangerous roads and an unreliable and unsafe power supply, promp ng residents to pe on township officials for help, a local resident told RFA’s China’s Centuries-long Secret War on Tibetan Service. MuslimsOZY.COM “A similar pe on was presented to authori es last year LAURA SECORUN PALET but was ignored,” RFA’s source said, speaking on condi on MAY 24 2016 of anonymity. Armed conflicts are like living organisms. Some grow and “The main issue now is the lack of proper roads in Kharnya die in the blink of an eye, others ebb and flow like the on which local residents can travel and conduct economic des of a river and others survive half buried, but alive, for ac vi es in the town,” the source said. centuries. In Xinjiang, its been over 300 years … and “Traffic on the town’s main road is o en halted by erosion coun ng. and the frequent landslides caused by poor construc on This vast region in China’s far northwest is home to an work,” he said. ethnic Uyghur popula on of Turkic origin that has been Fatal accidents waging violent independence campaigns of varying And though an electric power sta on was built in the area intensity since the commencement of Chinese rule in the about 10 years ago, “the sta on is not well maintained, 18th century. and the local residents get hardly any benefit from it." And they’re s ll going at it. This arid land of endless Instead, power lines le lying in the open have caused deserts and imposing mountains is home to a largely occasional and some mes fatal accidents, he said. Muslim insurgency, which claims that most new “For example, Chime Wangchuk of the township’s Jedak opportuni es from the region’s rapid economic village was killed when he picked up a live wire lying on development have gone to the ethnic Han the ground, and Konchok Gyaltsen from the same village immigrants. Violence is escala ng: A 2013 a ack in was disabled when he touched a stray cable.” Tiananmen Square killed five people and, last June, 18
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 12 people were killed a er ethnic Uyghurs a acked police The 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, with knives and bombs at a traffic checkpoint. arrived at the Jokhang Temple around 5:40 a.m. He was The Uyghur have their own culture, language and religion greeted by lamas lined up at the temple gates who were (Islam), yet lately they have been subjected to humilia ng holding Tibetan incense. measures, including bans on beards and veils — The 26-year-old visited the temple's major halls, paid something observers say is only fuelling the insurgency. homage and presented hada -- a long scarf-like piece of “For peace to prevail, we need to stop trea ng Uyghur as white silk used by Tibetans in blessings -- to Buddha second-class ci zens and rou nely denying their human statues. They included Jokhang's treasure: a statue of rights,” says Greg Fay, project manager at the Uyghur Buddha Sakyamuni brought to the temple by Princess Human Rights Project. There is no free press in the region, Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty in the seventh century. but ac vists like Fay say it’s a bloody, never-ending cycle: It was before this statue in November 1995 that the The growing death count increases poli cal repression, current Panchen Lama, whose secular name is Gyaencaen and the more Beijing clamps down, the more a acks are Norbu, was chosen as the reincarna on of the 10th carried out. Meanwhile, HRW accuses the central Panchen Erdeni through the tradi onal method of drawing government of limi ng the Uyghurs’ rights of mobility, lots from a golden urn. speech (the use of their language is restricted) and Following worship, the Panchen Lama led sutra chan ng assembly. at the temple, praying for harvests, prosperity and Yet some believe the central government has no choice stability, before he performed a head-touching ritual to but to be implacable. “China must counter Xinjiang’s bless the lamas. insurgency because threats from the periphery are The service at Jokhang Temple marked the start of the mul ple and linked: If one area of China secedes, the Panchen Lama's annual visit to Lhasa. Arriving on Tuesday country could disintegrate,” argues Mar n I. Wayne, in the city known as the "holy city" of Tibetan Buddhism, author of China’s War on Terrorism: Counter-Insurgency, he will hold more religious ac vi es during the visit. Poli cs and Internal Security. Indeed, like Tibetor Taiwan, this chunk of territory (twice the size of Texas) is a vital The Panchen Lama serves as vice president of the organ to the whole — one rich in oil, gas and mineral Buddhist Associa on of China and as a member of the resources. (The government of China did not reply to our Standing Commi ee of the Na onal Commi ee of the request for comment.) Chinese People's Poli cal Consulta ve Conference, the country's top poli cal advisory body. Reconcilia on seems way out of the picture. Uyghur scholar Ilham Toh ran a website in Chinese to try to build bridges between Uyghur and Han communi es, but last year the government sentenced him to life imprisonment for “separa sm.” Instead, President Xi Jinping hopes to Over 100,000 Tibetan an ques win Uyghuri hearts by providing development to the digitally documented region. But that’s not going so well either. Locals resent Xinhua that the oil-extrac on industry and other large-scale May 17, 2016 development projects employ mostly Han immigrants — 50 of whom died in a recent a ack on a coal mine. So Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region has finished Xinjiang is star ng to look less like Tibet and more like making digital records of over 100,000 an ques, local China’s Chechnya. authori es said Monday. As part of the country's first census of an ques, Tibet started digitally cataloging in 2013. A total of 105,494 items at 825 sites have had their Panchen Lama visits Jokhang Temple informa on and state of preserva on recorded online, Xinhua according to the regional cultural heritage bureau. May 19, 2016 Most items already had their basic informa on LHASA, May 19 (Xinhua) -- The 11th Panchen Lama visited documented, and during the census more detailed and Jokhang Temple on Thursday, leading a prayer service and complete informa on was collected and uploaded. blessing lamas in the most revered monastery in Lhasa, Tibet boasts abundant historical resources, with 1,295 capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. registered ins tu ons, about 90 percent of which are temples, holding items.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 13 Digital documenta on of all such an ques is scheduled to Bri sh government’s overly accommoda ng approach to be completed within three years. Xi’s state visit last year. James McGregor, a business consultant with opera ons in China, said: “If you act like a pan ng puppy, the object of your a en on is going to think they have got you on a leash.” China Pressures Europe to Stay Some mes the accommoda ng approach arises from Silent on Human Rights short-term considera ons of poli cal expediency, rather The Diplomat than from an informed posi on. There is no credible May 15, 2016 evidence of significant economic loss when governments do risk Chinese wrath and take a posi on on, for instance, China’s a empts to export its censorship and whom they can and cannot meet, whether it is the Dalai authoritarianism raise serious ques ons for all European Lama or anyone else. For instance, when Norway did not countries. apologise for the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to China’s belligerent diplomacy in Europe has been in the Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, there was no evidence of spotlight this week a er a German lawmaker who chairs any serious economic consequences – indeed, bilateral the Bundestag’s Human Rights Commi ee was refused trade significantly increased, according to an analysis access to China a er he cri cised rights viola ons in Tibet. in The Diplomat. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said he was “not welcome” Experienced China hands understand that the Beijing because of his support for “Tibetan independence.” leadership will seek to frame the debate in its own terms, German Chris an Democrat poli cian Michael Brand, who amplifying issues that are less important in order to had intended to travel with the Parliamentary Commi ee compel concessions elsewhere. In the case of the row with to Tibet in late May, was robust in his response to the visa the Bundestag Commi ee Chair, the official statement ban when he said: “We can’t just accept it when from the Foreign Ministry deliberately blamed his support authoritarian regimes like China, Russia or Turkey carry for “Tibet independence” – although the issue of the out censorship and oppression, certainly not if they want status of Tibet has never entered the equa on. Virtually to export these methods — and to Germany too. When it all Western governments acknowledge that Tibet is a part comes to human rights, pussyfoo ng around doesn’t pay of the PRC, and the Dalai Lama’s posi on is that he is off. Human rights are not an internal affair of the state of seeking a genuine autonomy for Tibet under the auspices China.” of the PRC. China’s a empts to export its methods of censorship and And yet even so, Chinese diplomats have had some authoritarianism raise serious ques ons for all European success in pushing governments to adopt specific countries about whether their approach has contributed language on the “Tibet independence” ques on, perhaps to Beijing’s aggressive diplomacy. with a view to closing down future possible support for When governments adopt a so er approach on human the Tibetan people. The UK, France and Denmark have all rights and Tibet, their country’s poten al for nego a on caved in this respect, giving the unnecessary addi on to on important strategic issues becomes more constricted. their official posi on that they “do not support Tibetan Going to great lengths to accommodate the Chinese independence.” leadership’s sensi vi es at a me when Chinese President It is nothing new that China a empts to use economic and Xi Jinping is presiding over the most eviscera ng commercial interests to enforce submission to its agenda, crackdown on civil society in a genera on weakens a but it is new that in recent years too many European country’s leverage instead of strengthening it. democracies seem willing to cooperate with this process, Demands from China to Western democracies, which have some mes even engaging in pre-emp ve capitula on and included telling prime ministers not to meet the Dalai self-censorship before any demands are even made. Lama, or to withdraw cri cism, as with this example, are aimed at reducing their nego a ng strength, and asser ng Beijing’s own agenda for greater gains. Some countries in Europe, such as the United Kingdom, have acceded to such demands and kowtowed to such a significant degree that they have faced a major public backlash for doing so. In the UK, even those involved in doing business with China expressed concern about the
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 14 Kardze Mine Work Halted Pending China's Youth League Sends 4,500 'Resolu on' of Community Concerns Volunteers to Tibet in 13 Yrs rfa.org womenofchina.cn May 11, 2016 May 9, 2016 In a rare move, authori es in southwestern China’s Over 4,500 Chinese university students have offered their Sichuan province have ordered a temporary halt to a services to volunteer in southwest China's Tibet Chinese mining company’s opera ons in a Tibetan- Autonomous Region over the past 13 years, and 1,500 populated area a er first telling protesters they had no stayed permanently, according to sta s cs released by the right to ask that the work be stopped. China Communist Youth League Tibet Commi ee on The order issued on May 6 by authori es in the Kardze (in interna onal Youth Day (May 4). Chinese, Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and in In 2003, China launched the scheme called the College Kangding city cites environmental problems resul ng from Students' Volunteer Service Western Program, the mining and “solemnly commits” to block further transpor ng college graduates or postgraduates to parts opera ons un l community concerns can be resolved. of the country's less-developed A copy of the order, which was wri en in Chinese, was obtained by Radio Free Asia’s Tibetan Service. Authori es had earlier appealed to Tibetan protesters to end their blockade of a highway aimed at ending work at the lithium mine, which was linked to water pollu on and fish deaths in the region, sources told RFA in earlier reports. More than 100 Tibetans from five nomadic villages in Dartsedo (Kangding) county staged the protest, fearing further environmental damage a er the mining company announced last week that it would resume opera ons Volunteers for the Western Program take pictures a er an almost three-year halt. together. [China Youth Daily] “The authori es convened a mee ng where they tried to western regions. Under the program, par cipants provide convince the community that the land is owned by the one to three years' volunteer services in educa on, health, government and that the mining opera ons are a agriculture and poverty allevia on, or other areas. government decision,” one source said, speaking on condi on of anonymity. "The program not only toughens the youth but improves the talent framework of Tibet," said Qin Lin, vice-minister The local community was told they had no right to block of the Volunteer Work Department under the commi ee. the work, he said. "It helps promote na onal unity and infuses new blood Chinese security forces armed with rifles surrounded the into the region," he added. protesters at one point but did not a ack, sources said. According to Qin, Tibet has formulated preferen al Tibet has become an important source of minerals needed policies to help college volunteers be er get adjusted to for China’s economic growth, and Chinese mining work and life there. It also trained them beforehand in opera ons in Tibetan areas have o en led to widespread acclima sa on and local history, and informed them of environmental damage, including the pollu on of water the general condi ons of the region. sources for livestock and humans, experts say.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 15 Over a Hundred Tibetans Launch Detention and Self- New Protest Against Gold Mine in immolation Gansu rfa.org May 31, 2016
Tibetan Former Prisoner Vanishes Into Custody Again rfa.org May 31. 2016 A Tibetan man freed from prison three years ago a er serving a 21-year sentence has disappeared again into Chinese police custody, a Tibetan source in exile says. ! Tibetan protesters hold a banner calling for a halt to Chinese mining Lodroe Gyatso, 55, was detained in Tibet’s regional capital operations on a sacred mountain in Gansu's Sangchu county, May 31, 2016. Lhasa around midnight on May 14, 2016 and has not been heard from since, Ngawang Tharpa, a Tibetan living in More than a hundred Tibetan villagers turned out on India, told RFA’s Tibetan Service, ci ng contacts in the Tuesday in northwestern China’s Gansu province to region. protest the mining of gold near a sacred mountain, “We have no informa on on his present condi on, and it drawing large numbers of police and other security forces is very difficult to contact anyone to get more to the area, local sources said. informa on,” Tharpa said. The May 31 protest in Amchok township in Sangchu (in News of Gyatso’s deten on was delayed in reaching Chinese, Xiahe) county follows 15 years of frustrated outside contacts due to restric ons on communica ons appeals to officials to halt the work, a Tibetan living in the imposed by Chinese authori es in Tibetan areas. area told RFA’s Tibetan Service. Gyatso, a na ve of Sog (in Chinese, Suo) county in the “But the mining only con nued,” RFA’s source said, Nagchu (Naqu) prefecture of China’s Tibet Autonomous speaking on condi on of anonymity. Region, was first handed a 15-year prison term in 1991 for The mining company had previously prevented a united killing a man in a fight, but later had his sentence Tibetan resistance to its opera ons "by spreading money extended for engaging in poli cal ac vism while and other benefits to many in the area," the source said. incarcerated, sources told RFA in earlier reports. “But now, the local Tibetans have been driven to On March 4, 1995, he called on other prisoners to protest despera on and have launched this protest." and shouted, “Tibet is independent, China should leave Tibet!,” one source said, adding that Gyatso had also The threatened mountain, Gong Ngon Lari, has been distributed protest literature in prison. regarded for genera ons as a sacred site by the township’s cluster of eight villages, the source said. Though authori es wanted to execute him for his ac vism, his case was raised by Amnesty Interna onal and the U.N., “Villagers are now protes ng at the mine with a large and he was sentenced instead to a further six-year term, banner calling for all ac vi es there to stop and for local sources said. officials to look into their appeal and take the issue up with higher authori es if necessary,” he said. Gyatso had been “severely tortured” during the ini al phase of his earlier deten on, Tharpa said. Protesters surrounded “His cell was so small that he couldn’t even raise his head, Armed paramilitary police and other security forces and at one point he was hung from a ceiling all night with arrived shortly a er the protest began, and quickly nails driven through his thumbs,” he said. surrounded the protesters, the source said. The reasons for Gyatso’s most recent deten on and the No word was immediately available regarding clashes or place where he is being held are s ll unknown, Tharpa deten ons in the area. said, adding, “His rela ves and family members have had Two years ago, more than a hundred Tibetan residents of no word on his condi on.” another Sangchu county township protested the seizure of
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 16 farmland for the construc on of roads ed to state-linked On May 20, a group of police officers arrived in Akhore gold mining and industrial opera ons, sources said in and warned residents over loudspeakers of “serious earlier reports. consequences” if they a empted to block government The April 2, 2014 protest by banner-carrying residents of road work in the area, the source said. Hortsang township came two weeks a er other local “They also imposed restric ons on the ac vi es of local demonstra ons against government seizure of Tibetan Tibetans,” he said. land, and quickly drew police to the protest site. Beaten, detained Tibet has become an important source of minerals needed Two months before, police had clashed with community for China’s economic growth, and Chinese mining members protes ng authori es’ failure to respond to their opera ons in Tibetan areas have o en led to widespread concerns over the work, the source said. environmental damage, including the pollu on of water Police “randomly beat up Tibetan protesters, including an sources for livestock and humans and the disrup on of old man in his 60s,” during the March 28 protest, the sacred sites, experts say. source said. “They also took away seven Tibetans who were detained for seven to 20 days and then released. Several among Tibetans in Ngaba Warned Over them suffered serious injuries.” An -Mine Protests Local residents had earlier halted work on the project for rfa.org almost five years, RFA’s source said. May 27, 2016 “However, on March 28 of this year, workers arrived in the area again,” he said. Tibet has become an important source of minerals needed for China’s economic growth, and Chinese mining opera ons in Tibetan areas have o en led to widespread environmental damage, including the pollu on of water sources for livestock and humans and the disrup on of sacred sites, experts say.
Chinese Police Hold Herders Who ! Staged a Sit-in at Construc on Site Police vehicles guard a road leading to a planned mining site in Chuchen county, Sichuan, May 20, 2016. rfa.org Authori es in southwestern China’s Sichuan province are May 24, 2016 ordering residents of a Tibetan-populated county not to Chinese authori es in the northern region of Inner resume their blockade of road construc on in the area, Mongolia have detained 12 ethnic Mongolian herders issuing their warning two months a er police violently amid a protest over the building of a highway across cracked down on an earlier protest, according to a local grasslands in the Shiliin-gol League in the west of the source. region. Tibetans living in Akhore town in the Ngaba (in Chinese, The 12 herders from Shuluun Hoh banner to the south of Aba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture’s the regional capital Shiliinhot were detained on May 21, as Chuchen (Jinchuan) county are objec ng to the work local residents blockaded a highway construc on site on because the finished road may be used to support Chinese their grazing lands, which they graze under a 20-year mining opera ons on nearby sacred mountains, a Tibetan government lease. living in the area told RFA’s Tibetan Service. "We were si ng down in front of their vehicles so they “Officials said that the road is intended for a dam project couldn't move," a local herder told RFA in a recent in the area, but workers have explained to the local people interview. that mining is the project’s ul mate object,” RFA’ s source said, speaking on condi on of anonymity.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 17 "The grasslands are collec vely leased by the herders. This protes ng, but the government just sends in the police to is our land," he said. "They want to build a highway, and detain people." we tried to stop them." "They have let it drag on for so long without resolving it." "So the banner government sent in the riot police and One woman who was among those detained said that she armed police, who detained people," the herder said, was briefly held and later released. adding that one of his rela ves is being held on a seven- She added: "The police are monitoring [the smartphone day administra ve sentence, which police can hand down app] WeChat so you can't post anything in there." without a trial. "I can't even open it, and they confiscated my He said authori es had told local people the road would smartphone," she said. "I only got that back today." be built regardless. Repeated calls to the Darhan Muminggan banner "That's when they started detaining people, as we were government offices rang unanswered during office hours si ng there," the herder said. on Tuesday. He said 14 people were detained at the scene, while two were released later. "They told us we'd get compensa on, but we don't know who they compensated," the herder said. "We haven't China: Repression Expands Under [seen any money]." ‘Stability Maintenance’ in Tibetan A second herder at the scene said herders had gathered at Areas the banner government offices to demand the release of Human Rights Watch the detainees, which officials had refused to arrange. May 22, 2016 "We have been here demanding their release ever since ... they just met with us," the second herder said. "But we Dataset of Nearly 500 Cases Shows Diminishing Tolerance haven't had any reply." of Peaceful Dissent He said the government seemed to be focusing only on (New York) – The Chinese government’s campaign to suppressing further protest. suppress peaceful dissent in Tibetan areas has con nued to produce a high rate of deten ons, prosecu ons, and "They just use their power to suppress people, and to convic ons since the outbreak of widespread unrest eight make sure they don't kick up a fuss," he said. "We don't years ago, Human Rights Watch said in a new report agree with [this highway], but they just force it on us released today. The authori es have detained people for anyway." types of expression and assembly that are protected "They won't even let us have what's ours." under Chinese and interna onal law and had been Local sources said the herders are grazing the land under a previously tolerated. Many of these cases took place in 20-year responsibility contract that has yet to expire. rural areas or involved segments of society not previously Others held targeted. Elsewhere in the region, police in the Darhan Muminggan “Tibetan areas are the forefront of the Chinese United Banner detained dozens of protes ng herders a er government’s country-wide crackdown on peaceful they showed up outside the banner-level government dissent,” said Sophie Richardson, China director. “The offices on Tuesday in protest at nonpayment of authori es are trea ng all Tibetans as poten al dissidents government subsidies. and are trying to extend surveillance to the en re Tibetan community.” "More than 50 people went this morning," one protester told RFA. "Herders from Darhan Muminggan near Baotou The 86-page report, “Relentless: Deten on and went to demand their subsidies outside the banner Prosecu on of Tibetans under China’s ‘Stability government." Maintenance’ Campaign,” shows how changing pa erns of unrest and poli cised deten ons, prosecu ons, and "They said they have given us various subsidies because of convic ons from 2013-2015 correlate with the latest the ban on grazing, but they haven't paid them; they are phase of the government’s “stability maintenance” just playing for me," the herder said. campaign – a policy that has resulted in unprecedented "We s ll haven't had any result from the banner surveillance and control in Tibetan villages and towns. government, who have done nothing," another herder told RFA. "The herders have been pe oning and
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 18 The Tibet Autonomous Region remains nearly en rely deten ons, and longer sentences for rela vely minor closed to journalists, researchers, and individual tourists, offences compared to other areas. and almost no official data is available. Human Rights Many of those detained and prosecuted during this period Watch’s findings are based on a dataset of 479 cases were local community leaders, environmental ac vists, drawn from reports by foreign media, the Chinese and villagers involved in social and cultural ac vi es. In government, and exile sources. Human Rights Watch the previous three decades, the authori es rarely accused analysed this data to iden fy changing pa erns of such rural Tibetans of involvement in poli cal unrest. deten on and sentencing. Human Rights Watch iden fied seven protests, five of Previously unpublished documents reveal the devasta ng them with more than a hundred par cipants, in which cost paid by a local community for a single protest, Human villagers demanded the release of a detained community Rights Watch said. In April 2013, the trial and convic on of leader. The deten on of local leaders and their three lamas from Chamdo in the Tibet Autonomous communi es’ mass support for them appears to be a new Region for a minor charge of “harbouring a criminal” led phenomenon. to police employing waves of collec ve punishment, in mida on, and repression throughout the wider community for over a year as they sought to find other suspects. The authori es detained, beat, and threatened scores of local Tibetans, and subjected others to poli cal indoctrina on and travel restric ons in an apparent a empt to obtain informa on about key suspects and deter further dissent. Treatment in deten on remains a serious concern, Human Rights Watch said. Fourteen of the detainees from Human Rights Watch’s dataset were reported to have died while in custody or shortly a er release. A er 2012, thousands of officials who had been posted the previous year to villages across Tibet as part of the “stability maintenance” policy began to implement local- level measures to prevent dissent. In those communi es, many social, cultural, and environmental ac vi es that were previously considered harmless became a focus of state a en on and punishment. Many detainees and defendants from Human Rights 479 cases of Tibetan detainees, by ac vity. Watch’s dataset, ranging in age from 14 to 77, were © 2016 Human Rights Watch people who had merely exercised their rights to An analysis of deten on cases in this period indicated expression and assembly without advoca ng separa sm. that, once detained, people with social influence, such as Others had simply cri cised decisions by local officials in community leaders, religious professionals, writers, or their villages, opposed a mining development, advocated singers were more likely to be sent for trial than others. for greater language rights, or shown sympathy for self- Those detained for an ac on that had been singled out as immolators. Dozens of protests ended with security forces a poli cal priority for containment during this me, such opening fire on protesters, although there are no reports as support of self-immola ons, also faced a greater of violence by protesters at those events. likelihood of being sent for trial. Human Rights Watch found that almost all reported “If the goal of the ‘stability maintenance’ campaign was to expressions of dissent that led to deten ons occurred in wipe out dissent among Tibetans, it has failed to do so,” villages, small towns, or rural townships, rather than in Richardson said. “The basis of real stability is for China’s ci es as in the past – the same places where government government to respect rights, understand and respond to “stability maintenance” measures have been local grievances, and roll back abuses by security forces implemented. The report iden fies nine specific locali es, across the plateau.” or “cluster sites,” across the Tibetan plateau that, apparently in response to these measures, saw recurrent cycles of protest and suppression, increased poli cised
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 19 Tibetan Prisoner's Family Fears For Lama have con nued in Tibetan-populated areas of China His Health since widespread protests swept the region in 2008. rfa.org A total of 145 Tibetans living in China have now set themselves ablaze in self-immola ons since the wave of May 20, 2016 fiery protests began in 2009, with most protests featuring A Tibetan monk jailed for 13 years for his role in protests calls for Tibetan freedom and the Dalai Lama’s return from challenging Chinese rule is in uncertain health in a prison India, where he has lived since escaping Tibet during a in Sichuan province, leading family members to fear he failed na onal uprising in 1959. may not survive the remaining six years of his sentence, sources say. Lobsang Choedar, a monk of Kir monastery in the Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous China Holds Ac vist Who Helped Prefecture, was detained in 2009 a er calling the previous Lawyers' Son on 'Smuggling Charges' year for the return of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai rfa.org Lama, a source in the region told RFA’s Tibetan Service. May 19, 2016 “He is now languishing in Mianyang prison in Sichuan, and A Chinese ac vist who helped the son of two detained his family members are very worried about his health, as human rights lawyers leave the country to a end college he s ll has six years of his sentence le to serve,” RFA’s in the United States is being held under criminal source said, speaking on condi on of anonymity. deten on, police have confirmed a er holding him Choedar has received visits in prison three mes this year, incommunicado for seven months. with family members speaking to him through a closed Tang Zhishun and Xing Qingxian escorted Bao Zhuoxuan, glass window, and rela ves have formed changing 16, across the border from the southwestern Chinese impressions of his health, the source said. province of Yunnan into northern Myanmar posing as “His family members are very worried, but at the same tourists a er the boy was slapped with a travel ban in the me they are very proud because he is serving his wake of his parents' arrest. sentence for the sake of Tibet and the Tibetan people.” Bao, who is also known by his nickname Bao Mengmeng, “His mother, who is 72, is concerned that she may not see is the son of rights lawyers Wang Yu and Bao Longjun, who her son again before she passes away, though,” he said. were detained on the night of July 9, 2015 at the start of a Hunger strike na onwide police opera on targe ng the legal profession. At one point during his incarcera on, Choedar had gone But Bao and his minders were taken away from the Huadu on a 12-day hunger strike in protest over the poor diet fed Guesthouse in the border town of Mongla by local police to the prison’s more than 1,000 prisoners, the source said. on Oct. 6, and handed over to the Chinese authori es, “Later, he was physically forced to eat and was moved to sources told RFA at the me. another loca on within the prison complex,” he said. Seven months later, Xing's family received official no fica on of his criminal deten on on suspicion of “He is now reported to be in slightly be er condi on,” the source said, adding that Choedar has told rela ves that "organising the smuggling of persons across a na onal changes in his appearance may be due to long periods of boundary." exercise while in prison. While Xing and Tang had entered Myanmar legally, Bao's passport had been confiscated a er his parents' Choedar’s Kir monastery has been the scene of repeated deten on. self-immola ons and other protests by monks, former monks, and nuns opposed to Chinese rule in Tibetan Xing is currently being held in the Tianjin No. 2 Deten on areas. Center. It now looks likely that Tang is also being held in Authori es raided the ins tu on in 2011, taking away the city, which is coordina ng the prosecu ons of Wang, Bao Longjun and more than a dozen other rights a orneys hundreds of monks and sending them for “poli cal re- on subversion and other charges. educa on” while local Tibetans who sought to protect the monks were beaten and detained, sources said. 226 days Sporadic demonstra ons challenging Beijing’s rule and "Two-hundred-and-twenty-six days a er Tang Zhishun and calling for the return of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Xing Qingxian were detained by Chinese police in Myanmar, I have finally received no fica on of Xing's
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 20 criminal deten on," Xing's wife He Juan said via Twi er on right ac vists and family members since the July 9 Thursday. crackdown began, a Hong Kong-based rights group "This no fica on arrived as a registered le er," He told reported on its website. RFA . He is living in the U.S. where she fled a er her Some have been criminally detained or formally arrested husband's deten on. on subversion, state security or public order charges, "It was originally addressed to the [ruling] Chinese while others have been banned from leaving the country Communist Party village commi ee [in my hometown]," or placed under house arrest or other forms of she said. "My mother has just go en home, so they just surveillance, the Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Concern handed it to her." Group said. He Juan hit out at the length of her husband's deten on, Rights lawyer Ran Tong said the prac ce of holding people and at the lack of informa on given to the family in the incommunicado for long periods was "wrong." interim. The deten on no ce was signed and sealed by "These enforced disappearances are all just plain wrong," Tianjin police on May 7. Ran said."They are all illegal." "I think that we had to wait far too long," she said. "The "Both Chinese law and interna onal law is very clear rule is that the family should be no fied within 24 hours, about this, and this prac ce amounts to a criminal and we didn't get this for 226 days." offence," he explained. "The families must be no fied." "In that me, I have experienced terror, fear and despair, but at least my husband is s ll alive," she said. Xing's birthday falls on June 4, the poli cally sensi ve anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, Detained Tibetan Monk Had Photo and He Juan called on supporters and fellow ac vists to Taken With Banned Na onal Flag send cards to the deten on center to support him. rfa.org Meanwhile, Tang's lawyer Tan Chenshou told RFA that his May 18, 2016 client's family has yet to receive a similar no fica on. A young Tibetan monk taken into custody this week by "We haven't received anything here yet," Tan said. "But authori es in southwestern China’s Sichuan province had common sense says that they are probably being held in been photographed with a banned Tibetan na onal flag, the same place." leading to his inves ga on and eventual deten on by police, sources in exile said. Tough sentences Jampa Gelek, believed to be about 23 years old, was He said he expected both men to receive harsh jail terms seized by police at about 8:30 p.m. on May 16 in Tawu (in for helping Bao Mengmeng. Chinese, Daofu) county in the Kardze (Ganzi) Tibetan "I think they'll give them tough sentences, because they Autonomous Prefecture, one source told RFA’s Tibetan use the word 'arranging'," Tan said, adding that the Service in an earlier report. smuggling charge is usually used against human A first-year student at the Tawu Ins tute of Buddhist traffickers, not against those arranging for a single Studies, Gelek was detained while walking in prayer person's departure. around a Buddhist stupa near his monastery, the source "As his lawyer, I don't think that what they did amounts to said. 'organising the smuggling of persons across a na onal Though no explana on for his deten on was immediately boundary," he said. available, exile sources with contacts in Tawu now say that In an interview with RFA last October, Tang's wife Gao Gelek had been photographed with a Tibetan na onal flag Shen, who also fled to the U.S. with the couple's daughter and may have expressed a wish to immolate himself in a er his deten on, said she feared the two men were at protest against Beijing’s rule in Tibetan areas. risk of torture. “Gelek was detained a er authori es obtained a photo he "Secret deten on is a terrifying thing," Gao said. "We are had taken in his room with a Tibetan flag hanging in the terribly afraid that the Chinese police may be torturing background,” Sonam, a Tibetan living in Switzerland, told Tang Zhishun and Xing Qingxian, destroying them in order RFA. to get a forced confession." “Another reason may have been that he had declared his China has detained, ques oned or otherwise placed inten on to stage a self-immola on protest last year, restric ons on at least 319 lawyers, law firm staff, human
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 21 though family members later stopped him from doing so,” Sichuan-based rights ac vist Jiang Yefei and Henan ac vist Sonam said. Dong Guangping, who had fled persecu on in their home Slogan found on wall country, were handed over by Thai police to Chinese authori es on Nov. 13, in a move that drew strong Separately, a second Tibetan source with contacts in Tawu cri cism from the United Na ons. confirmed Sonam’s account of Gelek’s deten on, adding that police on searching Gelek’s room had found a Free Both men had United Na ons refugee status and were Tibet slogan wri en in English on a wall. awai ng rese lement in Canada. “A er Gelek was taken away at around 8:30 at night on They are being held in China under criminal deten on for May 16, another group of security officials raided his room "organizing illegal border crossings and illegally crossing again at around 11:00 p.m.,” the source, a monk living in the border," amid fears they are at risk of torture. South India named Yama Tsering said. Jiang's wife Chu Ling and Dong's wife Gu Shuhua and “That very night, Gelek was moved to Dartsedo [Kangding] daughter Dong Xuerui arrived in Canada safely several county and is now being held in a deten on center,” days a er the repatria on. Tsering said. But Gu said it is hard to enjoy their personal freedom and Sporadic demonstra ons challenging Beijing’s rule and safety in the absence of news from Dong. calling for the return of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai "My daughter and I may be in Toronto in a country that is Lama have con nued in Tibetan-populated areas of China rela vely free and where human rights are respected, but since widespread protests swept the region in 2008. we are s ll sad and grieving because Dong Guangping has A total of 145 Tibetans living in China have now set disappeared and [may have] been tortured," she said. themselves ablaze in self-immola ons since the wave of Gu said there is s ll no news from police of Dong's fiery protests began in 2009, with most protests featuring whereabouts, and his lawyers and rela ves have been calls for Tibetan freedom and the Dalai Lama’s return from unable to find out where he is being held. India, where he has lived since escaping Tibet during a The family has received no official documents linked to his failed na onal uprising in 1959. deten on, she added. One earlier online report suggested Dong was being held in the northern province of Hebei, but his lawyer had been Six Months On, No Sign of unable to confirm it, Gu said. "I am s ll very angry that he was forcibly repatriated to Repatriated Chinese Poli cal China by the Thai authori es," she told RFA. Refugees She said Dong had been the target of poli cal persecu on rfa.org in China for more than a decade, and has already spent May 18, 2016 me behind bars for his ac vism. Similar situa on for Jiang Jiang's wife Chu Ling said her family is in a similar situa on. "My mood is so low and depressed right now, and I cry at the slightest thing," Chu said. "Recently I saw a report that [another dissident] was detained, held for more than two years in prolonged pretrial deten on, before being sentenced [to 11 years in jail]." "I am so worried that the same thing will happen to Jiang ! Yefei," she said. Dong Guangping's wife Gu Shuhua (L) and Jiang Yefei's wife Chu Ling (R) hold up placards protesting their husbands' disappearances Jiang's lawyer Ran Tong said he had been to deten on in Toronto, May 2016. Six months a er their forcible repatria on from Thailand, centers in the Sichuan provincial capital of Chengdu to the whereabouts of two Chinese asylum seekers remain look for his client, but to no avail. unknown, their families told RFA. He said Jiang may be being held in the northern port city of Tianjin where police are coordina ng a na onwide
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 22 crackdown on rights lawyers, ac vists and law firm staff "It's not convenient for me to tell you anything right now, that began on July 9, 2015 in Beijing. and there have been no new developments," he said, "I am guessing that they are holding all of these people in using phrasing that suggests he was in the company of Tianjin," Ran said. "There is no need for this; the legal police officers. process should be transparent." Chinese news website Caixin.com cited eyewitnesses as "There's nothing to be afraid of; I don't know why the law saying that Lei was seen "screaming for help" as he was enforcement authori es don't even have the confidence pursued in a residen al compound by several plainclothes to make their deten on public," he said. officers. Meanwhile, Dong's lawyer Chang Boyang said he had The Changping police department said Lei had "resisted lodged a freedom of informa on request to police asking and a empted to run away" when they tried to arrest him for his client's whereabouts, and details of which law on suspicion of using the services of pros tutes. enforcement agency is holding him, and why. Police took coercive measures against him, but then Lei He said he also plans to apply for an administra ve review "suddenly felt ill," police said in a statement. of the case by China's cabinet, the State Council. Cameras 'all broken' "I s ll haven't received any reply [from the freedom of When Lei's friend demanded to see surveillance footage, informa on request]," Chang told RFA. "If I s ll don't get a they were told that the cameras were "all broken," and reply in another day, then I'll probably apply for an that the surveillance footage was gone. administra ve review." An officer who answered the phone at the Xiaokou police Three other Chinese na onals were repatriated from sta on in Changping declined to comment on Lei's death. Thailand at the same me as Jiang and Dong, but their "You need to talk to the district police department iden es remain unconfirmed. propaganda bureau," the officer said. An official who answered the phone at the Changping police department propaganda department also offered Death of Man in Police Custody no comment. Sparks Anger, Raises Doubts in "This case is s ll under inves ga on, and we have already posted a statement on our social media account," the Beijing official said. "As soon as our inves ga ons are concluded, rfa.org we will make another statement, so follow us [on social May 11, 2016 media]." Authori es on the outskirts of Beijing are inves ga ng the Calls to the Changping county state prosecutor's office death of a young man in police custody amid growing went unanswered during office hours on Wednesday. public suspicion that he was tortured or beaten to death. Beijing-based lawyer Ma Gangquan said the police claims Lei Yang, 29, was detained on Saturday by police during are extremely dubious. a er a raid on a foot massage parlor in Changping county, "Even if the equipment is broken, the digital files will s ll just north of the Chinese capital. be there," Ma said. "They should ideally release the full However, his family says that he had le home too late video of the arrest proceedings to the public." that evening to have been a client there, in spite of police Meanwhile, the Changping county prosecutor's office has accusa ons that he was using the services of pros tutes. said it is inves ga ng Lei's death. And his former classmates at the pres gious Renmin According to Zheng Xu, deputy director of the Ins tute of University, where Yang graduated with a master’s degree Criminal Procedure at the China University of Poli cs and in environmental science in 2009, have launched an online Law, certain procedures should always be triggered by pe on calling for a thorough inves ga on of his death. deaths in police custody. Police refused to allow Lei's family and friends to take "The police should report them immediately to the photos of his body, which family members said showed prosecu on service, so that they can inves gate," Zheng bruises on his head and arms. said. "That inves ga on focuses on two things: the first is Lei's brother Lei Peng declined to comment on the cause of death, whether Lei Yang died of natural Wednesday, indica ng that the family is likely under close causes, of illness or whether he was beaten to death, police surveillance. whether the police tried to force a confession out of him
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 23 in the course of their inves ga ons, and whether the China Officially Jails Two Rights people guarding him tortured him or commi ed any other criminal ac ons." Ac vists A er Three Years of "The second thing is whether or not the police were ac ng Unofficial Deten on rfa.org legally in carrying out those inves ga ons in the first place," Zheng added. May 9, 2016 Lei's friends and family said he was en route to the airport A court in the central Chinese province of Hubei on to pick up visi ng friends when he was detained. Monday handed jail terms of four and three-and-a-half years to two members of the an -gra New Ci zens' A police source in Changping county told RFA it is Movement following a lengthy pretrial deten on, lawyers "normal" for police to pin people to the ground and apply for the men told RFA. handcuffs if they resist arrest. Yuan Fengchu, also known as Yuan Bing, and Yuan Xiaohua "He was a strapping young lad who played a lot of were found guilty of "picking quarrels and s rring up football, and he was in pre y good shape. If you are only trouble" a er their April 20 trial at the Chibi Municipal one-to-one with him and he resists, or even tries to People's Court in Hubei. escape, then how are you supposed to subdue him?" the source said. "You have to shove him to the ground and put Yuan Bing was jailed for four years, and Yuan Xiaohua for handcuffs on him. This is normal opera ng procedure." three-and-a-half years. The two men, who aren't related, had been on a rights advocacy tour of the country. "As for straddling him and si ng on him when he's down, you have to be careful, so as not to injure [the suspect]." They were held in prolonged pretrial incarcera on a er their ini al deten on by police in the southern province of Ques onable meline Guangdong in June 2013. Meanwhile, former inves ga ve journalist Li Jianjun said A third ac vist, Huang Wenxun, was detained around the the meline of events leading up to Lei's being same me as the two Yuans, and is believed to have been pronounced dead at 10.55 p.m., according to the police tried in secret and sentenced to four years' imprisonment version of the story, didn't seem credible. for "incitement to subvert state power." "I don't think he could have been visi ng pros tutes, Defense lawyer Lu Jingmei said both men had vowed to because there wasn't enough me," Li said. "He le home appeal following the sentencing hearing. at 9.00 p.m., a er which he was supposed to have had me to visit a pros tute, get arrested, be interrogated, "The hearing ended a er the sentencing was read out," Lu and ... be taken to hospital [by 10.05 p.m.]." said. "They didn't give them the chance to say anything, but when we visited them a er the hearing they said they "How would he have the me to fit all of that in?" plan to appeal, because they reject the verdict." He said Lei's demeanour didn't fit the profile of people Lu said they expected the result. caught in police raids on brothels and similar establishments. Poli cal persecu on "Usually, people who really are caught with pros tutes are "This case was largely in line with our expecta ons, and pre y docile when they are detained by police, because we don't feel too badly about it, because our clients know they are afraid of losing face [if they are discovered], even that this is a case of poli cal persecu on," he said. really high-ranking officials," Li said. "In our defence, we focused on breaches of due process Li said the abuse of power is a frequent phenomenon in by [the police and prosecu on]," he said. "It was enough China, but that many people don't even think that it could that we told everybody the truth." happen to them. Yuan Bing's lawyer Chen Keyun said the prosecu on "A lot of people here in China don't care much about how singled out his client's involvement in press freedom the country is run, and are pre y indifferent to a lot of the protests outside the Southern group of newspapers a er a suffering and hardship that takes place here," he said. "But local propaganda official rewrote the 2013 New Year's Day then, one day, this sort of thing happens to them, too. He editorial to remove references to cons tu onal probably never thought this could happen to him. But it government. could happen to me, too.” But his a orney said Yuan doesn't believe he has commi ed any crime.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 24 "He doesn't think that any of his ac ons amounted to a crime," Chen said. "He wants me to keep arguing his case." Uyghur Given 7-Year Prison Term For But Guangzhou-based rights ac vist Jia Pin said he was Viewing Muslim Film rfa.org very angry about the sentencing. May 9, 2016 "They took part in a lot of ac vi es, all of which were against injus ce," Jia said. "They were merely exercising Authori es in northwestern China’s troubled Xinjiang their rights as enshrined in the cons tu on, and yet they region have handed a seven-year prison term to an ethnic received such heavy sentences." Uyghur for watching a poli cally sensi ve film on Muslim migra on, sources in the region said. "This shows how li le poli cal self-confidence the government has," he added. Jia said the men had also been subjected to mistreatment during their deten on in Chibi's Jiayu County Deten on Center in Chibi. "They were subjected to deliberate torture," he said. "It really makes me very angry indeed." As both men have already been held for nearly three years, Yuan Xiaohua looks set to be released at the end of the month, once me served is taken into considera on, while Yuan Bing is looking at another seven months behind bars. ! Pa ern of prosecu on A map of Xinjiang showing the location of Aksu prefecture. The overseas-based Chinese Human Rights Defenders Eli Yasin, a resident of Chaghraq township in Aksu (in (CHRD) network, which compiles reports from rights Chinese, Akesu) prefecture’s Onsu (Wensu) county, was groups inside China, said the Yuans' trial was "an extreme sentenced in February a er being held since May 2015, case in a familiar pa ern of persecu on." sources said, adding that authori es had suspected Yasin It said the aim of their "advocacy tour" was to enlighten and family members who viewed the film with him of China about concepts like democracy and the rule of law, planning to go abroad “to wage jihad.” and to promote civic ac vism. Family circumstances argued against their having had such The indictment cited as evidence against them a plan, though, Hesen Eysa, security chief for Yasin’s demonstra ons during which they advocated for press Karasu village, told RFA’s Uyghur Service. freedom, government transparency over top leaders’ “All of them were over 40 years of age,” Eysa said. “They personal wealth, and called on the government to ra fy had a farm, and they were struggling to survive and the Interna onal Covenant on Civil and Poli cal Rights provide for their children’s educa on." (ICCPR), which China signed in 1998, CHRD said. “They showed no signs of opposing the government. At "They spent 34 months in pre-trial deten on, a flagrant least I never saw any signs of this,” he said. denial of their right to a fair trial," the group said, calling for the men's immediate release. “As a security chief, I am having a hard me explaining these charges to the people in my village.” Dozens of people linked in some way to the an -gra New Ci zens' Movement group have been detained since “None of this makes any sense. It is very unjust,” he said. President Xi Jinping took power in late 2012, according to Rela ves also held Amnesty Interna onal. Detained with Yasin were two sisters and the sisters’ An -gra campaigner and movement founder Xu Zhiyong husbands, all residents of nearby Toxula township and was handed a four-year jail term in January 2014 on public each with three to five children in their own families, order charges a er staging a street protest calling for sources told RFA. greater transparency from the country's richest and most No details were immediately available regarding addi onal powerful people. sentences handed out, and police authori es in Onsu
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 25 county hung up the phone on learning that a reporter Tenpa, then 19, was detained a er protes ng In April from RFA’s Uyghur Service had called them for comment. 2014 in the main town of Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) county The Chinese government’s policy of “stability at all costs” in the Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, is the root cause of such family tragedies in Xinjiang, sources said in earlier reports. Memet Tox , a Uyghur living in exile in Canada, told RFA. With his head wrapped in a hand-drawn Tibetan na onal “China wants Uyghurs everywhere to know that the state flag, Tenpa had shouted slogans calling for Tibetan is always watching them,” Tox , a former deputy chairman freedom and the return of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai of the Munich-based World Uyghur Congress, said. Lama before being taken into custody and beaten, sources said. “Punishing en re families is a method commonly used to silence Uyghurs before any acts of resistance can take Tenpa’s Kir monastery has been the scene of repeated place,” he said. self-immola ons and other protests by monks, former monks, and nuns opposed to Chinese rule in Tibetan Heavy-handed rule areas. Rights groups accuse Chinese authori es of heavy-handed Authori es raided the ins tu on in 2011, taking away rule in Xinjiang, including violent police raids on Uyghur hundreds of monks and sending them for “poli cal re- households, restric ons on Islamic prac ces, and curbs on educa on” while local Tibetans who sought to protect the the culture and language of the Uyghur people. monks were beaten and detained, sources said. China regularly vows to crack down on what it calls the Banned na onal anthem “three evils” of terrorism, separa sm, and religious extremism in Xinjiang. Sichuan authori es meanwhile also released a popular Tibetan singer detained for his performance of the Tibetan But experts outside China say Beijing has exaggerated the na onal anthem, sources told RFA, adding that the man threat from Uyghur separa sts, and that domes c policies had been severely beaten while in custody. are responsible for an upsurge in violence that has le hundreds dead since 2012. Pema Wangchen sang the banned Tibetan song on Feb. 13 but was not detained un l a er his performance—in which he also wished the Dalai Lama a long life—had circulated widely online, a Tibetan source living in India Two Tibetan Protesters Are Freed said. From Jail in Sichuan “Recently, police stopped him in Kardze town” in the Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous rfa.org Prefecture, RFA’s source Kardze Choegyal said, ci ng May 9, 2016 contacts in the region. Authori es in southwestern China’s Sichuan province have When police discovered he was not in possession of his freed a young Tibetan monk jailed two years ago for driver’s license, they took him to a police sta on where he staging a public protest challenging China’s rule and a confessed to having sung the poli cally sensi ve song, popular singer briefly held for performing a poli cally Choegyal said. sensi ve song, Tibetan sources in the region and in exile said. A er learning that Wangchen’s brother, Palden Trinley, was a Kardze monk linked to poli cal protests, "police “Lobsang Tenpa, a monk of Kir monastery, had been began to beat him, injuring one of his fingers.” given a two-year term for protes ng in Ngaba town and was released on May 5 from a juvenile deten on center in Trinley had been detained in 2009 and was released last Sichuan near [the provincial capital] Chengdu,” RFA’s year a er serving a seven-year sentence, Choegyal said. source said, speaking on condi on of anonymity. Pema Wangchen had briefly studied in India and later “His father and three brothers went to the facility to returned to Tibet, Choegyal said. receive him, and the local Tibetans made arrangements to “He is a resident of Osur village in Kardze town. His welcome him home a er his two years in prison,” the father’s names is Pega, and his mother’s name is Khaga.” source said. Sporadic demonstra ons challenging Beijing’s rule and No public welcome could be made, though, owing to a calling for the Dalai Lama’s return have con nued in strict security clampdown following another local protest Tibetan-populated areas of China since widespread on May 2, the source said. protests swept the region in 2008.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 26 Tibetan writer Lomig is handed 7- restrict entry to the areas by outsiders, and deploy re- educa on teams in monasteries. year term on unknown charges Tibet Post Interna onal Authori es quickly suppress and arrest monks and ordinary people there who par cipate in any peaceful Yeshe Choesang poli cal protests. May 9, 2016 Dharamshala — A Tibetan writer has been sentenced to seven years and six months by a Chinese court in Tibet over a year a er being detained on unknown charges. A Tibetan Detained and Tortured for Jo Lobsang Jamyang, 28, (pen name: Lomik) had been Singing Na onal Anthem in China taken into custody last April in Ngaba (Ch: Aba Tibetan and newsgram,com Qiang Autonomous Prefecture) county in north-eastern May 5, 2016 Tibet, India-based monk Kanyak Tsering told the TPI Pema Wangchen was recorded singing the anthem Feb. Monday. 13, the fi h day of the Tibetan New Year, in Ogzang "According to our reliable sources, Jamyang was handed a Township, Ganze County, Sichuan. 7-year and 6-month sentence some me recently. The trial A father of three of was reportedly detained and tortured took place at the Wenchuan county court in Ngaba by security officials for singing the Tibetan na onal prefecture. . anthem at a public gathering in China’s western Sichuan 'Details concerning the charges on which Jamyang was province. convicted and on his present condi on were not Video of the Tibetan man singing the banned anthem at a immediately available,' the Tibetan source in exile said, public gathering in what appeared to be a village in the ci ng local contacts. Tibet Autonomous Region went viral on Wechat in April. The police immediately arrested him while he was Walking A Tibetan monk in India who knows the man told VOA’s in the Street of Ngaba County, on Friday night, April 27, Tibetan Service that Pema Wangchen, a single parent, was 2015 at 11PM. The report suggests that he was severely recorded singing the anthem Feb. 13, the fi h day of the tortured whilst in Chinese police custody. Tibetan New Year, in Ogzang Township, Ganze County, Jamyang "has been held in deten on, without being Sichuan. brought to trial or informing his family of his whereabouts, A er the video surfaced, the man was detained for 15 for over a year," Ven Tsering said, added that "the charges days before being released in early May. on which he was tried by the court are not known." Choe Gyaltsen, an exiled Tibetan who is also from Ganze Jamyang hails from Meruma in Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang County, says Wangchen, whose pinky finger is now Autonomous Prefecture, and his family lives in in village paralyzed, was possibly suspended by his smallest finger no.3 of nomadic villages in Meruma town. His father's during interroga on, during which he was repeatedly told name is Jodor and mother's name is Jamkar. that his “family members are all criminal.” He joined Kir monastery at a young age, and was Wangchen’s brother, Palden Trelan, a monk from Ganze studying in the Prajnaparamita class. He has also taken Monastery, was arrested in 2008 a er he and two other part me courses in non-religious studies at Larung Gar monks marched through Ganze shou ng “Long live the monastery in Serta and the Northwest Minori es Dalai Lama,” according to a Radio Free Asia report in 2015. University in Lanzhou. Trelan had served seven years in prison by the me he was He has par cipated in many speaking events, and wrote released May 18, 2015. numerous poems and regular social commentary, including on freedom of expression for writers in Tibet. A collec on of his poems has been published as "The Last Tiananmen Protest Prisoner swirling yellow mist". Scheduled For Release This Year Kir monastery is one of more than 20 monasteries of the rfa.org Gelugpa sect and one of the most important such places May 3, 2016 inside Tibetan lands. China is planning to release the last, and longest-serving, Ngaba County in the region are under heavy surveillance prisoner jailed in connec on with the 1989 pro-democracy by Chinese security forces, which control their movement,
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 27 protests centered on Tiananmen Square, a US-based rights However, many more were locked up using administra ve group reported. sentences, which could have included up to three years in Miao Deshun was handed a suspended death sentence at the now-abolished "re-educa on through labor" camps. the age of 25 a er he allegedly flung something at a Dui Hua said it has worked " relessly" on Miao’s case, burning tank belonging to the People's Libera on Army pu ng his name on 17 prisoner lists submi ed to the (PLA) during clashes amid a bloody military crackdown on Chinese government since 2005. the weeks-long student-led democracy movement. "As of today, Miao Deshun is the only Tiananmen prisoner A worker from Hebei province, which borders Beijing, known to Dui Hua to s ll be in prison," the group said. Miao was recently granted an 11-month reduc on in Hong Kong ac vist Richard Choi, of the Alliance in Support sentence, and is set to be released from Beijing Yangqing of the Patrio c Democra c Movement in China, said the prison on Oct. 15, the Dui Hua Founda on said in a length of Miao's sentence was a "tragedy." statement on its website. A long way to go Miao and four colleagues were found guilty of the charges "I think that once they have released everybody, the most against him by the Beijing Intermediate People's Court on important thing is a poli cal reappraisal of the 1989 pro- Aug. 7, 1989, and Miao's suspended death sentence was democracy movement, and for them to pursue those who commuted to life imprisonment and further reduced to 20 were responsible for the massacre, as well as working for years in 1998. a democra c China," Choi said. Fellow 1989 ac vist Zhang Yansheng, who was himself "There is s ll a very long way to go." released on parole in 2003 a er being jailed for life in the wake of the protests, said Miao now has severe mental Last month, Choi's group said its Hong Kong-based health problems. museum commemora ng the 1989 student-led democracy movement will be forced to close by the end of New life on the outside this year, amid growing poli cal pressure. "He has some severe mental health issues, and I think it The death of ousted former premier Hu Yaobang of a could take him a long me to get accustomed to life on heart a ack in the outside," said Zhang, who developed diabetes during his me in prison. "I have a pre y hard me myself right 1989 prompted a massive public outpouring of grief on now, but it'll be even worse for him." Tiananmen Square, sparking several weeks of student-led pro-democracy protests and hunger strikes that ended "I was lucky enough to find a job with the help of some amid a bloody military crackdown by the PLA, which kind people and good friends, which means that at least I advanced into Beijing on the night of June 3 that year. can eat," he said. "I expect he won't have much understanding of today's China, but we will help each The Communist Party currently bans public memorials other out." marking the June 4 massacre, and has con nued to ignore growing calls in China and from overseas for a reappraisal Although has also spent some me in solitary of the 1989 student protests, which it once styled a confinement, Miao's sentence has been reduced twice "counterrevolu onary rebellion." since 2012 for good behaviour, Dui Hua Founda on said. The number of people killed when People's Libera on "Miao has had no contact with the outside world for many Army tanks and troops entered Beijing on the night of years," the Dui Hua statement said. "People who served June 3-4, 1989, remains a mystery. sentences with him in the 1990s remember him as a very thin man who refused to admit wrongdoing and Beijing authori es once put the death toll at "nearly 300," par cipate in prison labor." but the central government has never issued an official toll or list of names, in spite of repeated calls by the Miao, 51, suffers from hepa s B and schizophrenia, and Tiananmen Mothers vic ms' group. was transferred to a ward for sick, elderly, and disabled prisoners in 2003. His family hasn't visited him since Miao asked them to stop 10 years ago. He was one of 1,602 people sentenced to prison in connec on with the 1989 protests across China, Dui Hua cited official records as saying.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 28 Tibetan Monk Vanishes a er Staging According to sources, the family of Thubten is distraught over the man’s fate, as authori es have not informed Protest in Western China rela ves of his condi on or whereabouts. Voice of America May 3, 2016 A young Tibetan monk appears to have been detained by police Monday for carrying a portrait of the Dalai Lama Two Tibetan Monks Detained For through the streets of Ngaba in western China's Sichuan Ten Days, Beaten Following Traffic province. Dispute In a cellphone video that surfaced online, Losang Thubten rfa.org is seen walking through a shopping area crowded with May 2, 2016 vehicles and pedestrians; in a second video, he is seen being marched quickly down the middle of the street by Two monks a ached to a large Tibetan monastery in two police officers on either side. southwestern China’s Sichuan province were detained and beaten by police last month a er they a empted to A source outside of Tibet told VOA that Thubten is a mediate a traffic dispute between a Tibetan and a Han member of nearby Kir monastery, whose monks have Chinese driver, sources said. long protested what they call repressive and humilia ng regula ons imposed on Tibetan monasteries by Chinese officials. A monk from Kir monastery carried out the first self- immola on protest inside Tibet in 2009, and since then Ngaba and the surrounding area has seen a wave of self- immola on protests by monks, nuns and laypeople. Between 2009 and 2013, when the largest number of self- immola on protests took place, Beijing's response evolved from discredi ng protesters as disturbed, fringe ac vists to accusing them of separa sm — and o en charging and imprisoning rela ves and friends on grounds of collusion. ! Another development that has terrified some Tibetans: Palyul monks Lakyab and Tsering Gyurme are shown in an undated photo. recent self-immola ons in which the person was taken Lakyab and Tsering Gyurme, both monks at the Palyul away while s ll alive, but later declared dead by officials monastery in Palyul (in Chinese, Baiyu) county in the who state the cause of death without allowing access to Kardze (Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, were the remains. released on April 29 a er being held for ten days, a local The crackdown on friends and families of those who self- source told RFA’s Tibetan Service. immolate in protest of Chinese policies in the Tibetan “While in custody, both monks were severely beaten,” Autonomous Region has resulted in fewer protests since RFA’s source said, speaking on condi on of anonymity. 2013. But since 2014, the number of lone street protests, such as the one that took place Monday, has grown. Lakyab and Gyurme had a empted to intervene in a dispute between two drivers, one a Tibetan and the other These lone protesters are typically detained and not heard a Han Chinese, whose cars had collided, the source said. from again. “When police arrived on the scene, the monks became Thubten's protest is the first major news to come out of involved in an argument with them, and they were then the Ngaba region in 2016, as authori es shut down the detained and taken away,” he said. internet at the outset of the Tibetan New Year in early February. However, internet services were restored in mid- In similar incidents in Palyul in the past, “the authori es April, shortly a er two sensi ve dates for the communist have usually tended to blame the Tibetans,” he said. officials in Tibet: commemora on of the March 10, 1959, “[In China], it is o en said that all na onali es, including uprising against Chinese forces in Lhasa, and polling the ethnic minority groups, will be treated equally and results from the exile Tibetan government elec ons. fairly, but really there is no fairness to be had.” Protests against Chinese authority have been rare in Palyul, a scenic mountain region where thousands turned
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 29 out in July 2014 to welcome a young child iden fied as the Most parts of Tibet have suffered severe crackdowns and reincarnate leader of the Palyul monastery. been under heightened restric ons and controls in the Resistance to Chinese mining opera ons in the county has past six decades, that China calls it a "peaceful libera on". occasionally flared, though, and in October 2013 hundreds But Tibetans say the main causes of the Tibetan people's of Palyul monks marched to a police sta on to demand grievance, including China's poli cal repression, cultural the release of a colleague detained for spreading word of assimila on, economic marginalisa on, social a fatal police crackdown in a neighbouring region, sources discrimina on and environmental destruc on in Tibet. said in earlier reports.
China arrests a Tibetan Buddhist monk for peaceful protest in Tibet Tibet Post Interna onal Important Meetings Yeshe Choesang May 2, 2016 & Conferences
2560th Buddha Jayan Conference issues 10-point Kathmandu Lumbini Declara on reviewnepal.com May 22, 2016
LUMBINI (Rupandehi), May 22: The 10-point Kathmandu Lumbini declara on was made public amid a program Lobsang Thupten, a Tibetan monk from Kir Monastery in Ngaba County, Amdo Province of Tibet. Photo: TPI organized to mark the 2560th Buddha Jayan in Lumbini Dharamshala — Chinese police in Ngaba County of north-eastern Tibet on Saturday. Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil have detained a Tibetan monk a er he staged a solo protest against the Avia on Ananda Prasad Pokharel publicised the Chinese government repression and failed official policy in Tibet. declara on at the program which was a ended by Lobsang Thupten, a Tibetan monk from Kir Monastery hundreds of people and devotees of Lord Buddha from staged a solo protest on Monday, around 3:00 p.m. on across the world. The two-day Interna onal Buddhist May 2, walking down the Ngaba County street whilst Conference held in Kathmandu on May 19-20 prepared holding a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,' Ven the declara on with the inputs from the par cipants Sonam, a Tibetan living in Switzerland told TPI on Monday. including Buddhists, scholars and monks and nuns from 28 "Chinese police immediately arrested him at the spot, but countries of the world. details cannot be confirmed," he said, ci ng local sources The declara on highlights the point the par cipants in the region. a ending the conference confessed that Buddha was born Thupten is a na ve of village no. 1 of Meruma town, in Nepal and he spent most of his life here and Nepal is Ngaba County in Amdo Region of north-eastern Tibet the origin of Buddha philosophy. Speaking at a program, Tibet (Ch: Aba County, Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous minister Pokharel said that the confession was a big Prefecture in the north-west of Sichuan Province)," Ven achievement for Nepal and the Nepali people. The Sonam added, saying "His current condi ons remain declara on also said that Buddhism is not only a vision of unknown." the Asia but of the world and the origin of world peace is The video footage and photos also show the monk from Nepal, apart from launching a campaign to spread Kir Monastery, staging a solo protest on a street in Ngaba Buddha's teachings across the world. It also said that an county on Monday a ernoon. agreement was struck to devise a Lumbini Development Master Plan and develop Lumbini, Tilaurakot, Devdaha and Ramgram, besides making Lumbini University a center
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 30 for excellence as well as developing Bodhgaya of India, encouraged the internet media to be more proac ve as it where the Buddha got enlightenment, Sarnath of India is far harder to control and it connects NGO's and ac vists where Buddha gave his teachings and Kushinagar of India all over China. where Buddha passed away. Likewise, the declara on also He also spoke about the dearth of Human Rights lawyers said that the global Buddhist forum will also be formed in China and men oned that in his me only 20-30 Human aiming to promote peace and brotherhood across the Rights lawyers existed but, even though today a er world. The forum will also work for human peace and recovery of the legal profession around 700 out of 250,000 rights of animals. lawyers which is minuscule, work for Human Rights most lack the will to take up sensi ve cases. Dr Biao also spoke about the Tiananmen Square massacre Chinese rights ac vist speaks about and subsequent increase in acts of suppression by the Chinese Communist Party where dissidents were put in the future of Tibet and democracy prison for peaceful protests while being labelled Tibet Post Interna onal separa sts. May 5, 2016 Talking of the need for a democra c setup he men oned Dharamshala — A discussion with Dr Teng Biao a Chineese that China's Communist Party has a long standing feud Human Rights Ac vist and Lawyer who is also the Co- with legi macy and their a empt to cover it with Founder of the Open Cons tu on Ini a ve(Gongmeng) economic growth. Talking of the eminent crisis going on in held on Thursday a ernoon in Dharamshala, India, China he said that the me is not far when China will go a ended by ac vists, Tibetan officials, Media Persons and through Economic, Poli cal, Social and Cultural Crisis. He Tibetan students. It was jointly organised by the Spoke of the collapse of Communism around the world Interna onal Tibet Network and Tibetan Centre for and the erosion of its values and ideologies in China as we Human Rights and Democracy. know it today. He gave examples from the Arab Spring and The Chinese ac vist talked of his experience in the past men oned that even Muslim countries are taking up few years where he had himself faced oppression from the democracy while discarding their autocra c leaders and government in China for working closely with the Tibetan hoped that china will one day follow on the same path. issues specially a er publica on of a comprehensive Speaking of the plight of the Tibetan people he stressed report called the Gongmeng Report of the 2008 uprising, the need to give more voice and freedom to the people came to their no ce; because of this their office was shut while making the area more accessible to mainstream down and they were arrested and detained for a month. media. He spoke about the movements being organised Dr Biao was arrested twice once in March 2008 and once for gender equality, educa onal rights and an -corrup on again in February 2011. He talked about his experience drives. He also men oned how the legal fraternity is when he provided counsel in numerous other human controlled by the bar council, judicial Bureau and the rights cases, including those of Rural Rights Advocate Chen government. Guangcheng, rights defender Hu Jia, the religious freedom On being asked by a member of the audience as to what case of Falungong, and numerous death penalty cases. He he thought of the midway approach he men ons that he is also the Founder and President of China Against the is a follower of the principles of His Holiness and considers Death Penalty, Beijing. Till this date he is not allowed to go himself an universal ci zen hence, he would respect the back to China which speaks volumes about the physical wishes of the Tibetan people and their choice to follow for embodiment of the Iron Wall in China. autonomy or the midway path should be their own choice. "Many people have thanked me in the past for my work Speaking on the lacunae of the Chinese Government he but, I tell you not to thank me; As we Han Chinese its our men oned Art 35 of the Chinese Cons tu on which reads duty to take up the responsibility to talk up against the - 'Ci zens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom oppression taking place in China. Just because I did not of speech, of the press, of assembly, of associa on, of oppress or take anyone's freedom does not mean that I procession and of demonstra on.' have no responsibility for it." he said at the very star ng. He spoke of the contradictory prac ces in the policy of the Speaking about censorship, religious freedom and government and there being not holis c educa on but freedom of expression he men ons that while television, brainwashing and propaganda for its ci zens which leads news papers and radio are used by the Chinese to majority of them having no access to the true establishment as mode of propaganda while they are controlled, that was not the case for Internet and hence
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 31 informa on but being spoon-fed party propaganda to suit second-most powerful figure in Tibetan Buddhism, 11th the government's mo ves. Panchen Lama, who has been missing since he was six. To a ques on by a reporter of Tibet Post Interna onal A discussion on the enforced disappearance of the 11th about the nature of UN General Assembly and UNHRC Panchen Lama of Tibet, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima who resolu ons and outcome documents that are not binding happens to be termed by Human Rights organisa ons as but only recommendatory in nature and the future of the "youngest poli cal prisoner in the world". Human Rights to be enforced not only in the case of the On 14 May 1995, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was named the Tibetan people but Human rights viola ons all around the 11th Panchen Lama by the 14th Dalai Lama. A er his globe which seem to be on a rise and the future of Human selec on, he was kidnapped by authori es of the People's Rights he said: Republic of China and has not been seen in public since 17 "Today as we see it China is not run as a democracy per se, May 1995. what we see in the interna onal or even internal spheres On Wednesday, May 17, he completed his 21st year in is the government's view point; it is not the same as what cap vity. His Capture also assumes a poli cal interven on the Chinese people want. If we follow interna onal by the Chinese establishment to have a say in the re- occurrences, we will find it siding with Syria and North incarna on of the next Dalai Lama. the Chinese have also Korea not because of their ideology or ideals but for appointed their own Panchen Lama who is also referred to strategic advantages. Human Rights in China today is a as Panchen Dzuma(Fake Panchen). mere lip service to its interna onal commitments not a "We are gathered here, we do not know his whereabouts, loop hole free enforced legal system. Further, we also we do not know his address and we do not know where to need to remember that it is a permanent member of the send it, so through these le ers, we are trying to create security council which confers to it considerable power. awareness about Panchen Lama, we are trying to tell the So, if we want a transparent UN system which is just and world that he has been abducted for too long and we are fair several systema c and opera onal procedures need to trying to tell the world that China has forcefully go through reform which in itself wont be easy but has to disappeared Panchen Lama and we do not know about his happen if equality and jus ce in the true sense are to address," an ac vist said. prevail as only then can human rights be protected on a global scale." The coali on of Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Students for a Free Tibet and Regional Tibetan Women's Associa on organised the "le ers to Panchen Lama" and an open marathon race commemora ve of the day. World in reality has a lackadaisical The Indo-Tibetan Friendship Associa on held a panel approach to Tibet's Panchen Lama discussion over the Panchen Lama's disappearance where Tibet Post Interna onal educa onist and author Prof P.N Sharma and Ms Kalden Tsomo from the CTA's DIIR spoke. May 18, 2016 Tsering Tsomo, director of TCHRD, said that failing to provide any concrete evidence of Panchen Lama's health condi ons, whereabouts and proof of life makes the Chinese government guilty of his enforced disappearance. "The Chinese government can never hope to win the hearts and minds of the Tibetan people by using religion for poli cal ends. The failure of the Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu, to command genuine devo on and loyalty from the Tibetan people a ests to this fact," she added.
When asked about the United Na ons resolu ons and other documents being just recommendatory in nature Tsering Lhamo, Tibetan Se lement Officer Dharamshala, Kalden Tsomo, head of the DIIR UN, EU & HR Desk, Mr Ajai Singh, President of ITFA (c), and having no enforcing capabili es she men oned that Prof P.N Sharma, Ven Yeshe Phuntsok, member of TPiE during the panel the UN is like a toothless ger which without having any discussion on 11th Panchen Lama which was held at Hotel Tibet, McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, India, May 17 2016. Photo: TPI/Dawa Phurbu measures to force or impose changes focuses on talks Dharamshala — Tibetans living-in-exile in Dharamshala on between na ons and hence takes a lot of me, this has Tuesday observed the 'disappearance' anniversary of the
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 32 also been used by the Chinese establishment as a Conference of Sino-Tibetan Friendship Associa ons in loophole numerous mes in the past. 2016. Prof P.N Sharma when asked to say how India's passive In the statement, the conference also urges all to cherish approach to china is going ahead called the government the democra c experience of Taiwan and to condemn the lackadaisical in its approach and gave numerous instances Chinese government’s suppression of Taiwan’s freedom in history right from 1962 a ack, the building of dams on and democracy as well as its interna onal space. the Tibet plateau through which a lot of fresh water as a The three-day conference features presenta ons and resource has been denied to other Asian countries, he also discussions on a whole gamut of issues related with Tibet men oned that this country is now facing a drought and China by 150 people, including scholars, intellectuals, scenario in several areas. writers, ac vists and students from all over the world, He further said that not only India but several countries in including those from the US, Europe, Australia, New the world are equally taking a passive stance as who Zealand, India, Spain Hong Kong and Taiwan. portray themselves as democracies which say that they The Conference was organised by the Taiwan Office of respect the value of human life and the rights that come Tibet in Taipei, claims it is a major project of the China with it are simply not wan ng to bell the cat. Desk of the Department of Informa on and Interna onal “The perspec ve on Panchen Lama is both bleak and Rela ons (DIIR). brilliant. It is bleak because the party on the other side is a The Sino-Tibetan Conference "Finding Common Ground" shameless example of humanity. A er the occupa on of was held in Taipei, the Capital of Taiwan, where the our land, the Chinese have pursued policies that have not conference came to the following consensus: only looted and destroyed the civilisa on, culture, The Common Consensus of the Conference; monas c system and all that Tibet stood for, they had the temerity to pass law to control incarna ons and 1 According to historical facts, Tibet is monastery,” said Sharma. historically an independent country. “His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama have 2 The na onal self-determina on is an been complimentary to each other, in the sense that both innate right of the Tibetan people. have helped in selec on of the successor of one another 3 The realisa on of a genuine autonomy and in educa on of one another. Now the Chinese have for the Tibetan people is integral to the cons tu onal passed a law that no lama can be considered valid unless transforma on in China. he has been recognised by the Chinese government, “he 4 While condemning the White Paper said, arguing that the CCP as an atheist government has published by the Chinese Government in 2015, Tibet’s no credibility to interfere in the religious prac ce of Path of Development Is Driven by an Irresis ble Historical Tibetan people. Tide, for distor ng and nega ng the Middle-Way Approach, the conference supports the Middle-Way Policy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administra on. Sino-Tibetan conference urges China 5 We oppose the Chinese government to engage dialogue on Tibet for sta ng that the Tibet issue is an internal ma er. The Tibet Post Interna onal concern for Tibet’s human rights, religion and culture, May 5, 2016 language and environment is not only a right but a Dharamshala — The Sino-Tibetan Friendship Associa ons responsibility of the interna onal community. Wednesday released what they refer to as the "Final Appeal to the Interna onal Community; Declara on of the First Interna onal Conference" on Tibet 1 To urge the Chinese government to held recently in Taipei, Taiwan, that "affirms the principles ini ate, under the supervision of the United Na ons and and values of finding truth, environmental protec on, the interna onal media, dialogue with His Holiness the cons tu onal government and dialogue." Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administra on. In light of the con nued deteriora on in the state of 2 Since the protec on of Tibet’s environment, religion and culture and human rights in environment is directly related to the environment and Tibet under the rule of Chinese government, Tibetan and the future well-being of the en re humanity, we urge the Chinese associa ons and experts from across the globe interna onal community to take collec ve responsibility have gathered in Taiwan for the First Interna onal for it.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 33 3 To cons tute an independent 20 Making full use of the cyberspace to inves ga ve group to probe the cause of Tulku Tenzin promote awareness about the reality in Tibet and the Delek Rinpoche’s death in prison and the truth behind the ideas of freedom and democracy as well as [in reaching torture of Tibetan poli cal prisoners and the deaths in out to] to the Chinese people and [raising their deten on centers. awareness] 4 21 To [oppose] the colonialism and the 5 Appeal to the Chinese Government; policy of cultural genocide carried out by the Chinese government in Tibet. 6 Since the Tibetan Buddhist tradi on of reincarna on is an integral part of Tibetan culture, we 22 To establish a liaison office for oppose the Chinese government’s brutal interven on in coordina ng the Sino-Tibetan friendship associa ons the ma ers of recognising reincarna on. Only His Holiness across the globe and facilita ng implementa on of future the Dalai Lama has the right to make decision on the issue works. of the reincarna on of the Dalai Lama. 7 The Chinese government should immediately release the Panchen Lama and all other poli cal prisoners of Tibet. 8 Economic development cannot be undertaken at the expense of the destruc on of Tibet’s environment. The interest and opinion of Tibetan people must be taken into considera on in the decision-making process. 9 The Tibetan nomadic way of life must be respected. The economic development must not turn Tibetan nomads into environmental refugees. 10 The Tibetan language must be respected and protected. The Tibetan language should be made the first official language in all public and official spheres. 11 While wri ng the textbook of Tibetan language and history, their content should reflect Tibetan history and culture. 12 13 Appeal to the Central Tibetan Administra on; 14 The Central Tibetan Administra on, while conduc ng an annual survey of books published in Tibetan, English and Chinese as well as other languages, the promo on of Tibetan wri ng is important. 15 To convene a global conference of Tibetan Buddhism in order to strengthen be er exchanges and coopera on among Tibetan Buddhist centers. 16 To con nue organising Sino-Tibetan mee ngs to conduct discussions. 17 18 Appeal to the NGO’s 19 On humanitarian grounds, [we] urge the cessa on of the Tibetan protests in the form of self- immola on.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 34 2016. Local officials are now on no ce, and will be held Tibet’s Environment personally accountable for successfully implemen ng these changes. To create some incen ves to follow the rules, the Chinese have also changed the criteria for promo on of local officials to include implementa on of environmental reforms as a key considera on for rising within the Xi’s Green Teams Fight for the government system. Historically, the two main criteria were economic growth and job crea on. Now mayors and Environment governors are also ranked on their abili es to clean up the environment in their region. thehuffingtonpost.com President Xi has also taken the much needed step of May 30, 2016 changing the repor ng structure for the MEP and its By Deborah Lehr and Leigh Wedell, former Chief provincial and municipal branches. Previously, all MEP Sustainability Officer of the Paulson Ins tute branches were under the authority of the local Mayor or Chinese President Xi Jinping was an unexpected saviour of provincial governor, allowing them to exert undue the historic Paris Climate Summit last December. He influence if the MEP policies differed from their own interests. Now local MEP leaders are under the authority offered far reaching Chinese commitments to reduce of the MEP headquarters in Beijing, which should ensure carbon emissions, and also provided necessary poli cal more policy consistency in the provinces. momentum to finalise the difficult interna onal nego a ons. The concept of the “Green Team” is not new. Last year, the Now Xi has turned his a en on to the even more difficult Xi dispatched eight SWAT-like inspec on teams to the provinces to determine whether local officials were task of delivering on those commitments at home. To do implemen ng Xi’s ambi ous economic plans. They came so, he’s taking a page from his an -corrup on campaign: back with a 1,000 page report that basically concluded crea ng “Green Teams” or environmental experts tasked with conduc ng random inspec ons across China to that local officials were not coopera ng. The Party ensure that provincial and municipal leaders are actually con nues to inves gate the lack of consistent policy implementa on as part of its an -corrup on campaign. implemen ng his policies. Three years into his presidency, Xi is s ll struggling with Xi’s Green Teams are a broader symbol of his challenges to implemen ng his sweeping agenda—with one of the main implemen ng his domes c reform agenda, par cularly enforcing local compliance of his na onal policies. While obstacles being local recalcitrance. In the case of the President Xi may have consolidated power at the na onal environment, China is making progress where the central government has authority. Investment in infrastructure is level, he s ll has tremendous difficulty ensuring that one of those areas: China now accounts for 30% of wind policies issued from the center are carried out consistently power and 17% of the solar power globally. China is also at the local level. As the Chinese proverb goes, “the sky is high and the emperor is far away.” And Xi’s environmental on track to become the world’s largest green bond market, effort will fail if he cannot get local leaders in line. and is uni ng its seven regional carbon markets into a unified na onwide system next year. The government is The new inspec on unit at the Ministry for Environmental also exploring unique public-private partnerships models Protec on (MEP) is 120 experts strong and will visit all of to “green finance” the implementa on of these China’s provinces every two years. They began their task commitments. There is strong economic ra onale for this May in Hebei Province, adjacent to Beijing and home growing the environmental sector and transi oning to low to the most polluted ci es in China It is ground zero in the carbon growth. war against pollu on. Xi is not taking this aggressive ac on however just to This ini al Green Team’s conclusion would come as no please the Paris signatories. At home, the number one surprise to President Xi: Hebei officials are not enforcing source of protests is the poor quality of the environment. the laws consistently. The inspectors found 2,856 The growing Chinese middle class expects clean air to environmental infrac ons, shu ered illegal companies, breath, safe food to eat and pure water to drink. One detained 123 individuals and inves gated another 65. As a Green Team member told the media he was receiving at result, the province has conducted their own inves ga on least 100 calls a day from the public just in Hebei province and iden fied 13,784 issues to be addressed by the end of with complaints about local environmental degrada on.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 35 Environmental protec on has become a poli cal Nyingchi means 'the throne of the sun' in the Tibetan impera ve for the senior leadership as much as an language, and it is one of the important cradles of ancient economic one. Tibetan civilisa on, which has been se led as early as Yet the ba le for the future of China’s environment— 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. much like the ba le over curtailing corrup on or spurring economic growth—will be fought as much in China’s myriad provinces and ci es as in the halls of power in Beijing. Which begs the ques on: when it comes to cleaning up China’s environment,will the Green Teams be Three Gorges Dam braces for enough? flooding on Yangtze cctv.com May 25, 2016 The El Nino weather system, which began in September Ecological civilisa on makes gains in 2014, has been the longest and strongest since records Tibet began in 1951. It's similar to the one that triggered heavy Chinadaily.com.cn flooding of the Yangtze River in 1998. Flooding on that May 25, 2016 scale is possible on Asia's longest river yet again. So how is The Three Gorges Dam dealing with rising water levels? Tibet's Nyingchi City has gained some success as an Xia Ruixue reports from Yichang, Hubei province. ecological civilisa on trail pilot in China, officials said on Tuesday. Due to the El Nino weather effect, flood season is coming earlier this summer. Inflow from the upper streams of the The city government's latest survey shows that more than Yangtze River has hit an eight-year high. That's forcing the 85 percent of its commercial sites and more than 75 Three Gorges Dam to drain off more of its stored water percent of its residents use solar water heaters. and brace itself for floods. As of May 21st, the water level Known as a "Green Land of Tibet," Nyingchi is about 400 stood at 153 meters. China Three Gorges Corpora on aims kilometers from Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet, and was to bring it down to just over 146 meters, a safer level to ranked as one of China's first batch of ecological cope with floods. civilisa on trail pilots in 2014. “Star ng in April, the Three Gorges Dam is discharging Nyingchi has four regional level ecological coun es, 38 water everyday, according to a direc ve from the State township level ecological towns, and 336 village level Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters. It’s ecological villages, local officials said. expected to discharge a total of 22.15 billion cubic meters Main rivers, lakes, wetlands, forests, water ecology and of water at the beginning of June," said Xing Nong, chief geological relics, and biodiversity all get proper engineer of China Three Georges Corpora on. protec on," said Xiao He, the vice mayor of the city. The Three Gorges project is on the stretch of the Yangtze Xiao said his city has set environmental protec on as a River in Yichang City, Hubei Province. It's a mul - priority with any enterprises entering the city, and the city func onal water control system consis ng of a dam more has decided to expand its economy by developing tourism, than 2300 meters long and almost 190 meters high. The farming, hydrogen power sta on, Tibetan medicine and dam also features a five- er ship lock and 26 hydropower culture. turbo-generators. The reservoir stores flood water in summer and releases it during the dry season to ease "We will work hard to transform the favourable ecological droughts. condi ons into economic advantages," said Xiao. This year, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief The five above-men oned industries generated revenue Headquarters said that 21 dams in the reservoir will be of 2.86 billion yuan in 2015, and the figure accounted for brought on board to jointly cope with the possible flood. 27.5 percent of the city's GDP. “In 2010 and 2012, the Three Gorges Dam successfully Located in southeastern Tibet autonomous region, coped with its biggest flood, far exceeding that of 1998. Nyingchi is the gateway to Tibet from the provinces of The dam was built to be able to protect the area below Yannan and Sichuan. It borders Lhasa in the west and from major floods, which occur once every 100 years. I shares a boundary with India and Myanmar in the south. don't think it's a par cularly great challenge to deal with this summer's heavy flooding as long as we do what the
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 36 State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters tell and quarrying of stone and earth for hydropower projects us," Xie said. and, he believes, all the condi ons for geological disaster “The flood control and drought relief situa on is exist. extremely serious in the Yangtze River. But we can say that The Three Gorges region has already become disaster- the risks are controllable," said Chen Min, Director of prone, according to Fan Xiao, chief engineer to the Flood Control and Drought Relief Office, Changjiang Water Regional Geological Survey Team of Sichuan province’s Resources Commission. Geology and Mineral Bureau. He According to the Yangtze River Flood Control and Drought told thethirdpole.net that over 5,000 danger points — Relief Headquarters, precipita on along the Yangtze River collapses, landslides, dangerous cliffs and banks — have will rise by 10 to 50 percent this year, and in some areas been iden fied. that figure will hit 80 percent. But many experts said that “The reason this incident got so much a en on was the floods expected this year are unlikely to cause because it was the first in which a hydropower plant in the significant damage due to China's improved flood control Three Gorges has been destroyed,” Fan said. capabili es. Fan has previously wri en that when the Three Gorges The Three Gorges Dam was built to adjust the peak flood reservoir was first filled to a depth of 175 metres in level of the Yangtze River. It has helped significantly with September 2008 during the trial period, a spate of the flood control. Many hope it will con nue to keep disasters began. people living in the middle and lower reaches of the Un l July 2011, there were 272 disasters or near misses in Yangtze River safe this year. the Chongqing area alone. Of these, 243 occurred as the reservoir was filled between 2008 and 2009, and 167 (68 per cent) were sudden geological disasters. As a result, the Yangtze River Commission restricted water level increases Landslide destroys dam in Three to no more than half a metre a day; in the following two Gorges region years only 16 and 13 incidents were recorded. But experts eco-business.com warn that since 2010 the water level has been kept at 175 May 24, 2016 metres for long periods, which may result in more problems over me. Geologists predict more frequent catastrophes in China’s Three Gorges Dam region, a er landslides wipe out a The Three Gorges Dam is the world’s largest hydropower hydropower plant scheme, and took more than 12 years to build, opening in May 2006. Its reservoir stretches from Chongqing in When a landslip destroyed the Lifengyuan Hydropower Sichuan to Hubei province. Sta on in Hubei province’s Zigui county in early September, it was the first me the Three Gorges region Excava on and blas ng during construc on of the dams, had seen one of its electricity-genera ng dams wiped out. tunnels and buildings for hydropower sta ons reduces But the collapse forms part of a growing na onwide trend local geological stability, making these loca ons vulnerable as dam reservoirs and construc on destabilise the terrain in the event of an earthquake around China’s hydropower sta ons. Fan Xiao, chief engineer to the Regional Geological Survey “The destruc on of a hydropower plant in the Three Team of Sichuan province’s Geology and Mineral Bureau Gorges region was to be expected,” geologist and an - Scale of the problem ‘unknowable’ dam campaigner Yang Yong told thethirdpole.net. Both Yang and Fan told thethirdpole.net there is no way to The Three Gorges Dam has created a giant 600-kilometre count the number of hydropower schemes in the Three reservoir, the water level and expanse of which change Gorges area. Numerous tributaries flow into the reservoir, throughout the year, and this has two worrying many of them with their own hydropower schemes, and consequences, said Yang. First, the banks of the reservoir no one knows how many. are subjected to frequent changes, increasing the chances Those built before the Three Gorges Dam may have seen of landslides. their local geological environment become more perilous. Second, the huge lake influences the local climate, making This means new risk assessments should be carried out so extreme weather events — par cularly cloudbursts and hazards can be dealt with and prepared for, said Yang. heavy rain — more likely. Add in disturbances from China has so many hydropower sta ons because any level construc on for reloca on of residents (1.13 million were of government – central, provincial, county or even village moved for the Three Gorges dam project), road-building
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 37 – can approve a project, as Fan points out. China’s rivers mudslide damaged six hydropower sta ons at Hailuogou, are divided up across different local governments, and the four of which belonged to the Hailuogo Scenic Area Power upper Yangtze’s hydropower resources are already fully Company. Three sta ons providing power to the scenic exploited. area were completely destroyed and two more effec vely In 2009, a State Electricity Regulatory Commission ruined. document indicated that China had huge poten al for Money means risks small hydropower schemes of 50 megawa s or less, The drive to build hydropower is mo vated by profits. Xiao iden fying a total of 128 gigawa s of developable Qianjun, manager of the destroyed Lifengyuan genera ng capacity distributed across 1,700 coun es. hydropower sta on, told journalists that hydropower is Currently, China has over 45,000 small hydropower plants profitable and and that he would invest in it again, despite na onwide genera ng over 51 gigawa s, with another 20 the loss: “Hydropower is a reliable source of income, and gigawa s of capacity under construc on. we’ve got plenty of water. There’s no danger of us not As many hydropower plants have been damaged, Yong earning money.” and Fan were not surprised by the destruc on of According to Xiao, the plant cost six million yuan when he Lifengyuan; they are aware this is an occasional took it over and another three million was spent on occurrence, and even large schemes are at risk. efficiency improvements. Installed capacity was originally Fan told thethirdpole.net that landslides and bank 800 kilowa s, genera ng six million kilowa hours a year. collapses caused by a magnitude 6.5 earthquake in Ludian Sold to the grid at 0.3 yuan per kilowa hour, the this August blocked the Jinsha River (as the Yangtze’s electricity reaped profits of about 1 million yuan a year; upper reaches are called) and created a barrier lake. The things were going well enough that another 200 kilowa s Hongshiyan hydropower sta on was buried and of genera ng capacity was installed. inundated, resul ng in the almost complete loss of 800 A 2011 report on excessive and dangerous hydropower million yuan of investment. development in Zhouqu, the site of a deadly mudslide in Excava on and blas ng during construc on of the dams, 2010, the Jinghua Times said: “These hydropower sta ons tunnels and buildings for hydropower sta ons reduces have carried out neither environmental impact local geological stability, making these loca ons vulnerable assessments nor assessments of geological risks.” in the event of an earthquake, he explained, adding that this occurred prior to Sichuan’s 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in which 69,000 people died and nearly 20,000 went missing. Fan said the situa on at Hongshiyan China warns of geological disasters was no different. as heavy rain ba ers For this reason, construc on of hydropower sta ons and India Times any major project in the earthquake and landslide-prone May 23, 2016 west of China should be approached with extreme BEIJING: Chinese meteorologists have warned public of cau on, with independent and comprehensive risk "rela vely high risks" of geological disasters in parts of assessments carried out, he said. rain-ba ered Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, asking Wang Yongchen, founder of Chinese environmental group authori es to closely watch the bad weather and brace for Green Earth Volunteers, recently revealed that the sluice any situa ons. gates at Ludila hydropower sta on, on the Jinsha, were China's Meteorological Administra on (CMA) forecast washed away before the plant was even genera ng power. possible mountain torrents in parts of rainy Hebei Nobody has taken responsibility for the 600 million yuan Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Sichuan loss. Province and Yunnan Province in the same period. Yang, who heads Hengduan Mountain Research Ins tute The administra on asked local authori es to closely watch NGO which focuses on the Jinsha’s dams, the bad weather and brace for any disasters, state-run told thethirdpole.net that filling of the Ludila reservoir had Xinhua news agency reported. started last year. The loss of the sluice gates was reported in the media, but no ac on appears to have been taken. Torren al rain has ba ered several provinces in China, affec ng hundreds of thousands of people and causing A number of hydropower sta ons were destroyed a er a heavy economic losses in the last few days. mudslide in Sichuan’s Ganzi prefecture in 2005. The West China City News said in its report at the me that the
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 38 In the central province of Hunan, days of heavy rain have China Voice: Iron-fist needed for affected about 500,000 residents in 25 coun es, with about 18,000 evacuated and 4,000 in need of emergency China's green development shanghaidaily.com supplies, the provincial flood and drought relief headquarters said. May 20,2016 The rainstorms have also damaged 46,000 hectares of Dozens of high-level officials in Hebei are worried about crops. their job security a er the province failed a na onwide environment inspec on. In south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, two people have died and 290,000 people in 16 coun es have The central environmental protec on inspec on group been affected by heavy rain. issued an unusually harsh report on malprac ce in the province. During the inspec on, 200 plants were shut Rainstorms ba ered Guangxi's north and east, forcing down, 123 people were arrested and another 366 were more than 12,000 people to evacuate, according to the held accountable. regional department of civil affairs. This is the first me inspectors have been sent in the The disaster has affected some 17,460 hectares of crops name of the Communist Party of China Central Commi ee and toppled 610 houses, causing a direct economic loss of and the State Council, giving them unprecedented 470 million yuan (USD 72 million). authority and power. In the past a few days, torren al rains have ba ered Inspectors spoke to and ques oned at least 26 provincial- several provinces in China, killing at least 10 persons and level officials, including Hebei's governor and party chief, a affec ng some eight lakh others besides causing heavy clear sign that the central leadership is taking a hard line economic losses and toppling hundreds of homes. The on incompetence. extremely rare round of heavy torren al rainfall was stated to be once in more than 200 years. A er Hebei, the group will dispatch inspectors to 15 more provinces and regions. In the past, environment inspec ons were o en ineffectual, and their resultant measures had li le deterrent effect: As soon as inspectors leave, profit-driven 5.3-magnitude earthquakes hit polluters, a er a silent nod from local poli cians, return to Tibetl their old ways and con nue to contaminate the air, water Xinhua and land. May 22, 2016 The Hebei inspec on, the first of a two-year na onwide inspec on program, shows that the Chinese leadership Two 5.3-magnitude earthquakes hit the southern part of means business when it speaks of preserving the "green Tibet in southwest China on Sunday morning, with no mountain and clean water" and building a "beau ful casual es reported to local authori es so far. China." The first quake happened at 9:48 a.m. in Dinggye County, Since 2014, China has gone all-out to address Xigaze City. The epicenter was monitored at 28.36 degrees environmental deteriora on. The Environment Law, which north la tude and 87.6 degrees east longitude, with a came in force last year, allows authori es to impose depth of 10 km. unlimited fines on repeated polluters and file criminal The second, at 10:05 a.m. in Tingri County, was monitored charges. at 28.41 degrees north la tude and 87.59 degrees east There is significant poli cal support for measures to longitude, with a depth of 6km. improve the environment, but enforcement at the local "We felt three quakes this morning. The one a er 10 a.m. level has long been a weak point, due to the opportunis c was the strongest. The houses were rocking, and the prac ce of "catch me if you can," and the shirking of windows were shaking," said Wu Zongzheng, a fron er responsibility. officer of Dinggye County. As calls by the public to clean up the environment amplify No casual es or building damage has been reported so far, -- the inspec on team received about 100 phone calls according to Soring, director of the regional seismological every day from angry ci zens repor ng foul play -- China bureau. can not risk losing more ground in the war on pollu on.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 39 The inspec on team takes a top-down approach to ensure to s ff penal es if they con nue to pollute rivers, lakes efficient enforcement. In the coming months, these and the coastline. envoys may be feared and shunned by those the campaign These were to be regularly made public from 2016, but aims to catch, but welcomed with open arms by the few local authori es have done so, pu ng 2020 targets at public. risk and rendering water policy a clear laggard in efforts to curb air pollu on. Two government departments – the Ministry of Environmental Protec on (MEP), and the Ministry of Clear as mud: how poor data is Water Resources (MWR) – are responsible for preven on and control of water pollu on, while a third, the Ministry thwar ng China’s water clean-up of Land and Resources (MLR), is also responsible for eco-business.com monitoring water quality. May 20, 2016 To fix the huge problems of water pollu on in China, and China needs consistent data on water pollu on if to raise the standards of drinking water, the mul ple promised improvements are to be met. authori es responsible need to have some idea of the China’s central and local governments have barely made a scale of the problem. start in trying to clean up China’s heavily-polluted water, The challenge could be summed up by a maxim used in despite fast-approaching deadlines for improvements and western business: “if you can’t measure it, you can’t the launch of a comprehensive ‘ten point plan’ over a year manage it.” ago. A major lack of informa on makes it a huge challenge for Behind the apparent iner a is a la ce of overlapping policymakers to map out the milestones they need to responsibili es in government departments, contradictory reach if China is to meet its targets on clean water. statements from officials, incomplete and undisclosed Much-reported figures released last month underline the data, and a lack of monitoring of just how big the problem scale of the problem with the data provided on China’s of water pollu on really is. water pollu on. This is preven ng policymakers from ge ng a clear The figures, which were contained in a monthly update on picture of what needs to be done so that China’s main groundwater quality issued by the Ministry of Water watersheds can be made less polluted and that hundreds Resources, generated headlines that 80 per cent of of millions in China can get access to clean, drinkable China’sgroundwater was not fit to drink. supplies. Ma Jun, a high-profile environmentalist in China and a director with the Ins tute of Public & Environmental Affairs (IPE), points out that air quality, by its very nature, is more easily observed, but water pollu on is o en hidden from public view or isn’t as obvious to the naked eye. “A failure to make data public could result in ineffec ve treatment – or even no treatment at all,” Ma told chinadialogue. Last year’s ten point plan called for na onwide Source: Groundwater Monthly Update, Ministry of Water Resources, improvements in water quality by 2020, with 95 per cent January 2016 of water sources used for urban drinking supplies required However the MWR said these reports were inaccurate. to reach Class III or be er, and to reduce the share of Class Chen Mingzhong, head of the MWR’s department of water V (defined officially as ‘very poor quality’) to just 15 per resources, said that the data is related to shallow cent. China has five classifica ons for drinking water, with groundwater on the plains of northern China, which tends Class I defined as the best, most drinkable water. to be of worse quality than elsewhere. Under the same plan, areas currently failing to meet those He added: “This data doesn’t refer to sources of drinking targets are required to come up with improvement water. Currently drinking water comes mostly from deeper programmes, including specific measures and metables, underground.” while a range of water-intensive industries will be subject
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 40 Chen contends that around 85 per cent of China’s na onwide survey of 4,000 sites has never been made groundwater sources are up to the required standards. public. However, it is hard to reconcile this asser on with figures MOHURD officials have said that “authorisa on” is in a 2014 report on the state of China’s environment, necessary to see those results, effec vely closing the which indicated that water at 60 per cent of groundwater figures off from public scru ny. monitoring sites was of ‘poor’ or ‘extremely poor quality’. In 2012, Chinese media reported industry insiders as Meanwhile a 2015 report from the MLR said that in saying the survey found half of all drinking water was not tes ng of groundwater from 5,118 sampling points across up to standard. 202 ci es over 60 per cent were found to be of ‘poor’ or MOHURD responded that the latest samples, from 2011, ‘extremely poor quality,’ with only 9 per cent of ‘excellent’ showed 83 per cent of drinking water supplies met quality. standards when leaving the water plant, and that overall Discrepancies urban water supplies are safe. Peng Yingdeng, is a member of the MEP’s database of Nanjing-based lawyer Feng Ding submi ed a freedom of experts who contributes to environmental impact informa on request to MOHURD. assessments, and a researcher at the State Laboratory for The ministry failed to answer the lawyer’s ques ons, Urban Pollu on Control Technology, gives the following which included requests for informa on on where the 17 reasons. per cent of sites were, and the metrics by which they The use of different monitoring loca ons, varied methods failed. of sampling and inconsistent expecta ons of the outcome, MOHURD’s own regula ons on management of urban have all contributed to contradictory findings, he said. water quality oblige the ministry to collect and publish China has allocated funding for water quality monitoring, water quality data every year, Feng said. but the work is usually split between different He added: “But I have never been able to obtain these departments and much of the allocated work hasn’t been reports or data”. completed. Meanwhile, the MEP publishes data from only 100 According to a recent report in the Southern Weekend, monitoring points, despite monitoring 1,000 of them, well known in China for its inves ga ve repor ng, the points out Liu Chunlei of environmental NGO Shanghai State Council in 2011 approved a 2 billion yuan (US$300 Minhang Qingrui Environmental Informa on Technology million) programme to test groundwater quality Services Centre. na onwide, to be completed by 2017. Liu says openness and sharing of informa on should be a The programme envisaged the construc on or upgrading two-step process. First, each government department of over 20,000 monitoring points, to be carried out by should carry out its monitoring and share that both the MWR and the MLR, with each department in informa on. Then the MEP should be in charge of charge of approximately half of the loca ons. publishing that data. But so far, the MLR has built only 326 of those 20,000 When data differs across departments, an explana on monitoring points, while it is unclear how many the MWR should be provided. Are different monitoring points used, has established. do instruments vary in accuracy, are different indices used, The MWR failed to disclose details on the progress of the or is there some other reason? project requested by Southern Weekend. None of this should be hidden, campaigners said. Its journalists wanted to know why there had not been Data-sharing any disclosure on why progress has been slow, and asked Using Beijing as an example, Peng Yingdeng explained the for details about penal es if the monitoring programme is problem with data sharing o en lies where environmental delivered late. quality reports lack the input of full figures. Meanwhile, not much is known about who is meant to be “Without a full data set it’s hard to see the changes and overseeing the project. trends in water quality over me and carry out a Data on drinking water is also clear as the proverbial mud. systema c analysis or come up with targeted solu ons,” An a empt in 2009 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban- explained Peng. Rural Development’s (MOHURD) Water Quality Centre to Ma Jun said data on water has been long regarded as a “broadly clarify” the quality of drinking water in a “departmental resource” to be hidden from the public.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 41 He stressed that this data must be freely shared so that Peng Yingdeng said: “If we don’t get disclosure of departments can compare figures, carry out analysis and informa on (in the way China got for its air), audi ng then produce a more accurate and authorita ve water performance on water management is going to be a quality data set, which one department should take the problem.” lead in publishing. Crowdsourcing Lessons But there are signs of solu ons star ng to emerge on Transparency and dissemina on of good quality data on tracking water pollu on and closer scru ny of the likely water lags far behind that of air quality, a er public culprits. pressure prompted the wider collec on of data and its A recently-updated version of IPE’s pollu on tracking public circula on. map suggests that local governments (such as Beijing’s city Un l the US embassy in Beijing in 2009 started collec ng government) are being more transparent on the extent of and publishing air quality data, few in China were aware of water pollu on. just how much smog they were breathing in, par cularly For instance, IPE has secured the agreement of the MEP PM2.5, one of the most toxic forms of pollu on. and MOHURD in a crowdsourcing ini a ve that will draw For a me, Chinese officials objected to the US embassy’s upon the experiences of the capital’s ci zens to iden fy ac ons. And when the US embassy was describing the air the city’s most polluted rivers. quality in Beijing as “hazardous”, the city’s environmental authori es classed it as “lightly polluted.” Beijing officials were forced to explain the discrepancy. Environmental officials admit that the contrast with the US embassy data showed that China wasn’t not being open or Tibetan Fossils Reveal The Origins Of accurate enough with real me air quality informa on, and Ice Age Mountain Sheep that the data released needed to be more accessible. asianscien st.com By 2012, the MEP said that data from all monitoring May 19, 2016 sta ons na onwide would be published, so the public AsianScien st (May 19, 2016) - The modern wild sheep, could keep up to date with monitoring data. The Air Ac on Ovis, is widespread in mountain ranges around the world. Plan, launched in 2013, was a major turning point in In Eurasia, ancient sheep fossils have been found at a few management of air quality. Pleistocene sites in North China, eastern Siberia, and To ensure the plan was implemented, the State Council western Europe, but are so far absent from the Tibetan had provincial governments commit to targets, with Plateau. Now, an interna onal team of researchers have annual audits of progress and officials held to account for reported a new genus and species of fossil sheep from the failures. Pliocene of Zanda Basin in Tibet. The research team, led by palaeontologists from the Ins tute of Vertebrate On air quality, Chinese ci zens can easily access real me Palaeontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the informa on that can be used to evaluate pollu on levels Chinese Academy of Sciences, published their discovery in and where the smog is likely to be coming from. the Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology. This finding A pollu on map and smartphone app updated by the extends the fossil record for the sheep into the Pliocene of IPE last year tracks pollu on from 9,000 companies and the Tibetan Plateau, and suggests that the Tibetan gives users forecasts and advice on whether or not they Plateau, possibly including Tianshan-Altai, represents the need to wear gas masks, open windows, or undertake ancestral home range(s) of mountain sheep. It is also outdoor ac vi es. possible that these basal stocks were the ul mate source Measuring performance of all extant species. Na onwide, 338 ci es now publish live air quality The fossils that were unearthed by the research team. monitoring data and are ranked accordingly by the Credit: Wang Xiaoming “With the present discovery of a government. primi ve sheep in the Himalayas, we thus offer another The responsible officials from the lowest ranking ci es, or example of our previous out-of-Tibet hypothesis— those which see air quality worsen, are summoned in for ancestral sheep were adapted to high-eleva on cold o en-awkward ‘chats’ with senior officials. environments in the Pliocene, and during the Pleistocene they began to disperse outside their ancestral home range But the modest improvements in China’s air quality seem in Tibet to northern China, northern Siberia, and western a long way off for water quality.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 42 Asia,” said Dr. Wang Xiaoming, a visi ng professor at IVPP One-third of China is now Desert, and a senior curator of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. The fossils were collected from the and it is Ge ng Worse chinatopix.com Tibetan Autonomous Region in the Western Himalayas during the 2006 and 2007 field seasons. The holotype May 17, 2016 specimen, forming the main basis of this new species, comprises nearly complete male le and right horncores. With a total horncore upper curve length of 443 mm, it is similar in size to some extant species of Ovis. The fossil sheep, Protovis himalayensis, has a combina on of features dis nguishable from other species such as Ovis, Pseudois and Tossunnoria. Smaller than the living argali, or mountain sheep, it shares with Ovis posterolaterally arched horncores and par ally developed sinuses, and possesses several transi onal characters leading to Ovis. Map of ex nct and extant species of Ovis in Eurasia and their evolu onary rela onships. Credit: Wang Xiaoming Situated between the Himalayas and Ayilariju ranges, the Zanda Basin was formed in a tectonically ac ve region. Along the shores of the paleo-Zanda lake, basement outcrops from residual topography and surrounding mountains offered plenty of rugged terrain and gentle hills. The environment occupied by Protovis is not far from one of the paleo-islands formed by metamorphic basement rock, and these cliffs probably provided Fer le farmlands are turning into deserts in China because protec on from predators in mes of danger. Ancestral of deser fica on. sheep in the Tibetan Plateau, occupying a similar range as China stands to become the world's largest desert with a the extant argali, were adapted to high-eleva on, cold third of this country's huge landmass already turned into environments during the Pliocene, when condi ons arid deserts unsuitable for human habita on or elsewhere (including the high Arc c regions) were much agriculture by unstoppable deser fica on. warmer. By the me the Ice Age arrived around 2.6 million But more than its economic and human impact, years ago, Ovis possessed a compe ve advantage for deser fica on has hit the hardest the neighboring surviving in freezing environments and spread rapidly to northern provinces of Xinjiang and Tibet, the two most regions surrounding the Plateau and beyond. Most sheep species survived along their Pleistocene route of dispersal, res ve provinces in China where independence movements by restless Uyghurs and ethnic Tibetans s ll the authors say. “Fortunately, wild sheep were able to take command respect. refuge in mountain ranges, possibly an important contribu ng factor in protec on against early human Mongolia, another uneasy province also in the north. hun ng, and they have largely survived the end- Poli cal stability will become more uncertain in these Pleistocene ex nc on that befell many of their three problema c provinces as deser fica on creeps megafaunal contemporaries,” said study coauthor Dr. Li forward. Qiang. The advance of deser fica on is alarming. Already over The ar cle can be found at: Wang et al. (2016) Out of one million square miles or one third of China is classified Tibet: an Early Sheep from the Pliocene of Tibet, Protovis as desert or wasteland. Creeping deserts are threatening himalayensis, Genus and Species Nov. (Bovidae, Caprini), 400 million people, or close to a third of the 1.4 billion and Origin of Ice Age Mountain Sheep. ——— Source: people in China. Deser fica on costs China some US$6.9 Chinese Academy of Sciences; Photo: Julie Selan and billion every year. Wang Xiaoming. Disclaimer: This ar cle does not Over the past decade, Beijing reported that deserts have necessarily reflect the views of AsianScien st or its staff. expanded 1,500 square miles a year. Since China's total land area is some 3,700,000 square miles, the desert will engulf all of China in some 2,500 years if nothing effec ve is done to stop this threat.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 43 While this is s ll a long way off, the problems triggered by fact that one third of the country’s land area is eroded has creeping deser fica on are urgent and dire. Beijing has led some 400m people to struggle to cope with a lack of mounted extraordinary efforts to reduce the rate of produc ve soil, destabilised climatological condi ons and deser fica on, but admi ed in 2011 that the severe water shortages. Droughts damage “about 160,000 "deser fica on trend has not fundamentally reversed." It square kilometres of cropland each year, double the area remains this way today. damaged in the 1950s”. It is a staggering sta s c that a third of China is desert or Blaming the deser fica on on overgrazing and bad is turning into desert. One source said deser fica on is cul va on, the state has since 2005 started to reallocate being caused by overgrazing by livestock, over cul va on, millions of people from dry and barren territories under excessive water use and climate change its controversial and hotly-contested “ecological The UN Food and Agricultural Organiza on, however, said migra on” programme. the major causes of deser fica on are climate change and Deforesta on has only made things human economic ac vi es. FAO pinpointed human worse. Greenpeace writes that only 3.34% of the country’s ac vi es as a direct cause of land deser fica on. In other original forests remain intact, of which “only 0.1% is fully words, deser fica on is largely man-made. protected”. The State Forestry Administra on has iden fied land Despite extraordinary efforts by the government to reduce deser fica on as China's most the rate of erosion, culmina ng in the largest reforesta on important ecological problem, and climate change will project ever undertaken, the government only make it worse. itself conceded in 2011 that the “deser fica on trend has not fundamentally reversed”. Stormy geopoli cs Dust and sand storms have intensified and now pose China’s deser fica on is causing provoca ve geopoli cal challenges. The Gobi desert which trouble across Asia spans China and Mongolia is the world’s second largest The Conversa on dust source, a er the Sahara. Whirling soil sediments are Marijn Nieuwenhuis an annual plague in western China but also move all the way across the Pacific and beyond. Traces of China’s May 17, 2016 deserts have been found as far away as New Zealand or Creeping deser fica on in China is swallowing thousands the French Alps, and “yellow dust” costs of square kilometres of produc ve soil every year. It’s a the Korean and Japanese economies billions of US dollars challenge of gigan c and unprecedented propor ons. each year. Even worse off is Mongolia, which itself is facing The rate of deser fica on increased throughout the deser fica on, and will be par cularly affected by global second half of last century and, although this trend has warming. since stabilised, the situa on remains very serious. Inhaling this dust has devasta ng effects on the health of More than a quarter of the en re country is now animals and humans alike. Asian dust has in the past degraded or turning to desert, thanks to “overgrazing by decade been linked to both cardiovascular and respiratory livestock, over cul va on, excessive water use, or changes diseases while more recent researchdiscovered “a in climate”. The Gobi desert alone gobbles up3,600km2 of sta s cally significant associa on between Asian dust grassland each year. China’s own State Forestry storms and daily mortality”. Administra on has iden fied land deser fica on as the Dust storms also transport toxic pollutants, bacteria, country’s most important ecological problem, and climate viruses, pollen and fungi. Microbiologists looked at a dust change will only make things worse. storm in South Korea and found big increases in aerial Ecological disasters have social effects. Deser fica on bacteria. threatens the subsistence of about a third of China’s Working together to fight the dust popula on, especially those in the country’s west and Dust and sand storms don’t respect interna onal borders, north, and could pose serious challenges to poli cal and so it’s no wonder they have become a big worry for economic stability. It costs China roughly RMB 45 billion mul lateral governance. Back in 2005 the Asian (US$6.9 billion) per year. Development Bank, together with several UN agencies Research shows that “for seriously decer fied regions, the and regional countries, drew up a master plan to loss amounts to as much as 23.16% of … annual GDP”. The promote coopera ve solu ons.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 44 More recently, dust was on the agenda at a 2015 trilateral These se lements were along the Pasang Lamu highway in summit a ended by South Korea, Japan and China. the Trishuli valley and Kodari highway in the Bhotekoshi Environment ministers from the three countries meet and Sunkoshi valleys. Tatopani village, bordering China, each year and have established special working groups to too was hit by rock falls. “improve forecas ng accuracy and to develop measures of According to the report, the temblor induced two vegeta on restora on in source areas in China”. disastrous avalanches -- one in Langtang valley and These are posi ve steps. China can’t pretend its another at the Mount Everest base camp. deser fica on is its own problem as the effects on other The most destruc ve and probably the largest landslide countries are too obvious. Swirling dust storms have triggered was a massive one ini ated nearly 7,000 metres forced other states to take a direct interest in China’s above mean sea level which completely buried Langtang desert sands. village. The Mount Everest base camp was also hit by an earthquake-induced ice avalanche, even though the Nepal quake caused 4,312 shaking at this point was light. landslides:Report The collapsing icy mass swept away a part of the Everest base camp and claimed 22 lives. Hindustan Times It was the worst single day in the history of Everest and May 16, 2016 occurred a year a er the previous worst day in the Almost a year a er the devasta ng 7.8 magnitude mountain’s history on April 18, 2014, when ice avalanches earthquake hit Nepal, a new interna onal report said a hit the Everest climbing route over the Khumbu glacier, staggering 4,312 landslides were triggered by the temblor killing 16 people, the researchers wrote. and its a ershocks. The indica on is that ice on the mountain was ready to It said the major destruc on by the landslides was of collapse. Spring me mel ng triggered the collapse in 2014 newly-developed se lements, and that the total loss and and probably condi oned the ice for collapse in 2015 so damage was es mated at $7 billion. that only a light shaking was needed to break it loose, they The report “Impact of Nepal’s 2015 Gorkha Earthquake- said. Induced Geohazards” said the lives of eight million people, The saving grace is that the earthquake did not cause almost one-third of Nepal’s popula on, were impacted. floods from the outburst of glacial lakes. But the damage due to landslides and glacier lake floods “This was both fortunate and surprising. The good news, was less than an cipated, it added. however, does not necessarily indicate that future Supported by Skoll Global Threats Fund, the Kathmandu- earthquakes will have a similarly low impact as they could headquartered Interna onal Centre for Integrated strike closer to and more directly beneath the glacial Mountain Development (ICIMOD), along with scien sts lakes,” said the researchers. from the US, Europe and the region prepared the report They warned that many of the landslides and landslide by mapping the landslides using satellite images, aerial dams and possibly the increased instability of glacial lakes surveys and field visits. have the poten al to lead to a chain of hazards in the In Nepal, home to more than one-third of the Himalayan future. range, the damage by the quake was devasta ng, The situa on of Himalayan glacial lakes needs to be compared to the Tibet Autonomous Region in China or observed carefully in China, India and Nepal to confirm India and Bangladesh. the preliminary conclusions that the risk of floods from Within Nepal, more than 8,800 people died, 22,000 were the outburst of glacial lakes has not been visibly injured and 100,000 displaced. heightened by the earthquake, says the report. The earthquake on April 25, 2015, pushed an addi onal “A er the earthquake we joined hands with regional and 2.5 to 3.5 percent of the Nepalese popula on into poverty interna onal experts to map the posi ons of landslides in 2015-16, the researchers wrote in their 36-page report and debris flows. We undertook several studies to assess that aims to improve the management of geohazards. its impact,” ICIMOD director general David J. Molden said. Scien sts have discovered that there was major destruc on to the newly-developed human se lements compared to older ones.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 45 New species from Tibet reveals are organised under the genus Ovis and found in the mountains of North America, Eurasia and Europe. origin of Ice Age mountain sheep Tibet Post Interna onal This primi ve horned sheep adapted to the cold, hard demands of mountain living during the Pliocene, when May 12, 2016 most regions outside of the Tibetan Plateau were rela vely warm. Protovis himalayensis eventually gave way to more recent ancestors of Ovis species. Despite morphological changes, its unique disposi on towards harsh, cold climes remained. When the last ice age arrived 2.6 million years ago, Ovis species were primed to take advantage of new territory. "With the present discovery of a primi ve sheep in the Himalaya, we thus offer another example of our previous out-of-Tibet hypothesis," Wang Xiaoming, senior curator of Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, explained in a news release. Fig.1 Holotype of Protovis himalayensis, in frontal-lateral view (A) and dorsal view of horncores (B) , and cross-sec onal shapes at four intervals "Ancestral sheep were adapted to high-eleva on cold along le horn. Credit: WANG Xiaoming Read more at: h p://phys.org/ environments in the Pliocene, and during the Pleistocene news/2016-05-species-pliocene- bet-reveals-ice.html#jCp they began to disperse outside their ancestral home range Dharamshala — Modern wild sheep, Ovis, is widespread in in Tibet to northern China, northern Siberia, and western the mountain ranges of the Caucasus through Himalaya, Asia," added Wang, a visi ng professor with the Ins tute Tibetan Plateau, Tianshan-Altai, eastern Siberia, and the of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Paleoanthropology in Rocky Mountains in North America. Beijing. "The sheep thus joined several other mammals, In Eurasia, fossil sheep are known by a few isolated such as big cats, arc c foxes, hypercarnivorous hun ng records at a few Pleistocene sites in North China, eastern dogs, and woolly rhinoceros in their expansion out of Siberia, and western Europe, but are so far absent from Tibet during the Ice Age and gave rise to elements of the the Tibetan Plateau. Pleistocene megafauna." In a paper published May 4 in the "Journal of Vertebrate Unlike other megafauna species like mammoths and Paleontology", palaeontologists from the Ins tute of saber-toothed gers, which succumbed to climate change Vertebrate Palaeontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), and human preda on, wild mountain sheep were able to Chinese Academy of Sciences, Natural History Museum of seek refuge in the high peaks as the planet once again Los Angeles County and La Brea Tar Pits and Museum at warmed. Los Angeles reported a new genus and species of fossil sheep from the Pliocene of Tsadha County in Tibet (Ch: Zanda County, TAR). Nepal's power woes and Koshi basin Researchers believe a new fossil -- and the new species it thestatesman.com represents -- proves mountain sheep originated in the May 12 2016 highlands of Tibet. American tourists Shana K and her husband Zulhk K were Scien sts have long argued that the last ice age's in for a shock when they found there was no electricity at megaherbivores originated in Tibet and spread out across the Janakpur airport for over an hour. But that's a constant the regions neighbouring the Tibetan Plateau as glacia on reality for most Nepalese who face a severe power crisis proliferated. every day. However, experts say the grim situa on can The only problem: un l now, researchers weren't able to change if Nepal u lises its water resources fully, notably uncover the fossils of any ancient mountain sheep on the that of the Koshi basin which can generate 37 mes more Tibetan Plateau. energy than what Nepal annually imports from India. The newly unearthed sheep fossil was discovered in a "Nepal has a huge hydropower poten al, thanks to plenty Pliocene layer of the Zanda Basin in Tibet. It belongs to a of available water in the Koshi basin. But ll date the new ex nct species, Protovis himalayensis. Scien sts say water resources have not been u lised," said Shahriar the species is an ancestor of modern wild sheep, which Wahid, programme coordinator, Koshi basin programme
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 46 of Kathmandu-based Interna onal Centre for Integrated Policy at Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Mountain Development (ICIMOD). in Singapore stressed. Researchers at ICIMOD, in partnership with the Water expert Santosh Nepal of ICIMOD pointed out that Interna onal Water Management Ins tute, conducted soil hydropower can be one of the "most environment-friendly and water assessment to determine future availability of source of energy" in Nepal. water ll the middle of the century. "Moreover, energy security can open up opportuni es for "Research showed that the available water in the Koshi development and employment in Nepal, and contribute to basin is largely untapped. Only seven percent is being the na onal GDP," he said. currently u lised. The data also suggested that the Koshi river can generate 37 mes more energy than what Nepal annually imports from India. This informa on can help planners to make decisions about the construc on of China to Integrate Water and hydropower infrastructure," Wahid said. Environment Management with GEF According to the latest research, Nepal has a hydropower support poten al of over 50,000 MW. But ll now, only 800 MW The Financial are generated. May 10, 2016 In November 2015, India and Nepal signed an agreement The FINANCIAL -- The World Bank Group’s Board of for se ng up of a 900-MW hydropower plant on Nepal's Execu ve Directors approved a US$9.50 million grant from Arun river that will generate power from 2021. the Global Environment Facility (GEF) on May 9 to help Soon a er his visit to the Himalayan na on in March 2015, China increase water produc vity and reduce pollu on Bihar Chief Minister Ni sh Kumar too had stressed that discharges in the three river basins entering the Bohai Sea, Nepal should focus on hydropower projects which can by mainstreaming and scaling up an innova ve approach boost its economy. to integrated water and environmental management. As of now, Nepal's electricity requirements have been China’s Bohai Sea is one of the world’s most ecologically growing at about nine percent annually. But the supply stressed water bodies. The degrada on of the Bohai Sea is isn't enough to match that need. And so even in capital mainly due to decreasing fresh water inflows and Kathmandu, residents and industrial units face power cuts increasing pollu on loads. Average annual fresh water of eight to 12 hours every day. inflows to the sea have been reduced by over 50 percent "If hydropower poten al of the Koshi river and other over the last few decades. More than 40 rivers that flow trans-boundary rivers are harnessed, then Nepal can easily into the Bohai Sea are severely polluted. Among them, the sell excess electricity to India. Electricity can be a major Liao, Hai, and Yellow Rivers are the most important. revenue earner for the country," said Asit K. Biswas of the Moreover, there are some 105 discrete pollu on sources Ins tute of Water Policy at the Lee Kuan Yew School of located along its coast that discharge directly into the sea. Public Policy in Singapore. “To maintain and restore the necessary water flows in the "Instead, Nepal currently imports electricity from India to main rivers entering the Bohai Sea, the issues of both supplement its grossly inadequate power genera on," water scarcity and water pollu on must be addressed in they added. the upper reaches of the river basins. The project will adopt an integrated water and environment management A good model is India-Bhutan collabora on, they pointed approach that will simultaneously tackle these two issues, out. With India's coopera on, Bhutan now covers all its par cularly overexploita on of groundwater,” said Liping electricity needs through hydropower, and sells the excess Jiang, World Bank’s Senior Irriga on Specialist and the electricity to its southern neighbour. Hydropower is now a team leader for the project. major export of Bhutan. Built on the first GEF Hai River Basin project, the GEF Over the last four years, it has contributed to about 60 per Mainstreaming Integrated Water and Environment cent of Bhutan's total export income. Management Project will refine and more fully integrate "Both Nepal and India should realise that hydropower is remote-sensing technology into integrated water and not like oil or minerals that can remain in the ground un l environment management approach to measure the they are developed. If water is not used for electricity consump ve use water in ecological, environmental, genera on and agricultural produc on, these benefits are agricultural, and urban areas, and help develop ac on lost forever," Cecilla Tortajada of the Ins tute of Water
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 47 plans and targets for a more balanced social and economic The poten al of run-of-the-river projects in GB is development and ecosystem preserva on in river basins. phenomenal; 7,400 megawa s of energy can be The project will support policy studies and prepara on of generated at a power plant in Bunji with two addi onal opera onal manuals and guidelines on integrated water projects of 2,000 megawa each upstream from this and environment management approach, demonstra on loca on, he added of the approach in two sub-river basins of the Luan and He said that the government as well as the private sector Hutuo and two ci es of Chengde and Shijiangzhuang, and must exploit the enormous power produc on poten al in its scaling up to the Liao, Hai, and Yellow River Basins. GB, which could help us not only overcome energy crisis Moreover, a water environment technology extension but also export electricity. pla orm and a water consump on monitoring and Moreover, the 72,000 square miles area with around 1.3 management pla orm will be developed at the na onal million people has the poten al for rapid development level, according to the World Bank. based on tourism, hospitality, mining, food processing, dry The people living in the project areas and along the Bohai fruits, gems and jewellery and farming, he said. coast will benefit directly from more stable access to Alam noted that the number of tourists could be doubled water resources and improved water quality due to the with li le effort while establishing tax-free zones could project. Eventually the project will contribute to a ract investment, adding that new policies should be improvements in the Bohai nearshore coastal ecosystem. evolved to facilitate local and foreign investments. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) unites 183 countries He said that FPCCI wants to establish a regional office in in partnership with interna onal ins tu ons, civil society Gilgit-Bal stan for which it is looking forward for organiza ons, and the private sector to address global coopera on by the government. On the occasion, the environmental issues while suppor ng na onal Gilgit-Bal stan chief minister said that economic corridor sustainable development ini a ves. An independently would have a posi ve impact on every person in the opera ng financial organiza on, the GEF provides grants country while it would transform Gilgit-Bal stan into an for projects related to biodiversity, climate change, investment haven. interna onal waters, land degrada on, the ozone layer, He asked the private sector to take interest in investment and persistent organic pollutants. in the region and that they would be provided all the facili es possible. “We are planning to establish an investment board, boost tourism, generate addi onal power, and improve law and order situa on to trigger Hydropower poten al of GB enough economic ac vi es which will reduce poverty and raise to resolve country’s energy crisis’ standard of living of people,” he added. Daily mes.com May 8, 2016 ISLAMABAD: The Federa on of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Saturday said India unaware of details of hydro hydropower poten al of Gilgit-Bal stan (GB) could change projects on Brahmaputra the fate of country by resolving energy crisis with its assamtribune.com capacity es mated to be 50,000 megawa s. May 8, 2016 Thermal energy is costly while hydel power offers The Government of India is pu ng pressure on China to cheapest source of energy for long term and permanent share the details of the hydropower projects being set up solu on to the energy crisis, said FPCCI President Abdul by the neighbouring country on the Brahmaputra river. Rauf Alam. Highly placed sources in the Government of India told The He said this while talking to Gilgit-Bal stan Chief Minister Assam Tribune that ll date, India is not aware of the full Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman. FPCCI Vice President Johar Ali details of the projects being set up by China on the Raki and others were also present on the occasion. Brahmaputra river. The Government of China has been Rauf Alam said that hydro energy is environment-friendly, insis ng that the projects would be run-of-the-river low-cost and economically viable; it can save billions of projects and those would not affect the flow of water to dollars required to import fuel for power genera on that India. result in costly agricultural and industrial produc on.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 48 However, the Government of India is of the view that Tibetans protest against Chinese those projects might affect the flow of water to the downstream areas. The experts of India, who were mining in Minyak County, Tibet Tibet Post Interna onal consulted by the government, were also of the view that with the construc on of hydropower projects, China May 6, 2016 would be able to control the flow of water to India. As Dharamshala — More than 100 Tibetans have protested parts of China are facing severe water crisis, there is also against Chinese mining opera ons at a site considered an apprehension that the possibility of China diver ng sacred by local Tibetan residents, drawing a large police water of the Brahmaputra to the water-starved areas of force to the area and promp ng fears of clashes. the country cannot be ruled out. 'The protest took place at Yulshok Gargye in Minyak In view of the possible dangers, the Government of India County, Kham Province of eastern Tibet (Ch: Minya, is pu ng pressure on China to divulge the details of the Kangding County, Sichuan, China)," on May 4, 2016,' Aka projects that are being set up on the Brahmaputra. Penpa, a monk from South India told the TPI. Sources said that the Government of India is keen on He said that "the ongoing mining has led to toxic wastes signing a formal agreement with China so that the being dumped into the river resul ng in the death of a neighbouring country has to provide the technical details large number of fishes." of the projects including water storage and release facili es. “The Government of India even wants that "About 100 local Tibetans then gathered in Yulshok Gargye engineers and experts of India should be allowed to visit to demand an end to the project and calling for urgent the projects in China so that they can have a first-hand ac on to protect environment and wildlife," he added. look at the projects,” sources added. The locals have engaged in shou ng slogans "there is no Sources pointed out that as per interna onal laws, the rule of law for the Communist Party" and saying they lied interests of the water users of the lower riparian countries to us, they cheated on us, they betrayed us and broken would have to be looked into by any country while promises. construc ng major projects in the upstream of major 'Chinese authori es deployed dozens of police forces in rivers. Though India has not constructed any major project vehicles to the protest site, immediately a er the event,' on the Brahmaputra, the Government of India is of the TPI's source said. view that se ng up of projects in the upstream of the "The situa on is s ll very tense, as there are growing fears river would disturb the ecology of the downstream areas. among the locals that the security crackdown, may take Sources said that the Government of India is using this place in the open sky," sources said, adding: "It is also point to put pressure on China to share the details of the unknown whether or not the Chinese authori es arrested projects being set up in the upstream of the Brahmaputra. any of these Tibetan protesters." It may be men oned here that the reports of China Yulshok Gargye is a sacred place located in the Minyak construc ng hydropower projects in the upstream of the County, less than 20 minutes walk from the center of Pa- Brahmaputra river is causing apprehension in the minds of Lhagang, which is one of the holiest site in Tibetan the people living in the downstream areas. China has Buddhism. always been claiming that construc on of the run-of-the- river projects would not affect the flow of water to the Waste from the mines, in opera on since 2005, but downstream areas, but so far, the neighbouring country stopped in recent years because local protests against the has not shared the details of the projects with India. project, which has been dumped in the "Lhuchu River," resul ng in the death of large numbers of fishes. Sources said "they restarted the mine in April this year, resul ng in the death of another large numbers of fishes." "Tibetan nomads have protested the Chinese mining opera ons, which poison drinking water and kill herd animals," he added. The protest site is also located near Mt Minyak Gangkar, one of the highest mountains in Kham region of eastern Tibet, which is located near Dartsedo City. It is with eleva on of 7556m. The town of Dartsedo was an important trade center between Tibet and China, and for
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 49 centuries its importance lay on the tea-horse trade. Mt The authors indicate that evapora on in this lake, as in Minyak Gangkar is also one of the most sacred snow other lakes, depends on several factors: the radia on that capped mountain in the Kham region. reaches the lake’s surface, air temperature, wind speed, Mining opera ons in Tibet have led to frequent standoffs and the dryness of the air. In order to find which of these with Tibetans who accuse Chinese firms of disrup ng sites variables has the largest effect, the scien sts correlated of spiritual significance and pollu ng the environment as the average values of each with the evapora on rates over they extract local wealth. the lake. The opera ons also have caused landslide, severe damage Wind speed, they concluded, was most plausible to local forests, grasslands, and drinking water. Waste candidate. However, the lack of nearby weather sta ons from the mines has been dumped in the rivers, and mining and the mountainous landscape of the region pose an ac vi es have polluted the air. issue for the construc on of accurate models which include wind speed. Because of this, the researchers used a different model than is usually employed during evapora on studies; this alternate method is called a Slower Evapora on Rate Spurs complementary rela onship lake evapora on (CRLE) model. Tibetan Lake Growth The CRLE model did not include wind speed Glacierhub.org measurements, but the researchers can es mate this May 4, 2016 factor by including an air stability factor that includes A new study in the Journal of Hydrology uses a novel variables for heat and moisture content. modelling technique that helps scien sts understand the The study suggests that the ability to more accurately effect of evapora on on the expansion of lakes in the model the rates of evapora on without wind speed data is inner Tibetan Plateau. This research also has implica ons the key to counterbalancing the lack of meteorological for the use of climate models on the Plateau. In addi on, observa ons in this area. Further, the need to examine the the work has broader significance for weather pa erns lake over decades can best be addressed by models, beyond Tibet, due to the plateau’s influence on the granted the lack of data from the weather sta ons in the atmospheric circula on of the Asian Monsoon system. region. Accurate models may be able to help those in the The researchers focused on Nam Co Lake, the second region be er understand lake expansion. largest of the more than one thousand lakes on the The Tibetan Plateau is of great regional importance Tibetan Plateau. Unlike many lakes, which drain through because of the role it plays in the Asian Monsoon system. rivers, this lake is in a closed basin, losing water only Simply put, the heat energy (which is affected by through evapora on. There is no bigger lake at a higher evapora on) from the plateau thermally regulates the al tude than this body of water anywhere in the world. monsoon circula on pa erns. Changes in evapora on In fact, Nam Co Lake is expanding, and the researchers rates from lakes may have implica ons for the many wanted to be er understand why. Seeking a fresh areas affected by the Asian Monsoon. By providing an approach, the researchers aimed to specify the role of assessment of the CRLE model, which the authors argue evapora on in this expansion. provides a more accurate representa on of evapora on, this study may aid in the understanding of the processes Led by Ning Ma of the Ins tute of Tibetan Plateau taking place in this cri cal, but rapidly changing, region. Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, they found that the expansion of Nam Co Lake is partly caused by decreased rates of evapora on, possibly due to declining wind speeds and decreased solar radia on. Environmental inspectors expose There have been many studies exploring the rapid expansion of lakes in the region since the 1990’s, but there pollu on in N China is no agreement on the explana on for this phenomenon. Shanghai Daily Past studies have looked at increased glacial runoff or May 3,2016 increased precipita on as the main drivers. But the SHIJIAZHUANG, May 3 (Xinhua) -- The environment in authors of this study explain that to fully understand the parts of north China's Hebei Province has deteriorated expansion of this closed lake, evapora on, a factor o en sharply, a central inspec on team said on Tuesday. neglected by researchers, needs to be incorporated as well.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 50 Four rivers, including the Canglangqu, Shibei River, Liaojiawa River and Cha River, are heavily polluted within Military and Cangzhou City, with average pollutant concentra ons in the four up 30 percent in 2015 from 2013 figures, Infrastructure inspectors noted. A series of illegal projects were discovered, including Development construc on of villas near the province's protected drinking water sources. Inspectors a ributed the environmental viola ons to ineffec ve supervision by local regulators. "Former leaders of the provincial Communist Party of Rs.1 lakh crore for road China commi ee didn't take environmental protec on infrastructure in Northeast: Gadkari seriously and failed to make changes from 2013 un l July The Statesman 2015," said the team. May 29, 2016 During the inspec on, 200 enterprises were shut down, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Ni n 123 people were arrested and another 366 were held Gadkari on Saturday said that the government will invest accountable. Rs.one lakh crore in the northeast region to develop road The inspectors, who were sent to Hebei from Dec. 31, infrastructure in five years. 2015 to Feb. 4, ordered local authori es to submit He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had instructed rec fica on measures to the State Council within 30 work him to put special emphasis on infrastructural days. development in the northeast as the region remained deprived off the progress for years. "In next five years we will build a road network, with investment of Rs.one lakh crore, in the northeast region of the country. This will enable fast and overall development of the en re region," Gadkari said from Nagpur while speaking at "Ek Nayee Subah" event to mark the Modi government's two years. Development works es mated at Rs.40,000 crore have already started in the region, he added. On development of waterways, Gadkari said that water transport is the cheapest way of travelling and with India having a 7500-km-long coastline which connects 78 districts of 13 states, the scope of water transport is immense. "We are transforming the rivers -- which fall into the sea -- into waterways. We have also started working on strengthening our exis ng five waterways," he said. He added that mul -modal hubs are being developed in Varanasi in U ar Pradesh, Haldia in West Bengal and Sahibganj in Jharkhand where Ganga flows. As many as 40 water ports are being made and work on developing waterways on Brahmaputra River will start soon. “Development of waterways will be the biggest achievement of our government," he said.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 51 Border Roads director general The proposed visit of the director general has generated a lot of hope amongst the people of Bhutan who are eagerly arrives today awai ng much needed impetus for the connec vity of its Kuenselonline.com major road sectors and a subsequent boost to its May 29, 2016 economy, it is stated in the press release. The director general of the Border Roads Organisa on, “Project DANTAK is set to gain a lot from the visit and is all Lieutenant General Suresh Sharma, arrives in the country geared up to bring about quan ta ve and qualita ve today on an eight-day visit to review works under taken by change in road infrastructure sector of Bhutan,” it is Project DANTAK. added. He is accompanied by his wife, Simmi Sharma, who is also the president of the organisa on’s Wife’s Welfare Associa on. Lieutenant General Suresh Sharma is slated to visit both China wants its Nepal rail link to eastern and western Bhutan to generate a clear touch Bihar understanding of the road infrastructure requirements in freepressjournal.in Bhutan and the percep on of His Majesty The King and May 25, 2016 government officials, it is stated in the press release issued Beijing : Having already expanded its influence in Nepal by DANTAK. with road and rail network through Tibet, China is now With produc vity and quality being the general’s key looking to stretch its railway link to Bihar to improve result areas, he is also likely to spell out the future road connec vity with India and South Asia, state-run Chinese map of Project DANTAK. media reported on Tuesday. This is the first me a Border Roads director general will Significantly, the indica on has come on the heels of the visit both eastern and western Bhutan in a single visit, trilateral economic corridor agreement that Prime which displays his commitment towards the cause of Minister Narendra Modi has signed with Afghanistan and Bhutan, it is also pointed out in the press release. Iran. Since the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru A cross-border railroad link to the Rasuwagadhi area in came to Bhutan on horseback, Project DANTAK has been Nepal has already been discussed between the two associated with the development of Bhutan. countries, it is learnt. China’s railroad is expected to reach The visit of the director general during the start of the Nepal border by 2020, an ar cle in the state-run Global new working season will certainly cement the bond Times said. This rail line makes it possible to connect China between the two na ons and raise the morale of troops to India as from Rasuwagadhi to Birgunj, which borders working in tes ng condi ons, it is stated in the press Bihar, is only 240 km, the ar cle said. release. For Bihar, trade with China through the rail link will be The director general is likely to have an audience with His easier along this route than through Kolkata, saving me, Majesty The King of Bhutan and His Majesty The Fourth cost and distance, it said. “The railroad connec on to King. He will also call on Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay China not only is important for Nepal and Nepalese and other senior government officials. people’s future development, but also has the capacity to build connec vity with the whole of South Asia. The During his visit, the director general will perform the government of Nepal has the chance to make history,” the ground breaking ceremony of the much awaited Chuzom- ar cle said. Haa road on 01 June 2016 and inspect various road sectors including Damchu-Chukha, Damchu-Haa link Road, While rail and road links with Nepal were regarded and Chuzom-Drugyal Dzong. strategic for China to blunt India’s influence in the country, analysts said the development of most expansive In the subsequent part of his visit, he will inaugurate the infrastructure through the rugged Himalayan mountains is Druk Gaizam bridge in eastern Bhutan and will review the viable only if get connected to India. India, China bilateral road works along Trashigang-Yadi and Darranga-Trashigang trade currently hovers around USD 70 billion with over road sector. USD 48 billion trade deficit in favour of Beijing. Simmi Sharma will also inaugurate and dedicate the Early this month, in a strategic move to cut landlocked ‘Friendship Park’ constructed by DANTAK at Samdrup Nepal’s dependence on India, China opened a combined Jongkhar to the people of the region on June 4. road and rail service to Kathmandu through the rugged
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 52 mountain ranges in Tibet to step up transporta on of of the United States and other na ons like India. The U.S. supplies to the Himalayan country. An interna onal freight Congressmen reportedly said that they are specifically train from Lanzhou, the capital city of northwestern alarmed over the supply of Transporter Erector Launcher China’s Gansu province has been opera onalised. (TEL) systems, which would provide instant mobility to The train will carry the cargo to Xigaze, the nearest Pakistan’s medium range nuclear ballis c missiles like the Tibetan town close to Nepal from where the goods will be Shaheen III. The Pakistan Army successfully conducted a transported to Nepal by road. The whole journey will take training launch of the Ghauri medium-range ballis c 10 days. It includes 2,431 km of rail transport and 564 km missile (MRBM) fired from the transporter erector of road transport to Geelong Port in Nepal. launcher from Tilla Test Range in Jhelum District in 2015. Ever since it has been in the market for several TEL From there it will take another 160 km of road transport systems. Pakistan Army already uses Chinese origin 8×8 to reach Nepal’s capital Kathmandu. Altogether, the transporter erector launchers similar to the Russian combined transport takes 35 days fewer than tradi onal MAZ-543/MAZ-7310. ocean transport, the report said. US Congressmen have cau oned that availability of more The combined rail and road service has been started as a such mobility vehicles would provide Pakistan’s nuclear follow up to Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s visit command with far reaching powers to strike anywhere in here in March during which the two countries signed the South Asia, including in Afghanistan and India and on landmark transit treaty for Nepal to access supplies from targets that affect U.S. na onal security interests in the China through the arduous route of Tibet. region. Chinese officials said Beijing has also agreed to extend the The two leading Congressmen have reportedly asked the rail link in Xigaze to Nepal border, which will enable Obama Administra on to spell out what steps Washington Kathmandu to access growing rail and road infrastructure will take to ensure that China halts the supply of such in Tibet. Nepalese officials say the new routes with China lethal systems to Pakistan. This ma er is being viewed will cut down dependence on India, which ll now is the seriously by the U.S. Congress, as it proves, that China sole supplier of goods. con nues to secretly assist in Pakistan’s ballis c missile Oli’s government is keen on opening up new routes with program by providing mobility to the nuclear missiles that China including access to its port Guangzhou to reduce would target “na ons who are close friends of the United dependence on India in the a ermath of the blockade States, including India.“ Congressional sources said that along the Indian border imposed by Madhesis in Nepal to while China and Pakistan have cooperated on military express their resentment against the new cons tu on, technology for decades and Beijing had announced in analysts say. 2013 that it would be assis ng with the construc on of nuclear power plants in Karachi, the extent of Chinese coopera on in Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program has always been a subject of specula on. China’s supply of nuclear weapons According to news agency reports, the U.S. Government to Pakistan pose threat to US, India, has had its suspicions that China has assisted Pakistan’s Obama administra on warned nuclear weapons program, and this move to transfer more Transporter Erector Launchers (TEL), confirms China’s Indian Express ongoing hand in Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program. May 25, 2016 Pakistan is the largest recipient of Chinese weapons and The two leading Congressmen have reportedly asked the Pakistan in turn provides Beijing with assistance in Obama Administra on to spell out what steps Washington containing militants in China’s western province. The will take to ensure that China halts the supply of such supply of mobile launchers for the Shaheen III Missile is a lethal systems to Pakistan. direct threat to India, added well placed sources. Senior U.S. Congress members, led by Congressman Mike Beijing has also shown its hand in nuclear prolifera on, Rogers, Chairman of the Sub-commi ee on Strategic which could trigger American sanc ons against China, said Forces, and Congressman Ted Poe, Chairman of the Sub- Congressional sources. Senior U.S. Congressmen have Commi ee on Terrorism, Non-prolifera on and Trade, called upon the Obama Administra on to inves gate this have warned the Obama Administra on that China is ma er and if it is proven that China did supply the mobile supplying super sensi ve nuclear weapons systems to launchers to Pakistan for the Shaheen nuclear missiles, Pakistan which could pose a threat to the na onal security then it ought to be sanc oned by Washington. Presiden al
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 53 candidate Donald Trump is picking up this call by the two Imphal sec on (125km) which falls within Indian territory leading Republican Congressmen –Mike Rogers and Ted has been sanc oned and construc on work taken up. Poe –. In his speeches, Trump has drawn a en on to Remaining por ons from Imphal to Moreh (111km) within China’s ‘devious track record’ in nuclear material ma ers India and from Tamu to Kalay (128km) in Myanmar have and the fact that Beijing has ac vely assisted Islamabad in not been sanc oned," said a railway board official. its nuclear program in viola on of global and United India is also seeking rail routes to Bhutan and Nepal. While Na ons norms. Trump has been calling for firm ac on a small link between Raxaul in Bihar and Birganj in Nepal is against China and, if this illicit nuclear rela onship is opera onal, railway officials said four new routes could be confirmed by the U.S. Government, then by law, it will explored between the two countries. At present, Nepal have to impose economic and other sanc ons on Beijing. does not have a rail network. However, meter gauge lines U.S. sources said that in the days to come this issue would exist in some parts of the plains or terai region in Nepal. become a poli cal ba le between Republican and the Geographical advantage Democra c candidates, with each side seeking answers from the Obama administra on. Officials said India has a geographical advantage that its northern plains connect seamlessly to Nepal's terai region. Also, many railway sta ons like Jaynagar, Jogbani in Bihar and Sonauli, Rupaidiha in U ar Pradesh are located very Centre seeks to connect to SAARC close to Nepal border. Railway lines from these sta ons na ons with more railway links can be extended up to Nepal for be er connec vity. India Today It may be noted that China has also announced construc ng rail corridor to Nepal via Tibet. The May 23, 2016 connec on, according to Chinese media reports, could India, which already has direct train service with include a tunnel under the Everest. It is to be an extension Bangladesh, has also announced two new routes. The two of the Qinghai-Tibet railway that links China with the countries are currently opera ng Maitree Express Tibetan capital. between Kolkata and Dhaka. Meanwhile, officials said India was also keen on reviving A er the India-Myanmar-Thailand road link, the the railway link connec ng India and Bhutan announced in government is considering seamless rail connec vity with 2008. The Nehru Golden Jubliee Railway Link was SAARC na ons. The Indian Railways is considering rail links proposed as 18-km link connec ng Hashimara in West from India to Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Bengal to Toribari in Bhutan. RITES was asked to prepare The most prominent is the Indo-Myanmar rail route for the project report with assistance from Northeastern which railways plan to connect Jiribam in India to Kalay/ Fron er (NF) Railways but the consultancy firm failed to Mandalay in Myanmar. complete the survey work. A senior railway ministry official said studies are being conducted on se ng up at least five rail routes between China launches remote sensing India and Nepal while feasibility of another route is being examined between India and Bhutan. India, which already satellite has direct train service with Bangladesh, has also Times of India announced two new routes. The two countries are May 15, 2016 currently opera ng Maitree Express between Kolkata and BEIJING: China successfully launched a remote sensing Dhaka. satellite on Sunday to carry out land surveys and disaster Approval relief. Officials said ini al work has started on rail projects from The satellite named Yaogan-30 was launched from Jiuquan Tripura to Akhaura in Bangladesh and Haldibari in India to Satellite Launch Centrein northwestern China's Gobi Bangladesh Interna onal Border. While the first project Desert. was announced in 2012-13, the la er was sanc oned in The satellite will be used for experiments, land surveys, rail budget 2016-17. The projects are, however, subject to crop yield es mates and disaster relief, state-run Xinhua requisite government approvals in both countries. news agency reported. "A feasibility study was done in 2005 by Indian Railway Yaogan-30 was carried by a Long March-2D rocket, the through its engineering consultant RITES for a link from 227th mission for the Long March rocket family. Jiribam to Kalay/Mandalay in Myanmar. The Jiribam -
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 54 China launched the first "Yaogan" series satellite, Yaogan-1, in 2006. Border Issue
China deploys new genera on rocket for space missions President Pranab Mukherjee lists Times of India eight steps to resolve issues May 8, 2016 between India, China BEIJING: China is deploying a newly-built medium-sized Economic Times rocket to take heavy payloads - of up to 13.5 tonnes - to its May 26,2016 space missions especially the space sta on currently BEIJING: Outlining eight pillars for the future of Sino-India under construc on. es, President Pranab Mukherjee today underlined the need for resolving challenges like the boundary ques on It has taken researchers eight years to develop the new- genera on Long March-7 rocket, which can carry up to through "poli cal acumen" and "civilisa onal wisdom" so that the coming genera ons are not "burdened" by 13.5 tonnes to low Earth orbit, Li Hong, director of the unresolved issues. Carrier Rocket Technology Research Ins tute with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corpora on, Delivering a lecture at the elite Peking University here, said. Mukherjee noted that there is bipar san commitment to The rocket departed for its launch base in Hainan today strengthening partnership with China , and said poli cal understanding between the two countries is vital for from north China's port of Tianjin. "closer developmental partnership". "The Long March-7 launch scheduled for late June will be He said he was "confident that by placing these eight of great significance as it will usher in China's space lab pillars at the founda on of a people-centric approach, we mission," state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Yang Baohua, deputy manager of the company as saying. can sufficiently enhance and strengthen our coopera on to the mutual benefit of both our peoples". The space sta on regarded as a rival to Russian space "One of the ways it could be done is through enhanced sta on Mir being jointly operated with the US is expected poli cal communica on. In India , we have a bipar san to be ready by 2022. commitment to strengthening our partnership with China. China plans to launch second experimental orbi ng space The frequent contacts between our respec ve leaders lab, Tiangong-2, this fall and it is scheduled to dock with bear tes mony to this. manned spacecra Shenzhou-11 in the fourth quarter. "We have broadened the 'common ground' and learnt to Yang said that the Long March-7 carrier is more manage our differences. There are challenges - including environmental-friendly than earlier Long March models. the boundary ques on - that s ll need to be addressed The rocket will become the main carrier for space comprehensively," he said while addressing the gathering launches. on the topic "India-China Rela ons: 8 steps to a people- centric partnership". India and China have differences over the 3,488 km-long border. While Beijing says that the boundary dispute is confined to 2,000 kms, mainly in Arunachal Pradesh in eastern sector which it claims as part of southern Tibet , India asserts that the dispute covered the whole of the Line of Actual Control including the Aksai Chin occupied by China during the 1962 war. Making his first state visit to China as head of the state, Mukherjee said while it was natural for neighbours to have differences of views on certain issues from me to me, "I consider it a test of our poli cal acumen when we are called upon to draw upon our civilisa onal wisdom
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 55 and resolve these differences to the mutual sa sfac on of Recalling Xi's 2014 visit to India which was followed with both sides". Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China last year, she said bilateral es have entered a period of fast development. "We can take that President Mukherjee's visit this me to Ready to 'accelerate' talks with India implement important outcomes during the previous visits to resolve border dispute: China of prac cal coopera on and forge close partnership for Economic Times development," she said. PTI May 23, 2016 BEIJING: On the eve of President Pranab Mukherjee's visit, India asks China to stop work in China today struck a posi ve note saying that both the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir countries have been taking posi ve steps to manage the domain-b.com border dispute and that it is ready to "accelerate" talks to resolve the vexed issue "at an early date". May 20, 2016 "China is ready to work with India to accelerate India has asked China to stop all ac vi es in parts of nego a ons and resolve this historic issue at an early date Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan, the external to move forward bilateral rela ons," Foreign Ministry affairs ministry said Friday. China is undertaking spokesperson Hua Chunying said, responding to construc on ac vi es in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as Mukherjee's remark that India wants fair, reasonable and part of its economic corridor project. mutually acceptable se lement to solve the border issue. Vikas Swarup, the ministry spokesperson, told reporters "We will extend warm welcome to President Mukherjee," here that the issue of "Chinese ac vi es in Pakistan- on his first visit to China, Hua told reporters. occupied Kashmir have been taken up with the Chinese side, including at the highest level," She said "China and India are commi ed to resolve territorial disputes through nego a ons seeking a fair and "Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part reasonable se lement which is acceptable to all." of India... We have asked them to cease all ac vi es (there)," Swarup said. "In the past three decades and more the two sides have been taking posi ve steps to properly manage disputes China is believed to have made huge investments and is and safeguard peace and tranquility of the border area sponsoring development projects in Pakistan-controlled crea ng favourable condi ons for sound and sustainable Jammu and Kashmir, including in the vola le Shia- development of bilateral es," Hua said responding to a dominated Gilgit-Bal stan area. ques on on Mukherjee's comments to Chinese media on Meanwhile, the Indian government is planning to the issue. introduce a bill in Parliament known as the 'Geospa al Mukherjee, who arrives in the Chinese industrial city of Informa on Regula on Bill 2016', which will make it illegal Guangzhou on a four-day visit to China tomorrow, has told for local and interna onal geospa al mapping Chinese media that India seeks a "fair, reasonable and organisa ons along with individuals to depict India's map mutually acceptable se lement of the (border) 'incorrectly'. ques on." The dra bill par cularly mandates that the states of He will reach Beijing on May 25 and is scheduled to hold 'Arunachal Pradesh' and 'Jammu and Kashmir', including talks with President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders. Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the Gilgit-Bal stan regions, are to be depicted as union territories of India across all Outlining the steps taken by India and China to resolve the mapping groups in the world. dispute, Hua said so far the two countries have established a series of working mechanisms including talks This includes naviga on devices, paper maps and online at the level of Special Representa ves to resolve the issue depic ons of South Asia. Any organisa on or person besides reaching poli cal guidelines and three step road (including Google and subsidiary Google Earth) failing to map. abide by the proposed bill will be liable to he y penalty. The two sides held 19th Special Representa ve talks here Pakistan is contes ng this bill saying it is not in line with last month. Both also reached poli cal guidelines and established norms of interna onal law and is planning to three step road map, she said.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 56 approach the United Na ons Secretary-General (UNSG) China has been objec ng to any development of regarding the legisla on of the bill. infrastructure along the LAC and se ng up of border According to Pakistan, by introducing the geospa al outposts at loca ons along Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh mapping bill, India is not only breaking interna onal law leading to instances of stand-offs between the two sides. but also forcefully trying to depict a neighbouring India is concerned that if the waters from dams such country's region as its own. as The Zam Hydropower Sta on which was built at a cost Pakistan said it would aggressively lobby in the of $1.5 billion (approximately Rs. 9764 crores) if diverted, interna onal community to force India to withdraw the then projects on the Brahmaputra, par cularly the Upper controversial legisla ve dra bill. Siang and Lower Subansiri projects in Arunachal Pradesh, may get affected. The reality is that the regions of Occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Bal stan are an integral part of India forcibly An official while interac ng with newsmen said that at occupied by Pakistan and the people of the region have least eight more ITBP ba alions are set to be inducted in been figh ng Pakistani occupa on ever since. this region keeping in view the sensi vity, opera onal requirement and border disputes that occur between ITBP/Army and the Chinese Peoples Libera on Army (PLA) troops.Two other ITBP sectors under the NE fron er are Shillong ITBP hqr shi ed to Itanagar, located at Gangtok (Sikkim) and Tezpur (Assam). a move to leverage Indo-China China has been objec ng to any development of infrastructure along the LAC and se ng up of border border stalemate? outposts at loca ons along Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh thenortheas oday.com leading to instances of stand-offs between the two sides. May 23, 2016 Congressman Eliot Engel while speaking during a House ITANAGAR: Aksai Chin is one of the two main disputed Foreign Affairs Commi ee hearing on Challenges and border areas between China and India, the other being a Opportuni es in Asia said that Asser ng that India is a part of Arunachal Pradesh. Chinese military ac vi es poten al “counterweight” to China’s growing regional along the forward areas of Arunachal Pradesh is hea ng influence in Asia, a top US lawmaker has urged the Obama up as the Centre is in the process of shi ing the North East Administra on to strengthen its es with New Delhi. headquarters of border guarding force Indo-Tibetan The huge logis cal exercise entails shi ing of over 2,000 Border Police(ITBP), 500-km from Shillong to state capital troops and support staff, se ng up of communica ons Itanagar. and border signals, residen al logis cs and transporta on Officials said the Central government had in 2014 of heavy vehicles, weapons and ar llery from Meghalaya approved a Rs 175 crore infrastructure package for to Arunachal Pradesh, both states on the eastern border Arunachal which includes deployment of eight fresh ITBP flank of the country. ba alions with about 8,000 troops in it, opening of 35 new border roads, 54 border outposts and 72 staging camps along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force Director General China says disputes not to prevent Krishna Chaudhary confirmed the move sta ng the coopera on with India exercise of shi ing the North East fron er headquarters Hindustan Times, Guangzhou from Meghalaya’s capital Shillong to Arunachal’s capital May 23, 2016 Itanagar is expected to be accomplished by next month. “The process in on. The ITBP North East fron er will soon Despite outstanding historical issues like the border be opera ng from Itanagar,” the DG said. problem, India and China have reached a consensus to A senior official in the security establishment said keeping prevent disputes from clouding coopera on and stalling in mind the military capabili es being created in bilateral development, Beijing has said in the run-up to President Pranab Mukherjee’s upcoming four-day visit Arunachal, it was essen al to base the ITBP command in beginning Tuesday. Itanagar rather than in far-off Shillong where there are no such huge developments taking place to bolster the Both India and China have the “ability and wisdom” to strength and number of Indian troops and other logis cal nego ate and properly handle exis ng problems between ac vi es.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 57 the two countries, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told India, Guangzhou and India’s city Ahmedabad established HT. sister-city rela onship. President Mukherjee will visit “Historical problems such as boundary issues s ll remain Guangzhou at the request by the India side. We believe between the two countries. It’s an important consensus to the visit will further promote regional interac on and prevent the disputes from affec ng the development of coopera on in various fields,” she said. the two countries. We believe both countries have the As per diploma c tradi on, the leaders of the two ability and wisdom to properly handle related issues, and countries are expected to exchange gi s during the visit. con nue to strengthen coopera on in various areas so as “If China gives a gi , it will be a symbol of friendship to ensure greater development of bilateral es,” Hua between the two countries,” Hua said. Chunying, foreign ministry spokesperson, told HT in a wri en statement. Mukherjee will arrive in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong, China’s richest and most populous province India wants fair se lement of on Tuesday. boundary issue with China: Pranab Guangzhou is home to some 5,000 Indians who are mostly Mukherjee into commodity trading. Livemint.com A er a ending a recep on of the Indian community, a May 21, 2016 business forum and a visit to the Hualin temple with ancient Buddhist es to India in Guangzhou, Mukherjee President Pranab Mukherjee, who is set to visit China next will fly to Beijing a day later, where he has a series of week, says both sides should expand defence exchanges bilateral mee ngs beginning with President Xi Jinping. and increase economic engagement This is Mukherjee’s first state visit to China as President New Delhi: Ahead of his state visit to China star ng next and the first by an Indian President since 2010. week, President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday said India seeks a “fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable The foreign ministry did not respond to specific ques ons se lement of the boundary ques on”, which will help in on the latest problems like China blocking India’s bid for achieving the full poten al of India-China rela ons. membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and the controversy over Beijing’s stubborn stand on Indian Talking to state-run Chinese Central a empts to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar a terrorist. Television and Xinhuanews agency ahead of his state visit beginning 24 May, Mukherjee spoke on various issues These are ques ons Mukherjee is likely to raise during his including India’s concerns on terrorism, bilateral trade and mee ngs, but the Chinese ministry said insisted that cultural and educa onal exchanges. bilateral es have entered a new era of development. Responding to a ques on on “sensi ve problems” “The China-India rela onship has maintained a good between India and China, Mukherjee said India would like momentum of healthy and stable development in recent to expand and diversify its engagement with China across years, the es between the two countries entered a new various fields while “proac vely addressing outstanding era of rapid growth since President Xi visited India in 2014 issues” including the boundary ques on. and Indian PM Narendra Modi visited China in 2011,” Hua said. “We seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable se lement of the boundary ques on and, pending the “As rising powers in rapid development, both China and boundary se lement, to maintain peace and tranquillity in India are having increasing influence in regional and the border areas. interna onal arena, and have become major forces for the maintenance of world peace and stability. We would like “Both sides should strive to ensure that the outstanding to work with India to implement the important consensus issues are addressed in a manner that demonstrates between the leaders and the outcomes of prac cal mutual sensi vity to each other’s concerns, interests and coopera on, as well as establish a stronger partnership of aspira ons,” he said, and added that it was only in this development,” she said. manner that “we (can) ensure that these differences will not come in the way of con nued development of Hua said Guangzhou was chosen as the first stop for bilateral rela ons”. Mukherjee on India’s request. The President also favoured increasing mutual trust and “Guangzhou serves as a window of China’s reform and understanding through stepped-up dialogue on poli cal, opening-up policy. During President Xi Jinping’s visit to security and strategic issues.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 58 “We should expand our defence exchanges and increase The Lucknow headquartered Central Command is economic engagement, especially through greater responsible for looking a er the border with China along investments,” he said. the UP-U arakhand axis. Lieutenant General Negi started Responding to another ques on, Mukherjee said: “We are the reconnaissance on Wednesday and concluded it today doing well but the full poten ality is yet to be achieved. with a visit to Shimla. He visited Headquarters of Army That is why we want to resolve all outstanding issues in a Training Command (ARTRAC) at Shimla and interacted mutually acceptable manner, keeping in mind the with the GOC-in-C ARTRAC, Lt Gen PM Hariz. aspira ons, concerns, sensi vi es of each country.” A US Department of defence report had recently stated Mukherjee’s first stop on his four-day visit will be the that it had been observed that the Chinese had increased highly industrialised Chinese city of Guangzhou. its force levels in areas close to the border with India. The Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh, has also visited Besides interac ng with the Indian community, which has the Lucknow-based headquarters of Central Command a over 3,000 businessmen, Mukherjee will also address the few days back to take stock of the situa on while the India-China Business Forum to highlight the investment Eastern Army Commander, Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi, has also opportuni es in India. been visi ng his forward opera onal areas in the past He will arrive in Beijing on 25 May and will address a couple of days. mee ng at the Peking University the next day. Mukherjee will also meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang along with other Chinese leaders before leaving on 27 May. US trying to sow discord between China and India Tibet Sun GOC-in-C Central Command reviews May 16, 2016 Accusing the US of “sowing discord” between China and opera onal preparedness along India, Beijing today said the two neighbours are wise Tibet border in Himachal enough to resolve their boundary dispute peacefully Indian Express through talks and asked America to respect their efforts. May 19, 2016 Dismissing as groundless a Pentagon report that claimed The Lucknow headquartered Central Command is the Communist giant was deploying more troops along the responsible for looking a er the border with China along Sino-India borders, China said that it was a the UP-U arakhand axis. misrepresenta on of its military development. A US Department of defence report had recently stated “Maintaining peace and tranquility along the China-India that it had been observed that the Chinese had increased border areas is an important consensus reached between its force levels in areas close to the border with India. the leaders of the two countries,” the Chinese Defence (Courtesy: Google Maps) Ministry said in wri en response to PTI here about the US report. Amidst reports of increased Chinese troop build-up along the border with India, the General Officer Commanding- “Currently, the border forces of China and India are in-Chef, Central Command, Lt Gen Balwant Singh Negi on ac vely carrying out exchanges, working towards Thursday carried out reconnaissance of the border with establishing hotline between the two militaries, and are in Tibet in Himachal Pradesh. close communica on through the mechanism of border personnel mee ngs,” it said. Although this part of the border comes under the opera onal control of the Chandimandir-based Western “The situa on in the China-India border is overall peaceful Command, however, Lt Gen Negi took stock of the and stable. The relevant statements by US defence officials deployment of Indian troops as a composite look at the are clearly unsubstan ated and intended to sow discord,” preparedness all along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China, the ministry said. stretching from Cental and Western U ar Pradesh and Earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry in a wri en response said U arakhand to Himachal Pradesh. During his visit to the the US must respect India-China efforts to resolve the forward areas in Himachal Pradesh where he was briefed boundary dispute peacefully through nego a ons. on opera onal issues.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 59 India and China last month held the 19th round of talks to "We have no ced an increase in capability and force resolve the border dispute stretching along the 3488 km posture by the Chinese military in areas close to the long Line of Actual Control (LAC). border with India," Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence While China says that the boundary dispute is confined to for East Asia Abraham M Denmark said over the weekend. 2,000 kms, mainly in Arunachal Pradesh in eastern sector In its annual report to Congress on Chinese military which it claims as part of southern Tibet, India asserts that ac vi es, the US Defense Department said on Friday that the dispute covered the whole of the LAC including the China is expected to add substan al military Aksai Chin. infrastructure, including communica ons and surveillance “The Chinese side is commi ed to safeguarding peace and systems, to ar ficial islands in the South China Sea this tranquility of the border areas between China and India, year. and resolving the boundary ques on through nego a on China's Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun expressed with India,” the Foreign Ministry said in wri en response "strong dissa sfac on" and "firm opposi on" to the to PTI. Pentagon report and said it has "severely damaged mutual “China and India are wise and capable enough to deal with trust", state news agency Xinhua reported. this issue. It is hoped that other country would respect The report "hyped up" China's military threat and lack of efforts made by China and India for the peaceful transparency, "deliberately distorted" Chinese defense se lement of dispute, rather than the opposite,” the policies and "unfairly" depicted Chinese ac vi es in the Foreign Ministry said, without directly referring to United East and South China seas, Yang was quoted as saying. States. "China follows a na onal defense policy that is defensive The US report also warned of increasing Chinese military in nature," Yang said, adding that the country's military presence in various parts of the world, par cularly build-up and reforms are aimed at maintaining Pakistan. sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for East Asia guaranteeing China's peaceful development. Abraham M Denmark told media in Washington on May The Pentagon report comes at a me of heightened 14 that “we have no ced an increase in capability and tension over mari me territories claimed by China and force posture by the Chinese military in areas close to the disputed by several Asian na ons. Washington has border with India.” accused Beijing of militarising the South China Sea while “It is difficult to conclude on the real inten on behind Beijing, in turn, has cri cised increased US naval patrols this,” Denmark said a er submi ng Pentagons annual and exercises in Asia. 2016 report to the US Congress. The US report renewed accusa ons against China's “It is difficult to say how much of this is driven by internal government and military for cyber a acks against US considera ons to maintain internal stability and how government computer systems, a charge Beijing denies. much of it is an external considera on,” he said when The Pentagon said a acks in 2015 appeared focused on asked about Chinas military command in Tibet. intelligence collec on.
High-end SUVs for troops on India- China Furious With Pentagon Report China border Ci ng More Troops Along India Deccan Herald Border May 16, 2016 ndtv.com Four white-coloured Sports U lity Vehicles (SUVs), 2 Toyota Fortuner and as many Ford Endeavour, with a price May 16, 2016 tag of around Rs 25 lakh each, have been deployed by the A report by the Pentagon that said China has increased its border guarding force at some of its forward loca ons defence capabili es and added more troops along the over 13,000 above the sea level at Burtse and Dung in border with India has been condemned by Beijing as the Ladakh sector and Menchuka, over 6,000 , in deliberate distor on that has "severely damaged" mutual Arunachal Pradesh. trust.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 60 No other border guarding force or army forma ons in border with India ," US deputy assistant secretary of forward areas have ever used high-end SUVs for troops, defence for East Asia Abraham Denmark said during a usually found zipping across roads in urban loca ons. news conference a er Pentagon submi ed its annual The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) headquarters here 2016 report to the US Congress on 'Military and Security has issued a direc ve that the troopers and officers will Developments Involving the People's Republic of China'. use these vehicles only for opera onal tasks to prevent "It's difficult to say how much of this is driven by internal their misuse. considera ons to maintain internal stability, and how much of it is an external considera on." ITBP Director General Krishna Chaudhary said while the force has several types of four-wheelers, including those But as far as Washington is concerned, he added, it with 4x4 drive facility for high-al tude driving at its border would con nue to enhance bilateral engagement with loca ons, SUV pla orms, which are powered by diesel-run India "not in the China context but because India is an heavy-duty engines were required for quick movement in increasingly important player" by itself. "We are going to these mountainous areas. engage India because of its value," Denmark said. “We were looking for some good high-power vehicles at Beijing increasing military presence those heights where regular vehicles are not as adept as A series of reports and remarks from Washington amid an SUV. The Ministry of Home Affairs some me back con nuing tensions with China is coming just ahead of PM approved our proposal and we purchased four such four- Narendra Modi's visit alongside India's own issues with wheelers in the first batch. Beijing, notably its use of Pakistan to needle India on “I can tell you that none of the senior officers in the force issues such as terrorism and access to advanced nuclear including me have such smart and powerful vehicles for technology. But in a report to the US Congress, the their movement as compared to what our men have now,” Pentagon warned of China's increasing military presence he said. In order to make sure they are u lised for the task including bases in various parts of the world, in par cular they have been sent for, the ITBP boss said, strict Pakistan — with which it has a "longstanding friendly instruc ons have been issued that these vehicles will carry rela onship and similar strategic interests". troops while on duty and during patrol, officers can u lise China's expanding interna onal economic interests are them only when leading such tasks, in order to prevent increasing demands for the PLA Navy (PLAN) to operate in their misuse. more distant seas to protect Chinese ci zens, investments, and cri cal sea lines of communica on, it said, adding, "China most likely will seek to establish addi onal naval logis cs hubs in countries with which it has a longstanding China is raising troop strength on friendly rela onship and similar strategic interests, such as border with India: Pentagon Pakistan, and a precedent for hos ng foreign militaries." Times of India The US navy itself is now working even more closely with the Indian Navy , outlining the emerging contours of May 15, 2016 efforts to dominate the sea lanes in the Indian Ocean WASHINGTON: China is deploying more troops on the through which some 60% of the world's energy trade border with India while modernising its nuclear force and passes. improving its strike capabili es, the Pentagon has said, Meanwhile, Washington also endorsed India's claim for a even as the Obama administra on challenged Beijing's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group that asser on that New Delhi does not meet the criteria to be the China-Pakistan axis has been thwar ng . a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The state department, referring to Obama's statement in 2015, said "I'd point you back to what the President said during his India "meets missile technology control regime visit to India in 2015, where he reaffirmed that the US requirements and is ready for NSG membership". view was that India meets missile technology control regime requirements and is ready for NSG membership," The shadow play between Washington, Beijing, and New State Department spokesman John Kirby said when asked Delhi was very much in evidence on Friday as the US about reports about Beijing and Islamabad joining hands defence establishment highlighted China's growing to stall India's NSG membership. military strength in the region, ostensibly with an eye on cour ng India as a strategic counterweight. China has claimed that many members of the 48-na on NSG share its view that signing of the Nuclear Non- "We have no ced an increase in capability and force Prolifera on Treaty (NPT) is an "important" standard for posture by the Chinese military in areas close to the
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 61 the group's expansion, an asser on that Washington does Later, the army found that several people in villages along not agree with. The western world's support for India's the Sino-Indian border had been receiving calls from such membership is based in part on its sterling non- unknown numbers and in a few cases basic informa on prolifera on record, which Pakistan, as a rogue had been shared out of "pure ignorance" by the villagers. proliferator, and China as an illegal enabler, cannot match. The army took the help of the state administra on and a All these issues are being thrashed out in private ahead mass campaign has been launched to educate people in of PM Modi's visit to Washington on June 7-8 in what general and those living along the Sino-Indian border not promises to be one of the most consequen al visits by an to share any informa on with any uniden fied caller. Indian leader to the US. The army has also asked its forma ons along the LAC to educate all the civilians in their Areas Of Responsibility (AOR) so that such spies do not get any informa on about the movement of troops. Villagers along China-India border The army has laid special emphasis on educa ng the receive suspicious calls from 'spies' elected members and office bearers of Hill Council as they Times of India had some informa on pertaining to army and the Indo- May 15, 2016 Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), which man the borders with Pakistan and China, to remain alert and not to give any LEH/NEW DELHI: An alert has been sounded along the kind of informa on to these suspicious callers. Sino-India border a er local residents, including a village head, got several telephone calls from "spies" either from This was based on an analysis by the army that calls were Pakistan or China about army deployment along the Line being received by only those people who were either of Actual Control (LAC). sarpanch or working in state government and were privy to some informa on about the troops and ITBP officials. The caller, posing himself as either a colonel or a local official, made queries about the army presence in the area The army has asked people to get in touch with the and the mings of their movement, official sources said. nearest army unit with names of the callers and telephone numbers, name and telephone number of the recipient, Recently the 'sarpanch' (village head) of Durbuk village, details sought by the caller and queries raised by him. located at an al tude of 13,500 feet above sea level between Chang La and Tsangte village, received a call in which the caller asked whether "outstanding" issues with the army had been sorted. ‘China elevates Tibet command to The sarpanch, who was si ng inside an army camp at the me of receiving the call, got suspicious and enquired prepare for likely conflict with India’ from the caller about his iden ty. Hindustan Times Despite the caller iden fying himself to be from Deputy May 13, 2016 Commissioner's office, the sarpanch iden fied as Stanzin China has elevated the status of its Tibet Military snubbed him and said he should get in touch with the Command as part of prepara ons for a possible conflict army. with India, placing the forma on under the control of the He also inquired from the local DC's office only to find that People’s Libera on Army (PLA) so that it can take on no one from that number had called. The number was “more combat assignments”, state media reported on Friday. shared with the army which found that the number Placing the Tibet command directly under the PLA ground appearing on the sarpanch's phone had been masked and it was a computer generated call. forces suggests the forma on might “undertake some kind of military combat mission in the future”, a source told the Talking to PTI over phone, Stanzin said he received the call Global Times, a tabloid closely linked to the Communist only once. "The caller was asking about the movement of Party of China‘s mouthpiece, the People’s Daily. troops and whether the roads had been built in the area “The Tibet Military Command bears great responsibility to for their movement. prepare for possible conflicts between China and India, "He claimed that he was from the army headquarters but and currently it is difficult to secure all the military with his stupid queries, I did get suspicious and informed resources they need,” Song Zhongping, a Beijing-based the army officer standing next to me," he said. military expert, told the newspaper. The Global Times noted that border disputes between
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 62 China and India “have not been completely resolved”. Commi ees to implement pacts “The eleva on of the authority level is not only an improvement for the troops’ designa on, but also an with India, China kathmandu Post Interna onal expansion of their func on and mission,” Zhao Zhong, deputy director of the Poli cal Work Department of the May 13, 2016 Tibet Military Command, was quoted as saying by China The government has formed two different commi ees led Youth Daily. by Foreign Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi to oversee The forma on in Tibet is currently under China’s Western implementa on of the agreements signed during the PM’s Theatre Command, with its headquarters at Chengdu in official visits to India and China. Sichuan Province. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli visited India on February visited the Western Theatre Command when he visited 19-24 and China on March 20-27, during which several China last month. deals and understandings were reached with the two A er recent military reforms, most provincial military neighbouring countries. Nepal and India signed seven commands are under the control of the new Na onal agreements related to reconstruc on, trade and transit, Defense Mobilisa on Department of the Central Military energy and infrastructure while 10 memorandums of Commission under the chairmanship of President Xi understanding and agreements were inked with China. Jinping, and their importance will be diminished, the source said. But the Tibet Military Command s ll holds a The team to monitor the enforcement of deals with India “very important posi on” and its eleva on will place it includes joint-secretaries from the ministries of Physical “one level higher” than its counterparts in other Infrastructure and Transport, Finance, Commerce, Energy, provinces, the state media reported. Irriga on, Home, Law, Culture, Tourism and Educa on, the “The promo on shows China is paying great a en on to Na onal Reconstruc on Authority and the PM’s Office as the Tibet Military Command, which will significantly members and the joint secretary at the South Asia division improve the command’s ability to manage and control the of the Foreign Ministry as the member-secretary. region’s military resources, as well as provide be er The foreign secretary will head another team for prepara on for combat,” Song said. monitoring of the agreements and deals reached with Military ac on under the Tibet command requires China. The 15-member team includes joint-secretaries “specialist mountain skills and long-range capabili es, from the PM’s Office, the ministries of Physical which need the deployment of special military resources”, Infrastructure and Transport, Finance, Commerce, Energy, Song added. Home, Law, Tourism, Educa on, Supply, Industry and The eleva on of the command reflects the a en on General Administra on, and NRA as members and North placed by China on defending its southwestern borders. Eastern Asia division at the ministry as member-secretary. The higher the authority level, the more military resources Meanwhile, the Cabinet mee ng endorsed the Na onal the command can mobilise, he said. Security Policy-2073 and decided to present the bill on India and China share a nearly 4,000-km disputed border management of Na onal Security Council’s tasks, du es, and fought a brief but bloody war in 1962 over it. The Line authority and working procedure at the legisla on of Actual Control (LAC) has mostly been quiet since, commi ee. Informa on Minister Sherdhan Rai said the though the two armies have been involved in stand-offs mee ng also decided to provide free dialysis to kidney caused by differing percep ons of the LAC. pa ents. A team of kidney pa ents including Yagya Nidhi In April, defence minister Chang Wanquan said China had Dahal had met with PM Oli recently to request him to reacted posi vely to se ng up a military hotline with make the service free. India on border security a er talks with Parrikar in Beijing. The mee ng also formed an Informa on and Technology Council chaired by the prime minister, said Minister Rai, who is the Cabinet spokesperson. Minister for Informa on and Minister for Science and Technology will be the co- chairs at the council while the chief secretary, a Na onal Planning Commission member, secretaries of the Ministries of Finance, Home Affairs, Informa on and Communica ons, Industry and Urban Development are the members. Others include the chair of Nepal Telecommunica ons Authority, two persons related to informa on and
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 63 communica ons to be appointed by the government, two The Minister said during two years of the Modi professors or academicians, and two IT experts. The government, various efforts were taken for promo on of Cabinet also appointed Krishna Nath Khanal as member trade along the interna onal borders. secretary of the Arrears Clearance Evalua on and "But we are not sa sfied with whatever we have done so Monitoring Commi ee. far and want to do more. We are commi ed to do more," he said. Rijiju said government has adopted mul -pronged strategy to secure effec ve management of Indian borders, curb No 'border haats' with China in insurgency as well as to maintain peace and security in the Arunachal Pradesh: Govt border regions. Deccan Chronicle Adequate steps are taken to curb human trafficking like May 10, 2016 issuing advisories to state governments and sensi sing law The Minister said without coopera on from the other enforcement agencies, he said. country, no trade can take place in any 'border haat'. New Delhi: India on Tuesday ruled out se ng up trading centres along its order with China in Arunachal Pradesh saying such an ini a ve could be taken only when Beijing India to Revive World War II Era Airfi agrees to it. elds Along China Border "China has to agree. We can't enforce anyone. There has sputniknews.com to be mutual consent, then only 'border haats' can be set May 5, 2016 up," Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said in Lok To strengthen security preparedness in its strategically Sabha during the Ques on Hour. important north eastern region, India is restoring World Rijiju's statement came when Congress MP from War II era airfields. Arunachal Pradesh Ninong Ering asked why India can't set Taking further its ambi on to enhance the capability up 'border haats' along the Sino-Indian border in the state. of the country's Air Force, India plans to revive 39 The Minister said without coopera on from the other abandoned airfields; mostly along the Himalayan region country, no trade can take place in any 'border haat'. which lies in the north east. These airfields were used Currently, India has a border trading post with China at by air forces of Britain and the United States during World Nathu La in Sikkim. War II. Rijiju said India and Bangladesh have agreed to set up six Out of 39 abandoned airfields, the Indian Air Force has more 'border haats' soon for promo on of trade along the iden fied 24 for opera onal use, such as deployment interna onal borders. of long range vectors, radars, Weapon Storage Areas (WSAs) and emergency recovery strips for helicopters and At present, four 'border haats' -- two in Meghalaya and fixed wing aircra . two in Tripura -- are func onal along Indo-Bangladesh border and the four new 'border haats' -- two in Tripura The Parliamentary Panel on Defense submi ed its report and four in Meghalaya --will be set up soon. on unused airfields this week. The Commi ee says, "work on these airfields should be started without further delay "The establishment of 'border haats' is expected to and also remaining 15 airfields be assessed for being promote the well being of the people in areas across the used." borders of the two countries, which in turn will maintain peace and tranquility in the border regions," he said. Former Commander in Chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Marshal A K Singh, says, "There are hundreds of airfields Replying a supplementary ques on, Rijiju said the Home throughout India that were used during World War II and Ministry facilitates safety and security of border areas so earlier. Even Americans have made a large number that proper trading could take place between the people of airfields in India to go across the Himalayas and of two na ons. to traffic men and materials to China." "We are not here to do business but to ensure safety and This is not the first me that the Indian Air Force has security of people and facilitate that proper trade could revived defunct airfields. Air Marshal Singh says, "Airfields take place in border haats," he said. of strategic importance are already in use. If you (Indian Air Force) want to revive other airfields, you are welcome
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 64 depending on who pays for them and who exercises control." Tibet in Exile Meanwhile, by September this year, the construc on of six Advance Landing Grounds will be completed in the north east region. Tibet group asks Kerry to dump trust In 2015, a milestone was achieved in rela on to military aircra landing when the Mirage 2000 Aircra had landed holding in abusive bo ler on Yamuna Expressway near the capital Delhi. According newbostonpost.com to the parliamentary panel report, more roads and June 1, 2016 stretches are being iden fied to facilitate the emergency Interna onal human rights organisa on Free Tibet is landing of aircra . urging Secretary of State John Kerry and his wife Teresa Heinz to end a Heinz family trust’s investment in a Chinese-owned company that operates in Tibet. In a May 17 le er to Kerry, Free Tibet Director Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren called the investment in a Chinese company, called Tibet Water Resources, Ltd. “inappropriate” and encouraged Kerry to “ensure that this investment comes to an end.” The company bo les and sells premium “luxury water” in compe on with brands like Evian and Fuji. “Free Tibet appreciates your personal support for human rights in Tibet,” the group wrote to Kerry, adding “it is, therefore, with concern and urgency that I am contac ng you now about the reported Heinz family trust shareholding in Tibet Water Resources Ltd, a Chinese- owned company producing bo led water in the most repressed region of Tibet. I urge you to ensure that this investment comes to an end.” The controversy erupted May 4 when The Daily Caller News Founda on reported on investments made by a Heinz family trust called “HFI Imperial,” based on informa on in Kerry’s official financial disclosure report. The trust doesn’t list Kerry as a beneficiary, a State Department spokesman told the founda on. “Mrs. Heinz Kerry also exercises no control over the investment decisions made by the independent trustees,” said John Kirby, the spokesman. The department declined to describe the nature of the trusts or iden fy the individuals making the investments earlier this month. The trust holds equity investments in 12 companies inside the People’s Republic of China, including Tibet Water Resources. Free Tibet also told Kerry many Tibetans are being forcibly removed from their ancestral villages as Tibet Water imposes a 60-square-kilometer “water protec on zone” for its bo ling plant. “As you may be aware, Tibetan pastoralists have been relocated from their tradi onal areas in the millions, o en leading to impoverishment and social problems.”
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 65 Free Tibet is one of the world’s leading Tibet advocacy Free Tibet is pressing for a quick resolu on on the Heinz organisa ons, with more than 140,000 Facebook followers trust’s investments in Tibet Water. Appealing to their and half-a-million unique visits each year, according to an previous support for human rights, Free Tibet told Kerry, “I organisa on spokesman. The group protests Chinese hope you will now recognise that any investment in this domina on of Tibet, its culture and religion. company is inappropriate and counterproduc ve. On The organisa on recently contacted all investors asking behalf of Free Tibet and our supporters, I urge you to them to end their investment in Tibet Water Resources, ensure that the Heinz Family Trust divests its shares in but reminded Kerry none of the others have “your public Tibet Water Resources Ltd.” posi on or standing.” The State Department hasn’t responded to Free Tibet’s plea for divestment and a department spokesman refused to comment to TheDCNF on the group’s le er. Sangay adopts new strategy for But the human rights group noted Kerry’s investment was Tibet autonomy Business Standard directly at odds with official State Department policy, which has denounced China’s repeated viola on of civil May 27, 2016 and religious rights of na ve Tibetans. Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay, who took The 2015 State Department human rights report said the the oath of office for his second consecu ve term here on Chinese government is engaged in “the severe repression Friday, announced a new mul -pronged strategy to of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural, and linguis c heritage achieve genuine autonomy for people in Tibet. by, among other means, strictly curtailing the civil rights of Toeing the path adopted by the Dalai Lama for years to China’s Tibetan popula on, including the freedoms of resolve the issue of Tibet with China through the 'middle- speech, religion, associa on, assembly, and movement.” way approach', Sangay said: "His Holiness the Dalai Lama Tibet Water Resources, Ltd. operates in the “Tibet has me and again advised us to hope for the best and Autonomous Region,” or TAR, where in 2008 Chinese prepare for the worst." authori es launched a wave of arrests that resulted in the "Therefore, I had proposed the strategy of five-50." imprisonment and torture of Buddhists and other poli cal Explaining the strategy, the elected head of the Central and religious ac vists. Tibetan Administra on said "In the next five years, it's While the State Department has remained silent about the clear that we must put maximum efforts in achieving Kerry-Heinz investments, The People’s Daily, China’s genuine autonomy for all Tibetans based on the middle- official news agency, denounced Free Tibet’s cri cism of way approach." the Heinz trust’s investments in a May 30 news ar cle. "However, in case, we have to con nue our struggle for “The Dalai Lama clique,” the People’s Daily wrote, “is many years, we need to strategise in order to strengthen a emp ng to hype up the issue as it ‘poli cises’ a and sustain our cause for the next 50 years. We have to founda on’s normal investment ac vity.” protect and preserve our unique Tibetan iden ty and Tibet Water Resources was chosen as the “official drinking tradi on." water” at the 11th Na onal Commi ee of Chinese Sangay, who was re-elected on April 27 a er defea ng his People’s Poli cal Consulta ve Conference and at the only rival Penpa Tsering, said: "We need to build self- powerful 17th and 18th Na onal Congress of the reliance in the Tibetan world, in both educa on and Communist Party of China. economy." Environmentalists also denounced water diversion to "Five-50 is a strategy for success. In five years we can produce the premium water, telling Kerry in the le er, achieve genuine autonomy or in the next 50 years China “water bo ling in Tibet is contribu ng to the destruc on will gradually change for the be er. Either way we will gain of Tibet’s environment and the deple on of its water basic freedom," he explained. resources.” The Dalai Lama, who is revered as a spiritual leader, Heinz, now 77, may be withdrawing from some of her presided over the oath-taking ceremony in this north financial management du es. On May 24, the Heinz Indian hill town that also saw a endance from Tibetan Endowment, which makes grants to ac vist groups, diaspora se led across the globe. reported Heinz was stepping down from that part of the family’s $6.1 billion financial empire and turning it over to The 48-year-old prime minister, a senior fellow of Harvard her sons. Law School, took over the reins of the government first
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 66 me on August 7, 2011, from Samdhong Rinpoche, who "Middle Way" approach of engaging China through held the post for the previous 10 years in two five-year dialogue to achieve a meaningful autonomy for Tibet. terms. Addressing a crowd at the ceremony in India's quaint A confident Sangay believes in dialogue to solve the Himalayan town of Mcleodganj, to swear in Dr Lobsang Tibetan problem with China. Sangay as the poli cal leader of the Central Tibetan "We remain commi ed to the middle-way approach and Administra on, His Holiness urged Tibetans to remain reiterate that dialogue is the most realis c approach and united on Friday, May 27, 2016. the only way to find a mutually beneficial solu on to the "Tibet is called the roof of the world. Similarly, the rich Tibet issue," Sangay told IANS in an interview. Buddhist culture and tradi on of Tibet is also one of the "The middle-way approach neither seeks separa on from best tradi ons in the world," His Holiness said, explaining the People's Republic of China nor high degree of that his statement is not borne out of loyalty but through autonomy but genuine autonomy for all Tibetan people reason. under a single administra on," he said. "Over the years I have met numerous people, including On the ongoing deadlock over the talks between the Dalai scholars, scien sts, poli cians and spiritual leaders. In my Lama's envoys and China, Sangay said in his address: "We interac on with these people, I have come to realise that are commi ed to make efforts towards and resolve the the Tibetan Buddhist tradi on, derived from the Nalanda issue of Tibet peacefully during His Holiness the Dalai tradi on of India, is among the best, primarily because it is Lama's life me." based in scien fic analysis and logical study." The Dalai Lama's envoys and the Chinese have held nine "Many Buddhist tradi ons trace their root to Nalanda. rounds of talks since 2002 to resolve the Tibetan issue but However, Tibetan Buddhism seems the only one, which no major breakthrough has been achieved so far. contains the purest essence of the tradi on. It is truly a universal treasure, which the Tibetan people have The last talks were held in Beijing in January 2010. preserved for centuries," His Holiness said. On the ongoing self-immola ons in Tibet to protest His Holiness also emphasised the importance of Beijing's "repressive policies" and demand the return of preserving Tibet's script and linguis c tradi ons. "The the Dalai Lama to his homeland, Sangay said their Tibetan language is the only language wherein the pure sacrifices would not go in vain. essence of the Nalanda tradi on is preserved. Therefore, "In order to exercise the right to administer internal affairs it is extremely important to study and preserve it," His and be the masters of our own areas, I urge the youths in Holiness said. Tibet to put maximum efforts in their studies," he said. 'The most important aspect of the Tibetan movement With the Dalai Lama stepping down from diplomacy and should be to fulfil the aspira ons of the majority of ac ve poli cs, the elected leader of Tibetan people, also Tibetans who con nue to remain inside Tibet. And known as Sikyong, has acquired added stature. emphasised that the Tibetan movement should be based The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing his solely on the principle of non-violence,' His Holiness said homeland in 1959. The Tibetan administra on in exile is while peaking on the Tibetan struggle. based in this north Indian hill town. "I have worked wholeheartedly for the Tibetan cause for over 57 years. However, I have devolved my poli cal responsibility to an elected leadership since 2011 but I will con nue to work for Tibet's culture and religion," His Holiness said. Tibetan spiritual leader calls for "As Sikyong rightly pointed out, with our hard work and concerted effort to resolve Tibet the generous assistance of the Indian and other foreign governments and organisa ons, we Tibetans have reached issue a stage where we are unique among equals. But it doesn't Tibet Post Interna onal mean we can get complacent," His Holiness said, calling May 27, 2016 for a concerted effort to resolve the issue of Tibet. Dr Lobsang Sangay, the newly re-elected Sikyong, or At the same me, His Holiness lamented the nega ve poli cal leader, was sworn in on Friday at a colourful campaigns that took place in the lead up to the final ceremony a ended by thousands of Tibetans and Tibetan general elec ons. "I was pained to see the supporters, as he reaffirmed his commitment to the degrada on of morality in our society and the overtones
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 67 of regional loyalty during the elec on campaign. It is very "The issue of the dialogue between the envoys of the unfortunate," he said. Dalai Lama and Chinese representa ves is delicate and "The unity of the three tradi onal provinces of Tibet is of sensi ve," Sangay told IANS in an interview here. primary importance. Despite the passage of me, we have "However, it's clear that there is no lack of effort on our preserved our tradi ons and culture based on this unity of part on restar ng the dialogue under the guidance of His the three provinces for thousands of years. Therefore, we Holiness the Dalai Lama," said the 48-year-old Harvard- should do away with this warped sense of loyalty to educated elected head of the Central Tibetan regions and move on as one," His Holiness said. Administra on. "Moreover, we are all followers of the Buddha. We should He replied in affirma ve when asked: Are you expec ng be embarrassed of what we have done during the elec on some changes in the mindset of the Chinese over gran ng campaign. I don't blame the majority. However, there are greater autonomy for Tibetans? some fringe elements within the community who take "I remain hopeful that sooner or later, China will change pleasure in dividing the society on regional lines," His for the be er." Holiness noted, urging the Tibetan leaders, staff, and Sangay was re-elected on April 27 a er defea ng his only public to keep the unity of Tibetan people in mind. rival, Penpa Tsering. He polled about 57 percent of the His Holiness further called for a renewed emphasis on 58,740 votes cast across the globe on March 20. holis c educa on for Tibetan children. "There are over It was the second elec on since the Dalai Lama stepped 150 thousand Tibetans in exile. We should not just be down as head of the government-in-exile in 2011. sa sfied with a successful livelihood. We should focus on a holis c educa on for our children," His Holiness said. Since then, the significance of the prime minister's post has gone up. "Despite the great heights that modern educa on has reached, it is s ll inadequate when it comes to inner About on the ongoing deadlock over talks between the values. It is obvious when you see that most criminals and Dalai Lama's envoys and the Chinese since January 2010, an -social elements are quite advanced in modern Sangay said: "It's evident that we must put maximum educa on. Moreover, the prevalence of social ills like efforts in achieving genuine autonomy for all Tibetans corrup on and dishonesty are a result of the lack of moral based on the middle-way approach". principle in modern educa on," His Holiness asserted. "However, as advised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama me His Holiness concluded his speech by extending his and again, we must hope for the be er but prepare for hear elt gree ngs to the audience. "If you consider me the worst. We may have to con nue our struggle for many your friend, please pay consider to what I have said. Then years. Therefore, it's cri cal that we are able to sustain our please be united irrespec ve of your region or religious cause" lineage," he told a the large crowd that had gathered to to A confidant Sangay believes in dialogue. witness the swearing-in of Dr Lobsang Sangay as prime "We remain commi ed to the middle-way approach and minister of Tibet. reiterate that dialogue is the most realis c approach and the only way to find a mutually beneficial solu on to the Tibet issue." Tibet ready for dialogue with China "The middle-way approach neither seeks separa on from the People's Republic of China nor high degree of under Dalai Lama's guidance autonomy but genuine autonomy for all Tibetan people The Hans India under a single administra on," he said. May 27,2016 "The Chinese leadership should adopt a policy that keeps Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay, who will up with the ground reality," added Sangay, who did his take the oath of office for his second consecu ve term early educa on from a refugee school in Darjeeling and here on Friday, is hopeful that sooner or later China will studied law from Delhi University before moving to change for the be er. Harvard for his doctorate. He's believes in Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama's His priori es in his second and last five-year s nt would be dictum: "Hope for the be er, but prepare for the worst to resolve the issue of Tibet, besides making efforts to too". introduce new projects wherever and whenever necessary to improve poli cal and administra ve efficiency.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 68 Asked about the possible shape and size of his new Kashag Sangay was re-elected on April 27 a er defea ng his only (cabinet), he replied diploma cally, saying the most rival, Penpa Tsering. He polled about 57 percent of the suitable candidates would be inducted, irrespec ve of 58,740 votes cast across the globe on March 20. their experience or gender. It was the second elec on since the Dalai Lama stepped According to him, the coming 15th cabinet will also down as head of the government-in-exile in 2011. con nue the many tasks started by the previous cabinet Since then, the significance of the prime minister's post based on the founding principles of unity, innova on and has gone up. self-reliance. About on the ongoing deadlock over talks between the Sangay reiterated: "We are ready to have dialogue with Dalai Lama's envoys and the Chinese since January 2010, China any me and anywhere." Sangay said: "It's evident that we must put maximum In his first s nt, Sangay toured the globe trying to build up efforts in achieving genuine autonomy for all Tibetans support for the Tibetan cause. based on the middle-way approach". European Council President Donald Tusk told Chinese "However, as advised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama me premier Xi Jinping during a press conference last year that and again, we must hope for the be er but prepare for the Tibet issue should be resolved through dialogue. the worst. We may have to con nue our struggle for many In 2011, the White House released a press statement a er years. Therefore, it's cri cal that we are able to sustain our President Barack Obama met with the Dalai Lama, cause" applauding the middle-way approach. A confidant Sangay believes in dialogue. The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing his "We remain commi ed to the middle-way approach and homeland in 1959. The Tibetan administra on in exile is reiterate that dialogue is the most realis c approach and based in this northern Indian hill town. the only way to find a mutually beneficial solu on to the Tibet issue." "The middle-way approach neither seeks separa on from the People's Republic of China nor high degree of Sooner or later China will change: autonomy but genuine autonomy for all Tibetan people Tibetan PM-in-exile under a single administra on," he said. newkerala.com "The Chinese leadership should adopt a policy that keeps May 26, 2016 up with the ground reality," added Sangay, who did his Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay, who will early educa on from a refugee school in Darjeeling and take the oath of office for his second consecu ve term studied law from Delhi University before moving to here on Friday, is hopeful that sooner or later China will Harvard for his doctorate. change for the be er. His priori es in his second and last five-year s nt would be He's believes in Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama's to resolve the issue of Tibet, besides making efforts to dictum: "Hope for the be er, but prepare for the worst introduce new projects wherever and whenever necessary too". to improve poli cal and administra ve efficiency. "The issue of the dialogue between the envoys of the Asked about the possible shape and size of his new Kashag Dalai Lama and Chinese representa ves is delicate and (cabinet), he replied diploma cally, saying the most sensi ve," Sangay told IANS in an interview here. suitable candidates would be inducted, irrespec ve of their experience or gender. "However, it's clear that there is no lack of effort on our part on restar ng the dialogue under the guidance of His According to him, the coming 15th cabinet will also Holiness the Dalai Lama," said the 48-year-old Harvard- con nue the many tasks started by the previous cabinet educated elected head of the Central Tibetan based on the founding principles of unity, innova on and Administra on. self-reliance. He replied in affirma ve when asked: Are you expec ng Sangay reiterated: "We are ready to have dialogue with some changes in the mindset of the Chinese over gran ng China any me and anywhere." greater autonomy for Tibetans? In his first s nt, Sangay toured the globe trying to build up "I remain hopeful that sooner or later, China will change support for the Tibetan cause. for the be er."
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 69 European Council President Donald Tusk told Chinese In an angry exchange with a human rights ac vist, Liu said premier Xi Jinping during a press conference last year that that the campaigners were “viola ng [the] human rights the Tibet issue should be resolved through dialogue. of the majority audience in this mee ng”. When a In 2011, the White House released a press statement a er campaigner said “that’s nothing compared to torture”, Liu President Barack Obama met with the Dalai Lama, called it “absolute lies”. applauding the middle-way approach. “Your cause is doomed to failure… you try to separate Tibet from China, you will never succeed, period,” Liu said.
The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing his ‘Chinese propaganda and lies’ homeland in 1959. The Tibetan administra on in exile is “I’ve heard Chinese propaganda all my life but it is s ll based in this northern Indian hill town. shocking to hear someone telling lies in person about your country and the experiences of your own people,” Gyaltsen later said. “I know Tibetans in Tibet are not happy as the ambassador claimed, because Tibetans in Chinese ambassador to UK tells Tibet tell us of the oppression they endure. Tibetans want Tibetans their cause is ‘doomed’ and freedom and no one has the right to tell them they cannot have it. Tibet will be free.” will ‘never succeed’ Free Tibet campaigns manager Alistair Currie, who was hongkongfp.com present at the mee ng, said, “The ambassador let the May 19, 2016 mask slip a er being ra led by ac vists challenging him. The Chinese ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, told A er lengthy propagandising he found himself dealing Tibetan ac vists and supporters at a public talk in the city with persistent and unapologe c campaigners holding him of Bath that their cause was “doomed to failure” and that accountable for his government’s ac ons.” they will “never succeed, period”, as he boasted about the Currie also cri cised Liu for trying to impose Chinese happiness of Tibetans under Chinese rule. influence not just in Tibet but also in the “free and The comments were made at a talk en tled “World Affairs democra c” UK by denying the rights of Tibetans to through our eyes – China”, organised by the Bath Royal display symbols of their iden ty at the talk. “The Chinese Literary and Scien fic Ins tu on on Tuesday evening. Prior ambassador is a representa ve of a human rights-abusing to the start of the event, a endees at the talk were asked regime, responsible for the occupa on of Tibet and the by the organisers to remove or conceal items of clothing brutal repression of the Tibetan people. While he tours bearing Tibetan symbols so as not to “embarrass” the the country spreading China’s lies and showing a friendly Chinese ambassador, according to ac vist group Free face, no one must forget that.” Tibet. Tibet has been under Chinese control since the 1950s. Among the audience during the talk were Tibetans and Beijing claims that Tibetans enjoy extensive freedoms and pro-Tibet campaigners, who had held a peaceful has long denied accusa ons of poli cal and religious demonstra on outside the venue before the event. A repression. The current Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader, Tibetan, Sherab Gyaltsen, raised issues such as the calls for was exiled from Tibet in 1959 a er a failed uprising freedom and the incidents of self-immola on in Tibet, and against the Chinese occupa on. Recently, exiled Tibetans challenged the ambassador about the disappearance of have re-elected Lobsang Sangay as their leader, five years Tibetan boy Gedhun Choekyi Nyima – later iden fied as a er the Dalai Lama ceded poli cal power in a bid to Tibet’s no. 2 spiritual leader the Panchen Lama – who foster democracy and secure his succession. was reported to have been arrested by the Chinese authori es 21 years ago. Liu said that he was just an “ordinary boy” and that he was never recognised. Liu also spoke at length about the happiness of people in The Tibet Museum portrays "truth Tibet, saying, “There are 3 million people in about Tibet's history": Sikyong Tibet, everyone would agree that Tibetan people are Tibet Post Interna onal much happier, they live much longer and are much freer.” May 18, 2016 Gyaltsen then replied, “Not according to my family in Tibet”. Liu then tried to prevent Gyaltsen from speaking Dharamshala — The Tibet Museum of Department of any further. Informa on and Interna onal Rela ons, CTA, commenced it's three-day celebra on of 39th Interna onal Museum
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 70 Day by launching the museum's exhibi on catalog, "A Mussoorie BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi begins cycling as TYC President Tenzing Jigme looks on, in Dekiling Tibetan Se lement, India, on 17 May 2016. Long Look Homeward" and a promo onal video. TYC/Handout Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay was the chief-guest and Forty-five members of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) launched the catalog. Mr Sonam N. Dagpo, Secretary of have started a cycle rally to bring awareness about the DIIR launched the promo onal video of the museum. The 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who has Tibet Museum was established in 1998 and graced by His been out of public view since 1995. Holiness Dalai Lama, with the purpose to document, “We seek accurate informa on about Gedhun Choekyi preserve, research, exhibit and educate on the ma ers related to Tibetan history, culture and the present issue. Nyima’s whereabouts and well-being, and we urge the United Na ons as well as governments of the world to The event saw Dr Sangay, Mr Tashi Phuntsok, Secretary of pressure the Chinese government to show us concrete DIIR and Mr Tashi Phuntsok Director of the Tibet evidence that Panchen Lama is indeed alive and well,” a Museum addressing the audience on the importance and TYC statement said. success of the museum in preserving the Tibetan culture, heritage and the stories of undying struggles of Tibetan The seven-day rally began from Dekiling Tibetan people under the Chinese oppression. The museum is the Se lement in northern India, and will end in Delhi. Local Indian poli cian Mr Ganesh Joshi from India’s ruling proof of China's a empts to create a false image of Bhara ya Janata Party briefly joined the rally to show his contentment and prosperity in Tibet. support for the cause. TYC Vice-President Tamding Hrichoe Speaking to TPI, Sikyong said "Tibet issue is an issue of is leading the cyclists. truth and jus ce. Truth is on our side and Jus ce is what we deserve, so this is the truth about Tibet's history, this is The day marks the kidnapping of the Panchen Lama by the Chinese authori es in 1995 when he was six years old, the truth about occupa on and oppression. China's days a er he was recognised as the reincarna on of the narra ve says that Tibet is happy and content with the 10th Panchen Lama by the Dalai Lama. Chinese government. This is our true narra ve in response to Chinese narra ve." The last me any informa on was heard about his His message to the current world leaders regarding their whereabouts was in 2010 when Chinese-appointed Tibet Governor, Padma Choling, told reporters that Gedhun passive approach towards the Tibet issue is "What Choekyi Nyima and his family are now living a good life as Tibetans are facing and suffering is real so if they see, they ordinary ci zens in Tibet. must stand for the basic principles of their country which they claim to be democracy and freedom for all". TYC says that China seeks to legi mise its rule in Tibet by Every year May 18th is celebrated as Interna onal claiming it plays a crucial role in the iden fica on of Tibet’s two most important spiritual leaders, the Dalai Museum Day with the par cipa on 142 countries and Lama and the Panchen Lama. more than 35,000 museums. A er repeated a empts to gain access to the boy, no interna onal agencies or human rights organisa ons have been allowed to visit Gedun Choekyi Nyima or his family, TYC rallies for release of Panchen and their condi on remains uncertain. Lama In an a empt to establish their authority, in November Tibet Sun 1995 the Chinese leadership nominated and enthroned May 17, 2016 their own choice for 11th Panchen Lama in Gyaltsen Norbu. “Their selec on of six-year-old boy named Gyaltsen Norbu, is another young vic m in China’s plan to undermine and control the Tibetan people, their faith, religion, and their na on,” says TYC in their statement. The ending of the rally on 23 May coincides with the day of the signing of the 17-Point Agreement between Tibet and China in 1951. The signing was said to be done under Chinese pressure. ! “Ending the rally on May 23rd will highlight the facts about the 17-Point Agreement and our posi on which is
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 71 we do not accept the agreement as it was signed under However, China has largely ignored the elec ons, with the duress”, TYC statement said. foreign ministry only making terse remarks on the ballot During the week’s rallying in various Indian ci es and results when pressed to comment at a recent briefing. towns, the cyclists are demanding that China: give Spokesman Hong Lei said the vo ng was nothing but a evidence that the 11th Panchen Lama is alive, address the "farce" staged by an "illegal" organisa on that is not demands of the self-immola ons in Tibet, allow a fact recognised by any country in the world. finding interna onal delega on to assess the situa on in Robert Barne , the director of modern Tibet studies at Tibet, and release all poli cal prisoners. Columbia University, is not very op mis c about the Tibetan Youth Congress is the largest Tibetan NGO in exile resump on of talks. struggling to achieve independence for Tibet. “It’s quite disheartening at the moment because there are no signs from the Chinese side of any concession at all, in fact very much the opposite. But of course the Chinese side would not disclose if it was going to make a move. It Re-elec on of Exiled PM Spurs Hope would be in its interest to move very quickly at a me of for Renewed Tibet Talks its own choosing,” he said. Voa.org China claims control of Tibet for centuries May 16, 2016 China says it has maintained control of the Tibetan region since the 13th century, and the Communist Party says it The re-elec on of Lobsang Sangay as prime minister of the has liberated the Tibetan people through removing monks Tibetan government-in-exile has renewed hopes among from power who the party says presided over a feudal some that dialogue between the Dalai Lama and China’s system. central government, which stopped in 2010, will begin again. But many Tibetans argue they were independent un l Communist forces invaded in 1950. Nine years later the On the day of his elec on, Sangay vowed to push for Dalai Lama fled into exile a er a failed uprising against the autonomy for the Tibetan people and restart talks with government. the Chinese government. While the Dalai Lama remains the spiritual leader of the “We remain fully commi ed to the Middle Way Approach, Tibetan people, he gave up poli cal authority in 2011, and which clearly seeks genuine autonomy for the Tibetan called for democra c elec ons to choose a prime minister people within China. It is hoped the leaders in Beijing will to lead the parliament of the Central Tibetan see reason with the Middle Way Approach, instead of Administra on in Dharamsala, India. distor ng it, and step forward to engage in dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama's envoys,” he said. With the current Dalai Lama now in his 80s, the issue of who will select the next Dalai Lama is gaining in No talks since 2010 importance. Representa ves of the Dalai Lama held several rounds of But P.K. Gautam, a Research Fellow at the Ins tute for talks with China un l they were stalled in 2010 by protests Defense Studies and Analyses in India, said any poli cal and a subsequent crackdown in Tibet. talks that may develop should not be confused with Tsering Passang, Chair of the Tibetan Community in discussions over who will select the next Dalai Lama. Britain, said whether or not talks restart is in Beijing’s “So who selects the Dalai Lama is a very separate process, hands. but the poli cal nego a ons, for the autonomous region, “It’s really up to the Chinese, and due to the current the way it is desired, that can be taken on by this central reality, the geopoli cal situa on, as well as the economic administra on. So it’s a long term process; it’s just one of situa on, China has the upper hand, so it’s going to be a these steps that may lead to a solu on so that the Tibet challenge for the Tibetan leadership,” he said. autonomous region regains its pillars,” he said. Sangay defeated challenger Penpa Tsering Many Tibetans hope Sangay’s elec on is also a step Sangay ran against the speaker of the Tibetan Parliament, towards easing discontent throughout the Tibetan Penpa Tsering and received 58 percent of nearly 60,000 community. More than 100 Tibetans have self-immolated votes cast. About 90,000 exiled Tibetans are registered to in protest against the Chinese government since 2009. vote in 40 countries.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 72 German legislator denied visa by Only a free China can free Tibet China for pro-Tibet remarks Tibet Sun Indian Express May 12, 2016 May 13, 2016 I am not pretending that I represent the majority view of German legislator Michael Brand, who reportedly the Chinese either in or outside China, even not that of cri cised China's human rights record, sought a clear Chinese human rights and democracy ac vists for that response from the German Foreign Ministry about the ma er. But I am glad to tell you that the number of denial of visa to him. Chinese who share my views, although small, is growing. China has denied visa to a German legislator heading the 1 The Tibetan people have suffered so human rights panel for his remarks backing “Tibetan much at the hands of the Communist regime, consis ng independence”, saying his posi on is against Germany’s mainly of the Chinese and with the support and help from one-China policy, state media reported on Friday. many ordinary Chinese people. I am a Chinese and feel guilty and obliged to do what I have done in the past Michael Brand, Chairman of the Commi ee on Human nearly 30 years to support the cause of a free Tibet and try Rights and Humanitarian Aid of the German Bundestag, is to bring about peace and harmony to the two peoples. not welcome to China, Chinese Foreign Ministry And I will con nue. spokesman Lu Kang said, defending Beijing’s move to deny him a visa. 2 No Chinese, either as a part of the PRC government or of the democra c opposi on, can or Brand’s posi on of backing “Tibetan independence” should claim to represent the will of the Tibetan people. is against Germany’s one-China policy, Lu said on Friday. The right to choose the future of Tibet ul mately resides Brand was denied permission to visit China purely with the Tibetan people and nobody else.Tibet has not because of his posi on on Tibet, not for his comments on always been part of China, as the Chinese regime is the human rights situa on in China, according to the claiming. The Tibetans, as a people, have a different state-run Xinhua news agency. Brand, who reportedly biological, historical, and cultural iden ty. As such, they cri cised China’s human rights record, sought a clear are en tled to the right of self-determina on. I respect response from the German Foreign Ministry about the the Tibetans’ right of self-determina on. denial of visa to him. Lu said the Chinese Embassy in The Chinese people as a whole must eventually accept this Germany and relevant departments have done a lot of principle, or the current problem will remain or reoccur no work preparing for the visit of the Human Rights ma er what poli cal se ng will be arranged in the future. Commi ee of the Federal German Parliament. “The 3 That said, my point will not be German government knows that very well. The remarks by complete if I don’t add this warning. Tibet and China have the specific person you men oned are calling white so intertwined historically, poli cally, culturally, and black,” Lu said in his comments posted on the Chinese religiously in the past two thousand years, and the reality Foreign Ministry website. “We don’t invite him to China, of Tibet being part of the PRC is so entrenched in the not because of what he said about China’s human rights, minds of not only the Chinese people but the world since you know that he is not the only one that has leaders for whatever reasons, that the Tibetan issue something to say about China’s human rights. But a lot of cannot be resolved according to the will of the Tibetan people s ll made their visits to China.” “He cannot come people and based on universal values without the support because he blatantly breached the commitment of the and understanding of many many Chinese. There will be a German government to the “one China” policy and stuck long and difficult way to go for the Tibetans to eventually his heels in advoca ng “Tibet independence” which is so be able to enjoy and exercise their right of self- wrong,” he said. “I can say for sure that China will not determina on, and they need the Chinese to walk with welcome such a man. I have to say that the Human Rights them very step on the way toward that end. So you Commi ee of the Federal German Parliament is very probably have no choice but relentlessly reaching out to unwise in issuing the statement and hurling accusa ons at the Chinese for your cause no ma er what, where, and China,” Lu added. when. This leads to … 4 Speaking from my personal experience, the Dalai Lama’s Middle-Way approach has played the most important and most effec ve role in winning the Chinese to the Tibetan cause. To many
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 73 Chinese democrats, me included, the Dalai Lama’s Middle- Sikyong releases book tled 'The Old Way approach has proved indispensably instrumental in ge ng our Chinese compatriots to be interested in and New Century of Tibet' Tibet Post Interna onal Tibetan history, culture, and religion, and most importantly, to recognise the true reality and just April 30, 2016 aspira on of the Tibetan people. I understand there are Dharamshala — Dr Lobsang Sangay, Sikyong or the different views among the Tibetans from the Middle-Way democra cally elected poli cal leader of the Tibetan approach, but at as far as the issue of winning support people released a new book wri en by late Mr Gonpo from the Chinese concerns, I urge my Tibetan brothers Dorjee, a former Tibetan parliamentarian, at a func on in and sisters to deeply appreciate His Holiness’ wisdom in Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamshala, India, on Friday, 29 this. April. 5 There has been a cliche among The book tled 'The Old and New Century of Tibet' Chinese democrats. Most repeated. “There is no hope for documents the history of Tibet from Nyatri Tsenpo, Tibet's a free Tibet if the nature of the Chinese regime does not first king in recorded history, ll 1986. change, so we must work first to democra se China.” One The two-volume book is a culmina on of a decade-long of reasons this has become a cliche is that it does contain effort by the writer to record Tibetan history as well as his some truth. But I don’t like the sino-centric posi on on personal experience of escaping into exile, following His which it is stated. And, given the permea ng Han Holiness the Dalai Lama's advice to elderly Tibetans to Chauvinist mentality among the Chinese, even with write about their personal experiences of Tibet for future democracy in China, the resolu on of the Tibetan issue references. will not be easy.So China’s democracy is only necessary but far from being sufficient. So we must con nue what I The func on was a ended by senior officials and MPs, call the “truth campaign”, making par cular efforts now to including Rinchen Khandro former Kalon and Director of bring the truth about Tibet to the Chinese people and Tibetan nun's project, Dongchung Ngodup former Kalon engage in real heart-to-heart dialogues with them and for Department of Security, Sonam Choephel Shosur Chief discuss with them the future for both peoples. Elec on Commissioner, Tashi Tsering Director of Amnye I have engaged this campaign in the past 26 years, and will Machen Ins tute, Ngawang Yeshe LTWA General con nue to expand the campaign and dialogue to include Secretary. more people. Addressing the book release func on, held at the Library 6 People have begun talking about the of Tibetan Works and Archives (LTWA) in Dharamshala, post-Dalai Lama era. I personally think, although it will be The chief guest Sikyong Dr Sangay said: "Some of my staff very far away, it is always good to make hay while the sun at the Kashag Secretariat have read the book and they told shines. We will eventually face the reality without His me that the book is very well wri en, easy to understand Holiness. To me, the best way to prepare for the worst is and contains a lot of vital informa on on Tibetan history." protect and sincerely prac ce the democracy that you "Therefore, I applaud the hard work put in by the writer as have established under the guidance of His Holiness. well as by the staff of the Library of Tibetan Works and The Tibetan issue is one of most difficult issues facing Archives to publish this book," Sikyong said, while urging humanity. It is a test on mankind’s morality and wisdom, the younger Tibetan genera on to read the book. especially on the Tibetans and Chinese and the world He also urged the younger genera ons to study the hard leaders. work of the elder genera on of Tibetans and the real To me, the things we have to do, with or without the Dalai situa on in Tibet, by reading the books wri en by those Lama, are the things I advocated for above: Respect the elder genera ons. Tibetans’ right of determina on; take the Middle-Way Mr Dorjee, passed away on 26 April, just three days before approach seriously; reach out to the Chinese; commit to the launch of the book. Sikyong also expressed his non-violence; con nue the truth campaign with the profound condolences at Mr Gonpo Dorjee's demise and interna onal community and the Chinese; promote prayed for his swi rebirth. Tibetan culture and language and environmental A Brief Introduc on of Gonpo Dorjee's life history and his protec on in Tibet; prac ce and perfect democracy; and works made by Ngawang Yeshe, LTWA General Secretary. last but not the least, join the effort to democra se China. Tashi Tsering extended his deep sympathy and sincere condolence to Dorjee's family. 'We recently planned it well that he will join us in Dharamshala, a er comple ng the
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 74 book publishing process. But unfortunately he passed Chinese government to release Panchen Lama but to no away on Tuesday morning, April 26, at 6.am,' said Tsering. avail." He said that the book documents the history of Tibet from To spread awareness about Panchen Lama, the Tibetan Tibet's first king, Nyatri Tsenpo to history of Tibetans, Youth Congress organised the cycle rally on May 17, the inside and outside Tibet, ll 1986. The book also has a day Panchen Lama was arrested and the same will foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.' conclude in Delhi on May 23, the day the agreement was Mr Dorjee served his community as a MP, an journalist, signed between Tibet and China. and then an author, ll 2016. He had served as MP from "So far, we've halted at Haridwar, Roorkee and U-Tsang province in 1972. However, he resigned and Mansoorpur. We will reach Delhi on May 23 and assemble returned to his home in Darjeeling two years later due to in front of Jantar Mantar where we will submit a health issues. But, he con nued working for the "Tibetan memorandum of our demands to the UN," said Tsukte. Freedom" newspaper ll 1992. Tibetans from Dekyiling in Dehradun, Poanta Sahib, The publica on of the new Tibetan history book came at a Puruwalla, Raipur, Rajpur, Herbertpur, Nainital, Mussoorie, significant me as the Chinese government has further Delhi, Dharamsala and Bir Tibetan Se lements are taking strengthened its sovereignty claims over Tibet. part in the rally. A group of the Chinese Communist party puppets from Tibet recently visited few countries, include the United States and during their mee ngs with the foreign officials, they said that "Tibet has always been part of China, and Tibet also needs China's help for there is no basis for Tibet issue." economic growth: Dalai Lama Business Standard May 9, 2016 Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on Monday said 47 Tibetans cycle to spread that since countries cannot survive in isola on in this era awareness on Panchen Lama's fate of interdependence, Tibet too needs China's help to Times of India develop economically. May 20, 2016 "As for Tibet, we have a huge land and a rich culture but we need China's help to develop economically," he told To highlight the "pi able condi on of Tibetans under the reporters in Osaka in Japan. Chinese rule" and to spread awareness about the 11th Panchen Lama - Gedhun Choekyi Nyima - the "I really admire the concept of federa on, such as the European Union, where countries are foregoing their second most important figure in Tibetan Buddhism, as sovereign rights to join the union," the Dalai Lama said. many as 47 cyclists reached Meerut on Friday a ernoon. The Tibetan spiritual leader, who was given the Nobel The bicycle rally named 'Cycle Rally for Panchen Lama' has Peace Prize in 1989 for his non-violent struggle for Tibet's been organised by the Tibetan Youth Congress, the largest autonomy, believes in the "middle path" policy that Tibetan NGO in exile. demands "greater autonomy" for the people of Tibet Several youngsters - in the age group of 17-28 - had under the Chinese cons tu on. started their cycling journey from Dehradun on Tuesday "The Tibetans should be realis c and preserve their rich and reached here on Friday. The group plans to reach New cultural tradi ons through genuine autonomy," he said. Delhi on May 23, the day the '17-Point Agreement' was signed between Tibet and China. Tenzin Tsukte, president, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, said, "Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was just six years old when he was recognised as the 11th reincarna on of the Panchen Lama, one of the most important religious leaders of Tibet. Soon a er, Chinese authori es took him and his family into custody. For twenty years, people and human rights en es across the world have urged the
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 75 Secretary of State Kerry invested in a This investment by Kerry and his wife raises serious ques ons about hypocrisy by the government of the Chinese company that exploits United States in dealing with human rights issues which Tibetans the public has a right to raise. examiner.com May 8, 2016 While o en ran ng about human rights abuses in China and other na ons worldwide from a na on which Ac vist group demands Shokjang's is seen as a leading human rights abuser itself by people release on world press freedom day all over the world United States Secretary of State John phayul.com Kerry has been inves ng in a Chinese company which May 4, 2016 exploits Tibetans. Phayul.com reported on May 6, 2016, The Ac vist group Students for a Free Tibet staged a street Kerry has invested in an exploita ve company which is theatre in protest of the incarcera on of Tibetan writer headquartered in Tibet. Kerry's wife Teresa Hienz is also Drukar Gyal, known more prolifically by his pen name involved in this investment. Shokjang, on the World Press Freedom Day at McLeod It has been reported that Kerry and his wife have invested Ganj’s main square yesterday. in many companies in China. One of these companies has The street theatre drama sed the court proceeding of the its headquarters in Tibet and is said to exploit Tibet’s intermediate public court in Malho prefecture which natural resources while undermining the ecology of the sentenced the writer to three years in Chinese prison on region according to the Washington based Daily Caller charges of ‘inci ng separa sm’. News Founda on. The investment front for the Hienz family trust which is known as “HFI Imperial” has invested SFT India’s Grassroots Director told journalists, “With this in Tibet 5100 Water Resources Ltd or Tibet Water. This street theatre ac on, we want to highlight Shokjang’s case firm is a Chinese-owned bo led water company which has and at the same me bring to light the plight of other its plant in Tibet. writers and intellectuals who are suffering under the CCP’s regime. We urge you all to take ac on for his immediate Tibet Water has its headquarters inside the Tibetan release.” Autonomous Region in Tibet. The firm harvests water for commercial bo ling. It is seen as tapping into the water Shokjang was sentenced on Feb. 17 this year a er almost reserves of the Tibetan region. Experts have said that the a year since he was arrested on March 19 last year. siphoning off of the natural reserves could result in severe Gu Chu Sum, a former poli cal prisoners’ movement environmental consequences in the region. Ma eo earlier said that a group of almost 40 Tibetans including Mecacci, who is president of the Interna onal Campaign his family and friends visited officials in Rebkong who read for Tibet, says this control by Chinese businesses of the out the charges against Shokjang. Any trial or court bo led water industry in Tibet without any involvement proceedings leading up to the sentencing did not take and consulta on with Tibetans is an example of the place, the NGO ci ng sources from inside Tibet, exploita on of Tibet by Beijing. men oned. The Daily Caller reports Kerry and his wife are invested in a The students’ ac vist group had made huge replica of a Chinese firm which exploits and represses Tibet. Kerry and pen symbolising the annexa on of freedom of expression his wife are investors in a dozen firms in the People's of intellectuals inside Tibet, urging people to take ac on Republic of China. Tibet 5100 Water Resources, Ltd clearly through a pe on calling for the writer’s release. The represents the most controversial Kerry-Heinz investment pe on is addressed at the Malho Peoples Court and in China. The company sells a luxury brand of bo led China’s Minister of Jus ce Wu Aiying. drinking water to compete with Evian and Perrier. The Tenzin Tselha, Na onal Director of SFT India, said that diversion of water from Tibetan glaciers has alarmed Shokjang’s case shows that China’s claim of being a environmentalists. country with ‘rule of law’ is nothing but a “symbolic Alistair Currie, a spokesman for the Tibetan advocacy en ty”. “The hand wri en appeal le er by Shokjang from group Free Tibet, and others want this investment by prison is a new form of resistance by Tibetans inside Tibet. Kerry ended. The investment in a Chinese state-owned I believe that Shokjang chose to directly challenge the CCP company which exploits Tibet by a si ng secretary of regime by wri ng this le er,” Tselha said. state and his wife seems to represent very poor judgement on their part and could raise many problems.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 76 Following his sentencing, the Tibetan writer appealed parliament speaker Mr Penpa Tsering, according to the against his wrongful punishment in a 17 page appeal Tibetan elec on officials in the northern Indian city of le er, wri en in Tibetan and Chinese and asser ng his Dharamshala, where the CTA, is headquartered. innocence to the Higher People’s Court in Qinghai where Both Sangay and Tsering have taken up the "middle way" he hopes “the objec ve truth” will be sought. approach advocated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, 80, The writer charged for ‘ins ga ng separa sm’ says his that seeks "genuine autonomy" for Tibetan people living wri en work did not amount to him being deemed a in the three tradi onal provinces of Tibet rather than separa st. “If one talks about ins ga ng separa sm, I independence from China. have not wri en even a word of separa sm, much less However, the CTA is nothing more than the Government ins gated it. If I write about an incident in which I suffered of Tibet who was forced to accept the Seventeen Point harm, and that becomes an unfounded accusa on against Agreement in 1951. me, and I write an appeal to the court about the incident, China has ruled Tibet with an iron fist since Chinese troops that does not make me a separa st,” he wrote in the le er invaded Tibet, in 1949. A er the invasion, Tibet was dated Feb. 24. divided into six parts of which five were incorporated into neighbouring Chinese provinces. What China refers to as Tibet nowadays is only a part of the original Tibet, called the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and covers an area of China says Tibetan "elec on" is just about 122,200 sq, of Tibet's 850,000 sq, roughly the size "poli cal slaps ck" of Western Europe. Tibet Post Interna onal The TAR is strictly governed by the Chinese Communist May 4, 2016 Party, with the ac ve support of the military. The Party Dharamshala — China on Tuesday reiterated that the rules through branch offices in each province, Tibetan "government-in-exile" has no legi macy and its autonomous region and autonomous prefecture. "elec on" is just "poli cal slaps ck," the state-run media Subordinate to the Party is the government, which carries Xinhua reported Wednesday. out policies designed by the Party. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei made the remarks China has established the full panoply of Party and in response to the final "elec on" results announcement government offices to administer TAR as exists in China. In by the Tibetan officials on April 27, 2016. He added that Lhasa alone, there are over 60 departments and the so-called "government-in-exile" is not recognised by commi ees almost all of which are directly connected to any country. their na onal offices in Beijing. Thus, TAR is "autonomous" in word only; in fact, the TAR has less autonomy than As for the claim by the "government-in-exile" that fewer Chinese provinces. The top TAR post, the Party Secretary, Tibetans-in -exile have gone to India because of hindrance has never been held by a Tibetan. by China's na onal security department, Hong said "this only reflects the unpopularity of the overseas Tibetan separa st groups." Dr Lobsang Sangay has been re-elected as Sikyong of the Localist ac vist Edward Leung Tin- Central Tibetan Administra on amid hopes that the democra cally elected poli cal leader will vigorously kei in talks with Dalai Lama pursue the cause of a genuine autonomy for all Tibetans scmp.ocm living in the three tradi onal provinces of Tibet within the May 1, 2016 framework of the People's Republic of China. Hong Kong Indigenous spokesman was among 60 people A total of 150,000 Tibetan refugees live across the world, a at mee ng in Dharamsala, India majority of them in India. Of more than 90,000 registered Radical localist ac vist Edward Leung Tin-kei met with voters, nearly 60,000 cast ballots on March 20, elec on Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India, along with 60 other officials said on April 27 in declaring that Dr Sangay had individuals from the mainland, Macau, Taiwan, Europe and been re-elected as Sikyong, or poli cal leader. Elec on the United States. officials also declared that a 45 parliamentarians have The two-hour mee ng took place on Thursday according been elected and most of them are younger genera on. to Radio Free Asia, with the Hong Kong Indigenous Dr Sangay, 47, was born and brought up in India. He won 57% of the vote to defeat his only rival, the Tibetan
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 77 spokesman describing the encounter as a “rare opportunity”. Regional News “I’ve never thought [I could meet] Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader. This doesn’t happen everyday,” Leung said. The Hong Kong Indigenous spokesman said since there were poli cians from India and the European Union in Russia and China Seeking mutual a endance as well, he could learn firsthand how they Support in Territorial Disputes perceived the mainland. Sputniknews.com Chow Hang-tung, an Alliance in Support of Patrio c May 31, 2016 Democra c Movements in China volunteer,was another Hongkonger who a ended the mee ng. Russia and China are eager to take their rela onship of regional security to a new level with one of the main areas “It was very inspiring,” Chow said. of coopera on aimed at dealing with issues rela ng to the Others present included Canadian beauty queen and situa on in neighbouring regions, according to a report by ac vist Anastasia Lin and Katrina Lantos Swe , the CCTV. daughter of late American poli cian Tom Lantos. A conference on bilateral Russian-Chinese rela ons, which Radio Free Asia claims the mee ng in Dharamsala was is being held in Moscow currently, will highlight the need “under pressure” from mul ple par es, par cularly from for some sort of transforma on and revision of bilateral the mainland. rela ons under the new situa on, according to Zhang Xin, The media outlet also said in its report that security researcher of the School of Advanced Interna onal measures were ght at the mee ng, as no media was Studies at East China University. allowed inside the venue, while par cipants had to leave “Let’s take a look at the past year or two. We know that their mobile phones and cameras with security guards. Russia is under increasing pressure from Western Leung had earlier travelled to India to a end the 11th sanc ons and this seriously affects the country's economy. Interethnic Interfaith Leadership Conference held at Dalai China, on the other hand, is ge ng more and more Lama’s residence. involved in a complex situa on in the region,” Xin said The conference was organised by US-based group in an interview with CCTV. Ini a ves for China. According to its Facebook, the group These new factors are pushing both the sides aims to advance “a peaceful transi on to democracy in to reconsider and possibly revise bilateral rela ons. Here, China through truth, understanding, ci zen power, & on one hand, it means ‘a new quality of bilateral rela ons.’ coopera ve ac on”. The analyst pointed out that the conference itself is a Co-founder of Leung’s group Ray Wong Toi-yeung and mee ng of experts, so one should not consider former secretary general of Hong Kong Federa on of statements made at these mee ngs by experts and Students Alex Chow Yong-kang were scheduled to a end specialists, as official. the event as well but were unable to do so as their Nonetheless, judging by what has been heard at the applica ons for travel visa were rejected. conference, the analyst has highlighted three main Wong, who was earlier granted permission by the court to direc ons of coopera on in the sphere of regional leave Hong Kong for the conference, said he doesn’t know security. why his applica on was turned down, explaining he had According to the analyst, first of all it is important applied the same way as Leung. to understand if the Shanghai Coopera on Organisa on The localist ac vist added he was scheduled to speak at can be reorganised into a regional pla orm the conference on Saturday. for coopera on in the field of security to include “But since I can’t travel, [Leung] would have to deliver the par cipants apart from the current ones. speech on my behalf,” he said. “Secondly, we see a clear trend in Russia's ac ve a empts The Indian consulate in Hong Kong declined to comment to increase its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, which is on the reasons for rejec ng Wong and Chow’s visa widely manifested, in par cular, in security coopera on,” applica ons. Xin said. He further said that both the countries have discussed this during the recent Russia-ASEAN summit, which was held a
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 78 week ago. This is another recent trend, the importance During the mee ng, senior officials from Nepal and India of which in the context of regional security in the Asia- will discuss bilateral security concerns--security Pacific region may further increase. challenges, porous border, upgrading military support, Thirdly, it is interes ng to see whether the two sides will modernising security forces and carrying out joint start expressing mutual support for each other's basic exercises, trainings to fight regional security challenges, posi ons on regional security more openly and loudly among others. in the surrounding regions. The mee ng will evaluate the security challenges and In these areas, both sides seek to achieve a higher level come up with new security measures to tackle them, said of coopera on and support from each other. I believe that Joint Secretary Shiva Prasad Simkhada, who is also the these three areas are probably the main points in the spokesperson at the Ministry of Defense, adding that context of coopera on between Russia and China in the officials were s ll discussing the agendas to be taken up field of regional security. during the bilateral mee ng. The two sides will also review the progress made so far in connec on with the decisions made earlier. The bilateral mee ng that are held every year alterna vely Construc on Work on RCC Bridge in both countries will be helpful in enhancing military over Indus River in Skardu to be rela ons between the two countries, Defense Ministry Spokesperson Simkhada said. Started Soon RADIO.GOV.PK During the 11th Bilateral Consulta ve Mee ng held in MAY 31, 2016 2014 in Nepal, the two sides had agreed to share All formali es are completed and construc on work will informa on at opera onal level to effec vely address be started within next 15 days. cross border crimes such as smuggling of drugs and arms, Construc on work on big RCC Bridge over Indus River in human trafficking and wildlife poaching. The two sides had Skardu will be started soon at a cost of 420 million rupees. also agreed to extend coopera on in dealing with natural Spokesman of Public Works Department Skardu told over disaster. representa ve in Skardu on Tuesday that all formali es are completed and construc on work will be started within next fi een days. China and Bangladesh Pledge to Spokesman said that budget alloca on has been made in the current ADP and this two way Bridge will facilitate the Boost Coopera on, Military passengers of the regions. Exchange China Topix May 30, 2016 Nepal-India Security Meet to be China and Bangladesh reached an agreement on Sunday to deepen their coopera on and military exchange. Held on June 9-10 The pledge comes a er a mee ng between Chinese My Republica Defense Minister Chang Wanquan 31 May 2016 and Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid. Chang also met KATHMANDU, May 31: The 12th mee ng of Nepal-India with Bangladesh's Chief of Army Staff General Abu Belal Bilateral Consulta ve Group Mee ng on security issues is Muhammad Shafiul Hug, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral scheduled for June 9 and 10 in New Delhi, India. Mohammad Nizamuddin Ahmed, and Chief of Air Staff Marshal Abu Esrar. The mee ng could not be held in 2015 as the country was devastated by the earthquake that struck Nepal in April of The Chinese defense minister said in a statement that that year. According to Spokesperson at the Ministry of both na ons should boost their bilateral coopera on in Foreign Affairs Tara Bahadur Pokharel, a team led by Joint culture, some sectors of poli cs, as well as economy and Secretary Prakash Kumar Subedi will lead a Nepali trade. China and Bangladesh established diploma c es in delega on comprising of secretary of the Defense Ministry 1975. and representa ves from the Nepalese Army, among others.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 79 Chang said that the development of military es between Nikolic noted the significance of a recent agreement on the two countries has maintained a good momentum and the Smederevo steel mill and the fact that the arrival of it will con nue to improve in the coming months and Chinese partners in the Serbian meat industry will revive years. The Chinese military wants to work with the Serbia's rural regions and encourage people to return Bangladesh military to implement the accord reached by there a er seeking be er life in ci es, Nikolic said. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Bangladesh Prime Nikolic said that he was "delighted with China's support Minister Sheikh Hasina. for Serbian diplomat Vuk Jeremic's bid to become the new The boos ng of military es will also strengthen the UN secretary-general." strategic exchange and support between the two Li thanked Nikolic for his immeasurable contribu on to countries, increase personnel training and coopera on enhancing the cordial rela ons between Serbia and when it comes to equipment technology, and promote China. military exchanges between young military officials. He briefed Nikolic on ac vi es concerning the The Bangladesh military also released a statement implementa on of China's One Belt, One Road project, regarding the latest agreement no ng that China is a expressing the wish that efforts to make full use of trustworthy and strategic partner. The military leaders of poten als for coopera on will be maximised, the Bangladesh said that both na ons have developed high- presiden al press office said in a statement. level poli cal trust as well as frui ul economic and trade coopera on. The Bangladeshi military expressed willingness to take part in joint efforts with China regarding personnel Mul -sports facility to be training, military medical care, peacekeeping, and military constructed in Babena equipment. Kuenselonline.com China and Bangladesh are set to work together to May 29, 2016 promote the "Belt and Road" ini a ve. As part of the "Belt and Road" ini a ve, scholarships will be awarded to Thimphu will soon have a new mul -sports complex at students from the na ons that are involved in the project Babena in Jungshina. to study in China. President of Bhutan Olympic Commi ee (BOC) HRH Prince Bangladesh is one of the na ons that support China's Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck graced the salang tendril posi on on the South China Sea (groundbreaking ceremony) of the complex yesterday. dispute. Bangladeshi officials have said that the dispute The mul -sports hall will have an indoor basketball court, should be se led via a direct nego a on amongst the three badminton and two volleyball courts of interna onal par es involved. standard. A cricket ground and chain-linked fencing will also be constructed. The project worth USD 600,000 is fully funded by the Korean Sports Promo on Organisa on (KSPO) of the President: Serbia can be "pillar for Republic of Korea. The fund will also be used to the China" in Europe procure sports equipment at the complex. b92.net BOC secretary general, Sonam Karma Tshering, said the MAY 30, 2016 new sports infrastructure will help promote and develop sports in the country. Serbia can be a pillar for China in Europe and its significant partner for the future, Serbian President Tomislav NIkolic “While we [BOC] con nue to work zealously to make said on Monday. Bhutan a spor ng country, the development of sports infrastructure in the country is one of our main priori es,” He made the comments as he received Li Wei, president said Sonam Karma Tshering. “We cannot thank enough to of the Development Research Center of China's State the government and the people of the Republic of Korea Council. for this wonderful gi to Bhutan.” The development of Serbia-China economic es points to In 2014 Asian Games in Inchoen, Korea HRH Prince Jigyel a clear interest of both countries, and several joint Ugyen Wangchuck and the Bhutanese delega on met with projects of great significance to Serbia have been Elisa Lee, a Member of Parliament of the Republic of launched to date, Nikolic said. Korea. Elisa Lee, a former world table tennis champion,
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 80 expressed her willingness to support the development of While guarded in his use of language against China, sports in the country. Sayeed made it clear that Beijing must not take Islamabad “I visited Bhutan in March 2015 and met with the officials for granted by telling its people to desist from prac cing from the BOC and also some of the athletes here,” said Islam. Elisa Lee. “I could see the passion and enthusiasm for Sayeed said that this statement by the Chinese leadership sports in young Bhutanese. But to encourage such was a "challenge to the Islamic way of life" and, he called passion, the country lacked basic facili es, equipment and upon the Pakistan Government to "show some courage infrastructures.” and direct China to stay away from hur ng Islamic Elisa Lee said that a er returning to Korea, she discussed sen ments ". the issue with the government and decided to render The hardline leader told his followers that he plans to possible support for the development of sports in Bhutan. meet the Chinese Ambassador in Islamabad to lodge his “As a former athlete and now a parliamentarian, I feel the protest. need to promote the friendship and rela on between the Sayeed's counter to the Chinese leadership comes in the two countries, not only through poli cal avenues, but also wake of the la er warning its people, especially those through sports,” said Elisa Lee. “I’m hopeful that once the living in Xinjiang province to shun Islam and to s ck to facility is completed, it will foster further development of China's state policy of "Marxist Atheism". sports in Bhutan and also generate more collabora on Large parts of the Chinese popula on living in Xinjiang opportuni es between the two countries.” province are said have become radicalised and Beijing is The mul -sports complex will be constructed on a six-acre desperately looking at ways to de-radicalise them. land that has been leased for a period of 30 years from Xinjiang borders Pakistan from where China says the Thimphu Thromde. hardline Islamic teachings flow. China has also been subtly Similar construc ons are ongoing in Samdrupjongkhar, warning Pakistan to stop the flow of Islamic messaging to Bumthang and Punakha. A mul -sports hall in Xinjiang but to no avail. Phuntsholing will be completed in December. Communist Party Officials had strongly backed President The first mul -sports hall was constructed in Trashigang in Xi's statements and cau oned ci zens to be vigilant December 2014. against Islamic tendencies like Halal products. They made it clear that Halal products will remain banned in China as these "promote religious segrega on." China has already declared 2016 as the "Year of Ethnic Pakistan cannot accept China's Unity and Progress", a move aimed squarely at ridding the rejec on of Islam: Hafiz Sayeed na on of Islamic influences. newsx.com President Xi Jinping is making efforts to ghten control May 28, 2016 over religious prac ces, as it is his belief that religion, Lahore: Pakistan's hardline leader and the head of the especially Islam, could emerge as a compe ng force in Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD ), Hafiz Mohammad Sayeed, has society unless it is nipped in the bud now. rejected China's call to stop the prac ce of Islam which Making China's State policy of intolerance towards Pan- was made by the Chinese leadership at the recently held islamic tendencies very clear, President Xi warned Chinese Second Na onal Conference on Religion in Beijing. ci zens "not to confuse themselves with non-CCP Speaking to his congrega on of hardline Islamists in approved tendencies" and to "never find their values and Lahore, Sayeed said that it was true that China is beliefs in this religion or any religion." Pakistan's all weather friend, but "any comment that hurts Other senior Communist Party Officials who spoke on this our religion, Islam, is not acceptable and we urge the occasion highlighted the dangers that Islam is assuming in Chinese leadership to take it back." some parts of China, making the na on vulnerable to "By u ering such statements, China is hur ng its me- extremist infiltra on. tested rela ons with the people of Pakistan," said Sayeed. Communist Party Officials strongly backed President Xi's Sayeed's unusual statement directed at China comes amid statements and cau oned ci zens to be vigilant against a strong reac on in Pakistan to China's crackdown on the Islamic tendencies. While coming out strongly against prac ce of Islam. Islam and Islamic tradi ons, the Second Na onal Work
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 81 Conference on Religion also promoted a number of India raised the issue of security at the border areas, and ar cles that expressed support for the new policies. Nepal has pledged to address its concerns. The two sides President Xi has now made it clear that these policies will also assessed the ongoing irriga on projects. be reinforced with renewed vigour, as China is looking at The mee ng was the first official engagement between Pakistan-sponsored Islamic radicalism as the number one the two countries a er the cancella on of President Bidya threat to its society. Devi Bhandari's visit to India and recalling of Nepal's ambassador Deep Kumar Upadhyay.
Nepal, India discuss energy bank The Statesman NCCCI, CCPIT sign MoU to promote IANS investment in Nepal May 28, 2016 Myrepublica.com Nepal and India have discussed se ng up an energy bank May 27, 2016 to address power shortages in mes of crisis. Nepal on Friday proposed the idea at a mee ng of the India-Nepal Joint Standing Commi ee, a bilateral mechanism on water resources, power and irriga on projects, the Kathmandu Post reported. Both countries have discussed the idea earlier, but this was the first me that Nepal made a formal proposal. Through the energy bank set-up Nepal would export electricity to India during the summer season and import power from India in winter, when output drops sharply KATHMANDU, May 27: Nepal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCCI) and China Council for Promo on of Interna onal Trade (CCPIT) resul ng in crippling power shortages. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to bring Chinese investment in Nepal. The Power Trade Agreement signed by Nepal and India in Tribhubandhar Tuladhar, vice president of NCCCI and Gao 2014 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Shuqian, CCPIT consultant for Gansu Province of China, Kathmandu has opened the way for to establish an energy bank. signed the agreement on behalf of their respec ve organisa ons. "The concept of an energy bank is clear: We export to A 13-member CCPIT team, which is currently in Nepal, also India when our produc on exceeds domes c consump on signed different MoUs with several other Nepali and import during the mes of crisis," said Mukesh Raj organisa ons to promote hydropower, solar energy, Kafle, managing director of the Nepal Electricity Authority. tourism, copper mining, logis c business and cooling India agreed to the concept, but there was no open access houses in Nepal. due to legal complica ons. While Gansu Electric Power Investment Group Company "The proposal is good, but we have to clear a number of Ltd of China and Nepali firm PK Associates have signed an regulatory provisions. We will start to work on it," he agreement to promote investment in hydropower sector quoted Indian officials as saying. of Nepal, Jinchuan Group Company Ltd and S2 Solar Power According to Nepali officials, it depends on India's have signed a pact to harness solar energy in Nepal. willingness to accept the idea. Similarly, Gansu Provincial Highway Avia on Tourism Nepali officials also requested India to resume produc on Investment Group Co Ltd and Des na on Management from the 15 mw Gandak powerhouse. The plant was Tour and Travels Pvt Ltd of Nepal have agreed to work constructed as per the Gandak Agreement. together for tourism promo on in Nepal. Likewise, They requested New Delhi to build the Birpur powerhouse Jinchuan Group Co Ltd of China and Asia c Interna onal as soon as possible. Trading Pvt Ltd of Nepal have signed agreement to promote logis c businesses in Nepal. The two sides also discussed the construc on of roads on the border. Addressing the signing ceremony, Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, chairman of NCCCI, said that Gansu has become an
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 82 important Chinese province for Nepal for trade especially like of which would be difficult to find in human history. a er China started combined transport service to Nepal "Rela ons between countries experience high and low on March 13. period, but not between China and Pakistan. Our rela ons An interna onal freight train departed from Gansu for are higher than Himalayas, deeper than oceans, sweeter Nepal on March 13. than honey, dearer than eyesight, stronger than steel, and valuable than gold," he added. He said that CPEC was no "Nepal is s ll an unexplored country for big investments. doubt the latest landmark in our rela ons but our Investors can put their money into different sectors," friendship had deep historical roots. "Monks and envoys Shrestha said, adding: "Chinese traders can reap huge traversed the challenging heights of the Karakorum, benefits by inves ng in sectors like tourism, construc on, Hindukush and the Himalayas to connect the Gandhara agriculture and hydropower." and the Indus Valley Civilisa ons with the Chinese Informing that Nepal was demonstra ng its products and Civilisa on," he added. "Fa Xian and Xuan Zang, in the services through a fair in China in July, Shrestha urged fourth and seventh centuries respec vely, crossed Chinese trade delega on to put Nepal into priority and inaccessible al tudes of these mountain ranges. Many help to promote its products and services in China. scholars from the territory, that is now Pakistan, travelled Speaking on the occasion, Zhang Fukul, deputy director of to China to imbibe the glorious civilisa on of China," he Commission of Industry and Informa on Technology of sad. Sartaj said that the reason behind the long-las ng Gansu Province who is also the leader of the visi ng rela ons was absolute mutual trust. The people of our Chinese trade delega on, said that they were in Nepal to countries rejoiced on each other's achievements and felt assess investment environment in sectors like tourism, as one during sorrows, he said, adding both countries construc on and agriculture, among others. "We are firmly believed in the principles of sovereign equality and confident that the team finds things friendly here and non-interference. "China has always extended solid brings investments to this country," said Fukul. support to Pakistan's territorial integrity and independence," he added. He said that Pakistan too had upheld the one-China policy and supported China on issues concerning Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang. Strong es with China cons tute bedrock of our foreign policy: Sartaj Business Recorder Pakistan-China fibre cable project May 23, 2016 goes live in Gilgit Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz telecompaper.com on Sunday said that China was the largest trading partner May 23, 2016 of Pakistan with $18 billion that reflected strong poli cal Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has launched the links and growing economic es between the two Pakistan-China Op cal Fiber Cable Project, which is part of countries. Speaking at Pakistan-China Joint Cultural China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Daily Pakistan Performance here, Sartaj said that "strong rela ons with reports. The project is expected to improve connec vity in China were, and are, and will always, remain the bedrock Gilgit-Bal stan. Customers in the area will soon have of Pakistan's foreign policy." "The bond between Pakistan access to 3G and 4G services, the minister said. and China has received con nuous nourishment from the The Op cal Fiber Cable project will involve overall leadership of both sides over the last six decades and especially in the past two years," he maintained. The investments of USD 44 million and will be completed in two years. The Special Communica on Organisa on will adviser appreciated the cultural performance to celebrate lay 820 kilometres of cable from Rawalpindi to Khunjarab. the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diploma c Following deployment comple on, the cable is expected rela ons between Pakistan and China. "I specially to provide an alternate telecommunica on route between welcome my Chinese friends, par cularly the ar sts from Hunan Provincial Performing Art Group, who have Pakistan and China. travelled all the way from China to par cipate in this event. It shows the love and close brotherly es which exist between our two countries," he added. Sartaj said that the 65th anniversary was not just a formal occasion as it was a unique celebra on of a unique rela onship, the
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 83 China keen on India joining Tibet- where Tibetans live. Tibetans are a majority in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), and have large se lements in a Nepal railway network few other provinces such as Sichuan and Yunnan. The Hindu Two-digit growth May 22, 2016 Despite the slowdown in Chinese economy in recent mes, the TAR con nues to record two-digit growth, thanks significantly to the massive financial interven on from Beijing. According to the Chinese vision, by 2020 no region or ethnic group should be le behind in achieving a per capita of $12,000. “Infrastructure growth will keep progressing. Farmers and herdsmen will get development, not just ci es,” Mr. Zhang said, jus fying the broad roads and flyovers that link up even remote Tibetan villages. As part of its aggressive investments in Tibetan regions, China is developing rail networks, roads and airports across the region at high al tudes. ! AFP The world’s highest railway sta on (Tanggula), the highest The first train to depart the Lhasa railway station crosses the Lha Sa civilian airport (Daocheng Yading Airport) and some of the Te bridge, along the new China-Tibet rail line. File photo finest roads at a few thousand metres al tude are already built across provinces where Tibetans live. Beijing is aggressively pushing connec vity in the Tibetan Autonomous Region. China has a two-front strategy for rail networks to Tibet China is keen that India join the Tibetan rail network, a and within TAR. One is to build a new rail line from TAR to senior adviser to the Chinese government on Tibetan the mainland, which would link Sichuan’s capital Chengdu with Lhasa. This is in addi on to the exis ng Qinghai-Tibet affairs told a group of visi ng journalists at the end of a rail link. tour deep into Tibetan territories spread across three provinces. Authori es are also adding six more rail lines to the “According to Chinese and Nepalese Prime Ministers’ Qinghai-Tibet railway line. One of them, Lhasa to Xigaze discussions, this rail line should link all three sides,” said (or Shigatse), is closer to Nepal’s border. Zhang Yun, director of the Ins tute of History Studies at Last week, China flagged off its first transport service to the government-run China Tibetology Research Center in Nepal along this line. The freight train departed from Beijing. He was referring to the discussions between Lanzhou in Gansu province for Kathmandu. At Xigaze, the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Nepalese counterpart, freight will be moved onto trucks. K.P. Oli, during the la er’s visit to China in March. Mr. Zhang repeated the strident stand on Dalai Lama, Mr. Zhang said the Chinese side is very proac ve in saying he should give up the demand for independence. comple ng the rail link. “On the Nepal side, there is strong support for the link. On the Indian side, there is one group that believes it will help improve bilateral rela ons. But there is a second group which argues that it will Pakistan Important Partner in One undermine India,” he pointed out. Belt One Road Project: Xi Mr. Zhang is part of a research team that is advising the pakobservew.net Chinese government on Tibetan affairs. May 21, 2016 He said the railway network of China, Nepal and India 65th Anniversary of Sino-Pak es would be connected soon. “It is the only way they can benefit,” he said. “It is our strong will to form synergy President, PM confident of further enhancing Pak-China between the rail networks of all three countries,” he said. ‘ me-tested’ friendship The modern high-al tude rail network in Tibet that snakes Islamabad—Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li through tunnels and rises to thousands of metres, is not Keqiang on Friday extended felicita ons to Pakistani just an engineering marvel, but a determined showpiece government and people on the 65th anniversary of the of China’s ambi ous financial interven on in regions diploma c rela ons between China and Pakistan, terming
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 84 Pakistan a “good neighbour, close friend, trusted partner “Our two countries have established a rock-solid poli cal and dear brother of China”. mutual trust, developed all-weather friendship and carried In their separate messages addressed to President out all- round coopera on,” he said. Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Wang Yi said China has always taken Pakistan as the Sharif on the 65th anniversary falling on May 21, the priority of its foreign policy and expressed commitment to Chinese leadership said China- Pakistan rela ons had make unremi ng efforts to promote the development of stood the tests of changes of interna onal and domes c closer all- weather strategic coopera ve partnership. situa ons and made headway constantly. Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong in his President Xi Jinping said China and Pakistan are all- message tled ‘China-Pakistan friendship: Common weather strategic partners and men oned that in recent dreams, Shared des ny’ said the mul -faceted, me- years, their es had maintained strong momentum of tested and long-enduring China-Pakistan rela onship had development. become a shining example for South-South coopera on “We have made posi ve progress in the all-round and rela ons between countries. substan ve coopera on and people-to-people exchanges “The past 65 years have witnessed that China and Pakistan between our two countries,” he said. always extend sincere understanding, firm support and Xi Jinping said China regards Pakistan as an important selfless assistance to each other, in par cular on the issues partner in promo ng the construc on of the ‘Belt and of core interests,” he said. Road Ini a ve’. He men oned that China-Pakistan rela ons had entered “The construc on of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor into the new stage of grand development with Chinese will lay a solid founda on for building China-Pakistan President Xi Jinping’s successful state visit to Pakistan last community of shared des ny,” he said. year. “I a ach great importance to the China-Pakistan rela ons, “The rela onship is featured with frequent exchange of and stand ready to work with you to create a be er high- level visits, enhanced strategic mutual trust, future,” President Xi said, wishing Pakistan prosperity and extensive and frui ul coopera on with China-Pakistan well-being of its people. Economic Corridor as the main pla orm, vibrant people- to-people contacts, and much closer collabora on on Premier Li Keqiang in his message to Prime Minister interna onal and regional issues,” he said. Nawaz Sharif termed Pakistan a “good neighbour, close friend, trusted partner and dear brother of China”. The ambassador emphasised that achievements of China- Pakistan rela ons over the past 65 years are hard won and He men oned that over the past 65 years, both China and should be carried forward from genera on to genera on. Pakistan had adhered to the five principles of peaceful coexistence, enjoyed poli cal trust, carried out mutually- “In the days to come, we should take the consensus beneficial economic coopera on besides suppor ng on reached by our leaders as the guidance for our future issues related to core interests to each other. coopera on,” he said. “China has always treated and developed the China- Wishing “China-Pakistan dos Zindabad (long live Pak- Pakistan rela ons from a strategic height and long-term China friendship)”, he said, “We should safeguard our perspec ve,” he said. common interests and realise our common dreams”. Premier Li said China stands ready to work with Pakistan Meanwhile, President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime to expedite the construc on of China Pakistan Economic Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif have expressed Corridor (CPEC) and constantly promote the development confidence that Pakistan and China would con nue their of the all-weather strategic coopera ve partnership. efforts to enhance and reinforce friendship between their two peoples. He expressed confidence that China-Pakistan friendship would be carried forward from genera on to genera on The President and Prime Minister expressed this and become even stronger with me. confidence in their separate messages on the occasion of 65th anniversary of the diploma c rela ons between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in his message to Prime Pakistan and China falling on Saturday (May 21). President Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said China Mamnoon Hussain in his message said, “Pakistan and and Pakistan have always enjoyed mutual understanding, China enjoy me-tested and all-weather friendship. It is a respect and support from each other. unique friendship. We are good neighbours, close friends, trusted partners, and iron brothers. We have elevated our
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 85 rela onship to all-weather strategic coopera ve of traffic on the 439-kilometre chunk of the CPEC project partnership.” in the region. Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in his message said, “Pakistan and China enjoy a unique, close and durable rela onship. China is a true, me-tested and all- weather friend of Pakistan. This year we are celebra ng the 65th anniversary of establishment of our diploma c rela ons with China. Over these 65 years, our rela onship has grown from strength to strength.” “Rela ons between Pakistan and China are marked by a high degree of understanding, trust and goodwill. At the official and popular levels, there is strong resonance of the long and rich history of close and cordial es,” he added. The Prime Minister said, “We have endeavoured to strengthen and deepen our all-weather strategic Nepal PM Oli is commi ed for coopera ve partnership with China. Our two governments development of Lumbini have designated the China Pakistan Economic Corridor as Business Standard the flagship project for economic rejuvena on, a peaceful May 22, 2016 neighbourhood and for building a ‘Community of Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said that his Common Des ny’.”—APP government is commi ed for the development of Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha by implemen ng the Lumbini Development Master Plan. Gilgit-Bal stan police starts Speaking at a special ceremony organised on the occasion of 2560th Buddha Jayan in Lumbini on Saturday, the patrolling CPEC route Prime Minister said that the Lumbini Development Master newkerala.com Plan should be taken ahead as soon as possible. May 26, 2016 'Lumbini is not only the birth place of Lord Budhha, but Gilgit (Pakistan), May 26 : To ensure security as work on also the fountain of love and compassion,' he said. the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is under way, He went on to say that the government has been doing its the Gilgit-Bal stan police have started patrolling in the best to bring peace and prosperity in the country a er the Diamer district. twin earthquakes last year. Muhammad Wakeel, a police inspector, said that at least Prime Minister Oli further said that the unity shown by the 10 police vehicles have been set aside for the purpose. people a er the devasta ng earthquake of April 25 last year was extra ordinary. "The SHOs and SDPOs in the valley will monitor the patrolling process under the supervision of SSP Shoaib Oli said that the post-quake reconstruc on works will be Khurram," the Express Tribune quoted him as saying. completed within five years. Wakeel added that the officers, who are patrolling the 'We have se led most of the poli cal issues a er the district, have been adequately trained and they will be promulga on of cons tu on,' the Prime Minister said. available round-the-clock to help the people and respond He further said that his government's topmost priority was to any eventuali es. development. The move comes two months a er Beijing donated He further said that his government's topmost priority was twenty-five vehicles to the Gilgit-Bal stan government as development to change the economic landscape of the part of CPEC. country. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had inaugurated the CPEC patrolling police headquarters during his visit to Gilgit earlier this month. The patrolling force comprises 300 personnel and twenty- five vehicles which will help ensure safe and smooth flow
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 86 Govt told to start work for gran ng However, overall development policy did not support the Trade and Industrial Policies started during the economic transit rights to India, China reforms of post-1990. myrepublica.com Lack of con nuity of reforms, weak ins tu ons, and above May 20, 2016 all no infrastructure support held back the growth, Khanal Experts have proposed to the government start homework said. for gran ng transit rights to both the neighbours. Commen ng on his paper, CEO of Investment Board Nepal Presen ng a paper en tled 'Toward a New Framework for Radhesh Pant said that finance is not the problem for Nepal's Trade and Industrial diversifica on' at the infrastructure development in Nepal. "Finance is the least Interna onal Conference on Key Trends in China-Nepal- of the problems," he said, giving examples of how foreign India Rela ons and New Development Strategy for Nepal investors have been eager on pu ng money on Nepal's in Kathmandu on Friday, former finance secretary infrastructure development ranging from hydropower Rameshwor Khanal said that the two neighbors - India and projects to cement factories. China - will, sooner or later, ask for transit rights. "Nepal Nepal needs huge investment in infrastructure should start homework right now to make sure that transit development to meet the gap that can fuel economic agreements would be in its favour,” he added. growth, according to former member of the Na onal He also proposed implemen ng connec vity Planning Commission (NPC) Swarnim Wagle. Hailing infrastructure projects that support transit and trade Chinese approach to development, Wagle said that quick diversifica on in the changed context of recent trade and delivery of aid without strings a ached is also key to transit blockade. infrastructure development in Nepal. As the need of the hour is to diversify trade for a self- In his paper on 'Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank reliant economy, Khanal also proposed promo ng energy- (AIIB) and Infrastructure Construc on in South Asian intensive industries, developing cross-border energy Countries', Prof Dai Yonghong, Director -- Center for market and economic corridors along north-south transit Myanmar Studies in Sichuan University and Deputy routes, and promo ng high value niche products and Director -- Center for Nepal Studies in Sichuan University, specialised services for trade diversifica on. highlighted benefits of Nepal as a transit economy. “It will “Nepal has failed to diversify trade and transit even help strengthening sub-regional coopera on between though each periodic plan - a er the second periodic plan Sichuan-Tibet and SAARC, adjus ng the area of - has been emphasising on trade diversifica on, export coopera on, establishing Sino-Nepal FTA, and build Nepal promo on, foreign investment promo on,” Khanal said, overland trade route," he said, adding that it will also adding that the country is s ll harping on trade strengthen infrastructure development in border areas, diversifica on a er six decades of the planned apart from expansion of trade preferences and encourage development prac ce. investment, and expanding tourism coopera on, innova on and tourism business one-stop service mode. Nepal started planned development prac ce from 1956 when over 95 percent of its trade was with India. Trade with Tibetan Autonomous Region of China was confined to border region and most of it was bartering. Nepal had li le to export to outside world then. imported goods from China arrive in With foreign assistance, par cularly from the then Soviet Kyirong Kathmandu Post- Union and China, cri cal manufacturing factories that aimed at import subs tu on were established in the May 19, 2016 decade following 1956. But following the calibrated A er a week-long journey, Nepali goods dispatched on reforms of 1985-86, policy reforms spanning all sectors of China’s freight train from Lanzhou, capital of Gansu the economy were implemented between 1990 and 1992, Province in Northwest China, arrived in Kyirong on he added. "The reforms led to trade diversifica on, Tuesday night. growth of manufacturing sector, export growth, and some More than a dozen traders had ordered the goods, of the posi ve changes could also be seen las ng un l including readymade garment, electronic appliances and 1998." kitchenware, through the route. The train travelled 2,431km from Lanzhou to Shigatse carrying 20 tonnes of goods each in 50 wagons on its
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 87 maiden journey. From there, the goods were transported Beijing ‘sends’ freight train for to Kyirong—160 km north to Kathmandu --by cargo trucks. Nepal The traders said the transporta on distance on the Kathmandu Post Lanzhou-Shigatse-Kyirong route has been cut down to 10 May 13, 2016- days from usual 45 days on the sea route—China-Kolkata port to Kathmandu. Transpor ng goods through the Departed from Lanzhou as first combined transport Lanzhou-Shigatse-Kyirong using cargo trucks takes some service to Kathmandu on Wednesday 21 days. China has opened its first combined transport service (rail Kumar Karki, president of Nepal Trade Associa on, said and road) to Nepal with an interna onal freight train shipping goods in railway through the northern depar ng from Lanzhou, the capital city of northwestern China’s Gansu province, for Kathmandu, on Wednesday. border has significantly reduced the me. People’s Daily of China reported that the final des na on “The shipping cost has also been reduced to some extent. of the interna onal freight train is Kathmandu, but rail If the goods are transported to Kyirong directly through transport will change over to road transport in Shigatse railway, the cost will go down sharply,” he said. (Xigaze), Tibet. The Chinese railway service is extended only up to It will take 10 day for the consignment to reach Shigatse. The distance between Shigatse and Kyirong, from Kathmandu, the newspaper reported. where goods have to be ferried in cargo trucks, is 564km. “As loading and unloading goods in Shigatse and Kyirong The journey includes 2,431 kilometres of rail transport need to be done mul ple mes, the cost has not dropped, from Lanzhou to Shigatse, 564 kilometres of road but the travel distance has been reduced by one-fourth,” transport from Shigatse to Kyirong (Geelong Port) and 160 said Karki. kilometres of road transport from Kyirong to Kathmandu. He said it costs Rs34 per kg while transpor ng goods by Altogether, the combined transport takes 35 days fewer cargo trucks on the route, and the cost is almost the same than tradi onal ocean transport would, according to the if the gods are transported through railway. paper. Traders normally use two routes—China-Kolkata- On the development, Nepali officials and businessmen Kathmandu sea route and Lanzhou-Shigatse-Kyirong—for said though Nepal and China have recently signed Transit impor ng goods from China. However, most of them Transport Agreement, it will take great commitments from prefer to use the sea route due to low shipping costs. both the sides to make this combined route commercially feasible. Karki said the transporta on cost on the China-Kolkata- Kathmandu route is Rs350,000 per container, while the Nepali officials in Beijing and Kathmandu, however, said cost is almost double on the Lanzhou-Shigatse-Kyirong they were not aware about the interna onal freight train route. leaving China for Kathmandu and that they had read reports about it. He said they have to hire truck drivers from Rasuwagadhi to transport goods from Kuyirong. The Nepali Embassy in Beijing said it has no official informa on regarding the interna onal freight. “As the Chinese authority in Kyirong does not allow other than locals of Rasuwagadhi to cross the border, we have to “I got to know about the freight train with des na on hire drivers from there,” said Karki. “Due to the reason, Kathmandu through news reports. The event seems to be importers could not travel to Kyirong to check their private in nature,” said Nirmal Raj Kafle, deputy head of imported goods.” Nepali mission in Beijing. “It could be an one-off event as well.” Karki said the government should hold bilateral talks with China to allow other truck drivers to travel to Kyirong. An official at the Ministry of Commerce in Kathmandu said “mul ple talks” were held in the past with the Chinese government for connec ng Shigatse-Keyirong, the border point of Nepal-China through railway. “However, no further efforts have been made by our government in recent mes,” said the source. Purusho am Dhungel, consul officer at Lhasha, Tibet, also seemed to have received the informa on through media reports. Nevertheless, Dhungel said that officials from
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 88 Lanzhou had visited Nepal on mul ple occasions. The Nepal lies between two fast growing na ons of the world - purpose of the visit was to strengthen economic India and China and this in itself provides a great coopera on between Kathmandu and Langzhou, opportunity for Nepal, he argued. according to him. "China's shi in its economic policy and gradual lt “On March 4, Deputy Party Secretary of Lanzhou towards private sector, its entry into WT, expansion of Municipality Wuduo Mao manufacturing base and ac vi es, increasing role in the had visited Nepal,” said Dhungel. “We had informed the global trade have made China a very a rac ve market," Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kathmandu about the visit.” DPM Gachchhadar, said, referring to the economic opportuni es that could be capitalised by Nepal for its On May 5, an official of Langzhou Municipality had visited economic development.. consul office at Lhasa and informed that a cargo train would leave for Nepal this week, according to Dhungel. Sta ng that China's recent a empts to revive Land-based Northern Silk Road and the Great Mari me Highway under “The official neither informed about goods being shipped the 'One Belt, One Road', announced in 2013 are expected nor about the receiver of the goods in Nepal,” he added. to enhance connec vity of Asian na ons with those of The consul officer at Lhasa said they have got unconfirmed Europe, he said a country like Nepal facing the problem of informa on that high trading costs could benefit from this improved these goods have been ordered by traders who used to connec vity within Asia and also globally. import products via Tatopani route. "At the same me, India has always been a trading partner Around six Chinese people including two journalists have of Nepal from the me immemorial. Nepal's binding with acquired visa for Nepal and are on board the train. India culturally, socially, religiously and economically has always been a solid basis for rela ons which lies above pe y squabbling between the two na ons noe and then. India's recent policy of neighbour first and 'look east and Int’l Conference on Key Trends in act east' is expected to add a new dimension to the rela ons between Nepal and India," he said. China-Nepal-India Ties Starts myrepublica.com No ng that the earthquake of April and the unpleasant situa on created through disrup on of supply of essen al May 19, 2016 goods last year made the lives of people difficult and hard, KATHMANDU, May 19: A two-day conference on the key he said despite the grave problems facing the na on, trends in China-Nepal-India rela ons and new people showed their pa ence and unity, which is highly development strategy for Nepal has begun in the capital appreciable. "Nepal is currently passing through a me on Thursday. which is tumultuous as well as challenging. The people Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical showed that they are eager to solve the problems through Infrastructure Transport Management, Bijaya Kumar mutual understanding and coopera on, despite of some Gachchhadar, inaugurated the conference organised by discrepancies and misunderstandings here and there," he South Asian Ins tute of Management, the Ins tute for added. Integrated Development Studies and Nanyang Chairman of the South Asian Ins tute of Management and Technological University, Singapore. former Foreign Minister Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani said In his inaugural statement DPM Gachhadar said that in both China and India are Nepal's well-wishers but Nepal considera on of the recent developments in terms of has much connec on and interac on with India due to the China in 2013 announcing to revive the Land-based open border and the cultural and religious es. Northern Silk Road and the Great Mari me Highway under He stressed that Nepal needed to collaborate both with the 'One Belt, One Road' and India's recent policy of India and China for the proper development of its vast 'neighbours first' and 'look east and act east' with both water resources. countries emphasising on improved connec vity within SAIM Dean Prof Dr Bijaya KC, IIDS execu ve director Dr Asia and the rest of the world, it was high me for Nepal Bishnu Du a Panta and professor of the Nanyang to review its past, understand the present and chart a Technological University Ming Jiyang emphasised on the suitable strategic path for its development. need of focusing the Nepal's strategic loca on between India and China for the prosperity of the three countries.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 89 Former Indian ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood, Nepal Bhasha Dam will soon be started to meet the growing expert Mahendra P Lama, professor Jiyang, former energy requirements of the country. Finance Minister Madhukar Shumsher JB Rana, water He said the federal government has approved one resource expert Deepak Gyawali, former vice-president of the Asian Development Bank, Bindunath Lohani, former Finance Secretary Rameshwar Khanal, among other experts will present working papers in the conference.
PM Performs Groundbreaking Pakistan-China Op cal Fiber Cable Project in Gilgit radio.gov.pk May 19, 2016 Nawaz Sharif says the federal government is determined hundred and five billion rupees for the acquisi on of land to steer the country out of all challenges. for the dam. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says China-Pakistan Economic Nawaz Sharif said work on Dasu will also start very soon. Corridor project will put the country on the path of He said that a hydel project will also be installed at sustainable development. A abad lake, which will help produce twenty seven He was addressing ground breaking ceremony of Pakistan- megawa of electricity. China Op cal Fiber Cable project in Gilgit on Thursday. Chairing annual mee ng of the Gilgit-Bal stan Council in The Prime Minister said the mega project will not only Gilgit, the Prime Minister directed for launching Prime bring economic benefits to the people, but also help to Minister Youth Loan Program in Gilgit-Bal stan. address the issue of extremism by crea ng job Seeking report on promo on of tourism in the area, he opportuni es for the youth. said special measures should be taken for security of the Nawaz Sharif said the federal government is determined Chinese tourists. to steer the country out of all challenges and has also The mee ng approved Council's annual budget of over achieved significant success in this regard. 831 million rupees for 2015-2016. Policies for tourism He said Pakistan-China Op cal Fiber cable project will promo on and protec on of forests were also given bring 3-G and 4-G services to Gilgit Bal stan. He said approval. Gilgit-Bal stan will soon emerge as the most developed During the visit, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif area with the launching Op cal Fiber like projects. also launched the website for Diamer Bhasha Dam. The Prime Minister directed the authori es concerned to Deputy Commissioner Diamer Usman Ahmed informed expand the network of Pakistan-China Op cal Fiber cable the Prime Minister that high-resolu on satellite imagery project to Gwadar and other areas of the country. was being used to help iden fy and demarcate the lands He also announced the construc on of a technical training of the affected people and pay them compensa on in ins tute in Gilgit to equip youth of the area with the transparent manner. modern technical educa on. Earlier, the Prime Minister inaugurated Gilgit Bal stan CPEC Patrolling Police in Gilgit. The patrolling force, comprising three hundred personnel, Diamer residents threaten to halt will help ensure safe and smooth flow of traffic on the 439 dam construc on Kilometer long chunk of the corridor project in Gilgit tribune.com.pk Bal stan. May 11, 2016 China has gi ed twenty-five vehicles for the patrolling “We will not allow work on the dam unless the boundary police. Later, addressing a ceremony a er administering issue is se led,” Lambardar Bashir said during a press oath to newly elected members of Gilgit-Bal stan Council, conference in Gilgit on Tuesday. “The demarca on should the Prime Minister said construc on work on Diamer- be done under the supervision of the army.”
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 90 The elders of Thore Valley accused Kohistan MPA Abdul further and we will not allow anyone to loot our Sa ar of taking money from the Indian intelligence resources. We stand against the division of Jammu and agency, RAW, for sabotaging the dam and China-Pakistan Kashmir, the proposed annexa on of Gilgit Bal stan by Economic Corridor. Pakistan and the construc on of the China Pakistan The notables with Bashir said the strip of land belonged to Economic Corridor which is being built without any say or the forefathers of people who are se led in Thore since consent from the people of Gilgit Bal stan,” he said. long. Meanwhile, Qureshi expressed his sa sfac on regarding the progress of the Signature Campaign. They added commute on the Karakoram Highway has “Hundreds of signatures were already collected in the first become a nightmare due to the dispute. Therefore, they leg of the signature campaign in The Netherlands. demanded police take ac on against those disrup ng law Brussels, being the unofficial capital of Europe, seat of the and order. “If the situa on is not se led amicably, there European Parliament and home to other European are chances it will be se led a er bloodshed.” ins tu ons, proved to be a very successful city for our The elders also refused to accept the report of a Campaign,” he said. commission which was formed to se le the dispute. He hoped to gather the same posi ve response from the public in Vienna, Geneva, Paris and various ci es of UK. The nearly 10-kilometre stretch of land on both sides of Talking about the campaign, he said, “More than three the Basari check post, which separates Kohistan from G-B, thousand pamphlets and flyers were distributed to the has long been a bone of conten on between people of public and more than 500 signatures were collected in just Thore Valley in Diamer and Harban Nala in Kohistan. The 2 days. I am also very humbled by the visit and support of disputed land is among the areas being demarcated for MP Manzoor Zahoor Ellahi and Councilor Motaher acquisi on for the much-awaited dam. Chowdhury. It clearly shows that human rights issues stand above party poli cs or other sen mental alliances”. Expressing his delight over Ellahi’s support, Qureshi said, “It is very encouraging to see that a Pakistani MP is Pak-origin Brussels MP signs pe on suppor ng our efforts against the annexa on of Gilgit against illegal annexa on of Gilgit Bal stan and the construc on of CPEC. This should serve Bal stan as a wake-up call to the Pakistani establishment and all hindustan mes.com other supporters of Pakistan’s duplicitous policy on Jammu and Kashmir.” May 10, 2016 Brussels Capital Region lawmaker Dr Manzoor Zahoor Ellahi has signed a pe on extending his support in crea ng awareness regarding the proposed annexa on of Chinese Team Starts Hydrocarbon Gilgit Bal stan and the construc on of China Pakistan Explora on in Nepal's Western Economic Corridor (CPEC). Ellahi, a Pakistani-born lawmaker and a member of the District Socialist Party of Belgium (Par Socialiste), also happens to May 9, 2016 be the doctor of Pakistani embassy in Brussels. KATHMANDU: A team of Chinese experts on Sunday He signed the pe on along with Motaher Chowdhury, launched a study on prospects for minerals, gas and oil at the local councilor for Ixelles-Brussels. Shreesthan in Dailekh, a western district of Nepal, which, The Europe-wide signature campaign is being organised by officials claim, holds petroleum products in abundance. Junaid Qureshi, a Kashmiri writer, interna onal human It is a er a gap of two decades that the Nepal government rights ac vist and a senior leader of the Jammu Kashmir has allowed Chinese geologists to begin hydrocarbon
Democra c Libera on Party (JKDLP). explora on in the western part of the country in a bid to In Brussels, the Signature Campaign was held on May 7 become self-reliant. and 8. Six Chinese experts are involved in the explora on bid, The organiser for Overseas Affairs of United Kashmir according to a government statement issued here. People’s Na onal Party (UKPNP) based in Pakistani Administered Kashmir, Dr. Ishaq Khan, also visited the The Chinese team will carry out the feasibility study on all venue of the signature campaign to sign the pe on and 10 petroleum blocks in Nepal sprawled from east to west. expressed his support. “We stand against all designs which divide our motherland
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 91 The Chinese team will report its findings in about a month which is not fully reflected in the total volume of on the explora on prospects apart from the amount of assistance. petroleum products that could be harnessed in the ``Though, both of these countries are very important aid district. providers to Nepal, the assistance received from them has The study comes in the wake of an agreement between not been well reported as in the previous years,'' it says. Nepal and China during Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's India has also commi ed $ 1400 million for Nepal's visit to the communist country in March, said Minister for earthquake reconstruc on work as against China's $ 766 Industry Som Prasad Pandey, who kick-started the million. explora on venture. The problem for India though, not unlike what it faced in Under the agreement, China was also to help in the Sri Lanka when Mahinda Rajapaksa was president, is construc on of at least three petroleum reservoirs in China's increasing involvement in landmark infrastructure Nepal. projects in the Himalayan na on, including the China will also extend technical and financial help to Nepal construc on of Nepal's second interna onal airport in in explora on. Pokhara, which is helping it win the ba le of percep on. Nepal began exploring for hydrocarbons some three Oli stunned New Delhi last week by blocking President decade ago and awarded several contracts to interna onal Bidhya Devi Bhandari's visit to India because of, as has firms. But the a empts were not a success due to lack of been widely reported from Kathmandu, India's poli cal will and adequate budget. ``interven on in the internal affairs of Nepal''. As PM, Oli pulled himself back from the precipice last week with a last minute agreement with UCPN (Maoist) Chairman P K Dahal Prachanda who, in the end, decided not to wreck China pips India in aid to Nepal; the Le alliance. The 2 leaders' mutual suspicion of India Delhi out of top five donors' list seems to be one of the reasons for the deal, which could soon see Oli vaca ng PM's chair for Prachanda. Times of India Oli was always uncomfortable with India's resistance to May 9, 2016 Nepal's new and divisive Cons tu on which has turned NEW DELHI: If it is Nepal's growing proximity with China the Madhesis res ve. He now seems convinced India was that is making PM K P Sharma Oli act in a cavalier fashion, trying to engineer an alliance between Prachanda and some of the resultant damage for India could be self- Nepali Congress, the main Opposi on party, to topple his inflicted. While India denies that it was responsible for the government. blockade which threatened to cripple Nepal's economy, Oli has clearly sought to get his own back on India by the fact is that the recent strain in India-Nepal rela ons feeding New Delhi's insecurity about China's growing has coincided with China surpassing India in the list of top engagement with Nepal, most notably with his visit to aid donors to Nepal. China in March which saw him signing 10 agreements with The latest report by the Nepal government on official Beijing. As the Chinese foreign ministry said a er his visit, development assistance (ODA) shows that in FY Oli proposed extension of the planned Chinese rail link to 2014-2015, India's ODA disbursement to Nepal Gyirong near the Tibet-Nepal border further into Nepal, an plummeted by over 50 per cent in the first year of the a empt to neutralise in the future India's advantage of NDA government, allowing Beijing to overtake India in the geography in the region. To further reduce its dependence list of top assistance providers. on India, Nepal also signed a trade transit treaty with While China's disbursement of ODA stood at $ 37.95 China during Oli's visit, which will allow Nepal to access million, India accounted for a li le over $ 22 million. This Chinese ports, and is also discussing the possibility of an is the first me in the past 5 years that India is not in the FTA with China. list of top 5 ODA providers (in terms of disbursement) among Nepal's bilateral development partners. China is now in 4th posi on, a er UK, US and Japan, and followed by Switzerland. Nepal's latest Development Coopera on Report acknowledges that India and China have also provided technical assistance to Nepal through scholarships, training and study tours conducted in their countries and
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 92 Arunachal MP Wants to Visit China But not on Stapled Visa Other News from Northeas oday.in the PRC May 3, 2016 Declaring himself as a “proud Indian”, Congress lawmaker from Arunachal Pradesh Ninong Ering on Monday said in the Lok Sabha he wishes to visit China to meet the members of the Lohoba tribe but asserted that he will not Poli cal Mo ves Seen in Beijing's do so on a “stapled visa”. Warning on 'Himalayan Viagra' “I want to visit China as a proud Indian and not go there Voice of America through the backdoor like other MPs have done. I will go June 1, 2016 there on a regular visa and not a stapled visa,” Mr Ering said. “I will prefer to take the bullet on the chest,” said the In high-alpine meadows of the Tibetan Plateau, early May lawmaker from Arunachal East. is an auspicious me to prostrate oneself on the loamy, reclining slopes and dig around for desiccated remnants of China, which lays claim over Arunachal Pradesh, has a a medicinally hallowed caterpillar fungus. policy of issuing stapled visas to residents of the state. Mr Ering, who belongs to the Adi tribe, said he wanted to visit Revered as the "Viagra of the Himalayas," Cordyceps China to meet the members of the Lohoba tribe. Sinensis is be er known across Asia by its tradi onal Tibetan name, yartsa gunbu, which literally translates as “We speak the same dialect and have the same dress "summer grass, winter worm." Neither grass nor worm, code. On the Chinese side the tribe is known as Lohoba the coveted delicacy—blended in health drinks or while on the Indian side its known as Adi,” Mr Ering added sprinkled over entrees in China’s swankest restaurants—is while par cipa ng in a debate on Demand for Grants of the fungal bloom of mummified Ghost Moth larvae. the Ministries of Civil Avia on and Tourism. Fetching thousands of dollars per pound, its storied When later asked about the issue, Mr Ering said some powers as a medicinal cure-all have been overshadowed “BJP MPs” had visited China through “backdoor” only by its more marketable reputa on as a high-octane aphrodisiac, the result of commercial ini a ves that have enriched many of Tibet's struggling nomadic pastoralists. That's why a handful of noted research scien sts wonder why there’s been such li le scru ny of the research backing a public health warning from China’s State Food and Drug Administra on (CFDA). Ci ng unsafe levels of cancer-causing arsenic in the fungus, the February 2016 announcement triggered a moratorium on pilot programs designed to expand the organism’s commercial development and distribu on. While scien sts ques on the research suppor ng the decision, some free Tibet advocates say science has nothing to do with it. Tracing Source of Elevated Arsenic As the Himalayan winter sets in, parasi c fungi nestled in tundra some 3,000-5,000 meters above sea level begin preying upon burrowing caterpillars, consuming their innards before sending a slim horn up through the dead insect's head. The matchs ck-thin protuberances— difficult to spot in the spring me scrub-grass and weeds— o en require the sharp-eyed vision of young children, whose schools typically close to accommodate families that depend upon the harvest. "Cordyceps are considered one of the most valuable medicines in Chinese medicine, historically,” says Professor
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 93 Karl Tsim of Hong Kong University of Science and would be if the fungus, which is literally worth its weight Technology, explaining that the rare fungus allegedly in gold, were consumed in unreasonably large quan es. boosts the immune system, restores youthfulness, "Nobody can eat 100 grams at one me," let alone afford improves sexual vigor and even treats some forms of that type of rou ne diet, he said. "If we look at numbers, cancer. Records of its health benefits can be traced for whatever arsenic that we intake for a certain period of nearly 1,000 years, which is why Tsim decided to me is very minimal.” inves gate soil samples from several Tibetan harves ng Dr. Michelle Stewart, an Amherst College-based grounds. conserva onist who conducted field research on Tibetan Commissioned with funding from government officials in yartsa gunbu produc on, says although traces of arsenic in Hong Kong—a thriving market for the fungus—Tsim’s various individual caterpillar fungi “could be possible,” study began when CFDA officials doubled down on their cases are typically isolated. public health warning, announcing plans to end a yartsa “I wouldn’t call it grounds to issue an alarmist reac on to gunbu pilot program launched in August 2012. According caterpillar fungus broadly,” she told VOA. But a sustainable to state-run Xinhua news, the five-year pilot program had and financially vibrant yartsa gunbu industry could, she permi ed several large pharmaceu cal companies to use added, impede some of Beijing’s long-term regional yartsa gunbu as a raw ingredient in a range of health food development strategies. products. If the programs had become permanent, harvest contracts likely would have provided a windfall for people “China’s idealised development model [for Tibet] would in the Tibetan areas where yartsa gunbu is already a probably be based on se ling nomadic popula ons in backbone of the rural economy. urban areas and transi oning their livelihoods into, if possible, non-skilled labor posi ons in towns or small- What Tsim's team found, however, produced more scale businesses,” Stewart said. “But the caterpillar fungus ques ons than answers. While arsenic levels in three economy has actually been able to allow Tibetans to stay Tibetan soil samples were slightly higher than those found in their pastoral livelihoods and make money.” near Hong Kong, preliminary results show no indica on that resul ng crops could be contaminated. For staunch cri cs of China's Tibet policy, the sudden cancella on of pilot programs smacks of economic Normal levels hegemony. Naturally present in the earth’s crust, trace concentra ons “The Chinese are the colonisers in Tibet,” said Lhukar Jam, of arsenic are commonly found in staples such as brown a Dharmsala-based advocate of self-rule who recently ran rice. However, a 2012 joint working document of the for head of Tibet’s exiled government. U.N.’s Food and Agriculture and World Health organisa ons indicates that rice-paddy irriga on prac ces, “The colonisers don’t want their subjects to become not soil contamina on, were the culprit. poli cally, economically and culturally ... equal to them,” he said, accusing Beijing of conspiring to undermine "As a result of naturally occurring metabolic processes in Tibet's growing middle class. “The Chinese government the biosphere, arsenic occurs in a large number of organic fundamentally feels threatened when they see people on or inorganic chemical forms in food," the documents says, the Tibetan Plateau gain power through the economy. adding that “analysis of total arsenic in food has up to date They don’t want to have genuine economic development suffered from difficul es with respect to accuracy and in Tibet.” precision." Kalsang Gyaltsen Bapa, a China analyst and member of the “Available data about the possible human exposure to Tibetan parliament-in-exile, also cites a rela onship inorganic arsenic … suggest that the [permissible human between stable livelihoods and poli cal ac vism in some weekly exposure] will normally not be exceeded, unless Tibetan communi es. there is a large contribu on from drinking water,” it says. “The Chinese government uses the economy to gain Because arsenic-concentra on levels fluctuate across people’s obedience, which has achieved some success,” different harves ng grounds, Tsim says trace amounts of Bapa told VOA, calling Tibetans who are financially the substance are to be expected, and that his soil dependent upon Beijing's sustained rule—government samples reveal no indica on of inorganic contaminants, employees or re red people, for example—“poli cally let alone grounds for a public health warning. paralysed.” Furthermore, alpine meadows—exposed only to rainwater and, some mes, glacial runoff—aren’t irrigated. Indeed, Financially independent Tibetans, he added, are more the only quan ta vely provable threat to public health likely to think independently, and therefore support movements for a return to self-governance.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 94 Over the course of three months, at least four email Whether any poli cal mo va ons are driving the Chinese requests and phone calls seeking CFDA commentary on government’s claim to public health concerns about the the public health warning, and response to its subsequent fungus is yet to be seen. But Professor Tsim, who cri cism, went unanswered. con nues evalua ng soil samples, says any regulatory Pa ern of controlled development ac on on the fungus inevitably affects the livelihood of Tibetans. The CFDA announcement has yet to impact Ever since Ex-Premier Jiang Zemin’s “Great Western Hong Kong prices, he said, and one eBay seller recently Development” policies, China has expanded efforts to lure posted the fungus for about $78,000 per pound. Tibetan farmers and nomads into new housing developments with a combina on of subsidies and “[For] many of those of people, their lives all depended on interest-free loans. Coupled with high-tech rail and collec on of Cordyceps,” Tsim said. “So in Tibet, many of infrastructural development campaigns designed to those local people, their daily income [depends upon] the create a widespread middle class by 2020, none of collec on of Cordyceps. So I suppose that before we place Beijing’s grand economic strategies have supplanted the that hold [on pilot projects], we need to know what we ny parasi c worm’s power to elevate the average Tibetan are talking about.” household. According to one yartsa gunbu dealer who asked to remain anonymous, a family with good harvesters stand to make as much as 1,000,000 yuan (about $150,000) within In a first, China's Tibet think-tank to the two month harvest window. One tangible sign of the open doors to India economic progress is visible on the roads. In India Today 2014, Xinhua reported that the Tibetan Autonomous May 31, 2016 Region had an es mated 325,000 privately owned cars— The China Tibetology Research Centre (CTRC) in Beijing, one for every 10 people in the region, with the highest which this week hosted Bhara ya Janata Party leader and concentra on of ownership in yartsa gunbu harves ng MP Subramanian Swamy as well as Indian Embassy hotspots. officials, has discussed expanding links with India. According to chinadialogue.com, Tibet’s annual yartsa China's premier government think-tank that advises Tibet gunbu haul earns local collectors some $1 billion annually. policy has for the first me signalled its readiness to open But reports from the bi-lingual environmental publica on its doors to India, officials said, with moves underfoot to also suggest produc on may well exceed what’s reported ini ate exchanges between Indian and China-based to authori es. Daniel Winkler, a Sea le-based ecologist Tibetan academics. who has done extensive research on the fungus, puts annual global yields closer to 100 to 200 tons. With 96.4 The China Tibetology Research Centre (CTRC) in Beijing, percent of global supply coming from Tibet, annual which this week hosted Bhara ya Janata Party leader and revenues may well exceed the $2 billion mark. MP Subramanian Swamy as well as Indian Embassy officials, has discussed expanding links with India. In the An -corrup on parallels past, India has always been viewed with par cular The specter of greed and corrup on inevitably shadow sensi vity, officials say, given the Dalai Lama's presence high-volume sales of any precious commodity. As and the sizeable Tibetan community. President Xi Jinping’s an -corrup on campaign was Indian scholars in Tibet universi es launched, yartsa gunbu, which is o en exploited to While the CTRC is an official think-tank that parrots leverage “Guanxi”—the personal connec ons and Beijing's views on Tibet, exchanges could for the first me networks in which the exchange of expensive and o en open up universi es in Tibet to Indian scholars on a large exo c gi s are key to building influence in poli cs or scale considering the CTRC's es. business—was an easy target. "The CTRC said they had coopera on with 22 countries February’s CFDA announcement declaring yartsa gunbu a but I was surprised to find very li le with India," said Dr. threat to public health occurred just as President Xi’s an - Swamy. "I will write to the Prime Minister and suggest we corrup on campaign gained na onwide momentum. look at a joint formal collabora on between the CTRC and “The place within the Guanxi—which some people say is an ins tu on such as the Indian Council for Cultural bribery—within that economy, the value (of yartsa gunbu) Rela ons (ICCR), which is currently headed by Professor has diminished slightly in the past year,” she said. Lokesh Chandra, who is himself a prominent Tibetologist."
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 95 Swamy said this could open up Tibet and its universi es to Today, the interna onal community is paying close Indian scholars and vice-versa. He has also proposed a en on to the future direc on of the Chinese installing a first ever chair on Hindu religious studies in a Communist Party. We have entered an era, which means university in Tibet as well as a chair on Mahayana not knowing the CCP indicates not knowing China. Buddhism in an ins tu on in India. What does the 95-year-old Chinese Communist Party look "The me has come for us to normalise our rela ons with like? Panview column invited experts to write ar cles on China to the extent that we can interact across the border, the subject ma er. whether in Tibet or Xinjiang, which would boost economic 95 years is not very long for a modern poli cal party. The coopera on and the ability of tourists to travel," he said. Conserva ve Party has existed for more than 300 years China to reconsider UNSC stance? history in Great Britain. The Democra c Party of United Dr. Swamy, who is in China at the invita on of a foreign States has survived for over 200 years, and the French ministry-linked think-tank and will undertake the Kailash Socialist Party has been around for 100 years. Mansarovar pilgrimage in Tibet star ng this week, said he Nevertheless, scholar Zhang Weiwei said the Chinese was of the view following interac ons with officials in Communist Party is a na onal poli cal party， which is far Beijing that recent strains in es, such as over China different from others. It is a product origina ng from a blocking India's moves at the United Na ons Security long history of the Chinese na on, and has played a Council to list the Jaish-e-Muhammad chief Masood Azhar, central role in the na on's historical progress from could be ironed out. Among the officials he met was the weakness to revival. head of the foreign affairs commi ee of the Chinese upper Historically, poli cal par es have rises with the decline of house, as well as a vice-minister of the finance ministry. monarchy. They are associated with social changes in their China would likely be amenable if India submi ed an respec ve countries. Most modern poli cal par es are applica on that focused primarily on hard evidence linked embedded in the grand picture of the na on's modern with Azhar rather than generally censure Pakistan as an transforma on. epicentre of terror. The Famous Bri sh poli cal thinker Stuart Mill said the "If India in the UN concentrated more on ge ng Azhar fundamental poli cal system is a product growing out of rather than seeking a censure of Pakistan as a sponsor of the characteris cs and life of the people in the country. terror, as a tac cal move that would be more prudent," he They form poli cal par es and systems suitable for their said. "Based on what I have learnt here, I would be very na onal condi ons. surprised if China con nued to obstruct, once it is limited Great Britain has seldom been invaded by foreign to hard evidence." countries, so its social development is stable. Therefore, it "My impression is India can expect coopera on from formed a cau ous, ra onal, and reconciling ethos. China on the issue of dealing with Masood Azhar as a The governing philosophy of the Conserva ve Party, which terrorist who should face trial in India," he said, adding is the main Bri sh poli cal party, suits their purposes. that a tripar te approach with China, India and Pakistan However, Americans favour individualism, liberalism, and could help iron out differences on the terror issue, do not trust government. especially with China becoming, like India, a party In the history of Western countries, poli cal par es were increasingly affected by terror emana ng from Pakistan. o en formed to represent the interests of different social groups in electoral poli cs. The par es are born for elec ons to complete their missions of governing. Poli cal par es promote dynamic adjustments of social pa erns to CCP shoulders mission of na onal safeguard stability and development. revival The situa on is different in China. The earliest Chinese cctv.com Par es had stemmed from the early 20th Century. A er May 31, 2016 establishment of the Republic of China, numerous poli cal By Li Cunnan, special commentator with Panview par es had emerged. There were expecta ons to establish July 1, 2016 is the 95th anniversary of the founding of the a parliamentary system with mul -party poli cs, but that Communist Party of China. The Party began as a small turned into a mere fantasy. boat, and despite experiencing strong winds and rain, it Due to internal and external troubles, along with made every effort to move forward, and had emerged into sovereignty loss in modern mes, China cannot bear the a big ship.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 96 fruit of a Western elec on poli cal party. In fact, many A subsidiary of the country's biggest train manufacturer Chinese poli cal par es, including the early China Revival China Railway Rolling Stock Corp., the CRRC Qingdao Society, the Chinese Revolu onary League and later Sifang Co. had successfully tested China's first- Kuomintang were not elec on poli cal party apparatuses ever monorail train that runs on magne c power on but revolu onary par es. Sunday, China Daily reported. They sought not to win elec ons, but to deliver the long- According to the outlet, this marks a suffering na on out of darkness, and to build an significant milestone for the transport industry in the independent modern state, which had ul mately been country as the government con nues to look for realised by the Chinese Communist Party. alterna ve public transporta on vehicles to promote less Faced with numerous challenges, ini ally there were only use of private cars, thereby eradica ng traffic gridlocks a few dozen founding members of the Communist Party of and allevia ng air pollu on at the same me. China, and they had combined an advanced theory from The Maglev Train the West and local cultural wisdom to create a new China. According to the train's chief designer Zhong Yuanmu, the The Communist Party of China had set up a new type of magne c levita on technology that runs army from the people. They started from the bo om of CRRC's monorail train not only is efficient in terms of society to reshape grass-roots organisa ons, and to transpor ng people from one place to another, but it is refresh the na onal mentality of inferiority in modern also an effec ve alterna ve to tradi onal trains since it mes and to unite all Chinese people. saves 10 percent of energy. They trained people to govern, united elites and organised Aside from that, the train also produces much less noise people against foreign aggression and domes c compared to its ancestors since it runs smoothly at a dictatorship forces. A er some 30 years of struggles, they regulated speed. had established a thriving new China in 1949, and had "The train will produce even less noise than a car, even as brought forth an ancient na on into the light. it goes [at] speeds of 70 km/h," Zhong said. The 95-year-old Chinese Communist Party was born under In terms of safety measures, Zhong said that the train has the 170 years of development of the Chinese na on, but a state-of-the-art fire preven on system that has also hails from the 5,000 years old Chinese civilisa on sprinklers that automa cally turn on in case of fire. heritage, which enjoys deep historical roots. So far, the technology has been tested in the transport In the past 60 years of new China construc on and 30 industry by only a handful of countries including China. years of reform and opening up, the Communist Party of Solu on to Traffic and Pollu on China has scored great achievements and forged itself as the core for Chinese governance, integra ng it with the According to CRIEnglish, the Chinese government is na onal fate. planning to pursue this project even if a number of countries who have tried the technology have scrapped The Communist Party of China remains commi ed to the idea due to high development costs. adjust to the reality of interests, promote social transforma on, and move forward on a great journey of The outlet said that the authori es see the poten al of na onal rejuvena on. the maglev monorail train as a possible solu on for both the nightmarish traffic jams and the life-threatening air pollu on in China. Aside from the train, China is also considering pursuing an China Sees First-ever Monorail Train innova ve new commuter transport called the "straddling Powered by Magne c Motors as bus," which is primarily designed to beat traffic jams. Solu on to Traffic and Air Pollu on According to The Guardian, the so-called Transit Explore en.yibada.com Bus or TEB, which was introduced during a technology expo in Beijing, is designed to glide above cars May 30, 2016 stranded in traffic. C h i n a h a s j u s t fi n i s h e d t e s n g a n e w l y developed monorail train powered by permanent magnet Many were impressed at the idea, especially a er the synchronous motors as the country pursues its goal to get project's chief engineer Song Youzhou explained that the rid of two major problems: traffic jams and air pollu on. bus is energy-efficient and environment-friendly.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 97 However, a blogger in Greater Washington said it would According to the Ming Pao, the drink had been designed be be er if China removed the traffic conges ons instead for private circula on among groups of friends on social of building a run-around to actually solve its traffic media, rather than for public sale. problem. It said Ma hadn't been involved in producing the bo les, but had used her WeChat social media account to promote them. The deten ons came as China implements na onwide China Detains Two Over '1989' security measures aimed at preven ng any public Tiananmen Crackdown Labels on memorials linked to the June 4 crackdown, which was Spirits styled a "counterrevolu onary rebellion" by the ruling rfa.org Chinese Communist Party. May 30, 2016 High-profile figures, including the rela ves of those who died, have been told to leave town under police Authori es in the southwestern Chinese province of supervision, or placed under ght surveillance ahead of Sichuan have detained two people who tried to sell and the poli cally sensi ve anniversary. promote limited-edi on bo les of liquor commemora ng the bloody military crackdown on the student-led Re red Shandong University professor and veteran democracy movement of 1989. democracy ac vist Sun Wenguang said the deten ons in Chengdu reflect suppression of dissen ng voices across Teahouse proprietor Fu Hailu and poet Ma Qing were the whole country. taken away by police in the provincial capital Chengdu a er they brought out the alcohol, which bore the words "Governments around the country are ge ng the "June 4, 1989" and a cartoon of a man in front of an paranoid ji ers, because it's nearly the anniversary of June advancing column of tanks on the label. The label also says 4," Sun told RFA. "Never forget, never give up." "I am on the 21st floor, and the authori es have sta oned The label says that the "baijiu" spirit has matured for 27 police officers round the clock outside the door of my years, the length of me since People's Libera on Army apartment," he said. (PLA) troops put an end to weeks of student protests on "They are sleeping in the corridor, round the clock." Tiananmen Square, using tanks and machine guns on Souls of the dead largely unarmed civilians. Beijing-based rights ac vist Hu Jia said the alcohol would Fu, 30, is now being held under criminal deten on on have been popular among those who have called suspicion of "incitement to subvert state power," while Ma repeatedly for a reappraisal of the official view on the was brought back to her home to a end a police search in student-led protests. handcuffs, before being taken away again, according to posts by supporters on Twi er. "I don't even drink, but I would have wanted to buy one of these bo les very much indeed," Hu said. "I would have Fu was taken away from a teahouse he has just opened in taken it to make offerings to the souls of the dead on Chengdu on May 28, and police in his home district of Tiananmen Square." Chenghua later issued a formal no fica on of criminal deten on. He is being held in the Chengdu Deten on "Nothing could be more apt." Center, Hong Kong's Ming Pao newspaper reported. Earlier this month, in the northern city of Zhengzhou, "The police didn't give me an explana on. They didn't say rights ac vist Yu Shiwen began refusing food in protest that it was to do with the [commemora ve bo les of] against his prolonged pretrial deten on, his wife and spirit, or whether it was something else," Fu's wife Liu lawyer told RFA. Tianyan told RFA. Yu, who was detained during an event marking the 25th "It had stuff printed on the label that was to do with June anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre two 4, 1989, but I saw that online; he never men oned it to years ago, is charged with "picking quarrels and s rring up me," she said. trouble," but his case has been subjected to prolonged and repeated delays. "If it is about the spirits, I have my doubts that this amounts to incitement to subvert state power," Liu added. "They are ac ng in breach of the Criminal Procedure Law," Yu's wife Chen Wei told RFA in a recent interview. "His
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 98 case doesn't fit under any of the excep ons [allowing It will be transported to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in pretrial deten on to be extended]." June, CAS said. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday to mark the massacre, promp ng minor scuffles with police as they approached Beijing's Central Liaison Office in the former Bri sh colony. Drone delays 55 flights in China India Today Lee Cheuk-yan, who heads the organising Alliance in May 29, 2016 Support of Patrio c Democra c Movements in China Beijing, May 29 (PTI) A drone flying over an airport in group, played down a split with student unions in the city, southwest China has grounded 55 flights, official media who will hold their first separate candlelight vigil on June 4 reported today. since the memorial gatherings began. The unmanned aerial vehicle, spo ed at 6:20 pm "I don't see this as a conflict with the younger genera on, yesterday above Chengdu Shuangliu Interna onal Airport because everyone sees the dictatorship of the central of Sichuan Province, caused the eastern runway to halt government as oppressive to the people of Hong Kong," opera on, leaving 55 flights delayed, state-run Xinhua Lee told reporters. news agency was quoted as saying by airport staff. "If that's the case, they we should be able to work It is the first me that a drone has grounded flights at the together to end one-party rule, to change China, and to airport. The runway resumed opera on at 7:40 pm. build democracy, shouldn't we?" he said. "I believe that there is a consensus on this issue.”
China to launch first 'hack proof' Hope for Maharashtra: China offers quantum communica on satellite to bring ar ficial rain in drought-hit India Times state Hindustan Times, May 29, 2016 May 29, 2016 BEIJING: China will launch its first experimental quantum communica on satellite in July, whose communica ons China has offered to share its cloud seeding technology cannot be intercepted, the Chinese Academy of Sciences with India, which could be used to ar ficially induce rain in (CAS) said. drought-affected regions. "It will be the first quantum communica on through a Cloud seeding, a technique mastered by the Chinese, is a satellite in the world," said Pan Jianwei, professor with form of climate modifica on that is used to form rain by University of Science and Technology of China. either using ar lleries to fire shells containing rain- inducing chemicals into the cloud cover or by dropping the Quantum communica on boasts ultra-high security as a said chemicals from an aircra . A team of top quantum photon can neither be separated nor duplicated. meteorological scien sts from Beijing, Shanghai and Anhui "It is hence impossible to wiretap, intercept or crack the are in Mumbai to study drought pa erns in Maharashtra, informa on transmi ed through it," Pan said. where the first such project is likely to be implemented. The CAS's project includes launch of a satellite and The offer to share the technology free of cost was made building of four ground sta ons for quantum during Communist Party of China’s (CPC) Shanghai communica on and one space quantum teleporta on secretary, Han Zheng’s visit to India earlier this month. experiment sta on. During a mee ng with Maharashtra chief minister Upon comple on, the satellite will be able to establish Devendra Fadnavis, Han offered Chinese assistance in quantum op cal links simultaneously with two ground mi ga ng the drought situa on in the state. The offer bases thousands of kilometres apart, state-run Xinhua a ains significance because China has historically not news agency reported. been keen on sharing this technology with other na ons. Chinese scien sts have taken five years to develop and China has been using cloud seeding since 1958 to not only manufacture the first quantum satellite. alter weather condi ons but also clear air pollu on. The process was famously implemented in the run-up to the
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 99 2008 Beijing Olympics to clear the city’s notorious smog work involved aiding Tibetan guerrillas in their resistance and ensure weeks of “clear blue sky”. against communist China. However, it remains to be seen how effec ve the A er re ring in 1995, Mr. Knaus wrote two books based technique will be in India. Cloud seeding works best when on his Tibetan experience, ‘‘Orphans of the Cold War: precipita on levels are at least normal. In 2009, excess America and the Tibetan Struggle for Survival,’’ (1999), cloud seeding over Beijing resulted in more than usual and ‘‘Beyond Shangri-La: America and Tibet’s Move into snowfall that triggered an unexpected cold wave. Experts the Twenty-First Century’’ (2012). In his Los Angeles Times also warn of secondary air and water pollu on as an review, journalist and long me China scholar Orville Schell outcome of chemicals used in the process. called ‘‘Orphans of the Cold War’’ ‘‘superbly well- researched and wri en.’’ Mr. Knaus first met Tibetans in 1958 when he was asked by the CIA to deliver a lecture to a group of ‘‘foreign China opens socialist journalism na onals’’ on interna onal communism and Chinese research centre communism. This evolved into a program of support for Times of India Tibetan fighters challenging Chinese invasion and occupa on of their country. It included training of 300 May 29, 2016 soldiers in guerrilla warfare at Camp Hale, Colo., a site BEIJING: China today opened a teaching and research chosen for its physical similari es to Eastern Tibet, where centre for socialist journalism to train personnel for its the guerrillas would be airdropped. expanding official media. Working from India and Colorado, Mr. Knaus was a key The teaching and research base, a joint project between opera ons officer for this program. Tsinghua University and Fudan University, will facilitate the But the guerrilla campaign was seriously flawed, Mr. Knaus implementa on of instruc ons on news repor ng issued wrote in ‘‘Orphans of the Cold War.’’ An airdrop, for earlier this year by the central authori es, Deng Wei, example, a racted flocks of Tibetans to a drop site, but it deputy secretary of Tsinghua University's Communist also alerted the Chinese to a loca on for an effec ve Party of China Commi ee. a ack. By the 1970s, support dwindled as the United We should develop journalism in China with a thorough States began to make diploma c overtures to China. understanding of the good aspects of journalism in other ‘‘As Knaus concedes, the CIA trainers knew next to nothing countries so that wrong or harmful content can be about Tibet,’’ wrote Jonathan Mirsky, former East Asia iden fied," Tong Bing, a professor at Fudan University was editor of the Times of London, in a New York Times review quoted by state-run Xinhua news agency. of the book. ‘‘They thought of Buddhism only as the It focuses on socialist journalism with Chinese Tibetans’ religion and not as the bedrock of their characteris cs. na onalism. No agent had been to Tibet; only one knew any of its languages; and the maps they used to locate the first parachute drops for the Tibetans trained in Colorado had been drawn by a Bri sh expedi on in 1904.’’ John Kenneth Knaus, 92, CIA officer John Kenneth Knaus, who lived in Washington, was born in who aided in Tibetan struggle Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on May 30, 1923. A er Army service Washington Post in World War II, he graduated from Stanford University, May 28, 2016 where he also received a master’s degree in poli cal science. WASHINGTON — John Kenneth Knaus, a CIA case officer who in the late 1950s and the 1960s helped train and He joined the CIA in 1952. His last post before re ring was direct Tibetan guerrillas against Chinese occupiers, only to CIA officer in residence at the John F. Kennedy School of see US support for the policy later evaporate, died April 18 Government at Harvard. In re rement, he was a research at a hospital in Washington. He was 92. associate at Harvard’s Fairbank Center for East Asian Research (now the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies). The cause was an intracranial hemorrhage, said his son, John Kenneth Knaus Jr. He leaves his wife of 56 years, Lois Ann Lehman Knaus; three children; and four grandchildren. During a 43-year CIA career, Mr. Knaus was based at mes in India, Japan, and Canada, and a substan al focus of his
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 100 Soon a er his re rement from the CIA, Mr. Knaus spoke and the group deepened, even as other industry with the Dalai Lama, who in 1959 had fled to India from associa ons — and the U.S. and Chinese governments — Tibet and headed a Tibetan government in exile. con nued to take a harder line. A probe by the Securi es Mr. Knaus asked whether US support for the Tibetan and Exchange Commission into Alibaba’s accoun ng guerrillas in the 1950s and 1960s had been helpful. prac ces and sales data, disclosed last week, has raised ‘‘Thousands of lives were lost,’’ he quoted the Dalai Lama further ques ons about how the company does business. as having said in ‘‘Orphans of the Cold War.’’ Furthermore, Today, Alibaba is a $15.7 billion e-commerce conglomerate the spiritual leader said the US interven on in Tibetan that supports the livelihoods of tens of millions of affairs had principally been a Cold War tac c to challenge merchants. Some 423 million shoppers last fiscal year China. picked through the billion lis ngs that Alibaba’s pla orms In ‘‘Orphans of the Cold War,’’ Mr. Knaus said that one of host on any given day. his reasons for wri ng the book was ‘‘to alleviate the guilt Making its money some of us feel over our par cipa on in these efforts, Alibaba doesn’t sell any merchandise. It merely facilitates which cost others their lives, but which were the prime transac ons, deriving much of its revenue from adventures of our own.’’ adver sing. Alibaba’s core is Taobao, a Chinese consumer- to-consumer pla orm much like eBay, only bigger. The company also operates Tmall, which offers merchants, including Nike and Macy’s, official storefronts to Alibaba tale of counterfei ng, consumers in China. Two export pla orms, Alibaba and poli cs AliExpress, connect businesses in China with buyers sfgate.com around the world. May 28, 2016 Cri cs, among them some top brands and intellectual SHANGHAI — In 2011, a respected an -counterfei ng property lawyers, say Alibaba’s ecosystem has proven coali on in Washington escalated its fight against the remarkably conducive to counterfei ng. They feared Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, saying its websites Alibaba’s inclusion in the an -counterfei ng coali on served as a 24-hour market “for counterfeiters and would lend it undeserved credibility. In U.S. court filings, pirates” and should be blacklisted. Gucci America and other brands belonging to France’s Kering Group have accused Alibaba of knowingly Fast forward to 2016. The same lobbying group, profi ng from the sale of fakes — a charge Alibaba has the Interna onal An -Counterfei ng Coali on, reversed dismissed as “wasteful li ga on.” its posi on. Alibaba had become “one of our strongest partners.” The group welcomed Alibaba as a member and Alibaba and its advocates argue that the only way to fight invited its celebrated founder, Jack Ma, to be the keynote counterfei ng is to fight together. The company says it speaker at its spring conference in Orlando. works diligently to improve its systems, and that it proac vely took down 120 million lis ngs of suspicious This is the tale of how one of China’s corporate giants won products on Taobao last year. — and ul mately lost — a friend in Washington, using legal methods long deployed by corporate America: S ll, it remains rela vely easy to find knock-offs. Chat with money and influence. But those me-honoured tools a vendor on Taobao and the price of a Louis Vui on weren’t enough to defuse the deep loathing that has Rivolihandbag listed at $2,318 may magically drop to greeted one of communist China’s greatest capitalist $150. And despite the company’s repeated admoni ons success stories. that it stands with brands in the global fight against fakes, skep cism reigns. Alibaba, which includes Yahoo among its major investors, is at the forefront of China’s rise on the global stage. The A er Robert Barchiesi, a gruff-talking former New York anxiety and suspicion that have greeted the company cop, took over the an -counterfei ng coali on in 2008, abroad are, to some extent, anxiety and suspicion about the group took a hard line, singling out Alibaba and China itself. A month a er it became the first e-commerce Taobao for facilita ng the large-scale sale of fakes. company to join the an -counterfei ng coali on, Alibaba The U.S. Trade Representa ve listened, and in 2008 placed got kicked out. Taobao on a blacklist of markets notorious for sales of An Associated Press analysis of public filings shows that fakes. the coali on’s public comments shi ed from cri cism to Alibaba responded by upping its game in Washington. In praise as the personal and financial es between Alibaba 2012, Alibaba’s spending on lobbying shot up from
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 101 $100,000 a year to $461,000, and has remained fairly adver sing and rent. The coali on says those contracts steady ever since, according to Opensecrets.org. were market-rate or be er. Among its lobbyists was James Mendenhall, former Five weeks before Alibaba’s 2014 public offering on the general counsel for the U.S. Trade Representa ve. New York Stock Exchange, Barchiesi went on CNBC and Mendenhall was part of a string of high-profile people that deflected a en on from Alibaba, saying counterfei ng on Alibaba hired, including a former chief of staff for Alibaba’s sites was a “microcosm of a bigger problem.” He the Treasury Department and a former White House praised the company for working “in good faith” with the staffer who went on to GE Capital. In April, Alibaba coali on. announced a further expansion of its government affairs What Barchiesi didn’t say is that he too would buy shares office in Washington, hiring three people with experience in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. in the White House, the Commerce Department, Congress He bought shares on that first wild day of trading, at $91 and several blue-chip U.S. companies. each, according to the coali on, which also says his “Alibaba has engaged in a though ul, customer-focused holdings represent a “small percentage” of his por olio. dialogue with policymakers,” said Eric Pelle er, head of Alibaba’s new shares shot up 38 percent in one day. It was interna onal government affairs for Alibaba Group. the largest IPO in history, catapul ng co-founder Jack Ma “Enabling U.S. businesses greater access to global to near-mythic status. markets, including China, will create more American jobs, By 2015, the coali on had stopped complaining about which is good for everybody.” Alibaba to U.S. officials, focusing instead on the “true The an -counterfei ng coali on told the trade coopera on and partnership” they enjoyed with Alibaba representa ve in 2012 that Taobao topped its list of through the MarketSafe program. But neither the U.S. nor concerns. “Adver sements for fakes of (coali on) member the Chinese governments were convinced the company brands are o en in the thousands and even millions,” the had turned a corner. coali on wrote. In January 2015, Chinese regulators published a report By the end of 2012, Alibaba was off the notorious markets sta ng that just 37 percent of the goods purchased on list anyway. The U.S. Trade Representa ve commended Taobao were genuine. Alibaba disputed the accuracy of Taobao for its “notable efforts” to work with rights- the report, which disappeared from the Chinese Internet. holders. Meanwhile, the American Apparel & Footwear Taobao agreement Associa on, which represents over 1,000 brands, urged The next year, the coali on signed an agreement with U.S. authori es to put Taobao back on the counterfei ng Taobao to expedite the removal of counterfeit goods blacklist. It asked the Securi es and Exchange Commission through a pilot program it called MarketSafe. The coali on and the U.S. Trade Representa ve for help with “rampant charged its members $12,500 last year to par cipate, on prolifera on” of counterfeit goods on Taobao, which it top of annual dues as high as $8,400. said had been ge ng worse. “The slow pace has The coali on had found a way to make money from the convinced us that Alibaba is either not capable of or frustra on with Alibaba’s take-down procedures. It was interested in addressing the problem,” the group also star ng to look like a family business. Barchiesi’s concluded. daughter-in-law, Kathryn Barchiesi, provided “inves ga ve Brands were quietly dropping off the membership roster support” for MarketSafe. The coali on says the program is of the Interna onal An -Counterfei ng Coali on. LVMH not profitable, but those fees helped it more than double holding, Tory Burch, Hunter Boots, Columbia Sportswear, its revenue, to $2.6 million, under Robert Barchiesi’s Cath Kidston, Sony Corp. and Lucasfilm all vanished leadership. between October and March. Those companies either did In 2011, a fresh-faced man named Ma hew Bassiur hired not respond or declined requests for comment on their Barchiesi’s son, Robert Barchiesi II, to work as an reasons for leaving. inves gator at Apple. Two years later, Bassiur was on the In December, the U.S. Trade Representa ve reported that board of a founda on that awarded a private company Alibaba’s pla orms had been “widely cri cised” for selling run by Barchiesi’s other son, James Barchiesi, a contract large quan es of counterfeit goods. It urged Alibaba to for “fiscal and opera onal management.” “enhance coopera on.” Big payouts The next month, Robert Barchiesi’s friend, Bassiur, started The coali on paid companies belonging to James Barchiesi work as Alibaba’s chief of global intellectual property nearly $150,000 from 2012 to 2014 for accoun ng, enforcement.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 102 The coali on con nued to praise Alibaba to U.S. officials China is encouraging its ci zens to and in April welcomed it as the first e-commerce member, under a special new category that precluded vo ng and eat less meat — and that could be a leadership rights. big win for the climate washingtonpost.com Many protests May 27, 2016 U.S. luxury brand Michael Kors was the first to quit in protest. Its general counsel, Lee Sporn, told the coali on’s An updated set of dietary guidelines just released by the board in an April 21 le er that it had “chosen to provide Chinese government could be a boon not only for public cover to our most dangerous and damaging adversary.” health, say some environmentalists, but also for the environment. They’re arguing that the new Then Gucci America defected. recommenda ons have the poten al to reduce China’s The coali on and Alibaba jumped into ac on, announcing meat consump on, or at least slow its growth, which can that MarketSafe would be free for all companies, whether help save land and water resources and put a substan al or not they were members. The financial terms of the deal dent in global greenhouse gas emissions. were not disclosed. The actual differences between the new guidelines and The storm soon intensified. The morning of May 11, an the previous ones, which were released in 2007, are slim. anonymous email went out to board members Both recommend an upper limit on meat and poultry threatening a mass walkout unless Alibaba was kicked out. consump on of 75 grams per day — but the new The email contained a list of concerns, including personal guidelines reduce the lower daily value from 50 grams to es between Bassiur and Barchiesi. 40 grams. Altogether, the guidelines suggest limi ng meat, The coali on, the email said, “has become a revenue poultry, fish and dairy consump on to 200 grams daily. genera ng business rather than the nonprofit organisa on The real problem is that average meat consump on in we all so desperately need.” Alibaba’s membership, it China is s ll higher than either the old or the new added, “damages and weakens the enforcement and legal guidelines recommend. According to the UN’s Food and remedies we have with Alibaba group.” Agriculture Organisa on (FAO), daily meat and dairy Tiffany resigned its seat on the board that same evening, consump on in China s ll averages more than 300 grams ci ng governance concerns. per day — and that value is expected to keep increasing over the next few decades. The country’s meat On May 13, the AP reported Barchiesi’s ownership of consump on alone comes to about 62 kilograms per Alibaba stock. The AP inves ga on also mapped the personal and financial es between Barchiesi and Bassiur, capita annually, while the dietary guidelines would limit it and documented Barchiesi’s use of family members to to just over 27 kilograms. help run the coali on, including hiring his son’s firm as the If such reduc ons were to actually occur, it could be a coali on’s “independent” accountant. major win for the environment. Agriculture is one of the primary contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, The board convened a call at noon that day. Barchiesi spoke first, defending his achievements. He did not offer mostly in the form of methane and nitrous oxide — when to step down. forestry and other land use changes are factored in, the agriculture sector may account for as much as a quarter of At 2 p.m., less than 12 hours a er the AP’s report, the global greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, a recent study board informed members that the coali on was suggested that farm emissions need to fall by a billion suspending Alibaba’s membership category, pending tons per year by the year 2030 if we’re to meet our global “further discussion.” climate goals under the Paris Agreement. The board said Barchiesi’s “performance and The meat industry — and par cularly beef produc on — accomplishments as president have been exemplary, and is one of the biggest culprits. In addi on to the huge he has the board’s full confidence and support.” amounts of land, water and food required to raise livestock, ca le are infamous for belching large quan es of methane into the atmosphere. And ca le raising, in par cular, is known for being a major contributor to deforesta on, which also drives up global carbon emissions. Numerous studies have emphasised the environmental benefits that would come from a global reduc on in meat
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 103 consump on — par cularly beef. Last month, for instance, average across the country. But, in fact, “there’s a big the World Resources Ins tute released a report outlining divide between consump on pa erns in urban versus the changes in land use and greenhouse gas emissions rural areas,” said Richard Waite, an associate in the World that would accompany a number of hypothe cal global Resources Ins tute’s food program and one of the authors diet shi s, including reduc ons in the consump on of on the recent WRI report, by email. beef and animal products as a whole. And earlier this year, “According to the China Health and Nutri on Survey, in researchers from the University of Oxford published a 2011, per capita consump on of meat and dairy was paper sugges ng that a more plant-based diet worldwide nearly twice as high in urban areas as in rural areas,” he could cut food-related greenhouse gas emissions by said. “So the new guidelines might s ll mean that some anywhere from 29 to 70 percent. people…would actually consume more meat and dairy The lead author of that paper, Marco Springmann of the than they do now.” University of Oxford, noted that such changes in China, This is not necessarily a bad thing, as malnutri on remains alone, could have major health and environmental a problem in some areas, and the primary purpose of the impacts. According to his research, reducing China’s dietary guidelines is to encourage ci zens to eat a healthy average red meat consump on by about 100 grams per and balanced diet. And universal adherence to the day in the year 2050 could help avert 2.2 million deaths guidelines would even out in a way that would reduce the and cut food-related greenhouse gas emissions by more na on’s overall average meat consump on. than a billion metric tons. That said, Waite agreed that merely upda ng the “Any changes in dietary recommenda ons that move into guidelines may not be enough to spur ac on among that direc on would represent a step in the right consumers. “However, guidelines can be a valuable direc on,” he told The Washington Post by email. ingredient in broader efforts to shi consump on habits Addi onally, an upcoming report from environmental — by raising the profile of the issue, promp ng food organisa on WildAid es mates that adherence to the manufacturers to reformulate products, and promp ng dietary guidelines could cut greenhouse gas emissions by food service providers like cafeterias and restaurants to an amount equal to 1.5 percent of total global emissions. change what’s on their menus,” he added. Whether the new guidelines can actually bring about such The focus on China is important, given the country’s large changes, though, is another ques on. Since the guidelines (and increasing) popula on and its current status as the haven’t changed drama cally from their 2007 version — world’s leading contributor to global greenhouse gas and average meat consump on has remained high (and emissions. But the fact remains that average per capita growing) in China — it appears that more efforts may be meat consump on in other countries — notably, the U.S. necessary to draw consumer a en on to the — remains even higher. So while efforts in China are a step recommenda ons. forward — and environmentalists remain op mis c about Springmann, for instance, suggested that a good step the changes that may come from the new guidelines and forward would be “to explicitly include the sustainability educa on campaign — global change in the agriculture and environmental impacts of food consump on,” an sector will require a worldwide effort. approach that he said has been used in places like Brazil, “What our program tries to do is communicate the Germany, Sweden and even the U.S. And, in fact, this is a benefits of climate friendly behaviours,” Grager said. “In strategy that WildAid is now working on in collabora on the interest of ea ng healthy or ea ng reduced meat, the with the Chinese Nutri on Society, which prepared the idea is that this is healthy for you and it’s healthy for the new guidelines. planet, so it’s a win-win situa on. I would say that any “WildAid was not involved in the crea on of the country where it’s either a large popula on or that guidelines, but we are involved in the promo on of them,” consumes a lot of meat, this would be a key message both said Ma Grager, WildAid’s climate program officer. He for personal health and for climate change.” said WildAid and the Chinese Nutri on Society have been working together to produce billboards featuring celebri es and other public figures that adver se the key messages from the new guidelines. These materials are being distributed throughout the country. One point that’s important to remember, however, is that the meat consump on reported in China represents an
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 104 China will never forego rights on hold a nega ve a tude towards "Internet censorship" regula ng cyberspace have laid hands on the Internet. ecns.com Among them, Germany acted rela vely faster in passing laws and regula ons on freedom of informa on May 27, 2016 transmi ed online. In October 2008, the Australian Since 2011, China has been repeatedly given "nega ve government ini ated a na onal program on Internet evalua ons" over its Internet regula on by some western security to block websites conveying informa on. Not as countries and non-governmental organisa ons. In a me, imagined, the American government ghtly controls the cri cism and smearing of China prevail on the Western Internet. media. In September 2011, the White House shielded Twi er as China will never forego its rights on regula ng Internet the Occupy Wall Street Movement went fast. Again in this However, under no circumstances would the Chinese January, the American government pressed giant Internet government forego its rights on regula ng Internet, as the companies in the Silicon Valley about online propaganda cyberspace is filled with threats. of IS and other terror organisa ons, a er which 125,000 China has all rights to decide its way of regula ng Internet Twi er accounts were shut down. based on its actual condi ons and its cultural and It is clear that, though always blaming others in the name historical tradi ons, and in line with rule of law and the of "Internet freedom", some western countries led by the common prac ce of countries. United States will act without hesita on when any cyber The Chinese society has been significantly pushed forward threats come. and most Chinese people have enjoyed the benefits a er Cyberspace is not a space beyond the rule of law. No connec ng with the Internet, however, this is against the country will allow criminal ac vi es with the use of wills of some western poli cians and organisa ons. cyberspace. Cyberspace, for them, is a space where they could try to Hence, it is hoped that some western countries will not overthrow, infiltrate and disintegrate China. adopt double standards in Internet regula on, nor look at According to sta s cs, there are altogether two thousand China through coloured glasses. A er all, cyber threats are oversea websites built specifically against China, with common enemies of human beings and all countries three hundred of them built by the cult group Falun Gong should join hands in dealing with the threats. and two hundred by the "Tibetan independence". A series of illegal gatherings and terrorist violent a acks were incited by these websites, tremulously aggrava ng the an -terrorism situa on in China's Tibet and Xinjiang Beijing Calls South China Sea Island Uygur Autonomous Regions. Reclama on a ‘Green Project’ With the development of social network, oversea hos le Chinafile.com forces have shi ed their base to Twi er, Facebook and May 26, 2016 other social media sites and con nue to support these and, cement, and Chinese military facili es now sit on top illegal gatherings and terrorist violent a acks. of some of the South China Sea’s once-thriving reefs; Without effec ve regula ons over these illegal online China has built over half a dozen new ar ficial islands in a ac vi es, the na onal security, the stability of society as bid to bolster its territorial claims in the hotly disputed well as the life and property safety of the Chinese region. Such reclama on devastates the local marine na onals would be severely threatened. Any responsible habitat. But according to China, these ac vi es do not government won't tolerate such things. cause significant ecological damage. Beijing increasingly Internet regula on in western countries insists that the island-sized piles of sand and concrete now burying the highly biodiverse coral reefs are, in fact, In 2010, the Bri sh Financial Times disclosed that over 40 environmentally friendly. countries worldwide, quo ng the OpenNet Ini a ve, had set up online barriers of a kind. Even countries which “It’s a green project,” claimed Chinese Ministry of Foreign didn't use digital methods to monitor the Internet were Affairs Deputy Director-General Wang Xining in a May 10 gradually enhancing surveillance over the Internet. In fact, mee ng at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing. All quite a number of western countries which pretend to land reclama on and construc on ac vity in the region “is carefully designed, carefully built, [to] try to minimise ecological effect,” Wang told a group of journalists visi ng
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 105 Beijing on a May repor ng trip organised through the East- Looking at satellite photos of Mischief Reef in the Spratlys, West Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. John McManus, a marine biologist at the University of Wang’s comments reflect an official posi on that has been Miami, told The Guardian in September 2015 that strands percola ng for some me within the Chinese of white silt streaming visibly into the lagoon were establishment. In March 2015, the South China Sea evidence of the mucus emi ed by millions of dying corals Ins tute of Oceanology at the state-affiliated Chinese smothered by sediment. The mass reclama on has Academy of Sciences convened the “South China Sea imperilled more than coral. “The sand and silt s rred up Ar ficial Island Ecological Security and Sustainable by the dredgers covers most of the lagoon and is se ling Development Seminar.” At the event, an emphasis on out on most of the remaining reef,” McManus said. “The “na onal mari me power” accompanied discussion of sand will kill nearly any bo om-dwelling organisms on “blue eco-building” on the ar ficial islands, sugges ng which it se les in large quan es, and clog the gills of that geopoli cs might be prevailing over scien fic most fish. I don’t expect to find any fish surviving within considera ons. In June 2015, China’s State Oceanic that lagoon except in the very southern areas.” Administra on (SOA), the agency tasked with monitoring Even if all land reclama on ceased immediately and the country’s mari me environmental policies, picked up recovery efforts begun, McManus said, it would be too on this line of reasoning. In a statement tled “Spratly late for much of the life originally found around Mischief Reef Expansion Project Will Not Cause Damage to the Reef. “A substan al amount of this damage is Marine Environment,” posted to its website on June 18, irrecoverable and irreplaceable.” 2015, SOA gave its stamp of approval to the island The Spratlys alone are home to 571 coral species and a building, calling it a “green project.” huge variety of fish. But the “dredging and building on China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recently begun to coral reefs in the South China Sea,” Alan Freidlander, a emphasise that phrase. “China’s ac vi es on the Nansha biologist at the University of Hawaii, told journalists in Islands strictly follow the principle of conduc ng green May 2015, “is causing irreparable damage to one of the project[s] and building ecological islands and most diverse ecosystems on earth.” The resul ng reefs,” remarked Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei deple on of fishing stock could cost the Philippine during a May 6 press briefing, using the Chinese term for economy and its fishing industry $110 million the Spratly Islands. “The impact on the ecological system annually, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aqua c of coral reefs is limited.” Resources of the Philippines, which also maintains claims China claims most of the South China Sea, a busy in the Spratlys. waterway through which over $5 trillion in trade passes It’s not just the coral reefs, and the fish that breed and every year. Taiwan, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the feed there, that could suffer. Frank Muller-Karger, a Philippines hold compe ng claims over the resource-rich biological oceanographer at the University of South sea. Over the past three years, Chinese dredgers have Florida, told The New York Times in 2015 that the material worked quickly to pull sediment from the ocean floor dredged from the sea floor to form the islands “can wash surrounding reef and atolls in the Spratly Islands, located back into the sea, forming plumes that can smother more than 500 miles south of the Chinese coast. While marine life and could be laced with heavy metals, oil, and other claimants in the South China Sea have also built up other chemicals from the ships and shore facili es being features on islands or reefs in the South China Sea, China’s built.” reclama on ac vi es far outpace those of other Not everyone in China holds the party line. In response to countries. U.S. officials es mate that China has created an ar cle posted on May 6 on Chinese microblogging more than 3,200 acres in the Spratlys alone. China has pla orm Weibo about Hong’s “green project” comment, also installed military hardware on the ar ficial islands, some Chinese web users expressed doubt, even disdain. including airstrips, radar, port facili es, mul -story “China s ll deigns to say that it cares about ecology and buildings, surface-to-air missiles, and an an -ship cruise the environment? I’m kind of disgusted,” wrote one in a missile. But China’s claims of environmental friendliness popular comment. Another user complained, “You beat contradict the findings of leading marine biologists, who your kid into a pulp, then a neighbour comes to stop you; say the island building is devasta ng South China Sea’s then you say, ‘We don’t allow outsiders to interfere in our coral ecosystems, which are among the most produc ve in private affairs.’” the world. The reefs include hundreds of species of coral An impending ruling from a U.N. tribunal may be one and a dizzying variety of fish that form the backbone of cause for the rapid build-up, as China seeks to establish de local fishing communi es along the coasts of neighbouring facto control over the South China Sea in case a court countries.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 106 ruling undermines its ac vi es there. In March 2014, the China's Premier urges less red tape Philippines brought a case to the Permanent Court of Arbitra on, a U.N.-appointed tribunal, challenging the to bolster economy - Xinhua in.reuters.com legal basis for some of China’s claims in the region. China has consistently maintained that it will not par cipate in May 23, 2016 or accept the court arbitra on. In a May 6 press briefing, China should reduce red tape to ensure the development Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei repeated of a healthy economy, the official Xinhua news agency that stance, sta ng, “Whatever decision the arbitrary reported Premier Li Keqiang as saying. tribunal makes on the South China Sea case, it is illegal Li also pledged to further cut administra ve examina ons and null and China will not accept nor recognise it.” and approvals, cut the process of establishing businesses Seeking to further defend its construc on of ar ficial and give colleges and scien fic research ins tutes more islands and military facili es in the region, Beijing has autonomy, Xinhua said late on Sunday, ci ng a transcript refused to acknowledge the environmental havoc its of a speech Li delivered on May 9. ac vi es have wrought. Such a defense may itself serve as Li added that a level playing field will be created for an a empt to boost claims to sovereignty, by portraying private investors, adding that the State Council is mulling China as a responsible steward of what it views as its own detailed measures to promote private investment. backyard. In May 2015, Zhang Haiwen, Director General of the Department of Interna onal Coopera on at Li said that although China has to some extent streamlined SOA, said that China’s goal in the region was to “achieve administra on, overhauled market regula on and the sustainable development of the marine economy.” op mised government services, there is s ll much work to Zhang also insisted that the SOA “closely reviewed” all be done. reclama on ac vi es in the South China Sea, but refused He cited unfair law enforcement, arbitrary inspec ons and to discuss the evident damage to the reefs. Hong even inadequate supervision as loopholes in market regula on. described land reclama on as similar to natural weather The premier said China's tradi onal interna onal phenomena. “China takes the approach of ‘natural compe veness has weakened, leading to a decline in simula on’ which simulates the natural process of sea growth of foreign trade and use of foreign capital. storms blowing away and moving biological scraps which gradually evolve into oasis on the sea,” he said. "This is associated with changes in our resources, sluggish external demand and business environment," said Li, Wang denied the claim that dredging had caused ci ng the reloca on of some foreign-funded significant or irreparable damage to ecosystems in the sea. manufacturers from China to other countries. “[The builders] have carefully calculated how much damage—there won’t be zero damage of course—how "We should guide some of them to move from eastern much damage it will cause and how to control it, minimise coastal areas to the central, western and northeastern it,” he said. “They have to finish their job.” regions," said Li, adding that manufacturing could create jobs and help address China's "great employment “This is a sensi ve building project. Everybody is very pressure". concerned,” added Wang. “But this sea is where our people will live on. We have to go there for fishing.” That echoed Hong’s more forceful statement on May 6. “As owners of the Nansha Islands,” said Hong, “China No country for academics: Chinese cares about protec ng the ecological environment of crackdown forces intellectuals relevant islands, reefs, and waters more than any other country, organisa on, or people in the world.” abroad theguardian.com May 24, 2016 Poli cal scien sts and law experts flee to America as Beijing’s grip on freedoms in China intensifies under President Xi Jinping
A s Chinese ac vist and scholar Teng Biao sat at home on the east coast of America, more than 13,000km (8,000 miles) away his wife and nine-year-old daughter were
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 107 preparing to embark on the most dangerous journey of evidence of the liberal tendencies of China’s incoming their lives. leader. “My wife didn’t tell my daughter what was going on,” said Instead Xi’s ascent marked the start of what many Teng, who had himself fled China seven months earlier to observers now call an unprecedented crackdown designed escape the most severe period of poli cal repression since to silence opposi on to the Communist party ahead of a the days following the Tiananmen massacre in 1989. painful economic slump. “She said it was going to be a special holiday. She told her Ac vists, journalists, bloggers, feminists, labour they were going on an adventure.” campaigners, religious leaders and rights lawyers have One year a er their drama c escape through southeast been interrogated, harassed or even disappeared and Asia, Teng’s family has been reunited in New Jersey and is jailed. Liberal academics have also come under increasing part of a fast-growing community of exiled ac vists and pressure. academics who feel there is no longer a place for them in Despite the fact that Xi’s own daughter studied at Harvard Xi Jinping’s increasingly repressive China. University, a series of Communist party decrees have Jerry Cohen, a veteran China expert who has offered help ordered a purge of hos le western liberal ideas such as to many of the new arrivals, said he had seen a significant democracy and rule-of-law from Chinese campuses. spike in the number of Chinese scholars such as Teng In a recent interview with the New York Review of Books, seeking refuge in the US last year. the head of one prominent thinktank said the situa on Un l about 12 months ago China’s top universi es had become intolerable. “As a liberal, I no longer feel I “remained islands of rela ve freedom”, said Cohen, who have a future in China,” said the academic, who is in the has studied the Asian country for nearly six decades. process of moving abroad. “[Now] I think there is much more a en on to what you Teng, 42 and a former lecturer at Beijing’s University of teach, what materials you use, what you say in class, what Poli cs and Law, said Xi’s rise to power had been a turning you can write and publish, whom you can contact, where point. you get your support. I think a lot of people are just “Things got worse rapidly a er Xi came in,” he said, ge ng disillusioned and feel at least for a few years they’d speaking in his office in New York University, where he is be er ride out the Xi Jinping storm [overseas].” now a researcher. “President Xi lowered the threshold for Cohen likened the influx of intellectuals – mostly poli cal imprisoning people, and adopted a zero tolerance policy scien sts or interna onal rela ons and law experts who on human rights.” have sought permanent or temporary posi ons at US As one of China’s most prominent civil rights lawyers Teng universi es – to previous waves of refugee scholars who found himself at the eye of the storm. He was one of the fled the Nazis during the 1930s and 40s, and China founding members of the New Ci zens’ Movement – a following the Tiananmen crackdown. now defunct civil rights coali on wiped out by security The most famous was Albert Einstein, who moved to services a er Xi came to power – and, even before Xi’s Princeton in October 1932 and campaigned to help other rise, faced repeated spells of house arrest and Jewish refugees secure asylum. surveillance. “It is not as drama c as the refugees from Hitler; not as In September 2014, as Beijing’s crackdown deepened, he drama c as the enormous number who turned up [a er decided to abandon China, flying out of Hong Kong with Tiananmen] and we had to deal with,” Cohen said. “But it his youngest daughter to take a posi on at Harvard is growing and I am seeing them.” University through its Scholars At Risk program. Carl Minzner, an expert in Chinese law and poli cs at “I felt that the space of civil society had become so limited Fordham University in New York, said he had also no ced I had to leave,” said Teng, a graduate of the pres gious an increase in Chinese academics “strategically op ng to Peking University. have one foot out of the door” by reloca ng to the US. Many of the Chinese academics now rolling up on “You are a small ship that is being tossed in the storm and American shores prefer to keep a low profile to avoid everybody is looking for their safe harbour,” he said. a rac ng unwelcome a en on from Chinese secret police. When Xi came to power in November 2012, some observers hoped his 10-year reign might usher in a period “A lot of these people are not overt defectors,” said of poli cal and economic reform. They pointed to Xi’s Cohen. “They are just people who are wisely adjus ng father, the reform-minded party elder Xi Zhongxun, as their behaviour to a future that is ever more uncertain.”
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 108 But Teng has refused to go quietly. For now, Teng said his family was happy in New Jersey. His Since touching down in the US he has remained as ac ve two daughters, now eight and 10, have enrolled in a as ever, pos ng on Twi er and other social media and primary school where he said they were no longer force- keeping in touch digitally with a global network of human fed propaganda about “the Great Chairman Mao Zedong” rights lawyers, officials, poli cians and interna onal or Lei Feng, a Mao-era military officer held up by Beijing as campaigners. On Wednesday he will appear at a session of an example of devo on to the Communist party. the Conserva ve party human rights commission in Despite having to live thousands of miles from home, he London for the launch of a report about the deteriora ng tries to keep his children in touch with their Chinese roots. situa on under Xi. “We tell them that Chinese culture is wonderful but that Recently Teng has also been hyperac vely dissemina ng the current poli cal system is not good.” material from the Panama Papers in an a empt to try and In April, amid the intensifying crackdown, Xi said the pierce the Chinese government’s severe censorship of Communist party “should fully trust intellectuals and documents revealing that rela ves of some of the top create a favourable environment for them to exercise their leaders had been hiding wealth in secre ve offshore talent and develop their careers” in China. companies. Scholars “should not be blamed or punished for “We’ve tried to spread the informa on on WeChat and expressing their opinions,” Xi said, according to the official Twi er. They delete the posts, but we then re-post it. Even Xinhua news agency – but they should also be sure to though the censorship is very strict we can play this cat follow the “right path”. and mouse game, and then some Chinese people will For now a return to China, where some of Teng’s best know about this and the authority of Xi Jinping and the friends s ll languish in jail, is not on the cards. “I want to, top leaders and their family members will be impacted.” but I’m quite sure that Xi Jinping and the Communist party The life of an exile does not come without a cost. will not allow open society and poli cal reform, and they Teng, originally from Jilin province in northeast China, says will not give up their power. Life will remain very difficult he misses his family and friends back home, “but mostly I for human rights ac vists,” he said. miss the feeling I had when figh ng for freedom and Yet even in these dark mes, he remains op mis c, human rights together with my fellow lawyers and vowing to con nue figh ng from afar so his daughters defenders. It was both interes ng and meaningful. We might one day return home to a changed country. knew it was risky, we knew we could be put into prison or “I’m quite sure they will come back to a free and have other trouble, but all of us thought it was worth democra c China,” Teng said. “I don’t know how long it trying to do something to push forward with the law and will take but many dissidents and ac vists are figh ng for freedom in China.” a be er China. They don’t want the next genera on living He said he also suffers from what he called “survivor’s in fear.” guilt”: “So many lawyers, many of them my close friends, are in prison and in deten on. I am free, so I feel I have a special obliga on to speak for them.” Cohen said he sensed great sorrow among many of the China mulls new ways to control uprooted academics he met. video websites “They don’t want to leave. They were playing important India Times roles in their universi es or their law schools or whatever,” May 23, 2016 he said. “Of course if they end up ge ng a professorship BEIJING: Chinese authori es are exploring new ways of at Columbia or Singapore they have to see the virtue of imposing controls on the Internet, state-run media cited that – they have children to take care of. experts as saying Monday, a er reports said state-owned “But it is a sad thing for them to be s mulated by enterprises may be encouraged to take stakes in video repression to have to leave their own country, even if streaming websites. some of them are lucky and land on their feet.” The Communist country restricts access to foreign Cohen predicted that in exile many would simply become websites including Google, Facebook and Twi er with a “second-class ci zens and will never achieve what they vast control network dubbed the Great Firewall of China, could have had they stayed home”. and under President Xi Jinping it has ghtened its grip on broadcast, print and online media.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 109 Content deemed poli cally sensi ve, violent or morally ‘In-depth’ talks needed for India’s "unhealthy" is regularly blocked. entry into nuclear group: China New regula ons being considered by China's censorship Hindustan Times authority would allow a select list of SOEs to buy "special PTI, Beijing management stakes" of up to 10 percent in the country's popular video streaming websites, giving them the right to May 23, 2016 oversee produc on and decision-making, respected China on Monday called for “in-depth” talks to build business magazine Caixin reported. consensus over India’s admission into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), days a er Pakistan staked claim to The Chinese-language report was later removed from join the 48-member grouping with purported backing Caixin's own website, although the text was widely from Beijing and just ahead of President Pranab reposted elsewhere. Mukherjee’s visit to that country. Video sites such as Youku Tudou, acquired last year by China also rebu ed India’s asser on that France was tech giant Alibaba for an es mated $4.8 billion, and included in the Nuclear Suppliers Group without signing Baidu's iQiyi.com could be affected, with greater scru ny the Non-Prolifera on Treaty, saying France was a founder over content and poten al modifica ons to in-house member of the elite group and so the issue of accep ng produc ons. its membership does not arise. The move showed that the government hopes to ghten Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying its grip on websites -- mostly privately run -- over which sounded firm about China’s stance that all new members they have had "li le influence" in the past, the state-run that join the NSG must sign Nuclear Non-prolifera on Global Times newspaper on Monday cited Xiang Ligang, Treaty (NPT). CEO of telecommunica on industry portal cc me.com, as saying. Hua rebu ed India’s asser on that France was included in the elite group without signing the NPT. "The government cannot punish [the websites] on a daily basis or shut down [a website] at will as it would trigger a “When France joined the NSG it was not a party to the backlash," he explained. NPT: France was the founder member of the NSG so the issue of acceptance to the NSG does not exist”, Hua said The paper cited communica ons law professor Zhu Wei as responding to ministry of external affairs spokesman Vikas adding that the new mechanism would be a preven ve Swarup’s comment last week. measure capable of blocking objec onable content before it was even released, unlike current regula ons which only “The NSG is an ad hoc export control regime and France, punish perpetrators a er the fact. which was not an NPT member for some me, was a member of the NSG since it respected NSG’s objec ves,” The ini al list of SOEs to take part in the venture included Swarup had said on May 20, rejec ng China’s o -repeated state broadcasters China Na onal Radio and China Radio asser on that India should sign the NPT to join the NSG. Interna onal, among others, the Global Times added. “The NSG is an important component of the non- The State Administra on of Press, Publica on, Radio, Film prolifera on regime is founded on the NPT. This is a long and Television (SAPPRFT) met with video websites last term consensus of the interna onal community which was week to discuss the plans, and suggested non-binding reaffirmed last year by the NPT review conven on,” Hua agreements between them and the SOEs as soon as June said. 10, Bloomberg News reported. That is why the NSG has been taking NPT signatory status Some websites present at the mee ng objected, but it must status for new members, Hua said. remained unclear what the consequences of non- par cipa on might be, it added. The issue was expected to figure in the talks during President Mukherjee’s visit to China from Tuesday. Mukherjee would arrive in Chinese city of Guangzhou and later go to Beijing on May 25 during which he is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese leaders including his counterpart Xi Jinping. Acknowledging differences among the NSG members in the backdrop of US suppor ng India’s bid to join the grouping based on its non-prolifera on record, contrary to
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 110 Pakistan’s history of clandes ne export of nuclear the Communist Party!' It's not known if she has been technology, Hua said the NSG members needed “in- arrested," says Rose Tang's Facebook post. depth” talks on the issue. Despite heavy security, Hong Kong authori es had to “Pakistan is not a party to the NPT. For whether the non- increase the police deployment for Zhang's business NPT countries can join the NSG there are discussions with conference on Wednesday. Throughout his visit, the pro- in the group and there are major differences that is why democracy and the pro- China demonstra ons were China along with other countries have been maintaining reported. that there should he through discussions whether non- Zhang Dejiang is the chairman of Na onal People's NPT countries can join the NSG and decision shall be made Congress Standing Commi ee and a top official of the upon consensus”, Hua said. Hong Kong and Macau affairs office. He was in Hong Kong “This applies to all non-NPT countries including Pakistan”, to speak at a business conference on 'One belt, one road she said. project’. Pakistan is an all weather strategic partner of China for coordina on and a close neighbour. “Our posi on is not targeted against Pakistan and applies China's business registra on to all non-NPT countries”, the spokesperson said. streamlined to unlock economic “We support the NSG members having in-depth poten al discussions on this so as to reach a consensus at an early Xinhua date and we con nue to take construc ve part in the relevant discussions”, she said. May 18, 2016 BEIJING, May 18 (Xinhua) -- China will intensify its reform efforts concerning business registra on procedures to reduce administra ve costs and enhance economic Tibetan Flag unfurled in Hong Kong’s restructuring from the supply side. pro-democracy protests A series of measures was adopted at the State Council's Tibet Post Interna onal execu ve mee ng on Wednesday, presided over by Premier Li Keqiang. May 19, 2016 "Business registra on reform is crucially important this A three-day trip by a high-ranking Chinese government year to achieve stable economic growth and stabilize official was met with protests by the pro-democracy employment," Li said. supporters as the semi- autonomous Hong Kong ghtens under Beijing's grip. "No ceable achievements have been made in recent years, yet there are s ll problems to be solved." Zhang Dejiang on his arrival on May 17, Tuesday faced protestors unfurling banners that read, "I want genuine The reform aims to simplify administra ve procedures and universal suffrage" and "an end to Chinese communist lower requirements for business registra on. Since it one-party rule". These were similar to the ones seen started in March 2014, the reform achieved no ceable during the 2014 Umbrella Revolu on. achievements and this was reiterated me and again by the Premier. Among the protestors were an old couple, Uncle Wong and Mrs. Wong displayed the Tibetan na onal flag It was decided at the Wednesday mee ng that further proposing the right to self determina on for Tibet as well efforts will be carried out in 2016 to streamline business as Hong Kong. Uncle Wong reportedly said, "Hong Kongers registra on. need self determina on.Tibet people need self This includes crea ng nega ve lists for business determina on, too," according to ac vist Rose Tang's registra on and realising the integra on of business Facebook post. licenses, cer ficates for taxa on, organisa on codes, According to a recently surfaced video a woman also social security and sta s c codes into one cer ficate. unfurled the Tibetan flag. "An uniden fied woman holding Efforts to streamline business administra on will also be a Tibetan flag is mobbed by a dozen police officers who try given policy support, such as tax and fee reduc ons, to to grab the flag from her. The male voice in the video: 'I workers who may face job reloca ons during the country's have my rights to protest.' The female voice: 'Down with effort to reduce excess capacity.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 111 "The government at all levels should keep working hard to before ge ng a business license, a process that usually integrate business cer ficates when possible and reduce took months. Part of the reform is to turn 152 pre- ins tu onal costs for enterprises," Li said. approval items into post-approval items, which both saves Meanwhile, the integra on of mul ple cer ficates will be me and requires stronger supervision. Such efforts have further expanded to individual businessmen, with their greatly improved China's business environment, as higher taxa on cer ficates and business licenses being integrated requirements are set for business and social credit. into a single document this year. The mee ng also urged At the same me, more than 90 percent of businesses the need for more efforts in building a fair market which used to require a business registra on with the SAIC environment and a comprehensive market exit can now be registered at places where these enterprises mechanism. are located. Streamlining the business registra on procedure has been "We should work to build a fairer market and create promoted across the country in 2016, and has achieved nega ve lists for business registra on, especially in the results. finance-related sector," Li said. "Deregula on and the A more developed market exit mechanism was put in faster business growth it promises are only possible when place to help businesses exit the market with more regula on is sound and effec ve." efficiency. Authorized by the State Administra on for Meanwhile, government departments, such as the central Industry and Commerce (SAIC), such trials have already SAIC and the State Administra on of Taxa on, need to started in Pudong in Shanghai, Yancheng in Jiangsu coordinate more closely in providing enhanced services Province, Ningbo in Zhejiang Province and Shenzhen in for businesses. Guangdong Province. From now on, less documenta on is required from enterprises if they want to exit the market, efficiently crea ng space for new businesses to enter the market. Senior Chinese Leader Vows to Hear Detailed requirements for business sites have also been Hong Kong’s Autonomy Concerns lowered, removing what was once a difficult prerequisite bloomberg.com for entrepreneurs. The business site registra on May 17, 2016 procedure will be streamlined based on field research. In some ci es such as Shanghai, certain residen al buildings Na onal People’s Congress Chairman Zhang Dejiang are allowed to be converted to business venues a er due vowed to listen to Hong Kong’s sugges ons regarding its procedures. autonomy, as he began the highest-level visit by a state leader since pro-democracy protests paralysed the city New businesses will require fewer procedures for their two years ago. names. The SAIC will further promote a full online registra on procedure that will first go through trial runs Hong Kong was on high alert for the three-day tour by in designated places, including Jiangsu and Hebei Zhang, the No. 3 official in the ruling Communist Party and Provinces, before being applied across the country. the first top leader to visit since 2012, when then- President Hu Jintao celebrated the anniversary of the Efforts will be con nued to integrate business licenses, the city’s return to China. In the intervening years, Hong Kong cer ficates of organisa on code and the cer ficates of has convulsed over escala ng campaigns for greater taxa on into one cer ficate. By the end of April, a total of autonomy, including protests in 2014 that shut down key 8.89 million new cer ficates of this type has been issued. business districts for months and a February riot involving From January to April 2016, about 4.6 million new a "localist" group that injured more than 90 police officers. businesses were registered, a 13.1 percent year-on-year "I want to see new and old friends, and how ordinary increase. The total amount of registered capital reached Hong Kong people live their lives," Zhang said upon arrival 12.3 trillion yuan, marking 66 percent year-on-year at Hong Kong Interna onal Airport. "I want to hear growth. sugges ons and requests from all walks of society on During a press conference in February, Zhang Mao, head implemen ng ‘one country, two systems,’ ‘Hong Kong of the SAIC, the ministry that leads the reform, said that people ruling Hong Kong,’ a ‘high degree of autonomy,’ the 12,000 new enterprises were registered every day in 2015, Basic Law and on the country’s building and a 20 percent increase compared to 2014. development." Before the reform started in 2014, if someone wanted to Ci ng the threat of radicals and interna onal terrorists, start a new business, they had to get a series of approvals Hong Kong has raised its alert level to “high" and plans to
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 112 deploy as many as 6,000 police officers for each day of Chun-ying’s a empt to enact the guidelines Zhang’s visit, twice the manpower assigned to secure Hu, was defeated in Hong Kong’s Legisla ve Council last June. the South China Morning Post reported. That visit Zhang’s i nerary includes a Wednesday banquet at the prompted violent clashes between demonstrators and conven on center, an event being boyco ed by several police. lawmakers from the so-called "pan-democra c" camp. He The security cordon for Zhang is focused on the Hong has invited 10 legislators, including four of the more Kong Conven on and Exhibi on Centre in Wan Chai, moderate democrats, to meet him at a cocktail recep on where he is staying and scheduled to speak at an event before the dinner. Wednesday on President Xi Jinping’s signature "One Belt, "The most important thing we want to tell him is that the One Road" plan to build a loose network of roads, situa on in Hong Kong is really very bad," said Democra c railways, ports and pipelines across Asia and Europe. Party leader Emily Lau, who’ll a end the mee ng. Water Barricades Na onal Party "Zhang comes to assess Hong Kong’s poli cal situa on; Zhang’s visit comes ahead of key Legisla ve Council the Belt-and-Road summit alone wouldn’t bring him elec ons in September, when pro-Beijing par es hope to here," said Ding Xueliang, a social science professor at the secure a veto-proof super-majority in the 70-seat body Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, no ng and several new, more radical groups plan to seek a voice that Zhang’s oversight por olio includes the city. "He in government. City authori es have threatened to bar the should have come earlier. Current Hong Kong-mainland Hong Kong Na onal Party, which was founded in March on rela ons have sunk to their lowest point probably since a pla orm seeking independence from China, from the handover." registering on grounds that its posi ons would violate About 200 barricades filled with water were set up near Hong Kong’s Basic Law. the conven on center and hotel and rubbish bins appear The trip may also help Xi lay the ground for a pair of to have been removed from the area, the Ming Pao milestones next year. In March, a commi ee of 1,200 local newspaper reported. Paving les, which were tossed at elites will meet to select the next chief execu ve, who police during an -Chinese protests in February, had been must be approved by the Na onal People’s Congress. glued together near the Wan Chai venue. Protesters from Then, in July 2017, Hong Kong will hold events to mark the the League of Social Democrats hung banners calling for 20th anniversary of its handover from the U.K., an free elec ons from Lion Rock, one of the city’s most occasion that could bring Xi to town for the first me as prominent overlooks, despite a police presence there, said president. Avery Ng, the league’s chairman. ‘Mutual Distrust’ "We’ll have a series of ac ons, but I can’t give any details," In 2012, Hu was greeted by hundreds of protesters Ng said by phone on Tuesday. "The police are trying to seeking answers to ques ons surrounding the death of wipe out the voice of the opposi on and we can’t let that mainland dissident Li Wangyang, who weeks earlier had happen." been found hanged in a hospital ward in the Chinese city In a sign of the anxiety surrounding the visit, authori es in of Shaoyang. the adjacent mainland city of Shenzhen detained a Hong During his trip, Zhang is expected to tour the Hong Kong Kong resident who they said bought a consumer-style Science Park, a hi-tech business development hub near drone to disrupt the event. Barricades will keep protesters the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the South China at least 100 feet from the Wan Chai venue. The Civil Morning Post reported. He’ll also visit a public housing Human Rights Front announced rallies there to coincide complex, in keeping with a tradi on of Communist Party with Zhang’s events there on Wednesday, while other leaders visi ng homes while in the city. groups said they’re planning their own ac ons. "Mutual distrust is abundant, and both sides are ready to Democrats Boyco see each other from a worst-case-scenario perspec ve," In August 2014, Zhang’s Na onal People’s Congress said Ding, of the University of Science and Technology. handed down guidelines requiring a panel dominated by "This is going to be an en rely different visit than Hu’s trip Beijing loyalists to screen candidates for what was to be in 2012. The situa on he faces is much more complex.” Hong Kong’s first citywide elec on for chief execu ve in 2017. The plan sparked the student-led Occupy protests, which lasted 79 days and brought global a en on to the city’s pro-democracy movement. Chief Execu ve Leung
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 113 Hong Kong Police Arrest Pro- while somebody else was arrested for ... hanging up a Democracy Protesters During banner.” Meanwhile, former Occupy Central student leader Nathan Chinese Official Visit Law said he was wrestled to the ground a er he and a rfa.org group of fellow ac vists tried to approach the area to tell May 17, 2016 Zhang their opinions. Hong Kong police manhandled and arrested protesters "When we stepped out of the hotel to this red carpet a er building a security "fortress" around a visi ng where we are standing now, they pulled me down," Law Chinese official, pan-democra c poli cians said told reporters a er the scuffle. "There were 8-10 police on Tuesday. officers to each protester." At least seven people were arrested as members of the "So we didn't get the chance to express our demands pan-democra c League of Social Democrats (LSD) tried to directly to Zhang Dejiang," he said. approach Zhang Dejiang, head of China's legislature, to tell Zhang is the chairman of the Na onal People's Congress him their opinions, LSD lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung said. standing commi ee, the body that decreed on Aug. 31, Meanwhile, across the harbour in Kowloon, fellow LSD 2014 that candidates in 2017 elec ons for Hong Kong's members hung a huge yellow banner from Beacon Hill , next chief execu ve would have to be ve ed by a Beijing- which read: "We want true universal suffrage," echoing a backed commi ee. previous banner hung on adjacent Lion Rock during the The decree, which was rejected by pan-democra c 2014 Occupy Central pro-democracy movement in campaigners as "fake universal suffrage," sparked a week- the city. Approaches to Lion Rock were under police guard long student class boyco in September that culminated onTuesday. with the occupa on of the central business district by "Seven of our members were arrested," Leung told RFA. thousands of protesters. He called on Hong Kong people to wear yellow, the color On Sept. 28, hundreds of thousands of people poured of the pro-democracy movement that occupied key onto the streets in protest at the use of tear-gas and districts of the city from October to December, 2014, as a pepper spray by riot police against the occupiers, who form of silent protest during Zhang's trip. remained in smaller numbers un l early December at Ci ng fears of a poten al terrorist a ack, police set up three loca ons in the city. a "security fortress" around the Hong Kong Conven on Remove Beijing's man and Exhibi on Centre in Wanchai where Zhang will stay Beijing's electoral reform plan was defeated in June during his three-day trip, government broadcaster RTHK 2015 in the city's Legisla ve Council (LegCo), and the next reported. chief execu ve will be picked, as before, by a Beijing- "The fortress comprises two-meter high water barricades, backed elec on commi ee. metal barricades as well as no-go zones for the public," Pan-democrats have vowed to call for the reinstatement the sta on said, adding that police were unable to specify of poli cal reforms and the removal of chief execu ve a legal jus fica on for cordoning off such large parts of Leung Chun-ying when they meet with Zhang at a cocktail the city. recep on on Wednesday. 'Total security lock down' Democra c Party lawmaker Emily Lau said poli cians will Leung dismissed fears of a terrorist a ack, saying the ght also raise concerns about the disappearance of five Hong security was a viola on of people's rights as ci zens. Kong booksellers, par cularly the case of Lee Bo, who was "Every me [a Chinese official comes here] we have these taken across the internal immigra on border in opaque kinds of protests, but it is only this me that we have had circumstances last year a er planning to publish a book on this total security lock down," he said. Chinese President Xi Jinping. "Basically, they want to make sure that nobody gets to say "Of course we will bring up the Lee Bo incident," Lau told anything to Zhang's face, whether it be through protests RFA. "People have been calling me saying they don't mind and demonstra ons or whatever," he told RFA. whether they have universal suffrage or not, but that the Lee Bo incident has really frightened them." "They are using police powers to suppress our human rights. When some young people went over to the cordon "If the central government sent its agents to arrest people to check it out, the police pinned them to the ground, in Hong Kong, [Zhang] would need to know about it."
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 114 Zhang was met by chief execu ve Leung Chun-ying and a Repeat of Cultural Revolu on brass band at Hong Kong's Interna onal Airport onTuesday, and pledged immediately to listen to its 'Impossible,' Says China rfa,org people. May 17, 2016 "[I will listen to] people from all walks of life about any sugges ons and demands regarding the implementa on of 'one country two systems'," Zhang said, in a reference to the high degree of autonomy promised to Hong Kong under the terms of its 1997 handover accord with its former colonial ruler, Britain. He also said he would listen to "any sugges ons and requests regarding the na on and Hong Kong's development." Eddie Choi, senior poli cs lecturer at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said Zhang's promise may mean li le in prac ce, however.
"Of course people here hope he will listen, but nobody Bereaved rela ve Yu Luowen (L) and U.S.-based veteran dissident Wei knows how much he will actually listen, or see [while he's Jingsheng (R) at a symposium marking the 50th anniversary of the Cultural here]," Choi said. Revolu on, Washington D.C., May 16, 2016. "We don't want him just to reiterate central government State media controlled by the ruling Chinese Communist Party on Tuesday broke an official silence on the decade of policy; we want him to pay genuine heed to the voices of poli cal violence known as the Cultural Revolu on, which local people." began 50 years ago this week, saying China should put the Zhang's trip comes as the U.S. and U.K. governments have past behind it and avoid further discussion of the "huge sounded alarm bells about the apparent cross-border disaster." arrest of Lee Bo, and the deten on of four of his "The decade-long internal chaos was a huge disaster," colleagues, one of them a Swedish na onal detained in the Global Times newspaper, which has close es to the Thailand. party, wrote in an opinion ar cle published in the early In a May 11 report, the State Department said Lee's hours of Tuesday morning. unofficial departure from Hong Kong had raised serious concerns, and appeared to be "the most significant China on Monday marked the 50th anniversary of the start of the Cultural Revolu on (1966-1976), which some breach" of the handover agreement since 1997. poli cal commentators fear could s ll return in another Under the terms of the handover and the city's mini- guise. cons tu on, the Basic Law, China has promised to allow Hong Kong to con nue with its exis ng way of life un l The decade of fac onal armed struggle, mob lynchings, 2047. and kangaroo courts turned the country upside down, as late supreme leader Mao Zedong took on his poli cal But journalists and poli cal analysts cite growing evidence rivals, using the "revolu onary masses" of self-censorship in the city's once freewheeling media and publishing industries, as well as apparent poli cal as poli cal support. interference in the running of the its universi es. The Global Times said the "decade of calamity" that began Hong Kong officials warned last month that free speech with a red block headline "Announcement" in the People's Daily on May 16, 1966, had le many in China with has "limits" despite cons tu onal protec ons, and that permanent psychological scars. the city's police would consider inves ga ng members of poli cal groups advoca ng independence for the city. "It is not possible for such a revolu on to be repeated," the paper said, adding: "We have bid farewell to the Cultural Revolu on. We can say it once again today that the Cultural Revolu on cannot and will not come back." Official verdict Meanwhile, an editorial in the party's own People's Daily newspaper, said the party would be s cking to its
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 115 official verdict as laid down in a Communist Party Re red Shandong University professor Sun Wenguang said resolu on in 1981. Tuesday's editorials are likely a response to a feared "History has shown that the Cultural Revolu on, ini ated backlash over a recent "private" performance of Mao-era by a leader labouring under a misapprehension and revolu onary songs at the Great Hall of the People in capitalised on by counterrevolu onary cliques, led to Beijing. domes c turmoil and brought catastrophe to the party, The Communist Party has long been ambivalent about the the state,and the whole people," the paper said, echoing Cultural Revolu on, happy to encourage red nostalgia for the earlier resolu on. Mao suits, rousing revolu onary anthems, and Li le Red "The harm caused was comprehensive and serious," it Books on the one hand, while playing down the deaths said. "History has fully proved that the Cultural Revolu on and torture of large numbers of people at the hands of was a complete mistake in both theory and prac ce." Red Guards and lynch mobs on the other. "It was not and cannot be a revolu on or social progress "They played red songs and displayed portraits of Mao in any sense," the paper said. Zedong with his Red Guards armband," Sun said. "That song, 'Sailing the Seas Depends on the Helmsman,' was The 1981 Central Commi ee resolu on "on certain basically the theme tune of the Cultural Revolu on from ques ons in the history of our party since the founding of start to finish." the People’s Republic of China" found that Mao was a good leader whose tragedy was that he couldn't see his "People thought they were trying to advocate [a return to] own mistakes. the Cultural Revolu on." "We should be brave enough to face up to the mistaken Struggle sessions ac ons of our leaders," the paper said, in an ar cle tled Fi y years ago, Mao exhorted China's youth to eliminate "Take warnings from history for a be er tomorrow." "members of the bourgeoisie threatening to seize poli cal It said the party would unite around President Xi Jinping as power from the proletariat," ini ally a reference to Mao's general secretary, omi ng the term "core" which had premier Liu Shaoqi and his "Soviet revisionist" supporters begun to appear in official media in recent months, within the party. sparking concern that Xi was consolida ng his power as a But the violent "struggle" sessions, at which figures of strongman. respect like teachers and parents were humiliated and Dissident Chinese author Xu Lin said the ar cles reflect the some mes killed, o en made li le poli cal sense to deepest fears of China's rulers. anyone, with targets selected seemingly at random or to se le old grudges, witnesses have said. "The government is maintaining its stance of repudia ng the Cultural Revolu on ... because their worst fear is that According to veteran Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng, it will repeat itself," Xu said. much of the violence and armed fac onal figh ng was ins gated by the sons and daughters of high-ranking party "During that me, the masses held struggle sessions officials. against officials, which was Mao Zedong's whole aim in star ng it." "All it took was a few of these children of officials with a bit of nerve, to incite a crowd to start something," Wei "I think they are afraid that if things get out of hand, they told an anniversary symposium in Washington on Monday. won't be able to hold onto power," Su said. "The majority of these were supporters of [then premier] Campaigns 'never stopped' Zhou Enlai, although there were also some offspring of Cato Ins tute visi ng fellow Xia Yeliang said many in China officials from the party central office," he said. are now asking themselves whether the mentality that "When people see those around them deifying Mao created the Cultural Revolu on is s ll alive in today's Zedong, then they deify him too. People are like sheep," society. We said. "Everybody was playing a role together." "The Chinese Communist Party has had a poli cal No one dared oppose campaign running pre y much every year since it took power in 1949," Xia said. "You can see it in the editorials Meanwhile, the Cato Ins tute's Xia said nobody at the top run by the People's Daily, Red Flag magazine, People's dared to oppose Mao, and nobody could make any sense Libera on Army Daily, and so on." of his ac ons at the me. "These poli cal campaigns have never stopped in that "We have no idea what Mao was thinking ... and I'm not me, whether they are large or small." sure I could even follow his thinking if I did," Xia said.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 116 "Zhou Enlai didn't know what was going on, and neither not a single men on of Mao Zedong or his mass did Liu Shaoqi. Nobody did." mobilisa on. Xia said the "struggle" sessions escalated out of fear of The Beijing Times also shunned the anniversary dedica ng reprisals. "Why did they struggle people to death?" he its front page to a story about police efforts to find missing said. "Because they were afraid that the person would children. come and struggle them back and denounce them." No official memorial events were reported by China’s "They killed people in struggle sessions to preserve their heavily controlled media and Chinese academics were own personal safety." forbidden from talking about the sensi ve period. The official death toll by 1976 numbered more than 1.7 “Researchers cannot accept any interviews related to the million, with much of the country's cultural and ar s c Cultural Revolu on,” one scholar told Canada’s The Globe heritage destroyed in campaigns to eradicate tradi onal and Mail. Chinese culture to make way for a new, revolu onary “They think that if we expose the Cultural Revolu on’s culture, arbitrated by the "proletariat." dark side people will doubt the poli cal system,” Wang Xia es mated the economic losses of the era at no less Youqin, author of Vic ms of the Cultural Revolu on, a than three trillion yuan (U.S.$153 billion at today's three-decade inves ga on into Red Guard killings, told the exchange rate). Guardian. Roderick MacFarquhar, a Cultural Revolu on expert at Harvard University, said president Xi Jinping would be China marks 50 years since Cultural wary of anyone a emp ng to use Monday’s anniversary “to bring up uncomfortable facts” about the party’s past. Revolu on with silence Par cularly unwelcome was any reflec on on Mao’s The Guardian central role in orchestra ng the mayhem that consumed May 16, 2016 China from 1966 onwards and is es mated to have Beijing shuts down any men on of the mayhem unleashed claimed up to two million lives. by Mao’s declara on of war against the ‘dictatorship of “The really uncomfortable fact which Xi Jinping in the bourgeoisie’ par cular cannot really stomach is Mao’s role [in the Beijing has marked the 50th anniversary of one of the Cultural Revolu on],” MacFarquhar said. “Mao actually most devasta ng and defining events of 20th gloried in the chaos. He loved the idea of civil war … The century China with silence. last thing Xi Jinping wants to do is raise anything to do Chairman Mao’s Great Proletarian Cultural Revolu on – a with the Cultural Revolu on because it inevitably affects decade-long period of poli cal and social turmoil – began Mao’s reputa on.” exactly 50 years ago on Monday. Only in Hong Kong, which is part of China but enjoys far On 16 May 1966 a Communist party document fired the greater poli cal freedoms thanks to a deal governing its opening salvo of the catastrophic mobilisa on warning return to Chinese control in 1997, was the media able to that counter-revolu onary schemers were conspiring to mark the painful anniversary. replace the party with a “dictatorship of the bourgeoisie”. An opinion piece published in the South China Morning What followed was an unprecedented period of upheaval, Post said: “Fi y years on, and the party has failed to bring bloodshed and economic stagna on that only ended with any kind of jus ce to address the trauma c event. Mao’s death, in September 1976. However, on Monday “If the party fears disclosing the truth about its own past newspapers in mainland China were bere of any and refuses to learn from it, how can it have a clear vision coverage of the Cultural Revolu on’s anniversary. of the right direc on for the future?” it added. The party-run Global Times tabloid completely ignored the Half a century a er the Cultural Revolu on kicked off with event leading instead with a story about Beijing’s anger an explosion of Red Guard violence in Beijing, academics over a Pentagon report detailing its land reclama on are s ll deba ng the period’s impact on contemporary ac vi es in the South China Sea. China. Stories about Donald Trump and Boris Johnson’s Daniel Leese, a Cultural Revolu on expert from Freiburg comparison of the EU with Hitler both found their way University who is researching the legacies of the Mao era, into the pages of the Beijing Morning Post but there was said one consequence was the fixa on of Chinese leaders with poli cal stability.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 117 “From the view of the party it is very clear that one of the we s ll don’t have a complete report on the Cultural main legacies is that you should never let go of control, Revolu on. It is a shame.” you should always maintain the commanding heights, The academic said she was convinced that ordinary people there shouldn’t be fac onalism at all within the party,” he could make a difference by remembering and recording said. the events of that tumultuous decade. For today’s leaders it was s ll paramount that “the 10 “Things will change,” Wang said. “If we make the effort, if years shouldn’t appear as a period of complete anarchy we tell the truth, people will listen.” because, a er all, the party was s ll at the helm,” Leese added. MacFarquhar, the author of Mao’s Last Revolu on, said half-a-century on the role of ordinary Chinese ci zens in How the Chinese Cultural Revolu on the violence had s ll not been been sufficiently Came to an End interrogated. History News Network “I think that the most terrible aspect of the Cultural May 15, 2016 Revolu on was not just that the chairman threw the n a cold day in Hangzhou in early February 1976, several whole country into chaos. It was that having fired the young men gathered at the home of Li Junxu, a 23-year- star ng gun, Chinese became immensely cruel to each old worker nicknamed “Cricket.” They o en gathered like other,” he said. this to talk about current affairs and poli cs, underground “It wasn’t as if some Nazi boss had said, ‘Kill these 6,000 style. This me, “Cricket” showed his friends two le ers Jews’. People just fought each other, killed each other – he had wri en – to be precise, two le ers he had forged especially in the Red Guard fac onal fights … It was just a as the last wills of the late Premier Zhou Enlai, who had case of le ng them off the leash and they did it.” died on January 8. The first will was wri en to Zhou’s wife Outspoken groups of le ists who view the Cultural Deng Ying-chao, addressing her as “Comrade Li le Chao.” Revolu on as a golden age of social equality and The second will was addressed to Mao and the Central ideological righteousness have defied Beijing’s a empt to Commi ee of the Chinese Communist Party. It began by downplay the anniversary. telling Mao that his cancer had spread and he would soon At one commemora ve event in Shanxi province neo- “go to see Marx.” Then it shi ed gear and began to praise Maoists held up red banners reading: “Mao’s thoughts are Deng Xiaoping’s energy and accomplishments, hin ng to invincible” and “Long Live the Great Proletarian Cultural Mao that Deng could succeed him as the premier. Revolu on!” Marvelling at how genuinely these le ers sounded like At a rally in the northeastern city of Dalian demonstrators Zhou speaking, the young men copied them by hand and brandished portraits of Mao and banners that read: later showed them to their friends and families. Two “Sailing the Seas Depends on the Helmsman.” months later, these two le ers had spread far and wide in China -- gone viral. An alarmed Party Central issued an Zhang Hongliang, a prominent Maoist scholar, claimed urgent no ce charging that the so-called premier’s wills cri cs of the Communist party were manipula ng had been forged and were nothing but baseless counter- Monday’s anniversary to destabilise China’s current revolu onary rumours. In the na on-wide witch hunt that regime. followed, over a thousand people were arrested, “[Their purpose] is not only to reject the Cultural inves gated, and implicated in other ways. “Cricket” and Revolu on… they are taking advantage of these 10 years his friends in Hangzhou were no excep on. to en rely negate the leadership of the Communist party Told in a memoir published in 2009, this was a story of of China,” he said. “Even if it was a wrongful campaign, 40 secrecy, intrigue, persecu on, youth, friendship, and years is enough me for people to move on.” more. But above all, it was a story about the unraveling of Wang Youqin, the Cultural Revolu on researcher, said such the Chinese Cultural Revolu on and the undoing of the voices should not be allowed to con nue their denial of Maoist era. the bloodshed and suffering. Exactly when the Cultural Revolu on ended does not have She lamented how, unlike Cambodia, where the Khmer an unequivocal answer. Mao’s death on September 9, Rouge tribunal has inves gated crimes commi ed under 1976 was a cri cal turning point. The coup that led to the Pol Pot vic ms of the Cultural Revolu on had been denied arrest of Mao’s wife and her fellow “Gang of Four” on any historical reckoning. “I am shocked that a er 50 years October 6, 1976 was another milestone. Yet the Cultural
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 118 Revolu on may well have been unraveling since at least apotheosised the emula on of revolu onary heroes, with 1968. Later that year, having outlived their use as Mao’s Mao being revered by youth as the greatest of all heroes, poli cal pawns, millions of young Red Guards were poli cal emula on had become second nature. Except banished to the villages to become peasants. that this me, emula on was a means of cri que and Contrary to what they had learned from the media and protest, not one of enac ng loyalty. their school textbooks, these “sent-down” youth saw few Such was the underground culture that fermented in the signs of a prosperous rural socialism. Poverty was small “islands” of “sent-down” youth around the country. everywhere. Many began to pull strings in order to move In the middle of these ac vi es, official ideologies became back to the ci es. gradually eroded, losing their magic hold over the It was during these mes of hardship that an underground popula on. By the end of March, 1976, open protest cultural movement appeared. “Sent-down” youth read, ac vi es erupted in the city of Nanjing in the name of hand-copied, and circulated banned books, sang forbidden mourning the death of Zhou Enhai. Days later, the April love songs, and DIY-ed their own short-wave radio sets on Fi h movement broke out in Beijing. Again in the name of which they listened to forbidden foreign programs. They mourning Zhou’s death (April fi h was the memorial day wrote diaries, poems, le ers, and even novels. Le ers on tradi onal Chinese calendar), students and workers were wri en not just to families, but also to friends and poured onto Tiananmen Square, where they put up former classmates who had been dispersed to different poems and posters eulogising the virtue and integrity of parts of the country. Some le ers were circulated among Zhou and making not so subtly disguised a acks at Jiang friendship circles because they contained in-depth and Qing and other radical Maoists. insigh ul social analysis. When the Tangshan earthquake hit on July 27, 1976, These ac vi es could be poli cally risky. Ren Yi, who felling a quarter million of its residents, the rumour that wrote a popular song about the lives of “sent-down” the earthquake was a foreboding that Mao had exhausted youth, was sentenced to ten years in prison because the his Mandate of Heaven became as credible as the song allegedly spread bourgeois ideas and was thus premier’s wills. In imperial mes, natural disasters on such counter-revolu onary. Zhang Yang, the author of a novel a tragic scale were omens of dynas c change. And in underground circula on who was also charged of being dynas es did change soon, when Mao died less than two a counter-revolu onary, almost faced a death sentence. months later. His novel, tled “The Return,” is a love story about a Today, with the internet, a mysterious le er of the 1976 female Chinese scien st trained in the US who had type needs only two hours, not two months, to spread returned to China to look for her past lover. around the country -- that is, if it is not censored. Such a Despite risks, these ac vi es spread. Consequently, as a le er appeared recently on the Chinese web, calling on former “sent-down” youth in Beijing told me, many small China’s top party leader Xi Jinping to resign. It was quickly “islands” of underground culture appeared around the removed. Yet years of censorship has proved incapable of country. The small group in Hangzhou where the premier’s cleansing the web of dissent. In recent years, the Chinese wills were forged was one such small island. leadership has responded by strengthening ideological control and promo ng the “posi ve energy” of patrio sm The two forged texts were symptoma c of the ambivalent and na onal pride. There are even efforts to tap into and yet transgressive character of this underground Maoism and Cultural-Revolu on-style “red culture” as culture. The wills were not exactly opposi onal. The one poten al cultural resources for gaining legi macy and addressed to Mao read like the sincerest words of a loyal winning popular support. Is the idea of building a new minister to his monarch qua closest comrade-in-arms. And poli cal culture to bamboozle the public thinkable in the yet by praising Deng Xiaoping, it made a veiled a ack on informa on age? I will wait un l November 8 this year to Deng’s poli cal rivals who were none other than Mao’s a empt an answer. wife Jiang Qing and her lieutenants. Such a veiled a ack could be interpreted as a challenge against Mao and his Cultural Revolu on policies. That two short texts forged by a few young men spread all over the country in a ma er of two months suggested that its poli cal message resonated with the public. Wri ng the two wills in Zhou Enlai’s personal tone was less an act of irreverent parody than one of sincere emula on of the style of a popular leader. In a poli cal culture that
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 119 China to Launch Pla orm to Refute Governance and Law at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunica ons, told the Global Times on Online Rumours Wednesday. womenofchina.cn Origin of rumors May 13, 2016 China plans to launch a na onal whistleblower pla orm Figures released by Sootoo, an Internet data research Thursday to crack down on online rumours, a measure to ins tu on, in August 2015 show that more than 90 further manage cyberspace security. percent of ne zens are exposed to rumours on their mobile devices, and 45.9 percent of the rumours were China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and Sina Weibo started on WeChat and Sina Weibo. The most widely- jointly launched the online pla orm for ps from ne zens spread rumours were those related to security - including on false online informa on and will release monthly terrorism, AIDS and infec ous diseases. reports to publicise such rumours and related data, according to an e-mail Sina sent to the Global Times on Xie said that rumours on public events can easily spark Wednesday. panic since they could be quickly and widely spread on social media, whose effects are usually difficult to The pla orm allows ne zens to provide links or upload contain. screenshots of the alleged false informa on on any social media pla orm, including Sina Weibo and other online "The MPS is trying to provide a ne zen-friendly way of forums. safeguarding cyber security and Sina should also be responsible for building a be er Internet environment," News about the pla orm, "The Na onal Pla orm to Shen said. Refute Rumours," has been read more than 620,000 mes as of press me. Some 197 people were punished for spreading rumours about stock market fluctua ons and the Tianjin explosions "Star ng a pla orm where rumours could be quickly on social media in April 2015. Beijing police detained a quashed meets the ne zens' need for sound informa on 24-year-old ne zen surnamed Ding for saying "at least but also echoes President Xi Jinping's call for a be er 1,000 people were killed in the Tianjin blasts." Internet environment," Shen Yi, deputy director of the cyberspace management center of Fudan University, told But the pla orm can be run more effec vely in improving the Global Times. the cyber environment with the joint efforts of different departments, especially the Office of the Central Leading In a speech at a symposium in April, Xi suggested that Group for Cyberspace Affairs, said Shi. China must improve cyberspace management and work to ensure high quality content with posi ve voices to create The Beijing Office of Cyberspace Affairs likewise assists the a healthy, posi ve culture. pla orm, according to Sina. Xi said that the cyberspace should be imbued with posi ve energy and mainstream values to create a clean and righteous environment. As Tiananmen Anniversary Nears, According to Sina, Sina Weibo users' accounts will be suspended if they are found spreading rumours, and the June 4 Disappears from the China's police will handle these cases in accordance with laws and Web regula ons. rfa.org In June 2015, Chinese Internet police in 50 ci es and May 5, 2016 regions launched accounts on social networking pla orms China's Internet giant Baidu.com is blocking keyword to further combat cyber crimes. searches linked to the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Square According to the MPS, the cyber police teams are tasked protests as Beijing a empts to thro le discussion ahead to iden fy "illegal and harmful informa on on the the 27th anniversary of the bloody military crackdown on Internet, deter and prevent cyber crimes and improper the pro-democracy demonstra ons. words and deeds online, publish case reports and act on The move follows a period of rela ve freedom to search informa on provided by the public." for June 4-related "sensi ve words" in recent months. It "It is necessary for authori es to organise such a pla orm was not clear if the brief relaxa on of stringent censorship to deter malicious online rumours and remind ne zens was deliberate or accidental. that the Internet is not a pla orm for lawlessness," Xie Yongjiang, deputy director of the Ins tute of Internet
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 120 A keyword search for "June 4" in Chinese resulted in the But he said the a empt could backfire. following message on Thursday: "We are unable to show "The Global Times ... is bringing up 1989 ... because it is on you the relevant results, because the search term the side of con nuing repression by the Chinese contravenes relevant laws and regula ons." government," Wang said. "But this will have the effect of The an -censorship website GreatFire.org confirmed the li ing the taboo on discussion of such sensi ve words," he findings, repor ng that the keyword "June 4" in Chinese said. "It will bring such events and people more clearly was 100 percent blocked on Baidu, although it appeared into the spotlight." to be uncensored on the Twi er-like pla orm Sina Weibo. Economic analysis targeted Meanwhile, the tabloid Global Times newspaper, which China is also seeking to extend ideological controls to the has close es to the ruling Chinese Communist Party, realm of economic analysis and forecasts, according to a a acked recent repor ng in Western media outlets of the recent report in the Wall Street Journal. scheduled release of Miao Deshun, the last prisoner jailed The country's economists, analysts and business reporters in the wake of the 1989 democracy movement. are being ordered by securi es regulators, media censors Wrong side of history and other officials to bring their forecasts into line with "It is no cause for regret that Miao has spent the last 27 more upbeat statements from the government, the paper years in prison, where barely a note of his threnody for cited sources close to the industry as saying. democracy has been heard," the paper wrote in a Veteran financial journalist Ching Cheong said the a empt commentary in its Chinese edi on on Thursday. is part of a wider bid to get any form of public expression "How many people have been so sure of their opinions, so in China singing from the same hymn sheet, whether adamant that they were wri ng history, only to find that poli cally or economically. they were actually on the wrong side of it," the ar cle "In the past, it was just aimed at foreigners, people like reads. George Soros, but now they are extending that to cover "If you bet the wrong way, your life is worth less than a your average analyst," Ching said. "This shows that, under feather's weight," the ar cle warned, apparently the rule of Xi Jinping, they don't want to hear any cri cal sugges ng that the economic downturn is making voices." Western countries more amenable to Beijing's way of Economics professor Hu Xingdou of the Beijing University doing things. of Science and Technology said the move might not work, "There aren't many Western countries whose economies however. are doing well these days, and it seems that their financial "Everyone knows that the economy is a ma er of support for the so-called democracy movement in China is objec ve fact, and not something that can be used to sing tailing off," the ar cle said. "They may say encouraging the praises of China," Hu said. "Personally, I don't agree things, with the help of the Internet, which has just given with this, because trying to talk up the economy will put a fresh minority of people some new illusions." people on their guard.” Germany-based journalist Su Yutong said dissidents in exile s ll remember the sheer number of people who fled the country, o en at considerable personal risk, or who were jailed in the poli cal crackdown that followed the China Voice: No need to overreact to bloodshed. China's overseas NGO law "They were forced to leave their homeland, and many of Xinhua them con nue to support the human rights movement in May 4, 2016 China to this day," Su said."Personally, as an exile myself, I maintain close but very secret connec ons with people Some people appear to have misunderstood China's new inside China." law on overseas NGOs. He added: "How can they say we are on the wrong side of They seem to have failed to no ce anything beyond the history? They are talking about themselves." law's restric ve provisions. News flash: There are few laws that only forbid, and this is not one of them. Meanwhile, Beijing-based rights ac vist Wang Debang said the editorial represents the view of the ruling party When the new law takes effect in January, overseas NGOs on the 1989 student-led protests, which Beijing regards as will walk out of the shadow they have long stood in. Those a "counterrevolu onary rebellion." with solid reasons to operate in China will have a legal
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 121 iden ty, a clear code of conduct and protec on of their China trains 'fishing mili a' to sail rights and interests from the government and legal system. They will also be subject to supervision, just like into disputed waters thanhniennews.com their domes c counterparts are. Reuters One issue that drew much concern is the involvement of the police in the registra on and regula on processes. May 01, 2016 China is hardly the only country in the world to place trust The fishing fleet based in this ny port town on Hainan in law enforcement and, as lawmakers have repeatedly island is ge ng everything from military training and pointed out, the police have the resources and exper se subsidies to even fuel and ice as China creates an to deal with foreigners. Rather than this being the "hos le increasingly sophis cated fishing mili a to sail into the setup" espoused by certain par es, it is a pragma c disputed South China Sea. arrangement to ensure an efficient and professional The training and support includes exercises at sea and service. requests to fishermen to gather informa on on foreign The police have not been handed unrestricted power, and vessels, provincial government officials, regional diplomats systems will be in place to assure accountability and, and fishing company execu ves said in recent interviews. should they fail in their duty, suitable punishments. "The mari me mili a is expanding because of the When comparing previous dra s of the law, which went country's need for it, and because of the desire of the through three readings, it is clear that great effort has fishermen to engage in na onal service, protec ng our been made to develop a balanced and comprehensive law. country's interests," said an advisor to the Hainan government who did not want to be named. Gathering opinions from different par es including foreign NGOs that already operate in China, the top legislature But the fishing mili a also raises the risk of conflict with made notable changes through every reading. foreign navies in the strategic waterway through which $5 trillion of trade passes each year, diplomats and naval For instance, the adopted law removed a provision in the experts say. original dra that limited foreign NGO offices on the Chinese mainland to one, and deleted the five-year The United States has been conduc ng sea and air patrols opera onal limit on representa ve offices. Restric ons on near ar ficial islands China is building in the disputed staff and volunteers were also li ed. Spratlys archipelago, including by two B-52 strategic bombers in November. Washington said in February it The dra had required a permit for NGOs that wanted to would increase the "freedom of naviga on" sail-bys operate temporarily on the mainland. In the adopted law around the disputed sea. this has been changed to a compulsory report with the regulator 15 days before the program begins. Basic military training The Ministry of Public Security has promised to work out The city-level branches of the People's Armed Forces detailed protocols and publish this code of conduct as Department provide basic military training to fishermen, quickly as possible so that overseas NGOs will have said the Hainan government advisor. The branches are enough me to prepare for registra on. overseen by both the military and local Communist Party authori es in charge of mili a opera ons na onwide. China is s ll in the process of modernisa on, not only economically but also in governance. It is in its best The training encompasses search and rescue opera ons, interest to have a dynamic NGO sector, which features contending with disasters at sea, and "safeguarding both domes c and foreign en es. From educa on, Chinese sovereignty", said the advisor who focuses on the environmental protec on to poverty relief, NGOs have an South China Sea. important part to play. The training, which includes exercises at sea, takes place The law may not be perfect but it is a good beginning. It is between May and August and the government pays likely that problems may emerge as it is enforced but, with fishermen for par cipa ng, he said. the support and coopera on of NGOs, these problems can Government subsidies encourage fishermen to use be properly addressed. heavier vessels with steel - as opposed to wooden - hulls. The law was dra ed to give NGOs a more stable and The government has also provided Global Posi oning posi ve environment in which to work in China. It will be a Satellite equipment for at least 50,000 vessels, enabling mutually beneficial rela onship, be er than le ng the them to contact the Chinese Coast Guard in mari me good and bad mix into the grey.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 122 emergencies, including encounters with foreign ships, line of massive steel-hulled fishing trawlers stretches as far industry execu ves said. as the eye can see. Several Hainan fishermen and diplomats told Reuters "But China is strong now," he said. "I trust the government some vessels have small arms. to protect us." When "a par cular mission in safeguarding sovereignty", Chen Rishen, chairman of Hainan Jianghai Group Co. Ltd, comes up government authori es will coordinate with the says his private but state subsidised company dispatches fishing mili a, the advisor said, asking them to gather large fleets of steel-hulled trawlers weighing hundreds of informa on on the ac vi es of foreign vessels at sea. tons to fish near the Spratly Islands. They usually go for Row with Indonesia months at a me, primarily for commercial reasons, he said. That coordina on was evident in March, when Indonesia a empted to detain a Chinese fishing vessel for fishing "If some foreign fishing boats infringe on our territory and near its Natuna Islands in the South China Sea. A Chinese try to prevent us from fishing there ... Then we're put in coast guard vessel quickly intervened to prevent the the role of safeguarding sovereignty," he said in an Indonesian Navy from towing away the fishing boat, interview in Haikou, the provincial capital of Hainan. se ng off a diploma c row. Beijing does not claim the China does not use its fishing fleet to help establish Natunas but said the boats were in "tradi onal Chinese sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, foreign ministry fishing grounds". spokesman Lu Kang said: "This kind of situa on does not China claims almost all of the South China Sea. The exist." Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and Brunei also China had taken measures to ensure the fishing fleets have conflic ng claims over the islets and atolls that conduct business legally, he told a ministry press briefing cons tute the Spratly Archipelago and its rich fishing last month. grounds. Rules of engagement State-controlled fishing companies dominate the fleets Chen said his fishermen stop at Woody Island in the that go regularly to the Spratlys and are recipients of Paracel islands, where China recently installed surface-to- much of the mili a training and subsidies, industry air missiles, to refuel and communicate with Chinese sources said. Coast Guard vessels. China has by far the world's biggest fish industry, but They look forward to using similar facili es China is depleted fishery resources close to China's shores have developing in the Spratly Islands, he said. made fishing in disputed waters an economic necessity, China has been pouring sand from the seabed onto seven fishermen and industry execu ves say. reefs to create ar ficial islands in the Spratlys. So far, it has State-owned Hainan South China Sea Modern Fishery built one airstrip with two more under construc on on Group Company says on its website it is "both military and them, with re-fuelling and storage facili es. commercial, both soldiers and civilians". One of its aims, "This all points to the need for establishing agreed the company says, is to let the "Chinese flag fly" over the protocols for ensuring clear and effec ve communica ons Spratlys. between civilian and mari me law enforcement vessels of "Defending sovereignty is primarily the government's different countries opera ng in the area," said Michael concern," said Ye Ning, the company's general manager, in Va kio s, Asia Director of the Centre for Humanitarian an interview at his office in Haikou. "But of course, regular Dialogue, which is helping claimant states design such folks being able to fish in their own countries' waters confidence building measures. should be the norm. That goes for us too." A regional agreement on communica ons and procedures The company provides fishermen who sail to the Spratlys when rival navies meet at sea applies only to naval ships with fuel, water, and ice, and then purchases fish from and other military vessels, he said. them when they returned, according to a wri en introduc on to the company's work execu ves provided to Reuters. 'Lot more risky' "It's go en a lot more risky to do this with all kinds of foreign boats out there," said Huang Jing, a local fisherman in the sleepy port town of Baimajing, where a
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 123 News Analysis: Broader tax overhaul Authori es es mate that now VAT has been applied to all sectors, businesses will make savings of more than 500 to pep up China's economy billion yuan. Xinhua Besides, other links in the produc on chain will also May 1, 2016 benefit from the overhaul. The unified VAT system will Source: Xinhua | 2016-05-04 15:22:17 | Editor: huaxia create a fairer environment for businesses as the FUZHOU, May 1, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Guest Xie Ping shows his government seeks to tap growth momentum in the value-added tax (VAT) invoice offered by Fuzhou Hotel in rela vely underdeveloped service industry. Fuzhou, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province, May China's service sector is increasingly picking up the slack of 1, 2016. VAT refers to a tax levied on the difference manufacturing as the government tries to shi to a more between a commodity's price before taxes and its sustainable growth model. produc on cost. Business tax refers to a levy on a In the first quarter, the service sector grew 7.6 percent business's gross revenues. The VAT began in 2012 to year on year, outpacing a 2.9-percent increase in the replace business tax in certain industries, as a major step primary industry and 5.8 percent in the secondary in China's structural reform. Star ng from May 1 this year, industry. It accounted for 56.9 percent of the overall the replacement was extended to construc on, real economy, up 2 percentage points from a year earlier, estate, finance and consumer services to avoid double according to data from the Na onal Bureau of Sta s cs. taxa on. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan) The government is also looking to the broader reform to BEIJING, May 4 (Xinhua) -- As China waves goodbye to s mulate mass innova on and create an amicable climate business taxes (BT) with one hand, it is welcoming a fairer for private enterprises, which play a central role in job business environment with the other. crea on. As of May 1, China now follows a value-added tax (VAT) China's economy expanded 6.7 percent year on year in the system, which is set to pep up the broader economy. first quarter, slowing further from the previous quarter. Star ng on Sunday, the BT-to-VAT transi on, which began In the face of con nued economic headwinds, China has in 2012 in certain industries, was applied to the remaining made supply-side reform an economic priority, and tax four sectors -- construc on, real estate, finance and cuts to lower the cost of business are a major policy consumer services. op on. Construc on and real estate will be subject to 11 percent To cover the tax reduc ons for enterprises, the VAT, while a 6-percent levy will be imposed on finance and government has decided to increase its deficit-to- consumer services. GDP ra o to 3 percent this year from 2.3 percent last year. VAT is a tax calculated by the difference between a The government deficit for 2016 is projected to be 2.18 commodity's price before taxes and its produc on cost, trillion yuan, an increase of 560 billion yuan over last year. while BT was a levy on gross revenues. Tangible goods have been subject to VAT for some me, but the levy on services was BT: A crude system that o en results in double taxa on. The BT-to-VAT transi on has proven to reduce the tax burden of enterprises, most of which are small companies. During it test phase, it had reduced the tax burden of companies by 641.2 billion yuan (99 billion U.S. dollars) by the end of 2015. These newly-encompassed sectors had a combined BT scale of 1.9 trillion yuan, accoun ng for some 80 percent of all BT across the board and involving over 11,000 taxpayers, according to data from the State Administra on of Taxa on. By 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 1.36 million VAT invoices had been issued to 147,000 taxpayers across the country, involving 25.86 billion yuan.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 124 Li Yunfeng made his last public appearance on Wednesday Chinese Leadership last week when he presided over a conference on coastal & Anti Corruption development in the province, according to state media. Campaign China's Xi Faces Pushback on Economic Policy rfa.org May 31, 2016
Rising poli cal star, former top aide to China’s Vice-President Li Yuanchao, put under probe for corrup on scmp.com June 1, 2016 A rising poli cal star and the former right-hand man of Vice-President Li Yuanchao is under inves ga on for suspected serious viola ons of Communist Party discipline, a euphemism for corrup on. Chinese workers stand below a live video image of Chinese President Xi Jinping during the opening session of the Na onal People's Congress in The party’s gra watchdog, the Central Commission for Beijing, March 5, 2016. Discipline Inspec on, announced the inves ga on into AFP Jiangsu vice-governor Li Yunfeng in a statement on its As China's economy struggles, officials are turning website on Monday. increasingly to anonymous statements on policy Li Yunfeng, 59, was the director of the provincial party differences in a sign that poli cal tensions are rising while commi ee’s general office between 2003 and 2007, when economic growth falls. Li Yuanchao was Jiangsu’s party secretary. On May 9, the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) leading He was generally regarded as one of Li Yuanchao’s top paper People's Daily carried a lengthy front-page interview aides when the la er oversaw the province. with an unnamed "authorita ve person," outlining the government's policies on debt risks, economic pressures, The 59-year-old became an alternate member of the restructuring and reforms. party’s Central Commi ee during the 18th na onal congress in late 2012, when Li Yuanchao was the top In one of the most widely quoted excerpts, the official in charge of promo ng senior cadres. anonymous official warned that rising debt levels "can trigger a systemic financial crisis, cause nega ve economic Given his rela ve youth and good party ranking, Li Yunfeng growth and even eat up people's savings—and that's was widely considered a strong contender to be named fatal." Jiangsu’s governor in the next major personnel reshuffle in 2018. "Big s mulus will only result in bubbles, which is a must- learn lesson," said the authorita ve person in a transla on Li Yunfeng is the fourth “ ger”, or high-ranking official, to by Bloomberg News. fall from grace in Jiangsu in the past 2½ years. As Bloomberg noted, this was the third economic In October 2013, former Nanjing mayor Ji Jianye was the commentary by the uniden fied authority during first provincial-level official to go in the wake of the 18th President Xi Jinping's me in office with previous policy congress. Roughly a year later, Zhao Shaolin, who had pronouncements in January and last May. re red eight years earlier as secretary general of the provincial party commi ee, came under inves ga on. But the latest interview on economic policies may be more Nanjing party chief Yang Weize followed in early 2015. than one in an occasional series, since it follows an extraordinary open le er from unnamed "loyal party members" in March, calling for Xi's resigna on and ci ng
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 125 "considera on for your personal safety and that of your On April 29, a statement by the Politburo of the party's family." Central Commi ee also described "a good start to the The le er posted on the Canyu (Par cipa on) and Wujie year" following a mee ng chaired by Xi, according to the (Watching News) websites at the start of China's annual official Xinhua news agency. legisla ve sessions blasted Xi for his "excessive An anonymous persona? concentra on of power" and cri cized his economic It seems possible that Xi may have spoken through an program. anonymous persona to push back against official op mism Xi's direct involvement in policy development had led to a er the loan surge failed to produce quick results. But stock market instability and losses for "hundreds of there is also uncertainty about who the "authorita ve thousands of ordinary people," the cri cs charged. person" really is and what it means for poli cal conflict "Supply-side reforms" and produc on capacity cuts had over policy. forced layoffs at state-owned enterprises (SOEs), while his Some analysts shied away from a ribu ng the cri que to "belt and road" trade plans had reduced foreign exchange any single figure. reserves and brought the economy "to the verge of "It should be understood as a consensus view reached at collapse," they said. the senior level, rather than an individual point of view," Exposing cracks said Han Meng, a senior researcher at the Chinese Whether jus fied or not, the anonymous broadsides have Academy of Social Sciences Ins tute of Economics, quoted exposed cracks in the government's facade of unanimity by Bloomberg News. on economic policies as it ba les to keep growth from The mask of anonymity may keep Xi's detractors guessing further declines. about how much internal support he has for an economic While the secret CPC members blame Xi for weakening policy that may be slow to produce posi ve results. gross domes c product growth, which slipped to 6.7 "Pu ng it in the paper as from an authorita ve percent in the first quarter, the "authorita ve person" spokesman is an a empt to show that it isn't just Xi appears to be blaming Xi's underlings for issuing rosy speaking. It's the collec ve leadership of the party, giving assessments and running up debts a er first-quarter bank you the lowdown on what's what," said David Bachman, a lending jumped 25 percent. professor of interna onal studies at University of China's economic performance "cannot be described ... Washington in Sea le. (as) a 'good start'," the authority argued, ci ng a term A er the reference to "personal safety" by the "loyal party used repeatedly by officials and the state-controlled press. members," Xi may see the ambiguity of anonymity as The country's recovery will be L-shaped, or slow, "not U- preferable on several counts for some of his stronger shaped and absolutely not V-shaped," the person said, statements. adding that "it is neither possible nor necessary to force "The slowing of the economy is crea ng real tension," said economic growth by levering up." Bachman in an interview. "No one has a good answer for Analysts have been divided on whether the remarks what to do about it." reflect the collec ve views of top party and government "Xi has tried so hard to centralise decision making under officials or those of a single leader like Xi or Premier Li his auspices that he has become the obvious person to Keqiang. blame for whatever problems there might be, even "Yes, the 'authorita ve person' was Li," wrote South China though he's trying to deflect some of that back onto Li Morning Post commentator Shirley Yam, no ng the Keqiang and some of the others," he said. pointed denial that the first-quarter GDP was a "good Last week, The Wall Street Journal may have added to the start" to growth for the year. anonymous sniping over the economy with a report Yam called it "a resounding slap in the face" for Vice claiming that the People's Bank of China (PBOC) has Premier Zhang Gaoli who used the words in March to secretly abandoned a policy reform announced last August describe his expecta ons for the first quarter. for se ng daily exchange rates based on market forces. But the words were repeated in April by a spokesman for The report, based on minutes of PBOC mee ngs with the Na onal Development and Reform Commission unnamed economists and bankers, said the daily exchange (NDRC), the top economic planning agency, and used rate "is now back under ght government control." again in the official first-quarter press release from the On Friday, the PBOC posted a statement on its Weibo Na onal Bureau of Sta s cs (NBS). social media account, denying the report as "fabricated"
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 126 and misleading. A spokeswoman for The Wall Street Poli cs in the west are so drama c at the moment that Journal said the paper stood behind the story, Reuters China can look rela vely staid and stable by comparison. reported. But that impression is decep ve. Xi Jinping is taking his Shi ing into a higher gear country in radical and risky new direc ons. The anonymous back-and-forth may only be ge ng If the president’s new policies succeed, then the Xi era will started as the government prepares to shi its be remembered for the achievement of his o en-stated overcapacity-cu ng policy into a higher gear. goal of the “great rejuvena on” of the Chinese na on. But if Mr Xi’s experiments go wrong, then his legacy is likely to If the government follows through on Xi's plans to restrict be poli cal turmoil, economic stagna on and interna onal lending to deeply-indebted SOEs and "zombie companies," confronta on. job losses and loan defaults are likely to rise far above current levels. What Mr Xi has done is essen ally to abandon the formula that has driven China’s rise over the past 30 years. That So far, officials have downplayed the employment impacts formula was created by Deng Xiaoping, a er he came to and have only repeated forecasts of 1.8 million job cuts in power in late 1978, and then refined by his successors. It the coal and steel industries, although many other sectors consisted of three ingredients — poli cal, economic and are suffering with similar overcapacity. interna onal. On May 18, a mee ng of the cabinet-level State Council In economics, Deng and his successors emphasised chaired by Premier Li decided that 345 state-owned exports, investment and the quest for double-digit annual "zombie companies ... will be reorganised or le to the growth. In poli cs, China moved away from the market within three years," Xinhua said. charisma c and dictatorial model created by Mao Zedong The government has tried to minimise reac ons to plans and towards a collec ve leadership. And in foreign affairs, for factory shutdowns by talking in terms of "supply-side China adopted a modest and cau ous approach to the reforms." world that became colloquially known in the west as “hide But resistance from SOEs, local officials and the unnamed and bide”, a er Deng’s famous advice to his colleagues to party members is likely to rise as the reforms unfold, “hide your capaci es, bide your me”. par cularly if economic growth con nues to fall. Under Mr Xi, who assumed the leadership of the Chinese Xi appears to be bracing for more internal conflict. One Communist party towards the end of 2012, all three key week a er the anonymous interview, Xi called for ingredients of the Deng formula have changed. In poli cs, "unswerving efforts" from "local authori es and various China has moved back towards a model based around a departments" to advance supply-side reforms, according strongman leader — Mr Xi himself. In economics, the to Xinhua. years of double-digit growth are over and China is groping towards a new model, driven more by domes c On May 3, People's Daily also reprinted a speech that Xi consump on than exports. And in interna onal affairs, the gave in January at a plenary session of the corrup on- Xi era has seen a move away from hide and bide towards a figh ng Central Commission for Discipline Inspec on foreign policy that challenges US dominance of the Asia- (CCDI), warning against internal dissent. Pacific region. Xi said that "some officials have been forming cabals and The three big policy shi s have different origins. In cliques to covertly defy the CPC Central Commi ee's economics, the old model of growth based on exports, decisions and policies." They "risk compromising the high-rates of investment and low wages could not go on poli cal security of the Party and the country," he said. forever. The sheer size of the Chinese economy, combined with rising costs in China and slower growth in the west, made change inevitable. But the shi to a new model is perilous. In the a ermath of the 2008 financial crisis, Xi Jinping has changed China’s China launched an unsustainable splurge of credit and winning formula investment that could yet culminate in a financial crisis. .com Even if that unpleasant fate is avoided, China s ll has to May 30, 2016 get used to lower rates of growth. The party leadership The country’s most important policies have been used to encourage the idea that China had to grow at 8 overturned by its strongman leader per cent a year to maintain social and poli cal stability. But now growth of 6-7 per cent would be regarded as a good result.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 127 A healthy economy is crucial to internal stability. The Three Communist Party cadres Communist party s ll resolutely rejects any move towards democra c elec ons as unsuitable for China. Instead, the receive promo ons crucial to China’s country’s leaders have relied on rapid economic growth to power transi ons next year give the poli cal system a “performance legi macy”, scmp.com which party theorists have argued is far deeper than the May 28, 2016 mandate endowed by a democra c elec on. But a Three cadres with links to the top leadership are given faltering economy — or, worse, a financial crisis — could new roles in a move seen as a prelude to next year’s well undermine the party’s legi macy. Communist Party Na onal Congress When it comes to poli cs, in the post-Mao era the Communist party has sought a middle path between dictatorship and democracy. The idea was to embrace a collec ve style of government, with smooth transi ons of leadership managed by the party itself. Hu Jintao, Mr Xi’s colourless predecessor, epitomised this system. He never encouraged a cult of personality, served two terms in office, and then le power.
Mr Xi has broken with this model. He is now widely said to be the most powerful leader of China since Mao. A About 18 months away from the 19th Na onal Congress sycophan c official media is encouraged, literally, to sing of the Communist Party, three cadres with links to the top his praises. (The most noted di y is called “Uncle Xi Loves leadership recently received important promo ons, Mama Peng”, a saccharine reference to the president’s including two being named provincial governors. wife, Peng Liyuan.) At the same me, Mr Xi has launched a crackdown on corrup on that has resulted in hundreds of The appointments were crucial to next year’s power thousands of convic ons, terrifying much of China’s transi on, midway through the present term of President business and poli cal elite. The result is fevered Xi Jinping (習近平 ) and Premier Li Keqiang (李克強 ), and specula on in Beijing — including rumours of purges, the appointees all stood a good chance of being promoted a empted coups and assassina on a empts. Many further during the party congress, said Chen Daoyin, an pundits believe that Mr Xi is now determined to serve associate professor at Shanghai University of Poli cal more than two terms in office — a development that Science and Law. would overturn the model of collec ve leadership. “The year before Xi’s second term [as party general At the same me as economic and poli cal tensions secretary] starts is crucial for cadres’ appointments and within China have risen under Mr Xi, so the country’s could be seen as a prelude for next year’s reshuffle,” he foreign policy has become more na onalis c and more said. “The appointments would look too rushed if they willing to risk confronta on with the west and with China’s were made next year.” Asian neighbours. Beijing’s increasingly tough asser on of To the surprise of some, Lin Duo, considered a protege of its territorial and mari me claims, epitomised by its the party’s an corrup on chief Wang Qishan, was “island-building” in the South China Sea, has led to stand- appointed governor of Gansu (⽢肅 ) province in April. The offs with the US and Japanese navies. These near-clashes appointment of Lin, 60, was unusual as he has never may serve a poli cal purpose. In harder economic mes, worked in the western province, nor has he been a the Communist party may need new sources of legi macy, governor of any province. Lin’s appointment, which made and confronta on with Japan and the US at sea is liable to him a provincial cadre, effec vely postponed his s r patrio c support for the government. re rement for five years un l 2021. The key to the Deng formula that created modern China Lin was Wang’s subordinate during his four-year s nt in was the primacy of economics. Domes c poli cs and the Beijing city government. Lin again reported to Wang in foreign policy were constructed to create the perfect 2014, when Lin oversaw the provincial an corrup on environment for a Chinese economic miracle. With Mr Xi, body of Liaoning (遼寧 ) province. however, poli cal and foreign policy impera ves Wang has been head of the Central Commission for frequently appear to trump economics. That change in Discipline Inspec on, the party’s top an corrup on body, formula looks risky for both China and the world. since 2012.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 128 The previous governor of Gansu, Liu Weiping, is s ll two ‘It was a grave mistake’: tearful years shy of re rement for his level and was named deputy principal of the University of the Chinese Academy former top gra -buster admits of Sciences, a posi on with very limited poli cal power. taking 140 million yuan in bribes scmp.com Meanwhile, Hu Heping, 54, was also promoted in April as governor of Xi’s home province of Shaanxi (陝⻄ ), his third May 26, 2016 new posi on in 21/2 years. The appointment makes Hu, In a tearful court apology, the former top gra -buster of with a doctorate of civil engineering from the University of Guangdong province has admi ed to taking more than Tokyo, the country’s second youngest provincial governor. 140 million yuan (HK$166 million) in bribes. Hu’s career in Shaanxi started as late as last April, a year “I’ve made a mistake. It’s a grave mistake. I’ve also and a half a er he entered poli cs. For more than 10 commi ed crime, which is serious,” Zhu Mingguo, his years, Hu was a Tsinghua University colleague of Chen Xi, voice choked with sobs, told the Liuzhou Intermediate who is now the first ranking deputy director of the People’s Court in Guangxi province yesterday. Communist Party’s powerful organisa on department, Zhu, 59, pled guilty to abusing his posi on to reap which oversees cadres’ appointments at vice-ministerial financial gain, being unable to account for some of his level or above. Chen was Xi’s classmate and roommate at assets, and viola ng the family-planning policy. college. Reports said Zhu had raised a son and a daughter with his Xi’s former subordinate, Wang Xiaohong, now Beijing’s ex-wife. It is unclear how many children he had with his police chief, was appointed deputy public security minister current wife. earlier this month. Wang was Xi’s former subordinate during the president’s en re s nt in Fujian (福 “Referring to the trial by judicial system and the legal 建 ) province. Wang, 57, began his career in Fujian, where punishment given to me, I’ve no complaint at all,” he says he remained un l August 2013. in a video published by China News Service. “I earnestly and sincerely plead guilty and show my repentance, with During that me, Wang held various posi ons such as no inten on to appeal.” director of the Minhou county public security bureau and director of the Fuzhou (福州 ) public security bureau. He Zhu has not appeared in public since his deten on in later became 2014. Apart from the 141 million yuan in bribes, he could not account for some 90 million yuan in assets. the police chief of Xiamen (廈⾨ ) before moving to In the video, Zhu takes off his glasses, steps back and bows Henan (河南 ) province. He was appointed city police chief before the camera, saying that he wants to express his of Beijing last March. deep apology to the Communist Party, the state and his The Ministry of Public Security has seen major personnel compatriots. movements since Xi came to power. Four of the seven Zhu was regarded as a protégé of Wang Yang, the former deputy ministers have been appointed since 2012. party boss of Guangdong. They worked together in “Whoever holds power will trust those with common Chongqing between 2002 and 2006 and in Guangdong experience,” Chen said. “The Ministry of Public Security is from 2007 to 2013. responsible for poli cal safety and its absolute loyalty must be guaranteed.” Wang is a vice-premier and a member of the party’s decision-making Politburo. The ministry was once heavily influenced by Zhou With Wang’s blessing, Zhu managed to peacefully se le Yongkang (周永康 ), the party’s former security tsar and massive an -corrup on protests in Wukan township in Xi’s poli cal foe. Zhou was jailed for corrup on and abuse of power last year. 2011, which won him poli cal credit. Zhu was deputy party secretary and the chief of the The 19th party congress, which will see a major power - poli cal and legal commi ee in Guangdong before he was reshuffle at the the top of the party, is scheduled for promoted to chairman of the provincial poli cal advisory autumn next year. Five of the seven members of the body in early 2013. Politburo Standing Commi ee, the party’s top decision- making body, will reach re rement age. The trial ended yesterday and a verdict has yet to be delivered.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 129 China's 'feud' over economic reform China’s economy stabilised in the first quarter of this year as a record 4.6 trillion yuan (£477.3bn) of credit was reveals depth of Xi Jinping's secret released, leading some to ques on Beijing’s state commitment to structural reforms. theguardian.com China watchers have been le bamboozled at the May 26, 2016 mys fying way in which top-level policy making debates Specula on is rife that Xi wants to curb debt-fuelled have played out in the pages of the party newspaper. growth before it destroys the economy and oust premier Some read the ar cles as a sign rela ons between Xi and Li Keqiang. But experts suggest a more complex picture of Li are breaking down and predict the la er could be leaders scrambling to fix the same problem replaced next year by the president’s current an - corrup on tsar Wang Qishan. It was hardly a headline to set the pulse racing. As evidence they point to the widespread suspicion that “Analysing economic trends according to the situa on in the first People’s Daily ar cle was the work of Liu He, a the first quarter: authorita ve insider talks about the state Harvard-educated economist who went to school with Xi of China’s economy,” read the front page of the during the 1960s and is now one of his closest advisers. Communist party’s official mouthpiece on the morning of Monday 9 May. Others believe the ar cles suggest major policy changes are imminent or are designed to remind provincial officials Yet this headline – and the accompanying 6,000-word that a massive new s mulus campaign – similar to that ar cle a acking debt-fuelled growth – has sparked weeks seen during the global financial crisis in 2009 – is off the of specula on over an alleged poli cal feud at the menu. pinnacle of Chinese poli cs between the president, Xi Jinping, and the prime minister, Li Keqiang, the supposed “The very fact that this gets played out in the People’s steward of the Chinese economy. Daily leaves us all thinking, ‘What is going on?’” said Fraser Howie, the co-author of Red Capitalism: the fragile “The recent People’s Daily interview … not only exposes a financial founda on of China’s extraordinary rise. deep ri between [Xi and Li] … it also shows the power struggle has got so bi er that the president had to resort “Yes, it’s indica ve of something – but like so much in to the media to push his agenda,” one commentator China we are not exactly sure what it is indica ve of.” said in the South China Morning Post. Bill Bishop, the publisher of Sinocism, a newsle er about “Clear divisions have emerged within the Chinese China’s poli cs and economy, admi ed he was also leadership,” wrote Nikkei’s Harada Issaku, claiming the struggling to untangle the “crazy specula on”. “We all two camps were “locking horns” over whether to priori se have to start exercising our atrophied Pekingology muscles economic stability or structural reforms. to figure out what is really going on.” The 9 May ar cle – penned by an unnamed yet Bishop said one plausible scenario was that Li would be supposedly “authorita ve” scribe – warned excessive sidelined from economic affairs at next year’s 19th credit growth could plunge China into financial turmoil, Communist party congress and replaced by Wang Qishan even wiping out the savings of the ordinary ci zens. in a bid to advance painful but necessary economic reforms. As if to hammer that point home, a second, even longer ar cle followed 24 hours later – this me a speech by Xi “From the perspec ve of reform, Wang has got a great Jinping – in which the president laid out his vision for the reputa on and in many ways would be much more Chinese economy and what he called supply-side effec ve within the bureaucracy. Certainly people are structural reform. afraid of him.” “Taken together, the ar cles signal that Xi has decided to During a tour of China’s northeastern rust belt this week, take the driver’s seat to steer China’s economy at a me Xi reaffirmed his commitment to reforms. “If we hesitate when there are intense internal debates among officials in making decisions and do things halfway, we will lose over its overall direc on,” Wang Xiangwei argued in the this rare opportunity,” he said, according to China’s official South China Morning Post. Like many observers, he news agency. described the front page interview as a “repudia on” of Li Howie said he saw the ba les over economic policy less as Keqiang-backed efforts to prop up economic growth by a boxing match, in which red and blue teams traded turning on the credit taps. punches, and more as a raging forest fire where police officers and fire fighters were tripping over each other as
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 130 they tried different techniques to ex nguish the flames of enforcement,” Kate Yin, the main author of the report and a rapidly fading economy. a partner at mainland law firm Fangda Partners, said “There is this mismatch of endeavours. They all yesterday. understand they need to solve the problem. I just don’t “We are likely to see a new de of an -commercial- think they fully appreciate the coordina on that is needed bribery inves ga ons next year once the amendment to to solve it,” the financial markets expert said. the An -Unfair Compe on Law is passed. A burst of law- Howie said Li could not have been thrilled about having enforcement measures usually follows a newly amended his policies rubbished so publicly by the president’s team. law.” “Clearly… [Xi] is saying: ‘What’s gone before isn’t working. The “China An -Commercial Bribery Blue Paper” was We can’t con nue to do it.’ This is hardly rousing support jointly released by the China Ins tute of Corporate Legal for Li Keqiang and what has gone before.” Affairs and Fangda Partners, and based on a survey of 277 But he rejected the idea that a Tony Blair-Gordon Brown- companies on the mainland in March and April. style feud was playing out between China’s two most China released a dra of the amended law, which covers powerful men. “I don’t believe it is that vitriolic or open or business-related bribery, for public feedback in February. conten ous,” he said. The present law came into force in 1993 and is widely Bishop said he also believed there was more consensus seen as not keeping pace with changes in the market. over the economy than many outside observers admi ed. The dra s pulates that commercial bribery applies not “The idea that the leadership doesn’t understand how bad only to sales and purchasing but also to gaining a the problems are and that foreign experts have a much compe ve edge. It can also apply if the bribes are - be er idea of what is going on in the Chinese system I channelled through a third party or an agent. think are hogwash. I think they are very clear how bad it Some analysts expect the changes to go through this year is.” because of enthusiasm for it among policymakers. Whatever the truth, the saga has underlined how under Mainland authori es have pursued several high-profile Xi, a centralising strongman president dubbed the bribery cases against companies in recent years. In 2014, a “Chairman of Everything”, China’s already intensely mainland court fined Bri sh pharmaceu cal firm secre ve poli cal system has become even more opaque. GlaxoSmithKline a record 3 billion yuan (HK$3.57 billion) “The fact that we are even specula ng about this is quite for bribery. remarkable because frankly nobody has any idea,” said The joint report said industries at highest risk of bribery Bishop. “And I guarantee you that most people at the top were the pharmaceu cal and health care, fast-moving level of Chinese government probably have no idea what consumer goods, real estate and construc on, and finance is going to happen.” and investment sectors. But the number of commercial bribery inves ga ons ini ated by the State Administra on for Industry and Commerce dropped sharply last year, partly due to China expected to intensify probes ins tu onal overhauls. into commercial bribery next year: The SAIC recorded a combined 7,507 inves ga ons in report 2014 and 2013, but just 669 in the first half of last year, scmp.com according to administra on figures. May 25, 2016 Some local parts of the SAIC – one of the key bodies responsible for ensuring fair compe on – are being New de of inves ga ons likely a er impending change to merged with food, drug and quality inspec on watchdogs law against unfair compe on as part of government reforms. In some regions, branches Inves ga ons into commercial bribery are pped to surge at the city and county level are repor ng to local on the mainland once a change to its law against unfair governments, rather than to provincial administra ons, in compe on kicks in and market supervisors are freed up a push for greater coopera on. from overseeing ins tu onal reforms, according to a joint About 22 per cent of the firms that took part in the survey report. were state-owned enterprises, one in four were private “China is strengthening its an -commercial-bribery businesses, and 53 per cent were mul na onal companies measures with improved legisla on and strengthened law or joint ventures.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 131 Yin said that many of the respondents said they were not or social progress in any sense,” it read. “We won’t and prepared for surprise visits by inspectors. “Dawn raids ... will never allow a mistake like the ‘cultural revolu on’ to are increasingly common in an -commercial bribery happen again.” inves ga ons as a quick and effec ve measure,” she said. The party had braced itself for cri cal recollec ons from “But only 30 per cent of respondents said they had a intellectuals and others hurt in the movement, but relevant crisis management mechanism [to deal with appeared unprepared for the wave of revulsion triggered them].” by a lavish celebra on of the cultural revolu on held in Some companies destroyed documents, lied or even Beijing earlier this month. fought with government officials during such raids, leading The revolu on, in addi on to depriving a genera on of an to higher compliance costs, the report said. educa on, indirectly put China on the path towards The mul na onal firms surveyed said about 40 per cent of today’s status as one of the world’s most vibrant inves ga ons they were subject to began with a dawn economies. Paramount leader Deng Xiaoping adopted raid, a figure that rose to more than half in the market reforms a few years later to restore the economy pharmaceu cal and health care industry. and the credibility of the party. Though most of the respondents said they welcomed But as China has developed, so too has an element of tougher ac on against business-related bribery, about 6 na onalism that draws on Mao’s ideology of Communist per cent said the measures would have a nega ve effect equality to cri cise widening class differences today. That on their business. helps foster current president Xi Jinping’s vision of a They said they would have higher exposure to stronger China interna onally and a stronger Communist inves ga ons and fines, fewer business opportuni es, and party at home. less chance to meet business targets, indica ng that A gala held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing earlier bribery was s ll a means for some businesses to seal deals this month celebrated that version of history with cultural in the world’s second-largest economy. revolu on-themed singing and slogans, including “people of the world unite to destroy American imperialism!”. A er word leaked out on social media, the sponsors quickly claimed they had been duped by an China declares cultural revolu on a “unauthorised” event organiser while censors raced to ‘total mistake’ delete all per nent posts. Financial Times “We must firmly keep in mind the historic lessons we May 17, 2016 learnt from ‘cultural revolu on’, firmly adhere to the party’s poli cal conclusions on the cultural revolu on, and Fi y years on from the Great Proletarian Cultural resolutely prevent and combat the interference from the Revolu on, which unleashed a decade of violence across ‘le ’ and the right concerning cultural revolu on issues,” the country and caused more than 1m deaths, China has the People’s Daily concluded. reminded ci zens it was a “total mistake”. “History has proven that the cultural revolu on was a During Mao Zedong’s cultural revolu on, which he saw as complete mistake, it is not and could never be a revolu on a path towards absolute power, as many as 36m people or social progress in any sense” were persecuted and up to 1.5m were killed. At its vanguard were millions of young “red guards” who - Editorial in the People’s Daily a acked the country’s ins tu ons, including the party, and worshipped Mao as his personality cult took root. Mao, who died in 1976, has since been judged “70 per cent correct and 30 per cent wrong”. China Silence on Mao’s ’Catastrophe’ An editorial in Tuesday’s People’s Daily, mouthpiece for Role Fuels Revival Fear the Communist Party, revived the party’s original harsh Bloomberg verdict on the anniversary of the revolu on as it sought to May 16, 2016 quell a wave of le ist nostalgia for a ruinous decade that China’s Communist Party has a deep apprecia on for its nearly tore the Communist party apart. anniversaries. The 50th anniversary of the Cultural “History has proven that the cultural revolu on was a Revolu on is one they’d rather not talk about. complete mistake, it is not and could never be a revolu on
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 132 Monday marked five decades since Mao Zedong launched an edict from propaganda authori es to limit men ons of China into one of its most chao c and destruc ve periods, the Mao era to one ar cle per issue, the editor said. a campaign to remake society that pi ed children against Invoking Mao parents and turned friends to foes. While the party Since Xi came to power, he and the party have walked a officially considers the 1966-76 movement "10 years of fine line in invoking certain aspects of Maoism, including catastrophe," reflec ons on its extremes and why it centralising power, promo ng the leader as a hero of the happened remain censored from public discussion. masses and enforcing ideological controls in art and In a rare commentary published Tuesday, the party’s literature. Amid a sweeping an -gra campaign that flagship People’s Daily newspaper called the Cultural exposed corrup on at high levels, Xi has pressed for a Revolu on a "complete mistake in theory and prac ce" return to the ideological focus of Communism, while party that won’t repeat. The 1,400-word piece reaffirmed past officials have sought to elevate him as the party’s "core" rulings on the movement without expanding on Mao’s leader. role or the poli cal founda on that allowed the In February, when Beijing-based property tycoon Ren movement to spin out of control. Zhiqiang ques oned Xi’s demand for the media’s absolute The statement comes amid growing nostalgia for the loyalty to the party, he was a acked in state media as an Cultural Revolu on and the re-emergence of some tac cs an -party, capitalist traitor and a bourgeois liberal, associated with it. President Xi Jinping, whose language that reminded many of the insults hurled by revolu onary father was purged by Mao, has overseen a mobs during the Cultural Revolu on. renewed an -Western na onalism, increased the use of The events raise concerns about whether China might turn public confessions and cra ed a budding personality cult. away from "opening" policy launched under Deng ‘Never Se led’ Xiaoping more than 35 years ago and con nue building “The issue of the Culture Revolu on has never been greater rule of law and a modern economic society. By se led,” said Zhang Qianfan, a professor of law and public some es mates the Cultural Revolu on le more than 1 affairs at Peking University, who compared the period to a million people dead and many more trauma sed as frozen tumour that could spread if allowed to thaw. students beat teachers, children denounced parents, “Without fully accoun ng for that tragic episode, the schools shut and thousands of ancient monuments and country can never come to terms with its past and will cultural relics were destroyed. Xi himself was "sent down" always live in lingering uncertainty: would the similar to the countryside during the period, like millions of young tragedy come back again, in some other forms?” people, to learn from peasants. On May 8, a group of Mao supporters in Shaanxi, Xi’s No Repeat home province, organised a symposium to mark the start "We will not repeat and will absolutely not allow a repeat of the campaign, raising a banner that read, “Long Live the of mistake like ‘Cultural Revolu on,’" the People’s Daily Great Proletariat Culture Revolu on.” said Tuesday, urging the party to " ghtly gather" around Xi Girl Band to complete China’s rise. A week earlier, the Great Hall of People, a venue usually Unlike most announcements intended to have a big reserved for senior leaders’ ac vi es, hosted a concert by impact such as the May 16 Circular that fired Mao’s first an all-girl band paying tribute to both Mao and Xi, opening shot in the Cultural Revolu on 50 years ago, the with the movement’s signature song, "Sailing the Seas commentary was published on the newspaper’s fourth Depends on the Helmsman." The venue was decorated page, not its first. The piece hewed closely to the party’s with red banners with slogans like: "People of the world, official 1981 verdict on the movement, as well as Xi’s own unite and defeat the U.S. aggressors and all their running statements on it, that the first three decades of the dogs." People’s Republic of China shouldn’t be used to "negate" Meanwhile, the run-up to the Monday anniversary passed its next three decades, and vice versa. with virtually no cri cal comment in the state-controlled "The commentary reminds us of the fragility of the media. A progressive poli cal magazine, Yanhuang legi macy of the PRC," said Joseph Fewsmith, a poli cal Chunqiu, canceled plans for a special Cultural Revolu on science professor at Boston University who studies China’s issue this month under pressure from propaganda elite poli cs. "Xi Jinping has been trying hard to say the authori es, according to one editor at the publica on. The Maoist period was, overall, good, but the Cultural magazine had last month pressed its luck by publishing six Revolu on should nevertheless be ’totally negated.’ It is pieces by prominent authors on the subject in viola on of difficult to make that case."
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 133 ‘Residual Impact’ Wang Rongfen: When the Cultural Revolu on started, a The movement was used by Mao to reassert his authority month a er the May 16 direc ve [published on the front over real and perceived rivals such as Deng a er the failed page of the People's Daily], we were asked to offer economic policies of the Great Leap Forward and didn’t sugges ons to our leaders. I was class captain at the me, end un l Mao’s death in September 1976. The party’s so it fell to me to send the sugges ons and to write 1981 ruling, which was released under Deng, concluded the big-character posters about what we felt wasn't right that, while Mao made mistake in ini a ng the Cultural at the me,mostly with the quality of our teaching and Revolu on, it was "exploited" by a "Gang of Four" radicals that sort of thing. But a delega on from the foreign led by his wife, Jiang Qing, who were later convicted for ministry came to our university a few days later and their roles. students like me were singled out for poli cal study sessions, as counterrevolu onaries. So I went from The lack of official or public discussion about the period being a student invited to offer my sugges ons to the could facilitate a twisted historical outlook without a Communist Party to somebody who was reviled as a thorough repudia on of Mao, according to Zhang Lifan, a bookworm with no interest in poli cs. Basically, anyone Beijing-based historian whose father was persecuted in who got good grades and whose poli cal pedigree wasn't the Cultural Revolu on a er being a vice minister. A ideal was in trouble. The Cultural Revolu on had arrived. widening wealth gap, inequality and corrup on are Later on, the delega on, which had been sent by [then providing some ground for neo-Maoist ideas, especially president Liu Shaoqi], dispersed, apparently caught up in among disadvantaged people who feel le out by all the power struggles that rocked the party at the me. economic reforms, he said. RFA: What was your mo va on as a mere college “The residual impact s ll poisons the country,” Zhang Lifan student, to write to Mao Zedong? said. “Especially some of its key ingredients, such as randomness and capriciousness in the use of power and Wang Rongfen: Some reports said I was on the podium poli cal violence in crushing opposi on.” when Mao Zedong rallied the Red Guards on Tiananmen Square on Aug. 18, 2016, but that's rubbish. I was sent to Tiananmen Square as a student delegate to represent the Beijing Foreign Languages Ins tute, just around the me Interview: 'Dear Chairman Mao, that the foreign ministry delega on le campus. By then,everything had been turned on its head, and people Please Think About What You Are like me who'd been struggled against [by Liu Shaoqi's Doing’ fac on] were the heroes of the hour. So I was brought in rfa.org to make up the numbers, by a strange twist of fate. May 16, 2016 RFA: So you were able, at the me you wrote that le er, to see just how disastrously wrong Mao was? In September 1966, four months a er late supreme leader Mao Zedong unleashed the Great Proletarian Cultural Wang Rongfen: To start with, everyone there was full of Revolu on (1966-1976) on China, plunging the na on into warmth and tears of gra tude for our great leader, a decade of poli cal violence and social turmoil, a foreign because he was the one who had changed our status from language university student named Wang Rongfen wrote counterrevolu onary students to progressive intellectuals. him a le er. "Dear Chairman Mao Zedong," the le er said. But the struggle sessions con nued, on the streets, in the "The Cultural Revolu on is no mass movement. It consists college campuses. People would disappear in the blink of of a single man holding a gun to the heads of the an eye, their lives obliterated like ants. They would beat people."Before announcing her resigna on -- them with clubs, poles, drive belts with nails a ached into almost unthinkable in the China of the day -- from the their flesh. Communist Party's youth league, Wang urged Mao: "As a RFA: How did you find the courage, the anger, to do what member of the Communist Party, please think about what you did? I mean, you were just a student of German, you are doing." Wang, then a final-year student of German right? at what is now the Beijing Foreign Studies University Wang Rongfen: Actually that was rather relevant, because (BFSU), was jailed for life for her audacity. Now re red and back then, we had no diploma c es with West Germany. living in Germany, she spoke to RFA's Mandarin Service All of our foreign teachers were from East Germany. But about her experiences, 50 years a er the we put on a play, Professor Mamlock, which was about the Cultural Revolu on began: Nazi persecu on of the Jews. And yet the things we RFA: So how did you come to write that le er to Mao? saw happen before our very eyes were far, far worse than
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 134 the things we saw in the play, where all they did was put a about to die, and that it couldn't go on. It took an eternity guy on train and take him away to a concentra on camp, to get them off me because the steel was embedded in my or wherever, we didn't know. We would see people flesh, which was growing around it. They took my flesh off paraded on the streets, bere of all dignity, their with it, and when they threw it in the fire, it made heads stuck all over with used toilet paper and excrement. a hissing sound like a barbecue. That was my own flesh RFA: So what happened when you sent the le er? and my own blood cooking there. Wang Rongfen: I wrote four le ers to Mao Zedong, all of RFA: How did you manage to eat, go to the toilet? them saying the same thing, as a formal sugges on made Wang Rongfen: What toilet? When we ate, we were on to a party leader. Then I said goodbye to my mother, to the floor like beasts, and they didn't have toilets. When the foreign ministry and to my college, and I went to a my period came it just went into my trousers. You'd have night- me pharmacy on Wangfujing and bought a thought that when Mao died, they'd let up a bit, but small bo le of the insec cide Dichlorvos, which was pre y actually the killing was at its worst in the strong, and hid it in my pocket. From there I went to immediate a ermath of Mao's death. Anyone who so Tiananmen Square, and then to the Soviet Embassy in much as smiled, or suggested ea ng something was Dongzhimenwai. Just before I got to the embassy, I drank treated as a criminal on the day he died, as if they were the whole thing down in a few glugs. Then I passed out. celebra ng his death. They treated livestock be er RFA: Didn't you want to wait for a response? than they treated us. Wang Rongfen: I knew there wouldn't be a reply. I knew RFA: How long were you in there for? from that me on Aug. 18, 1966, when (Mao) appeared Wang Rongfen: Nearly three years. Two women came before the Red Guards. I'd seen through him, and I was in from Beijing, out of the blue, and read out a judgement, u er despair for my country. Otherwise I would never which declared that I was not guilty. I was released that have wri en that le er. same day. I had no idea what was happening. I was RFA: What did you see when you regained pronounced not guilty and released on March 11, 1979. I consciousness? had been locked up for 12 and a half years. My mother came to pick me up. Then the two women went off to Wang Rongfen: I was surrounded by police officers in a other prisons, rehabilita ng people as they went. The police-run hospital. I had been out for a day and two Beijing Intermediate People's Court was pre y busy in nights, and I'd been arrested. I was locked up in the jail on those day. I later learned that this was the work of Deng Gongdelin Street. When I arrived, they strip-searched me Xiaoping and Hu Yaobang, who were overturning these and tried to have me sign something admi ng that I was miscarriages of jus ce. They started with the bigger cases, the counterrevolu onary, traitor and enemy of the people which was anyone who had been sentenced to more than Wang Rongfen. I refused. I told them to get me a pen 20 years. and paper and I'd write a big-character poster denouncing them. Then they locked me up in my cell. Actually, I Ling is among the most high-profile party targets of an wouldn't have lived long on the outside. ongoing an -corrup on campaign that has ensnared more than 100,000 officials since Xi came to power. Party RFA: Were you mistreated in jail? members have ed Ling to Zhou, former top General Xu Wang Rongfen: Actually, the prison guards were very Caihou and former Chongqing party secretary Bo Xilai as civilized, and the manacles we had to wear weren't too making up a "New Gang of Four," even though the links bad in Beijing. They were imported from the Soviet Union, between them aren’t clear. Xu and Bo were also charged and they were called wolf's teeth manacles. The more you with corrup on. fought against them, the ghter they bit into your U.S. nego a ons flesh. But it s ll wasn't too bad. In January, Xi warned top gra -busters that some officials RFA: So, you were sentenced in 1976? were "forming cabals and cliques to covertly defy" the Wang Rongfen: A er I was sentenced to life imprisonment leadership and that such groups risked "compromising the in 1976, I was taken to a labor camp. When I was poli cal security of the party and the country," according transferred to Shanxi, they didn't beat me up or yell at me, to a transcript of the remarks first published on May 3. and I had smaller manacles, which bit into my flesh and Ling’s prosecu on could reverberate in the U.S., where his had a huge lock a ached to them. Three hours later, I was youngest brother, Ling Wancheng, has been living. In taken ill, because they stopped me from standing up, and January, Chinese an -gra authori es acknowledged for my heart gave out. They s ll didn't take the manacles off un l they took me to a prison doctor, who said I was
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 135 the first they were "inves ga ng the case and nego a ng paraplegic a er falling from a four-storey building while with the U.S." about the younger Ling. being interrogated by Red Guards. Li Xiaolin, a Beijing-based lawyer who has defended senior Current leader Xi Jinping's older sister died in the officials and their families, said the verdict in Ling Jihua’s mayhem. His father, a war- me hero, was subject to public case would depend on the amount of money involved, as humilia on, struggle sessions and repeated bea ngs. And well as the par cular secrets taken and who ended up Xi himself, then a teenager, was paraded in the streets as with them. an enemy of the revolu on, berated by his own mother, "The state secrets Ling could have leaked could be more and almost thrown in prison for being the offspring of than any one else could possibly have, and it’s also a bourgeoisie party elite. He was famously sent down to a serious problem that his brother is in the U.S.," Li said. rural backwater in Shaanxi province – his old cave dwelling "Based on the charges, he’s likely to receive serious now a popular tourist a rac on. punishment and could face the death penalty if "I always had a stubborn streak and wouldn't put up with convicted." being bullied," Mr. Xi recalled in an interview in 2000. "I riled the radicals, and they blamed me for everything that went wrong." In the context of 2012, with convulsive poli cal tumult China's Great Leap Backwards: Xi shrouding an imminent once-in-a-decade leadership Jinping and the cult of Mao transi on, Wen Jiabao's words into his final news smh.com.au conference as premier represented an elegant yet excoria ng final nail in the coffin for Bo Xilai, whose brand May 15, 2016 of neo-Maoist "red nostalgia" whipped Chongqing into Beijing: Today marks the 50th anniversary of the start of na onalis c fervour –and manoeuvred himself into the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolu on. From what posi on as a pretender to the throne. The Communist would become known as the "May 16 no fica on", Party machine instead backed Xi Jinping Chairman Mao plunged China into a decade of brutality and Bo Xilai was swi ly sacked, charged with corrup on, and upheaval in the name of purging bourgeoisie and and eventually jailed for life. tradi onal cultural elements and consolida ng Mao Pausing frequently for effect and with his voice quivering Zedong Thought as the dominant ideology. with emo on, the grandfatherly figure Wen warned Tens of millions iden fied as "righ sts" or class enemies urgent poli cal reforms within the Communist Party were were subjected to violent struggle sessions, systema c paramount in order for both China's economy and society harassment, abuse and forfeiture of property. to con nue to modernise and open up. As many as 1.5 million were killed or driven to suicide, Failure to do so, he said, would mean "the new problems unable to withstand the torture. Tens of millions were that have popped up in China's society will not be uprooted and sent down to the countryside. Some 200 fundamentally resolved". million were le malnourished as the economy collapsed. "And such historical tragedies as the Cultural Revolu on may happen again." While Wen Jiabao's final address at the 2012 Na onal People's Congress repudiated Bo's legacy and foreshadowed his poli cal execu on, it was also nged with apology and regret. The Wen and Hu Jintao era had by then already been widely dismissed as the "lost decade", with both men lacking the necessary personal clout to either curb ins tu onalised corrup on or push through necessary reforms to put the economy on a more sustainable
"It does harken back to Mao, this personality cult": souvenir plates bearing foo ng. images of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mao Zedong at a shop near Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Photo: AP "I feel truly sorry," he said. "Due to incompetent abili es The legacy of one of China's darkest decades has bled and ins tu onal and other factors, there is s ll much through subsequent genera ons of Communist Party room for improvement in my work." leadership. Deng Xiaoping's son, Deng Pufang, was le
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 136 The message, implicitly, was for Xi to push on where he The early hope from more liberal elements within the had fallen short. Communist Party was that Xi would display a greater Before his eleva on into power, the expecta on was that reformist bent a er taking necessary steps to consolidate Xi's personal experiences in his forma ve years under his power, including through a shock-and-awe an - Mao's rule would, as Wen had earnestly urged, prompt corrup on campaign that has served to purge his rivals him to learn from the mistakes of the past and plot China and appease public anger that official gra had gone too on a con nued course of reforms and liberalisa on, both far. in its economy and its society. But China's slowing economy, and the manifest social But 40 years on from his death, Mao remains central to problems it threatens to entail, has heaped pressure on the Communist Party's narra ve of ruling legi macy. His the Xi administra on. Radical reforms, par cularly in a embalmed body lies in state in a mausoleum overlooking monolithic state-owned sector laden with vested interest Tiananmen Square, while his portrait smiles over the groups, have remained difficult to push through. Forbidden City and graces every Chinese banknote. Paranoid about the infiltra on of Western influence and By Mao's own measure, the mass campaign was his the ability for the internet and social media to disseminate greatest achievement a er leading the Communists to unfiltered informa on at warp speed, Xi has doubled- victory over the Japanese and the Kuomintang down on the government's control of its people, coming government which was exiled to Taiwan. down harder on dissent than any of his recent predecessors. "It goes to the core of Maoism because Mao himself considers the Cultural Revolu on one of his best "The problem is connected with the threat to the poli cal achievements – you have to deal with that," says Monash regime," says Mao Yushi, an interna onally renowned University historian Warren Sun. veteran economist, who at 87, remains a prominent liberal intellectual. "China's rapid economic growth since reforming and opening up has protected the Communist Party's poli cal legi macy, now that there is no high growth, what can Xi depend on?" Lawyers, intellectuals, ac vists, journalists and, most recently, foreign NGOs have come under pressure in a pervasive crackdown. Foreign cri cism, whether of China's island-building program in the South China Sea, the government's chequered human rights record, or controversial ethnic minority policies in Xinjiang and Tibet, Xi Jinping and his father Xi Zhongxun, a war hero who later are all cast as a plot by a cabal of Western "hos le foreign suffered during Mao's Cultural Revolu on. Photo: Supplied forces" designed to undermine China and perpetuate US hegemony. Xi has steered clear of refu ng Mao's legacy and instead in landmark remarks made in 2013, implored the party to The crea on of various party sub-commi ees, repor ng reconcile what he referred to the "first 30 years", leading directly to him, has centralised decision-making on up to 1978, and the following 30 years, marked by Deng ma ers pertaining to the economy, na onal security, Xiaoping's reform and opening up and the explosive cybersecurity and the military. growth that followed. But perhaps the most stunning characteris c shared with "The dictator, who caused his own father so much Mao has been a growing personality cult around Xi fanned suffering, and who had such an impact on his own early by the central propaganda department, which has life, may not be a person Xi harbours fond memories of," produced some jarring results: newspaper front-pages Kerry Brown, professor of Chinese Studies at King's dominated by Xi's every move, saccharine music videos College, London, writes in his new book CEO, China, which professing love and loyalty to the leader. catalogues the rise of Xi Jinping. "It does harken back to Mao, this personality cult, the "But the propagandist, the master of Chinese symbolic concentra on of power by cas ng aside the collec ve poli cs, the person in modern China who could be said to leadership … now his style is quite dictatorial, demanding have most truly understood where power was located, loyalty ideologically," says Sun, the historian. "He's an - how to use it and how to keep it – his was an inheritance Western, dismissive of universal values and he also rules worth tapping into." by fear, in the form of the an -corrupt campaigns and
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 137 cracking down on dissent and ghtening the control on ideology making waves again," she wrote, accusing the media, educa on, culture – all this does harken back to show of "taking a step back in history". Mao's prac ce." But rather than rejec ng Mao Zedong's methods, Mao Now approaching his 90s, Mao Yushi's body may have Yushi says Xi has ac vely sought to embrace, what a er slowed but he recalls vividly the turmoil from the day he all, had been brutally effec ve methods of propaganda and his family were iden fied as righ st counter- control and inspiring loyalty and adula on. revolu onaries at the start of the Cultural Revolu on. "Though Mao killed tens of millions, he is s ll seen as a Then an engineer at a state railway authority in Beijing, he saviour, people idolise him ll this day. Xi is learning from would later be sent to hard labour at a factory in central him," he says. Shanxi province. Brown, meanwhile, says that Xi's tac c has been to restore His wife, Zhao Yanling, says Red Guards harassed them in the party to its idealis c roots, to cleanse its elite leaders their home on a daily basis. "When we were down to our in order that they can perform their func on as leaders, last 50 cents, I asked my son if he knew how to buy meat rather than wealth dispensers, and to do this "through a from the market, he said yes and went," she told Fairfax mixture of managed crisis and fear". Media from the couple's Beijing home. "This, in essence, is his poli cal program. And it is why "So I started cooking it, and the aroma from the meat, it Mao is s ll of immense importance for him.” smelt so good. But the Red Guards walked in and said 'f---, what, are you ea ng again?'. I threw the meat into the coals and said, 'no, we're not ea ng anything'. We had to sneak around like a thief." China accuses ex-presiden al aide of The hordes of young Red Guards returned days later and bribery, secrets the shaved the heads of their whole family. thanhniennews.com "What does that signify? It's to defile you. It's to tell May 14, 2016 everyone that your family belonged to one of the 'five- category elements' [landlord class, rich peasants, counter- Chinese prosecutors formally charged a former top aide to revolu onaries, righ sts and other bad elements], you can re red President Hu Jintao, se ng the stage for a trial of be beaten at will, abused at will." the last member of a Communist Party fac on dubbed the "New Gang of Four." For a government fond of elaborate observa ons of anniversaries – the 70th anniversary of Japan's surrender Ling Jihua, 59, who had served as Hu’s chief of staff, was in World War II last year was marked with a military accused of taking bribes, illegally obtaining state secrets parade of unprecedented scale in Beijing – Monday's and abusing power, the official Xinhua News Agency said, milestone will slip past quietly with li le official ci ng a statement by state prosecutors. He’ll be recogni on. A er the fall of the Gang of Four, the party prosecuted in Tianjin’s No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court, and much of the Chinese public have elected to move on, the same tribunal that oversaw last year’s secret as market-oriented economic policies ignited an all-out convic on of former security czar Zhou Yongkang, a pursuit of material wealth. re red member of the Politburo’s supreme Standing Commi ee. But just last week, ahead of Monday's sensi ve anniversary, a Mao-themed revival show – staged at the The indictment comes almost 10 months a er the party Great Hall of the People sparked controversy for its expelled Ling and accused him of corrup on and discipline rendi ons of revolu onary "red songs" harking back to the viola ons, including carrying on extramarital affairs. He days of Mao, with giant images of Mao and Xi projected was previously stripped of his post as vice chairman of the on stage. Chinese People’s Poli cal Consulta ve Conference. It drew sharp cri cism from even Xi's long-running The trial represents the closing chapter of a far-reaching supporters, including Ma Xiaoli, whose father Ma Wenrui corrup on probe under President Xi Jinping that toppled was close to Xi's late father, Xi Zhongxun. The Zhou and two of the country’s top generals. Ling was extravaganza was so over the top Ma speculated it was considered a top candidate for the ruling Politburo before staged by poli cal rivals to undermine the Chinese his ascent was cut short by claims that he tried to cover up President. details of the March 2012 death of his son in a Ferrari crash, the South China Morning Post reported in "We must raise our strong vigilance against the comeback September that year. of the Cultural Revolu on and [against] extreme le ist
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 138 "Ling’s offense in illegally obtaining state secrets is serious; However, the link to the database was 100 percent he also commi ed extremely serious offense in abusing blocked in China on Tuesday, while the Panama Papers his power and causing major losses to public property and homepage h ps://panamapapers.icij.org/ was 90 percent the interests of the country and its people," Xinhua said, blocked in China on Monday and Tuesday, according to a ci ng the indictment. test on the an -censorship site GreatFire.org. Ling may face a secret trial as similar charges over state Hong Kong's Apple Daily newspaper on Tuesday said it had secrets were cited by Xinhua in June as the reason for the found 33,000 Chinese names, some of which matched the closed-door trial for Zhou, who was sentenced to life in English spelling of the names of high-ranking Chinese prison. officials. However, the ICIJ warned that independent iden ty checks must be carried out to ensure that nobody is mistakenly iden fied. China Has Biggest Number of Links It added that se ng up an offshore shell company does to Panama Papers not in itself prove that any wrongdoing has occurred. rfa.org According to the Apple Daily, one name is spelled the May 10, 2016 same as that of Chinese finance minister Lou Jiwei, who is China-linked offshore companies in the Panama Papers far listed as a beneficiary of the Bri sh Virgin Islands (BVI)- exceed the number of en es from other countries and registered company Crown Aquarius. regions of the world, reports indicate. Another lis ng had a name spelled iden cally to that of Some 25,000 offshore companies with owners -- either former State Ethnic Affairs Commission chief and companies or individuals -- from China have been listed in government minori es adviser Wang Zhengwei. a mass online leak of data from Panama law firm Mossack And another was iden cal to that of State Council Fonseca, according to ini al analysis of the data. secretary general Yang Jing, the Apple Daily said. Of those, around 13,000 are traceable to Hong Kong, Censorship limits impact which has long been suspected as a major staging post for However, further inves ga ons would be needed to offshore Chinese funds re-entering the country as "foreign confirm that these individuals were the people listed on direct investment." the database, it said. The Interna onal Consor um of Inves ga ve Journalists Hong Kong-based independent poli cal commentator made public informa on on around 210,000 companies Johnny Lau said the new revela ons are unlikely to have listed in the records of Mossack Fonseca, which helps an immediate impact in China, where they remain clients set up shell companies in tax havens. inaccessible, and where public debate on the topic is The leak has sent shockwaves around the world as the tax ghtly controlled. avoidance habits of the world's wealthiest people have But he said they could lend authen city to future cases been exposed. brought by the administra on of President Xi Jinping as But the ruling Chinese Communist Party has shi ed its part of his ongoing an -corrup on campaign. censorship machinery into overdrive since the leaks, "The case of [former Chongqing party chief] Bo Xilai banning news outlets from independent coverage of the showed us that a lot of material was gathered to use story and ordering the dele on of related content from against him and his family a er he became a problem," websites and social media pla orms. Lau said. Chinese leaders' families implicated "But a lot of these offshore companies revealed in the The massive leak of 11.5 million files has revealed details Panama Papers are people avoiding tax rather than of the opera ons and ul mate, hidden ownership of a evading it, which means that it's a smear on their public slew of offshore shell companies, including those owned image, but nothing more," he said. by family members of top Chinese leaders and Chinese At least eight current or former members of the all- celebri es. powerful Politburo standing commi ee are among the Many of the networks outlined in the Panama Papers more than 140 poli cal figures worldwide linked to the begin in Hong Kong, and are now available for public offshore tax havens, according to a global inves ga on by inves ga on at the ICIJ's website. the Interna onal Consor um of Inves ga ve Journalists
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 139 (ICIJ), the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and The la er aspect is highlighted by three key more than 100 other news organisa ons. developments. First, in March the Central Military Included in the names uncovered by the inves ga on are Commission ordered the PLA to end all commercial the brother-in-law of President Xi, Deng Jiagui, and the ac vi es within three years. This was done to lessen the daughter of former premier Li Peng, Li Xiaolin. incen ves for military-related corrup on and misconduct. Second, 10 teams of central inspectors were recently sent China has dismissed queries about the leaks as to all parts of the Chinese military to purify the PLA. This "groundless accusa ons." again strengthens central oversight and enhances the inspec on systems within the armed force. And lastly, Xi Jinping assuming the new tle of commander-in-chief of the Chinese military in addi on to his role as chairman of China In Transi on: PLA the Central Military Commission firmly establishes civilian restructuring and reforms part of Xi control over the PLA. Jinping’s larger gameplan Why is all of this important? It’s because China is in the Times of India Blog midst of a significant socio-economic transi on. It can’t May 9, 2016 con nue with the old ways of doing business that centred on connec ons and privileges. With a burgeoning middle In a significant ongoing development, China is effec ng a class asking more ques ons of those in power, the only massive shake-up and restructuring of its People’s solu on lies in bolstering rules-based ins tu onalised Libera on Army (PLA). The reforms which were unveiled systems. However, change is bound to upset vested by Chinese President Xi Jinping last year aim to enhance interests. And the PLA represents a massive pillar of the discipline, root out corrup on and create a modern Chinese state. Hence, reforming it and reasser ng civilian Chinese armed force. It’s generally accepted that the PLA, oversight were impera ves that Xi simply couldn’t ignore. despite acquiring modern weapons over the years, suffers For those unhappy with Xi’s overall reforms could have from outdated command structures. This in turn is seen as coalesced around powerful elements of the PLA. The breeding complacency and entrenched interests. Hence, an overhaul was needed to update systems and bring the Chinese President is slowly closing off this possibility. Over the past three years, nearly 50 senior officers of the PLA PLA in line with China’s 21st century objec ves. and the Armed Police Force have been convicted or It’s against this backdrop that the reform measures were inves gated for corrup on allega ons. All of this is part of ini ated. Accordingly, the PLA’s four headquarters have the larger transi on plan. For one thing that the been split up, slimmed down and absorbed into the Communist Party is clear about is that it will not tolerate Central Military Commission as part of the la er’s 15 new any cri cism or machina ons against it during this crucial departments. The move enhances the Chinese Communist period. In its view, it’s the party that has held China Party’s oversight and reinforces party control over the PLA. together and brought prosperity to the Chinese people. Further, China’s previous seven military regions have been And it’s the party that will see this transi on through. reorganised into five theatre commands. In fact, India’s defence minister Manohar Parrikar was taken to the new integrated western theatre command of the PLA in Chengdu – which has opera onal jurisdic on over the China's Deng Xiaoping's Niece India-China border areas – during his recent trip to China. Named in Panama Papers Addi onally, measures have been taken to make the PLA La n American Herald Tribune less focussed on land-based forces by crea ng a separate May 6, 2016 command for the army, pu ng it on an equal foo ng with the navy and air force. There’s no denying that all of these BEIJING - A niece of former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, restructuring efforts have been undertaken keeping in the architect of economic modernisa on that transformed mind China’s current strategic environment. Beijing wants the Asian giant, appears in the so-called Panama Papers, to counter-balance the American pivot to Asia and for this reported the Hong Kong daily South China Morning Post, it needs to shore up its blue water naval capabili es and or SCMP, Wednesday. prepare func ons for informa onised warfare. However, The daily - one among several that have published while the reforms will create a nimbler armed force, they informa on rela ng to offshore companies in tax havens, will also firmly put it under the party-government along with the Interna onal Consor um of Inves ga ve leadership. Journalists - also lists the son-in-law of Jia Qinglin, a senior
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 140 official in the Chinese Communist hierarchy over the last Thursday, following a prac ce already established for decade. civilian departments as part of President Xi Jinping's war Quite a few of the companies registered in tax havens, on gra . handled by the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, Previously, corrup on inves ga ons in the People's from where the papers were leaked, and whose Hong Libera on Army, the world's largest armed forces, were Kong office was its biggest in Asia, are owned by Chinese handled in a more ad hoc fashion. But under reforms na onals. started last year the military now has a dedicated gra - Li Xiaobing, Deng's niece, and her husband Wallace Yu figh ng division. Yiping, feature in the Panama Papers as directors of a Xi has led a sweeping an -corrup on campaign targe ng Bri sh Virgin Islands-based company called Water high-ranking officials in industry, government, and the Enterprises. military. The daily adds the firm, linked to Chinese bo ling firm The military is reeling from the crackdown and has seen Tibet Water Resources, shared its address in the tax haven dozens of officers inves gated, including two former vice with another company, Galaxia Space Management, chairmen of the powerful Central Military Commission, owned by Yu. Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou. Yu was one of the co-founders of Tibet Water Resources - Xu died of cancer last year before he could be bought to previously known as Tibet 5100 Water Resources - one of trial while Guo was accused of accep ng bribes last the biggest companies of the sector in China, and which is month. listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange through a firm The official Xinhua news agency said the new gra based in the Cayman Islands. inspectors completed two days of training on Wednesday According to SCMP, Deng's niece's name might have and had been organised into 10 teams who would go to surfaced in the papers as a result of Chinese law that various units around the country. It did not say which units prevents indigenous firms being listed in exchanges would get inspectors. outside the mainland, forcing companies that wish to be Xu Qiliang, a vice chairman of the Central Military quoted in exchanges such as those of Hong Kong - which Commission, which controls the military and which the does not follow Beijing's norms - to set up subsidiaries president heads, told the inspectors they were fulfilling an overseas. important role in cleaning up and strengthening the SCMP also revealed another owner of companies abroad armed forces, Xinhua said. was Li Pak-tam, son-in-law of Jia Qinglin, who chaired the "Keep firmly in mind the expecta ons and great trust of Chinese People's Poli cal Consulta ve Conference Chairman Xi," the news agency paraphrased Xu as saying. between 2008 and 2013. The move coincides with broader efforts to reform the Li Pak-tam owned a company in the Bri sh Virgin Islands military, including the modernisa on of its command named Fung Shing Development, established in 2000 and structure, as China becomes more asser ve in its which was transferred to him four years later for one territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas. dollar. China is also inves ng heavily in new technology, including His daughter Li Zidan or Jasmine Li, Jia Qinglin's aircra carriers, stealth jets and an -satellite missiles, granddaughter, was also listed as the owner of another though it has not fought a war in decades. two companies also set up in the Virgin Islands, according Serving and re red officers have warned that corrup on in to the newspaper. the military could threaten the ability to wage war.
China's military deploys its first China’s Communist Party Disciplines corrup on inspectors Outspoken Property Tycoon www.thanhniennews.com Voice of America News Reuters May 5, 2016 May 4, 2016 China's military has for the first me sent dedicated teams The Chinese Communist Party has put an outspoken of corrup on inspectors into its units, state media said on tycoon on one year of proba on a er he publicly cri cised
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 141 President Xi Jinping’s media policies in February — a remorse” while another user wrote “the power of capital decision that, analysts say, aims to create a chilling effect has shown a contempt for everything,” according to the on party members and the na on’s opinion leaders. Freeweibo.com. Yet, they add, the move to silence the property tycoon China's control over social media Ren Zhiqiang, known as China’s Donald Trump, is also a Many of those censored online comments disagreed with slap in the president’s face a er Xi openly urged party the message of Ren’s ad – a sign that the authori es’ leaders to heed online comments late last month. control over social media has ghtened but hardly follow The long-awaited punishment was announced on Monday any pa erns, said Zhang Ming, a professor of poli cal a er the party concluded that Ren’s comments on his science at Renmin University of China. microblogging accounts were a “vile influence” and “have “China’s censorship and media control measures hardly run counter to the party’s basic principles on mul ple make any sense,” he said. occasions,” according to state media. Overall, the disciplinary ac on has set a chilling example Party's government? to quell public opinions cri cal of the party and Xi, said Before his Weibo account was shut down by authori es, Zhang Lifan, a prominent scholar of modern Chinese the sharp-tongued mogul posted comments to his nearly history. 38 million online followers, which read “When did the But, Zhang added, in the long run, such measures will people’s government change into the party’s eventually backfire and bring the party’s ruling legi macy government?” in response to Xi’s call for state media to into ques on because many disapprove of such adhere to the party line. disciplinary ac on, even if they say nothing. Calls to expel Ren have since been heard, although the Signs of ghtening grip by President Xi Jinping tycoon, with an es mated net worth of 145 million yuan The ming for the punishment, in par cular, is ironic the ($22 million) ended up being treated lightly this week, scholar added, given Xi recently tried to portray himself as given his poli cal standing, said Willy Lam, an expert on an open-minded leader by ordering party officials to take elite Chinese poli cs. the opinions of the country’s 700 million ne zens Lenient punishment seriously during a cyber security workshop two weeks ago. “His voice has been effec vely silenced. Even though Lam said for now, the move will force Ren to stay low-key when you compare the treatment given to dissidents, you in the upcoming year, or risk his party membership, since would say that he’s got a rela vely lenient treatment,” Xi has ambi ons to become Mao Zedong of the 21st Lam said. century and shown less tolerance of cri cs. Ren, nicknamed “Big Gun Ren,” is a “red second- “We have the party congress coming up in one-and-a-half genera on,” whose father, Ren Quansheng, served as the year’s me, in which, Xi Jinping hopes to further country’s vice minister of commerce. consolidate his posi on as the unchallenged tyrant As a successful businessman himself, the 65-year-old leader,” Lam said. tycoon is well-connected both poli cally and in business “So we expect more censorship and more in mida on circles, notably, his private friendship with Wang Qishan, a against party members or intellectuals, who dare to speak member of the Politburo Standing Commi ee. out,” he added. Even so, the party now seems determined to keep Ren out of the eyes of the public. Use of ad to protest On Tuesday, online comments about an air purifier ad, put Xi Jinping’s Poli cs in Command The Wall Street Journal up by Broad Group in Changsha, Hunan province, in front of the city’s train sta on became the top-trending May 4, 2016 censored topic on Freeweibo.com. China’s leader wants absolute control over informa on. The ad features Ren with a mask next to a sensi ve punch The Journal reported Wednesday that Chinese line, which read “You can be silenced, but you can’t stop government officials are warning economists, analysts and breathing.” business reporters who point out problems such as capital In response to the ad, one Weibo user said “the party can ou lows and rising bad loans that they should be more now expel Ren since he apparently has shown no upbeat. That could mean the economy is in worse shape
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 142 than previously thought. And it shows that the China's Xi Jinping denies House of government’s obsession with restoring authoritarian control over all aspects of life is spiralling, well, out of Cards power struggle but a acks control. 'conspirators' The Guardian The penalty for nega vism is not spelled out, but a er what happened to Wang Xiaolu there is no need. A May 4, 2016 reporter for the financial magazine Caijing, he accurately Chinese president warns of ‘cabals and cliques’ within reported last year that the authori es would soon scale Communist party and promises ‘resolute response to back measures to prop up the stock market. Mr. Wang was eliminate the problem’ detained and forced to confess his “crime” on state Xi Jinping has rejected claims that a “House of Cards television. power struggle” is raging at the pinnacle of Chinese Without the free flow of informa on China can’t build a poli cs, but claimed “conspirators” were a emp ng to func oning market economy. The regime’s Western undermine the Communist party from within. apologists, among them many business leaders, long In a speech published in Beijing’s official newspaper this claimed that things would get be er because there were week, the Chinese president warned that the presence of no communists le in the Communist Party. “cabals and cliques” inside the party risked “compromising Yet since he came to power in 2012, General Secretary Xi the poli cal security of the party and the country”. Jinping has put poli cs in command, as Mao Zedong put it “There are careerists and conspirators exis ng in our party 50 years ago. Mr. Xi urged Party members to “embrace the and undermining the party’s governance,” Xi spirit of Mao” and make ideology the priority. said, according to the People’s Daily transcript of his To that end Mr. Xi strengthened the Party apparatus within comments. state-owned and private companies. And he a acked all “We should not bury our heads in the sand and spare forms of foreign influence, including business. Officials these members but must make a resolute response to harass foreign companies by holding up licensing and eliminate the problem and deter further viola ons.” cer fica on, an trust ac ons, a acks in the state-run media, and a range of disciplinary ac ons including fines The speech comes at a me of growing specula on over and deten on of execu ves. possible fac onal struggles within the 88 million-member Communist party that Xi has led since late 2012. Informa on-technology companies are the top targets. A new counterterrorism law and forthcoming cybersecurity As evidence of those ri s, experts point to recent moves law require technology companies to store data locally by Xi to rein in the influen al Communist Youth League, and to provide encryp on keys. That effec vely means which is the power base of former president Hu Jintao and surrendering their intellectual property as well as the current prime minister Li Keqiang. privacy of customers. A Jan. 27 joint le er from the U.S., This week it emerged that the Youth League’s budget Canadian, German and Japanese ambassadors complained had been slashed by more than 50% following a damning that the laws “have the poten al to impede commerce, inves ga on into its ac vi es by Xi’s an -corrup on s fle innova on, and infringe on China’s obliga on to agents. protect human rights in accordance with interna onal Experts also see Xi’s decision last month to take on the law.” tle of commander-in-chief of China’s joint ba le Apple Computer closed down its iTunes and iBooks command centre as a poten al indicator of trouble at the services in China last month apparently as a result of top. government blocking. That prompted billionaire Since coming to power Xi has amassed an unusual investor Carl Icahn to sell his en re stake in the company, plethora of official tles including general secretary of the ci ng poli cal risks. Beijing will “make it very difficult for Communist party, president of the People’s Republic Apple to sell there,” he explained. of China, chairman of the central military commission, Op mists hoped that Mr. Xi would prove a reformer in the leader of the na onal security commission and head of mode of Deng Xiaoping. But Deng had a “go for growth” the leading group for overall reform. mentality and was willing to tolerate some liberalisa on of One academic has dubbed him the “chairman of informa on flows to make China prosperous. Mr. Xi seems everything”. determined to restore levels of control last seen under Mao, with predictable economic consequences. Roderick MacFarquhar, a Harvard University expert in elite Communist party poli cs, said: “Xi Jinping’s donning of
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 143 uniform and giving him his new military tle is a warning Xi has come down hard on corrup on since assuming to his colleagues that he has the army behind him. office more than three years ago and tried to return the Whether he actually has or not, one doesn’t know. But party to its tradi onal values of serving the people that is his bulwark, as it was Mao’s.” selflessly, following a series of gra and extravagance However, MacFarquhar said the new tle could be a sign scandals. of weakness rather than strength, no ng that not even Along with his fight against corrup on, Xi has also been Mao Zedong had accumulated such a glut of tles. reining in overt dissent by party members on key issues as “Chairman Mao never needed tles. Everyone knew who he seeks to enforce party discipline, especially on tackling was in charge,” he said. gra , with new party rules unveiled last year banning Xi has made a high-profile an -corrup on campaign one "baseless comments" on major policies. of his administra on’s key missions, disciplining hundreds In a January speech, the full transcript of which was of thousands of officials, including top party and military carried by the party's official People's Daily on Tuesday, Xi figures. said some party members had been feigning compliance But experts say the war on corrup on has generated with policy and even openly expressing opposi on. discontent among officials, caused poli cal paralysis and "Some party organisa ons think poli cal discipline is so fuelled suspicions Xi is using the campaign as a pretext to or false, and when it comes to wrong words and deeds purge his poli cal enemies. that go against party discipline they don't care, don't In his recent speech, Xi denied those charges and vowed report it, don't resist it, don't fight it and certainly don't to “step up” the an -corrup on drive, according to inves gate and deal with it," Xi told the party's an -gra Xinhua, China’s official news and propaganda agency. watchdog. “We must make it clear that our party’s fight against "The reason we demand party members and cadres not to corrup on is not a snobbish affair that discriminates make baseless comments is not so you can't raise opinions between different people, and it is not a House of Cards and sugges ons or even cri cal opinions," he said. power struggle,” Xi said. "It's so that on important poli cal principles, on issues of Andrew Wedeman, a poli cal scien st who is wri ng a right and wrong (you) cannot sing out of tune with the book called Swa ng Flies and Hun ng Tigers: Xi Jinping’s party center and engage in poli cal liberalism." War on Corrup on, said con nuing to pursue the The party periodically warns against "liberalism", campaign carried severe risks for China’s leader. especially in the military, which generally refers to those “There is a certain point where the elite would want to who wish to challenge the extent of party control over wind this down because at the end of the day – as China. perhaps suggested by the revela ons in the Panama Speaking more generally about corrup on, Xi said the Papers– there is enough guilt to go around among the fight against the problem remained "severe and complex". leadership that if you really push this thing too far then an Without naming individuals, he said some officials cared awful lot of people would be in trouble. only about forming their own cliques to advance their “Given the extent of corrup on, you can only push this careers - something the party has long railed against as a thing so far without doing serious damage to the integrity root cause of corrup on. and the unity of the party,” Wedeman added. There has been persistent specula on that the gra crackdown is as much about Xi taking down his rivals as it is about dealing with the actual problem itself. The party denies this. China's Xi says not s fling debate but wants everyone on same song sheet Xi Jinping vs. Li Keqiang thanhniennews.com asia.nikkei.com May 3, 2016 May 2, 2016 China's ruling Communist Party is not trying to curtail internal debate or even cri cism with rules banning TOKYO -- Poli cal tensions are rising in China in a prelude "baseless comments" but is simply trying to ensure no one of what is expected to be an all-out ba le between the is "singing out of tune", President Xi Jinping has said.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 144 country's top two leaders -- President Xi Jinping and “Western capitalist values” and bad-mouthing state Premier Li Keqiang. policies, the party’s flagship magazine has revealed. Rela ons between the two have deteriorated sharply in “I have heard reports that some people disseminated the past year or so. This could be seen during the past two Western capitalism values when lecturing at party schools, annual mee ngs of the Na onal People's Congress, some talked out of turn and made reckless comments on China's parliament. party and state policies,” Xi told a high-level mee ng As they did a year earlier, Xi and Li this past March sat next aimed at improving the ins tutes’ work. to each other during the plenary sessions. But they never “Some people purposely [focused on] finding faults, shook hands. They also spoke to each other only briefly. grumbling and making cynical remarks, and some took They even avoided making eye contact. part in improper social events at will under the golden Their behaviour was highly unusual. Even last year, the reputa on of the party school,” Xi con nued. two at least glad-handed and smiled for the sake of the TV He demanded an end to such behaviour and told party cameras, not to men on all those around them. training ins tutes to keep their teaching consistent with "Rela ons between Xi and Li have seriously soured," one the central commi ee. poli cal source in Beijing said during the closing days of The party’s Qiushi magazine printed a full transcript of the the Chinese parliament's annual mee ng. "Their rivalry mee ng, which took place in December. The remarks could even be divined from a speech Li gave [during the came amid a ratche ng up of controls on ideology and most recent congress] and will become even clearer in free speech, par cularly in regards to universi es, the due course." media, the internet and dissidents. In a government work report that Li gave in speech form Xi said that “exploratory academic ma ers” should not be on March 5, during the opening session of the annual confused with “serious poli cal issues”. mee ng, he said, "We will improve oversight and “Allowing research into academic ma ers does not mean accountability systems, root out incompetence, iner a, that [teachers] can talk out of turn or make any comment and negligence, and show zero tolerance for those who they like,” he said. are on the government payroll but do not perform their “We say there are no forbidden zones for academic du es." research ... but ‘no forbidden zone’ is not an absolute Li came down hard on paper-shuffling bureaucrats thing,” he said. immediately a er referring to President Xi's an - “Wrong opinions in viola on of the party’s theories, corrup on campaign and saying that the Chinese strategies and policies are not allowed in party schools government will step up its fight against corrup on. [whether] publicly or in private.” Apparently, this was Li's way of highligh ng the nega ve In February, Central Party School professor Cai Xia was effects of Xi's an -corrup on drive, especially the cri cised by party media a er she penned an ar cle widespread phenomenon of slacking off. It was also a voicing support for former property tycoon Ren Zhiqiang, veiled a ack on the Chinese president. who came under fire for cri cising Xi’s demand for loyalty Si ng and wai ng from state media. Since being inaugurated about three years ago, President But in a rare move last week, Xi called for the embrace of Xi has wielded an an -corrup on campaign against his intellectuals and tolerance of dissen ng voices. poli cal foes and as a tool to consolidate power.
China’s President Xi Jinping warns Communist Party schools against ‘Western capitalist’ values scmp.com May 1, 2016 President Xi Jinping recently warned teachers at the Communist Party’s training ins tutes against spreading
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 145 With more than 50,000 large dams opera ng globally, Commentaries including in highly biodiverse regions such as the Amazon Basin, and many future dams planned to help meet rising energy demands, researchers believe more needs to be done to account for the long-term loss of species on reservoir islands. Co-author of the research, Professor Carlos Peres of the Hydropower dams worldwide cause University of East Anglia, added: "Current prac ces to minimise the detrimental impacts of major hydroelectric con nued species ex nc on dams include tropical forest set-asides, but this is a mirage May 30, 2016 if the remaining terrestrial biota becomes stranded in University of S rling small islands -- this needs to be taken into account in new New research led by the University of S rling has found a infrastructure developments. global pa ern of sustained species ex nc ons on islands "Strong environmental licensing should be put in place to within hydroelectric reservoirs. assess species losses versus the amount of hydropower Scien sts have discovered that reservoir islands created by output to even-up the biodiversity balance sheet." large dams across the world do not maintain the same Story Source: levels of animal and plant life found prior to flooding. The above post is reprinted from materials provided Despite being hailed as conserva on sanctuaries that by University of S rling. Note: Materials may be edited for protect species from hun ng and deforesta on, islands content and length. undergo sustained loss of species year on year a er dam Journal Reference: construc on, a pa ern otherwise known as 'ex nc on debt'. 1 Isabel L. Jones, Nils Bunnefeld, Alistair S. Jump, Carlos A. Peres, Daisy H. Dent. Ex nc on debt on These findings represent a significant environmental reservoir land-bridge islands. Biological Conserva on, impact that is currently missing from assessment 2016; 199: 75 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2016.04.036 procedures for proposed new dams. Isabel Jones, PhD researcher at the University and Lead Author, said: "We found a devasta ng reduc on in species over me in the majority of reservoir islands we studied. China’s Nuclear Submarine : On average, islands have 35 per cent fewer species than nearby mainland sites, however one South American bird Strategic balance in South Asia newdelhi mes.com community suffered as much as 87 per cent loss of species on reservoir islands. May 30, 2016 "We know flooding reservoirs causes immediate loss of For the first me, a Chinese nuclear submarine arrived in habitat and species, but we now find there is also a Karachi port in May 2016 coinciding with a Chinese significant future biological cost as the 'ex nc on debt' is military delega on’s visit to Islamabad. An ar cle was paid. published on May 13 in Chinese State-run Global Times that provided an insight into the extensive military "No ma er where the dam is located, the island size, or reforms underway in China as well as the opera onal which species are present, there is sustained loss of orienta on of the People’s Libera on Army’s recently species, with many in exis ng dams s ll poten ally facing cons tuted West Zone. It appeared in the Communist ex nc on." Youth League’s Chinese-language China Youth Daily first, a Conserva on experts examined research covering changes day later in the English-language State-run Global Times in species richness of birds, mammals, amphibians, and further publicised via Twi er to reach a wider rep les, invertebrates and plants on more than 200 audience. Jayadeva Ranade, former R&AW officer and islands created by large dams, including Brazil's Balbina addi onal secretary, Cabinet secretariat, Government of reservoir and China's Thousand Island Lake. India, who is President of the Centre for China Analysis Loss of species was inves gated over a period of less than and Strategy, in a rediff ar cle, provides the broad outlines one year to over 90 years from when islands were created of Chinese plans and ac vi es. by reservoir filling.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 146 Chinese publica ons coincide with the increased tension importance accorded to the West Zone’ by China’s in the South China Sea, amidst sharp warnings by China to CMC. The changes in military structure diminish the the US against interference in the mari me dispute, importance of most of the provincial military commands. President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to China and the The West Zone’s area of interest will expand to include defence minister’s upcoming visit to Vietnam. Djibou and East Africa. With redrawn command Coincidentally, four Indian Navy warships le on May 18 structure, the West Zone’s opera onal jurisdic on now for port calls to Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan, Russia encompasses, not only Gwadar, the CPEC and Pakistan, and Malaysia. The Chinese army’s restructuring has placed but also Afghanistan, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean Tibet Military Command under the leadership of the and East Africa. This disturbs the strategic balance of the Chinese ground forces forewarning possibili es of some region and does not bode well for India. military combat mission in recent future.The sugges on in the Global Times ar cle of ‘some kind of military combat mission in the future,’ is reminiscent of similar comments made earlier. India, Japan Must Come Together to In 2010, when tension in the South China Sea a ained Take on Chinese Dragon Breathing fever-pitch, the China-owned Hong Kong-based media, Military Fire echoing the old Chinese adage of ‘killing a chicken to The New Indian Express frighten the monkey,’ said China would pick on a big power like India to teach the other countries a lesson. Maj. Gen. (Retd) G D Bakshi Beijing is obviously irritated with growing warmth in India- May 28, 2016 US es and its official media has been warning India The US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for South against interference in the South China Sea dispute. The Asia, Abraham N. Denmark, briefed reporters a er Global Times ar cle provided some interes ng insights submission of the Pentagon’s 2016 Annual Report to the into the ongoing military reform and restructuring, Congress on ‘Military & Security Developments Involving especially in the areas bordering India i.e China’s ‘south- the People’s Republic of China’. He stated: “We have western’ border, as China strengthens its forces to no ced an increase in capability and force posture by the maintain military pressure on India. Erstwhile Lanzhou and Chinese military in areas close to the border with India.” Chengdu military regions merged into the newly Responding to a ques on on China upgrading its military cons tuted West Zone, to underline Beijing’s added command in Tibet, he said, “It is difficult to say how much importance to the Tibet Military Command. of this is driven by considera ons to maintain internal This Command has been given ‘elevated poli cal rank.’ stability and how much of it is an external considera on.” which is ‘one level higher than its counterpart provincial- The US Defence Department also warned of China’s level military commands’ and as it ‘comes under the increasing military presence, including bases, in various leadership of the PLA,’ or China’s ground forces, acquires parts of the world, par cularly in Pakistan. The report an opera onal role; automa cally eleva ng authority level pointed out that Pakistan remains China’s primary vide the expansion of their func on and mission. The customer for conven onal weapons. It engages in both elevated poli cal status helps it mobilise more military arms sales and defence industrial coopera on with resources.The references to the ‘Tibet Military Command’ Pakistan, including the LY-80 surface-to-air missile system, and the ‘Xinjiang Military Command’ are new and suggest F 22P frigates with helicopters, main ba le tank that the nomenclatures of the former military region produc on, air-to-air missiles and an -ship cruise missiles. headquarters have been changed following their merger In June 2014, Pakistan started co-producing the first two with and subordina on to the West Zone. The Central of its 50 Block-2 JF-17s (an upgraded version of the JF-17). Military Commission now decides the transfer and senior The report says, “China most likely will seek to establish level appointment to the West Zone whose opera onal addi onal naval logis cs hubs in countries with which it area of interest includes Pakistan, China-Pakistan has long-standing friendly rela onship and similar Economic Corridor, Gwadar, Afghanistan and south- strategic interests, including Pakistan, and a precedent for western’ borders implying India. hos ng foreign militaries.” The ‘poli cal status’ of the Xinjiang Military Command is China has recently regrouped its seven military area likely to be raised in the future as military commands in commands into just four theatres—with an emphasis on Tibet and Xinjiang have always enjoyed special poli cal tri-services integra on. The joint commands will now status in the past. The promo on in rank this me reflects func on directly under the Central Military Commission, a con nua on of China’s policy to ‘underscore the
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 147 replica ng the US model, and the service chiefs will deal enable the Chinese oil tankers to reduce their 22 days’ more with crea on of military structures, their upkeep voyage to just five-seven days (depending upon whether and training. The most significant development from the the tanker is coming from Angola or the Middle East). Indian point of view has been the integra on of the They would bypass Malacca, Sunda and Lombok straits. Lanzhou Military Region (focused in Xinjiang opposite China has invested heavily in Pakistan as a counterweight Ladakh) and the Chengdu Military Region (opposite the to India. It is turning openly hos le to India and has tried Northeast) into the Western Theatre Command, which to block its entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group by pools all resources deployed against India under a single pushing Pakistan’s membership. It has also blocked India’s military commander. a empts to have Azhar Masood of the JeM, who master- General Zhao Zhongqui has been appointed the Western minded the Pathankot a ack, blacklisted by the UN as an Theatre Commander. Both he and his deputy are old Tibet interna onal terrorist.Let’s not forget that the Gilgit- hands and have extensive opera onal experience in this Gwader beltway is being built through Indian territory. area. It is now a military command that focuses the en re resources of the theatre against one adversary: India. The Chinese military strength in Tibet is being rapidly augmented. There are some six tank/motorised infantry China’s Chengdu-Lhasa Railway: divisions in the Western Theatre Command and the Tibet and 'One Belt, One Road' degree of mechanisa on and informa sa on is being The Diplomat enhanced. By the ab ini o line-up of forces, the threat to Jus n Cheung Ladakh now is far higher compared to the Northeast. Let May 27, 2016 us not forget that in Ladakh, China and Pakistan can a ack A newly planned railway linking Tibet with central China us jointly. Any future Chinese offensive will be presaged by will serve to provide stability for the Belt and Road. extensive cyber-a acks and a barrage of conven onal pped rockets on our command and control nodes, It is no secret that Tibetan independence movements have airfields and logis cs dumps. The most impressive and long drawn the ire of Chinese authori es. Alongside worrisome modernisa on, however, is of the Chinese Air heightened rhetoric in recent years over Tibetan unrest Force. It has 913 fourth-genera on jet fighter aircra (to and the growing publicity of riots and self-immola ons, include J-10, J-11, SU-27 and Su-30), while India has just China has sought to augment its capacity for crackdown in 322 fighters of this class (Su-30, MiG-29, Mirage-2000), the res ve province. and Japan has 277. The arithme c of this compe on The swi ness of Chinese response to previous swells of dictates that India and Japan establish a strong strategic separa st sen ment is best illustrated in the 2008 Tibetan partnership, which must include Vietnam, Indonesia, and unrest. During that me, the BBC reported that within the Phillippines, na ons that are threatened by China’s days of the start of an -government riots, over 400 troop muscle-flexing in the South China Sea. carriers of the People’s Armed Police were mobilized. Both Indian PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Ul mately, the speed with which the Chinese government Jinping took charge of their countries as strong and was able to ferry troops into sites of unrest was a crucial decisive leaders with a mandate for change. Both tried to factor in quelling the upheaval. seize each other up and seek a modus vivendi. It is In more recent mes, China’s “One Belt, One noteworthy that ini ally China under Hu Jintao was Road” (OBOR) policy – Xi Jinping’s plan to expand the hesitant about inves ng heavily in a state like Pakistan, reach of Chinese trade routes to Europe through a land which figured so prominently in the list of fast-failing route in Central Asia and a sea route through the Indian states. Somehow, Jinping in his seminal visit to Pakistan Ocean and around the horn of Africa – has taken center last year, promised $46 billion to create a China-Pakistan stage as a cornerstone of modern Chinese foreign policy. Economic Corridor. The new silk road alignment from Access to Pakistan and Central Asia are crucial to ensure Gwadar to Gilgit and onto Xinjiang was primarily designed the success of these trade routes, which incidentally must to overcome China’s Malacca bypass dilemma. Over 60 start or pass through Tibet or Xinjiang, historically per cent of China’s energy requirements have to flow separa st provinces. This has put par cularly urgent through the choke point of the Malacca Straits. In the pressure on the Chinese government to bring stability to event of a major war or crisis over Taiwan or the South its westernmost regions. China Sea, the US, Japanese and Indian navies could easily Furthermore, the implementa on of the OBOR policy interdict this energy and trade traffic. That is why having a comes at a cri cal me for China. Recent downturns in port on the Pakistani coast of Makran at Gwadar would
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 148 economic growth and output have put leaders such as Xi Indo-Pak-China strategic games Jinping in a bind, spending a great deal of poli cal capital Dailyexcelsior.com to restrict and cripple any seeds of social dissent. On a Harsha Kakar geopoli cal level, ensuring robust strategic control over Tibet has never been more essen al, for both propaganda May 25, 2016 and economic reasons. Pakistan and China claim their rela onship is that of two With that said, China’s newly planned Chengdu-Lhasa ‘all- weather friends’. India and China did appear to be railway – over 2,000 km of tracks – would serve as a moving forward in resolving the vexed border issue and crucially efficient connec on between Sichuan province in improving bilateral es, but recent Chinese ac ons seem central China with the heart of Tibet. The construc on of to have stonewalled any progress. The visit of the Indian the railway was recently announced; such an President to China this week may not result in any visible infrastructural feat would facilitate rapid travel between change in Chinese percep ons towards India or Pakistan. the two loca ons, bringing a mul -day trip down to just They may make innocuous statements, but there is fi een hours. A recent report by The Economist cited a unlikely to be any posi ve ac ons on ground. Chinese expert as saying the railroad could be feasibly Simultaneously, every a empt by India to build bridges completed by 2030. with Pakistan seem to collapse even before the first girder is launched. This trio of na ons con nue to indulge in The implica ons of this railway’s construc on are strategic games while jostling for domina on of the South par cularly diverse, but they all center on a par cular Asian landmass. The cooling off in rela ons between the purpose: expedited control. In an age where social media US and Pakistan and increasing confronta on between the pla orms such as Twi er and Facebook can cause riots to US and China only enhances the quagmire.India’s growing explode into revolu ons overnight (see: the Arab Spring), proximity to the US, Japan and the west increases doubts China must ensure that its ability to quickly muster a in Chinese minds. To further compound the case is physical military presence can match the speed of modern Russia,which since the imposi on of sanc ons over rebellions. The Chengdu-Lhasa railway provides a means Ukraine, has begun looking towards Asia, notably China. of quickly mobilising armed forces and also facilitates the movement and migra on of Han Chinese from more China by its recent ac ons at the UN and the NSG has central regions of China into Tibet, a policy that China has openly demonstrated its support for Pakistan. Whether long pushed in order to smother ethnic dissent. this is in quid-pro-quo for Pakistan’s military support for the construc on of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor This is not the first me that China has used “railway (CPEC), which would benefit China immensely, or to power projec on” to assert its power in Tibet or Xinjiang. indicate its preference in rela ons between its two However, it is the most recent and the most ambi ous neighbours, me would tell. In addi on, it is China which project thus far. Most importantly, the ming of this is providing missile and weapon technology to Pakistan undertaking highlights the effort and investment that permi ng it to enhance its nuclear delivery means. Chinese leaders are willing to make to ensure that the crossroads of its budding OBOR policy remain firmly under Pakistan, being placed at a vantage point, geographically, Chinese control. Tibet is an important star ng point for was a na on in demand during the Russian invasion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and an Afghanistan and also during the US led war on terror, post equally important entryway to the Central Asian states 9/11. Further with Iran under isola on, it remained where trade through the Caspian, Caucasus, and to important to the western world. However, its failure to Europe must begin. curtail the Taliban and the Haqqani network, as also terrorist groups opera ng against India,moved it away As such, the construc on of the Chengdu-Lhasa railway is from the interna onal radar. The provision of military separate from previous Chinese a empts to quell hardware and aidfrom the US now seems to be on the separa st movements. This me, there is much more at wane and would only reduce, post the change in US stake. The railway plays an important duality in op mising presidency. Its tradi onal Arab base also appears to be China’s foreign and domes c geo-policy today: the receding due to drop in global oil prices, rising necessity of poli cal stability within its borders to ensure involvement in the war against the IS and increasing economic success from the outside. Indian diploma c influence. Therefore, China would appear to be its only benefactor in the years ahead. The Russian factor remains only a possibility for now, as the Russians, though s ll close to India are only tes ng the waters.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 149 Economically Pakistan hopes to revive and survive on the and con nues with its theatrics of deployment of tac cal CPEC. Internally it faces strife and turmoil. Sectarian nuclear weapons it may face more than just cri cism. If it violence, terrorist strikes and bomb blasts are a daily does not deliver what China expects, Chinese support may occurrence. Militarily it is in compe on with India, whom recede. Therefore, suppor ng the Baluch movement it openly declares its sworn enemy. India’s recent missile assumes strategic importance for India. Russia has shown tests have created a factor of fear within the Pakistan intent, but yet made no promises. Diplomacy is always military establishment. With military aid receding from the long term and friends today, could become distant west, lack of finances to purchase military hardware and tomorrow, as na onal interests always reign supreme. For enhancing capabili es by India compel it to either obtain India, therefore, this is a period of wait and watch. its military requirement from China or enhance the However, it needs to be cau ous about military produc on and deployment of tac cal nuclear weapons as developments in Tibet and hence needs to hasten the a counter measure to India. Military supplies from Russia raising and opera onalisa on of the mountain strike corps appear to be on the cards, though not formal yet. and improving infrastructure along its northern borders, The visit in the recent past of the Indian Prime Minister to while it con nues to engage China diploma cally. China and the reciprocal visit of their President did indicate a warming in the rela onship. India’s growing proximity to the west, uns nted support to the ‘open sea China and the Mekong: The policy’ and enhancing mari me es with Japan again distanced the two na ons. The forthcoming par cipa on Floodgates of Power of four Indian naval ships in the Malabar exercise in the The Diplomat South China sea would only increase the distance. Though Cal Wong India did a empt to appease China by denying visas to May 25, 2016 Chinese dissidents, it was of no avail. China has made it China now has a chokehold on the Mekong River, the abundantly clear that it would con nue to prefer its lifeline for the Indochina peninsula. growing rela onship with Pakistan over India. In March, China opened the floodgates to its southern There is growing ambiguity over China upgrading its Jinghong hydropower sta on for two weeks, releasing Tibetan Command, with US intelligence even sta ng that it massive amounts of freshwater into the Mekong basin, would enhance capabili es in case of a future conflict with which feeds con nental Southeast Asia. China’s stated aim India.Whatever be the reason, militarily it is clear that was to bolster a severely diminished water flow brought whenever you upgrade a par cular appointment, it is on by the combina on of dams and El Nino. done to place addi onal resources under command. This The El Nino Southern Oscilla on is a natural phenomenon ac on could involve increased deployment in Tibet. that sees the rising of sea temperatures in the equatorial Increased deployment indicates increased logis c Pacific Ocean. The change in water temperature affects capabili es and a greater quantum of acclima sed troops the natural water cycle, which causes floods in southern available for opera ons in a shorter me frame. For India, China and has brought the most severe droughts in it implies a shorter warning period, a larger acclima sed Southeast Asia in 60 years. offensive force and possibly increase in border incursions. China’s domes c dam building ini a ves have only China is effec vely employing Pakistan’s to counter India’s exacerbated the effects on drought-hit Southeast Asia. military power as also to obtain a foothold of dominance Almost all of Southeast Asia’s freshwater supply has their in Afghanistan. It is also aiming to stall the Uyghur source in China’s Tibetan Plateau and Xinjiang region. In terrorism from expanding in Xinjiang, by u lising 1949, China had an es mated 22 dams; today, there are Pakistan’s power over the Taliban. Pakistan therefore has an es mated 90,000 dams. The country now has a choke to deliver on a number of fronts for con nued Chinese hold on the flow of the Mekong River, the region’s major support. It has to ensure security to the CPEC and Gwadar, waterway. provide China with a foothold in Afghanistan and compel the Taliban to restrict Uyghur militants from returning. The Mekong River is the lifeblood of Southeast Asia. It features widely in many cultural aspects of life. It also In interna onal rela ons there are no permanent friends feeds these na ons, providing a rich harvest of rice each or permanent enemies. There was a me, when Pakistan year. Le Anh Tuan, deputy director of the Research was at the forefront of western aid, almost immune to any Ins tute for Climate Change at the University of Can Tho, cri cism from the west for its misadventures in India. Vietnam, said as much as 50 percent of the 2.2 million Today it is off the radar. If it fails to deliver in Afghanistan hectares (5.4 million acres) of arable land in the delta had
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 150 been hit by salinisa on thanks to the drought, according another faux pas by first accep ng the invita on and then to AFP. Vietnam, which sits at the bo om end of the backtracking from sending two parliamentarians to a end Mekong, announced in March that it had put in a formal the swearing-in ceremony of Taiwanese president-elect request with China to increase flows into the river to Tsai Ing-wen. The first female president of the island alleviate severe salinity levels in it rice planta ons. na on was sworn in on 20 May. Analysts have warned that there isn’t enough cross-border In fact, the government had already announced the names management of the Mekong to prevent conflicts in the of DP Tripathi (of the Na onalist Congress Party) and future. “The current crisis points to the cri cal need for a Meenakshi Lekhi (of the Bhara ya Janata Party) for the regional solu on and approach to this shared river, one event. But subsequently, it changed its mind and that is currently missing,” Pianporn Deetes from the U.S.- disallowed the two MPs from visi ng Taipei. based watchdog Interna onal Rivers told the Wall Street One does not need to become a Nobel laureate to Journal in May. understand that it is the fear of China that has done the There are power games at play. The Mekong River trick. As in the case of Dolkun Isa, this me too the Modi Commission was established in 1995. Comprising the government realised its "folly" of antagonising Beijing governments of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, par cularly when President Pranab Mukherjee is all set to the MRC adopted the mission to “ensure that the Mekong visit China on 24 May. The ques on thus is: If the water is developed in the most efficient manner that government is so scared of China, then why does it mutually benefits all Member Countries and minimises unnecessarily ini ate an ac on that displeases Beijing? harmful effects on people and the environment in the Strange it may seem, but it is true that the BJP, a Lower Mekong Basin.” Its interests lay with the lower supposedly na onalist party, whenever in power in Delhi, basin countries and for this, it was shunned by China. has always disgraced the country while dealing with China. Instead, Beijing encourage the forma on of a new For instance, un l 2003, India’s standard posi on on Tibet mechanism. In March 2016, China’s Xinhua reported the was that it is an autonomous region of China, meaning inaugural mee ng of leaders for the Lancang-Mekong that India’s view on Tibet could change if Beijing takes Coopera on mechanism (LMC) in Sanya, China, “to away Tibet’s autonomy. But Atal Behari Vajpayee, during provide poli cal guidance and a roadmap for sub-regional his visit to China in 2003, agreed uncondi onally that coopera on between China and the five Southeast Asian “Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) is part of the territory of na ons of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and the People’s Republic of China (PRC)”. And what is more Vietnam.” For China’s part, it announced that it would important, such an agreement on Tibet was signed for the offer concessional loans to countries along the Mekong to first me at the prime ministerial level. build water infrastructure, and also called for the use of It seems that this sordid history is being repeated under the Chinese RMB in promo ng sustainable development the second Prime Minister from the BJP, Narendra Modi. It in the region. is true that India follows the ‘One China’ policy and does The forma on of the LMC is perhaps a new approach to not recognise Taiwan as a country. In the absence of garner support for China’s tradi onal unilateralist formal diploma c rela ons, India and Taiwan coordinate methods. However, the drought and El Nino has only their rela ons through their respec ve Economic and exacerbated the agricultural concerns of China’s control Cultural Centers in each other’s capital. But within these over the water resources of Asia. broad parameters, it is to the credit of the previous Manmohan Singhgovernment that New Delhi was successfully de-hyphena ng its policy towards Taipei from its China-policy. In March 2011, India had announced Narendra Modi con nues Vajpayee’s to forge a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Taiwan, while legacy of appeasement of China denying the same to China. And ignoring China’s protest, India approved in December 2012 the opening of a branch Firstpost.com office of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in Prakash Nanda Chennai. May 23, 2016 In fact, this process of de-hyphena on was supposed to There is something seriously wrong with the way the Modi gain further momentum under Modi. But that does not government is appeasing China. A er the avoidable seem to be happening. And that too at a me when for ignominy over the issue of repealing visa to the Uyghur the first me a Taiwanese president on her inaugura on ac vist Dolkun Isa, the government has commi ed day has specifically men oned India in what will be her
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 151 priority of developing a “South-bound policy” (towards as the focal point of the Taiwanese business in the last few Southeast Asia and India) to restructure the island na on’s years, with many Taiwanese companies establishing their economy by “bidding farewell to the single market offices in the southern coastal state of India. phenomenon (meaning China)”. Of late, Taiwanese exports to India have been growing. For Incidentally, it was again the Vajpayee government that the first five months of May 2015, they stood at over $2 had beli led Taiwan when, in 2001, the then Taiwanese billion. The annual trade between the two countries is vice-president Anne e Lu was disallowed to visit the about $8 billion. This figure as well as the Taiwanese earthquake-affected people of Gujarat with relief material investments in India are expected to expand significantly worth more than $ 1 million. And this was apparently due upon the conclusion of an FTA between the two to the fear that the communist China would not like her governments. In fact, Taiwan can be an important partner visit to India. This was rather strange, considering the fact in strengthening the ‘Make in India’ programme. that China’s total relief-help for Gujarat was $60, 000, Taiwanese Foxconn has decided to manufacture Xiaomi whereas the $1 million worth relief material that the mobile phones in Andhra Pradesh, and is also going to Taiwanese vice-president was sending in her “personal invest $5 billion over a period of three years in a capacity” was the gesture of a single voluntary manufacturing unit in Maharashtra. With a focus on make organisa on called ‘Love and Care’ whose chairperson in India, the demand for Taiwan’s machine tools is also happened to be Ms. Lu. likely to increase. The small-sized island of Taiwan, with 23 million people, India and Taiwan complement each other in terms of has emerged as a formidable economic powerhouse in the demographics. The la er has been experiencing below Asia-Pacific region. Taiwan is the world's 16th largest replacement rate fer lity levels of around 1.6 (and economy and fi h largest economy in Asia (a er China, declining) for many years. The average life expectancy is Japan, India and South Korea). It has the world's third 77 years and is increasing. The elderly will make up 20 largest foreign exchange reserves with more than $255 percent of the total popula on of Taiwan by 2020, and this billion. It is the world's fourth largest IC maker globally, will imply an increase in median age and a reduc on in and the second a er the United States in IC design. Taiwan working age persons to total popula on ra o. In contrast, leads the world in market share output of 23 IT items, India is in a demographic gi phase, with rising working with the result that every 8 out of 10 computers in the age to total popula on ra o ll 2045. Even a er that, its world use some Taiwanese system or the other. Above all, ra o will decline quite slowly, and the ra o will remain Taiwan is one of the largest investors all over the world. Its higher than for Taiwan. per capita income of $15,000 is among the world’s Against this background, Taiwan can extend its economic highest. space and cope with popula on ageing by taking It may be noted that Taiwan’s leading businessmen advantage of India’s rela vely young manpower through cons tute the largest source of investments in China, the outsourcing and off-shoring of many ac vi es. These may unofficial figure amoun ng to as much as $ 300 billion. range from rou ne Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Ironically, these huge investments by the Taiwanese in types to those involving such KPO ac vi es as research, China have made them Beijing’s poten al hostages. and design. Many MNCs, including those from China, are Naturally, Taiwanese policy makers want to diversify their basing their research and design centres in India. Taiwan’s economic interests. Besides, Taiwan is aware that par cipa on in selected areas of research and design technological and innova ve edge is key to long-term could provide with win-win opportuni es. It is said in this sustained growth in an age of global economic context how a por on of Taiwan’s pension assets, which interdependence. It risks losing its edge as its are es mated to be $150 billion, can be invested in India businessmen deepen their es with a communist China to obtain high returns. These in turn can assist in achieving that is weak in innova on and strong on cheap labour. So, financial security for the aged in Taiwan. Taiwanese businessmen want to establish strategic R&D Secondly, there can be mutually beneficial exchanges of alliances with global innova on centers. informa on between the intelligence agencies and And here, the prospect of collabora on between Taiwan's militaries of India and Taiwan on a range of issues such as computer hardware industry and India's world-class terrorism, cyber-hacking, naviga on security and sea so ware industry is said to be extremely promising. In piracy. Similar exchanges take place between the fact, India’s Nascom and Taiwanese counterpart, named Taiwanese agencies and their counterparts in the US, III, have been planning to collaborate in producing cheap South Korea and Japan, to name a few. Even if one treats computers in Tamil Nadu, which, incidentally, has emerged the interac ons between Taiwan and the US as unique
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 152 and quite complex, the fact that Tokyo and Seoul share felt ready to take on the challenge. It had a warm-up with strategic informa on with Taipei is interes ng in the sense the construc on of the first railway into Tibet, which that they have much more at stake than New Delhi in opened in 2006. That line, connec ng Lhasa with Golmud maintaining friendly rela ons with Beijing, considering in Qinghai province to the north (and extended two years their quantum of trade with and investments in the ago from Lhasa to Tibet’s second city, Shigatse), was mainland China, let alone their geopoli cal links. proclaimed to be a huge accomplishment. It included the Beijing may not like such interac ons, but then the overall highest-al tude stretch in the world, parts of it across na onal interests of a country in cul va ng rela ons with permafrost. It required ingenious heat-regula ng another must not be made hostage to the Beijing factor. technology to keep the track from buckling. The point is if Japan and South Korea can do it, why not China further honed its skills with the opening of a high- India? speed line across the Tibetan plateau in 2014—though in In sum, despite being the world's largest democracy, India Qinghai province, rather than in Tibet proper. But neither has neglected Taiwan, the first Chinese society to reject track had anything like the natural barriers that the authoritarianism in favour of democracy. India under the Sichuan-Tibet line will face. It will be just under half as BJP is so sensi ve to China's reac on that it has always long again as the exis ng line to Tibet, but will take three compromised both principles and pragma sm in its mes longer to build. The second line’s es mated cost of rela ons with Taiwan. It does not realise that developing a 105 billion yuan ($16 billion) is several mes more than healthy rela onship with Taiwan will not only further the first one. Lhasa is about 3,200 metres (10,500 feet) India’s strategic and economic interests but also higher than Chengdu, yet by the me the track goes up checkmate China's expansionist designs in the region. and down on the way there—crossing 14 mountains, two of them higher than Mont Blanc, western Europe’s highest mountain—the cumula ve ascent will be 14,000 metres. The exis ng road from Chengdu to Lhasa that follows the A new railway to Tibet proposed route into Tibet is a narrow highway notable for the wreckage of lorries that have careered off it. Some Doubling down Chinese drivers regard the naviga on of Highway 318 as economist.com the ul mate proof of their vehicles’, and their own, May 21, 2016 endurance. Plans for a new railway line into Tibet pose a huge Work on easier stretches of the railway line, closest to technological challenge—and a poli cal one Lhasa and Chengdu respec vely, began in 2014. Now the “A COLOSSAL roller-coaster” is how a senior engineer government appears to be ge ng ready for the tougher described it. He was talking about the railway that China parts. A na onal three-year “plan of ac on”, adopted in plans to build from the lowlands of the south-west, across March for major transport-infrastructure projects, some of the world’s most forbidding terrain, into Tibet. Of men ons the most difficult stretch: a 1,000km link all the country’s railway-building feats in recent years, this between Kangding in Sichuan and the Tibetan prefecture will be the most remarkable: a 1,600-kilometre (1,000- of Linzhi (Nyingchi in Tibetan). The plan says this should be mile) track that will pass through snow-capped mountains “pushed forward” by 2018. It will involve 16 bridges to in a region racked by earthquakes, with nearly half of it carry the track over the Yarlung Tsangpo river, known running through tunnels or over bridges. It will also be downstream as the Brahmaputra. Dai Bin of Southwest dogged all the way by controversy. Jiaotong University in Chengdu says the Chengdu-Lhasa Chinese officials have dreamed of such a railway line for a line could be finished by around 2030. century. In 1912, shortly a er he took over as China’s first president, Sun Yat-sen called for a trans-Tibetan line, not least to help prevent Tibet from falling under the sway of Britain (which had already invaded Tibet from India a decade earlier). Mao Zedong revived the idea in the 1950s. In the years since, many exploratory surveys have been carried out. But it is only a er building the world’s second-longest railway network—including, in the past few years, by far the biggest high-speed one—that China’s government has
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 153 In Litang, a town high up in Sichuan on that difficult 65 YEARS OF PAK-CHINA FRIENDSHIP stretch, a Tibetan monk speaks approvingly of the project, pakobserver.net which will bring more tourists to the remote community May 21, 2016 and its 16th-century monastery (rebuilt since the Chinese Reema Shaukat air force bombed it in 1956 to crush an uprising). But the impact on Tibet of the Golmud-Lhasa line s ll All weather diploma c rela ons between China and reverberates. It fuelled a tourism boom in Lhasa that Pakistan were formally established on May 21, 1951. a racted waves of ethnic Han Chinese from other parts of Pakistan was the first Muslim country to accept People’s China to work in industries such as catering and transport. Republic of China. Cordial rela ons between two states The resentment it created among Tibetans, who felt are not only termed as higher than Himalayas, deeper excluded from the new jobs, was a big cause of rio ng in than oceans and sweeter than honey but both sides Lhasa in 2008 that ignited protests across the plateau. The equally acknowledge this element of trust on each other. new line will cut through some of the most res ve areas. As responsible neighbours, both China and Pakistan Since 2011 more than 110 Tibetans are reported to have always maintain well-coordinated, appropriately killed themselves by se ng themselves on fire in protest communicated and balanced approach on regional and at China’s crackdown a er the unrest. Some of the self- interna onal concerning issues. Apart from ma ers of immola ons have happened in Tibetan-inhabited parts of mutual interest Pakistan supports China on the issues of Sichuan, including near Litang. Tibet, Taiwan and Xinjiang while China has always appreciated Pak role in war against terrorism other than With spectacular views, the new line is sure to be a big suppor ng it economically. To for fy diploma c rela ons draw. It is also sure to a ract many migrant workers from between the two states, several exchange visits of leaders Sichuan, a province of 80m people, to cash in on Tibet’s and high officials on both sides take place frequently. tourism. The journey me from Chengdu to Lhasa is a gruelling three days by road, or more than 40 hours by Consolida ng diploma c rela ons, Pak China coopera on train through Qinghai. The new line will reduce it to a takes place in various fields. China has supported Pakistan mere 15 hours. a lot in defence sector. It has extended military support to all three armed forces of Pakistan. Either it’s se ng up of Officials see other benefits. The route will cross a region PAF Aeronau cal Complex at Kamra, Heavy Industries rich in natural resources, from mber to copper. It will Taxila, produc on of several ammuni on at POF or also, to India’s consterna on, pass close to the contested mari me assistance for projects of Pakistan Navy, China border between the two countries. (China says India always stood side by side with Pakistan. Joint venture of occupies “south Tibet”, and launched a brief invasion of manufacturing of JF-17 Thunder aircra s at PAC Kamra is India there in 1962.) A Chinese government website, China one of shining example of defence coopera on between Tibet News, said in 2014 that building the Sichuan-Tibet two countries. Apart from PAC, HIT, Pakistan Steel Mill and railway had become “extremely urgent”, not just for contribu on at missile factories it intends to provide developing Tibet but also to meet “the needs of na onal- Pakistan Navy with submarines and upgrada on of defence-building”. frigates. China is one of major supporter of Pakistan’s Communist party officials in Tibet hope that the new line nuclear power genera on for peaceful purposes. will be just the start of a railway-building spree in the China is Pakistan’s second largest trade partner and once-isolated region. On May 16th Tibet Daily, the foreseeing as one of largest investment opportunity in government mouthpiece in Tibet, said that work would South Asia, China’s investment in Pakistan has reached to start in the coming five years on around 2,000km of track. 18 billion US dollars. Trade volume in last fi een years It would include a line from Shigatse to Yadong (or between two countries has developed from 5.7 billion US Dromo), near the border with India and Bhutan, and dollars to 100.11 billion US dollars. Both countries signed another one to Jilong (or Gyirong), near the border with the contracts of worth 150.8 billion dollars from year 2000 Nepal. China’s railway chief talks of “the extreme to 2015 which started off from just 1.8 billion dollars. importance of railway-building for Tibet’s development China has invested in Pakistan massively, than any other and stability”. The region’s recent history offers scant country and the renowned Bri sh economist, Jims O Neil, evidence. has also predicted the emerging of Pakistan as the 18th global economy with US$ 3.3 trillion GDP by 2050. One of the mega projects of 46 billion US dollars China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is viewed as game changer in the region is going to cover energy,
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 154 infrastructure, communica on and other developmental promp ng cries of a Nepali pivot to China. While some sectors. Work on CPEC is carried out day and night to give shi ing towards China does seem to be underway, Nepal reality to the Chinese vision of One Belt, One Road will always require good rela ons with its long me concept. CPEC is all-inclusive growth programme that partner India. The real story in Nepal is a possible internal requires the linking of Gwadar Port to China’s north- security disaster that would go against Nepali, Indian, and western region of Xinjiang through highways, railways, oil Chinese interests. and gas pipelines, and an op cal fibre link. A fresh outbreak of protests this week highlights the Adversaries of Pakistan have always created problems for urgency of Nepal’s ongoing cons tu onal crisis. A the projects encompassing economic progress of the state resurgence of violence in the next year is possible, through hos le a empts. That is why CPEC remain a focus perhaps at a greater scale than the episodes of police and of sabotage ac vi es. A loud and clear message was given protester violence during the blockade that resulted in by Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Shareef in a over 50 deaths. This would be devasta ng for a country seminar on Gwadar on 12 April, 2016 sta ng that CPEC is s ll reeling from a 2015 earthquake that killed close to grand manifesta on of deep rooted es between China 9,000 people, followed by a crippling economic blockade and Pakistan and it’s a corridor of peace and prosperity for and rising ethnic tensions. region. Apart from over 120 Chinese companies and On the subcon nent, India and China vie for influence, 12,000 skilled technicians working on different projects, while lesser powers like Nepal navigate geopoli cs by Pakistan has established a special force army to provide currying favour with their great state neighbours. A rapid security to Chinese workers. China seems to have more up ck in China-Nepal rela ons threatens to shake up confidence into Pak Army and therefore construc on foreign rela ons in South Asia. Ul mately, though, both projects of building roads, strategically important bridges Indian and Chinese goals for the region are served best by and highways are handed over to Fron er Works promo ng poli cal stability and economic growth in Organisa on, one of Pak Army branch. Nepal. Emerging from this cons tu onal crisis intact will Apart from people to people contact both countries are require Nepal’s leaders to walk a ghtrope between two also focusing on cultural exchange programs and offering giants. scholarships to students. To ensure peace in region China Pivot to China? is also part of Quadrilateral Dialogue Process along with Recent weeks have involved a sharp uptake in diploma c Pakistan. While celebra ng 65 years of Pak China and economic developments in China-Nepal rela ons. The acquaintance, it is expected that in coming years both momentum began with a joint statement during Nepali countries will con nue to robust their strategic and Prime Minister Oli’s visit to Beijing at the end of March. poli cal bond proving this connexion stronger than steel. When I was in Kathmandu during the first week of May, — The writer works for an Islamabad based think tank the city was ignited with news that the government was to Pakistan Ins tute for Conflict and Security Studies. fall and Oli to resign. Analysts believe the abrupt reversal of Nepal’s Maoist leadership that prevented this change, keeping the Oli-led government in power, was due to Chinese interven on. Nepal's Pivot to China May Be Too Building on those developments, on May 15th, Nepal and Late China completed laying an op cal fiber to Kathmandu, The Na onal Interest crea ng a direct link “to Hong Kong Data Centre which is May 20, 2016 one of the two biggest global data centres in Asia.” Two days later, the Chinese Minister for State Administra on Nepal’s cons tu onal crisis in the winter of 2015 and for Press, Publica on, Radio, Film and Television, Cai spring of 2016 prompted protes ng par es to enforce an Fuchao visited Oli’s residence and the two economic blockade in the Terai region on the Nepali- made statements about growth in Nepal-China rela ons. Indian border. Protes ng Nepali groups included ethnic China also just inaugurated the first transport service to minori es that feel underrepresented in the new Nepal, a rail-bus, 10-day journey from Lanzhou to federalist system. Unofficial poli cal support from India Kathmandu. And a joint Nepal-China researcher team has enabled the protests to last four-and-a-half months, begun hydrocarbon (petroleum and natural gas) debilita ng the already weakened Nepali economy and explora on in Nepal. While Chinese economic expansion crea ng a humanitarian crisis. Ci ngIndian government in the region is progressing in stages, the China complicity in the embargo, Nepali Prime Minister Khadga correspondent for India Today suggests that, “the speed Prasad Sharma Oli reached out to Beijing for help,
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 155 with which rela ons are being transformed will likely believes that a temporary army takeover or a return of the come as a surprise to New Delhi.” monarchy are not out of the ques on if a poli cal solu on There is concern among analysts that India has seriously to the current cons tu onal crisis is not reached in the blundered its rela onship with Nepal. Kathmandu next year. Separa st elements of protes ng groups are recalling its ambassador from New Delhi is only the most small but worrisome. In a recent interview with Nepali recent in a series of recent downturns in rela ons. Nepali Times, Nepal Army Chief Chhetri said that, “the army is President Bhandari’s planned visit to New Delhi in early alert about conspiracies to disintegrate the country and is May was reportedly cancelled as a signal of Kathmandu’s ready to foil them if needed.” frustra on with its large, southern neighbour for what it perceives as meddling in a domes c issue. Understanding the poli cal sensi vity of movements in Nepal’s southern Terai area is key to contextualising Oli’s nega ve responses How China’s Silk Road project can to perceived Indian meddling. In an interview, re red benefit India Ambassador Hiranya Lal Shrestha explained that the Terai dnaindia.com (specifically the Madhes) is to Nepal what Tibet is to China May 18, 2016 and Kashmir is to India. India may have overplayed its hand in Nepal. The Chinese model of economic India remains unmoved, at present. Since OBOR is engagement without poli cal dicta on is looking more expected to take shape over 35 years, New Delhi cannot effec ve than Indian Prime Minister Modi’s be said to have closed the ma er for all me “neighbourhood first” policy. It is hard to figure out why the Government of India (GoI) Outbreak of Renewed Violence? has steeled itself against accep ng any part in China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) ini a ve. Sec ons seeking to Between the cons tu onal crisis and the government’s influence policy have more than once reiterated that it is failure to distribute earthquake relief funds and facilitate in India’s interests to work with Beijing on OBOR. much needed reconstruc on, the Nepali people are fed up. Widespread, outstanding grievances make for a tense None of these policy wonks and strategic affairs experts is domes c norm. Based on peace building research with a China-lover or China-op mist by any defini on. To the communi es in the Terai and far eastern Nepal, a major contrary, many of them are staunch supporters of the US INGO country director for Nepal warned that things are “pivot” against China and advocates of the Washington- “s ll incredibly sensi ve here.” Iden ty-based tension is Delhi-Tokyo axis. Their case is that India should get on growing and an outbreak of fresh violence “only takes a board OBOR for non-ideological, pragma c reasons. small spark,” she said. Re red Ambassador and former Economic common sense, need for connec vity and Chairman of the UN Human Rights Commission Shambhu access to the proposed Asia-Europe infrastructure of Simkhada phrased the build up of unresolved issues more transport and industrial corridors and hubs for telecom, bluntly. “We are si ng on a volcano,” he told me in trade, travel and energy transfer dictate that India seize Kathmandu at a mee ng of South Asian think tanks on the promise held out by OBOR. May 1st. In fact, from a geostrategic perspec ve, involvement in Another Nepali analyst, Professor Surendra K.C. of OBOR could help India to more effec vely implement its Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, worries that if a own Spice Route and Mausam projects. Far from being poli cal solu on to the cons tu onal crisis is not reached counter-proposals, these two can be integrated with soon, “there could be anarchy, chaos.” OBOR to op mise both economic and strategic gains. On Some reports suggest that the Nepal Army Chief Che ri’s more than one occasion, Beijing has expressed its visit to New Delhi in February was instrumental in bringing readiness to work with New Delhi — and South Asia — on the protests in the Terai to an end. Chhetri highlighted the Spice Route and Mausam. It has offered to reorient and security threat posed to Indian interests by rising violence adapt OBOR to make it more acceptable to New Delhi. and resul ng instability. Renewed violence in the young However, India remains unmoved, at present. Since OBOR republic would go against, Indian, Chinese, and Nepali is expected to take shape over 35 years, New Delhi cannot interests. be said to have closed the ma er for all me. And, neither Significant poli cal change is imminent. According to Dr. China nor the other countries including Russia have given K.B. Rokaya, a key facilitator of the peace se lement with up on India being persuaded to join the ini a ve. the Maoists in 2006 a er Nepal’s revolu on: “The The trigger for these reflec ons is the Asia-Europe movement is now star ng…a people’s movement.” Rokaya Mee ng (ASEM) Media Dialogue on Connec vity, held in
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 156 Guangzhou on May 9-10. Over 200 delegates represen ng especially with Nepal’s government determined to prove media, business, government and think tanks from ASEM that China is a viable alterna ve to India. member states had gathered to discuss media’s role in New Delhi: On May 12, the Chinese state-run “Promo ng Public Awareness and Partnership.” Pakistan, newspaper People’s Daily carried a short ar cle with four Bangladesh, Mongolia, New Zealand and Singapore had photographsof a freight train wai ng at a sta on in co-sponsored the Dialogue along with China’s Ministry of Lanzhou, before it le with 86 cargo containers for a Foreign Affairs and the State Council Informa on Office. journey to Nepal. Although GoI keeps out of OBOR-linked ac vi es, Indians The interna onal freight train will travel within Chinese especially from the media are regular invitees to these territory un l the current railhead of Xigaze (Shigatse) and stakeholders’ mee ngs on Connec vity. Every such event then travel by road through Gyirong (Geelong) border is a reminder of how much India would have been in the post. The goods will take 10 days to reach Kathmandu, limelight had it opted to partner China on OBOR. where they will, presumably, be greeted under the glare of In the absence of India, the most influen al element of high-voltage publicity. the Anglo-American axis that tends to dominate such Among Indian policymakers, the news about the freight spaces is Pakistan. Needless to say, Islamabad, as the train has been greeted largely with skep cism. Even as leading South Asian presence in such forums makes the some Indian members of parliament and media persons most of these opportuni es to “manage” percep ons. have been ringing alarm bells about China ge ng a share Had GoI par cipated, even at a Track 2 level, it would have in the current Nepali polity under the Khadga Prasad held centre stage, shown the way and stolen the thunder Sharma Oli government, the power corridors in the not only in Guangzhou, but in any such ASEM session. In country have been compara vely unconcerned – jaded at the absence of Official India, if Indian media delegates led an apparent replay of the “China” card. some of the sessions and held the floor with their ideas, According to Indian observers, the freight train is another inputs and ar cula on, it was because of the content of manifesta on of China “playing ball” with the Oli their contribu on. government’s need to show that its Chinese overture is These media representa ves are, at best, informed bearing fruit. According to sources, this rail and road par cipants with li le authority or say in policy; and, that combina on was already in use and not a new is a fact known to the organisers and the audience. Yet, development to facilitate Nepal-China transit trade. their being invited to present their thoughts and “There have always been items coming through this route sugges ons underscores the importance a ached to India, in small volumes,” a senior government official said. its role in Asia, its engagement with Europe and emerging global ini a ves. Such par cipa on and impact in interna onal forums is a tes mony to India’s “so power” at play, in the interests of the people and the state (not government) by non-state actors. Thus, by keeping out of an ini a ve like OBOR, New Delhi is losing out not only on the projected hard, tangible benefits of connec vity but also the so , intangible gains that flow from diploma c success in expanding spheres of influence. The route of the freight train, from Lanzhou to Xigaze through Gyirong to Kathmandu. Credit: Google Maps China’s Freight Train to Nepal Is No The appropriate response Threat, But Indian Border Former Indian foreign secretary and ambassador to Nepal Infrastructure Needs Fast Upgrade Shyam Saran is also not en rely convinced about the thewire.in viability of the Chinese route. He believes that India should respond not by scaremongering, but by urgently May 18, 2016 upgrading connec vity networks with its landlocked Unless India dras cally improves its border infrastructure, neighbour. China’s heightened presence is not likely to diminish –
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 157 Nepal’s border with China is much longer than its people contact, which will increase if Tatopani is southern one with India – but the Himalayas are a much upgraded. But Nepal cannot easily remove its se led more formidable fron er than the Terai plains. popula on, as this will lead to a lot of resentment,” “Are the Chinese going to subsidise Nepali trade? For claimed a senior government official. what?” Saran asked, wondering if any “cost-benefit While the towering Himalayas may impede China, India analysis” has been conducted of goods that arrive through has no such excuse, however. the Chinese route. He pointed out that China had clearly Mahendra Lama, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru said that trade would be on a “commercial basis.” University (JNU), noted that it was only around 2005 that Saran said that instead of repea ng the alarmist “Chinese New Delhi changed its mindset towards developing long- are coming” refrain, India should look at how it can neglected border regions, and even so, “the pace of “consolidate” its geographical advantage. The Indian development (since then) is alarmingly slow and acutely response to Chinese expansion should be to take “our dangerous for the country”. problems with the border infrastructure much more According to the People’s Daily report, the freight train will seriously.” “We are very slow,” he added. take 10 days to reach Kathmandu, 35 days fewer India has 15 transit points on its border with Nepal, along compared to the ‘ocean route’. While there is skep cism with five transit routes to and from Bangladesh and about third countries using China as a transit route to Bhutan. Along the border with China, there are two trade Nepal because of the cost, the delivery could poten ally posts. be faster than delivery through India by rail or road. But, with poor infrastructure on the Indian side, Nepal has Delhi-based think tank Indian Council for Research on not been able to harness the full poten al of transit Interna onal Economic Rela ons es mated that due to facili es to third countries through India. current infrastructure and procedural problems, the Within the last decade, India commissioned a series of average turnaround me from the Kolkata port to Birgunj border roads, rail links, Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) and and back by road is 19 days, whereas the “ideal” me Terai roads – but most of them were delayed beyond their should be just seven days. By rail, the turnaround is even ini al deadline over issues of statutory approvals by longer – 26 days, of which the actual transit me is only Nepal, land acquisi on and poli cal unrest. four days and the remaining me is spent wai ng at Kolkata port or at Birgunj. Ten years a er “in principle approval” of the ICPs, the ministry of home affairs has scheduled the first two ICPs at The bo leneck Birgunj and Jogbani becoming opera onal in the first The main obstacle in India swi ly improving border quarter of 2016-17 – which should speed up the linkages, or execu ng the plans to do so, has been its processing me of Nepal’s bilateral and third country arcane financial rules, which control all government trade through India. projects, believes Saran. The fate of Tatopani “A sugges on was made for a kind of autonomous A key reason for India’s confidence that it will not be development agency within the Ministry of External superseded by China as Nepal’s preferred transit trade Affairs (MEA), which would be empowered to take its own des na on has been the fate of the Tatopani border post. decisions financially, with its own financial advisor,” he At the height of the “blockade,” China gave about 1.3 added. Currently, India’s aid budget is administered by the million litres of petrol as a grant through the Kerung post, development partnership administra on division in the with Tatopani, the only other, and more convenient, MEA, which was created about four years ago by removing transit point remaining closed since being damaged in the aid delivery from the territorial desks. April 2015 earthquake. With financial alloca on for even long term projects done While the physical security of the infrastructure annually, a reduc on in the budget for a single year, say at Tatopani remains precarious, there is another for austerity purposes, throws the schedule awry, noted dimension to the whole scenario. According to sources, Saran. China has already moved the se led popula on on its side Even as India struggles to whip its border infrastructure deeper into its territory, and it wants Nepal to similarly into shape, China’s heightened presence is not likely to move its se led popula on as a condi on for opening the diminish – especially with the Oli government determined border post. to prove that China is a viable alterna ve to India. “The Nepali popula on on this side of the border post is ‘pro-Tibet’. China remains wary of large-scale people-to-
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 158 A dark history to India Deep Kumar Upadhyay – a poli cal appointee of India has been in the Oli government’s black book ever the previous Nepali Congress administra on – ci ng his since New Delhi asked Nepal to delay the promulga on of “non-coopera ve” a tude. Upadhyay, who had the new Cons tu on so that the Madheshi par es’ been against the cancella on of Bhandari’s trip, was demands on ci zenship, and provincial boundaries and accused of “hobnobbing” with Rae over a visit to the their demarca on be incorporated. The disrup on of fuel res ve Madhesh districts – an accusa on he strenuously supplies, through an ‘unofficial blockade’ for which Nepal denied. blamed India and India blamed the Madheshi protestors, Oli even tried to sever India and Nepal’s connec on did not improve tempers. through Buddhism. In a pointed remark, he said that the In January, India was quick to welcome a cons tu onal upcoming Interna onal Buddhism Conference in amendment that delimited cons tuencies as per Kathmandu “will help remove the confusion and prove popula on, a move that improved rela ons. The that Buddha and the Buddhist philosophy started from Madheshis, though, were not sa sfied. Nepal.” The end of the ‘blockade’ and Oli’s subsequent visit in Meanwhile, the Nepali government announced that the February 2016 finally seemed to bring about some Kathmandu-Tarai fast track road and the second normalcy in es. Le ers were exchanged allowing Nepal to interna onal airport at Nijgadha would be built through use Vishakapatnam for third country trade, along with a domes c investment rather than by a foreign firm. This new road and rail route to Bangladesh. had been a topic of discussion during Oli’s visit to India, with New Delhi offering a loan of $750 million for the road A month later, Oli went to Beijing and signed a transit- and airport project. A consor um led by the Indian firm trade treaty that allowed the use of Tianjin port, 3000 IL&FS had prepared the detailed project report. kilometre away from Nepal. There was also talk of extending the Chinese rail network to the Nepal border by However, there was a backlash from Le poli cians 2020. claiming that handing over the project to a foreign firm would be against ‘na onal interest’. A case has been filed The freight train from Lanzhou is, therefore, a likely in the Supreme Court, but the Oli government went ahead Chinese demonstra on of Oli’s ‘success’. Nepali with the announcement. An Indian official made it clear newspaper The Republica has argued in its editorial that that the so loan would no longer be available, as terms “all evidence suggests that it was a one-off” rather than a and condi ons for such lines of credit usually call for “long-term project,” since Nepali government officials employing Indian firms. were kept in the dark. Just a couple of days before the latest round of India- The latest spiral bai ng began in Kathmandu, the parliamentary standing The latest downturn in rela ons with India was triggered commi ee on external affairs tabled its latest report on by the move of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal the demand for grants for the ministry of external affairs. (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda to In the sec on about aid to Nepal, the commi ee directly remove Oli with the help of the Nepali Congress. Within a ques oned South Block as to why “an -India propaganda day, Prachanda changed his mind, a er Oli agreed to had found currency in Nepalese poli cal discourse,” accept Maoist demands in a nine-point agreement that despite the rising quantum of Indian aid. included three controversial provisions on the withdrawal “Narrow poli cal, vested interests some mes grossly of police cases related to violence and land distribu on misrepresent India’s support for an inclusive Nepal as our during the Maoist civil war. Human rights groups have interference to support only one sec on (Madhesis) of the already heavily cri cised this agreement. Nepalese popula on; and also deliberately use an - However, Oli is reportedly convinced that New Delhi was Indianism to promote their extreme na onalist plank,” the behind the move to push him out of power. On May 6, MEA replied in a wri en submission to the commi ee, Nepal unilaterally cancelled the visit of its first woman according to the report submi ed on May 2. president, Bidhya Devi Bhandari, to India, ci ng a lack of This submission was probably the most explicit public prepara ons as its reason for doing so. cri cism by the Indian government. No names were The logic was unconvincing, as Indian officials maintained specifically taken, but the implicit finger was clearly that all the ground work had been completed. There were pointed at the UML leadership. no signs of crisis during the Indian ambassador to Nepal Indian official sources insist that most statements related Ranjit Rae’s “pleasant dinner” with Bhandari on the night to India issued by Oli and other Nepalese ruling alliance of May 5. Earlier that day, Nepal recalled its ambassador
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 159 leaders should be read as mere poli cal rhetoric, with Defense Study and Analyses, believes that one of the par es jostling for power and the next general elec ons factors influencing China’s moves has been its big-picture only two years away. percep on that “India and the US are ge ng together “He [Oli] is convinced that India wants to get him out,” interna onally.” Saran said, adding that India should conspicuously “keep “The Chinese believe that the BCIM [Bangladesh-China- away from internal poli cs.” “Our major interest is to India-Myanmar] corridor is not being ac vated by India contribute to internal stability and economic recovery. We because of the US’ influence. So, China is concerned that should not get involved in shadow play between the India and the US could be plo ng on ma ers concerning par es,” he said. Tibet,” said Nayak, who is working on a project on Chinese According to Lama, India needs to “diversify its so power diplomacy in Nepal. cons tuency from the microscopic hegemonic elite” in Other factors in Beijing’s decision-making, he added, are Nepal to “Madheshis, Dalits, Janja s and others.” When China having enough surplus cash to deflect India’s asked if he agreed with the Indian government’s Nepal presence and the Nepal linkage helping to push the policy that has irked many in Kathmandu, he replied, “Yes, flagship “One Belt-One Road” project into the to an extent.” He elaborated: “I support the Indian subcon nent. government when it says that Nepal has to be ‘inclusive.’ On their part, Indian officials believe that a probable What I diverge from is India’s sustained interest in reac on to China’s “visible hand” on the part of the individuals and not in building democra c ins tu ons.” interna onal community, mainly the West, will be to Chinese concerns refocus their spotlight on Nepal and especially on the doorstep of China’s Tibetan autonomous region. With the UML-led coali on ac ng slowly on earthquake reconstruc on, the interna onal community is also concerned that the government’s “direc on has not been posi ve,” claim sources. For S. D. Muni, professor emeritus at JNU, China’s current role in Nepal is “not a new story.” “The same thing is happening in the Maldives. In Sri Lanka, see how the Colombo port project has been returned to the Chinese with almost no changes. China is very interested in South Asia as a whole,” he said. The China-Nepal border. Credit: John Town/Flickr CC BY- Complex es NC-ND 2.0 Muni is cri cal of the NDA government for buckling under An -Indian sen ment has always been a constant its own “hindutva baggage” and “pushing for the return of underlying theme in Nepal, wielded by the Kathmandu monarchy,” rather than focusing on diploma c outreach to elite under both the monarchy and democra c rule. Even the ruling coali on who are “now completely alienated.” if statements by Nepalese poli cos are discounted, there “It is very naïve to assume that the monarchy will be is definitely a change in the status-quo, brought about by friendly to India,” he added. China. Un l now, the message from China to Nepali Muni noted that Nepal’s former king, Gyanendra, was in poli cians, who had no shortage of complaints about India recently, but kept out of the spotlight. India, was that geography had to be respected. Once, New Delhi and Beijing had a common purpose of limi ng the Even as rela ons spiral publicly, Indian officials point out footprint of the US, out of concern for its interference that official engagements con nue unimpeded, which is, outside its sphere of influence, and other Western they claim, a demonstra on that India-Nepal es can’t be countries in Nepal, out of concern for Tibet. put in a neat box. As observers have noted, there seems to be a qualita vely Sources say that Nepali Foreign minister Kamal Thapa has different kind of signalling from Beijing’s side in recent confirmed that he will be a ending the convoca on at months – aimed mainly at keeping the Oli government in the South Asian University in Delhi in June. the saddle. In the mean me, with the Madheshi protests migra ng Besides keeping a China-friendly Le wing government in from the Terai to the capital, the Oli government may be power, Nihar Nayak, an associate fellow at the Ins tute for obliged to demonstrate progress on the demand for
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 160 changes in the Cons tu on, along with substan al talks least raise this issue in UN Security Council, again Nehru with the Madheshi poli cal par es. The silver lining of the refused. In 1954 Nehru accepted Tibet as integral part of nine-point agreement, according to Indian officials, is that China and now our borders were directly touching Chinese Maoists are pu ng pressure on Oli to resolve the Madeshi border all along 4003 km Himalayan heights. agita on. China took full advantage of this midity by Nehru and However, as cargo from the Chinese freight train makes it quietly started gobbling our territory. Nehru woke up only way to Kathmandu in the coming days, it remains to be when China a acked India to teach it a lesson. By this me seen if the Oli government and India will try to make Nehru-Krishna Menon duo had reduced Indian army to a amends. police force. S ll they fought with old world war weapons Fi y-four years ago, Nepal’s finance secretary, Y.P. Pant, heroically but could not stop China from annexing 40000 wrote in the then Economic Weekly about the poten al of sq. km area in Ladakh known as Aksai Chin. trade with China. It was published just as construc on In Arunachal Pradesh also China captured lot of territory of the Kathmandu-Kodiari road began, which is seen as but Chinese had to vacate because they could not supply the first infrastructural push by China into Nepal. Pant their troops there. Then Atal Bihari Vajpayee went to felt that the “total (trade) volume is likely to con nue to China in 2003 and gave it in wri ng to China that Tibet be too small to deserve any great a en on.” The belongs to China. Credit must go to UPA government that concluding paragraphs of the ar cle are juxtaposed with in 2010 it refused to accept Tibet as part of China. an adver sement for General Electric, illustrated with an In 2014 Modi government came. Despite Modi's visit to image of a long freight train. China and Chinese president Xi Jinping's visit to India nothing much has been achieved. It will not be achieved in future also. Out midity con nues and China is as usual bullying us at the same me inves ng 48 billion dollars in India must stop appeasing China, it's Pakistan for China-Pak economic corridor. Once this me to follow a strong policy corridor is complete and rail and road network is laid from Merinews.com Karakoram pass to Gwadar port in Baluchistan, China Brigadier Arun Bajpai (Retd) would have encircled us on land in the North as also west. In south Chinese Navy is increasingly ge ng ac ve in May 15, 2016 Indian Ocean. China is already developing Habbontola Indian poli cal masters whether it was Nehru, Rajiv port in Sri lank and Chi agong port in Bangladesh. Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and now Narendra Modi all have followed only one policy for China, appeasement at In other words in a few years' me we will be hemmed in all cost. This has cost country very dearly, especially in the from all sides. China is also using Pakistan against us. Very strategic field. recently it has given to Pakistan Shaheen Ballis c missiles. It is co-producing with Pakistan JF-Thunder Fighter jets Now even smaller countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal are and it is also giving Pakistan eight diesel-electric cocking a snook at us. Reason for this meek and mid submarines. policy against china is because all these poli cians and their advisors (bureaucrats) are clueless so far as strategy, It is me Modi government starts listening to the advice of especially military strategy is concerned. the three armed forces chiefs. How will Modi Make in India succeed if China buys raw material from India and S ll our poli cal masters refuse to take any strategic them dumps finished goods in our market? America has advice from armed forces chiefs whose daily bread and today warned India that China is increasing its troop bu er is strategy. It is babus (bureaucrats) they prefer who strength in Tibet. In POK also Chinese army is seen along feel very happy in keeping country in a status quo wrap LOC. not wan ng any change. This has helped China in a very big way. China is a known bully. It is even trying to bully It is me India should shed its delusion about china. Both America. With this lame duck policy of ours every me we China and Pakistan are our enemies and we must go all appease China it hardens its stand against us and this is a out to modernise and update our armed forces. Himalaya never ending cycle. is our best defense. As long as we con nue manning those 62 passes on Himalayas we are quite safe. India now must Delving into history in 1950 China a acked independent, follow a strong policy towards China. Let us not be a Tibet which was a buffer country between India and dumping ground for Chinese goods. Our best bet is to China. Tibet requested Nehru to intervene but Nehru did make deep friends with Japan and Israel. We must act not even li a finger. Then Tibet requested Nehru to at tough and safe guard our na onal interests.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 161 35 Tons of Dead Fish Spo ed In unevenly and with as much backtracking as forward China Lake progress. Science World Report However, the recent news that Delhi and Beijing may be establishing a military hotline - reminiscent of the May 10, 2016 admi edly apocryphal “red telephone” between the Piles of dead fish were seen floa ng on the surface of White House and the Kremlin - has shown how much the Hongcheng Lake in southern China. The dead fish weighs about 35 tons. The residents were stunned last Sino-Indian rela onship has expanded and matured in Wednesday a er seeing the lake covered with dead yellow recent years - and also how much distance s ll remains. and white fish. How India and China manage their rela onship will have The researchers are inves ga ng the cause of the killing of global consequences. Their sheer size influences global the fish. On the other hand, they believe that a change or markets in commodi es, and China’s stock market a sudden drop of the salinity level might be the cause of it, gyra ons have already begun to have knock-on effects according to Nature World News. around the world. And as two nuclear-armed states with Salinity is the concentra on of salt in seawater and about long-term unfinished territorial business between them 35 parts per thousand. This indicates each kilogram (that and a good amount of mutual suspicion, diploma c is bout one liter per volume) of seawater is es mated to missteps between India and China risk nuclear escala on. be 35 grams (1.2 oz.) of dissolved salts and chloride. For most of their history, geography was the primary The dead fish might be belonging to the herring family. It reason that the two countries maintained a diploma c is about the size of a half palm. The residents said that distance, keeping their interests separate and avoiding they had not seen this type of fish in the lake before. USA substan al poli cal and economic exchanges. Then, as the Today reports that the fish might be possibly caught up by modern era dawned, China descended into domes c a dal surge and they were pushed up into Hongcheng chaos and India found itself a direct colony of Britain, Lake in the city of Haikou. precluding any deeper es as long as those condi ons Herrings, which are saltwater fish, are not adapted to persisted. Only in the early 1950s did China and India fresh water. It might be that the salt water fish begin to interact as modern governments in a sustained inadvertently end up in fresh water. This made their blood way, bonding over their shared former status as the pressure became higher than the water pressure, which exploited and downtrodden of Western Imperialism and caused their blood vessels to burst. the newly-emancipated developing world. But their lack of On the other hand, many residents are uncertain of the deep es allowed disputes to escalate, culmina ng in the cause of the massacre of the fish. They believe that the 1962 Sino-Indian War, which le them with diploma c killing of the fish is more likely due to pollu on. differences un l the early 1990s. Meanwhile, the health officials have deployed 100 However, that rela onship has been changing rapidly. The sanita on workers to clean out the tons of dead fish. last decade has seen a flurry of Sino-Indian diplomacy, Then, they were sent to landfill sites and incinera ng trade and exchange, even as military tensions between plants. the two remain substan al. The occasional border skirmish and bilateral interac on are tainted by their divergent views on rela ons with Pakistan, s ll-archrival of India and an increasingly close ally of China. This closeness Commentary: China, India and what between Beijing and Islamabad, coupled with a deepening a new ‘red telephone’ would mean skep cism in Washington over the wisdom of its own for the world rela onship with Pakistan, has pushed India and the reuters.com United States closer to each other, overcoming decades of mutual suspicion as the regional dynamics change PETER MARINO underfoot. May 10, 2016 The two are likewise engaged in an ongoing proxy struggle For centuries, the rela onship between China and India was the diploma c Dog that Didn’t Bark. The two largest, around the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, shoring up most populous, most durable Asian countries, for most of rela onships with other partners. Indeed, both China and their collec ve history, have lived alongside each other India recently signed deals with the Maldives, for investment and defense coopera on, and India has been with an almost studied indifference to the military, expanding its diplomacy in Iran, tradi onally an outpost of economic and cultural ac vi es of the other. This dynamic began to change in the postcolonial period, but slowly, Chinese influence in the Middle East. And there is no
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 162 indica on that either one plans to do anything but rela onship between China and India will look like when intensify this compe on in the years ahead; each has complete, because they’ve never seen it before. already begun to draw in other powers, from Japan to Which brings us back to the discussions currently Russia to the United States. underway to establish a military hotline between Beijing Trade has similarly intensified. Barely $2 billion fi een and Delhi. The fact that the Sino-Indian rela onship now years ago, it was worth a combined $80 billion last year, has enough of a founda on of coopera on that this and con nues to increase. S ll, India runs a considerable project could be conceived is itself a measure of progress. and growing deficit in the rela onship, much to the But the fact that both countries see it as necessary concern of economic officials in Delhi, who worry about underscores how much tension remains in the the effects of cheap Chinese manufactured goods on rela onship. India’s own efforts at industrialisa on, where China They cooperate with and work against each other - currently maintains a gigan c advantage. Indian Prime remaining, for the moment, the best of frenemies. Minister Narendra Modi’s much-touted “Make in India” industrial policy has a substan al amount of ground to cover if it is to overcome the fact that the en re Indian GDP, roughly $2 trillion, is s ll roughly equivalent to the Blow to India as Nepal strengthens output of the two Chinese industrial provinces of Guangdong and Jiangsu. es with China Deccan Herald On military ma ers, India is also substan ally outclassed May 10, 2016 by China at the moment. Decades of double-digit increases in military spending have made the People’s The latest round of an -India propaganda in Nepal came Libera on Army (PLA) budget four mes as big as India’s, with Prime Minister K P Oli’s government allowing China at nearly $215 billion to India’s $51 billion, according to to expand its strategic footprints in the country. SIPRI. But India has been making considerable advances of Even as Kathmandu dismissed specula on over a proposal late, especially in its aircra carrier program, where it has to declare India’s ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae as deeper experience than China, and importantly, in its “persona-non-grata” and expel him, New Delhi is closely submarine program, where it has reportedly successfully monitoring moves by the Oli government and poli cal tested nuclear-capable Submarine-Launched Ballis c developments in the neighbouring country. Missiles (SLBMs) from its nuclear-powered INS Arihant. Nepalese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, This development would bring it a large step closer to Kamal Thapa, described as “baseless” the media-reports what is o en termed “second-strike capability” in nuclear on move to declare India’s envoy to Nepal “persona non- deterrence, and into a kind of strategic parity with China grata” and force New Delhi to withdraw him from that it currently lacks. At the same me, the geography Kathmandu. that defined their rela onship for centuries con nues to benefit India in its efforts to exert influence over its Kathmandu had not only called off Nepalese President Vidya Devi Bhandari’s proposed visit to India, but also eponymous Ocean, presen ng a longer-term problem to recalled its envoy to New Delhi, Deep Kumar Upadhyay, China, as its economic security depends on its access to accusing him of working against the interests of Nepal. the Indian Ocean in a way that India does not depend on the Western Pacific. The twin moves by Kathmandu came shortly a er Oli’s In all of these areas, then, diplomacy, trade and defense, government appeared to be threatened by a crack in the ruling coali on. Though Oli survived the crisis for now, a China and India are bumping up against each other around sec on of poli cal establishments in Kathmandu once the world and in their own backyards as never before. again started blaming New Delhi for triggering instability They are having to fashion a deeply mul dimensional in the neighbourhood. Upadhyay was also accused to be bilateral rela onship almost from whole cloth in the span of years rather than decades or centuries, and doing so in working with New Delhi for destabilising the Oli government. the midst of a rapidly-shi ing global environment. Officials in New Delhi took note of the fact that the latest China and India are now both independent, prosperous round of an -India propaganda in Nepal started just a few and mostly at peace at the same me as each other, in a weeks a er Oli visited Beijing and struck a landmark regional environment that is mostly secure, for the first me since the late 18th century. No one, even in Beijing or transit treaty with China, along with 9 other agreements. Delhi, yet knows exactly what a fully-developed
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 163 The China-Nepal transit treaty is being billed as a move to The river is strategically important for China, mainly for its end the landlocked country’s dependence on India for hydropower poten al. The report said China has already supply of food, fuel, medicines and essen als as well as to built one hydropower dam on the river and plans to raise expand Chinese footprints in the northern neighbourhood four more. China is worried about India’s plans to build of India. Beijing also agreed to extend the strategic Tibet hydroelectric dams in the northeastern state of Arunachal rail link to Nepal to boost connec vity. Pradesh, whose border is disputed by both countries. Oli, who visited New Delhi in February, apparently China worries that plans to build on the river could clinched the transit deal with Beijing, in view of the “strengthen India’s ‘actual control’ over the disputed disrup on of supplies of essen als from India to Nepal region and complicate border nego a ons,” during Madhesi agita on against its new Cons tu on. the report said. This could amplify tensions between India Kathmandu then blamed New Delhi for launching an and China. “economic blockade” against it. And, to India? Officials in New Delhi however pointed out that no other For India the waterway is one of its seven major rivers and country could replicate the “special and privileged” is of immense poli cal significance, the report said. rela onship between Nepal and India. Upholding rights on the river isn’t only key to India to consolidate its exis ng control over land that is contested with China, but also to cater to its need to manage How India’s River Row with China flooding and soil erosion in the country’s northeast. Shows The Growing Importance of What do the recommenda ons say? The report recommends an increase in sharing of Water Security hydrological data by India and China. China does so during blogs.wsj.com the flood season and it should consider offering “real- May 9, 2016 me, year-round river flow data to India,” the report says. A river that flows through India, China, Bangladesh and India should do the same. Bhutan is churning up the issue of water security in a fast- India should disclose how many dams it plans to build, the developing region. report said. The river–which is called Brahmaputra in India–is a source It also recommends an annual three-na on dialogue with of tension between India and China and how those two par cipa on from university and think-tank scholars from countries are managing it affects Bangladesh downstream, India, China and Bangladesh to discuss not just diploma c, a new report by Washington-based nonprofit, CNA but scien fic aspects of water-sharing, like poten al ways Analysis and Solu ons says. to mi gate the effects of climate change. The report, tled “Water Resource Compe on in the Brahmaputra River Basin: China, India, and Bangladesh,” recommends ways the countries can stop the issues from dri ing out of control. India’s China appeasement itch Here’s a brief rundown of the report. livemint,com Where does the river flow? Brahma Chellaney The river originates in China, where it is known as the May 9, 2016 Yarlung Tsangpo. It then flows through India and Modi’s gamble on China has not paid off. If anything, China Bangladesh, before entering the Bay of Bengal. Part of the has taken a harder line on security issues river’s basin is also in Bhutan. In India, it runs through six Winston Churchill famously said: “An appeaser is one who states in the country’s east and northeast covering a feeds a crocodile hoping it will eat him last”. India has distance of about 570 miles. In parts of India, it is also been feeding the giant crocodile across the Himalayas for known as the Siang and in Bangladesh, as the Jamuna. decades—and stoically bearing the consequences. The river’s basin covers 580,000 square kilometers A er China came under communist rule in 1949, India was (224,000 square miles) through the four countries. The one of the first countries to recognise the new People’s World Bank es mates that India and China occupy 50% Republic of China (PRC). Jawaharlal Nehru, driven by post- and 34% of that area. colonial solidarity considera ons, con nued to court the Why is the river important to China? PRC even when the Chinese military began elimina ng
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 164 India’s outer line of defence by invading the then 2015-16, Chinese exports to India were almost seven independent Tibet. As Tibet pleaded for help against the mes greater in value than imports. aggression, India opposed even a UN General Assembly How can Modi’s Make in India ini a ve succeed when discussion. China blithely undercuts Indian manufacturing to reap a By 1954, through the infamous Panchsheel Agreement, fast-growing trade surplus? Nehru surrendered India’s Bri sh-inherited extra- A er Modi came to power, he made closer es with China territorial rights in Tibet and recognised the “Tibet region a priority. He even postponed his Japan visit by several of China” without any quid pro quo. Such was Nehru’s PRC weeks so that his first major bilateral mee ng was with courtship that he even rejected US and Soviet sugges ons Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the BRICS summit in Brazil. in the 1950s that India take China’s place in the UN His overtures, including invi ng China to be a major Security Council. Nehru’s officially published selected partner in India’s infrastructure expansion, were intended works quote him as sta ng that he spurned those to encourage Beijing to be more coopera ve. sugges ons because it would be “unfair” to take China’s Modi’s gamble, however, has not paid off. If anything, vacant seat—as if morality governs interna onal rela ons. China has become more hardline on security issues, Ironically, impiety and ruthlessness have been hallmarks including the border. Moreover, it has not only shielded of China’s policies. Pakistan-based terrorists like Masood Azhar from UN In sum, Nehru’s sustained appeasement resulted in China ac on, but also stepped up covert strategic assistance to gobbling up Tibet, covertly encroaching on Indian Islamabad, including providing the launcher for Pakistan’s territories and, eventually, invading India itself. India-specific Shaheen-3 ballis c missile. Yet, just one genera on later, India forgot the lessons of Having its cake and ea ng it too, China savours a lopsided Nehruvian appeasement. Since the late 1980s, successive trade rela onship with India while being free to contain Indian governments have propi ated China. Bhara ya India. Indian appeasement has also allowed China to Janata Party-led governments, oddly, have grovelled at narrow the focus of border disputes to what it claims. The mes. spotlight thus is on China’s Tibet-linked claims to Indian Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 2003 Beijing visit will be territories, not on Tibet’s status. China will not se le the remembered in history for his formal surrender of India’s border issue (unless its economy or autocracy crashes) Tibet card. In a joint communiqué, Vajpayee used the legal because an unse led fron er allows it to keep India under term “recognise” to accept what China decep vely calls intense pressure. the Tibet Autonomous Region as “part of the territory of Yet, a short-sighted New Delhi con nues to stumble. Take the PRC”. Vajpayee’s blunder opened the way for China to the latest ignominy: India lost face in China’s eyes when it claim Arunachal Pradesh as “South Tibet”, a term it coined issued a visa to the Germany-based World Uyghur only in 2006. Congress chief Dolkun Isa and then cancelled it, a er S ll, unilateral concessions have become the leitmo f of Beijing strongly protested against the ac on. The public Narendra Modi’s China policy, now adri , like his Pakistan explana on for cancelling the visa rings hollow. Isa has policy. His concessions have ranged from removing China freely travelled in Europe and to the US despite the China- from India’s list of “countries of concern” to gran ng ini ated Interpol “Red No ce” against him—a no ce Chinese tourists e-visas on arrival. Modi, via the back door, Indian authori es were aware of while issuing the visa. In has also brought back in joint statements Vajpayee’s any event, there were no Red No ces against the other errant formula on that the Tibet Autonomous Region is two dissidents from China who were stopped from part of the PRC—a descrip on India had dropped in 2010 travelling to India for the same conference. to nuance its Tibet stance. These ac ons illustrate the extent to which New Delhi is Removing China as a “country of concern”, despite its willing to go to propi ate China—even at the cost to inimical approach towards India, was integral to India’s self-respect and interna onal standing. introducing a liberalised regime for Chinese investments. Untrammelled propi a on underscores Karl Marx’s However, while Chinese investments have been slow to statement: “History repeats itself first as tragedy, then as come, Indian policy has enabled Beijing to significantly farce.” ramp up its already large trade surplus with India. Racking Let’s be clear: India’s choice on China is not between up a whopping $60-billion annual surplus, China has persis ng with a weak-kneed policy and risking a war. heavily skewed the trade rela onship against India, India can, and must, tackle an increasingly asser ve and trea ng it as a raw-material appendage of its economy wily China without appeasement or confronta on. But and a dumping ground for manufactured goods. In
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 165 without leveraging the bilateral rela onship, including which overlooks important shipping lanes that carry much levelling the playing field for trade, India cannot hope to of the world’s oil trade, and which India views as tame Chinese intransigence and belligerence. strategically important for its own defence. India watches anxiously as Chinese High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this ar cle with others using the link below, do not influence grows cut & paste the ar cle. Financial Times The visit of Chinese submarines at the Colombo port in Amy Kazmin 2014 raised fears that the facility’s purpose is not May 9, 2016 economic but military. Chinese investment is also planned Talk of a new Silk Road may be intended to evoke for ports in Bangladesh and Myanmar, raising concerns roman c, non-threatening images of desert caravans, that they may serve a dual purpose. ancient ships and trade in exo c commodi es. But China’s “The new Silk Road is just a nice new name for the grand plan for a network of railways, highways, pipelines strategy they’ve been pursuing,” says Mr Chellaney. and ports across central Asia, and around Southeast Asia is “They’ve wrapped that strategy in more benign terms. The genera ng anxiety in New Delhi. Chinese dream is pre-eminence in Asia, and this goes to With the 3,488km border between the two Asian the heart of that dream.” neighbours s ll a ma er of formal dispute, Indian strategic “It’s not just a trade ini a ve,” he says. “What China is policy analysts are divided on whether China’s new Silk doing has a strategic element that is increasingly obvious.” Road project is a strategic and economic threat to their India is most exercised about plans for a $46bn economic country — or an opportunity. Many see the project — corridor linking China and Pakistan, India’s nuclear-armed which the Chinese have called One Belt, One Road neighbour and rival. That blueprint envisions goods (OBOR) — as something that must be carefully navigated, travelling from China’s western region to Pakistan’s as Beijing develops large projects in countries that India Gwadar, a once sleepy Arabian Sea port now run by the considers part of its natural sphere of influence. However, China Overseas Port Holding Company. It is considered a New Delhi lacks the financial power to offer a credible staging point between central Asia and the Gulf. alterna ve. Part of the corridor will pass through Pakistan-held “The Indian government is very careful about the way it Kashmir, a territory that is s ll the subject of a decades- handles the China rhetoric, and it isn’t ready to come out old, unresolved dispute between India and Pakistan. arms swinging against OBOR, but it is si ng with its arms Indian analysts say that acceptance of the corridor would folded making it very clear that it will not endorse the effec vely acknowledge Pakistan’s rights over the territory project if it doesn’t like the way it was put together as a now under its control, while India’s own claims over Chinese fait accompli,” says Shashank Joshi, a senior Kashmir have yet to be resolved — something New Delhi research fellow at the Royal United Services Ins tute, a considers unacceptable. “This is a large scale project Bri sh defence and security think-tank. bringing People’s Libera on Army personnel [said to be High quality global journalism requires investment. Please guarding some project loca ons] right into the heart of share this ar cle with others using the link below, do not what India considers to be occupied territory,” Mr Joshi cut & paste the ar cle. says. “They cannot be seen to be outwardly hos le to a scheme High quality global journalism requires investment. Please which many smaller Asian neighbours view as a good share this ar cle with others using the link below, do not opportunity for large flows of Chinese capital that India cut & paste the ar cle. cannot deliver,” he says. At a recent conference in Gwadar, Pakistan’s Army Chief, Brahma Chellaney, professor of strategic studies at New General Raheel Sharif, accused India of deliberately Delhi’s Centre for Policy Research, sees China’s new Silk a emp ng to undermine the project. “India, our Road ini a ve as a repackaging — in more palatable terms neighbour, has openly challenged this development — of China’s so-called “string of pearls” strategy, which ini a ve,” he said. “We will not allow anyone to create India views as an a empt to strategically encircle it. impediments or turbulence in any parts of Pakistan.” The “string of pearls” theory argues that Chinese But wary as India may be of Chinese ambi ons, analysts investment in ports in south Asia is a precursor to say New Delhi needs to take a measured approach to the developing overseas naval bases. China has, for example, new Silk Road, and embrace individual components. already built a major port at Hambantota in Sri Lanka,
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 166 India is already a member of the Chinese-led Asian overreacted. However, in the end India allowed us to hold Infrastructure Investment Bank, which will finance much the conference, which is very posi ve. We don't accept of the infrastructure, poten ally giving it some leverage violence in any form. Some Uyghurs may have engaged in over how the plan unfolds. some kind of violent a acks but those Uyghurs we work “For every belt they create, and every road that we create, with are peaceful. We try to engage with some young can we create a slip road that connects Indian people who have not abandoned violence. For example, opportuni es to the larger global market rather than some student leaders from Hong Kong were invited to the reject it outright?” asks Samir Saran, of the Observer conference and spoken to about the principles of non- Research Founda on. “Can we . . . use their ins tu ons to violence. our own advantage?” What is your take on the contemporary India-China rela ons? Does India's China policy give you sa sfac on? I can't say I am very happy with it, but I understand the concerns of the Indian government [vis-a-vis its] territorial A Chinese Spring is, of course, dispute with China and threat of terrorism from Pakistan, probable, says this dissident leader which has a good rela onship with China. India is a large dnaindia.com democracy and a neighbour of China. I wish and hope that May 8, 2016 India will take a more proac ve role in propaga ng the ideas of universal values such as democracy to China and Yang Jianli is a Harvard Fellow and the president of also be more forthcoming in suppor ng us when it comes Ini a ves for China, a Washington-based NGO, which to visas. organised a conference in India for the first me to which some of the ethnic and religious minori es of China were What is your posi on on Tibet? invited. Yang, a Chinese ci zen with a permanent resident Historically and contemporarily, the situa on in Tibet is status in the US, tells WION/dna correspondent Ramesh very complex. Three principles guide us to work with Ramachandran in a May 4 interview in New Delhi that a Tibet: repeat of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, which he One, respect for the Tibetans' right to self-determina on par cipated in, is possible, if public disenchantment with and that the future of Tibet should be decided by the the Chinese government's policies grows. He also says Tibetans themselves; there is an apprecia on in New Delhi that advancing human rights and democracy in China is in the na onal two, we should be united to change China; and interest of India. Excerpts: three, we should achieve our goal with non-violence. How do you view the refusal or cancella on of visas to In 2011 we saw what some have described as the Arab some persons such as Dolkun Isa, chairman of the Spring. Similarly, we have seen people's movements in execu ve commi ee of World Uyghur Congress, who were Hong Kong (umbrella movement) and Taiwan (sunflower invited to the conference? student movement) in 2014. You yourself par cipated in I am disappointed, but I understand that India is trying to the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. Do you think a find a balance between Chinese pressure and hos ng the Chinese Spring is probable? conference. One can't overlook the fact that India allowed It is of course probable. Ever since the Tiananmen Square the conference to be held without any incident. The protests of 1989 and the collapse of the erstwhile USSR, it cri cism that the Modi government is weak is not fair. The has never been far from the Chinese leaders' mind. They policy makers and the Modi government understand that have learnt from the experiences of dictators, be they advancing human rights and democracy in China is in the right-wing or le -wing, to prevent people from coming na onal interest of India. together, to control society. With such high degree of China describes Dolkun Isa as a terrorist. control in China, people may not be able to do much but I don't think they will con nue this way for very long. Social Dolkun Isa is a peaceful person. He is not a terrorist. He is unrest, people's resentment against the government, a ci zen of Germany, which is a strong democracy. He sickening pollu on, glaring corrup on, public disgust with travels freely to many countries, including the US. Any informa on control, blatantly unjust deten ons...all these country can send a list (of persons it designates as things I think will get people to try to do something, to terrorists) to Interpol but it does not mean that every demand change. Eventually, I don't think the Chinese country should accept it. India reacted to pressure from government will be able to control such a society for ever, China, which is understandable, but perhaps it not for a long me. So 1989 is very much possible.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 167 Here, if I might ask, did the Tiananmen Square massacre work in the interest of the US. There is a need for an of 1989 add to your disillusionment with the government integrated approach. of the day? I was already disenchanted with the regime and the Communist party before the students' movement broke India’s visa U-turn on Chinese out in the spring of 1989. dissidents a sign of its lightweight How do view the intersec on of the foreign policies of diplomacy India and the US vis-a-vis China? scmp.com The Indian government is leaning towards the US more Neeta Lal than before. It is a good sign. The US is reflec ng on its May 5, 2016 decades-old China policy. China might be the second Neeta Lal says the embarrassing flip-flop calls into largest economy in the world but in terms of democracy it ques on New Delhi’s China policy, and raises a number of remains at the bo om. The US thought trade with China uncomfortable ques ons over its apparent lack of courage will bring about prosperity and democracy but it didn't happen. What went wrong? Decades of economic New Delhi’s very public U-turn on first issuing – and then prosperity saw the Chinese middle class join the ruling rescinding – visas to three prominent Chinese dissidents elite class, but the economic and poli cal elites are has not only le it with egg on its face, but also increased beginning to turn their back on President Xi Jinping. I bilateral mistrust while raising troublesome ques ons think, in five or 10 years, China must have some big about its China policy. opportunity to change and I really hope that India, the US German-based World Uygur Congress leader Dolkun Isa, and other democracies will not lose the opportunity to New York-based Lu Jinghua and Hong Kong ac vist Ray help the Chinese people to change China. When China Wong Toi-yeung were heading to a conference on becomes democra c, its government will become more democracy in Dharamsala. The region is home to Tibet’s responsible, more predictable. Therefore, in terms of government-in-exile and its spiritual leader, the Dalai security, a lot of countries such as India, the US, Japan and Lama, who China regards as an arch-enemy. However, no the Philippines will become be er off for sure. sooner were the visas granted than India’s foreign ministry You men oned President Xi. How is the contemporary cancelled them, saying that Isa had an Interpol “red corner domes c poli cs playing out or affec ng the power no ce” against him (Beijing apparently had to remind dynamic in China? Delhi of the no ce), while the other two ac vists’ documents were full of "inconsistencies". A personality cult around President Xi has met with strong resistance within the party. His days would not be so easy. The episode is being viewed as a major faux pax on Delhi’s Four factors need to be present at the same me for real part. Some have dubbed it a classic case of t-for-tat change in China: diplomacy gone awry. China had recently used its clout at the UN to block India’s a empt to have Masood Azhar, the a general dissa sfac on with the government; alleged mastermind of an a ack on an Indian air force a viable democra c opposi on, which is not yet there; base in January, designated an interna onal terrorist. a power struggle or cracks within the leadership (cracks India’s gran ng of visas was apparently a response to that. will not be meaningful un l some fac ons have different The flip-flop has also raised uncomfortable ques ons for poli cal views from others); and the foreign ministry. Did it not realise Beijing would react interna onal recogni on and support for the movement unfavourably to the move? Second, why was it ignorant of for change when it happens. Isa’s Interpol alert ? Third, if the visa decision was deliberate, and meant to be a riposte to China blocking We had almost achieved a revolu on in 1989 but the the UN ban on Masood, does this mark a shi in India’s interna onal community did not recognise or intervene or China policy? give support to it. Clearly, retaliatory diplomacy can be messy. By first upping How do you see the US-China rela onship evolve under the ante, and then backtracking, Delhi has shown a lack of the next US President? courage, possibly in response to some arm-twis ng by Republic or Democrat, the US can be expected to have a Beijing. This is a personal blow for Prime Minister different foreign policy towards China. Whoever wins, the Narendra Modi, who has been keen to raise India’s US will take a stronger posi on on security, trade and strategic profile. Cancelling the visas has revealed that human rights. Compartmentalisa on of policies did not India’s strategic diplomacy lacks he .
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 168 The visa incident has brought to the surface underlying The delega on of Russian lawmakers led by Naryshkin tensions. India s ll finds itself scarred by its border flew to China on Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday, the skirmish with China – when the People’s Libera on Army Russian MPs are due to hold a number of official mee ngs stormed into the eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh to in Beijing and Shenzhen. vanquish an ill-prepared Indian army. China, for its part, The delega on includes head of State Duma foreign affairs regards India’s decision to host the Dalai Lama, and its commi ee Alexei Pushkov, head of commi ee for growing proximity with the US, as a provoca on. economic policy Anatoly Aksakov and head of commi ee There’s hope that with Indian President Pranab Mukherjee for property issues Sergey Gavrilov who also coordinates visi ng China this month, both sides might focus on the the group for es with China’s parliament. bigger picture of improved es following President Xi Xi praises inter-parliamentary es with Russia Jinping’s ( 習近平 ) visit to India, and Modi’s subsequent Chinese President Xi Jinping has highly assessed the return trip to China. development of the Russian-Chinese parliamentary es, Chairman of the Standing Commi ee of China’s Na onal People’s Congress Zhang Dejiang said on Thursday. Russia-China coopera on ‘important "President Xi has highly assessed and approved the development of friendship between the two countries’ factor’ on interna onal arena - top parliaments," Zhang said at a mee ng with Russia’s State lawmaker Duma speaker Sergey Naryshkin. Russian Poli cs & Diplomacy According to Zhang, the mee ng between Naryshkin and May 5 , 2016 Xi shows that the Chinese leader "priori es the two countries’ friendship and pays special a en on to the visit BEIJING, May 5. /TASS/. The coopera on of Russia and of the Russian delega on to China." China is an important factor of the interna onal situa on, Russia’s lower house speaker Sergey Naryshkin told Naryshkin said he was glad to discuss the Russian-Chinese reporters in Beijing on Thursday. inter-parliamentary coopera on, which complies with the interests of the two countries and their people. "For Russia the development of strategic partnership with China is a foreign policy priority. According to common assessment [of both sides —TASS] the coopera on of Russia and China is an important and global factor of the interna onal situa on," Naryshkin said a er talks with Chairman of the Standing Commi ee of the Na onal People's Congress Zhang Dejiang. The State Duma speaker said at Thursday’s mee ng of the inter-parliamentary commission the sides discussed such issues as bilateral coopera on on the interna onal arena, including countering external pressure that is "some mes aggressive and viola ng the rules of interna onal law." Russia-China coopera on at highest level in history of bilateral es According to Sergey Naryshkin, the Russian-Chinese rela ons are at the unprecedentedly high level in history of their development. "Over the past several years the coopera on between our countries has been consistently developing and it is evident that the level of our coopera on can be assessed as the highest one in the en re history of the Russian- Chinese rela ons," the State Duma speaker said a er talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chairman of the Standing Commi ee of the Na onal People's Congress Zhang Dejiang.
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 169 FOUNDATION FOR NON-VIOLENT ALTERNATIVES 143, 4TH FLOOR UDAY PARK, NEW DELHI 49 www.fnvaworld.org
TIBET DIGEST, MAY 2016 170