India, China plan new confidence building measures to avert flashpoints along disputed boundary
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Military airstrike on gem mining town kills at least 21 in Myanmar
An airstrike by Myanmar's military on the town of Mogok, the centre of the Southeast Asian country's lucrative gem-mining industry, has killed at least 21 people including a pregnant woman, an armed opposition group, local residents and Myanmar's online media said on Saturday (August 16, 2025). The incident was the latest in a series of frequent and deadly military airstrikes, often causing civilian casualties, that have intensified in a bid to reclaim territory from resistance groups amid the ongoing civil war that erupted after the Army seized power in February 2021. The attack occurred on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. in Shwegu ward in Mogok township, about 115 kilometres northeast of Mandalay, the country's second-largest city, said Lway Yay Oo, a spokesperson for the the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). The TNLA is one of the powerful ethnic militias fighting against the Army near the Chinese border. 'About 21 civilians were killed. Seven others were injured. Homes and Buddhist monastery buildings were also damaged,' Lway Yay Oo said. Mogok, the ruby-mining centre in the upper Mandalay region, was seized in July 2024 by the TNLA, a member of an alliance of ethnic militias that seized a large swath of territory in northeastern Myanmar in an offensive that began in late 2023. The group's statement released on Friday night on its Telegram social media channel said 16 women were among the victims killed in the airstrike that appeared to target a Buddhist monastery in Mogok's Shwegu ward. It said 15 houses were also damaged when a jet fighter dropped a bomb. Two Mogok residents told The Associated Press on Saturday that the death toll had risen to nearly 30, though the exact casualties could not be independently confirmed. The residents, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were afraid of being arrested by the military, said the death toll was high because one of the bombed houses had been hosting visitors to the pregnant woman. Independent online media, including Myanmar Now and Democratic Voice of Burma, released pictures and videos said to be of debris in the aftermath of the airstrike. The military did not comment on the incident in Mogok. In the past, the Army has said it only attacks legitimate targets of war, accusing the resistance forces of being terrorists. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the Army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. After peaceful demonstrations were put down with lethal force, many opponents of military rule took up arms, and large parts of the country are now embroiled in conflict. The military government has stepped up airstrikes against the armed pro-democracy People's Defence Force and ethnic militias that have been fighting for greater autonomy for decades. The resistance forces have no defence against air attacks. The TNLA's statement said that another 17 people including two Buddhist monks had been killed and 20 others were injured in the first two weeks of August by airstrikes in areas controlled by the group. About 16 people, mostly truck drivers, were killed in airstrikes last Monday on a convoy of trucks that were parked on the road due to heavy fighting near the town of Sagaing in central Myanmar, according to independent Myanmar media reports. Opponents and independent analysts estimate the Army now controls less than half the country while maintaining a tenacious grip on much of central Myanmar, including the capital, Naypyidaw. It has accelerated counter-offensives ahead of the election it has promised to hold at the end of this year in order to retake areas controlled by opposition forces. Critics say the elections won't be democratic because there is no free media and most leaders of Suu Kyi's party have been arrested. The plan is widely seen as an attempt to legitimise and maintain the military's rule. Several opposition groups have said they would seek to derail the election.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Southeast Asia Needs to Step Up Defense Spending
'Trust me, it's paradise.' That's how Leonardo DiCaprio's character describes Southeast Asia in the 2000 cult classic 'The Beach.' The region is a wonderland of white-sand beaches, tropical landscapes, vibrant cities and delicious street food. But there's trouble in paradise. China is menacing Southeast Asia, making the region dangerous for its inhabitants. China's Xi Jinping sees the area—home to 700 million people across 11 countries—as his backyard, belonging in the 'Sinosphere' of influence. He has been flexing his muscles to make this clear. In April, Chinese coast guard officials took control of Sandy Cay, a disputed reef in the South China Sea claimed by the Philippines. This was the latest in a series of similar seizures. For more than a decade, Mr. Xi has been asserting territorial claims over reefs and islands across Southeast Asian waters. His goal is to turn them into outposts of Chinese military power. Take the Paracel Islands off the coast of Vietnam, on which China has built 20 outposts, complete with fighter jets, cruise missiles and radar systems. Or take the Spratly Islands west of the Philippines, where China has seven outposts. Nuclear-capable bombers have reportedly been spotted flying overhead. China also puts pressure on Southeast Asia in subtler ways. It has waged disinformation campaigns across the region, pushing pro-Beijing narratives and seeking to sway elections. The Philippines in particular has been called a 'petri dish' for Chinese disinformation. Southeast Asian nations aren't doing much to protect themselves from China. With the exception of Singapore, they invest little in defense. Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country with 280 million people, spends only 0.7% of its gross domestic product on defense. Malaysia spends 0.9%. Vietnam and the Philippines, which bear the brunt of Chinese aggression, muster only 1.7% and 1.4% respectively. By contrast, North Atlantic Treaty Organization member states recently pledged to cough up 5% of GDP on defense. That includes countries such as Greece and Albania. Southeast Asian countries have no excuse not to follow suit. They need to spend more on defense—and soon. Southeast Asian nations must show China that they aren't pushovers. What if the Chinese navy tomorrow tried to disrupt shipping routes in the Strait of Malacca, a narrow waterway wedged between Indonesia and Malaysia through which some 30% of annual global trade passes? Asian nations couldn't count on the U.S. to intervene if China disrupted this trade route or otherwise overstretched its hand in the region. Neither Indonesia nor Malaysia would be able to defend against Chinese predations. If Southeast Asian countries had bigger military budgets, however, it would establish deterrence and make Mr. Xi second-guess his plans. Former Singaporean Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen recently pointed out that the new world order is 'based on size and influence, based on power.' The only way to safeguard sovereignty in such a world is to become mighty. 'Strong fences, and I would add, defenses, make good neighbors,' said Mr. Ng. Spending on defense would also boost Southeast Asian economies. Some nations in the region—including Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines—lack a strong domestic economic foundation, are especially vulnerable to President Trump's tariffs, and rely heavily on exports and foreign investment. Higher military spending would be a game changer for such economies. As has been the case with other countries, building a strong security sector would drive innovation and entrepreneurship. Before long, the benefits would spill over into the wider economy. As Palantir CEO Alex Karp argues in 'The Technological Republic' (2025), Silicon Valley's early growth was largely fueled by investments from the U.S. military. A bigger defense sector in Southeast Asia would also be a boon for the U.S. American firms could benefit from lucrative arms contracts. The U.S. government could strengthen alliances in a critical region, meaning more leverage over China. And American tourists could continue to visit this paradise for decades. Mr. Scheers is a defense analyst from Malaysia. Mr. Zenou is a historian specializing in the Cold War.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visit to pave way for PM Modi's first China trip in 7 years
New Delhi: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit India on Monday and Tuesday ahead of PM Narendra Modi's trip to China for the SCO Summit and a possible meeting with President Xi Jinping, as New Delhi and Beijing seek to stabilise ties by keeping the LAC peaceful and improving economic partnership, including supplies of rare earth magnets, fertilisers, and pharmaceutical products from Beijing. Independence Day 2025 Modi signals new push for tech independence with local chips Before Trump, British used tariffs to kill Indian textile Bank of Azad Hind: When Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose gave India its own currency Wang Yi's visit will be significant, setting the ball rolling for Modi's trip and outcomes including the resumption of direct flights that have been on hold since Covid-19 and the 2020 Galwan clash , according to persons familiar with the dynamics of Sino-Indian ties. Modi last visited China in 2018 for the first informal summit with Xi. While the Modi-Xi meeting in Kazan, Russia, last October set the tone for stabilisation of ties, the current state of India-US relations has brought Sino-Indian ties into focus and underscored the need for the two sides to keep relations predictable and pursue a mutually favourable economic partnership that is currently tilted in favour of China. China has stopped exporting DAP fertilisers to India without an official notification. Until 2023-24, China was a prominent supplier. In 2024-25, imports from China fell from 22.9 lakh tonnes (LT) in FY24 to 8.4 LT in FY25, and since January 2025 not a single tonne has been imported. Resumption of supplies is on the agenda, along with efforts to restore imports of rare earth magnets from China. As per a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, the top Chinese minister will hold the 24th round of Special Representatives' talks on the India-China boundary question with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. A bilateral meeting is also scheduled between Wang and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. ET had reported earlier this month that Wang would meet Doval on August 18. This will be the first high-level visit from China following the hostilities between India and Pakistan, which Beijing calls its "all-weather friend." During the May clashes, Pakistan used Chinese weapons to target India, and New Delhi has alleged that Beijing provided Islamabad with real-time intelligence. Doval visited China last year and held talks on the border issue with Wang. This was followed by the visit of the Foreign Secretary to China. Earlier this year, Doval, Jaishankar, and the Defence Minister also travelled to China for SCO meetings. The thaw in ties has also been reflected in people-to-people exchanges. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra , a significant Hindu pilgrimage, has been restarted, and India has resumed tourist visas for Chinese nationals after a five-year gap.
