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A f t e r B r i e f w i n D o w, U S - C h i n A r e l At i o n S h i P B A C K o n r o C K y PAt h
BeIJING
A F P tH E United States and China thought they had a narrow window to improve relations
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It may now have closed Weeks after the US discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon, tensions that had been easing have spiked back up, with little sign that either power is ready to make nice again
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who just one month earlier had been preparing to welcome Secretary of State
Antony Blinken on a visit to Beijing canceled over the balloon, warned this week that the United States is pursuing the containment encirclement and suppression of China
President Joe Biden’s administration has infuriated China by targeting trade in advanced chips citing risks of military use, and the tone in the United States is expected only to become harsher as next year ’s presidential election approaches
The United States has also warned of new sanctions as it publicly presses China on intelligence purported to show that Beijing is considering military aid to Russia to help its war in Ukraine
Avril Haines, the US director of national intelligence told a Senate hearing Wednesday that Xi s speech was the most public and direct criticism that we’ve seen from him to date ”
It “probably reflects growing pessimism in Beijing about China s relationship with the United States, as well as Xi’s growing worries about the trajectory of China s domestic economic development and indigenous technology, innovation challenges that he now blames on the United States ” she said
Haines said that Chinese policymakers increasingly believe they can only advance Xi’s vision of a powerful China “at the expense of US power and influence ” She also said that Xi was determined to assert influence over Taiwan, the self-
Xi stresses enhancing integrated national strategies, strategic capabilities
BeIJING X i N h uA
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday stressed opening new ground for enhancing integrated national strategies and strategic capabilities Xi also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission made the remarks while attending a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People s Liberation Army (PLA) and the People s Armed Police Force, during the first session of the 14th National People’s Congress China’s national legislature Consolidating and enhancing integrated national strategies and strategic capabilities has profound significance in building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts, as well as in achieving the goals for the centenary of the PLA in 2027 and more quickly elevating the armed forces to world-class standards, said Xi Highlighting the goal of maximizing China s national strategic capabilities, Xi called for efforts in integrating the strategic layouts resources and strengths in all areas in a bid to systematically upgrade the country s overall strength to cope with strategic risks, safeguard strategic interests and realize strategic objectives Xi urged efforts to advance collaborative innovation in science and technology, with a focus on independent and original innovation thus building high-level selfreliance and strength in science and technology at a faster pace
Strategic capabilities in emerging fields must be bolstered in pursuit of new advantages in national development and international competitions and the resilience of industrial and supply chains must be enhanced, Xi said Xi ordered coordinating the construction of major infrastructure accelerating the building of national reserves, and making the reserves more capable of safeguarding national security
Consolidating and enhancing integrated national strategies and strategic capabilities must draw momentum from reform and innovation, Xi stressed, urging more progresses in this regard
He also called for efforts to foster a sound atmosphere of caring for, devoting to, building and safeguarding national defense among members of the public to pool strengths for consolidating and enhancing integrated national strategies and strategic capabilities and for building a strong country with a strong military Chinese President Xi Jinping also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, poses for a group photo with deputies from the delegation of the People s Liberation Army (PLA) and the People s Armed Police Force before attending a plenary meeting of the delegation during the first session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing capital of China March 8 2023
CDA chief sets up committee to evolve system for kiosks allotment in capital
ISLAMABAd governing democracy whose own elections next year have prompted concerns of a robust Chinese reaction
Nonetheless Haines assessed that Beijing still believes it benefits most by preventing a spiraling of tensions and by preserving stability in its relationship with the United States ”
T i T- f o r - TaT c y c l e : Some US officials privately say that the US political and media uproar over the balloon far lower-tech than the routine US spying on China was overwrought, although Blinken had no choice but to cancel his trip as it would have been overshadowed by the spectacle
But US officials remained frustrated that Chinese officials continued to deny the balloon was for espionage Blinken had a tense encounter on February 18 with Chinese foreign policy supremo Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference where the top US diplomat raised the balloon and Russia President Joe Biden had a much warmer conversation with Xi in November in Bali where the two leaders said they had agreed to keep disagreements from veering into conflict The meeting on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit came three months after China staged major military exercises in fury after Nancy Pelosi then US House speaker defiantly visited Taiwan I think there was a moment where it seemed like the deterioration was slowing or perhaps even being arrested that potentially we might be able to put a floor under the relationship, said Jacob Stokes a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security Increasingly, that doesn t seem to be possible in at least the near term without some very creative diplomacy but also potentially a change of views mostly from Beijing, but also by some in Washington as well,” he said “The relationship is clearly deteriorating into tit-for-tat cycle, and it s not clear how we get out of out of that loop
Pak istan’s habitat and climate change resilience
SyedA FIzzA
The environment and climate change impact in Pakistan is crucial to urban development which is strongly related to its rural development as well, where migratory trends, the growth and dynamism of its large agriculture sector and quality of public service delivery in rural areas strongly impact the character of Pakistani settlements
The ongoing climate crisis manifested devastatingly in the form of torrential flooding adds another layer of urgency with which decision-makers in the country need to plan and achieve their urban development objectives Last year majority of the people have lost their lives, over a third of Pakistani settlements including in villages and towns have drowned or been washed away and resultantly being displaced or losing their sources of livelihood
Pakistan s economy is based on agriculture sector which is one of the most vulnerable factors crucial to climate change as it relates to certain aspects such as temperature, precipitation, soil erosion, etc, as the country is facing a serious threat to the development potential of its peoples, their ability to live in safe and secure cities and the relationship with which they interact with their natural environment
In the world’s most populous regions specifically in South Asia rising temperatures uneven precipitation patterns, floods, droughts, and other climatic disasters have had an impact on both socioeconomic sectors and human life
From migration patterns and urban infrastructure to food security and the integrity of its agricultural economy, the country s entire development trajectory is closely related to the ongoing climate change-induced floods Patterns of industrial growth, infrastructure development and heritage preservation too are closely linked to our ability to mitigate and adapt to the consequences of climate change and its impact on our habitats
It is not unknown to the developmental sector that Pakistan is one of the top ten most vulnerable countries to climate change’ but the socio-political order fails to raise the right questions and develop a functional mechanism through which Pakistan’s climate response is depoliticized and made people-centric Reactive decision-making continues to dominate our response to environmental disasters like the recent floods, resulting in a passivity that allows the status quo to remain Relief efforts significantly managed and led by non-governmental entities, are amped up as a natural disaster hits followed by a gradual decline in attention and prioritization towards building climate resilience
This in turn demands a complete review and overhaul in the manner in which decisions are made in Pakistan’s governance institutions Natural disasters such as torrential rains, floods and ensuing humanitarian disasters are aggravated by past non-planned policies
This requires shared understanding and deliberation to address this ticking bomb question; what does it really mean to be one of the most vulnerable nations to climate change? This also calls for developing a consensus approach and collective rethinking in tackling this existential threat
One tonne of carbon dioxide emissions is allowed by a carbon credit which is a type of permission or tradeable certificate/license Alternately, it could be any greenhouse gas component that must be emitted within limits set by carbon credits
Initially, the purpose of carbon credit is to limit emissions of greenhouses in the atmosphere in order to reduce the contribution of greenhouse gases that are responsible for global warming
The goal of carbon credits is to lessen an industry s impact to greenhouse gas emissions, especially for new investors Pakistan has a chance to contribute significantly to China s biggest carbon emission trading programme Selling carbon credits to China under this plan could bring in money
Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) Punjab’s largest Infrastructure Authority sets a primary objective of improving the environment, ensuring the rejuvenation of River Ravi and mitigating the effect of climate and its vestiges in the form of air pollution smog poisonous ground water and waste leachate destroying the understory of Lahore E x c e p t f o r f o r e s t r y, a l l a g r icultural subsectors significantly c o n t r i b u t e t o e c o n o m i c g r o w t h R U D A b y t a k i n g a s t r a t e g i c h yd r o l o g i c a l d e v e l o p m e n t i n i t i at i v e i s w e l l a w a r e o f t h e f a c t t h a t w e t l a n d s , s w a m p s , n a t i o n a l p o u n d a g e a n d e c o l o g i c a l p o c ke t s a r e a l o n g a n a t u r a l w a t e r b o d y i s S i n - q u a - n o n f o r t h e s u rv i v a l o f t h e r i v e r a n d t h e b i o d iv e r s i t y t h e r e i n River Ravi as being the home basin for Lahore is facing complex challenges like flooding, droughts, lack of waste water treatment deteriorating water quality, contaminated ground water and loss of habitat and its biodiversity Focusing deliberations on the above mentioned facts, the aim should be to seek practical, actionable responses to make Pakistan’s habitats more climate resilient
The writer can be reached at fizza bukhari125@gmail com
KABUL A F P
A dusty logjam of trucks inches across a rut in the mountains splitting Pakistan and Afghanistan, teeming with a cargo of fruit and coal and paying the Taliban authorities for the privilege of passage In downtown Kabul a patrol of accountants inspects a bazaar, billing shopkeepers for trading honey hair conditioner and gas hobs under the snapping white flag of the country s new rulers Afghanistan is frozen deep in a second winter of humanitarian turmoil since the Taliban seized power in 2021, but cash is changing hands at a dizzying pace
The Taliban administration is
Paris Saint-Germain were convinced that persuading Kylian Mbappe to stay would finally deliver them Champions League glory but the failure to build a strong enough team around the France superstar has contributed to another early European exit
Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to Bayern Munich in Germany saw the Qatar-owned club lose their last-16 tie
3-0 on aggregate and go out in the first knockout round for the fifth time in seven years
PSG’s run to the 2020 final now looks even more like an anomaly coming in a pandemic-hit season when the Champions League was reduced to a minitournament behind closed doors proving adept at collecting tax and seemingly without the corruption associated with the previous administration
At Torkham on the border, one trucker told AFP that under the old regime he would pay 25,000 Afghani ($280) at illegal checkpoints along a 620-kilometre (380-mile) trip to Mazar-iSharif
P R
Chairman Capital Development Authority Captain Noor Ul Amin Mengal has constituted a committee to make a proper system for allotment of kiosks in Islamabad The committee comprised upon Director Urban Planning Deputy Director Master Plan and Director DMA According to the details the committee will identify the places for construction of kiosks which will be in accordance with Islamabad Master Plan Similarly kiosks will be allotted on lease through open auction at the recommended sites It is pertinent to mention here that prior to this, there was no clear system for allotment of kiosks in Islamabad The kiosks will be constructed under a specific design to further enhance the beauty of Islamabad Moreover, Chairman Capital Development Authority Captain Noor Alamin Mengal has also constituted a committee for the allotment of open spaces in the city This committee includes Director Urban Planning, Director Coordination, Director Estate Management II, Director Enforcement and SP Traffic Similarly this committee will identify such places where allotment of open spaces will not cause any kind of difficulties to traffic or pedestrians
Governor Balkh Province killed in suicide attack
ISLAMABAd A P P
Governor of Balkh province in Afghanistan Mulla Mohammad Dawood Muzammil was killed in a suicide bomb attack on Thursday
Seven people including the governor were killed and nine others were injured in the bomb blast Mulla Dawood was the leading figure of Taliban Jamaat ul Ahrar a militant outfit had accepted responsibility for the attack The Jamaat had differences with the governor over the rule in the Balkh province The Jamaat ul Ahrar also had its differences with Daesh which had created further insecurity in Afghanistan Pakistan had condemned this latest act of terrorism
Saudi envoy discloses anecdote behind Japanese crown prince’s first foreign visit to Kingdom
ISLAMABAd
N e w s D e s k
Saudi Press attaché in Pakistan Dr Naif Alotaibi on Thursday disclosed an interesting anecdote behind Japanese crown prince’s first foreign visit to Kingdom Taking this matter to the Twitter handle he shared a videotape in which it was explained why it was mandatory and pre-condition for any crown prince of Japan to pay his first foreign visit to Saudi Arabia
Highlighting the significance of the historic announcement made by King of Japan the Saudi press attaché said, Loyalty is the mark of kings and great men ” The narrator in the video tape said there was an interesting story behind this courteous gesture which was related to Prince Shah Fahd and the Japanese crown prince
He recalled that in 1952 King George VI passed away and after a year it was announced that his daughter Elizabeth would be appointed as queen of Great Britain The United Kingdom arranged a big gathering for queen’s coronation in which the head of the states kings and crown princes participated On this occasion King Abdulaziz dispatched his son Prince Shah Fahad who was 30 years old to attend the ceremony he added He said Prince Shah Fahad proceeded for London and attended the event He noted that the man sitting behind him was the crown prince of Japan At that time neither he was a king or a crown prince but a simple prince He went to the Japanese crown prince and made him sit in his chair and he settled down himself in the Japanese crown prince’s place setting a high example of morality the narrator maintained
He said due to this courteous act of Prince Shah Fahad, the King of Japan issued a decree that whosoever would be the crown prince of Japan would pay his first visit to Saudi Arabia
Since that day, it was a prerequisite for the newly appointed crown prince of Japan that whenever he would plan any foreign trip he would have to tour Saudi Arabia first, he added
He said the Japanese dynasty was still committed to their words and implementing them in letter and spirit till this day
There were celebrations last May when Mbappe agreed a new three-year contract to stay with Lionel Messi and Neymar in the French capital rather than join Real Madrid The appointments of Portuguese super scout Luis Campos as head of recruitment and Christophe Galtier as coach to replace Mauricio Pochettino were supposed to be followed by the building of an exciting new team
It is hard to argue now that PSG are stronger with the likes of Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz than they were with Angel di Maria and Leandro Paredes last year
It is not about the construction of the squad It is just the story of the season We were missing important players The squad over the two legs was seriously weakened said Galtier on Wednesday This is our maximum
He had a point, with Mbappe only able to make a cameo appearance off the bench after a thigh injury as PSG lost 1-0 to Bayern in the first leg Neymar is missing with an ankle injury while Presnel Kimpembe is out and fellow defenders Marquinhos and Nordi Mukiele both came off during Wednesday s game
It has been a very busy season Players bodies have been asked to do a lot There was the World Cup and obviously when you get to the last 16 it is good to have everyone available, Galtier said PSG placed their hope in Mbappe and Messi turning the tie around in Munich but the latter had little impact while the France superstar saw just 32 touches of the ball
