16-05-2021 The Asian Independent

12 16-05-2021 to 31-05-2021 BOLLYWOOD
www.theasianindependent.co.uk
CHINA'S massive Tibet infra
push cause of worry for India
Kolkata : China is planning to
develop a massive defence logistics
infrastructure in Tibet that will turn the
once independent kingdom into a military
hub to dominate the Himalayas.
The plans were approved during the
plenary session of China's National
People's Congress (NPC) in March
this year and also by the Chinese
People's Political Consultative
Conference (CPPCC).
The Tibet infrastructure development
projects have been included in
the 14th Five Year Plan (2021-2025).
The Long Range Objectives-2035
additionally identifies a number of
strategic military projects for completion
by 2025 and 2035.
The G318 Sichuan-Tibet Highway
and the G219 and G331 national highways
will be upgraded and extended to
run along China's southwestern border.
The new 1,800-km Chengdu-
Lhasa high-speed railway network
will be the second strategic railway
connecting from Tibet to the
Mainland, reducing travel time from
Chengdu to Lhasa to just 10 hours.
Chengdu is now the headquarters of
the integrated Tibet-Sichuan military
command that makes it possible for
the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to
move strategic reserves swiftly from
the borders with other Southeast Asian
nations to beef up both offensives and
strategic defence on the India front.
Shigatse (Rikaze), Tibet's secondlargest
city, will emerge as a rail transportation
hub as work has begun on
railways to link Shigatse with Jilong
in Guizhou province and Hotan in
Xinjiang province.
To make up for aerial defence
weakness, China will construct at least
20 new border airports by 2025 in
Tibet, in places like Tashkurgan and
Longzi.
Tashkurgan, the last stop before the
Karakoram Pass, is under the jurisdiction
of the South Xinjiang Military
District and the PLA could easily
threaten the Daulat Beg Oldi and the
Depsang Plains from there.
The airport at Longzi in Tibet's
Shannan County will also boost the
capabilities of the People's Liberation
Army Air Force (PLAAF) in the middle
sector of the Line of Actual
Control (LAC).
Analysts like Jayadeva Ranade,
former Cabinet Secretariat's Chiba
expert, say that "in just over a decade,
China will have a much-improved
strategic border defence infrastructure".
"The considerably enhanced
Chinese military presence will be a
long-term potential threat for India,"
Ranade said. Ranade has closely studied
the 142-page, 70,000-character
"14th Five Year Plan (2021-2025) and
the Long Range Objectives through
the Year 2035 for National Economic
and Social Development of the
People's Republic of China", whose
English version is yet to be released.
"The document clarifies China's
national strategic intent and identifies
the core areas of national security and
development. It has a definite focus on
strategic science and technology programmes
in the frontier areas. The
document details the projects that
have direct implications for India,"
said Ranade.
He said that India's worst concern is
over the Chinese plan to construct a
massive dam on the Great Bend on the
Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra).
Serious discussions on diverting the
waters of the Brahmaputra had started
in the Chinese Academy of
Engineering Physics in Beijing in
1995. Details of a comprehensive plan
emerged in a book authored by former
military officer Li Ling titled ‘Tibet
water can save China', which was published
in 2005. The 14th Five Year
Plan (2021-2025) and the Long Range
Objectives-2035 confirms that a number
of hydroelectric projects will be
built along its lower reaches and a
massive dam three times the size of
the Three Gorges Dam in Sichuan
province will be constructed on the
Great Bend on the Tsangpo. "The
dams constructed on the fragile
Himalayas will pose a constant danger
to those living downstream and
adversely impact the livelihoods of
over a billion people residing in the
Indo-Gangetic plain," said Ranade. He
said the planned infrastructure projects
in Tibet and the anticipated huge
influx of labour and engineers will
raise the temperature on the Tibetan
Plateau and accelerate the retreat of
Tibet's glaciers.
These glaciers are the source of the
Indus and a number of rivers that feed
into the Ganges. This will seriously
reduce the flow of water even leading
to the rivers drying up.
UK anxious about Indian Covid variant: PM
agency quoted Johnson as saying to longer to see how the data is looking
Sky News on Thursday.
but I am cautiously optimistic about Oli reappointed as Nepal PM
"So there are meetings going on that and provided this Indian variant
today to consider exactly what we doesn't take off in the way some people
fear, I think certainly things could ment, Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has
Kathmandu : After opposition parties failed to form a coalition govern-
need to do," he said.
Johnson's remarks came in the get back much, much closer to normality,"
he said.
Minister on the basis of leading the largest party in
reappointed KP Sharma Oli as the 42nd Prime
wake of spikes of new variants in
some areas in Britain.
Johnson confirmed on Monday that Parliament.
Scientists have raised concerns that the lockdown in England will be further
lifted from next week.
planning to take the oath of office and secrecy on
Oli, who was reappointed on Monday night, is
the current vaccines may be less effective
against the new variants.
From May 17, pubs, bars and Friday afternoon, according to his office.
The consortium of scientists studying
new variants in the country, COG- ted to open indoors, while indoor sition Nepali Congress party, was the frontrunner for
restaurants in England will be permit-
Sher Bahadur Deuba, leader of the primary oppo-
UK, has identified a total of 1,723 entertainment will also resume, the post of Prime Minister but he couldn't garner a
cases of the Indian variant known as including cinemas, museums and children's
play areas.
Samajbai Party (JSP), was divided to support Oli.
majority vote as fourth largest party, Janata
B1617.2.
Although some of these will be People in England will be allowed However, the Nepali Congress and the Communist
duplicates, it is more than triple Public to meet outdoors in groups of up to 30 Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) could not cobble together the numbers to prove
Health England's confirmed figure last people, and meet indoors in groups of a majority. A faction of the JSP decided to stay neutral, making it difficult for
week of 520, according to Sky News. up to six or as two households. Deuba to stake claim. The Mahantha Thakur-Rajendra Mahato's 19-member
However, Johnson said the easing Meanwhile, all remaining accommodation
including hotels, hostels and lawmakers overall. Oli's Communist Party of NepaleUML has 121 members
faction of the JSP decided to throw its weight behind Oli. The Party has 32
London : UK Prime Minister Boris of lockdown will go ahead as planned
Johnson said that his country is "anxious"
about the coronavirus variant The Prime Minister said he "can see Johnson.
Since no party commands a majority in the House, as the parliamentary
for now.
B&Bs can also reopen, according to in the House.
detected in India and the government nothing that dissuades me from thinking
we'll be able to go ahead on is expected to see all legal limits on vision. He again has to prove his majority in the house within a month.
The British government's roadmap party leader of UML, Oli was elected Prime Minister as per constitutional pro-
is "ruling nothing out" to tackle its
spread.
Monday and indeed on June 21 everywhere"
in terms of easing coronavirus 21. However, some experts believe individual lawmaker can stake claim over the post of Prime Minister.
social contact to be removed on June If he fails to garner a majority, either he will dissolve the House or any other
"We want to make sure that we take
all the prudential, all the cautious steps restrictions in England.
more urgent action is needed to tackle But leaders close to Oli said that he preferred to dissolve the house and was
now that we could take," Xinhua news "I think we have to wait a little bit the situation.
interested in holding early elections.