Showing posts with label International Relations. Show all posts

Nov 24, 2015

Sri Lanka won’t allow any country to set up naval base on its territory

11/24/2015
 
Sri Lankan Government has announced that they would not any country to set up naval base on its territory.
This announcement was made by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe while he was speaking at the International Maritime Dialogue at Galle, Sri Lanka.
 
importance of this announcement
  • The statement of Sri Lankan Prime Minister ends the apprehensions that Sri Lanka may allow China to use all or part of any of its harbours or ports for strategic naval military use.
  • Major setback for Chinese strategy to increase its geopolitical influence of soft diplomacy in Asia, East Africa connectivity and so called String of Pearls Theory.
  • Possibly stop Chinese long term plan to extend its sea power and geopolitical influence in the Indian Ocean. Thus, benefiting India’s influence in strategically important maritime regions connecting west with east.
Under the so-called String of Pearls Theory
  • China was building special diplomatic and military relationships with Pakistan and Sri Lanka for extending its reach down the Indian Ocean and secure its energy security sea lines.
  • It was seeking to encircle India by setting up new strategic ports, airfields in Pakistan (Gwadar), Sri Lanka (Hambantota) and Bangladesh (Chittagong).
  • Chinese intentions was to increase its geopolitical influence in the Indian Ocean region mainly to overcome several major maritime choke points for its sea lines such as the Strait of Mandeb, Strait of Malacca, Strait of Hormuz and Lombok Strait.

Nov 16, 2015

Philippines to host 2015 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit

11/16/2015
Philippines is going to host 2015 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit from 18–19 November 2015 in its capital city Manila for the first time in nearly two decades.
It is second time Philippines hosting the Asia-Pacific region’s most high-level business event i.e. APEC summit and had previously hosted it in 1996.
For first time Philippines had hosted the APEC summit under the leadership of then-President Fidel Ramos who had vowed to help develop an action plan on facilitating free trade in the region.
Theme of 2015 APEC Summit: “Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World”.
Under this theme, Philippines is going to push for inclusive growth and highlight the role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which account for more than 97 per cent of businesses in APEC economies.
Two key road maps will be endorsed in 2015 APEC Summit. They are
  • The Cebu Action Plan for financial integration: Aims to protect the APEC member countries from financial crises.
  • Boracay Action Agenda: It is meant to help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to access the regional and global market.

About Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

  • APEC is regional economic forum comprising of 21 member countries accounting nearly half of the world’s trade and about 57 per cent of global gross domestic product (GDP).
  • It was established in 1989 in order to leverage the growing interdependence of Asia-Pacific region’s economies and promote free trade in the region.
  • Headquarter: Hong Kong.
  • 21 Members are: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Chile, Peru, Russian and Vietnam.
  • India is observer of APEC since 2011 and has applied for membership.
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