Podcasts about china pakistan economic corridor

Dive into China's complex involvement in the Middle East with Barbara Kelemen and our host, Dominic Bowen. Covering vast topics from China's Belt and Road Initiative, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, how China is balancing its strategic partnership with Iran, and China's relationship with Afghanistan since the US withdrawal of troops. Barbara Kelemen studied in China (Peking University) and London (LSE), earning a double degree in International History. She has specialized in international security and relations, focusing primarily on China and its relations with the Middle East. After graduating, Barbara joined MERICS but then decided to join the private intelligence sector where she has now been for 5 years.  Barbara works for Dragonfly Intelligence (a UK-based geopolitical advisory) but moved to Singapore 1.5 year ago, where she is head of their Asia office. Dragonfly Intelligence advise clients how to anticipate and prepare for major geopolitical and security trends.Barbara's research interests include China's security policy, China-Middle East relations, China-Afghanistan relations, Terrorism in Southeast Asia.The International Risk Podcast is a weekly podcast for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors. In these podcasts, we speak with experts in a variety of fields to explore international relations. Our host is Dominic Bowen, Head of Strategic Advisory at one of Europe's leading risk consulting firms. Dominic is a regular public and corporate event speaker, and visiting lecturer at several universities. Having spent the last 20 years successfully establishing large and complex operations in the world's highest-risk areas and conflict zones, Dominic now joins you to speak with exciting guests around the world to discuss international risk.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn for all our great updates.Tell us what you liked!

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April June 11 at 7:15 a.m. CT: BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) — Malawi’s vice president and nine others have been killed in a plane crash, the country’s president said Tuesday. The wreckage of the military plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima was located in a mountainous area in the north of the country after a search that lasted more than a day. There were no survivors of the crash, Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera said.  WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Jurors are set to resume deliberations in the criminal case against Hunter Biden over a 2018 gun purchase when prosecutors say President Joe Biden's son was in the throes of a crack cocaine addiction. Jurors deliberated for less than an hour Monday before leaving the federal courthouse in Delaware. Jurors are weighing whether Hunter Biden is guilty of three felonies in the case pitting him against his father’s Justice Department in the middle of the Democratic president’s reelection campaign. Hunter Biden's lawyers have argued he did not consider himself an “addict” when he bought the gun. TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the U.N. Security Council’s vote in favor of a U.S.-backed proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza has made it “as clear as it possibly could be” that the world supports the plan. He again called on Hamas to accept it, and said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reaffirmed his commitment to the proposal. Blinken’ spoke Tuesday during his latest visit to the region, his eighth since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack ignited the war. Hamas also welcomed the Security Council vote and says it supports the broad outline of the agreement but wants assurances it will be implemented. ISLAMABAD (AP) — The World Bank has approved $1 billion for the construction of Pakistan’s biggest Dasu hydropower project, which is being built in the country’s northwest with China’s help. The bank said Tuesday the project will contribute to “greening" the energy sector and lowering the cost of electricity. The dam is being built in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, and once completed, it will have an installed capacity of 4,320 to 5,400 megawatts. Thousands of Chinese have been working on the Dasu dam and other projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Some have been attacked in recent years by militants who accuse them of plundering mineral resources. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's military says South Korean soldiers fired warning shots after North Korean troops violated the two countries' land border earlier this week. Some North Korean soldiers who were engaged in unspecified work on the northern side of the border briefly crossed the military demarcation line on Sunday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Those North Korean soldiers immediately returned to their territory after South Korea’s military fired warning shots and issued warning broadcasts, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The incident came amid rising tensions over North Korea’s recent launches of trash-carrying balloons. In other news: The Rev. James Lawson Jr. has died at 95, civil rights leader's family says. In the rough Felony convictions could cost Trump liquor licenses at 3 New Jersey golf courses. Inflation data this week could help determine Fed's timetable for rate cuts. Baltimore shipping channel fully reopens after bridge collapse. Chrysler recalls more than 211,000 SUVs and pickup trucks due to software malfunction. Liberal Judge Susan Crawford enters race for Wisconsin Supreme Court with majority at stake. Martha's Vineyard is about to run out of pot. That's led to a lawsuit and a scramble by regulators. The Florida Panthers take an early charge of the Stanley Cup Finals, Dan Hurley to stay at UConn, Mike Tomlin gets an extention with the Steelers, the Orioles sweep the Rays. How an Israeli raid freed 4 hostages and killed at least 274 Palestinians in Gaza. Body of missing British TV presenter Michael Mosley found on Greek island. —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

Israeli tanks have advanced deep into northern Gaza as troops continue to pound Rafah in the South(00:59). The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is expected to be among talks during Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar's visit this week(09:47). And Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed former First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov as the new defense minister(18:05).

①China will send special envoy on a Middle East de-escalation mission. Is China deepening its involvement in facilitating a potential ceasefire in the Gaza crisis? (00:59) ②We hear from a former project director of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor about the achievements of the flagship BRI project over the past decade. (13:32) ③We take a look at China's new foreign trade figures. (24:59) ④The US seeks to tackle the so-called loopholes in chip restrictions against China. Does this risk complicating the diplomatic efforts to stabilize the ties between Beijing and Washington? (34:27) ⑤We explore why Australia has overwhelmingly rejected a plan to give greater political rights to Indigenous people in a referendum. (43:43)

①Chinese premier Li Qiang calls for prioritizing development in regional cooperation. (00:46) ②Pakistani Ambassador to China praises the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, calling it a corridor of hope and opportunities. (14:21) ③China and Australia hold first high-level dialogue in three years. How can the two countries rebuild trust and improve ties? (24:56) ④The European Commission imposes stricter rules on "gatekeeper" tech giants. How does that reflect the changing landscape of tech governance and the evolving role of governments in digital economies? (33:22) ⑤Is India changing its name to Bharat? (43:20)

Heilongjiang Province has issued two yellow alerts, one for possible flash floods and another for geological disasters (02:44). The Pakistani prime minister says the Chinese companies working under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor have contributed a lot to the South Asian country's industry (13:42). And China's export numbers continue to grow through the first seven months of the year (38:44).

Chinese President Xi Jinping has described the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as an important pioneering project of the Belt and Road cooperation.

① France opposes "decoupling" after economic talks with China. (00:56) ② China's economic planner unveils 20 measures to boost domestic spending in 2023. (11:43) ③ China and Pakistan celebrate the Decade of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. (24:38) ④ The Chinese Defence Ministry says Japan's increasing military expansion poses significant challenges to regional and global peace. (35:37) ⑤ Australia-U.S Ministerial Consultations raise concerns over regional peace as they prioritise militarization. (44:27)

In the ten years since its conception, China's Belt and Road Initiative has morphed into a trillion dollar global infrastructure enterprise. The attention it has been receiving is frequently mixed with suspicion about China's presence on the global stage. However, any BRI project involves multiple actors beyond China and interacts with pre-existing infrastructure and conditions. How do national governments and elites as well as the EU perceive and utilize BRI infrastructure projects, do they actually serve their intended purpose and what are the outcomes for locals? Beril Ocaklı's guests share their insights on three specific and telling cases: Nadia Ali on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, Valentin Krüsmann on the construction of the E60 highway in Georgia and Tamás Peragovics on the Hungarian government's handling of the Budapest-Belgrade railway construction. (Music: “Complete” by Modul is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0-License.)

Interview

It has been a difficult year for China in Pakistan. A burgeoning economic crisis in the South Asian country threatens to undermine the multibillion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor development initiative while anti-Chinese terrorism has surged in recent months.But amid these serious challenges, there's no indication that ties between Beijing and Islamabad have strained. Ammar Malik, a senior research scientist at AidData, closely follows Sino-Pakistani relations and joins Eric & Cobus to explain why this relationship is so durable.JOIN THE DISCUSSION:Twitter: @ChinaGSProject| @stadenesque | @eric_olander | @malikammarFacebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProjectFOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC:Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChineعربي: www.akhbaralsin-africia.com | @AkhbarAlSinAfrJOIN US ON PATREON!Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug!www.patreon.com/chinaafricaprojectSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It has been a difficult year for China in Pakistan. A burgeoning economic crisis in the South Asian country threatens to undermine the multibillion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor development initiative while anti-Chinese terrorism has surged in recent months.But amid these serious challenges, there's no indication that ties between Beijing and Islamabad have strained. Ammar Malik, a senior research scientist at AidData, closely follows Sino-Pakistani relations and joins Eric & Cobus to explain why this relationship is so durable.JOIN THE DISCUSSION:Twitter: @ChinaGSProject| @stadenesque | @eric_olander | @malikammarFacebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProjectFOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC:Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChineعربي: www.akhbaralsin-africia.com | @AkhbarAlSinAfrJOIN US ON PATREON!Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug!www.patreon.com/chinaafricaproject

What do high education and low fertility rates have in common? According to today's guest, Charlie Robertson, they are both positively correlated with economic growth. In today's episode, Charlie shares the reasons why he believes that countries that don't get their fertility rates down to below 3 children per woman and those that don't have adult literacy rates above 70% are doomed to remain trapped in poverty. Join us for a round-the-world trip where Charlie delves into the history of South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the West, and offers his explanation for why some countries have flourished while others have floundered. Charlie is the Global Chief Economist at Renaissance Capital and the author of The Fastest Billion and The Time-Travelling Economist.   Key Points From This Episode:   •   Understanding economic trends in Africa over the past few years. •   Factors that lead to the creation of urban slums. •   Charlie's hypothesis on the link between fertility and economic growth. •   What Charlie sees as the optimal fertility rate. •   Basic adult literacy rates in Sub-Saharan African countries when they were decolonized. •   A statistic that highlights the progress that has been made on the education front globally. •   Why education is imperative for growth. •   The correlation between education and fertility. •   The importance of correctly sequencing educational priorities. •   An explanation of the economic success being experienced in the Philippines. •   Comparing the rate of economic growth in India and China. •   Reasons why Pakistan hasn't kept up with India's levels of economic growth. •   Explaining Sri Lanka's downfall. •   Charlie's thoughts on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. •   The energy financing issues facing African countries. •   Challenges of using green energy as a baseload power source. •   Why Charlie believes governments should be focusing on providing electricity to factories rather than homes. •   Benefits of decentralized energy systems. •   The potential of municipal-level financing approaches.   Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-robertson-6814751/?originalSubdomain=uk (Charlie Robertson on LinkedIn) https://www.rencap.com/ (Renaissance Capital) https://www.amazon.com/Fastest-Billion-Africas-Economic-Revolution/dp/0957420307 (The Fastest Billion) https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=the+time+travelling+economist (The Time-Travelling Economist) https://www.chartercitiesinstitute.org/ (Charter Cities Institute) https://www.facebook.com/Charter-Cities-Institute-424204888015721/ (Charter Cities Institute on Facebook) https://twitter.com/CCIdotCity (Charter Cities Institute on Twitter)

As a part of the CGTN series "China from Outside", Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque elaborates on how China Pakistan Economic Corridor has accelerated Pakistan's sustainable development and addresses how the two countries can take on common challenges through joint efforts.

In this episode, we are in conversation with Zoon Ahmed Khan about China`s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with a special focus on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). We talk about the reasons behind misunderstandings and myths about the project and the country and how things can be improved. Zoon takes us through the lives and experiences of the Chinese and there are some lessons to be learned for everyone. Zoon Ahmed Khan is a Pakistani researcher and journalist based in Beijing since 2015. She specializes in Chinese Foreign Policy including the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and South-South Cooperation. She has conducted in-depth fieldwork on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, including Gwadar Port. Watch the full episode here.

In this episode, we are in conversation with Zoon Ahmed Khan about China`s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with a special focus on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). We talk about the reasons behind misunderstandings and myths about the project and the country and how things can be improved. Zoon takes us through the lives and experiences of the Chinese and there are some lessons to be learned for everyone. Zoon Ahmed Khan is a Pakistani researcher and journalist based in Beijing since 2015. She specializes in Chinese Foreign Policy including the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and South-South Cooperation. She has conducted in-depth fieldwork on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, including Gwadar Port. Watch the full episode here.

Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid on Monday expressed that the group “desires” to join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He also informed that the Taliban will address Islamabad's concerns about Pakistan based terror group ‘Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan' (TTP), Samaa News reported. CPEC is a part of China's most ambitious project ‘Belt and Road Initiative', aimed at renewing the country's historic trade routes in the coastal countries of south-east Asia. In 2015, China announced the ‘China Pakistan Economic Corridor' (CPEC) project which is worth USD 46 billion. With CPEC, Beijing aims to expand its influence in Pakistan and across Central and South Asia in order to counter the influence of the United States and India. The CPEC would link Pakistan's southern Gwadar port (626 kilometers west of Karachi) in Balochistan on the Arabian Sea to China's western Xinjiang region. It also includes plans to create road, rail, and oil pipeline links to improve connectivity between China and the Middle East. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/global-reportage/support

The Breaking Banks Europe World Tour landed in Pakistan! The country is an absolute force to be recognized with a tremendous potential build by its stakeholders. Talented entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem players, along with a rich and specific history to be discovered. This week local industry leaders - Nadeem Shaikh (Neem Exponential), Taha Anis and Mubariz Siddiqui, tell us the story of the region, through their local eyes. The session was moderated by the podcast's Executive Producer, Matteo Rizzi. More on our guests: Nadeem:Nadeem is a recognized thought leader and practitioner of innovation both within the startup world and among large financial institutions, with an unmatched global network and a commitment to driving the reinvention of financial services. Nadeem is a former Head of Global Financial Services at Veon (and Jazz), with a deep understanding of Financial Services overall and within Pakistan. He co-founded and served as a CEO at the Anthemis Group, a pioneer venture capital firm in FinTech with over 500 million USD assets under management. Anthemis Group has invested in over 80 companies in the US and Europe. Previously, Nadeem served as a President at the First Data International, with deep expertise in payments in developed and emerging markets. Nadeem is a Board Member at several impact-driven businesses and charities globally including Access Afya, Prospero World, and CARE Pakistan.Neem Exponential is a Pakistan-focused venture builder with a mission to enable Financial Wellness for every Pakistan and create social impact through building resilient companies. We invest and grow companies and leaders that transform industries through embedded finance. Founded by experienced entrepreneurs, builders and investors with a deep knowledge of the Pakistani landscape, Neem Exponential supports its portfolio through intellectual, execution, network and financial capital.Website: www.neemexponential.comLinkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nrshaikh/ Taha:Taha has 10 plus years of co-founder experience, most recently with logistics, food delivery, and payments. He has previously worked in the healthcare space. Taha is currently working as the Executive Director at Burger King Pakistan.Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tahaanis/Website: https://bkdelivery.pk/ Mubariz: Mubariz is a legal practitioner with extensive experience working with startups, VCs, and angel investors in Pakistan. He frequently works with regulators on policy initiatives to facilitate foreign investment and innovative early-stage businesses in Pakistan. Currently, he is the General Counsel at Sarmayacar, a Pakistan-focused venture capital fund. He has been practicing law since 2008. In his last position at Hub Power Company, Mubariz was the head of legal for two China Pakistan Economic Corridor power projects in Thar with a cumulative project cost of more than US$ 1 billion. Previously, Mubariz worked at RIAA Barker Gillette, and Orr Dignam & Co.Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mubarizsiddiqui/Sarmayacar: https://www.sarmayacar.com/

With a range of connectivity and infrastructure projects across Pakistan, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a crucial foothold for the PRC in South Asia and a gateway to the Indian Ocean. As China projects power beyond its borders and into Pakistan, what security and defence implications does it hold for India? To answer this question, we have with us today Dr Tara Kartha, a strategic affairs expert who's spent 17 years at the National Security Council Secretariat, and Andrew Small, senior transatlantic fellow with the German Marshall Fund's Asia program. 

Talha and Zaki host Hamraz Sarwani (Centre for Strategic and Contemporary Research) to discuss his article that examines different analytical approaches to evaluating the progress of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. This programme is presented by Pakistan Geostrategic Review in association with Islamabad-based Centre for Strategic and Contemporary Research. Its objective is to highlight articles of note authored by emerging research scholars from Pakistan. Through this video podcast series, we aim to provide them a platform where they can elucidate their perspective and defend their argument on different issues. Intro music composed and produced by Zaki Khalid. All rights reserved. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/5NApHmT04Xw

This essay is part of "On China's New Silk Road," a podcast by the Global Reporting Centre that tracks China's global ambitions. Over nine episodes, Mary Kay Magistad, a former China correspondent for The World, partners with local journalists on five continents to uncover the effects of the most sweeping global infrastructure initiative in history. As winter arrives high up in the Himalayas, troops from Asia’s two giants remain in a tense standoff at their long-contested border, where India and China fought a war in 1962, and then faced off again just months ago. Now the two sides are in talks to deescalate the situation, with a plan on the table to pull back military forces. In hand-to-hand combat around May, Indian and Chinese troops beat each other with sticks and stones — before better-armed soldiers arrived in June. Despite the long-standing agreement not to use gunfire on the non-demarcated Line of Actual Control (LAC) border, at least 20 Indian troops and an undisclosed number of Chinese soldiers died in the clashes. The confrontation also signaled a sharp turn for the worse in India’s and China’s relationship, which had somewhat warmed over the past dozen years, with China becoming one of India’s top trading partners. Chinese companies have helped to build and supply subway lines in India’s cities, with hopes in some quarters that India will be able to further engage China’s experienced construction companies to overhaul aging Indian infrastructure."We can't build enough bridges or we can’t modernize our railways fast enough. So, all of those skills, actually the Chinese have."Santosh Pai, partner, Link Legal“We have an infrastructure deficit,” said Santosh Pai, a partner with Link Legal in New Delhi. Pai lived in China for years and now advises both Chinese companies who want to invest in India and Indian companies seeking to invest in China.“We can't get our roads built fast enough,” said Pai. “We can't build enough bridges or we can’t modernize our railways fast enough. So, all of those skills, actually the Chinese have.”Related: Opening the door to Chinese investment comes with risks for Southeast Asian nationsChina’s telecommunications companies were among those that installed 3G and 4G systems in India. And until the June border clash, Huawei was under consideration to install 5G. Their involvement may now be off the table, and India — not unlike the US — has also banned dozens of Chinese apps, including TikTok, citing security concerns.China’s critics in India consider the prospect of Beijing controlling Delhi’s 5G networks to be potentially most worrying.  “The fear is that they have source code of these technologies and they can manipulate it to their advantage in a critical situation,” says VK Cherian, a telecommunications consultant in New Delhi. “Or they can literally shut off some networks — critical networks.”India’s leaders have also resisted China’s efforts to pull India into other sorts of networks that China leads or dominates. That goes for the new free-trade deal, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Agreement (RCEP), which was signed Nov. 15, and brings together most East Asian countries that represent almost a third of the global economy. And it goes for China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).‘Our sovereign territory’Even before border tensions ramped up, Indian strategists had become increasingly wary of China’s regional and global ambitions — with a Chinese presence now firmly entrenched in deep-water ports to India’s east in Myanmar, to its south in Sri Lanka, and to its west in Pakistan.India has opted not to join China’s BRI, which is a massive project to finance and build roads, railways, ports, pipelines, 5G and other infrastructure in dozens of countries around the world. The objective is to solidify a new network of global trade and power with China at its center.  Related: The ‘China dream’: New Silk Road begins at homeMany Indians — and other Asians — would prefer a region that’s networked in multiple directions — and not dominated by China. That’s one reason India hasn’t joined the BRI or RCEP. India also has a more immediate reason for keeping its distance from China’s Belt and Road endeavors. One of the BRI’s signature projects, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), runs through Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which India sees as its sovereign territory, unlawfully occupied by Pakistan soon after British colonialism ended in 1947. That was when the British separated the Indian subcontinent into two nations: India, a majority Hindu country, and Pakistan, a predominantly Muslim country.The area where Chinese and Indian troops are now at loggerheads is the Ladakh area in the greater Kashmir region. Chinese troops seized territory there in the 1962 war and in the more recent summer skirmish. And China claims more territory that India now controls.  Dhruv Katoch, a retired major-general in the Indian army. Credit: Mary Kay Magistad/The World “So far as India is concerned, there is no way we can ever support the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. It passes through our sovereign territory,” says Dhruv Katoch, a retired major-general in the Indian army who spent much of his career defending Indian sovereignty in Kashmir. Katoch has also directed India’s Center for Land Warfare Studies, the Indian army’s premier think tank. He argues that India needs to be alert about China’s Belt and Road activities in Pakistan, including the construction of dams, a railway and a road that will run from China, through Kashmir, diagonally southwest across the country, to Pakistan’s strategically-located port of Gwadar. Gwadar is near the Iranian border and not far from the Strait of Hormuz, which leads to the Persian Gulf. Around one-quarter of the world’s oil passes through there, as do US naval ships, coming and going from their base in Bahrain. China’s BRI includes big expansion plans for the Gwadar port. The development encompasses industrial parks and new housing for Chinese workers. The vision is consistent with a Chinese strategy called “port-park-city,” which promotes urban growth starting with port facilities and then continuing with other infrastructure. The term also is associated with the idea that China can build for predominantly civilian use now but pivot toward potential military use later. ‘Very major security concern’Katoch is troubled by the road passing from China through contested Kashmir to Gwadar.“I think it is a very major security concern,” Katoch says. “To protect that road, a very large number of Pakistani military troops are employed. But what is not known is that a very large number of Chinese soldiers are also employed.”“These soldiers are not in uniform, but they are part of the security apparatus of the Chinese state,” he added. “And I think it gives China and Pakistan a nexus to join hands from this particular area should any hostilities take place between India and China.” A general view of signs along a highway leading to Gwadar, Pakistan, April 12, 2017. Credit: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters Isfandiyar Pataudi, a Pakistani retired major-general who was once up for consideration to head Pakistan’s premier military intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), disputes that any armed Chinese are operating in Pakistan.“No foreigner can carry a weapon in Pakistan, including Chinese,” he says. “That’s the rule.  And so this fear — American audiences need to dispel — that there is going to be a Chinese outpost at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.” Gwadar has more challenges than most BRI ports. It’s in Balochistan, one of Pakistan’s poorest provinces. Over the years, it’s seen outsiders come in to mine copper and gold and drill for oil, leaving little benefit for ethnic Baloch people.Now, with China’s presence, the separatist Baloch Liberation Army has pushed back with repeated attacks on Chinese workers, on a luxury hotel in Gwadar, and on the Chinese consulate in Karachi. But still, Chinese construction continues. “I think China’s had its eyes on Gwadar Port for a very long time,” says Taha Siddiqui, a Pakistani journalist who long covered Balochistan. “And it’s going to get that no matter what, and keep that, no matter what.”

Understanding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Conversations around the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in mainstream media end up in a “are you a patriot” or “are you a traitor” binary. There is no doubt about the fact that Pakistan has doubled down on its strategic relationship with China in recent years: Prime Minister Imran Khan recently saying in an interview that Pakistan’s future is tied to China. But what is CPEC all about? And how does it fit into China’s overall regional and geopolitical ambitions? To talk about this, Uzair Younus invited Dr. Tayyab Safdar, a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the University of Virginia’s Department of Politics and East Asia Center. His research investigates the effects of increasing Chinese investment in infrastructure projects on economic development in countries located along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). If you liked this episode, please share it on your social media and with your friends and family! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel!

Why do China and Pakistan love each other? Most people have never heard of the magical port of Gwadar in Pakistan. Surprisingly, it is a gateway for China to break strategic encirclement by the United States in the Malacca Strait and avoid India's interference in the trade route of China.Gwadar Port is a high-quality deep-water port, which is very suitable for building an international shipping transit station.  Middle East oil coming out of the Persian Gulf can be docked directly at Gwadar port for unloading. All crude oil goes directly from the railway line and enters China by land transportation. By using Gwadar Port, China has completely avoided the shipping problem and avoided the risk of the major economic artery being cut off.Another wonderful aspect of Gwadar Port, which is only one step away from Iran and connected by land. Iran, a country that is not only rich in oil, but also has a very bad relationship with the United States, has long been sanctioned by the United States and cannot sell oil.Among the big powers, only China can be completely trusted by Pakistan, and only China will never sell Pakistan to India. Pakistan absolutely believes in China's sincerity because India is also a threat to China, and China needs Pakistan to check and balance India.For China, as long as India still exists, Pakistan cannot betray China. There will be no other big country in the world that attaches great importance to Pakistan's strategic position as China. Pakistan's presence is very important to China, but not so important to other big countries.As the British famously said, between countries, there are only eternal interests and no eternal friendship. But the world of geopolitics, China and Pakistan always have the same powerful interests. This powerful interest cannot be ignored no matter how the leaders change, since it involves the national security of both parties.This is why China and Pakistan love each other and is what is commonly known as iron buddies. China is 100 % assured of Pakistan, unless India disappears.China Explained will show you that because of China's continued success in industrial upgrading, technological innovation and realizing its huge potential, it is an unstoppable process. The inevitable rise of China may feel intimidating and some simply reject it. Don't be. More importantly, we will answer the million-dollar question: how can you, as an individual or a small business owner, also profit from the rise of China ?Creating original content is hard work, your support is what keeps us going. Please donate to this channel: paypal.me/ChinaExplained

For over a month, India and China have been locked in a tense border conflict in eastern Ladakh. The standoff turned violent early this week, leading to the killing of 20 Indian soldiers. Grim as the situation is, it is not quite clear what exactly is happening on the ground, and what it means for relations between the two countries. To demystify the conflict and explain its strategic and political implications, Mehraj D Lone spoke with Happymon Jacob, one of India’s foremost strategic affairs experts. Jacob teaches at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s School of International Studies, and writes extensively on India’s strategic and foreign policies, the Kashmir dispute, and disarmament. He is the author of The Line of Control: Travelling with the Indian and Pakistani Armies and Line on Fire: Ceasefire Violations and India–Pakistan Escalation Dynamics. In this conversation, held before the faceoff turned violent, Jacob argues that the ongoing conflict is not a usual border transgression. It needs to be seen in the larger geopolitical context of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, potential presence of Chinese soldiers in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, India’s recent declarations about retaking Aksai Chin. As to how India should respond, he says its policymakers must realise that “China doesn’t believe in a peaceful rise anymore”. From a military perspective, he adds, “it’s not all that easy for India to dislodge Chinese soldiers from Ladakh” but it has the upper hand along other parts of the Line of Actual Control. He also talks about dealing with China economically, diplomatically, and in the maritime space, while looking for avenues of cooperation. Jacob also talks about the BJP government’s foreign policy, the abrogation of Article 370 and the introduction of a new domicile policy in Jammu and Kashmir. Tune in! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode explores the current dynamics between China and India in light of Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi’s second informal summit in October 2019. Our guest, Dr. Tanvi Madan, analyzes the outcomes of this meeting and the key issues impacting the bilateral relationship. Dr. Madan explains India’s views on China’s Belt and Road Initiative and use of detention facilities in Xinjiang, as well as how U.S. policy toward India factors in to China-India relations. She also addresses continued points of contention like the Kashmir region and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Dr. Tanvi Madan is director of The India Project and a senior fellow for the Project on International Order and Strategy in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. Dr. Madan’s work explores Indian foreign policy, focusing particularly on India's relations with China and the United States. She also researches the intersection between Indian energy policies and its foreign and security policies.

This episode explores the current dynamics between China and India in light of Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi’s second informal summit in October 2019. Our guest, Dr. Tanvi Madan, analyzes the outcomes of this meeting and the key issues impacting the bilateral relationship. Dr. Madan explains India’s views on China’s Belt and Road Initiative and use of detention facilities in Xinjiang, as well as how U.S. policy toward India factors in to China-India relations. She also addresses continued points of contention like the Kashmir region and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Dr. Tanvi Madan is director of The India Project and a senior fellow for the Project on International Order and Strategy in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. Dr. Madan’s work explores Indian foreign policy, focusing particularly on India's relations with China and the United States. She also researches the intersection between Indian energy policies and its foreign and security policies.

This episode explores the current dynamics between China and India in light of Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi’s second informal summit in October 2019. Our guest, Dr. Tanvi Madan, analyzes the outcomes of this meeting and the key issues impacting the bilateral relationship. Dr. Madan explains India’s views on China’s Belt and Road Initiative and use of detention facilities in Xinjiang, as well as how U.S. policy toward India factors in to China-India relations. She also addresses continued points of contention like the Kashmir region and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Dr. Tanvi Madan is director of The India Project and a senior fellow for the Project on International Order and Strategy in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. Dr. Madan’s work explores Indian foreign policy, focusing particularly on India's relations with China and the United States. She also researches the intersection between Indian energy policies and its foreign and security policies.

This episode explores the current dynamics between China and India in light of Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi’s second informal summit in October 2019. Our guest, Dr. Tanvi Madan, analyzes the outcomes of this meeting and the key issues impacting the bilateral relationship. Dr. Madan explains India’s views on China’s Belt and Road Initiative and use of detention facilities in Xinjiang, as well as how U.S. policy toward India factors in to China-India relations. She also addresses continued points of contention like the Kashmir region and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Dr. Tanvi Madan is director of The India Project and a senior fellow for the Project on International Order and Strategy in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. Dr. Madan’s work explores Indian foreign policy, focusing particularly on India's relations with China and the United States. She also researches the intersection between Indian energy policies and its foreign and security policies.

The Chinese mainland and Belt and Road partner countries are looking to Hong Kong for financial capabilities, says Abdul Qadir Memon. Pakistan’s Consul General for Hong Kong & Macau says the key Gwadar Port under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor relies on a Hong Kong registered company while Hong Kong firms can partner in Pakistan’s needed “soft infrastructure” such as professional services and trade facilitation.

Pakistan’s infrastructure drive and China’s new energy options through Pakistan characterise the developing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor under the Belt and Road Initiative, according to Pakistan’s Hong Kong & Macau Consul General. Abdul Qadir Memon says a Hong Kong registered company and other Belt and Road participants are bringing prosperity and optimism to Pakistan.

This week, Kaiser and Jeremy chat with Andrew Small, senior transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund in Washington, D.C. Andrew is one of surprisingly few scholars with specialized experience researching China's relations with what it calls its "all-weather friend" — Pakistan. His book from 2015 on the subject is titled The China-Pakistan Axis: Asia's New Geopolitics. Kaiser, Jeremy, and Andrew discuss how Sino-Pakistani ties have been impacted by the recent election of Imran Khan to prime minister, Pakistan's economic difficulties, and the numerous projects that comprise the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC – one of the most important components of China's Belt and Road Initiative. Recommendations: Jeremy: What3Words, a startup that has divided the entire world into a grid of 57 trillion squares, each of them three meters by three meters (9.8 feet), and assigned each square a three-word address, generated randomly by computer. Improving.shrimps.legal, for instance, is located just south of the Chairman Mao portrait at Tiananmen in Beijing. Read more about the system and its implications for developing countries and China on SupChina. Andrew: Two alternative views on how an economic “decoupling” of the U.S. and China could happen, other than the tariff-driven trade war path currently being taken. First, “Trump thinks a trade war with China is the only option, but it’s not,” a piece by Dan Rosen in Foreign Affairs, and second, “Jennifer Hillman testifies on addressing Chinese market distortions,” where the Georgetown Law professor lays out before the U.S. Senate in early June how litigation could be brought before the World Trade Organization to address grievances against China. Kaiser: Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety, by Eric Schlosser.

On September 5, Hudson Institute hosted a panel to discuss CPEC and the evolving relationship between China and Pakistan.

On September 5, Hudson Institute hosted a panel to discuss CPEC and the evolving relationship between China and Pakistan.

How are peace talks in Syria progressing – both in Geneva and Sochi? Also: a look at the proposed “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor,” or CPEC.

The US Secretary of Defense James Mattis has complicated a major diplomatic dispute over infrastructure. At issue is the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, known as CPEC. It's a massive system of transportation and energy projects, which runs through Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Mattis upset Pakistan by implying the plan threatens Indian sovereignty. China now fears the comment could upend their investment, worth tens of billions of dollars.

2017-02-27 Special EnglishThis is Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news.New kinds of vaccines for the H7N9 strain of bird flu virus have been approved for clinical trials by China&`&s top drug regulator.The Beijing Food and Drug Administration said it will continue to provide assistance and guidance for clinical trials of the vaccines so they can enter the market as soon as possible.The vaccines have been developed by a state-owned enterprise in Beijing. There are currently no vaccines for the H7N9 strain of bird flu available on the market in China or overseas. The flu is most active in winter and spring. Two human cases of H7N9 have been reported in Beijing this year, with both patients suspected of having been exposed to live poultry. Both are in critical condition.One woman died after being infected with the bird flu in southwest China&`&s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.The central government has intensified measures to control the spread of the flu, including shutting down live poultry markets.This is Special English.The World Health Organization says the shortsightedness rate among Chinese juveniles ranks first in the world, with 70 percent of high school and college students being shortsighted. The rate is almost 40 percent in primary school students, while it is only 10 percent for their peers in the United States.A World Health Organization research report says the number of shortsighted people in China has reached 600 million, approaching half of the country&`&s total population.Experts attribute the soaring shortsightedness rate in China to the unhealthy lifestyles and learning styles which parents impose on their children.On the one hand, to achieve high scores in exams, children spend too much time studying indoors and don&`&t enough time outside in the sunlight. On the other hand, a growing number of high-tech products, including smart phones and tablet PCs, make children focus their eyes and attention on fluorescent screens for long periods of time, resulting in excessive eye fatigue.Experts suggest that youngsters maintain a proper balance between study and rest so as to protect their eyesight, and parents should play a correspondingly active role in the process.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.China will launch its most advanced communications satellite in April. The new satellite will be part of a huge network to expand the nation&`&s Wi-Fi access.The satellite and its large capacity network will enable passengers on planes and high-speed trains to access the internet.The satellite weighs around 5 metric tons. It will stay in a geostationary orbit around 36,000 kilometers above Earth for 15 years.This is the most powerful communications satellite China has ever developed. Its transmission capacity will double that of the current ones, allowing more television channels and clearer signals to be transmitted; and internet user costs will be reduced.China plans to establish a constellation of advanced communications satellites by 2025. After the plan is fulfilled, users will be able to access high-quality Wi-Fi services anywhere and anytime, including on bullet trains and planes.Scientists say China still needs to catch up with the top developers in the United States and Europe, when it comes to satellite technology and capacity.This is Special English.China&`&s deep-sea manned submarine "Jiaolong" has departed its home port in Qingdao in eastern China to start its longest mission to date, a 124-day expedition.The submarine is scheduled to explore northwest part of the Indian Ocean, the South China Sea and the Mariana Trench in the Western Pacific during this oceanic exploration mission. The trip is set to conclude on June 9.Organized by the National Deep Sea Center, the mission will be carried out by more than 150 researchers from around 20 scientific research institutions nationwide.The expedition will cover the widest range of investigation area with diversified tasks. The submarine will dive 31 times, including seven times below 6,000 meters. The submarine holds China&`&s manned diving record. It reached a depth of 7,062 meters in the Mariana Trench in 2012.According to the mission plan, it will perform a task in the northwest Indian Ocean polymetallic sulfides zone for the first time.The Qingdao-based National Deep Sea Center is a supportive station for deep sea facilities. It is one of the five such deep sea centers in the world. You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.Beijing and its neighboring city Tianjin are planning a monthly pass for high-speed intercity trains linking the two cities. The two sides are also considering canceling expressway toll fees.The mayor of Tianjin says the move will facilitate the integrated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province. The outline was given in 2015 to improve transportation links in the area. It also includes moving some of Beijing&`&s low-end industries to neighboring areas.The high-speed intercity trains aim to build a modern transportation system. A unified smart prepaid traffic card has been used in 12 cities in the region, and more cities will be included by the end of the year.In addition, a network of high-speed trains covering the whole region has been approved; and another intercity railway linking Beijing and Tianjin&`&s Binhai New Area is expected to be completed by 2020.The Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway was the first of its kind in China. With a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour, a single trip between the two cities will be kept within 40 minutes. The trains will depart and arrive every 10 to 15 minutes.This is Special English.In 2015, every student at China&`&s almost 3,000 universities spent an average of 1,100 yuan, roughly 160 U.S. dollars, on online purchases. Each of them received 16 parcels on average last year, making university campuses key areas of competition for express delivery companies. The volume of deliveries and on-campus management of the companies&`& operations pose problems for college administrators. Two years ago, parcels delivered to university campuses accounted for 5 percent of the national total, which helped to create 70,000 jobs. A report says that without unified and centralized distribution terminals, the "last kilometer transport" to campuses remains chaotic in many universities.More than 65 percent of express companies in Guangdong Province conduct their on-campus business via a "stall model". Parcels are scattered on the ground in the care of a courier who waits to pass them on to the recipients. Different companies&`& stalls open at different times and in random locations. This means that many students do not receive their parcels on time. The report says that the situation is the same in Beijing, which has the largest overall campus delivery business in China.The report suggests that on campus courier stations should be designated as public welfare facilities and should be part of the campus infrastructure serving teachers and students. You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to crienglish.com. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. Now the news continues.Pakistan is to start exporting seafood to China&`&s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, using a land route that China will also use to ship oil and natural gas from the Middle East.The journey is around 1,500 kilometers. Frozen seafood will depart Pakistan&`&s Gwadar Port on the shores of the Arabian Sea in container trucks and enter China via the Khunjerab Pass, a land port in southern Xinjiang&`&s Kashgar prefecture. Regular shipments are to start on April 1, after a successful trial last month. Normally, it takes more than 30 days to transport seafood by sea from Pakistan to ports in South China&`&s Guangdong province. Now it takes only around 10 days for the seafood to be transported and cleared by customs on the land route.The wholesale price of those seafood products will drop by 10 to 20 percent after the shipments become regular.China is Pakistan&`&s biggest seafood importer, with around 75 percent of the country&`&s shrimp products sold to China. China will provide 1 billion U.S. dollars in loans for three new road projects, to further enhance the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor along the land route.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Despite winds and deep winter chills, snow-covered areas in north China have seen quick growth in tourism during the Spring Festival holiday.The China National Tourism Administration reported a record 340 million domestic visits paid by mainland travelers during the seven-day holiday which started on January 27th. This marks an increase of 14 percent compared with last year. Total tourism revenue reached 420 billion yuan, roughly 62 billion U.S. dollars.The administration said ice-and-snow tourism is gaining in popularity as Beijing gears up to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. For example, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region received 15 million travelers in the seven days, an increase of 20 percent, compared with last year. The total tourism revenue reached 1.6 billion yuan, up almost 22 percent. Xinjiang shares a common border with countries including Russia, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan.In northeast China, a national forest park in Heilongjiang province, known sometimes as the Snow Town, received more than 20,000 tourists in a single day on Jan 31.China has invested heavily in the development of winter sports and recreation. There are over 200 skating rinks and 500 ski resorts spreading across 25 provinces. Around 30 million people have participated in winter sports and related activities in these areas. China plans to build a total of 650 skating rinks and 800 ski resorts by 2022.This is Special English.After three days of searching, an injured finless porpoise has finally been found in central China&`&s Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the country.Volunteers discovered the injured animal through a long-focus lens. It was seen to have a large fishhook in its back. But it was soon out of sight and disappeared before people could offer any help.The authorities and scientists conducted a search for the animal in an area of the lake which was 400-meter in diameter and 20 meters under the water.The finless porpoise is a mammal similar to the dolphin. It is an endangered species with a total population of around 1,000, fewer than the giant panda. Around 450 of them are found in Poyang Lake. You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.East China&`&s Zhejiang Province used to be a "Jurassic Park", with a great number of dinosaurs some 100 million years ago. According to a six-year research project, 82 dinosaur fossil sites have been found in the area. The fossils came from a dozen species, eight of them new in China.The research covered an area of 11,000 square kilometers in the province. Various study techniques were adopted in the research, making it one of the most comprehensive in China.The study shows that there were many dinosaurs in the area during the Cretaceous Period around 100 million years ago. Zhejiang has the largest number of dinosaur fossils among other southeastern provinces.Scientists say the discoveries also support the idea that a comet or asteroid was the cause for the extinction of the dinosaurs.This is Special English.More than 100 plant seed grains dating back 2,000 years have been unearthed at an ancient tomb in northern China&`&s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.According to the regional institute of archaeology, the discovery was made during the excavation of a civilian tomb in western Inner Mongolia.（全文见周六微信。）

This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. Here is the news.China's 40 billion-U.S. dollar Silk Road Fund for investment has announced its first project during President Xi Jinping's visit to Islamabad in Pakistan. The Silk Road investment fund is part of the country's commitment to the Belt and Road initiative.The Silk Road Fund Company, the management arm of the fund, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the China Three Gorges Corporation and the Pakistan Private Power and Infrastructure Board to provide capital to build the Karot Hydropower Project on the Jhelum River in northeast Pakistan.It is the fund's first investment project since being launched in Beijing in December last year. According to the agreement, the fund will provide capital and serve as a major shareholder in the Three Gorges South Asia Investment group, a subsidiary of the Three Gorges Corporation, to support clean-energy development projects in Pakistan. The fund will also provide loans to the project by joining in a consortium led by the Export-Import Bank of China. The hydro-power station is a priority project within the broader China-Pakistan Economic Corridor initiative, proposed by Premier Li Keqiang in May 2013. The initiative aims to build a 46 billion-U.S. dollar, 3,000-kilometer-long route from China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to the Gwadar Port, connecting China, Pakistan and the Arab world. This is NEWS Plus Special English.China is to establish an online system to manage lost and stolen identification cards in order to curb the use of fake ID cards to commit crimes.The public security ministry's database will share information with other sectors, including the banking system, train and airplane ticket offices, the telecommunications sector and hotels. After the online system is in operation, relevant departments will be able to discover in a timely manner information regarding the reported loss of ID cards and prevent criminals from using fake IDs to check into hotels, buy train or airplane tickets or open a bank account.In recent years, police across China have discovered a large number of lost or stolen IDs that are not destroyed, but have been collected and traded on the black market for use by criminals. When searching QQ, an instant messaging service, using key words such as "buying IDs", hundreds of QQ groups for ID trading information showed up, with hundreds of people participating in the buying and selling of ID cards. One of the salesmen displayed more than 700 ID pictures on his QQ page, selling for 320 yuan each, roughly 52 U.S. dollars. He claimed that all IDs for sale were genuine and could be traded on the Taobao online trading platform. You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing.China is confident the country's "rice bowl" will be firmly held in its own hands.An industry report says China will remain self-sufficient in producing its main food crops, and food consumption will have guaranteed safety by the end of the next decade.Compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, the annual Agricultural Outlook Report forecasts demand and trade of major agricultural products in China over the next ten years to provide guidance to markets, and take the initiative to react to changes in international markets.The report says China's agricultural production will keep stable development; supply and demand of the market will remain balanced, and agricultural consumption will grow fast over the next decade.China will accelerate agricultural modernization to raise quality and efficiency of agriculture and continue to transform the pattern of agricultural development to attain intensive and sustainable growth.China has made great progress in rural development last year with grain output growing for the 11th year consecutive year last year, reaching 607 million tons. This is NEWS Plus Special English.Tougher regulations on infant milk formula are set to be introduced in a bid to restore public confidence in the domestic dairy industry.Producers will be required to register their powdered baby milk formula with the food and drug regulatory agency. A draft revision to the Food Safety Law has been submitted to the bi-monthly legislative session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee for its third reading. There are more than 1,900 varieties of baby formula available in China. On average, a baby food company sells around 20 varieties of powdered milk products, whereas in most other countries a manufacturer produces and sells only two or three different varieties.The Food and Drug Administration says some producers are creating new formulas purely for the sake of marketing; and the review of infant formula legislation aims to ensure infant food safety.In 2008, infant formula produced by the Sanlu Group, one of the leading dairy firms in China, was found to contain melamine. Consequently, six babies died and thousands fell ill.As a result, the first Food Safety Law was enacted in 2009 but public confidence in domestic baby formula has not been recovered.This is NEWS Plus Special English.Students from low-income families in rural areas will be able to apply for places at one of China's top universities, Tsinghua University, under the provisions of a preferential recruitment plan.The university's admissions office says Tsinghua University will recruit five percent of its new undergraduate students from rural areas, or around 160 people, through the plan. The new policy aims to reduce the educational gap between cities and rural areas, and balance the use of China's education resources.Similar plans were launched in 2011 in five other top universities including Nanjing University and Zhejiang University in east China, in a bid to increase the equality of higher education. In previous years, high schools in rural areas had the right to recommend students to participate in the plan. Now, Tsinghua University has pu