Reports of a massive twenty-five-year investment and security partnership between China and Iran have caused a stir in Washington, suggesting that Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign to isolate Tehran has failed. But the United States is not the only country concerned about the prospect of a Sino-Iranian grand alliance. India has various investments in Iran that could be threatened by the Chinese economic juggernaut.
Either Beijing will find innovative ways that benefit debtor nations or it will be seen as just another predatory lender in a long history of empire builders. The backlash to China’s presence in lands around the world will soon follow, along with fractured political and economic relationships that become difficult, if not impossible, to mend.
India has stepped up scrutiny of investments from companies based in neighbouring countries, in what is widely seen as a move to stave off takeovers by Chinese firms during the coronavirus outbreak. India’s trade ministry said in a notification dated April 17 the changes to federal rules on investment were meant to curb “opportunistic takeovers/acquisitions”. It did not mention China.
Through early and efficient border closures, uncharacteristic official transparency and strategic Covid-19 diplomacy, communist-run Vietnam is fast emerging as a likely post-pandemic winner. For a nation that has long-sought to secure it’s place as a reliable and responsible global actor, the coronavirus outbreak and its minimal impact on Vietnam has presented the nation an opportunity in crisis analysts say it is firmly grasping.
Photo/PIB
India and Russia have decided to step up industrial cooperation and create new technological and investment partnership, especially in advanced high-tech areas, with an aim to increase bilateral trade to $30 billion by 2025. According to a joint statement issued by the Russian government after 20th India–Russia Annual Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin also agreed that the work on promoting mutual settlements of payments in national currencies will be continued.
To say that Warren Buffett knows a good deal is a bit of an understatement — even cliché, maybe. That’s why it looks like bad news that his company, Berkshire Hathaway, is sitting on a record $122 billion in cash, and actually sold more investments than it bought in the first half of the year, according to Bloomberg. Of course, most of us would be perfectly happy to see those numbers followed by a long string of zeros attached to our bank account, but when your job is to deliver huge investment returns, sitting on cash is actually a big problem.
After overcoming significant political and economic headwinds during the past decade, the US economy now appears to have undergone its longest sustained expansion in history. Yet, behind the data showing historically low unemployment and long-awaited wage growth lie vulnerabilities that cannot be ignored.
Whether they’re new colonisers or a vital source of cash and technology, the jury is out on Beijing’s investment in the region – but one thing is certain, the US will not relinquish its control without a fight. For the United States, China’s widening presence in Latin America has been much more than a minor nuisance in its geopolitical backyard.
Democrats and Republicans in the United States may be deeply divided on almost every aspect of President Donald Trump’s inconsistent foreign policy, but on one issue they are in unison: China’s US$1.1 trillion “Belt and Road Initiative” must be contained.
Three common misconceptions in Western media and policy circles about the nature of China’s involvement in Africa interferes with US policymakers’ ability to craft and implement an effective Africa strategy. Debunking these myths will foster a more constructive understanding of Beijing’s interactions with the continent and allow the United States to focus on areas of competitive advantage.
