India-China competition heats up as border conflict continues – China’s latest political and current affairs news

As the border standoff continues between Asia’s two largest countries — earlier this week, China blamed India for an August 16 stone-throwing scuffle between troops — India is guarding its tech industry against possible cyberattacks from China, while China is warning its citizens in India of possible personal safety risks, and the countries are competing to build infrastructure in Thailand.

Cybersecurity

• India has “directed over two dozen smartphone companies to provide detailed written responses by Aug. 28 on their ‘safety and security practices, architecture, frameworks, guidelines and standards,’” Bloomberg reports. Bloomberg notes that while it does not single out Chinese firms, ecommerce giant Alibaba does produce a mobile web browser called UC Browser that has over 100 million active users in India.
• This follows a previous move on August 17 to implement extra scrutiny for Chinese firms in “sensitive industries,” including power transmission and telecommunications industries, according to Reuters.

Safety of citizens

• The Chinese government has issued its second warning this summer to citizens in India to be aware of risks to their personal safety amid heightened tensions, SCMP says.
• “The latest embassy alert will be in effect until the end of 2017. The previous notice was in force for one month.”

Competition elsewhere

• As The China Project noted on August 21, China is promoting the construction of a railway to Thailand — in line with Belt and Road objectives — and earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that India revived long-neglected plans to build a highway also through Thailand. Both countries appear to have ambition to connect the Thailand routes to other projects in Southeast Asia.

• Vietnam
  Vietnam calls for Southeast Asian unity amid South China Sea tension / Reuters
• Pakistan
  China tells U.S. that Pakistan’s security concerns must be respected / Reuters
  See also on The China Project: Trump pushes Pakistan toward China
• U.S.-China relations
  China says U.S. probe ‘sabotages’ global trade system / Bloomberg
• South Korea
  Xi, Moon exchange conciliatory notes as China, South Korea move to mend ties on diplomatic anniversary / SCMP
• Environment
  China commits to cut northern air pollution by 15 percent / Reuters
  China launches 8,000 water clean-up projects worth $100 billion in first half of 2017 / Reuters
• Censorship
  At Beijing book fair, publishers admit to self-censorship / SCMP