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Year: 2023

British minister raised Jimmy Lai case with China’s vice president but to no avail

Editor09 mins

British foreign minister James Cleverly raised the case of jailed Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai with a top Chinese official recently to no avail after a court in the city rejected Lai’s judicial review over the hiring of a top British lawyer, according to a government report published on Thursday. “I raised [Lai’s] case with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng earlier this month, and we have raised it at the highest levels with the Hong Kong authorities,” Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Cleverly said in a statement introducing his government’s six-monthly review of the situation in Hong Kong, a former British colony. Han attended the coronation of King Charles III in London on May 6, amid growing criticism of the ruling Conservative Party, which appears to be backing away from promises of a tough stance on China. Cleverly didn’t say if a face-to-face meeting with Han had taken place, but said his government would “work with China where our interests converge while steadfastly defending our national security and our values.” He accused the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities of deliberately targeting “prominent pro-democracy figures, journalists and politicians in an effort to silence and discredit them.” British foreign minister James Cleverly, second from right, is reflected in glass with Britain’s Ambassador to Chile Louise De Sousa, in Santiago, Chile, May 22, 2023. A London-based group says the U.K. should do more to pursue those responsible for an ongoing crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong. Credit: Esteban Felix/AP He called on the Chinese Communist Party and the Hong Kong government to implement recommendations made by the United Nations Human Rights Council last July, which included repealing a national security law that has been used to justify a crackdown on peaceful political opposition and public dissent in the wake of the 2019 protest movement. “The Hong Kong authorities use the National Security Law and the antiquated offense of sedition to persecute those who disagree with the government,” Cleverly said, pointing to the ongoing trial of 47 opposition politicians and democracy activists for “subversion” after they organized a democratic primary election in the summer of 2020, as well as Lai’s national security trial for “collusion with a foreign power.” He said Beijing “remains in a state of non-compliance” with a bilateral treaty governing the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to Chinese rule, pointing to a “steady erosion of civil and political rights and Hong Kong’s autonomy.” Benedict Rogers, who heads the London-based rights group Hong Kong Watch, called for further action against “those who are actively undermining China’s obligations to the people of Hong Kong.” “A failure to do so will only embolden the Chinese government to deepen its human rights crackdown, putting at risk not only Hong Kongers but U.K. nationals and businesses operating in the city,” Rogers said in a statement responding to the government report. Emergency visas In April, British lawmakers called on their government to issue emergency visas to journalists at risk of arrest or prosecution in Hong Kong, and to apply targeted sanctions to individuals responsible for Lai’s arbitrary arrest and prosecution. The group also expressed concerns over last week’s ruling by Hong Kong’s Court of First Instance, which rejected an appeal from Lai’s legal team after the city’s leader John Lee ruled that his British barrister, Tim Owen KC, couldn’t represent him. Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, founder of Apple Daily walks heading to court, after being charged under the national security law, in Hong Kong, Dec. 12, 2020. Credit: Tyrone Siu/Reuters Policy director Sam Goodman said Hong Kong’s courts no longer have enough judicial independence to act as a check on the current national security crackdown, nor to ensure a fair trial for political prisoners. “There is no such thing as a common law system which operates with ‘Chinese Communist Party’ characteristics,” Goodman said, adding that Hong Kong’s “common law system … has been systematically dismantled by Beijing.” Exiled former pro-democracy lawmaker Ted Hui welcomed the criticism of Hong Kong’s human rights record. “In the long run, it will … unite our allies in free countries, and they will take a relatively tough stance, which will have an effect on their leadership,” Hui said.  “If more allies of free countries clearly say that Hong Kong’s human rights are regressing, and that the national security law is a violation of human rights, then that is a very clear position,” he said. Pro-democracy activists display a banner and placards read as “No democracy and human rights, no national security” and “Free all political prisoners” during a march in Hong Kong, April 15, 2021, to protest against the city’s first National Security Education Day, after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law. Credit: Yan Zhao/AFP The Hong Kong government slammed the U.K. report as “malicious slander and a political attack on Hong Kong,” while Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the British government “has yet to wake up from its colonial dream.” “It continues … to interfere in Hong Kong affairs through a misleading ‘report’ which is steeped in ideological bias and inconsistent with the facts,” Mao told a regular news conference in Beijing. Lai’s son Sebastien warned earlier this month that Hong Kong is now a “risky” place to do business, and that arbitrary arrests, sentences and raids will likely continue under the national security crackdown. International press freedom groups say the ruling Communist Party under supreme leader Xi Jinping has “gutted” press freedom in the formerly freewheeling city, since Lai’s Apple Daily and other pro-democracy news outlets were forced to close. Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster.

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North Korea arrests 5 Christians during underground church service

Editor07 mins

Just as they had every Sunday at 5 a.m., the five Christians gathered at the farmhouse for prayer and Bible study. But this time the police were waiting for them.  Tipped off by an informant, authorities arrested the believers on charges of believing in God, a crime in a country where all religion is illegal – except for the reverence everyone is required to show for the country’s leader Kim Jong Un, and its past leaders, his father and grandfather. Sources told Radio Free Asia’s Korean Service that the Christians, arrested on April 30, are relatives who met weekly at the farmhouse in Tongam village, outside Sunchon city in South Pyongan province, in central North Korea. “At the site of the worship service, the police retrieved dozens of Bible booklets and arrested all in attendance,” a resident of the province told RFA on condition of anonymity for security reasons. She said that an informant tipped off the police about the secret Sunday morning gathering. A South Korean Christian woman prays during a service denouncing North Korean leader Kim Jong Il’s dictatorship and alleged human rights violations against North Koreans, at Imjingak in Paju near the border village of Panmunjom. South Korea, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009. Sources told Radio Free Asia’s Korean Service that 5 Christians arrested on April 30 during underground church service are relatives who met weekly at the farmhouse in Tongam village, outside Sunchon city in South Pyongan province, in central North Korea. Credit: Ahn Young-joon/AP News of the raid spread quickly throughout Sunchon, another resident who witnessed the arrest told RFA. “They were praying and reading the Bible together,” she said. “They got together with their relatives and [prayed] ‘Oh Jesus, Lord Jesus … ,’ like that. And then they got arrested.”  If the past is any indication, the believers will be sent to labor camps to serve time. RFA was not able to confirm their status after the raid. Christian roots It was not the first time that authorities had rounded up Christians in Tongam. Underground churches in the village were raided in 2005 and 1997, and the believers were sent to do hard labor in concentration camps. Tongam has a history with Christianity. It was once the site of a large church building that stood even after the Japanese occupied the Korean peninsula in 1905 and made Shinto the state religion.  “That church was at the foot of the mountain in Tongam village,” the second resident said. “I knew about it because my mother told me it was where the missionaries had been before liberation [from Japanese rule in 1945].” Sunchon had two Catholic and 31 Protestant churches before the Peninsula was freed from Japanese rule, according to a pastor with experience leading missions in North Korea. People bow to the statues of former leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on Mansu Hill to mark the 11th anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang, Dec. 17, 2022. Credit: Cha Song Ho/AP The Soviet-controlled northern half of Korea after 1945 adhered to the idea that religion was the opium of the masses, and therefore promoted atheism. When North Korea was established in 1948, all religions became illegal. It was then that many of the churches in Sunchon began to disappear, and believers in Tongam had to go underground. North Korea is known to execute, torture and physically abuse individuals for their religious activities, the U.S. State Department’s 2022 International Religious Freedom Report said.  It is one of 17 countries identified to be involved in or condoning systematic, continuous and serious violations of freedom of religion and belief, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s 2023 annual report. Bibles and other religious materials are typically smuggled into the country over the Chinese border, where they are distributed to underground churches through a secret network, the second source said. Despite pressure from authorities, the five captured Christians have refused to renounce their religion, she said. “A staff member of the judicial agency told us that the [believers] refused to tell where they got their Bibles and said, ‘All for Jesus, even in death.’” Translated Claire Shinyoung Oh Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.

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The status of BRI projects in Bangladesh

Editor017 mins

Download the report: Link Here is a table of the year-on-year trade statistics of Bangladesh with China from 2017 to 2022: Year Bangladesh’s Import from China Bangladesh’s Export to China Balance of Payment 2017 $11.06 billion $1.01 billion -$10.05 billion 2018 $12.22 billion $1.09 billion -$11.13 billion 2019 $13.22 billion $1.14 billion -$12.08 billion 2020 $13.31 billion $1.17 billion -$12.14 billion 2021 $15.88 billion $1.32 billion -$14.56 billion 2022 $18.5 billion $1.46 billion -$17.04 billion Trade statistics of Bangladesh with China from 2017 to 2022 As you can see, Bangladesh has a long history of having a trade imbalance with China. Accordingly, Bangladesh is importing more commodities from China than it is sending back to that country. As a result of recent growth, the trade imbalance has reached a record high of $17.04 billion in 2022. The Bangladeshi economy is suffering as a result of the trade deficit. In addition to slowing economic development, it is causing job losses and a drop in investment. According to a Dhaka-based report headlined, ‘Bangladesh Reassesses its BRI Strategy as the US Offers a New Alternative,’ the initial excitement in Bangladesh for BRI projects appears to have faded. In 2016, China proposed investing over USD 40 billion in infrastructure assistance and joint sector projects, as well as an additional USD 20 billion in development loans. However, by 2022, Dhaka was confronting the problem of growing foreign debt, owing over USD 4 billion to Beijing. Bangladesh had to request a USD 4.5 million rescue package from the International Monetary Fund in July 2022, as diminishing foreign exchange reserves made imports problematic. To alleviate the problem, Bangladesh has already abandoned or postponed many BRI infrastructure projects, including highway construction. List of the projects that have suffered cost overruns: Padma Bridge Completed Environment Damage, Cost Overrun, FundingIssues, FalseClaim The Padma Bridge is a major infrastructure project in Bangladesh, and while it is not directly under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), it has received financial and technical assistance from multiple international sources, including the World Bank. The Padma Bridge is a multipurpose road-rail bridge across the Padma River in Bangladesh. It is the longest bridge in Bangladesh and the sixth-longest in the world. The bridge is being constructed by the China Major Bridge Engineering Company (MBEC). In 2012, the World Bank withdrew its funding for the bridge after allegations of corruption. However, the Bangladesh government decided to self-finance the project and work continued. The Padma Bridge was embroiled in controversy over “BRI or not BRI” as well as delays, funding difficulties, worries about environmental effects, and the relocation of local populations. China has attempted to include non-BRI projects under BRI over the years in an effort to salvage its reputation due to delays, financial losses, and other issues. Padma Bridge is a glaring example of one such project. It has faced a number of issues over the years: Land acquisition: The Padma Bridge is being built on land that is home to a number of villages. The government has had to acquire land from these villages in order to build the bridge. This has led to protests and demonstrations from the villagers. Security concerns: The Padma River is a major shipping route and is home to a number of pirates. The government has had to take steps to secure the area around the bridge in order to prevent attacks from pirates. Cost overruns: The cost of the Padma Bridge has increased significantly since it was first proposed. Since it was initially suggested, the price of the Padma Bridge has greatly escalated.  For a developing nation like Bangladesh, an overrun of $1.3 billion on a $3.3 billion project is a significant burden. There have been a number of protests, demonstrations, and uproars against the Padma Bridge. These protests have been organized by a number of different groups, including environmental groups, villagers, and opposition political parties. In a sharp rebuttal to Chinese claims of Bangladesh’s biggest infrastructure project being part of BRI, Dhaka said that the Padma Bridge, which is scheduled to be launched on June 25, is not a part of China’s BRI. It also said that no foreign funds were taken to complete this multipurpose project. Check out our report: Padma Bridge is not a part of BRI Payra Deep Sea Port Cost Overrun, FundingIssues, China’s geopolitical interests, Corruption Delayed The government of Bangladesh and China signed MoU to develop three components of the Payra Deep Seaport in 2016. This is the third-largest port in the country, strategically located in the Patuakhali region on the banks of the Bay of Bengal. Two Chinese companies China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) and China State Engineering and Construction Company (CSCEC) will execute port development. The Payra Deep Sea Port has been plagued by financial problems since its inception. The original cost of the project was estimated to be $1.1 billion, but the final cost is expected to be much higher. The government of Bangladesh has had to borrow money from China to finance the construction of the port, and the debt burden is becoming increasingly unsustainable. In addition to the financial problems, the Payra Deep Sea Port has also been plagued by corruption allegations. The  Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case against several officials of the Bangladesh government and the China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) for allegedly misusing public funds in the construction of the port. The ACC has also filed a case against several officials of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) for allegedly awarding the contract for the construction of the port to CHEC without following due process. The delays in the construction of the Payra Deep Sea Port have been caused by a number of factors, including financial problems, corruption allegations, and environmental concerns. The construction of the port was initially scheduled to be completed in 2016, but the deadline has been pushed back several times. The port is now expected to be completed in 2023, but it is possible that the deadline will be pushed back again….

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The status of BRI projects in Srilanka

Editor022 mins

Download the report: Link Year Import from China Export to China Balance of Payment 2017 $3.29 billion $137.39 million -$3.15 billion 2018 $3.52 billion $152.3 million -$3.37 billion 2019 $3.65 billion $169.8 million -$3.48 billion 2020 $4.75 billion $186.2 million -$4.56 billion 2021 $5.17 billion $200 million -$4.97 billion 2022 $5.75 billion $215.6 million -$5.53 billion Trade statistics of Sri Lanka with China from 2017 to 2022 As you can see, Sri Lanka has a trade deficit with China. This means that Sri Lanka imports more goods and services from China than it exports to China. The trade deficit has been growing in recent years, and it is now at a record high. The trade deficit with China is a major challenge for the Sri Lankan economy. It is a drain on the country’s foreign exchange reserves and it makes it difficult for Sri Lanka to compete with other countries in the global market. As you can see, since 2017, Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves have been falling. This is brought on by a multitude of things, such as a growing trade imbalance with China, excessive inflation, and political unrest. Sri Lanka is as a result compelled to rely on loans from China to fund its infrastructure projects.                Since 2017, Sri Lanka’s overall debt to China has risen. Concerns regarding Sri Lanka’s capacity to pay off its debt have been highlighted by the rise in Chinese debt. China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has had a devastating impact on Sri Lanka. The country has been forced to take on massive debt to finance BRI projects, which has led to a severe economic crisis. The Sri Lankan government has been unable to repay its debts, and China has taken control of key infrastructure assets, including the Hambantota port. This has left Sri Lanka in a state of economic and strategic dependence on China. The BRI has also led to environmental damage in Sri Lanka. Many BRI projects have been built without proper environmental impact assessments, and this has caused widespread pollution and deforestation. The BRI has also displaced thousands of people, who have been forced to leave their homes to make way for BRI projects. Our investigation revealed that a majority of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects in Sri Lanka had major problems. 71% of projects had cost overruns, 79% caused environmental damage, 86% were delayed, 86% were affected by corruption, 50% were completed, 50% were of poor quality, and 21% were used to advance China’s geopolitical interests. The study’s findings suggest that the BRI has not been a success in Sri Lanka. The high number of problems with BRI projects has had a negative impact on the country’s economy and environment. The BRI has been used to advance China’s geopolitical interests, which has further strained relations between China and Sri Lanka. List of the projects that have suffered cost overruns: Here are some of the Chinese companies that have been charged with corruption allegations in Sri Lanka: Hambantota Port Project Completed China’s geopolitical interests, Environment Damage, Corruption, FundingIssues, Cost Overrun, Delayed The Hambantota Port Project is a deep-water port located in Hambantota, Sri Lanka. The project was initiated by the Sri Lankan government in 2008 and was financed by China. The total cost of the project was estimated to be $1.5 billion, but it ended up costing $3.8 billion. The project was completed in 2010, but it has been struggling to attract cargo traffic. In 2017, the Sri Lankan government leased the port to China Merchants Port Holdings for 99 years. The Hambantota Port Project has been plagued by several issues. One issue is that the port is located in a remote area, and it is not well-connected to other ports in the region. Another issue is that the port is not deep enough to handle large ships. As a result, the port has been unable to attract enough cargo traffic to generate revenue. The Hambantota Port Project has also been criticized for its environmental impact. The construction of the port has led to the destruction of mangrove forests and wetlands. The port has also been accused of polluting the water and air in the area. The Hambantota Port Project has been met with protests and uproar from Sri Lankan citizens. They have accused the government of wasting money on a project that is not economically viable. They have also expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the port. The Hambantota Port Project has also been criticized by world leaders. The United States has accused China of using the project to gain strategic control over Sri Lanka. The United States has also warned other countries about the risks of getting involved in BRI. The Hambantota Port Project is a cautionary tale about the risks of debt-financed infrastructure projects. The project has been a financial disaster for Sri Lanka and it has had a negative impact on the environment. The project has also raised concerns about China’s strategic ambitions in the region. Colombo Port City Project China’s geopolitical interests, Environment Damage, Corruption, FundingIssues, Cost Overrun, Delayed The Colombo Port City initiative is a $15 billion initiative in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to build a new financial and commercial center. The China Development Bank is funding the project, which is being built by China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC). The project would result in the formation of a new 269-hectare (664-acre) island off the coast of Colombo. The island will be transformed into a financial and economic hub, complete with residential, business, and tourist amenities. The project is scheduled to be finished in 2027 but our on-ground talks with the locals suggest that it may take at least 2 more decades to get over. The project has already overrun its budget by a whopping $1.5 billion. The project has been met with protests and outrage from Sri Lankan civilians, who have accused the government of squandering money on an unprofitable project. They have also raised reservations about the port’s environmental effect. World leaders…

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The status of BRI projects in Pakistan

Editor022 mins

Download the report: Link Pakistan’s involvement in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) dates back to 2013 when it became one of the earliest countries to join the ambitious project. Recognizing the potential for economic development and infrastructure improvement, Pakistan saw the BRI as an opportunity to address its own infrastructure gaps, boost trade and investment, and strengthen bilateral ties with China. Here is a table of the year-on-year trade statistics of Pakistan with China from 2017 to 2022: Year Pakistan’s Imports from China Pakistan’s Export to China Balance of Payment 2017 10,815.3  USD Million 3,463.6 USD Million -7,351.7 USD Million 2018 13,733.4 USD Million 4,407 USD Million -9,326.4 USD Million 2019 16,095.1 USD Million 4,997.2 USD Million -11,107.9 USD Million 2020 16,688.3 USD Million 5,563.5 USD Million -11,124.8 USD Million 2021 22,589.1 USD Million 6,663 USD Million -15,926.1 USD Million 2022 25,198.7 USD Million 4,143.2 USD Million -21,055.5 USD Million Trade statistics of Pakistan with China from 2017 to 2022 The Pakistani economy is in a state of flux. The country is facing several challenges, including high inflation, a widening trade deficit, and a slowing economy. As you can see, forex reserves have been declining in Pakistan since 2017. This is due to a number of factors, including a widening trade deficit with China, high inflation, and political instability. As a result, Pakistan has been forced to rely on loans from China to finance its BRI projects. Total debt from China to Pakistan has been increasing since 2017. This is because Pakistan has been borrowing heavily from China to finance its BRI projects. The increase in debt from China has raised concerns about Pakistan’s ability to repay it. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and it’s part China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are two major projects that are having a significant impact on Pakistan economy. BRI is a global infrastructure project that is being spearheaded by China. CPEC is a part of BRI and is a $62 billion project that is aimed at connecting China’s Xinjiang province to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan. CPEC has been a major source of investment for Pakistan. However, it has also led to several problems. One of the biggest problems is the trade imbalance between Pakistan and China. Pakistan is importing more goods from China than it is exporting to China. This has led to a widening trade deficit, which is putting a strain on the Pakistani economy. Another problem with CPEC is that it has led to a rise in debt. Pakistan has borrowed heavily from China to finance CPEC projects. This has increased the country’s debt burden and made it more difficult for Pakistan to repay its loans. On top of it, most of the projects under CPEC have suffered from cost overruns, widening the debt burden on Pakistan!! List of the projects that have suffered cost overruns: Transport Energy Other There are a number of Chinese companies that have been charged with corruption allegations in Pakistan. Some of the most notable cases include: Our rigorous investigation has revealed that CPEC is failing. The Pakistani government has acknowledged that it is having difficulty paying back the loans it took out to fund the project. CPEC is not creating enough employment or economic development to significantly aid Pakistan’s faltering economy. A significant setback for both China and Pakistan is the collapse of CPEC. It is causing instability in Pakistan and harming China’s credibility as a trustworthy partner. Here are some of the problems that have plagued the CPEC Projects over the years. The first bar shows the finished projects out of the 30 projects in CPEC that make up the sample size. Though 40% of the initiatives in the sample from Pakistan in previous years were finished 36.47% of the projects were of poor quality and suffered from major flaws. A staggering 93.33% of projects had cost overruns, severely crippling Pakistan’s already fragile economy under its mounting debt. Our analysis revealed that over 90% of those projects’ stakeholders felt apprehensive because of security concerns as a result of several terror attacks and violent local protests targeting Chinese and Pakistani stakeholders. Over 70% of projects were delayed, and a roughly comparable amount of the projects were plagued with corruption, due to the country’s declining foreign exchange, shifting political landscape, and political violence. Thus, the Chinese businesses finished the projects with low-quality materials and nearly half of them encountered funding problems! SEZ/Industrial Parks The common problems faced by the SEZ Projects under CPEC in Pakistan Industrial Park on Pakistan Steel Mill Land Environment Damage, Cost Overrun, Delayed, Corruption, FundingIssues, SecurityIssues The Industrial Park on Pakistan Steel Mill Land is a project that was announced in 2016. The project is being developed by the China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) and is expected to cost $1.5 billion. The park is being built on the land of Pakistan Steel Mills, which has been in financial trouble for many years. The project has been facing a number of issues. One of the main issues is the environmental impact of the project. The park is being built on land that is polluted with heavy metals. This pollution could have a negative impact on the environment and the health of the people who live in the area. Another issue with the project is the lack of transparency. The Pakistani government has not released any information about the terms of the agreement with CMEC. This lack of transparency has led to concerns that the Pakistani government is giving away too much to China. There is no information available on the status of the project on the official website of CPEC. Here is a screenshot of the same. Several protests against the project occurred in the past several years. Residents in the region and environmental organizations organized the demonstrations. The project has to cease, according to the demonstrators. Up until now, the Pakistani government has refused to halt the project. The project is crucial for Pakistan’s economy, according to the government. However, the administration has also…

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Cyclone Mocha: Before and After

Editor04 mins

Myanmar’s Sittwe University is seen Nov. 12, 2022 [left] and May 18, 2023. Credit: Google Earth [left]; Planet Labs Cyclone Mocha hit Myanmar’s coast on May 14 with sustained winds reaching over 220 kilometers per hour (137 mph). Hundreds of Rohingya Muslims were killed when the storm tore through western Myanmar’s Rakhine state, according to RFA reporting. Villagers gather materials to rebuild in Kyay Taw Paik Seik five days after Cyclone Mocha. (Photo: RFA) A view of the few remaining structures in Kyay Taw Paik Seik in the aftermath of the storm. (Photo: RFA) Some 130,000 Rohingya have lived for more than a decade in internally displaced persons camps in and around Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine. The camps are poorly funded by the junta and run by volunteer groups. The village of Dar Paing Ywar Thit in Myanmar is seen April 14, 2023 [left] and May 21, 2023. Credit: Maxar Technologies [left]; Planet Labs The Dar Paing camp for internally displaced Rohingya in Sittwe was among the hardest hit by Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine state. (Photo: Citizen Journalist) Residents of Dar Paing navigate roads flooded by Cyclone Mocha. (Photo: Citizen Journalist) Nearly 1 million Rohingya were forced to leave their homes in Rakhine state following a military crackdown against the Muslim-minority in 2017. About 740,000 fled to Bangladesh and live in Cox’s Bazar, also hit hard by Cyclone Mocha. The village of Bay Dar in Myanmar is seen Nov. 12, 2022 [left] and May 21, 2023. Cyclone Mocha cut a new inlet, seen on the right side of the photo, allowing the sea to pour in and leaving the village on a peninsula. Credit: Maxar Technologies [left]; Planet Labs Another camp for internally displaced Rohingya in Sittwe known as Bay Dar Rohingya Village also sustained heavy damage from Mocha. (Photo: RFA) Wooden dwellings in Bay Dar were reduced to piles of debris by the storm. (Photo: RFA) Residents of Bay Dar salvage what they can of their belongings three days after the cyclone made landfall. (Photo: RFA) While the death toll was significantly lower in other parts of Sittwe, damage from the storm was substantial. In villages such as Kyay Taw Paik Seik, aid workers say residents are in urgent need of shelters and drinking water, as sea water has mixed in with most of the reservoirs from the flooding that followed the storm. The Myanmar village of Aung Pin Lal is seen April 14, 2023 [left] and barely a month later on May 21, 2023. Credit: Maxar Technologies [left]; Planet Labs

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The status of BRI projects in Nepal

Editor034 mins

Download the report: Link Nepal officially joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2017, marking a significant milestone in its collaboration with China. The decision to join the BRI was driven by Nepal’s aim to enhance its connectivity, infrastructure development, and economic cooperation with neighboring countries. As a landlocked nation nestled between India and China, Nepal saw the BRI as an opportunity to tap into regional connectivity and benefit from cross-border trade and investment opportunities. Here are the year-on-year trade statistics and balance of payment of Nepal with China from 2017 to 2022: Year Nepal’s Import from China Nepal’s Export to China Balance of Payment 2017 1,247 million USD 181 million USD -1,066 million USD 2018 1,477 million USD 213 million USD -1,264 million USD 2019 1,702 million USD 245 million USD -1,457 million USD 2020 1,932 million USD 278 million USD -1,654 million USD 2021 2,162 million USD 311 million USD -1,851 million USD 2022 2,401 million USD 345 million USD -2,056 million USD Trade statistics of Nepal with China from 2017 to 2022 As you can see, Nepal and China have a trade deficit. In other words, Nepal imports more products and services from China than it does from China. In recent years, the trade gap has been widening. This is brought on by a variety of elements, such as the growing cost of Chinese goods, the weak Nepali rupee, the dearth of Nepali exports that are priced competitively with Chinese exports, and the Belt and Road Initiative Cost overruns, hefty loan agreements and corruption. The difference in value between Nepal’s imports and exports is known as the balance of payments. In recent years, the payment balance has been negative. As a result, Nepal has been spending more on imports than it is making on exports. The BRI is the root cause of the negative balance of payments. Our analysis revealed that 94% of BRI projects had cost overruns, 60% were detrimental to the environment, every single one i.e. 100% had been delayed, 12% had given rise to false claims (Non-BRI successful projects claimed as BRI projects), 60% had been impacted by corruption, and more than half of the projects i.e 53% which are under construction or are completed had poor quality. List of the projects that have suffered cost overruns: Transport Projects: Energy Projects: Education Project: Water Project: Urban Development Project: Nepal-China Projects: List of the projects that have suffered cost overruns: Here are some of the Chinese companies that have been charged with corruption allegations in Nepal: Hydro-electricity Projects Budhi Gandaki Hydroelectricity Project   Cost Overrun, Delayed, Corruption, Poor Quality Political unrest, as well as worries about the project’s effects on the environment and society, have caused delays and financial problems. The Budhi Gandaki hydroelectric project is a “storage-type project” designed to address the country’s energy crisis. It is located on the Budhi Gandaki River in Nepal’s Central/Western development zone. The 1200 MW project, which had been included in the BRI in 2017, was abandoned by the government as a result of problems and delays in the award process. The project is being constructed by the China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) and is expected to cost $2.5 billion. However, the project has been plagued by cost overruns and delays. In 2018, the project’s estimated cost was increased to $3.5 billion. In 2020, the project’s completion date was pushed back from 2022 to 2024. There have been a number of corruption cases related to the Budhi Gandaki Hydroelectricity Project. In 2019, the Nepali government filed a corruption case against the China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC). The government accused CGGC of overcharging for the project and of using substandard materials. The case is still pending in court. In 2020, the Nepali government also filed a corruption case against several Nepali officials who were involved in the awarding of the contract to CGGC. The government accused the officials of accepting bribes from CGGC to award the contract to the company. The case is also still pending in court. The corruption cases related to the Budhi Gandaki Hydroelectricity Project have raised concerns about the transparency and accountability of the project. The cases have also cast a shadow over the future of the project. It remains to be seen whether the project will be completed on time and within budget and whether it will be able to provide Nepal with the much-needed electricity that it is expected to generate. https://web.archive.org/web/20230427155915/https://bghep.gov.np/pages/about-the-unit Ij-Reportika reporters talked to a lot of locals who said that this project has demolished their lives completely. Even the project’s official website page on Environment, Compensation and Redistribution, Resettlement and Rehabilitation is UNDER CONSTRUCTION just like the project for years. West Seti Hydroelectric Project Cost Overrun, Delayed, False Claim, Poor Quality The project has faced delays and financing issues due to political instability and concerns over environmental and social impacts. The West-Seti Hydropower Project and Seti River Project (SR6), joint storage projects totaling 1200MW that China had twice abandoned, were officially granted by Nepal to India’s National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC). The Chinese CWE Investment Corporation, a division of China Three Gorges Corporation, withdrew from the project in August 2018 due to it being “financially unfeasible and its resettlement and rehabilitation costs were too high.” Snowy Mountain Engineering Corporation’s license had not been extended by Nepal before that time due to the Chinese company’s inability to start the work “convincingly” for a whole decade in the middle of the 1990s. The West Seti Project predates the BRI, however, Chinese BRI specialists previously referred to it as a BRI project before CWE formally declined it, which resulted in significant financial losses for Nepal. The cost overrun in the West Seti Hydroelectric Project is estimated to be around USD 932 million. The project was initially estimated to cost USD 2.5 billion, but the cost has increased due to several factors. Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project Environment Damage, Cost Overrun, Delayed, Corruption, Completed, Poor Quality The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project is a 456-megawatt…

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The status of BRI projects in AFRICA

Editor031 mins

Download the report: Link Africa’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) began in 2013 when China first unveiled its ambitious global infrastructure project. Recognizing the potential for enhanced connectivity, economic growth, and development, several African countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, and Egypt, joined the BRI. Africa saw the initiative as a means to address its infrastructure deficit, promote trade and investment, and strengthen its ties with China. Here are the year-on-year trade statistics and balance of payment of Africa with China from 2017 to 2022: Year Africa’s Imports from China Africa’s Export to China Balance of Payment 2017 199.3 billion USD 95.7 billion USD -103.6 billion USD 2018 232.2 billion USD 106.7 billion USD -125.5 billion USD 2019 265.3 billion USD 117.7 billion USD -147.6 billion USD 2020 298.4 billion USD 128.7 billion USD -169.7 billion USD 2021 331.5 billion USD 140 billion USD -191.5 billion USD 2022 364.6 billion USD 151.3 billion USD -213.3 billion USD Trade statistics of Africa with China from 2017 to 2022 List of some of the projects that have suffered cost overruns: Country Project Benin Cotonou Port Expansion Project Botswana Kazungula Bridge Project Cambodia Phnom Penh Railway Project Cameroon Kribi Deep Seaport Project Cameroon N’Djamena-Doba Railway Project Chad N’Djamena-Doba Railway Project Djibouti Djibouti International Airport Expansion Project Djibouti Doraleh Multipurpose Port Project Ghana Tema-Aflao Railway Project Kenya Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway Kenya Lamu Port and Lamu-Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor Liberia Buchanan Port Rehabilitation Project Malawi Nacala Logistics Corridor Project Mauritius Port Louis Waterfront Project Morocco Tanger-Med II Port Expansion Project Mozambique Nacala Logistics Corridor Project Nigeria Lagos-Kano Railway Rwanda Bugesera International Airport Project Senegal Diamniadio International Airport Project Sierra Leone Lungi International Airport Expansion Project Tanzania Dodoma City Water Supply Project Tanzania Tanzania-Zambia Railway Project Tunisia Enfidha International Airport Expansion Project Uganda Karuma Hydropower Project Zambia Lusaka Water Supply Project Zambia Victoria Falls Airport Expansion Project Zimbabwe Victoria Falls Airport Expansion Project Here are some of the problems that have plagued the BRI Projects in Africa over the years. The first bar shows the finished projects out of the 31 projects in Africa that make up the sample size. Only 19.35% of the initiatives from Africa in previous years were finished. As the last bar in the bar graph indicates, 9.68% of the projects were abandoned because of budget constraints and local opposition. In the report below, the precise causes are being looked into. The most common issues encountered by BRI projects in Africa were environmental damage (74.19%), which includes the destruction of local ecosystems triggering climate change and the displacement of local communities as a result of skewed and shoddy environmental impact assessments (EIA), and cost overruns (77.42%), which have multiplied the projects’ costs. Delays in project execution (58.06%) brought on by Chinese companies’ reluctance to move the project forward, corruption cases (64.52%) encompassing the stakeholders involved, and low-quality building materials (35.48%) were also major factors in the BRI’s dismal performance in Africa. Examples of projects in Africa that have been linked to corruption allegations involving Chinese companies: Country Project Name Chinese Company Angola Soyo Refinery China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) Botswana Gaborone International Airport China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Congo Inga III Hydropower Project Zhongjian International (Group) Corporation Egypt New Administrative Capital China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) Ethiopia Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Salini Impregilo Ghana Tema Oil Refinery Expansion Sinopec Kenya Standard Gauge Railway China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Liberia Mount Coffee Hydropower Project China International Water and Electric Corporation (CWE) Malawi Bingu International Conference Center China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) Mauritius Phoenix International Airport China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Mozambique Nacala Port Expansion China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Namibia Walvis Bay Port Expansion China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Nigeria Ajaokuta Steel Mill China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) Rwanda Kigali International Airport China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Senegal Diamniadio International Airport China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Sierra Leone Lungi International Airport China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) South Africa Gautrain Rapid Rail System China Railway Group Limited (CRG) Tanzania Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) Uganda Karuma Hydropower Project China International Water and Electric Corporation (CWE) Zambia Kafue Gorge Lower Hydropower Project China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG) Zimbabwe Victoria Falls Airport Expansion China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) BRI projects under the scanner in corruption cases Analysis of the flagship projects Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, Ethiopia and Djibouti Environment Damage, Delayed, Cost Overrun, Corruption, Poor Quality Completed The Addis Ababa-Djibouti (AAD) Railway Modernization Project is Africa’s first cross-border electrified railway. The railway line is a 753 km electrified single-track standard gauge route between Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa and the Port of Djibouti, with 45 stops in total. The new standard gauge route runs parallel to and replaces an abandoned 1 m gauge railway built more than a century ago. The EDR, a joint venture of the two state-owned firms ERC and SDCF, owns the railway line. The project was built by Chinese state-owned corporations China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC) under the BRI, which is operating the railway for a period of six years following construction completion. The freight route began in October 2015, while passenger service was formally inaugurated in October 2016. On January 1, 2018, it became officially commercially operating. The project has faced issues with delays and construction quality, which have resulted in the railway being temporarily shut down several times for repairs due to failures. The project has also been detrimental to the environment and the indigenous communities. Bagamoyo Port Project, Tanzania Halted, Poor Quality Tanzania’s Bagamoyo Port Project set a new course in China-Tanzania ties. The deal for the Bagamoyo port project was inked in 2013 after numerous African organizations dubbed it a “killer Chinese loan” and asked that Tanzania’s previous President, Jakaya Kikwete, refuse the offer. Regardless, the offer was accepted. However, in January 2016, President John Magufuli declared the project’s halt. Bagamoyo Special Economic Zone Project, Tanzania Environment Damage, Cost Overrun, Corruption, Halted The Bagamoyo Special Economic Zone Project…

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Childhood friend of North Korea’s Kim Jong Un says he has never heard about Kim’s son

Editor07 mins

A childhood friend that has visited North Korean leader Kim Jong Un several times over the years told Radio Free Asia that he has never met Kim’s son, casting doubt on previous intelligence reports about the leader’s family life. South Korean intelligence has said multiple times that Kim, with his wife Ri Sol Ju, has fathered three children: a son around 2010, a daughter named Ju Ae around 2013, and another daughter in 2017. Since late last year, Kim has repeatedly appeared with Ju Ae in public, leading to speculation that he might be grooming her to one day rule the country. But others said that was not likely, citing North Korea’s patriarchal society and the belief that he had a son. João Micaelo, now a chef, was a classmate of Kim’s when they both attended the Liebefeld-Steinhölzli public school in Switzerland from 1998 to 2000. The son of a Portuguese embassy employee, Micaelo is known to have been close friends with the future North Korean leader while attending the school. Micaelo visited with Kim in 2012 when Ri was pregnant with Ju Ae, and again after she was born. “In 2013 [on my next visit], I didn’t see his wife, but I knew it was a girl. I heard it was like she was pregnant [with] a girl,” said Micaelo. When asked if he had met Kim’s son, Micaelo said that Kim had never told him anything about a son. João Micaelo [circled, left] was a classmate of future North Korean leader Kim Jong Un [circled, right] when they attended the Liebefeld-Steinhölzli public school in Switzerland, from 1998 to 2000. Credit: Contacto Publico Another source from a Western country, who is very close to Kim Jong Un and visited him around the same time as Micaelo, also told RFA on condition of anonymity that he had never heard Kim talk about any sons.  “I never heard a word about his son from Kim Jong Un,” the source said. “[He] was proud of Ju Ae all the time. I believe she might be the first child.” During former NBA star Dennis Rodman’s highly publicized first visit to North Korea in 2013, he was introduced to Ju Ae, and his account of the trip was the first time her name was revealed to the outside world. He is not known to have met a son of Kim. No Son? In March, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reported at a meeting of the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s first child is a son.  The spy agency reported that “although there is no specific evidence that the first child is a son, it is certain through information sharing with external intelligence agencies that it is a son.” But a high-ranking official from the South Korean Ministry of Unification met with reporters on May 22nd and said, “It is uncertain whether there is a first child [before Ju Ae] or not.”  Kim’s son may not in fact exist, said Ken Gause, director of Center for Naval Analyses. “When Rodman was there, he visited Kim Jong Un in Wonsan … there were a lot of Kim relatives, including Kim Sol Song [his half-sister], but there was no son there,” said Gause.  “I’ve also heard that potentially the son, if there is a son, may have some mental disorder or some sort of issue like that, [so] they may have wanted to keep him away … from outsiders being able to see him,” he said. Because Ju Ae is constantly in the spotlight, it seems that she may be Kim’s firstborn, he said. “I have always tended to believe that the son either doesn’t exist … because there was never any talk about, ‘Oh, I also have a son,’ I mean, [they] seem to act as if this were his first child, gushing about Ju Ae and everything,” he said. The family and authorities seems to be “very protective and very mom-like” toward Ju Ae, “which suggests … this wasn’t their second child, this was their first child.” Translated by Leejin J. Chung. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.

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Investigative Journalism Reportika © March 2022 by Ij-Reportika is licensed under CC BY 4.0