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Year: 2024

How challenging have you found adapting to cultural differences between your home country and the USA?

Editor07 mins

Download Complete Report: Click Here Very Easy China: 7% of participants found it very easy to adapt to cultural differences between China and the USA. They had prior exposure to diverse cultures, strong language skills, or personal traits that facilitated their adaptation process. India: 6% of participants found it very easy to adapt to cultural differences between India and the USA. They had prior exposure to diverse cultures, strong language skills, and personal traits that facilitated their adaptation process. South Korea: 5% of students felt that adapting to cultural differences was very easy. They mentioned their previous exposure to Western culture through media, travel, or education, which helped them adjust smoothly. They also cited the welcoming and diverse environment in the USA as a factor that eased their transition. Somewhat Easy China: 20% of participants indicated that they found it somewhat easy to adapt to cultural differences between China and the USA. They faced minor challenges but overall found the adjustment process manageable due to their openness to new experiences and willingness to adapt. India: 20% of participants indicated that they found it somewhat easy to adapt to cultural differences between India and the USA. They faced minor challenges but overall found the adjustment process manageable due to their openness to new experiences and willingness to adapt. They also pointed out that a large and helpful Indian diaspora in the USA assisted them in the process. South Korea: 17% of students found the adaptation process somewhat easy. They highlighted the support systems available at universities, such as international student offices and cultural exchange programs, which helped them navigate cultural differences. They also appreciated the openness and friendliness of American peers. Neutral South Korea: 31% of students expressed neutrality regarding the difficulty of adapting to cultural differences. They acknowledged both the challenges and the supports available, feeling that the process was neither particularly difficult nor easy. These students often cited a balanced mix of familiar and unfamiliar cultural aspects that made their experience neutral. India: 24% of participants reported feeling neutral about the challenge of adapting to cultural differences between India and the USA. They did not encounter significant difficulties or differences that stood out during their adaptation process, appreciating the blend of familiar and new experiences in both countries. China: 13% of participants reported feeling neutral about the challenge of adapting to cultural differences between China and the USA. They did not encounter significant difficulties or differences that stood out during their adaptation process. Somewhat Challenging India: 30% of participants found it somewhat challenging to adapt to cultural differences between India and the USA. They faced obstacles such as language nuances, cultural norms, and lifestyle adjustments. Most participants in this category missed their parents and family and found it challenging to accept the new culture. China: 28% of participants found it somewhat challenging to adapt to cultural differences between China and the USA. They encountered obstacles such as language barriers, unfamiliar social norms, and differences in daily routines. Additionally, they faced stereotypes or misconceptions about their culture, which contributed to their sense of challenge. South Korea: 27% of students mentioned finding the cultural adaptation somewhat challenging. They cited difficulties such as language barriers, different social norms, and the high-paced and individualistic nature of American society. These students often missed the communal and hierarchical aspects of South Korean culture and found it hard to adjust to the more informal and egalitarian interactions in the USA. Very Challenging China: 32% of participants reported finding it very challenging to adapt to cultural differences between China and the USA. They experienced significant barriers such as racism and discrimination. These factors heightened their feelings of isolation, stress, and difficulty in integrating into the new cultural environment. India: 20% of participants reported finding it very challenging to adapt to cultural differences between India and the USA. They encountered significant obstacles in navigating unfamiliar social customs, overcoming language barriers, and adjusting to different societal norms, which posed significant challenges to their integration into the new cultural environment. They missed helpful Indians back home and colorful festivals while adapting to the new place. South Korea: 20% of students felt that adapting to cultural differences was very challenging. They cited factors such as racism, stereotypes, and a lack of understanding or acceptance from peers as significant barriers. These students missed the culture and food of South Korea the most. They also struggled with homesickness and the stark contrast in educational and social systems between the two countries.

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How do you foresee studying in the USA impacting your future career compared to studying in your home country?

Editor07 mins

Download Complete Report: Click Here Significantly Positive China: 27% of respondents expressed optimism regarding the significantly positive impact that studying in the USA could have on their future career prospects. They cited factors such as access to diverse academic programs, advanced research opportunities, and a global network of professionals as contributing factors to their positive outlook. India: 25% of respondents expressed optimism regarding the significantly positive impact that studying in the USA could have on their future career prospects. They cited factors such as access to cutting-edge technologies, diverse career opportunities, and exposure to global markets as contributing factors to their positive outlook. South Korea: 19% of students believed that studying in the USA would have a highly positive impact on their future careers. They highlighted the benefits of access to advanced research facilities, diverse academic programs, and the prestige of American universities. They also appreciated the opportunity to build a global network of professional contacts and gain exposure to innovative practices and ideas. Somewhat Positive South Korea:  37% of students anticipated a somewhat positive impact on their careers. They recognized the advantages of an American education, such as enhanced critical thinking skills and a global perspective. However, they also acknowledged potential challenges, such as adjusting to a different cultural and professional environment. China: 29% of students anticipate a somewhat positive impact on their future careers as a result of studying in the USA. While acknowledging the potential benefits of an American education, they remained cautious about the challenges they face, such as cultural adaptation and competition in the job market. India: 28% of students anticipate a somewhat positive impact on their future careers as a result of studying in the USA. While acknowledging the potential benefits of an American education, they remained cautious about the challenges they face, such as cultural adaptation and competition in the job market. Neutral South Korea: 29% of students felt neutral about the impact of studying in the USA on their future careers. While they acknowledged the quality of education and opportunities available in the USA, they were uncertain about how these factors would translate into tangible career benefits. They believed that career success would depend more on individual effort and adaptability rather than the location of their education. India: 18% of respondents expressed neutrality regarding the impact of studying in the USA on their future careers. They acknowledged the advantages of an American education but remained uncertain about how it would directly translate into their career trajectories. China: 14% of respondents expressed neutrality regarding the impact of studying in the USA on their future careers. They acknowledged the advantages of an American education but remained uncertain about how it would directly translate into their career trajectories. Somewhat Negative China: 20% of students foresee a somewhat negative impact on their future career prospects due to studying in the USA. They expressed concerns about potential challenges such as visa restrictions, cultural barriers, or difficulties in finding employment post-graduation. India: 17% of students foresee a somewhat negative impact on their future career prospects due to studying in the USA. They expressed concerns about potential challenges such as visa restrictions, cultural barriers, or difficulties in finding employment post-graduation. South Korea: 11% of students foresaw a somewhat negative impact on their careers from studying in the USA. They expressed concerns about potential challenges, such as visa restrictions, cultural differences, and difficulties in re-integrating into the South Korean job market. Significantly Negative India: 12% of respondents believe that studying in the USA will have a significantly negative impact on their future career prospects compared to studying in India. They expressed concerns about potential obstacles such as limited job opportunities for international students, visa constraints, and difficulty adjusting to the American work culture. China: 10% of respondents believe that studying in the USA will have a significantly negative impact on their future career prospects compared to studying in China. They expressed concerns about potential obstacles such as racism against Chinese students leading to limited job opportunities, visa constraints, and difficulty integrating into the American workforce. South Korea: 4% of students believed that studying in the USA would have a significantly negative impact on their future careers. They cited reasons such as potential discrimination, the high cost of education, and the fear of not finding suitable employment in the USA or South Korea after graduation. They were concerned that the time and resources invested in an American education might not yield the expected returns.

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From your experience, how would you rate the academic environment in the USA compared to your home country?

Editor06 mins

Download Complete Report: Click Here Much better in the USA China: 42% of participants rated the academic environment in the USA as much better. They cited factors such as greater academic freedom, more diverse opportunities, and advanced resources as reasons for their preference. India: 39% of participants expressed that they perceive the academic environment in the USA to be significantly superior to that in India. They based this opinion on factors such as better infrastructure, more advanced research facilities, higher quality of education, and greater opportunities for academic and professional growth in the USA. South Korea: 13% of respondents emphasized the diverse range of academic programs, research opportunities, and resources available in American institutions. They appreciated the emphasis on critical thinking, creativity, and interdisciplinary learning in the USA. Somewhat better in the USA China: 25% of participants rated the academic environment in the USA as somewhat better. They acknowledged some advantages in the USA such as more innovative teaching methods or better facilities but didn’t see a substantial difference.  India: 19% of participants indicated that they believe the academic environment in the USA is somewhat better than that in India. While they acknowledge some advantages in the USA, they still see room for improvement or recognize certain strengths in the Indian academic system. South Korea: 15% of respondents acknowledged the strengths of the US academic environment but also recognized areas where improvements could be made, such as affordability and student support services. They appreciated the competitive nature of education in the USA. About the same in both countries South Korea: 47% of respondents viewed the academic environments in the USA and South Korea as comparable. They noted similarities in teaching methodologies, research standards, and academic rigor, recognizing that both countries have strengths and weaknesses in different areas. India: 11% of participants perceive the academic environments in both the USA and India to be relatively similar. They have observed comparable standards of education, research opportunities, or overall academic experiences in both countries. China: 10% of participants felt that the academic environments in both the USA and China were about the same. They noted similarities in the quality of education or academic experiences in both countries. Somewhat better in Home Country India: 18% of participants expressed the opinion that the academic environment in India is somewhat better than that in the USA. They value aspects of the Indian academic system such as cultural familiarity, lower costs of education, or specific strengths in certain academic disciplines. South Korea: 15% of respondents believed that South Korea offers certain advantages in its academic environment, such as a strong emphasis on STEM fields, technological innovation, and rigorous academic standards. They also cited the high global rankings of South Korean universities in certain disciplines. China: 13% of participants rated the academic environment in China as somewhat better. They pointed out aspects such as a stronger emphasis on discipline or more rigorous academic standards as reasons for their preference. Much better in Home Country India: 13% of participants believe that the academic environment in India is significantly superior to that in the USA. They base this opinion on factors such as a preference for Indian teaching methods, closer proximity to family and cultural roots, or better career prospects in the Indian context. China: 10% of participants rated the academic environment in China as much better. They cited reasons such as cultural familiarity, closer relationships with professors, or specific academic strengths in China’s educational system. South Korea: 10% of respondents expressed a preference for the academic environment in South Korea, citing factors such as high-quality education, advanced research facilities, and a culture of academic excellence prevalent in South Korean universities.

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North Korea recalls documentary about Kim Jong Un’s mother

Editor010 mins

North Korea has recalled a 2011 documentary that sang the praises of Kim Jong Un’s mother, two sources inside the country told Radio Free Asia, but the move is prompting people to wonder why the country has always maintained a level of secrecy about her identity and background. “Since her biographical information has never been officially stated, the recall on the film is actually raising suspicions,” a resident of the northeastern province of North Hamgyong told RFA Korean on condition of anonymity for security reasons.  Most North Koreans don’t know her name – Ko Yong Hui – or that she was born in Osaka, Japan, or that her father, Ko Gyon Taek, managed a military factory in the city prior to the end of World War II.  The documentary, titled “Mother of Great Songun Korea,” leaves out all those facts, the sources said. In lieu of her name, the film referred to her as “respected mother” and showed many scenes of her at Kim Jong Il’s side during his official appearances.  Screenshot of the North Korea-produced documentary ‘Mother of Great Songun Korea’. (lovepink4200 via Youtube) It was distributed internally to high-ranking officials, government agencies, and the military on VCD, or video compact disc, in 2011, the same year that Kim Jong Il died. “Recently, judicial agencies such as the Provincial State Security Department and the Social Security Department have begun rounding up copies of propaganda materials,” the resident said. “Instructions were given to retrieve and delete documentary films related to the general secretary’s biological mother,” he said, explaining that “Mother of Great Songun Korea” was on the undisclosed list of now-banned materials. The recall was also confirmed by a resident of the northern province of Ryanggang, who told RFA in the now-banned documentary that “Ko Yong Hui, is touted as having ‘accumulated great achievements that brought about a bright future’” for North Korea. Made in Japan Ko was raised in Japan as part of the Korean minority in the country, and in 1962, the family moved to North Korea as part of a repatriation program.  In the early 1970s, Ko appeared as a dancer in the Mansudae Art Troupe – a popular group of musicians known for propaganda performances that glorify the state and its leaders. It is not known when she got together with Kim Jong Il, but she is believed to have met him in the early 1970s, and she bore him three children in the 1980s, including Kim Jong Un. Though most sources describe her as having been his mistress, some suggest she may have been his third wife. The government has never acknowledged any marriage between them, however. Screenshot of the North Korea-produced documentary ‘Mother of Great Songun Korea’. (lovepink4200 via Youtube) According to North Korea’s songbun caste system, Ko would be of the lowest caste because she was born in Japan, her father’s job supported the Japanese war effort, and her occupation as a dancer – which would tarnish Kim Jong Un’s image. Ko’s background does not neatly fit the nation’s founding myth that its leaders are descended from the so-called Paektu Line, named after the Korean peninsula’s tallest mountain, which is the setting of many of the Korean nation’s founding myths, including the lore of the Kim Dynasty. Kim’s grandfather, national founder Kim Il Sung is the progenitor of the line, and his first wife Kim Jong Suk – Kim Jong Il’s mother – fought alongside her husband in his guerilla army against Japanese rule prior to and during World War II, giving Kim Jong Il near mythical status as the legitimate son of two popular national heroes. “In the past, previous leaders inherited power based on the purity of the Paektu bloodline and the legitimacy of revolutionary traditions,” the North Hamgyong resident said.  “Details about the birth and lives of the leaders as well as their siblings, parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, were made public and promoted as patriotic examples.” Erasing sensitive information? In contrast, Kim Jong Un, due to his mother’s background, could be seen not as a third-generation revolutionary leader, but the illegitimate son of Kim Jong Il’s Japan-born mistress whose father supported the imperialist war effort. Screenshot of the North Korea-produced documentary ‘Mother of Great Songun Korea’. (lovepink4200 via Youtube) If it becomes widely known, that support of imperial Japan could cause problems for Kim Jong Un, Bruce Bennett, a senior researcher at the California-based RAND Corporation, told RFA. “Kim is trying to wipe out anything that would potentially challenge his control of the country,” said Bennett. “So the issue of his maternal grandfather having supported the Japanese I mean that’s something that could really hurt him potentially.  “And so that’s part of the history he wants to get rid of,” he said. Bennett said erasing facts about his mother might marginally help his case to stay in power, but it would be more helpful were he to improve the economy and his people’s lives. Screenshot of the North Korea-produced documentary ‘Mother of Great Songun Korea’. (lovepink4200 via Youtube) The lack of available information about Ko is causing residents to question what they have been told about their leader, Kim Jong Un, the Ryanggang resident said. “As the biography of the leader has not been made public even after him having been in power for 12 years, some are raising doubts about the identity of his mysterious birth mother,” he said. “The argument is that if there is no dishonorable family history in the pure Paektu bloodline, there is no reason not to disclose details about her.” Kim Jong Il was able to claim that his hereditary succession was legitimate because of the purity of his lineage to the Paektu bloodline, the second resident said.  Kim Jong Un claims the same lineage, but the secrecy appears to be giving people doubts. “Given the actions of the authorities, who are ordering the recall and destruction of copies of the already released documentary film about his mother, people are questioning whether his…

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Myanmar rebels claim junta outpost on Bangladesh border

Editor04 mins

An ethnic minority insurgent group has captured a junta base on Myanmar’s border with Bangladesh, sources close to the rebel group told Radio Free Asia on Friday. The Arakan Army, or AA, which resumed its battle against the junta for territory in Myanmar’s west in November, controls nine townships in Rakhine state and one in Chin state. In January, the AA turned its focus to Maungdaw, a strategic township for border relations with Bangladesh. On Thursday, AA troops captured junta Border Guard Station No. 6 in Inn Din village. Nearly 600 soldiers were stationed at the guard post, said one resident who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons. “The border guards, combined with forces from other outposts, were stationed in that camp,” he said. “A junta division commander was also posted there. There are many casualties from the junta side and some soldiers ran away.” In late May, junta airstrikes killed one civilian and wounded nearly a dozen in Maungdaw township. The AA launched an unsuccessful offensive against the same border post on Jan. 5, but were held back by the junta’s combined navy, air force and army.  RFA tried to contact AA spokesperson Khaing Thukha and Rakhine state’s junta spokesperson Hla Thein, but neither responded by the time of publication.  Junta troops built the post in 2017 after destroying a predominantly ethnic minority Rohingya village that was located there, residents told RFA.  The AA is also attacking Maungdaw’s Myin Hlut-based Border Guard Station No. 9. The insurgent group captured Maungdaw’s Border Police Command Office No. 1, which is the largest junta camp in Maungdaw township, residents said, adding that only five junta-occupied border guard posts remain in the township.  Rebels are maintaining attacks on Ann, Thandwe and Maungdaw townships, where the junta’s Western Regional Military Headquarters for Rakhine state is based. A ceasefire between the AA and the military broke down in November, at the same time that other ethnic minority and pro-democracy insurgents launched attacks that have put forces of the junta that seized power in 2021 under unprecedented pressure. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Kiana Duncan and Mike Firn.

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Australian journalist Vicky Xu starts a new life in Taiwan

Editor013 mins

Vicky Xu, a Chinese-born Australian journalist who was the target of a widespread campaign of online abuse by agents and supporters of Beijing after she exposed forced labor in Xinjiang, is fighting back against Chinese Communist Party propaganda by living her best life in democratic Taiwan, she told RFA Mandarin in a recent interview. Xu, 29, has been learning martial arts and living a quiet life in Taiwan after quitting social media in the wake of trolling by pro-China accounts, who labeled her “anti-China” and “a traitor” as well as circulating fake nude photos of her. “It’s not I who’s the traitor,” Xu said indignantly. “It’s the Chinese Communist Party.” She said the government, who criticized her via state media in the wake of her expose of forced labor in Xinjiang, was betraying its own people. Vicky Xu in Taipei, June 6, 2024.(Lee Tsung-han/RFA) Xu co-authored a report on forced labor in the region that was published by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, or ASPI, in 2021. Xu has previously also written for both the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and The New York Times. Xu has since reopened some social media accounts, and was drawn to Taiwan because she is unable to go back to China now, and regards it as a relatively safe place from which to stand and face her demons, the traumatic legacy of the online abuse campaign. Since being followed and stalked in Australia in the wake of the ASPI report, Xu said she now reacts with fear when she encounters people of East Asian appearance while out and about, and wanted to live for a while in Taiwan to overcome that phobia. “My main impression since I’ve been living here is that people can live decently, and with dignity,” Xu said, adding that part of the draw was being able to speak Mandarin and eat Chinese food. “It feels like a parallel universe, another China,” she said. “It’s a great place, and people who know me and know what I do respect me, or are even proud of me,” she said. Vicky Xu plays the violin in an undated photo. (Courtesy of Vicky Xu) “There are so many issues in China where the government doesn’t treat people like human beings, and then the people themselves don’t treat each other as human beings,” Xu said. “The situation is very serious, and I think it needs to change.” “Even if people abuse me in China, I still care about their interests, and about their safety,” Xu said. “For me, as a journalist, telling the truth is the most important thing. There’s no point otherwise; I don’t want to waste my life.” ‘Betrayed’ Xu was once a staunch supporter of the Chinese Communist Party, getting the five stars from China’s national flag tattooed on her ankle and posing on Tiananmen Square as a young woman from a small city in the western province of Gansu, a stop on the high-speed railway linking Xinjiang with the northwestern city of Lanzhou. Vicky Xu shows off her tattoo of the five stars from the Chinese national flag in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. (Courtesy of Vicky Xu) She studied English-language broadcasting at Beijing’s Communications University, before accidentally finding out the truth about the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre on a trip to Australia, which she describes as a “betrayal” for the young patriot she once was. “I was so shocked because it was a huge example of how the Chinese Communist Party betrayed its own people,” she said. “June 4, 1989, was a huge stain on the history of Communist Party rule.” “The Chinese people are educated to be loyal to the party, and to love the party, but that’s not possible for a normal and logical person … because the party doesn’t love you,” she said. “It just wants to suppress everything, including the concentration camps in Xinjiang and all kinds of human rights abuses.” For Xu, who once bought the party line that the massacre was CIA propaganda, the revelation was a turning point. Vicky Xu testifies on transnational repression by Beijing at the Czech Parliament. Undated. (Courtesy of Vicky Xu) “[It] was the starting point for my political enlightenment, and for my doubts about the legitimacy of Communist Party rule,” she said. She said she secretly visited a number of survivors, family members of victims and former police officers in a bid to understand more about what happened that summer. Xi ruling through his own trauma Eventually, Xu dropped out of her broadcasting degree and went to Australia to study politics instead. Since then, she has come to an understanding of the Communist Party under Xi Jinping as the product of multiple generations of trauma. Vicky Xu entertains guests with her stand-up comedy routine. (Courtesy of Vicky Xu) “I really think Xi Jinping is ruling the country through his trauma, because very controlling people are usually acting from a deep sense of fear,” Xu said. “During the Cultural Revolution, his father was put in prison and his step-sister committed suicide, while Xi was ostracized by the rest of the offspring of party leaders and locked up in the party school.” “When he escaped and ran back home to get something to eat from his own family kitchen, his own mother reported him to the authorities,” she said. Xi should be getting psychotherapy, she said, but that nobody would dare to offer it to him. Xu has even made these ideas into a stand-up comedy routine about “giving Xi Jinping a hug,” that she performs from time to time. Death threats Yet Xu still has times when she feels isolated, and remains vigilant for any sign of surveillance or harassment from supporters of Beijing, following her experiences elsewhere. “I have received threats of death and sexual violence,” she said. “I had people standing guard in front of my home, and even intruding into the house to take pictures for no reason.” Vicky Xu speaks to RFA Mandarin, June 6, 2024.(Lee Tsung-han/RFA) “When…

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Conscription in Myanmar drives insurgent recruits: civilian government

Editor04 mins

Nearly 1,000 people eligible for conscription into the Myanmar military’s ranks are instead seeking training from the shadow civilian government’s armed forces, the group announced.  The junta, which seized power in 2021 and has since faced increasing desertions and military losses nationwide, announced the implementation of the People’s Military Service Law in February. The military has since recruited about 9,000 people through two rounds of conscription based on a lottery system. Many young people have fled the country out of fear that they may be drafted. Recruitment by junta soldiers has involved coercing young people, including minors, threatening violence or property destruction and most recently, threats and heavy fines for parents of draft dodgers as a third round of conscription approaches, residents say. About 960 people have chosen to seek training under the civilian National Unity Government’s People’s Defense Forces, or militias opposing the junta, the group’s southern military office said in a statement on Wednesday. The statement included photos of a recent graduation. The N.U.G. was formed by members of the civilian administration ousted in the February 2021 coup. A 28-year-old man eligible for military conscription under the junta in central Myanmar’s Mandalay Division told RFA he initially planned on going abroad, like many people already have, but he was now aiming to join anti-junta forces. “At first I was hesitant to put my family at risk but now I canceled my preparations to go abroad and work and have decided to take up arms. Now I am preparing and am still trying to connect with the training group,” he said, asking to remain anonymous for security reasons.  “I can’t take it anymore, mainly because of the [junta’s] injustice, the way they are killing and torturing people. Most young people would make the same decision. This is the only way left for us to root out the military dictatorship.” The National Unity Government’s Southern Military Headquarters No. 3 began accepting trainees to undergo basic military courses in April and May, it said in its statement. RFA phoned the headquarters for more information, but it could not be contacted due to limited telecommunications access. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Kiana Duncan and Mike Firn. 

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China sends glacial water from Tibet to the Maldives, raising concerns

Editor08 mins

China gifted 3,000 metric tons of Tibet’s glacial water to the island nation of the Maldives in two separate batches in March and May — the same months it unveiled and implemented water conservation regulations at home. The Water Conservation Regulations set limits on water usage within administrative regions and prioritize water conversation work in Tibet and other parts of China.  They were issued by China’s State Council on March 20, a week before it sent the first delivery of 1,500 metric tons of water in jugs to the Maldives, which is experiencing a scarcity of fresh water.  The regulations then went into effect on May 1, weeks before China donated the second batch of water jugs.  China finalized the deal with the Maldives during a November 2023 visit by Yan Jinhai, chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, to the low-lying archipelago threatened by rising sea levels. The Maldives has forged strong bilateral relations with China and is a beneficiary of the Belt and Road Initiative, under which it has borrowed more than US$1 billion from Chinese banks in the past decade, according to Western think tanks.  Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu signed 20 agreements, including one for financial and military assistance, with Beijing during his inaugural state visit to China in January 2024.   The Maldives thanked the people of Tibet for their “generous donation,” which it expects will greatly support its island communities. Its freshwater resources are affected by erratic rainfall patterns and rising sea levels. Water shortages in Tibet But Tibetans inside Tibet said they face water shortages themselves because Chinese authorities have implemented systematic water conservation and management campaigns across various Tibetan villages and towns for over a decade. This has occurred while authorities have restricted the availability of water and set limits on water usage at the local level. “I have heard that China is donating bottled water from Tibet to other parts of the world for free for political gain,” said one source from the Tibet Autonomous Region, where Chinese authorities have carried out water conservation campaigns for over a decade.  “However, in Tibet, the local Tibetans do not have enough drinking water,” he said. “At times there isn’t enough water to even brush our teeth.” On March 27, the same day the Maldives said it received the first batch of water, the Water Conservancy Bureau of Ngari Prefecture, or Ali in Chinese, the birthplace of key South Asian rivers, began a series of year-long events for the general public to promote water conservation. In Nyingtri city, or Linzhi in Chinese, authorities have implemented the strictest water resources management system over the past several years and boast of its effectiveness.  “The water used to wash rice and vegetables can be used to mop the floor and water the flowers. … Nowadays, water-saving behaviors like this have become a conscious action of many citizens,” said a 2023 announcement by the city government. Meanwhile, Tibetans who have grown up on their ancestral land in Gangkar township in Dingri county, called Tingri in Chinese, are being forced to relocate to make way for the expansion of China’s water bottling facilities and industry, two sources said.  “Gangkar is known for its fertile pastureland and significant water resources from glaciers with 15 water springs in the region, which the local Tibetans have always relied on for their livelihoods,” said the first source.  Chinese authorities plan to move about 430 residents to take control of the water resources from the land, he said. Weaponizing water China’s move signals it is engaging in “water politics” and playing the long game for geopolitical gains in South Asia, experts said.  The Chinese government has projects underway to extract clean, clear and mineral-rich water to support the expansion of its premium mineral bottled water industry, they said. Beijing also wants to control water flows to lower riparian states such as India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, to further its own aspiration of regional dominance, experts said. “The imperative to address the threat of China weaponizing water in Tibet cannot be overstated,” wrote scholars Neeraj Singh Manhas and Rahul Lad in a March report titled “China’s Weaponization of Water in Tibet A Lesson for the Lower Riparian States” in the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs. With approximately 87,000 dams built, China poses a historic threat, having already dammed most internal rivers, they add, while calling for proactive measures to implement enduring policies to protect these vital Tibet’s water resources. Tibet is at the forefront of China’s “water wars” in the region, said Anushka Saxena, a research analyst at the Takshashila Institution, a public policy think tank in India.  Tibet’s eight major transboundary river systems have the capacity to turn China into “Asia’s water hegemon,” given that their water can be used for both domestic economic and foreign policy-related interests, as well as can be weaponized to cause harm to lower riparian states, she said. “In that light, China’s moves vis-à-vis export of water to Maldives cannot be isolated from the larger approach China is adopting to using Tibet’s water resources,” she added.

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Five dead, 20 missing in Myanmar landslide

Editor04 mins

Updated June 5, 2024, 06:18 a.m. ET. Rescue workers in northern Myanmar recovered the bodies of five mine workers, including one Chinese national, on Wednesday and were searching for missing victims of a landslide at a rare earths mine, residents told Radio Free Asia. The landslide in Kachin State’s Chipwi township trapped 25 people in a shaft early on Tuesday, they said. Resource-rich Kachin State, which has rare earth and jade mines, has been the site of  of a surge in clashes between the junta and an ethnic minority insurgent force, the Kachin Independence Army, since early this year. The landslide occurred during regular operations at the rare earth mine near Chinese Border Post No. 3, about eight km (five miles) from Pang War village, said one witness who declined to be identified for security reasons.  “There was a landslide when I was working and around 20 people were in there, including a Chinese site manager,” he said. “These landslides are a continuous problem lately because it is rainy season.” Rescue officials were searching for 20 people still missing, residents and mine workers said.  Three Chinese nationals were believed to be among the missing, the witness said, adding that junta forces had tightened security at the site and forbidden photographs, threatening a fine of 5,000 Chinese yuan (US$ 703) for anyone taking a picture. RFA telephoned Kachin State’s junta spokesperson, Moe Min Thein, for more information but calls went unanswered. The Chinese embassy did not respond to an emailed request for comment by the time of publication. Rescue operations had been complicated because the land was still collapsing at the mine, said another resident, who asked to remain anonymous because of the junta’s media blackout. A woman aged 19 who had been selling things at the mine was among the missing, said the resident. “The rest are all men,” he said. “It’s difficult to search even now because the mountain is still collapsing.” Two landslides occurred in a nearby rare earth mine near Pang War village on May 27 and 29, killing two workers, he said. The environmental group Global Witness said in a report last month that rare earth mining production increased by 40% in Pang War between 2021 and 2023. The area is under the control of junta-led militias and pro-junta border guards, and more than 300 mining sites have been developed there since the military seized power in a coup in early 2021, Global Witness said. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Kiana Duncan and Mike Firn.  Updates number of missing.

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