The stand-off between India and China along the Line of Actual Control, as their contested border is known, remains tense. The latest round of talks last week failed to lead to a significant breakthrough, and both sides have amassed thousands of troops with considerable military inventory – including artillery and tanks – along the LAC. October 20, 1962 is the day when a short, but intense war broke out between the Asian giants across the same border. Today, exactly 58 years later, the issue continues to fester.
Concurrently, other developments point to a discordant Indo-Pacific, with a grouping that includes Australia, India, Japan and the US – known as the "Quad" – coming to the fore. The countries' foreign ministers met in Tokyo a fortnight ago. The event will have a bearing on the emerging post-Covid-19 Asian and world orders.
At a time when virtual meetings have become the norm, the ministers opted to meet in person. Further, the fact that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo chose to travel to Japan, even though President Donald Trump had tested positive for Covid-19 a few days earlier, was indicative of the importance Washington attached to the meeting.
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The meeting was also remarkable because, despite the perception that the Quad has a single-point anti-China agenda, the ways in which the different participants chose to characterise Beijing varied widely. The US was explicit in referring to the challenge it faces from a rising China. But the other three members made elliptical references to regional affairs: the need to adhere to rules and norms at sea, the urgency for co-operation in re-wiring supply chains and the need to deal with the pandemic and its consequences and cyber security.
Most observers were puzzled by the fact that, India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar refrained from raising the issue of the LAC. Perhaps, quiet, high-level talks between Delhi and Beijing are on the cards.
The Tokyo meeting did not result in a joint statement. The four ministers did, however, highlight the areas that they understood to be shared priorities, where collective action or more discussion might be needed. It is a wide spectrum, encompassing the security and strategic domain, economic and trade matters and the public health challenge posed by Covid-19. Australia, meanwhile, will rejoin the trilateral Malabar maritime exercise that includes India, Japan and the US, scheduled to be held next month.
Beijing's response to the Quad meeting was along expected lines. Previously, China had been dismissive about the viability of the Quad, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi referring to it in March 2018 as "the foam on the sea that gets attention but will soon dissipate". It found this most recent Tokyo meeting, however, to be more irksome.
In an interview to the Xinhua news agency on Friday, Mr Wang was sharply critical, describing the Quad as an "Indo-Pacific Nato" and added that “the aim [of the Quad] is to trumpet the old-fashioned Cold War mentality to stir up confrontation among different groups and blocs and to stoke geopolitical competition, in a bid to maintain the dominance and hegemonic system of the US".
China found the recent Tokyo meeting of the 'Quad' to be irksome
Mr Wang also sounded a note of caution for the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) – five of whose member states he had visited a week ago in order to allay their anxiety about Beijing’s assertiveness. He said the US-led Quad “will undoubtedly damage Asean's centrality and undermine regional peace and stability, contravening the common, long-term interests of regional countries".
While the Quad is yet to evolve into the maritime Nato that makes Beijing uncomfortable, there have been other developments related to the Quad nations that point to a certain pattern of military and maritime co-operation that could lead to a cluster of nations banding together to deal with the China challenge. In a little-noted development late last month, a US maritime reconnaissance P-8 aircraft landed in India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands for refuelling, as part of an India-US logistics agreement. Separately, the US and its military allies have engaged in multilateral naval exercises in the Indo-Pacific that included Japan and Australia. In other initiatives, intelligence gathering among the nations comprising the Five Eyes – Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK and US – is acquiring an Indo-Pacific focus.
The Quad remains a work in progress, and the degree to which it acquires muscle and resolve that will pose a tangible challenge to China is opaque. Among the Indo-Pacific nations, many look to the US to assuage their security concerns about Beijing. But they are in a dilemma about the degree to which they can count on American consistency and reliability in the long term, especially given how turbulent Mr Trump's term has been. The outcome of the US presidential election on November 3 will not result in a dramatic change in US-China ties, but they will impact the manner in which Washington deals with both Beijing and its many partners and allies in Asia.
The policy conundrum for the post-pandemic world is stark. Globalisation and the intricate web of trade dependency, supply chains, technological advances and the myriad challenges of an increasingly digitised society have rendered past structures and arrangements redundant. China is set to recover faster than most major nations from the pandemic, and its rise under President Xi Jinping remains relentless. While security considerations may impel a collective anxiety about China, trade and economic compulsions cannot be easily jettisoned. India, Japan and South Korea are among Beijing's top five trading partners. De-linking with China totally is not a viable option.
The 19th Communist Party Congress, which will begin next Monday, October 26, in Beijing, will provide some cues about Mr Xi's policy orientation for the next five years.
When the tragic fallout of Covid-19 is accurately assessed and the pandemic ends, and a bruised world seeks a new strategic framework, Asian geopolitics will be discordant and volatile. Prickly nationalism, alas, is likely to be in the ascendant.
C Uday Bhaskar is director of the New Delhi-based think tank Society for Policy Studies
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
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RACE CARD
4pm Al Bastakiya – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
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5.45pm Burj Nahaar – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m
6.20pm Jebel Hatta – Group 1 (TB) $260,000 (T) 1,800m
6.55pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (TB) $390,000 (D) 2,000m
7.30pm Nad Al Sheba – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (T) 1,200m
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
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- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Name: Colm McLoughlin
Country: Galway, Ireland
Job: Executive vice chairman and chief executive of Dubai Duty Free
Favourite golf course: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Favourite part of Dubai: Palm Jumeirah
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T20 World Cup Qualifier
October 18 – November 2
Opening fixtures
Friday, October 18
ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya
Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan
Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed
Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed
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Racecard
5pm: Al Maha Stables – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
7pm: The President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: The President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m
'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
Stars: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Deepak Dobriyal, Zoya Hussain
Rating: 2/5
ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
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Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
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Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Vardy 58'
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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
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• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
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GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
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- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
