Media, trade curbs: South Asian journalists find little to cheer about Chinese policy

“So Modi is removing red tape to invest in India, right?” asked Ann Hsieh, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of China Times .

China Times is one of the largest newspapers in Taiwan published in traditional Chinese.

Ann Hsieh was following up her country’s recent focus to increase exposure in India and the rest of South Asia, apparently to reduce dependence on China that accounted for 30 per cent of Taiwan’s $318 billion exports in 2014. In comparison, India-Taiwan trade was a minuscule $6 billion.

Sharp political differences notwithstanding; China and Taiwan witnessed ballooning trade and cross investment since 1990. A staggering 93,000 Chinese companies invested in Taiwan. In return, Taiwan invested over $34 billion in China in the last decade.

Taipei is now keen to make its trade and investment pattern more diverse. This is partly due to slowdown in China and partly to counter-balance the political risks. “There is fear about China,” Ann Hsieh said.

She is not alone. Throughout a recent three-day conference, journalists from South Asia were found expressing concerns at Beijing’s political aspirations and instances of unilateralism, if not authoritarianism.

While celebrity journalists kept the audience enthralled from the podium, many others from Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia etc were more vocal against China on the sidelines.

Kavi Chongkittavorn of the National Broadcasting Corporation, Thailand, who saw hope in Narendra Modi’s leadership, was critical of India for failing to take up the leadership role in South Asia.

“No one looks at India as a threat but they are too slow,” he said, pointing out India’s failure in completing the key infrastructure projects like India-Myanmar-Thailand “Trilateral Highway”.

Proposed by the Vajpayee government, the project is still under construction. “You have to act fast, else OBOR (One Belt, One Road project of China) will come to you,” he said.

Ravi Velloore of The Strait Times in Singapore feels that China’s dealings with the regional economies often defy logic. It is that “careless China” that takes a collision course, almost unprovoked, with large ASEAN market like Indonesia.

“There was a hope that China’s rise will be smooth. But last four-five years it didn’t look like so,” he said.

Speaking on the sidelines, Luong Tan Huong, managing editor of Vietnam’s Infonetnet News , was more critical about China for unilaterally claiming control over South China Sea. Vietnam supported the Indian stance on the dispute.

“They have put up an oil rig in a Vietnamese export processing zone. They harass our fishermen. If Vietnam dares to oppose, China creates procedural hurdles and stops taking delivery of our agricultural exports. Our farmers suffer,” Huong said.

“Vietnamese are unhappy with the Chinese government. China says Vietnam is a partner but what they do is opposite,” he said, referring to India a “true friend”.

Taiwan ranks first in investing in Vietnam. China is fourth. India has maximum trade relations with Vietnam in CLMV region.

Huong expressed regrets that Indian participation is limited beyond the defence and education sector. Apart from Tata Group investing in the steel sector, Indian companies are yet to tap the opportunity.

Salai Mang Hre Lian of The Chinland Post from Haka in Chin province of Myanmar blamed China for continued unrest in Kachin, Sagaing and Shan provinces dominated by armed Wa, Kokang and Mongla groups.

They didn’t participate in the October 2015 nationwide ceasefire.

He alleged that China supports these groups with finance and arms, to maintain territorial control and support the Jade trade. Jade, available in these disturbed provinces, make way to China.

He and his fellow journalists from Myanmar also blamed a huge Chinese influx for a rise in women trafficking from Myanmar.

Xie Songxin, assistant editor-in-chief of China Watch in Beijing, doesn’t subscribe to such allegations. He only sees a ‘perception problem’.

But the sharpest criticism against Beijing came from Hong Kong that became a special autonomous region of China in 1997.

Tom Grundy editor-in-chief of Hong Kong Free Press , alleged an attack on freedom of speech as China has launched a “crackdown” on NGOs, human rights activists and social media.

While Facebook was banned in mainland China long ago, popular local platforms like Weibo are now “heavily regulated”. Some online news sources are closed. Foreign journalists are under pressure as renewal of visa is at stake.

In Hong Kong a reputed English newspaper, known for its high editorial standards, shut down its Chinese website this month, citing technical reasons.

“There seems to be something new every week,” Grundy said. Columnists advocating direct election are finding themselves out of job for some pretext. Huge influx from the mainland China is drowning pro-democracy voices.

“In the end, they will win. As they won in other such administrative regions,” he said.