Turkey, Iran, Pakistan rail link to China’s Belt and Road | Nikkei Asia

“The governments of Turkey, Iran and Pakistan will revive a transnational rail service linking Istanbul, Tehran and Islamabad in 2021. The ITI transnational railroa is expected to enhance connectivity with China’s Belt and Road initiative (BRI) by providing a rail connection between China and Turkey, Nikkei Asia has learned.”

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China has too much influence over Switzerland, finds study | swissinfo.ch

“According to Basel University, Ralph Weber’s study is the “first work to explore tactics of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) influence and United Front activities in Switzerland”. It focuses on personal and institutional networks, and lists efforts to exert influence on “issues Beijing regards as sensitive, including questions concerning Tibet, Taiwan, or Xinjiang”.

Based on the study, the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper highlights a “spin doctor” living in western Switzerland: Yuming Yang, who is currently on the board of the Bern-based Swiss China Investment Platform Association – along with Hans-Ulrich Bigler, the director of the Swiss Trade Association (SGV).”

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Why a controversial Chinese-Swiss agreement has been left to expire | swissinfo.ch

“The Swiss government has put on hold a deal that allowed agents from China to come to Switzerland to identify Chinese nationals, following public outcry and pressure from various groups. But questions about the nature and purpose of the arrangement continue to dog migration officials.”

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Unified message, rhizomatic delivery: A preliminary analysis of PRC/CCP influence and the united front in Switzerland | Sinoptic

“Documenting Overseas Chinese united front networks and contacts between Swiss social, economic and political circles and the Chinese party-state’s co-optation apparatus.

This study sets out to trace some of the personal and institutional networks used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to influence society and economic and political circles in Switzerland. These efforts address issues sensitive from a CCP point of view (Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang etc.), but also aim to shape the image of China in Switzerland overall. The focus is on Swiss-based actors, who appear to be co-opted, and, in a classic pattern, might or might not be aware of their co-optation. The study highlights the grey zones that these tactics of influence and sometimes interference are conducted in and the rhizomatic manner by which a unified message from various actors in Beijing gets projected into a target society like Switzerland.”

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A preliminary analysis of PRC/CCP influence and the united front in Switzerland (PDF – Sinoptic)

The United Front: A Lesser-Known Side of Chinese Presence in Switzerland | The Geneva Observer

“The influence of China on the world economy and international politics increases from day to day. Many economic or diplomatic actors are wondering about their relationship with the Chinese state, struggling to grasp all its facets. One facet of the Chinese party-state that we have difficulty identifying, despite its presence in Switzerland, is the United Front.”

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Tale of two Belt and Road Initiative port projects in Malaysia shows limits of Chinese money | SCMP

“The Kuantan Port expansion and Melaka Deepwater Port projects show that while China may provide funds, domestic actors also play an important role.
Despite Malaysia’s political turmoil, the Kuantan project continued to receive government support, but the Melaka project is a different story.”

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