Weekly News Roundup: Dispatches from the Silk Road Economic Belt

India says in quiet diplomacy with China to tackle border stand-off

Indian officials said diplomats from the two sides were now quietly trying to ensure the stand-off near the three-way border between India, its ally Bhutan, and China does not escalate into a conflict, invoking the agreement reached by their leaders at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Astana.Behind the scenes, India's ambassador to Beijing is leading the effort to find a way for both sides to back down from confrontation on the Doklam plateau - which China calls Donglang - without losing face, an Indian government source aware of the sensitive negotiations told Reuters. (Reuters)

BHUTAN CAN SOLVE ITS BORDER PROBLEM WITH CHINA – IF INDIA LETS IT

The only surviving Tibetan Buddhist kingdom is caught between a rock and a hard place, seemingly willing to negotiate its longstanding territorial claims with Beijing but feeling the heat from an overbearing New Delhi. Before the Chinese annexation of Tibet, the nomads living on the plateau moved freely across these areas. In the 1950s, China negotiated and settled most of its land borders, but never completed discussions with Bhutan, because India insisted on the right to negotiate on behalf of Bhutan, which the Chinese refused to accept. China wanted direct negotiations with Bhutan. Eventually India had to relent. (Scmp)

‘Web cleansing’: China’s Xinjiang residents forced to install surveillance apps on their mobile phones

Residents of Xinjiang, an ethnic minority region of western China, are being forced to install spyware on their mobile phones.On July 10, mobile phone users in the Tianshan District of Urumqi City received a mobile phone notification from the district government instructing them to install a surveillance application called Jingwang (or “Web Cleansing”). The message said the app was intended to “prevent [them] from accessing terrorist information.” (HKFreePress)

The Anti “Halalification” Crusade of Chinese Netizens
Discussions on the so-called ‘halal-ification’ of China have flared up after delivery app Meituan introduced separate boxes for its halal food deliveries this week. Many netizens see the growing prevalence of halal food in China as a threat to a unified society and say that featuring special services for Muslims is discriminatory against non-Muslims.This is original content by What's on Weibo that requires investment. (whatsonweibo)

China, Kyrgyzstan discuss setting up cooperation fund

A delegation of China's Silk Road Fund was here Thursday for a meeting to discuss establishing a cooperation fund between Kyrgyzstan and China within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Kyrgyzstan's first Vice Prime Minister Muhametkaly Abulgaziev stressed at the meeting the need to create a financial instrument of cooperation for both sides.(Xinhua)

The New Silk Road: European Wine Can Now Be Shipped To China By Rail

The first direct rail shipment of European wine has successfully crossed the expanse of Eurasia and arrived in China, opening up a new way for the wine producers of Europe to get their bottles onto the tables of the world’s fastest growing market for wine consumption. (Forbes)

For China’s Global Ambitions, ‘Iran Is at the Center of Everything’

(NYT)

CENTRAL ASIA 

Russia’s eastern boom

The Russian Far East is experiencing a boom and has attracted more than US$36 billion in direct investment, with more than 95% of this coming from the private sector, writes Alexander Ohkrimenko. Vladivostok will soon host this vast area’s third annual Eastern Economic Forum and Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East, Alexander Galushka, explains what is attracting business, investment and tourism — from Asia-Pacific and beyond — to the region.

Kyrgyzstan's Presidential Election: A Crowd of Candidates, Split Parties, And A Bit Of Chauvinism

Campaigning has not even started for Kyrgyzstan's presidential race, in fact the registration process for candidates is not even finished yet, but it already seems clear this is going to be a wild ride.
Two of the biggest parties in the country, one of them the president's former party, seem to be on the verge of splitting less than three months before polling stations open on October 15. (rferl)

Kazakhstani, Iranian naval vessels visit Baku port

Iranian and Kazakhstani naval vessels arrived in Azerbaijan's territorial waters on Saturday, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said.The Iranian Paykan and Joshan missile boats and Kazakhstan's rocket-artillery ships Kazakhstan, Sary-Arka and the hydro graphic vessel Zhaik have berthed at a Baku port, the ministry said in a statement.The warships will take part in the international Sea Cup 2017 competition to be held in the territorial waters of Azerbaijan in the Caspian Sea on August 1-11, according to the statement. (Xinhua)