Meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj

Trilateral talks took place in Tashkent between President Vladimir Putin, President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping and President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.

June 23, 2016

16:00

Tashkent

 

2 of 6

Meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.

Following the talks, the three presidents witnessed the signing of the Programme to Establish the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor and an agreement between Russia’s Federal Customs Service, China’s General Administration of Customs, and Mongolia’s General Tax and Customs Administration on mutual recognition of customs inspection results with regard to particular categories of goods.
* * *
President of China Xi Jinping (retranslated): President Putin, President Elbegdorj, it is a great pleasure to see you again.
Following our meeting in Ufa last July, we jointly approved the roadmap for developing our trilateral cooperation over the medium term. Our three countries’ ministries, local authorities and companies are working actively to implement this roadmap and organising intensive coordination of projects in trade, the economy, humanitarian ties, transit traffic, tourism and sport. The positive results are visible. Following our meeting today, we will witness the signing of an important cooperation agreement – the programme to establish an economic corridor.
This all shows that we are capable of knitting close cooperation ties as neighbours. I am happy with the way our trilateral ties are developing. We are ready to listen to your remarks and proposals on the next steps to take.
I give the floor to President Putin.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Friends, President Xi Jinping, President Elbegdorj, I am also very pleased to see you again.
Russia has traditionally friendly ties with China and Mongolia. We are building our trilateral partnership on the principles of good-neighbourliness, equality, and mutual respect.
Yes, a year ago in Ufa, we agreed to step up our cooperation in a broad range of areas. It is important that we have started implementing the roadmap to develop our trilateral contacts in politics, the economy, international affairs, and the cultural and humanitarian sector. We have launched a mechanism for political consultations now and this is a good opportunity for coordinating our positions on current regional issues.

At the meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.

Building on the Ufa agreements, we have drafted a programme for establishing an economic corridor linking Russia, China and Mongolia. This programme seeks to substantially intensify cross-border ties by launching more than 30 trilateral investment projects.
Regarding the programme’s practical implementation, we think Mongolia’s idea of establishing a joint investment planning centre is a promising idea. Its main task would be to develop new cooperation proposals in transport, construction of communication and electricity transmission lines, and energy transport routes.
We also think it important to give priority attention to infrastructure initiatives. In particular, Russian business is ready to take part in modernising the Ulan Bator railway. I have discussed this on past occasions with the President of Mongolia. We will increase the railway’s throughput capacity to 100 million tonnes of freight a year. We will also develop road freight transport. This will help us to make better use of our countries’ transit potential.
We are sure that implementing these projects will help to develop regional integration projects too, especially the project to develop a Eurasian trade and economic partnership between the Eurasian Economic Union and the People’s Republic of China.
Further simplification of customs formalities will help to expand the trade ties between our countries, including ties between the border regions. The agreement on mutual recognition of customs inspections results that will be signed today will facilitate this.
We should most certainly continue working to strengthen contacts between our three countries’ business communities. In June last year, our countries’ chambers of commerce and industry held a successful forum in China. The next forum, which will take in Chita, in Russia, on August 5–6, has Russia’s active support.

Meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.

I want to say that we are seeing positive changes taking place before our very eyes in environmental cooperation throughout the entire region. I know that Mongolia plans to build hydroelectricity facilities in the Selenga River basin. We would like to study these plans very carefully with our friends in Mongolia and China.
Russia and international environmental protection organisations have made their position on these plans known: this project could create some risks for water supply to Russia’s Irkutsk Region and affect the unique ecology of Lake Baikal, as Selenga is the main river flowing into Lake Baikal.
We realise that Mongolia’s energy shortage is a serious issue. Clearly, this is something we must reflect on and we need to resolve this issue. But there are different ways to resolve this problem, above all by developing the entire region’s energy sector. For example, Russian power stations could increase electricity supplies to Mongolia’s northern regions.
We think it important to encourage cooperation not only in this sector but in others too, in tourism, for example. The Federal Tourism Agency is drafting a number of proposals. One of them is to organise an international tourism route – the Great Tea Route – that could link 20 Russian regions with China and Mongolia. We could launch a special excursion train on this route.
We will continue to do all we can to expand scientific exchanges. The establishment of an association of research centres in Russia, China and Mongolia will play a big part in this.
Let me say again that I think our trilateral partnership has great potential in many areas and we should put this to more active use for the good of our peoples.
Thank you for your attention.
President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj (retranslated): President of China Xi Jinping, President of Russia Vladimir Putin,
It is a great pleasure to greet you at this third summit of the leaders of Mongolia, Russia and China here in the capital of Uzbekistan.
Today, we will sign trilateral cooperation agreements such as the programme on establishing an economic corridor between Mongolia, Russia and China and the agreement between our three countries’ customs services on mutual recognition of customs inspection results with regard to particular categories of goods. The aim of establishing the economic corridor is to put in place conditions for expanding trilateral cooperation through increasing trade between our three countries.

President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.

I would like to exchange views and settle the following matters during this meeting.
First of all, this involves the implementation of a programme to create an economic corridor. I suggest we select those projects, out of the 32 from the programme, which can be implemented now, and find sources to finance them. Given the fact that the parties agreed to establish an investment centre to determine funding and do a feasibility study of projects, I propose such a centre be created in 2016.
Then, as part of improving cooperation on roads and transport, we propose holding regular consultations with transport agencies of the third parties, which are a real mechanism to promote railway projects. The second meeting on current issues is expected to be held in August-September in Ulan Bator.
Third, determining promising avenues of trilateral cooperation. Our cooperation should not be limited to economic corridors or transport and customs issues. One of the directions is regional cooperation; we support in principle China’s initiative to develop cooperation between the eastern regions of Mongolia, Russia and China. Mongolia is ready to develop an appropriate plan of cooperation.
I also believe it possible to develop trilateral cooperation in agriculture and emergency prevention, response and relief based on the experience of bilateral cooperation.
I would like to end my speech with a suggestion to hold a trilateral meeting in Ulan Bator to step up our cooperation. I am confident that our mutually advantageous cooperation will make a significant contribution not only to the development of the three states but the region as a whole.
Thank you for your attention.
Xi Jinping: Thank you, President Elbegdorj.
President Putin and President Elbegdorj presented good proposals. I suggest the relevant agencies of the three countries carefully study and implement them.
And now I would like to share my opinion. We should comprehensively promote trilateral cooperation by linking the Chinese Silk Road Economic Belt and Russian strategies, in particular, the construction of a trans-Eurasian corridor, and the Mongolian Steppe Route.
The first task is to work responsibly on implementing the programme to create an economic corridor linking China, Mongolia and Russia. This programme is a practical step towards linking together our three countries’ development strategies and outlines priorities for our business cooperation. It is important that we pursue cooperation in areas such as transport infrastructure, building border crossing points and production facilities, developing investment, trade and the economy, humanitarian ties and environmental cooperation. We must work together to carry out priority projects so as to speed up achievement of stage-by-stage results in establishing the China-Russia-Mongolia economic corridor.
Second, we must step up our cross-border cooperation. Our three countries’ border regions have advantages in terms of their geographical location, comprehensive interlinking and cooperation mechanisms, and they share a common great desire to develop trilateral cooperation, have solid foundations for doing this, and could become priority regions for our work together. China supports our Mongolian partners’ initiative on cross-border economic cooperation.

President of People's Republic of China Xi Jinping.

We propose taking the existing bilateral economic cooperation zone as a base we can build on to develop a trilateral zone with an emphasis on infrastructure construction, comprehensive interlinking, cross-border trade, industrialisation, tourism, and humanitarian ties. We should strengthen our links in industry and promote sub-regional cooperation in the interests of developing our countries’ border regions.
Third, we need to expand our cooperation within the SCO. The SCO has gained steadily in international influence over its 15 years of existence. More and more countries have shown their approval of the ‘Shanghai spirit’ and wish to develop cooperation with the organisation in order to work together on preventing threats and making use of development opportunities.
The accession process for new members we launched at the Ufa summit last year has progressed smoothly. The number of observers and dialogue partners is growing. This creates new development opportunities.
The SCO is a useful platform for our trilateral cooperation. Mongolia is the first observer country in the SCO. China is ready to work with Russia and other SCO member countries to strengthen our cooperation with our Mongolian partners, in particular, we are ready to work together on implementing the openness and partnership policy as part of the SCO’s development strategy through to 2025. We are ready to develop our work together with Mongolia in transit traffic, food safety, emergency situations, energy and other sectors.
This is my view. Overall, we have had a practical and useful discussion today.
Our Mongolian partners will chair the fourth summit next year. China is ready to provide all-round support in this.
Thank you.

Forecasts for China’s economy in 2016 

 

Forecasts 6.5% China growth for 2016

China’s economic growth will only reach the lower end of its own projections and its slowdown risks weighing on the rest of Asia, according to a report from the Asian Development Bank.

The ADB’s flagship Asia Development Outlook 2016 forecast that China’s economy would grow at 6.5 per cent this year and 6.3 per cent next year, compared with Beijing’s expectations of between 6.5 and 7 per cent for 2016 and an average of 6.5 per cent over the next five years.

The slowdown in the region’s biggest economy has knocked as much as 0.3 percentage points off the outlook for developing Asian economies because of the region’s trade and supply chain links, the ADB said.

“[China’s] growth moderation and [the] uneven global recovery are weighing down overall growth in Asia,” said Shang-Jin Wei, ADB chief economist, who added that in spite of this, the region would still contribute more than 60 per cent of global growth this year.
The bank forecast regional growth of 5.7 per cent for this year and next, down from 5.9 per cent in 2015. “Developing Asia” is a 45-country grouping used by the ADB that includes central Asia and the Pacific as well as countries in east, south and Southeast Asia.
Despite the turmoil that gripped global markets in January as investors worried that China might be slowing faster than feared, the ADB said the country’s wider economic impact was still largely limited to the region, with any negative effects of the country’s slowdown elsewhere in the world offset by gains from lower commodity prices.
Should China experience the sort of hard landing that investors feared in January — classed as “unlikely” by the ADB — the global economy would be hit much harder, knocking up to 1.8 percentage points off worldwide growth.

The report also highlighted the complexity of China’s economic relationships in the region as supply chains evolve. While manufacturing powerhouses such as South Korea have lost market share as China has moved up the value chain, others such as Vietnam have benefited from taking over lower-end production from its giant neighbour.

The effect is not just limited to technology. Bangladesh has also been a notable gainer, becoming the world’s second-largest garment exporter as China focuses on developing less labour-intensive industries.

China will continue to struggle as it shifts from investment-led growth to an economy where consumption plays a larger role, the ADB said. Last year services and consumption accounted for 4.6 percentage points of China’s overall growth, up from 3.7 in 2014.
However, the ADB warned that governments around the region, including China, needed to focus far more on boosting productivity. Almost half the slowdown in average growth in the region between 2008 and 2014 was due to moderating potential growth.

“Potential growth depends on both the growth of the labour force and the growth of labour productivity,” said Mr Wei. “While altering demographics is not something that can be accomplished within a few years, many developing economies still have tremendous room to use structural reforms to remove distortions in the labour, capital and land markets‎.”
Only Southeast Asia is forecast to see growth rates improve in 2016, nudging up to an annual rate of 4.5 per cent from 4.4 per cent in 2015, the ADB said, before picking up to 4.8 per cent in 2017. Seven out of 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations experienced weaker economic growth last year, including Indonesia, which underwent a fourth successive year of slowdown.

 

100% Tuition Fee Scholarships for International Students, Monash University, Australia

100% tuition fee scholarships are available for international undergraduate and postgraduate (coursework) students at Monash University – Australia.


 These scholarships are available for those students commencing full time undergraduate or postgraduate degree at a Monash campus in Australia and must have received a full Monash course offer. Students may come from any disciplines except Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or Master of Business Administration (MBA). Awardees will be asked to be profiled or participate in recruitment, Monash marketing, promotional events or materials.

Level of Education

Scholarships available for full time undergraduate and postgraduate (coursework).

Subjects or Fields of Study

Scholarships available for all subjects / fields of study offered at Monash University in Australia, except for the following subjects:

• Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Amount of Scholarships

This scholarship will pay 100% tuition fees.

Duration of Scholarships

Scholarships available until the minimum number of points for your degree are completed.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this scholarship, the students must meet all the conditions below:

• Must be international students. Students from all countries are invited to apply for this scholarships. There is no restriction or nationality criteria. However, preference will be given to students from countries with strategic priorities for Monash.
• Students applying for full time undergraduate or postgraduate degree at Monash campus in Australia.
• Students must have received full course offer from Monash.

The following students are NOT eligible to apply for this scholarship:

• Students applying for MBBS or MBA are not eligible to apply.
• Students in pathway programs are not eligible to apply.
• Students in Australian Year 12 are not eligible to apply.
• Students from another Australian university or transferring from another Monash campus are not eligible to apply.

Number of Scholarships Available

4 (four) scholarships are available for the most outstanding international undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Nationality

Scholarships available for all international students. There is no other restriction or nationality criteria. However, preference will be given to students from countries with strategic priorities.

Selection Criteria

Please take note on the above eligibility criteria carefully. Students will be assessed based on their academic achievements, personal statements in the scholarship application, and the candidate’s potential to be a Monash University ambassador.

How to Apply

You must apply and submit a separate application for this scholarship. The scholarship application form is available on their website. Please read the procedure carefully. Your application will only be considered when you follow their procedure.

Application Deadline

The closing dates for this scholarships are:

• October 15
• November 15
• January 15
• March 15
• April 15
• June 12

Please take note of the deadline. Late submissions will not be entertained!

Result Notification

Please contact Monash University to ask about the result.

Postgraduate Scholarships for International Students, Newcastle University, UK

Postgraduate Scholarships for International Students, Newcastle University, UK

 

Scholarships are available for international (non EU) postgraduate students at Newcastle University – UK, starting their studies in September 2016, academic year 2016 – 2017.

 

Scholarships are available for postgraduate taught degree at Newcastle University. For candidates applying for a degree within the faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, or the faculty of Medical Sciences, they must hold IELTS 7.0 and a first class Honours degree. For candidates applying for a degree within the faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, they must hold IELTS 6.5 and an upper-second-class Honours degree.

Level of Education

Scholarships available only for postgraduate Masters and MRes courses.

Subjects or Fields of Study

Scholarships available for the following faculties:

• Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Faculty of Medical Sciences
• Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering

Amount of Scholarships

This is a partial scholarship. The scholarships are valued at £2,000 and will be credited to your tuition fee account. Part-time students will receive pro-rata.

Duration of Scholarships

Scholarships only available to new students starting their studies September 2016 for 1 (one) year only. For students studying 2 year Master degree, the scholarships will be tenable for your first year only.

Eligibility

The eligibility criteria as follow:

• This scholarships only available for new students starting their studies in September 2016, academic year 2016 – 2017. Continuing students are not eligible to apply.
• Students who have been classified as international / overseas students. Students form UK & EU are not eligible to apply.
• Students who have been offered a place on any postgraduate taught degree.
• Students applying within the faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, or the faculty of Medical Sciences must hold IELTS 7.0 and a first class Honours degree.
• Students applying within the faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering must hold IELTS 6.5 and an upper-second-class Honours degree.
• Students must not hold other fully-funded scholarships such as Chevening scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships, etc. Students breaching this regulation will have their scholarship award suspended and the University will recover any previous payments.
• Students may hold only one scholarship in any academic year. Students offered more than one scholarships must choose the one most appropriate.

Number of Scholarships Available

Unknown

Nationality

Scholarships only available for international (non UK & EU) students.

Selection Criteria

Other than the eligibility criteria mentioned above, Newcastle University will consider each individual application on merit and allocate the scholarships based on its strategic geographical priorities.

How to Apply

You must apply through their online electronic application form. Please make sure you read the regulations carefully before applying.

Application Deadline

The closing date is May 27, 2016.

Result Notification

Please contact the Newcastle University – Student Wellbeing Service (Financial Support) for more info about the result..

How to Kill a Good Idea

Who needs an innovative proposal that might disrupt the routine or, worse, make you look bad?

Corporations are complex entities. There are many people working for them, usually. And by “many” I mean more than two. This creates politics and conflicting agendas and fuels the constant battle between forward ­momentum and inertia—with proponents on both sides.

Somewhere in all of that, an idea is occasionally born. A little flower pops its delicate head up through the organizational macadam and, against all odds, succeeds in blossoming into a healthy plant. Most of the time, though, somebody comes along with a heavy vehicle and runs over it.

Given that reality, it’s important to review why and how organizations kill ideas. I hope you find this exercise helpful the next time you want to be the one driving the truck. Or when your flower is about to get crushed. To begin, let’s look at some reasons an idea might get killed.

 

1. It’s bad: 85.4% of all ideas are useless, time wasting, distracting, aggravating to too many people, dangerous, boneheaded, or just plain superfluous. Unless they come from a senior officer, they are easily squelched.

2. You didn’t think of it: Other people’s ideas are a drag, aren’t they? You were doing something else. Now you have to think about this? Forget it.

3. It threatens your territory: Sure, it’s an intriguing notion. But executing it would put Bob or Barbra into your meeting zone. Who needs them in there?

4. It conflicts with something you’re doing: Like lunch. Or vacation. Or that trip to L.A. Or whatever, right?

5. Oswald thought of it: And you hate that preening little weasel.

6. You’re an insecure weasel yourself: Other people may get the credit, and there’s only so much credit to go around!

7. It’s inconsistent with prevailing culture: In the ’80s, you had to be for excellence. In the ’90s, you had to be for greed. Now you have to like disruption and open offices. Any contradictory notions must be terminated.

8. It’s good: Good ideas are deeply threatening to the everyday run of business. They get in the way of all the other things people are doing.

That’s the motivation side. As for implementation? There are a host of ways that even the best idea can be strangled in its cradle. Here are some classics.

1. Meeting it to death: This is often referred to politely as a “Japanese no.” Meeting after meeting is held to reach absolutely no conclusion, and even if one is reached, it’s never communicated. Anybody who’s ever had a movie script “in development” can relate.

2. Depositing it with the well-meaning but powerless: Earnest subordinates generally have a lot of good ideas of their own, but a limited ability to execute them. After a time, they will produce an excellent document that can be studied until it isn’t.

3. Bigfooting it: You don’t have to be a very big yeti to step on things. You just have to have a loud opinion. A strong view is relatively rare in corporate life. Those who have one often prevail.

4. Championing it to death: Hurray for this great idea! We’ll get to it next Tuesday!

5. Shooting the messenger: There are many, many organizations that actually punish the bearer of an idea that’s not generated by an ultra-senior executive. In such places it’s best not to have ideas at all. But that doesn’t stop people, does it?

Okay, I’ll admit it. This wasn’t a totally academic exercise. Last month a guy who works for me had a smart idea. I sent him to the proper part of the organization to get it underway. But now they’ve put it in a committee of some kind. I’m told that a report is coming soon.

Screw that. There’s one thing that eradicates this kind of nonsense: an angry senior officer. That’s me. I know who to talk to. Don’t worry. It won’t take them long to get the idea. 

Full Tuition Fee LLM Scholarships, University of Warwick, UK

Full Tuition Fee LLM Scholarships, University of Warwick, UK

Full tuition fee scholarships are available for UK, EU and international students commencing LLM degree at University of Warwick – UK. There are 4 (four) scholarships available for new students with the most outstanding academic performance in law.

Relevant subject degree and work experience will also be considered. Applicants must have already hold an offer from the School of Law, University of Warwick, and meet the English language requirements. Applicants do not need to submit separate application for the scholarship. Applicants only need to email application statement outlining the reasons why you deserve the scholarship (max. 500 words).

 

Level of Education

Scholarships only available for Master degree.

Subjects or Fields of Study

Scholarships available for LLM program only.

 

Amount of Scholarships

The scholarships will cover the full tuition fee for LLM degree.

Duration of Scholarships

Scholarships are available for the duration of the program.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the scholarships, applicants must meet all the eligibility criteria below:

• Applicants must meet all the entry requirements for LLM degree program.
• Scholarships available for new students only.
• Applicants must show outstanding academic performance in law. Relevant subject degree and work experience will also be considered.
• Applicants must hold an offer from School of Law for the LLM program.
• Applicants must meet the English language requirements.

Number of Scholarships Available

4 (four) scholarships are available.

Nationality

Scholarships available for all students from any country. There is no restriction on the nationality.

Selection Criteria

Selection will be based on your academic performance. Applicants will be required to submit an application statements (max 500 words) outlining the reasons why you deserve the scholarship.

How to Apply

You must already hold the offer from School of Law for the LLM program. You then need to send an email with an application statements explaining why you deserve the scholarship (max 500 words).
Do not forget to state your Warwick student ID and your name on the application statement.

Application Deadline

The closing date is March 31, 2016.

Please take note of the deadline. Late submissions will not be entertained!

Result Notification

Successful applicants will be notified by end of May 2016.

Important Notes

• Scholarship applications from those who do not hold the offer from School of Law, University of Warwick, will not be considered.
• There is no separate application for the scholarship. You only need to email your application statements.
• DO NOT FORGET to include your Warwick student ID and your name on your application statements.

Fully Funded Master Scholarship for Student from Developing Country, University of Westminster, UK

University of Westminster is offering fully funded scholarship for a student from developing country to study Master degree at the university.

The scholarship will cover full tuition fee, stipend for living expenses, accommodation, and two-way flights to London. Applicants must hold an offer to study full time Master degree at the university. Applicants must hold First Class Honours degree or equivalent. Applicants will be assessed based on their financial need and development potential.

Level of Education

Scholarships available for Master degree only.

Subjects or Fields of Study

Scholarships available for any subject offered at the University of Westminster.

Amount of Scholarships

This scholarship program will pay full tuition fees, stipend for living expenses, accommodation, and two-way flights to London.

Duration of Scholarships

Scholarships available for the duration of your study.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the scholarships, applicants must meet all the eligibility criteria below:

• Applicants must come from a developing country.
• Applicants must meet all the entry requirements for Master degree program.
• Applicants must meet the English language requirement.
• Applicants must hold an offer to study Master program.
• Applicants must hold First Class Honours degree.
• Scholarship only available for full time students. Part time students are not eligible to apply for this scholarship.

Number of Scholarships Available

1 (one) scholarship is available for this program.

Nationality

Scholarships available for students from a developing country.

Selection Criteria

Please take note on the above eligibility criteria carefully. The team will assess you based on your nationality, degree, financial need, and development potential.

How to Apply

1. Applicants must submit application for the full time Master program.
2. Applicants must hold an offer to study at the University before applying for the scholarship.

Please check their website for further info and guidance on how to apply for this particular scholarship.

Application Deadline

The closing date for this scholarship is October 14, 2016.
Please take note of the deadline. Late or incomplete submissions will not be entertained!

Result Notification

Please contact University of Westminster for further info regarding the result.

Important Notes

• This scholarship program is only for student from developing country.
• Applicants must hold offer to study before applying for this scholarship.
• Scholarship only available for full time Master program. 

For further info please visit: www.westminster.ac.uk.