CURRENT AFFAIRS 17 OCTOBER 2019

CURRENT AFFAIRS 

17 OCTOBER 2019

BY SUMIT

IMPORTANT TOPICS IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS,

INDIAN HISTORY,INDIAN POLITY,ECONOMY AND SOCIETY,

ENVIRONMENT  for TODAY TO LOOK AT .

1.Ayodhya case(gs-1,2,3)

Context:Supreme Court reserves Ayodhya verdict after 40-day marathon hearing

2.Livestock Census 2019(gs-2)

Context:Foreign milch cows grow 32%, while no growth in desi milk-producers: Livestock Census 2019

3.Rangdum monastery(gs-1)

Context:Rangdum monastery in Kargil likely to become a monument of national importance

4.Global Hunger Index 2019(gs-1,2)

Context:Global Hunger Index 2019: India ranked lower than Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh

5.CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION(gs-2)

Context: Govt. officials violate RTI Act with impunity, says CIC

6.Joint Services Act(gs-2,3)

Context:With the government announcing the appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the ongoing Army 

7.Buddhist tourism circuits(gs-1,2)

Context:Railways’ Buddhist Circuit train covering sites in India, Nepal to run from October 19-26

8.US House approves Hong Kong bills in boost for protesters(gs-2)

9.China leases an entire Pacific island for 75 years(gs-2)

1.Ayodhya case(gs-1,2,3)

• Context:Supreme Court reserves Ayodhya verdict after 40-day marathon hearing
• The Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Wednesday reserved its judgment, after a marathon 40-day hearing, on the cross-appeals filed by the Hindu and Muslim sides challenging the three-way partition of the disputed 2.77 acres of Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land among Ram Lalla, Nirmohi Akhara and the Sunni Waqf Board in September 2010.
• The high-octane hearings between the rival sides in the legal dispute was not without drama on the final day. It had numerous lawyers vying for time to argue their points and saw senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan tear pages on his desk while the Chief Justice and the judges, who have constantly attempted to maintain peace among lawyers, even threatened to walk out if order and decorum was not restored.
• The hearings began on August 6 after a mediation attempt across the religious divide “to heal hearts and minds” failed to deliver. This is a close second to the longest heard case in the Supreme Court — the historic Kesavananda Bharati case.

The Ram Janmabhoomi- Babri Masjid dispute

• The Ram Janmabhoomi- Babri Masjid dispute has long been accompanied by a sense of apprehension.
• The dispute has been historically charged, politically divisive and communally violent, putting both the nation and the Constitution at risk.
• For many years the SC had stuck to conventional methods and abdicated its role and its recent admission that traditional legal and constitutional tools are powerless in the face of faith is only an acceptance of true socio-religious ground realities of the nation.
• The five judge constitutional bench therefore has referred the disputed case for mediation as in the eyes of CJI- the case is not about property, but about the mind, heart and healing-if possible.
• The mediation path however has attracted a few concerns like all other attempts made at resolving the issue has.

Issue Through The Lens of Time

 

• A section of Hindus claims that the disputed land in the present-day Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh is the site of Rama's birthplace where the Babri Masjid once stood.
• The mosque was constructed during 1528-29 by demolishing the Hindu shrine by Mir Baqi, a commander of the Mughal Emperor Babur.
• The political, historical and socio-religious debate over the history and location of the Babri Mosque, and whether a previous temple was demolished or modified to create it, is known as the Ayodhya dispute.
• In 1992, the demolition of Babri Masjid by Hindu nationalists triggered widespread Hindu-Muslim violence.
• Since then, the archaeological excavations have indicated the presence of a temple beneath the mosque rubble, but whether the structure was a Rama shrine (or a temple at all) remains disputed.
The Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Wednesday reserved its judgment, after a marathon 40-day hearing, on the cross-appeals filed by the Hindu and Muslim sides challenging the three-way partition of the disputed 2.77 acres of Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land among Ram Lalla, Nirmohi Akhara and the Sunni Waqf Board in September 2010. The high-octane hearings between the rival sides in the legal dispute was not without drama on the final day. It had numerous lawyers vying for time to argue their points and saw senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan tear pages on his desk while the Chief Justice and the judges, who have constantly attempted to maintain peace among lawyers, even threatened to walk out if order and decorum was not restored. The hearings began on August 6 after a mediation attempt across the religious divide “to heal hearts and minds” failed to deliver. This is a close second to the longest heard case in the Supreme Court — the historic Kesavananda Bharati case.

The Judicial Path to Mediation

• Despite many groups opposing a negotiated settlement, the Supreme Court has made it clear that an attempt should be made to settle the dispute by mediation.
• Supreme Court has power under Section 89 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) which allows the court to refer any dispute to non-adjudicatory resolution processes.
• The court under section 89 of CPC has four types of well established dispute resolution methods other than litigation, namely – arbitration, conciliation, judicial settlement (including settlement through Lok Adalat), or mediation.
• The Supreme Court also overruled its previous two judge’s judgment in Afcons infrastructure and Ors. v. Cherian Verkay Construction and Ors (2010), where it maintained that mediation cannot be done in a representative suit which involves public interest or the interest of large number of persons who are not represented in the court.
• Supreme Court has ruled that it is free to consider and decide upon any non-adjudicatory resolution method other than arbitration such as judicial settlement or mediation.

Significance of the SC’s Decision

• The decision reflects that Babri Masjid dispute is not really an explosive issue affecting the religious sentiments of millions of Hindus and Muslims as has been portrayed.
• Any such portrayal can only be called only an attempt at creating political myths of various kinds at the hustings for electoral advantage.
• Handful of parties claiming to represent Hindus and Muslims are not the true representative of their communities as a lot of people in the nation feel that the issue is not a life-affirming issue for the masses, who are more concerned about jobs, poverty alleviation, affordable housing, health care and education.
• The decision highlights the resolve of the judiciary to solve the Ayodhya dispute which for so long has stalled the country’s socio-economic growth.

Roadblocks in the Mediation Process

• One of the biggest challenges faced by mediation process is the fear of minorities is that if they give up their claim on the Babri Masjid, Hindu groups would ask for other “disputed” lands to be handed over.
• The question is also over the neutrality of the mediators which is of paramount importance in any type of mediation, as a mediator is a neutral third party who facilitates a negotiated settlement between adversarial contenders.
• Any bias in favour of disputants belonging to one religion is bound to create communal ripples which will only corrode litigant parties’ trust from this entire exercise.
• There is a chance that any decision arrived through the mediation process might not be welcomed by one or the other parties and could foster resentment.
• The mandate of mediation is also unclear; any effort at reconciling parties would mean defeat of truth, justice or due process.

An Amicable Solution

• An attempt at allaying the fears of minorities by Hindu groups would not only increase the chances of solving the long standing dispute but would also serve as an example of confidence building amongst the minorities.
• Supreme Court should appoint mediators who are tested of their integrity and those who are well accepted by all the parties.
• The issue inherently has religious angle, and to appease these sentiments there is a larger need to address the issue of communalism, concept of citizenship and nationhood.
• Any attempt at mediation should be an expression of a common hope for the better future and not a reminder of sectarian divisions.
• The mediation should overcome the limitation of its framing and should arrive at a solution where no one community emerges victorious but where Indian constitutional values and democratic secular ethos reign supreme

2.Livestock Census 2019(gs-2)

• Context:Foreign milch cows grow 32%, while no growth in desi milk-producers: Livestock Census 2019
• The Centre’s drive to increase indigenous breeds of cattle seems to have had little impact among cows kept for dairy purposes, according to data from the 20th Livestock Census released on Wednesday. There are 4.85 crore desi (native) milch cows in the country, less than 1% higher than the 4.81 crore population in the last census in 2012.
• On the other hand, the milch population of exotic and crossbred cattle — including varieties such as Jersey or Holsteins which have much higher milk yields — saw a whopping growth of 32% over the last seven years, growing from 1.9 crore to 2.5 crore animals.

Why is livestock census crucial for India?

• India leads the world in livestock population at 125.5 crore.
• Livestock is not only an integral part of the agriculture economy supporting the rural livelihood.
• It is also a fundamental element of India's socio-cultural setting.
• India's cultural heritage endows great importance to owning and rearing livestock as an inseparable part of an inclusive universe.
• Accurate, reliable data therefore become inevitable for planning and development of the sector.
• Livestock Census is thus immensely useful for policymakers, planners and academics.
• The importance of a livestock census was first recognised in 1919, 47 years after human counting was started in 1872.

What are the challenges involved?

• Enormity - Enumerating animals in every village and ward is more voluminous than enumerating the human population.
• Capturing such wide and varied information across numerous species is extremely difficult and cumbersome.
• Human resource - Livestock Census continues to be an elaborate, complex and daunting exercise with just about 50,000 enumerators and 10,000 supervisors.
• This is a low number compared to the nearly 25 lakh involved in the human Census.
• Details - Data to support policy and planning should be robust and meaningful.
• Merely counting and compiling the absolute numbers would be a sub-optimal use of such a laborious exercise.
• So, what is also being captured is the breed of each animal along with sex, age, productivity, use, etc.
• Institutional - Feeder livestock is counted by no permanent administrative institution.
• As a result of this, livestock census lacks bare resources and the quinquennial (every five years) Livestock Census becomes a burden.
• It goes unnoticed as general awareness about it stays low, especially in urban areas.
• With general elections around, the current animal count exercise across the country has been pushed further.

What are the key features of the current census?

• These include mithun, yak, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, mules, donkeys, camels, dogs, rabbits, elephants and poultry birds.
• 82 breeds of cattle and 26 breeds of buffaloes are being captured with further data on sex, age.
• Similarly, 52 breeds of goats and 84 breeds of sheep are being recorded along with other parameters.
• The census is counting stray and abandoned animals as well.
• It also categorises animals on the basis of purposes such as that for breeding, draught, milk, calving, etc.
• Other supporting and supplementary data on the owners of livestock are also being collected and compiled.
• These include information on occupation, income, landholding, education, etc. to support holistic planning.
• Tools - The ongoing Census is increasingly harnessing the technological innovations of the digital age.
• The aim is to streamline the process and eliminate error, and to create a high-quality database.
• There is complete elimination of paper, which has been replaced with tablet computers with which enumerators capture data.
• They then upload it to the server after online validation by the supervisor, resulting in real-time compilation and updating.
• The National Informatics Centre has developed the Android-based mobile application with various features of data entry module.
• The software enables simultaneous monitoring of the operations.
• It also facilitates developing various analytical reports useful for a dynamic planning process for an equally dynamic livestock sector.

3.Rangdum monastery(gs-1)

• Context:Rangdum monastery in Kargil likely to become a monument of national importance
• A Buddhist monastery in Ladakh in Kargil district could soon be given Central protection as the Archaeological Survey of India on Tuesday invited objections or suggestions on declaring the Rangdum monastery a monument of national importance.
• Last month, Tourism and Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel had visited Leh to look into the opportunities for expansion of tourism in Ladakh. According to sources, the Centre was looking at bringing more monuments in the region under protection, after its decision to split Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories — J&K and Ladakh.
• While that decision comes into effect on October 31, the ASI’s notification on Tuesday gave notice for declaring the Rangdum Monastery in “District Kargil, Union Territory Ladakh” a monument of national importance. The ASI invited comments till two months from the notification, after which the monastery could be declared to be of national importance, making it a Centrally-protected site

Rangdum monastery:

• Rangdum Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery belonging to the Gelugpa sect, situated on top of a small but steep sugarloaf hill at an altitude of 4,031 m (13,225 ft) at the head of the Suru Valley, in Ladakh. It is next to the tiny village of Julidok, and about 25 km from the 4,400 m (14,436 ft) Pensi La (pass), which leads into Zanskar
• According to an inscription the monastery was built by Gelek Yashy Takpa during the reign of King Tsewang Mangyul of Ladakh about 200 years ago.
• Although it is physically in the Suru Valley, it is culturally part of Zanskar.
• Because one cannot count on crops being harvested due to the brief summer, both the village and the monastery depend on supplies, other than locally produced dairy, brought up the largely barren Suru Valley, or over the 4,400 metre (14,436 ft) Pensi La pass from Zanskar.
• The monastery is home to about 30 monks and almost as many donkeys

4.Global Hunger Index 2019(gs-1,2)

• Context:Global Hunger Index 2019: India ranked lower than Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh

• India is ranked 102 of 117 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2019, behind its neighbours Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
• Seventeen countries, including Belarus, Ukraine, Turkey, Cuba and Kuwait, shared the top rank with GHI scores of less than five, the website of the Global Hunger Index that tracks hunger and malnutrition said. The report, prepared jointly by Irish aid agency Concern Worldwide and German organisation Welt Hunger Hilfe termed the level of hunger in India “serious”.
• In 2018, it was ranked 103 out of 119 countries. In 2000, the country was ranked 83 out of 113 countries. Now, with 117 countries in the fray, it has dropped to 102.
• Its GHI score has also decelerated — from 38.9 in 2005 to 32 in 2010 and then from 32 to 30.3 between 2010 and 2019. The GHI score is calculated on four indicators — undernourishment; child wasting, the share of children under the age of five who are wasted (that is, who have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition); child stunting, children under the age of five who have low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition; and child mortality, the mortality rate of children under the age of five.
• The share of wasting among children in India rose from 16.5% in the 2008-2012 period to 20.8% in 2014-2018, according to the report.
• Just 9.6% of all children between 6 and 23 months of age are fed a “minimum acceptable diet”, it said. “India’s child wasting rate is extremely high at 20.8%, the highest for any country in this report,” it said.
• Countries like Yemen and Djibouti, which are conflict-ridden and facing severe climate issues respectively, fared better than India on that front, according to the report.
• Neighbouring countries like Nepal (73), Sri Lanka (66), Bangladesh (88), Myanmar (69) and Pakistan (94) are also in the ‘serious’ hunger category, but have fared better at feeding its citizens than India, according to the report. China (25) has moved to a ‘low’ severity category and Sri Lanka is in the ‘moderate’ severity category.
• However, India has shown improvement in other indicators such as the under-5 mortality rate, prevalence of stunting among children and prevalence of undernourishment owing to inadequate food, the report said.
• The report also mentions the central government’s Swachh Bharat programme, saying open defecation is still being practised

5.CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION(gs-2)

• Context: Govt. officials violate RTI Act with impunity, says CIC
• Chief Information Commissioner Sudhir Bhargava has accused government officials of violating the Right to Information Act with impunity, taking advantage of court orders that they cannot be penalised except in cases of mala fide intent.
• He was speaking at a public meeting for users of the RTI Act, organised by the Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS) on Wednesday, when retired Supreme Court judge Madan Lokur emphasised the need for penalties to be imposed against the officials who delay or wrongly deny information under the Act.

CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION:
How is Central Information Commission constituted?

• Under the provision of Section-12 of RTI Act 2005 the Central Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute a body to be known as the Central Information Commission.
• Composition: The Central Information Commission shall consist of the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and such number of Central Information Commissioners not exceeding 10 as may be deemed necessary.

What is the eligibility criteria and what is the process of appointment of CIC/IC?

• Section 12(3) of the RTI Act 2005 provides as follows.
• The Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of a committee consisting of
• The Prime Minister, who shall be the Chairperson of the committee.
• The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
• A Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister.

Who can be CIC and ICs?

• Section 12(5) of the RTI Act 2005 provides that the Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners shall be persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance.
• Section 12(6) of the RTI Act 2005 provides that Chief Information Commissioner or an Information Commissioner shall not be a Member of Parliament or Member of the Legislature of any State or Union Territory as the case may be, or hold any other office of profit or connected with any political party or carrying on any business or pursuing any profession.

What is the term of office and other service conditions of CIC?

• Section 13 of the RTI Act 2005 provides that the Chief Information Commissioner shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office and shall not be eligible for reappointment:
• Section 13(5)(a) of the RTI Act 2005 provides that the salaries and allowances payable to and other terms and conditions of service of the Chief Information Commissioner shall be the same as that of the Chief Election Commissioner.

What is the term of office and other service conditions of IC?

• Section 13(2) of the RTI Act 2005 provides that the Information Commissioner shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office and shall not be eligible for reappointment as such Information Commissioners provided.
• Provided that every Information Commissioner shall on vacating his office under this sub-section be eligible for appointment as the Chief Information Commissioner in the manner specified in sub-section (3) of section 12 of the RTI Act 2005:
• Provided further that where the Information Commissioner is appointed as the Chief Information Commissioner, his term of office shall not be more than five years in aggregate as the Information Commissioner and the Chief Information Commissioner.
• Section 13(5)(b) of the RTI Act 2005 provides that the salaries and allowances payable to and other terms and conditions of service of an Information Commissioner shall be the same as that of an Election Commissioner.

6.Joint Services Act(gs-2,3)

• Context:With the government announcing the appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the ongoing Army Commanders Conference (ACC) discussed the need for creating arrangements to enable effective integration, Army sources said on Wednesday.
• “The government has approved CDS. There is need for creating arrangements and structures to synergise and which can pave way for effective integration. The ACC discussed requirement of a Joint Services Act. Currently each Service has an individual Act passed by Parliament,” a source said. A Joint Services Act on approval by the government will facilitate faster integration, the source said.
• While no recommendations are being sent to the government, officials said a broad report on the deliberations and outcomes of the ACC is sent to the government.

• As per sources, the Defence Ministry has formed a panel of top bureaucrats and officials from the three services to deliberate on the creation of the CDS post subsequent to Modi''s announcement.
• The top Commanders also discussed about operational readiness of the Indian Army including its artillery ammunition inventory. The inventory has been shored up recently with the import of 155-mm excalibur artillery ammunition from the US and the process is underway to induct the 155-mm Dhanush Towed Gun System.
• Officials said it has been further decided that the system of Honour Code, which instills moral and ethical standards in officers, will soon be rolled out.
• Other issues that were discussed in the conference include those pertaining to human resources development and employment like selection of non-empanelled officers for foreign and UN postings, the issue of ex-servicemen status for Military Nursing Officers, pensions for emergency commissioned officers in 1965 and 1971 as well as enhanced grants for those invalidated out of service within ten years owing to injuries and disabilities.

7.Buddhist tourism circuits(gs-1,2)

• Context:Railways’ Buddhist Circuit train covering sites in India, Nepal to run from October 19-26
• The Railways will run its first Buddhist Circuit train from this Saturday to October 26 covering sites related to Gautam Buddha in India and Nepal.
• IRCTC will run the train covering destinations like Lumbini, where Buddha was born; Bodhgaya, where he gained enlightenment; Sarnath, where he gave his first sermon; and Kushinagar, where he attained nirvana, the Railways said in a statement.

Buddhist tourism circuits

• Ministry of Tourism has decided to expand Buddhist tourism circuit under Swadesh Darshan Scheme to 21 more states to make it India’s first trans-national tourist circuit. Earlier it was envisaged only to seven major Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Key Facts 

• Now, Ministry of Tourism has identified stupas and viharas in these 21 states, around which small intra-state Buddhist zones will be developed. The states now that will be covered includes Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, West Bengal, Goa, Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir. The expansion of Buddhist tourism circuit aims to catch new-age Buddhist tourists from the West, besides those from traditional markets in South East Asia. The ministry is in talks with World Bank and Japanese government for funding of infrastructure projects connected with Buddhist tourism circuit. It also plans to involve the private sector in building tourism infrastructure pertaining to the circuit

Swadesh Darshan Scheme

•  The Union Ministry of Tourism had launched the Swadesh Darshan Scheme in 2014-15 with an aim to develop theme based tourist circuits in the country. These tourist circuits will be developed on principles of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability in an integrated manner. They will be developed by synergizing efforts to focus on concerns and needs of all stakeholders to enrich tourist experience and enhance employment opportunities. Under this scheme, 13 thematic circuits have been identified for development. They are Buddhist Circuit, North-East India Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit and Heritage Circuit.

8.US House approves Hong Kong bills in boost for protesters(gs-2)

• The House of Representatives in the United States on Tuesday passed legislation to show support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, drawing swift condemnation from China, which said its relationship with the US would be damaged if the bills were to become law. 
• The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which protesters had urged legislators to pass, would end the Chinese city's special trading status with the US unless the State Department certified annually that the authorities were respecting human rights and the rule of law.
• A second measure, the Protect Hong Kong Act, would bar commercial exports of military and crowd-control items such as teargas.
• The third is a non-binding resolution recognising Hong Kong's relationship to the US, condemning Beijing's "interference" in its affairs, and supporting the right of the city's residents to protest.
• China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement it was "resolutely opposed" to the bills and urged US legislators to stop interfering in Hong Kong. It has accused "external forces" of heightening months of unrest in the semi-autonomous city.
• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the bills important reminders of US support for human rights in the face of significant commercial interests in China.

9.China leases an entire Pacific island for 75 years(gs-2)

• Context:
• The island of Tulagi served as a South Pacifi c headquarters for Britain and then Japan. During Second World War, its natural deepwater harbour across from Guadal- canal made it a military gem soldiers fought and died for.
•  
• Now Tulagi, part of the Solomon Islands, is about to move into Chinese hands. Under a secretive deal signed last month with a provincial government in the South Pacific nation, a Beijing­based company with close ties to the Chinese Communist Party has se- cured exclusive development rights for the entire is- land of over 1,000 people and its surroundings.
•  The lease agreement has shocked Tulagi residents and alarmed U.S. officials who see the island chains of the South Pacific as crucial to keeping China in check and protecting important sea routes.
• Infrastructure plans Signed on September 22, the agreement includes provisions for a fishery base, an operations centre, and “the building or enhancement of the airport.” Though there are no confirmed oil or gas reserves in the Solomons, the agreement also notes that China Sam is interested in building an oil and gas terminal. These are just the explicit possibilities. The document also states that the government will lease all of Tulagi and the surrounding islands in the province for the development of “a special economic zone or any other industry that is suitable for any development.” The provincial governor who signed the deal, Stanley Maniteva, could not be reached for comment. Not- ing that laws and landowner rights would be respected, he told local reporters this week that the agreement had not been completed. A military installation would carry strategic and symbolic significance. Some U.S. officials believe China’s 
• efforts in the region echo the period before and during the Second World War, when Japan wrested control of island assets, which were won back in turn by American and Australian troops in bloody battles. But it is also a matter of feasibility: China goes where there is value and interest. With the U.S. pulling back in much of the world under President Donald Trump’s America First policy, Beijing is often knocking on doors left open.

Infrastructure plans 

• Signed on September 22, the agreement includes provisions for a fishery base, an operations centre, and “the building or enhancement of the airport.” Though there are no confirmed oil or gas reserves in the Solomons, the agreement also notes that China Sam is interested in building an oil and gas terminal. These are just the explicit possibilities.
•  The document also states that the government will lease all of Tulagi and the surrounding islands in the province for the development of “a special economic zone or any other in- dustry that is suitable for any development.” 
• The provincial governor who signed the deal, Stanley Maniteva, could not be reached for comment. Noting that laws and landowner rights would be respected, he told local reporters this week that the agreement had not been completed. A military installation would carry strategic and symbolic significance. 
• Some U.S. officials believe China’s efforts in the region echo the period before and during the Second World War, when Japan wrested control of island assets, which were won back in turn by American and Australian troops in bloody battles. 
• But it is also a matter of feasibility: China goes where there is value and interest. With the U.S. pulling back in much of the world under President Donald Trump’s America First policy, Beijing is often knocking on doors left open.