World’s biggest contract electronics manufacturer, the Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn has announced that the company is planning “further investments” in India—inadvertently giving a tight slap to China.
Chairman Liu Young-way told Foxconn’s annual general meeting that looking ahead, India was a bright spot for development even though there was a “certain impact” at present due to the virus.
Foxconn already makes smartphones in India for Apple Inc and Xiaomi Corp, though in March said it suspended production due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Recently, a high-level Taiwanese delegation had also sought permission from the Karnataka Government to build a Taiwanese industrial township in the state near the city of Tumakuru.
The delegation was led by the executive director of the Economic Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre (TECC) Jashon Hsu as the Taiwanese wish to build the township on the lines of similar Japanese township.
Taiwan giving it back to China
The rise of President Tsai Ing-wen has greatly scuppered China’s plans of forcefully reunifying Taiwan as the latter is increasingly slipping away from the hands of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The neighbouring country of China is looking to go toe-to-toe with it on nearly every front. From starting a full-fledged chip wars to deploying its navy to shoo off the Chinese incursions, Taiwan is not backing down any sooner.
The Chip wars have officially begun now and Taiwan is in no mood to back down. According to various news reports Taiwan’s cabinet is planning to allocate more than NT$10 billion ($335 million) to entice foreign chipmakers to set up R&D facilities within the country, locally.
To further irk China, Taiwan is now aligning with India. The country is turning towards India to shift its businesses as China continues dreaming about its nefarious expansionist policies in the region.
To show solidarity with India, a Taiwanese portal had published an image with the caption “We Conquer. We Kill.” In the photo Bhagwan Ram can be seen using his bow and quiver to attack the scaredy dragon (dragon being a euphemism for China). The photo went viral the moment it came out and showed that Taiwan was with India.
印度朋友連中印大戰精美poster都整好了https://t.co/pdU9nS6Zra
– 分享自 LIHKG 討論區 pic.twitter.com/ttl7XLPsmi— HoSaiLei🇺🇸🇬🇧🇧🇪🇯🇵🇮🇳 (@hkbhkese) June 16, 2020
The recent developments have got the red authoritarian regime worried, so much so that the Chinese government is planning to invade Taiwan.
The growing call to boycott Chinese goods
The bloody brawl in the Galwan valley of Eastern Ladakh has spurred the common Indians and the government like never before to boycott the Chinese products. Even Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, for a change, has toed the Union government’s line.
The state government of Maharashtra has put on hold three agreements totalling over Rs 5,000 crore signed with Chinese companies at the recently held Magnetic Maharashtra 2.0 investor meet.
The decision to freeze Chinese projects and scrutinise investments from China has come against the backdrop of border clashes.
At an all-party meeting, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said, “India wants peace but that doesn’t mean we are weak. China’s nature is betrayal. India is mazboot not najboor (India is strong, not helpless),” he had said.
Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), the apex body of trader’s union, has also decided to boycott Chinese goods worth more than 1 lakh crore rupees- 13 billion dollars approximately- by December 2021.
CAIT has already prepared a list of 3,000 items which includes toys, gifts, FMCG products, confectionery products, cloths and watches, as good indigenously manufactured alternatives of these items are available.
BSNL and Indian Railways lead the charge to boycott Chinese products
The Indian government itself is leading the push to boycott Chinese products, contrary to previous times when it used to be citizen-led calls. The first step by the government was to refuse market economy status to China, thus giving Indian authorities power to impose anti-dumping duty on any Chinese product.
BSNL, the state-owned telecom company, has been told to not use Chinese-made equipment in its 4G up-gradation. “The entire tender will be reworked now,” said an official.
Department of Telecom is also considering telling the private companies like Airtel and Vodafone, which use equipment made by Chinese companies, to reduce their dependence on the dragon.
Another department which actively moved to throw Chinese companies out is Indian Railways. China Railway Signal and Communication (CRSC) Corp., which was awarded the contract to install signalling in the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor in 2016 for 500 crore rupees, has been told to move out as its contract has been revoked.
Indian Railways cancels contract of Chinese Company Beijing National Research & Design Institute of Signal & Communication Group Co. LTD.
Great Start by Indian Govt 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/tmh6wFm8I3
— Dhaval Patel (@dhaval241086) June 18, 2020
Relations between Taiwan and India have been on the rise recently. Two BJP MPs attened Tsai Ing-wen’s second oath taking ceremony. Taiwan has also donated masks to India due to Coronavirus Pandemic.
Taiwan has given the world a manual on how to take on Beijing without being bogged down. What started from a charismatic mask-diplomacy from Taiwan has transformed itself into a major phenomenon. Together with Taiwan and the increasing Boycott Chinese movement, India can pin China into submission.
