China flexes its military muscles
Recently, China moved a 4,000-ton frigate, fully armed with air-defense missiles, to the Libyan coast. This was the first time in history that a Chinese warship has been deployed in a mission as far away as the Mediterranean Sea, and perhaps the first time the Chinese have intervened in another country to launch a major humanitarian rescue mission.
By all accounts, it was an impressive effort. China successfully helped thousands of its citizens evacuate war-torn Libya. Countries that see themselves as China's competitors were a little miffed. India also had thousands of workers stranded in Libya, and the Indian government came under intense criticism for being unable to swoop in and rescue them as effectively as China did. How did the Indian government respond to such criticism?
By tweeting.
Take a look at the Twitter feed of Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao.
Scroll down a few pages and you'll see these tweets on March 1 and 2:
"We are not in competition with China here. We're focused on the task of bringing back our people safe and sound. Pl let's not devalue this."
"India has chartered ships and aircraft. Please believe me when I say this. I will not comment on the Chinese statistics..."
Sounds a bit defensive, no?
more -- http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/15/china-flexes-its-military-muscles/
more -- http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/15/china-flexes-its-military-muscles/
@guptar India has chartered ships and aircraft. Please believe me when I say this. I will not comment on the Chinese statistics...
By tonite 6177 Indians would have been evacuated from Libya. This would be 33 per cent of our people there.
@CPChinda They - other countries with their nationals held as hostages - have a similar dilemma.
@CPChinda At the cost of repeating myself - the shipping cos. negotiate with pirates - we do not. Ask any country whose nationals r held...
@vharshan thankn you. We r working on sending a ship to Misurata for evacuation.
@FullTosss Also putting in place internationally accepted systems to deal with captured pirates.
@FullTosss There are no easy solutions. Our Navy is doing a stellar job on anti-piracy front. International coop and coordination is key.
@J__K_ pl believe me. DG Shipping is dealing with the subject. The point is that they are interface with shipping cos. This is rational.
@abhi_bol It was truly saddening. Shipping companies cannot avoid responsibility. Where were their reps in the interview? Blaming gov easy.
Owner of MV Suez, owned by Egyptian company promised to take action to free hostages but nothing done. dG Shipping continues efforts.
