Nepal, China - Current Affairs Questions and Answers

ANSWER: Chief Justice

Explanation:
Nepal’s first woman acting Chief Justice Sushila Karki has assumed office after the country received its first woman President and Speaker. Karki is the senior most judge in the Nepalese SC. She has done Masters in Political science from BHU, Varanasi. She is known for her zero tolerance approach towards corruption.

• She succeeds CJ Kalyan Shrestha
• Her formal appointment to the post was not announced through the Parliamentary Hearing Committee due to technical reasons
• She is yet to take both of office and secrecy.
• She is known for judgements allowing women to pass citizenship to children, previously open to only men.

ANSWER: Shanghai

Explanation:
China started trial operations of world's biggest automated container terminal at Yangshan Deep Water Port in Shanghai, the country's commercial hub.

The terminal is located at south of Donghai Bridge, phase 4 of Yangshan Port and covers 2.23 million square metres and has a 2,350-metre shoreline.

The automated management system is also used at port to maintain safety and efficiency.

Key Facts

• The project uses automated handling equipment designed and manufactured in China. The machinery used in loading and unloading, including bridge crane, automated guided vehicle (AGV) and rail-mounted gantry crane, are all made in China by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company.
• Initially, automated terminal will have capacity to handle 4 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) and later it will be expanded to 6.3 million TEUs at later stage.
• The automated terminal not only increases the port's handling efficiency, but also reduces carbon emissions by up to 10%.

ANSWER: Disabled

Explanation:
The High Level Inter-Governmental Mid-Point review meeting of Asia and Pacific Decade for Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022 was held in Beijing, China.

A number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region had participated in it. Indian delegation was led by Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot.

The meeting was organised by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in cooperation with China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF).

Its main objective was to review progress made by member States during Decade at mid-point in 2017 with regard to Incheon Strategy to make right real for persons with disabilities in Asia and Pacific.

It also discussed future policy action for building disabilities-inclusive societies in region, bearing in mind synergies between 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Incheon Strategy.

It also finalised declaration to address gaps and challenges in empowerment and inclusion of persons with disabilities.

The Incheon Strategy provides Asian and Pacific region and world with first set of regionally agreed disability-inclusive development goals. It has been developed over more than two years of consultations with governments and civil society stakeholders.

ANSWER: Nepal

Explanation:
Landlocked country Nepal has launched a 10 year plan to cut reliance on vegetable imports from India.

Though the western part of this nation has seen a rise in commercial vegetable farming, vegetable imports from India have continued to rise.

Region imports vegetables worth INR 55 billion each year from India.

Potatoes worth INR 370 million were annually imported. Green vegetable imports is pegged at INR 180 million.

Birgunj and Gadda Chauki are the two most important Indian trading outposts with Nepal.

Vegetable is cultivated in the following areas : Belauri, Krishnapur, Jhalari, Mahendranagar and Mahakali.

Production barely meets local demand.

The aim is to propose modern farm techniques to boost productivity, and making the country self-reliant in food.

Government has targeted making the country self-sufficient in maize and fish by the next three years.

Self reliance is sought in fruits like bananas, papaya and litchi by four years.

Towards its end, the project envisages becoming self-sufficient in fruits like kiwi, apple and orange.

Nepal Government: Know More

• Government: Federal parliamentary republic
• President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari
• Vice President: Nanda Kishor Pun
• Prime Minister: Pushpa Kamal Dahal
• Speaker of House: Onsari Gharti Magar
• Chief Justice: Sushila Karki
• Legislature: Parliament

ANSWER: London

Explanation:
The PRC or People's Republic of China launched its first freight train to London (UK) with the aim to improve trade ties and strengthen connectivity with Britain and Western Europe.

The train departed from Yiwu West Railway station in eastern Zhejiang province of China. It will travel for 18 days over 12,000 km before reaching London.

The train will also pass through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France, before reaching London.

It is carrying goods produced in Yiwu. London is the 15th city in European region added to China-Europe freight train services.

Success of the train will give impetus to China's One Belt and One Road Initiative, an infrastructure and trade network connecting Asia with Africa and EU along ancient trade routes.

One Belt and One Road Initiative: Know More

• Also known as the Silk Road Economic Belt
• Called the Belt and Road, One Belt, One Road (OBOR) or Belt and Road Initiative
• It is a 21^st Century Maritime Silk Road.
• The initiative is a development strategy and framework put in place by Chinese leader XI Jingping
• It focuses on connectivity and cooperation between China and Eurasia.
• Comprises two components namely Silk Road Economic Belt (land based) and Maritime Silk Road (ocean going).
• It was unveiled in Sept and Oct 2013 (SREB and MSR respectively).

ANSWER: Sanya to Yongle

Explanation:
China is all set to launch a new cruise ship in the disputed South China Sea's islands in Dec 2016 to promote tourism, media report indicated on 9^th Dec.

Nanhai Zhi Meng, the new cruise ship with a capacity of 893 people, will start its maiden voyage in late December.

It will conduct the cruise from Sanya to the Yongle Islands which are administered by China's newly-built city in the South China Sea called Sansha in Hainan province.

The cruise ship, owned by the Nanhai Cruises company, has finished a trial voyage

The trip will take four days, mainly visiting the islands of Yinyu, Quanfu and Yagong in the Xisha (Paracel) Islands, the report said.

The ship is scheduled to make the voyage 4-6 times each month.

SCS Dispute

• The Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam.
• These are a cluster of islets, sandbanks and reefs southeast of Hainan Island.
• They are famous for their unusual scenery and ecosystem.
• Sansha city on Yongxing, one of the Xisha islands, was founded in July 2012 by China.
• City envisages tourism as its economic engine and administers three island groups i.e. Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha.
• Along with these are surrounding SCS waters.
• Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan are the other disputants in SCS region.

ANSWER: Huachuan No. 1

Explanation:
This dock called Huachan No.1 enables the navy to return damaged ships to fighting capability in short time and was designed for being taken into combat zones. Dock can handle cruisers, submarines and destroyers but not aircraft carriers. This low cost technology is extremely innovative.

ANSWER: Dr. Salim Ali

Explanation:
An international team of scientists have described a new species of the thrush in northeastern India and adjacent parts of China. The species was distinguished by its musical song. The Himalayan Forest Thrush (Zoothera salimalii) is common in the eastern Himalaya range but was overlooked till now because of its similarity in appearance to the plain-backed thrush, now renamed as Alpine thrush. This is the first Indian bird to be named after late Dr. Salim Ali, who was closely associated with Bombay Natural History Society as researcher, honorary secretary and president. The bird has been named after him in recognition of his huge contribution to the development of modern Indian ornithology and wildlife conservation. The Himalayan Forest Thrush is only the fourth new bird species described from India by modern ornithologists since Independence. What first caught the attention of the scientists was the fact that the ones found in forests (Himalayan forest thrush) had a rather musical song, whereas those found in the same region on bare rocky habitats above the tree-line (Alpine thrush) had a much harsher, scratchier and unmusical song. A third species called Sichuan forest thrush is present in , said scientists.

ANSWER: Haryana

Explanation:
Haryana is expecting a spike in foreign investments from China following 8 MoUs being signed with top companies to establish a USD 10 billion industrial park and smart cities in the state during CM Khattar’s trip to get more investors. MoU was signed with which top Chinese companies Wanda Group, China Land Development Company Private Limited, and ZTE Corporation.

ANSWER: 2

Explanation:
Amidst deepening demographic crisis of a shrinking workforce and old population, China the world’s second largest economy has junked its controversial one child policy. Chinese lawmakers have now allowed couples to have 2 children ending the 3.5 decade old policy that prevented close to 400 million births in the nation. The new law was passed by the 159 strong National People’s Congress Standing Committee, which is a top organ of China’s parliament. China facd a demographic crisis with severe labour shortages leading to reversal of the law.