Marriage decree

Sir — Forced marriages at gunpoint are not just a thing of the Indian heartland. Recently, a Chinese company issued a notice requiring its unmarried and divorced employees to tie the knot by September 2025. The notice came with a warning that all those who would remain single after the deadline would be terminated. Even though the company withdrew the notice after public backlash, the rationale behind the notice was even more confounding. Besides the need to address the problem of China’s falling birth rate, the company aimed at inculcating the values of diligence, kindness and righteousness through the directive. One wonders whether marriage is the only way to instil such a value system. Moreover, how can intimidation count as a righteous measure?

Anindyo Sen,
Noida

Tit for tat

Sir — By announcing 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico — these came into effect from Tuesday — the president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, has put global markets on edge and set the stage for a devastating trade war (“Superpowers escalate trade war”, Mar 5). With China and Canada retaliating to Trump’s tariffs by imposing taxes on US imports, it could further escalate tensions and exacerbate economic challenges. However, Trump had made it clear that the reason behind the tariffs on Mexico and Canada was to address illegal immigration and drug trafficking. There is thus a possibility that Trump might call off these tariffs if the US economy suffers.

M. Jeyaram,
Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu

Sir — Donald Trump has criticised the high tariffs charged by countries like India and China as “very unfair” and announced reciprocal tariffs on them. The US plans to impose equivalent tariffs on countries that levy high duties on American goods. The new tariffs, which will take effect from April, are in line with Trump’s long-standing belief that global trade rules have inconvenienced the US.

Bhagwan Thadani,
Mumbai

Sir — Prabhat Patnaik’s article, “Adverse effects” (Mar 5), is worth reading, especially for policymakers. The outcome of Donald Trump’s tariff war needs to be watched closely by the world. India’s policies benefit only a small, affluent section of the population. If India decides to frame policies to empower the 100 crore-poor population, it can become an enviable market for foreign players. The growth benefits of such a policy would bridge the gap between the privileged and the unprivileged. But for such a policy to become a reality, we need to elect a government that believes in inclusivity.

A.G. Rajmohan,
Andhra Pradesh

Help withdrawn

Sir — The suspension of military aid to Kyiv by the United States of America has infused a sense of urgency among the European nations to unitedly stand behind the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and continue military support to him to fight the Russian forces (“Tiff fallout: Trump halts military aid to Ukraine”, Mar 5). Trump sees a resolution to the Ukraine war as an opportunity to secure alternative sources of critical minerals that would reduce the US’s dependence on China.

So far, India has maintained a policy of neutrality in the Ukraine war and has rooted for a resolution through dialogue and diplomacy. India has managed to strike a balance between protecting its interests and taking a nuanced position on emerging geopolitics.

Khokan Das,
Calcutta

Sir — Donald Trump’s decision to stop military aid to Ukraine is based on the administration’s policy that the US cannot continue to fund others’ wars indefinitely. Recently, Russia outrightly rejected the idea of the presence of British peacekeepers in Ukraine in a post-ceasefire scenario. It seems that even if the peace deal is signed by Volodymyr Zelensky, it will become challenging for Trump to make Vladimir Putin agree to his new conditions. While Trump is impatient to end the war, Putin is not. It is time for the West to unite to bring Moscow to heel.

R.S. Narula,
Patiala

Sir — Days after the heated exchange between Volodymyr Zelensky on the one hand and Donald Trump and J.D. Vance on the other in the Oval Office, the US decided to temporarily suspend the delivery of military aid to Ukraine. This has put Zelensky in a tight spot. A greenhorn in public life, Zelensky seems to be unaware of the harsh reality that a relatively weaker party, with no leverage of any kind, is not in a position to demand resolution entirely on its terms. He failed to realise that he cannot fight the war with Russia without support from the US.

S.K. Choudhury,
Bengaluru

Creative theft

Sir — The editorial, “Modern magpie” (Mar 2), reflected on the implications of Artificial Intelligence for copyright. The proposed law in the United Kingdom that will allow AI companies to use publicly available content without respecting copyright threatens artists’ rights. Creators should not bear the burden of opting out; rather, AI companies should seek permission before using their work. But in the digital age, it is impossible to prevent AI from accessing online content. Instead of restricting AI, the government should rethink how artists are compensated. A potential solution can be a licensing system where AI companies pay creators for using their work.

Nilachal Roy,
Siliguri

Sir — The proposed changes to the UK’s copyright laws have caused an uproar in the creative world. The release of a silent album by top musicians as a protest is significant. The ability of AI to modify an original creation and generate apparently new content borders on plagiarism. It is thus imperative to demarcate a red line between the concepts of inspiration and imitation.

Prasun Kumar Dutta,
West Midnapore