Welcome to European Tribune. It's gone a bit quiet around here these days, but it's still going.

China: Crash Course Into Unknown

by Oui Wed Mar 16th, 2022 at 02:03:15 PM EST

Not satisfied with destroying the Russian Federation and its people ...

EU-China Strike Investment Deal | Dec 31st, 2020

After long years of Brexit negotiations, four years of American intransigence under Donald Trump, sanctions imposed on NATO allies, ambassadors with a political agenda w/o experience in diplomacy from the School of Pompeo, flaunting International Law, choice for MAGA and ending policy of multilateralism ... even the election of Democrat Joe Biden will be insufficient to believe American ways will change bound by a destructive U.S. Congress.

After the recent trade deal with Japan, the EU again sets a priority in Asia with this EU-China deal. The lame duck president is AWOL spending most of his time on the Mar-a-lago golfcourse. His Twitter feed is filled with election fraud garbage.


Watch, Read: China 'Executing Some Nefarious Activities' in Indo-Pacific | Air Force Mag - March 15, 2022 |

Retired Lt. Gen. Bruce "Orville" Wright, president of the Air Force Association, hosts a discussion with Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach, commander of Pacific Air Forces and Lt. Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, deputy Chief of Space Operations for operations, cyber, and nuclear titled "China: The Pacing Challenge" during the AFA Warfare Symposium on March 3, 2022. Watch the video or read the transcript below. 

Retired Lt. Gen. Bruce "Orville" Wright, president of the Air Force Association: Well, good morning, and let's just keep it rolling here. It's an honor for me this morning, first of all, to thank all of you for being with us, to being in the fight. As we all know, there's a ton of concern right now about the Ukraine. And that's understandable. But it's certainly also important to remember that Russia stretches from Europe to the Pacific, and its border with China is the sixth-largest in the entire world. In the Pacific, of course, China is the pacing challenge to U.S. and allied interests, and also a complex economic partner, and now a major peer military threat.

China really is the giant panda in the room. It has advanced its nuclear, air, space, sea and land-based capabilities. In fact, China has built its modern force to directly disrupt our American way of war. And as we all know, its ambitions are immense. China is on a path to surpass the United States in stealth, hypersonic weapons, artificial intelligence and information dominance and more. So who better to talk about the warfighting challenges in the Pacific today than our panelists. Gen. Ken "Cruiser" Wilsbach, U.S. Air Force, Commander, Pacific Air Forces, and Lt. Gen. Chance Saltzman, U.S. Space Force. He's our deputy chief of operations; that includes also cyber and nuclear. So gentlemen, if you'll please join me on the stage we'll get this rolling.

Well, let's start with Gen. Wilsbach. And we'll stay at the unclassified level, which may be a challenge. I think the world should know, and there's certainly plenty of open source information, how do you currently view the state of the strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific between the U.S. and China?

I would like to just address, you know, why is it that we're, we're having this competition? Well, it's because China, the pacing threat, is executing some nefarious activities. And they've been doing this for years, you know, from predatory lending practices, to promising democratic principles to be allowed in Hong Kong, and then taking it back and making it illegal to have those activities, to take over territory illegally in the South China Sea and in building new territory outside of their territorial waters. And then saying, that's China, it's always been China, a revisionist history, to incurring on other people's property.

And then most recently, supporting, you know, an unprovoked invasion, or at least, at least the beginning of that, and supporting Russia, in manufacturing, the rationale for that unprovoked. And so they seem to be on the wrong, the wrong side of just about every issue with respect to a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is our objective. And so as you look at, you know, the nature of your question of, you know, how, how's it going? And what are we doing? That's the reason why we're there.

I suppose you need dumba$$ people especially in the military, but they should always be subject to civilian policy and not the other way around. Similar state of affairs with NATO Command in Europe under Gen. Breedlove. His big mouth rhetoric undermined every bit of diplomacy ... running the show in Europe and the EU. Throwing Europe to the economic wolves of Wall Street and pure capitalism as the US ends globalization of economies and follow Trump's path of MAGA. Not our values and too much violence in American society with too little knowledge of global affairs, history and acceptance of other cultures.

Pacific Air Forces Welcomes New Commander

No matter the aircraft, all eyes are on the stage--and with a simple, simulated "pass" of the guidon, a final salute, a first salute and the words, "Sir, I relinquish command," and, "Sir, I assume command," Wilsbach is now the commander of Pacific Air Forces.

Those words and the authority and responsibility conveyed in them have been said many times throughout history. Dating back to the Continental Army of the United States, the change of command ceremony has survived as an integral part of the Air Force heritage to this day.

As the 36th COMPACAF, Wilsbach now oversees approximately 46,000 Airmen, serving principally in Japan, South Korea, Hawaii, Alaska and Guam. PACAF's area of responsibility is home to 60% of the world's population in 36 nations spread across 53% of the Earth's surface and 16 time zones, with more than 1,000 spoken languages. The command oversees nine Air Force installations and three Numbered Air Forces.

In his speech, Wilsbach previewed a few of his priorities for PACAF, including readiness and resilience of the force, working with allies and partners, supporting Airmen and their families, and coordinating with other components in the theater.

Posted in diary - Blinken Sounding Out EU Appetite for War | Jan. 24, 2022 |

    War is imminent ... all signs are on RED alert. War rhetoric got a boost over the weekend and the Sunday Talk Shows.  Hear all arguments from historic non-value which have been debunked. Getting the people ready for extended hostilities in New Europe ... the Bucharest Nine in the lead with anti-Russia propaganda. Most Western EU nations will swallow the war bullshit. A decade of intensifying pressure on Russia ... we'll make Russia a pariah  state. Signed the NATO states of warmongers who got a second wind after the attacks on America by the Saudi jihadists of Osama Bin Laden ... grown in the shadow of Pakistan in the 1980s in Afghanistan. The nations responsible staying in the dark: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, United States, United Kingdom and Australia. Success to get the former Soviet Union out of the Kingdom of Afghanistan, soon to be replaced by a young, idealistic Taliban regime. We are living in a dark chapter of a declining democracy as authoritarian and totalitarian regimes win space.

Western Media and Blatant Disinformation

US fails to trap China over Ukraine at Yang-Sullivan meeting | Global Times |

On the same day as a seven-hour meeting between senior Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Rome on Monday which was described by some media outlets as "intense," US Air Force General Kenneth Wilsbach blatantly threatened to teach China a lesson from the Ukraine situation, which could be applied to the Taiwan question. Such conceit was defied by the first direct high-level engagement between Chinese and US officials over the situation in Ukraine on which Washington had tried to misguide Beijing to serve its own interests, although failing to do so as the Chinese side stressed its consistent stance on the issue and urged the US side to correct its wrong words and deeds. 

Ahead of the meeting, the US has been constantly spreading disinformation about China's role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and some US officials tried to mix the Ukraine crisis with the Taiwan question, trying to hijack China over the issues and portraying a false image of the "China-Russia alliance." All these ill-intentioned tactics, in the eyes of Chinese experts, reflect little goodwill from the US for constructive talks while its contradiction between its words and deeds dampens the prospects of a healthy and stable China-US relationship. 

Hours after the meeting between Yang and Sullivan finished, China released an 850-word readout reiterating its stance on core issues such as the Taiwan question and the current situation in Ukraine. In rejecting Washington's continuous pressure on misleading Beijing over the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Yang called for taking a long-term view, actively advocating a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, encouraging relevant parties to conduct equal-footed dialogue, and set up a balanced, effective and sustainable European security framework based on the principle of indivisible security in a bid to preserve peace in Europe and around the world.

"The Chinese side resolutely opposes any words and deeds that spread false information, or distort and discredit China's position," he said. 

Harry S. Truman discusses his experience having to relieve General Douglas MacArthur from duty in Korea and MacArthur's service in Japan. He also discusses how some generals of the past (and likely in the future) have thought they were bigger than the President.

The dismissal of Gen. MacArthur

President Truman relieves General MacArthur of duties in Korea

In perhaps the most famous civilian-military confrontation in the history of the United States, President Harry S. Truman relieves General Douglas MacArthur of command of the U.S. forces in Korea. The firing of MacArthur set off a brief uproar among the American public, but Truman remained committed to keeping the conflict in Korea a "limited war."

Problems with the flamboyant and egotistical General MacArthur had been brewing for months. In the early days of the war in Korea (which began in June 1950), the general had devised some brilliant strategies and military maneuvers that helped save South Korea from falling to the invading forces of communist North Korea. As U.S. and United Nations forces turned the tide of battle in Korea, MacArthur argued for a policy of pushing into North Korea to completely defeat the communist forces. Truman went along with this plan, but worried that the communist government of the People's Republic of China might take the invasion as a hostile act and intervene in the conflict. In October 1950, MacArthur met with Truman and assured him that the chances of a Chinese intervention were slim. 

The military brass should be made clear that in an unstable world, words do matter. Insubordination to civilian leadership whether in the White House or in Paris or in Berlin cannot be tolerated. Unfortunately, the EU-27 does not have a voice, at least I do not recognize a European identity. I was taught alliances based on blind trust will be doomed to worst case scenario and war in the end. Make peace ☮️ is so much simpler than to return to a ceasefire after hostilities have caused havoc.

The crisis in Europe should have been resolved by willingness to talk and diplomacy. We miss a leader like Angela Merkel ...

Trumpism: a disfigured Americanism

      This land is your land, this land is my land From the California to the New York island From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters This land was made for you and me As I went walking that ribbon of highway I saw above me that endless skyway And saw below me that golden valley This land was made for you and me

When the American "Troubadour" Woody Guthrie composed the lyrics of "This Land Is Your Land" in 1940, he had just completed one of his major migrations, the trans-continental journey from California to New York, in search of job and shelter. He protested the Dust Bowl experiences in his adulthood, imagined an idyllic America where everyone has a place, and sought social justice in an environment characteristic of inequality, discrimination, and exclusion. Guthrie sang from his soul a land that flattens social hierarchies and erases divides between us and them. It is an ideal and dream land for a horizontal America.

In an unimpeded and sweeping horizontality, "from California to New York island," everywhere is replete with bright colors and fresh air, celebrating this land and singing the symphony of American voices. Guthrie's song sings of an equalizing Americanism. Clearly, he envisions a paradisiacal land where the most impossible dream can come true. That is the American Dream, meant for all of us, regardless of race, creed, color or gender. The horizontal perspective is also a precursor of Martin Luther King's dream that one day we all cross racial barriers and level cultural hierarchies and be judged by the content of our character not the color of our skin, and that a racially harmonious and interconnected society define America.

However, between dream and reality there is always a distance. It has been the vertical America building walls and blocking the views. In a divisive and combative time like the Trump era that we are presently living, bigotry, hate, and intolerance distance Guthrie's American Dream even further from Trump's American reality. In fact, we find ourselves catapulted into an abyss that separates the two Americas: one envisioned by Guthrie and one enacted by Trump. While both claiming American values and interests, the question becomes: which one is the true and undistorted Americanism?

President Dwight Eisenhower spoke to the nation in a farewell address on January 17, 1961. The address, sometimes referred to as the "Military-Industrial Complex Speech", is considered by some to be one of the most significant speeches of the Eisenhower presidency.

Handling the Suez crisis ...

Eisenhower and the Suez Canal Crisis

In response, the Egyptians negotiated an even larger arms purchase from Soviet-dominated Czechoslovakia. Shaped by a Cold War mentality, American policy makers in the 1950s mistrusted any neutral nation that did business with a communist regime.

Nasser further strained his relationship with the United States in March 1956 when he extended diplomatic recognition to the People's Republic of China. In reality, Nasser trusted the Soviet Union no more than he trusted the Western powers, and the Eisenhower administration consistently overestimated the appeal of communism in the Arab world.

U.S. Joe Biden Will Defend Taiwan

Earlier diary ...

Quad In Past Tense


Display:


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 16th, 2022 at 02:04:12 PM EST
Earthquake M 7.3 - 57 km ENE of Namie, Japan | USGS |



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 16th, 2022 at 06:37:12 PM EST


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 16th, 2022 at 06:39:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Fortune | Massive 7.3 earthquake hits Japan near site of Fukushima nuclear disaster, 16 Mar
[CAPTION: People shop in a store during a power outage in Koto district in Tokyo on March 16, 2022, after a powerful 7.3-magnitude quake jolted east Japan.]

Kyodo News said "many" were injured in Fukushima, citing the local fire department, although the full scale of damages and injuries was still unclear.
[...]
Nuclear regulators said a fire alarm went off at Fukushima's Dai-ichi nuclear plant, and that water pumps used to cool spent fuel pool at the Dai-ni plant were halted, although there was no imminent danger.

A Tohoku bullet train has derailed on a stretch of track linking Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures, East Japan Railway Co. said, although there were no reported injuries.
[...]
The intensity of the shaking was estimated at an upper 6 on Japan's shindo scale of 7 in parts of Miyagi prefecture, public broadcaster NHK said.A tsunami of 20 centimeters was recorded in the prefecture. Residents in some towns in Miyagi prefecture were told to evacuate, the broadcaster earlier reported.

Refinery company Eneos Holdings Inc. said operations at its oil-fired Negishi plant were halted.

by Cat on Wed Mar 16th, 2022 at 07:27:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Hardly reported. The yellow explosion on the video seems to point to something really bad. How far is it from Okinawa??
by Tom2 on Thu Mar 17th, 2022 at 01:19:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]
As far as one can be in the same nation: 46 hr (2,416.5 km) via 鹿児島新 - 那覇

Anyway, out-of-sight-out-of-mind peoples captured by US Army on Okinawa got plenty other "existential" problems to deal with.

Japan Declares Okinawa a "Combat Zone", 9 Mar

The official founding of the new organization No Moa Okinawa-sen - Nuchi du Takara (No More Battle of Okinawa - Life is a Treasure) is to be announced at a gathering on March 19 (1:30~4:00PM, Okinawa Shimin Kaikan, in case you happen to be in town).
by Cat on Thu Mar 17th, 2022 at 04:34:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]
VoLDaMoR BULLETIN: Cracked Pavement & Wrecked Buildings: The Aftermath of Earthquake in Japan, PHOTOS
another quake of magnitude 5.6 rocked northern Japan, with the aftershocks being recorded less than two hours after the first earthquake. This disaster left at least one person dead and at least 161 injured, and damaged buildings and infrastructure in the area.
• exterior home Miyagi prefecture
• road between Shinchi IC and Yamamoto IC on the Joban Expressway in Shinchi, Fukushima prefecture.
• supermarket in Shiroishi, Miyagi prefecture
• interior apartment in Fukushim
• shattered shop in Soma, Fukushima Prefecture
• residents shelter in Soma, Fukushima
• derailed Shinkansen bullet train
• collapsed building building following a strong earthquake is pictured in Soma, Fukushima prefecture
more ...
by Cat on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 09:56:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The Hill | Toyota and semiconducter suppliers suspend operations following earthquake[s] in Japan
"Due to the parts shortage resulting from suppliers affected by the earthquakes, additional adjustments will be made to production operations in some plants in Japan," Toyota announced on Friday. The production lines will be down for three weeks.

A Tokyo-based semiconductor supplier, Renesas, is attempting to get its three plants back to volume production seen before the earthquake hit by Wednesday, CNBC reported.
[...]
Renesas is responsible for almost a third of the microcontroller chips that are used in cars around the world.
[...]
One Another Japanese automobile company, Subaru Corporation, said they have to cut production for the next few days due supply issues caused by the earthquake, according to CNBC.

archived Sat Mar 19th, 2022
by Cat on Tue Mar 22nd, 2022 at 01:21:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]
HANKYOREH | Understanding China's calculated stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, 2 Mar PSA: "regional conflict"

HANKYOREH | OpEd | Rattling saber of preemptive strike on N. Korea will only add to instability, 8 Mar PSA: "national security"

Yoon Suk-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential nominee, has chosen to trot out the wildly outdated and defunct three-axis defense system and call it his North Korea policy. It is a laughable delusion and a result of ignorance and cluelessness. It is clear as day that choosing this as his policy will only lead to security instability instead of making the Korean Peninsula any safer. ...
The first axis of this system, called the Kill Chain, was originally a military strategy designed by the US.  ...
The second axis of this plan is the Korea Air and Missile Defense, or KAMD, which includes the establishment of a Korean-style missile defense system and the additional deployment of a THAAD battery. ...
Finally, the third axis is the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation, or KMPR. This strategy comes with the deployment of ground forces to North Korea, who would carry out the so-called "decapitation operation." In reality, Massive Punishment and Retaliation implies an all-out war and would be an act of mutual suicide between the South and the North. Does Yoon really think that the US would send ground forces to North Korea under such circumstances? I assure you, they would not. In the end, it is clear that this would only result in countless young, innocent South Korean lives being lost.

HANKYOREH | Elite prosecutor vs. factory boy-turned-lawyer: Who will triumph in Korea's presidential election?, 8 Mar: "tactical voting" and "electoral pacts"
Democratic Party lawmakers could not hide their consternation after the announcement on the morning of March 3 that Yoon Suk-yeol and Ahn Cheol-soo had reached a deal where Ahn would drop out to allow People Power Party (PPP) presidential nominee Yoon to run as the sole major conservative candidate.

Global Times | China congratulates Yoon Suk-yeol on election as S.Korean president, hopes for rationality in ties, 10 Mar
Five hours after South Korea's presidential election ended with conservative People Power Party (PPP) candidate Yoon Suk-yeol elected as the country's next president on Thursday, the US government requested to talk to Yoon, a move that shows its eagerness to further draw South Korea into its small circle. ...

HANKYOREH | Yoon's foreign policy agenda prioritizes ties with US, sows seeds of conflict with N. Korea, China, 14 Mar: "Triad"
A conservative takeover of the Blue House is forewarning a paradigm shift in the policy direction maintained in South Korea by the Moon Jae-in administration. The Hankyoreh has compiled some of the changes to be anticipated in various fields such as diplomacy and security, energy, real estate, the prosecution service, gender, medical welfare, labor and education based on the promises and statements President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol made on the campaign trail.
[...]
In his phone call with Yoon on Thursday, US President Joe Biden directly referenced the importance of trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the US and Japan, stressing that the three countries should coordinate closely regarding their policy on North Korea.
by Cat on Wed Mar 16th, 2022 at 07:03:15 PM EST
HANKYOREH | Yoon's support rating as president-elect falls below 50%
The rate of respondents predicting a positive outcome was down by 3.5 percentage points from 52.7% in another survey last week -- putting it on par with the 48.56% voting rate that Yoon drew in the election.

Another survey last week, which took place shortly after the election, had 52.7% of respondents making positive predictions for Yoon's performance as president. This was significantly lower than rates that previous presidents-elect had recorded at a similar time after their election -- including 79.3% for Lee Myung-bak, 64.4% for Park Geun-hye and 74.8% for Moon Jae-in.

SNATCHING victory from Suga AND Kashida at the polls!
by Cat on Tue Mar 22nd, 2022 at 05:16:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Pakistan Point | New South Korean Presidency Not Planning To Abolish Unification Ministry, 23 Mar
"There will be no abolition of the unification ministry," Won Il-hee, chief deputy spokesperson of the transition team said, as cited by the Yonhap news agency.

The incoming administration of the conservative president-elect has doubts about whether the ministry has fulfilled its basic responsibilities of promoting inter-Korean exchange and cooperation under the current administration, the statement read.

Won added that the transition team members will come up with measures to reinforce the ministry. "The transition team will look into detailed measures to restore the proper function of the unification ministry," he said.

HANKYOREH | Rush to ditch Blue House leaves Yoon with convoluted commute
by Cat on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 03:45:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Global Times | Xi stresses shared responsibility in regional stability during rare phone call with SK president-elect, 25 Mar
The Friday [25 Mar] conversation, the first time for the Chinese leader to talk to a president-elect of South Korea, underscores the importance of the China-South Korea relations, especially amid the more complicated global and regional situations, analysts said, noting that there will be no U-turn in bilateral relations after Yoon takes office, but blindly leaning toward the US will bring no good to South Korea's relations with its neighbors or a solution to Korean Peninsula issues.
[...]
Yoon stressed developing relations with China under the mutual-beneficial principle, which is different from Moon Jae-in's emphasis on mutual trust. This means there will be some changes in Yoon's policies toward China, said Hwang, noting that there is room for the two sides to interact and the phone conversation will also determine the general direction of relations.
[...]
The Friday phone call was also significant to stability in the Korean Peninsula and regional stability, as the situation in the Korean Peninsula faces a possible escalation, although Yoon's policy on North Korea has not been fully formed and needs further observation, Li Kaisheng, research fellow and deputy director at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday.

According to the Yonhap News Agency on Friday,

Yoon calls on Xi to cooperate closely for N.K. denuclearization
During the call, Yoon and Xi agreed to communicate closely to set up a meeting between them at an early date after Yoon's inauguration on May 10, [Yoon press sec Kim Eun-hye] said. North Korea earlier confirmed it successfully test-fired a new ICBM, called the Hwasong-17, on Thursday at the direct order of its leader Kim Jong-un, scrapping a self-imposed moratorium on long-range missile testing that had been in place since late 2017.
Korean Peninsula issues were also discussed by Xi and Yoon with the latter calling on close cooperation with China for the stable management of the political situation on the Peninsula.
HANKYOREH | Yoon to speak with Xi Jinping this week, 25 Mar "context" of agenda
China | Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on March 25, 2022
AFP: The US has imposed fresh sanctions on North Korea after the country launched an intercontinental ballistic missile on Thursday. How does China react to this? And second question, ROK media reports say that President Xi Jinping is expected to have a phone call with the newly-elected ROK President Yoon Suk-yeol. Will the two leaders also discuss the latest North Korean missile launch? And could you also confirm whether such a call is actually going to take place? < wipes tears >
Wang Wenbin: On your first question, we have noted with concern the latest developments...
by Cat on Fri Mar 25th, 2022 at 08:48:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
destroying the Russian Federation and its people ...

Again, siding with the aggressor.

by Bernard (bernard) on Wed Mar 16th, 2022 at 07:14:46 PM EST
Have nothing to add ... read my articles from 2007 forward

John Mearsheimer: We are encouraging the Ukrainians to resist.

A Russian regime in exile is readied in the City of London ... plenty of wealth and corruption.

Chomsky: Outdated US Cold War Policy Worsens Ongoing Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Conflict in Donbas ...

Dutch News Uses Anne [Neocon] Applebaum as Putin Expert | by Oui - Jul 20, 2014 |

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 16th, 2022 at 08:51:59 PM EST
In the latest French news, Corsica could get autonomy, but we should all die for the Dombass to stay Ukrainian.

Who first imported Chechen fighters in the conflict?
https:/english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/50/1203/462941/AlAhram-Weekly/World/Ghosts-of-wars-past-For eign-fighters--in-Ukraine.aspx
https:
/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzhokhar_Dudayev_Battalion

by Tom2 on Wed Mar 16th, 2022 at 09:27:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Translation:
When the Russians told #Biden in 1997 that #NATO expansion would force Russia to look to #China, Biden replied: "Good luck"
And now Mr. Biden??


'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 16th, 2022 at 10:52:49 PM EST
Is it allowed to quote the enemy media when it seems important?
China's mission to the EU responded to NATO

Spokesperson for Chinese mission to the EU answers a question about NATO leader's remarks about China

Q: According to reports, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said yesterday that any Russian support, military support or any other support, will actually help Russia wage a brutal war against an independent sovereign state, Ukraine, and help them continue to wage a war that brings death. , suffering and great destruction. He also stated that China, as a member of the UN Security Council, has an obligation to actually uphold and abide by international law and join the rest of the world in condemning the Russian invasion. What is your comment?

Answer: We have taken note of the relevant comments. The Chinese can fully understand the pain and suffering of other countries because we will never forget who blew up our embassy in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. We don't need lectures on justice from a violator of international law. As a remnant of the Cold War and the world's largest military alliance, NATO continues to expand its geography and range of operations. What role has it played in bringing peace and stability to the world? NATO needs to think carefully.
http://www.ecns.cn/cns-wire/2022-03-17/detail-ihawpiuq2990249.shtml

by Tom2 on Thu Mar 17th, 2022 at 09:37:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]
CNN | Biden to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping Friday, 17 Mar 2022

The announcement from White House press secretary Jen Psaki comes days after a US diplomatic cable suggested China has expressed some openness to providing Russia with requested military and financial assistance as part of its war on Ukraine. It is not yet clear whether China intends to provide Russia with that assistance, US officials familiar with the intelligence told CNN earlier this week.
pre-packaged, non-perishable military food kits--sources®
Biden and Xi's last known conversation took place in November [2021] during a three-and-a-half hour virtual summit. The highly anticipated summit yielded no major breakthroughs -- none were expected ahead of time -- and officials dismissed the notion the summit was intended to ease what has become an increasingly tense relationship. During their last meeting, Biden raised concerns about human rights, Chinese aggression toward Taiwan and trade issues, the White House said at the time.
[...]
The call will come days before the President is scheduled to travel to Europe to meet with world leaders to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The President will travel to Brussels to participate in a NATO summit on March 24 and will also join a European Council meeting.
archived BUT Francis Fukuyama just declared in Russia to Invoke UN's R2P Principle, Marginalia: China is Doomed
by Cat on Thu Mar 17th, 2022 at 08:49:05 PM EST
The Hill | The Hill's Morning Report - Biden to warn Xi against arming Russia, 18 Mar leading questions
China has worked both sides of the conflict: Xi initially approached Putin's invasion of Ukraine with support for an ally. There have also been official Chinese statements of neutrality and even support for "sovereign" Ukraine as Putin's "special military operation" became a month of full-fledged war with global economic consequences and thousands of civilian fatalities.
[...]
Biden, too, presents two narratives: He revels in his reputation for off-screen diplomacy, patience, consensus building and peacemaking. He also publicly assails Putin using denunciations and name-calling while previewing the Kremlin's alleged military strategies. A day after describing Putin as a war criminal, Biden on Thursday called the Russian president a "murderous dictator, a pure thug who is waging an immoral war against the people of Ukraine."  
US GPO | HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN AFFAIRS, 6 May, 24 June, 1998
... Mr. DioGuardi. The argument that you made before is the same argument that I heard from Bob Torricelli and Senator McCain back in 1993, on the McLaughlin show. They were saying the same thing. But, we did something, did we not? We waited 3 years, but sooner or later we got resolve, and we said something had to be done. Why is this any different?
Senator Biden. Well, no, it is different--well, it is not different. I just want to know what you suggest, because back then, when I was in your position, I was suggesting we bomb Belgrade. I was suggesting that we send American pilots in and blow up all of the bridges on the Drina. I was suggesting we take out his oil supplies. I was suggesting very specific action.
Mr. DioGuardi. And isn't it interesting, we did not have to go that far to begin the solution in Bosnia.
Senator Biden. And isn't it interesting that about 200,000 people were killed in the meantime by the time they did.
Mr. DioGuardi. Yes, and that is going to happen in Kosova if we do not act now.
Senator Biden. That is why I want to know what you are suggesting now.
Mr. DioGuardi. What we have to do right now is to enforce international law. We have war criminals in Belgrade. We are dealing with one right now. ...
by Cat on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 02:02:25 PM EST
euronews | Why is Bosnia not joining rest of Europe in sanctions against Russia?, 18 Mar
"This is typical behaviour from the political quasi-elites in Bosnia," Tanja Topić, a political analyst based in Banjaluka, told Euronews.
[...]
Bosnia's recent history was marked by a bloody war that saw 100,000 casualties and two million people becoming either refugees or internally displaced in a country of 3.5 million.

Drafted to bring the war to an end, the US-sponsored Dayton Peace Accords created two main administrative units [arch. ethnos] in Bosnia -- the Serb-dominated entity of the Republika Srpska, or RS, and the Bosniak-Croat majority Federation of BiH.

The two entities were given some autonomy, with an umbrella state-level government and a three-way presidency -- with each president representing one of the three main ethnic groups -- and a council of ministers overseeing the country's main institutions, including the army, the judiciary, and tax administration.
[...]
Amidst several attempts to find a common stance between the various government actors, ["Bosnian Serb strongman Milorad"] Dodik also managed to create additional public scandals. He personally asked for a call with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss "economic cooperation" right after the first round of Western sanctions was passed on 28 February. Then, he commented on the comparison British Prime Minister Boris Johnson [!] made on 2 March, stating that the shelling of civilian targets in Ukraine reminds him of similar attacks on the Bosnian capital Sarajevo in the 1990s. Dodik said that the comparison only stands "if by that he meant the armed gangs seen walking around Kyiv today."

by Cat on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 06:12:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
... The message the Libya episode sent to governments around the world was clear: You can do everything the Americans ask but there is still an excellent chance that they will put a knife in your back. It became painfully obvious that American foreign policy had become completely divorced from any rational aims....
by Cat on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 03:51:44 PM EST
courtesy of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

APsplainin, In video call, Biden presses China's Xi on Russia support, 14 min ago

China's Foreign Ministry was the first to issue a readout of the video conversation, deploring "conflict and confrontation" as "not in anyone's interest," without assigning any blame to Russia.
and .... Associated Press writers Jill Lawless in London, and Josh Boak in Washington and AP news assistant Caroline Chen in Beijing contributed ~800 words background ...material... not even a link to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
by Cat on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 04:21:10 PM EST
China Daily | Xi: Conflicts, confrontations serve nobody's interests, 022-03-18 21:06 .ppt "Xi's Moments" presentation
The Ukraine crisis demonstrates again that countries' conflict and confrontation serve nobody's interests while peace and security are what the international community should cherish the most [SLIDE 1/4] , President Xi Jinping said on Friday.

Xi made the remarks while exchanging views with US President Joe Biden via video link on China-US relationship, the Ukraine situation as well as other issues of common concern.

He urged the US to work with China to move forward the bilateral ties on the right track, assume the due international responsibilities and make effort in promoting world peace and stability.

SLIDE 2/4: Conflict and confrontation are not in anyone's interest.
SLIDE 3/4: Countries should not come to the point of meeting on a battlefield.
SLIDE 4/4: China and the U.S. must not only guide the bi-lateral ties forward along the right track, but also work for world peace and tranquility.
/EOM

China Daily | China to deliver solemn position at Xi-Biden talk, official says, 18 Mar annotation by "unnamed official"

China will state its solemn position to the United States on China-US relations and the Ukraine situation at the upcoming exchange of views between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Joe Biden, an unnamed Chinese official said. Xi will exchange views with Biden on China-US relations and issues of common concern on Friday evening Beijing Time.

The upcoming communication was first proposed by the US side, the official said. Beijing agreed to this US proposal given the necessity to develop China-US relations, to promote peace talks on the Ukraine situation and to urge the US side to take an appropriate position, the official said.

Unsurprisingly, some senior US officials over the past two days have repeatedly made irresponsible remarks, spread disinformation and smeared China regarding the Ukraine situation in an attempt to exert great pressure and coercion, the official noted.

Such moves have become a ritual of Washington in lead-up to its high-level contacts with Beijing, which are very wrong and irresponsible, the official said.

China will never accept US threats and coercion, the official added....

by Cat on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 04:41:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]
China Daily | China reaches consensuses over Ukraine situation with S Africa, Cambodia respectively, 18 Mar
The two leaders agreed to support Russia and Ukraine in keeping up the momentum of peace talks, adding that they will step up dialogue and coordination over the issue.
by Cat on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 04:47:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
US President Biden discusses Ukraine war with Chinese counterpart, updated: 18/03/2022 - 16:24 (AP syndicated file)
China on Friday again sought to highlight its calls for negotiations and donations of humanitarian aid, while accusing the U.S. of provoking Russia and fuelling the conflict by shipping arms to Ukraine.

"China has called for every effort to avoid civilian casualties all the time," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters at a daily briefing. "Which do the civilians in Ukraine need more: food and sleeping bags or machine guns and artillery? It's easy to answer."

CCTV: US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said that the US is concerned about Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure which caused civilian casualties. However, China has yet to state its position explicitly. How does the foreign ministry view such criticism from other countries on China?

Zhao Lijian: Human lives are precious. Civilian casualties under all circumstances are heart-rending and lamentable. China has all along called for every effort to avoid civilian casualties. We still remember that in March 1999, the US-led NATO, without the Security Council's mandate, flagrantly unleashed a ruthless bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for 78 days, killing at least 2,500 innocent civilians and injuring around 10,000 people, most of them civilians. Over the past two decades or so, the US conducted tens of thousands of air strikes in places like Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. The number of innocent civilians killed can be anywhere between 22,000 and 48,000. When professing its concern for the welfare of the Ukrainian people, shouldn't the US first express concern over the civilian casualties caused by all these military operations?
[...]
AFP: Ahead of tonight's call between President Xi and President Biden, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said Biden will make clear that China will bear responsibility for any actions it takes to support Russia's aggression, and added that the US will impose costs if China decides to assist Russia. What is the Chinese side's response to this statement? What will Xi tell Biden on tonight's call? What are China's expectations for the outcome of this call?

Zhao Lijian: Regarding your first question, on the Ukraine issue, China has always made its judgment independently and in an objective and just manner based on the merits of the matter itself. ...

[...]
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday reiterated that the Biden administration remains concerned that China is considering providing military equipment to Russia. He said Biden would make clear to Xi "that China will bear responsibility for any actions it takes to support Russia's aggression, and we will not hesitate to impose costs".
time zones are hard werk
by Cat on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 06:00:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Russian sanctions over Ukraine grow, Biden to talk to Xi, 18 Mar
Japan and Australia on Friday (18 March) imposed new sanctions on Russian entities as punishment for the invasion of Ukraine, which the West says has been stalled by staunch resistance but continues to take a devastating toll on civilians.
.
.
.
President Joe Biden, who described Putin as a "murderous dictator", will make clear to Chinese President Xi Jinping in a call Friday that China "will bear responsibility for any actions it takes to support Russia's aggression", Blinken told reporters. The pair are due to speak at 9 a.m. Eastern time (1300 GMT), the White House said.
< checks watch >
.The UN human rights office in Geneva said it had recorded 2,032 civilian casualties in Ukraine - 780 killed and 1,252 injured. Some 3.2 million civilians have fled to neighbouring countries, the United Nations said.
RFERL | Death Toll Up To 13,000 In Ukraine Conflict, Says OCHR, 30,000 wounded in Donbass April 14, 2014-January 31, 2019
.
.
.
Putin does not want peace and it is possible that further sanctions might be needed against Moscow to try to end the conflict in Ukraine, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Thursday. "On Putin's part there is no willingness for peace. There is a willingness for war," Draghi told reporters.
by Cat on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 07:31:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]
yahoo!finance | Biden's marathon call with China's Xi leaves questions unanswered on Russia, 4:45PM EST
An official White House summary of the meeting said the call focused on the invasion of Ukraine and that Biden "described the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia as it conducts brutal attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilians."

But as for specific possible actions, Biden officials repeatedly withheld details: "We're not in a place at this point to outline the specifics, we're still discussing," Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Friday afternoon.

A Chinese summary of the call was similarly vague. The Chinese release took pains not to favor either side, calling for all "to jointly support Russia and Ukraine in having dialogue and negotiation that will produce results and lead to peace."


White House Briefing Room | Readout of President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Call with President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China, 18 Mar
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The conversation focused on Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. President Biden outlined the views of the United States and our Allies and partners on this crisis. President Biden detailed our efforts to prevent and then respond to the invasion, including by imposing costs on Russia. He described the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia as it conducts brutal attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilians. The President underscored his support for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. The two leaders also agreed on the importance of maintaining open lines of communication, to manage the competition between our two countries. The President reiterated that U.S. policy on Taiwan has not changed, and emphasized that the United States continues to oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo. The two leaders tasked their teams to follow up on today's conversation in the critical period ahead.

###

China Ministry of Foreign Affairs | President Xi Jinping Has a Video Call with US President Joe Biden, 19 Mar 00:21
On the evening of 18 March, President Xi Jinping had a video call with US President Joe Biden at the request of the latter. The two Presidents had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on China-US relations, the situation in Ukraine, and other issues of mutual interest.

President Biden said that 50 years ago, the US and China made the important choice of issuing the Shanghai Communiqué. Fifty years on, the US-China relationship has once again come to a critical time. ...

President Xi noted the new major developments in the international landscape since their first virtual meeting last November. ...

President Xi stressed that he and President Biden share the view that China and the US need to respect each other, coexist in peace and avoid confrontation, and that the two sides should increase communication and dialogue at all levels and in all fields. ...

President Xi pointed out that the China-US relationship, instead of getting out of the predicament created by the previous US administration, has encountered a growing number of challenges. ....

President Xi underscored that there have been and will continue to be differences between China and the US. What matters is to keep such differences under control. A steadily growing relationship is in the interest of both sides.

The two sides exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine.

President Biden expounded on the US position, and expressed readiness for communication with China to prevent the situation from exacerbating.

President Xi pointed out that China does not want to see the situation in Ukraine to come to this.  ...

President Xi stressed that with the need to fight COVID-19 on the one hand and protect the economy and people's livelihood on the other, things are already very difficult for countries around the world. As leaders of major countries, we need to think about how to properly address global hotspot issues and, more importantly, keep in mind global stability and the work and life of billions of people. Sweeping and indiscriminate sanctions would only make the people suffer. If further escalated, they could trigger serious crises in global economy and trade, finance, energy, food, and industrial and supply chains, crippling the already languishing world economy and causing irrevocable losses. The more complex the situation, the greater the need to remain cool-headed and rational. Whatever the circumstances, there is always a need for political courage to create space for peace and leave room for political settlement. As two Chinese sayings go, "It takes two hands to clap." "He who tied the bell to the tiger must take it off." It is imperative that the parties involved demonstrate political will and find a proper settlement in view of both immediate and long-term needs. Other parties can and should create conditions to that end. The pressing priority is to keep the dialogue and negotiation going, avoid civilian casualties, prevent a humanitarian crisis, and cease hostilities as soon as possible. An enduring solution would be for major countries to respect each other, reject the Cold War mentality, refrain from bloc confrontation, and build step by step a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture for the region and for the world. China has been doing its best for peace and will continue to play a constructive role.

The two Presidents agreed that the video call is constructive. They directed their teams to promptly follow up and take concrete actions to put China-US relations back on the track of steady development, and make respective efforts for the proper settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

Ding Xuexiang, Liu He and Wang Yi were present at the call.

by Cat on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 09:25:16 PM EST
"similarly vague" word count SCORE!
bi-lateral meeting (a) 167
bi-lateral meeting (b) 1078

Here it is, the first gestures of an interpretive dance titled "Readout of Seven Veiled 'Readouts'", performed by US Politico corpses for the erotic  gratification of the most ignorant, litigious nation on the planet which failed to secure or agree a transcript matching TRUMP readouts of just one (1) telephone conversation with the pre-heroic freedom fighter Volodymyr.

Biden's call with Xi underscores deepening bilateral deadlock wc: 1421; featuring an ill-advised yet MEMORABLE arabesque that evokes not only 24 hr in '15 but Biden's march into Selma '65 --

The lack of any substantive results from the Biden-Xi discussion calls into question whether the two leaders' personal relationship fostered while Biden was vice president can actually bridge deep differences between them.
Biden warns Xi of 'consequences' if China supports Russia's attack on Ukraine wc: 878
by Cat on Sat Mar 19th, 2022 at 02:35:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]
euractiv ensemble performance of "Readout of Seven Veiled Readouts' Readout", wc: 97
"The Ukraine crisis is something that we don't want to see," Chinese state media quoted President Xi Jinping as saying in the call, which they said was requested by the US side.

NATO should hold talks with Russia to resolve the factors behind the conflict, Chinese state media quoted Xi as saying, without assigning blame to Russia for the invasion.

The White House said the call lasted just under two hours.

"He (Biden) described the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia as it conducts brutal attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilians," it said.

###
by Cat on Sat Mar 19th, 2022 at 02:52:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The Guardian "Seven Veiled Readout of Readouts" striptease, paraphrasing
A senior administration official said there would be consequences
"The president really laid out in a lot of detail the unified response from not only governments around the world, but also the private sector to Russia's brutal aggression in Ukraine," the official said. "The president made clear that there would likely be consequences for those who would step in to support Russia at this time."
AND China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs "read out" under cover of Guardian's Xinhua News Client account (wc: 255).
The Chinese account of the conversation in the state news agency, Xinhua, said it was "candid and in-depth" but gave little detail about Ukraine. The report said that Xi expressed the wish that the war was not happening, but gave no sign of what the Chinese leader's intentions were towards support for Moscow.

Xi said the situation in Ukraine had developed to such a point "that China does not want to see" according to the report, which stuck to Beijing's policy of avoiding the words "war" or "invasion".

Beijing's readout of the call did not suggest any Chinese role in ending the war. It quoted Xi as referring to a favourite aphorism, "Let he who tied the bell on the tiger's neck take it off", a seeming reference to China's position that the US and NATO

Beijing blames the war on NATO's refusal to rule out future Ukrainian membership of the alliance, and western supplies of weapons to the country. Xi also expressed concern about the impact on Taiwan, which he has vowed to restore to rule from Beijing.

Xi claimed "some people in the United States are sending the wrong signals to the `Taiwan independence' forces, which is very dangerous".

"If the Taiwan issue is not handled properly, it will have a subversive impact on the relationship between the two countries," Xi added. The US "One China" policy acknowledges that Taiwan is part of China, but Washington does not recognise Beijing has sovereignty over the island.

###
by Cat on Sat Mar 19th, 2022 at 03:29:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 10:11:28 PM EST


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 10:11:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Some people in the US have not implemented the consensus reached between us, neither have they implemented Mr President's positive commitment; the US has made a wrong judgment of China's strategic purposes, Xi told Biden.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 10:12:58 PM EST


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 10:13:46 PM EST


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 10:14:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Fri Mar 18th, 2022 at 10:15:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
by Cat on Sun Mar 20th, 2022 at 01:30:26 AM EST
AUKUS: the future of Western-led geopolitical networks | Clingendael The Hague - Oct. 19, 2021 |

The recent AUKUS pact between the US, the UK and Australia is telling for the future of Western-led geopolitical networks, according to defence analyst Julian Lindley-French. AUKUS reveals how Western alliances, coalitions and regimes are being transformed by China's growing maritime military power. Eventually, France and other European countries will have no other choice than to find their own roles in this transforming geopolitical landscape.

The trilateral security and defence pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States (AUKUS) represents the future of a West that is more characterised by shared global values than by geographical location. Such coalitions of real military power will provide a form of deterrence and defence insurance for smaller powers and for more formal alliances whose power-base is often weak or even chimeral in nature. 

...
Moreover, Canberra has become increasingly concerned that the French submarines would simply not be fit for Australia's future strategic purpose. The sheer distances in the Indo-Pacific are enormous, making endurance a vital requirement for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Furthermore, they need to conduct stealthy surveillance operations close to Chinese ports.

    For the Americans, AUKUS is the beginning of a new chapter in its changing global strategic posture

On 30 August 2021, the two countries issued a statement in the wake of a Paris meeting which boasted that "[t]hese first discussions in such a format reflect the very high level of France and Australia's strategic and operational cooperation". In fact, the Australians already knew that AUKUS had been agreed in principle at the June meeting of the G7 in Carbis Bay, Cornwall. Still, as the former British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a piece in The Times: "Paris would not have hesitated to do the same the other way round and gleefully attribute it to Brexit."

AUKUS and NATO will together be vital if the US is to ease the growing overstretch to which its armed forces are increasingly subject because of the rise of an aggressive, militaristic China and its `mini-me', Russia. AUKUS is thus a precedent - and not just for Australia, the UK and US. Over time, other democratic powers, such as Japan and South Korea, are bound to follow suit; not to mention in time Canada and New Zealand, and possibly even India.



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Mon Mar 21st, 2022 at 08:39:15 AM EST
A geoeconomic alliance: The potential and limits of economic statecraft | U.S. Studies Center - Sydney |

  • This report examines the potential and limits of geoeconomic statecraft in the context of the Australia-US alliance.

  • A shift in alliance strategy towards China, from engagement to strategic rivalry and competition, has reframed international and domestic economic policy settings in light of the security concerns presented by China's growing power and influence.

  • China's use of geoeconomic policy instruments has become a major concern for Australian policymakers. However, its use of economic statecraft has mostly been counter-productive in advancing its geopolitical interests.

  • Australia and the United States have increased cooperation in some geoeconomic policy areas -- most notably in relation to defence industry, technology and critical minerals -- but geoeconomics remains an underdeveloped element of the alliance relationship, reflecting its foundations in a security treaty that is silent on economic issues.

Introduction

    Nothing would better promote America's geoeconomic agenda and strategic future than robust economic growth in the United States.

    ...foreign trade enhances the potential military force of a country.

    International economic exchange is one of the most spectacularly successful examples of international influence in history; yet it is rarely so described. Why? Because routine, mundane, day-to-day economic exchange is often defined as either not involving power or not being `real' foreign policy.

Policy issues at the intersection of international security and international economics loom increasingly large for Australian and US policymakers. Geoeconomic statecraft is the use of economic policy instruments to further geopolitical, foreign policy and security objectives. A shift in alliance strategy towards China, from engagement to strategic rivalry and competition, has reframed international and domestic economic policy settings in light of the security concerns presented by China's growing power and influence.



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Mon Mar 21st, 2022 at 08:40:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Below is a Xinhuanet posting that describes the nuance to China's position on Ukraine

"
HEFEI, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday that the Ukraine crisis is developing in a way that goes beyond itself, with spillovers affecting the whole world, and in this regard, the majority of countries in the world, including China and other developing countries, share reasonable concerns and hold similar positions.

Wang made the remarks at a press briefing after holding talks with Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province.

Wang told the press that after exchanging views with many foreign ministers from Asian or African countries, he felt that many countries, like China, are following closely the developments of the Ukraine crisis, and share a lot of common language.

"We all believe that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be observed, international disputes should be resolved peacefully, and the parties concerned should realize ceasefire and put an end to the war as quickly as possible," he said.

Noting that during discussions at the UN General Assembly on the Ukraine issue, China, Algeria and quite a number of countries abstained in the voting, Wang said abstention is also an attitude. It is to give peace a chance and shows disapproval of using war and sanctions to address disputes, and it is a responsible attitude.

"At the same time, we are of the view that the Ukraine issue has not come to this point by accident. It is the result of the confluence of various factors and an eruption of the tensions that have built up over the years," said Wang, adding that what lies at the heart is the issue of European security, and Nato's move of expanding eastward without limit merits reflection.

He said that from the longer-term perspective, parties in Europe should follow the principle of indivisible security and, based on respecting each other's legitimate concerns, pursue dialogue and negotiation to build a balanced, effective and sustainable regional security architecture.

"First, it is widely believed that when addressing regional and international hotspot issues, war and sanctions are not the only options, and dialogue and negotiation is the fundamental way out," said Wang, adding that the current circumstances make it more important to stick to this direction.

"Second, the momentum of world economic recovery should not be disrupted," said Wang, adding that in the context of the ongoing pandemic, escalating unilateral sanctions will fracture the global industrial and supply chains and hurt the livelihood of people of all countries, who have no responsibility for paying for geopolitical conflicts and major-country competition.

Third, all countries have the right to independently decide their external policies, and should not be forced to choose sides, Wang said.

He added that when dealing with complex issues and divergent views, one should not opt for the simplistic approach of "friend or foe" and "black or white." It is particularly important to resist Cold War mentality and oppose bloc confrontation.

"Fourth, the sovereign independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected at all times. This principle applies to all countries and regions. There should be no exception, still less double standards," Wang said.

During the press conference, Wang also put forward China's position on Africa-related issues.

Noting the ongoing Ukraine crisis, Wang stressed that the world is very big and there are many problems. The African continent in particular should not be forgotten and should no longer be marginalized, still less a victim.

"The more turbulent the international situation is, the more we must pay attention to the voice of African countries and increase our support and assistance to Africa," he said.

Wang said as a good brother of African countries, China will continue to stand with Africa, firmly support Africa in maintaining peace and security, firmly support Africa in achieving economic recovery, firmly support Africa in defending its legitimate rights and interests, and make due contributions to Africa's independence and sustainable development.
"

by Tom2 on Mon Mar 21st, 2022 at 09:38:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]
The Great Reset by Klaus Schwab

A Book Review ...

Covid-19 Pandemic: The Great Reset - A Review

I also know that the world never stands still and that changes are every day, but my association with The Great Reset has actually always been related to Das Dritte Reich, which Adolf Hitler once wanted to create. He even wanted a world war for that and bombed Jews to become the scapegoat. Whether that was intentional or a coincidence, I don't really know, but in retrospect, designating a relatively small group of people as scapegoats is a smart strategy to get the rest of the population on your side.

    Enlightened leadership. Some leaders and decision-makers who were already at the forefront of the fight against climate change may want to take advantage of the shock inflicted by the pandemic to implement long-lasting and wider environmental changes. They will, in effect, make "good use" of the pandemic by not letting the crisis go to waste.

The Great Reset is a plan that has been bubbling up among the world's leaders for some time. My idea is that on the one hand they see their money and power continue to grow, but on the other hand a group of people is awakening who desperately longs for a simpler life, in balance with nature. The rise of mindfulness, health stores, yoga schools and hippie trips to Ibiza and other places are examples of this.

Utopia will not happen this century. Once again the coal lobby and power of fossil fuel corporations took the lead and preferred a war on the European continent ... Ukraine as willing sacrificial lamb.

V. Nazi Germany, Appeasement, and Anglo-American Big Business, 1933-1941

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Tue Mar 22nd, 2022 at 06:33:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]
If only the war was played in a digital theater

Dan Cohen reveals the network of foreign strategists, Washington DC lobbyists, and intelligence-linked media outlets behind Ukraine's public relations blitz.

Ukraine's Propaganda War: International PR Firms, DC Lobbyists and CIA Cutouts | MintPress |

To bolster the perception of Ukrainian military mettle, Kiev has churned out a steady stream of sophisticated propaganda aimed at stirring public and official support from Western countries.

The campaign includes language guides, key messages, and hundreds of propaganda posters, some of which contain fascist imagery and even praise Neo-Nazi leaders.

Behind Ukraine's public relations effort is an army of foreign political strategists, Washington DC lobbyists, and a network of intelligence-linked media outlets.
Ukraine's propaganda strategy earned it praise from a NATO commander who told the Washington Post, "They are really excellent in stratcom -- media, info ops, and also psy-ops." The Post ultimately conceded that "Western officials say that while they cannot independently verify much of the information that Kyiv puts out about the evolving battlefield situation, including casualty figures for both sides, it nonetheless represents highly effective stratcom."

Key to the propaganda effort is an international legion of public relations firms working directly with Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to wage information warfare.

According to the industry news site PRWeek, the initiative was launched by an anonymous figure who allegedly founded a Ukraine-based public relations firm.

"From the first hour of war, we decided to join the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help them distribute the official sources to show the truth," the nameless figure told PRWeek. "This is a hybrid war: the mix of bloodily struggling fight with a huge disinformation and fake campaign lead by Russia [sic]."

According to the anonymous figure, more than 150 public relations firms have joined the propaganda blitz.

Via MofA: "Try to scare Putin with the same fate as Gaddafi, Milosevic, and Hussein who were all demonized and later murdered."

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Thu Apr 7th, 2022 at 09:46:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 03:39:47 PM EST


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 03:42:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Ahram AFP | China says Russia is 'important' G20 member, cannot be expelled by others
"The G20 is the main forum for international economic cooperation," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters. "Russia is an important member, and no member has the right to expel another country."

Leaders of the two countries declared a relationship of "no limits" following a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Beijing for the Winter Olympics.

Wang's comments follow a briefing by a top Washington security advisor on Tuesday indicating the US will lead pressure on Russia to be cut from international forums over its invasion of its neighbour.

crude, rude, and socially unacceptable monologue
"On the question of the G20, I will just say this: We believe that it cannot be business as usual for Russia in international institutions and in the international community," Jake Sullivan White House National Security Advisor said.
VOldaMORe "read out"
Wang said that at the moment, the global economy is at a critical stage, recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, while instability and uncertainty are rising. According to the spokesman, the G20 countries are responsible in particular for the world's economic "stability and recovery."

Wang suggested that the G20 countries should work on multilateralism, solidarity, and cooperation to address the harsh economic and financial problems, as well as making "positive contributions to the realization of strong, green and healthy global development."

China | Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on March 23, 2022
[...]
Reuters: Sources say the US and its Western allies are assessing whether Russia would remain within the G20 grouping, with one source saying G20 will become a less useful organization if Russia would remain in it. Does China have a position on whether Russia can remain in G20 and whether President Putin can attend the G20 summit in Indonesia at the end of this year?

Wang Wenbin: The G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. It brings together major economies in the world, including Russia, which is an important member of the group. No member has the right to strip another member of its membership.

With the global fight against COVID-19 in a critical stage and a struggling world economic recovery fraught with rising instability and uncertainties, the G20 shoulders important responsibilities in leading global anti-pandemic efforts, improving global economic governance and promoting the steady recovery of the world economy. It should practice true multilateralism, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, jointly deal with prominent challenges in economic, financial, sustainable development and other sectors, and contribute to robust, green and sound global development.

China supports Indonesia, this year's President of the G20, in advancing cooperation in various sectors according to the established agenda surrounding the theme of "recover together, recover stronger". ...

by Cat on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 04:00:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
EU threatens to throw the book at Poland | EU Observer - Aug. 31, 2017 |

The European Commission has renewed its threat to seek sanctions against Poland in a rule-of-law dispute.

"There's no way we can drop the issue ... the Commission will use every instrument at its disposal when the separation of powers is at risk," Commission deputy head Frans Timmermans said at the European Parliament in Brussels on Thursday (31 August).

So the Baltic States and Poland pushed the EU to revisit pre WWII grievances? Ugly.



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 04:07:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 04:05:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]
by Cat on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 04:32:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]
by Cat on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 08:07:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Heard a soundbite from some talking head on one of the TV news channels last week about how China is planning to overtake USAmerica as the #1 economy and world political power by 2049, the hundredth anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party's takeover of China.

Don't know if that's accurate but it do sound apt.

Solar IS Civil Defense

by gmoke on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 05:36:00 PM EST
file in "ideologues" / conservative liberal / "competition" / Total World Domination / Cooperation is not well understood.
by Cat on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 05:44:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Biden and Supercharged MAGA2 (squared) ... Trump's personality disorder has been transferred to the old man in the White House ... let's make a deal ... both Joe and Vlad retire and be deposed from the theater of war. Stop the idiocy and resolve the Ukraine crisis in top level diplomacy.

I'm afraid this confrontation has been over a decade in the making.

Eastern European states of Lithuania, Poland and the Ukraine have century old grievances and Biden's coup d'etat in 2014 set the explosives 🧨 on edge by lighting the fuse. The rightwing fascists with their political violence prevented Zelensky from fulfilling his campaign promise. The diplomacy of Normandy Four and the Minsk agreement were never given a chance and were abandoned as soon as Biden entered the White House.

US intelligence agencies and Pentagon were fully aware what the ultimate red line was for the Kremlin ...

First step is to annihilate Russia and its economy and add new pressure and economic sanctions on China.

As Trump Withdraws America from the World, Xi's China Takes Advantage | CAP - Nov. 29, 2017 |

Remarks by President Trump at Signing of a Presidential Memorandum Targeting China's Economic Aggression | Mar 22, 2018 |

The Growing Dangers of Trump's Trade War with China | The New Yorker - May 24, 2019 |

Trump's security adviser says: China is the threat of the century

    In a 20-minute broadside against China, Robert O'Brien told top British and U.S. military and intelligence officials that China was a predatory power that repressed its people and had sought to coerce both neighbours and Western powers.

    "The CCP is seeking dominance in all domains and sectors... (and) plans to monopolise every industry that matters to the 21st century," O'Brien told the Atlantic Future Forum via a video link to Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.

A war with China too is inevitable ...

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 06:14:18 PM EST
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by that bridge called her back, Vic Nuland, mudder of PNAC institutional knowledge.
by Cat on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 06:54:53 PM EST
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Breakthrough or bust? What to know so far about Biden and Xi's call today | Politico - Mar 18, 2022 |

The call -- likely brokered in national security adviser Jake Sullivan's one-on-one(link is external) in Rome on Monday with China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi -- occurs amid intensifying verbal sparring over Beijing's failure to condemn Russian aggression and parroting of Moscow's invasion narrative(link is external).

Biden and Xi seeded a modicum of goodwill with a virtual meeting(link is external) in November. But Washington has been angry with Beijing's neutral position over Ukraine and has threatened punitive economic sanctions if China provides assistance requested by Putin(link is external).

The call is a potential watershed moment in the U.S.-China relationship.
It will test Biden's ability to leverage his relationship with Xi to overcome Beijing's position of passive complicity with Moscow and extract commitments that China instead pressure the Kremlin to seek an end to Russia's slaughter in Ukraine.

"I think Jake Sullivan [in his meeting with Yang] laid out the negative consequences for China of any aid to Russia, so now it's time for Biden to build on his personal relationship with Xi to emphasize the upside potential of cooperating at this critical moment in world history, to appeal to his statesman side, and suggest that this might be a really good way to get [bilateral] relations back on constructive footing," said Susan Shirk, a China expert and former deputy assistant Secretary of State. "A realistic expectation is that Xi commits not to tangibly assist Russia in terms of evading financial sanctions and military aid."

China sends tough signal ahead of Xi-Biden talk to set firm position on bilateral ties, Ukraine issue | Global Times |

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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 07:18:02 PM EST


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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 07:18:48 PM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 07:19:36 PM EST
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China says military development of islands within its rights | ABC News |

China has fully militarized at least three of several islands it built in the disputed South China Sea, arming them with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missile systems, laser and jamming equipment, and fighter jets in an increasingly aggressive move that threatens all nations operating nearby, top U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Admiral John C. Aquilino said.

U.S. military activities in the area aimed to "stir up trouble and make provocations," Wang said. "That seriously threatens the sovereignty and security of coastal countries and undermines the order and navigation safety in the South China Sea."



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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 07:20:16 PM EST
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Can't G*d take Kissinger too? A Democrat and a Republican to keep some balance.

Architect of European security and setting Democratic foreign policy for decades

Albright, who served as secretary of state from 1997 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton, pushed for NATO expansion eastward into the former Soviet bloc and helped lead the NATO bombing campaign in 1999 to halt ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. She previously served as Clinton's U.S. ambassador to the United Nations from 1993 to 1997.

Albright told USA TODAY in 2020 that she had "a trick" to make sure her position was clear in a foreign policy arena dominated by men.

"After too much of the small talk, I would say, 'I have come a long way, so I must be frank,' Then I really did make a point of what I needed to say," she said. "I don't think frankly that I was rougher, tougher or anything than any man. I just think people were surprised to hear that language from a woman."

Ned Price, the State Department's chief spokesman, called Albright a "trailblazer," adding President Joe Biden and his chief diplomat Antony Blinken "have been apprised of this" and said the U.S. diplomatic corps was grieving her death. News of Albright's death came as Biden was aboard Air Force One en route to a NATO summit in Brussels. 

h/t Cat : Madeleine Albright, groundbreaking secretary of state and feminist icon, dies at 84.

Hope her death shakes the old men to remind him a final judgement day will pass for a believer.

Does Capitalism Require Warfare? | by rdf Mon Jan 29th, 2007 |

    Madeleine Albright was heard to have said once: "What's the use of having all these weapons if we're not going to use them?"

US Foreign policy: Coke-Republicans vs Pepsi-Democrats? | by Melanchthon Tue Mar 13th, 2007 |

    This idea of the legitimacy of the United States global supremacy, the vision of the U.S. as the indispensable nation entitled to intervene wherever and whenever it suits its interests, regardless of international law,  its use of America's overwhelming military pre-eminence to promote the global expansion of "free market democracy" through "regime change" is extremely dangerous. It is, in my view, one of the main obstacles on the way towards a better world order.

    This doctrine has been pushed to its limits by the Bush/Cheney administration, but it existed before and it still exists among the Democrats.

U.S. Intelligence: Lying Liars and Warmongers

When I saw Albright's book Fascism: A Warning come out this Spring, I thought, "Well she should know."

by rifek on Wed Jul 4th, 2018 |

My diary ...

World In Turmoil: Role of Brzezinski and Albright, Our Democrats | Aug 2, 2014 |

Obama Russian Reset: Pre-emptive Nuclear Strike Capability | Jun 5, 2015 |

    Oh yes, returning to the eighties of pre-Reagan era and the anti-Brezhnev Soviet rhetoric ... will the old warriors never die? [Ion Mihai Pacepa is author of Kerry's Soviet Rhetoric] Obama won't tolerate Russia making moves on his chess board as the American Empire tries to hold on to a power grip from East to West. Ultimately this will lead to a renewed fear of a nuclear catastrophy as the US has reneged on the NPT treaty and permitted/supported nuclear arms in the Middle-East (Israel) and SE Asia (Pakistan and India). There are fears the Pakistan nuclear bomb has been sold to Saudi Arabia to counteract Obama's Iran nuclear proposals.


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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 08:36:59 PM EST


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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 09:53:19 PM EST
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Half a million children have died in Iraq since UN sanctions were imposed - most enthusiastically by Britain and the US. Three UN officials have resigned in despair. Meanwhile, bombing of Iraq continues almost daily. John Pilger investigates. [Source: The Guardian - Sat 4 Mar 2000]

'We Think the Price Is Worth It' | FAIR - Nov. 2001 |

Lesley Stahl on U.S. sanctions against Iraq: We have heard that a half million children have died. I mean, that's more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth it?

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright: I think this is a very hard choice, but the price-we think the price is worth it.

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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 at 10:05:19 PM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Sat Mar 26th, 2022 at 02:08:50 AM EST
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The obituaries forgot her most famous statement
We have heard that half a million [Iraqi] children have died. I mean, that is more children than died in Hiroshima," asked Stahl, "And, you know, is the price worth it?"

"I think that is a very hard choice," Albright answered, "but the price, we think, the price is worth it."

Maybe not famous in the US/EU but I'm sure lots of Arabs knew it, and it probably did more to make the US hated than most other actions of the US.

And it would be nice if at least one writer who is enthusiastic about exiles rising so high in the Administration would be aware of how dangerous this could be (famously described by Machiavelli, Livy, Bk 2, XXXI)

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Sat Mar 26th, 2022 at 07:46:32 PM EST
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Needs protection 😉

Abolish CW in farming ...

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by Oui (Oui) on Mon Mar 28th, 2022 at 02:34:53 PM EST
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Another jewel ...

Perhaps priority to protect people ... wouldn't it automatically have the sought after security ... say NO to war and warmongers.

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by Oui (Oui) on Mon Mar 28th, 2022 at 02:36:04 PM EST
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euObserver | Estonia proposes using Russian energy profits to rebuild Ukraine, 24 Mar
Estonia wants the EU to set up an escrow account to capture part of the payments for Moscow's oil and gas and use it to rebuild Ukraine -- a move that would allow the EU to keep buying Russian fossil fuels.
hmmm, izzat option in de contracts?
"We need to dry up the war machine of [Russian president Valdimir] Putin ... and start thinking about how to get funds for the reparations in Ukraine," Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas said on Thursday (24 March) before meeting with EU leaders at a summit in Brussels.
< wipes tears >
A few leaders had already raised the idea at a previous meeting earlier this month in Versailles. It is inspired by examples such as the UN oil-for-food programme [!] that helped to provide humanitarian aid for the Iraqi people during the Saddam Hussein regime.
by Cat on Mon Mar 28th, 2022 at 03:40:48 PM EST
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Precedent Iraqi Oil is the invader gets the spoils, doesn't pay a penny. If at all possible steals the available treasury due to mental anguish of the forces - Afghanistan.

Rebuilding Iraq: Status of Funding and Reconstruction Efforts (28-JUL-05, GAO-05-876)

    Is it the oil-resource curse that has brought the Iraqi people to this deplorable condition? Or, have the US-installed political system and after them the Iranian influence over Iraqi politics, been the main reasons behind mischiefs such as the case of "an estimated $239.7 billion has left the country illegally since 2003", currently being inquired by the Iraqi parliament. Most of this money was indeed oil money, meaning that both oil and revenue have been conveniently syphoned away from Iraq, leaving its people in harrowing dearth."
[Source: Iraq: Biggest Corruption Scandal in History

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by Oui (Oui) on Mon Mar 28th, 2022 at 05:51:28 PM EST
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Yes that's the general principle of invasion and conquest. In the current case, they don't seem to have managed to get their hands on the gold of Ukraine's central bank yet. Mostly frozen wheatfields. Not much profit in that. It's hard to see the business case for Putin's war.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Tue Mar 29th, 2022 at 01:53:23 PM EST
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by Cat on Tue Mar 29th, 2022 at 05:15:46 PM EST
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Replacing Russian LNG from Sakhalin-2 would cost Japan $15bn | Nikkei Asia |



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by Oui (Oui) on Thu Mar 24th, 2022 at 05:37:31 PM EST


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by Oui (Oui) on Thu Mar 24th, 2022 at 05:43:00 PM EST

Lavrov and Wang Yi met with the FMs of Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Qatar to discuss help to Afghanistan.

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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 30th, 2022 at 07:27:53 PM EST



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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 30th, 2022 at 07:28:55 PM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 30th, 2022 at 07:30:01 PM EST


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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Mar 30th, 2022 at 07:33:02 PM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Thu Mar 31st, 2022 at 08:25:38 AM EST
Teva, AbbVie ink opioid settlements worth nearly $330M with Florida

Teva has been busy lately striking deals with U.S. states to resolve opioid claims. Now, the generics giant and another major pharma company--AbbVie--are ponying up to settle cases in Florida.

The Israel-based drugmaker and AbbVie's Allergan unit agreed to pay around $329 million to resolve the state's opioid litigation, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said. Elsewhere in the healthcare industry, the state has settled for $440 million with distribution and pharmacy giant CVS. 

Under the deals with the pharmaceutical companies, Teva will pay about $195 million over 15 years--plus provide $84 million worth of its overdose reversal generic--to resolve the state's claims that it contributed to the opioid epidemic. 

AbbVie's Allergan unit is set to pay more than $134 million.



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by Oui (Oui) on Thu Mar 31st, 2022 at 08:27:40 AM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Thu Mar 31st, 2022 at 08:28:25 AM EST
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Senate blesses bill to wrest US supply chains from China's grasp, with pharma front and center

With several efforts to resurrect American drug manufacturing already underway, Congressional members on both sides of the aisle are setting their sights on one of the nation's chief economic rivals.

The Senate has signed off on innovation and competition legislation designed to boost American competitiveness, restore the country's manufacturing base and curb its reliance on China for critical supplies--especially drugs and medical devices.

Specifically, the Senate on Monday voted to substitute the text of the America COMPETES Act, which passed muster in the House earlier this year, with that of the Senate's U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021. The Senate then voted 68-28 to approve the amended bill, shooting it back to the House.

Tightening America's grip on Europe

The bill encourages the U.S., European Union and other European countries to work together on "joint strategies to diversify reliance on supply chains away from the People's Republic of China," and "especially" so in the medical and pharmaceutical fields.

Moreover, the U.S. and Europe ought to appraise their "overreliance on goods originating in the People's Republic of China, including in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, and develop joint strategies to diversify supply chains," the text continues.

Earlier this year, President Joe Biden voiced support for the American Competes Act, suggesting it would help "outcompete China" and "bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States."

Is Washington writing off a few billion consumers for products Made in USA?

During the pandemic, it was clear close alliance with America was not worth the paper any agreement was written on ...

Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to ban exports critical medical supplies and medicine

Related reading ...

Trump's Trade War Timeline: An Up-to-Date Guide | March 28, 2022 |

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by Oui (Oui) on Thu Mar 31st, 2022 at 08:30:10 AM EST


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by Oui (Oui) on Thu Mar 31st, 2022 at 08:31:16 AM EST

Russia sanctions likely to dilute US dollar's dominance, IMF says | Tass |

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by Oui (Oui) on Thu Mar 31st, 2022 at 12:57:21 PM EST


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by Oui (Oui) on Thu Mar 31st, 2022 at 12:58:22 PM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Thu Mar 31st, 2022 at 12:59:29 PM EST


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by Oui (Oui) on Thu Mar 31st, 2022 at 09:23:11 PM EST
Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference transcripts are pretty funny. NATO's MSM is pretty darn hard of hearing. I dunno how he keeps a straight face.
Associated Press: The UK has withdrawn its judges from Hong Kong's top court because of what British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss calls "a systemic erosion of liberty and democracy in Hong Kong". What is your comment on these resignations?
[...]
AFP: Do you have any further details to share about today's Afghanistan neighboring countries' meeting?
[...]
Bloomberg: This morning, the Australian Ambassador to China Graham Fletcher was denied access to the trial of Cheng Lei. Mr. Fletcher said that the consular agreement with China says that his diplomats should be able to attend trials of any kind. Does the foreign ministry have any comment?
[...]
Bloomberg: You mentioned about China "has decided" to implement visa curbs on US officials. So it's a little bit unclear if this is some new measures. Is it a ratcheting-up of visa curbs? Can you give a little bit more detail about who and what sort of nature of visa curbs if you have that?

Wang Wenbin: As I said earlier, China has decided to adopt reciprocal visa restrictions on the US officials who concocted lies about China's human rights issues and undermined China's interests. As to which US officials are subject to the counter-sanction, those concerned know better than anyone.  

Reuters: Is it the Chinese government's position that Australia has got it wrong when Australia says according to their consular agreement with China, they should be able to have access to such a trial?

Wang Wenbin: I just made clear China's position. We urge the Australian side to respect China's judicial sovereignty in real earnest and refrain from interfering in the law-based handling of the case by Chinese judicial authorities in any form.
[...]

by Cat on Thu Mar 31st, 2022 at 10:34:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Keep in mind the one security problem that all parties share that is also truly the one impediment to eurasion economic integration: transnational, radical "mostly muslim" anarchists (funded and trained by NATO covert ops)

India Punchline | China's diplomacy on a roll in Kabul, 29 Mar

Last Thursday, the Acting Foreign Minister of the Taliban interim government Amir Khan Muttaqi made a stunning remark to greet the visiting Chinese Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Kabul when he said, "This is the most important high-level delegation received by Afghanistan."
path to "Recognition" and International Legal Status warranteed by OIC+ RU, CN
Indeed, [Wang Yi] qualified this by adding that the country faces "multiple challenges from within and outside that need to be addressed with more support and help."
[...]
Thus, the neighbouring countries' forum will engage the Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in a formal "Dialogue" format where he will interact with the participants of the event in Tunxi -- foreign ministers of China, Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia -- as regards the country's "difficulties and needs."
[...]
Wang Yi's visit to Kabul coincided with the arrival of a high-level Russian delegation in the Afghan capital led by the presidential envoy on Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov, which included representatives of various agencies of the government, especially the economic ministries.
The Gas Processing Plant (GPP) in the Russian city of Orenburg owned by Kazrosgaz, the joint venture of Kazakh state-owned Kazmunaigaz and Russia's Gazprom, plans to ship to Afghanistan 10,000 tonnes of LPG, rail data showed....
During Wang Yi's visit to Kabul, both the Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Muttaqi himself emphatically stated their interest in expanding the cooperation with China within the ambit of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Wang Yi has proposed that China is "ready to make efforts to extend" the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan and help the country develop as "a bridge for regional connectivity."

Basically, both Beijing and Moscow have reason to be satisfied with the Afghan interim government's performance so far, which suggests that the Taliban leadership's commitment to the peaceful reconstruction of the country is not to be doubted. Wang Yi, in fact, went to the extent of complimenting the Taliban regime for its "series of positive measures to respond to the concerns of the international community."

archived Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on March 23, 2022, March 25, 2022, OIC+ debrief in Key Role East-West Relations for NATO Member Turkey
by Cat on Thu Mar 31st, 2022 at 11:45:40 PM EST
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Rob de Wijk Strategic Studies, founder HCSS

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by Oui (Oui) on Fri Apr 1st, 2022 at 03:54:34 PM EST

Wang meets Lavrov in China, hails ties as withstanding test of changing intl situation

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by Oui (Oui) on Fri Apr 1st, 2022 at 03:58:36 PM EST

EU-China Investment Deal Threatens US-Europe Relations | VOA News - Jan 1, 2021 |

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by Oui (Oui) on Fri Apr 1st, 2022 at 04:01:48 PM EST
Didn't Discuss Russian Sanctions?

No joint statement afterwards ...



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by Oui (Oui) on Fri Apr 1st, 2022 at 04:03:40 PM EST
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Due to historic ties ...



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by Oui (Oui) on Fri Apr 1st, 2022 at 05:45:45 PM EST


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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 6th, 2022 at 07:24:08 PM EST


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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 6th, 2022 at 07:25:47 PM EST
NATO is suffering 'brain death', argues French president Macron | France24 - Nov 2019 |



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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 6th, 2022 at 07:27:10 PM EST
Is NATO Brain Dead? | RAND Corp |

Macron's comment was provoked by President Trump's Oct. 6 decision, since substantially modified, to pull all U.S. troops out of Syria forthwith. The move was intended to avoid a clash with one NATO ally, Turkey, but there was no consultation with the other NATO allies operating alongside the United States in Syria, let alone with Kurdish forces that were to be the target of a Turkish attack.

But Macron also traced America's declining support for the alliance back to President Obama's declared shift of America's strategic priorities to Asia and to Trump's longstanding ambivalence about NATO and antipathy to the European Union.

Deterrence rests upon the credibility of the commitment and the consequent certainty of an effective response to any aggression. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not find America's commitment to its Kurdish partners credible, and he proved to be right.

Appears NATO has improved from a red face to a bloodied nose ...

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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 6th, 2022 at 07:29:53 PM EST
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Translation:
"For Russia, war is total. This means that all targets in an enemy territory can be targeted by an attack, including civilian objects. Everything to get the country under complete control," says Frans Osinga, professor of war studies at the Defense Academy.

The real headline of his analysis in the interview is quite different. He fears a quick collapse of Ukraine's defense capabilities as the Russian Air Force is master of the skies. A "no-fly" zone is out of the question and supply of fighter aircraft would be defined as participation of NATO in the conflict. Russia being victorious on the battlefield would be unacceptable for a "free" Western alliance. See the urgent request for 500 T-72 tanks from NATO to wend off a quick defeat.

West Rushes Weapons to Ukraine | Arms Control |

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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 6th, 2022 at 09:01:20 PM EST
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The Doctrine of Fascism. Which pretty much summarizes the purposes of deveoped nation-states bound as NATO, if not non-aligned AUTHORITARIAN rulers of undeveloped and superstitious peoples of the orient such as PUTIN and XI.
by Cat on Sat Apr 9th, 2022 at 01:03:07 PM EST
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Translation:
"I see a tendency in the US not to want a ceasefire, but to increase support and let Zelensky win. I don't know if that's possible. Won't be the first time the US has been over-optimistic."

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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 6th, 2022 at 09:09:18 PM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 6th, 2022 at 09:12:26 PM EST
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Aren't countries free to choose their alliances?

Gonzalo's rethorical question perfectly encapsulates Western hyporisy on Ukraine and the repeated argument that all states can freely chose their alliances.

h/t Arne Hartmann | Apr 13 2022 12:55 utc | 356

Australia's Pacific Minister Zed Seselja urges Solomon Islands Prime Minister not to sign China security deal | ABC Australia News |

Western pressure mounts on Solomons to quash pact with China | WaPo |

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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 13th, 2022 at 05:22:33 PM EST


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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 13th, 2022 at 05:23:46 PM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 13th, 2022 at 05:24:53 PM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 13th, 2022 at 05:26:00 PM EST
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Top US official Kurt Campbell reportedly heading to Solomon Islands to discuss Chinese security pact concerns | 4 days ago |

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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 13th, 2022 at 05:27:30 PM EST
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Defence Minister 'caught off guard' by Solomon Islands-China security agreement | Mar 29, 2022 |

Defence Minister Peeni Henare says he was caught "off guard" by revelations Solomon Islands and China were forging a security agreement, as neither New Zealand nor Australian intelligence anticipated the move.

Henare met Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton while in Australia on Friday, as reports emerged the tiny Pacific nation was preparing to sign a security agreement with China that would, among other provisions, allow the superpower's military access to replenish ships, protect Chinese personnel and projects.

Australia wanted to "show strong signals" to the wider Pacific, as well as the rest of the world, that Solomon Islands and the Pacific was "definitely in our collective backyard" he said.

...
China and Solomon Islands are set to sign off on a security deal that will see Chinese warships based in the Pacific and shift the balance of power in Australia's region.

The agreement will give China the power to use its military to protect the safety of Chinese personnel and major projects in Solomon Islands and give Beijing a base for its navy less than 2000 kilometres off Australia's coast.

The base would be the first time Australia has had a strategic adversary within striking distance of its coastline since World War II.

Definition "our collective backyard" is quite different than Russia's "sphere of influence" for Ukraine neighborhood and NATO missiles within 350 miles from Moscow.

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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 13th, 2022 at 05:32:17 PM EST
Potential Indo-Pacific conflict within 'a couple of years' | ABC Australia News |

Admiral Paparo backed warnings from Defence Minister Peter Dutton of a growing potential for armed conflict in the Indo-Pacific region that Australians needed to be "realistic" about.

"I always operate under the notion that there's the potential of conflict within our region within a couple of years because of the incredible unpredictability of events," Admiral Paparo said.

"And who last year could have predicted where Eastern Europe would be right now. In fact, that is our mission, is to always be ready as militaries."

Admiral Paparo described the AUKUS arrangement, under which Australia will obtain nuclear-powered submarines through a deal with the US and the UK, as a "tangible sign" of rising tensions in the region. 

In Sydney, Defence Minister Peter Dutton has again emphasised growing military risks in the region, while announcing details of a new multi-billion-dollar missiles package. Mr Dutton added

    "There was a working assumption that an act of aggression
     by China toward Taiwan might take place in the 2040s - I
     think that timeline has now been dramatically compressed."

"And when we look at what has happened in Ukraine, there is the prospect of Russia going into Poland or somewhere else in Europe, and that would be a repeat of the 1930s, and that's not something that we should allow to happen."

Mr Dutton confirmed the federal government would fast track the purchase of US-made joint air-to-surface standoff missiles for Australia's Super Hornets, and Norwegian Naval Strike Missiles for warships.

US Defence giants Raytheon and Lockheed Martin have also been announced as leading the $1 billion sovereign guided weapons program, with the aim of eventually producing missiles domestically.



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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 13th, 2022 at 08:08:56 PM EST
Oil jumps 6% on OPEC warning and easing of Shanghai COVID curbs | CNBC |

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), meanwhile, warned that it would be impossible to replace 7 million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian oil and other liquids exports lost in the event of sanctions or voluntary actions.

The European Union has yet to agree any embargo on Russian oil, but some foreign ministers said the option is on the table.

"The oil market is still vulnerable to a major shock if Russian energy is sanctioned, and that risk remains on the table," wrote Edward Moya, a senior market analyst with OANDA.

OPEC on Tuesday lowered its Russian liquids production forecast by 530,000 barrels per day (bpd) for 2022, but also cut its forecast for growth in world oil demand, citing the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, rising inflation as crude prices soar and the resurgence of the Omicron coronavirus variant in China.

OPEC tells EU it's not possible to replace potential Russian oil supply loss | Reuters |

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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 13th, 2022 at 10:48:21 PM EST


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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 13th, 2022 at 10:49:26 PM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 13th, 2022 at 10:50:23 PM EST
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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on April 14, 2022
AFP: A Uyghur woman held in Saudi Arabia told AFP she feared being deported to China. Do you have any details about this case?
Zhao Lijian: I suppose it is a report by the AFP. I have not heard of such thing.
< wipes tears >
by Cat on Thu Apr 14th, 2022 at 03:58:07 PM EST
Macau Monthly: It is reported that Democrat Senator Bob Menendez, Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham are leading a delegation to Taiwan on April 14 and will meet with Tsai Ing-wen. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the US and the Taiwan region. Members of the US Congress should act in consistence with the US government's one-China policy. The US side should abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-US joint communiqués, stop official exchanges with Taiwan and avoid going further down the dangerous path. The Chinese side will continue to take strong measures to resolutely safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.



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by Oui (Oui) on Fri Apr 15th, 2022 at 02:04:03 PM EST


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by Oui (Oui) on Fri Apr 15th, 2022 at 02:06:37 PM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Fri Apr 15th, 2022 at 02:08:24 PM EST
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Intrusion Soviet Space and CW Arms Race

German domestic television still spends much of its broadcast time on WWII documentaries produced in the US. Today was about the development of ICBMs, missile and satellite systems. Interesting was the part about Lockheed's U-2 development and the SR-71 Blackbird. Both developed by F-104 designer Kelly Johnson.

The very first flights of the U-2 spy plane gave most secrets of the Soviet military power ... mostly bluster and propaganda. The number of boasted missiles and bombers was greatly overstated. Krushchev was quite pissed by these intrusions during the second term of president Eisenhower. It didn't take too long to develop military methods to intercept and take the U-2 spy plane down on May 1, 1960.

Nationalist China - Taiwan

One of the legacies of the Korean War was that U.S.-Chinese relations remained hostile and tense. Like Truman, Eisenhower refused to recognize the People's Republic of China (PRC). Instead, he continued to support Jiang Jieshi's (Chiang Kai-shek's) Nationalist Chinese government in Taiwan. After PRC guns began shelling the Nationalist Chinese islands of Jinmen (Quemoy) and Mazu (Matsu) in September 1954, Congress granted Eisenhower the authority to use U.S. military power in the Taiwan Strait. The President knew that these specks of territory had no real strategic value but that they had symbolic importance, as both the PRC and the Nationalists claimed to be the only legitimate ruler of all of China. The crisis escalated when Eisenhower declared at a news conference that in the event of war in East Asia, he would authorize the use of tactical nuclear weapons against military targets "exactly as you would use a bullet."



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by Oui (Oui) on Fri Apr 15th, 2022 at 02:10:49 PM EST
Battlefield Ukraine 🇺🇦

Defend our borders from over there ...

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by Oui (Oui) on Fri Apr 15th, 2022 at 05:49:16 PM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Thu Apr 21st, 2022 at 09:37:44 AM EST
It's symbolic. The American embassy in Honiara, capital of the Solomon Islands, has been shuttered since 1993. Now, the US is scrambling to reopen as quickly as it can in the face of China's increasingly successful campaign to tighten relations with the tiny but incredibly strategic island state.



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by Oui (Oui) on Thu Apr 21st, 2022 at 09:38:23 AM EST
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In analogy to the The Hague Invasion Act to extract American citizens send to the ICC.



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by Oui (Oui) on Tue Apr 26th, 2022 at 01:54:20 PM EST
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U.S. turns the screws on Solomon Islands to counter China, 28 Apr enhanced interrogation
"We have respect for the Solomon Islands' sovereignty, but we also wanted to let them know that if steps were taken [by China] to establish a de facto permanent military presence, power projection capabilities or a military installation, then we would have significant concerns and we would very naturally respond to those concerns," DANIEL KRITENBRINK, assistant secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told reporters Monday.
[...]
Either option would mark a heightening of efforts by the U.S. and regional allies Australia, New Zealand and Japan -- which climaxed with last week's visit to the region by Kritenbrink and KURT CAMPBELL, the National Security Council's Indo-Pacific coordinator -- to abort any move by China to use a Solomon Islands foothold to challenge the region's geostrategic status quo.
[...]
"You can't make up for years of neglect with a few high-level visits and expect everything to work out fine, so [U.S.] levers of affecting the Solomons' decision are pretty limited unless you want to be punitive -- which doesn't make a lot of sense -- or occasional [U.S. Navy] sailings through the area, " said MICHAEL AUSLIN, research fellow in contemporary Asia at the Hoover Institution. "But if the Solomons are as strategically important as is being made out in Washington, then increase your bid -- offer them more than the Chinese are offering them, offer them more development assistance, offer them whatever they want."
crude, rude, and socially unacceptable
by Cat on Thu Apr 28th, 2022 at 10:27:03 PM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Fri Apr 22nd, 2022 at 12:22:13 PM EST


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by Oui (Oui) on Fri Apr 22nd, 2022 at 12:23:48 PM EST

Expansion of the West ... Have Gun, Will Travel

Tombstone Territory

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by Oui (Oui) on Sat Apr 23rd, 2022 at 12:46:39 PM EST


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by Oui (Oui) on Sat Apr 23rd, 2022 at 08:22:55 PM EST
A Seawolf-Class Submarine Just Collided With a Mysterious Object

USS Connecticut (SSN-22): I am not that Innocent!

"The so-called `freedom of navigation and over-flight' by the United States is essentially a cover for the United States to challenge the rights and interests of other countries by virtue of its powerful maritime power".1 Such `freedom of navigation and over-flight' missions are no longer safe and incur high politico-military cost.

First, this incident coincided with China's National Day (October 01) celebrations when China conducted - out of routine military drills - in and around the Republic of China's (Taiwan) Air Defence Identification Zone.

Second, according to Elmer Yuen, the incident occurred at the mouth of China's nuclear submarine base in Hainan (South China) and at shallow depths (150-200m). These facts, along with the reputation of the Seawolf class - nuclear attack submarine - as the most lethal, complicated, expensive submarine in the US fleet designed for high-end missions close to an adversary's shore, calls for deep concern regarding the strategic implications of this incident.

h/t Cat

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by Oui (Oui) on Fri May 6th, 2022 at 07:04:07 PM EST
by Oui (Oui) on Fri May 6th, 2022 at 07:06:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

US' blatant threat to Solomon Islands exposes its hegemony and bullying: Chinese Embassy

The TPP is Dead. What Happens Next? | The Wire - Nov 25, 2016 |

Signed in February 2016, the TPP involves Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the US and Vietnam. The idea of a trans-Pacific partnership was initiated by four countries - New Zealand, Singapore, Chile and Brunei - way back in 2002.

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by Oui (Oui) on Sat May 14th, 2022 at 01:15:04 PM EST
Biden's summit pushes ASEAN to confront China, runs counter to their interest | Global Times |

Under the maritime security cooperation, the largest part of the aid, the US Coast Guard will deploy assets and assign personnel to the Indo-Pacific for maritime training and capacity-building, and a cutter for training to increase regional countries' maritime law enforcement capacity. 

The US also launched new initiatives to help ASEAN countries counter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, which was described by US media as targeting China. 

    Coast Guard's constabulary function and broad authorities serve as a beneficial bridge between the hard-power lethality of the Defense Department and soft-power diplomacy of the State Department.

Chinese analysts said the US unilaterally imposed the maritime cooperation to ASEAN although most of them don't necessarily need it and are wary of it, with the aim of pushing ASEAN to the front in provoking China to serve its Indo-Pacific strategy. 

Li Kaisheng, a research fellow at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday that the US attempted to use the cooperation to involve ASEAN in the China-US rivalry and pull the bloc on the side of the US. 

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said after arriving in Washington, DC that Cambodia will not choose between China and the US. "Whether or not you force me to take one, I will refuse," Hun Sen said, according to the Phnom Penh Post on Thursday. 

Chen Xiangmiao, an associate research fellow at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times that the US does not only want to use ASEAN to contain China, but also aims to better facilitate its entry in the South China Sea to contain China directly by sending the US Coast Guard. 

However, Chen believes only Vietnam and the Philippines may need the cooperation to boost their maritime security capability, and most regional countries including Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand do not have a strong need considering their diversified procurement of naval vessels and patrol vessels. 

He said most ASEAN members will exercise caution over the implementation of the cooperation, especially considering the US' strategic purpose of containing China.



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by Oui (Oui) on Sat May 14th, 2022 at 01:17:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Indonesia Targets Upgrading to Become a Developed Country

On the second day of the ASEAN-United States special Summit which took place on 11-13 May 2022, the Minister of Trade (Mendag) Muhammad Lutfi said, Indonesia continues to strive to transform into a developed country. He requested that ASEAN be united in responding to world economic developments.

Lutfi assessed that strengthening ASEAN is the key to regional economic growth. He conveyed this at the ASEAN-United States Special Summit (Summit) 11-13 May 2022.

This statement was made by the Minister of Trade Lutfi after holding bilateral meetings with Cambodian Trade Minister Pan Sorasak and Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry Dato' Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.

The bilateral meeting also discussed preparations for the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Special Meeting series which will be held on 17-18 May 2022 in Bali, Indonesia. 

Minister of Trade Lutfi also conveyed that the discussion of global economic conditions, among others, related to the increase in modern era protectionism, the increase in inflation after the Russia-Ukraine conflict which triggered the energy crisis and world price inflation, as well as the increase in world distrust of the multilateral trading system which has had a negative impact on economic growth in Indonesia. area.



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by Oui (Oui) on Sat May 14th, 2022 at 01:19:18 PM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Sat May 14th, 2022 at 09:30:04 PM EST
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by Oui (Oui) on Sat May 14th, 2022 at 01:20:35 PM EST

Biden took office saying that his top foreign policy priority would be the global competition with China, which surpassed the US as Southeast Asia's top trading partner and has been increasingly assertive on territorial disputes in the region.

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by Oui (Oui) on Sat May 14th, 2022 at 01:22:13 PM EST
Enhancing India-ASEAN Connectivity | CSIS - 2013 |

Twenty years ago, India launched its "Look East" policy. For most of those twenty years, Myanmar's isolation, mistrust between India and its neighbors, and poor infrastructure connectivity hindered the development of links between South and Southeast Asia. With Myanmar's tentative opening and improved relations between India and Bangladesh, an opportunity exists for India to boost trade and security ties with mainland and maritime Southeast Asia. And the United States, during President Barack Obama's second term, is committed to rebalancing toward Asia, with India playing a pivotal role. U.S. national security adviser Thomas Donilon recently reaffirmed U.S. support for India's efforts in this regard, adding: "U.S. and Indian interests powerfully converge in the Asia-Pacific, where India has much to give and much to gain."

FAO - The importance of Ukraine and the Russian Federation for global agricultural markets and the risks associated with the current conflict

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by Oui (Oui) on Sun May 15th, 2022 at 08:04:13 AM EST


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