Geo Politics

THAILAND: During a visit to Thailand on Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed to keep up the pressure on Myanmar’s regime, and said China should do the same. On the other hand, Blinken met with the Thai government and praised it for its support of the reinvigorated American effort in Southeast Asia, a vital region of competition with China. …

US: Asked about his upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia, US President Joe Biden said he wants to “strengthen our strategic cooperation,” but also reiterated his commitment to “basic American principles.” “Many people think I made a mistake by going to Saudi Arabia. Fundamental freedoms are always on my agenda when I travel, as they will be on this trip. My …

UKRAINE: Mechanic-turned-soldier Artchk helps shore up defenses in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk against an expected Russian onslaught while adjacent farmer Vasyl Avramenko bemoans the loss of crops replaced by mines. Kramatorsk and its twin, Sloviansk, are being bombarded with artillery shells as Moscow continues its onslaught in the heavily industrialized Donbas region. Their defenders are outgunned, but Ukrainians …

INDONESIA: An Indonesian Foreign Ministry official urged the G20 to assist end the Ukraine conflict on Friday (Jul 8) at a summit that brought together some of the most vocal critics and Russia’s top ambassador. It’s been “business as usual” in the run-up to the Bali forum, with top Western and Japanese officials underlining that the war and its impact …

NORTH KOREA: On Thursday, official media stated that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hosted an extraordinary meeting aimed at strengthening the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea’s “monolithic” leadership across society (Jul 7). The first-of-its-kind meeting aimed to “realize the organizational and ideological convergence of the Party ranks in every way” and “enhance the party’s leadership position,” according to state …

WASHINGTON: The White House said on Tuesday (Jul 5) that President Joe Biden’s team is still considering whether to reduce tariffs on Chinese imports in an effort to reduce inflation. As of late Tuesday, the US Trade Representative’s office had received more than 400 petitions to maintain tariffs in place on Chinese imports. This complicates Biden’s decision-making. A group of …

MANILA: Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, said on Tuesday (July 5) that he wanted relations with Beijing to be about more than just their dispute over the South China Sea, and he emphasized the importance of multilateral engagement in dealing with problems. Before Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Southeast Asia, Marcos told a …

PHILIPPINES: Marcos Jr. has a wide range of issues when he assumes office as president of the Philippines on Thursday (June 30). These range from growing inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic recovery to balancing relations between the United States and China, two competing superpowers. However, despite the fact that the 64-year-old is only permitted to serve one term as president, …

INDONESIA: Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates signed a free trade deal on Friday (Jul 1), enhancing economic links between the two countries. The agreement, signed during Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s visit to Abu Dhabi, eliminates or significantly reduces taxes on most commodities exchanged between the Muslim countries. A reduction or elimination of duties on Emirati petrochemical and rubber products …

TAIWAN: On the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to Chinese administration, Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang declared that freedom in the city had “vanished” and that China had failed to live up to its pledges of 50 years without change. John Lee, a former Hong Kong security head, is being sworn in as Hong Kong’s new leader by Chinese President …