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US to Send Patriot Missiles to Ukraine in Largest-Ever Military Aid

Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base.

The USD 6 billion military aid is the largest security assistance package that the US has committed to date

United States has announced an additional aid of USD 6 billion to Ukraine, which will enable for procurement of weapons, including critical interceptors Patriot and NASAMS (National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) air defence systems, the US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday.

The additional commitment of USD 6 billion through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) will allow for the procurement of new capabilities for Ukraine from US industry, Austin said.

“This is the largest security assistance package that we’ve committed to date,” Austin told a news conference at the Pentagon, adding that the US would “move immediately” to get the supplies to Ukraine.

The USAI aid package also includes counter-drone systems and support equipment; significant amounts of artillery ammunition and air-to-ground munitions; and maintenance and sustainment support.

The USD 6 billion is part of a USD 60 billion aid package signed into law by US President Joe Biden on Wednesday, which also includes USD1 billion in more immediate aid, Austin said.

The Department of Defence (DoD) announced that the “historic new security assistance package” will address Ukraine’s ongoing battlefield needs and demonstrate unwavering US support for Ukraine.

Launch of a MIM-104 Patriot missile.

Austin and Air Force General Charles Q Brown Jr, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressed the press conference following a virtual meeting of the 21st Ukraine Defence Contact Group which saw the participation of Ukranian Minister of Defence Umerov and General Syrskyi.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the start of the virtual meeting and sought more air defence systems to be sent to Kyiv to help protest against Russian strikes.

Austin said that he had convened the Ukraine Defence Contact Group for the first time at Ramstein Air Base exactly two years ago. The group comprising some 50 members of allies and partners from around the world, marshals military assistance for Ukraine.

Contact group members have committed more than USD 95 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, the US Defence Secretary said.

“Over the past two years, the members of this Contact Group have committed more than 70 mid- to long range air-defense systems, along with thousands of missiles. We’ve provided more than 3,000 armoured vehicles, including more than 800 main battle tanks. We’ve given Ukraine tens of thousands of anti-tank missiles. This year, more than a squadron of donated F-16s will start to arrive in Ukraine, along with pilots and maintainers trained by members of this Contact Group,” Austin said as per a Pentagon readout of the remarks made by Austin at the opening of the 21st Ukraine Defence Contact Group.

The US Defence Secretary noted Czech Republic’s “extraordinary initiative” to procure thousands of artillery shells from third countries for Ukraine. “And the UK has announced its largest single package of equipment ever, worth approximately USD 620 million. Or consider Germany’s bold announcement that it will donate another Patriot system to Ukraine,” he said.

“Ukraine is in dire need of more air-defence systems. And it urgently needs more interceptors. That’s going to be a huge priority for us all today. Ukraine also needs more artillery and armour to defend its citizens and reclaim its stolen territory,” Austin said.

Responding to a reporter’s query Austin said, “I would point out that it’s not just Patriot, that you know, they need. They need other types of systems and interceptors, as well. And so I would caution us all in terms of making Patriot the silver bullet. I would say that it’s going to be the integrated air and missile defence, as we’ve said so many times before, that really turns the tide. And so there are other capabilities that they need that — that we really pushed hard to get, and we may be able to the Ukrainians a bit faster.”

Urging allies to deter Russia from further aggression, the US Defence Secretary said, “If Ukraine fell under Putin’s boot, Europe would fall under Putin’s shadow.”

USAI is an authority under which the United States procures capabilities from US industry or partners.

“So the announcements this week underscore America’s enduring commitment to Ukraine’s defence. I’m also proud of all the capabilities that our allies and partners have provided to Ukraine. Our contact group partners have contributed most of the counter-UAS systems provided to Ukraine and most of the 155-millimeter artillery systems, most of the tanks, most of the armoured personnel carriers, most of the infantry fighting vehicles and more,” Austin said. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Blinken Urges China to Tame North Korea

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Blinken Urges China to Tame North Korea

Antony Blinken made the remarks after he had separate meetings with top Chinese leadership.

 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that he renewed calls for China to exert its influence to press North Korea to cease its “dangerous” activities and return to dialogue during his talks with top Chinese officials in Beijing.

Blinken made the remarks on Friday during a press conference after he had separate meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong and other officials in the Chinese capital on the day, Yonhap news agency reported.

Blinken’s trip to Shanghai and Beijing from Wednesday to Friday came as Washington has been pushing for its drive to “responsibly” manage the Sino-US relationship despite a hardening rivalry over technological leadership, maritime security, trade and other domains.

“I encouraged China to use its influence to discourage Iran and its proxies from expanding the conflict in the Middle East, and to press Pyongyang to end its dangerous behaviour and engage in dialogue,” Blinken said. “Going forward, we will have high-level discussions on these and other issues.”

Secretary Blinken shakes hands with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Pyongyang has been ratcheting up tensions with recent menacing weapons tests, including a “super-large” warhead power test for a strategic cruise missile and the launch of an intermediate-range missile tipped with a hypersonic warhead.

Blinken restated America’s “enduring” commitment to the “complete” denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula while in Beijing, according to Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the State Department.

During talks with Beijing officials, he also highlighted Washington’s “serious” concerns about China’s commercial support for Russia’s defence industrial base, which Blinken said is “powering Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine”.

“China is the top supplier of machine tools, microelectronics, nitrocellulose — which is critical to making munitions and rocket propellants, and other dual-use items that Moscow is using to ramp up its defence industrial base, a defence industrial base that is churning out rockets, drones, tanks, and other weapons that President Putin is using to invade a sovereign country, to demolish its power grid and other civilian infrastructure, to kill innocent children, women and men,” he said.

“Russia would struggle to sustain its assault on Ukraine without China’s support,” he added.

Moreover, the top US diplomat touched on the issue of China’s overcapacity.

“I also expressed our concern about the PRC’s unfair trade practices and the potential consequences of industrial overcapacity to global and US markets, especially in a number of key industries that will drive the 21st-century economy, like solar panels, electric vehicles, and the batteries that power them,” he said. PRC stands for China’s official name, the People’s Republic of China.

“China alone is producing more than 100 per cent of global demand for these products, flooding markets, undermining competition, putting at risk livelihoods and businesses around the world.”

Blinken also underlined a US focus on taking “necessary” actions to prevent “advanced US technologies from being used to undermine our national security and economy without unduly limiting trade or investment”, according to Miller.

But both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication “at all times” and agreed to continued high-level diplomacy and interactions going forward, according to Miller.

During his talks with the top US diplomat, the Chinese President said that the US and China should be “partners rather than rivals”.

“The two countries should help each other succeed rather than hurt each other, seek common ground and reserve differences rather than engage in vicious competition, and honour words with actions rather than say one thing but do the opposite,” Xi said according to a transcript released by the State Department.

Xi underlined his three “overarching principles”: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and willing cooperation.

“At present, transformation not seen in a century is unfolding in a profound way, and the international situation is fluid and turbulent,” he said. “It is the shared desire of both the two peoples and the international community to see China and the U.S. strengthen dialogue, manage differences, and advance cooperation.”

Secretary Blinken during a meeting with Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong.

Xi also said that China is happy to see the US being “confident, open, prosperous, and thriving”.

“We hope the US can also look at China’s development in a positive light,” he said. “This is a fundamental issue that must be addressed, just like the first button of a shirt that must be put right in order for the China-U.S. relationship to truly stabilize, improve, and move forward.”

Blinken reaffirmed the US’ commitment to stably manage relations with China.

“We are committed to maintaining and strengthening the lines of communication between us to advance that agenda and, again, to deal responsibly with our differences so that we avoid any miscommunications, any misperceptions, any miscalculations,” he said.

Blinken was referring to the agenda for bilateral cooperation that President Joe Biden and Xi set during their high-profile summit in California in November. At the summit, they agreed to restore military-to-military communication and cooperate on counternarcotics among other outcomes.

ALSO READ: ‘US-China ties can slip into a downward spiral’

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-Top News INDIA 2024 India News

India Elections Phase 2 Sees Enthusiastic Voter Turnout

Second phase of Lok Sabha polls sees enthusiastic voter turnout from Jammu to Kerala, Maharashtra to Tripura

The second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, encompassing 88 seats in 13 states/UTs, spanning Jammu and Kashmir to Kerala, and Maharashtra to Manipur, concluded peacefully on Friday with a vibrant display of democratic fervour as 60.96 per cent of eligible voters, young and old, braved the summer heat and logistical problems to exercise their franchise.

The queues at polling stations painted a vivid picture of India’s societal diversity, with newlyweds, senior citizens, tribals, IT professionals, persons with disabilities (PwDs), women, and first-time young voters patiently awaited their turn to press the EVM buttons for their desired candidates.

Special arrangements were made to combat the heat including the provision of shade, drinking water, medical kits, and fans.

Cricketing superstars Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and Javagal Srinath were seen voting at different polling stations in Bengaluru and posed with their inked fingers to encourage voters. In several states like Rajasthan and Karnataka, officials and voters alike came in their traditional attire to celebrate the “Chunav ka Parv”.

The fate of 1,202 candidates, including prominent figures such as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former Union Ministers Shashi Tharoor and Mahesh Sharma, actress Hema Malini, actor Arun Govil of “Ramayana fame”, former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, BJP youth leader Tejasvi Surya, D.K. Suresh, brother of Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, former Karnataka CM H.D. Kumaraswamy, and independent Pappu Yadav, now rests in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed gratitude towards voters. “The second phase went very well! Gratitude to the people across India who voted today. The unprecedented support for the NDA is further disappointing for the opposition. The voters want the NDA’s governance. Youth and women voters are strongly supporting the NDA”, he said in a post on X.

In this phase, voting took place for all 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, along with half of Karnataka’s 28 seats, the remaining seats of Rajasthan, Manipur, Tripura, as well as several in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, and Jammu and Kashmir.

With this phase, polling has been held in 190 seats and the elections have been concluded in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Lakshwadeep, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, and Uttarakhand

The BJP, holding a significant number of seats in this phase, considers these elections crucial for maintaining and expanding its influence to secure a substantial majority in the Lok Sabha.

Tripura witnessed the highest voter turnout at 78.63 per cent, while Maharashtra recorded the lowest at 54.34 per cent.

Other states saw varying levels of participation, with Manipur at 77.18 per cent, Chhattisgarh at 73.05 per cent, West Bengal at 71.84 per cent, Assam at 70.68 per cent, and Jammu and Kashmir at 71.63 per cent.

Karnataka recorded a 67 per cent turnout, Kerala 65.28 per cent, Rajasthan 63.74 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 56.60 per cent, Bihar 54.91 per cent, and Uttar Pradesh 54.74 per cent.

However, these are provisional figures and the final turnout will be released following verification of Form 17A.

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Houthi Missiles Hit UK Vessel in Red Sea

MV Andromeda Star, the vessel which sustained a “minor damage”, however, is continuing its voyage.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi fighters fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles at two vessels in the Red Sea, which resulted in ‘minor damage’ to the UK-owned vessel.

MV Andromeda Star, the vessel which sustained damage, however, is continuing its voyage.

“At 5:49 p.m. (Sanna time) on April 26, Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists launched three anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Red Sea in the vicinity of MV MAISHA, an Antiqua/Barbados flagged, Liberia operated vessel and MV Andromeda Star, a UK owned and Panamanian flagged, Seychelles operated vessel. MV Andromeda Star reports minor damage, but is continuing its voyage,” the CENTCOM said in a post on X.

“There are no injuries or other damage reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships at this time,” it added.

CENTCOM, which is responsible for the US forces operating in the Middle East, said there were no reports of casualties from the Friday evening missile attacks on the MV Maisha, a ship sailing under the flag of Antiqua/Barbados, as per Al Jazeera.

In the Red Sea, US Marines are spearheading operations to defend shipping boats against Houthi strikes, which are purportedly directed at ships that use Israeli ports or have ties to Israel.

The Houthi attacks on commercial vessels on Red Sea trade routes started in mid-November, with the group linking the disruptions to its demand for an end to Israel’s offensive in Gaza and the delivery of aid to Palestinians ‘under siege’.

The Houthi rebels, who are an Iran-aligned group, have said that they will not stop attacking until Israel ends the hostilities in Gaza.

The US and UK had launched air and surface strikes, which also included fighter jets, against Houthi sites in Yemen. (ANI)

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White House ‘Appalled’ By Student Leader’s ‘Kill Zionists’ Comment

Student leader Khymani James was heard saying in a video in January this year that “Zionists don’t deserve to live” and that people should “be grateful that I’m not just going out and murdering Zionists.”

At a time when varsities in the United States are rocked by pro-Palestinian protests, the White House has come in for strong criticism of the “appaling and dangerous” comments made by a student leader of the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, according to The Hill.

“These dangerous, appalling statements turn the stomach and should serve as a wakeup call. It is hideous to advocate for the murder of Jews,” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement on Friday.

“President Biden has been clear that violent rhetoric, hate speech, and antisemitic remarks have no place in America whatsoever, and he will always stand against them,” he said.

“Calls of violence and statements targeted at individuals based on their religious, ethnic, or national identity are unacceptable and violate university policy,” the spokersperson said.

Student leader Khymani James was heard saying in a video in January this year that “Zionists don’t deserve to live” and that people should “be grateful that I’m not just going out and murdering Zionists,” according to The Hill.

In a social media post on Friday, Khymani expressed regret and said that his remarks were “wrong.”

James’ remarks coincided with a meeting he had with school administrators on a social media post he had made about battling a Zionist.

“I don’t fight to injure or for there to be a winner or a loser, I fight to kill,” James said at that time.

In a social media post on Friday, the student expressed regret and said that his remarks were “wrong.”

Earlier on Thursday, House Speaker Mike Johnson called for the resignation of Columbia University’s president amid ongoing demonstrations sparked by pro-Palestinian sentiments at major American universities, reported CNN.

However, protesters at Columbia University, where demonstrations ignited last week, demand the severance of ties with Israeli academic institutions and a complete divestment from entities linked to Israel amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

House Speaker Mike Johnson emphasised the need for order on campus, stating that if the university president cannot restore calm, she should resign. However, student reactions to this call for resignation are varied, with some expressing willingness to continue working with her. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Israel’s Ultimatum: Release 33 Hostages or Face Rafah Assault

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Israel’s Ultimatum: Release 33 Hostages or Face Rafah Assault

Israel, citing its internal report, has said that of the 129 Israeli hostages, there are 33 people who fall in the category of aged, women, and ill.

Israel has demanded the release of at least 33 hostages by Hamas to prevent the planned attack on the city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip.

Sources in the Israeli Defence Ministry told IANS that the demand was put forward by Mossad chief David Barnea before the visiting Egyptian delegation headed by its intelligence chief Major General Abbas Kamel.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has already expressed his country’s concern over the planned attack on Rafah to the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the latter’s recent visit to Cairo.

Egypt fears that an attack on the Rafah region would lead to civilian catastrophe as well as a huge refugee exodus to Egypt as Rafah borders the Sinai region of the country.

Israel, citing its internal report, has said that of the 129 Israeli hostages, there are 33 people who fall in the category of aged, women, and ill. According to Israel, many of the 129 hostages are dead.

Israel has also said that it would not allow any time buying tactics by Hamas led by Yahya Sinwar, its military commander and the “mastermind of the October 7, 2023 massacre”.

Israeli intelligence has claimed that Sinwar is in Rafah in one of the Hamas tunnels with the Israeli hostages as human shields.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has already deployed its elite Nahal Brigade in Rafah ahead of the planned attack.

ALSO READ: UK slaps fresh sanctions on Iran after Israel attack

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US starts building Gaza aid pier

The official added that about 1,000 US troops would support the military effort, including in coordination cells in Cyprus and Israel…reports Asian Lite News

US troops have begun construction of a maritime pier off the coast of Gaza that aims to speed the flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave when it becomes operational in May, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

President Joe Biden announced the pier in March as aid officials implored Israel to ease access for relief supplies into Gaza over land routes. Whether the pier will ultimately succeed in boosting humanitarian aid is unclear, as international officials warn of the risk of famine in northern Gaza.

Israel’s six-month-long military campaign against Hamas has devastated the tiny Gaza Strip and plunged its 2.3 million people into a humanitarian catastrophe.

A senior Biden administration official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, said humanitarian aid coming off the pier will need to pass through Israeli checkpoints on land. That is despite the aid having already been inspected by Israel in Cyprus prior to being shipped to Gaza. Israel wants to prevent any aid getting to Hamas fighters that boosts their war effort.

The prospect of checkpoints raises questions about possible delays even after aid reaches shore. The United Nations has long complained of obstacles to getting aid in and distributing it throughout Gaza.

“I can confirm that US military vessels, to include the USNS Benavidez, have begun to construct the initial stages of the temporary pier and causeway at sea,” Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder told reporters.

Concerns about the risk to American troops getting caught up in the Israel-Hamas war were underscored on Thursday as news emerged of a mortar attack near the area where the pier will eventually touch ground. No US forces were present, however, and Biden has ordered US forces to not step foot on the Gaza shore.

The pier will initially handle 90 trucks a day, but that number could go up to 150 trucks daily when it is fully operational. The United Nations said this week that the daily average number of trucks entering Gaza during April was 200 and that there had been a peak on Monday of 316.

The official added that about 1,000 US troops would support the military effort, including in coordination cells in Cyprus and Israel.

A third party will be driving trucks down the pier onto the beach, the official added.

The northern Gaza Strip is still heading toward a famine, the deputy UN food chief said on Thursday, appealing for a greater volume of aid and for Israel to allow direct access from its southern Ashdod port to the Erez crossing.

In a statement, the Israeli military said it would provide security and logistics support for the pier.

An Israeli military brigade, which includes thousands of soldiers, along with Israeli Navy ships and Air Force would work to protect US troops who are setting up the pier.

Ryder said the Pentagon was tracking some type of mortar attack in Gaza that caused minimal damage in the marshalling area for the pier. But he added that US forces had not started moving anything to that area yet and there were no US forces on the ground.

ALSO READ-Emirati Field Hospital in Gaza scores medical feat

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Macron blasts ‘ineffective’ UK’s Rwanda law

“I don’t believe in the model … which would involve finding third countries on the African continent or elsewhere where we’d send people who arrive on our soil illegally,” says Macron…reports Asian Lite News

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said Britain’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was “ineffective” and showed “cynicism” while praising the two countries’ cooperation on defense.

“I don’t believe in the model … which would involve finding third countries on the African continent or elsewhere where we’d send people who arrive on our soil illegally, who don’t come from these countries,” Macron said.

“We’re creating a geopolitics of cynicism which betrays our values and will build new dependencies, and which will prove completely ineffective,” he added in a wide-ranging speech on the future of the European Union at Paris’ Sorbonne University.

British MPs on Tuesday passed a law providing for undocumented asylum seekers to be sent to Rwanda, where their asylum claims would be processed and where they would stay if the claims succeed.

The law is a flagship policy for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government, which badly lags the opposition Labour Party in the polls, with an election expected within months.

Britain pays Paris to support policing of France’s northern coast, which aims to prevent migrants from setting off for perilous crossings in small boats.

Five people, including one child, were killed in an attempted crossing Tuesday, bringing the toll on the route so far this year to 15 — already higher than the 12 deaths in 2023.

But Macron had warm words for London when he praised the two NATO allies’ bilateral military cooperation, which endured through the contentious years of Britain’s departure from the EU.

“The British are deep natural allies (for France), and the treaties that bind us together … lay a solid foundation,” he said.

“We have to follow them up and strengthen them because Brexit has not affected this relationship,” Macron added.

The president also said France should seek similar “partnerships” with fellow EU members.

King Charles grants Royal assent

King Charles has given his assent to legislation central to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Royal assent is the final stage in the legislative process, and effectively rubber stamps the decision taken by parliament earlier this week to approve the bill after a long battle between the government and opponents of the plan.

The Royal Assent was announced in the House of Lords on Thursday, meaning the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill will now become law.

Parliament approved the legislation in the early hours of Tuesday morning. On Monday, Sunak said he expected the first flights to Rwanda to take off in 10 to 12 weeks after it was passed.

UN express concerns

United Nations (UN) leaders have raised the alarm over the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill passed by the United Kingdom (UK) this week.

The UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, and High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk highlighted the law’s detrimental effects on human rights and refugee protection.

The bill identifies Rwanda as a secure nation, and is a crucial component of the government’s strategy to relocate certain asylum seekers there. It is set to become law after months of wrangling ended in a parliamentary showdown on Monday night.

On Tuesday, Grandi and Turk called on the UK government to reconsider its plan to transfer asylum-seekers to Rwanda. Instead, the UN leaders asked the UK to take practical measures to address irregular flows of refugees and migrants, based on international cooperation and respect for international human rights law.

“The new legislation marks a further step away from the UK’s long tradition of providing refuge to those in need, in breach of the Refugee Convention,” said Grandi. “This arrangement seeks to shift responsibility for refugee protection, undermining international cooperation and setting a worrying global precedent.”

Meanwhile, Turk said: “By shifting responsibility for refugees, reducing the UK’s courts’ ability to scrutinize removal decisions, restricting access to legal remedies in the UK and limiting the scope of domestic and international human rights protections for a specific group of people, this new legislation seriously hinders the rule of law in the UK and sets a perilous precedent globally.”

In April 2022, Britain struck a deal with Rwanda whereby illegal immigrants and asylum seekers would be transferred to Rwanda for their claims to be processed. Once approved, they would receive permanent residency in Rwanda instead of being permitted to go back to the UK.

“The adoption of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill by the UK Parliament raises major issues about the human rights of asylum seekers and the rule of law more generally”, said Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. “The United Kingdom government should refrain from removing people under the Rwanda policy and reverse the Bill’s effective infringement of judicial independence”, he underlined.

“Managing asylum and migration is undoubtedly a complex endeavour for states, but it must always be done in full compliance with international standards. In this regard, I am concerned that the Rwanda Bill enables the implementation of a policy of removing people to Rwanda without any prior assessment of their asylum claims by the UK authorities in the majority of cases. Specifically, the Bill prevents individuals faced with removal to Rwanda from accessing remedies for potential violations of the absolute prohibition of refoulement, while it also significantly excludes the ability of UK courts to fully and independently scrutinise the issues brought before them.

ALSO READ-Macron says ground operations in Ukraine possible

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‘US-China ties can slip into a downward spiral’

Wang Yi says recent improvements in ties face ‘disruptions’ amid threats of sanctions over support for Russia’s defence industry…reports Asian Lite News

China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, has warned the US that the recent improvements in the two countries’ relations were being jeopardised by “disruptions” which could take them back to a “downward spiral” leading to rivalry, confrontation and even conflict.

Wang was speaking at the start of a meeting in Beijing with the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, at a time of renewed tension in the relations between the superpowers.

Blinken’s three-day visit to China comes five months after a largely successful summit between US and China leaders Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, which was followed by a decrease in tensions over Taiwan, the re-establishment of contacts between the two countries’ militaries and bilateral cooperation on counter-narcotics efforts.

Antony Blinken waves as he boards his plane at Andrews airbase in Maryland on his way to Beijing for his three-day visit to China

But the US is now threatening sanctions against Chinese companies for supplying the Russian defense industry, and is considering tariffs in the face of what Washington says is Chinese manufacturing over-capacity. The Biden administration has also tightened export controls on advanced computer chips.

While Blinken was on the way to China, Congress passed legislation that would ban the social media platform TikTok within a year in the US – if its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, does not sell its stake – as well as provide billions of dollars in aid for the Indo-Pacific that would largely benefit Taiwan.

At the start of what was scheduled to be a six-hour series of meetings between US and Chinese delegations at the Diaoyutai state guest house in Beijing, Wang suggested the bilateral relationship was at a turning point. Since the Biden-Xi summit in San Francisco in November, he said it was “beginning to stabilise” with increased dialogue and cooperation.

“This is welcomed by our two peoples and the international community,” Wang said through an official interpreter. “But at the same time, the negative factors in the relationship are still increasing and building and the relationship is facing all kinds of disruptions.”

“China’s legitimate development rights have been unreasonably suppressed and our core interests are facing challenges,” he said. “Should China and the United States keep to the right direction of moving forward with stability or return to a downward spiral?”

“This is a major question before our two countries, which tests our sincerity and ability,” Wang added, warning the US “not to step on China’s red lines on China’s sovereignty, security and development interests.”

“Should our two sides lead international cooperation on global issues and achieve win-win for all, or engage in rivalry and confrontation or even slide into conflict, which would be a lose-lose for all?” Wang asked. “The international community is waiting for our answer.”

In response, Blinken said he welcomed the opportunity to have face-to-face talks “to avoid misunderstandings, to avoid miscalculations”.

“That it really is a shared responsibility that we have, not only for our own people, but for people around the world, given the impact that the relationship between our countries has around the world,” Blinken said.

“It’s important to demonstrate that we’re managing responsibly the most consequential relationship for both of us in the world.”

Blinken is also expected to meet President Xi on Friday, though Beijing does not usually confirm such meetings until the last minute.

US officials say there has been relative calm in the Taiwan Strait since the Biden-Xi summit, after a period of high tension in which Chinese warships and planes would regularly approach Taiwan. At the same time however, there has been increasing friction in the South China Sea between China – which claims sovereignty over most of the sea – and neighbouring countries, particularly the Philippines, a US ally.

One of the key topics in the Beijing talks will be counter-narcotics cooperation. At November’s summit, China took some steps to curb the supply of chemical precursors and equipment used by traffickers to make the synthetic opioid fentanyl, the leading cause of death for Americans, aged 18 to 49. However, there is concern in Washington that the steps taken by Beijing have been token, and have yet to have much effect.

Blinken, who is accompanied in Beijing by Todd Robinson, assistant secretary of state for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs, is asking for more consistent police action against Chinese suppliers.

The secretary of state has also come to deliver a message that Chinese companies could soon face sanctions from the US and its European allies for selling weapons components and dual-use equipment to Russia’s arms industry, which is rebuilding and modernising to feed Vladimir Putin’s effort to conquer Ukraine. China has shrugged off appeals to curb those exports, describing them as foreign interference in the trade relations between China and a close strategic partner.

ALSO READ-Putin says plans to visit China next month

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UK slaps fresh sanctions on Iran after Israel attack

The package of sanctions has been announced in co-ordination with the US and Canada, and follows Iran’s missile and drone attack against Israel earlier this month…reports Asian Lite News

The UK has announced sanctions against individuals and companies linked to Iran’s drone and missile industry. Two people linked to the country’s network of drone production, Seyed Mohsen Vahabzadeh Moghadam and Abbas Abdi Asjerd, will be subject to a UK travel ban and asset freeze.

The pair are directors of a network of Iranian companies involved in producing drones.

They also have connections to a man named Abdollah Mehrabi, head of an aerospace force within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who was sanctioned in 2022 for providing drones to Russia. Four companies – Bonyan Danesh Shargh, Pishro Sanat Aseman Sharif Company, Alvand Motorbuilding Industries Company and Moj Gostar Aseman Parvaz Company – will also face a UK asset freeze.

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said: “The Iranian regime’s dangerous attack on Israel risked thousands of civilian casualties and wider escalation in the region. Today the UK and our partners have sent a clear message – we will hold those responsible for Iran’s destabilising behaviour to account. Alongside our partners, we will continue to tighten the net on Iran’s ability to develop and export these deadly weapons.”

The package of sanctions has been announced in co-ordination with the US and Canada, and follows Iran’s missile and drone attack against Israel earlier this month.

A similar set of restrictions were announced on April 18, aimed at Iranian military top brass and defence organisations. G7 foreign ministers, including Lord Cameron, last week warned they were planning joint action in order to stifle Iran’s influence in the Middle East.

More than 400 sanctions have already been imposed on Iran by the UK, including on the entirety of the IRGC. The UK has further plans to expand trade sanctions against the Iranian regime by introducing a ban on exporting the component parts used in drone and missile production to Iran.

This is intended to deny Iran access to the parts it needs to make these weapons and limit its military capabilities.

Meanwhile, a Greek navy frigate fired on two drones approaching the ship in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday morning – one was shot down.

The second unmanned aerial vehicle then turned away, as reported by Greek radio (ERT), citing the Ministry of Defence in Athens. The frigate is continuing its mission, it added.

The frigate was escorting a merchant ship as part of the EU naval mission Aspides, which aims to protect merchant ships from attacks by the militant Islamist Houthi from Yemen.

The Gulf of Aden, off the Yemeni coast, links the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea.

Houthi militants have been attacking ships in the Red Sea region in what they say is retaliation for Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip.

Major shipping companies are increasingly avoiding the shortest sea route between Asia and Europe and sailing the much longer journey around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope instead.

The Iran-backed Houthi militia say they want to force an end to the Israeli attacks in Gaza, which followed the unprecedented massacre by the Palestinian Islamist organisation Hamas last October.

Several Western countries, including the United States and Britain, have launched operations to protect ships in the region in response to the Houthi attacks. The European Union has also deployed a military operation to secure merchant shipping in the Red Sea.

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