Chinese media reporting on the China-Central Asia Summit

Chinese media reporting on the China-Central Asia Summit

    Friday, May 19, 2023   No comments

The optics are unmistakable: while the G7 meets in the Japanese city bombed by weapons of mass destruction to forces Japanese leaders to end the war to condemn China for what they see as “coercive economics”, and while Russia is battling NATO in a proxy war in Ukraine, China hosts a summit with the leaders of the Muslim-majority countries that were part of the Soviet Union to promote regional security, autonomy, and economic development. The summit with these Muslim leaders is also held in a region in China that has a Muslim majority. The dawn of the multipolar world is here. And the Chinese media and Chinese political leaders are now holding back now.

The news:

China's President Xi Jinping on Friday unveiled an ambitious plan to help elevate Central Asia to the next level of its development - from building infrastructure networks to boosting trade - while shunning "external interference" at the same time.

China stands ready to synergize development strategies with the five Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and make joint efforts to promote the modernization of all six countries, said Xi in an address at the China-Central Asia Summit in northwest China.

"The world needs a Central Asia that is stable, prosperous, harmonious, and well-connected," Xi said.

"China is ready to help Central Asian countries improve their law enforcement, security, and defense capability construction," Xi said.

The report from China:

Experts told the Global Times the grand ceremony to welcome leaders of Central Asian countries and making the "first major diplomatic event that China hosts this year" focus on Central Asian countries show Central Asian countries' growing importance in China's diplomatic agenda. 

Wang Xiaoquan, an expert from the Institute of Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that Central Asian countries' unique strategic importance to China has been highlighted by current international and regional circumstances. "Central Asia is China's strategic rear in coping with risks from the eastern side," he explained. 

When the US is rallying its allies against China, China needs a stable Central Asia, Wang explained, noting that the region's safety also has a far-fetching impact on China's Northwestern region. 

The region's importance to China is also embodied by both sides' cooperation on energy. For example, China once received 30 percent of its natural gas imports through the China-Central Asia pipeline. Residents in Beijing, Shanghai and some other cities already use natural gas from Turkmenistan. 

From the big picture, since the Russia-Ukraine crisis, camp confrontation mentality has gained momentum in international society. For China and Central Asian countries, cooperation can promote regional peace and stability, sending signal different from camp confrontation and avoid the world sliding into bigger confrontation, Zhao Huirong, an Eastern European studies expert from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

Contrasting signals 

In another summit to be held in Japan between May 19 and 21, G7 leaders seek to hammer out a unified response to Chinese "economic coercion." The Wall Street Journal, cited sources saying that the US and its allies "are poised to increase pressure on China at this week's Group of Seven summit in Japan, with an expected joint statement rejecting use of economic retaliation against nations over policy disputes and other disagreements."

Western media began to draw parallel of the two summits, depicting China-Central Asia Summit as China's effort to counter the G7 summit. "The two meetings symbolize the calcification of a multipolar world in which Global South nations are being courted as important strategic partners," Bloomberg reported on Thursday. 

 "I don't think the convening of China-Central Asia Summit is deliberately arranged at overlapping time with G7, as high-level leaders' summit requires a long time to prepare in advance," said Wang Xiaoquan. Yet Wang opined that the two summits, held at approximately the same time and within close adjacency, send "meaningful signals" to the world. 

G7 focuses on discussion of domination of world order and monopoly of international economy; whilst China and Central Asian countries, all developing countries, seek to build a fairer and more rational world order, said Wang. The expert predicted six leaders at the China-Central Asia Summit will discuss China proposed Global Security Initiative and Global Development Initiative, in addition to the Belt and Road Initiative and other topics, which represent the trend of world development. 

Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times that China-Central Asia Summit speaks the language of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation; and does not target any third party; whilst G7 uses the outmoded mentality of Cold War to crackdown and ring-fence certain countries. 

 Reporting by China's Global Times 

As if it were designed to respond to the G7 summit, China releases a "report unveiling dark side of US coercive diplomacy."

The report was highlighted in the Global Times again:

The G7 summit in Hiroshima will be held from Friday to Sunday. According to media reports, G7 leaders will discuss concerns about China's so-called economic coercion in its dealings abroad as part of their larger joint statement.

Li pointed out that to suppress China's development momentum for its own selfish gains, the US has continually created conflict and harmed prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region through economic and diplomatic coercion, as well as by wooing its allies. He added that what the US has done in the past 30 years across the world has clearly shown that it is the greatest source of danger and disruption to regional stability and order.

From the GT Editorial: China releases report unveiling dark side of US coercive diplomacy ahead of G7 summit

 

Turkish elections news, Erdogan: Türkiye and Russia need each other, rejects talks with third candidate

Turkish elections news, Erdogan: Türkiye and Russia need each other, rejects talks with third candidate

    Friday, May 19, 2023   No comments

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to CNN about a number of files, including elections and foreign policy.

The Turkish president said he would work "without a doubt" with US President Joe Biden, or with "anyone who might replace him."

In response to his reminder of his condemnation of the statements of US President Joe Biden, who described him as a "tyrant", during his campaign in the US presidential elections, Erdogan said: "Can someone who goes to the second round, and not the first (in the Turkish presidential elections), be a dictator? ".

He asked, "What kind of dictatorship is this? Given that the People's Alliance enters Parliament with 322 deputies, and the person who presides over it comes to the fore, and is heading to a second round."

Erdogan described his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin as "special," and said: "We have no problems in our relationship with Russia at the present time, and we are not at a stage where we impose sanctions on it as the West did. We are not bound by the West's sanctions."

Erdogan criticized the "unbalanced approach of the West with Russia," as he put it, saying: "You need a balanced approach towards a country like Russia, which could have been a much more fortunate approach."

He stressed that "Turkey and Russia need each other in every field."

Regarding Turkey's approval of Sweden's request to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, "NATO," Erdogan said that he was "not ready for Sweden to enter NATO."

Regarding the return of Syrian-Turkish relations, he made it clear that he could reconcile with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad if they agree on how to deal with the PKK file.

It is worth mentioning that the Turkish Minister of Defense, Hulusi Akar, spoke weeks ago about the possibility of meeting the leaders of Turkey and Syria within the framework of the quadripartite formula, and said in this regard: "We need to make appropriate preparations."

Erdogan said he would not negotiate with Turkish presidential candidate Sinan Ogan.

The Turkish president also expressed his confidence that the people will show the strength of Turkish democracy in the second round of the presidential elections as well.

He said, during the interview: "I believe that my people will show the strong Turkish democracy in the elections that will take place on Sunday (28th of this month) as well. There was a strong participation rate of nearly 90% (in the first round)."

And the Turkish president indicated that "this participation rate is very important, and it is less than its counterpart in the world." As for the Turkish economy, Erdogan said he is committed to his interest rate theory.

Last Sunday, Turkey witnessed presidential and parliamentary elections, and the candidate of the "Audience Alliance" President Erdogan, the candidate of the "Nation Alliance" leader of the Republican People's Party Kamal Kilicdaroglu, and the candidate of the "Ata Alliance" (ancestors) Sinan Ogan competed in the presidential elections.

Turkey's Supreme Electoral Commission officially announced that the second round of the presidential elections would take place on May 28, due to the fact that no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote.

Iran and Russia sign an agreement to build a railway line boosting the North-South Trade Route initiative

Iran and Russia sign an agreement to build a railway line boosting the North-South Trade Route initiative

    Thursday, May 18, 2023   No comments

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Ebrahim Raisi, witnessed via video link today, Wednesday, the signing of an agreement to finance and build a railway in Iran, as part of plans to establish an international transport corridor linking the north and south.

The railway line between the cities of Rasht and Astara is seen as an important link in the international corridor, which aims to connect India, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan and other countries by rail and sea.

Russia says this corridor can rival the Suez Canal as a major route for global trade.

Putin said that the unique north-south transport route - of which the Rasht-Astara railway will become a part - will contribute to a significant diversification of global transport flows.

He added that the railway line - which extends 162 km along the Caspian Sea coast - will help connect Russian ports on the Baltic Sea with ports.

Iran bordering the Indian Ocean and the Gulf.

In turn, the Iranian president said that this agreement is undoubtedly an important and strategic step in the field of cooperation between Tehran and Moscow.

Western sanctions imposed on Russia and Iran have pushed the two countries to strengthen their political and economic relations, and both countries say the sanctions are unjustified.

Since 1979, the West has imposed numerous sanctions on Iran, which has about a quarter of the oil reserves in the Middle East, and its economy has been paralyzed. The West has also imposed another set of restrictions on the Iranian nuclear program, and imposed sanctions on Russia because of its war in Ukraine.

The agreement between Russia and Iran, with support from India, will make this initiative one that would compete with the Suez Canal, reducing the strategic importance of the Suez Canal and revenues for the Egyptian government. Aware of this connection between these trade systems, Egypt and Iran increased their low level talks to repair their diplomatic relations that have been downgraded since 1979.

The North-South Trade line is not isolated from the China-backed Belt and Road initiative, in fact it is seen as a complementing project. For that to be true, Pakistan must be integrated into this project. It is no coincidence then that the Iranian president, hours after signing the agreement with Putin, visited the border with Pakistan to emphasize two critical things: The integration of Pakistan into the Asia economy anchored by China and Russia and to address the security issue in the border with Pakistan, which recalls the increasing role now played by the SCO in regional security matters.

 

To these ends, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said today, Thursday, that he is in the process of implementing joint border projects between Iran and Pakistan. He added during a joint press conference with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Sistan and Baluchistan province on the sidelines of the opening of the electricity transmission project to Pakistan that part of the border markets with Pakistan has not been activated so far, and its problems will be resolved during this visit.

He pointed out that his country's government will also follow up the implementation of economic and tourism projects and border transportation.

The Iranian president said: "We will take more field steps to exchange energy and electricity with Pakistan, in addition to energy exchange and the launch of a joint border market between the two countries."

He confirmed that 6 other joint markets are being planned to be launched soon. He added that today's meeting, with the participation of the Pakistani Prime Minister, carries an "important message that borders can contribute to enhancing security between the two countries."

He pointed out that Pakistan's security "is the security of the entire region, which is our security, and the presence of foreigners in the region will not solve its security problems."

Raisi also touched on the outcome of the American presence in Afghanistan, saying that this presence contributed to "killing, wounding, disabling and displacing many of the people of this country."

For his part, Sharif said that Iran and Pakistan are "two brothers and two friends who share a common culture and history."

He added, "Means of strengthening economic relations in the future were discussed," stressing: "We will overcome all challenges and difficulties to achieve this goal."

Earlier, Iranian President Sharif met at the Bish-Mand joint border, as the two sides discussed developing joint trade relations.

Raisi and his accompanying delegation arrived Thursday morning in the province of Sistan and Baluchestan to follow up on a number of development projects in the province.

During this visit, Raisi followed up on the progress made in the strategic project to develop the "Makran coasts", and the inauguration of the water pumping process in the "Kahir Dam" and the operations of extending water to a number of villages in this province.

He pointed out that the development of the province of Sistan and Baluchestan is one of the priorities of the government's plans, adding: "The plans and programs set for this province, especially the Makran region, will be followed up."

Upon his arrival at Konark Airport, Raisi noted that the beaches of Makran have a lot of "good potentials for the economy, tourism and maritime economy."

He added, "Thanks to the victory of the Islamic Revolution, good measures and steps were taken in developing the province and developing its tourism and economic potential."

He stated that one of the objectives of this visit is to meet Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the former borders of the city of Rask, and to follow up on planning economic projects, road tourism and infrastructure for the province of Sistan and Baluchestan.

Zionist settlers intimidating, beating Palestinians in Jerusalem ahead of their Flad Day event

Zionist settlers intimidating, beating Palestinians in Jerusalem ahead of their Flad Day event

    Thursday, May 18, 2023   No comments

The settlers arrived at Bab al-Amoud, one of the entrances to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, in order to participate in the march of the Israeli flags.

A correspondent of a Lebanese media outlet, Almayadeen, on scene said, "The settlers are provoking Palestinian and foreign journalists in front of the Damascus Gate," noting that "the occupation police placed the journalists who wished to transfer directly from the Damascus Gate in a specific area, and prevented them from moving."

She added, "Large numbers of settlers arrived at Damascus Gate, in order to participate in the Flags March."

The settlers waved the flags of the occupation entity while singing in Bab al-Amoud Square, one of the most famous gates of the Old City, while Jerusalemites raised the Palestinian flag, rejecting the march.

The occupation forces beat a number of citizens, and prevented the press from approaching the place of the settlers' march, who announced that they would perform a so-called "flag dance".

Qatar's Aljazeera, also reported about violence. The outlet reported that ministers in the Israeli government participated in the so-called "flag march" in occupied Jerusalem, which was called for by extremist Israeli forces, while the Al-Jazeera correspondent said that today, Thursday, settlers and the occupation police attacked Palestinians inside the Old City and in the Damascus Gate area in Jerusalem.

The "flags' march" began this afternoon, Thursday, from West Jerusalem, and then reached the Bab al-Amoud area (one of the gates of the Old City).

The most prominent participants in the "March of the Flags" were the extremist Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, the extremist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the Energy Minister Israel Katz and the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee in the Knesset (parliament) Yoel Edelstein, in addition to members of the Knesset for the Likud and the religious Zionist parties.

An Israeli Institute for Studies publishes a video about a secret Iranian drone base dedicated to carrying out the “swarm attack”

An Israeli Institute for Studies publishes a video about a secret Iranian drone base dedicated to carrying out the “swarm attack”

    Wednesday, May 17, 2023   No comments

The Israeli “Alma” research institute published a video clip that monitors details, which it said is of a secret base for Iranian drones dedicated to carrying out large-scale attacks, or the so-called “swarm attack.”

According to the video, which was published by the Institute on its official page on “Twitter”, yesterday, Tuesday, the base of the Iranian marches is located underground in a mountainous area around the city of Shiraz, southern Iran.

The institute stated that the march base is located about 16 kilometers from an Iranian army air base, noting that it could threaten any country in the Middle East if Iran decided to use it at any time, according to the Russian “Sputnik” agency.

According to the explanatory video published by the institute, the base has about 5 launch silos inside the rocks, each of which has 3 launchers.

The video also indicated that there are tunnels intended for loading vehicles to reach the base of the marches, which are estimated to be 3 kilometers long inside the mountain.

The video pointed out that the air base near the base is dedicated to securing the area using the Russian Su-24MK fighter.

And the Israeli research institute says that Iran has offensive drones that can reach a range of two thousand kilometers, which means that it can reach Israel and bypass it.

Iran has become among the best countries in the world to manufacture drones locally, especially by providing them with technologies that allow them to be used in carrying out the "swarm attack", which represents one of the most dangerous offensive tactics in modern warfare.

It is noteworthy that the Iranian army announced, last April, that it had received more than 200 strategic drones, to enhance its capabilities in the drone force.

Analyzing the news and views released by Ukrainian and Russian sources about the status and importance of Bakhmut

Analyzing the news and views released by Ukrainian and Russian sources about the status and importance of Bakhmut

    Wednesday, May 17, 2023   No comments

Parsing the news and analysis released by Ukrainian and Russian sources about the status of Bakhmut, the year-long battle in the city appears to have limited strategic value, but became important to Ukrainian politicians as a prop to secure more military support.

Here are some facts that might help us understand the narratives about the battle of Bakhmut.

Bakhmut is an industrial city, part of the Donetsk region but also just 20 miles away from Luhansk, both regions are inhabited by majority ethnic Russians and were annexed by the Russian federation as autonomous republics. 

These regions have been at war with the government in Kiev since 2014. When the Russian troops entered Ukraine in 2022, Bakhmut became the frontline. Ukrainian troops used the underground structures and the hills overlooking the region establish durable defensive lines. Those defensive lines became challenged since Russian troops rotated out of the south (west of the river in Kherson region, and concentrated on the Bakhmut-Avdiivka line of contact. In a way, Bakhmut became important for both sides for different reasons:

The Ukrainians want to preserve Bakhmut because they wanted to show that they can not only hold the line, but also take back territory, including Crimea. If Ukrainian government loses Bakhmut right after claiming victory in Kherson, that would raise doubt about its ability to achieve its stated goals—liberate all territories including Crimea.

Russian need to not only take Bakhmut, but move past Bakhmut to justify the redeployment of troops this active line of contact stretching from Dvorichne in the north to Velyka Novosilka in the south. 

Bakhmut is also important in terms of optics. Since it is seen as a year long battle, it enforces the narratives that Ukrainian troops can hold their ground and retake territories. This would explain why the head of the government made his tour of Europe now and not earlier or later: he can use the “success” Bakhmut to secure more military aid. Many analysists believe that if his troops do not take back new territories this year, Western aid will stop. So this cannot be a lost opportunity in that context.

The big picture, however is this: regardless of ends up holding Bakhmut, can these images of a liberated city apply to Kiev too? In other words, are Ukrainians willing to fight in every major city the same way they are fighter in Bakhmut?

The US is dangerously connecting Taiwan standoff to Ukrainian crisis

The US is dangerously connecting Taiwan standoff to Ukrainian crisis

    Tuesday, May 16, 2023   No comments

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin argues that Russia's success in Ukraine will push China to invade Taiwan and encourage other countries to do the same. Therefore, US will soon provide significant additional security assistance to Taiwan.

By the same logic, the US success in invading Iraq without suffering any consequences pushed Russia to invade Ukraine, and will also push China to invade Taiwan. 

Mauritanian parliamentary and local elections

Mauritanian parliamentary and local elections

    Monday, May 15, 2023   No comments

Counting of votes in the Mauritanian parliamentary and local elections continue; the tabualtion began  on Saturday - after polling stations closed their doors at seven o'clock in the evening (Greenwich Mean Time), and it is expected that the preliminary results of the elections will be announced on Sunday evening.

The Independent National Elections Commission decided to extend voting in a number of centers whose opening was delayed "until the last voter present in the geographical area of the voting center is able to vote," according to a spokesman for the commission, Muhammad Taqi Allah al-Adham, at a press conference from the capital, Nouakchott.

Long lines lined up in front of many polling stations in Nouakchott on Saturday to elect a new parliament and regional and local councils in the first poll since President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani came to power in 2019. Meanwhile, Amadi Ould Sidi El Mokhtar, head of the National Rally for Reform and Development (the largest opposition party), said: In Mauritania) that "significant breaches" were recorded in the first hours of the elections.

The polling stations opened to voters at seven o'clock in the morning local time, as the elections take place with the participation of 25 parties, which is the total number of political parties licensed in the country.

The Independent National Elections Commission announced that the participation rate reached 18% at midday.

For his part, the Mauritanian president said that the government "is insisting on the success of organizing parliamentary and local elections."

On the other hand, the head of the "National Rally for Reform and Development" party said - in a statement after casting his vote - that the opposition "was very concerned about the course of the electoral process, especially with regard to the Independent National Elections Commission, and what we feared has come true today."

Ould Sidi El-Mokhtar pointed out that "during the first two hours of the start of voting, we witnessed many violations. There are centers that did not open their doors two hours after the start of voting, centers that were moved from their places without prior notice, centers that receive incomplete electoral lists, and centers that are not accepted for entry." representatives of the parties.

The Independent National Elections Commission did not comment on the statements of the "National Rally for Reform and Development" party regarding the "violations" and said that "the polling is taking place smoothly and without obstacles."

Rivalry rages in the capital, Nouakchott, between the ruling "Insaf" party and the "National Rally for Reform and Development" (Islamic opposition).

The two parties are looking forward to winning the position of president of the Nouakchott region (mayor of the capital), which is the most important electoral position at the level of the capital.

The ruling "Insaf" party renewed its candidacy for Fatima bint Abdel Malik, who had held the position since the 2018 elections, while the "National Rally for Reform and Development" party pushed the former mayor of Arafat district in Nouakchott and the most prominent party leader, Hassan Ould Mohamed, for this position.

According to figures from the Independent National Elections Commission, the number of candidate lists in constituencies at the parliamentary level has reached 559, which will compete for 167 parliamentary seats.

The number of lists running for the regional elections reached 145 lists competing for 13 regional councils, while the number of lists running for municipalities reached 1,378 lists, competing for 238 local councils.

The total number of voters is two million, 700 thousand and 448 voters.

Last March, the Mauritanian president issued a decree dissolving the "National Assembly" (parliament) in preparation for holding elections, as its sessions have stopped since that date.

The release of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on bail

The release of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on bail

    Friday, May 12, 2023   No comments

Today, Friday, a court in Islamabad released former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, 70, after the Supreme Court overturned his arrest warrant, which caused riots across the country.

"The court granted Imran Khan two weeks' bail, and ordered the authorities not to arrest him again during this period, as part of a corruption case," Khawaja Harris, one of his lawyers, told reporters before the court.

Khan was granted conditional release in a number of other cases.

The court decided that he should not be arrested again, before Monday, in any of the other ten cases he is being prosecuted for, or in the case of acts of violence committed by his supporters this week.

Khan was arrested last Tuesday while a court in Islamabad was hearing his testimony in a corruption case, and then placed in pre-trial detention the next day for eight days.

However, the Supreme Court confirmed that his arrest was "invalid and illegal," and considered that "this arrest came at the initiative of the Anti-Corruption Office, and violated his rights to resort to the judiciary," because "it should not have happened in a court." The court decided that today, Friday, he would appear again before the court, where he was arrested.

On Thursday, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah announced that "Khan will be arrested sooner or later."

For his part, Khan says that he is "subject to judicial harassment at the push of the government and the army to prevent his return to power."

Rights activists say Pakistani courts are often used to stifle political dissent.

It is noteworthy that Khan was ousted from power after a vote of no confidence in Parliament last April, and since then more than 100 lawsuits have been filed against the 70-year-old opposition leader, including charges of “terrorism, incitement to violence and graft.”

Since his overthrow, Khan faces several legal measures, knowing that he is still very popular, and hopes to return to power in the legislative elections scheduled for next October.

It is noteworthy that at least 8 people were killed, and as many as 290 were injured, in clashes across Pakistan, over Khan's arrest.

The resistance launches rockets and the number of martyrs of the Israeli bombing rises

The resistance launches rockets and the number of martyrs of the Israeli bombing rises

    Friday, May 12, 2023   No comments

Reports from regional media outlets, including Aljazeera and Almayadeen, are documenting the death and destruction of the attacks on Gaza and the rocket launches, reacting the the assassinations of Palestinian leaders.

The Palestinian resistance factions responded to the assassination of the Israeli occupation army, a prominent military leader in the Islamic Jihad movement in Gaza, by launching a new batch of rockets, some of which reached the outskirts of Jerusalem for the first time since the start of the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip at dawn last Tuesday.

The occupation said that it bombed residential apartments and sites that it says belong to the Islamic Jihad movement in the Gaza Strip. For its part, the Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that the number of victims of the ongoing Israeli bombardment of Gaza rose to 33 martyrs and 147 wounded.

Earlier, the Israeli media quoted well-informed officials as saying that the security services believe that the "required achievements" have been achieved in the ongoing operation against the Gaza Strip, and that "calm will be met with calm."

The Occupation Army Radio stated that the Egyptian mediation efforts failed to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza, and added that the Egyptian proposal for calm in the Strip calls for a mutual cease-fire as of midnight, and indicated that the Egyptian proposal does not include an Israeli commitment to stop the assassinations of leaders in the Palestinian resistance factions.