Turkey should not be “fixated” on the idea of joining the European Union and should look at other opportunities, such as the Russia-led Shanghai Pact, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), also known as the “Shanghai 5,” is a loose security and economic bloc led by Russia and China. The other formal members are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
“Trump is a trustworthy leader.” After Thursday’s meeting in the Trump Tower in Manhattan, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the first world leader to meet President-elect Trump, said he’s confident that the new US administration will prove to be a reliable partner for his country. In front of reporters the Japanese Prime Minister has described as “frank and sincere” his meeting with Trump. ” The talks – he said – made me feel sure that we can build a relationship of trust”
Probably the Japanese government was hoping for a victory of Hillary Clinton to the US elections last November 8, also because of some alarming statements made by Trump during the election campaign, about the need for Japan to contribute more, in economic terms, to assist American troops on Japanese soil and to acquire a nuclear arsenal as a deterrent to North Korea’s threats . Another problematic point emerged during the campaign concerns the opposition declared by Trump to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, on which the Japanese government strongly pointed, instead. Abe therefore wanted to meet Trump to express his concerns and, at the same time, reaffirm the commitment of his government to strengthen the alliance with the US, more than ever central today to Japan in diplomatic and strategic terms, especially to contain China and its hegemonic aims on the Pacific area.
Prime Minister Abe did not provide too many details on the talks content. Basically it was a preliminary meeting, for mutual knowing, in which the two leaders have avoided going into detail. It’s been, however, agreed that after January 20, the day of the settlement of Trump at the White House, will be scheduled a new meeting to ” to cover a wider area in greater depth”. ” Any deeper conversations about policy and the relationship between Japan and the United States – reiterated Kellyanne Conway, an influential member of the electoral team of Trump – will have to wait until after the inauguration”.
It seems however that the meeting served to resize the Japanese concerns about future initiatives of the new US president on the Asian chessboard. Katsuyuki Kawai, an adviser to President Abe, has conducted talks with several members of the transition team, and some legislators, receiving assurances about the future of US-Japan relations. ” We don’t have to take each word that Mr. Trump said publicly lite rally”.
The meeting, in the protagonists declarations, thus served to reaffirm the strength of the bond between the two allies. Some analysts, however, consider premature the initiative of the Japanese Prime Minister, since Trump has not officially assumed the presidency and is completely absorbed by the formation of his government team. Koichi Nakano, a Sophia Univesrity political scientist interviewed by CNN, expressed his skepticism about Abe’s move: ” What is there to gain, I have no idea?” Abe) is not talking to a president yet.”
Less categorical was Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Japan’s Temple University, who, when asked again by CNN, gave a positive reading of the interview, at least from the Japanese prime minister’s point of view. According to Kingston, in fact, Abe would have a particular sympathy for a certain category of leaders, which Trump is likely to belong to. ” If you look at who Abe admires around the world, he likes strong leaders like Putin, Modi and Erdogan, who have despotic tendencies “.
Beyond the personal sympathies, the new administration Trump will have to look very carefully to Asia in coming years and will face a China increasingly strong. In this context, the alliance with Japan will play a strategic and indispensable role.
Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and China increased by 56 percent in the first nine months of 2016 as compared to the same period of 2015, said Azerbaijani Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev. He made the remarks during a meeting with Chinese businessmen in Baku, said Azerbaijan’s Economy Ministry in a message on Nov. 11. Azerbaijan is interested in further development of relations with China, noted the Minister. He added that there is a big potential between the two countries in development of relations in the spheres of energy, transportation, transit freight traffic and investment.
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected in Moscow for an official visit in 2017. Putin said Russia and China have recently marked anniversary of a major treaty on friendship. Russian leader marked very good, businesslike relations with Xi Jinping during his meeting with Li Kequiang. Li Keqiang, for his part, also conveyed greetings from the Chinese President to President Putin, stressing that Russia and China are major neighbours and strategic partners.
After a meeting by Russian Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev, and his Chinese counterpart, Li Kequiang, Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation announced that Russia plans to build new nuclear power plants in China. For many years, Russia and China have been actively cooperating in the nuclear sphere. Russian specialist assisted in the construction of the first and second power units of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Station. The third and fourth power units are now being built. Russia and China will also develop cooperation on the project of floating nuclear power stations and the promising area of fast-neutron reactors, which are the fourth-generation technology. Floating nuclear power stations are a project of Chinese engineering, to make autonomous outposts far from the cost in the South China Sea.
Saudi Arabia and China agreed to step up cooperation on various key issues including security, cordial ties and counter-terrorism during talks held in Riyadh on Sunday. The talks in Riyadh follow the signing of 15 preliminary agreements between Saudi Arabia and China in August, touching on a wide range of fields from energy to housing, during the visit of the deputy crown prince. The crown prince and several ministers attended the meeting, which also reviewed the strategic partnership and future cooperation to boost bilateral ties.
Thousands of protesters marched in Hong Kong on Sunday, demanding China’s central government to stay out of a political dispute in the southern Chinese city after Beijing indicated that it would intervene to deter pro-independence advocates. The dispute centers on a provocative display of anti-China sentiment by two newly elected pro-independence Hong Kong lawmakers at their swearing-in ceremony last month.
The trade ministers of South Korea, Japan and China held an annual trilateral meeting in Tokyo on Saturday during which they agreed to jointly deal with protectionism amid the global economic downturn, officials said. South Korea’s Trade Minister Joo Hyung-hwan and his Japanese and Chinese counterparts – Hiroshige Seko and Gao Hucheng – also expressed worries about a rise in protectionism.
The official visit to China by the President of Uruguay Tabaré Vazquez, which concluded today, has been evaluated by several members of the entourage that accompanied him, as highly positive. The Uruguayan President, who has carried out a busy program with his guest over the last nine days, recognized the positive outcome of the visit while speaking last night with local and foreign press.
There are several hot spot in the world. The events shown below talk about geopolitical crisis, wars and clashes in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia.
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Afghanistan
September 9 The construction of the 3rd segment connecting Iran and Afghanistan started this morning. Ceremony was attended by Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhundi, Mahmoud Baligh, Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Works, and Eklil Ahmad Hakimi, Afghanistan’s Minister of Finance on Thursday at the border point of Chahsorkh in Herat Province of Afghanistan.
Syria
September 10 U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov reach a ceasefire deal from September 12.
September 12 The Russian special envoy for the Middle East and African countries declared that intra-syrian dialogue could restar in early October. He also said that the new deal reached by U.S. and Russia doesn’t mean the imposition of no-fly zones on syrian territory, but could give a positive effect on the peace process.
September 15 Violence in Syria importantly dropped following the ceasefir, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said. He added that the United Nations is ready to prepared a humanitarian convoy, when Damascus governemnt will give all legal permissions.
Lebanon
September 12 Intermittent explosions have been heard since early morning coming from Shebaa Farms and the extremities of Golan. The echo of explosive sounds could be heard as far as Shebaa and Marj Ayoun.
Syrian Army and Hezbollah killed five ISIS militants in the western Qalamoun region.
September 13 An Israeli gunboat launched an explosive device into the water of Lebanon’s southern coast.
No casualties after that a landmine exploded in Marjeyoun under a vehicle belonging to the Spanish.
Turkey
September 10 PKK militants detonated a bomb-laden vehicle near a police checkpoint in front of the provincial headquarters of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the central Beşyol area.
September 12 Militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) were killed in airstrikes by Turkish jets in the Şemdinli.
China
September 9 Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) activated a contingency plan following a suspected nuclear test by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
China is ready to participate in the United Nations’ new fast-response peacekeeping force. Minister of National Defense Chang Wanquan said on Thursday that Beijing will fully support the UN Peacekeeping Department’s initiative to set up a “vanguard brigade” of 4,000 rapidly deployable troops.
September 13 China and Vietnam will work together to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and manage and control disputes, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
India
September 9 India and the 18-nation East Asia summit members reaffirmed their support to promote nuclear disarmament and nuclear non proliferation.
September 10 A guy was killed by security forces during protests in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday.
Pakistan
September 10 At least 4 terrorists and a security guard were killed by paramilitary forces in Punjab’s Rajanpur district on Saturday.
September 13 At least 10 people, including 4 policemen, were injured by a suicide bomber during Eidul Azha prayers in an Imambargah at Shikarpur district’s Khanpur tehsil.
Nigeria
September 12 A female suicide bomber was near a military checkpoint in Dikwa. Explosion injured three soldiers at the checkpoint.
September 14 Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM) said that its strike forces brought down the Afiesere Ere-Iwhenene major delivery line in Delta State. Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, the head of state oil firm NNPC Maikanti Baru and Nigerian government stepped up efforts to keep fuel flowing into Nigeria without repeating the price increase of May and risking civil unrest.
Libya
September 12 Libyan National Army lead by General Khalifa Haftar on Sunday seized the three strategic oil ports of Ras Lanuf, Sidra and Brega from the outlaw militias that have controlled the facilities since 2013.
September 13 Italy is ready to send 200 soldiers and 100 deploy medics in Libya, as Italian Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti declared.
September 15 LNA’s takeover of three eastern oil terminals divided the Presidency Council. Meanwhile, both General Khalifa Hafter and the President of the House of Representatives Ageela Saleh called for oil exports to restart the terminals.
Egypt
September 13 A police vehicle was targeted by an improvised explosive device in the North Sinai city of Al–Arish but should have not caused injuries or deaths.
Tunisia
September 13 500 jihadists should have received training over the special forces in US military bases for years, Alon Ben-Meir, a political analyst, revealed.
Redazione
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