While accusing US for expediting tensions in Asia, Vladimir Putin in a speech to a Moscow security conference framed the recent Pelosi’s Taiwan visit as “thoroughly planned provocation”.
Reuters | | Posted by Lingamgunta Nirmitha Rao
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States on Tuesday of whipping up tensions in Asia, describing a visit to Taiwan by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as a “thoroughly planned provocation”.
In a speech to a Moscow security conference, Putin also cited the AUKUS security pact between Australia, Britain and the United States as evidence of Western attempts to build a NATO-style bloc in the Asia-Pacific region.
His comments formed part of a narrative that Moscow is energetically pushing as it seeks to justify its war in Ukraine and build new global alliances to counter what Putin called Western hegemony and neo-colonialism.
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While Western governments have condemned the invasion as an imperial land grab and united in imposing waves of sanctions on Moscow, Russia is actively courting countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America with the prospect of closer trade ties, arms sales and a vision of a new “multipolar world order”.
Speaker Pelosi’s visit this month to Taiwan, which China claims as its own, was “not just a trip by a single irresponsible politician, but part of a purposeful, conscious U.S. strategy to destabilize and sow chaos in the region and the world”, Putin said.
“We also see that the collective West is seeking to extend its bloc system to the Asia-Pacific region by analogy with NATO in Europe. For this purpose, aggressive military-political alliances are being formed, such as AUKUS and others.”
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China on Tuesday said the docking of a Chinese missile and spacecraft tracking ship in the southern Sri Lankan port of Hambantota for replenishment will not affect the security interests of any country and should not be “obstructed” by a third party, in an apparent reference to India. The docking of the ship comes a day after India handed over a Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft to the Sri Lanka Navy. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin then reiterated the point.
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China to discourage abortions, aims at boosting the low birth rate
China will discourage abortions and take steps to make fertility treatment more accessible as part of efforts to boost one of the world’s lowest birth rates, its National Health Authority said on Tuesday. China’s fertility rate of 1.16 in 2021 was far below the 2.1 OECD standard for a stable population and among the lowest in the world. Technology such as IVF is typically very expensive in China and not accessible to unmarried women.
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China won’t be allowed to use Hambantota for ‘military purposes’: Wickremesinghe
Against the backdrop of growing concerns in India over a Chinese surveillance vessel’s visit to Hambantota port, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said China will not be allowed to use the facility for “military purposes”. Both India and the US had expressed concerns about the call by the vessel, used by the People’s Liberation Army to track satellites and ballistic missiles.
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China warns ‘third parties’ as vessel docks in Sri Lanka amid India’s concerns
Despite concerns from India and the US about its alleged spying activities, Chinese vessel Yuan Wang 5 bristling with antennas and communication gear docked at Sri Lanka’s Chinese-run port of Hambantota on Tuesday. Responding to the latest development, China, without mentioning India or the US, said its scientific research activities are in accordance with international law and should not be interfered with by “third parties”.
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German fighter jets in Indo-Pacific for first time amid tension with China
Thirteen German military aircraft were on their way to Australia on Tuesday as Germany looks to strengthen its presence in the Indo-Pacific region amid growing tensions with China. The six Eurofighters and seven military transport aircraft were due to land in Singapore on Tuesday before travelling on to Australia under the mission dubbed Rapid Pacific 2022.