Philippine Official Calls for Expulsion of Chinese Diplomats as Maritime Tensions Rise |
Philippines National Security Advisor Eduardo Año called for (Reuters) the expulsion today following an alleged leak of a phone conversation between a Chinese diplomat and Philippine admiral. Año said that China’s embassy had carried out “repeated acts of engaging and dissemination of disinformation, misinformation, and malinformation.” The leak reportedly concerned engagement protocol in the South China Sea, where Chinese ships shot water cannons (Nikkei) at the Philippines’ ships last week.
In response to Año’s statement, China’s foreign ministry called for its diplomats to be allowed to “perform their duties normally” in the Philippines. As tensions remain high between the two countries, China also criticized (AP) the U.S. transit of a warship through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday. The U.S. Navy called the operation a routine transit meant to uphold freedom of navigation.
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“[Philippine President Ferdinand] Marcos Jr. may have reached the conclusion that maintaining a delicate balance [between cultivating ties with both the U.S. and China] is no longer feasible, given the precarious position of the Philippines in the South China Sea. With China’s increasing dominance in the region, he may now feel the necessity of unequivocal support from Washington in the event of a conflict,” CFR expert Joshua Kurlantzick writes for the Asia Unbound blog.
“Ever more frequent maritime incidents and provocations in the South China Sea almost guarantee a crisis. When one occurs, it will mark an inflection point in U.S. strategy toward China. Such an event will drive home the lesson that simply opposing Chinese power and ambitions—whether by stacking up barriers to Beijing’s capabilities and influence or shoring up deterrence—will not by itself underwrite a strategic relationship that can survive the coming decade,” the RAND Corporation’s Michael J. Mazaar writes for Foreign Affairs.
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Report: Washington Prepares Tariffs on Chinese EVs, Green Tech |
The Joe Biden administration is preparing new tariffs targeting Chinese industries building electric vehicles (EVs), batteries, and solar cells for announcement as soon as next week, unnamed sources told Bloomberg. The step would be the culmination of a review of tariffs first established under President Donald Trump in 2018; Biden is expected to reject them. |
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Indian Opposition Politician Granted Temporary Bail |
India’s Supreme Court granted (Reuters) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal bail until June 2, allowing him to campaign in current elections. Kejriwal has argued that the graft cases against him are politically motivated.
Sri Lanka: The country will hold (Daily Mirror) its presidential election between September 17 and October 16, Sri Lanka’s election authority said yesterday. Preparations for the vote come (Bloomberg) as President Ranil Wickremesinghe seeks to restructure some $12 billion in national debt.
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Middle East and North Africa |
Gaza Cease-Fire, Hostage Talks End Without Deal While Israel Weighs Wider Rafah Operation |
Negotiations in Cairo were stalled (Times of Israel) yesterday without resolution. Fighting between Israeli and Palestinian forces on the outskirts of the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah has led (AP) more than one hundred thousand people to flee north, a UN official said today. An Israeli military spokesperson said its forces have sufficient arms for the missions it is planning, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel can “stand alone” if need be. Those comments followed President Biden’s warning yesterday against launching a full-scale invasion of Rafah.
At this media briefing, a panel of CFR experts provide an update on the Rafah incursion and cease-fire negotiations.
Iraq/Syria/Turkey: Turkish forces killed (Reuters) seventeen Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria, the Turkish defense ministry said today. Ankara has recently sought more cooperation from Iraq in fighting such militants; earlier this year, Baghdad named the Kurdistan Workers’ Party a terrorist organization. |
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CFR’s Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins discuss Israel’s military operation in Rafah, Greece and Turkey boosting their diplomacy, the seventy-seventh Cannes Film Festival, and more. |
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Chad Declares Military Leader Déby Victor of Presidential Election |
Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno won (AP) more than 61 percent of the vote, while opposition figure Succès Masra earned 18.5 percent, the election commission said. Masra contested the result of the vote, which was the first since Déby took power in 2021 after his father died while in the position. Chad remains one of the last U.S. security partners in a region where several countries have expelled Western troops.
Somalia: The government called (Reuters) for the end of a more than decade-long UN political mission when its mandate expires in October, Somalia’s foreign minister wrote to the UN Security Council. The mission had been advising Somalia on peacebuilding, security reforms, and democracy. A separate African Union peacekeeping mission is due to withdraw from Somalia by the end of the year.
This Backgrounder by Claire Klobucista and CFR’s Mariel Ferragamo looks at the role of peacekeeping missions in Africa.
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Russian Troops Attack Near Kharkiv, Ukraine Strikes Refinery Deep Within Russia |
Russian forces used (AP) artillery and aerial bombs to attack the town of Vovchansk in the northeastern Kharkiv region overnight. Analysts have said that Russia likely cannot capture Kharkiv but could force Ukraine to send more fighters to the region, leaving other areas more vulnerable for attack. The strike came after a Ukrainian drone hit (NYT) an oil refinery in Russia more than seven hundred miles from the Ukrainian border yesterday.
Georgia: Gocha Javakhishvili announced his resignation (AFP) yesterday as Georgia’s ambassador to France over opposition to the Georgian government’s controversial bill that would require groups receiving funding from abroad to register as foreign agents. Russia has used a similar law to crack down on dissent. Javakhishvili called for the bill’s withdrawal and said that Europe should not abandon Georgia.
In this YouTube Short, CFR expert Liana Fix describes what’s at stake for Georgia with the foreign agent bill.
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Costa Rica Announces Electricity Rationing Amid Severe Drought |
Power cuts of up to three hours each day will begin (Reuters) on Monday and will not affect hospitals or industries, officials said. The country gets around 70 percent of its electricity supply from hydroelectric plants and has not rationed electricity since 2007.
Mexico: The country scrapped (Bloomberg) aluminum tariffs that it had imposed in late April over concerns about cheap imports from China and elsewhere, saying the measure was needed to ensure Mexico had adequate supply for its industries.
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DHS Proposes Policy to Fast-Track Some Asylum Evaluations |
Yesterday’s proposal by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would allow (ABC) asylum officers to deny asylum requests and expedite removals from U.S. territory earlier than in the current process for people who are deemed to pose a national security threat. The proposal will face a public comment period before entering into effect.
This Backgrounder by CFR’s Diana Roy explains the U.S. asylum process. |
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As the desert of Chile has become a dumping ground for the world’s used garments, The Guardian documents a unique fashion show at the scene of the waste to raise environmental awareness. |
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