China’s Ambassador to U.S. Warns of Continued Consequences Over Taiwan

During a press briefing in Washington, China’s ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang, accused the United States (Politico) of “changing the status quo” in the Taiwan Strait and condemned U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taiwan. He warned of “another round of tensions” (Axios) if the United States does not “show restraint,” suggesting that Beijing has no plans to reverse its suspension of military-to-military talks and climate cooperation with Washington.

The United States plans to send naval vessels through the Taiwan Strait in the coming weeks, which Qin said it should “refrain” from doing. Meanwhile, Chinese troops will travel to Russia (Reuters) for the so-called Vostok military exercises with countries including Belarus, India, Mongolia, and Tajikistan. China’s defense ministry said the exercises are “unrelated to the current international and regional situation.”

Analysis

“Now that China has demonstrated its will and ability to use its increasingly capable military farther afield, deterrence must be re-established. This calls for strengthening Taiwan’s ability to resist any Chinese use of force, increasing US and Japanese military presence and coordination, and explicitly pledging to come to Taiwan’s defense if necessary,” CFR President Richard Haass writes.

“Now that the damage is done, it is imperative to focus on what comes out of this crisis. It is not inevitable that the situation in the Taiwan Strait is locked into a path of permanent deterioration,” the Brookings Institution’s Ryan Hass writes for Foreign Affairs.

This timeline traces U.S.-China relations.

Pacific Rim

Apple Suppliers Look to Shift Production to Vietnam

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South and Central Asia

U.S. Reportedly Developing Family-Reunification Portal for Afghans

The portal would help Afghans in the United States who fled amid the U.S. withdrawal last year reunite with family members still in Afghanistan, unnamed sources told Axios.

India: The country’s ministry of home affairs said that Rohingya refugees in the capital, New Delhi, would not be given housing (Times of India) and would be deported, contradicting the housing and urban affairs minister’s earlier statement that they would receive housing. Critics of the minister’s statement said Hindu refugees should be prioritized for housing.

Middle East and North Africa

Syria Denies It Is Holding Missing U.S. Journalist Austin Tice

Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden said Washington is certain (WaPo) that Tice is being held by the Syrian regime. Tice was abducted in Syria’s capital, Damascus, ten years ago.

Israel/Germany/Palestinian territories: The leaders of Germany and Israel condemned Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s statement (Reuters) that Israel had committed “fifty Holocausts” in its treatment of Palestinians.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Southern African Leaders Meet in DRC

At their annual summit, the heads of state of Southern African Development Community countries will focus on industrialization and pass chairmanship (East African) of the group to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi.

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For the Africa in Transition blog, CFR’s Michelle Gavin discusses Mozambique’s security challenges.

Europe

Monkeypox Vaccine Firm Voices Doubts It Can Meet Demand With Danish Facility

Vaccine maker Bavarian Nordic said it is considering outsourcing (Bloomberg) some production, a shift from a prior claim that it could complete all orders using its Danish facility. It is the only company with an approved vaccine for monkeypox.

This Think Global Health timeline tracks the monkeypox outbreak.

UK/Brussels: The United Kingdom (UK) launched a dispute mechanism under the Brexit agreement in which it claimed that the EU unfairly froze it out (The Guardian) of research funds.

Americas

Cuba Loosens Foreign Investor Permissions Amid Economic Crisis

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This Backgrounder examines U.S.-Cuba relations.

Mexico: Independent journalist Juan Arjón López was found dead (AP) in the northern border state of Sonora. He is the fourteenth Mexican media worker to be killed this year.

United States

U.S. Announces Cuts to Water Use in Colorado River Basin

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