China’s Xi Meets Russia’s Putin at Central Asia Summit
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On his first trip abroad since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese President Xi Jinping met today (Nikkei) with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a regional security summit in Uzbekistan. Putin praised Xi for his “balanced” position on the war in Ukraine, as China has not condemned Russia’s invasion. Putin also said that Moscow backs Beijing’s policy toward Taiwan and blamed the United States for tensions over the island, Reuters reported.
At the summit, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s eight member states, including India and Pakistan, are weighing Iran’s membership application (Al Jazeera) and discussing security in Afghanistan. Separately, China and Uzbekistan signed trade and investment agreements worth $15 billion.
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“Over the past two decades, the Chinese have invested heavily in a policy that builds strong ties with Beijing’s Central Asian neighbors. Those countries, which used to be part of the Soviet Union, are deeply uncomfortable with Russian actions in Ukraine—threatened by them, perpetually under pressure from Moscow, and looking for some breathing space,” the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Evan A. Feigenbaum writes.
“As China comes to understand its enormous leverage over Russia, it will seek to shape Russian foreign policy in ways that serve its own interests,” the Silverado Policy Accelerator’s Dmitri Alperovitch and Johns Hopkins University’s Sergey Radchenko write for Foreign Affairs.
This Backgrounder unpacks China-Russia relations.
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U.S. Senate Committee Advances Bill to Strengthen Relations With Taiwan
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The bill passed (SCMP) in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and would boost U.S. military support for Taiwan. Politico reported that the White House is concerned the bill could escalate tensions with China.
This timeline traces U.S.-China relations.
U.S./Philippines: Hundreds of Filipino workers are stranded (WaPo) at a U.S. military base on an island in the Indian Ocean amid a wage dispute between the Philippine government and the U.S. contractor that employs them.
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India Voices Concerns Over U.S. Arms Sale to Pakistan
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India’s defense minister said he expressed concerns (Times of India) to Washington about a planned package to upgrade Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jets. The U.S. package reversed a decision by the Donald Trump administration to suspend arms sales to Pakistan.
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Middle East and North Africa
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U.S. to Give Egypt Military Aid Despite Lawmakers’ Concerns
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Despite calls by seven Democratic lawmakers for the United States to withhold $300 million (NYT) in aid allocated for the coming year for Egypt, the State Department said it would still provide $170 million, the same as last year. Officials said the department would withhold the rest due to human rights concerns.
Chad/Egypt: Egypt pardoned and released (AFP) a jailed fighter from Chad’s Union of Resistance Forces rebel-group alliance. The group had set the man’s release as a precondition for its participation in Chad’s national dialogue that started last month.
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Nigeria Pays Victims of Police Brutality
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Nigeria’s government paid a total of $700,000 (BBC) to nearly sixty victims of brutality by a now-defunct police unit. The Special Anti-Robbery Squad’s abuses sparked nationwide protests in 2020.
Burkina Faso: Two executives of a Canadian mining company were found guilty (BBC) of involuntary manslaughter in Burkina Faso following a disaster that killed eight miners. They were fined and received suspended sentences.
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Sweden’s Prime Minister Resigns After Right-Wing Bloc Wins Parliamentary Majority
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The narrow majority includes the nationalist Sweden Democrats party, which recently reversed its opposition (NYT) to Sweden’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Armenia/Azerbaijan: The countries announced a cease-fire (AFP) after clashes reportedly killed more than one hundred Armenian and Azerbaijani troops.
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The war in Ukraine has prompted European bans on Russian energy, but rising costs and a lack of alternatives are undermining the effort. This new video unpacks the challenges.
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Haiti’s Fuel Price Increase Sparks Fresh Protests
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Protesters blocked roads (AP) throughout the capital, Port-au-Prince, after the Haitian government announced it could no longer heavily subsidize fuel.
This Center for Preventive Action report outlines a new U.S. approach to Haiti’s fragility.
U.S./Mexico: The United States has pressed Mexico to accept more migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela under a U.S. public health order, known as Title 42, that allows it to immediately expel apprehended asylum seekers, Reuters reported.
This Backgrounder unpacks the U.S. immigration debate.
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Biden Announces Tentative Deal to Avert Railroad Strike
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U.S. President Joe Biden did not release details (NYT) of the deal, which requires approval by rail union members who threatened to strike on Friday over poor working conditions.
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Council on Foreign Relations
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