Category: Politics

First time ever an Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi chaired the first-ever independent discussion on maritime security in the UNSC. On Monday, India held its first major activity during its presidency of the global body in which China was snubbed by the UNSC regarding its sea convention.

China showed its displeasure by sending the deputy permanent representative Dai Bing to the meeting and its overcoming reluctance towards the unprecedented India-led UN security council session. The session highlighted the primacy of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which sets out the legal framework that is applicable for the activities in the oceans. It includes illicit activities at the sea.

China’s actions towards the South China Sea and the East China Sea, island-building, and bullying of countries by its fishing militia show its aggression towards occupying the sea. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in 2016 ruled it illegal but Beijing has continued undeterred which raises concern on an international level. China lashed out at Japan in the debate for emptying Fukushima water into the Pacific as it asked ASEAN countries to work out a code of conduct. US Secretary of State Antony Bliken criticized China’s action in the South China Sea.

On Monday, The United Nations Security Council adopted its first-ever outcome documented on maritime security under India’s “Presidential Statement”. The UNSC was a high-level debate on maritime affairs which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sources said that as per practices, the presidential statement has to be adopted unanimously. The process was said not to be smooth with one P-5 country holding out till the very end on language related to the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). India’s negotiators deserved credit to be able to find language acceptable to all. India didn’t drop the reference to UNCLOS (which other P-5 countries insisted on retaining) which also reaffirmed the country’s bridging role in the UNSC. The key takeaways from the event included unprecedented high-level participation from other countries, the importance of the topic of maritime security, and the substantive nature of the discussion along with the adoption by the consensus of the first-ever outcome document on the topic.

The source further added that in its innings at the UNSC, this was the reaffirmation of the bridging and constructive role played by India.

In the first phone call by the new president of Iran Ebrahim Raisi to the Western leader, asked his French counterpart to help them secure Iran’s “rights” in now-stalled talks to revive Tehran’s nuclear deal with the world powers. The president is the hard-line cleric and protege of Iran’s supreme leader who was sworn in last week.

The official IRNA news agency reported that Raisi told the French President Emmanuel Macron that the U.S. and the European Union must implement their commitments under the landmark 2015 deal. The original 2015 nuclear agreement had France alongside the US, Germany, Britain, Russia, and China who played a prominent role as intermediary.

Raisi said in any negotiation, the rights of the Iranian nation should be secured and guaranteed and he also criticized the US for abandoning the accord and reimposing crushing sanctions under former President Donal Trump. Raisi emphasized to Macron that Iran is very serious about providing security. He also said that they are preserving deterrence in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman. Iran routinely confronts offenders of security.

Macron called on Iran to quickly resume negotiations in Vienna to reach a conclusion and put an end without delay to all the nuclear activities which they are carrying out in breach of the agreement.

The Biden administration on Thursday offers “safe haven” to the vast majority of Hong Kong residents currently in the United States. They will be seen eligible but with some legal conditions such as not having been convicted of felonies earlier. They will be allowed to extend their stay in the country after the response of Beijing’s crackdown on democracy in Chinese territory.

According to the reports of AsiaOne Magazine, since last year the PRC continued to assault Hong Kong’s autonomy which undermined its remaining democratic processes and institutions which imposed the limits on academic freedom and on freedom of press. In July the US government even applied more sanctions to Chinese officials in Hong Kong. The sanction also issued an updated business advisory which warned the companies of the risks of operating under the national security law. These measures have been taken after the series of actions by Biden to address what hits the administration in the erosion of rule of law in the former British colony which returned to Beijing control in 1997, as stated by AsiaOne.

The safe haven is called the “solid step” by the Republican Senator Ben Sasse and asked the U.S. government to go further.

The United State of America has called Iran’s new president Ebrahim Raisi to talk about reviving a historic nuclear deal. On Thursday, Ebrahim Raisi was sworn in as the new president of Iran.

Since 2018, tensions between the US and Iran have soared after then US president Donal Trump pulled out of the nuclear deal and restored sanctions. Biden’s administration spokesperson from the department warned that the window for diplomacy would not remain open forever. On Raisi’s swearing-in, he said he is ready for any diplomatic plans to end sanctions on Iran and all illegal US sanctions against his country must be lifted.

The deal between it and six other nations- The US, UK, France, China, Russia, And Germany in 2015 was seen stopping some nuclear work in return for an end to sanctions hurting the economy. Although Mr. Trump pulled out of the deal, Iran re-started banned nuclear work.

A hardline cleric Mr. Raisi has succeeded Hassan Rouhani who is seen in the west as a relative moderate. He was one of the four judges who sat on secret tribunals. Tribunals came to be known as the “Death Committee” who used to condemn the prisoners to death. He has been heavily criticized for his human rights record and the US imposed sanctions on him in 2019 for alleged human rights abuse.

On Wednesday, White House officials said they are ready to lift the restriction on fully vaccinated foreign visitors. The United States closed its borders for visitors due to pandemics and now plans to eventually begin allowing them back into the country.

Biden’s administration values international travel and wants visitors abroad safely and sustainably, stated by AsiaOne. The US plan for foreign visitors looks tentative now but aims to be a significant evolution to stemming the outbreak. Sidestepping European pressure, Washington earlier stated on July 26 that they will maintain restrictions on international arrival. The US has restricted travel thru and fro for European Union, Britain, China, and Iran lasted approximately for almost a year.

The timeline is yet to be fixed for the relaxation since the US is facing a rise in the cases of Delta variant particularly among the unvaccinated people. The number of hospitalizations in Florida is increasing rapidly. As per Asia One News, currently, most international travelers are prevented from entering the country and the country is currently maintaining the existing travel restrictions. More than 70% of Americans have received one dose of the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19. Many businesses and states are being forced to introduce the rule of wearing masks again in public places.

Malaysian embattled Prime Minister Mr. Muhyiddin Yassin has refused to agree with his resignation from the post. On Wednesday, a key ally was seen pulling its support for the prime minister but Yassin said he will seek the vote of confidence in Parliament next month to prove his legitimacy to govern the nation.

Yassin had a national broadcast shortly after meeting King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah in his palace. Acccording to Asia One News, he said in the broadcast that he was informed by the monarch that eight lawmakers from a key party in his ruling alliance had withdrawn support for him. Yassin’s party, the United Malays National Organisation, is the country’s largest party with an alliance of 38 lawmakers but it gradually split. The president of the Party UMNO declared that Muhyiddin has lost the right to govern. The declaration was made due to the withdrawal of support from some lawmakers and after the UMNO minister resigned.

Muhyiddin Yassin assured the King that he received a sufficient declaration of support from the lawmakers who also convinced Yassin that he still had the support of the majority of them. The numbers are yet to be confirmed by the supporting lawmakers. Therefore he is not ready to resign.

The southern shores of the country Italy have to open up their ports as a coalition over a sharp rise in the number of arrivals are seen this summer. Italy pressed European Nations to open their ports to rescue migrants by humanitarian ships as political tension simmered in the Italian government.

The office of Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese opened up about her long telephonic conversation with the European Union’s internal affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson. The increasing streams of migrants who are determined to reach Europe are caused by the political and economic crisis in Tunisia. Asia News reported that, migrates in majority are seen making their way via smugglers boats from Libyan shores. The Italian minister asked for an urgent change in the direction of the interventions of the Union’s migratory policy. The number of migrants in May and June tripled the previous year’s figure. In 2020 the number of migrants was 7000 whereas in 2021 it increased by 8,600.

Currently, 800 rescued passengers are on a charity vessel who seeks permission from Italy or Malta to enter a safe port. Italian islands for migrants had asylum to hold 250 people but occupants have swelled beyond 1000.

The Biden administration has proposed a $750 million weapons sale to Taiwan. This deal might further inflame tensions with Beijing. The proposed deal includes 40 M109A6 Medium Self-Propelled Howitzer System and related equipment.

A notification from the Defence Security Cooperation Agency with two congressional sources was confirmed to intend the sale according to the State Department spokesman. He added that if the deal gets finalized it will help in contributing to the modernization of Taiwan’s howitzer fleet while strengthening its self-defense capabilities to meet current and future threats.

The Menendez source sees this as another statement of the Biden administration’s serious intent to get the right strategy for Indo-Pacific. It shows the commitment to stand with their ally Taiwan. According to Asia News, the weapons were provided by the administration on the terms of the Taiwan Relation Act. Bipartisan support was seen within the country in support of supplying the weapons to Taiwan. The Trump administration has also proposed $1.8 billion last October for the advanced weapon system to Taiwan. Several major sales that were previously approved by the administration included dozens of F-16 fighter jets, M1A2T Abrams tanks, portable stinger anti-aircraft missiles, and MK-48 Mod6 Torpedoes.

Ahead of the 20th anniversary of the controversial September 2001 UN World Conference Against Racism in Durban, a new body creation is being made. The new body is formed for South Africa which was dominated by clashes over the Middle East and the legacy of slavery.

As stated by Asia One, on Monday, a resolution was approved by the UN General Assembly for establishing a Permanent Forum of People of Africa Descent to provide expert advice on addressing the challenges of racism. Topics of racial discrimination, xenophobia, and intolerance are also to be addressed. Israel and the US walked out during the meeting that singled out Israel for criticism and likened Zionism to racism over a draft resolution. The document condemned and called for the eradication of the scourges of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and intolerance, that language was later dropped in the final document.

Asia News reported that by the consensus of the 193-member world, the body that adopted the resolution also called for the forum to serve as a platform for improving the safety and quality of life and livelihood of people of African descent. This will be with the full inclusion of the societies where they live.