International
‘Ukraine today could be East Asia tomorrow’: Japan PM warns
AFP
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warned a security summit Friday that “Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow”, as concerns grow that China could invade democratic, self-ruled Taiwan.
US officials have said they believe China is closely monitoring how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine progresses to assess their own plans when it comes to Taiwan.
Tensions have been soaring over the island, which Beijing views as its territory and has vowed to seize one day, by force if necessary.
Kishida told the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore that while Japan is a peace-loving nation, the changing regional and global security landscape has prompted Tokyo to reassess its own defence position.
“In light of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, countries’ perceptions on security have drastically changed around the world,” he said in a keynote address to defence ministers, senior military officers and analysts attending the summit.
He cited Germany shifting its security policy by raising its defence budget to two percent of gross domestic product and Finland and Sweden abandoning their traditional neutrality to push for NATO membership.
“I myself have a strong sense of urgency that Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow,” said Kishida, whose country has joined Western-led sanctions against Russia.
As prime minister, Kishida said he has the responsibility “to protect the lives and assets of the Japanese people” while contributing to regional peace and security.
He warned however that the world must be “prepared for the emergence of an entity that tramples on the peace and security of other countries by force or threat without honouring the rules”.
Kishida called for the “rules-based international order” to be upheld, in what appeared to be a veiled reference to China’s growing assertiveness in the Asia Pacific region.
To protect itself, Japan needs to “enhance our deterrence and response capabilities”, he said, adding that his government will set out a new national security strategy by the end of this year.
Kishida’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party has laid out longer-term policy goals including expanding Japan’s defence budget beyond two percent of GDP, a ratio that would put it on par with members of NATO.
That would mark a departure from Japan’s political tradition of capping defence spending below one percent of its GDP, which stands at around $5 trillion.
International
Erin brings strong winds and storm surge despite weakening offshore
Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 2 storm on Tuesday but continues to pose a threat to parts of the U.S. East Coast with potentially dangerous flooding, according to meteorologists.
Although the hurricane’s eye is expected to remain offshore, experts are concerned about Erin’s size, as strong winds extend hundreds of kilometers beyond the storm’s center.
In its 18:00 GMT bulletin, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) lifted tropical storm warnings for the Bahamasand Turks and Caicos Islands, but kept them in effect for parts of North Carolina.
Erin was located several hundred kilometers southeast of North Carolina and was moving northwestward.
“This means there is a risk of potentially life-threatening flooding of 60 to 120 centimeters above ground level,” said NHC Director Michael Brennan.
He also warned of the possibility of destructive waves, combined with storm surge, that could cause severe damage to beaches and coastal areas, making roads impassable.
International
Three U.S. Warships deploy near Venezuela to combat drug trafficking
Three U.S. naval vessels are moving toward the coasts of Venezuela, according to international media reports on Tuesday, after White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump is ready to combat and curb international drug trafficking.
Reports indicate that the ships will reach Venezuelan waters within the next 36 hours as part of a recent U.S. deployment aimed at countering international narcotics operations.
The announcement coincides with Leavitt’s statement that Trump is prepared to “use the full extent of his power” to halt drug flows into the United States. The naval deployment involves approximately 4,000 military personnel.
“The President has been clear and consistent. He is ready to use every element of U.S. power to prevent drugs from flooding our country and to bring those responsible to justice. The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela—it is a narco-terror cartel,” the spokesperson said during a press conference.
International
Cuban authorities free salvadoran convicted in 1997 hotel bombing
Salvadoran national Otto René Rodríguez Llerena was released after serving a 30-year prison sentence for his involvement in a terrorist attack at a hotel in Cuba in 1997, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
During his trial, Rodríguez Llerena admitted to placing an explosive device at the Meliá Cohiba Hotel under the orders of anti-Castro exile leaders. He was arrested the following year when he returned to Havana with another load of explosives that failed to detonate.
“The Cuban government reiterates its commitment to combating terrorism, respecting human rights, and the need for the international community to hold accountable those who promote such acts,” the statement read.
He was released on August 15 and is the second Salvadoran to complete his sentence. In December of last year, another Salvadoran, Ernesto Cruz León, was released after planting bombs at tourist centers, one of which killed an Italian tourist identified as Fabio Di Celmo.
A third Salvadoran, Francisco Chávez Abarca, also received a 30-year sentence from Cuban courts in 2010 after being extradited from Venezuela through Interpol for actions against Cuba.
Rodríguez Llerena had requested conditional release in 2016, arguing that his actions had not caused any direct fatalities, but no further information was released about his situation until now.
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