International
The US claims that China has rejected a meeting between its Defense chiefs in Laos
The US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, said that Beijing has rejected a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Minister Dong Jun, in Laos, where both participate this Thursday in a Southeast Asian security ministerial meeting with their partners.
“I’m sorry that China has chosen not to see each other here. The decision of the People’s Republic of China is a step backwards for the entire region,” Austin told media from Laos, according to a Pentagon statement on Wednesday.
US and China in ASEAN
Austin and Dong participate today in Vientian in the meeting of the defense ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with their partners (Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States).
Although it was expected that the heads of Defense of the world’s major powers could be seen on the margins of the meeting, Austin considered it “unfortunate” that China has declined the face, without the American going into explaining the reasons.
“You have to be in touch to get an explanation of your decision. It’s unfortunate. It affects the entire region because they really want to see two powerful people talking to each other, which would send a message of tranquility,” Austin added.
China, for its part, has not yet commented on this issue.
Taiwan in the focus of the matter
According to CNN, Beijing would have rejected the meeting between Dong and Austin due to the sale of weapons in October from Washington to Taiwan, a self-governing island that China does not rule out invading and to which the United States provides ammunition and in principle would defend.
Dong and Austin had met for the first time at a security forum in Singapore in June, which formalized the restoration of high-level contact between the two powers, cut after the former speaker of the US House of Representatives. Nancy Pelosi will visit Taiwan in August 2022.
Tensions did not ease until Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping met in San Francisco in November 2023.
Austin ruled out that the lack of a meeting this time will have “any kind of implication in the future,” amid uncertainty in the region in the face of the imminent change of administration in the United States and the turn in Defense that it may mean.
“I just think it’s something they’ve chosen to do right now and only they can explain why they’ve chosen not to take advantage of a good opportunity,” he said.
The ministers of ASEAN (made up of Burma, Brunei, Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam) conclude today with their partners their annual two-day summit in Vientian, with several hot spots in the region, including Burma and the South China Sea, and amid a war escalation in Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon.
International
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that the Persian Gulf is entering a new era marked by a “bright” future without the presence of the United States in the region.
His remarks came during the commemoration of Persian Gulf Day, amid ongoing regional tensions following recent military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
“Today, two months after the largest military buildup and aggression by the bullies of the world in the region and the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is being written for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei stated.
The Iranian leader insisted that the future of the region would be free from American influence and focused instead on the internal development and prosperity of Gulf nations.
“By the power and strength of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the United States and dedicated to the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its nations,” he said.
Khamenei also questioned the effectiveness of U.S. military bases in the region, arguing that they do not provide security even for Washington’s allies.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of miles away and commit evil and malicious acts have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he declared.
In addition, the Iranian leader defended new measures being prepared by Tehran to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including fees for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to Khamenei, the policies would generate economic benefits and greater stability for the region.
Regional tensions remain high following the conflict that erupted on February 28 between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to strategic blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply previously passed. The situation has disrupted maritime trade and contributed to rising global oil prices.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
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