International
Seoul, Tokyo and Beijing show their willingness to resume the trilateral summits “on a regular basis”
South Korea, Japan and China expressed on Monday their desire to resume their summits to three “on a regular basis and without interruption” in a joint statement at the end of the trilateral meeting held between the South Korean president, Yoon Suk-yeol, and the prime ministers of Japan and China, Fumio Kishida and Li Qiang, respectively.
“We reiterate that promoting the institutionalization of trilateral cooperation improves the respective bilateral relations and promotes peace, stability and prosperity in the Northeast Asian region, and helps to promote a world in which countries, large or small, can benefit universally,” the document reads.
The three countries held their first summits of heads of government annually between 2008 and 2012, but the differences between Seoul and Tokyo around the consequences of the Japanese colonial domination of the Korean peninsula (1910-1945) caused the meetings to begin to be convened intermittently.
Since Yoon’s coming to power in 2022, he and Kishida have sought to smooth out those differences with a reinforcement of the military cooperation of both countries with their traditional partner, the United States.
In turn, China’s lack of transparency around the pandemic and its origins, added to the growing rivalry between Beijing and Washington, has widened in recent years the gap between the three neighbors, who had not held a summit like this since 2019.
Today, the three countries have stressed that this ninth three-way summit held in Seoul “has an important meaning to revitalize trilateral cooperation,” according to the statement, which adds that “conversations will be held to accelerate negotiations for a trilateral free trade agreement (FTA),” as Kishida already said at a press conference.
The three neighbors decided today to establish cooperation projects in six key areas: human exchanges, sustainable development, economic and commercial cooperation, public health and the aging of society, science and technology, and disaster security and assistance.
“We are striving to increase the number of human exchanges between the three countries to 40 million by 2030 by promoting exchanges in areas that include culture, tourism and education,” the document explains.
The two areas that apparently had the most tangible results in terms of cooperation after today’s summit were that of intellectual property and that of “future pandemics”, since two separate memorandums were signed in this regard.
There was no mention of the thorny issue of Taiwan and the growing Chinese pressure on the island and only a heading was dedicated to the North Korean issue, which increasingly worries Seoul and Tokyo but which lately generates lukewarm statements from Beijing, which for years has not supported the activation of new UN sanctions against Pyongyang.
Not even the announcement on Monday that North Korea will launch between today and next June 3 a new spy satellite using ballistic missile technology – something that the UN prohibits – made Li talk about it at the post-summit press conference.
The declaration was limited to recalling the importance of “reaffirming peace, stability and prosperity on the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia” and the “denuclearization of the peninsula.”
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.”
International
Trump Administration Considers Denying Green Cards Over Political Views
The administration of President Donald Trump is evaluating new immigration guidelines that could deny permanent residency to immigrants based on their political views, according to a report published by The New York Times.
The proposed measures, outlined in internal Department of Homeland Security documents, would instruct immigration officials to take applicants’ public expressions and ideological positions into account when reviewing green card applications.
According to the report, cases involving “possible anti-American and/or antisemitic conduct or ideologies” would need to be referred to higher authorities for additional review.
Even if applicants have not violated any laws, authorities could still reject residency requests if they determine that individuals have “endorsed, promoted, or supported anti-American views.”
Among the factors listed in the guidelines are participation in pro-Palestinian activities, actions considered antisemitic, and the burning of the U.S. flag.
The documents reportedly describe such actions as “heavily negative” factors in immigration evaluations, potentially blocking applicants from obtaining permanent residency and, eventually, U.S. citizenship.
The directives also place particular attention on demonstrations held on university campuses following the 2023 Hamas attacks against Israel.
However, flag burning has previously been recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court as a form of protected free speech under the Constitution.
The proposal has sparked criticism from immigrant advocacy organizations, including the New York Immigration Coalition.
Its president, Murad Awawdeh, warned that the policies could pose a threat to fundamental rights and freedoms.
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