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International News (6893)
September
China's Xi urges Russia and other countries to work at preventing 'colour revolutions'
Written by Nur Yasmin
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called on Russia and other members of a regional grouping to support each other in preventing foreign powers from instigating "colour revolutions" - popular uprisings that have shaken former Communist nations - in their countries.
Speaking in Uzbekistan at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a security grouping led by China and Russia, Xi said member countries should support the efforts each other have made to safeguard their own security and development interests.
Xi did not mention Ukraine, which Russia invaded in February in what Russian President Vladimir calls a "special military operation" to protect Russian speakers from "genocide" by Ukraine's government, a claim rejected by Ukraine.
He also said that China will train 2,000 law enforcement personnel from member countries over the next five years and set up a training base focusing on anti-terrorism work.
He invited member countries to sign up to China's Global Security Initiative, a concept he proposed in April which includes the idea that no country should strengthen its own security at the expense of others.
China will provide 1.5 billion yuan ($214 million) worth of grain and other emergency aid to developing countries, Xi said, adding that the Chinese economy is resilient and "full of potential".
China's economy narrowly escaped a contraction in the April-to-June quarter, hobbled by COVID-19 lockdowns of cities, a deepening downturn in the property market and persistently soft consumer spending. (Reuters)
September
With a grin, Putin warns Ukraine: the war can get more serious
Written by Nur Yasmin
President Vladimir Putin on Friday brushed off a lightning Ukrainian counter-offensive with a smile but warned that Russia would respond more forcefully if its troops were put under further pressure.
Speaking after a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in the Uzbek city of Samarkand, Putin cast the invasion as a necessary step to prevent what he said was a Western plot to break Russia apart.
Moscow, he said, was in no hurry in Ukraine. And its goals remained unchanged.
"The Kiev authorities announced that they have launched and are conducting an active counter-offensive operation. Well, let's see how it develops, how it ends up," Putin said with a grin.
It was his first public comment on a rout of his forces in northeastern Ukraine's Kharkiv region a week ago that has prompted unusually strong public criticism from Russian military commentators.
Russia hit Ukrainian infrastructure in response - including a reservoir dam and electricity supplies - and Putin said those attacks could get worse.
"Recently, the Russian armed forces have inflicted a couple of sensitive blows. Let's assume they're a warning. If the situation continues to develop like this, then the response will be more serious," he said.
Putin also said Russia was gradually taking control of new areas of Ukraine.
Asked if what he calls the "special military operation" needed correction, he said: "The plan is not subject to adjustment."
"The General Staff considers one thing important, another thing secondary - but the main task remains unchanged, and it is being implemented," Putin said. "The main goal is the liberation of the entire territory of Donbas."
The Donbas comprises two largely Russian-speaking provinces of eastern Ukraine - Luhansk, which is now fully under the control of Russian and Russian-backed separatist forces, and Donetsk, which they partially control.
However, Russia now occupies around a fifth of Ukraine in all, including much of the southerly Zaporizhzhia and Kherson provinces, in addition to Crimea, which it seized in 2014 and considers part of Russia. (Reuters)
September
Mainland China reports first imported monkeypox case
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mainland China's southwestern municipality of Chongqing reported one case of the monkeypox virus infection on Friday in one individual who arrived in the country from abroad, marking the country's first known monkeypox infection.
The transmission risk of the case is low as the individual was put in quarantine upon arrival in Chongqing, the municipal health commission said in a statement. All close contacts had been put under medical observation in isolation.
The person concerned entered Chongqing city in transit from abroad, and showed symptoms such as a skin rash during their quarantine period for COVID, according to the statement.
Around 90 countries where monkeypox is not endemic have reported outbreaks of the viral disease, which the World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency. There have been more than 60,000 confirmed cases and some non-endemic countries reported their first related deaths.
The monkeypox virus, which is transmitted through close contact with infected people, animals or contaminated materials, usually causes symptoms similar to but milder than those of smallpox, such as fever, headache and rashes. (Reuters)
September
Putin says summit meeting with Xi was "normal"
Written by Nur Yasmin
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping the previous day at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan had been "normal".
Speaking to reporters after the summit, Putin said he had discussed measures to boost Russia-China trade during his meeting with Xi, whose "concerns" about the war in Ukraine Putin publicly acknowledged for the first time during the session. (Reuters)
September
UN allows Ukraine's Zelenskiy to address world leaders next week via video
Written by Nur Yasmin
The 193-member United Nations General Assembly on Friday said it will allow Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to address the annual gathering of world leaders next week with a pre-recorded video.
The decision was adopted with 101 votes in favor, 7 votes against and 19 abstentions. Russia, Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Eritrea, Nicaragua and Syria opposed the move.
Ukraine's U.N. mission had argued that Zelenskiy "cannot participate in-person at the meetings of the General Assembly due to ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine."
Russia's deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said Moscow was always in favor of "in-person diplomacy at the UN," but accused his Western counterparts of double standards.
"This is at a time where the representatives of African countries, who frequently encounter similar difficulties when it comes to arriving in New York ... have been refused this similar right," Polyanskiy told the General Assembly on Friday.
Russian ally Belarus attempted to amend the decision to strip out any reference to Ukraine and essentially allow any world leaders to address this year's U.N. gathering via video. It was defeated, receiving only 23 votes in favor and 67 votes against, while 27 states abstained.
For the past two years world leaders have been allowed to submit video statements because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year they are expected to travel to New York to speak in the U.N. General Assembly chamber.
Within a week of Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of its neighbor Ukraine, nearly three-quarters of the General Assembly voted to reprimand Moscow and demand it withdraw its troops. Three weeks ago it again overwhelmingly denounced Russia for creating a "dire" humanitarian situation.
On Friday, Ukrainian officials provided more details of what they said was a mass burial site with hundreds of bodies in territory recaptured from Russian forces. Zelenskiy called the discovery proof of war crimes by Russia. Moscow denies that its forces have committed war crimes. (Reuters)
September
Putin says delegation of 80 large Russian companies to visit Iran next week -RIA
Written by Nur Yasmin
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that a delegation of 80 large companies will visit Iran next week, Russian state-owned news agency RIA reported.
President Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi are at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Samarkand, in Uzbekistan. Earlier, Iran's foreign minister said that Tehran had signed a memorandum to join the bloc. (Reuters)
September
Modi, Xi to come face-to-face for first time since border clashes
Written by Nur Yasmin
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will come face-to-face on Friday for the first time since deadly border clashes in 2020 frayed ties between the Asian rivals.
Modi will fly to the Uzbek city of Samarkand on Thursday for a summit of the regional security group known as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which will also be attended by Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Reuters)
September
Putin to Xi: Russia values China's 'balanced position' on Ukraine
Written by Nur Yasmin
Russia's President Vladimir Putin told Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday that Moscow backs Beijing's "One China" policy, opposes "provocations" by the United States in the Taiwan Strait, and values China's "balanced position" on Ukraine.
The two leaders were meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan. It was their first face-to-face meeting since Russia launched its "special military operation" in Ukraine in February.
In televised opening remarks at the bilateral meeting, Putin told Xi: "We highly value the balanced position of our Chinese friends when it comes to the Ukraine crisis. We understand your questions and concern about this. During today's meeting, we will of course explain our position."
Russia has moved closer to China since sending its armed forces into Ukraine in February, a decision that triggered an unprecedented barrage of Western sanctions against Moscow.
Putin also threw his weight behind Beijing's key positions in the brief public statement, aligning the two countries in what analysts see as a fledgling anti-U.S., anti-Western alliance.
Putin referred to Beijing's insistence that other countries do not recognise Taiwan, a self-ruled island that Bejing claims as part of China, as an independent country.
"We intend to firmly adhere to the principle of 'One China'," Putin said.
He added that Russian "condemns provocations by the United States and their satellites in the Taiwan Strait", a possible reference to U.S. Navy warships sailing through international waters in the Taiwan Strait on Aug. 27.
The United States has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan but is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.
China has never ruled out using force to bring Taiwan under its control. (Reuters)
September
Putin says Beijing-Moscow tandem plays 'key role' in global stability -TASS
Written by Nur Yasmin
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the "Moscow-Beijing tandem" plays "a key role" in ensuring global and regional stability, Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported.
Speaking at a trilateral meeting with the Chinese and Mongolian leaders on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in the Uzbek city of Samarkand, TASS cited Putin as saying that the three countries shared positions on most issues, and that it was important to increase the use of national currencies in settlements. (Reuters)
September
Mongolian President says he supports Russia-China oil and gas pipelines through Mongolia
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh said on Thursday that he supports the construction of oil and gas pipelines from Russia to China via Mongolia.
Speaking via translator at a trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in the Uzbek city of Samarkand, Khurelsukh backed the plans, proposing studies of their economic feasability.
Khurelsukh said: "We also support the construction of oil and gas pipelines to supply natural gas from Russia to China through the territory of Mongolia and propose to study this issue from the viewpoint of technical and economic justification".
Russian energy giant Gazprom (GAZP.MM) hopes to build the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline via Mongolia to China with a view to exporting 50 billion cubic metres of gas per year via the route by 2030. No plans for an oil pipeline via Mongolia have yet been formally proposed. (Reuters)