Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Russia and North Korea sign partnership deal that appears to be the strongest since the Cold War

BY KIM TONG-HYUNG AND ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL
 June 19, 2024

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed an agreement Wednesday that pledges mutual aid if either country faces “aggression,” a strategic pact that comes as both face escalating standoffs with the West.

Details of the deal were not immediately clear, but it could mark the strongest connection between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Cold War. Both leaders described it as a major upgrade of their relations, covering security, trade, investment, cultural and humanitarian ties.

The summit came as Putin visited North Korea for the first time in 24 years and the U.S. and its allies expressed growing concerns over a possible arms arrangement in which Pyongyang provides Moscow with badly needed munitions for its war in Ukraine, in exchange for economic assistance and technology transfers that could enhance the threat posed by Kim’s nuclear weapons and missile program.

From North Korea, Putin traveled to Vietnam, where he exited his plane onto a red carpet and briefly shook hands with dignitaries while soldiers in white dress uniforms stood at attention. In Hanoi, Putin is scheduled to meet with Vietnam’s most powerful politician, Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, and new President To Lam, as the Russian leader seeks to strengthen ties with a longtime partner.



What’s known, and not known, about the partnership agreement signed by Russia and North Korea

During Putin’s visit to North Korea, Kim said the two countries had a “fiery friendship,” and that the deal was their “strongest ever treaty,” putting the relationship at the level of an alliance. He vowed full support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Putin called it a “breakthrough document” reflecting shared desires to move relations to a higher level.

North Korea and the former Soviet Union signed a treaty in 1961 that experts say necessitated Moscow’s military intervention if the North came under attack. The deal was discarded after the collapse of the USSR, replaced by one in 2000 that offered weaker security assurances. It wasn’t immediately clear if the new deal provides a similar level of protection as the 1961 treaty.

Kim met Putin at the airport, where the two shook hands, hugged twice and rode together in a limousine. The huge motorcade rolled through the capital’s brightly lit streets, where buildings were decorated with giant Russian flags and portraits of Putin.

After spending the night at a state guest house, Putin was welcomed Wednesday morning in a ceremony at the city’s main square, filled with what appeared to be tens of thousands of spectators, including children with balloons and people in coordinated T-shirts of the red, white and blue national colors of both countries. Crowds lining the streets chanted “Welcome Putin,” and waved flowers and flags.

Putin and Kim saluted an honor guard and walked across a red carpet. Kim introduced key members of his leadership, including Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui; top aide and ruling party secretary Jo Yong Won; and the leader’s powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong.

At their talks, Putin thanked Kim for North Korea’s support in Ukraine, part of what he said was a “fight against the imperialist hegemonistic policies of the U.S. and its satellites against the Russian Federation.”

Putin praised ties that he traced to the Soviet army fighting the Japanese military on the Korean Peninsula at the end of World War II, and Moscow’s support for Pyongyang during the Korean War.

What kind of support was pledged in the agreement was not spelled out. Explanations of the agreement by the leaders did not specify what the “mutual assistance” would be in the event of aggression against either country — troops, materiel or some other sort of aid.

Kim has used similar language before, consistently saying North Korea supports what he describes as a just action to protect Russia’s interests and blaming the crisis on the West’s “hegemonic policy.”

North Korea is under heavy U.N. Security Council sanctions over its weapons program, while Russia also faces sanctions by the U.S. and its Western partners over its invasion of Ukraine.

Putin, Kim 'not natural bedfellows': Isolation, economic woes kindle 'relationship of convenience'



U.S. and South Korean officials accuse the North of providing Russia with artillery, missiles and other military equipment for use in Ukraine, possibly in return for key military technologies and aid. On Tuesday, a U.S. State Department spokesman said that in recent months, Washington has seen North Korea “unlawfully transfer dozens of ballistic missiles and over 11,000 containers of munitions to aid Russia’s war effort.”

Both Pyongyang and Moscow deny accusations of weapons transfers, which would violate multiple U.N. Security Council sanctions that Russia previously endorsed.

Along with China, Russia has provided political cover for Kim’s efforts to advance his nuclear arsenal, repeatedly blocking U.S.-led efforts to impose fresh U.N. sanctions on the North over its weapons tests.

In March, a Russian veto in the Security Council ended monitoring of U.N. sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear program, prompting Western accusations that Moscow is seeking to avoid scrutiny as it buys weapons from Pyongyang.

Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters in Pyongyang the leaders exchanged gifts. Putin presented Kim with a Russian-made Aurus limousine and other gifts, including a tea set and a naval officer’s dagger. Ushakov said Kim’s presents to Putin included artwork depicting the Russian leader.

Later, Putin and Kim attended a concert featuring marching soldiers, weapons-throwing, dancing and patriotic songs. Putin clapped and spoke to Kim through a translator, saying something that made both laugh.

The Russian leader also visited the Сhurch of the Life-Giving Trinity in Pyongyang and gave a Trinity icon to the Orthodox church.

At a dinner before he left for Vietnam, Putin cited a proverb that said “a close neighbor is better than a distant relative,” while Kim toasted the “immortality of the invincible DPRK-Russia relations that are the envy of the world.”

The Kremlin’s website said the leaders signed an agreement to build a road bridge on their border, and another on cooperation in health care, medical education and science. Putin also said that Russia would not rule out developing military-technical cooperation with North Korea.

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Putin’s visit illustrates how Russia tries, “in desperation, to develop and to strengthen relations with countries that can provide it with what it needs to continue the war of aggression that it started against Ukraine.”

Koo Byoungsam, spokesperson of South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said the Seoul government was still interpreting the results of the summit, including what Russia’s response might be if the North comes under attack.

China is North Korea’s biggest ally and economic lifeline, accounting for most of the country’s trade. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said high-level exchanges between Moscow and Pyongyang are “bilateral arrangements between two sovereign states,” without giving a specific assessment of the agreements.

Sam Greene of the Center for European Policy Analysis said Putin’s trip to Pyongyang is an indication of how beholden he is to some other countries since invading Ukraine. Previously, “it was always the North Koreans coming to Russia. It wasn’t the other way around,” he said.

The trip is a good way to make “the West nervous” by demonstrating Moscow has interests and clout beyond Ukraine, Greene added.

The North could also seek to increase labor exports to Russia and other activities to get foreign currency in defiance of U.N. sanctions, according to the Institute for National Security Strategy, a think tank run by South Korea’s main spy agency. There will likely be talks about expanding cooperation in agriculture, fisheries and mining and further promoting Russian tourism to North Korea, the institute said.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest point in years, with the pace of both Kim’s weapons tests and combined military exercises involving the U.S., South Korea and Japan intensifying in a tit-for-tat cycle. The Koreas also have engaged in Cold War-style psychological warfare.
___

Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea.
Chinese 'underground bankers' launder Sinaloa drug money: U.S.

"This case is a recent successful case of Sino-US anti-drug cooperation," 

Agence France-Presse
June 19, 2024

Crime Tape (SCOTT OLSON/AFP)


The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday accused Chinese "underground bankers" of helping Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel launder more than $50 million in drug trafficking proceeds.

An indictment unsealed in California charged 24 defendants with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and money laundering offenses.

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chief Anne Milgram said a multi-year investigation dubbed "Operation Fortune Runner" had "uncovered a partnership between Sinaloa Cartel associates and a Chinese criminal syndicate operating in Los Angeles and China to launder drug money."

The Justice Department said the Chinese "underground bankers" had helped the cartel transfer drug profits from the United States to Mexico.

Chinese nationals are barred by that country's laws from moving more than $50,000 a year out of China, it said, and some individuals seeking to move more than that seek "informal alternatives" to move funds.

"Drug traffickers increasingly have partnered with Chinese underground money exchanges to take advantage of the large demand for US dollars from Chinese nationals," it said.

And Beijing's Ministry of Public Security said Wednesday it had worked on a US tip-off to arrest a suspect surnamed Tong involved in "drug-related money laundering".

The suspect and others had operated a car dealership in the United States that offered a currency exchange service for buyers, Beijing said.

"Later, they switched business and engaged in illegal foreign exchange trading and other criminal activities," it said in a post on social media platform Weibo.

"This case is a recent successful case of Sino-US anti-drug cooperation," it added.


Documents released by the US also name a fugitive suspect called Peiji Tong as having been involved in a scheme to "launder drug trafficking proceeds in the United States".

The Justice Department said 20 of the 24 defendants named in the indictment are to appear in court in Los Angeles in the coming weeks.

Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood Randall said China and Mexico had each arrested one individual in connection with the case.

Randall said China's actions "build on the commitment made between President (Joe) Biden and President Xi (Jinping) at the Woodside Summit in November 2023 to resume bilateral cooperation to combat global illicit drug manufacturing and trafficking."

The Justice Department said $5 million in narcotics proceeds had been seized during the investigation, along with 302 pounds (137 kilograms) of cocaine, 92 pounds of methamphetamine and 3,000 Ecstasy pills.

Turkey fans chant ‘Free Palestine’ at Euro championships in Germany


Turkish fans take over Dortmund in Germany to chant 'Free Palestine' ahead of their 3-1 win over Georgia in the 2024 European Championships.

June 19, 2024 


Collapse of Netanyahu’s government is ‘only a matter of time’: Far-right Shas party

Shas officials launched strong attack on Netanyahu's Likud party after Israeli Knesset rejected contentious ‘Rabbis Bill’ project, says public broadcaster

Abdel Ra'ouf D. A. R. Arnaout |19.06.2024 -



JERUSALEM

The Shas party, a far-right Israeli political partner in the coalition government, said Wednesday the collapse of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is “only a matter of time,” according to the Israeli broadcasting authority.

Shas officials launched a strong attack on Netanyahu's Likud party after the Israeli Knesset, or parliament, rejected the contentious “Rabbis Bill” project, it said.

Netanyahu withdrew the "Rabbis Bill" on Tuesday from the agenda before its first reading in the Knesset, citing a lack of majority support.

Shas is pressing for the passage of the bill, which transfers the authority to appoint municipal rabbis from local authorities to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which is led by Shas’ Minister Moshe Gafni.

But members of Likud and the far-right Jewish Power party, led by Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, oppose the project.

“There is no coalition, there is no discipline, and the most frustrating thing is that the Likud is a party made up of 35 separate factions,” an unnamed Shas official told the Kan public broadcaster.

The broadcaster noted that Shas will discuss steps it will take in response to the rejection of the project.

The government was formed by the Likud, Shas, Jewish Power, Religious Zionism and United Torah Judaism parties, and the withdrawal of any party would lead to its collapse.

For months, the Israeli opposition has been calling for the government's resignation and early elections, which Netanyahu refuses, claiming it would "paralyze the state" and freeze negotiations for an exchange of prisoners with the Palestine resistance group, Hamas.​​​​​​​

The opposition accuses Netanyahu of pursuing policies that serve his personal interests, especially in continuing in his position as leader of Israel, and failing to achieve the goals of the war on Gaza, particularly in eliminating Hamas and bringing hostages back from the enclave.


*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala​​​​​​​
Big setback for Netanyahu as ‘fuming’ White House rejects his weapons delay claims, cancels high-level talks in US

ByShweta Kukreti
Jun 19, 2024 04:08 PM IST

The White House has canceled a major meeting between American and Israeli security officials in Washington after Netanyahu's remarks against Biden government.

The White House has cancelled a major meeting between American and Israeli security officials in Washington, DC, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the Biden administration for halting arms supply to Israel, according to a new report.

US President Joe Biden and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. The White House cancelled the high-level talks to send a message to Netanyahu that such remarks against the Biden administration were not acceptable, Axios reported.(via REUTERS)

The White House cancelled the high-level talks to send a message to Netanyahu that such remarks against the Biden administration were not acceptable, Axios reported, citing two US officials. “This decision makes it clear that there are consequences for pulling such stunts,” one US official told the outlet.

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Meanwhile, a top Israeli official agreed to the report, stating that “the Americans are fuming. [Netanyahu’s] video made a lot of damage.”

This comes after Netanyahu in a video stated that Israel, the staunch ally of the US, is fighting against the common enemies, including Iran.

“Secretary Blinken assured me that the administration is working day and night to remove these bottlenecks,” he asserted following his meeting with the top US diplomat. “I certainly hope that’s the case. It should be the case.”


He further criticised the Biden administration for “inconceivable” withholding of weapons and ammunition supply to Israel.

According to two American and Israeli sources, Biden's senior advisors were infuriated by Netanyahu's video, which US ambassador Amos Hochstein personally conveyed to the Israeli PM in a meeting just hours after it was released. Subsequently, the White House took a more drastic measure and called off the meeting for Thursday.

The meeting was called off when several Israeli officials were already on their way to Washington.

A third US official stated that a schedule conflict resulted in the meeting being postponed rather than canceled.

Also Read: AOC blasts ‘war criminal’ Netanyahu for protesting ‘inconceivable’ arms halt, avers he shouldn't address US Congress
Biden's staff ‘angry’ over Netanyahu's lack of gratitude

The White House publicly expressed its surprise over Netanyahu's remarks. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre pointed out that billions of dollars' worth of weaponry had poured through without hindrance, with only one weapons supply having been stopped since the war's commencement. "We genuinely do not know what he is talking about," she stated.

One US official claimed that Biden's staff was astonished and incensed over Netanyahu's lack of gratitude.

Meanwhile, Biden's top aides called off the strategic dialogue on Iran that was supposed to involve the Pentagon, and American intelligence agencies and their Israeli counterparts.

Ties between the Biden and Netanyahu administration hit an all time low following the start of the Israel and Hamas war.

This is the second time that a meeting over Iran was cancelled at the last moment.


As big pharma exits Nigeria, asthma patients face spiralling costs

The price of asthma inhalers has more than doubled amid scarcity and added costs after GSK exited the Nigerian market in 2023.

Asthma patients in Nigeria have struggled to get essential medicine at affordable prices 
[File: AP Photo]


By Tijani Abdulkabeer
Published On 19 Jun 2024


Ibadan, Nigeria — When Gloria Mofifoluwa’s friend informed her in March that the price of inhalers had risen in Nigeria, she did not think much about it.

The following week, when she went out in Ibadan city to replace her old Ventolin inhaler, the asthma sufferer was shocked to see that many pharmacies were out of stock and the only place it was available sold it for 7,500 naira ($5) – more than double the 2,800 naira ($1.86) she had paid months before.

This price jump – which followed the departure from Nigeria of a major health pharmaceutical – was a shock for the 24-year-old undergraduate student who earns a bit of money designing clothes. And the ripple effects were even worse.

Last month, while alone in her room at the university hostel and consumed by thoughts of her economic challenges, Mofifoluwa started hyperventilating and struggled to catch her breath.

Her roommate was away and there was no one to take her to hospital. All she had on her was an Aeroline inhaler, which she explained does not work as fast for her as the Ventolin she now struggles to get.

“I was just scared because not only was I alone in my room, I was also on my floor [and without the medicine I most needed],” she told Al Jazeera, adding that all she could do was pray until she fell asleep, hoping she would regain her strength by the time she woke up.Mofifoluwa holding her Aeroline alternative inhaler [Courtesy of Gloria Mofifoluwa]

The pharmaceutical scarcity and rising prices causing stress for asthma sufferers like Mofifoluwa cap off a chain of events that began in May 2023, when Bola Tinubu was elected president.

During his inauguration ceremony, Tinubu announced the removal of a fuel subsidy, which resulted in an unprecedented increase in petrol prices. This also affected the cost of various goods and services and contributed to an inflation rate of above 27 percent. The cumulative economic effects have been harsh, especially for the vulnerable – including students and low-income earners.

The hardships worsened as the president’s monetary policies pushed the naira to an all-time low against the United States dollar, further leading to a downward trend as manufacturers struggled to meet production targets.

Amid the downturn – which included exchange rate volatility, declining revenues and a general worsening of the investment climate in Nigeria – a significant number of businesses including international pharmaceuticals exited the country.

Among those that left last year was British company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), which had operated there since 1972 and was the second-biggest drug producer in Nigeria.

As a major supplier of inhalers for asthmatic patients – including the type Mofifoluwa depended on – GSK’s departure has contributed to rising prices and increased the scarcity of medicines for many Nigerians.


GSK exit

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), asthma cannot be cured but common treatments like the usage of inhalers which deliver medication to the lungs allow patients to live normal, active lives.

The global health body recommends that people with asthma get access to proper healthcare, but in developing countries like Nigeria, the situation is complicated.

This has been worsened by the exit of companies like GSK.

GlaxoSmithKline, GSK, exited the Nigerian market in August 2023 after 51 years in the country [Screengrab/ Reuters]

While asthma inhalers were easily available and more affordable when the company was around, many now find the medication is out of reach. Despite there being alternative options, Nigeria now relies largely on imported medicines, meaning high operational costs get added to the price tag for consumers.

For the average patient, an inhaler lasts about two months, depending on usage, which makes it a pricey regular cost in a country where the minimum monthly wage is 30,000 naira (about $20).

Like Mofifoluwa, 21-year-old Joseph Biyi also struggles with asthma. The library, archival and information science student was diagnosed in the middle of last year, and has since been confronted with the rising prices of inhalers.

The first time he bought a Ventolin inhaler, it sold at 3,500 naira ($2.30) but by his next visit to the pharmacy this year, the price had jumped to 7,500 naira ($5).

While Biyi has his parents to help him with money for inhalers, especially since the prices have skyrocketed, he said he now also forgoes some essential items, like groceries, to save the extra money for medicine, “just to avoid risk”.
High asthma rates

The Nigerian Thoracic Society says that, as of 2019, 15 million Nigerians were asthmatics while a nationwide study put the number at 13 million – one of the highest rates in Africa. With less than accurate data in Nigeria, because those in rural areas have limited access to quality healthcare or medical tracking, the number could be even higher.

On World Asthma Day in 2023, the president of the Nigerian Society of Asthmatics, University College Hospital (UCH) Branch, Professor Olusoji Ige, said more than 10 million Nigerians have asthma and about three-quarters of them risked dying due to poor asthma control.

Mrs Tinubu, the Matron of the University of Ibadan’s Asthmatic Club who prefers to be identified only by her surname, said there are several factors responsible for asthma. However, she noted that the ill-equipped healthcare system worsens the condition over time.

Due to the poor state of the public healthcare system in Nigeria, after diagnosis, most people take charge of getting their medication themselves.

A person who suffers from bouts of asthma attacks displays pills in his home in Lagos, Nigeria 
[File: Temilade Adelaja/Reuters]

Meanwhile, in Ibadan, some enterprising young Nigerians have been trying to help fill the health gaps that exist.

Temitope Omosebi, a postgraduate psychology student, told Al Jazeera that after having an encounter with an asthma sufferer in 2023, he understood the full gravity of the condition and wanted to do something to help.

That’s when he launched the #AttackAgainstAsthma campaign at the University of Ibadan, to help at least some patients get access to interventions. The campaign helps provide various types of inhalers, including Sivobutamol, Aeroline, Ventolin and Fortide, to those who need them. Last year alone, 40 inhalers were distributed and this year, an additional 60 were disbursed for free; all were procured with funds from Omosebi himself.

“The campaign is important as it addresses self-care medication for asthmatic patients which has become highly costly in the recent time,” Omosebi said. “Our focus is specifically on varsity students – and on individuals in low socioeconomic communities hopefully soon – because of the known financial challenges among these groups of people.

“In Nigeria, the government isn’t doing anything it’s meant to do,” he added,

‘All inhalers are expensive’


Olabitan Odunola, a doctor and the lead at The Health City, a tech-enabled platform that focuses on preventive services and education, bemoaned the scarcity and cost of GSK products since the company exited the Nigerian market.

She said that especially for asthmatic patients who depended on GSK’s inhalers, the new circumstances are disturbing and even alternative medicines are out of reach for most patients.

“Across the board, all the inhalers are expensive,” Odunola said.

Patients have switched to alternatives like Longlife Pharmaceuticals which mostly sells Aeroline inhalers, to find relief. There are also other options like Symbicort inhalers, manufactured by AstraZeneca, and Fortide inhalers, distributed by Pakistani pharmaceutical company Getz Pharma. While all are recognised and available, they are also largely unaffordable

.
Seretide Diskus, an asthma inhaler manufactured by GSK, is displayed on the shelf at a pharmacy in Lagos, Nigeria in 2023
 [File: Temilade Adelaja/Reuters]

Odunola said the limited access to these preventers could worsen healthcare outcomes for asthmatics. Since the condition is long-term, she also feared that it could lead to more deaths, especially in instances when someone has an asthmatic attack.

The poverty rate in Nigeria, according to the World Bank, was estimated at 38.9 percent in 2023, and considering the relatively high prices of inhalers, patients may even resort to unproven asthmatic treatments out of desperation, experts fear.

There is a correlation between limited access to quality healthcare services and the number of asthmatic patients in Nigeria, said Bello Wada, a physician and the current public health rirector of the State Ministry of Health in Kano.

“This leads to delayed diagnosis, inadequate treatment and poor management of asthma, exacerbating the condition and increasing the number of patients,” he said.

Wada also pointed out that GSK leaving Nigeria further puts those who have been diagnosed at a disadvantage, as inaccessibly priced inhalers could lead to increased morbidity and mortality rates.
Finding solutions

In January, the value of drugs imported into Nigeria was estimated at 900 billion naira ($606m), showing a high dependency on imported medicines.

In February, the federal government announced a $240m investment in the local manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, but while this is yet to materialise, Wada wants the government to do more to address the situation.

“They need to implement policies to make essential medicines more affordable, increase funding for healthcare infrastructure and personnel, develop programmes to improve access to quality healthcare services, especially for vulnerable populations, and also engage with international organisations to secure donations or discounted prices for essential medicines,” he stressed.

The cost of Ventolin inhalers has doubled in Nigeria
 [Screengrab/ Reuters]

Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, met with representatives and chief executive officers of pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria last year and said the government is concerned about the high cost of medicines and finding solutions to the crisis.

“The Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, @Fmohnigeria, is working towards policy actions that may address the high prices of medicines especially for the most vulnerable Nigerians,” he said on the social platform X in November.

Until that happens, to help her asthma and manage costs, Mofifoluwa said she will continue to use Aeroline, which at 6,500 naira ($4.30) is slightly cheaper than Ventolin. Even though it does not work as well for her, she feels the lower price makes a difference and allows her supplies to last longer.

“I normally don’t use Aeroline because Ventolin works faster. I had to start buying because it’s less costly,” she told Al Jazeera. “But I still have to manage when I buy it and use it based on calculation [and only when necessary].

“During examinations period, I consume a lot because anxiety and stress are all over me,” she added.

Now, with the high cost of essential medicine she needs, school is not the only thing adding to her stress.


SOURCE: AL JAZEERA

 

What's behind Pentagon's clandestine disinformation campaign against Chinese vaccine?

(Xinhua17:01, June 19, 2024

BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) -- At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it appears that America was more focused on launching a clandestine program to discredit Chinese vaccines and other life-saving medical supplies than on helping the world fight the deadly virus.

A recent Reuters investigation has found that the U.S. military launched a secret disinformation campaign to discredit Chinese vaccines in the Philippines, a nation severely impacted by COVID-19.

The disclosure has sparked widespread condemnation of the U.S. scheme from public health experts. Even former U.S. intelligence officials have decried the disinformation campaign.

What the Pentagon did "crosses a line," said Greg Treverton, former chairman of the U.S. National Intelligence Council.

"DRAG CHINA THROUGH THE MUD"

China's Sinovac vaccine, the only type available in the Philippines during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, was smeared repeatedly under the Pentagon program.

Reuters reported that it identified at least 300 accounts on X, formerly Twitter, that matched descriptions shared by former U.S. military officials familiar with the Philippines operation.

Almost all were created in the summer of 2020 and centered on the slogan #Chinaangvirus, meaning China is the virus in Tagalog, a major language of the Philippines.

"We weren't looking at this from a public health perspective," a senior military officer involved in the program was cited by Reuters as saying. "We were looking at how we could drag China through the mud."

Due to the disinformation campaign, vaccination rates in the Philippines remained dismally low. In June 2021, then-Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appealed on television to the public to get vaccinated.

At that time, only about 2.1 million out of the country's 114 million people were fully vaccinated, far below the target of 70 million for that year.

"Over 60,000 Filipinos died, and many of them would have survived if not for the disinformation campaign against the Sinovac vaccine," former Philippine presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on his social media.

Cho-Chiong Tan, a doctor and associate professor at the Institute of Medicine, Far Eastern University, said Reuters' report "shocked the whole Philippines."

"The malign action of the United States has seriously harmed the health of the Filipino people and hampered the Philippine efforts to fight against COVID-19," Tan said, adding that distrust and panic about vaccine safety caused some people to give up vaccination, increasing the risk of contracting the virus.

"The practices of the United States not only harmed the interests of the Filipino people, but also endangered global public health and the well-being of all mankind," he added.

"I don't think it's defensible. I'm extremely dismayed, disappointed and disillusioned to hear that the U.S. government would do that," said Daniel Lucey, an infectious disease specialist at Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine.

SAFE AND TRUSTED VACCINE

China has gained global recognition for its fight against the pandemic by providing Sinovac vaccines and other public goods to the world.

Studies have proved the immunogenicity and safety of Sinovac vaccines, said Sinovac spokeswoman Yuan Youwei, adding that the COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized for use in more than 60 countries, regions and international organizations.

The Sinovac vaccine is safe and effective at preventing severe disease and death from COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) told Xinhua in a written statement.

"Disinformation, or the manipulation of information with an intention to deceive and cause harm, is a major health threat today," the Geneva-based health body warned.

Ramy Pulayd, a 29-year-old Filipino, said he got two doses of China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine during that hard time.

When the virus caused widespread disruption across the Philippines, "China came and gave us a hand," he said, adding that his brother and sister were also vaccinated.

"We trust China and its vaccines are reliable," Pulayd said.

In fact, many countries, especially developing ones, welcomed Chinese vaccines during the pandemic. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had personally awaited the delivery of the vaccine doses at Belgrade airport, expressing his gratitude to China.

Meanwhile, the United States did not lend a helping hand to developing countries when they were in urgent need of vaccines.

"We didn't do a good job sharing vaccines with partners," a senior U.S. military officer directly involved in the campaign was quoted as saying by Reuters. "So what was left to us was to throw shade on China's."

WASHINGTON'S GEOPOLITICAL MOTIVES EXPOSED

Many experts have pointed out that America attempts to maintain its hegemony and hinder China's development with false narratives, manipulation of public opinion, and countless lies. Its campaign to discredit China's vaccines was not based on scientific evidence but rather on geopolitical motives and strategic gains.

Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Manila-based think tank Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, told Xinhua that "Washington's covert operation undermining Beijing's efforts to assist the Philippines and the Filipino people in combating the COVID-19 pandemic raises significant ethical and strategic concerns and questions."

"Discrediting vaccines based on geopolitical motives rather than scientific evidence undermines the collective effort needed to combat a pandemic," the expert said.

The clandestine anti-China propaganda reveals "a willingness and deliberate actions on the part of the United States to manipulate public opinion and international relations for strategic and geopolitical gains," Malindog-Uy said, adding that the United States has also spread disinformation to defame China in other fields like the South China Sea, to sow discord between China and other countries.

"This is indeed a manifestation of the U.S. fixation on global hegemony," she said.

In fact, the disinformation campaign is not the first time Uncle Sam has resorted to dirty tricks. Reuters reported in March that former U.S. President Donald Trump authorized the Central Intelligence Agency in 2019 to launch a clandestine campaign on Chinese social media aimed at turning public opinion in China against its government.

The U.S. government is the biggest propagator of disinformation, said U.S. Republican Senator Rand Paul.

America's dirty moves come at a cost for the Philippines. Vaccination is of great importance to the health of millions of Filipinos and Reuters reported that the difficulty in vaccinating the population contributed to the worst death rate in the region.

For the sake of its selfish gains, Washington never hesitates to sacrifice an ally. As British American historian Bernard Lewis pointed out in his book "Notes on a Century: Reflections of a Middle East Historian," the real problem with having the Americans as allies is you never know when they will turn around and stab you in the back. 

(Web editor: Wu Chaolan, Liang Jun)

By 

The South China Sea is a vital region global for trade and regional security. Unfortunately, tensions between China and the Philippines have transformed it into a highly disputed area.  This essay aims to thoroughly examine the consequences of this dispute including its impact on regional tensions and unity within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) maritime trade, international alliances legal frameworks environmental concerns and the possibility of armed conflict. 

The South China Sea dispute not only escalates tensions between China and the Philippines but also relations strains other among Southeast Asian nations with overlapping territorial claims. China’s expansive claims depicted in the “Nine-Dash Line  ” overlap with the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of several ASEAN countries such as Malaysia Vietnam Indonesia, and Brunei. The Philippines supported by a 2016 ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration holds a particularly contentious position  However, China’s refusal to acknowledge this ruling intensifies the standoff, leading to increased military activity and skirmishes that destabilise the region.

Implications for ASEAN Unity

The South China Sea dispute weakens ASEAN’s cohesion, which is crucial for maintaining unity among its member states. The principle of consensus and non-interference, which is integral to ASEAN, is also under significant strain due to conflicting interests and external pressures faced by member states.

Countries such as Cambodia and Laos, which have strong economic ties with China, often adopt a more conciliatory approach internally, thus creating divisions within ASEAN. As a result, the lack of consensus hampers ASEAN’s ability to present a united front and effectively mediate the conflict, thereby reducing its role as a regional stabilizer and diminishing its influence on the global stage.

Disruption of Maritime Trade

The South China Sea is a crucial global shipping route, with around one-third of all global shipping passing through its waters. Any disruptions caused by increased military activity or conflicts pose a significant risk to international trade and economic stability. For example, China’s construction of military installations on islands and its growing naval presence undermines the essential freedom of navigation for global supply chains. These disruptions could result in higher shipping costs, delays in deliveries, and broader negative impacts, particularly for economies heavily reliant on maritime trade. 

The involvement of international alliances in the dispute over the South China Sea is of great importance for regional stability and global dynamics, with the United States playing a prominent role. As allies of the Philippines and supporters of freedom of navigation, the US conducts Freedom of Navigation Operations to challenge China’s territorial claims and defend international maritime rights. However, this involvement also carries the risk of escalating tensions between the world’s largest economies. Furthermore, the dispute has emboldened other major international powers such as Japan, Australia, and India, leading to increased military presence and strategic participation in the region, further complicating the geopolitical landscape.

One of the main challenges in resolving the conflict in the South China Sea is the enforcement of international maritime laws. In 2016, the ruling of the arbitral tribunal under UNCLOS was expected to create a legal framework for resolving disputes. However, China’s rejection of the ruling and its continued assertive actions have weakened the authority of international legal institutions. This situation emphasizes the limitations of international law when powerful nations refuse to comply, which sets a worrying precedent for similar territorial disputes globally.

Additionally, the militarization of the South China Sea has had devastating environmental consequences. China’s construction of artificial islands and military installations has caused significant damage to coral reefs and habitats, threatening the region’s biodiversity and the livelihoods of those who depend on marine resources. Furthermore, the increased naval operations raise the risk of accidents, oil spills, pollution, and other forms of environmental degradation, intensifying the ecological impact of the dispute.

The ongoing and escalating South China Sea dispute increases the chances of accidental or deliberate armed conflicts. With multiple countries deploying military vessels and aircraft, any miscalculations or provocations could quickly escalate into larger conflicts, causing serious consequences for both regional and global stability. The potential human, economic, and environmental costs associated with armed conflicts in this area are significant. The South China Sea dispute extends beyond legal and diplomatic complexities. It poses risks not only to the stability of global and peaceful coexistence among nations but also to environmental well-being. Resolving this dispute necessitates a delicate balancing act of diplomatic efforts, adherence to international law, and a strong commitment to multilateral collaboration.

In summary, the clashes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea present a complex challenge to regional peace and stability. This dispute not only heightens tensions in the region but also undermines the unity of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and disrupts maritime trade. Additionally, it invites increased international involvement, thereby raising the likelihood of broader conflicts.

Conclusion

There are significant obstacles to finding a comprehensive resolution to this issue, both from legal and diplomatic perspectives. Additionally, the militarization of the area poses long-term threats to the well-being of the region. To effectively address this conflict, a holistic approach is necessary, which involves diplomatic engagement, legal frameworks, and regional cooperation. Such an approach is crucial for maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own.

References

  • Batongbacal, J. A. (2016). “The South China Sea Arbitration: Implications for Maritime Law and Security in Asia.” Asian Journal of International Law, 6(1), 137-154.
  • Beckman, R. (2013). “The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Maritime Disputes in the South China Sea.” American Journal of International Law, 107(1), 142-163.
  • Cronin, P. M., & Kaplan, R. D. (2012). “Cooperation from Strength: The United States, China and the South China Sea.” Center for a New American Security.
  • Glaser, B. S. (2015). “Conflict in the South China Sea.” Council on Foreign Relations.
  • McManus, J. W. (2017). “The Spratly Islands: A Marine Park Solution.” Ambio, 46(7), 771-785.
  • Poling, G. B. (2020). “Illuminating the South China Sea’s Dark Fishing Fleets.” Center for Strategic and International Studies.
  • Thayer, C. A. (2017). “ASEAN, China and the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.” Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific, 53-


Simon Hutagalung is a retired diplomat from the Indonesian Foreign Ministry and received his master's degree in political science and comparative politics from the City University of New York. The opinions expressed in his articles are his own.
WWIII

Philippines accuses China of ‘piracy’ after ship boarded, sailor injured

Chinese personnel used knives and machetes to puncture Philippine dinghies attempting to resupply an outpost in the South China Sea, Philippine officials say.



By Sofia Tomacruz and Rebecca Tan
WASHINGTON POST
June 19, 2024 


MANILA — The Chinese coast guard boarded a Philippine navy vessel and damaged and confiscated equipment in a confrontation that left a sailor severely injured earlier this week, the Philippines announced Wednesday in a stark escalation of tensions over the disputed South China Sea.

According to Philippine officials, Chinese vessels on Monday rammed Philippine ships to stop them from resupplying a warship, the Sierra Madre, which has long been beached on a half-submerged reef 120 miles away from the Philippine province of Palawan and is at the center of the dispute between the two countries.

Chinese coast guard used knives and machetes to puncture Philippine rubber dinghies that were attempting to reach the outpost and confiscated equipment on Philippine navy vessels, officials said. One sailor’s hand was severely injured because it was caught in one of the rubber dinghies.

“This is piracy,” Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., the Philippine armed forces’ chief of staff, said in a news conference held in Palawan. “They boarded our boats illegally, they took our equipment. They are like pirates with the actions they carried out.”
Chinese coast guard officials, in turn, said a Philippine supply ship had “deliberately and dangerously” approached a Chinese ship, causing a minor collision.

China has sought to dominate the South China Sea, a highly strategic waterway that is also claimed in part by six other governments. As the Philippines has ramped up its efforts to push back against the Chinese, it has been met with an increasingly forceful response that security analysts say could spur broader conflict in the Pacific.

The United States shares a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines and has stressed in recent months that an armed attack on Philippine military vessels or personnel in the South China Sea could trigger a U.S. military response. The U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, MaryKay Carlson, on Tuesday condemned China’s “aggressive, dangerous maneuvers” at sea but did not say whether or how the United States would respond. A spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Manila declined to answer questions on a potential U.S. response.

Earlier this month, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said at a security summit in Singapore that the death of a Filipino citizen through a “willful act” would be “close to an act of war” that could prompt a military response. “Our treaty partner holds that same standard,” he said, referring to the United States.

Tan reported from Singapore.

Philippines accuses Chinese coast guard of boarding navy boats in South China Sea

The Philippine military said Wednesday that the Chinese coast guard rammed and boarded Filipino navy boats and seized their guns in the South China Sea this week in a confrontation that resulted in a Filipino sailor losing a thumb.


Issued on: 19/06/2024 - 10:26
Philippine Coast Guard personnel preparing rubber fenders after an incident with Chinese ships at the Second Thomas Shoal atoll on March 5, 2024. © Adrian Portugal, Reuters

The incident off Second Thomas Shoal, which hosts a tiny Philippine garrison stationed on a deliberately beached old warship, is the latest in a series of escalating confrontations between Chinese and Philippine ships in recent months as Beijing steps up efforts to push its claims to the disputed area.

"The Chinese Coast Guard personnel illegally embarked on our RHIBS (rigid-hulled inflatable boats)," Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres told reporters in the first official Filipino account of the confrontation.

"They got some (guns)," said Torres, adding the firearms had been stored in the boats crewed by Filipino sailors, who were under orders not to display their weapons in Monday's confrontation.


43:51   Reporters © FRANCE 24



The Chinese coast guard later "deliberately punctured" the Filipino boats, he said.

Philippine military chief General Romeo Brawner alleged the Chinese boarders were armed with swords, spears, and knives.

"This is the first time that we saw the Chinese coast guard carry bolos (a type of single-edged sword), spears, and knives. Our troops had none of those," Brawner told reporters.

Brawner said the seized guns were intended for Filipino troops manning the BRP Sierra Madre warship on the shoal.

"We fought back with our bare hands," Brawner said, noting the Filipino sailors were "outnumbered" by the Chinese coast guard contingent that comprised eight boats.
'Illegally rammed'

The Second Thomas Shoal lies about 200 kilometres (120 miles) from the western Philippine island of Palawan and more than 1,000 kilometres from China's nearest major landmass, Hainan island.

Beijing claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, brushing aside competing claims from several Southeast Asian nations including the Philippines and an international ruling that its stance has no legal basis.

It deploys coast guard and other boats to patrol the waters and has turned several reefs into militarised artificial islands.

It has in recent months stepped up moves against Philippine vessels in the area around Second Thomas Shoal.

Read morePhilippine ship, Chinese vessel collide in disputed South China Sea

Speaking to reporters from Palawan – the major land mass closest to the shoal – Torres said the latest confrontation began when one of the Filipino boats was "illegally rammed" at "high speed" by a Chinese coast guard boat.

A Filipino Naval Special Operations Group member aboard the Filipino boat lost a thumb when the Chinese vessel landed on top of the bow, he added.

Brawner also flew to Palawan on Wednesday to visit the injured soldier, the military said.

(AFP)



8 Philippines sailors injured in recent incident with China in South China Sea

Chinese Coast Guard blocked, boarded, searched Philippines vessel on Monday, reports local media

Islam Uddin
 19.06.2024



ANKARA

At least eight Philippines sailors were injured on Monday when China Coast Guard 'searched' a Philippines vessel in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, local media reported on Wednesday.

During a confrontation between the two countries' forces in the disputed South China Sea, the finger of a soldier was also cut off, Philippine media outlet Inquirer reported citing official sources.

On Tuesday, armed forces of the Philippines confirmed that one Navy sailor sustained a “severe injury” after an “intentional high-speed ramming” by the China Coast Guard (CCG) during the resupply mission.

Filipino officials also claimed that Chinese CCG personnel punctured navy boats using their bolos and also seized their guns.

“We have arms, but we did not use those. We don’t want to start a war," the media outlet quoted Philippines chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. as saying and added their soldiers fought with bare hands to prevent Chinese CCG from hitting them.

On Monday, China Coast Guard (CCG) personnel “blocked, boarded, searched” a Philippines vessel which “intruded” into waters near Ren'ai, a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands, South China Sea.

During a fresh escalation, CCG forces forcefully expelled the Philippines vessel from the disputed waters where it “attempted to send materials to its illegally grounded warship,” said the CCG.

It was the first time since the CCG implemented its new rules of engagements in the vast disputed sea on Saturday.

Under the new guidelines, China can detain suspected trespassers for up to 60 days.

The Philippine ship was on a resupply mission to a grounded World War II-era warship, the BRP Sierra Madre, on the shoal claimed both by Beijing and Manila.

While Beijing accused Manila of “violating” the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea, the latter called China's claims “deceptive and misleading.”

​​​​​​​The two maritime neighbors have conflicting claims over the Second Thomas Shoal — also known as the Ayungin Shoal, Bai Co May, and Ren'ai Jiao — a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.