Category: diplomacy

ANALYSIS: Beijing Attempts to Coerce Western Diplomats Through Differential Treatment

Beijing recently canceled a visit to China by a top European diplomat while hosting another same-level EU diplomat. Such tactics are part of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) efforts to coerce Western powerhouses into submission by signaling disapproval to those diplomats who speak to the CCP about human rights or other sensitive topics, a China…


Harmful to Assume War Is Inevitable: Aussie PM

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has warned that assuming that “war is inevitable” is just as harmful as the idea that “conflict is impossible” amid tensions in the Indo-Pacific. “We sometimes hear our region described as a potential ‘theatre’ for conflict,” Albanese said during a major foreign policy speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore…


Germany Seeking to Revive EU’s Diplomatic and Commercial Presence in Africa

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has resuscitated the frantic effort to rebuild the EU’s waned diplomatic and commercial presence in Africa in the face of growing Chinese and Russian influence in one of the fastest-growing regions of the world. Scholz’s May 4–May 7 official visit to Ethiopia and Kenya—the second to the continent in less than…


Chinese Ambassador Summoned Over Threats to MP Michael Chong

The Canadian government summoned the Chinese ambassador on May 4 over the targeting of Conservative MP Michael Chong, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly told a committee. “I’ve instructed my deputy minister to summon the Chinese ambassador, that is what he’s doing as we speak,” Joly said as she testified before the House of Commons foreign…


Yellen Says US-China Relations at a ‘Tense Moment,’ Seeks ‘Constructive’ Solutions

In a speech delivered at a global economic forum, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen described the current state of U.S.-China relations as being at a “tense moment” and emphasized the need for a productive approach towards bolstering economic ties with China. Yellen acknowledged the ongoing tensions between the two economic giants but expressed optimism for…


IMF Director Urges ‘Cool-Headedness’ Amid Growing Global ‘Fragmentation’

During last week’s Spring Meetings, Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), expressed concerns about “fragmentation”—the global economy splintering into rival trading blocs—warning that it could worsen the global inflation crisis. The IMF chief attributed this risk to a combination of factors, including the ongoing war in Ukraine and flaws in the…


America Ratchets Up Its Diplomatic Charm Offensive In Africa 

Vice President Kamala Harris has announced a new era of partnership between the United States and African nations amid growing competition from other global powers, especially China and Russia.  Harris arrived in Zambia on March 31 for the final stop of her week-long trip across the continent that also took her to Ghana and Tanzania. The visit…


US Ratchets Up Its Diplomatic Charm Offensive in Africa 

Vice President Kamala Harris has announced a new era of partnership between the United States and African nations amid growing competition from other global powers, especially China and Russia.  Harris arrived in Zambia on March 31 for the final stop of her weeklong trip across the continent that also took her to Ghana and Tanzania. The visit…


US Needs Better Missile Interception Capabilities, Experts Say

Former defense officials joined members of Congress to express concern that the United States is lagging in its missile defense capabilities, leaving the nation vulnerable to attacks from countries such as Russia, China, and North Korea. Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on Friday, officials argued in favor of a renewed…


Deteriorating Economy Sees China Adopt Softer Diplomatic Tone

News Analysis China’s new Foreign Minister Qin Gang is showcasing to the public a “soft” style of diplomacy that is starkly at odds with the hawkish tone of his recent predecessors. Critics say the sharp shift in the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) approach to foreign policy may be an attempt by Xi Jinping’s leadership to…