Category: The United States

America’s Strategic Ambiguity on Taiwan Possibly ‘Dangerous’: US Lawmaker

The U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity on Taiwan could be “dangerous” as it offers no security guarantee for the self-ruled island, which Beijing regards as part of its territory, a U.S. lawmaker has said. Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), the co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Taiwan Caucus, said the Biden administration should end the policy of…


Japan to Coordinate With US in Setting Caps on Russian Oil Prices: Official

Japan has agreed to coordinate with the United States in setting a price cap on Russian oil exports to pressure Moscow to halt its aggression against Ukraine, according to a Japanese official. Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with U.S. President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G-7) summit on Sunday…


China Backs Nepal’s Decision to Drop US Partnership Program

China commended the Nepali government’s decision to reject the United States’ partnership program and reaffirmed support for Nepal’s “non-aligned foreign policy,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on June 23. Nepal rejected the State Partnership Program (SPP) after a leaked draft of the program, which the United States reportedly forwarded to the Nepali leadership, sparked heated…


G-7 Unveils $600 Billion Global Infrastructure Plan to Counter China’s ‘Debt Trap’

The Group of Seven (G-7) nations plan to raise $600 billion over the next five years for a global infrastructure program that will serve as a “positive alternative” to models that sell “debt traps.” G-7 leaders from the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the European Union unveiled the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and…


United States Donates 2.2 Million Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine Doses to Nepal

The United States sent 2.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Nepal for use in the country’s vaccination program for children aged five to 11 years, according to the U.S. Embassy in Nepal. These are in addition to the 2.26 million doses of Pfizer vaccines and 1.5 million single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines previously supplied…


Biden Could Remove Some ‘Unnecessary’ China Tariffs Amid Soaring Inflation: Yellen

President Joe Biden is reviewing Washington’s tariff policy toward China, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Sunday, signaling the end of some Trump-era tariffs amid record-high inflation. “We all recognize that China engages in a range of unfair trade practices that it’s important to address. But the tariffs we inherited, some serve no strategic…


‘No Coercion’ for China to Attend Security Forums: Singapore Defense Minister

China can decide to debate its stance in open forums like the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) or “retreat from that engagement,” Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said on June 12. Ng was responding to a question posed by a Chinese military official during the seventh plenary session of the SLD in Singapore. The three-day forum…


Taiwan’s Latest US Arms Deal ‘Bolsters’ Self-Defense Capabilities

The Taiwanese government on Thursday welcomed its third arms deal this year with the United States. Taiwan’s Presidential Office spokesperson Xavier Chang said the deal involves the purchase of naval equipment and related technical assistance worth $120 million. Chang’s statement was in response to the U.S. government on Wednesday announcing that it had notified Congress of…


US Investors Not Required to Divest Holdings From Chinese Military Firms After Ban: OFAC

The U.S. Treasury Department has issued new guidance regarding the Chinese Military-Industrial Complex (CMIC) sanctions in response to frequently asked questions, just two days before the deadline for U.S. investors to fully divest their holdings of securities of designated Chinese military companies. The new guidance, published on June 1, states that “U.S. persons are not…


South Korea, US Fire 8 Missiles to Show Crisis Preparedness After North Korean Missile Launches

South Korea and the United States jointly launched eight short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on June 6, in response to North Korea’s recent test of multiple short-range ballistic missiles, according to the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK). “This exercise utilized one U.S. Army missile and seven [South Korea] Army missiles. The missiles were fired…