Taiwan accuses China of election interference amid military exercises

Camp David summit serves as hypocritical anti-China pantomime with a ‘mini-NATO’ in the making: Analysts

 

  

CHINA / DIPLOMACY

Camp David summit serves as hypocritical anti-China pantomime with a ‘mini-NATO’ in the making: Analysts

Global Times By Deng Xiaoci: Aug 19, 2023 

Despite the US President Joe Biden claimed that the US-Japan-South Korea summit at the US presidential retreat Camp David "is not about China" afterward, the leaders of the three countries explicitly picked on China under the pretext of "joint efforts to maintain peace and stability" in Taiwan Straits and South China Sea, which once again laid bare anti-China hypocrisy, Chinese observers criticized on Saturday.

Biden held the summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on US local time Friday and announced new commitments that they believe herald the next era of cooperation and to turn this first-ever trilateral summit into an annual tradition, media reported.

Built in 1938, the Camp David in Maryland, a presidential retreat located some 112 kilometers from the White House, saw the singing of "Spirit of Camp David", "Camp Principles" and "Commitment to Consult" among the US, Japan and South Korea on Friday following the summit.

The three leaders announced deepening military and economic cooperation and made their strongest joint condemnation yet of "dangerous and aggressive behavior" by China in the South China Sea, Reuters reported on Friday.

Without mentioning China, Biden said the leaders reaffirmed a commitment to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits and address economic coercion, the Voice of America (VOA) reported.

They also made a commitment to "consult during crisis", including regular military exercises and ballistic missile drills, as well as new collaborations on economic security — strengthening semiconductor supply chains, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, and new regional initiatives to build partner capacity throughout the so-called Indo-Pacific, including in the maritime security domain, VOA reported.

The group also agreed to pilot a supply chain early-warning system to guard against disruptions of certain products, including critical minerals used in electric vehicle batteries, the report noted.

In a briefing to reporters Friday, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan commented on criticism of the trilateral summit as Washington's gambit to create a "mini-NATO" in Asia by saying that "this partnership is not against anyone. It is for something… It is for a vision of the Indo-Pacific that is free, open, secure and prosperous."

However, Chinese analysts lashed out anti-China hypocrisy and pointed out that although the group has yet to form a collective defense commitment similar to NATO's "an attack on one is an attack on all," the slogan of "a threat to any member is a threat to the US, Japan, and South Korea as a whole" has already been echoed.

The pledge is intended to acknowledge that the three countries share "fundamentally interlinked security environments" and that a threat to one of the nations is "a threat to all," according to a senior Biden official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"Any provocations or attacks against any one of our three countries will trigger a decision making process of this trilateral framework and our solidarity will become even stronger and harder," South Korean leader Yoon warned in high profile.

It is concerning that the mini-NATO planned around serving the US' strategic competition with China and weaken China's development prospects is being formulated, Chinese observers warned.

Military expert and TV commentator Song Zhongping warned Saturday that whether the mini-NATO becomes reality would depend on if such trilateral framework is institutionalized and made law in each country, which is believed to be highly likely.

Although Biden still terms the trilateral ties as "partnership" in the joint statement, his understanding and conception is entirely different from previous administrations and has a strong "alliance color", Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Saturday.

The leaders of three countries are expanding the currently existed partnership toward the goal of forming the trilateral alliances, with the latest Camp David summit as their latest efforts, Li pointed out. "It is crystal clear that the fundamentals for such partnership or alliances is all about serving US competition with China and weakening China's development prospects."

Using diplomatic language, the three countries tried to forge their image as defenders of peace and stability in the so-called Indo-Pacific region rather that troublemakers and creators of camp confrontation, Li said.

They are in fact exploiting regional affairs to create a crisis and spread anxiety to legitimize their grouping in strategic competition with China, Li noted.

The Asia-Pacific region is a highland of peace and development, and a land of cooperation that must not become an arena for geopolitical games, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Friday, commenting on the Camp David summit, and urged all parties to uphold true multilateralism amid a complex international security situation. 

Although the summit has been hyped by the US media as show of stronger and more rigid solidarity of the group, political differences between the countries hard to overlook, and future domestic political changes could reverse the current solidarity, Chinese analysts noted.

Yoon, for example, facing a declining approval rating at home due to his overwhelming pro-US policies and his olive branch offering to Japan, had been repeatedly denounced by domestic critics as "national disgrace," Li said.

Current policies of the leaders of Japan and South Korea reflect a lack of independence, making their diplomatic approach unbalanced, which will surely impact these leaders domestically, he said.

Xi to attend BRICS summit, jointly chart bloc's blueprint

Global Times

CHINA / DIPLOMACY

Xi to attend BRICS summit, jointly chart bloc's blueprint

Global Times Aug 18, 2023 By Liu Xin and Liu Caiyu

The first offline BRICS summit in over three years will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa next week, and Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the country and join other BRICS leaders to discuss issues on development of concern to emerging economies and developing countries and the international community. 

The highly-anticipated summit will provide emerging markets and developing countries the opportunity to fully discuss challenges they face on boosting development in the post-pandemic era and will further strengthen South-South cooperation amid growing geopolitical risks, analysts said. 

Xi will attend the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa and pay a state visit to South Africa from August 21 to 24, at the invitation of President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa. While in South Africa, Xi will co-chair with President Ramaphosa the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Friday.

This summit is the first offline BRICS summit held in over three years and marks the return of the BRICS summit to Africa after a five-year hiatus. It will seek to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between BRICS and Africa and other emerging markets and developing countries and send a strong message of safeguarding multilateralism and focusing on common development, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at the press conference on Friday when talking about expectations of the upcoming summit.

Wang said that the summit will carry forward the sound momentum of cooperation from the BRICS "China Year" 2022 and blueprint a brighter future for BRICS, adding that all sides will have in-depth exchange of views on prominent global challenges, enhance coordination and collaboration in international affairs, inject stability and positive energy into today's world fraught with uncertainties, and contribute wisdom and strength to world peace and development.

This year's BRICS chair South Africa has invited a total of 69 countries and regions to the summit. Russian President Vladimir Putin will join other BRICS leaders via video link, media reported.

In the post-pandemic era and amid a turbulent international security situation, this year's BRICS summit will highlight the urgent need of developing counties and emerging markets for development as well as their intention to strengthen independent cooperation and solidarity, Yang Baorong, director of the division of economy at the China-Africa Institute, told the Global Times on Friday.

Also, as the BRICS countries account for approximately 40 percent of the global population and about a quarter of the world's GDP, the summit will also show the world the majority of developing countries and emerging economies' attitude and approaches to some global concerns, and their appeals for the reform of global governance, which will also inject stability and positive energy into a complex world, said Yang.

Mechanism of cooperation

Topics on BRICS expansion will be high on the agenda of the upcoming summit, as BRICS states are implementing the political consensus they reached at last year's summit to give an active response to the concerns and needs of more emerging markets and developing countries, Zhu Tianxiang, director of the Institute of Foreign Relations of the BRICS Research Institute of Sichuan International Studies University, told the Global Times.

More focus will be put on discussing details on standards and procedures to include new members, analysts said, noting that countries that have expressed growing interest in joining BRICS have always played important roles in regional and international affairs and this is why BRICS expansion has attracted more attention in recent years.

South Africa said some 40 countries and regions have shown an interest in joining the bloc, including Saudi Arabia, Argentina and Egypt, media reported.

This year's summit will also include various topics of shared concerns of BRICS and developing countries, including promoting political security, boosting the usage of local currencies, and cooperation on digital economy, Zhu said.

How to strengthen financial cooperation, especially in the context of the global multilateral financial system, has been an issue of great focus since the beginning of BRICS cooperation as the upgrading of this cooperation itself took place after the 2008 global financial crisis. And for the past decade or so, BRICS countries have consistently prioritized promoting cooperation in the global multilateral financial field - this is why BRICS countries will pay more attention to the usage of local currencies, said analysts.

De-dollarization is not the mission of BRICS countries, some observers said in response to some Western media's hyping of such topics, and they noted that making the global financial system more inclusive and fairer and better represent the changes of the global governance system is truly what BRICS countries, other emerging economies and developing countries pursue.

Shared need for development

The most emphasized aspect of this year's summit is South Africa's role as the chair and its unique identity as a representative of African countries, analysts said, noting that South Africa has set a series of key directions for hosting the summit, including on the partnership between BRICS and African countries, promoting high-speed growth, sustainable development, and inclusive multilateralism.

South Africa has reportedly invited the heads of state of all African countries to the summit to discuss how BRICS countries can partner with Africa to help the continent achieve economic growth.

Both South Africa and other African countries have high expectations of the BRICS mechanism as they have faced unprecedented challenges on development and have acknowledged how supportive and complementary South-South cooperation is, said Yang.

The BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - each have different industrial and development advantages, which could boost Africa's economic development and help with the continent's post-pandemic recovery, said the expert.

Moreover, President Xi's visit to South Africa - his first visit to the African continent since the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2022, is also expected to deepen China-South Africa and China-Africa cooperation, analysts said.

In 2013, President Xi visited Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Congo on his first overseas trip as Chinese President.

China and African countries are expected to expand cooperation on industrial and trade cooperation during the summit. Moreover, the BRICS summit also offers a platform for high-level exchanges of heads of state and senior officials from China and African countries on what topics should be addressed or prioritized in future China-Africa cooperation, said Yang.

The problems that many African countries have faced are also problems shared by many other developing countries and emerging markets. While many Western countries are mired in economic decline and deep-seated domestic problems, more developing countries are turning their eyes to the BRICS mechanism and South-South cooperation to seek better solutions, said Yang.

However, the purpose of strengthening South-South cooperation is not to exclude North-South cooperation, but rather to uphold the rights that BRICS countries, including the developing world, should rightfully have within the global governance system, said Zhu.

BRICS countries never aim to position themselves against developed countries, and it is usually Western experts and media who pit BRICS countries against Western countries and the G7, said Zhu.

The "power of BRICS" that member states want to highlight at this year's summit is solidarity, no confrontation, and what it hopes to promote is cooperation not clashes, said analysts.

Mr.பசைவாளி 190823- குருந்தூர் மலை

 

US, South Korea, Japan to hold summit in Camp David today

 Asia Pacific

US, South Korea, Japan to hold summit in August

Reuters July 20, 2023

SEOUL, July 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will meet with the leaders of Japan and South Korea in August in the United States, South Korea's presidential office said on Thursday.

Biden had invited South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a meeting in Washington when they met on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Japan in May.

South Korean and Japanese media reported the meeting will be held at Camp David, Maryland, on Aug. 18. Yoon's office said the exact date and location will be announced soon.

The White House had no comment. A person familiar with the matter told Reuters plans were not finalized.

Yoon has been pushing to mend strained ties with Tokyo following years of feuds over historical issues which undercut cooperation between the U.S. allies despite increasing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.

Biden in May praised Yoon and Kishida for their "courageous work to improve their bilateral ties", saying the trilateral partnership is stronger because of their efforts.

Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by Ed Davies and Angus MacSwan Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

MR.பசைவாளி 180823

 

இளையோர் ஹிந்தி,சீனம் பயில வேண்டும்- ஜனாதிபதி ரணில்

SL Children will have to learn Hindi and Chinese in the future

Daily Mirror 17 August 2023 

Sri Lanka children will have to learn Hindi and Chinese in the future to fit into the changing world, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.

Speaking during the Prize giving of Anula Vidyalaya Nugegoda, President Wickremesinghe said the education in Sri Lanka will have to change drastically to fit into the future. We will have to introduce new subjects. Our children will have to learn Chinese and Hindi in addition to English in order to fit into the changing world,” he said.

We will have to introduce new subjects to fit into the new Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha) which is based on technology. Students in schools will have to pursue their education through mobile phones and podcasts. We will have to teach genome technology, Artificial intelligence and robotics in schools and universities. New technology will bring a global revenue of one and a half trillion dollars in the future. Sri Lanka has no choice but to be a part of it,” he said.

Referring to climate change, the President said Sri Lanka will face a water shortage within the next 20 years. “We will have to expedite the climate change programme and go along with the globe when dealing with climate change as it has been said by the UN chief,” he said. (Yohan Perera)

China's vessel Shi Yan 6 prepares to dock at Colombo port raising doubts over Sri Lanka's promises to India

 

Shi Yan 6 boasting a substantial weight of 3,999 tons and originating from Guangzhou (South China Sea Institute of Oceanology)

China's vessel Shi Yan 6 prepares to dock at Colombo port raising doubts over Sri Lanka's promises to India

 livemint.com/news/india Devesh Kumar 12 Aug 2023,

India has shared its concerns with Sri Lanka multiple times on the issue of maritime security. But, still, a new Chinese marine research vessel, Shi Yan 6 is expected to dock at Colombo and Hambantota deep sea ports in Sri Lanka by October this year. Sri Lanka has not given the green signal to Shi Yan 6 yet, but India's strategic community is expecting Sri Lanka's nod. The Shi Yan 6 is likely to stay till November 2023.

The development comes as Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe recently visited India and assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the country will take care of India's sensitive security and strategic concerns.

 This is not the first time Sri Lanka will give space to China's military vessels as in August 2022, a Chinese vessel known for its role in tracking ballistic missiles, Yuan Wang 5, successfully moored at the harbor of Hambantota.

Shi Yan 6 boasting a substantial weight of 3,999 tons and originating from Guangzhou, is presently situated within the South China Sea and is currently navigating in a southern direction. This is another crucial Chinese vessel planning to dock at Colombo after China's 138-member warship Hai Yang 24 Hao is currently docked at the port and is expected to leave today, as per the reports.

Moreover, it has come to light that researchers affiliated with Sri Lanka's National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), colloquially known as NARA, are set to commence a scientific expedition aboard the vessel Shi Yan 6. Their primary objective is to carry out an extensive survey encompassing both the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the island nation and the region of the southern Indian Ocean.

The Indian government has released no official word on the matter but as per Hindustan Times, the officials are engaging with Sri Lanka at the highest diplomatic levels.

China encircling Indian Ocean Region

Sri Lanka is part of China's so-called "String of Pearls" which works with the objective to encircle Indian Ocean Region by establishing a military presence on all sides. It implies a series of strategic ports and naval bases that China has been developing or investing in, primarily through economic and infrastructure projects, with the potential to enhance its influence and presence in key locations.

China has taken multiple steps in the same direction, a new naval port in Cambodia being another one. These facilities could potentially serve as forward bases for China's naval forces, allowing them to operate further from their home ports and project power across the Indian Ocean.

Middle East’s Reinforcing Embrace of the Multipolar World

 

Middle East’s Reinforcing Embrace of the Multipolar World

Middle East’s Reinforcing Embrace of the Multipolar World

12.08.2023 Author: Salman Rafi Sheikh  journal-neo.org/2023/08/12/

The China-brokered deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran and the Russia-brokered deal between Saudi Arabia and Syria gave a glimpse into how the shifting dynamics of global geopolitics are changing regional alignments. China and Russia need the Middle East on their side to be able to effectively challenge – and even reverse – the US-dominated system. The past few months have seen some success in this behalf, evident from the fact that many countries in the Middle East are no longer following the US dictates and that some are even challenging the US (Saudi), seeking concessions from it (Turkey), with countries like Iran already being in a perpetual tussle with Washington for many years. At the same time, whatever is happening in the Middle East is not simply an outcome of Chinese and Russian influence. A lot of it is, in fact, tied to the specific policies of specific countries and their own strategic (re)calculations responding to global politics. Although a lot of this is happening against the context of the shift towards multipolarity, the following developments do not necessarily have superpowers mediating between the relevant countries to chart new courses. Instead, they show how the region is remaking itself as a powerhouse in this multipolar world.

Consider, for instance, the recent embrace between Turkey’s Erdoğan and Saudi Arabia’s Mohammad bin Salman (M.B.S.). From Ankara being an ardent opponent of MBS in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi to Ankara transferring the trial of the murder from Turkey to Saudi Arabia shows an overall parallel shift in the bilateral relations of both countries – a shift that is necessitated by both countries’ national interests. With wars in Libya, Yemen and Syria coming to an end and with the ‘Arab Spring’ fever now over, both Ankara and Riyadh have reasons to end the period of animosity – which defined the decade between 2010 and 2020 – and reshape their ties to match the new regional and global realities.

In the past decade, Turkey pursued an aggressive foreign policy that sought to establish Ankara as the leader of the Muslim world. But Turkey today is far from achieving this goal. Its economy is weak with a more than 60 percent inflation rate and its currency has lost its value many times over. At the same time, Turkey is under a lot of geopolitical pressure from countries in the East Mediterranean, and Ankara is also under pressure from the US and its NATO allies to facilitate Sweden’s NATO membership. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, is diversifying its ties in the wake of its dwindling ties with the US. Its drive to increase its military capacity and develop an autonomous military approach is at the heart of its recent defence (drone) deals with Turkey. Mutual convenience is, therefore, bringing the two erstwhile political and ideological rivals closer.

Saudi Arabia and Turkey “expressed their determination” to enhance cooperation and coordination in defence and military industries, and to activate their agreements “in a way that serves and achieves the common interests of the two countries and contributes to achieving security and peace in the region and the world”, according to the joint statement issued on July 19.

At the same time, Turkey has also revamped its ties with the UAE. During Erdoğan’s recent visit,  both states inked trade deals worth US$50 billion. Following Erdoğan’s Gul trips, Ankara announced that it expects US$10 billion in foreign investment from Gulf states, with further investments of up to US$30 billion expected over a longer period in Turkey’s energy, infrastructure and defence sectors.

With Saudi itself focused on completely rebranding itself from being the main advocate of Wahhabism throughout the world to becoming a modern centre of the Muslim world, with Islam itself taking a back seat, it is keen to drastically reduce its direct involvement in conflicts. This is most clearly evident in Yemen, where war and fighting have considerably receded (although Yemen is still far from peaceful). In this context, the deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran did leave a crucial impact on the state of the war. At the same time, Saudi Arabia itself is making diplomatic advances towards the Houthi rebels. Although Riyadh is yet to find any meaningful success, there is no denying that Riyadh’s approach towards Yemen is changing and that it is keen to exit this conflict with dignity. There are two reasons for Riyadh to exit. First, US support is no longer available. Two, the war in Yemen is taking a heavy toll on its finances, and it is also a massive distraction for Riyadh’s super-intensive drive of mega infrastructural development to turn itself into a ‘new Dubai.’ War, development and modernisation are, as it stands, hard to coexist. Riyad understands that.

None of this is to suggest that the Middle East is emerging, or unifying, as a bloc on the lines of the European Union and/or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The Middle East is far from it, yet the developments we have seen or will see – including increasing defence cooperation between countries like Saudi and Turkey – indicate a precise shift towards such a possibility in the future.

For such a bloc to emerge, regional faultlines must disappear. While these faultlines e.g., the ideological divide separating Turkey, Saudi, Iran, and Qatar, have not disappeared, these states have learned to bypass them to develop ties in mutually beneficial ways. This is precisely what European states did after the Second World War. For the Middle Eastern states, there is certainly an opportunity to do the same in the wake of the US exit from the region, the possibility of diversified alliances with superpowers, and the will to transform their own political economies away from dependence on oil.

Most importantly, the more the Middle East focuses on neutralising its internal faultlines and emerging as a region, the more it will reinforce the politics of a multipolar world.  As it stands, its chances of emerging and surviving as a powerhouse are tied to this multipolar world. Within a US-dominated unipolar world, the Middle East will remain a junior player unable to influence regional and global politics to its advantage.

Salman Rafi Sheikh, research-analyst of International Relations and Pakistan’s foreign and domestic affairs, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.

 

Summit Russia-Africa Economic

The Russia-Africa summit is a confident step towards a multipolar world

journal-neo.org/2023/08/14/ 14.08.2023 Author: Viktor Mikhin

Nearly 50 African nations participated in the Second Summit Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum in St. Petersburg, which shook the foundations of the antiquated society the West had built for itself. Only five African countries did not attend the summit in Russia on July 27–28 for various reasons, while about 20 heads of state and government were there.

Moscow, which pompously hosted this productive event, stated that the large turnout “confirms [Africans’] desire to strengthen ties with our country, regardless of the circumstances.” The main theme of the summit was peace, security, and development—the creation of a new multipolar world where Africa would take its rightful place. This stands in stark contrast to the West’s long-defunct doctrine, which has only ever known how to fill areas of the world with lethal weaponry, fight wars, and enslave many countries economically. Suffice it to recall the tragic outcomes of Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and, most recently, Ukraine, where the “democratic” West, led by the United States, destroyed these nations totally with its “democratic” efforts.

According to Dr. Fred M’membe, president of the Socialist Party of Zambia, the United States was able to deter several African politicians from visiting Russia through nefarious blackmail and malicious provocations. “Many people are deterred from visiting Russia by individuals who want to rule the globe and those who believe that the only way to go is the path of the United States,” according to M’membe. “We know who our friends are, and we have the right to choose our own friends. No one should choose our friends for us. We are here in Russia today to demonstrate this,” he added.

Speaking at the meeting of heads of state, Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted Sovereign Development with a number of notable Russian efforts to support Africa, including access to food, fertilizer, modern technology, and energy. Setting aside some individual nations, it was reported that “literally all the leaders” of significant regional institutions on the continent, ranging from the African Union to the African Export-Import Bank, were present at the summit. In addition, Vladimir Putin met with Dilma Rousseff, President of the BRICS New Development Bank, and the prime ministers of Ethiopia and Egypt, in separate bilateral discussions.

On the margins of the event, Isaias Afwerki, the president of the State of Eritrea, claimed that decades ago, Western forces not only sought to “contain Russia” but also “declared war on anyone” who stood in the way of their goals. And there is ample evidence for that. “When we talk about this Russia-Africa summit,… This is not a coincidence, and a new world order is needed. There must be a world order. They can’t keep dominating by transitioning from slavery to colonialism, neocolonialism, and hegemony. How long can people support this dangerous ideology that destabilizes every part of the world?“

He said that “They will use all the tools, as they are using now in Ukraine, to give the impression that this is a fight between Russia and Ukraine, you know? Ukraine and Russia have nothing to do with it; it’s their [the hegemonic powers’] war, declared… And it’s not just Russia; it’s everyone else: Asia, Latin America, Europe, North and South America, and so on. People are tired of it.“ The Eritrean president went on to say: “The success of this second summit of Russian-African solidarity is an important milestone proving that their western strategies are failing. What is the difference between colonialism, slavery, and the systematic annihilation of indigenous peoples? The goal is the same. And then there’s this hegemonic ideology, containing this and containing that, causing issues and conflicts here and there. It’s the same strategy, it’s a pattern, and the pattern is clear to everyone. People have now learned their lesson. The names may change, the tactics may change, but the goals remain the same.“

By adopting policies to put an end to decolonization on the continent and to secure compensation for economic and humanitarian harm, the summit addressed historical injustices against Africa. The West’s colonial practices, which included restitution of cultural property taken during colonial plunder, caused this enormous harm to African states. The African World Reparations and Repatriation Truth Commission which met in Accra, Ghana, in August 1999, demanded reparations from “all Western European and American peoples and institutions that participated in and benefited from the slave trade and colonial conquests.” It was also calculated that “the number of human lives lost to Africa during the slave trade and the value of gold, diamonds, and other minerals taken from the continent during the colonial plunder” would come to almost 777 trillion dollars. What does it matter that the “enlightened, civilized, and Christian” West still continues to loot Africa’s resources while arrogantly laughing at the “stupidity” of these “second-class people”?

The goal of collaborating to combat manifestations of neo-colonial practices aimed at undermining state sovereignty, denying them the ability to make their own decisions, and preventing them from pillaging their natural resources was also underlined by Russia and African governments. The meeting emphasized the increasing urgency of joint action to combat forms of intolerance in the context of overcoming the consequences of colonialism, slavery, and the slave trade, including the transatlantic slave trade, which has been recognized as a terrible tragedy in the track record of humankind.

Important questions about the sovereignty of African States were discussed in the 74-article joint declaration that was adopted at the conclusion of the summit. It is well known that both USA and France continue to loot Africa at an accelerated rate, with the “democratic” US having 28 military bases in 15 of the continent’s countries, while France continues to maintain a presence in 10 States. Vladimir Putin praised the declaration, calling it a testament to the unwavering commitment to building a multipolar world order. The declaration asks for enhancing the long-standing and mutually beneficial friendly ties between Russia and African governments, as well as for mutual respect and trust, continuing long-standing traditions of cooperative resistance to colonialism and the establishment of African state independence.

At the summit’s conclusion, participants made clear that they were opposed to xenophobia, related intolerance, aggressive nationalism, neo-Nazism, Neo-fascism, Afrophobia, Russophobia, all forms of racism and racial discrimination, as well as discrimination based on religion, belief, or origin. This included, but was not limited to, migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. The West, which is viewing its collapse with dread, is trying to poison the entire planet for the last time by aggressively and intensively imposing all these toxic aspects on it.

They said that this reflected Africa’s expanding global role and influence as a crucial pillar of a multipolar world and applauded the growing significance of African States and the African Union as the foremost continental body in international affairs. In order to prevent neocolonialism, imposing conditionality, and double standards from depriving States and peoples of their ability to make autonomous decisions about their development, the Summit reiterated the necessity of uniting in opposition to these practices. Enhance equal and mutually beneficial cooperation between Russian and African countries in order to promote the creation of a more just, balanced, and multipolar world order that resolutely opposes all manifestations of international conflict on the African continent.

The significance of all governments adhering to international law and respecting the fundamental principles of the UN Charter was highlighted. The summit condemned the practice of freezing sovereign foreign exchange reserves as well as unilateral, illegal restrictive measures, including secondary measures. It emphasized that using political blackmail to persuade leaders of third countries to take such actions or to sway states’ political and economic policies is unacceptable.

The declaration commended Russia for its willingness to maintain its steadfast assistance in bolstering the national sovereignty of African governments as well as all other facets of their security. In order to strengthen peace, stability, and security in Africa, it was stated that a permanent Russian-African high-level mechanism would be established to coordinate efforts to combat terrorism and extremism, especially violent extremism conducive to terrorism, and on information security issues.

Concerns were made about global food security issues, such as rising food and fertilizer costs and disruptions in international supply networks, which disproportionately impacted the African continent. African leaders welcomed Russia’s determination to continue to assist their states in addressing issues related to the provision of food, fertilizers, and energy resources. For its part, Russia claims it intends to increase shipments of vehicles, industrial equipment, and fertilizers to Africa, with payments to be paid in the local currency. Moscow also plans to provide commercial and humanitarian grain shipments to “African friends,” according to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin said Russia and Africa also pledged to “fight neocolonialism, the practice of illegal sanctions, and attempts to undermine traditional moral values.” Russia will contribute 1.2 billion rubles to a “large-scale aid program” for African health initiatives. The Russian president complimented the summit’s “constructive, friendly atmosphere” and positive outcomes in his closing remarks. Vladimir Putin claims that the agreed declaration shows “the commitment of all our states to the formation of a just and democratic multipolar world order based on the universally acknowledged principles of international law and the UN Charter.”

According to Putin, the influence of once-dominant Western powers is waning as Africa gains political and economic clout. “Before our eyes, the African continent is becoming a new center of power. Its political and economic role is growing exponentially. And this has become an objective reality,“ the Russian president said.

Viktor Mikhin, corresponding member of RANS, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”