Diplomacy

Bookmark this page to watch the interview on Thursday, April 22, at 7 pm! China plays the role of a generous ally to several contries as it continues to donate vaccines against COVID-19, a move seen by many experts as an effort to " repair its tarnished image ." But its continuing incursions in the West Philippine Sea, recently with hundreds of Chinese vessels , betray the camaraderie and diplomacy it wants to achieve. On Thursday, April 22, Rappler editor-at-large Marites Vitug speaks to analyst Ben Bland on how China navigates diplomacy with Southeast Asian countries amid the pandemic and increasing maritime tension. Bland is the director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Lowly Institute. He is an expert on Southest Asia politics and economics, and China's role in the region. What are the lessons learned from China's pandemic diplomacy? Catch the interview at 7 pm on Thursday, April 22. – Rappler.com Watch ... » Learn More about Southeast Asia Speaks: Analyst Ben Bland on China’s pandemic diplomacy

The renewal of hostilities between Israel and Palestine early on this May has Filipinos  weighing in their opinions on the more than 73-year-old conflict between the two nations. While  social media has been awash with statements of support for the Palestinian people – widely  considered to be the world’s oldest unsettled refugee population – many Filipinos have expressed  solidarity with the State of Israel, sending prayers and calling on God to bless His “chosen people” and protect them from their enemies. The stories of the Jewish and Filipino peoples had their similarities: subjugation,  oppression, eventual liberation. To find kinship with them was easy, and Philippine-Israeli relations  have always been warm. During the 1930s, hundreds of European Jews found a safe haven in the  Philippines thanks to the Quezon administration’s Open Door Policy. When the United Nations  drew up plans for the partition of Palestine in 1947, the Roxas administration was among the 33  ... » Learn More about [OPINION] A new David and Goliath: On Filipinos’ defense of Israel

U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, might meet each other when they attend the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) summit in Italy this October. No plans yet but open to a meeting U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a press call on June 17 that Biden will "look for opportunities to engage with President Xi going forward", according to the White House . However, while he said there are no particular plans at the moment, he added that both leaders are "likely to be at the G20 in Italy in October". He also said both the U.S. and China would work out the "right modality for the two presidents to engage". Such a meeting could take place on the margins of the summit or another international summit, or it could be a phone call, he explained. Sullivan also said efforts from Biden to engage with Xi is "in some way to take stock of" where the two countries are in their relationship, as well as to ensure that they have the same kind of ... » Learn More about Joe Biden & Xi Jinping to possibly meet at G20 summit in Italy this October

Bookmark this page to watch the interview on Thursday, May 6, at 7 pm! The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has always been hampered by its "non-interference" principle amid rising human rights violations in the region. But the recent summit on the Myanmar crisis led to a " consensus statement " calling for an end to the violence in the country and for all parties involved to talk, among others. Activists and critics, however, said the statement is not enough. On Thursday, May 6, Rappler editor-at-large Marites Vitug speaks to analyst Joshua Kurlantzick on how the ASEAN can strengthen its role in ending the worsening crisis in Myanmar. Kurlantzick is a senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations. He was previously a visiting scholar studying regional politics and economics at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. How strong is the latest ASEAN statement? What are its flaws? Catch the ... » Learn More about Southeast Asia Speaks: Analyst Joshua Kurlantzick on what ASEAN can do vs Myanmar coup

PETALING JAYA: Geopolitical balance, especially between the United States and China, is dynamic and no country remains unaffected, says Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein. Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum regarding the South China Sea, the Foreign Minister said that many viewed the issue purely based on "lines and dots that intersect and diverge on a map." "In the world of international relations, all elements need to be analysed through geopolitical lense - taking into account power geography, and diversity. "Geopolitical balance in our region, especially between the United States and China, is dynamic and no country remains affected," he said in his address on Saturday (June 19). He also noted that Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had also mentioned that there was a constant shift in the balance of power. "This is incredibly relatable to us in South-East Asia," added Hishammuddin. He added that all countries are interdependent and need to bring resources and ... » Learn More about Geopolitical balance in SE-Asia region is dynamic, says Hisham

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein (pic) will be making working visits to Turkey and Egypt from June 18 to 21. The Foreign Affairs Ministry said Hishammuddin will be leading the Malaysian delegation to the two-day inaugural Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkey, to be officiated by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday (June 18). "The Antalya Diplomacy Forum will explore the horizons of diplomacy across a range of key regional, global and thematic issues under the theme 'Innovative Diplomacy: New Era, New Approaches'. "The forum will be attended by leaders from more than 43 countries as well as policy-makers, diplomats and academics from all over the world, ” Wisma Putra's statement said. Wisma Putra added that Hishammuddin will be a panelist for the session on "Regional Cooperation in Asia”, and is scheduled to have bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the forum with his counterparts from Turkey and Palestine, Mevlüt ... » Learn More about Hishammuddin to make working visits to Turkey, Egypt from June 17

Iran's Foreign Minister said on Saturday, June 19, that hardline judge Ebrahim Raisi is the country's newly elected president and everyone would have to work with him from now on. Mohammad Javad Zarif, speaking a day after millions of Iranians voted in a contest that critics boycotted over economic woes and political restrictions, said Raisi would lead Iran well. Zarif also told a diplomacy forum in the Turkish resort of Antalya that issues in Iran's nuclear talks with Western powers were not insurmountable and he hoped to achieve a result before August. Early congratulations State media reported on Saturday said that Iran's moderate presidential candidate Abdolnasser Hemmati congratulated Raisi, his hardline rival, for winning the election as the interior ministry said counting of the votes continued. Millions of Iranians voted on Friday in a contest that has been expected to hand the presidency to Raisi, a 60-year-old senior judge who is ... » Learn More about Iran’s foreign minister says Raisi is new elected president

A travel buddy told me that he had heard about “fugu” (pufferfish), and that eating it is good for one’s health. But because it’s also poisonous, he wouldn’t dare try it. During the Shogunate Era, around 270AD, there were reports of samurais dying after eating fugu. As such, at the end of the 16th century, General Toyotomi Hideyoshi banned the consumption of fugu. However, people living in the Yamaguchi prefecture in Kyushu still ate the so-called deadly fish, simply because it was so delicious. In October 1868, at the start of the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese people – who were under a new emperor – secretly started eating fugu. But due to a shortage of chefs who were capable of handling fugu professionally, many people were poisoned and died after eating the fish. The fugu shirako or fish sperm might seem like a piece of tofu, but when it's roasted, it is fragrant and very delicious. Consequently, the Meiji government tightened its control on the consumption of fugu. ... » Learn More about Does fugu sperm wine help men be ‘stronger’ and celebrate Father’s Day?

Indirect talks between Tehran and Washington on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal resumed in Vienna on Saturday, June 12, as the European Union said negotiations were "intense" and Germany called for rapid progress. The sixth round of talks kicked off as usual with a meeting of remaining parties to the deal - Iran, Russia, China, France, Britain, Germany and the European Union - in the basement of a luxury hotel. The U.S. delegation to the talks, known as the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is based in a hotel across the street as Iran refuses face-to-face meetings. The talks' chief coordinator, EU foreign policy official Enrique Mora, who is leading the shuttle diplomacy between Iran and the United States, has said he expects a deal in this round of talks. Other envoys, however, are more cautious, saying many difficult issues are yet to be resolved. "We are making progress but the negotiations are intense and a ... » Learn More about ‘Intense’ Iran nuclear talks resume in Vienna

The remaining parties to the faltering 2015 Iran nuclear accord met Wednesday, December 16, after Tehran announced plans for a new breach of the deal, and as uncertainty reigns ahead of US President-elect Joe Biden's January inauguration. The meeting of the so-called "joint commission" included China, France, Russia, Iran, Germany and Britain and was chaired by senior EU foreign affairs official Helga Schmid. The meeting, which lasted around two hours, was held virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic. The 2015 deal , known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has unraveled steadily since US President Donald Trump withdrew from it in 2018 and went on to impose crippling economic sanctions on Iran. Tehran has retaliated by progressively abandoning limits on its nuclear activity laid down in the deal, most recently planning to install advanced centrifuges at Iran's main nuclear enrichment plant in Natanz. Last week France, ... » Learn More about Iran nuclear deal parties try to defuse tensions