NUNZIUM

News That Matters

15/06/2023 ---- 19/06/2023

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to China comes at a critical time, as tensions rise over Taiwan and near-collision incidents between Chinese and US military vessels. The primary goal of the visit is to reestablish reliable communication lines between the two superpowers, due to Beijing's military not picking up calls from the Pentagon, increasing the risk of misunderstandings.

During his visit, Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang discussed Taiwan, China's support for Russia over Ukraine, and reports of a Chinese spy facility in Cuba. Trade is seen as a promising source of stability between the US and China, but human rights organizations urge Blinken to address China's human rights record.

On June 18, 2023, Blinken and Qin held a six-hour talk in Beijing, agreeing on four sectors: maintaining high-level contacts, advancing the China-US joint working group, addressing specific issues, and expanding people-to-people and educational exchanges. This meeting aimed to manage divergences and prevent China-US relations from spiraling out of control.

This visit marks the first trip to China by a top US diplomat since 2018, with China-US relations at their lowest point in decades due to disagreements on trade, national security, and technology. The Taiwan question remains a core issue, with China urging the US to abide by the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiqués.

Experts see this meeting as a "window of opportunity" to save bilateral ties from further deterioration, but the Taiwan question remains a crucial factor in the stability of China-US relations. In addition to the US-China talks, Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited Germany and France in March 2023, demonstrating China's commitment to bilateral ties with European countries and China-EU strategic ties.

During Li's visit, Germany unveiled its first-ever comprehensive national security strategy, advocating cooperation with China. France and Germany are also seeking deeper cooperation with China for a multipolar world order. The Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, hosted by France on June 22-23, will be attended by Premier Li and other global leaders.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met in Beijing on Monday, marking the first US Secretary of State visit to Beijing in five years. The meeting aimed at improving US-China ties after a dispute over a Chinese surveillance balloon. Xi emphasized the need for a stable Sino-US relationship for the future of mankind, while Blinken emphasized the need for responsible management of competition between the two countries through open channels of communication.

Although no concrete agreements have been mentioned by either side so far, both the US and China have played down expectations of a major breakthrough during Blinken's visit. However, these high-level talks are a step toward bridging the gap between the two superpowers and managing their divergences to prevent further escalation of tensions.

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Amidst the escalating conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the African Peace Initiative led by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa offered a glimmer of hope. On June 16, Ramaphosa, accompanied by the presidents of Senegal, Zambia, and the Comoros, called for de-escalation during a visit to Bucha, a suburb of Ukraine's capital, where the Russian army is accused of killing civilians in 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the African delegation, which included senior officials from Uganda, Egypt, and The Congo, and ruled out talks with Russia. As of May 8, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 23,606 civilian casualties in Ukraine.

The African peace overture comes as Ukraine launches a counteroffensive against Kremlin forces using advanced weapons from countries like the US, France, the UK, and Germany. The African peace mission led by Ramaphosa and the seven-nation delegation seeked for a possible resolution, following China's unsuccessful peace proposal in late February.

During their visit to Ukraine, the delegation proposed conditions to end hostilities between Russia and Ukraine and stated that the African Peace Initiative is prepared for further engagement.

While Putin claims that Ukraine will soon run out of military equipment and that sanctions on Russia have failed to isolate it, NATO member states have pledged new weapons and ongoing support for Ukraine. At a two-day meeting in Brussels, Belgium, NATO defense ministers discussed increasing defense production with industry leaders to help sustain Ukraine's fight. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin emphasized the need for both short-term and long-term support for Ukraine.

In a show of solidarity, Denmark, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US announced the joint delivery of hundreds of Soviet-era air defense missiles to Ukraine, with the delivery underway and expected to be completed within weeks. Additionally, Denmark and Norway agreed to donate 9,000 rounds of artillery to Ukraine and may finance the delivery of 14 German-made Leopard-2 main battle tanks.

As the African Peace Initiative aims to bring about a peaceful resolution, Russia has stationed its first batch of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, with Putin stating that the weapons would only be used if Russia's territory or state is threatened. The transfer of tactical nuclear warheads is expected to be completed by the end of summer.

In a meeting with African leaders in St Petersburg, Ramaphosa called for de-escalation and peace negotiations in Kyiv. However, Zelensky maintained that no negotiations with Moscow would take place while they continue to occupy Ukrainian territory.

The African Peace Initiative brings hope amidst the escalating conflict, but the situation remains tense, with the proliferation of private military companies (PMCs) like Russia's Wagner Group potentially stoking dangerous rivalries and undermining Russia's national security. The war in Ukraine is likely to be a catalyst for bloodshed elsewhere in the world at the hands of Russian PMCs.

As the world watches the unfolding crisis, the African Peace Initiative led by President Ramaphosa offers a chance for diplomacy and dialogue in the face of escalating violence and destruction. While the road to peace may be long and fraught with challenges, the Initiative serves as a reminder that the pursuit of a peaceful resolution must not be abandoned.

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Researchers led by Andrew Macadam at the UK's National Institute for Biological Standards and Control have developed a "super-engineered" vaccine to combat vaccine-derived polio strains. This groundbreaking vaccine has shown promising results in initial tests and is now undergoing human trials. Since 1988, global efforts have eradicated two of the three poliovirus subtypes, with only 21 cases of wild polio reported in the past year. However, there have been 665 cases of vaccine-derived polio across 23 countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Covid-19 pandemic and conflicts in polio-vulnerable countries have contributed to the rise in cases. The new vaccines use genetic engineering to lower the risk of the attenuated virus reverting to a virulent state. Over 650 million children in 30 countries have received the nOPV2 vaccine since March 2021. However, nOPV2 has regained virulence four times, highlighting the need for comprehensive public health initiatives. The global polio management is transitioning from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to national immunisation and disease-surveillance programmes, with the World Health Organisation enacting a country-specific approach.

The "super-engineered" polio vaccines aim to prevent the virus from mutating into dangerous forms that can cause outbreaks and paralysis. Oral vaccines contain weakened live polio viruses, and the genetic redesign locks them into that weakened state. US and UK teams have developed upgraded vaccines against all three types of polio. Researchers have genetically altered the weakened virus to make it much harder for it to cause paralysis, resulting in a vaccine that is 50 to 100 times more stable.

In March 2021, the World Health Organization made the researchers' vaccine against type-two polio available for emergency use, and it has since been used more than 650 million times. Researchers have now detailed the creation of stable vaccines against polio types one and three in the journal Nature. First-stage human trials of the upgraded vaccines have been conducted, with "very promising" data. These are the first new polio vaccines in 50 years.

Eradicating polio requires reaching every child with vaccines, which has been a challenge in some of the poorest and most conflict-ridden parts of the world. More stable vaccines are a "significant part" of the plan for a polio-free world, but vaccination coverage is crucial. Vaccine-derived polio outbreaks are causing problems in places facing complex humanitarian emergencies, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Yemen. Oral polio vaccines are no longer used in the UK and other countries with established healthcare systems, which have moved to the polio injection.

In conclusion, the development of the "super-engineered" polio vaccine is a significant milestone in the fight against polio. These genetically altered vaccines offer a more stable and effective solution to combat vaccine-derived polio strains. However, the success of these vaccines relies on reaching every child in the most vulnerable regions of the world. With continued global efforts and collaboration, a polio-free world may soon become a reality.

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This week marked a significant turning point in the Russia-Ukraine war, with diplomatic and military developments leading to a stronger international support for Ukraine. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited the White House to unveil a new economic partnership with President Joe Biden, focusing on investment links, supply chain resilience, and AI development. Sunak's visit improved coordination on Ukraine and resolved the Northern Ireland trade dispute.

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda to discuss military support for Kyiv's counteroffensive and humanitarian aid following the Kakhovka dam breach. France has intensified the delivery of ammunition, weapons, and armored vehicles to Ukraine, while Poland and other former Soviet states have been brought closer to the EU and NATO through the Weimar Triangle meetings.

Ukraine reported its first gains in the counteroffensive, reclaiming territory from Russia using Western weapons. Despite contradictory reports from Kyiv and Moscow, analysts believe Ukraine has made recent advances near Velyka Novosilka. In response, Russia claimed to have repelled Ukrainian attacks around several villages in southeast Ukraine.

The US announced a $325 million military aid package for Ukraine, and the EU pledged an additional €100 million in loans for war damage repair. The Kakhovka dam disaster death toll rose to 10, with 41 people still missing, and the UN's nuclear chief's visit to the Russian-held Zaporizhzia nuclear power plant was delayed for safety reasons.

In conclusion, this week witnessed a turning point in the Russia-Ukraine war, with allies uniting and Ukraine striking back. The international community's support for Ukraine has never been stronger, and the situation remains fluid as diplomatic efforts and military aid from the US, UK, France, Germany, and Poland continue to bolster Ukraine's counteroffensive.

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