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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden promised to visit Africa this year, but 2023 is drawing to a close with no trip in sight yet. “I’m eager to visit your continent,” Biden said at the summit almost a year ago. “We’re hoping that President Biden will also be here to restore that trajectory,” he said. Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan told Harris that her country was excited for a Biden visit. “Tanzanians are now anxiously waiting for President Joe Biden’s visit in Tanzania,” she said to the U.S. vice president.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, “ I’m, ” Biden, “, ”, Jideofor Adibe, John Kirby, Xi Jinping, ramping, Daniel Russel, Inger Andersen, “ Joe Biden, Mohamed Adow, Kamala Harris, Jill Biden, Antony Blinken, Janet Yellen, Lloyd Austin, Harris, Nana Akufo, Donald Trump —, —, Barack Obama, George W, Bush, Bill Clinton, “ We’re, Samia Suluhu Hassan, Joe Biden’s, Seth Borenstein, Chinedu Asadu, Asadu Organizations: WASHINGTON, Africa, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Nigeria’s Nasarawa State University, White House, Administration, Associated Press, Pacific, Hollywood, Asia Society Policy Institute, U.S ., Republican, Biden Locations: Africa, Dubai . U.S, Israel, Vietnam, Ukraine, Washington, U.S, California, Glasgow, Scotland, Egypt, China, Dubai, United States, Ghana, Tanzania, ”, Abuja, Nigeria

☆ Any kind of detente between the U.S. and China will be fragile, says Asia Society Policy Institute
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailAny kind of detente between the U.S. and China will be fragile, says Asia Society Policy InstituteDaniel Russel, vice president of international security and diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, discusses the meeting of U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

Persons: Daniel Russel, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping Organizations: U.S, Policy, Asia Society Policy Institute, Economic Cooperation Locations: China, Asia

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is welcomed in the Indo-Pacific region and needs to update its approach to have stronger presence there to counter China's influence, said the top American diplomat to Tokyo. “The region wants all of America, not just part of America, economically, militarily, diplomatically, politically,” Emanuel said. “Because they know, an untethered China is a real risk to them, and they need America, all of America, its presence." In August, President Joe Biden formed a trilateral partnership with Japan and South Korea in Camp David over shared security challenges posed by North Korea and China. At the Asia Society Policy Institute, Emanuel called the partnership “a seismic shift in the plates in the Indo-Pacific".

Persons: Rahm Emanuel, ” Emanuel, Daniel Russel, Wang Yi, ” Wang, Joe Biden, Camp David, Emanuel, “, ”, Russel Organizations: WASHINGTON, Asia Society Policy, U.S, East China, Washington, China, North, Asia Society Policy Institute Locations: United States, American, Tokyo, New York, U.S, Japan, China, America, South, East, Taiwan, Beijing, South Korea, Qingdao, Camp, North Korea

☆ Biden’s Camp David Summit Is a Pivotal Moment for Asian Security - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Daniel Russel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

By choosing to hold the summit at Camp David, Mr. Biden has signaled that he understands the gravity of the moment. The good news for Mr. Biden is that the relationship between Tokyo and Seoul is improving. As President Barack Obama’s special assistant and later assistant secretary of state for East Asia, I saw firsthand the disruptive effects of friction between Japan and South Korea. China and North Korea have proven themselves adept at exploiting such differences. North Korea has in the past dangled the possible return of Japanese citizens said to have been abducted by Pyongyang decades ago, partly in an effort to curry favor with Tokyo and get it to ease some sanctions imposed on North Korea.

Persons: Camp David, Mr, Biden, David, Yoon, Kishida, Barack Obama’s Organizations: David Accords, South Koreans, Korean, U.S Locations: Camp, Washington, Israel, Egypt, Tokyo, Seoul, Japan, China, East Asia, South Korea, North Korea, American, Korea, Pyongyang, Beijing, Okinawa

☆ How to Treat Loneliness With Medicine - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Eleanor Cummins | Andrew Zaleski | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

“Addressing the crisis of loneliness and isolation is one of our generation’s greatest challenges,” wrote Surgeon General Vivek Murthy in The Times in April, discussing a national framework for rebuilding social connection to combat what he called an “epidemic” of loneliness. If loneliness is an epidemic, how do you treat it? This calls to mind a trip to the pharmacy to pick up a bottle of pills, but treating loneliness the same way doctors treat high cholesterol isn’t exactly the idea here. Even Dr. Cacioppo, who has dedicated her life to studying human connection, including pharmaceutical solutions for loneliness, questions the value of medicalizing it. “We need to be accountable for the well-being of our friends and teammates and others.”Declaring loneliness an epidemic first requires an understanding of what loneliness is and how it works in the brain.

Persons: ”, Vivek Murthy, isn’t, Daniel Russell, Russell who, Cacioppo Organizations: The Times, Iowa State University Locations: The

And while Musk has mentioned the trip in two posts since leaving, he didn't tweet once while in China. That said, after three years of harsh COVID curbs that hampered entry into China, foreign CEOs appear eager to get the lay of the land. Sixty-seven foreign business leaders attended the high-profile China Development Forum this year, although that is still 20 fewer than in 2019. The few known comments by foreign CEOs whilst they were in China have been in line with Biden's stance that he is not seeking to decouple the world's two largest economies. The foreign ministry quoted Musk as saying he was opposed to a decoupling of the U.S. and China economies which he described as "conjoined twins".

Persons: Elon Musk, Goldman Sachs, David Solomon, Musk, Goldman's Solomon, wariness, Xi, Noah Fraser, Tesla, Goldman, Joe Biden, Tim Cook, Patrick Gelsinger, Mary Barra, Stephen Schwarzman, Jamie Dimon, Christopher Johnson, JPMorgan's Dimon, Daniel Russel, Brenda Goh, Joe Cash, Selena Li, Zhang Yan, David Brunnstrom, David Shepardson, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Media, Twitter, Canada China Business Council, EU Chamber of Commerce, U.S . Department of Commerce, U.S, flashpoints, General Motors, China, China Strategies, U.S ., JPMorgan, Blackstone, Intel, JPMorgan Global China Summit, Asia Society Policy Institute, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, BEIJING, China, Shanghai, U.S, Washington, Beijing, Blackstone's, East, Hong Kong

Relations between the superpowers are increasingly acrimonious, with friction over issues from Taiwan and China's military activity in the South China Sea to U.S. efforts to hold back China's semiconductor industry. China's leaders, by contrast, have been slow to establish military contacts and quick to shut them down during periods of diplomatic tension. This has frustrated the United States. Then there is China's view of how military talks fit into the broader U.S.-China relationship. From that perspective, military talks are something to bargain with.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, China's, ", Ely Ratner, National Defense Li Shangfu, Li, Zhu Feng, Zhu, Jacob Stokes, Yun Sun, ”, Daniel Russel, William Burns, it’s, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, David Brunnstrom, Michael Martina, Yew Lun Tian, Martina Pollard, Laurie Chen, Don Durfee, Alistair Bell Organizations: Pentagon . U.S . Defense, U.S . Army, U.S, National Defense, School of International Studies, Nanjing University, Center, New, New American Security, Stimson, East Asia, Obama, Asia Society Policy Institute, CIA, Washington, Pentagon, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, BEIJING, Singapore, Beijing, United States, China, Taiwan, South, U.S, Austin, New American, East Asia, Washington, Ukraine, States, East, Hainan

☆ Japan PM Kishida visits Seoul to forge closer ties amid N.Korea threats
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

South Korean officials are hopeful that Kishida will make some kind of gesture in return and offer some political support, although few observers expect any further formal apology for historical wrongs. But the historical differences between South Korea and Japan also threaten to cast a shadow over the blossoming ties between its two leaders. The majority of South Koreans believe Japan hasn't apologised sufficiently for atrocities during Japan's 1910-1945 occupation of Korea, Lee said. "They think that Prime Minister Kishida should show sincerity during his visit to South Korea, such as mentioning historical issues and expressing apologies," she added. Still, South Korea is an "important neighbour that we must cooperate with on various global issues," Japan's foreign ministry has said.

"This is not a good moment for American diplomacy," said William Kirby, a professor of Chinese studies at Harvard University. A source familiar with that conversation called it the most antagonistic U.S.-China engagement since contentious talks in Alaska early in the Biden administration. Name me one," Biden said in his speech, evidently referring to a host of domestic and foreign policy challenges facing China. However, Biden is likely to find Xi emboldened in any call after a Chinese-brokered rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran and his meetings with Putin. Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina Editing by Don Durfee and Alistair BellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

China and U.S. flags are seen near a TikTok logo in this illustration picture taken July 16, 2020. Florence Lo | ReutersBEIJING — China says it would "strongly oppose" a forced sale of TikTok, making clear the government's involvement with the social media giant that's trying hard to distance itself from Beijing authorities. ByteDance did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Chinese Commerce Ministry's remarks. But the commerce ministry's claim of control over a TikTok sale or spinoff indicates Beijing wants to be involved. When asked about the commerce ministry's remarks Thursday, TikTok's CEO said the app isn't available in mainland China and is based in Los Angeles.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday that while Washington was not directly involved, Saudi Arabia kept U.S. officials informed of the talks with Iran. NUCLEAR TALKSThe agreement comes as Iran accelerates its nuclear program after two years of failed U.S. attempts to revive a 2015 deal that aimed to stop Tehran producing a nuclear bomb. "Saudi Arabia is deeply concerned about Iran's nuclear program," he said. "If this new opening between Iran and Saudi Arabia is going to be meaningful and impactful, it will have to address the concerns about Iran's nuclear program - otherwise the opening is just optics." Friday's agreement also offers hope for more durable peace in Yemen, where a conflict sparked in 2014 has widely been seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Scholz set off on the one-day trip, which unusually will not include a press delegation, late on Thursday. His visit comes days after Biden's security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said that Biden only sent Abrams tanks to Ukraine because Scholz made it a pre-condition for sending German Leopards. Berlin has insisted that Biden came to see it was necessary and so the decision was consensual. "The Biden administration will use the Scholz visit to try to shift Germany’s balance in the direction of stronger pushback." Scholz and Biden would discuss ongoing support for Ukraine, the upcoming NATO summit, and cooperation on the challenges posed by China and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, U.S. officials said.

One U.S. official told Reuters on condition of anonymity that a meeting between Blinken and Wang was possible at the Munich conference, which runs from Feb. 17-19. "I know there's been a report about a potential meeting in Munich, but I have nothing to announce today." U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan noted last week that Blinken had postponed his visit to China, not canceled it or sworn off future high-level communication with China. China's has reacted angrily to Washington's spying allegations, saying the balloon was a civilian research craft and accusing Washington of hypocrisy. "But neither side wants to handle scheduling in the glare of media attention, and both sides are dealing with the uncertainty of balloon-related drama."

China's launch of a spy balloon on a high-altitude journey over the United States was unacceptable and irresponsible, he said, but he was postponing - not canceling - his visit. Biden has said the balloon needed to be shot down, but has played down both the security threat and the impact on U.S.-China relations. GIVE TALKS A CHANCEShort of a high-level visit, there are opportunities for diplomacy. "The Chinese don't want to look weak and they probably don't want to admit that they lied (about the balloon). President Biden is also under pressure from Republicans in Congress who insist the balloon should have been shot down sooner," said Glaser.

The reaction in the United States to what appears to be an ill-timed spying mission will have lingering consequences for efforts to stabilize ties – already near historic lows. Since then, the Biden administration has said it hopes to build a "floor" for the relationship and ensure that rivalry does not spiral into conflict. The mood in China over the balloon was also glum. "Overall, I do think the Biden administration would like to reschedule, as there are many issues on the table and a real chance for a thaw. But the balloon incident probably means the thaw is postponed indefinitely," said RAND Corporation Indo-Pacific analyst Derek Grossman.

[1/2] U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attend the Japan-U.S.-Australia-India Fellowship Founding Celebration event, in Tokyo, Japan, May 24, 2022. Kishida is in Washington as the last stop in a tour of countries of the G7 industrial powers. U.S. and Japanese foreign and defense ministers met on Wednesday and announced stepped-up security cooperation and the U.S. officials Tokyo's praised military buildup plans. He called the Japanese defense reforms "really, really significant." Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina; Editing by Don Durfee and Grant McCoolOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Tokyo Electron (8035.T), Japan's leading chip manufacturing equipment maker, relies on China for about a quarter of its revenue. The other top producers of chip-making gear are the United States and the Netherlands, home to ASML (ASML.AS), another of the world's biggest makers of chip-making tools. SEEKING A DEALU.S. officials are quick to play down the differences between the United States, Japan and other allies. But unless Japan and the Netherlands impose their own export controls, China will soon perfect other ways of getting the equipment it needs, even as American companies stand to lose market share. "For better or worse, Japan's semiconductor strategy is moving in accordance with what the United States wants."

On Monday, the White House said it backed the right of people to peacefully protest in China but stopped short of criticizing Beijing as protesters in multiple Chinese cities demonstrated against heavy COVID-19 measures. The Republican response was swift. Senator Ted Cruz called White House response "pitiful," adding in a tweet: "At a potentially historic inflection point, Dems shill for the CCP." Beyond this, say analysts, the U.S. wants to avoid language that allows China to pin the protests on U.S. interference. Daniel Russel, who served as the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia in the Obama administration, said the Biden White House would be focused on the next steps by Chinese authorities.

☆ With Philippines visit VP Harris seeks to reset relations
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

REBUILDING TIESThe visit by Harris will be the highest-level trip to the Philippines by an administration official and marks a sharp turnaround in relations. With Marcos in office, the Biden administration is attempting a reset. China claims 90% of the South China Sea as its sovereign territory, but is opposed by five Southeast Asian states and Taiwan. Arsenio Andolong, a Philippine defense department spokesman, told Reuters there is no reason for China to fear Harris' visit. A senior Biden administration official offered a different summary.

It was a rare, candid glimpse of the Chinese leader and a reminder of Beijing's testy relations with the West. Besides Biden, Trudeau and Australia's Anthony Albanese, Xi also met the leaders of South Korea, Italy, Argentina, Holland and France for bilateral talks in Bali. Xi was ferried around Bali in his own Hongqi (Red Flag) limousine - Mao Zedong used an earlier model - China's version of the U.S. presidential "Beast" limo. Returning to in-person diplomacy also gives Xi a platform to push Chinese initiatives that further cement its stature as leader of the emerging world. "I think in the coming years you'll see China indeed making a serious effort to implement its major power diplomacy," he said.

☆ Biden to warn Xi North Korea's path could prompt bigger U.S. military
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. President Joe Biden will warn Chinese President Xi Jinping at a meeting on Monday that North Korea's continued pursuit of weapons development will lead to an enhanced U.S. military presence in the region, the White House said. "And so the People's Republic of China has an interest in playing a constructive role in restraining North Korea's worst tendencies," Sullivan added, using the country's official name. U.S.-led international sanctions have failed to halt North Korea's growing weapons programs. The day before his meeting with Xi, Biden will hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol in Cambodia to discuss how to rein in North Korea's nuclear program. Sullivan also said Biden hoped his first face-to-face talks with Xi would lead to more such meetings.

☆ Biden to warn Xi North Korea's path could prompt bigger U.S. military presence
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, Nov 12 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will warn Chinese President Xi Jinping at a meeting on Monday that North Korea's continued pursuit of weapons development will lead to an enhanced U.S. military presence in the region, the White House said. "And so the People's Republic of China has an interest in playing a constructive role in restraining North Korea's worst tendencies," Sullivan added, using the country's official name. U.S.-led international sanctions have failed to halt North Korea's growing weapons programs. The day before his meeting with Xi, Biden will hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol in Cambodia to discuss how to rein in North Korea's nuclear program. read moreSullivan also said Biden hoped his first face-to-face talks with Xi would lead to more such meetings.

☆ Analysis: U.S. and allies turn to deterring war with North Korea as options for preventing nuclear tests dwindle
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Josh Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Now that the North's nuclear weapons are mature and deployed, the United States and its allies are looking to simply dissuade the North from military action. South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup said last week the focus of efforts to deal with North Korea should be shifted from curbing nuclear weapons development to deterring their use. The newly released U.S. Nuclear Posture Review says Kim Jong Un's regime would be annihilated if it ever attacked with nuclear weapons. Another major drill began on Monday with hundreds of South Korean and U.S. warplanes, including a rare deployment of American F-35B fighters. "They're doing it because they want to send a message to North Korea, hey, we mean business," he said.

Some experts argue that recognizing North Korea as a nuclear-armed state, something Pyongyang seeks, is a prerequisite for such talks. North Korea has rejected U.S. calls to return to talks. Asked if it was time to accept North Korea as a nuclear state, she replied: "Wording aside, we are committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. We do not accept North Korea with that status. "She was acknowledging, as other officials in other administrations have, that North Korea does have nuclear weapons, but in violation of its commitments under the NPT not to pursue nuclear weapons," he told Reuters.

SEOUL, Oct 13 (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch of two long-range strategic cruise missiles, state media reported on Thursday, calling it a test to confirm the reliability and operation of nuclear-capable weapons deployed to military units. It was not immediately clear if the launches were detected by authorities in South Korea, Japan, or the United States, which often monitor and release information on North Korean weapons activities. North Korea first tested a "strategic" cruise missile in September 2021, seen by analysts at the time as possibly the country's first such weapon with a nuclear capability. The cruise missiles are among a number of smaller weapons recently developed by North Korea seen as being able to fly low and maneuver in order to better evade missile defences. North Korea's cruise missiles usually generate less interest than ballistic missiles because they are not explicitly banned under U.N. Nations Security Council resolutions.

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