Category: Middle East

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets NBR delegation

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

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2025-04-28
President Lai meets Japanese Diet Member and former Minister of State for Economic Security Takaichi Sanae
On the afternoon of April 28, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Member of the Japanese House of Representatives and former Minister of State for Economic Security Takaichi Sanae. In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of Japan for repeatedly emphasizing the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at important international venues. The president expressed hope that in the face of China’s continually expanding red supply chains, Taiwan and Japan can continue to cooperate closely in such fields as semiconductors, energy, and AI technology to create non-red supply chains that enhance economic resilience and industrial competitiveness for both sides, and jointly pave the way for further prosperity and growth in the Indo-Pacific region. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: First, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Representative Takaichi as she returns for another visit to Taiwan. I am also very happy to have Members of the House of Representatives Kikawada Hitoshi and Ozaki Masanao, and Member of the House of Councillors Sato Kei all gathered together here to engage in these very important exchanges. Our visitors will be taking part in many exchange activities during this trip. Earlier today at the Indo-Pacific Strategy Thinktank’s International Political and Economic Forum, Representative Takaichi delivered a speech in which she clearly demonstrated the great importance she places upon the friendship between Taiwan and Japan. For this I want to express my deepest appreciation to each of our guests. The peoples of Taiwan and Japan have a deep friendship and mutual trust. We have a shared commitment to the universal values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights, but beyond that, we both have striven to contribute to regional peace and stability. I also want to thank the government of Japan for repeatedly emphasizing the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at important international venues. Tomorrow you will all make a trip to Kaohsiung to visit a bronze statue of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, who once said, “If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” We will always remember the firm support and friendship he showed Taiwan. Since taking office last year, I have worked hard to improve Taiwan’s whole-of-society defense resilience and implement our Four Pillars of Peace action plan. By strengthening our national defense capabilities, building up economic security, demonstrating stable and principled cross-strait leadership, and deepening partnerships with democratic countries including Japan, we can together maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and across the Taiwan Strait. At the same time, in the face of China’s continually expanding red supply chains, we hope that Taiwan and Japan, as important economic and trade partners, can continue to cooperate closely in such fields as semiconductors, energy, and AI technology to create non-red supply chains that further enhance economic resilience and industrial competitiveness for both sides. Going forward, Taiwan will work hard to play an important role in the international community and contribute its key strengths. I hope that, with the support of our guests, Taiwan can soon accede to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and sign an economic partnership agreement (EPA) with Japan so that we can jointly pave the way for further prosperity and growth in the Indo-Pacific region. Lastly, I thank each of you once again for taking concrete action to support Taiwan. I am confident that your visit will help deepen Taiwan-Japan ties and create even greater opportunities for cooperation. Let us all strive together to keep propelling Taiwan-Japan relations forward. Representative Takaichi then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai and Taiwanese political leaders for the warm hospitality they extended to the delegation, and mentioning that the visiting delegation members are all like-minded partners carrying on the legacy of former Prime Minister Abe. July 8 this year will mark the third anniversary of the passing of former Prime Minister Abe, she said, and when the former prime minister unfortunately passed away, President Lai, then serving as vice president, was among the first to come offer condolences, for which she expressed sincere admiration and gratitude. Representative Takaichi stated that Taiwan and Japan are island nations that face the same circumstances and problems, and that Japan’s trade activities rely heavily on ocean transport, so once a problem arises nearby that threatens maritime shipping lanes, it will be a matter of life and death for Japan. Taiwan and Japan are similar, as once a problem arises, both will face food and energy security issues, and supply chains may even be threatened, she said. Regarding Taiwan-Japan cooperation, Representative Takaichi stated that both sides must first protect and strengthen supply chain resilience. President Lai has previously said that he wants to turn Taiwan into an AI island, she said, and in semiconductors, Taiwan has the world’s leading technology. Representative Takaichi went on to say that Taiwan and Japan can collaborate in the fields of AI and semiconductors, quantum computing, and dual-use industries, as well as in areas such as drones and new energy technologies to build more resilient supply chains, so that if problems arise, we can maintain our current standard of living with peace of mind. Representative Takaichi indicated that cooperation in the defense sector is also crucial, and that by uniting like-minded countries including Taiwan, the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and Australia, and even countries in Europe, we can build a stronger network to jointly maintain our security guarantees. Representative Takaichi expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan will continue to strengthen substantive non-governmental relations, including personnel exchange visits and information sharing, so that we can jointly face and respond to crises when they arise. Regarding the hope to sign a Taiwan-Japan EPA that President Lai had mentioned earlier, she also expressed support and said she looks forward to upcoming exchanges and talks. The visiting delegation also included Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki.

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2025-04-23
President Lai delivers remarks at International Holocaust Remembrance Day event
On the afternoon of April 23, President Lai Ching-te attended an International Holocaust Remembrance Day event and delivered remarks, in which he emphasized that peace is priceless, and war has no winners, while morality, democracy, and respect for human rights are powerful forces against violence and tyranny. The president stated that Taiwan will continue to expand cooperation with democratic partners and safeguard regional and global peace and stability, defending democracy, freedom, and human rights. He said we must never forget history, and must overcome our differences and join in solidarity to ensure that the next generations live in a world that is more just and more peaceful. Upon arriving at the event, President Lai heard a testimony from the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, followed by a rabbi’s recitation of the prayer “El Maleh Rachamim.” He then joined other distinguished guests in lighting candles in memory of the victims. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: To begin, I want to thank the Israel Economic and Cultural Office (ISECO) in Taipei, German Institute Taipei, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for co-organizing this deeply significant memorial ceremony again this year. I also want to thank everyone for attending. We are here today to remember the victims of the Holocaust, express sympathy for the survivors, honor the brave individuals who protected the victims, and acknowledge all who were impacted by this atrocity. It was deeply moving to hear Ms. [Orly] Sela share the story of how her grandmother, Yehudit Biksz, escaped the Nazi regime. I want to thank her specially for traveling so far to attend this event. From the 1930s through World War II, the Nazi regime sought to exclude Jewish people from society. In their campaign, they perpetrated systematic genocide driven by their ideology. Policies and directives under the authoritarian Nazi regime resulted in the deaths of approximately 6 million Jews. Millions of others were persecuted, including Romani people, persons with disabilities, the gay community, and anyone who disagreed with Nazi ideology. It is one of the darkest chapters in human history. Many countries, including Taiwan, have enacted anti-massacre legislation, and observe a remembrance day each year. Those occasions help us remember the victims, preserve historical memory, and most importantly, reinforce our resolve to fight against hatred and discrimination. Twenty-three years ago, Chelujan (車路墘) Church in Tainan founded the Taiwan Holocaust Memorial Museum. It is the first Jewish museum in Taiwan, and the second Holocaust museum in Asia. Its founding mission urges us to forget hatred and love one another; put an end to war and advocate peace. Many of the exhibition items come from Jewish people, connecting Taiwan closer with Israel and helping Taiwanese better understand the experiences of Jewish people. In this way, we grow to more deeply cherish peace. When I was mayor of Tainan, I took part in an exhibition event at Chelujan Church. I was also invited by the Israeli government to join the International Mayors Conference in Israel, where I visited the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. I will never forget how deeply that experience moved me, and as a result, peace and human rights became even more important issues for me. These issues are valued by Taiwan and our friends and allies. They are also important links connecting Taiwan with the world. Peace is priceless, and war has no winners. We will continue to expand cooperation with democratic partners and safeguard regional and global peace and stability. We will also continue to make greater contributions and work with the international community to defend democracy, freedom, and human rights. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. However, we still see wars raging around the world. We see a resurgence of authoritarian powers, which could severely impact global democracy, peace, and prosperous development. Today’s event allows for more than reflection on the past; it also serves as a warning for the future. We are reminded of the threats that hatred, prejudice, and extremism pose to humanity. But we are also reminded that morality, democracy, and respect for human rights are powerful forces against violence and tyranny. We must never forget history. We must overcome our differences and join in solidarity for a better future. Let’s work together to ensure that the next generations live in a world that is more just and more peaceful. Also in attendance at the event were Member of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) and Taiwan friendship group Chair Boaz Toporovsky, ISECO Representative Maya Yaron, and German Institute Taipei Deputy Director General Andreas Hofem.

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2025-04-23
President Lai pays respects to Pope Francis
On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te visited the Taipei Archdiocesan Curia to pay respects in a memorial ceremony for His Holiness Pope Francis. As officiant of the ceremony, President Lai burned incense and presented flowers, fruits, and wine to pay his respects to Pope Francis. At the direction of the master of ceremonies, the president then bowed three times in front of Pope Francis’s memorial portrait, conveying his grief and deep respect for the late pope. After hearing of Pope Francis’s passing on April 21, President Lai promptly requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express sincere condolences from the people and government of Taiwan to the Vatican. The president also instructed Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) to convey condolences to the Holy See’s Apostolic Nunciature in Taiwan.

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2025-04-23
President Lai meets US CNAS NextGen fellows
On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te met with fellows from the Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Program (NextGen) run by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of the United States for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan over the years, supporting Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its national defense capabilities and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The president pointed out that we will promote our “Taiwan plus one” policy, that is, new arrangements for Taiwan plus the US, and form a “Taiwan investment in the US team” to expand investment and bring about even closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, allowing us to reduce the trade deficit and generate development that benefits both sides. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Ms. Michèle Flournoy, chair of the CNAS Board of Directors, is a good friend of Taiwan, and she has made major contributions to Taiwan-US relations through her long-time efforts on various aspects of our cooperation. I am happy to welcome Chair Flournoy, who is once again leading a NextGen Fellowship delegation to Taiwan. CNAS is a prominent think tank focusing on US national security and defense policy based in Washington, DC. Its NextGen Fellowship has fostered talented individuals in the fields of national security and foreign affairs. This year’s delegation is significantly larger than those of the past, demonstrating the increased importance that the next generation of US leaders attach to Taiwan. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend my sincerest welcome to you all. The Taiwan Strait, an issue of importance for our guests, has become a global issue. There is a high degree of international consensus that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable elements in global security and prosperity. Facing military threats from China, Taiwan proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we are actively implementing military reforms, enhancing whole-of-society defense resilience, and working to increase our defense budget to more than 3 percent of GDP. Second, we are strengthening our economic resilience. As Taiwan’s economy must keep advancing, we can no longer put all our eggs in one basket. We are taking action to remain firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence and marketing worldwide. In these efforts, we are already seeing results. Third, we are standing side-by-side with other democratic countries to demonstrate the strength of deterrence and achieve our goal of peace through strength. And fourth, Taiwan is willing, under the principles of parity and dignity, to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China towards achieving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. This April 10 marked the 46th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act. We thank the US government for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan over the years, supporting Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its national defense capabilities and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to Taiwan and the US continuing to strengthen collaboration on the development of both our defense industries as well as the building of non-red supply chains. This will yield even more results and further deepen our economic and trade partnership. The US is now the main destination for outbound investment from Taiwan. Moving forward, we will promote our “Taiwan plus one” policy, that is, new arrangements for Taiwan plus the US. And our government will form a “Taiwan investment in the US team” to expand investment. We hope this will bring Taiwan-US economic and trade cooperation even closer and, through mutually beneficial assistance, allow us to generate development that benefits both our sides while reducing our trade deficit. In closing, thank you once again for visiting Taiwan. We hope your trip is fruitful and leaves you with a deep impression of Taiwan. We also hope that going forward you continue supporting Taiwan and advancing even greater development for Taiwan-US ties. Chair Flournoy then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for making time to receive their delegation. Referring to President Lai’s earlier remarks, she said that it is quite an impressive group, as past members of this program have gone on to become members of the US Congress, leading government experts, and leaders in the think-tank world and in the private sector. She remarked that investing in this group is a wonderful privilege for her and that they appreciate President Lai’s agreeing to take the time to engage in exchange with them. Chair Flournoy emphasized that they are visiting Taiwan at a critical moment, when there is so much change and volatility in the geostrategic environment, a lot of uncertainty, and a lot of unpredictability. She stated that given our shared values, our shared passion for democracy and human rights, and our shared interests in peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, this is an important time for dialogue, collaboration, and looking for additional opportunities where we can work together towards regional peace and stability.

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2025-04-18
President Lai meets US delegation from Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific
On the afternoon of April 18, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Senator Pete Ricketts, chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy. In remarks, President Lai said we hope to promote our Taiwan plus one policy, that is, new industrial arrangements for Taiwan plus the US, to leverage the strengths of both sides and reinforce our links in such areas as the economy, trade, and technological innovation. The president said that by deepening cooperation, Taiwan and the US will be better positioned to work together on building non-red supply chains. He said a more secure and sustainable economic and trade partnership will allow us to address the challenges posed by geopolitics, climate change, and the restructuring of global supply chains. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome you all to Taiwan. I want to take this opportunity to especially thank Chairman Pete Ricketts and Ranking Member Chris Coons for their high regard and support for Taiwan. Chairman Ricketts has elected to visit Taiwan on his first overseas trip since taking up his new position in January. Ranking Member Coons made a dedicated trip to Taiwan in 2021 to announce a donation of COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of the US government. He also visited last May, soon after my inauguration, continuing to deepen Taiwan-US exchanges. Thanks to support from Chairman Ricketts and Ranking Member Coons, the US Congress has continued to introduce many concrete initiatives and resources to assist Taiwan through the National Defense Authorization Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, bringing the Taiwan-US partnership even closer. For this, I want to again express my gratitude. There has long been bipartisan support in the US Congress for maintaining security in the Taiwan Strait. Faced with China’s persistent political and military intimidation, Taiwan will endeavor to reform national defense and enhance whole-of-society defense resilience. We will also make special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP, up from the current 2.5 percent, so as to enhance Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities. We look forward to Taiwan and the US continuing to work together to maintain peace and stability in the region. We will also promote our Taiwan plus one policy, that is, new industrial arrangements for Taiwan plus the US. We hope to leverage the strengths of both sides and reinforce our links in such areas as the economy, trade, and technological innovation, jointly promoting prosperity and development. We believe that by deepening cooperation through the Taiwan plus one policy, Taiwan and the US will be better positioned to work together on building non-red supply chains. A more secure and sustainable economic and trade partnership will allow us to address the challenges posed by geopolitics, climate change, and the restructuring of global supply chains. In closing, I wish Chairman Ricketts and Ranking Member Coons a smooth and successful visit. Chairman Ricketts then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for his hospitality. He said that he and his delegation have had a wonderful time meeting with government officials, industry representatives, and the team at the American Institute in Taiwan. Highlighting that Taiwan has long been a friend and partner of the US, he said their bipartisan delegation to Taiwan emphasizes long-time bipartisan support in the US Congress for Taiwan, and though administrations change, that bipartisan support remains. Chairman Ricketts stated that the US is committed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and that they want to see peace across the Taiwan Strait. He also stated that the US opposes any unilateral change in the status of Taiwan and that they expect any differences between Taiwan and China to be resolved peacefully without coercion or the threat of force. To that end, he said, the US will continue to assist Taiwan in its self-defense and will also step up by bolstering its own defense capabilities, noting that there is broad consensus on this in the US Congress. Chairman Ricketts stated that they want to see Taiwan participate in international organizations and memberships where appropriate, and encourage Taiwan to reach out to current and past diplomatic allies to strengthen those bilateral relationships. He pointed out that the long economic relationship between the US and Taiwan is important for our as well as the entire world’s security and prosperity. He also noted that there are many opportunities for us to continue to grow the economic relationship that will help create more prosperity for our respective peoples and ensure that we are more secure in the world. Chairman Ricketts emphasized that they made this trip early on in the new US administration to work with Taiwan to develop three points: security, diplomatic relations, and the economy. He stated that in the face of rising aggression from communist China, the US will provide commensurate help to Taiwan in self-defense and that they will continue to provide the services and tools needed. In closing, Chairman Ricketts once again thanked President Lai for the hospitality and said he looks forward to dialogue on how we can continue these relationships. Ranking Member Coons then delivered remarks. Mentioning that their delegation also visited the Philippines on this trip, he said that there and in Taiwan, they have been focused on peace, stability, and security, and the ways for deepening and strengthening economic and security relations. He noted that 46 years ago, the US Senate passed the Taiwan Relations Act, adding that it was strongly bipartisan when enacted and that support for it is still strongly bipartisan today. Its core commitment, he said, is that the US will be engaged and will be a partner in ensuring that any dispute or challenge across the strait will be resolved peacefully, and that Taiwan will have the resources it needs for its self-defense. Ranking Member Coons said that between people, friendships are deepest and most enduring when they are based not just on interests but on values, and that the same is true between the US and Taiwan. Free press, free enterprise, free societies, democracy – these core shared values, he said, anchor our friendship and partnership, making them deeper. He remarked that they are grateful for the significant investment in the US being made by companies from Taiwan, but what anchors our partnership, in addition to these important investments and investments being made by Taiwan in its own security, are the values that mobilize our free-enterprise spirit and our commitment to free societies. In Europe in recent years, Ranking Member Coons said, an aggressive nation has tried to change boundaries and change history by force. He said that the US and dozens of countries committed to freedom have come to the aid of Ukraine to defend it, help it stabilize, and secure its future. So too in this region of the world, he added, the US and a bipartisan group in the US Senate are committed to stable, secure, peaceful relations and to deterring any unilateral effort to change the status quo by force. In closing, he said he is grateful for a chance to return to Taiwan after the pandemic and that he looks forward to our conversation, our partnership, and the important work we have in front of us. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.

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2025-04-06
President Lai delivers remarks on US tariff policy response
On April 6, President Lai Ching-te delivered recorded remarks regarding the impact of the 32 percent tariff that the United States government recently imposed on imports from Taiwan in the name of reciprocity. In his remarks, President Lai explained that the government will adopt five response strategies, including making every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations, adopting a support plan for affected domestic industries, adopting medium- and long-term economic development plans, forming new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements, and launching industry listening tours. The president emphasized that as we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and expressed hope that all parties, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: My fellow citizens, good evening. The US government recently announced higher tariffs on countries around the world in the name of reciprocity, including imposing a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan. This is bound to have a major impact on our nation. Various countries have already responded, and some have even adopted retaliatory measures. Tremendous changes in the global economy are expected. Taiwan is an export-led economy, and in facing future challenges there will inevitably be difficulties, so we must proceed carefully to turn danger into safety. During this time, I want to express gratitude to all sectors of society for providing valuable opinions, which the government regards highly, and will use as a reference to make policy decisions. However, if we calmly and carefully analyze Taiwan’s trade with the US, we find that last year Taiwan’s exports to the US were valued at US$111.4 billion, accounting for 23.4 percent of total export value, with the other 75-plus percent of products sold worldwide to countries other than the US. Of products sold to the US, competitive ICT products and electronic components accounted for 65.4 percent. This shows that Taiwan’s economy does still have considerable resilience. As long as our response strategies are appropriate, and the public and private sectors join forces, we can reduce impacts. Please do not panic. To address the reciprocal tariffs by the US, Taiwan has no plans to adopt retaliatory tariffs. There will be no change in corporate investment commitments to the US, as long as they are consistent with national interests. But we must ensure the US clearly understands Taiwan’s contributions to US economic development. More importantly, we must actively seek to understand changes in the global economic situation, strengthen Taiwan-US industry cooperation, elevate the status of Taiwan industries in global supply chains, and with safeguarding the continued development of Taiwan’s economy as our goal, adopt the following five strategies to respond. Strategy one: Make every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations using the following five methods: 1. Taiwan has already formed a negotiation team led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君). The team includes members from the National Security Council, the Office of Trade Negotiations, and relevant Executive Yuan ministries and agencies, as well as academia and industry. Like the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, negotiations on tariffs can start from Taiwan-US bilateral zero-tariff treatment. 2. To expand purchases from the US and thereby reduce the trade deficit, the Executive Yuan has already completed an inventory regarding large-scale procurement plans for agricultural, industrial, petroleum, and natural gas products, and the Ministry of National Defense has also proposed a military procurement list. All procurement plans will be actively pursued. 3. Expand investments in the US. Taiwan’s cumulative investment in the US already exceeds US$100 billion, creating approximately 400,000 jobs. In the future, in addition to increased investment in the US by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, other industries such as electronics, ICT, petrochemicals, and natural gas can all increase their US investments, deepening Taiwan-US industry cooperation. Taiwan’s government has helped form a “Taiwan investment in the US” team, and hopes that the US will reciprocate by forming a “US investment in Taiwan” team to bring about closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, jointly creating a future economic golden age. 4. We must eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade. Non-tariff barriers are an indicator by which the US assesses whether a trading partner is trading fairly with the US. Therefore, we will proactively resolve longstanding non-tariff barriers so that negotiations can proceed more smoothly. 5. We must resolve two issues that have been matters of longstanding concern to the US. One regards high-tech export controls, and the other regards illegal transshipment of dumped goods, otherwise referred to as “origin washing.” Strategy two: We must adopt a plan for supporting our industries. For industries that will be affected by the tariffs, and especially traditional industries as well as micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, we will provide timely and needed support and assistance. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and his administrative team recently announced a package of 20 specific measures designed to address nine areas. Moving forward, the support we provide to different industries will depend on how they are affected by the tariffs, will take into account the particular features of each industry, and will help each industry innovate, upgrade, and transform. Strategy three: We must adopt medium- and long-term economic development plans. At this point in time, our government must simultaneously adopt new strategies for economic and industrial development. This is also the fundamental path to solutions for future economic challenges. The government will proactively cooperate with friends and allies, develop a diverse range of markets, and achieve closer integration of entities in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of industrial supply chains. This course of action will make Taiwan’s industrial ecosystem more complete, and will help Taiwanese industries upgrade and transform. We must also make good use of the competitive advantages we possess in such areas as semiconductor manufacturing, integrated chip design, ICT, and smart manufacturing to build Taiwan into an AI island, and promote relevant applications for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, as well as military, security and surveillance, next-generation communications, and the medical and health and wellness industries as we advance toward a smarter, more sustainable, and more prosperous new Taiwan. Strategy four: “Taiwan plus one,” i.e., new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements: While staying firmly rooted in Taiwan, our enterprises are expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. This has been our national economic development strategy, and the most important aspect is maintaining a solid base here in Taiwan. We absolutely must maintain a solid footing, and cannot allow the present strife to cause us to waver. Therefore, our government will incentivize investments, carry out deregulation, and continue to improve Taiwan’s investment climate by actively resolving problems involving access to water, electricity, land, human resources, and professional talent. This will enable corporations to stay in Taiwan and continue investing here. In addition, we must also help the overseas manufacturing facilities of offshore Taiwanese businesses to make necessary adjustments to support our “Taiwan plus one” policy, in that our national economic development strategy will be adjusted as follows: to stay firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence, strengthening US ties, and marketing worldwide. We intend to make use of the new state of supply chains to strengthen cooperation between Taiwanese and US industries, and gain further access to US markets. Strategy five: Launch industry listening tours: All industrial firms, regardless of sector or size, will be affected to some degree once the US reciprocal tariffs go into effect. The administrative teams led by myself and Premier Cho will hear out industry concerns so that we can quickly resolve problems and make sure policies meet actual needs. My fellow citizens, over the past half-century and more, Taiwan has been through two energy crises, the Asian financial crisis, the global financial crisis, and pandemics. We have been able to not only withstand one test after another, but even turn crises into opportunities. The Taiwanese economy has emerged from these crises stronger and more resilient than ever. As we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and I hope that all parties in the legislature, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. Let us join together and give it our all. Thank you.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Piero Cipollone: Navigating a fractured horizon: risks and policy options in a fragmenting world

Source: European Central Bank

Speech by Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the conference on “Policy challenges in a fragmenting world: Global trade, exchange rates, and capital flow” organised by the Bank for International Settlements, the Bank of England, the ECB and the International Monetary Fund

Frankfurt am Main, 29 April 2025

I’m honoured to welcome you to this conference, jointly organised by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the Bank of England, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).^[1]

Today, we come together to discuss the urgent challenges posed by global fragmentation – a growing risk to our interconnected world. Earlier this month, the President of the United States announced tariff hikes, sending shockwaves through the global economy – a stark reminder that the fractures we face are no longer hypothetical, but real.

This announcement is but the latest chapter in a series of four major shocks that have been reshaping our world in recent years.

First, since 2018 the intensifying power struggle between the United States and China has led to tit-for-tat tariffs affecting nearly two-thirds of the trade between these two economic giants. Second, starting in 2020, the pandemic caused unprecedented disruptions to supply chains, which prompted a re-evaluation of the balance between global integration and resilience. Third, in 2022 Russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine not only triggered an energy crisis but also deepened a geopolitical divide that continues to have worldwide repercussions. And fourth, we are now facing the rising risk of economic fragmentation within the western bloc itself, as new trade barriers threaten long-standing international partnerships.

The data paint a sobering picture. Geopolitical risk levels have surged to 50% above the post-global financial crisis average, and uncertainty surrounding trade policy has risen to more than eight times its average since 2021.^[2] What we are experiencing is not merely a temporary disruption – it is a profound shift in how nations interact economically, financially and diplomatically. So, it does not come as a surprise that financial markets have experienced considerable volatility in recent weeks. It remains to be seen if, for markets to find a stable equilibrium, it will be enough to step back from the current international economic disorder towards a more stable, predictable and reliable trading system – a development that appears elusive in the short term. Against this backdrop, recent moves in exchange rates, bond yields and equities, suggest that US markets have not been playing their usual role as a safe haven in this particular episode of stress. This potentially has far-reaching longer-term implications for capital flows and the international financial system.

Today I will focus on three key points. First, we are seeing increasing signs of fragmentation becoming visible across the economy and financial system. Second, the implications of this accelerating fragmentation could extend far beyond the immediate disruptions, with consequences for growth, stability and prosperity. Third, in this evolving economic landscape, central banks must adapt their approaches yet retain a steadfast focus on their core mandates, while striving to preserve international cooperation.

The emerging reality of fragmentation

Let me begin by addressing a common belief – still held by many until recently – that, despite rising geopolitical tensions, globalisation appears largely resilient. Headline figures in trade and cross-border investment, for example, do indeed appear to support this belief. In 2024 world trade expanded to a record USD 33 trillion – up 3.7% from 2023. Similarly, the global stock of foreign direct investment reached an unprecedented USD 41 trillion.^[3] However, these surface-level indicators may not reflect the underlying realities, creating a misleading sense of stability when important changes are already underway. In reality, fragmentation is already happening in both the global economy and the financial system.

Fragmentation of the real economy

Fragmentation is most evident in rebalancing trade, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions. Take, for instance, the escalating US-China trade tensions that have been intensifying since 2018. Studies show the impact of geopolitical distance on trade has become notably negative. A doubling of geopolitical distance between countries – akin to moving from the position of Germany to that of India in relation to the United States – decreases bilateral trade flows by approximately 20%.^[4]

The series of shocks to the global economy in recent years have also contributed to this fragmentation. According to gravity model estimates, trade between geopolitically distant blocs has significantly declined. Trade between rivals is about 4% lower than it might have been without the heightened tensions post-2017, while trade between friends is approximately 6% higher.^[5] Global value chains are being reconfigured as companies respond to these new realities. In 2023 surveys already indicated that only about a quarter of leading firms operating in the euro area^[6] that sourced critical inputs from countries considered subject to elevated risk had not developed strategies to reduce their exposure.^[7]

However, these shifting trade patterns have not yet been reflected in overall global trade flows. Non-aligned countries have played a crucial role as intermediaries, or connectors, helping to sustain global trade levels even as direct trade between rival blocs declines.^[8] But this stabilising influence is unlikely to endure as trade fragmentation deepens and geopolitical alliances continue to shift.

The tariffs announced by the US Administration are far-reaching and affect a substantial share of global trade flows. The effects on the real economy are likely to be material. In its World Economic Outlook, published last week, the International Monetary Fund revised down global growth projections for 2025-26 by a cumulative 0.8 percentage points and global trade by a cumulative 2.3 percentage points.^[9] This notably reflects a negative hit from tariffs that ranges between 0.4% to 1% of world GDP by 2027.^[10] In particular, IMF growth projections for the United States have been revised down by a cumulative 1.3 percentage points in 2025-26. The cumulative impact on euro area growth is smaller, at 0.4 percentage points.

Financial fragmentation

The fragmentation we are witnessing in global trade is mirrored in the financial sector, where geopolitical tensions are also reshaping the landscape.

In recent years, global foreign direct investment flows have increasingly aligned with geopolitical divides. Foreign direct investment in new ventures has plunged by nearly two-thirds between countries from different geopolitical blocs. However, strong intra-bloc investments have helped sustain overall foreign direct investment levels globally, masking some of the fragmentation occurring beneath the surface.^[11]

But, as with trade flows, this dynamic is unlikely to persist as geopolitical tensions grow within established economic blocs. For instance, increased geopolitical distance is shown to curtail cross-border lending. A two standard deviation rise in geopolitical distance – akin to moving from the position of France to that of Pakistan in relation to Germany – leads to a reduction of 3 percentage points in cross-border bank lending.^[12]

The impact of fragmentation in global financial infrastructure is perhaps even more revealing. Since 2014 correspondent banking relationships – crucial for facilitating trade flows across countries – have declined by 20%. While other factors – such as a wave of concentration in the banking industry, technological disruptions and profitability considerations – have played a role^[13], the contribution of the geopolitical dimension can hardly be overstated. The repercussions of this decline can be profound. Research shows that when correspondent banking relationships are severed in a specific corridor, a firm’s likelihood of continuing to export between the two countries of that corridor falls by about 5 percentage points in the short term, and by about 20 percentage points after four years.^[14]

Contributing to this trend, countries such as China, Russia and Iran have launched multiple initiatives to develop alternatives to established networks such as SWIFT, raising the possibility of a fragmented global payment system.^[15] Geopolitical alignment now exerts a stronger influence than trade relationships or technical standards in connecting payment systems between countries.^[16] This poses risks of regional networks becoming more unstable, increased trade costs and settlement times, and reduced risk sharing across countries.

Additionally, we are witnessing a noticeable shift away from traditional reserve currencies, with growing interest in holding gold. Central banks purchased more than 1,000 tonnes of gold in 2024, almost double the level of the previous decade, with China being the largest purchaser, at over 225 tonnes. At market valuations, the share of gold in global official reserves has increased, reaching 20% in 2024, while that of the US dollar has decreased. Survey data suggest that two-thirds of central banks invested in gold to diversify, 40% to protect against geopolitical risk and 18% because of the uncertainty over the future of the international monetary system.^[17] There are further signs that geopolitical considerations increasingly influence decisions to invest in gold. The negative correlation of gold prices with real yields has broken down since 2022, a phenomenon we have also observed in recent weeks. This suggests that gold prices have been influenced by more than simply the use of gold to hedge against inflation. Moreover, countries geopolitically close to China and Russia have seen more pronounced increases in the share of gold in official foreign reserves since the last quarter of 2021.

The looming consequences of fragmentation

Accelerating fragmentation is resulting in the immediate disruptions we are now seeing, but this is likely to only be the beginning – potentially profound medium and long-term consequences for growth, stability and prosperity can be expected.

Medium-term impacts

The initial consequences of fragmentation are already evident in the form of increased uncertainty. In particular, trade policy uncertainty has led to a broader rise in global economic policy instability, which is stifling investment and dampening consumption. Our research suggests that the recent increase in trade policy uncertainty could reduce euro area business investment by 1.1% in the first year and real GDP growth by around 0.2 percentage points in 2025-26^[18]. Consumer sentiment is also under strain, with the ECB’s Consumer Expectations Survey revealing that rising geopolitical risks are leading to more pessimistic expectations, higher income uncertainty and ultimately a lower willingness to spend.^[19] Moreover, ECB staff estimates suggest that the observed increase in financial market volatility might imply lower GDP growth of about 0.2 percentage points in 2025.

Over the medium term, tariffs are set to have an unambiguously recessionary effect, both for countries imposing restrictions and those receiving them. The costs are particularly high when exchange rates fail to absorb tariff shocks, and some evidence suggests exchange rates have become less effective in this role.^[20]

The Eurosystem’s analysis of potential fragmentation scenarios suggests that such trade disruptions could turn out to be significant. In the case of a mild decoupling between the western (United States-centric) and the eastern (China-centric) bloc, where trade between East and West reverts to the level observed in the mid-1990s, global output could drop by close to 2%.^[21] In the more extreme case of a severe decoupling – essentially a halt to trade flows – between the two blocs, global output could drop by up to 9%. Trade-dependent nations would bear the brunt of these trade shocks, with China potentially suffering losses of between 5% and 20%, and the EU seeing declines ranging from 2.4% to 9.5% in the mild and severe decoupling scenarios respectively. The analysis also shows that the United States would be more significantly affected if it imposed additional trade restrictions against western and neutral economies – with real GDP losses of almost 11% in the severe decoupling scenario – whereas EU losses would increase only slightly in such a case.^[22]

The inflationary effects of trade fragmentation are more uncertain. They depend mainly on the response of exchange rates, firms’ markups and wages. Moreover, they are not distributed equally. While higher import costs and the ensuing price pressures are likely to drive up inflation in the countries raising tariffs, the impact is more ambiguous in other countries as a result of the tariffs’ global recessionary effects, which push down demand and commodity prices, as well as of the possible dumping of exports from countries with overcapacity. The short to medium-term effects may even prove disinflationary for the euro area, where real rates have increased and the euro has appreciated following US tariff announcements.

In fact, a key feature of most model-based assessments is that higher US tariffs lead to a depreciation of currencies against the US dollar, moderating the inflationary effect for the United States and amplifying it for other countries. But so far we have seen the opposite: the risk-off sentiment in response to US tariff announcements and economic policy uncertainty have led to capital flows away from the United States, depreciating the dollar and putting upward pressure on US bond yields. Conversely, the euro area benefited from safe haven flows, with the euro appreciating and nominal bond yields decreasing.

Long-term structural changes

The long-term consequences of economic fragmentation are inherently difficult to predict, but by drawing on historical examples and recognising emerging trends, it’s clear that we are on the verge of significant structural changes. Two areas stand out.

The first one is structurally lower growth. On this point, international economic literature has reached an overwhelming consensus.^[23] Quantitatively, point estimates might vary. For example, research of 151 countries spanning more than five decades of the 20th century reveals that higher tariffs have typically led to lower economic growth. This is largely due to key production factors – labour and capital – being redirected into less productive sectors.^[24]

However, data from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period which tariff supporters often look back to, seem to tell a different story. At that time, trade barriers across countries were high – the US effective tariff rate, for example, reached almost 60%, twice as high as after the 2 April tariffs. And sometimes countries imposing higher trade barriers enjoyed higher growth, which may provide motivation for current policymakers’ trade tariff policies. But these episodes need to be read in historical context. Before 1913, tariffs mostly shielded manufacturing, a high-productivity sector at the time, attracting labour from other, less productive sectors, like agriculture. Therefore, their negative effects were mitigated by the expansion of industries at the frontier of technological innovation. Moreover, the interwar years offer further nuance – the Smoot-Hawley tariffs of the 1930s had relatively limited direct effects on US growth, mainly because trade accounted for just 5% of the economy.

But today’s tariffs are unlikely to replicate the positive effects seen in the 19th century. Instead, they risk creating the same inefficiencies observed in the course of the 20th century, by diverting resources from high-productivity sectors to lower-productivity ones. This contractionary effect could lead to persistently lower global growth rates. In fact, the abolition of trade barriers within the EU and the international efforts towards lower trade barriers in the second half of the 20th century were a direct response to the economic and political impact of protectionism,^[25] which had played a key role in worsening and prolonging the Great Depression^[26] and had contributed to the formation of competing blocs in the run-up to the Second World War.^[27]

The second long-term shift driven by fragmentation might be the gradual transition from a US-dominated, global system to a more multipolar one, where multiple currencies compete for reserve status. For example, if the long-term implications of higher tariffs materialise, notably in the form of higher inflation, slower growth and higher US debt, this could undermine confidence in the US dollar’s dominant role in international trade and finance.^[28] Combined with a further disengagement from global geopolitical affairs and military alliances, this could, over time, undermine the “exorbitant privilege” enjoyed by the United States, resulting in higher interest rates domestically.^[29]

Moreover, as alternative payment systems gain traction, regional currencies may start to emerge as reserves within their respective blocs. This could be accompanied by the rise of competing payment systems, further fragmenting global financial flows and international trade. Such shifts would increase transaction costs and erode the capacity of countries to share risks on a global scale, making the world economy more fragmented and less efficient.

The central bank’s role in a fragmented world

So, as these tectonic shifts reshape the global economic landscape, central banks must adapt their approaches while remaining steadfast in their core mandates. The challenges posed by fragmentation require a delicate balance between confronting new realities and working to preserve the benefits of an integrated global economy. In order to navigate the present age of fragmentation, it is necessary to take action in four key areas.

First, central banks must focus on understanding and monitoring fragmentation. Traditional macroeconomic models often assume seamless global integration and may not fully capture the dynamics of a fragmenting world. Enhanced analytical frameworks that incorporate geopolitical factors and how businesses adjust to these risks will be essential for accurate forecasting and effective policy formulation. The Eurosystem is reflecting on these issues.

Second, monetary policy must adapt to the new nature of supply shocks generated by fragmentation. The effects of the greater frequency, size and more persistent nature of fragmentation-induced shocks and their incidence on prices require a careful calibration of our monetary responses. In this respect, our communication needs to acknowledge the uncertainty and trade-offs we face while giving a clear sense of how we will react depending on the incoming data. This can be done by making use of scenario analysis and providing clarity about our reaction function, as emphasised recently by President Lagarde.^[30]

Third, instead of building walls, we must forge unity. Even as political winds shift, central banks should strengthen international cooperation where possible. Through forums such as those provided by the BIS and the Financial Stability Board, we can keep open channels of cooperation that transcend borders. Our work on cross-border payments stands as proof of this commitment in line with the G20 Roadmap^[31]. The ECB is pioneering a cross-currency settlement service through TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) – initially linking the euro, the Swedish krona and the Danish krone. We are exploring connections between TIPS and other fast-payment systems globally, both bilaterally and on the basis of a multilateral network such as the BIS’ Project Nexus.^[32]

And fourth, central banks must enhance their capacity to address financial stability risks arising from fragmentation. The potential for sudden stops in capital flows, payment disruptions and volatility in currency markets requires robust contingency planning and crisis management frameworks. Global financial interlinkages and spillovers highlight the importance of preserving and further reinforcing the global financial safety net so that we can swiftly and effectively address financial stress, which is more likely to emerge in a fragmenting world.^[33]

In fact, the lesson from the 1930s is that international coordination is key to avoiding protectionist snowball effects, where tit-for-tat trade barriers multiply as each country seeks to direct spending to merchandise produced at home rather than abroad.^[34] In order to avoid this, the G20 countries committed to preserving open trade could call an international trade conference to avoid beggar-thy-neighbour policies^[35] and instead agree on other measures, such as macroeconomic policies that can support the global economy in this period of uncertainty and contribute to reduce global imbalances.

Let me finally emphasise that the current situation also has important implications for the euro area. If the EU upholds its status as a reliable partner that defends trade openness, investor protection, the rule of law and central bank independence, the euro has the potential to play the role of a global public good. This requires a deep, trusted market for internationally accepted euro debt securities. That is why policy efforts to integrate and deepen European capital markets must go hand in hand with efforts to issue European safe assets.^[36]

Conclusion

Let me conclude.

As we stand at this crossroads of global fragmentation, we must confront an uncomfortable truth: we are drifting toward a fractured economic and financial landscape where trust is eroded and alliances are strained.

Central banks now face a double challenge: to be an anchor of stability in turbulent economic waters while reimagining their role in a world where multiple economic blocs are forming. The question is not whether we adapt, but how we mitigate the costs of fragmentation without sacrificing the potential of global integration.

Our greatest risk lies not in the shocks we anticipate, but in the alliances we neglect, the innovations we overlook and the common ground we fail to find. The future of global prosperity hinges on our ability to use fragmentation as a catalyst to reinvent the common good.

MIL OSI Economics –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Amnesty International warns of global human rights crisis as ‘Trump effect’ accelerates destructive trends
Source: Amnesty International –
- Annual report highlights the creep of authoritarian practices and vicious clampdowns on dissent around the world
- President Trump’s first 100 days intensify 2024’s global regressions and deep-rooted trends
- Global failures in addressing inequalities, climate collapse, and tech transformations imperil future generations
- The rise of authoritarian practices and annihilation of international law are not inevitable: people do and will resist attacks on human rights; governments can deliver international justice and must continue to do so
The Trump administration’s anti-rights campaign is turbocharging harmful trends already present, gutting international human rights protections and endangering billions across the planet, Amnesty International warned today upon launching its annual report, The State of the World’s Human Rights.

This “Trump effect” has compounded the damage done by other world leaders throughout 2024, eating away at decades of painstaking work to build up and advance universal human rights for all and accelerating humanity’s plunge into a brutal new era characterized by intermingling authoritarian practices and corporate greed, Amnesty International said in its assessment of the situation in 150 countries.

At this historical juncture, when authoritarian laws and practices are multiplying the world over in the interests of very few, governments and civil society must work with urgency to lead humanity back to safer ground.

Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General

“Year after year, we have warned of the dangers of human rights backsliding. But events of the past 12 months – not least Israel’s livestreamed but unheeded genocide of Palestinians in Gaza – have laid bare just how hellish the world can be for so many when the most powerful states jettison international law and disregard multilateral institutions. At this historical juncture, when authoritarian laws and practices are multiplying the world over in the interests of very few, governments and civil society must work with urgency to lead humanity back to safer ground,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

The State of the World’s Human Rights documents vicious, widespread clampdowns on dissent, catastrophic escalations of armed conflict, inadequate efforts to address climate collapse, and a growing backlash globally against the rights of migrants, refugees, women, girls and LGBTI people. Each of these faces further deterioration in a turbulent 2025 unless a global about-turn is achieved.

“One hundred days into his second term, President Trump has shown only utter contempt for universal human rights. His government has swiftly and deliberately targeted vital US and international institutions and initiatives that were designed to make ours a safer and fairer world. His all-out assault on the very concepts of multilateralism, asylum, racial and gender justice, global health and life-saving climate action is exacerbating the significant damage those principles and institutions have already sustained and is further emboldening other anti-rights leaders and movements to join his onslaught,” Agnès Callamard added.

“But let us be clear: this sickness runs much deeper than the actions of President Trump. For years now, we’ve witnessed a creeping spread of authoritarian practices among states the world over, fostered by aspiring and elected leaders willingly acting as engines of destruction. As they drag us into a new age of turmoil and cruelty, all who believe in freedom and equality must steel ourselves to counter increasingly extreme attacks on international law and universal human rights.”

The proliferation of authoritarian laws, policies and practices targeting freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly that Amnesty International documented in 2024 was central to the global backlash against human rights. Governments across the world sought to evade accountability, entrench their power and instil fear by banning media outlets, by disbanding or suspending NGOs and political parties, by imprisoning critics on baseless charges of “terrorism” or “extremism”, and by criminalizing human rights defenders, climate activists, Gaza solidarity protesters and other dissenters.

Security forces in several countries used mass arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and often excessive – sometimes lethal – force to suppress civil disobedience. Bangladeshi authorities issued “shoot-on-sight” orders against student protests, resulting in almost 1,000 deaths, while security forces in Mozambique unleashed the worst crackdown on protests in years following disputed elections, leaving at least 277 people dead.

Türkiye imposed blanket bans on protests and continues to use unlawful and indiscriminate force against peaceful demonstrators, but people power prevailed in South Korea when president Yoon Suk Yeol suspended certain human rights and declared martial law, only to be removed from office and see those measures overturned after massive public protests.
MIL OSI NGO –
April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India and Egypt deliberate to strengthen ties through avenues of strategic collaboration in skill development

Source: Government of India

India and Egypt deliberate to strengthen ties through avenues of strategic collaboration in skill development

Both delegations expressed a shared commitment to creating a globally competitive, future-ready workforce

Posted On: 29 APR 2025 1:15PM by PIB Delhi

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, hosted a high-level Egyptian delegation led by H.E. Prof. Dr. Ayman Bahaa El Din, Deputy Minister of Technical Education, for a pivotal round of deliberations at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi on 28^th April, 2025. This engagement marks another milestone in the ever-strengthening India-Egypt relationship, building on the momentum of the 2023 elevation of bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership and the recent recognition of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi with Egypt’s highest civilian honour.

Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, MSDE, highlighted the enduring people-to-people and institutional linkages between the two nations. He emphasized India’s vision to become the “Skill Capital of the World” through the Skill India Mission, under which already close to 400,000 individuals have already been trained in advanced domains such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and big data, while nurturing over 1.3 million entrepreneurs.

India’s efforts to align its vocational education and training (TVET) ecosystem with global standards, and the establishment of world-class Skill India International Centres, were presented as models for international collaboration.

The Egyptian delegation shared insights into Egypt’s comprehensive TVET reforms, including the EU-supported TVET Egypt Reform Programme and the establishment of Sector Skill Councils, which resonate with India’s scalable and affordable skilling models. Both sides acknowledged the success of ongoing collaborations, such as the 2024 MoU between India’s NIELIT and Egypt’s Information Technology Institute, the El-Sewedy Group’s partnership with Amity University, and the Indian-supported Vocational Training Centre in Cairo.

Looking ahead, the two countries identified several promising avenues for future cooperation. These include joint certification programmes, faculty and student exchanges, digital skilling and entrepreneurship initiatives, and the establishment of Centres of Excellence in priority sectors like information technology, agriculture, tourism, and green skills. Both delegations expressed a shared commitment to creating a globally competitive, future-ready workforce and to using their partnership as a template for broader South-South cooperation.

***

Beena Yadav/Shahbaz Hasibi

(Release ID: 2125101) Visitor Counter : 49

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SCST begins visit to UAE (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

SCST begins visit to UAE
In the morning, Miss Law had a fruitful exchange with the UAE Minister of Sports, HE Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, where they shared their visions and identified common ground in advancing their cities as global hubs for major international sporting events, professionalising the sports industry, leveraging sports as a key economic driver, and fostering unity among community through sports participation. Miss Law introduced Hong Kong’s commitment to nurturing elite sports talents by providing comprehensive support and professional training for local athletes. Miss Law also highlighted the vibrant horse racing culture in Hong Kong. HE Dr Al Falasi shared similar efforts made and policies implemented by the government of the UAE to develop sports in the country. Miss Law extended her invitation to HE Dr Al Falasi to visit Hong Kong to explore further opportunities for sports co-operation and exchange.

Miss Law then paid a courtesy call on the Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai, Ms Ou Boqian. During the meeting, she reported on the recent work of the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) and outlined plans to fostering collaboration and building stronger connections between Hong Kong and the Middle East. Ms Ou shared her insights into the UAE’s cultural and tourism landscape, highlighting potential opportunities for cooperation between the two regions. She emphasised that Hong Kong has competitive advantages in high-end tourism, horse racing tourism, and yacht tourism, which presented significant potential for further development.

In the afternoon, Miss Law attended the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, a leading international event for the Middle East’s hospitality industry. She toured various pavilions, engaged with local trade representatives, and explored potential collaborations between Hong Kong’s tourism sector and the Middle East market. During the event, Miss Law witnessed the signing of two Memorandums of Understanding at the Hong Kong Pavilion between the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and two major travel agents in the Middle East, Musafi.com and Almosafer International Travel and Tourism Company, which aimed to establish a framework for future co-operation.

Miss Law also met with the Group Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways, Mr Engr Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, and the Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer of the Emirates, Mr Adnan Kazim, in the pavilion at the ATM. They discussed strengthening partnerships to promote Hong Kong as a premier travel destination for Middle East markets.

In the evening, a dinner reception was co-organised by the CSTB, the HKTB, and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai. The event welcomed around 70 guests, including key partners from the Middle East’s tourism industry, along with distinguished travel trade leaders and industry representatives from Hong Kong. In her opening remarks, Miss Law highlighted Hong Kong’s multifaceted tourism offerings, which catered to visitors of all ages and interests. She also pointed to the new Kai Tak Sports Park as an exciting development that will host world-class sports and entertainment events. She underscored Hong Kong’s commitment to becoming a Muslim-friendly destination, reiterated Hong Kong’s eagerness to deepen ties with the Middle East, not only by welcoming visitors from the region but also by encouraging more Hong Kong people to explore the Middle East for both leisure and business.

Miss Law will continue her visit to the UAE today (April 29, Dubai time).
Issued at HKT 2:48

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CategoriesMIL-OSI

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI: Bitget Becomes Gold Sponsor at Token2049 Dubai: CEO Gracy Chen to Share Vision for Crypto’s Next Chapter

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, April 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, is set to make a major impact at TOKEN2049 Dubai as a Gold Sponsor of this year’s landmark event. Taking place from 30 April to 1 May 2025, at Madinat Jumeirah Conference Centre, TOKEN2049 Dubai brings together the brightest minds and boldest innovators from across the global crypto and blockchain ecosystem. As the crypto community gathers in one of the most dynamic hubs for innovation, Bitget stands ready to spotlight its strategies that continue to shape the digital asset landscape.

Day One of the conference will see Bitget CEO Gracy Chen deliver a keynote speech on the io.net Stage, from 3:00 to 3:15 PM GST. Titled,“Two Strategies Bitget Adopted to Thrive in a Volatile Market”, the sharing will explore how Bitget navigates and thrives amid global volatility, tapping into emerging opportunities while staying at the forefront of innovation. Gracy’s insights will highlight the strategies that enabled Bitget to deliver real-world impact in an unpredictable market landscape, setting a blueprint for sustainable success in the evolving crypto ecosystem.

Further amplifying its presence, Bitget is setting the stage for an unforgettable evening with Cryptoverse Dream Night on May 30. In collaboration with 1inch and backed by Morph, this invite-only after-hours event will gather Web3 pioneers, blockchain leaders, and crypto giants for an immersive night of electrifying energy, premium experiences, and next-gen networking. From surprise performances to curated social moments, the event captures the bold spirit driving the future of the cryptoverse. Attendees stand a chance to be rewarded with Bitget Exclusives when they capture and share the most electrifying moments at the event.

As discussions around decentralization, market access, and innovation take center stage, Bitget is expanding its role beyond that of a traditional exchange. Through its contributions both during the conference and at side events, Bitget aims to help shape new standards for how value is built in this digital economy. “Our goal is to help lay the groundwork for a more connected and resilient Web3 ecosystem,” said Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget. “Success in this space requires more than technology — it demands collaboration and a shared vision for what the future should look like and there is no greater platform to have these conversations than at an event like TOKEN2049. With a powerful presence both on and off the main stage, Bitget’s participation at Token2049 Dubai reflects its broader strategy to support the ongoing evolution of Web3.”

About Bitget

Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 100 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, token swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more.

Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.

For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dca116ce-6d79-4bfa-8ef8-9b1e72215f89

The MIL Network –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets Japanese Diet Member and former Minister of State for Economic Security Takaichi Sanae

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Details
2025-04-23
President Lai delivers remarks at International Holocaust Remembrance Day event
On the afternoon of April 23, President Lai Ching-te attended an International Holocaust Remembrance Day event and delivered remarks, in which he emphasized that peace is priceless, and war has no winners, while morality, democracy, and respect for human rights are powerful forces against violence and tyranny. The president stated that Taiwan will continue to expand cooperation with democratic partners and safeguard regional and global peace and stability, defending democracy, freedom, and human rights. He said we must never forget history, and must overcome our differences and join in solidarity to ensure that the next generations live in a world that is more just and more peaceful. Upon arriving at the event, President Lai heard a testimony from the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, followed by a rabbi’s recitation of the prayer “El Maleh Rachamim.” He then joined other distinguished guests in lighting candles in memory of the victims. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: To begin, I want to thank the Israel Economic and Cultural Office (ISECO) in Taipei, German Institute Taipei, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for co-organizing this deeply significant memorial ceremony again this year. I also want to thank everyone for attending. We are here today to remember the victims of the Holocaust, express sympathy for the survivors, honor the brave individuals who protected the victims, and acknowledge all who were impacted by this atrocity. It was deeply moving to hear Ms. [Orly] Sela share the story of how her grandmother, Yehudit Biksz, escaped the Nazi regime. I want to thank her specially for traveling so far to attend this event. From the 1930s through World War II, the Nazi regime sought to exclude Jewish people from society. In their campaign, they perpetrated systematic genocide driven by their ideology. Policies and directives under the authoritarian Nazi regime resulted in the deaths of approximately 6 million Jews. Millions of others were persecuted, including Romani people, persons with disabilities, the gay community, and anyone who disagreed with Nazi ideology. It is one of the darkest chapters in human history. Many countries, including Taiwan, have enacted anti-massacre legislation, and observe a remembrance day each year. Those occasions help us remember the victims, preserve historical memory, and most importantly, reinforce our resolve to fight against hatred and discrimination. Twenty-three years ago, Chelujan (車路墘) Church in Tainan founded the Taiwan Holocaust Memorial Museum. It is the first Jewish museum in Taiwan, and the second Holocaust museum in Asia. Its founding mission urges us to forget hatred and love one another; put an end to war and advocate peace. Many of the exhibition items come from Jewish people, connecting Taiwan closer with Israel and helping Taiwanese better understand the experiences of Jewish people. In this way, we grow to more deeply cherish peace. When I was mayor of Tainan, I took part in an exhibition event at Chelujan Church. I was also invited by the Israeli government to join the International Mayors Conference in Israel, where I visited the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. I will never forget how deeply that experience moved me, and as a result, peace and human rights became even more important issues for me. These issues are valued by Taiwan and our friends and allies. They are also important links connecting Taiwan with the world. Peace is priceless, and war has no winners. We will continue to expand cooperation with democratic partners and safeguard regional and global peace and stability. We will also continue to make greater contributions and work with the international community to defend democracy, freedom, and human rights. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. However, we still see wars raging around the world. We see a resurgence of authoritarian powers, which could severely impact global democracy, peace, and prosperous development. Today’s event allows for more than reflection on the past; it also serves as a warning for the future. We are reminded of the threats that hatred, prejudice, and extremism pose to humanity. But we are also reminded that morality, democracy, and respect for human rights are powerful forces against violence and tyranny. We must never forget history. We must overcome our differences and join in solidarity for a better future. Let’s work together to ensure that the next generations live in a world that is more just and more peaceful. Also in attendance at the event were Member of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) and Taiwan friendship group Chair Boaz Toporovsky, ISECO Representative Maya Yaron, and German Institute Taipei Deputy Director General Andreas Hofem.

Details
2025-04-23
President Lai pays respects to Pope Francis
On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te visited the Taipei Archdiocesan Curia to pay respects in a memorial ceremony for His Holiness Pope Francis. As officiant of the ceremony, President Lai burned incense and presented flowers, fruits, and wine to pay his respects to Pope Francis. At the direction of the master of ceremonies, the president then bowed three times in front of Pope Francis’s memorial portrait, conveying his grief and deep respect for the late pope. After hearing of Pope Francis’s passing on April 21, President Lai promptly requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express sincere condolences from the people and government of Taiwan to the Vatican. The president also instructed Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) to convey condolences to the Holy See’s Apostolic Nunciature in Taiwan.

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2025-04-23
President Lai meets US CNAS NextGen fellows
On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te met with fellows from the Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Program (NextGen) run by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of the United States for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan over the years, supporting Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its national defense capabilities and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The president pointed out that we will promote our “Taiwan plus one” policy, that is, new arrangements for Taiwan plus the US, and form a “Taiwan investment in the US team” to expand investment and bring about even closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, allowing us to reduce the trade deficit and generate development that benefits both sides. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Ms. Michèle Flournoy, chair of the CNAS Board of Directors, is a good friend of Taiwan, and she has made major contributions to Taiwan-US relations through her long-time efforts on various aspects of our cooperation. I am happy to welcome Chair Flournoy, who is once again leading a NextGen Fellowship delegation to Taiwan. CNAS is a prominent think tank focusing on US national security and defense policy based in Washington, DC. Its NextGen Fellowship has fostered talented individuals in the fields of national security and foreign affairs. This year’s delegation is significantly larger than those of the past, demonstrating the increased importance that the next generation of US leaders attach to Taiwan. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend my sincerest welcome to you all. The Taiwan Strait, an issue of importance for our guests, has become a global issue. There is a high degree of international consensus that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable elements in global security and prosperity. Facing military threats from China, Taiwan proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we are actively implementing military reforms, enhancing whole-of-society defense resilience, and working to increase our defense budget to more than 3 percent of GDP. Second, we are strengthening our economic resilience. As Taiwan’s economy must keep advancing, we can no longer put all our eggs in one basket. We are taking action to remain firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence and marketing worldwide. In these efforts, we are already seeing results. Third, we are standing side-by-side with other democratic countries to demonstrate the strength of deterrence and achieve our goal of peace through strength. And fourth, Taiwan is willing, under the principles of parity and dignity, to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China towards achieving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. This April 10 marked the 46th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act. We thank the US government for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan over the years, supporting Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its national defense capabilities and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to Taiwan and the US continuing to strengthen collaboration on the development of both our defense industries as well as the building of non-red supply chains. This will yield even more results and further deepen our economic and trade partnership. The US is now the main destination for outbound investment from Taiwan. Moving forward, we will promote our “Taiwan plus one” policy, that is, new arrangements for Taiwan plus the US. And our government will form a “Taiwan investment in the US team” to expand investment. We hope this will bring Taiwan-US economic and trade cooperation even closer and, through mutually beneficial assistance, allow us to generate development that benefits both our sides while reducing our trade deficit. In closing, thank you once again for visiting Taiwan. We hope your trip is fruitful and leaves you with a deep impression of Taiwan. We also hope that going forward you continue supporting Taiwan and advancing even greater development for Taiwan-US ties. Chair Flournoy then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for making time to receive their delegation. Referring to President Lai’s earlier remarks, she said that it is quite an impressive group, as past members of this program have gone on to become members of the US Congress, leading government experts, and leaders in the think-tank world and in the private sector. She remarked that investing in this group is a wonderful privilege for her and that they appreciate President Lai’s agreeing to take the time to engage in exchange with them. Chair Flournoy emphasized that they are visiting Taiwan at a critical moment, when there is so much change and volatility in the geostrategic environment, a lot of uncertainty, and a lot of unpredictability. She stated that given our shared values, our shared passion for democracy and human rights, and our shared interests in peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, this is an important time for dialogue, collaboration, and looking for additional opportunities where we can work together towards regional peace and stability.

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2025-04-18
President Lai meets US delegation from Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific
On the afternoon of April 18, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Senator Pete Ricketts, chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy. In remarks, President Lai said we hope to promote our Taiwan plus one policy, that is, new industrial arrangements for Taiwan plus the US, to leverage the strengths of both sides and reinforce our links in such areas as the economy, trade, and technological innovation. The president said that by deepening cooperation, Taiwan and the US will be better positioned to work together on building non-red supply chains. He said a more secure and sustainable economic and trade partnership will allow us to address the challenges posed by geopolitics, climate change, and the restructuring of global supply chains. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome you all to Taiwan. I want to take this opportunity to especially thank Chairman Pete Ricketts and Ranking Member Chris Coons for their high regard and support for Taiwan. Chairman Ricketts has elected to visit Taiwan on his first overseas trip since taking up his new position in January. Ranking Member Coons made a dedicated trip to Taiwan in 2021 to announce a donation of COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of the US government. He also visited last May, soon after my inauguration, continuing to deepen Taiwan-US exchanges. Thanks to support from Chairman Ricketts and Ranking Member Coons, the US Congress has continued to introduce many concrete initiatives and resources to assist Taiwan through the National Defense Authorization Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, bringing the Taiwan-US partnership even closer. For this, I want to again express my gratitude. There has long been bipartisan support in the US Congress for maintaining security in the Taiwan Strait. Faced with China’s persistent political and military intimidation, Taiwan will endeavor to reform national defense and enhance whole-of-society defense resilience. We will also make special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP, up from the current 2.5 percent, so as to enhance Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities. We look forward to Taiwan and the US continuing to work together to maintain peace and stability in the region. We will also promote our Taiwan plus one policy, that is, new industrial arrangements for Taiwan plus the US. We hope to leverage the strengths of both sides and reinforce our links in such areas as the economy, trade, and technological innovation, jointly promoting prosperity and development. We believe that by deepening cooperation through the Taiwan plus one policy, Taiwan and the US will be better positioned to work together on building non-red supply chains. A more secure and sustainable economic and trade partnership will allow us to address the challenges posed by geopolitics, climate change, and the restructuring of global supply chains. In closing, I wish Chairman Ricketts and Ranking Member Coons a smooth and successful visit. Chairman Ricketts then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for his hospitality. He said that he and his delegation have had a wonderful time meeting with government officials, industry representatives, and the team at the American Institute in Taiwan. Highlighting that Taiwan has long been a friend and partner of the US, he said their bipartisan delegation to Taiwan emphasizes long-time bipartisan support in the US Congress for Taiwan, and though administrations change, that bipartisan support remains. Chairman Ricketts stated that the US is committed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and that they want to see peace across the Taiwan Strait. He also stated that the US opposes any unilateral change in the status of Taiwan and that they expect any differences between Taiwan and China to be resolved peacefully without coercion or the threat of force. To that end, he said, the US will continue to assist Taiwan in its self-defense and will also step up by bolstering its own defense capabilities, noting that there is broad consensus on this in the US Congress. Chairman Ricketts stated that they want to see Taiwan participate in international organizations and memberships where appropriate, and encourage Taiwan to reach out to current and past diplomatic allies to strengthen those bilateral relationships. He pointed out that the long economic relationship between the US and Taiwan is important for our as well as the entire world’s security and prosperity. He also noted that there are many opportunities for us to continue to grow the economic relationship that will help create more prosperity for our respective peoples and ensure that we are more secure in the world. Chairman Ricketts emphasized that they made this trip early on in the new US administration to work with Taiwan to develop three points: security, diplomatic relations, and the economy. He stated that in the face of rising aggression from communist China, the US will provide commensurate help to Taiwan in self-defense and that they will continue to provide the services and tools needed. In closing, Chairman Ricketts once again thanked President Lai for the hospitality and said he looks forward to dialogue on how we can continue these relationships. Ranking Member Coons then delivered remarks. Mentioning that their delegation also visited the Philippines on this trip, he said that there and in Taiwan, they have been focused on peace, stability, and security, and the ways for deepening and strengthening economic and security relations. He noted that 46 years ago, the US Senate passed the Taiwan Relations Act, adding that it was strongly bipartisan when enacted and that support for it is still strongly bipartisan today. Its core commitment, he said, is that the US will be engaged and will be a partner in ensuring that any dispute or challenge across the strait will be resolved peacefully, and that Taiwan will have the resources it needs for its self-defense. Ranking Member Coons said that between people, friendships are deepest and most enduring when they are based not just on interests but on values, and that the same is true between the US and Taiwan. Free press, free enterprise, free societies, democracy – these core shared values, he said, anchor our friendship and partnership, making them deeper. He remarked that they are grateful for the significant investment in the US being made by companies from Taiwan, but what anchors our partnership, in addition to these important investments and investments being made by Taiwan in its own security, are the values that mobilize our free-enterprise spirit and our commitment to free societies. In Europe in recent years, Ranking Member Coons said, an aggressive nation has tried to change boundaries and change history by force. He said that the US and dozens of countries committed to freedom have come to the aid of Ukraine to defend it, help it stabilize, and secure its future. So too in this region of the world, he added, the US and a bipartisan group in the US Senate are committed to stable, secure, peaceful relations and to deterring any unilateral effort to change the status quo by force. In closing, he said he is grateful for a chance to return to Taiwan after the pandemic and that he looks forward to our conversation, our partnership, and the important work we have in front of us. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.

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2025-04-17
President Lai meets New Zealand delegation from All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan
On the morning of April 17, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from New Zealand’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan. In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of New Zealand for reiterating the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait on multiple occasions since last year. He also stated that this year, the Taiwan-New Zealand economic cooperation agreement (ANZTEC) is being implemented in its complete form. The president expressed hope that deeper collaboration in such fields as smart agriculture, food manufacturing, biomedicine, the digital economy, and clean energy, as well as exchanges among our indigenous peoples, will allow our economies and industries to continue evolving as they adapt to the challenges arising from global changes. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I extend a warm welcome to all of our guests. New Zealand’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan was established in 2023, marking a significant milestone in the deepening of Taiwan-New Zealand relations. I would like to thank Members of Parliament Stuart Smith and Tangi Utikere for leading this delegation, and thank all our guests for demonstrating support for Taiwan through action. We currently face a rapidly changing international landscape. Authoritarian regimes continue to converge and expand. Democracies must actively cooperate and jointly safeguard peace, stability, and the prosperous development of the Indo-Pacific region. Since last year, the government of New Zealand has on multiple occasions reiterated the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for these statements and demonstrations of support. This year, ANZTEC is being implemented in its complete form. We look forward to exploring even more diverse markets with New Zealand. Deeper collaboration in such fields as smart agriculture, food manufacturing, biomedicine, the digital economy, and clean energy, as well as exchanges among indigenous peoples, will allow our economies and industries to continue evolving as they adapt to the challenges arising from global changes. Taiwan and New Zealand share the universal values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights, and parliamentary diplomacy is a tradition practiced by democracies around the world. Looking ahead, our parliamentary exchanges and mutual visits are bound to become more frequent. This will enable us to explore even more opportunities for cooperation and further deepen and solidify the democratic partnership between Taiwan and New Zealand. Thank you once again for making the long journey to visit us. I wish you a fruitful and successful trip. I also hope that everyone can take time to see more of Taiwan, try our local cuisine, and learn more about our culture. I hope our guests will fall in love with Taiwan. MP Smith then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great pleasure and an honor to be received by President Lai. The MP, noting that President Lai already covered many of the points he planned to make, went on to say that New Zealand and Taiwan share many values. He indicated that both are trading nations that rely on easy access for imports and exports, and that is why freedom of navigation is so important. That is why New Zealand had a naval vessel sail through the Taiwan Strait, he said, to underline the importance of freedom of navigation and our mutual security. MP Smith said that they look forward to building stronger relationships and enhancing the trade between our two nations. He added that New Zealand has much to offer in the field of geothermal energy to assist Taiwan, and mentioned that New Zealand is third largest in terms of the number of rocket launchers for satellites, which could assist Taiwan with communications in the future. New Zealand has other products as well, he said, but looks for assistance from Taiwan’s technology and technological sector. Lastly, MP Smith stated that he looks forward to a long and prosperous relationship between Taiwan and New Zealand. MP Utikere then delivered remarks, indicating that like Taiwan, New Zealand is a nation that is surrounded by ocean, which means that they rely on strong partnerships with communities of interest all around the globe. He said that the all-party parliamentary friendship group that was established and that they are a part of goes a long way in ensuring that a secure relationship between our two parliaments can continue to prosper. The MP also thanked Taiwan’s Representative to New Zealand Joanne Ou (歐江安) and her team for their work, which has ensured the success of the delegation’s visit. He said that the delegation experienced meetings with ministers in Taiwan’s government, members of the legislature, and those from the non-government organization sector as well. He also said that they enjoyed the opportunity to visit Wulai, and that the strength of the connections between the indigenous peoples of Taiwan and the indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand is something that certainly landed with members of the delegation. MP Utikere noted that he will take up President Lai’s offer on experiencing more of Taiwan, and will spend a few extra days in Tainan, which he understands has a very special place in the president’s heart, adding that he looks forward to his time and experiences there. The MP concluded his remarks by saying that this will be a relationship that continues to go from strength to strength. After their remarks, the New Zealand delegation sang the Māori song “Tutira Mai Nga Iwi” to extend best wishes to Taiwan. Also in attendance at the meeting were New Zealand Members of Parliament Jamie Arbuckle, Greg Fleming, Hamish Campbell, Cameron Luxton, and Helen White.

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2025-04-06
President Lai delivers remarks on US tariff policy response
On April 6, President Lai Ching-te delivered recorded remarks regarding the impact of the 32 percent tariff that the United States government recently imposed on imports from Taiwan in the name of reciprocity. In his remarks, President Lai explained that the government will adopt five response strategies, including making every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations, adopting a support plan for affected domestic industries, adopting medium- and long-term economic development plans, forming new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements, and launching industry listening tours. The president emphasized that as we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and expressed hope that all parties, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: My fellow citizens, good evening. The US government recently announced higher tariffs on countries around the world in the name of reciprocity, including imposing a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan. This is bound to have a major impact on our nation. Various countries have already responded, and some have even adopted retaliatory measures. Tremendous changes in the global economy are expected. Taiwan is an export-led economy, and in facing future challenges there will inevitably be difficulties, so we must proceed carefully to turn danger into safety. During this time, I want to express gratitude to all sectors of society for providing valuable opinions, which the government regards highly, and will use as a reference to make policy decisions. However, if we calmly and carefully analyze Taiwan’s trade with the US, we find that last year Taiwan’s exports to the US were valued at US$111.4 billion, accounting for 23.4 percent of total export value, with the other 75-plus percent of products sold worldwide to countries other than the US. Of products sold to the US, competitive ICT products and electronic components accounted for 65.4 percent. This shows that Taiwan’s economy does still have considerable resilience. As long as our response strategies are appropriate, and the public and private sectors join forces, we can reduce impacts. Please do not panic. To address the reciprocal tariffs by the US, Taiwan has no plans to adopt retaliatory tariffs. There will be no change in corporate investment commitments to the US, as long as they are consistent with national interests. But we must ensure the US clearly understands Taiwan’s contributions to US economic development. More importantly, we must actively seek to understand changes in the global economic situation, strengthen Taiwan-US industry cooperation, elevate the status of Taiwan industries in global supply chains, and with safeguarding the continued development of Taiwan’s economy as our goal, adopt the following five strategies to respond. Strategy one: Make every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations using the following five methods: 1. Taiwan has already formed a negotiation team led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君). The team includes members from the National Security Council, the Office of Trade Negotiations, and relevant Executive Yuan ministries and agencies, as well as academia and industry. Like the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, negotiations on tariffs can start from Taiwan-US bilateral zero-tariff treatment. 2. To expand purchases from the US and thereby reduce the trade deficit, the Executive Yuan has already completed an inventory regarding large-scale procurement plans for agricultural, industrial, petroleum, and natural gas products, and the Ministry of National Defense has also proposed a military procurement list. All procurement plans will be actively pursued. 3. Expand investments in the US. Taiwan’s cumulative investment in the US already exceeds US$100 billion, creating approximately 400,000 jobs. In the future, in addition to increased investment in the US by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, other industries such as electronics, ICT, petrochemicals, and natural gas can all increase their US investments, deepening Taiwan-US industry cooperation. Taiwan’s government has helped form a “Taiwan investment in the US” team, and hopes that the US will reciprocate by forming a “US investment in Taiwan” team to bring about closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, jointly creating a future economic golden age. 4. We must eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade. Non-tariff barriers are an indicator by which the US assesses whether a trading partner is trading fairly with the US. Therefore, we will proactively resolve longstanding non-tariff barriers so that negotiations can proceed more smoothly. 5. We must resolve two issues that have been matters of longstanding concern to the US. One regards high-tech export controls, and the other regards illegal transshipment of dumped goods, otherwise referred to as “origin washing.” Strategy two: We must adopt a plan for supporting our industries. For industries that will be affected by the tariffs, and especially traditional industries as well as micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, we will provide timely and needed support and assistance. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and his administrative team recently announced a package of 20 specific measures designed to address nine areas. Moving forward, the support we provide to different industries will depend on how they are affected by the tariffs, will take into account the particular features of each industry, and will help each industry innovate, upgrade, and transform. Strategy three: We must adopt medium- and long-term economic development plans. At this point in time, our government must simultaneously adopt new strategies for economic and industrial development. This is also the fundamental path to solutions for future economic challenges. The government will proactively cooperate with friends and allies, develop a diverse range of markets, and achieve closer integration of entities in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of industrial supply chains. This course of action will make Taiwan’s industrial ecosystem more complete, and will help Taiwanese industries upgrade and transform. We must also make good use of the competitive advantages we possess in such areas as semiconductor manufacturing, integrated chip design, ICT, and smart manufacturing to build Taiwan into an AI island, and promote relevant applications for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, as well as military, security and surveillance, next-generation communications, and the medical and health and wellness industries as we advance toward a smarter, more sustainable, and more prosperous new Taiwan. Strategy four: “Taiwan plus one,” i.e., new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements: While staying firmly rooted in Taiwan, our enterprises are expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. This has been our national economic development strategy, and the most important aspect is maintaining a solid base here in Taiwan. We absolutely must maintain a solid footing, and cannot allow the present strife to cause us to waver. Therefore, our government will incentivize investments, carry out deregulation, and continue to improve Taiwan’s investment climate by actively resolving problems involving access to water, electricity, land, human resources, and professional talent. This will enable corporations to stay in Taiwan and continue investing here. In addition, we must also help the overseas manufacturing facilities of offshore Taiwanese businesses to make necessary adjustments to support our “Taiwan plus one” policy, in that our national economic development strategy will be adjusted as follows: to stay firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence, strengthening US ties, and marketing worldwide. We intend to make use of the new state of supply chains to strengthen cooperation between Taiwanese and US industries, and gain further access to US markets. Strategy five: Launch industry listening tours: All industrial firms, regardless of sector or size, will be affected to some degree once the US reciprocal tariffs go into effect. The administrative teams led by myself and Premier Cho will hear out industry concerns so that we can quickly resolve problems and make sure policies meet actual needs. My fellow citizens, over the past half-century and more, Taiwan has been through two energy crises, the Asian financial crisis, the global financial crisis, and pandemics. We have been able to not only withstand one test after another, but even turn crises into opportunities. The Taiwanese economy has emerged from these crises stronger and more resilient than ever. As we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and I hope that all parties in the legislature, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. Let us join together and give it our all. Thank you.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Piero Cipollone: Navigating a fractured horizon: risks and policy options in a fragmenting world

Source: European Central Bank

Speech by Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the conference on “Policy challenges in a fragmenting world: Global trade, exchange rates, and capital flow” organised by the Bank for International Settlements, the Bank of England, the ECB and the International Monetary Fund

Frankfurt am Main, 29 April 2025

I’m honoured to welcome you to this conference, jointly organised by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the Bank of England, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).^[1]

Today, we come together to discuss the urgent challenges posed by global fragmentation – a growing risk to our interconnected world. Earlier this month, the President of the United States announced tariff hikes, sending shockwaves through the global economy – a stark reminder that the fractures we face are no longer hypothetical, but real.

This announcement is but the latest chapter in a series of four major shocks that have been reshaping our world in recent years.

First, since 2018 the intensifying power struggle between the United States and China has led to tit-for-tat tariffs affecting nearly two-thirds of the trade between these two economic giants. Second, starting in 2020, the pandemic caused unprecedented disruptions to supply chains, which prompted a re-evaluation of the balance between global integration and resilience. Third, in 2022 Russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine not only triggered an energy crisis but also deepened a geopolitical divide that continues to have worldwide repercussions. And fourth, we are now facing the rising risk of economic fragmentation within the western bloc itself, as new trade barriers threaten long-standing international partnerships.

The data paint a sobering picture. Geopolitical risk levels have surged to 50% above the post-global financial crisis average, and uncertainty surrounding trade policy has risen to more than eight times its average since 2021.^[2] What we are experiencing is not merely a temporary disruption – it is a profound shift in how nations interact economically, financially and diplomatically. So, it does not come as a surprise that financial markets have experienced considerable volatility in recent weeks. It remains to be seen if, for markets to find a stable equilibrium, it will be enough to step back from the current international economic disorder towards a more stable, predictable and reliable trading system – a development that appears elusive in the short term. Against this backdrop, recent moves in exchange rates, bond yields and equities, suggest that US markets have not been playing their usual role as a safe haven in this particular episode of stress. This potentially has far-reaching longer-term implications for capital flows and the international financial system.

Today I will focus on three key points. First, we are seeing increasing signs of fragmentation becoming visible across the economy and financial system. Second, the implications of this accelerating fragmentation could extend far beyond the immediate disruptions, with consequences for growth, stability and prosperity. Third, in this evolving economic landscape, central banks must adapt their approaches yet retain a steadfast focus on their core mandates, while striving to preserve international cooperation.

The emerging reality of fragmentation

Let me begin by addressing a common belief – still held by many until recently – that, despite rising geopolitical tensions, globalisation appears largely resilient. Headline figures in trade and cross-border investment, for example, do indeed appear to support this belief. In 2024 world trade expanded to a record USD 33 trillion – up 3.7% from 2023. Similarly, the global stock of foreign direct investment reached an unprecedented USD 41 trillion.^[3] However, these surface-level indicators may not reflect the underlying realities, creating a misleading sense of stability when important changes are already underway. In reality, fragmentation is already happening in both the global economy and the financial system.

Fragmentation of the real economy

Fragmentation is most evident in rebalancing trade, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions. Take, for instance, the escalating US-China trade tensions that have been intensifying since 2018. Studies show the impact of geopolitical distance on trade has become notably negative. A doubling of geopolitical distance between countries – akin to moving from the position of Germany to that of India in relation to the United States – decreases bilateral trade flows by approximately 20%.^[4]

The series of shocks to the global economy in recent years have also contributed to this fragmentation. According to gravity model estimates, trade between geopolitically distant blocs has significantly declined. Trade between rivals is about 4% lower than it might have been without the heightened tensions post-2017, while trade between friends is approximately 6% higher.^[5] Global value chains are being reconfigured as companies respond to these new realities. In 2023 surveys already indicated that only about a quarter of leading firms operating in the euro area^[6] that sourced critical inputs from countries considered subject to elevated risk had not developed strategies to reduce their exposure.^[7]

However, these shifting trade patterns have not yet been reflected in overall global trade flows. Non-aligned countries have played a crucial role as intermediaries, or connectors, helping to sustain global trade levels even as direct trade between rival blocs declines.^[8] But this stabilising influence is unlikely to endure as trade fragmentation deepens and geopolitical alliances continue to shift.

The tariffs announced by the US Administration are far-reaching and affect a substantial share of global trade flows. The effects on the real economy are likely to be material. In its World Economic Outlook, published last week, the International Monetary Fund revised down global growth projections for 2025-26 by a cumulative 0.8 percentage points and global trade by a cumulative 2.3 percentage points.^[9] This notably reflects a negative hit from tariffs that ranges between 0.4% to 1% of world GDP by 2027.^[10] In particular, IMF growth projections for the United States have been revised down by a cumulative 1.3 percentage points in 2025-26. The cumulative impact on euro area growth is smaller, at 0.4 percentage points.

Financial fragmentation

The fragmentation we are witnessing in global trade is mirrored in the financial sector, where geopolitical tensions are also reshaping the landscape.

In recent years, global foreign direct investment flows have increasingly aligned with geopolitical divides. Foreign direct investment in new ventures has plunged by nearly two-thirds between countries from different geopolitical blocs. However, strong intra-bloc investments have helped sustain overall foreign direct investment levels globally, masking some of the fragmentation occurring beneath the surface.^[11]

But, as with trade flows, this dynamic is unlikely to persist as geopolitical tensions grow within established economic blocs. For instance, increased geopolitical distance is shown to curtail cross-border lending. A two standard deviation rise in geopolitical distance – akin to moving from the position of France to that of Pakistan in relation to Germany – leads to a reduction of 3 percentage points in cross-border bank lending.^[12]

The impact of fragmentation in global financial infrastructure is perhaps even more revealing. Since 2014 correspondent banking relationships – crucial for facilitating trade flows across countries – have declined by 20%. While other factors – such as a wave of concentration in the banking industry, technological disruptions and profitability considerations – have played a role^[13], the contribution of the geopolitical dimension can hardly be overstated. The repercussions of this decline can be profound. Research shows that when correspondent banking relationships are severed in a specific corridor, a firm’s likelihood of continuing to export between the two countries of that corridor falls by about 5 percentage points in the short term, and by about 20 percentage points after four years.^[14]

Contributing to this trend, countries such as China, Russia and Iran have launched multiple initiatives to develop alternatives to established networks such as SWIFT, raising the possibility of a fragmented global payment system.^[15] Geopolitical alignment now exerts a stronger influence than trade relationships or technical standards in connecting payment systems between countries.^[16] This poses risks of regional networks becoming more unstable, increased trade costs and settlement times, and reduced risk sharing across countries.

Additionally, we are witnessing a noticeable shift away from traditional reserve currencies, with growing interest in holding gold. Central banks purchased more than 1,000 tonnes of gold in 2024, almost double the level of the previous decade, with China being the largest purchaser, at over 225 tonnes. At market valuations, the share of gold in global official reserves has increased, reaching 20% in 2024, while that of the US dollar has decreased. Survey data suggest that two-thirds of central banks invested in gold to diversify, 40% to protect against geopolitical risk and 18% because of the uncertainty over the future of the international monetary system.^[17] There are further signs that geopolitical considerations increasingly influence decisions to invest in gold. The negative correlation of gold prices with real yields has broken down since 2022, a phenomenon we have also observed in recent weeks. This suggests that gold prices have been influenced by more than simply the use of gold to hedge against inflation. Moreover, countries geopolitically close to China and Russia have seen more pronounced increases in the share of gold in official foreign reserves since the last quarter of 2021.

The looming consequences of fragmentation

Accelerating fragmentation is resulting in the immediate disruptions we are now seeing, but this is likely to only be the beginning – potentially profound medium and long-term consequences for growth, stability and prosperity can be expected.

Medium-term impacts

The initial consequences of fragmentation are already evident in the form of increased uncertainty. In particular, trade policy uncertainty has led to a broader rise in global economic policy instability, which is stifling investment and dampening consumption. Our research suggests that the recent increase in trade policy uncertainty could reduce euro area business investment by 1.1% in the first year and real GDP growth by around 0.2 percentage points in 2025-26^[18]. Consumer sentiment is also under strain, with the ECB’s Consumer Expectations Survey revealing that rising geopolitical risks are leading to more pessimistic expectations, higher income uncertainty and ultimately a lower willingness to spend.^[19] Moreover, ECB staff estimates suggest that the observed increase in financial market volatility might imply lower GDP growth of about 0.2 percentage points in 2025.

Over the medium term, tariffs are set to have an unambiguously recessionary effect, both for countries imposing restrictions and those receiving them. The costs are particularly high when exchange rates fail to absorb tariff shocks, and some evidence suggests exchange rates have become less effective in this role.^[20]

The Eurosystem’s analysis of potential fragmentation scenarios suggests that such trade disruptions could turn out to be significant. In the case of a mild decoupling between the western (United States-centric) and the eastern (China-centric) bloc, where trade between East and West reverts to the level observed in the mid-1990s, global output could drop by close to 2%.^[21] In the more extreme case of a severe decoupling – essentially a halt to trade flows – between the two blocs, global output could drop by up to 9%. Trade-dependent nations would bear the brunt of these trade shocks, with China potentially suffering losses of between 5% and 20%, and the EU seeing declines ranging from 2.4% to 9.5% in the mild and severe decoupling scenarios respectively. The analysis also shows that the United States would be more significantly affected if it imposed additional trade restrictions against western and neutral economies – with real GDP losses of almost 11% in the severe decoupling scenario – whereas EU losses would increase only slightly in such a case.^[22]

The inflationary effects of trade fragmentation are more uncertain. They depend mainly on the response of exchange rates, firms’ markups and wages. Moreover, they are not distributed equally. While higher import costs and the ensuing price pressures are likely to drive up inflation in the countries raising tariffs, the impact is more ambiguous in other countries as a result of the tariffs’ global recessionary effects, which push down demand and commodity prices, as well as of the possible dumping of exports from countries with overcapacity. The short to medium-term effects may even prove disinflationary for the euro area, where real rates have increased and the euro has appreciated following US tariff announcements.

In fact, a key feature of most model-based assessments is that higher US tariffs lead to a depreciation of currencies against the US dollar, moderating the inflationary effect for the United States and amplifying it for other countries. But so far we have seen the opposite: the risk-off sentiment in response to US tariff announcements and economic policy uncertainty have led to capital flows away from the United States, depreciating the dollar and putting upward pressure on US bond yields. Conversely, the euro area benefited from safe haven flows, with the euro appreciating and nominal bond yields decreasing.

Long-term structural changes

The long-term consequences of economic fragmentation are inherently difficult to predict, but by drawing on historical examples and recognising emerging trends, it’s clear that we are on the verge of significant structural changes. Two areas stand out.

The first one is structurally lower growth. On this point, international economic literature has reached an overwhelming consensus.^[23] Quantitatively, point estimates might vary. For example, research of 151 countries spanning more than five decades of the 20th century reveals that higher tariffs have typically led to lower economic growth. This is largely due to key production factors – labour and capital – being redirected into less productive sectors.^[24]

However, data from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period which tariff supporters often look back to, seem to tell a different story. At that time, trade barriers across countries were high – the US effective tariff rate, for example, reached almost 60%, twice as high as after the 2 April tariffs. And sometimes countries imposing higher trade barriers enjoyed higher growth, which may provide motivation for current policymakers’ trade tariff policies. But these episodes need to be read in historical context. Before 1913, tariffs mostly shielded manufacturing, a high-productivity sector at the time, attracting labour from other, less productive sectors, like agriculture. Therefore, their negative effects were mitigated by the expansion of industries at the frontier of technological innovation. Moreover, the interwar years offer further nuance – the Smoot-Hawley tariffs of the 1930s had relatively limited direct effects on US growth, mainly because trade accounted for just 5% of the economy.

But today’s tariffs are unlikely to replicate the positive effects seen in the 19th century. Instead, they risk creating the same inefficiencies observed in the course of the 20th century, by diverting resources from high-productivity sectors to lower-productivity ones. This contractionary effect could lead to persistently lower global growth rates. In fact, the abolition of trade barriers within the EU and the international efforts towards lower trade barriers in the second half of the 20th century were a direct response to the economic and political impact of protectionism,^[25] which had played a key role in worsening and prolonging the Great Depression^[26] and had contributed to the formation of competing blocs in the run-up to the Second World War.^[27]

The second long-term shift driven by fragmentation might be the gradual transition from a US-dominated, global system to a more multipolar one, where multiple currencies compete for reserve status. For example, if the long-term implications of higher tariffs materialise, notably in the form of higher inflation, slower growth and higher US debt, this could undermine confidence in the US dollar’s dominant role in international trade and finance.^[28] Combined with a further disengagement from global geopolitical affairs and military alliances, this could, over time, undermine the “exorbitant privilege” enjoyed by the United States, resulting in higher interest rates domestically.^[29]

Moreover, as alternative payment systems gain traction, regional currencies may start to emerge as reserves within their respective blocs. This could be accompanied by the rise of competing payment systems, further fragmenting global financial flows and international trade. Such shifts would increase transaction costs and erode the capacity of countries to share risks on a global scale, making the world economy more fragmented and less efficient.

The central bank’s role in a fragmented world

So, as these tectonic shifts reshape the global economic landscape, central banks must adapt their approaches while remaining steadfast in their core mandates. The challenges posed by fragmentation require a delicate balance between confronting new realities and working to preserve the benefits of an integrated global economy. In order to navigate the present age of fragmentation, it is necessary to take action in four key areas.

First, central banks must focus on understanding and monitoring fragmentation. Traditional macroeconomic models often assume seamless global integration and may not fully capture the dynamics of a fragmenting world. Enhanced analytical frameworks that incorporate geopolitical factors and how businesses adjust to these risks will be essential for accurate forecasting and effective policy formulation. The Eurosystem is reflecting on these issues.

Second, monetary policy must adapt to the new nature of supply shocks generated by fragmentation. The effects of the greater frequency, size and more persistent nature of fragmentation-induced shocks and their incidence on prices require a careful calibration of our monetary responses. In this respect, our communication needs to acknowledge the uncertainty and trade-offs we face while giving a clear sense of how we will react depending on the incoming data. This can be done by making use of scenario analysis and providing clarity about our reaction function, as emphasised recently by President Lagarde.^[30]

Third, instead of building walls, we must forge unity. Even as political winds shift, central banks should strengthen international cooperation where possible. Through forums such as those provided by the BIS and the Financial Stability Board, we can keep open channels of cooperation that transcend borders. Our work on cross-border payments stands as proof of this commitment in line with the G20 Roadmap^[31]. The ECB is pioneering a cross-currency settlement service through TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) – initially linking the euro, the Swedish krona and the Danish krone. We are exploring connections between TIPS and other fast-payment systems globally, both bilaterally and on the basis of a multilateral network such as the BIS’ Project Nexus.^[32]

And fourth, central banks must enhance their capacity to address financial stability risks arising from fragmentation. The potential for sudden stops in capital flows, payment disruptions and volatility in currency markets requires robust contingency planning and crisis management frameworks. Global financial interlinkages and spillovers highlight the importance of preserving and further reinforcing the global financial safety net so that we can swiftly and effectively address financial stress, which is more likely to emerge in a fragmenting world.^[33]

In fact, the lesson from the 1930s is that international coordination is key to avoiding protectionist snowball effects, where tit-for-tat trade barriers multiply as each country seeks to direct spending to merchandise produced at home rather than abroad.^[34] In order to avoid this, the G20 countries committed to preserving open trade could call an international trade conference to avoid beggar-thy-neighbour policies^[35] and instead agree on other measures, such as macroeconomic policies that can support the global economy in this period of uncertainty and contribute to reduce global imbalances.

Let me finally emphasise that the current situation also has important implications for the euro area. If the EU upholds its status as a reliable partner that defends trade openness, investor protection, the rule of law and central bank independence, the euro has the potential to play the role of a global public good. This requires a deep, trusted market for internationally accepted euro debt securities. That is why policy efforts to integrate and deepen European capital markets must go hand in hand with efforts to issue European safe assets.^[36]

Conclusion

Let me conclude.

As we stand at this crossroads of global fragmentation, we must confront an uncomfortable truth: we are drifting toward a fractured economic and financial landscape where trust is eroded and alliances are strained.

Central banks now face a double challenge: to be an anchor of stability in turbulent economic waters while reimagining their role in a world where multiple economic blocs are forming. The question is not whether we adapt, but how we mitigate the costs of fragmentation without sacrificing the potential of global integration.

Our greatest risk lies not in the shocks we anticipate, but in the alliances we neglect, the innovations we overlook and the common ground we fail to find. The future of global prosperity hinges on our ability to use fragmentation as a catalyst to reinvent the common good.

MIL OSI Europe News –

April 29, 2025

MIL-OSI: VAALCO Schedules First Quarter 2025 Earnings Release and Conference Call

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

HOUSTON, April 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — VAALCO Energy, Inc. (NYSE: EGY; LSE: EGY) (“Vaalco” or the “Company”) today announced the timing of its first quarter 2025 earnings release and conference call.

The Company will issue its first quarter 2025 earnings release on Thursday, May 8, 2025 after the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange and host a conference call to discuss its financial and operational results on Friday morning, May 9, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. Central Time (10:00 a.m. Eastern Time and 3:00 p.m. London Time.)

Interested parties in the United States may participate toll-free by dialing (833) 685-0907. Interested parties in the United Kingdom may participate toll-free by dialing 08082389064. Other international parties may dial (412) 317-5741. Participants should ask to be joined to the “Vaalco Energy Earnings Conference Call.” This call will also be webcast on VAALCO’s website at www.vaalco.com. An audio replay will be available on the Company’s website following the call.

About Vaalco

Vaalco, founded in 1985 and incorporated under the laws of Delaware, is a Houston, Texas, USA based, independent energy company with a diverse portfolio of production, development and exploration assets across Gabon, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria and Canada.

For Further Information


Vaalco Energy, Inc. (General and Investor Enquiries)	+00 1 713 543 3422
Website:	www.vaalco.com

Al Petrie Advisors (US Investor Relations)	+00 1 713 543 3422
Al Petrie / Chris Delange

Buchanan (UK Financial PR)	+44 (0) 207 466 5000
Ben Romney / Barry Archer	Vaalco@buchanan.uk.com

The MIL Network –

April 29, 2025

MIL-Evening Report: Tarakinikini appointed as Fiji’s ambassador-designate to Israel

By Anish Chand in Suva

Filipo Tarakinikini has been appointed as Fiji’s Ambassador-designate to Israel.

This has been stated on two official X, formerly Twitter, handle posts overnight.

“#Fiji is determined to deepen its relations with #Israel as Fiji’s Ambassador-designate to Israel, HE Ambassador @AFTarakinikini prepares to present his credentials on 28 April, 2025,” stated the Fiji at UN twitter account.

Tarakinikini is also Fiji’s current Ambassador to the United Nations.

In a separate post, Deputy Director-General Eynat Shlein of Israel’s international development cooperation agency said she was “honoured” to meet Tarakinikini.

“We discussed the vast cooperation opportunities, promoting & enhancing sustainable development, emphasizing investment in capacity building & human capital,” she said on X.

Fiji is only the seventh country in the world to open an embassy in Israel.

Republished from The Fiji Times with permission.

Centre of controversy
Pacific Media Watch reports that Lieutenant-Colonel Tarakinikini was at the centre of controversy in Fiji in 2005 when he was declared a “deserter” by the Fiji military.

However, from 1979 to 2002, he served in the Fiji Military Forces, including eight years in United Nations peacekeeping missions, among them, south Lebanon and the Multinational Force in Sinai, Egypt.

Great honor to have have this timely briefing @EynatShlein, Ambassador Roi @IsraelMFA #Fiji is determined to deepen its relations with #Israel as Fiji’s Ambassador-designate to Israel, HE Ambassador @AFTarakinikini prepares to present his credentials on 28 April, 2025 🇮🇱 🤝 🇫🇯… https://t.co/mGPKjYM5Qc

— Fiji at the UN🇫🇯 (@FijiMissionUN) April 27, 2025

Beginning in 2003, he was the UN Department for Security and Safety’s (UNDSS) Chief Security Adviser in Jerusalem, as well as in Kathmandu, Nepal, from 2006 to 2008.

From 2008 to 2018, he served in numerous United Nations integrated assessment missions, programme working groups, restructuring and redeployments and technical assessment missions.

‘Weapons of war’
Yesterday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) began week-long hearings at The Hague into global accusations of Israel using starvation and humanitarian aid as “weapons of war” and failing to meet its obligations to the Palestinian people in Gaza as the occupying power in its genocidal war on the besieged enclave.

Forty countries are expected to give evidence.

The ICJ has been tasked by the UN with providing an advisory opinion “on a priority basis and with the utmost urgency”.

Although the ICJ judges’ opinion is not binding, it provides clarity on legal questions.

In January 2024, the ICJ ruled that Israel must take “all measures” to prevent a genocide in Gaza.

Then in June, it said in an advisory opinion that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza was illegal.

Both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant are wanted on arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Rosanna Law meets UAE sports chief

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law yesterday met Emirati officials and attended Arabian Travel Market 2025, a trade show, as she began a visit to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

In the morning, Miss Law met the UAE’s Minister of Sports HE Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi. The two discussed the development of Hong Kong and the UAE as global hubs for major international sporting events, professionalising the sports industry in both places, leveraging sports as a key economic driver, and fostering unity in society through sports participation.

Miss Law spoke of Hong Kong’s commitment to nurturing elite sports talent by providing comprehensive support and professional training. She also highlighted the city’s vibrant horse racing culture. HE Al Falasi outlined the policies being implemented to develop sports in the UAE.

Miss Law also extended an invitation to the minister to visit Hong Kong to explore further opportunities for sports co-operation.

After the meeting, Miss Law paid a courtesy call on Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai Ou Boqian. She reported on the Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau’s recent work and outlined plans to foster collaboration between Hong Kong and the Middle East.

In the afternoon, Miss Law attended Arabian Travel Market 2025, a leading international event for the Middle East’s hospitality industry.

At the expo, she witnessed the signing of two memoranda of understanding at the Hong Kong Pavilion between the Hong Kong Tourism Board and two major travel agents in the Middle East, aimed at establishing a framework for future co-operation.

Additionally, she met senior management from two airlines, Qatar Airways and Emirates, to discuss strengthening partnerships to promote Hong Kong as a premier travel destination for Middle East markets.

In the evening, a dinner reception was co-hosted by the bureau, the Hong Kong Tourism Board and the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Dubai, with around 70 guests attending.

In her opening remarks, Miss Law described Hong Kong’s multifaceted tourism offerings, which she said can cater to visitors of all ages and interests. She also pointed to the new Kai Tak Sports Park as an exciting development that will host world-class sports and entertainment events.

In addition, Miss Law underscored Hong Kong’s commitment to becoming a Muslim-friendly destination, and reiterated the city’s eagerness to deepen ties with the Middle East, not only by welcoming visitors from the region but also by encouraging more Hong Kong people to explore the Middle East for both leisure and business purposes.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Amnesty International warns of global human rights crisis as ‘Trump effect’ accelerates destructive trends
Source: Amnesty International

Annual report highlights the creep of authoritarian practices and vicious clampdowns on dissent around the world

President Trump’s first 100 days intensify 2024’s global regressions and deep-rooted trends

Global failures in addressing inequalities, climate collapse, and tech transformations imperil future generations

The rise of authoritarian practices and annihilation of international law are not inevitable: people do and will resist attacks on human rights; governments can deliver international justice and must continue to do so.

The Trump administration’s anti-rights campaign is turbocharging harmful trends already present, gutting international human rights protections and endangering billions across the planet, Amnesty International warned today upon launching its annual report, The State of the World’s Human Rights.

This “Trump effect” has compounded the damage done by other world leaders throughout 2024, eating away at decades of painstaking work to build up and advance universal human rights for all and accelerating humanity’s plunge into a brutal new era characterized by intermingling authoritarian practices and corporate greed, Amnesty International said in its assessment of the situation in 150 countries.

“Year after year, we have warned of the dangers of human rights backsliding. But events of the past 12 months – not least Israel’s livestreamed but unheeded genocide of Palestinians in Gaza – have laid bare just how hellish the world can be for so many when the most powerful states jettison international law and disregard multilateral institutions. At this historical juncture, when authoritarian laws and practices are multiplying the world over in the interests of very few, governments and civil society must work with urgency to lead humanity back to safer ground,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

The State of the World’s Human Rights documents vicious, widespread clampdowns on dissent, catastrophic escalations of armed conflict, inadequate efforts to address climate collapse, and a growing backlash globally against the rights of migrants, refugees, women, girls and LGBTI people. Each of these faces further deterioration in a turbulent 2025 unless a global about-turn is achieved.

“One hundred days into his second term, President Trump has shown only utter contempt for universal human rights. His government has swiftly and deliberately targeted vital US and international institutions and initiatives that were designed to make ours a safer and fairer world. His all-out assault on the very concepts of multilateralism, asylum, racial and gender justice, global health and life-saving climate action is exacerbating the significant damage those principles and institutions have already sustained and is further emboldening other anti-rights leaders and movements to join his onslaught,” Agnès Callamard added.

“But let us be clear: this sickness runs much deeper than the actions of President Trump. For years now, we’ve witnessed a creeping spread of authoritarian practices among states the world over, fostered by aspiring and elected leaders willingly acting as engines of destruction. As they drag us into a new age of turmoil and cruelty, all who believe in freedom and equality must steel ourselves to counter increasingly extreme attacks on international law and universal human rights.”

The proliferation of authoritarian laws, policies and practices targeting freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly that Amnesty International documented in 2024 was central to the global backlash against human rights. Governments across the world sought to evade accountability, entrench their power and instil fear by banning media outlets, by disbanding or suspending NGOs and political parties, by imprisoning critics on baseless charges of “terrorism” or “extremism”, and by criminalizing human rights defenders, climate activists, Gaza solidarity protesters and other dissenters.

Security forces in several countries used mass arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and often excessive – sometimes lethal – force to suppress civil disobedience. Bangladeshi authorities issued “shoot-on-sight” orders against student protests, resulting in almost 1,000 deaths, while security forces in Mozambique unleashed the worst crackdown on protests in years following disputed elections, leaving at least 277 people dead.

Türkiye imposed blanket bans on protests and continues to use unlawful and indiscriminate force against peaceful demonstrators, but people power prevailed in South Korea when president Yoon Suk Yeol suspended certain human rights and declared martial law, only to be removed from office and see those measures overturned after massive public protests.

Armed conflicts highlight repeated failures

As conflicts multiplied or escalated, state forces and armed groups acted brazenly, committing war crimes and other serious violations of international humanitarian law that devastated the lives of millions.

Amnesty International documented Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza in a landmark reportand its system of apartheid and unlawful occupation in the West Bank turned increasingly violent. Meanwhile, Russia killed more Ukrainian civilians in 2024 than it did the year before, continuing to target civilian infrastructure and subjecting detainees to torture and enforced disappearance.

Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces inflicted widespread sexual violence on women and girls, in what amounts to war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, while the number of people internally displaced by Sudan’s two-year civil war rose to 11 million – more than anywhere else on earth. Yet that conflict elicited near-total global indifference – aside from cynical actors exploiting opportunities to breach the Darfur arms embargo.

The Rohingya continued to face racist attacks in Myanmar, causing many to flee their homes in Rakhine state. The Trump administration’s massive foreign aid cuts have since aggravated the situation, causing the closure of hospitals in refugee camps in neighbouring Thailand, exposing fleeing human rights defenders to risk of deportation and imperilling programmes helping people survive the conflict.

The initial suspension of US foreign aid also impacted health services and support for children forcibly separated from their families at detention camps in Syria, and the abrupt cuts have shut down lifesaving programmes in Yemen, including malnutrition treatment for children, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, safe shelters for survivors of gender-based violence, and healthcare for children suffering from cholera and other illnesses.

“Amnesty International has long warned of double standards undermining the rules-based order. The impact of that to-date unfettered backsliding plumbed new depths in 2024, from Gaza to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Having paved the way for this mess by failing to universally uphold the rule of law, the international community must now shoulder the responsibility,” said Agnès Callamard.

“The cost of these failures is gargantuan, namely the loss of vital protections built to safeguard humanity after the horrors of the Holocaust and World War Two. Despite its many imperfections, obliteration of the multilateral system is no answer. It must be strengthened and reimagined. Yet, having seen it sustain further damage in 2024, today the Trump administration appears intent on taking a chainsaw to the remnants of multilateral cooperation in order to reshape our world through a transactional doctrine steeped in greed, callous self-interest and dominance of the few.”

Governments are abandoning future generations

The State of the World’s Human Rights presents stark evidence that the world is condemning future generations to an ever-harsher existence thanks to collective failures to tackle the climate crisis, reverse ever-deepening inequalities and restrain corporate power.

COP29 was a catastrophe, with a record number of fossil fuel lobbyists inhibiting progress on a fair phase-out, while the wealthiest countries bullied lower-income nations into accepting derisory climate financing agreements. President Trump’s reckless decision to abandon the Paris Agreement and his “drill, baby drill” refrain have only compounded these failings and could encourage others to follow suit.

“2024 was the hottest year on record and the first to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The floods that devastated South Asia and Europe, the droughts that ravaged Southern Africa, the fires that razed swathes of Amazon rainforest and the hurricanes that wreaked havoc in the USA laid bare the immense human cost of global heating, even at its current levels. With a 3°C rise projected this century, richer nations know they’re not immune from increasingly extreme unnatural disasters – as the recent California wildfires drove home – but will they act?” said Agnès Callamard.

In 2024, extreme poverty and inequality within and between states continued to deepen due to widespread inflation, poor corporate regulation, pervasive tax abuse and rising national debts. Yet many governments and political movements used racist and xenophobic rhetoric to scapegoat migrants and refugees for crime and economic stagnation. Meanwhile, the number and wealth of billionaires grew, even as the World Bank warned of “a lost decade” in global poverty reduction.

The future looks far bleaker for many women, girls and LGBTI people, amid intensifying attacks on gender equality and identity. The Taliban imposed even-more-draconian restrictions on women’s public existence in Afghanistan, while Iranian authorities intensified their brutal crackdown on women and girls who defy compulsory veiling. Groups of women searching for missing loved ones in Mexico and Colombia faced all manner of threats and attacks.

Malawi, Mali and Uganda took steps to criminalize or uphold bans on same-sex relations between consenting adults, while Georgia and Bulgaria followed Russia’s lead in clamping down on supposed “LGBTI propaganda”. The Trump administration is bolstering the global backlash against gender justice by dismantling efforts to tackle discrimination, relentlessly attacking transgender rights, and ending funding for health, education and other programmes that supported women and girls all over the world.

Governments are further harming present and future generations by failing to adequately regulate new technologies, abusing surveillance tools and entrenching discrimination and inequalities through increased use of artificial intelligence.

Tech firms have long facilitated discriminatory and authoritarian practices, but President Trump has exacerbated this trend, encouraging social media companies to roll back protections – including Meta’s removal of third-party fact-checking – and double down on a business model that enables the spread of hateful and violent content. The alignment between the Trump administration and tech billionaires also risks opening the door to an era of rampant corruption, disinformation, impunity and corporate capture of state power.

“From seating tech billionaires in prime position at his inauguration to granting the world’s richest man unprecedented access to the US government apparatus, it appears that President Trump will let his self-serving and corporate allies run amok, without the slightest regard for human rights or even the rule of law,” said Agnès Callamard.

Vital efforts to uphold international justice

Despite mounting opposition from powerful states – compounded this year by the Trump administration’s shameless sanctions against the ICC prosecutor – international justice and multilateral bodies have continued to push for accountability at the highest levels, with governments from the Global South leading several significant initiatives.

The ICC issued arrest warrants against senior state officials and leaders of armed groups in Israel, Gaza, Libya, Myanmar and Russia. The UN took an important step towards negotiating a much-needed treaty on crimes against humanity and the Philippines followed suit by arresting former president Rodrigo Duterte last month under an ICC warrant for the crime against humanity of murder.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued three sets of provisional measure orders in the case South Africa brought against Israel under the Genocide Convention and issued an advisory opinion declaring that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, is unlawful. The UN General Assembly also passed a resolution calling on Israel to end its occupation, and in January 2025 eight states from the Global South formed the Hague Group, a collective committed to preventing arms transfers to Israel and holding it accountable for violations of international law.

“We applaud the efforts of nations like South Africa and international justice bodies to push back against powerful states hellbent on undermining international law. In so challenging impunity, those nations and bodies set examples for the whole world to follow. The mounting attacks we’ve witnessed on the ICC in recent months suggest this is emerging as a major battlefield of 2025. All governments must do everything in their power to support international justice, hold perpetrators accountable, and protect the ICC and its staff from sanctions,” said Agnès Callamard.

“Despite daunting challenges, the destruction of human rights is far from inevitable. History abounds with examples of brave people overcoming authoritarian practices. In 2024 the people of several nations rejected anti-rights leaders at the ballot box while millions around the world raised their voices against injustice. So it’s clear: no matter who stands in our way, we must – and we will – continue to resist the reckless regimes of power and profit that seek to strip people of their human rights. Our vast, unshakeable movement will be forever united in our common belief in the inherent dignity and human rights of everyone on this planet.”
MIL OSI – Submitted News –
April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Iraq

Source:

We continue to advise do not travel to Iraq due to the volatile security environment and the threat of kidnapping. If you are in Iraq, you should leave Iraq immediately by commercial means. If you’re staying in Iraq, be alert and monitor media for updates (see ‘Safety’).

Terrorist attacks can occur without warning. Avoid possible targets including markets, transport hubs, places of worship and government facilities (see ‘Safety’).

Demonstrations and protest activity may occur, and local security situations could deteriorate with little notice. Avoid all demonstrations and protests (see ‘Civil unrest and political tension’).

MIL OSI News –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI China: SCO health officials push for deeper coordination toward better future

Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

XI’AN, April 28 — Senior health officials from Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries on Monday called for deepening public health collaboration, aiming to build a healthier future for all.

Gathering in Xi’an, the capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, health leaders from SCO member states and dialogue partners, and representatives of the SCO and the World Health Organization (WHO) attended the eighth SCO Health Ministers’ Meeting.

Under the theme “Promoting Sustainable Health Development and Sharing a Healthy Future,” they discussed strategies for tackling shared global health challenges.

Central to the discussions was the collective need to strengthen emergency response systems, expand access to primary healthcare, harness digital technologies, and promote the development of traditional medicine across the SCO countries.

Presiding over the meeting, Lei Haichao, head of China’s National Health Commission, highlighted the role of dialogue and cooperation in pioneering reforms in regional and global health governance systems amid an evolving international landscape with overlapping crises.

In his address, Lei outlined China’s domestic achievements in improving public health and healthcare reforms, and reaffirmed China’s commitment to advancing policy coordination and technological cooperation with SCO partners.

He also called for greater use of existing platforms — including the China-SCO Emergency Medical Center, the SCO Hospital Cooperation Alliance, and the SCO Forum on Traditional Medicine — to enhance joint capacity-building efforts in emergency response, primary care, digital healthcare, and traditional medicine across the SCO countries.

Senior health officials from Belarus, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Kazakhstan and other SCO countries shared updates on their national health initiatives and echoed the need to strengthen cooperation within the SCO framework.

As the rotating president of the SCO for 2024-2025, China has introduced the theme “SCO Year of Sustainable Development” to guide cooperation efforts across multiple sectors, with public health identified as a key priority.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev emphasized that building resilient and inclusive healthcare systems is essential to securing a sustainable future.

“It is also the key to addressing the public health challenges faced by SCO countries, which together represent nearly half of humanity,” he added.

Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, praised China’s leadership in global health and its vision for building a global community of health for all.

“I am glad to see the SCO evolving into a model of constructive multilateralism, rooted in mutual trust and dialogue,” Kluge said. “The WHO looks forward to deepening its cooperation with the SCO to tackle pressing health challenges together.”

MIL OSI China News –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Nadler, Smith, Himes Introduce West Bank Violence Prevention Act in Response to Ben-Gvir Visit

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09), and Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04), introduced the West Bank Violence Prevention Act in response to Leader of the Jewish Power Party and Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir’s visit to the United States.

The West Bank Violence Prevention Act codifies and enshrines into law the Biden Administration’s Executive Order 14115, which sought to prevent acts of violence in the West Bank and to punish those who commit such acts. The legislation, like the Executive Order, applies to those committing acts of violence in the West Bank, regardless of their nationality. During the Biden Administration, determinations under the Executive Order were made regarding both Palestinian and Israeli organizations and individuals.

President Trump repealed EO 14115 on his first day of his term, January 20, 2025. As a result, violent extremist organizations like the Palestinian group Lions’ Den and the Israeli settler group Hilltop Youth are no longer designated under the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List). With their assets no longer frozen, these groups continue wreaking terror in the West Bank unencumbered.

According to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, settler violence increased by an estimated 30 percent over the first few months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Such violence has reached a fever pitch, causing the West Bank to become “a tinderbox,” one match away from igniting into catastrophe.

The members joined together to introduce this legislation as Itamar Ben-Gvir completes his visit to the United States. Ben-Gvir has referred to the Hilltop Youth as “sweet kids,” has reportedly also used his authority as Minister of Internal Security to direct Israel’s police to shield perpetrators of settler violence, including giving them “a secret sense of backing” from the Israeli police. The Act serves to send a message: Ben-Gvir’s incitement is not welcome in our communities and in the United States.

“Itamar Ben-Gvir serves as inciter-in-chief of settler violence in the West Bank,” said Rep. Nadler. “In August of 2024, violent settlers chanting ‘we are Ben-Gvir’s gang’ burned down the home of a Palestinian family in the West Bank town of Jit. Ben-Gvir also downplayed concern expressed by Israeli security officials at a cabinet meeting regarding a wave of deadly settler violence in 2023, including the death of a 19-year-old Palestinian in Huwara, calling the attacks simply ‘graffiti.’ The head of Israel’s internal security service wrote to Prime Minister Netanyahu in August of 2024 that Ben-Gvir’s actions are doing ‘indescribable damage,’ and are ‘a massive stain on Judaism and us all.’ Let’s be crystal clear about who Itamar Ben-Gvir is: a racist, terrorist, Jewish supremacist. This past week Ben-Gvir brought his unique brand of hate across the ocean to American campuses, meetings with American Jews, and with at least one Republican Member of Congress. I am proud to be leading my colleagues in meetings Ben-Gvir’s arrival with the West Bank Violence Prevention Act, which will build on the progress made by the Biden Administration, and make clear that the United States Congress will not stand for Ben-Gvir’s incitement, and the settler violence in the West Bank that he champions. This bill would also prevent violence by all perpetrators, settler and Palestinian alike. I hope my colleagues will join us in using the tools at our disposal to enshrine President Biden’s landmark Executive Order on violence in the West Bank into law.”

“Violence in the West Bank threatens peace and stability in the region, and any entity committing this violence, from extremist Israeli settlers to the Palestinian terrorist group Lions’ Den, must be sanctioned,” said Rep. Smith. “Israel’s encouragement of settler organizations in the West Bank has exacerbated tensions in the region, as Prime Minister Netanyahu, Finance Minister Smotrich, and National Security Minister Ben-Gvir have promoted Israeli settler expansion and tacitly enabled settler violence. Further violence from any Israeli or Palestinian hostile actors must be discouraged to prevent further threats to the peace, security, and stability of the West Bank, Gaza, Israel, and the broader Middle East.”

“The ongoing violence in the West Bank, from both Israeli settlers and Palestinian terrorist groups, is devastating for residents in the short-term and detrimental to long-term stability in the territory,” said Rep. Himes. “The Biden Administration’s Executive Order took an important step towards deterring extremism in the region, and the West Bank Violence Prevention Act would codify that language to ensure that instigators of such violence are held accountable for their actions.”

The text of the West Bank Violence Prevention Act can be viewed here.

Rep. Nadler’s remarks at the “Say No to Ben-Gvir” rally in New York City can be watched here and read here.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI: Amplify Energy Schedules First Quarter 2025 Earnings Release and Conference Call

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

HOUSTON, April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Amplify Energy Corp. (“Amplify” or the “Company”) (NYSE: AMPY) announced today that it will report first quarter 2025 financial and operating results after the U.S. financial markets close on May 12, 2025. Management will host a conference call at 10:00 a.m. CT on May 13, 2025, to discuss the Company’s results. Interested parties are invited to participate in the conference call by dialing (888) 999-3182 (Conference ID: AEC1Q25) at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the call. A telephonic replay will be available for fourteen days following the call by dialing (800) 654-1563 and providing the Access Code: 52458798. A transcript and a recorded replay of the call will also be available on our website after the call.

About Amplify Energy

Amplify Energy Corp. is an independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the acquisition, development, exploitation and production of oil and natural gas properties. Amplify’s operations are focused in Oklahoma, the Rockies (Bairoil), federal waters offshore Southern California (Beta), East Texas / North Louisiana, and the Eagle Ford (Non-op). For more information, visit www.amplifyenergy.com.

Investor Relations Contacts

Jim Frew — SVP & Chief Financial Officer
(832) 219-9044
jim.frew@amplifyenergy.com

Michael Jordan — Director, Finance and Treasurer
(832) 219-9051
michael.jordan@amplifyenergy.com

The MIL Network –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Asaad Al-Shaibani, interim Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic

Source: United Nations secretary general

The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Asaad Al-Shaibani, interim Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic. They discussed UN support for an inclusive political transition in Syria, efforts to increase humanitarian support for civilians in need across Syria, and work towards economic recovery and the progressive removal of sanctions.

The Secretary-General reiterated the importance of inclusivity of the political process to meet the legitimate aspirations of all Syrians, and enabling them to peacefully, independently and democratically determine the future of their country, in line with the key principles listed in Security Council resolution 2254 (2015).

The Secretary-General expressed concern about violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

April 29, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: How ICE is becoming a secret police force under the Trump administration
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee Morgenbesser, Associate Professor, School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University

Secret police are a quintessential feature of authoritarian regimes. From Azerbaijan’s State Security Service to Zimbabwe’s Central Intelligence Organisation, these agencies typically target political opponents and dissidents through covert surveillance, imprisonment and physical violence.

In contrast to the regular police and armed forces, secret police primarily use preemptive repression to thwart threats to the government.

In Nazi Germany, for example, Gestapo informants penetrated all levels of society, producing an atmosphere of distrust among those against Adolf Hitler. In Uganda, Idi Amin’s State Research Bureau employed sophisticated spying equipment and intercepted mail at the post office to root out supposed saboteurs.

In Syria, Bashar al-Assad relied on the General Intelligence Directorate to oversee a network of torture centres. And in Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro has used the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin) to spy on opponents overseas, often running operations out of diplomatic missions.

Since US President Donald Trump took power in January, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has become a far more visible and fearsome force on American streets.

Though ICE is ostensibly still bound by constitutional limits, the way it has been operating bears the hallmarks of a secret police force in the making.

As an expert on authoritarian regimes, I’ve studied historical and contemporary secret police forces extensively across Africa, Asia and Europe. They typically meet five criteria:
- they’re a police force targeting political opponents and dissidents
- they’re not controlled by other security agencies and answer directly to the dictator
- the identity of their members and their operations are secret
- they specialise in political intelligence and surveillance operations
- they carry out arbitrary searches, arrests, interrogations, indefinite detentions, disappearances and torture.
How close is ICE to becoming a secret police force? Let’s consider each of these criteria.

Targeting dissidents

ICE has used the pretext of combating antisemitism to target dissidents. A branch of the agency previously used to target drug smugglers and human traffickers has reportedly been directed to scan social media for posts sympathetic to Hamas.

On March 8, ICE arrested the prominent pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a legal resident. It was a similar story for Rumeysa Ozturk, a university student grabbed off the street on March 25 by ICE agents.

Trump has cited the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 as the legal pretext for ICE’s actions in these cases and others. The law allows the US government to deport anyone whose presence has “adverse foreign policy consequences” for the country.

Because Khalil and others are being targeted for their activism, legal scholars say the government appears to be “retaliating” against constitutionally protected free speech it disagrees with.

Directly controlled by a dictator

While ICE does not report directly to Trump, the agency is controlled by people who have shown intense loyalty to him.

ICE is part of the Department of Homeland Security, which is overseen by stalwart Trump ally Kristi Noem. She is supported by Tom Homan, a former ICE director who Trump appointed as his “border czar” in November 2024.

Despite a court order barring the deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members to a prison in El Salvador, Homan has remained defiant:

We are not stopping. I don’t care what the judges think.

The pertinent question now is whether Noem or Homan would refuse to follow a dictate from Trump in the face of a direct court order.

Opaque operations

ICE agents are increasingly operating in secret. The individuals who took Ozturk off the street in a widely shared video claimed to be police officers, even though they were in plain clothes and face marks.

Similarly, ICE agents in plain clothes detained two men during a raid on a courthouse in Charlottesville, Virginia, on April 22. When two bystanders asked to see a warrant, they were ordered not to “impede” the agents’ lawful duties. ICE later said the two women would be prosecuted.

Also last week, ICE agents attempted to arrest a man at a Wisconsin courthouse without a warrant. After a judge intervened, she was arrested herself by the FBI and charged with two felonies.

This shroud of opacity has been accompanied by an end to local agency liaison meetings aimed at helping people seek answers to ICE’s actions.

Surveillance capabilities

ICE is organised into two distinct law enforcement components, giving it both political intelligence gathering and surveillance capabilities.

Its Homeland Security Investigations arm includes an intelligence division, while its Enforcement and Removal Operations arm uses third-party companies such as Geo Group, Giant Oak, and Palantir to conduct mass surveillance.

Most worryingly, ICE is trying to procure greater intelligence and surveillance capabilities by soliciting pitches from private companies to monitor threats across the internet.

According to a procurement document, contractors would be directed to focus on the backgrounds of social media users and use facial recognition capabilities to gather information on people. Criticisms of ICE itself would be monitored, too.

Unlawful policing

There has been a stream of reports exposing how ICE is conducting arbitrary searches, arrests, interrogations, and indefinite detentions.

Some of the most egregious reported examples include:
- entering primary schools under false pretences in search of undocumented students
- carrying out “collateral arrests”, that is detaining people not previously identified as targets during operations
- detaining tourists and visa holders for weeks for unknown reasons
- and disappearing US citizens without any meaningful process.
Since Trump’s inauguration, at least three people have died in ICE detention facilities, the latest in a string of fatalities in recent years.

Prolonged solitary confinement is reportedly widespread. UN experts say this can amount to torture.

Potentially expanded scope

Overall, the evidence shows ICE meets most of the criteria for being a secret police force. It has yet to target political opponents, which I define narrowly as members of the Democratic Party. And it is not directly controlled by Trump, although the current structure provides him with plausible deniability.

While the agency is far from resembling history’s most feared secret police forces, there have so far been few constraints on how it operates.

The worst may be yet to come. A budget bill making its way through Congress would provide ICE with up to US$175 billion (A$274 billion) in funding over the next decade. (Its current annual budget is US$9 billion, or A$14 billion.) This would supercharge its use of surveillance, imprisonment and physical violence.

When combined with a potential shift towards targeting US citizens for dissent and disobedience, ICE is fast becoming a key piece in the repressive apparatus of American authoritarianism.

Lee Morgenbesser does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. How ICE is becoming a secret police force under the Trump administration – https://theconversation.com/how-ice-is-becoming-a-secret-police-force-under-the-trump-administration-255019
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Allister writes to organisers of the Glastonbury Festival to ask them to drop Kneecap

Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

Jim Allister had today written the following letter to the organisers of the Glastonbury Festival:

Dear Sir / Madam,

Re: Booking of ‘Kneecap’ for Glastonbury Festival

I write as a Member of Parliament for North Antrim and leader of TUV to express deep concern over the decision to host the group “Kneecap” at this year’s Glastonbury Festival.

Kneecap is a group that derives its name from one of the most vicious forms of paramilitary violence used in Northern Ireland — the so-called “kneecapping” of innocent civilians. Their choice of name alone is an affront to the countless victims maimed by terrorist brutality.

However, the concerns go deeper. Kneecap has repeatedly glorified the actions of the Provisional IRA and promoted a narrative that seeks to romanticise a terrorist campaign which caused immense suffering across our United Kingdom.

More recently, this group has been embroiled in fresh controversy — publicly advocating that people should “kill your local Tory MP,” an utterly abhorrent incitement to political violence.

Furthermore, Kneecap has made inflammatory and deeply offensive comments about Israel, during a time when antisemitism and violent rhetoric against the Jewish community are a growing and serious concern.

That Glastonbury would offer a platform to a group which glorifies terrorism, advocates the murder of elected representatives, and engages in inflammatory rhetoric against the State of Israel is nothing short of a disgrace. It stands wholly at odds with the values of tolerance, peace, and inclusivity which your Festival claims to promote.

It is wholly unacceptable for a mainstream, UK-wide cultural event to be seen to endorse — even by implication — messages of political violence and terror glorification.

Accordingly, I call upon you to immediately rescind the invitation to Kneecap to perform at this year’s Festival.

To allow them to proceed would seriously damage the reputation of Glastonbury Festival and cast doubt on its commitment to basic democratic and moral principles.

I trust you will give this matter urgent and serious consideration.

Yours sincerely,
Jim Allister KC MP

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group F/A-18 Super Hornet Lost at Sea

Source: United States Navy

MANAMA, Bahrain – USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) lost an F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 136 and a tow tractor as the aircraft carrier operated in the Red Sea, April 28. All personnel are accounted for, with one Sailor sustaining a minor injury.

MIL Security OSI –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Denis Manturov took part in the main plenary session of Innoprom

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov took part in the international exhibition “Innoprom. Central Asia” and spoke at the main plenary session “Strategic Industrial Partnership in Central Asia: Integration Based on Advanced Technologies”. Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khodjaev also took part in the main session.

Opening the main session, Denis Manturov noted that today the development of industrial partnership with the Central Asian countries is one of the absolute priorities: “Today, Russian enterprises are widely represented in the region. Their share in the total number of foreign companies in Uzbekistan is about 20%, in Kyrgyzstan more than 30%, and in Kazakhstan already over 40%. The total volume of Russian investments in the economy of the Central Asian states last year alone exceeded 760 billion rubles. This allows us to increase the portfolio of joint projects in agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals, the automotive industry, the chemical industry, metallurgy and many other industries.”

The First Deputy Prime Minister noted that, despite the high level of cooperation, the growth potential has not been exhausted, and stressed the need to expand cooperation in response to global challenges, including in the areas of green economy, infrastructure projects, retail, etc.

“If we talk about promising areas of our cooperation, they are consolidated in national projects of technological leadership. We started their implementation in Russia this year. We place special emphasis on achieving sovereignty over the means of production, including additive solutions and industrial robots. The same applies to the development of all types of transport, including on alternative fuel and with elements of autonomy. Our special focus is the development of new materials and chemicals. As well as improving technologies for medicine, energy, agriculture and expanding the range of space services,” Denis Manturov emphasized.

“It is gratifying to note that the scale of the exhibition is growing every year, attracting participants not only from Russia and Central Asian countries, but also from a number of other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Belarus, and Afghanistan. Today we are seeing new promising and large-scale horizons for cooperation. By the end of 2024, Uzbekistan’s trade with Russia and Central Asian countries approached $20 billion. There are about 5,000 enterprises in Uzbekistan with capital from these countries. More than 650 joint projects worth $67 billion are being implemented in various sectors of our country’s economy. Despite such a rich level of relations, we all understand that this is far from the limit,” said Jamshid Khodjaev.

Denis Manturov and Zhamshid Khodjaev also took part in the ceremony of exchanging folders of signed agreements at Innoprom, aimed at developing cooperation in the trade and economic, scientific and technical, social and cultural and humanitarian spheres.

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Afreximbank launches US$3 Billion Revolving Intra-African Oil Import Financing Programme
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

CAIRO, Egypt, April 28, 2025/APO Group/ —

To address Africa’s persistent reliance on imported refined petroleum products, which accounted for an amount of US$30billion annually in petroleum import costs due to inadequate refining, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has launched a US$3 Billion Revolving Intra-African Oil Trade Financing Programme to finance the purchase of refined petroleum products by African and Caribbean oil buyers.

As a revolving facility, we expect it to finance about US$10 billion to US$14 billion of Intra-African petroleum imports. This programme seeks to leverage the growing refining capacity that Afreximbank has helped establish across the continent, while aligning with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, which includes facilitating intra-African trade, promoting industrialisation, and creating jobs on the continent.

By deploying innovative trade finance and supply chain solutions tailored to key stakeholders’ needs in terms of tenure, price format and logistics requirements, this initiative supports Afreximbank’s strategic goals of advancing energy security, strengthening regional value chains, and fostering economic resilience within the continent and the Caribbean.

Afreximbank is the largest financier of the Dangote refinery which commenced operations in January 2024 and is also supporting the financing of the 200,000 bpd Lobito Refinery development, building on the progress made on the 60,000 bpd Cabinda Refinery, which it also supported. In addition, the Bank has financed the refurbishment of the 210,000 bpd Port Harcourt Refinery, and recently approved financing in support of the development of Bua Refinery and Azikel Refinery, all in Nigeria. Through these investments, and the continual trade finance support for Société Ivoirienne de Raffinage (SIR), Cote d’Ivoire, Afreximbank is on its way to creating over 1.3 million bpd refining capacity and helping to convert the Gulf of Guinea from an exporter of crude oil into an important refining hub for the continent and the world.

Key products to be traded under the programme are refined petroleum products including but not limited to Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), Jet Fuel, and Kerosene. The eligible exporters are refineries operating in Africa.

The US$3 billion Revolving Intra-African Oil Import Financing Programme is intended to mainly provide critical trade finance to oil traders (both African and international), banks, and Governments – represented by their Ministry of Finance or Ministry of Petroleum Resources/Energy – and state-owned enterprises mandated to import refined petroleum products, who seek to source refined products from African Refineries for onward consumption within the continent and export opportunities as may be applicable. Afreximbank, affiliated trading entity ATDC Minerals (ATMIN) will also participate actively in the trading and financing activities of the leading African oil trading companies with long term relationship with Afreximbank who are also expected to support this effort.

An approved applicant will be able to request utilization under the Global Limit within allocated sub-limits upon KYC clearance and satisfactory completion of conditions precedent as follows:
- Issuance/Confirmation of Letters of Credit or any acceptable trade instrument with refineries in Africa as beneficiaries
- Discounting of Letters of Credit or any acceptable trade instrument to the benefit of refineries in Africa
- Prepayment and direct advances to eligible refineries in Africa
Commenting on the launch, Professor Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Afreximbank, said that the programme “would galvanise efforts towards making the Gulf of Guinea a key refining hub. Whilst the programme will have a direct impact on the volume of the refined petroleum products produced and consumed in Africa, it will also have a multiplier effect on the downstream petroleum value chain as it will catalyse critical investments in shipping and marine logistics for intra and extra African trade of crude oil and refined products. The multiplier effect will also be seen in marine cargo insurance and other ancillary businesses within the sector. We want to see an increased proportion of the about 4 mbpd of crude oil produced in the Gulf of Guinea refined in Africa.”

Also commenting on the initiative, His Excellency Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi, said:

“This programme is a clear demonstration of Africa’s resolve to take charge of its own energy future. We commend Afreximbank for this timely intervention, which stands to benefit African countries like Malawi by reducing import dependency, strengthening regional supply chains, and keeping more value within the continent. Most importantly, it will deliver real impact to our citizens by ensuring more stable and affordable access to refined petroleum products, which are essential to Malawians’ daily life and economic productivity.”

MIL OSI Africa –
April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Afreximbank announces specialized African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) training to empower African businesses

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

CAIRO, Egypt, April 28, 2025/APO Group/ —

To enable African businesses to fully capitalise on the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has announced a specialized training program designed to equip enterprises with a deep understanding of the agreement’s commercial implications and transformative potential.

Scheduled to take place in Abuja, Nigeria, from June 30 to July 2, 2025, the training program is designed to provide businesses with practical policy-relevant insights into the AfCFTA’s evolving regulatory and institutional landscape. It will help participants interpret key treaty instruments, ensuring compliance with new trade rules while enhancing their knowledge of regional integration and operational mechanisms. Additionally, the program will serve as a crucial platform for guiding both prospective and existing exporters on new trade developments, equipping them with the tools to navigate tariff and non-tariff barriers across the continent.

Conceived and implemented by Afreximbank in collaboration with the American University in Cairo (AUC) and the AfCFTA Secretariat, the training is expected to attract a diverse range of participants, including African corporates engaged in import and export activities, Trade Support Institutions such as Trade Promotion Organizations and Chambers of Commerce, Investment Promotion Agencies, Export Trading Companies, Financial Institutions, and the broader foreign trade community.

Participants will also benefit from tailored presentations on key Afreximbank products and initiatives that support the AfCFTA’s implementation, including the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), Africa Trade Gateway (ATG), and various trade finance solutions.

Addressing critical knowledge gaps to unlock AfCFTA’s potential

Reflecting on the significance of the program, Dr. Yemi Kale, Group Chief Economist & Managing Director of Research at Afreximbank, emphasized that while the AfCFTA holds immense potential for Africa’s economic growth, its success hinges on the ability of businesses to fully understand and operationalize its provisions. However, limited understanding of its technical and operational aspects has prevented many businesses from fully leveraging its benefits.

“The AfCFTA is not just a policy framework—it is a catalyst for a structural shift in Africa’s economic landscape,” said Dr. Kale. “However, many African businesses are still grappling with limited awareness of the agreement’s technical provisions, trade protocols, and strategic benefits. This knowledge deficit has constrained their ability to compete effectively, expand their market reach, and optimize value chains across the continent.”

He further explained that without a solid grasp of the AfCFTA’s tariff schedules, rules of origin, customs cooperation, and dispute resolution mechanisms, even the most competitive enterprises risk missing out on critical growth opportunities.

“This training is about more than compliance; it is about empowerment. It equips participants not only to meet regulatory requirements but also to develop export strategies, diversify markets, and improve competitiveness.”

Tsotetsi Makong, Director Coordination and Programmes at the AfCFTA Secretariat, reinforced this point, stating:

“This training program will help African businesses seeking export opportunities overcome key challenges, including understanding African markets in depth, navigating market rules and compliance requirements, and optimizing cross-border product transportation. To fully harness the AfCFTA’s potential, it is essential to address these barriers and build the capacity of African companies to transition from local production for domestic consumption to a model that supports exports across the continent and beyond.”

He further highlighted Afreximbank’s commitment to the AfCFTA’s full implementation, stressing that by developing the necessary competencies and industrial capacity, all African nations can maximize the benefits of a single market. He called on both public and private sector stakeholders to deepen their understanding of the agreement’s operationalization to drive sustainable economic growth.

Afreximbank’s role in advancing the AfCFTA

As a key partner to the African Union in the implementation of the AfCFTA, Afreximbank has spearheaded multiple initiatives that enhance intra- and extra-African trade and investment. Leveraging the expertise of its Trade Intelligence Solutions Unit and Human Resources and Learning Department, the Bank serves as the anchor institution for the AfCFTA Training Program, ensuring that African businesses are well-equipped to thrive in the new trade environment. The upcoming training is the second edition and will also mark a milestone as one of the first major events hosted at the recently launched Afreximbank African Trade Centre (AATC) in Abuja. Purposely designed as a strategic hub for trade facilitation, investment promotion, and business collaboration, the AATC features state-of-the-art conference facilities, premium hospitality services, and a dynamic environment conducive to learning and networking .

By equipping African businesses with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the AfCFTA, Afreximbank continues to play a pivotal role in unlocking Africa’s vast trade potential and driving economic transformation across the continent.

MIL OSI Africa –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI: Faculty Group and Ghaf Capital Announce Strategic Merger to Launch Web3 Powerhouse, Ghaf Group

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a landmark move, Faculty Group and Ghaf Capital today announced their merger to form Ghaf Group, a vertically integrated Web3 advisory business. This strategic union leverages Faculty Group’s full-stack Web3 execution capabilities alongside Ghaf Capital’s elite access to capital markets, sovereign networks, and strategic enterprise relationships across the MENA region and beyond.

With operations spanning capital allocation, product development, token advisory, liquidity management and marketing, Ghaf Group is uniquely positioned to drive the next wave of blockchain and Web3 growth. The new entity unites over 100 experts across eight subsidiaries under a single, scalable platform committed to delivering institutional-grade solutions and unlocking long-term value across the Web3 economy.

James Childs, newly appointed CEO of Ghaf Group, commented:

“This merger is not just an evolution, it’s an inflexion point. Faculty Group has always focused on high-conviction execution in Web3. Now, as Ghaf Group, we bring together global delivery capability with regional strategic access to capital, creating a new category of partner for protocols, corporates, and governments alike.”

Feras Al Sadek, Chairman of Ghaf Group, added:

“We’re combining best-in-class infrastructure with unparalleled strategic reach. Ghaf Group will be the trusted bridge between East and West, unlocking capital and capability at scale. This is a defining moment for Web3, and we’re just getting started.”

The group’s new visual identity, rooted in the symbolism of the resilient Ghaf tree native to the UAE, reflects a commitment to strength, longevity, and organic growth. Ghaf Group is already in advanced discussions with sovereign entities, institutional investors, and emerging protocols as it builds out a robust pipeline for 2025 and beyond.

Looking ahead, Ghaf Group will accelerate its footprint across MENA and Asia, explore strategic acquisitions, and begin laying the groundwork for a potential UAE-based IPO, positioning itself as a publicly accountable and globally trusted vehicle for Web3 advancement.

About Ghaf Group

Ghaf Group is a global Web3 venture platform formed through the merger of Faculty Group and Ghaf Capital. The firm provides integrated services across advisory, token design, venture capital, market-making, marketing, and blockchain development. With strong roots in the Middle East and a global vision, Ghaf Group partners with ambitious founders, forward-looking institutions, and sovereign stakeholders to catalyse the next era of decentralised innovation.

Media Contact:
Arvin Nathan
Head of PR
an@faculty.group
hello@ghaf.group

Disclaimer: This is a paid post and is provided by Ghaf Group. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2754af90-6bf1-4635-b157-7bb32c691abb

The MIL Network –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Bahrain formally accepts Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies

Source: World Trade Organization

DG Okonjo-Iweala said: “I thank Bahrain for adding its support to WTO members’ efforts to preserve global fish stocks and the livelihoods that depend on them. The submission of Bahrain’s acceptance brings us a step closer to the entry into force of this historic Agreement that will benefit people, oceans and the planet. I encourage other governments to ratify the Agreement swiftly – only 14 more acceptances are needed for it to become part of the WTO framework!”

Ambassador Abdulla said: “The Kingdom of Bahrain is pleased to deposit its instrument of acceptance of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. This step reaffirms Bahrain’s support for the multilateral trading system and its continued engagement in international efforts to promote the sustainable use of marine resources.

As a country with a long-standing maritime heritage, Bahrain attaches particular importance to the preservation of ocean ecosystems and the fair governance of global fisheries. The ratification of this agreement is also aligned with the Kingdom’s broader commitment to sustainable development and economic diversification, as set out in Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.

We commend the collective efforts of WTO members in concluding this agreement and look forward to continued cooperation toward its entry into force and effective implementation.”

For the Agreement to enter into force, formal acceptances from two-thirds of WTO members are required – representing a total of 111 members. The full list of WTO members which have deposited their instruments of acceptance is available here.

At the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) held in Geneva in June 2022, ministers adopted by consensus the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, setting new, binding, multilateral rules to curb harmful fisheries subsidies. The Agreement prohibits subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, for fishing overfished stocks, and for fishing on the unregulated high seas. Ministers also recognized the needs of developing economies and least-developed countries by establishing a fund to provide technical assistance and capacity-building to help them implement the new obligations if they have formally accepted the Agreement.

WTO members also agreed at MC12 to continue negotiating on outstanding fisheries subsidies issues with a view to further strengthening the Agreement’s disciplines.

Information for members on how to accept the Protocol of Amendment can be found here.

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MIL OSI Economics –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: Non-Proliferation, Financing for Development & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations

Source: United Nations (Video News)

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
Financing for Development
Deputy Secretary-General
Victims of Terrorism Associations’ Network
Trust Fund in Support of Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
International Court of Justice
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Lebanon/Israel
Yemen
Sudan
Afghanistan
Myanmar
Security Council
International Day
Resident Coordinator – Samoa
Financial Contribution
Briefings Today

FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT
This morning, the Secretary-General, as you heard, spoke at the Economic and Social Council Forum on Financing for Development.
He said that, as we prepare for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla in July, we are facing some harsh truths: donors are pulling the plug on aid commitments, the Sustainable Development Goals are dramatically off track and high borrowing costs are draining away public investments.
But, the more dangerous truth is that collaboration is being questioned with the ongoing trade wars. The Secretary-General said trade is a prime example of the benefits of international cooperation, and trade barriers are a clear and present danger to the global economy and sustainable development.
These are tough times, he said, but it is in difficult periods that the imperative for responsible, sustainable investment is even more critical.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed is in Montevideo, Uruguay. Today, she met with the President of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi, to discuss the country’s development priorities and their alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Later today, she will meet with several Government Ministers to discuss the partnership between the United Nations and Uruguay. She is also meeting youth groups, civil society, and of course the country team of the United Nations.
And over the weekend, she chaired the annual regional retreat with UN Resident Coordinators from across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Ms. Mohammed will leave Uruguay later today and will be back here tomorrow evening.

VICTIMS OF TERRORISM ASSOCIATIONS’ NETWORK
This morning, our friends at the Office of Counter-Terrorism launched the Victims of Terrorism Associations’ Network. This is an initiative that brings together victims of terrorism and victims’ associations from across the globe to drive collective action to support victims’ rights and needs.
The network aims to provide a safe space for victims and survivors of terrorism to support each other, build resilience and engage as advocates, as educators, and as peacebuilders.
The development of the network was supported by a financial contribution from Spain.
The network was launched during an event this morning – and it is already available on UN Webtv. More information on the website of the office of Counter-terrorism.

Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=28%20April%202025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMJiomcK2rY

MIL OSI Video –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – EU disinformation on the murders of Christians and Alawites in Syria – E-001094/2025(ASW)
Source: European Parliament

On 11 March 2025, the High Representative/Vice-President issued a statement[1] on behalf of the EU, which condemned in the strongest terms the horrific crimes committed against civilians, including summary killings, many of which were allegedly perpetrated by armed groups supporting the security forces of the transitional authorities.

The EU called for a swift, transparent and impartial investigation to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice. It welcomed the transitional authorities’ commitments, in particular the establishment of an investigative committee.

It further called on the transitional authorities to allow the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic to investigate all violations. Everything must be done to prevent any such crimes from happening again.

The EU calls for an end to violence across Syria and urges all parties to protect Syrians from all ethnic and religious background without discrimination.

The EU is in contact with the interim authorities and local actors, including civil society, and consistently advocates for an inclusive, peaceful, Syrian-owned and Syrian-led political transition grounded on the respect of international law, human rights, fundamental freedoms, pluralism and tolerance as well as on the values of rule of law and accountability.

Furthermore, the EU continues to be a staunch supporter of accountability mechanisms working on Syria, including the Impartial and Independent Mechanism, the Commission of Inquiry, and the new Independent Institution on Missing Persons.

Over the past 13 years, the EU and the Member States have mobilised nearly EUR 37 billion in humanitarian, development, economic and stabilisation assistance, supporting Syrians both inside the country and across the region.
- [1] Syria: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the recent wave of violence, 11/03/2025. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2025/03/11/syria-statement-by-the-high-representative-on-behalf-of-the-european-union-on-the-recent-wave-of-violence/
MIL OSI Europe News –
April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Reps. Frost, Garcia, Ansari, and Dexter Arrive in El Salvador to Pressure Trump Administration To Abide By Supreme Court Order And Facilitate Return of Wrongly Deported Maryland Man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Maxwell Frost Florida (10th District)

April 20, 2025

San Salvador, El Salvador – Today, U.S. Representatives Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), and Maxine Dexter (D-OR) announced that they have arrived in El Salvador to pressure the Trump Administration to abide by a Supreme Court order to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man with protected legal status who was unlawfully deported by the Trump Administration. Mr. Abrego Garcia is currently detained in El Salvador despite having no criminal conviction in the United States, a direct violation of due process protected by the Constitution.

The Congressional Members are in El Salvador to bring attention to President Trump’s illegal defiance of the binding and unanimous Supreme Court decision in Noem v. Abrego Garcia that demands the Administration facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return and due process in the United States.

This visit comes after the Trump Administration admitted that Mr. Abrego Garcia’s detention was an “error” but refused to abide by a federal judge and the Supreme Court’s orders to facilitate Mr. Abrego Garcia’s return home. Members will also advocate for other detainees who are being held without due process.

This trip is not being financed by taxpayer dollars and comes after Chairman James Comer refused to approve Garcia and Frost’s request for an official CODEL.

“Donald Trump and his Administration are running a government-funded kidnapping program– illegally arresting, jailing, and deporting innocent people with zero due process. Kilmar Abrego Garcia is Trump’s latest victim,” said Congressman Maxwell Frost. “As Members of Congress it is our responsibility to hold the President and Administration accountable for defying the constitution of the United States. Donald Trump and ICE are not above the law. Today it’s Kilmar, but tomorrow it could be anyone else. We cannot and will not let Donald Trump get away with this.”

“While Donald Trump continues to defy the Supreme Court, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia is being held illegally in El Salvador after being wrongfully deported,” said Congressman Robert Garcia. “That is why we’re here– to remind the American people that kidnapping immigrants and deporting them without due process is not how we do things in America. We are demanding the Trump Administration abide by the Supreme Court decision and give Kilmar and the other migrants mistakenly sent to El Salvador due process in the United States.”

“My parents fled an authoritarian regime in Iran where people were ‘disappeared’ – I refuse to sit back and watch it happen here, too. Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s illegal abduction and President Trump’s complete disregard of due process and a unanimous Supreme Court ruling are deeply disturbing. We should all be appalled by this treatment by the United States government,” said Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari. “I’m in El Salvador to advocate for the Trump Administration to facilitate his safe return home, and make sure Trump’s attack on our Constitution and due process stops now. Trump has already threatened to illegally deport ‘home-growns’ and American citizens. If this can happen to Mr. Abrego Garcia, it can happen to any of us. This is a constitutional crisis. ”

“What happened to Kilmar Abrego Garcia is not just one family’s nightmare—it is a constitutional crisis that should outrage every single one of us,” said Congresswoman Maxine Dexter. “We will not rest while due process is discarded, and our constitutional rights are ignored. We will be loud in demanding that the Trump Administration abide by the Supreme Court’s decision and uphold the rule of law. Because if this can happen to Mr. Abrego Garcia, it can happen to anyone.”

###

MIL OSI USA News –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Regular Press Conference of the Ministry of National Defense on April 24, 2025 2025-04-29 Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China, answers questions at a regular press conference on the afternoon of April 24, 2025.

Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense 2

By Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, Spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND)

Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers questions at a regular press conference on the afternoon of April 24, 2025. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by Zhang Zhicheng)

(The following English text is for reference. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the Chinese text shall prevail.)

Zhang Xiaogang: Friends from the media, welcome to this month’s regular press conference of the Ministry of National Defense (MND).

Today, I have one piece of information to announce on the top.

The inaugural Navigator Meeting of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum will be held in Beijing from April 28 to 30. The theme of the meeting will be “Opportunities and Challenges Facing Global Security”. Over 200 defense officials, experts, scholars and media representatives from more than 30 countries and international organizations will attend the event. Through multilateral seminars and dialogues, the meeting aims to enhance the effectiveness of international participation and contribute insights to global security governance. Bilateral and multilateral meetings as well as cultural and technological visits will also be arranged on the margins of the event.

Journalist: It’s reported that President Xi Jinping paid a visit to Malaysia. With a focus on building a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future, he underlined the importance of deepening exchanges and cooperation on national security, defense and law enforcement. Please share with us what measures will the Chinese side take to bolster China-Malaysia military-to-military relationship.

Zhang Xiaogang: President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Malaysia upon invitation from April 15 to 17, which ushered in the next “golden 50 years” for bilateral relations. China and Malaysia are neighbors across the sea with a millennium-old friendship. Under the strategic guidance of leaders of our two countries, the Chinese and Malaysian militaries have had productive cooperation in different areas. A 2+2 diplomatic and defense dialogue mechanism will be established to deepen exchanges and cooperation on national security, defense and law enforcement. Exercise Aman Youyi, initiated by China and Malaysia, has become a brand of military cooperation with significant influence in the region.

Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers questions at a regular press conference on the afternoon of April 24, 2025. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by Li Xiaowei)

The Chinese and Malaysian people both believe that solidarity brings strength. We are ready to work with the Malaysian side to deliver on the important consensus between leaders of our two countries, strengthen high-level engagements, and deepen strategic trust. Our two sides will have more cooperation in areas such as joint exercises, maritime security, and multilateral coordination, and promote greater quality-oriented growth of our military-to-military relationship.

Journalist: It’s reported that the US, the Philippines and other countries are conducting Exercise Balikatan. As part of drills, the US military has, for the first time, deployed anti-ship missile system to the Luzon Strait north of the Philippines. Some analysts believe that this is to simulate the blockade of the Bashi Channel during a crisis in the Taiwan Strait. The Philippines and the US also organized Exercise Cope Thunder previously. What’s your comment on this?

Zhang Xiaogang: We always hold that military cooperation between countries should not target or hurt the interests of any third party, nor should it jeopardize regional peace and stability. The South China Sea should be a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship. However, the Philippines holds a candle to the devil by currying favor and colluding with the US and other outside countries to make provocations. It frequently conducts the so-called joint patrols and exercises, and invites and deploys strategic and tactical weapons, which seriously undermines the common interests of regional countries. We firmly oppose any country strengthening military deployment in the region and provoking tensions and confrontation under the excuse of the Taiwan question. Regardless of external challenges and turbulence, the Chinese side will resolutely safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and firmly maintain peace and stability in the region.

Journalist: The Chinese and Egyptian air forces are conducting their first joint training. Could you please brief us what are the strategic and tactical achievements of this training?

Zhang Xiaogang: Thanks for your attention. Eagles of Civilization 2025 joint air force training is the first joint training between the Chinese and Egyptian armed forces. The two sides deployed fighter jets, AEW&Cs, tankers and helicopters to the activity. Drills on air combat and air refueling began on April 19, and subjects of air support and battlefield search and rescue will also be covered. The training will run until early May. The participating PLAAF aircraft will train in collaboration with assets of the Egyptian Air Force. This will help enhance capabilities of the two air forces and deepen substantive cooperation between the Chinese and Egyptian militaries.

Journalist: I have two questions. Firstly, the US Secretary of Defense reportedly claimed that China is building an army specifically designed to destroy the US. He said that China’s hypersonic missiles can destroy all US aircraft carriers in 20 minutes. In every war game played by the Pentagon, the US loses to China. In addition, the Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command stated that China is producing warplanes and warships much faster than the US, and is capable of denying US air superiority along the first island chain. Do you have any comment on that? My second question is about the on-going vessel open-day events held by the PLA Navy in 10 cities. Some netizens asked when will the Chinese aircraft carrier also open to the public? What’s your comment on this?

Zhang Xiaogang: On your first question, some individuals in the US see the Chinese military through colored lens and keep hyping up the so-called “China military threat”. I think this is an obstacle hindering engagements between the Chinese and US militaries. Non-conflict, non-confrontation and peaceful coexistence is in the most fundamental interests of both China and the US, and meets the common expectation of people across the world. We have a sober understanding of the state of our development. We hope the US side will break away from “persecution mania” and stop using others as excuses.

On your second question, I fully understand the public’s interest in China’s aircraft carriers, and I believe their wish will come true sometime in the future.

Journalist: It’s reported that President Xi Jinping paid a visit to Cambodia. At his talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, President Xi pointed out the importance of ensuring greater security. Please share with us the Chinese side’s consideration in advancing China-Cambodia military-to-military relationship.

Zhang Xiaogang: President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Cambodia upon invitation from April 17 to 18. During his visit, he met with leaders of Cambodia to chart the way forward for jointly building an all-weather China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era. China and Cambodia are friends with ironclad bonds. No matter how the international landscape evolves, China and Cambodia always stand by each other in good faith, support each other, and pursue shared success. Under the strategic guidance of leaders of our two countries, the Chinese and Cambodian armed forces have had close high-level engagements and productive cooperation in different areas. The China-Cambodia Joint Support and Training Center at Port Ream has been put into operation. The two sides have held Exercise Golden Dragon and Exercise Peace Angel. Exchanges in areas including demining, medical care and publicity continue to deepen. Our military relationship is rock-solid and unbreakable.

Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers questions at a regular press conference on the afternoon of April 24, 2025. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by Sun Yue)

Standing at a new starting point, we are ready to work with the Cambodian side to implement the important consensus between leaders of our two countries and make good use of the newly-established 2+2 strategic dialogue mechanism. The two sides will further enrich and expand substantive cooperation in areas such as education and training, joint exercises, medical service, and equipment and technology, and will elevate our military-to-military relationship to a new level.

Journalist: I have two questions. Firstly, as revealed by Taiwan media outlets, there is a wave of resignation inside the troops of Taiwan. Many military officers on the ground chose early decommissioning or resignation to avoid fighting in war. Some analysts think that it’s because they don’t want to be cannon fodder for “Taiwan independence” separatists. What’s your comment on this? Secondly, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued Diplomatic Bluebook 2025. In the document, the Japanese side labeled China as an “unprecedented strategic security challenge” and hyped up situations in the East China Sea and the South China Sea as well as military cooperation between China and Russia. In addition, the Japanese Defense Minister said that Japan will invest nearly 2 trillion yen in 2 Aegis system equipped vessels. Each of them will have a displacement of over 10,000 tons and firepower far beyond the need required for defense. The Japanese side keeps violating its “exclusively defense-oriented policy” and accelerates the building of offensive capabilities. What’s your comment on this?

Zhang Xiaogang: On your first question, this is another evidence that “Taiwan independence” separatists have no support from the people of Taiwan and will collapse like a house of cards.

On your second question, we firmly oppose the Japanese side playing up the so-called “China military threat”, hyping up tensions in the region, and deliberately provoking confrontation. China follows a path of peaceful development and pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. Our military development is aimed at safeguarding our national sovereignty, security and development interests. We have no intention to challenge or threaten any country. Engagements and cooperation between the Chinese and Russian militaries feature non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting any third party.

In recent years, the Japanese side has drastically increased defense budget, and sought breakthroughs in military build-up. Its behaviors have led to serious concerns among its Asian neighbors and the international community. We urge the Japanese side to recalibrate its strategic perception of China, stop provoking bloc confrontation, be prudent with its words and actions in the military and security domain, and contribute more to regional peace and stability.

Journalist: The Japanese Defense Minister reportedly claimed that Chinese military drones operate frequently near Japan’s airspace and are expanding their flying zone, which concerns the Japanese side and the international community. He also said that the Japanese side will take comprehensive measures for vigilance and reconnaissance. The Japanese Defense Ministry said that the number of emergency scrambles conducted in response to Chinese military drones in 2024 more than doubled year-on-year. May I have your comments on this?

Zhang Xiaogang: The Chinese military’s operations in relevant waters and airspace are in line with international law and practices, and do not target any specific entity. They are aimed at enhancing our capability to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests. There is absolutely no need for the Japanese side to be paranoid. We require the Japanese side to stop its hype and stop monitoring and disrupting operations of the Chinese side. This will help avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation, prevent accidents at sea and in the air, and avert negative impacts on the relationship between the two countries.

Journalist: This year marks the 35th year of the Chinese military’s participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations (UNPKOs). Since the Chinese military dispatched military observers for the first time to UNPKOs in April 1990, it has now become a major troop contributor. Could you provide an overview of the Chinese military’s participation in UNPKOs?

Zhang Xiaogang: Since our first deployment 35 years ago, the Chinese military has participated in 25 peacekeeping missions, and dispatched over 50,000 personnel to more than 20 countries and regions, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lebanon and South Sudan. Chinese peacekeepers completed tasks such as mine clearance and explosive ordinance disposal, medical treatment, security escorts, and protection of civilians. China’s Blue Helmets have stepped forward for world peace with courage and persistence in despite of difficulties and dangers. 17 Chinese service members, including Liu Mingfang, Du Zhaoyu and Shen Liangliang, have made the ultimate sacrifice for the UN peacekeeping cause.

It’s our objective to preserve peace and protect the people. China is the largest troop contributor to UNPKOs among the permanent members of the UN Security Council, and the second largest contributor to UN peacekeeping assessments. We maintain an 8,000-strong peacekeeping standby force, which consists of 28 units in 10 categories, such as infantry, medical and rapid response units. The Chinese military has conducted exchanges and cooperation on peacekeeping with over 90 countries and 10 international and regional organizations. We have built “Shared”series, an international brand of peacekeeping operations. As we speak, approximately 1800 Chinese peacekeepers are executing tasks in the UN headquarters and seven mission areas. The Chinese military will continue to deepen and expand our participation in UNPKOs, and contribute more to the implementation of the Global Security Initiative and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Journalist: According to reports, the US Chief of Naval Operations announced that a large-scale inter-service joint-operation exercise will be conducted in the Pacific Ocean as a “stress test” to evaluate the combat capabilities of the US military. The US side claimed that the exercise aims to prepare the military for potential conflicts with China in the Pacific. In addition, a US B-1B bomber task force has arrived at the Misawa Air Base in Japan, and US MQ-4C long-endurance drones will be deployed to Okinawa. Do you have any comment on this?

Zhang Xiaogang: The Asia-Pacific is a promising land for peace and development, not a “hunting ground” for geopolitical games. Show of force and provocation are “stress tests” that no regional country wants to see or take. We hope the US side will do more to promote peace and stability in the region, rather than the opposite. China remains a force for peace, stability and progress in the Asia-Pacific, and will never be swayed by fallacies, deterred by intimidation, or cowed by pressure. We will resolutely safeguard our national sovereignty, security and development interests.

Journalist: It’s reported that the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command said in a recent Senate hearing that “China’s increasingly aggressive actions near Taiwan are not just exercises, but rehearsals for attacking Taiwan”. He suggested that the US should significantly advance autonomous systems and deploy them in the Taiwan Strait, so as to build a “hellscape” to deter China. What’s your comment on this?

Zhang Xiaogang: The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China. How to resolve it is a matter for the Chinese, which brooks no foreign interference. Some individuals of the US side point fingers at and make groundless speculations on the legitimate and necessary measures taken by the Chinese side to safeguard our national sovereignty and territorial integrity. They also attempt to bluff us with a fancy slogan. This exposes their true motive of clinging to US hegemony and selfish interests at the cost of destroying others’ homeland. Threats and intimidation will never work on China or the Chinese military.

Journalist: I have two questions. The first one is that the Philippine corvette BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS-36) invaded into China’s territorial waters of Huangyan Dao on April 20. The naval force of the Southern Theater Command carried out tracking, monitoring, warning and repelling in accordance with law. Analysts believe that by changing the subject of its harassing activities from fishing boats, PCG vessels to warships, the Philippine side is attempting to escalate the South China Sea issue from law enforcement by coast guard to military conflict, leaving space for following diplomatic and public opinion manipulations. What’s your comment on this? Secondly, according to Japanese media outlets, the Japanese and Philippine governments will make legal arrangements to facilitate military intelligence exchanges. The Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will visit the Philippines at the end of April to reach an agreement on starting discussions as soon as possible for signing the General Security of Military Information Agreement. The Philippines signed with the US a military intelligence-sharing agreement last year. If it signs another with Japan, the three countries will be able to share intelligence regarding the East China Sea and the South China Sea. Analysts believe that this is aimed at monitoring and deterring military presence of the PLA in this region. Do you have any comment?

Zhang Xiaogang: On your first question, the PLA Southern Theater Command has issued a statement in response. We urge the Philippine side to stop right-infringing provocations. If it keeps barreling down the wrong path and acting recklessly, it will do itself more harm than good and taste the bitter fruit of its own doing.

On your second question, the Philippine side soliciting foreign support to stir up troubles in the South China Sea will not work. External countries meddling in the South China Sea issue will bring about chaos and is not welcomed.

Journalist: I have two questions. Firstly, it’s reported that the troops in Taiwan started the computer-assisted command post drill (computer-simulated war games) under Exercise Han Kuang 41 on April 5. The drill will last for 14 days and 13 nights. The scenarios include the so-called potential operations by the Chinese mainland, such as “gray-zone harassment” and “transition from exercise to war”. Koo Li-hsiung, Head of Taiwan’s military authorities, said that as it takes the PLA shorter time to shift from training to war, the troops in Taiwan needs to test and enhance its ability to respond to potential situations at any time. What’s your comment on this?

The second one is that it is reported that the DPP authorities is considering using over 13,000 convenience stores as “wartime hubs” in the event of “a cross-Strait war”. This is one of the plans under discussion for the ”Whole of Society Defence Resilience Committee”, a unit set up by the Lai Ching-te authorities. May I have your comments on this?

Zhang Xiaogang: On your first question, the military elements of “Taiwan independence” separatist forces put on a flashy show by conducting exercises. This does nothing more than embolden and comfort themselves. No matter how many drills they carry out, they will not be able to escape from their destined failure.

Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers questions at a regular press conference on the afternoon of April 24, 2025. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by Sun Yue)

On your second question, for its selfish gains, the DPP authorities hysterically hype up the so-called “mainland’s threat”, stir up social panic, and double down on their “combat readiness for Taiwan independence”. If left unchecked, their behaviors will surely plunge Taiwan into war. The DPP authorities’ so-called “whole-of-society defence” actually harms the whole society, as they take the Taiwan island as a battlefield and coerce the local people into cannon fodders for “Taiwan independence”. Their actions are shameful. The PLA is committed to fighting against “Taiwan independence” separatists, promoting national reunification, and safeguarding China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity. We hope our Taiwan compatriots recognize the true nature of the DPP authorities as a source of chaos and disasters, take active actions to oppose “Taiwan independence”, and protect their own well-being and livelihood. We hope the two sides of the Taiwan Strait will join hands to promote national reunification and rejuvenation.

Journalist: According to reports from Taiwan media, the US side sent a retired four-star army general, who was also a former commander of US Forces Korea, to serve as the senior observer for the war games of this year’s Han Kuang Exercise. In addition, the war games revealed five potential patterns of joint operations between Taiwan and the US in wartime. May I have your comment on this?

Zhang Xiaogang: We firmly oppose any form of military collusion between the US and Taiwan. To embolden and support “Taiwan independence” separatists is to ruin peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Those who do that will get burned for playing with fire, and taste the bitter fruit of their own doing. We urge the US side to stop stirring up troubles on the Taiwan question, earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-US joint communiqués, and deliver on its promise of not supporting “Taiwan independence”. We solemnly warn the DPP authorities that those who solicit US support for “Taiwan independence” will be stabbed in the back, and be abandoned as a useless pawn.

Zhang Xiaogang: If no other questions, this concludes today’s press conference. Thank you.

MIL OSI China News –

April 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM meeting with Prime Minister Mustafa of the Palestinian Authority: 28 April 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

PM meeting with Prime Minister Mustafa of the Palestinian Authority: 28 April 2025

The Prime Minister met with the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammad Mustafa this afternoon in Downing Street.
The Prime Minister met with the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammad Mustafa this afternoon in Downing Street.

The Prime Minister began by expressing his sincere condolences for the appalling loss of life in Gaza. He said that the UK does not support the resumption in hostilities, which are in nobody’s interests. He added that the UK will continue to press for a return to the ceasefire as a first step to a lasting peace, and reiterated that the return of humanitarian aid into Gaza is critical.

He also said that we must not lose sight of the situation in the West Bank, where unlawful settlement and violence is of deep concern.

Discussing the Arab Plan for Gaza, the Prime Minister shared the UK’s support for the Palestinian Authority’s reform programme, which he said is critical. The leaders agreed that a strategic political framework will be necessary as part of the implementation of a two-state solution, and that Hamas must have no role in Gaza’s governance.

They both agreed that the UK would continue to work closely with the Palestinian Authority and regional partners to find a constructive way forward, and deliver lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

The leaders looked forward to speaking again soon.

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Published 28 April 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
April 29, 2025

Category: Middle East

The emerging reality of fragmentation

Fragmentation of the real economy

Financial fragmentation

The looming consequences of fragmentation

Medium-term impacts

Long-term structural changes

The central bank’s role in a fragmented world

Conclusion

India and Egypt deliberate to strengthen ties through avenues of strategic collaboration in skill developmentBoth delegations expressed a shared commitment to creating a globally competitive, future-ready workforce

The emerging reality of fragmentation

Fragmentation of the real economy

Financial fragmentation

The looming consequences of fragmentation

Medium-term impacts

Long-term structural changes

The central bank’s role in a fragmented world

Conclusion

Targeting dissidents

Directly controlled by a dictator

Opaque operations

Surveillance capabilities

Unlawful policing

Potentially expanded scope

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PM meeting with Prime Minister Mustafa of the Palestinian Authority: 28 April 2025

Share this page

Updates to this page

India and Egypt deliberate to strengthen ties through avenues of strategic collaboration in skill development

Both delegations expressed a shared commitment to creating a globally competitive, future-ready workforce