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US, China Trade Fresh Barbs Over Disputed Asian Seas

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US, China Trade Fresh Barbs Over Disputed Asian Seas 6 Established 1961 International Thursday, August 26, 2021 US, China trade fresh barbs over disputed Asian seas Harris begins Vietnam visit to stress US commitment to Asia HANOI: Vice President Kamala Harris an apparent reference to the so-called US’s “enduring relationship with said yesterday the US would find new “Havana syndrome” which has afflicted Vietnam and Southeast Asia”, she told ways to “raise the pressure on Beijing”, US diplomats in several countries President Phuc. accusing China of bullying in hotly dis- including China and Russia. It is not On Wednesday, Harris said a dona- puted Asian waters for the second time clear what causes the syndrome, lead- tion of one million Pfizer vaccines in two days. Harris made the comments ing to unproven allegations that would begin arriving in Vietnam in the as she began a visit to Vietnam to stress Russians or others used high-intensity next 24 hours from the US-which has US commitment to Asia, a trip critics electronic devices to physically harm already sent five million doses to the have slammed as tone-deaf given the US diplomats. The Vietnam leg of the country. She later visited late US sena- parallels with the superpower’s evac- tor John McCain’s memorial during uations from Saigon and Kabul. a downpour in the capital, laying During a meeting with Vietnam flowers at the site where his plane President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Harris ‘Anomalous was shot down by the North said the US would continue to chal- Vietnamese on the third anniversary lenge Beijing’s “bullying and exces- health incident’ of his death. sive maritime claims” in the South China Sea. “We need to find ways to delays VP’s China ‘intimidation’ pressure and raise the pressure, In Singapore, Harris said Beijing frankly, on Beijing to abide by the Hanoi visit “continues to coerce, to intimi- United Nations Convention on the date” and make unreasonable Law of the Sea,” she added. claims to large areas of the South During the Singapore leg of her China Sea. Four Southeast Asian HANOI: US Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks during the official launch of regional trip Tuesday, Harris also Asian tour has sparked criticism after states including Vietnam have compet- the CDC Southeast Asia Regional Office in Hanoi yesterday. — AFP accused China of intimidation in the the chaotic evacuation of Kabul ing claims over the waterway through resource-rich waterway. China hit back prompted comparisons with the trauma which trillions of dollars in shipping at the accusations through its state of 1975 Saigon, when US helicopters trade passes annually. events in Afghanistan have cast doubts In Singapore, Harris sought to allay media yesterday, accusing the US of ferried final evacuees from the embassy China has been accused of deploy- on Washington’s claims of reliability. fears that countries that have strong hypocrisy in attempting to “coerce and roof in the last days of the Vietnam War. ing military hardware including anti- Pham Quang Vinh, Vietnam’s former ties with both of the world’s top intimidate” countries in the region in its Harris is steering clear of both ship and surface-to-air missiles there, ambassador to the United States, told economies would have to choose sides. “scheme to contain China”. Saigon-now Ho Chi Minh City-and the and ignored a 2016 international tribu- AFP the country was watching events in Vietnam has sought to forge its own historical parallels, instead emphasizing nal decision that rejected its historical Kabul closely. “The US has recommitted path between the two superpowers and Anomalous health incident’ Washington’s commitment to the region claim over most of the waters. Harris is itself now to this region but if some- on Tuesday Prime Minister Pham Minh Harris’ arrival in Vietnam was as she opened a branch of the US the latest top official from President thing happens in Afghanistan again, for Chinh met the Chinese ambassador, delayed due to what US officials called Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Joe Biden’s team to visit the region to example if terrorism comes back... will stressing Hanoi would not “align with an “anomalous health incident” in Hanoi, Hanoi. The launch was a symbol of the reassure allies of its steadfastness. But the US continue to focus here?” he said. one country against another”. —AFP News in brief Iran parliament to give Taiwan-Japan security talks verdict on Raisi cabinet picks TAIPEI: Taiwan and Japan’s ruling party will TEHRAN: Iran’s parliament is due to recorded its highest single day death hold security talks for the first time later this complete debate on President toll on Tuesday, with 709 fatalities week, a Taiwanese lawmaker said yesterday, as Ebrahim Raisi’s cabinet yesterday recorded by the health ministry in 24 the two neighbors fret about China’s increasing- before an afternoon vote of confi- hours. The ultraconservative Raisi ly bellicose military threats. The announcement dence allowing the new government won a June 18 election marred by of the talks was condemned by Beijing, which to start work. The legislative vetting record low turnout and an absence of claims self-ruled, democratic Taiwan and process began on Saturday and will significant competitors. opposes countries having official contacts with resume in early afternoon, when the He succeeds moderate president Taipei. Two lawmakers each from Taiwan’s ultraconservative president will deliv- Hassan Rouhani, architect of the polit- Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Japan’s er a speech to lawmakers. In an ical opening that culminated in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will hold a vir- Islamic republic where ultimate power 2015 nuclear agreement between rests with supreme leader Ayatollah Tehran and major powers. But that tual talk on Friday dubbed a “two-plus-two” TEHRAN: Cars drive on a highway as the sun sets in the Iranian capital Tehran Ali Khamenei, Raisi inherits a difficult external opening was torpedoed by security meeting. — AFP Tuesday. — AFP socioeconomic situation. Trump and much of Iran’s conserva- Iran has been strangled financially tive camp. by sanctions reimposed by The president announced on The parties agreed in late June to Ukrainian soldier killed in attack Washington after then US president ‘National interests’ Saturday that his government’s first meet for a new round of talks, but dis- Donald Trump pulled out of a multi- The new president was sworn in by priority will be the battle against cussions have yet to resume. KIEV: The Ukrainian army said yesterday that lateral nuclear deal in 2018. parliament in early August, but the coronavirus, closely followed by the In the aftermath of his election vic- a soldier had been killed and two others wound- The country of 83 million people outgoing administration remains at economy. Western powers, Russia and tory, Raisi declared on June 20 that he ed in the country’s pro-Russia separatist east, as has since been hit by a severe eco- the helm until the new cabinet gets China are all keeping a watchful eye will not permit negotiations just for regular clashes continue in the conflict-torn nomic crisis amplified by the COVID legislative approval. The confidence for any sign of willingness by Iran to “negotiation’s sake”. But he also said: region. It was the fourth Ukrainian soldier killed pandemic. Iran is currently grappling vote in the strictly conservative line- resume discussions that began in “Any negotiations that guarantee over the past week. The Ukrainian army is with a fifth wave of infections-the up-all 19 of them men-will allow Raisi Vienna in April aimed at salvaging the national interests will certainly be locked in a simmering conflict with separatist strongest wave yet. The country to begin leaving his mark. nuclear deal. supported”. —AFP fighters in the country’s Donetsk and Lugansk regions that erupted after Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014. Ukraine’s military said in a as young as five took part in the sur- statement that over the past 24 hours break- Rohingya kids prise 15-minute march in the away fighters had launched three attacks on its Kutupalong camp-the world’s largest troops with small arms. —AFP stage genocide refugee settlement-to demand justice for the thousands of Rohingya reported killed in the crackdown. anniversary Community leader Mohammad Thai police wanted over death Osman said between 3,000 and 4,000 protest children took part, chanting “we want BANGKOK: Thai authorities were yesterday justice” and “we want safe repatriation”. hunting a group of police officers wanted for UKHIA, Bangladesh: Hundreds of Police said only a few dozen children allegedly suffocating a drugs suspect to death children yesterday defied a ban on were involved. Some women also staged with a plastic bag in an incident captured on protests at Rohingya refugee camps in camera. An investigation was ordered after Bangladesh to mark the fourth silent protests in front of their shanty video footage of the incident went viral on anniversary of a Myanmar military homes holding placards that read “we UKHIA, Bangladesh: Rohingya refugees walk along a path at Kutupalong refugee social media. The clip shows a group of men- crackdown which sparked an exodus want justice”, a rights activist said. camp in Ukhia yesterday. — AFP allegedly including the chief of a district police across the border, community leaders Journalists were not allowed into the station in northern Nakhon Sawan province- said. Thousands of armed police and camps for the anniversary. Bangladesh wrapping a plastic bag around the man’s head troops patrolled the camps in the authorities have banned protests and memorative rally in the camps in 2019. Rohingya has been held to account,” while questioning him on August 5.
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