In fact, 10 years ago, Biden, who was still the Vice President of the United States, had a face-to-face meeting with Putin, then Russian Prime Minister, in Moscow. At that time, Biden stated that the United States hoped to “reset” US-Russian relations in a way that reflects the common interests of the two countries.

Now, the two will sit at the negotiating table again. But this time, it seems “impossible” for the two sides to make a fundamental breakthrough in the low-point Russia-US relationship through just a summit of leaders.

Data map: On March 10, 2011, Putin and Biden met in Moscow, Russia.

“Old rivals” confront again,

These issues will be put on the negotiating table…

At 13:00 on June 16th, Geneva time (19:00 Beijing time), the Russian-US leaders summit will officially begin.

According to the Russian President’s Assistant Ushakov, Putin and Biden’s talks will consist of a small-scale talk and two large-scale talks, during which there will be a coffee break.

As for how long the talks will last, Ushakov said, “It all depends on the situation of the discussion, the mood of the two presidents, and what issues will take longer than we planned.”

A source familiar with the preparations for the US-Russia summit said that the negotiations are planned to last for nearly five hours.

In addition, according to the warm-up and release of the United States and Russia, the topics of this meeting are very broad, involving bilateral relations, strategic stability, arms control, conflict mediation in hotspots, counter-terrorism, new crown epidemic, network security, human rights, environmental protection and other fields.

Data map: US President Biden.

The meeting at the lowest point of US-Russian relations,

“Tune the door” dropped again and again

On the eve of the summit, U.S.-Russian relations continued to be tense, and sanctions and war of words became almost normal. Putin and Biden have said recently that US-Russian relations are at the “lowest point in recent years.”

Zhang Hong, a researcher at the Institute of Russian, Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said in an interview with a reporter from Chinanews.com that US-Russian relations are in a “more dangerous situation”, which is the main reason for the holding of the “Publish Meeting.”

Putin has said that the purpose of this meeting is to improve bilateral relations; Biden also said that the meeting is aimed at seeking “stability” and “predictability” in the relationship between the two parties. However, the United States and Russia continued to release negative messages before the summit.

In response, Sun Chenghao, an assistant researcher at the U.S. Institute of the China Institute of Modern International Relations, explained that for the United States, the “anti-Russian and hate-Russian” sentiment in the United States has not dissipated, although Biden does not have the burden of former President Trump’s “Russian gate” , But after he came to power, including accusing Russia of interfering in the U.S. election, accusing Russia of participating in hacker attacks on the United States, etc., “there is no way for Biden to show too soft diplomacy to Russia.”

“Russia is actually the same,” Sun Chenghao said. Because the United States has always imposed pressure on Russia’s diplomatic pressure and economic sanctions, it is impossible to ease the United States under Russia’s current governance model. Russia’s domestic politics It also determines that Putin cannot overly show favor to Biden.

However, many parties predict that the United States and Russia will reach cooperation on non-core interests, including climate change issues and the fight against the new crown epidemic. Zhang Hong said, “The United States and Russia may reach a certain consensus in these areas. I think it is the main purpose of this meeting to create or resume such a dialogue through non-core issues.”

Data map: Russian President Putin.

See Putin at the last stop of the European trip,

Biden is cheering himself up?

The meeting between Biden and Putin in Geneva was the last stop of Biden’s European tour. Prior to this, he has attended the G7 summit, NATO summit and the US-Europe summit.

In Zhang Hong’s view, “allies first, competitors second”, this order is correct.

“Through the three summits, Biden and Putin will meet with strong alliance diplomacy support. In fact, the United States represents the Western camp and the Russian dialogue, so that it is in regional security issues, regional economic cooperation issues, ideological and In terms of values, there is at least the so-called “voice of the alliance”, which transcends the United States itself and partially represents the European position.” Zhang Hong pointed out.

Sun Chenghao also said that such an itinerary was “well-designed.” If Biden had contact with Putin in advance, first of all he had no bottom; second, Biden was also worried that European allies would think that the United States and Russia would adopt this kind of “over-the-top diplomacy” approach to reach some arrangements that are not conducive to Europe. It is also unfavorable to consolidate transatlantic relations.

“Dialogue” is the best result?

Russia and the United States may find it difficult to achieve breakthroughs on key issues

As early as 1985, the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union held a summit in Geneva, and that meeting was regarded as a turning point for the two countries to walk out of the Cold War. However, the outside world is generally not optimistic about the outcome of this summit.

Zhang Hong pointed out that, first of all, the United States and Russia have major differences over the Navaline incident, which is a “red line” belonging to Russia. Russia has always objected to the direct interference of the United States and the West in Russia’s internal democratic and political affairs. Secondly, there is the “security red line.” The frequent activities and forward deployments of NATO countries headed by the United States in the Balkan Peninsula and the Black Sea region threaten the security of western Russia.

Sun Chenghao also mentioned a more specific contradiction between the United States and Russia-the issue of sanctions. What Russia is most concerned about economically is when the United States can lift the sanctions. But first, the “anti-Russian hatred” sentiment in the United States is soaring. It is impossible for Congress to lift sanctions against Russia in this state, and the Biden administration has at least not much bargaining chip in sanctions.

In general, experts predict that this summit will hardly allow both parties to achieve breakthroughs on key issues.

Sun Chenghao pointed out that there will be some partial improvements in the atmosphere of the United States and Russia; this meeting will allow everyone to have “a more stable expectation” for the relationship between the United States and Russia. Zhang Hong said that although the summit cannot achieve a breakthrough, it does not mean that the United States and Russia will not be able to achieve regular dialogue in the future. Once the regular mechanism of such a major power is restored, it will be very beneficial to Russia and will help Russia break the West’s diplomatic isolation.

“The two leaders will be arguing about many things, but the dialogue will continue.” Alexander Fushbo, the ambassador to Russia in the administration of former US President George W. Bush, pointed out that this is “the best one can think of.” Happening”. (Finish)

Just now, a new round of financial sanctions imposed by the United States on Russia formally came into effect. Since June 14, U.S. companies have been prohibited from buying Russian government bonds issued for the first time, and Russian government bonds issued in euros have also been included in the prohibition of buying, which was once called the “most powerful” punitive measure in the financial market.

Russia’s counterattack was also unrelenting. The Russian Ministry of Finance announced that it would change the structure of the National Wealth Fund in the next month, reducing the share of the US dollar to zero, and Russia almost completely emptied the US long-term national debt.

The timing of this round of competition between the two sides in the financial market is very sensitive. On June 16, local time, US President Biden and Russian President Putin will meet in Geneva, Switzerland for a US-Russian summit. On the eve of the summit, the capitals of the two parties have already released “ruthless words.” Therefore, the market expects that this meeting will be the fiercest political game.

The “most powerful” financial sanctions?The U.S. puts pressure on Russia again

According to CCTV News, since June 14, US financial sanctions against Russia have come into effect. The U.S. government prohibits domestic companies from buying Russian government bonds (in rubles) that are issued for the first time. Russian government bonds issued in euros are also included in the prohibition. However, U.S. companies are allowed to trade Russian government bonds on the secondary market.

So, how much impact will this punitive measure, regarded by the financial market as “the most powerful”, have on the Russian economy?

First, let’s look at the scale of Russian national debt issuance. According to the latest data from the Audit Office of the Russian Federation, as of the first quarter of 2021, Russian national debt has increased by 741.3 billion rubles (approximately RMB 64.4 billion) from the previous quarter. The total scale of Russian debt is as high as 19.7 trillion rubles (about 1.71 trillion yuan), accounting for 17% of Russia’s GDP.

At present, the government bonds of the Russian Federation held by foreign investors are about 2.7989 billion rubles, accounting for about 14% of the total size of Russian bonds, but this part of the government bonds are stocks that are normally traded in the secondary market and are not subject to the US sanctions. limit.

In addition, looking at the issuance of Russian government bonds, Gehrman Greev, President of the Russian Federal Reserve Bank, made it clear that Russia’s related bond issuance plan will be completed as scheduled. According to the Russian Ministry of Finance, starting from June 16, Russia will release its first national debt to the market, and will issue three national debts worth 500 billion rubles on the same day.

The British analyst firm Oxford Economics believes that because the United States only prohibits the purchase of Russian government bonds in the primary market, the sanctions have limited impact on the Russian government bond market, and are more symbolic. If sanctions (the United States against Russia) affect transactions in the secondary market, the threat effect will be very violent.

Faced with the entry into force of US financial sanctions, Russian Finance Minister Siluanov also strongly stated that Russian government bonds will still maintain a high demand rate and that sanctions will only cause losses to US companies.

In fact, this financial sanctions policy began in mid-April this year, when the U.S. government announced a series of measures to sanction Russia, including prohibiting U.S. companies from buying Russian initial treasury bonds, but they can buy and sell Russian treasury bonds on the secondary market. Effective from June 14, 2021.

At that time, the reasons for the sanctions given by the United States were that Russia interfered in the U.S. election, hacked the system, and a series of “hostile acts.” In addition to prohibiting U.S. companies from buying Russian government bonds, it also expelled 10 Russian diplomats. The U.S. Treasury Department Thirty-two Russian entities and individuals were sanctioned.

Fight back! Russia is going to dump the U.S. dollar and U.S. debt?

Russia has already begun to “strike back” against the US financial restrictions. On June 3, local time, Russian Finance Minister Siluanov stated at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that the Russian Ministry of Finance will change the structure of the State Wealth Fund within one month, in which the share of the US dollar will be reduced to zero and the share of the British pound will be reduced. At 5%, the yen will remain at 5%, the euro will grow to 40%, the renminbi will grow to 30%, and gold will account for 20%.

It is reported that the Russian National Wealth Fund was established to support the Russian pension system. Its funds can also be used to make up for the budget deficit during the crisis. It has now become an important part of the Russian Federation’s budget assets.

According to data disclosed on the official website of the Russian Ministry of Finance, as of May 1 this year, the total assets of the fund reached 185.87 billion US dollars, or 13.82 trillion rubles (equivalent to RMB 1.2 trillion), accounting for 12% of Russia’s GDP.

As of early May, the fund’s liquid assets were worth approximately US$119 billion, of which one-third (approximately US$41.5 billion) were in US dollars. This means that in the next month, the Russian National Wealth Fund will substantially sell US dollars.

On February 24 this year, the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation announced that it would include the RMB and the Japanese Yen in the National Wealth Fund. The two currencies accounted for 15% and 5% of the fund’s foreign exchange structure, respectively. At the same time, the share of the US dollar and the euro both fell to 35%, while the share of the British pound remained unchanged at 10%.

Russian President Press Secretary Peskov said in response to a question about the adjustment of the investment structure of the National Wealth Fund that de-dollarization is a long-term process visible to the naked eye. Not only Russia is de-dollarizing, but many countries in the world are also doing similar things. , Because these countries are beginning to worry about the reliability of the major foreign exchange reserve currencies.

Before March 2018, the U.S. dollar has been one of the most important foreign exchange reserves of the Russian Central Bank, accounting for as high as 43%-48%. Since then, as the United States has tightened sanctions against Russian companies and citizens, in order to minimize the risk of sanctions, the Central Bank of Russia began to continuously reduce the proportion of U.S. dollars in foreign exchange reserves. As of the end of 2020, U.S. dollars and U.S. dollar assets are in Russia’s international The share of reserves has dropped to 21.2%, and the share of gold and RMB has increased to 23.3% and 12.8%.

While Russia is selling the U.S. dollar, it is also reducing its holdings of U.S. Treasury bonds in a “clearing-out” manner. According to the latest data released by the US Treasury Department, in February this year, Russia almost completely emptied long-term US Treasury bonds (only US$306 million left), and reduced its holdings of US debt by US$389 million that month, and the final position dropped to US$5.8 billion. Compared with Russia’s highest holding of US debt, the cumulative sell-off ratio reached 94%.

Biden and Putin are about to meet, how to talk?

Behind the secret rivalry between the United States and Russia may be for the upcoming summit of US-Russian leaders.

According to the official website of the White House, US President Biden will meet with Russian President Putin in Geneva, Switzerland on June 16, local time.

At this point, Biden is already in Europe and has just finished attending the G7 summit. After three days of dialogue and consultation, the leaders of the G7 announced that they have reached a certain consensus on fighting the epidemic, rebuilding the economy, trade reform, and green transformation. It will be announced in the form of a summit communiqué.

China has been mentioned many times in the G7 Communiqué, and it even touched on issues such as Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Subsequently, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom said in response to reporters that the G7 Communiqué published distorted and reversed remarks on Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other issues, deliberately slandered China, and arbitrarily interfered in China’s internal affairs. The serious violation of the basic norms of international relations has further exposed the sinister intentions of a few countries such as the United States. We are strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposed to this.

India, which is plagued by the epidemic, is also making small calculations. The Global Times quoted foreign media reports that India may join the G7 infrastructure plan, which aims to provide a so-called “value-driven, high-standard, and transparent” partnership against China. The Belt and Road Initiative.

If the G7 summit is a closed-door game of tongue war, then the probability that the US-Russian summit on June 16 will not make Biden so easy, and the meeting between Biden and Putin will likely be The fiercest political game.

In fact, from the series of signals released by the United States and Russia before the meeting, a strong smell of gunpowder can be smelled.

On June 6, Biden’s signed article in The Washington Post stated that the United States does not seek to conflict with Russia, but will not hesitate to respond to Russia’s harmful activities in the future. When meeting with Putin, he will emphasize again The United States, Europe, and like-minded democracies support the promise of human rights and dignity.

According to CCTV News, on June 4, local time, Russian President Putin spoke at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Speaking of the upcoming summit of Russian-US leaders, he said that Russian-US relations are at a very low level, and he will work with US President Biden to find solutions to the problems of bilateral relations, and will discuss strategic stability, arms reduction, and the new crown epidemic. And other issues.

Putin pointed out that Russia and the United States have no differences, but the United States wants to contain Russia’s development. He said that the relationship between Russia and the United States has largely become a bargaining chip for the United States to govern its internal affairs, and hopes that this situation will end at some point.

In addition to the mutual temptation of the two heads of state on the verbal level, the wrestling of military forces between the United States and Russia has also become more frequent. On June 11, the National Defense Management Center of the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the US Navy’s “Labourn” guided-missile destroyer had entered the Black Sea and the Russian Black Sea Fleet had begun to monitor it.

On the same day, the U.S. Pentagon suddenly announced that it would allocate 150 million U.S. dollars in security assistance to Ukraine to help Ukraine maintain its territorial integrity and improve its coordination with NATO. On the Russian side, the Russian Navy held the largest military exercise after the collapse of the Soviet Union to show off its muscles.

From this point of view, the secret rivalry between the US and Russia on the financial and military levels may be to increase the weight of the negotiations at the upcoming US-Russian leadership summit.

According to overseas media reports, Ukraine hopes to join NATO and fight its long-time enemy Russia.

Ukrainian President Zelensky said that he welcomes Ukraine’s eventual joining of the military alliance, which is a landmark move for Kiev.

Ukraine will hope that joining NATO means they can call on the support of major powers such as the United States and the United Kingdom to defeat Russia’s bullying strategy under Putin.

But Biden warned that Kiev needs to eradicate corruption before it can be officially included in NATO.

After the NATO summit on Monday, the American president said: “In fact, they still need to fight corruption.”

“At the same time, we will make every effort to enable Ukraine to resist Russian aggression… to maintain their personal safety.”

Biden added that Russia’s annexation of Crimea and Moscow’s role in the east of the country does not mean that Kiev will never be accepted.

But Putin said in an interview with Russian state television that if Ukraine joins NATO, Russia will “unacceptable”.

He claimed that Ukraine’s joining the NATO military alliance will enable NATO to obtain missiles that can reach Moscow within seven minutes.

He said in an interview: “At least 50% of Ukrainian residents do not want to join NATO. They are smart people.”

“They understand that they don’t want to be victims on the line of fire, they don’t want to be bargaining chips or cannon fodder.”

Earlier, Zelensky urged NATO to speed up Ukraine’s accession to NATO through a member action plan.

Earlier Monday, he told reporters that he hoped that Biden would give a clear “yes” or “no” answer to Ukraine’s plan.

Earlier this month, Biden reiterated his support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine and invited Zelensky to the White House in July.

But Zelensky said: “It is better to hold this meeting before the summit.”

He added that he did not want Putin and Biden to propose a solution to the conflict in Ukraine at the summit.

“It is impossible to make a decision for Ukraine,” he said. “So there will be no concrete results.”

Zelensky sought support from Washington for the Seven Years War between Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists.

On Friday, the Pentagon announced a new $150 million military aid to Kiev.

The conflict escalated in early 2021. In April of this year, Russia assembled 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border and Crimea, prompting NATO to issue a warning.

Russia subsequently announced its withdrawal, but both Washington and Kiev stated that the withdrawal was limited.

Zelensky estimates that there are more than 90,000 Russian troops stationed on the Ukrainian border, and said that tensions are still likely to escalate.

“Any escalation can lead to conflicts,” he said. “If the number of troops near our border increases, it may lead to a large-scale war.”

The conflict in eastern Ukraine, including the escalation of tensions in the past few months, is expected to be discussed in Geneva.

Zelensky said that his country is ready to join NATO. He explained: “We are fighting a war. This is proof that we are ready to join.”

“We prove every day that we are more willing to join NATO than most NATO countries.”

In April, Zelensky invited Putin to meet in eastern Ukraine, but Putin seemed to have rejected the invitation, saying that Moscow would welcome the Ukrainian leader “at any time.”

Putin also emphasized that Zelensky should directly discuss the conflict in eastern Ukraine with the separatists.

Since Moscow annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, Kiev has been fighting pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. This war claimed the lives of more than 13,000 people.

Kiev and its Western allies accuse Russia of sending troops and weapons to support the separatists. Moscow denies this.

EU-US summit Brussels and Biden – the sticking points

Status: 15.06.2021 2:04 p.m. Subsidies, punitive tariffs or relations with Beijing – the European Union and the USA are still fighting over a whole range of explosive problems after the change of power in Washington. An overview. The United States and the European Union are clearly trying to improve their relations again after the Trump presidency. Disputes in economic and geopolitics have been simmering for years. The new US President Joe Biden is as tough on some issues as his predecessor Donald Trump. On other questions, however, he showed a willingness to compromise in advance. When he meets EU leader Ursula von der Leyen today, these issues will be the main focus:

Subsidy dispute over Airbus and Boeing

For 17 years, the EU and the US had been fighting because they accused each other of improperly subsidizing their aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing. Since Biden took office, there was a kind of armistice until July 11th. In the run-up to the summit, both sides had hoped to be able to resolve this dispute. In fact, the EU and US reached an agreement at today’s meeting. There is a breakthrough on the subject, said EU Commission President von der Leyen. This will open a new chapter in relationships – with cooperation instead of legal disputes. During Trump’s tenure, the United States had received permission from the World Trade Organization (WTO) to impose punitive tariffs of $ 7.5 billion on goods and services from the EU. Airbus aircraft were subject to a tax of 15 percent. A year later, Brussels also received WTO approval to impose punitive tariffs on US imports totaling four billion dollars.

October 18, 2019

Punitive tariffs on steel and aluminum

At the meeting between Biden and the EU leaders, the trade conflict over steel and aluminum will also come on the table. The commission hopes that the guest from Washington will agree to lift the punitive tariffs of 25 percent on European steel exports to the USA by December 1st. After Trump was voted out of office, Brussels decided not to raise its tariffs on whiskey, jeans or Harley-Davidson motorcycles as planned on June 1. Now it is up to the USA to turn words into deeds, says Deputy EU Commission President Valdis Dombrovskis. Trump had accused the EU of unfair trade practices and imposed punitive tariffs on imports in this area in June 2018. As a result, European steel exports to the USA rose by 25 percent and exports of aluminum by ten percent.

05.03.2021

Digital tax and data security

Brussels also sees a need for discussion regarding the taxation of digital content from US technology companies such as Google, Apple, Amazon and Facebook. The EU accuses companies of skilfully shifting their sales and profits to avoid tax payments in the EU. A Europe-wide tax for digital corporations has therefore been discussed in the EU for years. France and other EU countries have already introduced national digital taxes. In the meantime, both sides within the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have agreed to start negotiations on the taxation of digital content. Brussels and Washington are also looking for a new agreement to enable the exchange of personal data from the EU to the US. This is important for the business models of the US digital corporations. The European Court of Justice overturned the so-called Privacy Shield Agreement last year because it did not adequately protect European data from access by US authorities and secret services.

11/25/2020

Further consideration for Nord Stream 2?

The German-Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream 2, which is supposed to double the capacity of Russian deliveries through the Baltic Sea, could also cause some tension at the meeting. She wasn’t just a thorn in Trump’s side. Biden also rejects the almost finished project – but obviously does not want to jeopardize the transatlantic partnership, which has just recovered. The US fear that Moscow has a means of political leverage in the pipeline. The planned start of Nord Stream 2 was delayed by US sanctions under Trump. In a gesture to Berlin at the end of May, Biden’s government decided not to impose sanctions on the operating company Nord Stream 2 AG and its German managing director. Washington wanted to create space for talks with the federal government.

analysis 05/20/2021

Relations with China

As far as relations with China are concerned, things seem to have calmed down a bit. The fact that the EU reached an investment protection agreement with Beijing without waiting for Biden’s inauguration to coordinate with the new US president was clearly disapproved in Washington. There one expects more support from the Europeans against the Chinese rival. The EU has since put the deal with China on hold and is unequivocally opposed to unfair trade practices and human rights abuses. After the EU imposed sanctions on the situation of the Muslim Uyghur minority in the Chinese province of Xinjiang, Beijing responded with sanctions against EU politicians and scientists. The European Parliament then refused to ratify the agreement. With information from Matthias Reiche, ARD-Studio Brussels

07/30/2020

Alliance against China G7 countries decide on global infrastructure plan

Status: 13.06.2021 6:38 p.m.

At the initiative of US President Joe Biden, the G7 countries agreed on a billion-dollar infrastructure initiative for the emerging countries. It should be an alternative to China’s “New Silk Road”. From Notker Blechner, tagesschau.de It sounds like a kind of “Marshall Plan” for the poorer countries of the world: At the G7 summit in Carbis Bay, the leading western industrialized countries have an infrastructure project entitled “Build Back Better World” (in German: a better world rebuild) decided. Hundreds of billions of dollars are to be invested by the G7 countries in cooperation with the private sector.

The US is the driving force behind the initiative

The project was promoted by US President Joe Biden. It is reminiscent of the billion dollar infrastructure plan adopted in the USA, which Biden promoted under the slogan “Build Back Better”. The aim is to offer poorer countries “transparent high-quality partnerships”, announced Biden at the end of the summit. The global infrastructure project of the G7 states is supposed to be an alternative to the “New Silk Road” with which China is promoting infrastructure projects from Asia to Europe. The People’s Republic has agreed “Belt and Road” projects with around 100 countries, including the construction of new train routes, ports and roads. According to the business information service Refinitiv, around 2,600 projects with a volume of 3.7 trillion dollars have already been launched. Critics accuse Beijing of driving poor countries into a debt trap and into political dependency. With the “Silk Road”, China is pursuing the goal of expanding its geopolitical influence worldwide. A US official called the new G7 alliance against China’s Silk Road a positive alternative vision that “shows our values, our standards and our way of doing business”. It is not about “the countries have to choose between us and China”.

Transparent alternative to the “New Silk Road”?

Chancellor Angela Merkel gave a less ideological justification for the infrastructure plan of the G7 countries. “We have to deal with the fact that China is running quite successfully infrastructure projects,” she admitted. “We can’t just stand by and watch.” The G7 group must show “that we are an important and successful factor in development work in the world”. She emphasized that the project was “not against something, but for something”, namely the expansion of the infrastructure, especially in Africa. The German economy has been demanding for some time that Europe react to China’s “New Silk Road” with its own infrastructure strategy. “If we want to regain spheres of influence in developing countries, it is not enough to criticize China. We have to make better deals,” said Friedolin Strack, head of the International Markets department in the Federation of German Industries (BDI), to the “Handelsblatt”. German companies usually go away empty-handed when it comes to the Silk Road projects.

Trillions of dollars are needed

According to Biden, there is a global need of 40 trillion dollars for the expansion and modernization of the infrastructure. He didn’t give any details. In a preparatory paper for the G7 summit it was said that 1.5 to 2.7 trillion dollars of additional money would be necessary every year for the developing and emerging countries to achieve the sustainable development goals of the United Nations. In fact, many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America lack modern roads, train lines, bridges and ports, as well as facilities for water supply, sewage and waste treatment. In the opinion of the G7 group, the World Bank and other international financial institutions have proven to be too clumsy when it comes to infrastructure projects. This is why national development banks in particular, such as the German Reconstruction Loan Corporation (KfW) or the US International Development Finance Corporation, are now to develop and implement projects.

Concrete projects only in 2022

It will take a few more months for the G7 countries’ global infrastructure plan to take shape. The first concrete projects are not expected to appear until next year. The new G7 task force for infrastructure projects in developing countries is to make specific proposals in 2022. “I hope that we can present such projects at the next G7 summit,” said Chancellor Merkel. Germany will take over the G7 presidency in 2022.

Fan said: The Queen of Iron Fight

The queen has suddenly become busy during the recent period.

Yesterday, she received visiting US President Biden and his wife Jill at Windsor Castle. This is also the 13th US President the Queen has received.

From Truman and Eisenhower, to Kennedy and Reagan, to Trump and Biden, the iron queen has survived 14 presidents of the United States (of which Lyndon Johnson has not met), once again proving the attributes of a long standby.

The queen wore a pink print skirt designed by Stewart Parvin this time. The large floral pattern was very conspicuous and gave people a very bright feeling. White Cornelia James gloves and black Launer bag are also standard equipment that you can hold your hand.

The brooch she chose this time is THE JARDINE STAR BROOCH. The shape is very special. It has 8 sharp corners, like a starfish, with diamonds between the sharp corners, and the whole body is also covered by diamonds, which is very shining.

This brooch is a bequest of jewelry received by the Queen in 1981. It comes from Lady Jardine and later became one of her favorite brooches. It has been worn more than 50 times since 2001.

In contrast, Jill Biden’s dress looks more formal, choosing a light blue suit from the American designer brand Adam Lippes, priced at about $1,000, paired with nude-colored Valentino high heels, although slightly conservative, But it didn’t make a mistake, and it echoed Biden’s tie.

When he was interviewed by the media after drinking tea with the queen, Biden said that the queen was “very kind” and even reminded him of his mother.

In fact, Biden has met the queen twice this week. On the 11th, she hosted a banquet in Cornwall’s Garden of Eden to entertain the G7 leaders. The Queen also wore a floral-themed skirt that day, designed by the Queen’s stylist Angela Kelly, and it is still the Launer bag.

The brooch that I wore that day was also very interesting. It was a gift from the President of Botswana in 2007. The brooch was made in the shape of sorghum, 11 pear-shaped diamonds were made of grain ears, and the stems and leaves were made of gold.

At the event, the queen insisted on cutting the cake with a ceremonial sword, and said, “I know there are ordinary knives, but I want to use this one more unusual.” This style of painting is also a little cute.

In the middle of these two activities, she “takes time” to participate in the military parade for her official birthday. The suit I was wearing before the opening of the Congress was still the same. I feel that after the death of Prince Philip, the queen has become more and more fond of floral elements in her clothes, perhaps because she wants to add some more vital elements.

As a symbol of Britain, the queen has always been aloof, and because of the long standby, the heads of countries also respect her when they see her. But in the UK, which pays special attention to etiquette, if you don’t pay attention, you will be criticized by the media for breaking royal rules and disrespectful to the Queen…

For example, when Biden’s predecessor Trump visited the UK in 2018, he was late + blocked the road and made various jokes.

(Queen OS: Why is this kid so naughty)

When Biden saw the queen this time, he almost stepped on the red line. For example, when attending a dinner on the 11th, the convoy arrived 5 minutes later than the Queen. When I went to Windsor Castle for tea, it seemed that I wanted to stretch out my arm to support the Queen, but at the last minute I still retracted, perhaps thinking of Michelle Obama. “A lesson from the past”-touching the queen is a violation of etiquette.

In any case, Biden’s meeting with the queen was fairly stable, and throughout the summit, as the president’s wife Jill, all kinds of equipment were constantly changing.

Although keeping a low profile in front of the Queen, in other activities, the wife of the new British Prime Minister Kelly, Kate who went out for business, and Brigitte, the wife of the French President who “came into the face” with her, was written “to win” in other activities. Both have been pk in the same box.

Today, the master fan will give you a list of the style of this group of politicians and wives who are in the same frame and line, and the United States presidents have stepped on those thunders when they see the queen.

Dignitaries dress big pk

After the uproar caused by wearing “fishnet socks” last time, Jill’s recent style of painting has become quite low-key.

Because it was the first time to visit Britain as the wife of the American President, she also brought a lot of equipment this time, constantly changing her looks, and also brought a wave of goods to American designers. Before leaving for the UK, she wore a dark green suit from the American fashion house Lafayette 148. The overall painting style was quite female elite.

When he arrived in the UK, when he got off the plane, he put on a navy blue jacket by Ralph Lauren and a white skirt by Michael Kors, echoing Biden.

When leaving the UK, he wore a set of Carolina Herrera and showed off his love with Biden.

☞ Jill vs Kelly

However, it is inevitable for the pk to get together. When Boris and Biden met in Cabis Bay, Cornwall, 70-year-old Jill and the newly promoted prime minister’s wife Kelly Johnson (33 years old) formally began their confrontation.

Jill is wearing a polka-dot skirt from designer Brandon Maxwell and a jacket from Zadig & Voltaire. The front of this jacket looks unremarkable, but the back is actually printed with a big LOVE, which is interpreted as a signal of goodwill.

The media who likes to do things, also cue to Melania, who is quiet and generous, also printed on the back, but she wore “I really don’t care, do u?” back then.

On the other side, the new prime minister’s wife, Kelly, said “to win” on her face. I wore a big red dress that day, suspected to be from LKBennett, with 100 points for stealing the spotlight.

Kelly and Boris’s 1-year-old son Wilfred also came out to act as a mascot. Although they were still showing their backs, this fluffy blond hair looked like Boris’s baby. Jill and Kelly also played with him on the beach together, and the color of little Wil’s clothes still matched Jill’s grandma.

I don’t know if it was stimulated by Kelly. In the following formal events, Jill also put on a red dress and even red high heels.

Her dress was from Brandon Maxwell, and she also wore it when she attended the Day of the Dead last month. The high heels were also from the American designer brand Marion Parke. The jewelry on that day was mainly made of gold, and red gold was matched to show the aura.

However, this time Kelly was even more “excessive”, and she wore a set of “Death Barbie powder” and succeeded in stealing the spotlight again in terms of saturation. This skirt comes from Roksanda and is said to be rented.

At the Queen’s reception last Friday, both of them had a lot of restraint. Jill wore a Karban trench coat by Gabriela Hearst with a black dress with a print inside.

Coincidentally, Kelly also wore a printed black dress that day, from the British fashion brand The Vampire’s Wife, famous for her printed skirt. Yellow high-heeled shoes are the highlight of the whole body, from Prada, but also carry the same yellow Gucci bag, catching a wave of popular colors.

The next day, the two people started to pk again. Jill walked up with Kelly wind, and Kelly walked up with Jill wind, and they also paid tribute to each other.

Jill’s print dress comes from Oscar de la Renta, and the price is more than $7,300.

Kelly’s suit came from Amanda Wakeley. The cobalt blue was particularly dazzling in the sun and once again succeeded in stealing the spotlight.

In the next scene, Jill immediately put on the same cobalt blue shawl. Brandon Maxwell’s white dress was printed with a large butterfly pattern, and the color scheme was a bit similar to Kelly’s last set.

Kelly suddenly became lighter, wearing a light-colored printed skirt and hugging her son as if on vacation. The outfit Wilfred wore was still like Prince George when he was a child.

In general, in the first confrontation between the British and American ladies, Kelly was successful in overpowering Jill, and some media even said Jill was imitating her. Moreover, the two of them can be regarded as bringing out a new style of dressing for dignitaries, who like natural elements such as flowers, using bright color blocks, and keeping simple elegance.

☞ Jill vs Kate

Seeing Kate again after being “suppressed” by Kelly, Jill made a high profile. The two visited an elementary school in Cornwall and discussed topics related to child development. They also wore pink clothes in a tacit understanding.

Kate’s fuchsia dress comes from Alexander McQueen, which she likes very much, and is about £1,125. The bag is LKBennett, and the bag shape is formal.

Jill seemed too high-profile. This death Barbie pink suit, from California women’s clothing brand L’AGENCE, also has a print on the lining (but this color happened to be worn by Kelly the day before).

The matching white dress is from Akris, a small Swiss luxury brand, a brand that Princess Charlene of Monaco loves very much. Then she wears a three-layer long pearl necklace, as if she can’t lose to young people.

At the Queen’s reception, Kate was more low-key, wearing a cream white dress, suspected to be Alexander McQueen, nude high heels are Aquazzura, the heel height is not small.

☞ Gil vs Brigitte

Among the ladies who participated in the summit, there is one more person I have to mention, and that is the wife of the French President Brigitte.

She and Jill looked like a pair of “sisters” from a distance. The ages are similar, Brigitte is 68 years old this year, and Jill is 70 years old; he is a teacher by profession; he looks like blond hair and likes to spread out; the dressing styles are also similar, and sometimes they are “silly and unclear”.

Although Brigitte is not the protagonist this time, he is still a big name. When I first arrived in the UK, this white coat was suspected to be custom-made by Chanel. It was paired with a turtleneck, which is simple and stylish.

When the leaders took a group photo, her bright “Royal Blue” suit, together with Kelly’s death Barbie powder, made Boris and Macron extraordinarily bleak.

While watching the performance at the Minack Theater, she put on a beige suit, suspected to be from the Spanish brand Castañer. Sitting with Jill, who also wears sunglasses, I feel like I can watch it again and again.

During the BBQ on the beach, she changed into a navy blue printed skirt, which looked pretty good.

After talking about the dress pk of the dignitaries, Biden almost stepped on thunder when he saw the queen this time, and he couldn’t help making people curious. What rules should the dignitaries and celebrities obey when seeing the queen? In fact, there have been problems with the capital of many countries…

Which mines did the dignitaries see the queen stepped on?

☛How to call the queen

First of all, he is very particular about the title of the queen. When you see the Queen, you should call it “Your Majesty.” When you talk to the Queen later, you don’t have to say “Your Majesty” every time, but “Ma’am”. At the end of the dialogue, when he was about to leave, he once again honored him as “Your Majesty.”

Note that you can’t directly call the Queen’s name Elizabeth. Nicknames like Queen, Queenie, and Liz are even worse, unless…you are Mandela.

A personal assistant of Mandela revealed that the interaction between them was very interesting when Mandela visited the Queen. Mandela would directly call the queen “Elizabeth” and even comment on the queen’s clothing and weight. Probably no one else in the world would dare to do so.

Regarding these “disrespectful” behaviors, the Queen herself did not feel offended, but she felt very happy. Of course, if you don’t have the courage and charm of Mandela, you still have to honestly call your Majesty~

☛How to salute the queen

Facing the Queen of England, according to British tradition, women should curtsey and men should bow.

Former British Prime Minister Blair and his wife are often sprayed by conservative British media on this point. Blair not only publicly questioned the value of the royal family, but Mrs. Blair has repeatedly seen the Queen without curtsy.

Later, when Prime Minister Mei Mei saw the queen, she still bowed respectfully.

If you are not a British citizen, such as the President and Mrs. of the United States, you do not have to follow British traditions. Usually visitors from other countries meet with the Queen, and it is okay to only give a handshake. Nowadays, under the epidemic situation, even the handshake may be avoided.

But it should be noted that if the queen does not take the lead in making a handshake, she cannot take the initiative to extend her hand. The American actor Susan Sarandon made jokes before.

During an event, she suddenly walked in front of the Queen and Prince Philip, bowed and tried to shake hands with the Queen. Although the Queen and Prince Philip responded to her request with a friendly smile, Susan’s behavior was accused of undermining the royal etiquette.

As soon as Susan turned and walked away, Prince Philip was puzzled, and seemed to be asking the queen “Who is she?”, and the queen was also embarrassed.

In fact, the British royal court has regulations that everyone should be introduced to the Queen, instead of rushing forward and asking for a handshake. This is very impolite.

☛How to talk to the queen

What if the queen wants to talk with you cordially after the greeting and the salute? Just chat calmly at this time. But when talking to the queen, don’t interrupt her at will, especially when she is expressing opinions related to politics.

Be careful not to talk about personal topics. It is not wise to comment on the Queen’s figure and dress like Mandela did. Bush was even more exaggerated. In 1991, when the queen visited the United States, when he was the son of the president at the time, he asked in front of the queen: “Who is the prodigal son of your family?” If it weren’t for being stopped by his mother Barbara in time, the scene would be only More embarrassing…

It is estimated that the Queen’s inner OS was like this:

If you don’t know what to talk about, it’s safer to talk about the weather and travel, or shooting and horse racing that the royal family loves. Be careful not to deliberately imitate the Queen’s accent.

When communicating with the queen, you should not look away from her for too long. Appropriate and friendly eye contact is necessary~

Don’t turn your back to her. The British royal etiquette stipulates that no one should turn their backs to the queen or walk in front of her, so Trump hit the gun in various ways before…

☛How to dine with the queen

Drink tea or have a meal with the queen, as long as the queen has not started, no one can move the food first. When the queen stops, you should stop too. In short, whether you are sitting, speaking or having a meal, it’s okay to remember that everything follows “Queen First”~

If it is a formal meal, a toast is a place to pay special attention. A very embarrassing scene happened before the Queen hosted the Obamas.

According to the British royal tradition, before important guests make a toast to the Queen, all the people present stand up and play the British national anthem at the same time. After the music is over, the guests begin to say the toast. However, Obama, who did not do his homework, thought that the British national anthem was a toast for him, so he finished the toast with the “accompaniment”… At this time, the queen only had a cold face. gif↓

(Please enjoy the recitation of the poem “Respect the Queen”, performer: Obama)

☛Elegance is the most important thing

Learn to see the queen’s decent words and deeds, and you have to buy a decent outfit~ First of all, make sure that your look is carefully prepared, and you have achieved a 9-point level. If you are sloppy and too casual, you may even have security. Can’t make it through.

At the same time, the dressing style should be elegant and appropriate as the key word, and the style is relatively conservative. When Kennedy visited the United Kingdom before, the queen and Jacqueline were in the same frame as the beauty, and both of them were quite elegant and expensive.

Of course, it is best not to dress too exaggeratedly, and not to be too sexy and revealing. The “candid meeting” like wheat grains is a bit overwhelming for the elderly.

(Hey, young man…)

It is recommended that the little black dress be temporarily put away, because the British royal family usually wears black on a large scale when attending a funeral, so it may seem a bit out of date.

Men’s clothing is usually Black Tie, and the higher-spec dress is White Tie. This kind of dress is the most formal and least common. It requires a tuxedo and a white bow tie. It can only be seen at top grand occasions such as royal ceremonies and banquets. . Looking at the performance of Putin, Omaba and the Queen in the same frame, who do you think is better?

If you want to successfully attract the Queen’s attention, you can also spend more time on the details~

For example, Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, although the queen is considered his junior, in order to show respect to the monarch, he specially wore the medal awarded by the queen’s father George VI, which is also real.

When Reagan visited Britain, he tacitly wore the same color with the Queen.

In addition to the above, there are some taboos to pay attention to, avoid stepping on thunder (‘◡’)

☛Don’t be late

Everyone knows that the queen is a very self-disciplined person with a strong sense of time.

Therefore, people who meet her should also strictly control the time. They need to arrive before the royal family arrives. Don’t let the queen wait for Trump to be late. Let the queen wait for ten minutes under the high temperature alone, and you can feel it through the screen. To a little emotion ↓

Biden’s team was five minutes late this time as a thunder. The Queen didn’t care about it.

☛Don’t be noisy

In front of the Queen, one should also pay attention to controlling the volume, making loud noises and shocking surprises, it seems too demeanor.

At the G20 summit in London in 2009, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi “offended” the Queen. At that time, the leaders of the various countries took a group photo, which was because Berlusconi had a lot of fun. Not only did he want to bring Obama to his side, but he also shouted “Mr. Obama!”

This move made the queen black face in public and turned her head back and said angrily: “What’s wrong? Why is he shouting loudly!” It seems that you don’t want to be blacklisted by the queen, so you have to keep calm and graceful at any time~

☛Do not have close physical contact

Although there is no official rule that prohibits touching the queen, people have understood for hundreds of years that when meeting members of the royal family, one should not touch or hug them at will. This has become an unwritten traditional taboo.

If you insist on breaking the taboo, it is easy to be like the former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, because he touched the queen’s back and became a famous negative teaching material. The British media was very surprised by his “disrespect” and therefore gave him the nickname “Australian Lizard” =. =

Only the queen can hug if she takes the initiative to show her willingness to embrace. However, this scene of Michelle Obama holding the queen is still criticized as “disrespectful” by the British media.

What’s more, the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, even kissed the Queen’s mother. It is said that the Queen Mother was scared back again and again. It is estimated that the Queen was also stunned at the time. ∑( °△°|||

Another time, the queen was inexplicably excited by Tony Blair, and she was unhappy at the time.

Therefore, when meeting the queen, it is important to keep a distance and avoid close contact. However, former US President Ford used to dance with the queen, and the queen seemed very happy.

Although many people criticize the red tape of the British royal family for being too behind the times, not everyone has the opportunity to see the queen, but the sense of ritual behind these rules is one of the reasons why everyone is keen to pay attention to and discuss the British royal family.

The queen, who usually loses her aura, is a kind and lovely old lady. Many heads of state, including George W. Bush, Trump, and Biden, said in interviews that the queen is very remarkable, and when she sees her, she will think of herself. mother.

Well, about Biden’s visit to the UK, I will talk to you all here today. What do you think about the pk of the two ladies and the long standby of the queen? Welcome to discuss in the comment section.

This statement makes what President Zelensky said earlier that NATO supports the path of membership of Kiev, still quite far. “NATO leaders have confirmed that Ukraine will become a member of the alliance and that the Member Action Plan (MAP) is an integral part. Ukraine deserves to be appreciated for its role in ensuring Euro-Atlantic security,” Zelensky wrote on Twitter. US President stressed that it is not possible to confirm Ukraine’s accession to NATO At the summit on June 14, NATO also focused all of its attention on China and climate change. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg only mentioned Ukraine twice in his speech, but both times were unrelated to the issue of the country joining the alliance. In addition to objections on security reasons from Moscow, the fact that Ukraine still has a dispute over the Crimea peninsula with Russia is also what makes it difficult for this country to join NATO. Under Article 5 of the NATO charter, member states will have the right to collective self-defence, so a territorial dispute could drag the military bloc into a potential conflict with Russia.

The Princess of England is elegant in a pink dress with red shades, accents at the waist to help highlight her slim figure. The first lady of the United States also chose a simple outfit with a white skirt and a pink Fuchsia jacket. Mrs. Jill Biden and Princess Kate Middleton chose to combine pink clothes with accessories of neutral shades. Photo: Page Six. Both are dressed in new collections of expensive brands. While Kate Middleton favored Alexander McQueen clothes to show support for the British fashion house, Mrs. Jill Biden chose Akris outfit for $ 2,990. The harmony and sophistication of both comes from the choice of nude-toned high-heeled shoes to create the effect of elongating the legs and help the floating color outfit not be confused when combining accessories with neutral shades. According to the Insider , the fact that Mrs. Jill Biden and Princess Kate Middleton wore pink to show their friendliness and cohesion when visiting elementary students at Cornish School. Pink is a color that is always favored by international fashionistas. Photo: Fashionista. Regarding the two’s outfits, fashion experts once said that pink is considered a versatile color suitable for many skin tones. People with darker skin tone will look good in light pink tones such as cherry blossom, carnation pink, and lavender shades. Those with fairer skin will suit dark pink. Besides, this shade can be harmoniously combined with brown, black or dark blue tones.

01 Week index 02 News of the week Huawei issued a statement not to build cars On May 24, Huawei issued the “Statement on Huawei Not Building Cars”, reiterating that the long-term strategy of not building cars has been determined since 2018, and there has been no change. Huawei said that it has not invested in any auto companies so far, nor will it in the future, let alone holding or participating in shares. Huawei has selected BAIC, Changan, and GAC as its strategic partners to support the creation of their respective sub-brands. Quick comment: Huawei once again reiterated that it does not build cars, and stated that what the industry needs is not Huawei branded cars, but Huawei’s accumulated ICT technology capabilities over 30 years. Huawei will help automakers build future-oriented cars and provide automakers with intelligent and connected auto parts based on Huawei’s ICT capabilities. Cars that use Huawei’s autonomous driving solution can only use the HI (Huawei Inside) logo with authorization from Huawei. Ford and SK Innovation to establish a battery joint venture in the U.S. On May 21st, Ford and South Korean battery manufacturer SK Innovation signed a joint memorandum of understanding to jointly establish a battery joint venture named BlueOvalSK in the United States to produce batteries and battery packs. (Source: Reuters) BlueOvalSK plans to achieve mass production around 2025, with an annual battery capacity of about 60 GWh, and the possibility of capacity expansion. The company predicts that by 2030, its annual battery production capacity in North America will reach 140 GWh, and the global annual battery production capacity will reach 240 GWh. Quick comment: Although the establishment of BlueOvalSK is also affected by other factors such as the final agreement between the two parties and the approval of regulatory agencies, it can support the growing battery demand for Ford electric vehicles and promote the vertical integration of core electrification capabilities. South Korea’s SK Innovation has cooperated with Hyundai Motor, BAIC, Daimler Group and other car companies, and in 2016 developed the NCM-811 nickel-containing battery. The battery will be mass-produced in the United States to provide power support for the Ford F-150 Lightning. SK Innovation’s next-generation batteries and battery packs will also be applied to more electric models of Ford. Ford F-150 officially released, Biden test drive On the evening of May 19th, US time, Ford released the pure electric pickup F-150 LIGHTNING. The standard version has an EPA endurance of 230 miles (approximately 370 kilometers), and the high-end version EPA has an endurance of 300 miles (approximately 482 kilometers). The power part is all dual motors, the maximum power of the standard version is 318kW, and the high-end version is 420 kW. The official revealed that the fastest speed of the high-end version is about 4 and a half seconds. (Source: The New York Times) In terms of charging, the pure electric F-150 supports a maximum of 150 kW DC fast charging, which can charge from 15% to 80% in 41 minutes; it supports a reverse output of 9.6 kW, and it can be connected to the home grid to support the normal use of almost all electrical appliances. The battery parameters have not been disclosed, but the battery capacity estimated according to the official charging data (19.2 kW DC charging 8 hours full charge) is likely to reach 150 kWh. In terms of price, the new car starts at US$39,974, and the high-end version is US$49,974. Quick comment: On May 18th, local time, Biden visited Ford’s Dearborn electric car factory, tested the F-150, and reiterated its electric car plan. Previously, the Biden government announced a total infrastructure construction plan of 2.25 trillion US dollars, of which 174 billion US dollars will be dedicated to the electric vehicle industry investment. Specific measures will include car purchase rebates, tax incentives, and 20% of school buses will be renewed. For electric vehicles, and through federal procurement to accelerate the electrification of the federal fleet, at the same time plans to build 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations across the United States. Elon Musk visited Tesla’s Berlin Gigafactory, hoping to start production by the end of the year On May 16, Elon Musk arrived in Germany for a “technical visit” to the Berlin Super Factory and expressed the hope that the factory can be put into operation by the end of this year. (Source: Reuters) Musk said that the production time is difficult to accurately predict, and only with all the parts and technical blessings can a car be made. At the same time, he believes that German bureaucracy is also one of the reasons for the delay of the Berlin Gigafactory, and said that the regulations are not dead, and measures should be taken to actively adjust, otherwise nothing may be done in the end. Quick comment: The construction of Tesla’s Berlin Gigafactory has now surpassed numerous obstacles. After being unable to obtain construction permits, protests by environmental protection organizations, turbulence in owed guarantee deposits, and adjustments to increase the production of 4680 batteries, Elon Musk finally got a little restless and went to the Berlin Super Factory in person. Later, he also called on suppliers to speed up the pace to deliver Model Y as soon as possible on Twitter. The Berlin Gigafactory once wanted to benchmark the construction speed of the Shanghai Gigafactory. According to the original plan, the Berlin Gigafactory will be put into operation in July this year. At present, it seems that the delay may be inevitable. Development and Reform Commission: Promoting the construction and installation of charging piles in residential communities On May 20, the National Development and Reform Commission announced a public solicitation of opinions on the “Implementation Opinions on Further Improving the Service Guarantee Capability of Charging and Swap Infrastructure (Consultation Draft)”, and the announcement proposed to accelerate the construction and installation of charging facilities in residential communities and improve urban and rural areas To ensure the ability of charging and swapping, strengthen the operation and maintenance of charging and swapping facilities and network services, and do a good job in supporting grid construction and power supply services. It specifically mentions that if the installation conditions are met, the residential community management unit and the owners’ committee shall not obstruct users from building piles; newly-built residential communities must implement 100% fixed parking spaces reserved for charging pile construction and installation conditions; encourage “near parking space sharing” and “multiple vehicles” “One pile” and other new models; strive to have a coverage rate of no less than 80% of fast charging stations in expressway service areas in national ecological civilization experimental areas and key areas for air pollution prevention and control by 2025, and no less than 60% in other areas. Quick comment: The National Development and Reform Commission proposes that in order to achieve the goal of peaking carbon by 2030 and carbon neutral by 2060, it is necessary to accelerate the improvement of the service guarantee capacity of charging and swapping infrastructure to better support the development of the new energy automobile industry. Policy first, I believe it will further pave the way for the development of electric vehicles in cities at all levels. Smart’s new pure electric SUV will be mass-produced next year On May 19th, smart officially announced the exterior design sketch of its new pure electric SUV concept car, indicating that the first mass-produced model of the new smart will be launched in 2022 and is scheduled to be officially released during the Munich Auto Show in September this year. The new car is researched and developed by the global R&D center of Geely Group, and is based on Geely’s vast SEA architecture. It is equipped with fast charging technology, smart keys, voice control, car OTA update and other functional configurations. Quick comment: Smart has always given people the impression that it is more compact and compact. The first pure electric model launched this time has been transformed into a compact five-seater SUV. The market acceptance is also very much anticipated. Written by: Niki Editor: Liu San These are also worth reading

US President Joe Biden. Photo: AP “He’s smart, he’s tough, and I see him as a worthy opponent,” Biden said. At the same time, President Biden said that the upcoming meeting with President Putin is important and he will ask Moscow to cooperate in areas of mutual interest if the Kremlin chooses to do the same, according to Reuters. “I want to make it clear to President Putin that there are areas where we can cooperate if he chooses to go this way. If he chooses not to cooperate and act the way he has in the past with regard to cybersecurity and certain other activities, we will respond in the same way,” Biden said. However, President Biden also said that he would make it clear to Putin where the “red lines” are. “I have shared with our allies what will convey to Putin, that I do not seek conflict with Russia but we will respond if Russia continues its harmful activities and we will not. failed to defend the transatlantic alliance. We stand for democratic values,” Biden said. In addition, the White House president also noted that “it would be a disaster” if Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny died in prison. Specifically, according to the US leader, “Mr Navalny’s death will be another sign that Russia has little or no intention to adhere to basic human rights. It was a disaster. That does nothing but hurt Russia’s relationship with the rest of the world.” It is known that the meeting between President Biden and his counterpart Putin is scheduled to take place in Ho Chi Minh City. Geneva (Switzerland) on June 16. Both Washington and Moscow welcomed the upcoming summit as a positive step towards finding stability in the bilateral relationship.

US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: RT President Joe Biden arrived in the UK on Wednesday, June 9, ahead of a meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday and the start of the G7 summit on Friday. His schedule in the coming days is quite busy. From the G7 in Cornwall (UK), Mr. Biden will travel to Brussels (Belgium) to attend the NATO summit, then to Switzerland to meet his Russian counterpart on June 16. Speaking Wednesday to US forces in Suffolk (UK), Mr Biden strongly announced he would meet with President Putin to “tell him what I want him to know”. Mr Biden’s tough statement received a standing ovation from the troops attending the event, and was described by many commentators as a “warning”. Mr Biden later said he wanted a “stable, predictable” relationship with Russia, built on the “responsibility” shouldered by both powers. “But I have made it clear that the United States will respond strongly if the Russian government engages in harmful activities,” Biden added. “I will inform him that if Russia violates the sovereignty of democracies, in America, Europe and elsewhere, they will have to bear the consequences.” Nearly three years after American commentators criticized former President Donald Trump for being too soft on Putin during a meeting in Helsinki (Finland), lawmakers from both parties expect Biden to take a tough stance. stronger in the next meeting. Biden has previously declared that Putin is a “murderer” and promised during the campaign that he would make Putin “pay” for alleged election interference. Meanwhile, Mr Putin described Mr Biden as “an experienced and careful man” who has devoted his life to politics. The Russian President hopes that these qualities of his American counterpart will have a positive impact on the upcoming negotiations. But Putin also said that Moscow “does not expect any breakthrough in Russian-American relations”. Although Biden’s allies often portray the president as being tough on Putin, in reality, Biden still gave his Russian counterpart a huge opportunity after taking office, by wading orders. sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, facilitating the completion of the project connecting Russian natural gas fields with European consumers. Former President Donald Trump, despite his “soft” accusations against Russia, has stalled the project for more than a year with sanctions.

Distinguishing between Trump and Biden In an article published in March 2020, CNN posted an image of former President Trump crossing out the word “Corona” and changing it to “Chinese” before the word virus in a note at a meeting with the task force against COVID-19. The American newspaper at the time asserted that this was an attempt by the President and some in the administration to distract the public from his failure to control the spread of the COVID-19 disease in the US. At the same time, many other American newspapers quoted a series of statements from the White House public health advisers asserting that it is inappropriate and inaccurate to associate SARS-CoV-2 with the name Wuhan virus. “Ethnicity is not the cause of the virus that causes COVID-19” , Forbes quoted Alex Azar – US Secretary of Health and Human Services at that time said. A photo shows the word “Corona” removed and replaced with “China” in Trump’s COVID-19 announcement. Sheet Vox Trump’s association with COVID-19 by geographical location is dangerous because it arouses xenophobia. CBS News stressed that the US leader’s statements related to the “Chinese virus” only fueled a wave of discrimination against Asian Americans. According to statistics from the database website Factbase, Trump used the phrase “Chinese virus” more than 20 times between March 16 and March 30. Before a series of criticisms from the media and public opinion, he did not mention this phrase but never “reduced” when he asserted that there was evidence that nCoV escaped from the Wuhan laboratory many months later. Unlike his predecessor, not long after taking office, President Biden signed an executive order banning COVID-19 contacts by geographical location. A few weeks ago, the hypothesis that COVID-19 leaked from the Wuhan laboratory became hot again when the Wall Street Journal It was reported that 3 researchers from the Wuhan Institute of Virology were hospitalized for treatment in early November 2019. The American newspaper confirmed that these people had “symptoms similar to COVID-19 disease”. A few days after the information Wall Street Journal Posted, President Biden directed the US intelligence community to intensify efforts to investigate the origin of COVID-19 and report to him within 90 days. This move of the American leader was welcomed by the US media. A series of American newspapers began to seriously analyze the possibility of the virus escaping the laboratory, citing experts who emphasized the need for a scientific investigation into this matter. CBS News Quoting former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, it was a mistake to prematurely dismiss the theory that COVID-19 leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan. While New York Times said many scientists welcomed President Biden’s call for a more extensive investigation of the Wuhan lab. Many other newspapers are racing to publish information about the report of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California, USA on the origin of COVID-19 which emphasizes the hypothesis that the SARS-CoV-2 virus leaked from a laboratory. China’s experiment in Wuhan is correct and needs further investigation. The same problem, but at two times, the way the American media reported under two presidents seemed different. Although compared to 1 year ago, the hypothesis that COVID-19 escaped from the Wuhan laboratory is only one more episode like Wall Street Journa l posted. Intelligence agencies around the world, including in the US, have yet to make any official conclusions about the origin of nCoV. Trump supporters criticize American media. Many opinions say that anti-Trump sentiment makes many newspapers lose their objective view when they only focus on going against what the US leader claims. The US has never given up investigating the origin of COVID-19 Even under Trump or Biden, the US has never given up on the investigation into the origin of COVID-19. Washington criticized China for denying international investigators access to the Wuhan lab and for failing to explain some of the inconsistencies in the hypothesis that the virus jumped from animals to humans. The Wuhan Institute of Virology became the focus of the investigation into the origin of COVID-19. (Image: Shutterstock) According to the sheet DW of Germany, the United States is taking every opportunity to remind the world that China is responsible for the entire current world mayhem. Whether it’s Trump or Biden, they want the American people to believe that the disease that has claimed more than 600,000 American lives originated in China and they have done everything to find the truth that Beijing hides. Blaming China also alleviated people’s dissatisfaction with the government’s shortcomings in putting in place anti-epidemic measures. It is undeniable that China has fought COVID-19 well and soon brought the epidemic under control. Beijing is also busy promoting its success story and drowning out international criticism for its “leaving” nCoV to the world. But China’s lack of transparency has also fueled speculation that Beijing is hiding something. This provides fertile ground for conspiracy theories. “Unfortunately, we are experiencing a situation in which the question of the origin of COVID-19 and different strategies in fighting the pandemic becomes the subject of a propaganda war between the US government and the US government. and China” , said German scientist Felix Wemheuer. Experts say that while trying to refer to China as an irresponsible country that spreads the disease but consistently denies it, the US has built itself as a leader in finding the truth, ready to stand up for justice. The US claims to blame China for COVID-19 are also against Beijing’s propaganda efforts that the virus did not originate in the country. After successfully controlling the epidemic, China began to shift public opinion from criticism aimed at the country to Beijing’s contributions in the pandemic. Beijing once hypothesized that the virus may not have originated in China after a study published in 2020 showed that antibodies against COVID-19 or a variant were detected in Italy in 2019. China also called called WHO to investigate the hypothesis that the virus leaked from laboratories around the world, referring to the possibility that the pathogen may have been brought by US military personnel to Wuhan, China in October 2019. If it is proven that COVID-19 came from a laboratory in Wuhan, the US will destroy the image that China has built and pressure Beijing to shoulder the burden of vaccination for the world. The US accusations against China may also give other countries a stronger voice in demanding an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 under the umbrella of US protection. In fact, British intelligence recently suddenly changed its opinion, from thinking that the virus theory leaked from the laboratory “unlikely” to saying this hypothesis is “absolutely possible”. For the US, an investigation into the origin of the epidemic could become a lever to increase pressure on China and be part of a competition for influence between China and the West. If it can obtain evidence of Beijing’s cover-up of the pandemic, Washington can use that as leverage in negotiations. Is the investigation being politicized? Under pressure from the US, China and WHO officials repeatedly called on Washington to stop politicizing and “poisoning” the investigation into the origin of COVID-19. Experts fear the US-China blame game for the origin of the epidemic threatens scientific investigations. (Photo: SCMP) “US efforts to politicize research on the origins of COVID-19 seriously undermine international cooperation and create difficulties and obstacles for efforts to combat the virus and save lives.” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman stressed. According to the DW The fact that the US is using COVID-19 as a “scapegoat” as well as the way China is not really transparent about providing information at the beginning of the outbreak are turning science into a political victim of the pandemic. . The world’s two largest economies are stuck in a blame game, fueled by theories about the origins of COVID-19. Experts fear this could distort the investigation into the origin of the epidemic, which is expected to be based on science. “Analysts are under political pressure to stick to the theory that the virus leaked from the lab,” he said. analyst Jeffery Wright said. Dr Mike Ryan, head of WHO’s health emergencies programme, once affirmed that “science needs to be central and science will find the answer”. Unfortunately, the WHO’s statements seem to be losing some weight due to earlier accusations by the Trump administration that the WHO is a “puppet of China” and that the organization is China-centric. Doubts with the WHO also increased when the organization’s investigation into the origin of COVID-19 in March did not come to a clear conclusion. The investigative report mentions the theory that the virus leaked from the laboratory but claims this scenario is “extremely unlikely”.

Insider said his nieces have captured the attention of the media. Maisy Biden and Finnegan Biden joined him at the event. They appeared with two distinct fashion styles. While Finnegan Biden is feminine with a long-sleeved light brown skirt and bandana motif, Maisy Biden wears a T-shirt with his school image with a blazer and loose pants. US President Joe Biden and two granddaughters appeared at the event in Pennsylvania. Photo: Olivier Douliery/Getty Images. The picture printed on Maisy Biden’s shirt was posted on the account of US President Joe Biden in 2014. This is a picture taken when Mr. Joe Biden was still in college. Mr. Biden’s handsome appearance in his youth attracted the attention of the online community. The photo went viral and became an internet icon. This isn’t the first time Maisy Biden has shown support for her grandfather through fashion. In October 2020, she wore a sweatshirt embroidered with the words “Biden 2020” during her visit to Michigan. Maisy Biden has a distinct fashion sense. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images. Maisy Biden always stands out when appearing in important events. She often chooses quite masculine outfits. Whether pants or skirt, Maisy Biden also coordinates with dynamic Nike sneakers.

Colonial Pipeline transports 2.5 million barrels of fuel per day. Photo: Colonial Pipeline According to the BBC, the state of emergency allows fuel to be transported by road. The news agency quoted experts as saying that fuel prices could increase by 2-3% on May 10, but the real impact would be much worse if this situation continued for longer. Many sources confirm that the malicious code attack is caused by a cybercriminal gang called DarkSide, which infiltrated Colonial’s system on May 6 and stole nearly 100GB of data as a “hostage”. After taking over the data, the group of hackers locked this data on some computers and servers, demanded a ransom and warned that if they did not receive the money, they would release the data on the internet. Colonial is working with law enforcement, cybersecurity and the US Department of Energy to restore service. On the evening of May 9, the company announced that although the four main pipelines continued to stop, some smaller lines between the terminals and delivery points were still operating. “Immediately after learning of the attack, Colonial proactively shut down certain systems to stop the threat. These actions temporarily halted all pipeline operations and affected some systems. our information technology system, which we are actively working on restoring,” said Colonial. “We are in the process of restoring service to other pipelines and will bring the entire system back online when we believe it is safe and in full compliance with all federal regulations. “. The DarkSide message appears on the victim’s computer screen. DarkSide isn’t the largest cybercriminal gang in the field, but the incident demonstrates the heightened risk that malware poses to critical U.S. industrial infrastructure, not just businesses. This gang lists all types of stolen data and sends the victim the URL of the “personal leak site”, where the data is pre-loaded waiting for automatic publication, if the company or organization does not. payment before the deadline. DarkSide claims to provide proof of the data obtained, and is ready to delete all such data from the victim’s network. According to Digital Shadows, a London-based cybersecurity company that tracks global cybercrime groups to help businesses limit their risk of being hacked, DarkSide acts like a company.

Illustration. https://kinhtexaydung.petrotimes.vn The action comes as Colonial Pipeline continues to face a ransomware attack that crippled the pipeline system, leading to widespread fuel shortages along the East Coast, prompting the Biden administration to take notice. get “the response of the whole government”. The Colonial Pipeline hack is just the latest example of criminal groups or state actors exploiting US cyber vulnerabilities. Last year, IT company SolarWinds’ software was breached, giving hackers access to communications and data within several government agencies. “We simply cannot let waiting for trouble next thing that happens is the status quo we are operating in,” an official told reporters during a conference call on the evening of May 12. Biden’s executive order takes several steps to modernize the nation’s cybersecurity: Require information technology service providers to notify the government of cybersecurity breaches that may affect U.S. networks and remove certain contractual barriers that may prevent providers from doing so. provide violations. Create a standardized guidebook and set of definitions for federal responses to cyber incidents. Push the federal government to upgrade to secure cloud services and other network infrastructure, and mandate multi-factor authentication and encryption for a specific period of time. Improve the security of software sold to the government, by requiring developers to publicly share certain confidential data. Establish a “Cybersecurity Review Board” composed of public and private sector officials, which may convene after cyber attacks to analyze the situation and make recommendations. Improve information sharing within the federal government by enacting a government-wide endpoint detection and response system. News of the President’s action came about an hour after Colonial announced it had restarted pipeline operations, although it would take several days for fuel deliveries to return to normal. “Colonial will move as much gasoline, diesel and jet fuel as possible and will continue to do so until the market returns to normal,” the statement also thanked the Biden administration “for its leadership and their cooperation”. https://kinhtexaydung.petrotimes.vn

Illustration. The Beijing-based smartphone giant sued the government earlier this year, after the US Department of Defense under former President Donald Trump issued an order designating the company as a Chinese military company. This will result in the deletion of US exchanges and deletion of names from global benchmark indices. The US Department of Defense has now agreed that the final order ignores the designation “would be appropriate,” according to a filing filed in US courts on May 11. Hong Kong-listed Xiaomi did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Pentagon representative was not immediately available for comment. Shares of Xiaomi rose 6.7% during the session in Hong Kong on May 12. “The parties have agreed to a direction that will resolve this lawsuit without the need for a controversial press conference,” according to the filing. Stakeholders are negotiating specific terms and will submit a joint proposal by May 20. Xiaomi, which makes robot vacuums, electric bicycles and wearable devices along with smartphones, was an unexpected target for the Trump administration. Co-founded by billionaire businessman Lei Jun more than 10 years ago, with US chip technology company Qualcomm as one of the earliest investors, Xiaomi insists it is not owned or controlled by the Chinese military. National. The deal comes after a US court in March sided with Xiaomi in the lawsuit and halted the ban. US regional judge Rudolph Contreras said at the time that Xiaomi was likely to gain a complete reversal of the ban once the lawsuit opened and issued an initial order to prevent the company from suffering “irreparable damages. “. The deal marks a rare victory for China’s tech giants to get caught in the sights of the US government, as the two countries clash on issues ranging from trade to human rights and the right to rule. of Hong Kong. In November, Mr. Trump signed a ban on US investment in military-owned or controlled Chinese companies aimed at exerting pressure on Beijing over what the US describes as abusive businesses. use. The order against Xiaomi, along with a number of other Chinese companies, was issued during the weak days of his administration. Trump has also pursued other Chinese giants including ByteDance, owner of popular video-sharing app TikTok and Tencent Holdings, which owns the WeChat super app. Telecom equipment maker Huawei Technologies Co was hit hardest after it was banned from buying US-made parts and shutting down infrastructure projects around the world.

US President Joe Biden wants to pay government contract workers more money. Their minimum wage is to be increased from the current $ 10.95 to $ 15 an hour. A high-ranking representative of the government said that the president would issue a corresponding order later in the day. Those who currently only get the minimum can look forward to a 37 percent wage increase. However, the adjustment should be made gradually and not in one fell swoop.

Changeover deadline until March 2022

It is planned that the new minimum wage will be reflected in all new contracts from January 30, 2021. All existing contracts must also be converted by the end of March next year. From 2023, the salaries will then be adjusted according to the inflation rate. The decree also aims to standardize wages for all government contract workers. Because up to now there have been much lower hourly rates for those who get tips and only in this way reach the minimum wage.

“Five million people working for government”

The government was initially unable to say exactly how many people will benefit from the increase. White House officials said it would put “hundreds of thousands of workers” in a better position and stop living in poverty despite having a full-time job. According to figures from the Brookings Institution last year, an estimated five million employees work for US government contractors. The regulation primarily affects employees of companies that provide services on behalf of the government. This includes, for example, cleaning staff, maintenance staff, craftsmen or canteen employees.

National minimum wage at $ 7.25

The Biden government is confident that increased taxpayer costs will be offset by increased productivity. During the election campaign, the US president had promised to campaign for a nationwide minimum wage of 15 US dollars per hour. An attempt by his Democrats to enforce a corresponding law with the latest Corona stimulus package had failed in the Senate. The national minimum wage is currently $ 7.25. There are also higher limits in some states. The economically strong New York, for example, has already decided to gradually increase the minimum wage to $ 15.

According to media reports, the Biden government may launch its first arms sales to Taiwan, providing M109A6 self-propelled howitzers to Taiwan, China. According to the “Global Times” quoted a Taiwan media report on April 20, the Taipei Office of the “American Institute in Taiwan” has notified the Taiwan side that the United States will announce the procedure for notifying the Congress of Taiwan’s procurement of the M109A6 self-propelled howitzer in the near future. The head of Taiwan’s defense department responded that the arms purchase case has been promoted for a long time, but has not received an official notification from the US government. If the arms sales to Taiwan are confirmed in the near future, then compared to the first batch of arms sales to Taiwan proposed by former U.S. President Trump half a year after taking office (June 2017), Biden’s footsteps are obviously a bit faster. The signal sparked outside discussion. Some experts said that this also indicates that the Biden administration is likely to play the “Taiwan card” more and more, and it is also responding to the demands of anti-China elements and military enterprises in the United States. According to CCTV military reports on the 21st, citing Taiwan media, senior officials of Taiwan’s defense department confirmed in Taiwan’s legislature on the 19th that Taiwan is seeking US approval to sell AGM-158 missiles. This is the first time that the Taiwan military has recently publicly confirmed that it is seeking to purchase air-launched long-range precision strike weapons from the United States. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China has repeatedly reiterated that the US arms sales to the Taiwan region seriously violated the “One China” principle and the three Sino-US joint communiqués, grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs, seriously undermined China’s sovereignty and security interests, and sent wrong statements to the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. The signal seriously damages Sino-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China firmly opposes this. The M109A6 self-propelled howitzer equipped by the US military. What are the considerations behind Biden’s first arms sales to Taiwan? Taiwan’s “United Daily News” reported on the 19th that the Taipei Office of the “American Institute in Taiwan” notified Taiwan in March, and the US Department of Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) will shortly notify Taiwan on Taiwan’s procurement of the M109A6 self-propelled howitzer. Announcement of Congress procedures; and this year, Taiwan will negotiate agreements with the United States through multiple channels such as the “American Institute in Taiwan” Taipei Office and the Taipei Military Mission in the United States to discuss the content of the offer to jointly promote the case. It is understood that Taiwan plans to purchase 40 M109A6s. “This is also the first batch of arms sold by the Biden administration to Taiwan.” Taiwan’s land force plans to install them in batches from 2023 to 2025. Taiwan’s military decided to purchase M109A6 in 2019. Starting from 2020, it has set a budget of approximately NT$17.3 billion, because the main artillery equipment of Taiwan’s land-based artillery units has exceeded the age limit. According to relevant information released by the Taiwan region, Taiwan’s land armed forces are currently equipped with about 300 self-propelled howitzers. The models include M109A2, M109A5 and M110A2. The M109 series have a caliber of 155 mm and the M110 series are 203 mm self-propelled howitzers. “These are old-fashioned self-propelled artillery. The two M109s equipped in Taiwan use a 39-caliber 155mm artillery with a maximum range of only 30 kilometers and a low degree of automation.” Military expert Han Dong said, “At present, the world Advanced self-propelled howitzers have long been equipped with 52-caliber 155mm self-propelled howitzers, with a range generally exceeding 50 kilometers. They have autoloaders and new guided artillery shells, and have a high degree of automation. Taiwan’s self-propelled howitzers are already very backward.”

“Most of these self-propelled howitzers provided by the United States have been in service for more than 40 years, and some are still second-hand. The latest M109A5 also arrived in 1998, and the oldest M110A2 self-propelled howitzer has even been in service for more than 60 years and is an’antique’ equipment. “Han Dong said.

Taiwan’s “Defense Shutter” magazine once stated that Taiwan’s artillery has been ignored for a long time, and its main equipment is old. Even the relatively new M109 self-propelled artillery has been in service for more than 30 years. There are problems such as inconvenient maintenance, reduced integrity, and outdated performance. .

The M109A6 is an active self-propelled howitzer in the U.S. Army. Compared with the M109A5 artillery, the biggest difference is that the current mainstream 52-caliber 155mm artillery is used. The range has been increased. If the extended-range projectile is used, the range can reach 30 kilometers. The “Sword” precision-guided projectile has a range of up to 40 kilometers. In addition, the gun adopts a semi-automatic loading mechanism and a fire control system, and the degree of automation, rate of fire and firing accuracy have been further improved.

If the Biden administration conducts its first arms sales to Taiwan in the near future, the time will be earlier than that of former President Trump’s first arms sales to Taiwan. Jiang Chunliang, a researcher at the Academy of Military Sciences, believes that the arms sold to Taiwan this time are self-propelled artillery. Compared with some offensive weapons, the military stimulus is relatively small. It is an arms sale with more political significance than military significance, because the time has advanced. It shows that the Biden administration is likely to play the “Taiwan card” more and more. It can be said that the weapons are average and the provocations are not small.

“Biden’s first arms sales to Taiwan ahead of schedule are in response to the demands of domestic anti-China elements and military industrial enterprises, and it is also the implementation of the “National Security Strategy Interim Guidelines” released last month.” Jiang Chunliang told The Paper (www.thepaper.cn) ), “This is (intent) to tell the anti-China forces in the United States that the Biden administration will continue to play the’Taiwan card’ and pay more attention to the strategy of’using Taiwan to control China’ so that it can gain more chips.”

On April 7, the US guided missile destroyer “McCain” crossed the Taiwan Strait. Less than three months after Biden came to power, US warships have crossed the Taiwan Strait four times. The frequency and number of times are relatively rare.

Military expert Han Dong told The Paper that the 40 M109A6 self-propelled howitzers have limited firepower to Taiwan’s military, and the weapons that Taiwan military needs most to enhance air and sea dominance, such as long-range air-to-surface missiles, fifth-generation stealth fighters, stealth drones, Submarine and “Aegis” battleship. Without air supremacy, these land warfare weapons will all become the targets of fighters.

Regarding the US arms sales to Taiwan, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly reiterated that US arms sales to Taiwan seriously violated the “One China” principle and the three Sino-US Joint Communiqués, especially the provisions of the August 17 Communiqué, which grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs. Serious damage to China’s sovereignty and security interests, sending wrong signals to the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, and serious damage to Sino-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China firmly opposes this. China urges the U.S. to abide by the one-China principle and the three Sino-U.S. joint communiqués, stop arms sales to Taiwan and US-Taiwan military ties, and immediately cancel the arms sales plan to Taiwan, so as not to cause damage to Sino-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Further damage.

AGM-158 missile

Taiwan seeks more offensive weapons

In addition to purchasing new self-propelled howitzers from the United States, Taiwan is also actively seeking long-range air-launched cruise missiles from the United States. The senior officials of Taiwan’s defense department confirmed that Taiwan is seeking US approval to sell the AGM-158 missile. All announced Taiwan-US military purchases are progressing normally.

This is the first time that the Taiwan military has recently publicly confirmed that it is seeking to purchase air-launched long-range precision strike weapons from the United States.

According to the “Voice of America” ​​report, AGM-158 is considered to be one of the most advanced air-launched cruise missiles in the world, with a range of 370 kilometers, developed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin. This missile is designed to destroy high-value, well-defense, fixed and mobile targets, and the carrier can launch attacks outside the opponent’s ground air defense system. AGM-158 also has a stealth capability and can fight around the clock, day and night. The models that can carry this missile include Taiwan’s existing F-16 fighters.

“This missile is one of the main weapons used by the U.S. military to strike high-value targets of its opponents. It will not be easily sold to the outside world. It is currently approved for sale to a few countries including Japan.” Military expert Han Dong pointed out, “The AGM-158 missile is the most worthwhile. The two places of concern are the long range, the extended range can even reach thousands of kilometers, and the stealth design, which has strong penetration capabilities, and the threat is still relatively large.”

“It is worth mentioning that the U.S. military has also developed the AGM-158C missile capable of dealing with large ships such as aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships. This missile is an improved version of the U.S. extended-range missile AGM-158B with a range of more than 500 kilometers. The area obtains this kind of missile, the anti-ship capability will be greatly improved.” Han Dong said.

During the Trump era, a major trend in US arms sales to Taiwan was to provide more and more offensive weapons. In October last year, the US State Department approved the sale of weapons and equipment worth more than 1.8 billion US dollars to Taiwan, including the “Hamas” high-mobility rocket launcher system, the “Slam”-ER extended-range air-to-surface missile and the MS-110 reconnaissance pod. Wait.

The most concerned of these weapons for sale are the “Hamas” rocket launcher and the “Slam”-ER air-to-surface missile. The “Hamas” rocket launcher will be equipped with ATACMS ballistic missiles (Army Tactical Missile System). This is the first time that the United States sold the “Lance” ballistic missile to the Taiwan region in the 1970s and provided this weapon again after more than 40 years.

The “New York Times” of the United States pointed out in an earlier article that the most sensitive batch of arms sales to Taiwan is the “Slam”-ER air-to-surface missile, which is improved from the Harpoon anti-ship missile. Mounted on Taiwan’s F-16 fighter, it can strike land and sea targets 300 kilometers away, even after launching, the target can still be changed. Its precision strike capability was once rated as the smallest error among US naval weapons.

Before the AGM-158 “Jasm” air-to-surface cruise missile was equipped with the U.S. Navy on a large scale, the “Slam”-ER was the main weapon of the U.S. Navy’s off-zone strike, with the advantages of long range and high accuracy. A few countries such as South Korea and Turkey have purchased the missile, and they all regard the missile as a “strategic-level” strike weapon.

Background information: 11 arms sales to Taiwan during Trump’s tenure

December 2020 : Field Information and Communication System (US$280 million)

November 2020 : 4 MQ-9 drones (US$600 million)

October 2020 : 100 “Harpoon” shore-to-ship missile systems (US$2.37 billion)

October 2020 : 135 “Slam”-ER air-to-surface missiles, 6 new F-16 reconnaissance pods (MS110) and 11 “Hamas” multiple rocket systems ($1.8113 billion)

July 2020 : “Patriot”-3 missile-related parts and logistics services (US$620 million)

May 2020 : MK 48 Mod6 AT heavy torpedo and its testing equipment and technical logistics services (US$180 million)

August 2019 : 66 F-16V fighters and airborne weapons (US$8 billion)

July 2019 : 108 M1A2T main battle tanks, 14 M88A2 armored rescue vehicles, 250 Stinger portable air defense missiles, etc. (US$2.224 billion)

April 2019 : The F-16 fighter pilot training program for Taiwan’s air power at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona (US$500 million)

September 2018 ：F-16 fighter jets, IDF fighter jets and other four types of aircraft five-year supply of parts and components and related logistics support systems (330 million US dollars)

June 2017 : 50 “Hamm” anti-radiation missiles, follow-up maintenance of SRP radar, personnel training, etc. (1.42 billion US dollars)

(This article is from The Paper. For more original information, please download the “The Paper” APP)

Biden seeks to play the leading role of the United States in global climate negotiations. He promised at the summit on Thursday that he would substantially reduce US carbon emissions. Other world leaders promised to take action. The meeting called on rich countries to take on more responsibilities.

In the opening speech of the summit, Biden said: “No country can solve the climate crisis on its own.” “All countries, especially the world’s largest economies, must take responsibility.”

This week’s climate summit aims to promote global emission reduction actions to fulfill the “Paris Climate Agreement”, which requires countries to make new commitments to strengthen emission reduction measures every five years. The Paris Agreement is not a legally binding enforcement mechanism, but mainly relies on pressure from the international community to persuade countries to implement substantial emissions reductions.

Scientists and environmental activists said that if major carbon emitters do not take major actions within ten years, the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrialization will not be achieved. According to the United Nations, if the temperature rise exceeds this value, it may cause a variety of risks. For example, it may cause damage to some ecosystems or cause sea level to rise, which will inundate some large cities.

Biden announced a new goal at this summit, hoping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% to 52% by 2030 compared with 2005. When formulating such climate targets, 2005 is often used as the base year for greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (Environmental Protection Agency) data, in 2019, US carbon emissions were reduced by about 13% compared to 2005, and carbon emissions in 2020 are expected to be reduced by 21% compared to 2005, which is partly benefited from The economic slowdown caused by the new crown epidemic, but as the economy recovers, this year’s carbon emissions in the United States may rise again.

Major companies such as Apple, Johnson & Johnson and Wal-Mart have all expressed support for Biden’s carbon emissions targets, but some Republican members of the U.S. Congress and energy industry professionals who criticized this stated that Biden’s plan may increase energy prices and harm the U.S. economy. .

Mike Sommers, the leader of the American Petroleum Institute (API), the largest oil and gas industry association in the United States, said: “The plan they propose today addresses the risks of climate change, but does not address the key challenge of lack of affordable and reliable energy. .”

U.S. government officials said there are multiple ways to achieve climate goals, combining federal policies with actions by states, businesses, and other local organizations. Biden has proposed a $2.3 trillion infrastructure package, which includes many reduction measures, such as a proposed standard that requires the United States to use low-carbon energy to generate electricity.

The United States submitted a 24-page climate plan to the United Nations on Thursday, including a wide range of major options to achieve the aforementioned goals. Officials said that a federal climate task force set up by Biden will release a more detailed plan later this year. The United Nations is scheduled to hold final negotiations in Glasgow in November to raise national climate goals. Critics call for more active implementation of any new emissions agreements, which may be one of the main content of negotiations in the coming months. Kerry said that emerging technologies such as satellites and artificial intelligence can now make it easier to track and verify emissions, and the United States will consider deploying these technologies.

Russian President Vladimir V. Putin only made vague promises. He said that by 2050, Russia’s carbon emissions would be significantly reduced. At the same time, Putin emphasized a carbon pricing pilot project, saying that the project will enable Sakha in 2050. The forest area has achieved carbon neutrality, but Putin did not mention the construction of the Nord Stream 2 (Nord Stream 2). North Stream 2 is a large natural gas pipeline that has been opposed by climate advocates and US national security advisers.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the establishment of a new partnership with the United States to expand the use of renewable energy.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that Canada is committed to reducing carbon emissions by 40% to 45% below 2005 levels by the end of this decade.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that Britain is enacting legislation to strive to reduce emissions by 78% from 1990 levels by 2035. The UK announced this new goal earlier this week, which is a step further from the previous goal of reducing emissions by 68% by 2030.

Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide said that by 2020, Japan will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 46% on the basis of 2013, which is an important manifestation of Japan’s solidarity with the United States.

The European Union this week approved a trillion-dollar plan to promote the 27-nation group to achieve carbon neutrality and improve overall ecological performance by 2050.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, raising the goal of achieving carbon neutrality until 2060, and pledged to end illegal deforestation by 2030. In his speech at the summit, Bolsonaro called on rich countries and carbon markets to provide funding for such environmental protection measures.

“The environmental services provided by our biome to the entire planet must be paid fairly in order to recognize the economic nature of environmental conservation activities,” Bolsonaro said. “We are ready to start international cooperation at any time and continue to cooperate with an open attitude. .”

Brazil has asked the Biden government to provide $1 billion to help reduce deforestation by 40%. Indian officials have also emphasized to John Forbes Kerry, the US President’s special envoy for climate change, that the United States and other industrialized nations need to fulfill their pledges to provide up to $100 billion a year to support similar efforts.

In 2019, a logging company in the state of Para, Brazil stocked logs, and Brazilian President Bolsonaro promised to end illegal logging in Brazil by 2030

Marshall Islands President David Kabua, who is facing the threat of rising sea levels, also called on advanced economies to help.

He said: “Countries that are vulnerable to climate change often hear excuses that national emission reduction costs are too high, but political signals, especially those from major economies, affect investment and innovation decisions in low-carbon projects.” He said: “Now is the time to make the signal clear.”

The United States is working with Norway and the United Kingdom to protect tropical forests

In addition, the United Kingdom, Norway and the United States said on Thursday that they will join forces with some of the world’s large companies to raise more than $1 billion in funds for countries that can prove to reduce carbon emissions by protecting forests.

Companies such as Amazon, Nestlé, Unilever, GlaxoSmithKline and Salesforce have pledged to fund this new initiative called the “LEAF Coalition.”

(Edit: Zixuan)

In the early trading on April 23, the three major stock indexes fluctuated slightly, and individual stocks in the two cities fell more and rose less. 3184 individual stocks fell, and market sentiment was weak. As of the close, the Shanghai Composite Index rose slightly by 0.05%, the Shenzhen Component Index rose 0.75%, and the ChiNext Index rose 1.67%.

In terms of sector hotspots, the healthcare sector rose sharply, with Yihua Health, Dabo Medical and Gongdong Medical’s daily limit, and Aier Ophthalmology rose 11.74%. Resource stocks and technology stocks weakened, and individual stocks in the coal sector and digital currency sector led the decline. Beijing Capital bought 5.318 billion yuan in early trading, including 2.86 billion yuan in Shanghai Stock Connect and 2.457 billion yuan in Shenzhen Stock Connect.

In early trading, institutional holdings picked up. Among the leading stocks in the industry, the leading pharmaceutical companies have gained the highest momentum. Aier Ophthalmology rose 11.74%, Mindray Medical rose 5.97%, and WuXi AppTec rose 5.58%. Group stocks such as Haitian Flavour, Midea Group and Oriental Yuhong rose more than 3%.

U.S. stocks dive in the market, Biden wants to tax the rich

According to Bloomberg News, not only for companies, the Biden government also plans to increase taxes for high-income groups. According to people familiar with the matter, US President Biden will propose to nearly double the capital gains tax rate for the wealthy to 39.6%. Together with the existing investment income surcharge, this means that the federal tax rate for investors may be as high as 43.4%.

The person, who asked not to be named, said that the plan will increase the capital gains tax rate for people with an income of $1 million and above from the current 20% to 39.6%. The plan has not yet been made public. Biden is expected to announce this proposal next week as part of the tax increase to fund social expenditures in the upcoming “American Family Plan.” Then White House Press Secretary Jane Psaki said that Biden believes that the expenditures (planned by American families) may come from the richest people, but the plan has not yet been finalized.

As soon as the news came out, U.S. stocks plunged during intraday trading. The Dow once fell more than 400 points, closing down 0.94%, the Nasdaq fell 0.94%, and the S&P 500 index fell 0.92%. Although the news is still uncertain, the market reacted quite violently. On the one hand, the market is worried that the wealthy will dump a large amount of stocks at the capital gains tax rate, creating panic.

Public fund first quarter report disclosed

Yesterday, the disclosure of the 2021 first quarter report of public funds officially ended . Since the Spring Festival, the A-share market has adjusted downwards as a whole, and most of the holdings of public fund holdings have pulled back sharply, and many of the new foundations who entered the market in January and February have faced substantial losses. According to statistics from Tianxiang Company on April 22, due to the A-share market pullback, the overall loss of public funds during the first quarter of this year exceeded 210 billion yuan; in the fourth quarter of last year, the overall profit of public funds reached 820 billion yuan.

The Securities Times·Databao sorted out the heavy holdings of A-shares of public funds in the first quarter. From the perspective of the total market value of the holdings, compared with last year’s annual report, the top ten heavyweight stocks have not changed much. Kweichow Moutai and Wuliangye hold the first and second positions in public holdings. Hikvision gained a large number of public funds to increase positions and entered the top three positions. China Merchants Bank gained 18.462 billion yuan in public funds in the first quarter, and it newly entered the list of the top ten heavy stocks.

In terms of different industries, bank stocks ranked first in the amount of public fund increase in the first quarter, and the market value of holdings increased by nearly 70 billion yuan. In addition to China Merchants Bank, the market value of public equity funds held by Industrial Bank and Ping An Bank increased by more than 10 billion yuan. In terms of performance, bank stocks all had good returns in the first quarter, with an average increase of 6.26%, 13 bank stocks rose by more than 10%, and the Bank of Nanjing and Postal Savings Bank rose by 25.25% and 22.80% respectively in the first quarter.

Other industries that have a lot of increased positions include the pharmaceutical and biological, electronic, and chemical industries, and the total market value of holdings has increased by more than 30 billion yuan. In the first quarter, the increase of public funds in general tended to pro-cyclical and undervalued stocks, and the enthusiasm for the long-term track of medicine, food and beverage, etc. remained unabated.

While public funds increased their positions in bank stocks in large numbers, the market value of non-bank financial industry positions decreased the most, and holdings of heavy stocks decreased by 34.933 billion yuan. Other industries where the market value of holdings have decreased include electrical equipment and household appliances that have decreased by more than 10 billion yuan, and the market value of holdings of communications, media, computers, and national defense and military industries has decreased slightly.

Based on the statistics of changes in the market value of public fund holdings, there are 5 stocks each in the banking, electronics, and biomedical sectors among the top 20 stocks. The pharmaceutical and biological sector stocks include Zhifei Biotechnology, WuXi AppTec, Changchun High-tech, Meinian Health, and Kanglong Chemical. The electronic sector includes Hikvision, Weir, Sanhuan Group, Transsion Holdings, and Zhuoshengwei. In the first quarter, public fund plus positions rose by an average of 15.34%. Among them, Oriental Yuhong, Meinian Health, and Transsion Holdings rose by more than 30%.

China Merchants Securities pointed out that there are no obvious signs of collapse of public funds. The consumer sector, the food and beverage industry and the pharmaceutical industry are still the most important sectors and industries for public funds. The reason why active public funds have such “falling but not breaking up” results is related to the fact that the fundamentals of these group stocks have not significantly weakened. The high-growth white horse stocks are still the first choice of current public fund managers.

Early morning capital flows to these stocks

In the early trading, a total of 62 stocks received a net inflow of over 100 million yuan in main funds, of which BOE A received a net inflow of main funds of 1.073 billion yuan, which was the top , Rose 1.69% in early trading, Xiaokang shares, Kweichow Moutai, and Sungrow received a net inflow of more than 800 million yuan.

Xiaokang shares in the past five trading days received a total of 4 daily limits and 1 daily limit. The company previously issued a risk warning announcement, stating that the news report stated that the way for the company to expand the marketing channels of Cyrus was normal production with a third party (referring to Huawei). Operating cooperation, and reminded that the expected loss for 2020 is 1.38-17.8 billion yuan.

From an industry perspective, a large amount of the main funds flowed into the medical and biological, electrical equipment sectors in the early trading, and the net outflows from the computer, environmental protection and real estate sectors were the top ones. New energy vehicles have once again been favored by major funds, and Ganfeng Lithium, Tianqi Lithium, and Ningde Times have received a net inflow of more than 200 million yuan in major funds.

Instead of riding his 1967 Corvette Sting Ray, US President Joe Biden took the time to take an online tour of the electric bus factory and the electric vehicle battery factory on April 20. . This is considered an important activity in his plan to boost production of electric vehicles in the future. Mr. Biden visited the electric bus factory online. (Photo: Hot Cars) From working in the White House, Mr. Biden had a live view of the production of electric buses at the Proterra factory in Greenville, South Carolina. President Biden is particularly interested in how the buses are assembled and tested and is impressed with the progress here. “Right now, we (the United States) are behind China and there is much more work to be done. But we will become the most important supplier of electric buses and electric cars in the world with different things,” General said the US governor Joe Biden. Mr. Biden’s factory visit is done online, but experts consider it a very serious move and is part of the Government’s plan to promote the production of public transport powered by green energy. America. According to Hot Cars page, the US President’s declaration of “join the game” means that America must surpass China, which currently dominates the electric bus market. According to Biden’s roadmap, all US-made buses will be “completely green” by 2030. Proterra also estimates that half of the buses will be electrified by 2025. Students in the US mainly use the bus to get to school. (Photo: Hot Cars) Spend $ 20 billion to exchange electric buses for schools The aforementioned American bus electrification roadmap is not without foundation. Earlier, in early April, Mr. Biden announced the Huge Infrastructure Bill with a financial plan worth more than $ 2 trillion. This budget proposal includes items with many different packages. Worth noting is the $ 174 billion electric vehicle development package. In which the Government allocated 20 billion dollars to convert at least 20% of school buses in the United States to electric power. The rest of the buses will have to be changed by the schools through tightened policies. At least $ 20 billion will be spent by the US on converting to electric buses by 2030. (Image: Hot Cars) Additionally, an additional $ 25 billion will be spent converting public transport from internal combustion engines to electric. At the same time the US will spend up to 100 billion dollars on the policy to reduce prices to pull customers to buy more electric cars. With strong determination from the electrification of public transport, Mr. Biden has demonstrated a commitment to cutting greenhouse gas emissions. This also brings health benefits for people, especially students who regularly use buses to go to school. And most of all, Mr. Biden wants to reaffirm America’s position in the production of electric cars, including electric buses. Outstanding and behind China is difficult to accept. Royal Union (Source: Hot Cars, Automotive News, Now This News) Invite readers to collaborate, send news articles about Motorbike Department by email: otoxemay@vietnamnet.vn. Appropriate content will be posted. Thank you!

The US President will have his first overseas trip next June. Photo: CNBC On April 24, White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced that President Joe Biden made a trip to emphasize Washington’s commitment to restoring the alliances, restoring transatlantic relations, and merging. Work closely with allies. The announcement comes as President Biden has just concluded a summit on climate change, marking the resumption of efforts related to climate issues by the US. President Biden on April 22 announced it would reduce at least 50% of US emissions by 2030. According to the White House announcement, Mr. Biden will attend the Summit of the Group of 7 leading developed industries in the world (G7) in Cornwall (UK) from June 11-13, where he will have meetings. bilateral meetings with leaders of G7 countries, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “President Joe Biden will work to“ advance major US policy priorities on public health, economic recovery and climate change, while demonstrating solidarity and sharing value among major democracies ”, the White House statement said. After that, the US leader will travel to Brussels to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit on June 14. Expectedly, one of the topics at the NATO summit could be the escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine in recent times. In addition, NATO members can discuss the withdrawal of their military forces from Afghanistan.

Mr. Joe Biden will have his first overseas trip as US President in June next. Photo: AFP AFP news agency (France) quoted the White House on April 23, saying that President Biden will come to the UK to attend the summit of the world’s leading industrialized countries (G7). Next, the US leader went to Brussels to attend the meetings of the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). White House press secretary Jen Psaki stated that Mr. Biden’s first visit would highlight the leader’s commitment to restoring the alliance, revitalizing the transatlantic relationship and acting to align with multilateral allies and partners to solve global challenges, while ensuring American interests. According to AFP, former President Donald Trump has made decisions that affect the relationship between the US and its allies in Europe and Asia. Meanwhile, Mr. Biden has focused on the urgency of rebuilding traditional allies and bringing Washington back to the center of groups like the G7. The White House did not mention whether President Biden would hold a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on this trip. However, on April 13, the US leader offered to meet directly with President Putin in a third country in the coming months with the aim of reducing bilateral ties. The G7 summit is scheduled to take place June 11-13 in Cornwall, UK. Ms. Psaki said President Biden will “reaffirm his commitment to multilateralism, strengthen U.S. policy priorities on public health, economic recovery, climate change and justify costs. common values, solidarity among the democratic countries ”. The G7 summit is also an opportunity for leaders of member countries to hold bilateral meetings. Regarding the NATO summit on June 14, Ms. Psaki said that the White House boss Biden would “reinforce the US commitment to NATO, transatlantic security and collective security”. In addition, Ms. Psaki emphasized: “NATO leaders will discuss this approach to orient the military bloc against future threats and ensure effective burden sharing”. Ms. Psaki said President Biden also plans to attend the US-EU summit to “emphasize the US commitment to the transatlantic partnership based on the sharing of values ​​and benefits”.

China Times (www.chinatimes.net.cn) reporter Shuai Kecong and Chen Feng reporting from Beijing

Due to President Biden’s plan to substantially increase capital gains tax, the US stock market plunged sharply on April 22 (Thursday), and the three major stock indexes closed lower across the board.

According to a US media report at noon on the 22nd local time, Biden intends to propose a plan to substantially increase the capital gains tax rate imposed on the wealthy in the United States. U.S. media quoted sources familiar with the matter as saying that for people with an annual income of more than $1 million, the capital gains tax will nearly double, from 20% to 39.6%.

Due to the sudden news, the three major U.S. stock indexes plummeted during midday and eventually fell. The US stock market index S&P 500 closed down nearly 1%, the biggest drop in nearly a month.

As of Thursday’s close, the Dow fell 0.94% to 3,3815.9 points; the Nasdaq fell 0.94% to 13,838.41 points; the S&P 500 index fell 0.92% to 4,134.98 points.

Market analysts pointed out that Biden’s proposal will essentially make the millionaires pay higher investment costs. For investors, the higher the return on investment, the more taxes they need to pay. If this proposal is finally passed, U.S. stocks are expected to face tremendous pressure, especially technology stocks, which have experienced considerable gains in recent years.

The large US technology stocks all suffered a sharp sell-off during the session on Thursday, and eventually closed down across the board. The stock prices of Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Facebook and other companies all fell by more than 1%, and Tesla’s stock price fell by more than 3%.

US media reported that Biden’s plan, if implemented, will set the highest investment income tax rate in the United States since the 1920s. The plan is part of the White House’s comprehensive reform of the US tax system to enable the wealthy and large companies to pay higher taxes. Pay for Biden’s ambitious economic agenda.

However, any tax increase plan of this kind needs to be passed by the US Congress. Biden’s Democratic Party has a weak advantage in Congress, and this plan is obviously unlikely to receive Republican support. Whether it can be passed and legislated in the end is still worth watching.

US media said that the details of Biden’s proposal are expected to be announced next week, and the content of the plan may still change. In addition, White House officials are discussing other tax increases, such as increasing inheritance taxes for the wealthy in the United States.

Before the news of Biden’s proposed tax increase came out, the US stocks digested better-than-expected economic data, and rose for a while in early trading. The U.S. Department of Labor reported on Thursday that the number of initial claims for unemployment benefits in the United States last week was 547,000, a record low in more than a year, far better than market expectations.

Also on Thursday, U.S. Democratic senators put forward a proposal worth 568 billion yuan, which covers construction of bridges, airports, roads, etc., hoping to replace Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure plan. This shows that there are still big differences between the two parties in the US infrastructure plans, and there is no hope for the US infrastructure plans to be released in the short term.

In terms of US-listed Chinese concept stocks, the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index, which measures the overall performance of Chinese concept stocks, closed up 1.56% on Thursday, and most Chinese concept stocks recorded gains.

Among popular Chinese concept stocks, Alibaba and Baidu basically closed flat, Pinduoduo rose 3.61%, JD.com rose 0.52%, NetEase rose 2.22%, Shell rose 1.73%, Tencent Music and Bilibili rose 3%. NIO and Ideal Motor both rose more than 1%, while Xiaopeng Motor fell 0.71%.

It is worth mentioning that the online education company GSX, which has been short-selling frequently in the past two years, announced on the 22nd that it changed its name to “Gaotu”. A major reason for the change is that its main business Gaotu classroom revenue has accounted for nearly 90%. . After the news was announced, GSX’s stock price closed down by more than 9% on Thursday.

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Closing the session on Thursday, the Dow Jones dropped by 321.41 points (1%) to 33,815.90 points. This index sometimes bottomed out when it dropped to 420 points. The S&P 500 index lost its momentum at the beginning of the session and lost 0.9% at the close to 4,134.98 points. The Nasdaq Composite also fell 0.9 percent, to 13,818.41 points. The Dow Jones decreased to 321.41 points (1%) to 33,815.90 points at the close of the session on April 22. Photo: AP Bloomberg News on April 22 reported that President Biden is planning to raise surplus tax to increase capital to 43.4% for wealthy Americans. The proposal would raise the capital gains tax rate to 39.6 percent for those earning $ 1 million or more, up from the current 20 percent, according to Bloomberg News. Then, Reuters news agency and The New York Times also reported on this issue. Jack Ablin, founding partner and chief executive officer of Cresset Capital Management, commented: “Mr. Biden’s proposal doubled the capital surplus tax rate for those earning $ 1 million. That is quite a cost increase for long term investors. According to Ablin, a wave of sell-off on Wall Street is expected to appear this year if investors feel this proposal has a chance to become law next year. The bulls led the decline in Thursday’s trading. Shares of Tesla and Amazon lost 3.3% and 1.6%, respectively. Before the news of the proposed tax increase, the major indexes fluctuated slightly as investors waited for the series of business results reports that major technology companies are expected to release next week. “Market cash flow is currently focused on a few growth stocks”, Mr. Mark Yusko – CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Morgan Creek Capital Management said. “Because investors are afraid of a shock increase in the securities interest tax, investors can sell off to take profits and push the market into an adjustment zone”. Shares of Southwest Airlines also turned down 1.6% at the end of the session, although the airline announced that the number of bookings for travel continues to increase and is expected to break even or make a profit next June. Shares Dow Inc. down 6% even after the chemical company surpassed expected revenue and profit in the first quarter of 2021. However, as of the beginning of this year, the stock Dow Inc. is still up nearly 10%. Most companies are currently recording results exceeding Wall Street’s expectations this earnings season, but the first quarter’s strong results did not help the market soar after repeatedly setting record levels. in recent weeks. Regarding economic data, the US Department of Labor on April 22 said that the number of people applying for unemployment benefits for the first time was 547,000 people last week, lower than the forecast of 603,000 by Dow Jones. Also on April 22, the Republican Party made a plan to oppose the US President Joe Biden’s $ 2,000 billion infrastructure investment package. Senators have proposed a $ 568 billion package that includes funding for bridges, airports and water systems. This proposal does not include tax increases. However, concerns about the capital gain tax increase could be overblown as Democrats hold a narrow majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, which may make it difficult to pass any proposals. Be positive ./.

President Moon told The New York Times: “I hope Mr. Biden will become the historic president to take a substantial and irreversible step forward for complete denuclearization and reconciliation. vase on the Korean peninsula “. Mr. Donald Trump and Mr. Kim Jong-un met in Singapore in June 2018. Photo: The Straits Times Referring to the former US president, Mr. Moon said: “Mr. Trump has handled the roundabout and cannot be successful in this regard. The most important starting point for both governments is to have goodwill to dialogue and face to face with each other soon “. Moon also urged the United States to cooperate with China on North Korea and other issues, and warned that if tensions between the two world economic powers intensify, North Korea can take advantage of the situation. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the border between the two countries in 2018. Photo: Reuters The US-North Korean talks and the unprecedented diplomatic interaction between Trump and Kim quickly deteriorated after the two countries failed to reach a substantive agreement on denuclearization and sanctions lifted. After Mr. Biden took office, North Korea quickly rejected efforts to restart negotiations and warned the US should refrain if “wants to rest for the next four years”. North Korea also conducted its first major weapons test since Mr. Biden took office in March by firing two ballistic missiles into the sea.

Biden intends to levy on the rich

Up to 43.4% capital gains tax

According to Bloomberg News, not only for companies, the Biden government also plans to increase taxes for high-income groups. According to people familiar with the matter, US President Biden will propose to nearly double the capital gains tax rate for the wealthy to 39.6%. Coupled with the existing investment income surcharge, this means that the federal tax rate for investors may be as high as 43.4%.

The person, who asked not to be named, said that the plan will increase the capital gains tax rate for people with an income of $1 million and above from the current 20% to 39.6%. The plan has not yet been made public.

Jack Ablin, founding partner and chief information officer of Cresset Capital Management, said: “Biden’s proposal actually doubles the capital gains tax rate.” For long-term investors, this is a huge cost increase. If investors think that the proposal may become law next year, they can expect to sell it this year. ”

This proposal may overturn a long-standing clause in the tax law that the tax on investment returns is lower than the tax on labor. In his campaign, Biden advocated balancing capital gains and income tax rates for the rich. He said that many of the rich pay lower tax rates than middle-class workers, which is unfair.

Biden is expected to announce this proposal next week as part of the tax increase to fund social expenditures in the upcoming “American Family Plan.”

Then White House Press Secretary Jane Psaki said that Biden believes that the expenditures (planned by American families) may come from the richest people, but the plan has not yet been finalized.

This is the first time that the media has exposed the Biden government’s specific tax increase targets for the wealthy. Prior to this, it was mainly to increase taxes on enterprises.

On the 7th of this month, Biden delivered a speech in Pittsburgh, the place where his 2019 presidential campaign began, and officially announced plans for infrastructure and economic recovery of more than 2 trillion U.S. dollars. The day before the Pittsburgh speech, the White House announced the details of the tax increase plan. Two of the tax increase measures to prevent the outflow of corporate profits have been the most aggressive-increasing the corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28%; The “global minimum tax” (“global minimum tax”) has been increased from the current 13% to 21%.

After the 15 trillion infrastructure plan

Biden may have another 6.5 trillion new plan!

According to Reuters, the capital gains tax increase proposal for the wealthy is mainly to provide financial support for the upcoming American Families Plan, which is expected to be around US$1 trillion, or approximately RMB 65,000. Billion.

The main measures of the plan include helping American workers learn new skills, expanding subsidies for childcare, and allowing everyone to receive free community college tuition.

According to Market Watch, Biden may officially announce the plan as early as April 28. So far, the White House has not provided details. But White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed that Biden will discuss the plan at a predetermined location in Congress next week.

According to CNBC, the plan will be distinguished from the US$2.3 trillion (approximately 15 trillion yuan) infrastructure plan. The main source of funding for the previously announced US$2.3 trillion infrastructure plan will be to raise the corporate tax rate to 28%.

U.S. stocks diving

The Dow plunged 400 points intraday

The news that the capital gains tax might be doubled, and the stock market reacted violently.

On the one hand, the market is worried that the rich may sell stocks before the capital gains tax rate increases (even if the increase in capital gains tax is still very uncertain); on the other hand, because the market expects that if the tax rate really increases, the enthusiasm of the rich to trade stocks will be Greatly reduced.

The Dow quickly dived from 34,126 points in intraday trading, hitting a low of 33717 at one time, and slumped about 400 points in intraday trading. Near the end, the Dow rebounded and closed down 0.94% or 321.41 points.

In the plate, the Nasdaq and S&P 500 became popular, but they also dived after the news of tax increases. As of the close, as of the close, the S&P 500 index fell 0.92% to 4134.98 points. The Nasdaq index fell 0.94% to 13,818.41 points.

Worried about selling by the rich

Technology stocks fell

Technological tycoons are a very typical group of wealthy people with more capital gains. Their capital gains come from the original holdings of the founders, equity incentive plans, and so on.

If the expected increase in capital gains gains becomes stronger, the more likely it is that technology stock holders will sell technology stocks in advance. Therefore, on Thursday, local time, when the market dived, technology stocks also generally fell.

Among the large technology stocks, Tesla fell 3.28%, Facebook fell 1.64%, Microsoft fell 1.31%, Amazon fell 1.58%, and Apple fell 1.17%.

Among chip stocks, Micron Technology fell 3.34%, Nvidia fell 3.32%, TSMC and Intel fell nearly 2%, and Broadcom fell more than 1%.

During the epidemic, the rich set a record

The fastest growth rate of wealth in human history

Since 2020, the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic on the world has long exceeded the health field. The virus itself and the measures that have to be implemented to prevent the epidemic have plunged the global economy into recession. The United Nations even issued a report saying that the new crown epidemic may cause the world to lose 10 years of development results, and the most vulnerable social groups will be most affected.

So, what about the wealthiest group?

On April 6, Forbes released the 35th “Global Billionaires List”. The data showed that during the epidemic, the wealth of the rich community ushered in unprecedented growth. This time, the number of billionaires on the list reached 2,755, with total assets of 13.1 trillion US dollars, both breaking historical records. Among them, the number of rich people on the list is 660 more than the previous year, and the total assets are more than 8 trillion U.S. dollars, and it is the first time that it has broken the historical mark of 10 trillion U.S. dollars.

Behind the wealth growth of the rich are the soaring stock market and large-scale economic stimulus programs launched by various countries. Take the United States as an example. The Fed’s unprecedented stimulus measures have propped up the stock market and pushed up asset prices. The wealthy who can buy financial assets can continue to maintain their value and increase in value, but not only does the wage growth of the working class fail to keep up with the investment and operating income of the rich. With the growth rate, there is often a dangerous working environment to continue working for the rich.

Regarding this “spectacle”, “Forbes” called it: “the fastest increase in wealth in human history.”

When Citigroup announced its financial report, it said that the company plans to “double its bet on wealth” management business and will focus its energy on international hubs where high-income groups gather: Singapore, Hong Kong, UAE and London. At Bank of America, driven by the strong stock market, the account balance of wealthy customers surged by 31% to a record US$3.5 trillion. Morgan Stanley’s new assets under management have also increased significantly.

Citigroup’s new CEO Jane Fraser told analysts, “I can talk about this for a few hours – I think we are in a very good position in wealth management.” She said that focusing on major markets means “we The capital, investment and other resources of the company can be better deployed to capture opportunities for higher returns in the wealth management field.”

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the world’s 500 richest individuals increased their wealth by US$1.8 trillion last year, reaching a total of US$7.6 trillion. In the United States, the economic recovery affects the people in an extremely uneven way: rising stocks and housing prices have pushed many Americans to become wealthier, but nearly 10 million people are still unemployed. Some people call it “K-shaped recovery.”

Batchelder, who served in the Obama administration, has long advocated the use of tax laws to reduce income inequality, especially the gap between the rich and the poor between races. She called for a substantial increase in inheritance taxes, and has written articles on wealth taxes for high-net-worth individuals and financial transaction taxes on stocks and bonds.

She and David Kamin, deputy director of the National Economic Council, mentioned possible tax reforms in a 2019 paper entitled “Taxing the Rich: Problems and Options”. In addition to abolishing the “basic incremental” inheritance tax, it also includes taxing the capital gains of wealthy Americans at a higher income tax rate and imposing a minimum tax rate on large companies.

According to people familiar with the matter, according to Biden’s 2020 election policy, part of the tax increase proposals currently planned or under consideration by the White House include raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% and the personal income tax rate for income exceeding $400,000. Increasing and expanding the coverage of inheritance tax will increase the capital gains tax rate for individuals with an annual income of at least $1 million.

Batchelder conducted a study earlier last year. Americans estimated that they would inherit a $764 billion inheritance in 2020, and the average tax payment would only account for 2.1%.

Biden’s White House economic team is determined to honor his campaign promise to increase taxes on the rich, because more and more data show that the wealthy Americans are financially well during the epidemic. Last year, the wealthiest 1% of American households increased their wealth by more than $4 trillion.

Teacher Li Xunlei once analyzed that the root cause of the fiscal problems in the United States is that in the past four decades of globalization, the multiple tax avoidance of multinational corporations and the wealthy has greatly reduced the government’s ability to obtain tax revenue. While multinational corporations and executives are grabbing a lot of benefits in the process of globalization, they reduce taxable income in the home country through complicated related transactions between subsidiaries in various countries, and transfer profits to countries with lower tax rates as much as possible, thereby realizing reasonable tax avoidance . In 2018, the average effective tax rate for the 400 wealthiest households in the United States was 23%, one percentage point lower than the 24.2% for the bottom 50% of households in the United States. In other words, while enjoying the dividends of globalization, the affluent class refuses to bear related responsibilities. The US fiscal problem is also another manifestation of the increasing polarization between rich and poor.

What is the impact on the stock market?

GF Macro’s Zhang Jingjing team previously analyzed that in March, the Biden administration kept revealing the details of infrastructure and tax increase policies? The Biden administration may intend to release risks in US stocks during the year.

Infrastructure and tax increases may end the bull market logic in US stocks after the financial crisis. The financial crisis caused the U.S. real estate bubble to burst. The subsequent low interest rate environment and tax cuts stimulated U.S. stock repurchases and created a U.S. stock technology bull market. The ultra-low interest rates during Trump’s tenure also made U.S. stock valuations continue to refresh and the Nasdaq bubble burst. After the new high. Infrastructure construction will stimulate the real economy, and superimposed real estate is still in an upward cycle. It is expected that the US inflation center will be higher than before the epidemic (2012-2020) in the next 5-8 years, and inflation factors will have a positive impact on risk-free interest rates. Tax increases will weaken corporate profits and repurchase willingness.

In the third quarter, the Fed is likely to cut QE, and then there will be greater risk of US equity adjustment; Biden revealed details of infrastructure and tax increases or intends to release US stock risks during the year. In other words, in the context of high valuations and monetary policy changes, Q3 US stocks inherently have greater risk of adjustment. At present, the Biden administration continues to release details of tax increases and infrastructure policies or deliberately releases negative signals in advance and squeezes out the U.S. stock bubble when the monetary policy is officially turned.

Once the risks of US stocks clear up and regain gains next year, the Democratic Party’s victory in the 2022 midterm elections will also increase. Since the 1980s, U.S. stocks have the highest probability of falling in the first two years of each presidential term. Although there are economic factors, it also shows that the previous presidents were least concerned about the performance of U.S. stocks in the early days of office. On the contrary, the decline can depress the base and deliver better performance in the middle of their administration. Transcript”.

On April 15th (Thursday) local time, US President Biden delivered a speech on Russia in the East Room of the White House

Biden delivered a speech at the White House on Thursday afternoon local time, urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to ease the situation, and once again called for a US-Russian summit in Europe later this year to defend the punitive measures taken by the United States. Biden pointed out that he had a conversation with Putin on Tuesday.

“We could have gone further, but I did not choose to do so. I chose moderation,” Biden said. “The United States does not want to cause a vicious circle of escalation and conflict with Russia. We want to establish a stable and predictable relationship. If Russia continues to interfere in our democracy, I am prepared to take further action to respond.”

Russian officials condemned the actions of the United States. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that such provocative behavior will undoubtedly be resolutely rejected, and a response to sanctions will be inevitable.

On Thursday afternoon, Biden said in a seven-minute speech in the East Room of the White House that he believed that he and Putin would hold a summit somewhere in Europe this summer.

Biden said at the meeting that the two countries “can initiate a strategic stability dialogue to seek cooperation in arms control and security” and address issues such as the containment of Iran’s and North Korea’s nuclear threats, the new crown pneumonia epidemic, and the “survival of climate change”. “Crisis” and other issues.

Biden signed an administrative order that day, announcing sanctions on six Russian technology companies that provide support to Russian intelligence agencies. The executive order also authorizes the US government to expand sanctions on Russian sovereign debt as appropriate, and prohibits US financial institutions from participating in the primary market for bonds denominated in rubles or non-rube currencies issued after June 14 this year, such as the Central Bank of Russia and the Ministry of Finance.

(Edit: Zixuan)

It will not be easy for US President Joe Biden to “revolutionize the electric car” The electrification of the US transport industry is one of the commitments of President Joe Biden when running in November 2020. And a $ 2.3 trillion infrastructure plan, of which $ 174 billion is spent on electric cars and charging infrastructure, which the White House boss recently launched is considered the answer for the American people. But is that investment enough to change the shipping picture in the United States? Investment, stimulus, support With a newly announced $ 174 billion budget, President Joe Biden wants to invest and encourage Americans to switch to electric cars and trucks (EV), eliminate diesel or gasoline cars. . However, the New York Times quoted many experts as saying that although this is a large investment, it is not enough to change American perceptions about electric cars. Joe Biden’s team plans to subsidize electric car prices for individuals, businesses, and governments with tax exemptions, discounts and some other subsidies. On the other hand, US leaders set a target to build millions of charging stations by 2030. The White House owner also “opens a budget”, encourages manufacturers to participate in building electric vehicles and fuel cells at America. Bob Perciasepe, president of the US Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, said: “The United States is in a torrid time when most businesses and the state government look forward to a zero-emission future. carbon but admittedly, infrastructure is the biggest obstacle. The $ 174 billion investment alone will not be able to solve the climate problem or improve the US infrastructure, but it will be a powerful boost. The automakers have filled in their names on the list of greener trendy automakers like General Motors, Volkswagen or Ford Motor that are promising the future of EVs, but they insist they still need federal support. A representative group of manufacturers, suppliers and workers in the auto industry sent a letter to President Joe Biden saying: “The American transport revolution is not limited to one policy, it is dependent on a branch or rank in government or industry. It requires holistic strategy with a wide range of policies from legislators and regulators across economic, social, environmental, and cultural sectors. The group also calls on the government to subsidize, provide loans, and tax exemptions / reductions to stimulate electric vehicle production / research. Cognitive obstacles, technological breakthroughs are required Besides strong investment, the US government also has a big task to determine the success of the transition, which is to convince and change the perception of American people about the benefits of electric cars. According to statistics from Forbes Magazine in 2019, most Americans are not interested in electric cars. And the people’s awareness shift has not changed much despite many programs and strategies on environmental and climate protection that have been implemented during the past time. The demand for EV cars in the US has grown very fast, but in terms of overall premises is still low, accounting for only about 2% of the new car market and 1% of the total number of cars, sport utility vehicles, trucks … moving on the US road. Although the researchers point out that the full cost of owning and operating an EV vehicle will be cheaper after purchasing (fuel cost, lower maintenance frequency than vehicles using internal combustion engines) but perceptions of It is still difficult for people to change because the original electric car price is very high. The cost of buying an electric car is about $ 10,000 higher than the price of conventional trucks and cars in the same segment. The most expensive part of an electric vehicle is the battery. The average price of a battery system in a mid-range sedan is $ 15,000. Although the cost of batteries is on the decline, is expected to continue to drop deeply thanks to improvements in manufacturing and engineering, some scholars believe that, to really help electric cars lower prices to affordable prices, it takes a hit. Deep forays in technology. Most new car buyers in the US have to wait until the gas car breaks down to buy a new car. While, according to calculations from economic prediction firm IHS Markit, the average age of cars and pickups in the US has improved up to 12 years. Inadequacies about the charging station Another worrying problem hampering the U.S. transition to electric vehicles is charging. Currently in the US there are only more than 100,000 gas stations with additional charging equipment for EV vehicles. The Americans with garages will easily add chargers that allow overnight refueling, but this number is not much. Most people living in apartment buildings do not have enough dedicated chargers, or have to drive long distances to public charging stations to refuel their cars. “This is one of the top three reasons that customers often give when not choosing EV cars”, Mr. Sam Abuelsamid, an analyst at Guidehouse Insights magazine pointed out and emphasized, this is what the US administration need to solve. “We need to cover charging stations in areas where ordinary people do not have their own garages, have to park their cars outside like in narrow urban areas and big cities. If we solve that problem well, there will definitely be many people buying electric cars, ”said Sam Abuelsamid. The lesson of stimulating the demand for electric vehicles from China, the biggest rival to the US, shows that increasing the charging infrastructure is the decisive factor that helps Beijing rise to the top of the world in the proportion of electric vehicle users. However, according to experts, when all factors from supporting manufacturers, expanding fast charging systems and changing people’s perceptions converge, the transition to electric vehicles in the US still takes. a decade to come true.

Data Map Xinhua News Agency/Kyodo News Agency

Further reading

Zhao Lijian: The U.S. body is very honest, “Like it while banning it”

On April 15, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian presided over a regular press conference. Zhao Lijian said that some Japanese politicians tried their best to prove the innocence of nuclear waste water, and then asked them to use nuclear waste water for drinking, cooking, washing clothes or irrigation. Ask them to ensure that seafood will not be contaminated by nuclear waste water.

Zhao Lijian also said that Japan should not think that it has received the gratitude of the United States. The United States is physically honest. While liking, the import of Japanese rice, fish and other products is prohibited. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration emphasized that due to public health issues related to radiation and nuclear contamination, it has strengthened the supervision of Japan’s controlled products. I don’t know what Japan’s explanation is for this US policy?

On April 13, the Japanese government formally decided to discharge nuclear sewage into the sea. US State Department spokesperson Ned Price and US Secretary of State Brinken subsequently tweeted to express “appreciation” and “thank you” for Japan’s decision. It looks like a “good brother”.

However, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) previously updated No. 99-33 Import Alert, a series of Japanese foods are still prohibited from entering the United States.

The Japanese foods involved include: milk, butter, dry dairy products; fish, sea urchins, clams and other marine biological products; meat, meat products and poultry (beef, boar, bear, deer, duck, hare and pheasant products); vegetables, Citrus, pomelo, kiwi, etc., involve many places such as Aomori, Fukushima, Miyagi, Nagano, and Tochigi. It is worth noting that the FDA emphasized: “Due to public health issues related to radiation and nuclear contamination, the FDA has strengthened its surveillance of Japanese controlled products.”

(Original title: Yoshihide Suga visits American netizens to shout: “Taste” Biden with a bottle of nuclear treated water) Source: Beijing New Vision Comprehensive China News Network CCTV News Reference Message Process Editor: TF019

Are you really worried that the upcoming climate summit will be yellow?

According to CNN, US President Biden will organize a global climate summit from April 22 to 23. The United States also deliberately mentioned inviting Russia and China to participate. Recently, some media reported that Biden proposed the possibility of face-to-face talks between the United States and Russia. However, at this critical juncture, the United States suddenly launched sanctions and pressure, just as it did with the negotiations with China.

On the evening of April 15, Beijing time, according to the White House website, Biden will ban Bank of America from participating in the primary market of Russian sovereign debt denominated in rubles from June 14. Restricting Russia’s sovereign debt is a direct response to Russia’s intervention in the 2020 U.S. election. At the same time, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned 32 entities and individuals who implemented the instructions of the Russian government in an attempt to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election and other acts of spreading rumors and interference.

On the other hand, the Middle East, which is also an oil-producing region, has also been extremely uneven recently. The Houthi armed forces and Saudi Arabia seem to have a sense of immortality. A spokesman for the organization said on the 15th that the use of drones and 11 missiles in Jizan attacked Saudi Aramco’s oil facilities. The missile and drone attack caused a fire at a Saudi Aramco facility. Accidents continued in Iraq. On the evening of April 14, local time, another explosion occurred at the international airport in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish Autonomous Region in northern Iraq, and the US consulate near the area sounded an alarm. On the 15th, Baghdad was attacked by a bomb again, causing more than a dozen casualties.

Oil prices fly again?

“Hot Hand” Biden

The United States suddenly increased sanctions against Russia.

According to news from the White House website on Thursday night, President Biden signed a new executive order of sanctions to show that the government is determined to deal with and contain all harmful activities in Russia. This executive order sends a signal that if Russia continues or escalates its destabilizing international operations, the United States will impose costs on Russia in a way that has strategic and economic influence. This especially includes undermining efforts to hold free and fair democratic elections and democratic institutions in the United States and its allies and partner countries; participating in and targeting malicious cyber activities against the United States and its allies and partners; facilitating and using transnational corruption to influence foreign governments; engaging in targeting Extraterritorial activities of dissidents or journalists; undermining the security of countries and regions that are vital to the national security of the United States; violation of recognized principles of international law, including states that respect territorial integrity.

In these actions, President Joe Biden authorized the U.S. government to impose sanctions on any sector of the Russian economy and to restrict Russia’s ability to issue sovereign debt in order to punish Moscow for interfering in the 2020 U.S. election.

Biden will ban Bank of America from participating in the primary market of Russian sovereign debt denominated in rubles from June 14. Restricting Russia’s sovereign debt is a direct response to Russia’s intervention in the 2020 U.S. election. Biden will issue an executive order authorizing the US government to crack down on any area of ​​the Russian economy. Withdrawing US buyers from the primary market for ruble-denominated Russian sovereign debt may increase Russia’s borrowing costs. The US move may also cause capital to flee Russia, leading to a devaluation of the Russian currency. The new executive order authorizes the United States to increase restrictions on Russian sovereign debt when necessary.

The United States announced sanctions on six Russian companies that have supported cyber attacks on U.S. federal agencies and companies. The United States will expel 10 Russian intelligence officials. Since 2019, Bank of America has been banned from entering the main market for non-ruble sovereign bonds. The U.S. Treasury Department also blacklisted 32 entities and individuals to punish Russia for influencing the 2020 U.S. presidential election and other “disinformation and interference behaviors.” At the same time, the United States has also cooperated with the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, and the Treasury Department has sanctioned eight people related to Russia’s continued occupation and suppression of Crimea.

On April 14, local time, according to RIA Novosti news, US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan was invited to meet with Russian Presidential Assistant Yuri Ushakov. Ushakov stated that if the United States imposes a new round of sanctions on Russia when President Biden intends to improve relations with Russia, Russia will respond in the strongest way. On the 15th, after the White House issued a sanctions order, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that Russia’s response to US sanctions is inevitable. The sanctions imposed by the United States are contrary to the interests of our two countries.

On April 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin was invited to have a telephone conversation with US President Biden. During the call, Biden expressed interest in normalizing bilateral affairs and was willing to establish a stable and predictable interaction mechanism with Russia. At the same time, Biden proposed to consider the possibility of holding a meeting between the two heads of state in the near future. However, the sudden picking of the matter by the United States may make the prospects of the US-Russian talks dim.

War continues in the Middle East

Russia, the United States, and the Middle East are always inseparable from this triangular relationship, even if the United States is withdrawing troops from Afghanistan recently. The most unstable corner of this triangle is the Middle East. Recently, wars in the Middle East have continued, and the two most prominent places are: Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

The former provoked a Houthi who could not get rid of it. According to Reuters, the Yemeni Houthi militants said on the 15th that they used drones and missiles to attack multiple targets in the southern Saudi city of Jizan. Among them, a facility of Saudi Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia, caught fire. At the same time, the organization also launched an attack on the Saudi “Patriot” anti-missile system. The Saudi Press Agency reported that Saudi Arabia intercepted 4 drones and 5 missiles that attacked Jizan.

Since this year, the Houthis have never stopped their attacks on Saudi Arabia, and the source is still the original Yemeni government. On January 22, 2015, after the Houthi armed forces occupied the presidential palace, official residences and important military facilities, President Abdul Rab Mansour Hadi and his cabinet resigned. It was announced on February 6 that the “Presidential Committee” and “National Transitional Committee” were established to replace the Yemeni president and parliament to govern the country. The United Nations said it would not recognize it. On November 5, 2017, Saudi Arabia issued a reward for the arrest of 40 leaders of the Houthi armed group in Yemen, with a total bonus of up to 440 million U.S. dollars. It has always been believed that Iran is behind the Houthi, and Saudi Arabia is behind the original government of Yemen. This is also the main reason why Houthi has always attacked Saudi Arabia.

In addition to the Houthis’s constant attacks on Saudi Arabia, Iraq is also very uneasy. After Biden came to power, Iraq has never stopped, and news of bomb attacks have been reported continuously. On the evening of April 14, local time, an explosion occurred at the international airport in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish Autonomous Region in northern Iraq, and the US consulate near the area sounded an alarm. The Kurdish Autonomous Government’s counter-terrorism department stated that the explosion was caused by at least one rocket attack. There are US troops stationed in the military zone of Erbil Airport, and there is no specific information on casualties and property damage.

On April 15, Iraqi police and medical sources said that 4 people were killed and 17 others were injured in a car bomb attack in the Sada city area of ​​Baghdad on Thursday. Police said the car was parked in a busy second-hand equipment market in a predominantly Shia Muslim area. The Iraqi military statement stated that the explosion targeted the eastern market in Baghdad, killing a civilian, wounding 12 people, and opening fire and destroying several cars.

Oil prices still fly?

On the evening of April 14th, international oil prices soared suddenly, and Bulk Oil finally closed up by more than 4%. As the political situation of oil-producing countries changes, does it mean that oil prices are still flying?

Goldman Sachs (Goldman Sachs) analysts said in a report that supply constraints and economic recovery will provide oil with an opportunity to break through the near-term range. Goldman Sachs analysts said: “Due to the recent rebound in demand and supply laws, we are optimistic about the forecast of Brent oil prices in the third quarter of 2021 at 80 US dollars per barrel.”

As the economy promotes decarbonization and the penetration rate of electric vehicles continues to increase, Goldman Sachs has also advanced the estimated peak of global oil transportation demand to 2026 by one year. Even so, he did not predict the peak oil demand in the next ten years due to the growth of petrochemicals and aviation fuel markets, although it is expected that the overall oil demand after 2025 will be “mainly due to electrification to reach a downturn.”

In fact, apart from economic factors, political factors are also very important. It can be expected that as the situation in the Middle East continues to be tense, Russia’s development space will continue to be squeezed, and there will be great variables in the supply of oil. Moreover, from the current technology point of view, although electric vehicles are popular, they also need electricity, and whether it is lithium batteries or fuel cells, it is largely converted from petrochemical energy. From this perspective, in the short term, the price of crude oil may have a tendency to rise easily but not fall.

After suddenly encountering US sanctions, Russia’s latest response came.

“The actions of the US are unacceptable.”

Biden also spoke after the announcement of the sanctions, warning that there may be more actions.

The sanctions increased risk aversion, and gold rose immediately. U.S. stocks also rose sharply under the support of strong economic data, with the Dow and S&P 500 reaching new highs.

Suddenly sanctioned, Russia responded!

The latest statement: unacceptable, will “resolutely fight back”

According to the World Wide Web, on April 15, local time, US President Biden signed an executive order, launching a series of sanctions against Russia’s “harmful foreign behavior.” The White House stated that the United States hopes to establish a “stable and predictable” relationship with Russia, but that Russia must pay the price for trying to harm American behavior.

The new round of US sanctions against Russia includes the Ministry of the Treasury’s prohibition of US financial institutions from participating in a series of Russian bonds and fund investments; actions against six Russian technology companies. The United States will also expel 10 diplomats from the Russian diplomatic mission in Washington.

In the early morning of the 16th Beijing time, Russia’s latest response came!

According to CCTV News, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova issued a warning that day that Russia would “resolutely fight back” the “aggressive behavior” of the US.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova stated at a regular press conference that the responsibility for the deterioration of Russia-US relations lies solely with the United States. The actions of the US side did not indicate that it is willing to promote the normalization of Russia-US relations. Russia has repeatedly warned that hostile actions by the United States against Russia may trigger consequences including intensifying confrontation between the two sides. The United States should realize that it has to pay a price for the deterioration of bilateral relations. Russia will “resolutely fight back” the “aggressive behavior” of the United States.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zakharova: The United States is unwilling to accept this objective fact, that is, in this multi-polar world, the United States no longer enjoys hegemony, but also expects to impose sanctions and pressure to interfere in Russia’s internal affairs. Such hostile acts will be resolute Retaliation, (Russia)’s retaliation against sanctions will be inevitable, and the United States should realize that it must pay for the deterioration of Russia-US relations.

The spokesperson also announced that because the United States announced a series of sanctions against Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the US ambassador to Russia.

Later that day, the official website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the US ambassador to Russia to make a relevant statement.

The statement stated that on the same day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yabukov summoned Sullivan, the US ambassador to Moscow. The Russian side believes that the actions of the US side are unacceptable, it violates the US declared will to “establish a pragmatic relationship with Russia,” and it has dealt a new serious blow to Russia-US bilateral relations.

The statement stated that the US ambassador to Russia was told that Russia will take a series of response measures to US sanctions as soon as possible. For a long time, in order to maintain Russia-US relations at an acceptable level, Russia has always shown an extremely responsible attitude. However, successive governments in Washington have scorned the constructive proposals of the Russian side and exacerbated the deterioration of the situation.

The two sides also exchanged views on other issues of bilateral relations.

Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova stated at a regular press conference that because the United States announced a series of sanctions against Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the US ambassador to Russia.

Biden also speaks

Warning that there may be more actions

After the announcement of sanctions against Russia, Biden delivered a speech later the same day.

According to the Guardian, in his speech, Biden warned that if Russia continues to interfere with American democracy, the United States may take more actions.

Biden said, “President Putin and I are very clear that we can go further. But I chose not to do so.” But Biden said that he did not want to escalate the tension. He said, “We want a stable, Predictable relationship.”

According to CNN, with regard to the tension with Russia, Biden also emphasized that “now is the time to ease.”

Speaking at the White House, Biden said that he told Russian President Putin on a conference call earlier this week that he could have taken these steps further. Although Biden hopes to avoid escalation of tensions, he made it clear that he will take further actions without hesitation in the future.

Biden also mentioned that communication with Putin is crucial to the relationship between the two countries; the US and Russian teams are still discussing the possibility of holding a summit.

Strong economic data, U.S. stocks soared

The Dow broke 34,000 for the first time, and the S&P 500 also hit a new high

The economic data released by the United States on Thursday was too strong.

The first is that the number of initial jobless claims hit a record low in more than a year. According to data from the US Department of Labor, the number of people applying for unemployment benefits for the first time in the United States was 576,000 in the week of April 10, the lowest since the week of March 14 last year, which was far below the expected 700,000, and significantly lower than the previous value of 744,000. .

In addition, spurred by a $1,400 cash check, US retail data also exploded. In terms of retail sales data, US retail sales in March increased by 9.8% month-on-month, the highest level in 10 months, far higher than market expectations of 5.8%. Among them, the sales of the catering industry increased by 13.4%, and the sales of clothing retailers increased by 18.3%, both setting the highest growth rate since June last year.

With the support of strong economic data and the overall earnings report of bank stocks exceeding expectations, the three major U.S. stock indexes all rose.

As of the close, the Nasdaq rose 180.92 points, or 1.31%, to 14,038.76 points; the S&P 500 index rose 45.76 points, or 1.11%, to 4,170.42 points, also setting a record high.

The Dow rose more than 300 points to 34,035.99 points, a record high. This is also the first time the Dow’s closing price rose above 34,000 points.

U.S. debt fell unexpectedly

Economic data is very strong, and U.S. Treasury yields should generally go up. But after the United States released dazzling data on Thursday, U.S. Treasury yields unexpectedly fell.

The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury fell below the 1.530 mark.

On the news, as the largest overseas holder of U.S. Treasury bonds, Japan’s share of U.S. bonds has hit a record low. On Thursday, local time, the International Capital Flow Report (TIC) released by the US Treasury Department. The report shows that Japan’s holdings of US Treasury bonds fell by US$18.5 billion in February this year, and the total holdings fell to US$1.26 trillion, accounting for 5.9% of the total US government debt, the lowest in history.

Risk aversion warming up

Gold soars

The US sanctions against Russia have increased risk aversion in the market, and the price of gold has risen rapidly. In addition, strong economic data in the United States also makes people more worried about the risk of inflation, which also provides support for gold prices.

The spot gold price was once close to the $1770/ounce mark.

Gold futures once rose above the $1770/ounce mark.

U.S. gold stocks also rose sharply.

The chip giants rose nearly 6%

New energy vehicle stocks have fallen

On Thursday, chip stocks rose very brightly, AMD and Nvidia both rose nearly 6%, and Xilinx rose more than 5%.

On the news, TSMC’s dazzling earnings data boosted market sentiment, confirming the logic of “lack of cores” boosting the chip industry’s prosperity. On Thursday, TSMC announced its financial report for the first quarter of 2021. During the reporting period, TSMC achieved revenue of US$12.92 billion, a year-on-year increase of 25.4% and a month-on-month increase of 1.9%, a record high. TSMC has also substantially raised its revenue growth target for 2021 to 20%, and is expected to grow at a compound growth rate of 10-15% in the next five years, and it is expected that the problem of chip shortages may continue until 2022.

While chip stocks rose sharply, new energy vehicle stocks, which are also technology stocks, fell.

Ideal cars fell nearly 7%, Xiaopeng Motors fell more than 4%, and Weilai Motors fell more than 3%.

Source: China Fund News

Russian President Putin and US President Biden. Photo: BBC

“When I spoke to President Putin, I expressed confidence that direct and personal communication between the two of us is essential to a more effective relationship. He agrees on that point.” – he said.

He added: “So I proposed that we meet face to face this summer in Europe for a summit to address a wide range of issues that both our countries are facing. face.”

According to him, “our teams are discussing this possibility right now.”

“And if that summit takes place and I believe it will happen, the US and Russia can launch a dialogue of strategic stability to pursue cooperation in arms control,” Biden stressed. and security ”.

“We can tackle important global challenges that require Russia and the US to work together, including curbing nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea, ending the global pandemic. and deal with the existing climate change crisis “- declared by US President.

In the same speech, Mr. Biden said he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of the sanctions in a phone call he called a “straightforward, respectful conversation” on April 13.

“I have made it clear to President Putin that we can take more action, but I choose not to. I chose to respond accordingly. The US does not want to start a cycle of escalation and conflict with Russia. We want a stable, predictable relationship, ”Mr. Biden said at the White House on April 15.

The sanctions “send a signal that the United States will impose measures strategically and have an economic impact on Russia if it continues or escalates destabilizing international actions,” the White House said. know in a statement. “Our goal is not to escalate, to impose sanctions on what we feel is an unacceptable action by the Russian government,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. before the press on April 15.

The White House said on April 15 that recent sanctions actions were also prompted by Moscow “targeting dissidents or journalists” and undermining “security in countries and regions.” important to US national security ”, referring to the recent Russian alleged poisoning of opposition leader Alexey Navalny and military consolidation along the Ukrainian border.

Mr. Biden has strained his relationship with Putin personally by agreeing with the view that Putin is a “killer”. The US President did not apologize and also refused to hold talks with the Russian President when Putin proposed a dialogue.

For a while, Mr. Biden continued to send signals that the US would punish Russia for its interference in the US’s internal affairs, including cyber attacks and election interference. At the same time, the US leader suggests direct dialogue with the Russian President.

For the past two days, Mr. Biden has repeatedly heated up American media about what he sees as a measure of pressure on Moscow, forcing it to pay the price for what it has done with America, while leaving the door open. the door to directly negotiate with Mr. Putin.

Analysts said that Mr. Biden’s actions in imposing new sanctions against the possibility of a live conference with Putin, will give Mr. Biden’s negotiating advantage.

Expert Lev Sokolschik, scientist of the Center for Integrated Research on European and International Affairs at Russia’s HSE State Research University, said that the US is continuing its policy of restraining Russia on all fronts. Important aspects include economic, military, political and using pressure in areas of interest to win the US over Russia.

The US has followed the roadmap: Announcing the summit proposal, negotiating and then imposing sanctions on dialogue with Russia with its strengths, the Russian expert said.

However, given the ever-confrontational nature of the Russia-US relationship, the actions of the US would immediately receive a response from Russia. The Russian side is also considering a number of retaliation sanctions and could be announced in the near future.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan previously called the sanctions “adequate measures to protect US interests from harmful Russian actions including cyber intrusion and election interference”.

The recently announced measures include sanctions on six Russian companies that support domestic cyber operations, along with sanctions on 32 individuals and organizations allegedly trying. to interfere in last year’s presidential election.

The White House said 10 Russian diplomats were deported, including representatives of Russian intelligence agencies.

“What is currently being considered – possibly sanctions – will not help the meeting,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

US President Joe Biden is determined to improve relations with European allies. (Source: Reuters)

Former President Donald Trump changed America – less than his supporters wanted, but more than the opposition had hoped.

However, over the past four years, it’s not just America that has changed. America’s allies are also changing. This makes it impossible to return transatlantic relations back to an earlier period.

The unique relationship between the US and European countries is seen by observers as not going back to the way it once was, even though Mr. Biden has become President.

Former President Donald Trump is not alone.

The first reason that the relationship between the US and the European Union (EU) is difficult to return to the past originated from before Mr. Trump took office.

That’s Brexit. For decades, the UK was the first US partner to think of in Europe. London is also the most reliable and effective support partner on the “old continent”, sometimes even accepting against the bloc’s general policy.

Now that the UK leaves the EU, the United States needs to invest more time and resources in building relationships with EU politicians and institutions.

After all, defense and intelligence relations with Britain are still of great value to the United States, causing Washington to be concerned. Besides, the UK is still the closest partner to the US in terms of geopolitical issues such as Russia and China.

On the other hand, the administration of President Biden concurred with the assessment of the EU and Ireland on the challenges Brexit brought to Northern Ireland.

The impact of Brexit on UK-EU relations poses challenges for the US, especially when London and Brussels will have many disagreements in the coming period.

The second reason for the split between the US and EU is the common value system, affecting policy choices.

Economically, the presidency of President Trump has made American politicians “awaken”, realizing they need to work towards solving their own problems. Democrats demand increased support for workers, as well as for industry.

Although the EU also takes such measures, this could provoke the EU to oppose what it calls “unfair competition”.

In addition, EU priorities in the twenty-first century such as climate change or digital services could lead to new tariffs or regulations. With different approaches to digital privacy or freedom of speech, the common value systems between the US and Europe are increasingly distant.

However, the biggest difference lies in the geopolitics, namely the friend-foe perspective.

During the Cold War, when the Soviet Union was a common enemy, the transatlantic relationship was arguably the most sustainable.

Currently, some European countries and politicians have come closer to Moscow, considering it as an important energy partner. Others want to ignore acts of aggression, or actions that the EU deems a violation of Russian human rights.

But China is the real problem. The US sees China as a major competitor in both economic and security terms.

Meanwhile, while China can be viewed as a security threat, Europe still looks forward to economic cooperation with Beijing, reflected in the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment signed in December 2020.

America and Europe will find it difficult to cooperate with each other when it is impossible to even determine which are friends and enemies.

If not united by a common threat, the transatlantic relationship will split.

European leaders can breathe when a “traditional” President like Mr. Biden is elected. However, the departure of Mr. Trump does not create a solid foundation for this long-standing relationship.

The transatlantic alliance is on the decline, as is the Western-led world order. The two sides need to understand this soon to start building a new architecture, thereby forming a stronger bilateral relationship.

(According to Nikkei Asia)

The head of the White House said in a phone call earlier this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin he made a clear stance that the US and Russia may have “gone further,” emphasizing that Washington “did not want to arrest. the beginning of a cycle of escalation and conflict “with Moscow.

Mr. Biden asserted that after direct communication between him and Putin, the US and Russia could establish “a more effective relationship” and the Kremlin boss “agreed” with this view.

According to Biden, his proposal to hold a summit with his Russian counterpart this summer in Europe will be an opportunity to launch a stable strategic dialogue.

Putin has yet to react to the White House boss’s invitation, but Biden said his cabinet is discussing the possibility now.

Before that, despite President Biden proposing a bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart, on April 15, the US still announced economic sanctions against Russia and expelled 10 foreign diplomats. This was in response to actions that Washington alleged was “interference” by the Kremlin in US elections and large-scale cyber attacks.

In addition, the US Treasury Department also announced sanctions against 8 individuals and entities involved in Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

For its part, the Kremlin vowed to respond adequately to any new illegal US sanctions against Russia and noted that any new sanctions would reduce the chances of a meeting. two sides summit.

Diplomat Marc Knapper is likely to replace Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink as the new US ambassador to Vietnam. Photo: The White House

The White House announced the list quickly on April 16. Since taking office as US president, this is the first time Mr. Biden has selected an official as a representative abroad.

Notable in this list is the change in ambassador position in Vietnam. Accordingly, Mr. Knapper is expected to replace Mr. Daniel Kritenbrink after more than 3 years working in Vietnam. President Biden also nominated Mr. Kritenbrink to assume the position of assistant foreign minister in charge of East Asia and Pacific.

According to the process, after receiving the nomination of President Biden, Mr. Knapper will have a hearing before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the necessary step to reach the ratification of the Senate of this country.

In the list of nine nominees, it can be seen that the Biden administration gives priority to professional diplomats. CNN assessed this as a signal that Mr. Biden wants to change the way of former President Donald Trump, who has a tendency to appoint officials (not professional diplomats) as ambassadors in many countries.

In addition to Mr. Knapper, the remaining 8 nominees include Larry André as Somalia’s ambassador, Elizabeth Moore Aubin as Algerian ambassador, Steven Bondy as Bahrain’s ambassador, Maria Brewer as ambassador of Lesotho, Christopher Lamora as Ambassador of Cameroon, Tulinabo Mushingi is ambassador to Angola and Sao Tome & Principe, Michael Raynor is ambassador for Senegal and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, and Eugene Young as ambassador to the Republic of Congo.

Mr. Knapper is currently the deputy foreign minister in charge of Japan and Korea at the East Asia and Pacific Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since September 2018.

Before in charge of Japan – Korea, Mr. Knapper was the Representative from 2017-2018 and the Deputy Head of the US diplomatic mission from 2015-2016 at the US Embassy in Seoul, Korea; Indian Affairs Director; The director is in charge of Japanese affairs and has had many other diplomatic positions in Iraq and Japan.

Candidate for the position of US Ambassador to Vietnam has worked twice in Korea. In 2017, he was the State Department representative in the Spent Fuel Team at the Yongbyon nuclear facility. In 2000, he was a member of the delegation of Foreign Minister Madeleine Albright to visit Pyongyang.

In the period 2004-2007, Mr. Knapper served as political counselor at the embassy in Hanoi. The White House website states that Mr. Knapper can speak Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese.

The nominee for the new ambassador to Vietnam received the Secretary of State for Distinguished Award, as the highest diplomatic honor of the United States.

Mr. Knapper graduated with an excellent degree from Princeton University and studied at the University of Tokyo, the intensive Japanese program of Middlebury College, the American Army War College and the XXI Thematic Research program of the Institute of Technology. Massachusetts.

Chinese fleets are lined up at the Ba Dau Rock area in the South China Sea. Photo: CNN

Two weeks later, more than 40 Chinese ships remained in the Ba Dau Stone and the statements became more concise. The Philippine Foreign Ministry on April 12 warned China that Manila would issue daily protest diplomatic notes as long as the mainland’s “marine militia” remained in the area. The Philippines authorities have used a phrase similar to the US way of describing the Chinese fleet.

Bloomberg quoted Carl Schuster, former director of missions at the US Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center as commenting: “If your goal is to capture an ocean and atoll, without fighting, this is an excellent dishonesty tactic. Only professional seafarers knew it was a lie. No one allowed their ships to ‘shelter’ in the hurricane zone several weeks before a storm. If they were really commercial ships, it would cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars a day to lay these ships idle side by side.

Analysts Andreo Calonzo and Philip Heijmans said Beijing appears to be probing whether the new US President Joe Biden will take any action after pledging to shake hands with allies in the region to prevent Chinese assertiveness or not. Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin blamed the Obama administration for failing to stop Beijing in a similar incident in 2012 at Scarborough Shoal.

“This is a test of what the Biden administration is willing to do. The way the US responds will determine the next challenge. For now, everything we (the US) have done is more eloquent than substantive, ”said Schuster, currently professor in military science and diplomacy at the University of Hawaii Pacific. emphasize.

Complex decisions

Last month, the US vowed to stand with the Philippines while accusing China of using “maritime militias to intimidate, provoke and intimidate other countries”. When asked about relations with China at a news conference the same month, President Biden revealed that his administration “would hold China accountable for obeying the rules” in the South China Sea and elsewhere.

Another big problem is how to correct the response. China’s use of commercial fishing vessels resembles a “gray zone” tactic, allowing Beijing to deny that anything is wrong. Sending an aircraft carrier or other warships near the reef risks becoming an overreact, making the United States seem like the aggressor.

On the contrary, doing nothing can give the impression of weakness. Over the past few years, the United States has increased its challenge of China’s sovereignty over the waters, increasing the frequency of free navigation operations around disputed territories. The Biden administration also reaffirmed that the US-Philippines defense treaty covers every attack in the South China Sea, which was made clear under former President Donald Trump after decades of ambiguity.

Another major problem for Mr. Biden is Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte, who has weakened the alliance while praising closer ties with Beijing.

According to Rommel Ong, a retired Philippine Navy admiral and now professor at the Ateneo de Manila University School of Management, under President Duterte there will be only very limited options for the Navy. Manila’s response is believed to be limited to sending objectionable diplomatic notes and anti-China statements via social media.

The Philippines’ statement on April 12 used some of the strongest words, including a 2016 international arbitral tribunal ruling. The statement also condemns the Chinese Embassy for criticizing the minister. Defense Delfin Lorenzana, who last weekend said the weather was fine and boats had no reason to stay in the Ba Dau Rock area.

Warning

Duterte’s government responded to China’s April 3 statement with a statement that it hopes Filipino officials will “avoid any unprofessional remarks that may add to irrational feelings”. . On April 13, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lap Kien accused the Philippines of violating the United Nations Charter, the Law of the Sea and international law by invoking the 2016 ruling of the United Nations court. But Beijing insisted on rejecting.

Mr. Trieu warned the Philippines should see the situation “objectively and properly, stop exaggerating the problem to avoid any negative effects on the bilateral relationship between the two countries, stability and peace in the country. East Sea”. The Beijing representative also denied that the Chinese ships illegally present in the Ba Dau Rock belonged to the maritime militia.

President Duterte broke his weeks-long silence with an April 13 statement, insisting the dispute would be resolved through “peaceful measures” and would not “shape the relationship. Bilateral”.

“It will not be an obstacle to the positive overall development trajectory of our bilateral friendship,” the Philippine government leader said in the statement, citing increasingly deep cooperation. vaccine against Covid-19 and “economic recovery from the pandemic” between the two sides.

Reputation is compromised

Vaccine access has become a major concern for Mr. Duterte. Manila was shut down again last week as the Philippines faces its worst outbreak and is expecting much of the vaccine supply from Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac.

The Philippine President attended a March 29 celebration in which Chinese Ambassador Huang Zilian said the vaccine was a testament to the “closer cooperation in the new era” between the two countries.

Shahriman Lockman, a senior analyst at the Institute for Strategic and International Studies in Malaysia, said that this time, Washington was “not so naive” after a failed attempt in 2012 to reach a withdrawal agreement. retreating from Scarborough Shoal “did great damage to American prestige in Southeast Asia”. According to Mr. Lockman, the Biden administration is wary of the danger of sinking into this scenario and not knowing if they will eventually be blamed for escalating the situation, which is quite possible while the Philippines capable of reacting only in a perfunctory way.

US President Joe Biden speaks at the White House on April 14. Photo: Rex

Citing the research results of the Pew Research Center, the British newspaper Guardian reported that President Biden has received a credit rating of 59%.

Meanwhile, at the same time, predecessor Donald Trump received only 39% and former President Barack Obama received a 61% credit rating.

With the migration crisis on the southern border acting as an early test of President Biden’s capabilities, the American people perceive this as a very serious problem, even overcoming. COVID-19 translation at the present time.

Previously, in a Pew study in June 2020, 58% of respondents said that the COVID-19 pandemic was at the top of the list of concern. In the latest poll, that number has fallen to 47% as more people vaccinate and states reopen.

Pew interviewed 5,109 adults in the US in April 2021 for this poll. About 72% of participants rated the Biden administration’s vaccine implementation program as good and extremely good. Meanwhile, 67% of the respondents supported the COVID-19 support package and 36% answered “fully support”.

The probe was conducted before Washington announced a suspension of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

US President Joe Biden calls for dialogue and accelerates diplomatic process with Russia. (Photo: AP)

Mr. Biden recalled a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin held earlier this week and noted that the phone call was “open and respectful”.

“We represent two great powers with great responsibility for global stability. President Putin and I have an important responsibility to keep this relationship in order, ”explained the US leader.

The US President calls the Russians and Americans “proud and patriotic peoples” who are “concerned with a future of peace and safety”.

While speaking about Russia, Mr. Biden misinterpreted the words “escalation” and “vaccination”, as well as mispronouncing the surname of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The US does not want to start a vaccine cycle … escalate and conflict with Russia,” he said.

Then, when referring to his Russian counterpart, he said something like “President Klutin”. However, when he realized the mistake, Mr. Biden immediately corrected it.

Despite the fact that many previous presidents have made vague statements, Mr. Biden is still considered to have had the most number of “blushes” ever, that he even considered himself a “false machine”.

The most recent time, on March 18, President Joe Biden in a public address called Vice President Kamala Harris the head of the United States.

Specifically, in a public address when referring to the success of the vaccination campaign, Mr. Biden said: “When President Harris and I …”. It is worth noting that Mr. Biden did not realize he had made a mistake and continued his speech as if nothing had happened.

Biden has also had such misses in the past. During a speech about the Covid-19 crisis in Wilmington, Delaware on December 29, 2020, Mr. Biden accidentally “promoted” the Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

“I hope that the President will call on every American to get the vaccine as soon as it becomes available,” Biden said. “I want the community to have faith in vaccines. President-elect Harris has also used the vaccine for the same reason.

After suddenly encountering US sanctions, Russia’s latest response came.

“The actions of the United States are unacceptable.”

Biden also spoke after the announcement of the sanctions, warning that there may be more actions.

The sanctions increased risk aversion, and gold rose immediately. U.S. stocks also rose sharply under the support of strong economic data, with the Dow and S&P 500 reaching new highs.

Suddenly sanctioned, Russia responded!

The latest statement: unacceptable, will “resolutely fight back”

According to the World Wide Web, on April 15, local time, US President Biden signed an executive order, launching a series of sanctions against Russia’s “harmful foreign behavior.” The White House stated that the United States hopes to establish a “stable and predictable” relationship with Russia, but that Russia must pay the price for trying to harm American behavior.

The new round of US sanctions against Russia includes the Ministry of the Treasury’s prohibition of US financial institutions from participating in a series of Russian bonds and fund investments; actions against six Russian technology companies. The United States will also expel 10 diplomats from the Russian diplomatic mission in Washington.

In the early morning of the 16th Beijing time, Russia’s latest response came!

According to CCTV News, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova issued a warning on the same day that Russia would “resolutely fight back” the “aggressive behavior” of the US.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova stated at a regular press conference that the responsibility for the deterioration of Russia-US relations lies solely with the United States. The actions of the US side did not indicate that it is willing to promote the normalization of Russia-US relations. Russia has repeatedly warned that hostile actions by the United States against Russia may trigger consequences including intensifying confrontation between the two sides. The United States should realize that it has to pay a price for the deterioration of bilateral relations. Russia will “resolutely fight back” the “aggressive behavior” of the United States.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zakharova: The United States is unwilling to accept this objective fact, that is, in this multi-polar world, the United States no longer enjoys hegemony, but also expects to impose sanctions and pressure to interfere in Russia’s internal affairs. Such hostile acts will be resolute Retaliation, (Russia)’s retaliation against sanctions will be inevitable, and the United States should realize that it must pay the price for the deterioration of Russia-US relations.

The spokesperson also announced that because the United States announced a series of sanctions against Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the US ambassador to Russia.

Later that day, the official website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the US ambassador to Russia to make a relevant statement.

The statement stated that on the same day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yabukov summoned Sullivan, the US ambassador to Moscow. The Russian side believes that the actions of the US side are unacceptable, which violates the US declared will to “establish a pragmatic relationship with Russia” and has caused a new serious blow to the bilateral relations between Russia and the United States.

The statement stated that the US ambassador to Russia was told that Russia will take a series of response measures to US sanctions as soon as possible. For a long time, in order to maintain Russia-US relations at an acceptable level, Russia has always shown an extremely responsible attitude. However, successive governments in Washington have scorned the constructive proposals of the Russian side and exacerbated the deterioration of the situation.

The two sides also exchanged views on other issues of bilateral relations.

Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova stated at a regular press conference that because the United States announced a series of sanctions against Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the US ambassador to Russia.

Biden also speaks

Warning that there may be more actions

After the announcement of sanctions against Russia, Biden delivered a speech later the same day.

According to the Guardian, in his speech, Biden warned that if Russia continues to interfere with American democracy, the United States may take more actions.

Biden said, “President Putin and I are very clear that we can go further. But I chose not to do so.” But Biden said that he did not want to escalate the tension. He said, “We want a stable, Predictable relationship.”

According to CNN, with regard to the tension with Russia, Biden also emphasized that “now is the time to ease.”

Speaking at the White House, Biden said that he told Russian President Putin on a conference call earlier this week that he could have taken these steps further. Although Biden hopes to avoid escalation of tensions, he made it clear that he will take further actions without hesitation in the future.

Biden also mentioned that communication with Putin is crucial to the relationship between the two countries; the US and Russian teams are still discussing the possibility of holding a summit.

Strong economic data, U.S. stocks soared

The Dow broke 34,000 for the first time, and the S&P 500 also hit a new high

The economic data released by the United States on Thursday was too strong.

The first is that the number of initial jobless claims hit a record low in more than a year. According to data from the US Department of Labor, the number of people applying for unemployment benefits for the first time in the United States was 576,000 in the week of April 10, the lowest since the week of March 14 last year, which was far below the expected 700,000, and significantly lower than the previous value of 744,000. .

In addition, spurred by a $1,400 cash check, US retail data also exploded. In terms of retail sales data, US retail sales in March increased by 9.8% month-on-month, the highest level in 10 months, far higher than market expectations of 5.8%. Among them, the sales of the catering industry increased by 13.4%, and the sales of clothing retailers increased by 18.3%, both setting the highest growth rate since June last year.

With the support of strong economic data and the overall earnings report of bank stocks exceeding expectations, the three major U.S. stock indexes all rose.

As of the close, the Nasdaq rose 180.92 points, or 1.31%, to 14,038.76 points; the S&P 500 index rose 45.76 points, or 1.11%, to 4,170.42 points, also setting a record high.

The Dow rose more than 300 points to 34,035.99 points, a record high. This is also the first time the Dow’s closing price rose above 34,000 points.

U.S. debt fell unexpectedly

Economic data is very strong, and U.S. Treasury yields should generally go up. But after the United States released dazzling data on Thursday, U.S. Treasury yields unexpectedly fell.

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield once fell below the 1.530 mark.

On the news, as the largest overseas holder of U.S. Treasury bonds, Japan’s share of U.S. Treasury bonds has hit a record low. On Thursday, local time, the International Capital Flow Report (TIC) released by the US Treasury Department. The report shows that Japan’s holdings of US Treasury bonds fell by US$18.5 billion in February this year, and the total holdings fell to US$1.26 trillion, accounting for 5.9% of the total US government debt, the lowest in history.

Risk aversion warming up

Gold soars

The US sanctions against Russia have increased risk aversion in the market, and the price of gold has risen rapidly. In addition, strong economic data in the United States also makes people more worried about the risk of inflation, which also provides support for gold prices.

The spot gold price was once close to the $1770/ounce mark.

Gold futures once rose above the $1770/ounce mark.

U.S. gold stocks also rose sharply.

The chip giants rose nearly 6%

New energy vehicle stocks have fallen

On Thursday, chip stocks rose very brightly, AMD and Nvidia both rose nearly 6%, and Xilinx rose more than 5%.

On the news, TSMC’s dazzling earnings data boosted market sentiment, confirming the logic of “lack of cores” boosting the chip industry’s prosperity. On Thursday, TSMC announced its financial report for the first quarter of 2021. During the reporting period, TSMC achieved revenue of US$12.92 billion, a year-on-year increase of 25.4% and a month-on-month increase of 1.9%, a record high. TSMC has also substantially raised its revenue growth target for 2021 to 20%, and is expected to grow at a compound growth rate of 10-15% in the next five years, and it is expected that the problem of chip shortages may continue until 2022.

While chip stocks rose sharply, new energy vehicle stocks, which are also technology stocks, fell.

Ideal cars fell nearly 7%, Xiaopeng Motors fell more than 4%, and Weilai Motors fell more than 3%.

Source: China Fund News

Reuters on 14/4 said, a State Department spokesman revealed, the Biden administration has announced to Congress that they are promoting plans to sell more than 23 billion weapons to the Emirate United (UAE), including advanced F-35 fighter jets.

The US government will continue to promote the plan to sell weapons to the UAE, the spokesman said. “We are continuing to elaborate on the use of these weapons and have consulted with UAE officials.”

America’s state-of-the-art F-35 aircraft. Source: Sina.

According to reports, the plan to sell weapons to the Gulf nation was finalized before Mr. Trump left office. Before that, Mr. Biden suspended this plan to re-examine the agreement.

In the months leading up to the end of its term, the Trump administration approved numerous arms sales contracts worth tens of billions of dollars, including plans to sell 50 F-35 fighters to the UAE. .

The report mentions that some US lawmakers have criticized the UAE’s participation in the Yemen war, believing the Yemen conflict has become one of the most severe humanitarian disasters in the world. They fear that the arms sales may violate previous US commitments to secure Israel’s military superiority in the region.

In December 2020, the US Senate tried to prevent the US from selling F-35 fighter jets to the UAE, but ultimately failed due to differing stances between the parties. On January 20, 2021, just about an hour before Mr. Biden took office as US President, Mr. Trump quickly completed the sale of this large-scale weapon to the UAE.

However, at the end of January 2021, the Biden administration announced that it would re-evaluate the project, the UAE said it expected the results of the evaluation and welcomed the two sides to work together to alleviate tensions and re-start. phone area.

A spokesman for the US State Department on April 13 said that if the plan can be carried out on schedule, it is expected that weapons and equipment will be delivered to the UAE in 2025 or later.

It is known that the Trump administration wants to promote the plan to sell weapons to the UAE to help it deter potential threats from Iran. Trump’s real intention is to put Mr. Biden in a “difficult position” in the Middle East, because this plan will inevitably encounter a strong reaction from Israel, because the UAE’s F-35 will imbalance. balance of military power in the Middle East.

Along with that, Mr. Biden plans to return to nuclear negotiations with Iran, the fact that Mr. Trump pushed the plan to sell the F-35 to the UAE will make Tehran “angry” and difficult to accept again if the US do not cancel this plan.

However, the UAE side is showing little “interest” with the US F-35. Recently, the UAE has high expectations about the purchase of stealth fighter F-35 Lightning II, but due to strong opposition from Israel and the attitude of “considerations” of the US, Dubai has warned that it will change to buy Russian weapons if your requirements are not met.

Experts said that, if the Biden administration continues to “consider” this contract, it may bring the UAE back to negotiate with Moscow on the purchase of Russian fighters. Most likely buys 4.5 generation multi-purpose fighter Su-35.

“The UAE expressed extreme dissatisfaction with Washington’s actions and will most likely refuse to negotiate further with the US on the supply of these weapons due to Washington’s constantly changing position, buying a batch of Su. Russian -35 with the same large budget is quite obvious, even Su-57 fighter jets are considered, “the Russian press said.

It is still unclear exactly what the recent actions of US President Joe Biden are, since since after taking office, Mr. Biden’s policy in the Middle East can be said to be very fuzzy, and focused. into the Europe, Indo-Pacific region.

Some Russian experts believe that Biden’s move may be to prevent Russia from further strengthening its influence in the Middle East through arms exports to the region.

It is still too early to talk about the prospect of the UAE buying Russian weapons, as the US is still willing to impose sanctions under the CAATSA Act on the UAE, not to mention that they can offer upgraded versions. of the F-15 and the F-16 feature the Su-35 equivalent as an alternative.

.

As expected, today (April 14), the administration of President Joe Biden will announce plans to withdraw all US forces stationed in Afghanistan in stages and end before September 11, full 20 years. after the horrible terror that started the war in Afghanistan.

Accordingly, thousands of US troops will continue to be stationed in Afghanistan after May 1, the deadline that former President Donald Trump’s administration has agreed with the Taliban. There are now 2,500 US troops stationed in Afghanistan, though the difference in fact could be as high as 1,000. The coalition in Afghanistan also has the presence of more than 7,000 troops, mainly NATO troops.

The administration of President Joe Biden is expected to announce plans to withdraw all forces from Afghanistan before 9/11/2021. (Source: EPA)

The above decision was made in the context of the unsuccessful peace negotiations. An unnamed US official revealed that the announcement of the plan was necessary because if the US did not make a clear roadmap of the May 1 deadline, Washington would have to fight the Taliban again.

For Joe Biden, this clearly does not serve the national interest of the US administration.

However, while withdrawing troops from Afghanistan will help the Americans end their presence in Afghanistan after two decades and help Mr. Biden score in the eyes of voters, it could also be a step backwards to Joe Biden’s foreign affairs.

first, this decision will go against what Mr. Joe Biden committed before becoming President. He once thought that Washington needed to maintain an anti-terrorist force in Afghanistan to ensure that Islamic extremist groups like Al-Qaeda would not be able to attack the United States.

However, his views changed after only two months in office. On March 17, interviewed by radio station ABC News, President Biden admitted having “difficulty” in withdrawing US troops from Afghanistan before May 1 under the agreement of his predecessor.

Now, the plan to withdraw troops is becoming clear, but the promise of anti-terrorist forces in the South Asian country has yet to be fulfilled.

Monday, the withdrawal of all US forces from Afghanistan leaves a great void for the Islamic extremist forces.

Speaking before the National Security Committee of the Afghan Parliament, National Intelligence Director Ahmad Zia Saraj said the number of Taliban attacks had increased by 24% since the peace agreement with the United States in February 2020. , with a total of 20,600 targeted attacks and bombings of all kinds.

According to him, this figure shows that the Taliban are not showing any change in Turkish ideology and the upcoming peace conference in Turkey may not yield any results.

Tuesday, the civil administration proved ineffective in ensuring security and political stability for development. On April 12, Afghanistan recorded 122 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number to 57,364 cases.

However, it should be remembered that the Covid-19 testing procedure in this country is limited and the actual number of cases may be much higher, while the health system is gradually overloading.

According to the World Bank, Afghanistan’s economy declines by 1.9% in 2020. Food prices increase rapidly because Covid-19, sometimes up to 17% in April 2020 alone, while tax revenue decreased by 7 , 6%.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s economic growth in 2021 is expected to reach 1%, but only possible if foreign aid and security are secured, two factors increasingly uncertain with Kabul’s governance capabilities. and after the withdrawal of US President Joe Biden’s administration.

Because of that, Washington may end its presence in the South Asian country after two decades and help Biden score points with voters, but the price will be political stability and security of Afghanistan.

Unprecedented

Ms. Wormuth began working for the U.S. Government in 1996 in the Pentagon Policy Office. During the Obama administration, she served as chief communications officer from the White House National Security Council to the Pentagon on defense matters.

President Biden nominates Christine Wormuth to the position of Secretary of the Army

A veteran national security official with experience working at the Pentagon, Ms. Wormuth also served as Director of Defense Policy at the National Security Council under former President Obama’s administration. Most recently, Ms. Wormuth was Director of the Center for Defense Policy and International Security at the Rand Corporation, a nonprofit that supports the U.S. and international Governments in defense, economic, and scientific policy research and analysis. She served as a special assistant to the president and Senior Director of Defense at the National Security Council (NSC) from December 2010 to August 2012, where she served as the chief communications officer from the NSC to the Pentagon on defense matters. She was also an influential member of Mr Biden’s transition team at the Pentagon as head of the Biden-Harris Defense Agency Review Team.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin commented: “Christine Wormuth is a true darling with a devoted career serving America and national security. I am sure that, if confirmed, she will lead the soldiers and represent their families as Army Minister in honor and integrity.”

If confirmed by the Senate as military secretary, Wormuth would be one of the more powerful officials in a longstanding male-dominated defense facility. She will work with the Army Chief of Staff, Gen. James McConville, who does not command soldiers but is responsible along with the Secretary of the Army for training and equipment.

The trend of choosing women for important positions

Mr. Biden’s nomination will continue Mr. Biden’s tendency to choose women and people of color for top Defense Department jobs. Austin was the first black Defense Secretary and Kathleen Hicks was the first woman to serve as deputy defense secretary.

Jen Easterly was nominated for the position of head of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber security and Infrastructure Agency (CISA).

Earlier, President Joe Biden had nominated two female generals as military commanders, positions that have so far been mostly male-only. It was Air Force General Jacqueline Van Ovost, the only female serviceman with a 4-star rank – the highest rank in the U.S. military – to be appointed head of the U.S. Army Transport Command (USTRANSCOM). Three-star General Laura Richardson was appointed commander of Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) in charge of Central America and Latin America. In her new role, her rank was raised to 4 stars.

Most recently, on April 12, the White House said That Jen Easterly – a former senior official in charge of counterterrorism work of the National Security Agency (NSA), was nominated to the position of head of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber security and Infrastructure Agency (CISA). Ms. Easterly served on the National Security Council as a senior director for counterterrorism and the president’s special assistant in former President Barack Obama’s administration. She is also the CEO of Morgan Stanley, in charge of the company’s cybersecurity a combined center.

According to Mr Walsh, Mr Biden’s personnel decisions have made a difference from his predecessor’s administration. The number of women in senior positions in his administration is expected to increase significantly compared to Mr. Trump’s administration, where these positions are often held by white men. Observers speculate Mr Biden could set new records for the number of women holding positions of power in Washington. According to the CAWP Director, this is expected to be a positive signal.

“Every time a woman takes on a senior leadership position, it conveys a message to girls, young girls and adult women across the country that they can do this too,” Ms Walsh said.

A test with President Biden

For now, it’s not hard to see whether America’s adversies are trying to challenge the country’s leader, from Russia’s increased force on its border with Ukraine, China’s moves in Taiwan or North Korea’s missile tests to get President Biden’s attention.

President Biden. Photo: CNN

Mr Biden’s hopes of resuming the nuclear deal with Iran will be even harder if Tehran’s hardline followers are in charge of negotiations. Besides, if Israel is accused of carrying out an attack on Iran, President Biden will likely face a crisis with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in pending the situation. The ability to address these challenges will shape Mr Biden’s legacy.

China has been intensifying its rise over the past year and is now ready to assert military power in Asia, as well as its influence in many parts of the world. Meanwhile, Western tensions and divisions also have many problems related to Russia.

President Biden’s administration understands its enemies are probing a new White House. Bitter disagreements between U.S. and Chinese officials in Alaska last month sent a clear message from Washington to Beijing that President Biden would not be easily persuaded.

Since then, U.S. and Chinese carrier combat forces have increased their presence in the South China Sea. In addition, China sent 25 fighters to taiwan’s air defense zone as a message asking Washington not to interfere in its internal work.

Taiwan is considered the issue with the highest risk of sparking the US-China conflict. After Washington launched the USS John McCain into the Taiwan Strait last week, China warned the U.S. not to “play with fire.”

Along with its Western allies, President Biden’s administration has also put pressure on Russia over the Ukraine issue due to fears that current tensions in eastern Ukraine could lead to a full-on conflict in the sensitive region.

A senior U.S. defense official told CNN last week that the Pentagon is considering moving two ships to the Black Sea to show support for Ukraine, a move that could escalate tensions.

Tough stance

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who spoke directly to Chinese officials in Alaska, did not hesitate to give tough warnings to Russia and China.

“It would be a serious mistake if anyone tried to change the status quo by force,” Mr Blinken said on NBC on April 11.

In Europe, on April 13, during a NATO meeting to announce the U.S. increased military presence in Germany, Foreign Minister Blinken met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleb, and said that if Russia continues to escalate tensions, as President Biden has made clear, the country will pay the price and suffer the consequences.”

These hardline statements are intended to counter the claim in both Russia and China that america’s weakening and downward decline is inevitable after two decades of war, financial terrorism, internal political discord and limited ability to cope with the pandemic.

U.S. Secretary of State Blinken’s remarks also need to be taken into account when compared to the foreign policy approach of former President Trump, who has not taken a stance too tough on Russia.

The Current White House’s position with both Russia and China is to cooperate when possible but confrontational relations still prevail, especially in the fierce economic competition with Beijing.

As CNN reported, President Biden’s climate envoy, former Secretary of State John Kerry, will make a brief visit to Beijing to seek common ground between the two countries ahead of the Climate Summit in Scotland in November. In a surprise move, President Biden on April 13 offered a third face-to-face meeting next month with Russian President Putin, just weeks after the U.S. leader endorsed what he called the Russian leader a “murderer.”

The move is said to resemble a “carrot” that Mr Biden gave Mr Putin in order to avoid any escalation of tensions in Ukraine or in connection with the poisoning of opposition figures Alexei Navalny.

Decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan

President Biden’s decision on Afghanistan appears to be a foreign policy given after calculations on domestic policies.

Republicans with hardline views argue that this decision by the American leader is a dangerous step. The power gap after years of civil war in Afghanistan will cause the Taliban to intensify operations and turn the country into a terrorist paradise for al Qaeda to stage attacks on New York and Washington.

“The hasty withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan is a disastrous mistake because the process takes place when the enemy has not gone away and is a sign that the U.S. is abandoning its leadership,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Not all Republicans, though, have criticized the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. Congressman Ted Cruz, who has always opposed most of Mr. Biden’s policies, is an example. Ted Cruz said he was not opposed to the deadline for withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan that Mr Biden set.

“Bringing our troops back should not be seen as a sign that the U.S. neglects caution in protecting the American people and our allies. We can still defend our interests without the need to maintain a long-term military presence here.”

If Mr. Biden is determined to implement his plan, he can achieve what former Presidents Obama and Trump have tried but failed to do, which is to end American interference in the endless wars that followed 9/11 abroad.