Ukrainian Southern Defense Forces spokeswoman, Natalia Gumenyuk, reported that the infrastructure of the port of Odessa was damaged after last night's explosions.
She said in a Rada channel broadcast: “There are injuries to the infrastructure of the port of Odessa, including warehouses and special loading equipment, and cars loaded with grain have also been damaged.”
For its part, Ukrainian media announced that explosions rocked the city of Odessa last night, and an air raid warning was announced in Odessa and its suburbs.
Yesterday, Sunday, there were also media reports of explosions in Odessa. The Ukrainian Defense Forces later announced damage to an infrastructure facility.
"Le Figaro": Washington wants to present the end of the Ukrainian conflict as an initiative of Kiev
The US administration wants to distance itself from the possible decision of the Ukrainian government to start peace negotiations with Russia and present it as an exclusive initiative on the part of the regime in Kiev.
This opinion was expressed by Walter Mead, director of studies and research at the Hudson Institute, and professor at Bard College.
“US President Joe Biden’s strategy will be to continue providing aid until Vladimir Zelensky decides that the time has come to negotiate and cede territory,” he said in an article published by Le Figaro newspaper on Thursday. “This will allow the government in Washington to calm itself and its conscience by declaring that it is the Ukrainians who have already decided everything.” ".
The expert believes that the United States was defeated in Ukraine twice. The first failure was Washington's inability to prevent Russia from launching the special military operation in Ukraine, and the second failure was a poorly planned counterattack by Ukrainian forces and late Western assistance to Kiev.
According to him, the Ukrainian army is at a stalemate at the moment.
Mead added that Americans are tired of Washington's involvement in various conflicts. He said: “There is a real debate in America about whether global activism is good for ordinary American citizens. They are wondering why stupid Uncle Sam should support Europe when these lazy people refuse to fund their defense. They are also wondering how right it is to continue to support Ukraine.” ".
Australian Prime Minister meets with Xi Jinping to raise human rights issues related to Yang Hengjun
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is visiting China, met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday afternoon. This is the first Australian prime minister to visit China since 2016. Australian media reported that Albanese said that he raised the human rights issue of China’s detention of Australian writer Yang Hengjun at the meeting.
The Australian Prime Minister stated that he would cooperate constructively with China and also mentioned Yang Hengjun
According to a report by Australia’s ABC TV Chinese website on the social platform Albanese confirmed that he raised the human rights issue of China's detention of Australian writer Yang Hengjun at the meeting, but he did not disclose Xi Jinping's response.
Reuters reported from Sydney that Albanese told Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing that China's sustained and stable economic growth and its continued engagement with the world are in Australia's interests.
When the leaders of China and Australia met at the Great Hall of the People, Albanese said, "The strong relationship between the two countries is conducive to the future."
A statement from the Australian Prime Minister's Office said, "Australia, like other countries in the region, is interested in the continued steady growth of China's economy and its continued engagement with the world." Albanese said that "it is important to maintain communication" when disagreements arise.
On Monday morning, Albanese, accompanied by Australian Foreign Minister Huang Yingxian and Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian, visited the Temple of Heaven in Beijing and took photos. He posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Australian Prime Minister Whitlam 50 years ago (Gough Whitlam) became the first Prime Minister to visit China. "A lot has changed since he visited the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. But what remains unchanged is that contact between the two countries is still important."
Australia's "Sydney Morning Herald" reported that Albanese told the media, "We need to cooperate with China where possible, disagree with it when necessary, and work for our national interests. I look forward to constructive discussions." Discussion." He believes that China and Australia are establishing a constructive and direct dialogue relationship.
In an interview with this station, Huang Enhao, an associate researcher at the Defense Strategy and Resources Institute of Taiwan's National Defense Security Research Institute, said that the Labor Party to which Albanese belongs is not as harsh on China as the former Prime Minister Morrison's government, and even broke up with the economy. After the Labor Party came to power, it actively created an economic and trade reconciliation between the two sides. Even if it cannot return to the past, it has slowly recovered.
"Australia is playing a so-called two-handed strategy, which is a hedging policy. It should not ignore the Chinese market because it is too close to the United States. Although the Chinese market is a major factor affecting the Australian economy, it is no longer an absolute factor. But give up If it does, it will be detrimental to the Australian economy," Huang Enhao said.
Reuters reports that China has become Australia's largest trading partner by purchasing Australian food, iron ore, and coal. But relations between the two countries deteriorated in 2017 after the Australian government accused China of interfering in its politics. The following year, Australia banned Huawei equipment from being used in its 5G network; in 2020, it called for an investigation into the origin of the new coronavirus, angering Beijing, and subsequently banned the import of many Australian products.
In November last year, Albanese met with Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 Summit (G20) in Indonesia. China has gradually lifted bans on Australian products since January this year, allowing the import of Australian coal. In August, it canceled barley tariffs. Last month, Beijing agreed to review the 218% dumping tariff imposed on Australian wine.
Is it still feasible to rely on the US economy to rely on China for security?
Albanese’s first trip to China was to attend the China International Import Expo (CIIE) held in Shanghai. In his opening speech, he said, “Constructive economic interest contacts between countries help build relations. Helps build understanding where common interests and differences exist.”
"Yicai Global" reported that this year, more than 250 Australian companies will participate in the CIIE, the largest scale ever. Data show that bilateral trade volume will reach 287 billion Australian dollars in 2022, accounting for 28% of Australia's total foreign trade. At the same time, Australia is also one of China's largest suppliers of commodities. Last year, 65% of the 1.1 billion tons of iron ore purchased by China came from Australia. From January to September this year, the bilateral trade volume between China and Australia was 1.197 trillion yuan (US$160 billion), an increase of 10.2%.
Australia's old path of relying on the United States for security and relying on China for its economy is still feasible now? Song Guocheng, a researcher at the International Relations Research Center of National Chengchi University in Taiwan, told this station that it is basically impossible. China's close ties with terrorist groups in the Middle East can still be seen, and the Taliban's grand diplomatic mission just visited Beijing. In fact, China is just lowering its profile in some diplomatically sensitive areas, but this does not mean that its position and posture of strategic confrontation with the West have been relaxed in any way.
"The one who suffers in the end from the diplomatic strategy of treading two boats is itself." Song Guocheng continued, "Australia must consider gradually reducing its dependence on the Chinese market, and also know how to reduce risks or diversify the market. For the long-term economic impact of the Chinese market Dependence is what is called addiction or intoxication.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, Australia's exports to China currently account for just over 37% of its total exports, which is down from a high of about 45% in 2021. Some economists believe that this is partly due to China’s weak economic recovery from the COVID-19 epidemic. But they believe it may also reflect Australian exporters' reluctance to bet big again on a country prepared to use economic coercion.
AUKUS tests China-Australia relations
The New York Times mentioned that Chinese officials have made it clear that they are still dissatisfied with the AUKUS (trilateral military alliance of the United States, Britain, and Australia) security agreement and other small groups like the "Quad Alliance". They believe that These small groups, led by the United States, are working hard to encircle and threaten China.
Prior to Albanese's visit to China, he visited the White House and US President Joe Biden warned Australia to be cautious and not invest too much in China's commitments. "It's the same thing: 'Trust, but verify,'" Biden said. Given Australia-China relations in recent years, Albanese may heed this advice.
Huang Enhao analyzed that AUKUS will deliver eight nuclear-powered submarines to Australia as planned. The U.S. government will sell three Virginia-class submarines to Australia after obtaining approval from Congress, and the other two will be supplemented by U.S. submarines. The rest will be built in the UK by a joint effort between Britain and Australia, rather than in Australia. Therefore, important nuclear submarine technology will not flow into Australian hands. "Confidentiality is something that all three countries must commit to and assume."