Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that Pakistan is willing to work with the US towards a common goal of “global peace and security” and the development and prosperity of the region. In response to US President Joe Biden’s letter seeking “enduring” ties with the South Asian nation, Sharif said that Islamabad’s relationship with Washington is of “key importance.” He mentioned that the two sides are cooperating on initiatives in several fields, including energy, education, and health, among others.
During a visit to China, Nepali Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha emphasised the need to reopen 14 transit border points with the Tibet Autonomous Region. The FM said the reopening of traditional border points would facilitate trade and commerce as well as the cross-border movement of people. Last week, Shreshta signed an agreement in this regard with Chinese FM Wang Yi. During his visit to Lhasa, he called on the Tibetan authorities to implement the deal.
During his two-day visit to India, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba discussed the “peace formula” proposed by President Volodymyr Zelensky to end the Russia-Ukraine war. In his meeting with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar, Kuleba discussed bilateral ties and called for re-energising them with new projects.
On Saturday, Japan and China discussed the treated wastewater from the troubled Fukushima nuclear plant, marking the first formal dialogue between the two countries since Tokyo commenced the controversial water release last year. The discharge has been a point of contention between the two countries, and the talks aimed to exchange perspectives on technical aspects related to the discharge.
The US is set to impose fresh visa restrictions on several officials from Hong Kong in light of the escalating suppression of rights and freedoms in the Chinese-administered region. Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted that over the past year, China has persistently undermined Hong Kong’s pledged high degree of autonomy, democratic structures, and fundamental rights, notably through the recent enforcement of a new national security law known as Article 23.
Former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou embarked on an 11-day visit to China on Monday, where he is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the second time next week amidst escalating tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Serving as president from 2008 to 2016, Ma made history last year as the first former leader of Taiwan to visit China.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan suffered a major setback as his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost to the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) in Sunday’s mayoral elections. According to Turkish media, the CHP won around 38% of the vote, while the AKP garnered 36%. The AKP, which had campaigned vigorously in urban areas, lost in all major cities, including in Ankara and Istanbul.
A multinational Arab military force could oversee law and order for a limited transition period in post-war Gaza, Axios reported on Saturday. The report said Israel is considering such a possibility to better allow humanitarian aid into the war-torn region. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant made the proposal during his recent trip to the US.