This is’Global Village Today’ that delivers major news from various countries around the world.
Moderator) What are the news today?
Reporter) Yes. The United States has imposed sanctions on more than 20 Chinese and Hong Kong officials in connection with the violation of Hong Kong’s autonomy and crackdown on democratization. This is a measure that came a day before the high-level talks between the US and China. Let’s take a look at the detailed news. Next, we will deliver news that Britain plans to increase the number of nuclear warheads by more than 40 percent, and the news that the UN special envoy to Syria has urged the international community to end the ongoing civil war in Syria for more than 10 years.
Host) This is the first news of the global village today. Are you saying that the US government has imposed sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong personnel?
Reporter) Yes. On the 17th, the US State Department designated 24 Chinese and Hong Kong officials for sanctions. The list of sanctions included high-ranking figures such as Wang Chun, one of the 25 members of the Central Political Bureau of the CCP and vice chairman of the 13th NPC, and Tam Yoo-chung, the only Hong Kong representative of the NPC Standing Committee.
Moderator) Why is the State Department sanctioning them?
Reporter) This is because the Chinese government continues to oppress Hong Kong’s democracy and political freedom. In a statement released today, Secretary of State Tony Blincoln said the sanctions were in response to China’s actions last week, reflecting the US government’s deep concern.
Moderator) What did the Chinese government do to Hong Kong last week?
Reporter) Yes. Last week, in China, there was a ‘Both Conference (National People’s Political Negotiation Conference/National People’s Congress)’, which is called the largest political event of the year. Here, overwhelmingly passed a bill aimed at changing the current election system in Hong Kong. The proposed reform of the Hong Kong electoral system is expected to be legislated in the near future after being revised by the Standing Committee.
Moderator) So how will Hong Kong’s electoral system change in the future?
Reporter) Details can be known only when the final bill comes out, but the main point is that the main point is that it will make the screening of candidates for the Hong Kong legislative meeting difficult and change the composition of the electoral corps that elects the head of the Hong Kong executive minister. It is being pointed out that this would be advantageous to pro-Chinese people, and that it would be difficult for democrats to enter the political world, and the meaning of direct elections would actually fade.
Moderator) Is China actually saying that patriots should rule Hong Kong?
Reporter) Yes. Prior to the opening of the two sessions, the Chinese leadership put particular emphasis on the patriotism of the Hong Kong people. China is taking advantage of Hong Kong’s institutional loopholes, claiming that some forces are promoting separation and encouraging foreign intervention.
Moderator) Chinese and Hong Kong officials on the US government’s list of sanctions, what kind of sanctions will they face in the future?
Reporter) Yes. They will no longer be able to transact financial assets with Americans or US corporations. Most of these were already on the list of sanctions banned from entering the United States during the Donald Trump administration.
Moderator) While Secretary of State Tony Blincoln is currently visiting Asia, these sanctions have come out?
Reporter) Yes. Secretary of Defense Blincoln and Defense Minister Lloyd Austin began visiting Japan and South Korea on the 15th. Following my visit to Japan, I am visiting Korea on the 17th. The two ministers continue their schedule, highlighting the strengthening of alliances with Asia’s two major allies, regional security and threats from China.
Moderator) Are there upcoming high-level talks between the US and China?
Reporter) Yes. On his way back to Korea after his visit to Korea on the 18th, Minister Blincoln held high-level talks with Wang Yi, a member of the State Council of China’s Foreign Affairs Office and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Yang Jietsu, a political member in charge of diplomacy at the Chinese Communist Party. White House National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, also joins. It is drawing attention as it is the first face-to-face talks between the United States and China since the inauguration of the Biden administration.
Presenter) There are a lot of pending issues between the US and China right now?
Reporter) Yes. There are a number of issues, including the heightened trade conflict between the two countries during the former Trump administration, the threat of Hong Kong autonomy, the suppression of human rights such as Xinjiang Uyghurs, the threat of Taiwan security, and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. There are also skeptical prospects for the talks.
Moderator) What is the specific story?
Reporter) Yes. A high-ranking White House official told reporters on the premise of anonymity that no results, such as joint statements or major announcements, will come out at this high-level US-China talks. The official also said that the United States would like to have an honest dialogue with China, and that the United States will present specific areas for China to improve. He emphasized that this meeting is a one-time meeting, not a resumption of future dialogue.
Moderator) How is China reacting to the US sanctions?
Reporter) Yes. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Li Zhen said at a regular briefing on the 17th, criticizing the new US sanctions as interfering with China’s internal affairs and confusing Hong Kong. Zhaorizen also said that this is an indication of the evil intentions of the United States to hinder China’s stability and development. China will take strong and appropriate steps to defend its sovereignty, security and prosperity interests.
Host) Global Village Today is the next news. The British plan to increase the number of nuclear warheads?
Reporter) Yes. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson explained Britain’s new national security policy at parliament on the 16th. It has said it will increase the number of nuclear warheads by more than 40% by 2025 to respond to growing international security threats.
Moderator) If so, how many nuclear warheads will the UK have?
Reporter) 260. Initially, the UK announced in 2010 that it would continue to reduce the number of nuclear warheads it owns, limiting the number of nuclear warheads to 180 by the mid-2020s. Rather, we are going to increase 80 more.
Host) The British government’s reduction of nuclear warheads was a measure under the’Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT)’, right?
Reporter) That’s right. According to data from the US Disarmament Association, it is believed that until the 1970s, Britain had more than 500 nuclear warheads. Since the NPT came into force in 1970, the number of nuclear warheads has been continuously reduced. This is the first time the UK has declared nuclear power augmentation since the NPT took effect.
Moderator) Is there a background for the British government to announce that it will increase nuclear warheads?
Reporter) Yes. The British government released a 100-page report on the UK’s security situation and international threats today. Some states are now significantly increasing and diversifying their nuclear weapons. They stressed that increased international competition and challenges to international order both pose threats to British security.
Moderator) Is there a country that has been specifically addressed?
Reporter) Yes. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Russia is the greatest direct threat to Britain. He also said that China is also the biggest threat to Britain’s economic security. He stressed that it will have minimal nuclear deterrence and will cooperate with the United States to confront security threats from China and Russia. The UK also plans to modernize conventional weapons.
Moderator) What is your reaction to this?
Reporter) There are voices of criticism in the UK as well. It is intelligent that the UK may appear to be withdrawing from the NPT. In particular, criticism from the opposition Labor Party is strong. In response to these comments, Prime Minister Johnson stressed that Britain is still implementing the NPT.
Moderator) Shall we also see the international community reaction?
Reporter) Yes. The Elders, a group of senior political leaders including former heads of state from around the world, also criticized Britain’s nuclear program. President Mary Robinson stressed that Britain is speaking of security threats to justify this, but the best response to these challenges is to strengthen arms control agreements and work together to reduce the number of nuclear weapons.
Host) Are you curious about the reaction of Russia, which Britain has pointed to as the biggest security threat?
Reporter) Yes. The Russian Foreign Ministry criticized Britain’s nuclear augmentation program today as a serious blow to the concept of disarmament control. He added that Russia would take British action into account when making future military plans. Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also tweeted the day before (the 16th) that it was hypocritical to say that Britain, which is promoting nuclear augmentation, is concerned about Iran’s nuclear weapons development.
Host) Global Village Today, let’s look at one more news. The last 15 days have been 10 years since the start of the Syrian civil war. The UN special envoy to Syria urged the international community to end the civil war in Syria?
Reporter) Yes. Yer Pedersen, the UN Special Envoy to Syria, recently told the UN Security Council that “we are very sorry” that the UN Security Council has not been able to intervene to end the civil war in Syria. “The Syrian civil war could be recorded as one of the darkest chapters in human history,” he said. “Syrians are the biggest victims of this century.”
Host) The civil war in Syria originated from anti-government protests 10 years ago, right?
Reporter) Yes. The Arab Spring, which swept across North Africa and the Middle East at the time, landed in Syria, and protests against the regime of President Bashar Al-Sad broke out. However, civil war broke out as the government brutally quelled these protests. This civil war hasn’t been over for more than 10 years.
Facilitator) As the civil war continues, haven’t civilians in Syria suffered a lot, especially?
Reporter) Yes. More than 500,000 people have died so far. There are millions of Syrians who have become refugees abroad or have been refugees at home. “They have been injured, crippled and killed in every way imaginable.”
Host) It is known that children also suffered a lot in the Syrian civil war, right?
Reporter) Yes. Special envoy Pedersen said, “Most children have never lived a day without war. Many children lived without food, drugs, or education, and were detained or mobilized in war and were killed or injured.”
Moderator) Is the suffering of the Syrian people still going on?
Reporter) Yes. With the civil war devastating the country, more than half of the population still lacks food. 9 out of 10 live below the poverty line.
Moderator) Do you know that there has been little progress in efforts to end the civil war in Syria at the UN level?
Reporter) That’s right. Russia, one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, supports the Assad regime. Russia is opposed to sanctions by the Assad regime and several other options that could help end the Syrian civil war. They are also sending weapons and troops to Syria to aid the Syrian government forces.
Host) Given this situation, there is also a gloomy prospect that the Syrian civil war will perpetuate?
Reporter) Yes. UN Special Envoy Pedersen to Syria also pointed out that. Before the civil war is settled, the parties and the international community must move quickly for a real national ceasefire. Special envoy Pedersen also pointed out that while the parties in Syria have to negotiate a political solution, international support is essential.
Moderator) What has been said on the Syrian and American side?
Reporter) The Syrian ambassador to the United Nations insisted that the United States, Britain, France and Turkey fought an unprecedented war of aggression to weaken the Assad government and Syrian forces. The US ambassador to the United Nations, on the other hand, urged Russia to press the Syrian government, saying the Assad regime is taking no steps to build a foundation for peace.
Moderator) Yes. The global village, I’ll listen to you today.