This week remained subtle in terms of the new developments in global affairs. It looked like the countries are trying to fix the issues that they have been facing for some time now.
Quad Summit cancelled
Amid the intensified Russia-Ukraine war, China appears to be playing its game well. It is working meticulously to extend its feet in Central Asia. On the other hand, its counterpart, the US, is facing a serious threat to its economy due to the looming deadline for paying its debts. Increasing the debt ceiling is stuck in the showdown between democrats and the republicans. Much awaited QUAD summit has been cancelled and now the QUAD leaders will meet in the G-7 summit in Japan. The Quad summit, which was scheduled to be held in Sydney, Australia on May 24, has been cancelled after the US President Joe Biden announced his deferment of the visit due to continuous debt ceiling negotiations. This made China rejoice, but it should not forget that the G-7 summit will certainly come up with action plans to check its ambitions.
China expands to Central Asia
Summits took centre stage this week. China’s President Xi Jinping has come up with his ‘oh so typical Xi’ plan to ‘help’ Central Asian countries to develop their infrastructure and boost their economy as he declared in a recent China-Central Asia summit. Xi is ready with his development plan for the five Central Asian countries- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as he stated in the two-day China-Central Asia Summit held in the historic silk road city of Xian in China this week. He explicitly mentioned that China is ready to help these countries to become prosperous, stable, harmonious and well-connected. But this proactive offer comes with a disclaimer. Xi also mentioned in his address that these countries should oppose any ‘external interference’ in the internal matters of the five Central Asian countries. The summit is depicted by the Chinese government and its media as an accomplishment of Chinese diplomacy for successfully initiating the next chapter in its diplomatic relations with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan upon their request for the same. It seems China is all set to spread its trap of debt diplomacy in Central Asia. Last week, it announced financial help to Taliban in Afghanistan and is now ready to get into the security, defence and trade domains of the Central Asian countries. The world needs to stay alert!
G-7 Sanctions on Russia
While China is working on its victory mission, G-7 is all set to target its long-time natural ally, Russia.
The US and the rest of the G-7 major economies are equipped to impose new sanctions and export controls on Russia for waging war against Ukraine (as if it is only Russia that is continuing war!).
In addition, the US is set to announce approximately 300 new sanctions against Russian entities, vessels and aircraft to curb Russia’s future energy generation capabilities. The US commerce department would also add 70 Russian groups to the blacklist that will bar companies from exporting products with American technology to Russia. Britain will also announce its plans to ban imports of Russian diamonds, copper, aluminium and nickel. It has already sanctioned state-owned diamond producer Alrosa and lifted tariffs on Russian diamonds by an additional 35 per cent as stated by the Britain officials. Italy and Japan have also announced in their joint statement after a bilateral talk to continue their sanctions against Russia to support Ukraine.
G-7 is in a unified mode to check Russia and help Ukraine, but shouldn’t its leaders also need to decide what they want at the end of the day? If they want to end the war, they need to open the way for diplomatic discussions, Russia is already ready for this. So far, it seems their motto is to keep the war on while demonising Russia for the war. They are sanctioning Russia, the repercussions will not limit to Russia alone.
Great powers fight for hegemony. Sometimes they fight alone, sometimes they club, at times they bandwagon all depending on the situation and their priorities. All they need to remember is that this maze of global politics does not spare anyone. They should focus on development, hegemony would follow.
The author is Professor, School of International Studies, JNU.
