Latest news with #PaxAmericana
The Print
5 days ago
- Business
- The Print
Trump's Ukraine U-turn puts Russia's trade partners at risk. India caught in the middle
Under the new Trump policy, Europe will foot the bill—around $10 billion—for largely defensive US weapons package to Ukraine. While some European leaders see this as a necessary compromise, others view it with unease. Since returning to the White House, his Oval Office meetings have taken on an almost mythical quality, with global consequences often hinging on his remarks. In a recent episode, NATO chief Mark Rutte was seen placating Trump with 'Daddy diplomacy', who publicly aired his frustration over being 'played' by Putin. This was followed by Trump announcing what many are calling a U-turn in policy on Ukraine, NATO, and Europe. Donald Trump has once again reversed his position—this time on Ukraine—and once again with global repercussions, including for New Delhi. The decision has only deepened the sense that the world remains trapped in the aftermath of a Pax Americana gone lax—not strong enough to shape global affairs decisively, yet not weak enough to allow others real autonomy. However, it's another one of Trump's stances that has had the Indian strategic circles speculating—the likely passing of the Graham-Blumenthal Bill, which would sanction Russian energy buyers. Build up to the sanctions Just days before his major policy reversal on Ukraine, Donald Trump had exercised his presidential drawdown authority for the first time since returning to office and authorised approximately $300 million in aid to Ukraine. This move came on the heels of former Fox News host and now Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, halting aid to Ukraine, which led to immediate and visible devastation in the country. Following the aid announcement, Trump has set another 50-day deadline for Russia to decide on a ceasefire. However, as with many Trump proclamations, there's no certainty he will stick to this plan. He has also threatened to impose a sweeping 100 per cent tariff on Russia and its trade partners, notably China and India, if no ceasefire is reached by the deadline. NATO chief Mark Rutte has not minced words, issuing a sharp warning to 'leaders in Delhi, Beijing, and Brazil' to brace up for punitive measures. This rhetoric aligns with the Graham-Blumenthal sanctions bill, currently backed by over 80 US Senators. The legislation, if adopted, would allow Trump to impose a staggering 500 per cent tariff on imports from any country continuing to buy Russian uranium, gas, or oil. This has direct implications for India, now one of Russia's largest crude oil buyers. Indian refineries have processed Russian oil and sent it—refined—into Europe. In parallel, with only a 10 per cent tariff baseline remaining in India-US trade talks, India could soon face a difficult choice: Risk harsh US sanctions or pivot fully toward strengthening its trade relationship with Washington. The cautious statements by Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, allude to India preferring a resilient approach with the US and Europe instead of a confrontational one, implying the availability of more import sources and a falling crude price. Contrary to public rhetoric, this measured approach reflects a deeper awareness of the numerous geopolitical complexities, where national interest alone should pave the way forward. Also read: India's 'triple anxiety'—What Chinese media sees in Jaishankar's Beijing visit Trump's zig-zag Donald Trump's latest pivot on Ukraine seems to have a surprising domestic influence—his wife, Melania Trump. An ethnic Slovene, Melania's European roots have reportedly played a role in softening Trump's stance on the region, suddenly making her something of a darling across European capitals. Another factor that likely influenced Trump's shift was his growing sense of being repeatedly manipulated by Putin. After boasting of a recent peace talk call, Trump claimed progress—only for Putin to launch a brutal civilian airstrike the same night, casting doubt on Moscow's intentions and embarrassing Trump's narcissistic diplomatic narrative. Throughout his political career, Trump has generally maintained a favourable posture toward Putin. Russia, in turn, has welcomed this position. Yet, lately, Putin seemed to be playing Trump a tad too much. Russian confidence likely stems from a perception of Trump's inconsistency and American distractions. The US is bogged down by Middle East entanglements, political infighting, and a string of domestic controversies ranging from the Musk fallout to the latest storm over the Epstein files. On its part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has condemned the possibility of Trump sending long-range weapons to Ukraine. Lavrov issued sharp warnings, making it clear that Moscow is prepared to endure new sanctions and steeper tariffs if necessary, as it will continue pursuing its 'maximalist goals' in Ukraine. From Putin's perspective, consolidating battlefield gains is crucial. In September 2022, just months into the full-scale invasion, Russia constitutionally annexed four Ukrainian regions—Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—the first two having been under Russia's de facto control since 2014. However, until recently, none of these were fully under Russian control. Currently, Russia is engaged in intense but attritional battles in Ukraine's northeast, particularly in Sumy, and in the south around the key town of Pokrovsk. The fighting in Pokrovsk has dragged on for over a year, with little progress. The most significant military gain from Russia's sluggish summer offensive has been Luhansk, now almost entirely under its control. The other three regions remain partially occupied at best, and at the current pace of territorial gains, a complete military takeover could take years, if not decades. This lack of decisive victory is likely pushing Putin to search for an inflexion point. In Putin's strategic calculus, such a breakthrough may lie in breaking Ukraine's civil resilience and dismantling its critical infrastructure, while hoping to wear down Europe's resolve. His bet seems to be that if the US wavers, European support for Ukraine will eventually falter. However, this has not materialised. Despite Trump's unpredictable stance, European nations have held firm. Even amid fractures in EU solidarity—especially in Hungary and Slovakia—Europe has shown a resolve few could have predicted. Germany, in particular, has undergone a 'military awakening.' Its increased defence spending and strategic clarity have significantly shifted Europe's posture on long-term security. These developments present a major challenge for Moscow, which counts on European indecision, fragile social welfare politics and public fatigue with the war to eventually turn the tide. Putin's bet on a favourable Trump administration may not yet yield the dividends he anticipated. Instead, with winter approaching and momentum stalling, the Kremlin faces pressure to translate limited battlefield progress into some form of political or strategic advantage. If Ukraine is having it tough fighting an invasion from a mighty neighbour without enough weapons and men, Russia, too, is entangled in a miscalculated and poorly executed war draining its resources and global standing. Also read: Paradox of India's S-400 deal—key asset delayed when country needs it most Attritional warfare continues Trump has announced the provision of up to 17 Patriot missile systems, along with interceptors and other defence equipment worth billions of dollars to Ukraine. However, in contrast to European expectations, he has refrained from approving long-range weapons, keeping the door open for potential peace negotiations. Rumours about the US possibly supplying JASSM and PrSM missiles had circulated, but Trump denied those claims recently. The key takeaway is that these new supplies, while significant, are unlikely to alter the course of the war. Ukraine is expected to deploy these systems not at the front, where Russian advances remain slow, but around vital civilian and critical infrastructure, which has been repeatedly targeted by Russian airstrikes and missiles. That said, Patriot systems will have a limited impact against Russia's continued drone attacks. The current U-turn on Ukraine is still on shaky ground. Trump must show enough consistency to provide a discernible enough pattern in his strategy. New Delhi has a vested interest not only in securing a favourable trade deal with the US, but also in Europe's evolving military landscape. Across strategic and political circles, there is a broad consensus that India should prioritise its national interest by integrating into global defence production and supply chains. Europe's growing security demands offer a significant opportunity—one that the continent cannot meet through domestic capabilities alone or by relying solely on the United States. Swasti Rao is a Consulting Editor (International and Strategic Affairs) at ThePrint. She tweets @swasrao. Views are personal. (Edited by Theres Sudeep)
Sky News AU
14-07-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Anthony Albanese warned over 'cagey' Taiwan stance, with Sky News' Peta Credlin claiming it will lead to US 'reckoning'
Sky News host Peta Credlin has warned Prime Minister Anthony Albanese his "cagey" stance on Taiwan risks placing further strain on Australia's alliance with the United States. Credlin said Mr Albanese's noncommittal answers to questions about sending troops to defend Taiwan would encourage the US to question if Australia were really committed to the alliance. She added that if "America does defend Taiwan, Australia will have to be involved. There are no ifs or buts here." Noting the Albanese government refused to send a frigate to the Red Sea in December 2023, marking the 'first time since ANZUS was finalised in 1951 that we have declined a US request for military assistance', Credlin claimed questions about Taiwan were a telling indicator on whether Australia would back its ally. 'Every previous Australian government has recognised that the alliance is a two-way street. We can't expect the Americans to support us in our military campaigns if we're not prepared to support them in theirs,' she said. 'This is where the travelling press pack with the Prime Minister miss the point. The question is not would Australia help Taiwan, it's would Australia help the United States?' Credlin added Mr Albanese was spending a 'remarkably long' time in China and would meet President Xi Jinping for the fourth time on Tuesday, while still not having met President Donald Trump and continuing to refuse calls to increase defence spending. The Sky News host echoed the words of former prime minister Tony Abbott, who said defence spending needed to be 'swiftly' increased to three per cent of GDP. 'If we want the Pax Americana to survive, this unprecedented era of global peace in general terms, then we cannot expect the Americans to do all the heavy lifting on their own,' Credlin said. 'There's a reckoning on the way and few Australians really appreciate just how grave things are.' Credlin said Mr Albanese needed to get some of 'our eggs out of the China basket' given Beijing's aggression economically and militarily, characterised by the rising tension around Taiwan and recent trade boycotts 'only just lifted' against Australia. 'There were $20 billion worth of boycotts placed on our annual exports to China – just because we had the temerity to ask for an independent investigation of the Wuhan virus,' she said. 'For China, trade is politics by other means. Trade is something to be turned on and off like a tap to secure its strategic objectives. 'It's not just the folly of making Australia more economically vulnerable to China. It's the folly of turning trade into a climate crusade.' Credlin said the 'inconvenient truth' was China relied heavily on billions of dollars of Australian iron and coal. The Sky News host said Mr Albanese was mistaken if he thought China shared his 'emissions obsession', when in fact it had not committed to net zero and is building two new coal-fired power stations every week. 'How about that inconvenient truth?' she said. 'So not only is Anthony Albanese missing the point on national security, he's missing it on economic security too.'
Indian Express
12-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
America is going back on all the things that made it great. India's must seize the opportunity
An autoimmune disease occurs when your body's immune system treats its own healthy tissues as invaders and attacks them. America's policies currently targeting its three powerful muscles — universities, companies and immigration — create short-term pain for India in remittances, student enrolment, manufacturing jobs, foreign investment and exports. While these attacks feel like a passing shower, it's too early to conclude they aren't the climate change of Pax Americana ending. Regardless of how politics unfolds in America, India must seize the long-term economic opportunities by making itself stronger through a 180-day plan for deregulation for employers, decentralisation of power and deepening of human capital. Some people date Pax Americana — US dominance in the world order — to World War II. I prefer January 1992, when President George H W Bush, referring to the Soviet Union's collapse, said, 'The last year has seen changes of biblical proportions. By the grace of God … a world once divided … now recognises one sole and preeminent power, the United States of America.' Despite this biblical hubris — and 9/11, two wars, a financial crisis and Covid since — the US has dominated in digital innovation, new drugs and stock market growth because it stole the best people in the world, made public investments in basic science and its companies globalised their supply chains. But America is now pouncing on all three. America's universities are home to 50 per cent of Nobel Prize winners. Funding from the National Institutes of Health contributed to 99 per cent of all drugs approved between 2010 and 2019. In biotech, US government funding accounted for 38 per of total investment in 2024, almost as much as all global venture capital combined. Global consumers of medicine and information technology innovations (chips, internet, and GPS) have benefited from generous US government funding that supported cutting-edge basic science research and grants to academic scientists. Some of the backlash against universities is earned as some intolerant humanities professors with physics envy gift-wrapped their disciplines as social sciences, ignoring Richard Feynman's warning that physics would be impossible if electrons had feelings. This conversion of economics to mathematics, political science to statistics, and sociology/anthropology to racism paralleled a crisis in peer-reviewed, journal-published academic papers around replicability, scalability, and generalisability. It's also unclear whether a private university like Harvard, with an endowment of $50 billion, should take $90,000 per student per year in government funding. President Donald Trump's economically illiterate advice to Walmart, a hyper-efficient American retailer with 3 per cent profit margins, to 'eat' his import tariffs is a long way from the global supply chains described in the new book Apple in China by Patrick McGee. Ignoring the author's patronising and unfair portrayal of Apple's motivations, the book insightfully demonstrates how the globalisation of manufacturing supply chains became the most significant factor in reducing global poverty by attracting investment, training managers and accelerating productivity. India came late to manufacturing supply chains; only one in 10 of our workers works in a factory. However, China's recent dismissal of Deng Xiaoping's economic genius presents India with a manufacturing opportunity to attract factory refugees despite America's tariff drama. If demography is destiny, immigration has ensured America doesn't face the problems of Japan (adult diapers outsell baby diapers) or China (Nigeria may have more people by 2060). Approximately 14 per cent of Americans are foreign-born, and immigrants, including their US-born children, account for 27 per cent of the country's population. These numbers conceal the disproportionate contributions of Indian immigrants to new company formation, university teaching, scientific research, technology innovation, and taxes. India's improbable success in two Indian industries — economists never envisioned poor countries exporting software and medicines — benefited from America's skilled worker visa regime and brain circulation. A new book by Srinath Raghavan of Ashoka University on the Indira Gandhi years suggests they represent conjoined crises of hegemony, representation, and governance. This may also explain America's political backlash. Universities became idealists with illusions. The geographic (rural) and sectoral (manufacturing) concentration of wage declines were ignored. Liberals denied that illegal migration would hurt legal migration, a path to citizenship is not necessary for a path to work. And migrants are easier to vilify than technology. The political popularity of America's economic irrationality — Make America Great Again, feels like Make America White Again —suggests healing will take time. But Indians showing schadenfreude at America's challenges should pause. Despite our short-term pain from the US's actions, its democracy remains the best partner for India's students, emigrants, investment needs and exports. Suppose the government-funded American research engine in basic science suffers. It's hard to imagine the Indian state or pharma, software, and manufacturing companies responding with resources of the same intensity and impact. Let's compare America to the alternative; imagine the tyranny and soullessness of a global order hinged on China. Every problem is an opportunity. India must capitalise on this one in three ways. First, cut employer compliance, filing and criminal provisions. Second, shift some of Delhi's power (funds, functions and functionaries) to state and city governments. Third, while the troubles of America's Ivy League universities are probably temporary, granting poorna swaraj to IISC, IITs, IIMs, and Ashoka to innovate, disrupt and teach would accelerate their disruption of global university rankings. All three reforms are hard. But as a song from the movie Pink reminded us, Jo tujh se lipti bediyaan samajh na inko vastra tu/ ye bediyaan pighal ke banale in ko shastra tu (Don't mistake the chains that bind you for clothes/ Melt these chains into weapons). In policy, there is no such thing as being too late, but there is a 'fierce urgency of now'. Success is far from guaranteed but the moment feels auspicious. The writer is co-founder of Teamlease Services
Politico
07-07-2025
- Business
- Politico
Kovrig: PM needs a China strategy
Presented by Forestry For The Future Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Happy Monday. Thanks for reading Canada Playbook. Let's get to it. → MICHAEL KOVRIG on the struggle for global dominance. → Ambassador PETE HOEKSTRA on a continental 'kerfuffle.' → Plus, CHRYSTIA FREELAND hosted a heck of a barbecue. Trade war 'AGE OF MONSTERS' — MICHAEL KOVRIG says Prime Minister MARK CARNEY needs a plan for dealing with China. He offered the advice in an email to Playbook in response to news that a U.S. judge had ruled China's Huawei Technologies must stand trial on a variety of criminal charges, including evading U.S. sanctions against Iran and North Korea, and trying to steal technology. The case is set for 2026. — Not about the U.S.A.: 'Job one for Prime Minister Carney is to prepare this country for a much harsher geopolitical environment. Since China is the primary driver of that shift, that means he needs a strategy for dealing with China,' Kovrig said. 'This is not just a trade war. It's a multidimensional, existential struggle for global dominance, to see who will have the most influence in defining the contours of world order for the coming decades,' he added. 'We're passing through a geopolitical inflection point from Pax Americana and Peak Globalization into an Age of Monsters.' — Top of mind: Carney's main focus these days is getting an economic and security deal with President DONALD TRUMP, but he has also flagged the necessity of 'recalibrating' relations with China because it is Canada's second-largest trading partner. Carney recently listed Canada's trade disputes with China. 'Farmers across this country, fishers across this country, are being affected by Chinese tech. People across this country have been affected by fentanyl and precursors.' He said he raised the issues directly in a June 5 call with Chinese Premier LI QIANG. — Almost three years: Kovrig and fellow Canadian MICHAEL SPAVOR spent more than 1,000 days in Chinese detention after the RCMP arrested Huawei's MENG WANZHOU. Kovrig is back working for International Crisis Group, speaking about geopolitics and rejoining the global conversation he was deprived of participating in while he and Spavor were being used as geopolitical pawns. — Courtroom reckoning: Kovrig says the 'wheels of justice grind slowly.' Even still, he said it is 'still something' the indictment will go to trial, after Huawei's lawyers failed to persuade the judge to throw the case out on the grounds it was a politically motivated prosecution by Trump aimed at crippling China's telecommunications industry. 'I wonder if there's any way for the U.S. court to also take into account that Huawei's protector, the Chinese Communist Party, engaged in criminal acts — kidnapping and blackmail — and violated international treaties, all in an effort to disrupt the extradition proceedings against Meng Wanzhou,' Kovrig said about his detention. Many U.S. policy makers say the company is an extension of the Chinese Communist Party. Huawei says it is an independent company. Huawei argued in court that the charges against it were too vague and the Chinese government has said the prosecution of the company is 'economic bullying' by the U.S. to oppress Chinese companies. Playbook reached out to Huawei for comment but has yet to hear back. The company did not respond to requests for comment on the original ruling last week. — Same here: VINA NADJIBULLA, vice-president of research and strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, is Kovrig's ex-wife and fought tirelessly for his and Spavor's release. She tells Playbook the court ruling 'matters for Canada' because China 'has long framed the 2018 extradition request for Meng Wanzhou as a purely political manoeuvre, but the ruling underlines that the allegations will now be tested in open court.' Chinese authorities have said they acted in accordance with the law. — Advice for C-suiters: 'Even as Canadian exporters explore opportunities in the Chinese market, national- and economic-security considerations must steer any partnership discussions in 5G, AI, critical minerals and other sensitive sectors,' Nadjibulla said. THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — Ontario Premier DOUG FORD and Alberta Premier DANIELLE SMITH are in Calgary where at 9 a.m. local time they'll sign 'a memorandum of understanding to build new energy and trade infrastructure.' THREE THINGS WE'RE WATCHING DEAR MR. POSTMAN — With Trump's Wednesday deadline to get multiple trade deals done with the world, Treasury Secretary SCOTT BESSENT told CNN's 'State of the Union' on Sunday that the administration would be sending letters to 100 smaller countries 'saying that if you don't move things along, then on Aug. 1st, you will boomerang back to your April 2nd tariff level.' POLITICO's ARI HAWKINS has more on that news. 'I'm not going to give away the playbook, because we're going to be very busy over the next 72 hours,' Bessent told CNN's DANA BASH. 'President Trump's going to be sending letters to some of our trading partners.' — In related reading: From CBC News: What's at stake for Canada? T-MINUS TWO WEEKS — It's 14 days — but who's counting — until that deadline for a new economic and security deal that Prime Minister CARNEY keeps talking about. But the PMO noted Sunday that their boss will be taking a staycation of sorts for the next week in the national capital region. — WFH: Carney will be on a 'reduced schedule' with no events on the horizon. However, 'he will remain in close coordination with his team and officials on several priorities, including ongoing negotiations on the economic and security relationship between Canada and the United States,' said a Sunday statement from the PMO. — Grounded: Canada-U.S. Trade Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC has no plans to travel to Washington in the coming days, his office told POLITICO. — Being 'nimble': Carney told Global News at the Calgary Stampede that he realizes Trump is juggling a lot of priorities, including 'strategic competition with China' so that means he has to stay 'nimble.' The PM also spoke with Postmedia over the weekend. The headline out of that sitdown: 'Carney says it's 'highly likely' an oil pipeline will make Ottawa's major project list.' ALBERTA-ONTARIO HANDSHAKE — Ontario Premier Ford and Alberta Premier Smith will meet at the Calgary Stampede today to sign a memorandum of cooperation on energy and trade infrastructure. The Toronto Star's Queen's Park bureau chief ROBERT BENZIE has the background. 'I've never seen a country more united,' Ford told reporters recently. 'I'm going to be flying out to see Premier Smith and we're going to have a great conversation about building pipelines right across our great country.' TALK OF THE TOWN NOTHING TO SEE HERE — 'I can't announce a trade deal today,' deadpanned U.S. Ambassador PETE HOEKSTRA, sparking a hearty laugh from the guests gathered on the lawn of his Rockcliffe Park residence for a July Fourth celebration. — Don't worry, be happy: 'We're going to get through this little kerfuffle — whatever you want to call it,' TRUMP's envoy to Canada said. — Greatness: Hoekstra predicted a deal that would good for both countries — but added that Carney was 'wrong' for suggesting Canada will become the fastest growing economy in the G7. Canada, he told his invited guests, will be second to the United States, but that will be good for both countries. 'We have two leaders that are both very, very talented and aggressive effective negotiators. We have one that is doing everything that he can to make America great again, and we have a prime minister in Canada that is doing everything that he can to make Canada great again. I think he says it a little bit differently.' Poker faces, punctuated by nervous laughter ensued. — Indie day vibe: Marines presented colors, both national anthems were sung. Nothing got booed. It was a lazy, relaxed Independence Day crowd in the capital of a country that is fighting a trade war that was started by their closest friend and neighbor. The crowd was smaller, by more than half, than last year's packed, humidity-soaked blowout that had one-hour food and drink lines. Libation and picnic fare — 'slaw, mac and cheese, pulled pork, sliders and more — was available virtually on demand. — Spotted: Sen. TONY LOFFREDA, Liberal MPs TERRY DUGUID, ALI EHSASSI and ROB OLIPHANT, Conservative trade critic SHELBY KRAMP-NEUMAN, ALICE HANSEN, director of communications for Defense Minister DAVID MCGUINTY. Also: LORI TURNBULL, FRED DELOREY, GREG MACEACHERN, DAVID THURTON, MERCEDES STEPHENSON, MIKE LE COUTEUR, ISABELLA OROZCO-MADISON. — That's all folks: Bars closed at 6:30 p.m., a half hour before the event was scheduled to end. A bellowing staffer circulated the grounds, exhorting guests to grab a waiting shuttle bus. — Brought to you by: Leading up to the party, former JUSTIN TRUDEAU adviser TYLER MEREDITH took to social media to excoriate Canadian business leaders from attending the party given the trade war. A placard at the event thanked many sponsors: Air Canada, Bell, BMO, Bombardier, Business Council of Canada, Cameco, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Capital Power, CIBC, ConocoPhillips, Earnscliffe, J.D. Irving Ltd., Labatt, Porter, Sandstone Group, Nutrien, Scotiabank, Sun Life, TD Bank, Teck, Telus, the Westin hotel in Ottawa, and Vale. MORNING MUST-CLICKS — ELON MUSK declared the launch of his new political party on Saturday. POLITICO's GISELLE RUHIYYIH EWING has the latest. — From SIMON TUCK and ANTOINE TRÉPANIER in the Post: How Carney's team full of Quebecers wants to govern Canada. — BILL GRAVELAND of CP caught up with defense staff chief Gen. JENNIE CARIGNAN at the Calgary Stampede to find out how she's going to deliver those 20 percent pay hikes Defense Minister DAVID MCGUINTY has promised. — Vice-Admiral ANGUS TOPSHEE, commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, joined DAVID HERLE to discuss Canada's military. — Our colleagues in Europe report: The Starmer-Macron bromance has a Donald Trump problem. PROZONE For Pro subscribers: our latest policy newsletter. In other news for Pro readers: — The next megabill Congress needs to worry about. — Why Trump isn't sweating his lack of trade deals. — EU digital rules surface in trade talks with the US. — EPA puts 139 employees on leave who criticized administration. — Beijing and Washington lift export restrictions on key products. For your radar FRONT AND CENTER — Sunday marked the 12th anniversary of the Lac-Mégantic rail disaster that killed 47 in the Quebec town. In his 2024 memoir, the late MARC GARNEAU wrote that when he was transport minister attending an emotional town hall in Lac-Mégantic, a resident presented him with a rail spike salvaged from the track. Garneau kept the spike on his desk and passed it on to his successor, OMAR ALGHABRA, following a Cabinet shuffle. Playbook confirmed with Transport Minister CHRYSTIA FREELAND's office that the spike is 'front and center' on her desk. PABLO RODRIGUEZ, another former transport minister, added a note about rail safety that still sits near the spike. PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to former MPs VIVIAN BARBOT, LEON BENOIT and JEAN CROWDER. Also celebrating today: Summa's KATE HARRISON, GT's GENEVIEVE TOMNEY, Earnscliffe's ELLY ALBOIM, SHEILA GERVAIS and BRAEDEN CALEY, the PM's deputy chief of staff. Spotted: At CHRYSTIA FREELAND's backyard barbecue over the weekend — 'to celebrate what we have accomplished on free trade' in Canada: Former PM JEAN CHRÉTIEN, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister LEBLANC, Ontario Premier FORD, Toronto Mayor OLIVIA CHOW, former Yukon Premier RANJ PILLAI, Nova Scotia Premier TIM HOUSTON, Prince Edward Island Premier ROB LANTZ and many others. At the Stampede: MARK CARNEY took a turn at flapjack flipping. Verdict via CP: 'Could use some work.' Also spotted: Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE, Premier DANIELLE SMITH, Liberal MPs KODY BLOIS and COREY HOGAN, Canadian Chamber of Commerce President CANDACE LAING and defence staff chief CARIGNAN. BRUCE FANJOY with a pair of bronzed sneakers, a gift from his campaign staff. Movers and shakers: Updates from the Riddell program in political management: JENNIFER ROBSON is back in the director's chair after a sabbatical. DON GUY (Pollara) replaces SEAN SPEER as practitioner-in-residence. Speer is sticking around as a program fellow. New fellows to the program include TASHA KHEIRIDDIN (Postmedia), DENNIS MATTHEWS (Creative Currency), JOANNE MCPHERSON (formerly of the CBC) and GOZDE KAZAZOGLU (Coca-Cola Canada). Lobby watch: On behalf of Porter Airlines, LIAM DALY met with KYLE FOX of the Finance department on Friday, 'to raise awareness about Porter's work and activities.' — Meanwhile on K Street: Ballard Partners has registered to lobby for the Binational Softwood Lumber Council amid a U.S. Commerce Department review of duties on Canadian softwood lumber. Media mentions: PAUL BAGNELL announced that his final day at BNN will be July 18. Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Send it all our way. TRIVIA Friday's answer: GRITTY attended the 2022 July Fourth bash at Lornado. Props to SEAN SUNDERLAND, CAMERON RYAN, KELSEY MACDONALD, DARRY DAMUDE, AMY CASTLE, MICHAEL POWELL, ELIZABETH BURN, LESLIE SWARTMAN, BRIAN PEEBLES, DANIEL KOMESH, MALCOLM MCKAY, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, MARCEL MARCOTTE, JOHN PEPPER and RAY DEL BIANCO. Today's question: On this date in 1975, ED BROADBENT was elected leader of the NDP. Who did he run against? Send your answer to canadaplaybook@ Canada Playbook would not happen without: Canada Editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and POLITICO's Grace Maalouf.
Barnama
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
Anwar In Paris: Recalibrating The Terms Of Engagement
Woven with references to Sartre and Montesquieu, Camus and Tocqueville, and the Pirenne thesis to boot, it was a tour de force in intellectual diplomacy – at once appreciative and unsparing, gracious, yet audacious. KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 (Bernama) -- If the French were expecting a deferential guest, they did not get one. When Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim rose to speak at the Sorbonne on 4 July, his address was both a nod to France's intellectual tradition and a measured challenge to its strategic assumptions. If Europe wants to be present in the Indo-Pacific, it must learn to listen. There were new Airbus orders, deeper energy cooperation with PETRONAS, joint ventures in artificial intelligence (AI) and carbon capture, and warm nods to rising student exchanges. But the real significance lay in Anwar's message, and its subtext: Southeast Asia is done being spoken for, let alone spoken down to. The visit, the first by a Malaysian leader to France in 15 years, was a success by most diplomatic metrics. 'We are used to being described,' the Prime Minister said. The Sorbonne speech was neither anti-Western nor triumphalist in nature. It was something rarer: calibrated, with measured cadence. Anwar is no stranger to rhetorical flourish. But behind it was a sharp proposition: Europe must stop seeing Southeast Asia as a theatre for its anxieties – about China, about global disorder, about the fraying of Pax Americana – and start engaging it as a self-assured, diplomatically agile region that neither courts conflict nor shirks complexity. 'We are less accustomed to being heard.' In one line, he captured decades of misapprehension. From colonial missions civilisatrices to the strategic templates of today's think tanks, Southeast Asia has often appeared in Europe's imagination as either a developmental ward or a geopolitical flank. Yet ASEAN, as Anwar reminded his audience, is the world's fifth-largest economy and a laboratory of democratic metamorphosis – not perfect, but incrementally improving. The Prime Minister did not shy away from hard topics. On Ukraine, he upheld international law but cautioned that 'our region – and ASEAN in particular – is not a geopolitical mirror to be held up to another's crisis.' On Gaza, he called the war a 'collapse of conscience' and criticised the selective application of humanitarian concern. On Iran, he backed non-proliferation but insisted that dialogues - not double standards - must anchor global order. French President Emmanuel Macron received the message with composure. At their joint press conference, he echoed Anwar's call for a ceasefire in Gaza, reaffirmed France's support for a two-state solution, and condemned Israeli strikes on Iran as lacking legal basis. He also nodded to the broader point: that universal values must not be applied selectively. Sure, not all that glitters is gold but it was still a rare moment of moral convergence, if not full alignment. But it was in trade – not war – where Anwar delivered his firmest message. Europe, he implied, cannot ask for deeper economic ties while clinging to regulatory structures that feel increasingly skewed. For many in Southeast Asia, the European Union's (EU) standards – however well-intentioned – function less as neutral guardrails and more as protectionist obstacles. Agricultural exports, processed foods, and pharmaceuticals face layers of certification and restrictions. European negotiators tend to arrive assuming their standards are not just high, but self-evidently the model for others to adopt. That presumption is now being met with measured resistance. Malaysia, like many of its peers, is not asking for lower standards. It is asking for honest conversation about the practical effects of high ones. Patent terms, for example, are contentious. The EU seeks longer periods of exclusivity. In developing countries, this affects access to life-saving medicines. And that we cannot, and must not, do. The imbalance goes deeper. Southeast Asian nations are expected to meet stringent environmental, labour and governance criteria, yet often find little flexibility in return. There is little allowance for differences in legal systems, social compacts or development stages. The European position thus begins to resemble leverage masquerading as principle. 'That means seeing regulation as dialogue to come to a formula for mutual gain, not fiat pointed at the head for capitulation. 'Let us be clear: we do not ask for indulgence. We ask only that Europe meet us where we are, not where its models presume we ought to be,' Anwar said. Europe hopes that bilateral deals – like the one still under negotiation with Malaysia – will evolve into a full ASEAN-EU free trade agreement. But that ambition may remain stalled if the substance of the relationship lags behind its symbolism. 'Consensus ad idem is as crucial in geoeconomics as it is in geopolitics, and some say even more,' Anwar quipped, invoking a legal phrase meaning meeting of minds. Still, the mood in Southeast Asia is shifting. Engagement will remain strong – but deference is no longer part of the deal. Condescending collocutors, vous n'êtes pas le bienvenu. Anwar said, 'We welcome partners. But we welcome them as equals.' Europe should take note. In an increasingly multipolar world, engagement is not a favour bestowed but a partnership earned. If the after-dinner tête-à-tête, originally set for 10 minutes, but which lasted three-fold longer, is anything to go by, then somewhere along the way, Anwar and Macron must have struck the right chords. Tocqueville once wrote that democracy is not just a system of rules but also a habit of the heart. And so, increasingly, is diplomacy. -- BERNAMA * Datuk Prof Dr Mohd Faiz Abdullah is Chairman of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies, Malaysia BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies. Follow us on social media : Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio Twitter : @ @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial TikTok : @bernamaofficial
