Latest news with #regionalsecurity
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Philippines and Malaysia sidestep South China Sea claims, seek closer naval ties
The heads of the Philippine and Malaysian navies have pledged to deepen maritime cooperation, reflecting growing trust between both sides and mutual concerns over regional security despite their overlapping claims in the South China Sea Admiral Tansri Zulhelmy Bin Ithnain, chief of Malaysia's Royal Navy, met with vice-admiral Jose Ma Ambrosio Ezpeleta, flag officer in command of the Philippine Navy, during a courtesy call in Manila on Wednesday. He also held talks with the Philippine military chief, General Romeo Brawner Jnr. The visit 'reaffirmed the strong and enduring ties' between the two countries' naval forces, according to a Philippine Navy's statement, which said both sides had exchanged views on joint maritime operations, regional security and naval modernisation. The navies committed to enhance maritime cooperation and discussed future training and capability development efforts. They also highlighted the coming 19th Asean meeting of navy chiefs – to be hosted by Malaysia in August – as a key platform to advance collaboration. 'This engagement underscores the Philippine Navy's continued commitment to building strong defence partnerships, advancing regional cooperation, and promoting maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region,' the statement said. The renewed push for naval collaboration comes as both countries face overlapping maritime claims in parts of the South China Sea, even as China's growing assertiveness in the disputed waterways has fuelled regional unease.
Arab News
a day ago
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan, China discuss regional security, agree to strengthen multilateral institutions
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani and Chinese delegations on Thursday discussed regional and international security, reiterating their commitment to strengthen multilateral institutions such as the United Nations, the Pakistani foreign office said. These discussions took place during the fifth round of the Pakistan-China Consultations on Multilateral Issues in Beijing on Thursday. The Pakistani delegation was led by Special Secretary (UN) Ambassador Nabeel Munir while the Chinese side was headed by Shen Bo, director general of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences of the Chinese foreign ministry. The discussions took place amid regional tensions in South Asia and Middle East following India's conflict with Pakistan in May, and Iran's recent military confrontation with Israel. Though both conflicts resulted in a ceasefire, they triggered fears of a wider war breaking out in the region. 'During the consultations, the two sides exchanged views on a broad spectrum of issues pertaining to the United Nations, in particular matters related to regional and international peace and security on the agenda of the UN Security Council,' Pakistan's foreign office said. 'The two sides expressed satisfaction at the strong convergence of views on all issues of mutual concern, and reiterated their commitment to continue working together for strengthening multilateral institutions, especially the United Nations.' The foreign ministry said Munir separately met China's Assistant Foreign Minister Miao Deyu on the sidelines of the consultations. The two sides expressed their desire to continue working together to take the 'historic relations' between Pakistan and China to new heights, the statement said. China enjoys cordial relations with Pakistan and is also a major ally and investor of Islamabad. Bejing has invested in a multi-billion-dollar project that connects China and Pakistan through a network of highways, railways and pipelines. Since its initiation in 2013, CPEC has seen tens of billions of dollars funneled into massive transport, energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan. But the undertaking has been hit by Islamabad struggling to keep up its financial obligations as well as attacks on Chinese targets by militants. While Pakistan has a historic rivalry with nuclear-armed India, Beijing's border disputes with New Delhi also means that its ties with India are frosty. Pakistan and China enjoy military, defense and economic ties as Beijing remains wary of India's influence in the region.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
India rejects signing Shanghai Cooperation Organization statement seen as pro-Pakistan
NEW DELHI, India: Beijing's bid for enhanced regional leadership suffered a setback Thursday when India rejected signing a joint statement put before members of the China-backed Shanghai Cooperation Organization, saying it was pro-Pakistan in not mentioning April's terror attack on Indian tourists. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said the statement diluted India's position on critical issues such as terrorism and regional security, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media. India blames Pakistan for backing the gunmen behind the April 22 killing of 26 people, most of them Indian Hindu tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir, and has described it as a terror attack. Islamabad denies the charge. Singh alleged that the joint statement 'suited Pakistan's narrative' because it did not include that attack but mentioned militant activities in Balochistan, the person said. Pakistan has repeatedly accused India of backing Balochistan freedom movement, allegations that India denies. The signing ceremony came during a meeting of defense ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional grouping formed by China and Russia to counter US influence in Asia. China has largely taken over running the SCO, staging joint drills and holding summits, while Russia is embroiled in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and international isolation. While little known globally, the SCO has become one of China's main instruments to expand its political and economic reach into areas traditionally neutral, such as India, or closely linked to Russia such as Central Asia. Thursday's meeting took place in the east China city of Qingdao, home to China's northern fleet. Singh, without explicitly naming Pakistan, urged the SCO to criticize countries that use 'cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists.' He said members should unite in eliminating terrorism and ensure accountability for those who aid such activities. 'Peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of non-state actors and terror groups. Dealing with these challenges requires decisive action,' said Singh, according to a defense ministry statement. The April 22 killings embroiled the two nuclear-armed nations in the most serious military confrontation in decades. After days of exchanging fire, they agreed to end all military actions under a US-brokered ceasefire. On Wednesday, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun held one-on-one meetings with his counterparts from Belarus, Iran, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. India, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are also members. 'Unilateralism and protectionism are surging, while hegemonic, high-handed, and bullying acts severely undermine the international order, making these practices the biggest sources of chaos and harm,' Dong said according to the official Xinhua News Agency, in a swipe at the US and its allies. China and India have decades-old border disputes and Beijing has become one of Pakistan's closest allies.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
India rejects signing Shanghai Cooperation Organization statement seen as pro-Pakistan
NEW DELHI (AP) — Beijing's bid for enhanced regional leadership suffered a setback Thursday when India rejected signing a joint statement put before members of the China-backed Shanghai Cooperation Organization, saying it was pro-Pakistan in not mentioning April's terror attack on Indian tourists. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said the statement diluted India's position on critical issues such as terrorism and regional security, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media. India blames Pakistan for backing the gunmen behind the April 22 killing of 26 people, most of them Indian Hindu tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir, and has described it as a terror attack. Islamabad denies the charge. Singh alleged that the joint statement 'suited Pakistan's narrative' because it did not include that attack but mentioned militant activities in Balochistan, the person said. Pakistan has repeatedly accused India of backing Balochistan freedom movement, allegations that India denies. The signing ceremony came during a meeting of defense ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional grouping formed by China and Russia to counter U.S. influence in Asia. China has largely taken over running the SCO, staging joint drills and holding summits, while Russia is embroiled in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and international isolation. While little known globally, the SCO has become one of China's main instruments to expand its political and economic reach into areas traditionally neutral, such as India, or closely linked to Russia such as Central Asia. Thursday's meeting took place in the east China city of Qingdao, home to China's northern fleet. Singh, without explicitly naming Pakistan, urged the SCO to criticize countries that use 'cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists.' He said members should unite in eliminating terrorism and ensure accountability for those who aid such activities. 'Peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of non-state actors and terror groups. Dealing with these challenges requires decisive action,' said Singh, according to a defense ministry statement. The April 22 killings embroiled the two nuclear-armed nations in the most serious military confrontation in decades. After days of exchanging fire, they agreed to end all military actions under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. On Wednesday, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun held one-on-one meetings with his counterparts from Belarus, Iran, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. India, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are also members. 'Unilateralism and protectionism are surging, while hegemonic, high-handed, and bullying acts severely undermine the international order, making these practices the biggest sources of chaos and harm,' Dong said according to the official Xinhua News Agency, in a swipe at the U.S. and its allies. China and India have decades-old border disputes and Beijing has become one of Pakistan's closest allies. ___ Associated Press writer Christopher Bodeen contributed to this story from Taipei, Taiwan.
Times of Oman
4 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Oman expresses complete solidarity with State of Qatar amidst regional tensions
Muscat: His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik , in a phone call with His Highness the Emir of the State of Qatar, expressed the Sultanate of Oman's full solidarity with the State of Qatar, praising its wisdom in containing the repercussions of the escalation. His Majesty affirmed the Sultanate of Oman's categorical rejection of any actions that threaten the security of the countries of the region or undermine their sovereignty and stability. His Highness the Emir of the State of Qatar expressed his pride in the strong fraternal relations with the Sultanate of Oman, appreciating the firm stance expressed by His Majesty the Sultan and the pivotal and wise role of the Sultanate of Oman in addressing issues and challenges through dialogue and peaceful and diplomatic means.
