Latest news with #unilateralism
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Can China get the US out of the way of better ties with Europe?
This year marks half a century of formal diplomatic relations between China and the European Union as well as the 25th anniversary of the founding of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. In this, the first of a series of reports examining ties between the two powers, Shi Jiangtao looks at the influence the United States has on the relationship. China has ramped up efforts to mend ties with the European Union ahead of a planned bilateral summit later this month, seeking to capitalise on transatlantic disaffection to promote EU cooperation and counter Washington's unilateralism. But while Beijing's conciliatory overtures to Brussels are distinct from its adversarial stance towards Washington, a long-awaited reset in China-EU ties remains largely out of reach. Brussels has taken a cautious de-risking approach towards Beijing, shaped by its complex alignment with Washington and persistent concerns over China's global rise. Progress is also constrained by structural mistrust, diverging global priorities and Beijing's strategic tilt towards Moscow amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine In the absence of substantive shifts in strategic posture from either side, observers warn of missed opportunities to recalibrate the partnership for this year's landmark 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic relations. 01:02 J.D. Vance says 'threat vis-a-vis Europe is not Russia, it's not China' J.D. Vance says 'threat vis-a-vis Europe is not Russia, it's not China' Hopes were initially high for this year's China-EU summit, scheduled for Beijing on Thursday, particularly as surging trade and geopolitical tensions forced the event's cancellation last year.
Al Jazeera
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Iran will pursue all legal avenues to seek redress from its attackers
The international legal order loses its effectiveness when faced with the unilateralism of hegemonic powers as well as acts that flout universally accepted norms. If such practices remain unaddressed, there is a risk that the order will lose its foundational purpose: the protection of justice, peace, and the sovereignty of nations. The attack by the United States and Israel on Iran, including the targeted killings of scientists and intellectuals, bombing of IAEA-approved nuclear facilities, and strikes against residential, medical, media, and public infrastructure, is a prime example of illegal, unilateral action that must not remain unaddressed. It is a wrongful act and a clear violation of fundamental norms of international law. In this context, the principle of state responsibility, which dictates that states are held accountable for wrongful acts, must be applied. This principle was codified by the International Law Commission ILC in its 2001 Draft Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts, which have since been widely recognised and cited by international courts and tribunals. Per their provisions, the commission of a wrongful act – such as the unlawful use of force – constitutes a violation of an international obligation and imposes a binding duty on the responsible state to provide full and effective reparation for the harm caused. In the case of the illegal acts committed by the United States and Israel, the scope of legal responsibility goes far beyond ordinary violations. These acts not only contravened customary international law, but also breached peremptory norms, the highest-ranking norms within the international legal hierarchy. Among these, the principle of the prohibition of aggression is a core and universally binding rule. No state is permitted to derogate from this norm, and violations trigger obligations, requiring all members of the international community to respond collectively to uphold the law. There are at least two relevant legal precedents that can guide the application of the principle of state responsibility and the obligation for reparations in the case of Iran. In 1981, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 487 in response to Israel's attack on Iraq's nuclear facilities. It unequivocally characterised this act of aggression as a 'serious threat to the entire safeguard regime of the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA]', which is the foundation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The resolution also fully recognised the inalienable sovereign right of all states to establish programmes of technological and nuclear development to develop their economy and industry for peaceful purposes. Article 6 stipulates that 'Iraq is entitled to appropriate redress for the destruction it has suffered, responsibility for which has been acknowledged by Israel'. By mandating that the aggressor compensate the victim for the resulting damages, the resolution provides a clear legal precedent for pursuing redress in similar cases. Thus, given the fact that the attacks by the US and Israel were carried out with public declarations confirming the operations and are well-documented, the application of the principles and provisions of Resolution 487 to the Iranian case is not only appropriate and necessary but also firmly grounded in international law. Another relevant document is UN Security Council Resolution 692, which was adopted in 1991 and established the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. The commission was tasked with processing claims for compensation of losses and damages incurred as a result of the invasion. The creation of UNCC demonstrated the capacity of international mechanisms to identify victims, evaluate damage, and implement practical compensation – setting a clear model for state responsibility in cases of unlawful aggression. This precedent provides a strong legal and institutional basis for asserting the rights of the Iranian people. It is therefore both appropriate and necessary for the UN to establish a rule-based mechanism, such as an international commission on compensation, to redress Iran. Such a commission, initiated and endorsed by the UN General Assembly or other competent UN bodies, should undertake a comprehensive assessment of the damages inflicted by the unlawful and aggressive acts of the US and the Zionist regime against Iran. The establishment of reparative mechanisms – whether through independent commissions, fact-finding bodies, or compensation funds operating under international oversight – would contribute meaningfully to restoring trust in the global legal system and provide a principled response to the ongoing normalisation of impunity. Iran also has another avenue for pursuing justice for the illegal attacks it was subjected to. In the lead-up to them, the IAEA published biased and politically motivated reports about the Iranian nuclear programme, which facilitated the commission of aggression by the US and Israel and breached the principle of neutrality. This places Iran in a position to seek redress and claim damages from the agency under Article 17 of the IAEA Safeguards Agreement. As a state harmed by the agency's manifest negligence, Iran is entitled to full reparation for all material and moral damages inflicted upon its peaceful nuclear facilities and scientific personnel. In this context, pursuing accountability for the IAEA, alongside the aggressor states, is a vital element of Iran's broader strategy to uphold accountability within the international legal order. By relying on recognised, legitimate, and binding international mechanisms, Iran will steadfastly defend the rights of its people at every forum. Ultimately, responsibility for the recent crimes of this war of aggression does not lie solely with the direct perpetrators, the US and Israel, and those who aided them, the IAEA. All states and international organisations bear an undeniable obligation to implement effective legal measures to prevent such crimes. The international community as a whole must respond decisively. Silence, delay, or any form of complicity in the face of aggression and atrocities would reduce the principle of state accountability under international law to an empty slogan. In its pursuit of accountability, Iran will exhaust all available resources and will not relent until the rights of its people are fully recognised and they receive adequate redress. It will continue to seek the prosecution and accountability of those responsible for these crimes, both domestically and internationally, until justice is fully achieved. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial stance.
South China Morning Post
02-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Wang Yi tells top EU officials in Brussels to unite against ‘unilateralism and bullying'
Beijing's top envoy has called for China and Europe to join forces against 'unilateralism and bullying' in a thinly veiled swipe at the United States, after meeting European Union leaders in Brussels. Advertisement Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday, before sitting down for marathon political talks with the bloc's top diplomat Kaja Kallas that were expected to run over dinner. 'The world today is full of turmoil, and unilateralism and bullying have severely impacted the international order and international rules,' Wang told Costa, the former Portuguese premier, according to a readout published by China's foreign ministry. 'As the two major forces and economies in the world, if China and Europe insist on dialogue and cooperation, it will be difficult for camps to form,' he continued, doubling down on the need to 'strengthen unity' in a 'turbulent world'. The meetings were intended to set the agenda for a leaders' summit in Beijing and Hefei in three weeks, when the EU trio will meet China's President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang over two days. Advertisement Leading the Brussels agenda for the Wednesday meetings were China's ties with Russia and its prickly trade relations with the EU, which have worsened in recent weeks after Beijing introduced export restrictions on rare earth elements and magnets. Concerning the Ukraine war, Wang 'stressed that China always determines its position based on the right and wrong of the matter itself, and will continue to stand firmly on the side of peace and play a constructive role in promoting peace talks and politically resolving the crisis', the readout said.
Jordan Times
25-05-2025
- Business
- Jordan Times
Indonesia, China agree to bolster ties ahead of ASEAN summit
Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto (L) and Chinese Premier Li Qiang inspect a guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on May 25, 2025 (AFP photo) JAKARTA — Chinese Premier Li Qiang warned on Sunday that the rise of "unilateralism and protectionism" could threaten the global economic and trade order, as he reaffirmed Beijing's ties with Jakarta on Sunday during his visit to Indonesia ahead of a regional summit in Kuala Lumpur. "Unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise globally, posing a serious threat to international economic and trade order," Li told Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Sunday, according to Xinhua state news agency."In the face of these risks, unity and cooperation are the only viable path forward."Beijing and Jakarta are key economic allies, with Chinese companies pouring capital into extracting Indonesian natural resources in recent years, particularly in the nickel the two countries' disputed claims into the strategic waterways of the South China Sea and its nearby territories have weighed on their relationship in recent said Beijing was keen to further advance cooperation with Southeast Asia's largest economy."China is ready to work with Indonesia and other developing countries to... uphold multilateralism and free trade, and advance a multipolar world and inclusive globalisation," Li also lauded Indonesia's "close and good" friendship with China."Indonesia is ready to create a safe and prosperous region. Indonesia is ready to strengthen cooperation with China for us to create a peaceful region, which is safe for all," the Indonesian leader and Li oversaw the signings of several agreements, pledging closer cooperation in areas including economic development and presidential palace later announced that eight other agreements were signed in sectors covering tourism, health, investment and Chinese premier is headed next to Malaysia for an ASEAN summit between members of the 10-country bloc, China and oil-producing had visited Beijing last year, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping told him that he hoped for a "new chapter" in bilateral two countries have in the past sparred verbally over disputed claims in the South China Sea -- which China claims almost has for years sought to expand its presence in the contested waters, brushing aside an international ruling that its claim has no legal vessels have occasionally entered Indonesia-claimed areas of the North Natuna Sea at the southern edge of the South China Sea, drawing protests from Jakarta. In October, Indonesia said it drove Chinese coast guard ships from contested waters in the South China Sea on three separate occasions.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Indonesia, China agree to bolster ties ahead of ASEAN summit
Chinese Premier Li Qiang warned on Sunday that the rise of "unilateralism and protectionism" could threaten the global economic and trade order, as he reaffirmed Beijing's ties with Jakarta on Sunday during his visit to Indonesia ahead of a regional summit in Kuala Lumpur. "Unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise globally, posing a serious threat to international economic and trade order," Li told Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Sunday, according to Xinhua state news agency. "In the face of these risks, unity and cooperation are the only viable path forward." Beijing and Jakarta are key economic allies, with Chinese companies pouring capital into extracting Indonesian natural resources in recent years, particularly in the nickel sector. But the two countries' disputed claims into the strategic waterways of the South China Sea and its nearby territories have weighed on their relationship in recent years. Li said Beijing was keen to further advance cooperation with Southeast Asia's largest economy. "China is ready to work with Indonesia and other developing countries to... uphold multilateralism and free trade, and advance a multipolar world and inclusive globalisation," Li said. Prabowo also lauded Indonesia's "close and good" friendship with China. "Indonesia is ready to create a safe and prosperous region. Indonesia is ready to strengthen cooperation with China for us to create a peaceful region, which is safe for all," the Indonesian leader said. Prabowo and Li oversaw the signings of several agreements, pledging closer cooperation in areas including economic development and finance. The presidential palace later announced that eight other agreements were signed in sectors covering tourism, health, investment and media. The Chinese premier is headed next to Malaysia for an ASEAN summit between members of the 10-country bloc, China and oil-producing countries. Prabowo had visited Beijing last year, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping told him that he hoped for a "new chapter" in bilateral relations. The two countries have in the past sparred verbally over disputed claims in the South China Sea -- which China claims almost entirely. Beijing has for years sought to expand its presence in the contested waters, brushing aside an international ruling that its claim has no legal basis. Chinese vessels have occasionally entered Indonesia-claimed areas of the North Natuna Sea at the southern edge of the South China Sea, drawing protests from Jakarta. In October, Indonesia said it drove Chinese coast guard ships from contested waters in the South China Sea on three separate occasions. bur-mrc/dhw
