WORLD THIS WEEK

China: Virtual meeting between Biden and Xi calls for greater cooperation

What happened?

On 16 November, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden held a 3.5 hour-long virtual meeting to address the issues of dissension between the two countries.

On 16 November, Xinhua Net reported that President Xi had called for steady relations with the US and said: "China and the United States should respect each other, coexist in peace, pursue win-win cooperation, and manage domestic affairs well while shouldering international responsibilities."

On 15 November, the White House released President Biden's statements which warmly welcomed the meet and said: "it seems to me our responsibility as leaders of China and the United States is to ensure that the competition between our countries does not veer into conflict, whether intended or unintended. Just simple, straightforward competition." During the meeting, President Xi also questioned the ideology of democracy and explained that "democracy is not "mass produced" with a uniform model." The statement made by Xi reprimanded Biden for claiming a patent on democracy.

What does it mean?

The meeting between the two leaders is aimed at greater cooperation to facilitate the two countries' continuous and uninterrupted economic progress. The US and China realize that stalling each other might, in turn, damage their interests and thus are willing to compromise and work individually without bothering each other. However, the US may find itself in a tight spot if it cannot voice its opinions on the territorial aggression of China since it has many stakes in the Indo-Pacific region. The priority for both the leaders is to prevent the world from entering into yet another cold war era.

Russia: The Anti- Satellite test

What happened?

On 15 November, a missile from the earth was launched to target and destroy a Russian satellite in low-earth orbit, also known as a Direct-Ascent Anti- Satellite(DA-ASAT). The target was a defunct satellite from the Soviet-era called Tselina-D or Cosmos-1408. Following the test, instructions were given to the crew at the International Space Station, consisting of two Russian astronauts, four US astronauts, and one German, to take shelter in their capsules for two hours as a precaution.

The Russian test has come when there has been an increase in the activities and actors in Outer Space. "Russia has demonstrated a deliberate disregard for the security, safety, stability, and long-term sustainability of the space domain for all nations," US Space Command Commander James Dickinson said in a statement. Antony Blinken condemned the test as "reckless and irresponsible." The US State Department, NASA, and the officials from the Pentagon raised alarms about the impact of the debris generated by the test. The Russian military responded by calling the US 'hypocritical' as the resulting fragments from this test are unlikely to pose a threat to space activities or assets.

What does it mean?

The Russian officials have revealed that the present ASAT test responded to the US announcement of a Space Force. There has been a sizable growth in the space industry in terms of innovation, investments, and cost management, which directly influences the need for ASAT capability. The Secure World Foundation has called for a formal halt among all countries to stop ASAT testing, which sounds similar to the NPT model of nuclear energy. However, the more effective response would be to work towards robotic management and efficient safety protocols that ensure the safety of technology and crew. Additionally, the outcomes of an ASAT test need not be seen as a Space Debris problem, as it is not the primary outcome of the test.

ALSO IN NEWS

China: Xi calls for 'steady China- US' relationship in the virtual meet with Biden

On 16 November, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for "developing a sound and steady China-US relationship" during a virtual meeting with US President Joe Biden. Global Times reported: Xi said, "China and the United States should respect each other, coexist in peace, pursue win-win cooperation, and manage domestic affairs well while shouldering international responsibilities." He also pointed out, "both China and the US are at critical stages of development, and the global village of humanity faces multiple challenges."

China: Global wealth surges, Beijing replaces Washington at the top spot

On 14 November, McKinsey & Co reported that the global wealth tripled to USD 514 trillion in 2020 from USD 156 trillion in 2000. The net worth of China surged and replaced the US from the top spot. Bloomberg reported: according to McKinsey, the rise in net worth since 2000 "outstripped the increase in GDP" and "has been fueled by ballooning property prices pumped up by declining interest rates." The report also observed that "asset prices are almost 50% above their long-run average relative to income" and has raised concerns about the sustainability of the wealth boom.

Japan: IAEA team review plans to discharge radioactive water of Fukushima

On 16 November, a team from IAEA arrived in Japan to study the preparations for releasing treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant. A larger team is expected to visit in December. On 18 November, TEPCO said, the planned release of radioactive water containing small amounts of tritium into the sea will have a "minimal" impact on the environment and health. The discharge is opposed by the fishing community and the neighboring countries including, South Korea and China. The Japanese government has requested assistance from the UN agency to ensure the release meets all the safety standards and address the international community's concerns.

India: Foreign minister says Sino-Indian relationship going through a 'bad patch,' China agrees to "early resolution" of border disputes

On 19 November, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said that India-China relations were going through a "bad patch," because Beijing's actions violated bilateral agreements without Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar explanations. He further added, "I don't think the Chinese have any doubt on where we stand on our relationship and what's not gone right with it." On 18 November, New Delhi and Beijing, at the 23rd WMCC meeting, agreed to an "early resolution" of the disputes along the LAC in Ladakh and complete disengagement from the friction points in the Western Sector. They also decided to hold the 14th meeting of Senior Commanders "at an early date" and meanwhile agreed "to ensure a stable ground situation."

India: Coronavirus cases expected to rise globally says, WHO Scientist Soumya Swaminathan

On 15 November, WHO scientist Soumya Swaminathan said that COVID-19 cases are likely to rise across the world amid the fear of the third wave in India. She added that the inoculation of vulnerable populations has resulted in the decoupling between "infections and deaths." According to CNBC- TV18, she observed the surge in infection in Western Europe has increased hospitalization but has not significantly increased deaths due to large-scale vaccinations. Responding to the question of booster doses, she said: "We have to determine the need for booster doses and also make it clear who needs to have the additional doses." She also supported WHO's emergency approval of India's Covaxin.

Iran: IAEA reports an increase in stockpiles of enriched uranium

On 17 November, the IAEA released a report revealing that Iran had increased its enriched uranium stocks. The report came to light just a week before the Vienna talks resume after a long stalling period. According to the report, the current stock of 2,489.7 kilograms is much higher than the agreed limit in the JCPOA deal. The stockpile 20 percent enriched uranium also stands at 113.8 kilograms, 29 kilograms higher than October.

Russia: Gazprom rejects offer for extra capacity

On 16 November, the Moscow Times reported that Gazprom company had rejected the offer for extra transit capacity on pipelines to Europe for the third consecutive month despite the climbing energy prices. European countries have accused Russia of blackmailing the countries by cutting off energy supplies in an attempt to get approval for the mega pipeline under the Baltic Sea in its Nord Stream 2 pipeline project. The Russian government has responded to the claims and said that it was not interfering in the markets and that the countries could strike deals with the company to secure energy supply in the coming winter.

The US: Congress passes bipartisan infrastructure bill while the House passes the Build Back Better Act

On 18 November, the House of Representatives in the US Parliament passed the USD 1.9 trillion spending bill called the Build Back Better Act. The bill is yet to be approved by the Senate and faces a much bigger challenge, with Senator Joe Machin highlighting significant concerns regarding the plan. The Act attempts to reform the social safety net. Congress recently passed the bipartisan infrastructure bill. It was successfully made law after President Biden signed the bill.

The US: Kenosha shooting accused released and found not guilty by the Jury

On 19 November, the jury announced that Kyle Rittenhouse, a teenager accused of shooting during the unrest in Kenosha, was found not guilty on all charges. Kyle was accused of killing two and injuring another person during the shooting and four other felony charges. The jury believed that the actions taken by Kyle were in self-defense and hence did not hold him guilty.

About the authors

Harini Madhusudan is a PhD Scholar, and Avishka Ashok is a Research Associate at NIAS. Sukanya Bali is a Doctoral candidate at OP Jindal Global University.

The report has been modified by India News due to space considerations.