The US destroyed two Houthi bases in Yemen, South Korea considered supplying weapons to Ukraine, the EU launched the 14th package of sanctions against Russia, the Philippines denounced the dangerous actions of the Chinese coast guard in the East Sea... are some of the outstanding international events in the past 24 hours.
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| Chinese Premier Li Qiang (far left) and his Malaysian counterpart (far right) witnessed the exchange of cooperation documents on June 19. (Source: The STar) |
The World & Vietnam Newspaper highlights some of the day's international news highlights.
Asia-Pacific
*Philippines denounces dangerous actions by Chinese coast guard in South China Sea: A senior Philippine navy official said on June 20 that Chinese coast guard forces "acted dangerously" when Philippine ships carried out a supply mission to a disputed shoal in the South China Sea this week, resulting in damage to boats and injuries to crew members.
A Philippine sailor was seriously injured after what the military described as a “deliberate high-speed ramming” by a Chinese coast guard vessel aimed at disrupting a resupply mission to troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal. Philippine military officials said Chinese coast guard personnel armed with knives and spears seized weapons and “deliberately rammed” the Philippine vessels involved in the resupply mission. (Reuters)
*Malaysia and China exchange 14 cooperation documents: During the official visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang to Malaysia on June 19, witnessed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Premier Li Qiang, a total of 14 memorandums of understanding (MoUs), cooperation agreements (MoAs), protocols and joint statements related to 9 ministries were exchanged between the two countries.
This is Premier Li Qiang's first visit to Malaysia as Prime Minister on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China.
China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years since 2009. (Strait Times)
*Japan, New Zealand to strengthen sharing of classified information: Japan and New Zealand on June 19 agreed on an agreement to strengthen sharing of classified information between the two sides, in the context of a more serious regional security environment due to increasing military moves.
During talks between Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon in Tokyo, the two sides also confirmed that they would strengthen cooperation in the field of economic security.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is visiting Japan from June 17-20. The focus of this trip is to promote trade and investment relations with Japan and build relations with the country's leader. (AFP)
*China confirms targeting Philippine vessels in the South China Sea: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on June 19 that the actions of the Chinese Coast Guard targeting Philippine vessels in the South China Sea were professional and restrained, and aimed at stopping Manila's illegal "supply mission."
Lam made the remarks at a regular press conference when asked to confirm the Philippine military's claim that the Chinese Coast Guard boarded Philippine vessels last week and seized guns from them.
Speaking to the press, Mr. Lam Kiem also called on the Philippines to immediately stop its "violations and provocations." He said China will continue to protect its sovereignty as well as its legitimate rights and interests. (THX)
*US-South Korea joint air force exercise: On June 20, the South Korean Air Force announced that Seoul and Washington conducted a joint air force exercise this week.
The four-day exercise, which ended earlier in the day at multiple locations in the Northeast Asian country, involved heavily armed US AC-130J gunships and several South Korean fighter jets, including F-15Ks and KF-16s.
The latest exercise focuses on strengthening the two countries' combined defense posture and implementing the U.S. extended deterrence commitment to use the full range of military capabilities to defend its allies, the South Korean Air Force said. (Yonhap)
*South Korea considers supplying weapons to Ukraine: Yonhap news agency quoted a South Korean official as saying on June 20 that South Korea said it would consider supplying weapons to Ukraine, after the leaders of North Korea and Russia signed a treaty pledging mutual defense in case of war.
In an official statement, Seoul also condemned the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement signed by the leaders of North Korea and Russia this week, saying it violated UN sanctions.
“The government has made it clear that any cooperation that directly or indirectly helps North Korea strengthen its military capabilities is a violation of UN Security Council resolutions,” the South Korean presidential office said in a statement, adding that such a violation would worsen Seoul-Moscow relations. (Reuters)
Europe
*EU approves 14th package of sanctions against Russia: On June 20, diplomats said the European Union (EU) agreed to impose a 14th package of sanctions against Russia related to Russia's special campaign in Ukraine, including a ban on the transit of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG).
On social network X, Belgium - which holds the rotating EU presidency until July 1 - said: "EU ambassadors have just agreed on a strong and significant 14th package of sanctions in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine. This package provides new targeted measures and maximizes the impact of existing sanctions by filling gaps." (Sputniknews)
*Armenia, Azerbaijan clash after Paris announces arms sale to Yerevan: Armenia and Azerbaijan - the two neighbors working towards signing a peace agreement after three decades of conflict - attacked each other on June 19 after France pledged to supply new weapons to Yerevan.
The June 18 announcement by French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu that Paris will supply CAESAR self-propelled artillery to Yerevan has been heavily criticized by Baku.
Speaking to Azerbaijani media, Hikmet Hajiyev - President Ilham Aliyev's top foreign policy adviser - stated: "We consider France's policy towards the South Caucasus region to be ineffective. It is a harmful policy. It is a heavy blow to the mending relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia." (Reuters)
*Russian Foreign Ministry: NATO knows no one can defeat Moscow: On June 19, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova affirmed that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has set an impossible condition for the Ukrainian government if it wants to join the alliance, which is to defeat Moscow.
Because of this, Ukraine will never be able to join NATO.
Earlier, speaking at a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Ukraine's defeat by Russia would make the alliance "more vulnerable", emphasizing: "Our support for Kiev is not charity. It is in our security interests". (Sputniknews)
America - Latin America
*Argentina denies supplying weapons to Ukraine: On June 19, Argentine Presidential Spokesperson Manuel Adorni denied that his country was supplying weapons to Ukraine after last week there was much information about Buenos Aires supporting Kiev with fighter jets and tanks.
Speaking at a press conference at the Presidential Palace, Mr. Adorni affirmed that “we will not provide any form of military assistance” to Ukraine. However, he said that Argentina will provide humanitarian and logistical support to Ukraine such as “clearing mines.” He stressed that Argentina “will not intervene in any way in the current conflict.” (AFP)
*Canada puts Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on terrorist list: Canadian media reported on June 19 (local time) that the country is planning to put Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the list of terrorist organizations and will make an official announcement this week.
According to CBC News, opposition lawmakers have long demanded that the IRGC be included in this list, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government has refused, citing the risk of causing unpredictable consequences.
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly's office did not immediately respond to CBC News' request for comment. Canada has designated the Quds Force, the IGRC's overseas arm, as a terrorist organization. Ottawa also severed diplomatic relations with Tehran in 2012. (Reuters)
*US delays delivery of Patriot missiles to Switzerland: The US will not deliver new Patriot missiles to Switzerland as soon as expected, while Ukraine is being prioritized by Washington for new deliveries. According to sources in Switzerland, it is not clear how long the country will have to wait.
The Federal Office for Defense Procurement (Armasuisse) acknowledged on June 19 that deliveries of the missiles in question to Switzerland will be delayed due to the US government's decision and may not be able to proceed as planned. However, no official announcement can be made at this time about the exact impact on deliveries to Switzerland, the Keystone-SDA news agency reported.
According to Armasuisse, the affected Patriot ground-based air defense system weapon is the PAC3 MSE guided missile version, which was approved by the US Congress last year. (AFP)
Middle East – Africa
*Egypt denies participation in post-war Arab task force in Gaza: Egypt on June 19 denied reports that it agreed to deploy forces to the Gaza Strip as part of the United Nations (UN) Joint Arab Task Force, following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian Mediterranean strip.
According to Al Araby Al Jadeed newspaper, Arab forces will provide security for Gaza's border crossings, including the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, until a Palestinian administration is established in the territory. (Al Jazeera)
*US destroys 2 Houthi bases in Yemen: The US military said on June 19 that US forces destroyed 2 bases in Yemen of the Houthi rebel group, following a series of ship attacks carried out by the group in recent days.
The Houthis have been targeting ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November 2023 in attacks they say are in solidarity with Palestine in the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. The statement also said that in the past 24 hours, US forces in the region destroyed two more Houthi unmanned surface vessels (USVs) in the Red Sea. (Al Jazeera)
*Iran deploys over 170,000 personnel to ensure presidential election security: State news agency IRNA quoted Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi as saying on June 19 that over 170,000 personnel will be deployed to ensure security for the presidential election, scheduled for June 28.
Mr Vahidi said the force mainly consisted of police and the Basij force - a paramilitary volunteer militia run by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iran's 14th presidential election was scheduled for 2025, but was brought forward following the sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19. (IRNA)
*Hezbollah warns of unlimited war with Israel: Reuters news agency on June 19 quoted Hezbollah leader in Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah, warning of an "unlimited" war, without rules in case of a wider war with Israel and that no place in Israel is safe from Hezbollah attacks.
On the same day, Hezbollah announced that it had used dozens of Katyusha rockets and artillery shells to attack the headquarters of the 769th Eastern Brigade of the Israeli 91st Division at the Kiryat Shmona barracks. According to Hezbollah, the move was “in support of the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip, as well as in response to the Israeli enemy’s attacks on the Lebanese towns of Yaroun and Khiam.”
Meanwhile, Israel Army Radio said: "A building in the Kiryat Shmona industrial area was damaged after 10 rockets were fired from Lebanon." There were no reports of injuries in the rocket attack. (Reuters)
* The US killed an IS leader in Syria: On June 19, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that the agency conducted an airstrike in Syria, killing Usamah Jamal Muhammad Ibrahim al-Janabi - a senior figure who played a coordinating role for the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS).
In a statement on social network X, CENTCOM stated: "His death will disrupt IS's ability to provide resources and carry out terrorist attacks."
Over the years, the US has launched a series of campaigns to hunt down IS forces, especially targeting the leaders of this organization. (Al Jazeera)
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tin-the-gioi-206-argentina-phu-nhan-gui-vu-khi-cho-ukraine-hezbollah-canh-bao-cuoc-chien-khong-gioi-han-voi-israel-275724.html
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